What is a Doula?

Child birth should be a precious and cherished experience but all too often it ends up being one of the most traumatic experience of our lives; fraught, intense pain enhanced because we are not calm and medical intervention is used before it is needed.

Having a baby at home is perceived to be risky because there is no medical equipment or backup support at hand. The benefit of a home birth, however, is that women receive 1-2-1 support from their midwives and immediate family throughout the entire birth. Unfortunately our maternity units can seldom offer us the same level of personalised support because resources are overstretched and qualified midwives are having to care for several women at the same time.

Birth doula support

Birth doulas can help bridge this gap. Their role, often referred to as “mothering the mother”, is to provide personal support to women and their partners during labour and birth. Such individual care encourages mothers to remain calm and work through intense contractions, resulting in a non-traumatic birth experience.

Birth doulas are not intended to replace trained midwives or medical staff, but to work in partnership with them. They do not provide clinical advice, but offer comfort and support; encouraging you to remain calm during labour by demonstrating different breathing or relaxation techniques. National research has shown that having a doula present during labour can reduce the process by up to two hours and can even reduce the need for caesarean section by up to 50%.

I have been working as a Doula for the last five years. I have provided emotional support and practical help to many families and have had the privilege of being present at a number of births. I am a member of Doula UK and I am in the process of completing their recognised training programme.

All my doula programmes are tailored to your individual needs but always involve spending time with you and your partner beforehand, providing practical help and advice after the event, as well as being present during the birth itself to provide additional comfort and emotional support during labour.

Postnatal doula support

Although it is important to receive support during the last weeks of pregnancy and during labour itself, I focus particularly on providing comprehensive postnatal care. Parents have often had no previous experience of newborn babies until they are holding their own. This can be unsettling and at times very frightening, leading to feelings of isolation and abandonment. I will provide new mothers with continued support and practical help during the first few weeks, giving them time to adapt to their changing circumstances so they can embrace their new role of being a mum.

I am CRB checked and can provide excellent references.

If you would like to find out about my Doula support programmes please call me on T: +44 (0)1787 269 600 M: +44 (0)7916 143 453 or complete the contact form.

Please note: If you are thinking of hiring a Doula, it is advisable to inform your midwife. Independent midwives are often familiar with a Doula’s role but many NHS midwives are not. Making this information available beforehand gives both parties the opportunity to discuss how they can work together during labour and the birth itself.