About Me

My name is Jana, I am a mum and a Doula. That is my life, my passion, my destiny, my purpose. I come from the Czech Republic, but I came to NZ in 2018, I gave birth to my son in Queenstown while living in Invercargill. Just recently we relocated to Canterbury and I am glad to be able to offer you my services here 🙂

Since I was a little girl, I wanted to help others. Until I gave birth, my path was set to help animals. I studied animal protection and welfare at the University, I volunteered in dog shelters and rescue centers for wild animals… And then I got pregnant, thinking my life would stay the same, but it did not, surprisingly 😀 

My birth experience was wonderful, astonishing, and transformative. It was probably during my postpartum that I learned how many women don’t get to experience their birth as magically as I did. How many women struggle with breastfeeding. How many women can’t cope with motherhood at all. Very often due to the traumatic pregnancy and birth. Due to the disconnection between their baby and themselves. Due to the lack of support.

First I became a certified Breastfeeding Support (thank you, Plunket, for this opportunity), which set me on a different path. I found my purpose. I found myself working with women, with pregnant women who hadn’t known what to expect just yet, and also with women who found motherhood too difficult to handle already. Then I decided to become a certified Doula.

The logo of The Minimalistic Birth Academy

I created the Minimalistic Birth Academy, which focuses on helping women enjoy the journey into motherhood. I do individual birth preparation, attend births as a support person, and help women during their postpartum. Pregnancy and postpartum ceremonies bring all the ancestral wisdom of celebrating big milestones and I love to provide women with this experience. Closing the Bones is just a natural ending of this period and I am so grateful I can offer it to every woman who finds herself in a situation that calls for it.

I am a very down-to-earth woman, nevertheless I take the spirituality of the birthing process very seriously. Because at the moment of birth, two people are born – the baby and the mama. I believe that every soul comes here to do the work they are meant to do, whether that is through an easy birth, a cesarean, a death or a short stay, or some miraculous experience. Every birth is unique and there are not two stories alike. I am here to offer you guidance on your journey, whichever turn it takes, I will support you without any judgment, and I will accept and respect you just as you are in this moment.  

Working with women is my passion and I keep learning, improving, and extending my services so I can cover the needs of women from the conception of their first child until the end of their fertile years. I can be there for you from the beginning of your story, and I can also help you close it (refer to Closing the Bones).

If you would like me to be a little part of your journey, let me know, it would be a great honor 🙂

In case I am fully booked, feel free to contact Brigi, my fellow Doula from Christchurch who I work closely with. She is also my backup Doula in case anything happens that would prevent me from supporting you at your birth.