What is a Doula?
The word doula, pronounced "doo-lah", comes from modern Greek meaning ‘servant-woman, slave’, but today, the word has come to mean a non-medical, trained professional who acts as an unconditional and continuous emotional, physical and informational support for a person and their family during pregnancy, birth and the early days with a new baby.
Investing in a doula may seem like an added expense when preparing for the birth of your child, but it is worth every penny. Doulas work with you to help you have a more positive birth experience and can make a significant impact on the outcome of the birth. Studies have shown that those who have a doula present during labor and delivery are less likely to need pain medication, less likely to require interventions or additional medical care, less likely to have a C-section, have shorter labors and report more positive birth experiences overall.
One of the primary benefits of having a doula is the emotional support I can provide to you. I am trained to help you to feel calm and confident during birth, even when things don't go as planned. During pregnancy, I can provide emotional support by helping you to explore your feelings and fears about giving birth. I can also offer informational support by providing evidence-based information about birth, guiding you to make informed decisions about your birth preferences.
During labour, I can provide physical support by helping with relaxation techniques such as massage, providing encouragement and assisting with the breathing process. I can serve as an advocate for you and your partner, making sure your wishes are heard and respected.
After the Birth, I can continue to provide ongoing support to you and your family through the postpartum period by guiding and assisting with breastfeeding as well as offering any other support you need to assist your recovery from birth, facilitate your time bonding with your baby and ease your transition into parenthood, making the experience less stressful or overwhelming.
“She helped create our environment; she acted as our advocate with the midwives to support our birth plan; she offered us reassurance and guidance as to how to manage the surges; she suggested back massages during my surges that herself and my partner did during all my surges and were actually a life-saver given that our baby was back to back so I had almost all of pressure on my back during surges; she read meditations during some difficult times helping us to maintain a calm attitude throughout; she was with us during the whole process supporting every turn it took.”
Your investment includes:
1 free chat to decide if we are suited - virtual or in person
3-4 bespoke antenatal sessions (up to 2.5 hours)
24/7 on call period from 38 weeks, until baby is born
1 Postnatal Support Session for birth debrief and/or feeding support (up to 2.5 hours)
Ongoing WhatsApp Support from the moment you book with me until 8 weeks postpartum
Access to my library of books and birth resources, including a Tens Machine.
£1000
3 hour postnatal support session - £90 (£30p/h)
15 hour bundle - £400 (saving £50)
Postnatal support can include whatever your family needs, but here are a few examples:
Rest & Recovery - another pair of hands to soothe baby, giving you time to sleep, rest, take a shower or eat a meal
Meal preparation - organising nourishing meals and snacks
Feeding support - breast or bottle
Household support - helping to keep the house running smoothly e.g. laundry, dishes, school pick ups & occupying older children, freeing up your time to focus on bonding with baby
Mindfulness - using guided relaxations and other mindfulness techniques to calm you
Resources and signposting - supporting you to feel confident in your transition to parenthood, answering your questions, referring you to other trusted professionals and pointing you in the right direction for extra support if needed
