| Phone: | 0412 619 174 |
| Email: | stephanie.norquay@gmail.com |
| Website: | www.stephanienorquay.com.au |
It was my own first powerful and rewarding experience of childbirth that ultimately led me to the wonderful work of birth support; and in 2004 I was fortunate enough to spend a year training with Rhea Dempsey, expanding my knowledge and establishing a strong set of skills.
I have worked collaboratively with many women and their partners across a diverse range of settings and circumstances. My support includes assistance with : identifying each woman’s unique set of needs and desires about her birth and discussing any concerns as they arise; providing balanced information and making clear informed decisions; developing useful support strategies for partners; and gathering the resources necessary for the woman to feel strong, safe and supported throughout the labour process.
I strive to ensure that women and their partners approach labour and early parenting with a shared sense of confidence and optimism, and as a result, a greater potential for a positive and empowering experience.
I am a mother of two and a certified Infant Massage Instructor. A background in remedial massage and alternative therapies helps to inform and support my work as a birth attendant.
“Having Stephanie present at the birth of both of our daughters was invaluable. She helped us to formulate our birth plan, answered the questions we forgot (or were too intimidated) to ask the medical staff, and met with us regularly leading up to due date. During the birth she acted as a buffer between us and the rest of the world, allowing Catherine to concentrate on birthing, and freeing me up to focus my attention on supporting her. She is very well informed and professional and I found that her calming presence, advice and support (both physical and emotional) at critical moments during the births were crucial to their success. She was an amazing person to have on our birth team; I cannot recommend her highly enough.” — Leo Mullins
“There are many reasons why we decided to include Stephanie at the birth of both our children… For the first birth we wanted someone present, mainly because Steve thought he might not be able to meet all my needs and we also wanted to have someone to help us make decisions when required, if all did not go to plan. As soon as we met Stephanie, we knew she was the right person. She provided us with some great reading and preparation material as well as talking through our fears and hopes. For the second birth, simply we could not imagine giving birth without Stephanie being there, so fantastic was her presence at the first. Despite having to be induced for both of our births, our babies were delivered naturally and no pain relief was required due to Stephanie’s wonderful guidance. She knew exactly what kind of support to offer at the right moment to both myself and Steve without needing to converse at all. Stephanie encouraged Steve to be active with me in both births, giving him the tools to work with me and her as a team. Both births were a really positive experience because of all this, even though the support I required at each was completely different.
If we decide to have a third, Stephanie you are expected in the birthing suite.” — Lou, Steve, Elvie and Iggy