Maartje Bruning

As a hospital birth doula, I am actively recommended by various gynecologists and midwifery practices in and around Amsterdam. I have been working full-time on my passion for almost 14 years. Since having started working as a doula, I have supported more than 400 births, both at home and in the hospital. I live with my husband and two teenage daughters in our old farmhouse by the water, near Amsterdam Noord.

As a person, teacher and doula, I am driven, enthusiastic, curious, and passionate. Quiet when needed, and positively energetic and present when necessary. I still feel honored to witness an expectant mother discover her own strength, and I am grateful to have been able to contribute to that.

In 2013, I completed the JJ Doula Training and in 2014 I became certified as a Birthlight prenatal yoga teacher. In 2016, I continued my education in the United States with ProDoula to deepen my knowledge of births in a clinical setting with pain relief, including epidural anesthesia.
Since 2024, I have been studying midwifery (part-time) in Belgium to further expand my knowledge. As this program also requires a substantial amount of internship training, I am currently only able to take on a few clients per month.

In 2019, I founded the Doula Academy to spread my clinical knowledge throughout the Netherlands, in collaboration with a team of doctors, midwives and doulas as co-teachers. Feel free to visit www.doulaacademie.nl to learn more about the training program. I am proud of my collaboration with a large team of birth care professionals and able to truly make a difference for so many more people than just my own clients.

Please feel free to contact me, but do it as early as possible in your pregnancy (preferably around your 12th week). We need to see if we click and what additional preparation you might need. I plan about 6 months ahead! Even when we start working together a little later, I invest lots of time and effort to make you and your partner feel as ready as possible for the upcoming birth of your baby.

I have experience with VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), medical indications and induced labor, breech births, twin births, premature births, planned and emergency (gentle) cesareans, traumatic histories (for example, abuse victims), water births, and births with or without synthetic pain medication.

I speak Dutch, English, Italian, German and French. I am a member of the NBvD, the Dutch Association for Doula's.