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Doula Services: Birth and Postnatal

A doula’s role is to provide emotional and practical support for the birthing woman and her family. The doula will nurture the woman in pregnancy, provide comfort during birth, and be there for them in the days or weeks to follow. Studies have shown that having continuous support from the same person can reduce the need for pain relief and intervention, with better outcomes for mums and babies.

If you’re considering a doula, I’m happy to chat and provide more information, with no obligation. Once we’ve spoken on the phone, we would meet in person to see if I’m a good fit for you. There is a doula for everyone!

What I can offer as a doula:

After many years of teaching prenatal and postnatal yoga, I felt called to work as a doula. I wanted to support couples during the birthing time, and in the early weeks postnatally. I have been fortunate in my teaching to work with hundreds of women, guiding them throughout their own pregnancy journey, and beyond with their babies in my postnatal classes. I’ve seen just about every physical adaptation of pregnancy, including challenges like pelvic instability, pelvic floor dysfunction and diastasis-recti. I’ve marvelled at the bio-mechanics of the pelvis and learnt how to encourage mobilisation and movement to support optimal foetal positioning for physiological birth.

I am hugely passionate about supporting women to have the most positive experience of pregnancy, birth and motherhood. There is no blueprint, each person is unique, and each journey into birth and parenting will be different. My experience with yoga has taught me the importance of getting to know yourself, who you are and what your needs are, so you can think about what’s right for you. This instils a quiet confidence, so that however the birth unfolds, you can adapt, adjust and accommodate to changing situations.

Preparation is key. I have run many couples birth preparation workshops, where we look at the physiology of birth, delve into your own thoughts and possible fears, and become clear about your wishes. It’s extremely helpful to empower the birthing partners with practical techniques for comforting. I can teach you valuable breathing and relaxation techniques, the cornerstone of hypno-birthing, important for everyone in the birthing environment. Breathing well is everything. These are not only techniques for birth, but techniques for life.

I understand and have compassion and patience for those affected by anxiety or depression. Especially in this modern time, when life is so busy, and families are often far away, it’s important to build your support network. When you learn to work safely with your doubts and fears, however big, you really can become stronger, calmer and grounded.

When we look at the time of pregnancy and birth as an opportunity to learn new things and make new connections, real magic happens. The relationship with a doula supports you to look at your own needs and desires. How you approach birth and your choices are personal to you, and as a doula I am happy to support your wishes.

My intention and purpose is to be a steady presence, offer unbiased support, and unconditional love, in order for you to find your own inner wisdom and strength. For you, you family and your baby.

The Birth Doula Package:

Introductory meeting at mutually convenient location (usually up to 1 hour).
Two x 2 hours ante-natal/birth preparation sessions at your home with your partner before the birth.
Contact by phone, text or email for support between our meetings.
Resource suggestions: reading list, website list, articles and birth preparation material.
Aromatherapy oil blend for massage use during labour.
I'll be “on call” from 38 - 42 weeks, 24 hours a day until after your baby has been born.
One postnatal visit, usually within a week after your baby is born. At this session we will debrief your birth journey, and look at feeding, help you settle into life with your baby, discuss simple techniques to promote healing, plus any other questions.
Support by phone, email or text in the early days, for questions about the postnatal period, your baby, breastfeeding and your healing.

Contact me to discuss prices

Additional Services

Discount on private yoga sessions (pregnancy and postnatal).
Group pregnancy and postnatal classes
Audio recordings of relaxation scripts, for anytime prenatally or postnatally.
"Closing the Bones” postnatal massage.
Baby massage tuition.

Postnatal Doula Support

I would usually start working with a family in the first few months after birth, but it could be later. As your postnatal doula I provide emotional, practical and informational support. I am there for the whole family, for example, looking after the baby whilst the mother gets some rest, helping with siblings, cooking nourishing meals, running errands or doing light housework. Whatever is needed to help the family relax and have a positive experience of life with a new baby. I will debrief your birth experience. I have a particular interest in how the mother is healing physically, offering guidance on simple practices for postnatal recovery. In addition I can suggest techniques to help you with overwhelm, tiredness, anxiety or depression.

