Supporting You
Evidence shows having a doula equals a more positive outcome
in birth and beyond for both the parents and baby.
Bohren et al. Cochrane review 2017
My role as a doula is to be by your side throughout your pregnancy, birth and postnatal journey. I’ll provide continuity of care alongside practical and emotional support; being an extra pair of eyes and ears to discuss antenatal appointments, advocating alongside you during labour, providing guidance as you establish feeding and helping
you adjust to your new family life. Each mother’s journey is unique and we can build a bespoke package of support to meet your individual needs.
Antenatal support
All types of birth can benefit from a doula. I support births at home, in birth centres and on labour wards, including inductions and caesarean sections. Together we’ll create a strong relationship, understanding your boundaries and thresholds, ensuring informed and evidence based 1:1 care, alongside preparing your birth preferences, including locations, options and different birth scenarios so that we can have plans A,B,C and D ready to go. And I’ll be right there with you at every stage of your labour, ensuring your wishes are heard and you feel supported. We will also discuss a postnatal plan and feeding education, alongside being a sounding board for all those questions and thoughts that pop up during pregnancy.
Postnatal support
Stepping into the fourth trimester is a period of huge change. I can support you during this period, ensuring your healing, rest, and emotional needs are being met, while helping you and your family with the practicalities of caring for a new baby. This could include caring for your new baby, establishing feeding (however you chose to feed), cooking and light household chores and looking after older children or walking the dog. Postnatal care is very individual and I always aim to create a personalised support plan for you.
Some kind words
Professional Experience
Birth and Postnatal Doula training course
Breastfeeding Peer Support - AIMs qualification from
Healthy Babies UK
Registered Zest MaMa working alongside independent midwives
Home birth, Birth centre, Labour ward, Induction
and C-section experience
Wellington Infant Feeding Group
Braziers, Thursdays 10.30am - 12noon
About Me
'Doulas support women and birthing people in pregnancy, birth and
in the postnatal period by providing information, advocacy, and offering
practical and emotional support to the whole family.'
Doula, Uk
I am a mother of two wonderful daughters . My first pregnancy was straight-forward and I felt safe and well supported throughout. This led to a positive and fulfilling birth experience. However afterwards, I felt isolated and struggled with postnatal depression. This made me realise how vital it is to have a strong support network and continuity of care, not just throughout pregnancy and labour, but during the postnatal period. This is something I now enable for others.
Helping women and birthing partners advocate
for their choices is extremely powerful. I believe
that birth education is the key foundation for understanding your options and how to work
with your body for all birth outcomes.
I trained with BirthBliss and Healthy Babies in 2021 and have attended multiple births within homes, Musgrove Park Hospital and the RD&E. I see my role as being your cheerleader, reassuring and supporting both you and your partner, helping
you to advocate and consent, ensuring informed and evidence based decision making and walking alongside you towards an empowering birth experience and a nurturing fourth trimester.
As a doula it brings me so much joy to support clients through their pregnancy, birth and postnatal experience. The journey to parenthood or welcoming a new addition to the family really
is one that takes a village.
Packages
Antenatal and
Birth Support
Birth physiology: We will discuss how the body is designed to give birth, the hormones related to birth, how to utilise the natural process in the labour journey and all outcomes.
Birth preferences: This is an opportunity to discuss
your wants and wishes prior to the event. We will discuss locations for birth, pain relief options (both natural and pharmaceutical), potential interventions and different
birth scenarios so that we can have plans A,B,C and D
and the ways I can support you in all outcomes.
Discuss any previous birth and personal experiences:
We will work through all positive and any negative aspects
of previous experiences to see if there is any way those can be better understood for the upcoming birth.
Postnatal care preferences: We can discuss feeding options, frequently asked questions around caring for a newborn, practical and emotional support systems and any postnatal preparations that need to be in place. There is also the option to discuss continuing my care into the postnatal period.
Birth support partner: I will be on call for emotional, practical and informative support from 38-42 weeks and will of course attend your birth when the time comes.
Communication: I will work alongside other support services to ensure effective communication and help
faciliate any referrals.
PACKAGE
- 3 x 2.5 hour antenatal sessions
- 38-42 weeks on call period (negotiable)
- 3x Postnatal meetings - birth debrief / feeding support.
