We, Elinor Abramson and Sophie Bos, are the initiators of Birth in Holland. We were drawn together by our wish to provide supportive informative birth services to international parents like ourselves and our shared passion for helping new parents on their journey through pregnancy and birth to becoming a parent.
Martha Montagne qualified as a midwife in 2015 and promptly joined the team, as co-owner, to add her expertise and passion to help the business further grow and expand. Due to the growing demand for more courses, Farola and Theresa joined our teaching team in 2016.
Our aim is to help international couples have a memorable and empowering birthing experience in the Netherlands and to become confident, happy and connected parents after their baby is born.
Elinor
In 2003 I relocated from England to the NL with my husband and four children and have been living, studying and working in Delft since that time.
My professional background in nursing and management in the UK led to my desire to further my medical career in the Netherlands. After learning to speak Dutch fluently, I re-trained at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam where I gained a Bachelor of Midwifery.
I currently work as a midwife within the Dutch Healthcare system in a midwifery centre with four colleagues, delivering personal, professional maternity care to Dutch families and international parents-to-be throughout pregnancy, birth and into new parenthood.
I support women throughout pregnancy and in birthing their babies at home or in the hospital and provide medical supervision for mother and baby up to six weeks after the birth.
In 2013 I trained with Janet Balaskas at the Acitve Birth Centre in London and am now a certified Active Birth Teacher. Sophie and I then combined knowledge and experience and created the Confident Birth Course as it is today. I have also trained with Peter Walker to become a certified Developmental Baby Massage teacher. Alongside my medical training I have specialised in paediatric first aid with St. John's Ambulance and the Nederlandse Reanimatieraad and have developed the First Aid for Parents and PBLS Workshops together with our First Aid Team.
Elinor
Sophie
After years of being passionate about having my own catering business I decided to follow my heart and delve into a long time passion of mine, Birth!
I trained as a doula in 2010 and it has been an honour supporting over 100 women and their partners in my practice Doula Sophie. About 70% of my clients are international and come from all over the world but for various reasons live in The Netherlands. I love the cross cultural aspect of supporting English speaking couples and helping them have a better birthing experience here. In 2013 I trained and certified as a childbirth educator with Childbirth International and put together the first Confident Birth Course. Elinor and I joined forces to create the fabulous course we give today. A complimentary passion to my doula work is birth photography. I love to document my clients' birth stories in the process of supporting them and give it back to them to cherish forever. Because I so believe in doula support and the need for more doula's, I am also a doula trainer in the Dutch training program In Bloei.
Although I am British, I have lived outside my country for over 25 years. We have lived all over the place, including 3 years in America, and we have landed in Capelle aan den IJssel, close to Rotterdam, which has been our home for over 10 years now. I married “my Dutch guy" and together we do life with our three grown boys. Two of my children were born in The Netherlands and the youngest in the US so I know what it is to be expecting a baby in a culture other than your own and all the uncertainty and emotions that can bring.
I look forward to meeting you soon,
Sophie
Martha
I have been working since 2015 as a midwife in Midwifery centre DelVi. I really enjoy working with pregnant women during pregnancy, birth and the post-natal period.
Alongside my role as a midwife I teach the Confident Birth Course and have helped to develop and deliver the First Aid for Parents and PBLS workshops with the First Aid team.
I am originally from the UK and speak fluent English. I moved to the Netherlands when I was 12, learned Dutch and finished my education here. I then went on to study midwifery at the Midwifery Academy in Rotterdam.
As an expat I have personal experience of what it is like to move countries and find your way in a new system. I have now also gained lots of knowledge about the health care system during my training and this has enabled me to help other expats to access health care and provide medical care in Dutch as well as English.
I have recently given birth to my first son and am enjoying being a new Mum.
I look forward to meeting you!
Martha
Farola
In 2010 I met Sophie while training to become a doula after working as a drama therapist for 8 years. I started my own practice Doula Farola where I combine all the training and courses I have followed over the years to provide the best possible support for women during pregnancy and birth. About 30% of my clients are international. Besides my doula services it seems especially the private prenatal yoga courses and the pregnancy massages are greatly appreciated among clients.
My love for teaching, sharing knowledge and helping others find their strength has recently led me on a new path to train doula's. In 2016 I proudly launched a new venture with my colleague, Marlies, training new doulas. Doulaopleiding In Bloei (Doulas in Bloom) is all about training and helping new doulas flourish. Sophie and I have always worked together closely and I am honored to be part of the Birth In Holland team and teach the Confident Birth Course.
I was born and raised here in the Netherlands and live in Rotterdam with my husband and three children. I have a lot of international friends and family and have seen from close-by the challenges of starting a family in a different country than your own. I look forward to supporting you to have the knowledge, confidence and support to have your best birth.
Farola
Theresa
Born and raised in Zimbabwe, I have always had a love of teaching and from a very early age I taught horseriding, swimming and hot air ballooning.
I moved to the UK in 1999, studied veterinary nursing and then worked in practice for 15 years during which time I took an active role in student training and education.
In 2000 I re-trained as a teacher and have been working in primary education for 6 years. Working closely with young children and parents made me realise the importance of First Aid knowledge and was the catalyst for me to join Birth in Holland and share my advanced First Aid training by developing and delivering the First Aid for Parents Workshops with the First Aid team.
I am an international parent and have lived in 3 different countries to date. I moved countries as a young adult and then again as a mother with two growing boys. I can fully identify with the challenges international parents face and hope to offer support and share my knowledge with fellow expats for many years to come.
Theresa