About Me
Hello, I'm Janell and I live in Mid Sussex with my husband, two daughters and our beloved furry child. I support families within a radius of a 45min drive which includes Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex.
Nothing is more important to me than family, and I have a passion for parenting, raising children, breastfeeding and cooking.
This is why I feel called to support you in the early days to find your inner wisdom, tune in to the needs of your baby and enable you to parent in your unique authentic style.
I was very fortunate to have been exposed to a wide variety of cultures, attitudes towards parenting and family structures both while growing up in the South African countryside and studying nursing and midwifery at a busy hospital in Johannesburg. My website name is inspired by the Zulu word "thula" which is widely used to comfort babies. There is a beautiful Zulu Lullaby, Thula Baba which translates more or less to "hush little baby".
I have also lived as an expat for many years and I had my own babies while living in various countries around Europe.
​
Notice: Most of he imagery on my website are of my own family. This is by no means meant to exclude anyone. . I would love to support people of all walks of life.
Training and Credentials
B.Cur Nursing & Midwifery
University of Johannesburg
Although I have chosen not the practice as a midwife currently, I will be forever grateful for the excellent training we received both academically and practically in busy and diverse Jo'burg hospitals. I left midwifery to pursue a corporate career in health care, however I always knew my true calling was in birth work. Only after having my own children did it become clear as to exactly what that would look like.
Postnatal Doula Preparation Course
Younique baby and postnatal
The postnatal course by Younique Postnatal is a Doula UK approved course.
Tongue-Tie and
Infant Feeding
Open College Network Level 4
To deepen the feeding support I provide, I have competed this course to enable me to recognise tongue-tie and to refer to the appropriate practitioner for division. I can also provide feeding support before and after tongue tie. This course was run by Sarah Oakley, one of the key opinion leaders in tongue- tie in the UK.
Further courses and workshops
-
Baby wearing for doulas workshop. The Sling Consultancy
-
The Truth About Low Milk Supply: Infant Feeding Academy
-
Sexuality and the Breastfeeding Family: Lactation Education Resources
-
Postnatal Planning: Younique Postnatal, Sarah Tessier
-
Certificate in Massage Therapy: Schoonheidsschool Antwerpen