- Phone and WhatsApp support during pregnancy
and until 4 weeks postnatal
COST: Starting from £1,850
Any additional meetings are charged at an hourly rate of £30.
Flexible payment plans available.
Birth Only
Package
This is a package best suited to those I have worked with previously or are expecting their second baby or beyond*.
1 x 3 hour birth preferences planning session - this is an opportunity to discuss your previous birth experience/s and understand your wants and needs. It will also allow us to build up a relationship for working together during your upcoming birth.
Birth support partner: I will be on call for emotional, practical and informative support from 38-42 weeks and will of course attend your birth when the time comes.
Communication: I will work alongside other support services to ensure effective communication and help
faciliate any referrals.
1 x 3 hour postnatal support visit - to debrief your birth experience / feeding support / new family dynamic etc.
Phone and WhatsApp support - during pregnancy and until 2 weeks postnatal.
*This package is only available if I am booked with a ‘full package’ client for an overlapping on call period. The ‘full package’ client takes priority if both clients were to go into labour simultaneously, this would mean a refund on the birth attendance portion of the package. There would be a concise discussion at booking to ensure this package is appropriate and meets your needs.
COST: Starting from £1,250
Any additional meetings are charged at an hourly rate of £30.
Flexible payment plans available.
Doula In Your
Virtual WhatsApp and phone support from 26 weeks until birth(negotiable) or 4 weeks postpartum.
If you are looking for an additional team member to support you with decision making, evidence based research, different avenues of birth preparation and birth preferences, signposting to local services or just be a sounding board then virtual support could be for you.
Pregnancy and birth only: £500.00
Pregnancy, birth and 4 weeks postnatal: £600.00
Postnatal
Support
- Emotional support
- Feeding support
- Light household chores
- Helping with other children
- Working alongside other postnatal services
- WhatsApp support between visits
COST: £25 per hour + expenses
Minimum 3 hours / Maximum 5 hours per day.
Flexible payment plans available.
PACKAGES
12 hours of postnatal care:
3 hours a week for 4 weeks
£275
24 hours of postnatal care:
6 hours a week for 4 weeks
£550
COST: £20 per hour + expenses
COST: £20 per hour + expenses
Minimum 3 hours / Maximum 5 hours per day.
Flexible payment plans available.
NIGHT DOULA: £30 per hour + expenses
Minimum 8 hours / Maximum 12 hours.
Reduced rate for block bookings.
Breastfeeding
Support
1 x 2 hour breastfeeding preparation session
Physiology of breastfeeding, why breastfeeding matters, health benefits for parent and baby, biological norms of breastfeeding, how to best prepare for breastfeeding, where to find support and how partners can support breastfeeding.
2 x 1 hour postnatal visits
4 weeks postnatal WhatsApp / video call support
COST: £150 + mileage
COST: £20 per hour + expenses
COST: £20 per hour + expenses
Minimum 3 hours / Maximum 5 hours per day.
Flexible payment plans available.
Fourth Trimester
Planning and Visits
You are postnatal the moment you give birth, so why not make a plan for how you will navigate and thrive during the fourth trimester.
1 x 2 hour postnatal planning session
How to prepare for the fourth trimester - including rest, nourishment, feeding, sleeping, relationships, visitors, boundaries, support circles, local services, basic baby care and anything else you may feel you want to include within your postnatal plan.
2 x 3 hour postnatal visits
4 weeks postnatal WhatsApp / video call support
COST: £250 + mileage
COST: £20 per hour + expenses
COST: £20 per hour + expenses
Minimum 3 hours / Maximum 5 hours per day.
Flexible payment plans available.
Birthing Pool
Hire
For those planning a home birth, I have Birth Pool in a Box Mini & Regular & Mia Via Serenity pools that are available
to hire.
COST: From £125
The pool hire charge includes delivery (distance dependent), full pool hire kit (pool, liner, hose, step, tap connectors, air pump, water pump, sieve, thermometer, bucket), instructions on how to use the pool and collection (distance dependent).
If the liner and hose are not needed, and are returned sealed and unused, you will receive a refund of £50.