Joanna Geneslay

More about me

Growing, birthing and nurturing a little human is one of the most magical times in your life as a mother, as well as an unprecedented event in your lives as a family. Women / couples need to be supported and nurtured, so their babies can be welcomed into this world with love and respect.  The ability to birth is already inside you! We all have a deep connection to the millions of women who have given birth before us. Birth can be powerful, healing, a wonderfully ordinary way to begin motherhood and your baby’s life in this world. 

I am a huge advocate of natural, physiological and undisturbed birth, a VBAC and a freebirth HBAC mum. As your Doula, I will serve as a guardian and protect your birth space, making sure that your journey through the transition of birth and motherhood is a smooth, positive and nurtured experience. 

After an EMCS in 2012 due to breech (little did they know back then about breech vaginal delivery), I had a hospital VBAC in 2018 and in 2021 I have hypno-freebirthed my 3rd baby at home, in the pool, as with this last baby I was determined to go through pregnancy and birth outside the system.

If the above struck a chord in you, if you share my belief that pregnancy and birth are not (usually) medical events, if you want to birth in power, instead of letting yourself led by the medical team, then I might be able to give you the information and emotional support you need to own your birth.

I know that in some situations, it is required and best to have medical assistance and intervention, and I am not at all underestimating the importance of the medical team when needed, but, on the other hand, the unnecessary over-medicalisation of birth can have a huge negative impact on both mother and baby.

I am based in the western suburbs of Paris, France and I am offering in person birth and postnatal Doula services in Paris (75), Yvelines (78) and Hauts-de-Seine (92).  I am also offering my services virtually, time zone permitted. 

I will help you understand and navigate through antenatal care and testing, as well as birth interventions, making sure you are fully aware of the associated benefits and risks, as well as your birth rights and choices, so you can take informed decisions. I will also be there for you to explore options and, even though I have experience and a preference for attending mostly home births, I will support you in your birth choices, whether that is midwife / doctor / no antenatal care, a home birth, a freebirth, hospital or birth centre birth, VBAC, HBAC, elective or unplanned c-section. 

If you want to know a bit more about myself and my beliefs, please check out my website and do reach out if you like what you see. ☺️

You can also follow me on Facebook / Instagram: @happyhugsfr for useful insights and tips around antenatal education, hypnobirthing, physiological birth, breastfeeding, babywearing, postnatal recovery and support, self care and much more