Diana van Loo-Karsijns

I am Diana, I’ve been around for a while, seen and done a lot all over the world, met people, made acquaintances and friends, but also caused alienation and created distance.

My safety net is my family and friends from our church. We live in Dordrecht, two minutes from the highway, so my travel time of one hour can take me far. The doula journey began with my sister-in-law—an honor and incredible to be part of. When my presence brought calm and impacted the course of the birth, I thought; “if you could only be able to make this your work!”

At In Bloei, I met the nicest and kindest group of women I’ve ever encountered: Doulas of South Holland, Christian Doulas of the Netherlands, Doulas of the Drechtsteden, and members of the NBvD (Dutch Doula Association). We are equal yet different, each with our own approach and specialty. Colleagues for feedback, personal growth, and support, without whom the work would be lonelier and harder.

I attended a specialization day on breastfeeding, followed by training to become a ‘postpartum doula and baby care specialist,’ and a specialization day on support during loss. As a sports masseur, I completed the specialization for pregnancy and postpartum massage at BiA. At the same time, I took Georgina Kwakye’s training to become a Relaxed Birth instructor.

Of course, I want to study even more. My mind never stops; I’ve done many different studies, and there’s always something interesting to learn. Alongside my doula studies, I started studying Psychology at the Open University.

For a cozy chat about life and everything around it, feel free to reach out! Besides English, I also speak German and have basic knowledge of sign language.

I am a member of the NBvD, the Dutch Association for Doulas.