About Active Birth Taranaki
Who we are
Active Birth Taranaki was originally the Homebirth Association of Taranaki and grew to encompass all ways of actively engaging in birth. We exist to provide Taranaki parents with the resources and support to create positive birth and postpartum experiences for themselves.
Our team is made up of:
Shannon Engelbrecht - Birth and Postpartum Doula, certified birth cartographer, Active Birth Taranaki’s Choices in Childbirth workshop facilitator, and proud mum of three.
Cushla Richardson - Certified hypnobirthing educator, Active Birth Taranaki’s coffee group facilitator, founder of Earth + Soul Mama, and proud māmā of three.
Melissa Smith - Maternal Mental Health & Wellness Practitioner, Active Birth Taranaki’s social media manager, and proud mum of two.
Lisa Berndt - Active Birth Taranaki's Grant Writer, long-term community & team member, grassroots organisation advocate, and proud māmā of two.
Ganesha Rosat - Active Birth Taranaki and midwifery facilitator, registered & highly experienced midwife, La Leche League leader, and proud māmā of two.
Meet the Team
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Shannon Engelbrecht
CHOICES IN CHILDBIRTH WORKSHOP FACILITATOR
Shannon is a highly experienced birth and postpartum doula who is passionate about enabling mums-to-be to feel prepared and in control as they approach labour and motherhood. She leads Active Birth Taranaki’s Choices in Childbirth Workshop - an antenatal class like no other. This birth workshop will help you to gain an in-depth understanding of the different childbirth options available to you, natural ways to prepare for labour, labour hormones and their functions, and the crucial difference that a birth map can make to your labour experience.
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Melissa Smith
SOCIAL MEDIA & POSTPARTUM SUPPORT
Melissa is a proud mum of two and an integral part of the Active Birth Taranaki team. Melissa plays a key role in the postpartum section of the Choices in Childbirth Workshop and is passionate about supporting women in understanding how to process and heal birth trauma and birth stress, including pregnancy loss, in a holistic and compassionate way. She also manages our social media, keeping our community up-to-date with our latest events and resources so that they have everything at their fingertips to support them on their journey.
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Cushla Richardson
COFFEE GROUP FACILITATOR
If you’re on the lookout for parent coffee groups in Taranaki, Cushla is your go-to. She facilitates Active Birth Taranaki’s monthly coffee groups, a wonderful part of our service which makes it easier for parents to connect and find community. Cushla is also a certified hypnobirthing educator who is passionate about informed consent. As part of her work in helping wāhine and whānau feel informed and supported on their journeys, Cushla also works with Home Birth Aotearoa and runs Earth + Soul Mama, an online store supporting mothers through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
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Lisa Berndt
GRANTS CO-ORDINATOR
Originally from Germany, Lisa was supported by Active Birth Taranaki when she prepared to give birth to her second son in Ngāmotu seven years ago. It was such a positive experience that she was inspired to join the team. She has worked in a variety of roles with us over the years and currently supports us as a grant writer: preparing the necessary documentation to secure ongoing financial support for our important kaupapa.
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Ganesha Rosat
REGISTERED MIDIWFE
In her twenty-plus years as a midwife, Ganesha has worked in hospital settings, supported home births, worked as a lead maternity carer (LMC), practised in tertiary units, volunteers as a La Leche League leader and led antenatal education groups. Drawing on this extensive experience, Ganesha facilitates a close working relationship between midwifery and Active Birth Taranaki. As a mum of two, both of Ganesha's births were filled with complexity and "risk" - which only strengthened her unwavering belief in the power of women's bodies.
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Laura Scholey
REGISTERED LMC MIDWIFE
What we do
In short, we help Taranaki parents have positive pregnancy and birth experiences by giving them the tools, resources and information they need to feel in control of their birth journey - regardless of what direction it goes in. Our services include:
Choices in Childbirth antenatal classes in New Plymouth, Stratford and Hawera.
Connecting new and soon-to-be parents with their village through our Active Birth Taranaki coffee groups.
Helping to prepare soon-to-be parents for a variety of birth scenarios by sharing community birth stories.
Linking parents to our favourite services and resources to support them through pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and beyond.
Where to start
Sign up for our Choices in Childbirth workshop to start planning for an empowering birth that feels right for you and your family.
Check out our wide variety of birth stories and resources collated to support you along your parenting journey.
