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Samantha Thurlby-Brooks

About Us

I started my body work training back in 2001 straight after I'd finished my Philosophy degree in the UK. I primarily work with women which has led me on to one of the most joy-filled part of a woman's life; pregnancy and childbirth. I support my clients not only with touch, but also with the knowledge and wisdom I have gained through some of the worlds most respected teachers in their field such as Michel Odent, Cathy Daub and Carole Osborne.

Since 2005 I have massaged (as well as studied/ interviewed) almost 3,000 pregnant women as well as taught many, many expectant couples. You can read some of the articles I've written on my website. I've also been published a couple of times in the award winning OHbaby! Magazine.

I moved to New Zealand in 2007 to work with Bella Mama pregnancy massage company and ran my own franchise with staff for two years until closing the doors to focus on my own projects. Working with Bella Mama for five and a half years was been incredibly fulfilling, I then carried on this work with private clients from home for a couple of years under the name Joyful Childbirth. I'm very excited to now be back in the UK running a busy space in Kingston Upon Thames with my Mumanu brand.

While in New Zealand I trained as a Hypnobirthing Instructor and studied the Yoga Academy's Pregnancy Yoga Teacher Training Programme. I helped to write the theory side of the Svastha Yoga NZ Pregnancy Yoga Teacher Training Course and have taught other health professionals about their pregnant clients.

I am the first person to have completed the BirthWorks Childbirth Educator certification outside the USA. My work with BirthWorks has been honoured with a BirthWorks Ambassador of the Year Award 2012 for bringing over the training courses to New Zealand. I shall now be setting this up in the UK.

Early in 2012 I set up Doula NZ, an organisation that supports and represents doulas across New Zealand.

When I invented the Mumanu® Pregnancy and Postnatal Pillow, I was also running Joyful Childbirth. The Joyful Childbirth services and information are now offered under the Mumanu brand. Although I am an experienced and qualified birth doula I have decided not to actively promote this work any more as Mumanu is taking up a lot of my commitments. It is something I may come back to.

Samantha Thurlby-Brooks

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