My name is Anne-Valérie Adler and I am a certified birth doula (support of the pregnant woman before, during and after childbirth). I also offer childbirth preparation courses. In addition, I am a lactation consultant and a postpartum doula (support of the mother after the birth).
I am married and mother of three wonderful boys and we live in Ramat HaSharon.
I grew up in Geneva, Switzerland, and French is my mother tongue. Besides, I speak fluently Hebrew and English.
In the past, I was a lawyer and I have been active in this field for more than a decade. Over time, after each of my deliveries, I had doubts about my choice of profession. Following the birth of my younger son, I decided to make a professional change and to turn to the fabulous world of birth.
I was trained to become a doula at the Imaledet doulas’ school at Laniado Hospital in Netanya under the direction of the amazing Gila Ronel and Irit Falkowitz. Subsequently, I completed additional training to receive the post-partum doula diploma at Diada College in Tel Aviv. It was in this same college that I took additional training to provide birth preparation classes and to become a lactation consultant.
During each delivery I accompany, I bless the day I decided to reorient myself professionally. I absolutely love guiding and supporting couples or single pregnant women during the magical process of pregnancy and childbirth. For me, I attend – at each birth – the achievement of a new miracle. It is always an extremely moving moment.
I really like supporting the future parents or the future mother alone, depending on the case, physically, psychologically and emotionally, in one of the most important moments of their lives.
So far, I have accompanied dozens of pregnant women to various hospitals in Israel (including Sheba Hospital in Tel HaShomer, Lis Maternity Hospital, Laniado Hospital, Meir Hospital, Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center). This allowed me to gain a lot of experience in different situations: natural deliveries, epidural deliveries, first deliveries and subsequent deliveries, VBAC births (vaginal birth after c-section), c-section births and twin births.
I also voluntarily accompany and support refugees from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan through the Hagar and Myriam organization. The support I provide these young women who are often alone in Israel, without family and without knowing either Hebrew or English is very meaningful to me.
My philosophy in relation to the childbirth process
I believe that in relation to her delivery, each future mother has her own and unique path to follow. Each one arrives at her birth with her past (physically, psychologically and emotionally), with her body and peculiarities, strengths and weaknesses, pain threshold and sensitivity. The most important thing for me is to accompany the future mother in the way that suits her best, according to her desires and her wishes.
I am there to guide her, support and accompany her and her spouse throughout the delivery. Nevertheless, in the end, it is her delivery, the birth of her baby.
For me, being a doula is not only to perform actions which offer relief to the future mother but also to be there for the expectant mother, to reassure her and her husband, to put my hand on her forehead and to bring her some comfort and confidence and to make the whole birth process the most positive and empowering experience as possible.