Milou, from Holland:

“I met Mayra 4.5 years ago during my first pregnancy and she helped me navigate giving birth in Portugal as a foreigner. Her open attitude, gentle nature, flexibility, and experience as a doula made me feel comfortable with her from the beginning. I recently went to her for a massage and she created a warm and inviting atmosphere, taking my wishes into account. Despite not having many physical complaints, I felt a great sense of relief during the massage, particularly in my back, chest, and shoulders. Throughout the session, I felt relaxed and at ease, and slept well the following night”.

Janet from Scotland:

“I found having a doula, Mayra, to be most beneficial for the emotional support she provided during my pregnancy and postpartum. Mayra’s check-ins, outreach, and calming reassurance were fantastic, and her willingness to reach out to me made me feel supported. Mayra helped me navigate challenges related to breastfeeding and a tongue-tied baby by connecting me with the right consultants. I found Mayra to be caring and sensitive, and her emotional support was invaluable to me during my journey.

As someone who gave birth in a foreign country with a different language and away from family, navigating the healthcare system was a challenge for me. Mayra helped me understand the system, where to go, who to speak to, and what appointments I needed. She was always available to answer my queries and direct me in the right way. Giving birth in a foreign country required me to understand the system, the new SNS, options for birthing, public vs. private hospitals, and how to get appointments. It was all hard to navigate, but with Myra’s help, I got there in the end. I feel lucky to have a beautiful baby.

For the pregnancy follow-up appointments I went to the local state doctor, but they didn’t always have space for scans and blood tests, so we went to CUF. However, I found CUF to be sterile and more like a business, and there was a high rate of C-sections, which I didn’t want. People recommended Cascais State Hospital, which was very clean, had good experiences, and was efficient. The nurses spoke good English and were attentive. So we went to Cascais and had a successful vaginal birth. I am happy with our choice and grateful for Mayra’s Support”.

Lurah from Brazil:

“Mayra empowered me in a way that she spoke exactly what I needed to hear at that time, you know? I felt very insecure because with pregnancy, we actually never have control over things, right? So a doula helps us to stay grounded, I think. And after everything that happened in my birth, with the baby being so premature, I felt very insecure to do anything else, even with feeding. And that’s where Mayra’s psychological support really helped me to empower myself and have the courage to try and believe in nature, in the mother-baby relationship, and in breastfeeding. And I’m very, very, very grateful to her for that. Because breastfeeding radically changed my relationship with Clara. And I always remember it. Always”.

Laura from the UK:

“During my pregnancy, I had trouble getting appointments at Centro de Saude [Health centre in English] in Ericeira and ended up paying for appointments and scans at CUF [a private hospital branch]. I eventually got an appointment at the Centro de Saúde in Ericeira, which went smoothly since I speak some Portuguese. 

I attended Lizana’s pregnancy yoga, which was helpful and allowed me to make friends. I gave birth at Garcia de Orta in Almada, where they respected my preferences for a natural birth and turning down the lights, but I didn’t like staying in the hospital for two nights and being away from my family. My partner could only visit for six hours a day. I also hired a doula towards the end of my pregnancy because I was worried about the language barrier during labour. However, my partner and I ended up handling everything ourselves, so I didn’t need the doula in the end. Nevertheless, I believe that doulas can be very helpful for some people.”