Private midwifery care coming soon
Who am I?
Hello! I'm Ashleigh, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), midwife, registered nurse, NDC accredited practitioner, and a Calmbirth educator. With a passion for supporting families during one of the most transformative times in their lives, I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to my practice.
My journey in healthcare began with nursing, where I discovered my love for maternal and child health. As a midwife, I have had the privilege of guiding families through pregnancy, birth, and the early days of parenthood. My work as an IBCLC allows me to empower mothers to nurture their breastfeeding journeys, ensuring they have the support they need.
I am also an NDC-accredited practitioner, providing evidence-based methods to address feeding, crying, sleep, and maternal emotional well-being. I am a registered Calmbirth educator, helping parents embrace the birthing process with confidence and calm. Calmbirth classes empower couples to achieve the beautiful, positive birth experience they have been dreaming of. I believe in the importance of personalised care and strive to create a supportive environment where families can thrive.
Outside of my professional life, I am passionate about continuing education and staying updated with the latest evidence-based practices. I am dedicated to fostering a community where families feel informed, supported, and empowered on their parenting journeys.
My Background
I began my career in nursing over fourteen years ago with a background in paediatrics, which saw me gain a Diploma and Bachelor's degree in Nursing. I achieved my Post Graduate Diploma of Midwifery in 2019, where I began providing women and their families with antenatal, labour and birth, and postnatal care.
I hold a Certificate IV in Breastfeeding Education with over five years of volunteer service with ABA. My role with ABA includes providing much-needed support and guidance on the breastfeeding helpline and through Live Chat, counselling mothers from all over Australia through their breastfeeding challenges. I continue to provide education and support to our local women and their families through ABA group meetings and our education sessions.
In 2023, I successfully earned a Diploma in Breastfeeding Management. The following year, I achieved the title of International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), regarded as the highest professional certification in the field of breastfeeding knowledge and support.
In 2024, I expanded my expertise by becoming an NDC-accredited practitioner, which allows me to incorporate gentle sleep advice into my services. I aim to improve the quality of life for the families I work with and make parenting a more joyful and manageable experience.
This year, I registered as a Calmbirth educator, bringing Calmbirth classes to my local community of Tamworth. Calmbirth empowers couples to achieve the beautiful, positive birth experience they have been dreaming of by giving them a birthing toolit to support them from pregnancy to birth and postpartum - on both a physical and mental level.
I am currently pursuing my endorsement as a midwife, having successfully completed one semester of Pharmacology and with one semester of Diagnostics remaining. This qualification will enable me to deliver midwifery and lactation services under Medicare for up to six weeks postpartum.
My intention is to leverage this endorsement to offer private midwifery care to my local community, including antenatal support, labour and birth assistance, and postnatal care.
Calmbirth® Classes with Ashleigh from @nurtureandnourishlactation
Ashleigh is a practising registered midwife with nearly a decade of experience caring for women and their families. Ashleigh is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and NDC Practitioner, believing all her qualifications go hand in hand with giving her the ability to provide the education she does.
Calmbirth Safeguarding Emotional and Mental Wellbeing Before, During, and After Birth.
“A woman experiences her best birthing journey when she feels SAFE, UNDISTURBED, and RESPECTED. Calmbirth is dedicated to educating and enhancing birthing outcomes for all women and their families, addressing both physical and emotional aspects of the experience.” Karen McKay
Recognised as one of the pioneering childbirth education programs, Calmbirth is evidence-based, with clinical and scientific validation that demonstrates its effectiveness in:
- Decreasing the incidence of medical interventions
- Reducing the reliance on pain relief and epidurals during labour
- Alleviating the effects of perinatal anxiety and postnatal depression in women after childbirth
- Enhancing the overall birth experience positively, regardless of the birthing method.
Calmbirth is the first antenatal program implemented in major maternity hospitals throughout New South Wales.
Calmbirth delves into the intricate mind-body connection, looking at how pregnancy, labour, and birth hormones work in harmony to empower the female body to nurture new life and facilitate childbirth at any stage. Its growing popularity stems from the desire of today’s women and couples to take control of their bodies and learn practical ways to nurture their unborn child, extending beyond labour into the prenatal weeks. They seek to participate actively in their care rather than passive recipients—an approach that Calmbirth actively promotes.
I am an NDC Accredited Practitioner
Neuroprotective Developmental Care (NDC) provides evidence-based methods to address feeding, crying, sleep, and maternal emotional well-being. The NDC philosophy emphasises identifying your core values as a parent and centring your parenting journey around these principles. By doing so, it can infuse more joy into your daily life.
NDC promotes a gentle approach to feeding and sleeping by advocating for cue-based care for your little one. It questions much of the conventional advice given to parents about feeding, sleeping, and calming their infant.
NDC incorporates cutting-edge lactation science, including the mechanics of infant sucking, and advances the Gestalt Breastfeeding approach. Their programs are grounded in neuroscience, evolutionary biology, gut science, sleep science, attachment psychology, and innovative psychological strategies like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
At Nurture and Nourish Lactation, the care I provide is deeply rooted in the principles of NDC for both mother and infant.
As a Midwife, IBCLC, and NDC practitioner, I am equipped to offer a truly comprehensive and holistic approach to addressing infant feeding and sleep needs.
Affiliated Health Funds
