| Phone: | 0432 078 899 |
| Email: | shantinina@gmail.com |
| Website: | www.mamashanti.com.au |
Nina Isabella, founder of mamashanti yoga for birth :: birth support is a devoted mother, prenatal yoga teacher, independent childbirth educator, birth attendant, and passionate advocate for reclaiming women’s trust in their innate wisdom to birth and raise their children consciously.
Birth Support:
Nina has attended many hospital and home births in metropolitan Melbourne. For Nina, birth support starts from the first point of contact with a pregnant woman. It’s expressed through honouring each woman’s choices; helping her with resources; encouraging her to trust her own birthing wisdom. Nina has moved to Hepburn and will be attending births for women in the surrounding towns from Spring 2013.
By engaging Nina as your companion in childbirth, you will be gifting yourself with the support of a compassionate, knowledgeable, experienced woman by your side supporting and honouring your journey through childbirth into parenthood.
Prenatal Yoga:
For Nina, teaching prenatal yoga is deeply informed by her own experience of pregnancy and birth; and most recently by her work as a birth attendant. Nina brings the wisdom gained from these experiences and applies them directly to her teaching. All classes and workshops are designed to inform and inspire you to embrace the glorious journey of birth and motherhood.
- Professional birth attendant service
- Weekly Yoga for Pregnancy & Birth classes held in North Fitzroy
- Fundamentals for Pregnancy & Birth program held as full day retreats in Hepburn & three part workshop series in North Fitzroy
- Monthly Active Birth Preparation for Partners Workshops
- BirthSkills :: Private Childbirth Preparation Sessions for Calm, Confident, Welcoming Birth
- Reiki
Minnie’s Birth:
My husband Tom and I attended a natural birthing course towards the end of my pregnancy. We quickly realised that to having a beautiful natural birth in a private hospital was easier said than done -the intervention rates were pretty high. The main recommendation to us was to enlist a birth attendant to assist the labour. I half knew that Nina, my fabulous pre-natal yoga teacher was attending births so I chatted to her about it. She was so warm, enthusiastic and supportive, it felt right. The decision to have Nina as our birth attendant was easy. Tom was so relieved, knowing that he would not be alone on the big day trying to remember labouring positions whilst managing the hospital chaos. Attending yoga classes weekly with Nina meant that I felt comfortable with her, her voice alone made me feel relaxed. We all went into the labour happy, confident and excited.
When early labour started I called Nina and she was very reassuring. A few days later I arrived at the delivery suite- ready to go! Nina arrived shortly after me and no time was wasted getting into her repertoire of super birthing positions (while Tom ducked out for a much needed sugar hit!). Nina held me, rocked with me, talked to me, fed me and breathed with me through the whole thing, she was all the pain relief I needed. She helped Tom get involved and feel empowered. The hours seemed to fly as Nina worked with my obstetrician and before we knew it, our beautiful daughter was born. I was elated. Not only because I had such an amazing little girl, but because I had an amazing labour.
My birth was such a positive, life changing event and I believe Nina played a huge role in this. Tom and I are so grateful to Nina, we definitely hope to have her with us for any future births. — PipCharlie’s Birth:
Giving birth was the most difficult thing I have ever done, both emotionally and physically. I knew quite early on in my pregnancy that I wanted an experienced Doula with me for birthing. The thought of it alone gave me confidence that I could have a natural birth, especially since I was booked in for a hospital birth. It also took the pressure off my man and defined his role as the protector of the birthing place and not a birthing expert!
Attending Nina’s yoga classes I got to know her and decided that she was the perfect choice. In the classes her voice would calm me and the positive affirmations were what I needed to give me the confidence in my own body’s ability to birth naturally. Nina was the first person I had met who said positive things about our expanding bellies.
Having Nina attend my birth was very valuable as a number of risk factors had the hospital trying to induce me early on. Nina was able to help negotiate time to allow me to birth naturally. Nina’s voice and touch helped me though hours of labor that appeared to be stuck, always with an encouraging word. I wanted to give up so many times but Nina never did and helped me get through each stage as it played out. I never imagined that I would have such a long labor and without Nina there I am sure there would have been a lot more interventions as the pain took its toll over the hours. I would highly recommend Nina to support you through your birth experience. — Therese