Testimonials
BABY B, MAY 2024.
FROM MUM:
“I was really keen to have a doula for our second birth as a lot of the home birth stories online raved about having doula support. My husband was on board with it since I thought it could really help us have a better birth experience this time round. We loved that Courtney was passionate, knowledgeable and professional given her nursing background. Even though we had a great midwife it was so nice having Courtney's extra emotional support throughout. She helped us unpack our birth preferences, dropped off a care package when we all got sick, checked in with us and provided reassurance especially with post due date anxiety, and gave us tools to prepare for birth. I knew that if things didn't go the way we wanted we'd have someone to help us make decisions and be there for each step. During the birth it was like having a trusted friend there (and thankfully she reminded us to use the TENS machine as we had forgotten, and it was amazing!). She took photos and videos which are so special to have. Courtney did lots of little things post birth that meant a lot; helped prepare food, washing, helping me shower and made our bed. She visited us in the following weeks to drop off a meal, check in, gave myself (and my toddler) a relaxing foot bath and reflected on the whole experience with us. We highly recommend Courtney to anyone wanting a doula, she is proactive, friendly, encouraging and thoughtful. She made us feel comfortable throughout, and she has such a passion for growing her business. We'll miss her!!
I'm still in disbelief about our pregnancy and birth. It actually feels so different this time not having to process the birth and what happened because it just went so smoothly, and I was so present and in control. I'm constantly looking back at the photos and videos feeling so proud.”
BABY A, MAY 2024.
FROM MUM:
“I didn't know a lot about doula's being a first time mum, and I didn't think we would have this service in Nelson. I started listening to a lot of Australian podcasts about pregnancy and everyone was raving about having a doula and how supportive they are. I remembered seeing my friend post about her sister 'Bump and Beyond'. When I looked up the IG I saw that she was a doula. I decided to meet with Courtney and instantly felt a connection with her. I signed up for the Complete Support Package. As I was a first time mum I wanted to have all of the support and knowledge that I could. Courtney came into my home, when it suited us with folders of need to knows, and took us through all of the birthing possibilities. This gave my husband and I awareness of what could happen in a birth and opportunities to ask questions and find out about different things like; c-sections, epidural's, home births and more. When I had a question (one of them) about; 'what if my baby is measuring 'small?' She sent me back a podcasts to listening to, for me to make my own choices on having a measuring scan. Courtney was also very quick to respond and had all of the resources to support our own decision making.
We had Courtney for birth support also. I ended up having a quick labour and when my husband phoned her and asked if she could come to our house, she responded straight away. She could tell that my husband needed support and wasn't sure when the midwife was going to turn up. When Courtney arrived she checked in with my husband to see how things were going, and then came and saw me in our bedroom and knew that it wouldn't be long until the baby was here. I will just add that I wasn't having a planned home birth but as my labour was very fast, I didn't have time to get to the hospital or maternity unit. It is not Courtney's job to help deliver a baby but that's what ended up happening. She asked my husband to organise some warm towels in the dryer, some containers and more, and then came to support me through my contractions. She was so gentle and calm, I felt secure. I already had the Tens machine on that she provided me with on one of our sessions. She gave me some acupressure balls to hold (which were great) and some labour oils to smell. The midwife turned up 15min before the baby was born. After the birth Courtney made sure that I had food and water. When I was ready she took me to the bathroom where she helped me shower and get dressed. She helped me back into bed and then proceeded to put washing on and help with cleaning up.
After the birth Courtney brought amazing food and snacks, a little gift box and hot coffee. She also helped fold my washing, vacuum my house, chat on the couch, make delicious hot chai, meals to eat and check in with my husband. She felt like a friend coming over to see you. She is the best advocate for postpartum mums and helps you have time with your new born baby and adjusting to your new life. We will be forever thankful to Courtney and the support she provided us when having a baby.”
BABY T, MAY 2024.
FROM MUM:
“I had never heard of a doula until I found the Bump and Beyond Instagram page. I had only just found out I was pregnant and found her content resonated with me, especially her postpartum support advice, and messaging. My main concerns were less about the birth itself (although I did find the pre-natal sessions extremely useful), but more about what my postpartum period would look like.
I was anxious about the transition to motherhood especially after my partner returned to work. The idea of having someone around in the first few weeks to discuss all things birth, babies and everything in-between felt like it was exactly what I would need to support me in those early weeks. Courtney delivered that emotional support, and so much more. She always turned up with delicious, nutritious snacks and meals, as well as providing practical help around the home. She helped me with cleaning, cooking, meal prep, washing and more. One of the most beneficial things I found with having her present in those early weeks was her tips and tricks for baby.
