Meet Anastasia, a Greek midwife based in the Eindhoven region who supports families throughout pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period.
Alongside her background in midwifery, Anastasia is a doula, childbirth educator, lactation consultant, hypnobirthing practitioner and baby massage instructor. Through her practice, Touching Life, she brings these different areas of expertise together to offer families holistic, continuous practical and emotional support as they transition into parenthood.
We spoke with Anastasia about what drew her to perinatal care, why feeling informed and supported during birth matters so much to her, and what she hopes families take away from working with her.
Anastasia, tell us a little about yourself…
Hi, I’m Anastasia! Originally from Greece, I’ve been living here in the Netherlands for the past nine years.
As a mother of two myself, I deeply understand the journey of parenthood. While I am a professional midwife by trade, I wear many different hats to fully support growing families, including childbirth educator, lactation consultant, hypnobirthing practitioner and baby massage instructor.
Through my practice, Touching Life, I offer practical and emotional care to parents across the Eindhoven region and surrounding areas. My goal is to help expectant parents feel empowered and confident.
When I’m not working with expectant and new parents, you can usually find me unwinding by gardening, cooking or baking.
Can you tell us more about what you do and how you support families?
I work with expectant and new parents from the early stages of pregnancy all the way through the postpartum period. I serve as a continuous guide through the profound transition to parenthood.
During pregnancy, this involves childbirth education and hypnobirthing to ensure families are physically and mentally prepared.
As a doula, I then provide continuous, hands-on emotional and physical support throughout labour and birth.
Once the baby arrives, the focus shifts to postpartum care at home, whether that means navigating the early days of breastfeeding as a lactation consultant or teaching baby massage to help parents soothe and bond with their newborn.
Ultimately, my approach is about being a dedicated companion so that growing families never feel alone, helping them step into this new chapter feeling informed, calm and truly empowered.
What inspired you to work with parents and families?
Working in perinatal care has never been just a career choice. It has always felt like a profound calling.
I have a deep-seated passion for nurturing others and a strong belief that we can genuinely improve the world by changing how a new life enters it.
I was drawn to this work by the conviction that every birth should be surrounded by peace, dignity and the utmost respect. By protecting the birth environment and helping families welcome their babies calmly and confidently, I feel I am contributing to a gentler, more compassionate beginning for the next generation.
That lifelong desire to make a positive impact from a person’s very first breath is the true “why” behind everything I do.
Where did your professional journey begin, and how has it evolved over the years?
My journey officially began in 2008, when I entered the University of Midwifery in Athens. Since then, my professional path has been one of continuous growth and deepening dedication.
While my foundation is firmly rooted in midwifery, my experiences working with families quickly showed me that welcoming a new life requires more than just clinical guidance; it requires continuous emotional and practical care.
This realisation inspired me to expand my expertise over the years, embracing the additional roles of doula, lactation consultant, hypnobirthing practitioner and baby massage instructor.
Everything I have learned since those early days at university has shaped the holistic way I support families today, allowing me to provide comprehensive care that honours the physical, emotional and spiritual transformation of parenthood.
What training and experiences have shaped the practitioner you are today?
I began with a Midwifery degree from the Medical University of Athens, giving me a strong clinical foundation.
However, witnessing the highly medicalised, often aggressive maternity system in my home country showed me how vulnerable couples can feel and how much they need strong psychological support.
This inspired me to expand my practice and become a Doula, Hypnobirthing Educator, Lactation Consultant and Baby Massage Instructor.
Today, this unique blend of medical training and holistic certifications allows me to offer families the best of both worlds: expert clinical safety combined with fierce advocacy and continuous, personal care.
What do you love most about what you do?
The greatest joy in my work is witnessing a family’s beautiful transformation.
As their doula, nothing is more rewarding than sharing those happy tears right after birth and hearing a triumphant, “I did it!”
I love seeing uncertainty turn into deep confidence. That connection often continues, and receiving their wonderful messages and photos as their babies grow is incredibly special.
Knowing I’ve helped create a safe space for them to begin parenthood feeling truly empowered is what makes everything I do so meaningful.
What are international families often surprised to discover about maternity care and your role?
Because I work almost exclusively with international families, people are usually surprised by two things.
First, coming from highly medicalised systems where doctors always lead the process, it is often a shock for them to realise that a midwife independently manages the entire birth here.
Second, they are amazed by the unique breadth of my specific role. They often expect care to be fragmented, but because I combine the clinical expertise of a midwife with the continuous emotional and practical support of a doula and lactation consultant, I am by their side through the entire journey.
Helping them bridge this cultural gap, and showing them that they can have both expert clinical safety and profound, dedicated personal support from pregnancy well into the postpartum period, is a truly rewarding part of my work.
Is there a moment from your career that has stayed with you?
One memorable moment that truly reaffirmed my calling involved an expectant mother who initially came to my childbirth classes with some hesitation.
She originally believed that a highly medicalised birth with maximum interventions was the only way to ensure safety. However, as we worked together, her mindset beautifully shifted.
When the time came, she went on to have a completely natural water birth. Afterwards, she told me that throughout the process, she felt in absolute control, understanding exactly what her body and her baby were doing. She knew how to manage and reduce the intensity of her surges.
Hearing her share that the knowledge from our classes, combined with my continuous support during labour, was what helped her achieve this, and seeing how trusting her body completely transformed her perspective on birth — was unforgettable.
How would you like families to feel after working with you?
I want every family to walk away feeling deeply heard, respected and undeniably confident in their own abilities.
The lasting feeling I hope stays with them is that they were never alone, and that they stepped into parenthood feeling empowered, calm and fully capable of trusting themselves.
Finally, what’s your golden nugget for expectant or new parents?
Trust your body and your intuition. You already hold the deep strength and wisdom within you to navigate birth and early parenthood. Don’t be afraid to ask for support, tune out the external noise, and always remember: you are exactly the parent your baby needs.
And a few quick ones, just for fun…
Tea or coffee?
Tea 🍵
Your favourite way to recharge?
Camping in nature with my family.
Three words to describe yourself?
Dedicated, empowering, holistic.
Would you like to work with Anastasia?
Anastasia supports expectant and new parents in the Eindhoven region and surrounding areas, from pregnancy and birth through to the postpartum period, with support including childbirth education, hypnobirthing, doula care, lactation support and baby massage.
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