Hi, I’m Shelly!

I received a call from a Queensland inidigenous friend who asked if I could be with her at the birth of her third child. She had no idea I was considering birthwork or becoming a Doula. All of a sudden I had a strange feeling come over me – I had never experienced anything like it before.

The feeling was deep inside and I actually couldn’t speak for a moment. I shared with her what I had just felt and she believed it was a calling. I had just been chosen to work with women and their families during this sacred time. My journey to become a professional birth doula had begun and I started my studies straight away.

Over the years I have gained diverse experience supporting families in hospital births, homebirths and even bush births when I travel to the remote villages of Papua New Guinea.

I have witnessed magical births unfold naturally when mothers are supported to birth their baby in an environment where they feel safe, uninhibited and uninterrupted.

This has given me insight into the best ways to help make pregnancy and birth more comfortable, joyful and safe for both mother and baby, and it’s not what most of society thinks!

I am often told I have an AMAZING job. I do. I am honored to be welcomed into such sacred and private spaces to nurture and support a mother and her family during one of the most memorable moments of their lives.

Unfortunately, I’ve witnessed the worst of the ‘business of being born’, and disrespectful and non-consensual behaviour of some medical professionals in the birth field.

I strongly believe the mainstream maternity system has a long way to go in facilitating and supporting natural, physiological birth and positive pregnancy and postpartum care.

While I am thankful for the medical support our hospitals can provide when it’s needed, all too often I see unnecessary interventions and fear-based decision making which can increase the risk of complications, surgical or instrumental birth, birth trauma and postnatal depression.

As a doula, I support you to become fully informed and empowered in your own birthing journey and I also act as your advocate to ensure your wishes are respected regardless of the setting.

I provide doula services for homebirth, freebirth, hospital and birth centre births in Cairns and throughout Far North Queensland including Kuranda, the Atherton Tablelands, Port Douglas and Mission Beach.

I also provide ongoing support throughout pregnancy and postpartum, as well as NurtureLife pregnancy massage, Optimal Maternal Positioning and breastfeeding support.

YOU and I TOGETHER can create positive change for your birth, and the ripple effect from your empowered birth will touch many more.

Aside from all the beautiful babies and magical births, one of the most rewarding parts of my work is seeing such a positive difference in pregnancy and birth outcomes among mothers who are empowered, supported and nurtured during their pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

Seeing the mothers, couples and families I have supported reaching out to publicly share their stories, and passionately inform others of their options and alternatives in pregnancy and birth, has encouraged me to keep working hard at what I believe in.

I am passionate to remind humanity that birth can be full of pleasure and delight and should be an empowering journey as we grow and move into parenthood

I truly believe that together we can make a change and I am dedicated to reaching mothers and their families around the world to enhance humanity and care for our Earth.

Our Mother Earth is struggling with many environmental concerns that affect every human, animal and nation.

With my love for helping others, passion for sustainable systems, dedication to improving birth outcomes and the continued support of my husband, I’m proud to have developed GULAGBI – Collaborative Sustainable Developments Ltd, which aims to relieve the distress and suffering of communities experiencing poverty or illness.

It all started in 2010 when two of our foster children arrived. Their father was an Australian Torres Strait Islander and their mother was from a remote village in Papua New Guinea. Through their families we learnt what life was like in the villages and started helping them, which evolved into helping the school in the village and any patients flown from the surrounding villages into Australia for emergency and life threatening situations.

My husband and I started visiting these villages, experiencing their lifestyle, supporting women birthing on country, and holding meetings with village leaders and elders to gain more understanding of what was most needed. As a result, GULAGBI continues to grow and evolve and I am excited for the possibilities and opportunities our little organisation can co-create.