EmpowerNatal
Holistic Maternity Support
Meet Andreia
Hi, I’m Andreia
My journey began in general nursing, before transitioning to Midwifery, where I found my passion. With over a decade of clinical experience, I have honed my skills and expanded my knowledge.
I live in Banbury (North Oxfordshire) with my husband, two daughters, and our beloved dog. I cherish time outdoors especially in the sunshine, love the beach and exercise is my way of carving out ‘me time.’
I love a good midwifery book and actively engage with insightful podcasts and community groups. My dedication to staying informed allows me to offer the highest level of support to those in my care.
Andreia Cruz BSc (Hons) RGN; RM
Midwife with post-qualification in Maternity Complementary Therapies
I have obtained a Diploma in Midwifery Complementary Therapies through Dr. Denise Tiran's renowned Expectancy programme - the leading provider of professional complementary therapy training for midwives in the UK. I have also completed various courses, such as, Childbirth physiology with Dr. Rachel Reed; Biomechanics for Birth with Molly O'Brien; Spinning babies workshops and a Waterbirth Certification with Barbara Harper.
I am a registered in the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), insured with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and checked by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). I comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements and I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
My values
🌿 I prioritise woman-centred care
🌿 I believe in yourself and what your body can do
🌿 I understand the importance of avoiding unnecessary interventions
🌿 I will give you time to feel listened to
🌿 Safety is very important to me and therefore to the care I provide
🌿 Knowledge is key, therefore I can provide you with evidence-based information or resources to help you make informed choices
With my support, I hope you to
🪷 feel confident on your decisions regardless of how your experience of childbirth unfolds
🪷 believe in yourself
🪷 trust in your instincts
🪷 connect with your body and mind
🪷 be able to speak up and ask questions
My mission
✨ I want to plant a seed. To be part of a culture that honours and prioritises physiological vaginal birth, because I deeply understand its importance for both short and long-term health outcomes. Spreading this message is vital, especially in a maternity system where achieving an undisturbed birth can be so challenging.
✨ At the same time, I am here to support and advocate for you, no matter what choices you make. My goal is to encourage you to explore both sides of any procedure or intervention so that you feel fully informed and empowered in your decisions.
✨ I also acknowledge that birth can be unpredictable. Even when things don’t unfold as we hoped, I encourage you to find strength in any positive aspect of your experience as it can bring light to your journey.
✨ Childbirth is full of variations (that are not complications) and sometimes complications that may arise and birth may become medicalised, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have a positive and empowering experience.
You are strong, You are capable, Believe in yourself!
Andreia
Andreia has always struck me as a colleague who is passionate about her job and really advocates for women’s needs and rights. As a midwife myself, I found that her birth preparation package really guided me into a mindset of getting ready to meet my baby. It especially helped me to completely switch those last “waiting weeks” of the end of the pregnancy to active mindfulness. The package included acupressure, reflexology and massage with essential oils…. I mean,why not !? Who doesn’t need a massage in pregnancy?
We also worked on body alignment which I used in labour to help my baby to engage better in the birth canal and speeding my labour up. All of that in just one session.
Oh,Almost forgot .. I carried on using a blends of essential oils that Andreia tailored for me following our chat on what I needed the most out of the session.
I felt it was something else that I could use to encourage my labour to start and that made me feel even more in charge of myself and my body.
- Chiara Grillo