I am Stephni Coetzee the owner and founder of Cuddles and Grace. I'm a Registered Nurse, Certified Sensitive midwife, Certified Lactation Consultant and Certified Infant Massage Instructor .
My love story for midwifery began when I first witnessed new life enter the world as a student nurse. When my eyes were filled with tears of joy for someone that I had just met and my heart melted when the baby gave its first breath and cried unapologetically. I smiled when the father fell onto his knees and kissed his newborn son for the first time on the forehead. I joined the mother when she exhaled in relief when the most severe abdominal pain she had ever experienced came to an end. I felt extremely honoured to share in this joy and be the first to say “Congratulations mom and dad!”
I graduated from the University of Pretoria with a Bachelors degree in Nursing with community nursing, psychiatric nursing and midwifery. I worked at Rahima Moosa Mother and child hospital for two years, learning and growing a a midwife. I was thereafter introduced to the concept of a private midwife at Genesis maternity clinic where I could truly live out my passion by facilitating physiological birth to low risk women.That opened a beautiful new world for me of waterbirths, birthing indifferent positions, using essential oils and other unmedicated pain relief methods and empowering women to let their bodies guide them.
I've been a midwife for almost 8 years now and I love being a support structure and a care provider during the pregnancy, labour, birth and the first few weeks of adjustment as a parent. I am always amazed at how strong women really are. How we sometimes underestimate ourselves in a moment of pain or vulnerability. It’s amazing to see how women grow during these times and realize not only their own strength, but also that of their Creator. How this bond between us and God strengthens as we learn to depend on Him in difficult situations. How He guides us and helps us to become the strong women of Christ that we didn’t realize we already were. Pregnancy and birth is God’s ultimate way of strengthening the bond He has with women.
At Cuddles and Grace, we believe that pregnancy and childbirth are not merely medical events but profound, natural experiences that celebrate the miracle of life. Our vision is to honor the beauty of God's perfect design for pregnancy, birth, and parenthood, offering a compassionate and personalized approach that respects the individual journey of each woman and her family.
We deeply believe in the miraculous design of God in the process of pregnancy and birth. The less we interfere with God’s perfect process, the less complications women will have during childbirth. bestowed upon women.
Our care philosophy integrates the wisdom passed down through generations of women, evidence-based practices, and the advanced technologies available today. We see these elements as gifts from God, enabling us to offer the best possible support to every woman we serve.
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1
Psalm 27:1