My story
Assalaamu Aalaykum
My name is Zaahida Natasha
I’m a mother of four with a deep passion for supporting women and families through pregnancy, birth, postpartum and breastfeeding.
As featured in
Why this work matters to me
Nurtured Birth was created through both personal experience and years spent witnessing how deeply pregnancy, birth and postpartum can shape a woman, a marriage and an entire family.
Through my own experiences of miscarriage, hospital birth, homebirth and postpartum, I came to realise how many women quietly move through this season feeling overwhelmed, frightened, unsupported, or unsure of what is happening around them.
Many women are never taught how birth works.
Many are not prepared for postpartum.
Many do not realise they are allowed to ask questions, understand their options, or approach birth feeling informed and supported.
And many husbands want to help, but simply do not know how.
Over time, I began to see something clearly:
Birth is never only about birth itself.
The way a woman experiences pregnancy, labour, postpartum and early motherhood can affect:
- her emotional well-being
- her confidence
- her recovery
- her breastfeeding journey
- her marriage
- and the atmosphere of the home she returns to afterwards.
I also realised how difficult it could be to find childbirth education that felt:
- evidence-based
- emotionally supportive
- easy to understand
- considerate of Muslim families and values
- and realistic for modern family life.
That realisation led me into deeper learning and birthwork.
The way women are cared for matters.
Not only during labour itself, but in the way families begin, recover, bond and grow afterwards.
The effects often reach far beyond birth itself.
They reach into homes, marriages, children and communities for years to come
It is often said that a woman rocks her baby in one hand and the Ummah in the other.
Perhaps this is why the way women are cared for during pregnancy, birth and postpartum matters so much
Supported mothers help build healthier families.
Supported mothers help build healthier families.
My approach
Over the years, I have trained and worked in areas including childbirth education, doula support, breastfeeding counselling, perinatal mental health and postpartum support.
Alongside this, I spent over a decade studying and teaching Arabic and Islamic Studies, experiences that continue to shape the way I approach family life, womanhood, care and community support.
I also served as the Director of International Relations for an international childbirth education association for three years.
Today, my work brings together evidence-based education, compassionate support, lived experience and an understanding of the emotional, practical and spiritual realities that often shape pregnancy, birth and early motherhood.
My approach is not built around fear, pressure or perfection.
It is about helping families feel:
- more informed
- more supported
- and less overwhelmed.
I believe women deserve care that is:
- compassionate
- respectful
- evidence-based
- and emotionally safe.
I also believe husbands should feel included, informed and empowered to support their wives through pregnancy, birth, postpartum and breastfeeding.
Calm, supported mothers build calmer homes.
And when families are nurtured well from the very beginning, the effects can ripple far beyond the postpartum period itself.
My goal is not to tell families what choices to make.
It is to help them approach this season with greater clarity, confidence and peace
“Zaahida has a beautiful way of sharing her knowledge and experience in a manner that feels both inspiring and approachable.
Her dedication to supporting and empowering families is evident in the care she gives to her work and to those around her.
She is generous with her support, always willing to guide, encourage and share what she has learned with sincerity and compassion.
Learning and working alongside her has been both beneficial and encouraging for me as a fellow doula.”
— Naailah Lawrence, Doula
Training & Experience
Over the years, my work and studies have brought together both professional training and lived experience across birthwork, motherhood, education and family support.
My background includes training and experience in:
- childbirth education
- doula support
- breastfeeding counselling
- postpartum care
- perinatal mental health
- aromatherapy and holistic wellness approaches
- bereavement facilitation
- curriculum design
- and traditional midwifery-focused learning.
Alongside this, I spent over a decade studying and teaching Arabic and Islamic Studies, experiences that continue to shape the way I approach womanhood, family life, care and community support.
I also served as the Director of International Relations for an international childbirth education association for three years and have contributed to birth education and advocacy work within both local and international spaces.
Teaching has always been at the heart of my work.
I care deeply about taking complicated or overwhelming information and breaking it down into something that feels calmer, clearer and easier for families to understand and apply in real life.
My work today brings together evidence-based education, compassionate support, lived experience and a thoughtful understanding of the emotional and spiritual realities that often shape pregnancy, birth and postpartum
“Zaahida’s grounded approach, commitment to learning, and compassionate support for families and the birthing community are truly admirable.
I have had the opportunity to learn alongside her through midwifery-focused studies and have always appreciated her willingness to share knowledge, support others and serve with sincerity and humility.
Her care for women, families and birthwork is evident in everything she does.”
— Cathie Bruno, Doula
Learn with Me
If you would like more support preparing for pregnancy, birth, postpartum and breastfeeding, you can learn more about my online course below