There is no manual when it comes to bringing home a baby, so having someone who is a mother herself to provided tips and tricks was amazing. I would 100% recommend a doula to anyone, especially Courtney. No doubt I will be contacting her one day for baby number 2.”
BABY M, APRIL 2024.
FROM MUM:
“I may be bias as Courtney is my sister, however, I can honestly say if it wasn't for her support, guidance and belief in a woman's strength to birth her baby wherever she feels safest, I wouldn't have had my best birth - a planned homebirth.
Given it was my first pregnancy, I relied heavily on Court for her knowledge, wisdom, guidance and support during my pregnancy and birth.
It became apparent very quickly just how valuable it was having someone like Court on hand to bounce ideas/questions/options off, and obtain an unbiased, educated, evidence based response.
Court's presence in the birth space was known but so considered. She knew the exact time to get involved but also when to sit back and observe. My husband found having Court present incredibly reassuring, particularly in the early stages of labour before the midwife arrived.
Court also came into her own when it came to supporting me in my postpartum - not only was she lending a hand practically around the house, she was keeping us nourished, providing mental and emotional support and offered words of wisdom when answering all my questions regarding our newest family member.
Hiring Court to support you is the best investment you could make when it comes to creating a birth that you walk away from feeling empowered, supported, and cared for!”
BABY C, MARCH 2024.
FROM MUM:
“Courtney was amazing support throughout my pregnancy, labor and postpartum. Definitely our best investment in preparing for baby number 2 after a traumatic first birth. We had a wonderful obstetrician for medical/high risk support, a lovely midwife for medical/regular support and Courtney as a doula for fantastic
emotional/practical support. The perfect combo for us.Courtney supported absolutely everything I wanted/needed (a very gentle, warm and fuzzy but also highly medical labor and delivery) and was great at educating my husband and I of all our options and questions we can ask our medical team. We are so thankful for Courtney's support and highly recommend her to any parents, first time or not.”
BABY T, FEBRUARY 2024.
FROM MUM:
“I purchased the antenatal and postpartum package, and every cent I spent on this was worth it. Courtney is worth her weight in gold.
Her genuine, caring nature along with her wealth of knowledge and ten years experience as a nurse makes her services an essential addition to any birth preparation. I went from being pretty naive as a first time mum to feeling well-educated and prepared going into my birth. She also comes to visits with the most delicious kai... If I were to be lucky enough to be on the pregnancy journey again I would most definitely approach Courtney, but I'd purchase the birth attendance package.
You won't regret adding a Bump and Beyond package to your toolbox. Your future self will thank you!”
BABY A, JANUARY 2024.
FROM MUM:
“ We had Courtney supporting us for antenatal sessions and during our birth. We had a tailored package where she also visited us once postpartum. Courtney was extremely professional and organised from the get go. She had great information available which she sent to us and brought to our sessions together, helping to prepare us for the birth and postpartum. She also had a wealth of knowledge herself and shared this with us without trying to steer us in any particular direction (the decisions about our birth were all our own, but just more informed with Courtney’s support).
During the birth, Courtney was a steady and supportive presence. She thought of everything, and I remember saying during labour that the hospital birth suite felt like a “day spa” because of how she helped us to set it up.
Courtney also makes a cracker salted caramel nut slice!
Highly recommend Courtney and all her services - we had a great labour and birth experience and so much of this is down to how she helped us and empowered us along the way!”
BABY M, OCTOBER 2023.
FROM MUM:
“If you’re looking for informed, educated, experienced, empowering and empathetic pregnancy, birth and postpartum support then Courtney is your gal!
Courtney helped my husband and I prepare for the birth of our first child, she was present during my labour and through out the entire birth and then looked after our family in the immediate weeks after.
Courtney taught us so much, we felt completely prepared for the road ahead and she worked really well with our midwife to ensure they were on the same page. No question was too small or too silly.
During the birth she was there to support my husband and help us through our birthing plan which resulted in an intervention free natural birth which we are so proud of. Courtney joined us at our home during active labour, travelled with us to the hospital and stayed for the entire birth and after (which was 23 hours alone).
Court is a wealth of knowledge with a nursing background and is such a warm personality. We instantly felt comfortable around her and really felt like she was on our team.
I cannot stress enough how amazing our whole experience was!
Thank you so much Courtney!”
BABY T, OCTOBER 2023.
