A calm mother, a calm baby: support from preparing for pregnancy to age three
Galina Malysheva is a perinatal psychologist and doula, and a mother of five. She helps mothers find something to lean on — in pregnancy, in birth, in the first sleepless months and beyond, until the child turns three. And she helps couples stay a couple when the family grows.
Partner of the Obereg Maternity Support Center · leader of the Potyagushenki group · author of the book “Mom Is Near”
The first meeting is 30 minutes, online or in Samara (sessions in Russian). A consultation is support, not treatment: it doesn’t replace a doctor.
Six stages, one goal: for a mother to have something to lean on
Preparing
Fears and expectations, past experience, deciding whether it’s time, agreement in the couple.
Expecting
Worry for the baby and for yourself, preparing for birth and for a new role, finding support in your body.
Meeting your baby
A doula at your side in birth; afterward — exhaustion, tears, “I can’t cope,” the first days alone with the baby.
Attachment
Crying and holding, “will I spoil the baby?”, loneliness on maternity leave, coming back to yourself.
Growth
“Tantrums” that hide growth, boundaries without shouting, the first steps toward independence.
The circle
When there are more of you: roles, older children’s jealousy, staying a couple rather than roommates who share the parenting.
Three formats — we choose together at the first meeting
Consultation for mothers
Individually, online or in person in Samara. Anxiety and exhaustion, attachment, coming back to yourself — gently and without judgment.
Family and couples consultation
For a couple or the whole family — when things feel too close or, on the contrary, too distant. Online or in Samara.
Doula of the Obereg center
Support through pregnancy and birth as part of the center’s team: preparation, support in birth, the first days after. Meet the center’s doulas (in Russian).
The first introductory meeting is 30 minutes and free; sessions are held in Russian. Book it or message Galina on Telegram @Galina_more.
A warm circle for mothers and babies at the Obereg center
The Obereg Maternity Support Center in Samara offers classes for expectant mothers, doulas, breastfeeding consultations and sessions for mothers with babies. Potyagushi is the center’s program: gentle practices for mother and baby — touch, quiet, daily rhythms and care for the mother herself.
Galina is a partner of the center and leads the Potyagushenki group: mothers come with their babies, practice together, talk and discuss with a psychologist whatever is on the group’s mind right now. The schedule and sign-up are with the center.
- Classes and sessions for expectant mothers — birth preparation, partner births, breathing, yoga
- Meet the doulas
- Support in birth
- Breastfeeding consultations — getting started, introducing solids, gentle weaning
- Seminars for the whole family
Sign up with the center: +7 (846) 300-48-41 · Telegram @oberegcentr · Samara, 41 Maslennikova Avenue. The center’s pages are in Russian.
Read it — then live it, hands-on
“Mom Is Near” explains what really happens with a baby in the first three years and why your calm grows theirs. “The Potyagushi Diary” is its workbook: fifteen practices, one for each chapter, and space to live them through and write them down. Both can be read online in full, without registering.
“Mom Is Near”
Fifteen chapters on attachment, the baby’s nervous system and a mother’s calm. “If it’s hard right now” is a spread to open in a difficult moment.
Read online →
“The Potyagushi Diary”
The practices of the Potyagushi program, with lines for notes and weekly trackers. Best printed out and filled in at your own pace.
Read online →Become a doula: the “Into the Profession” course with Tatiana Petko and Galina Malysheva
In-person training for birth doulas at the Obereg Maternity Support Center: ten sessions, practice in a maternity hospital and mentor support. For women who want to accompany other women through pregnancy and birth — and for those who already work in helping professions.
Second cohort · starts October 17, 2026 · about 2.5 months · ₽60,000 · The course is taught in Russian.
Twenty-five years of practice — and five children of her own
A perinatal psychologist, doula and mother of five. A lawyer by first training, then five professional retraining diplomas in psychology — including perinatal psychologist and family psychologist. A partner of the Obereg Maternity Support Center, co-author and teacher of its doula training program, leader of the Potyagushenki group, author of the book “Mom Is Near” and “The Potyagushi Diary” workbook.
Galina’s second practice is strategic coaching for top executives and teams, and the approach there is the same: working with the inner state. A calm leader, a calm team; a calm mother, a calm baby. She also leads the Women’s Club — a circle of women who talk about self-fulfillment, relationships and maturity.
One of her older daughters, Elizaveta, has a website of her own (in Russian). Under the brand Vyazunya Liza — “Liza the Knitter” — she crochets “friends” that come with a name and a passport, blankets and flowers that never wilt, and signs every piece “with Eternal Love.” For International Women’s Day (March 8), Galina got a little elephant.
Start with an introductory call — it’s free
Leave your name and a convenient way to reach you — Galina will reply personally. You can share the details of your situation at the meeting: there’s no need to write them in the form. Meetings are held in Russian.
Once you send the form, links to the book and workbook files (in Russian) open right away — each one separately. The fastest way to get in touch is Telegram @Galina_more.
Thank you — Galina will reply personally
Meanwhile, here are the book and workbook, each file separately (in Russian):
“Mom Is Near” · PDF · 2.2 MB ↓ “Mom Is Near” · EPUB3 · 1.6 MB ↓ “The Potyagushi Diary” · A4 PDF · 1.0 MB ↓
If things are very hard right now, don’t wait for an appointment. The helpline for children and parents in Russia is 8-800-2000-122 — free, 24/7, anonymous. In immediate danger, call 112.
If in the first weeks after birth a mother changes sharply — barely sleeps for several nights even though the baby is asleep, gets confused in her thoughts, hears or sees things that aren’t there — it is an emergency: call an ambulance (103 or 112) the same day. The mother herself may not notice it, so family members can make the call.
These numbers are for Russia; outside Russia, call your local emergency services.
The essentials in brief
How is a perinatal psychologist different from a doula?
A perinatal psychologist works with the state of the mother and the family — from preparing for pregnancy to the child’s first years: anxiety, exhaustion, relationships, attachment. A doula is a birth companion: informational and emotional support, comfort, non-drug pain relief; a doula performs no medical procedures. Galina is both, so she can be there all the way.
Can you spoil a baby by picking them up often?
No. When an adult responds to crying and picks the baby up, the baby learns that the world is safe — this is the foundation of attachment, not spoiling. Chapter 1 of “Mom Is Near” is about exactly this.
How does the first meeting work?
Thirty minutes, free, online or in person in Samara, in Russian. We get to know each other, clarify your request and decide what will help: consultations, the Potyagushenki group, doula support, or the book and workbook for working on your own.
What brings people to a family or couples consultation?
When the family has grown: older children’s jealousy, different views on parenting, exhaustion and distance in the couple. Online or in Samara; price on request.
What is Potyagushi?
A program of the Obereg Maternity Support Center in Samara: gentle practices for mother and baby — touch, quiet, daily rhythms, care for the mother. Galina leads the Potyagushenki group based on it; the practices are included in the book “Mom Is Near” and “The Potyagushi Diary” workbook.
Do the book and workbook cost anything?
No. Both can be read online in full, without registering; the PDF and EPUB files (in Russian) open after a short form.