The roles in this category are easy to confuse and are not interchangeable. A midwife is AHPRA-registered and clinical. A doula is not clinical — the role is continuous practical and emotional support before, during and after a birth, and it sits alongside your medical care rather than replacing any of it. A lactation consultant holding the IBCLC credential has passed an international board exam; “breastfeeding support” without it can mean anything from a peer group to a nurse-led clinic.
Most of what’s listed here runs privately alongside the public system, and a fair amount of it happens at your place — home visits are standard for doulas and common for lactation consultants. Pelvic health physiotherapists work from clinics and are booked like any other physio, with or without a referral.
Group formats matter here too: pregnancy yoga, new-parent groups and parenting programmes run in terms, so intake dates decide when you can start. Ask early about availability around your due date — the good ones take a limited number of clients a month.
Related: midwifery, lactation consultants, pregnancy massage.
Oria Haven is a directory, not a health service. If you have a health concern, speak with your GP or a registered practitioner.