FROM MUM:
“I am a second-time mama, and with my first child, I didn’t have a great birth experience. It didn’t go as planned (it rarely does). In the end, I had a beautiful, healthy baby, but I didn’t have a great feeling about it. When I got pregnant with my second child, I knew I didn’t want to feel the same way, and I wanted to have a beautiful birth experience because I deserved it.
I contacted Courtney, and OMG, it was a game-changer for me and my family. We had the privilege of having her as our doula, and we simply loved her. She listened with respect, empathy, and no judgment to me and my husband. She completely understood what was important for us and what we wanted. Her guidance and advice throughout our pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey were so convenient and spot on. We were so aware of many things, and we were assured we had enough information to make decisions.
It was amazing to have someone advocating for me and my family when I was not able to do it. The emotional support I got from Courtney was from another world. She was always there for me, checking on me often, not without saying she spoiled me a lot with her delicious food and amazing foot massages. I can say that I had a beautiful birthing experience in which I felt satisfied, secure, loved, supported, and very empowered. None of this would have been possible without Courtney.
She anticipated what I needed; she tied my hair, kept me hydrated, helped me have a shower, dressed me, all while my husband was with our baby and the midwife. She even gave me great advice and good ideas on how to introduce my newborn to his big brother. My heart is truly grateful for having Courtney in such an important time of our lives.
She is an amazing doula and one of the nicest human beings we’ve ever met. Her professionalism, knowledge, and passion for what she does make her one of a kind. To sum up, for us, having a doula is as important as having a midwife. So if you are pregnant, it doesn’t matter if it is your first, second, third child, do not hesitate to have Courtney walk this journey by your side.”
FROM DAD:
“As a father, I initially wasn't sure what role a doula would play in the process, but Courtney's presence made a significant and positive impact.
From the beginning, her knowledge and expertise not only reassured my partner but also gave me a sense of confidence and a better understanding of the birthing process. Her ability to answer our questions and explain things in a way that was easy to comprehend was invaluable. Courtney offered insightful advice on dietary choices and natural treatments to initiate contractions, a pivotal factor that enhanced the overall joy of the labor experience for both my wife and me.
Her ability to provide suggestions and encouraging active involvement in the birthing process transformed me from a mere observer into an engaged participant. I appreciated her efforts to ensure that both of us felt supported and involved. Courtney also played a pivotal role preparing our birth plan, with my active participation in the delivery of our baby.
Additionally, her postpartum support and guidance have been immensely helpful. She visited our home, bearing nourishing food, and helped my wife with comforting and encouraging words.
In summary, her role as our doula exceeded our expectations. Her professionalism, knowledge, and genuine care for our well-being made a significant impact on our childbirth experience. We are grateful for the positive influence she had on this transformative journey.”
BABY A, MAY 2023.
FROM MUM:
“Courtney, thank you so much for being a part of one of the most special times in our lives. Your knowledge, friendship, kindness and help has been more appreciated than you know. Your passion for birth is infectious and ensured I felt well supported and cared for. It was particularly special to have you be a part of the birth and this is something we will never forget.
During active labour Courtney was able to predict my needs before I had even realised these were things I needed. She gave me a foot massage as she noticed my legs and feet were swollen, she was on hand with the essential oils, cold flannels and making sure my birth preferences were being heard. It felt like having another close friend there to help support me and my husband.
Before birth and postpartum Courtney always made sure I was well fed by bringing around delicious home made soups, lasagna, baking and fruit. She is naturally a very nurturing person and offered to help with all household tasks such as washing and changing the bedding.
Being a Doula is absolutely the most perfect calling for Courtney, as it is in her nature to be so kind and caring.”
FROM DAD:
“Before going into this I didn't know the word doula, let alone what one was. My wife had heard of them but we both weren't entirely sure what we were entering into before we met for the first time with Courtney. I had reservations about how birth would go, having never attended one before, but Courtney provided excellent support and guidance throughout. We felt prepared and incredibly heard when going into hospital. From all the meetings we'd had, discussions around preferences, and ideas for strategies through labour we couldn't have asked for a better guide than Courtney.
Zero judgement, all compassion.
When we asked Courtney to come to the hospital for the final stages of labour I was so grateful. She took over care of my wife whilst I had a nap, and then became a second pair of hands when I woke back up. I didn't feel like I wasn't the main person caring my wife, but rather I could ask her to help with anything, and she would.
I have never seen wet flannels be swapped out so quickly, and doubt I will again.
Afterwards Courtney waited around for us to have a debrief, despite her own lack of sleep and exhaustion, which I cannot thank her enough for.
If you're looking for a Doula, don't look past Courtney Vercoe.”