Contact Me

Client Testimonials

Kirsty & John, May 2021, homebirth at 43 weeks.

Louise supported us during the birth at home of our son Wilfred. She was a huge support to me in the run up to the birth. In the end Wilfred was 3 weeks “overdue” and those last few weeks were quite tough physically and mentally. Louise helped me to remain calm and focused on achieving the birth we wanted for him.

During labour and birth Louise was a calm and reassuring presence - there when we needed her and leaving us to get on with it when we didn’t. She helped with setting up the room as we wanted it - remembering details of our plans when I was focused on breathing through the contractions. She worked together with the midwives to help with my positioning when the baby was a little bit stuck - that was important to get things moving and he was born soon after.

After the birth Louise made us some tasty food, brought drinks and left us to be together with our baby. In some ways for me that was the most important part. With my first baby I was transferred to hospital and missed out on that bonding part so this was the time I really looked forward to cherishing. Having Louise there meant my husband could just be with us and not have to tidy up or run around making food for me. I wish I could bottle that feeling of togetherness and live it again every day. It was perfect.

When we were ready to go up to bed Louise helped me to climb the stairs, freshen up and get into bed while my husband cuddled our baby. Once again having her there to support me meant nothing got in the way of us just enjoying our new little miracle boy.

At the start of all this I didn’t really know exactly what a doula would do and how she would work alongside my husband and the midwives. But I am so glad Louise was there. She was an extra support, a reassuring face and provided just what we needed when we needed it. She knew when to step in and when to step back and worked seamlessly with the midwives. Her knowledge and passion for natural birth was invaluable to us at every stage. I always felt that our interests were central to her and even when Wilfred took his time deciding to make an appearance there was never any question that when we needed her she would be there. I would highly recommend Louise to any woman or couple whether for a first or subsequent birth, at home or in hospital. You can rely on her to support you however you need it with love and kindness at every step.

Sophie & Will, January 2020, hospital birth.

Expecting a baby and considering having a Doula? Or don’t have a clue what a Doula is? Lots of pregnant women have heard the term Doula but aren’t really sure what their role is and what the benefits of having one are. Well this lovely lady Louise was our Doula for the birth of Jasper so I thought I’d share our story.

Lou has been such a support for US (yes that’s right, she wasn’t there to just take over as birth partner, she was there to support both myself & Will. Having had an induction with Amber, I was left feeling anxious about giving birth for a 2nd time, just 19months later. Although my induction was successful, it was intense and dare I say it, jolly painful! I was struggling to mentally prepare to go again. I spoke to Lou at one of her yoga workshops when I was 30 weeks pregnant and she asked me if I had ever considered a Doula before. I hadn’t. I didn’t think I ‘needed’ one. I’ve attended Lou’s pregnancy yoga classes in the past and we have both taught at the same wellbeing event. We have got to know each other and I really like her way of teaching. She came to our house twice in the weeks running up to the birth and during these visits we talked through my previous birth, my preferences this time round and any concerns I had. We did some breathing and relaxation and these visits really helped me to ‘reset’ in preparation for this birth. I felt a lot more confident and so did Will. Lou was on call from 38 weeks and would check in regularly without being intrusive.

When my labour finally started at 41 weeks I had a little panic as within just a few minutes I knew it was going to be quick. I managed to gather my thoughts, focus on my breathing and go with what was happening. Luckily for me it was all happening so quickly that by the time I got to hospital and into the midwife lead unit, where Lou met us, he was ready to be born. It was the positive empowering birth I had dreamed of and I believe a lot of it was down to Lou’s help with birth prep. Lou’s presence was also not at all intrusive when it came to those special hours after the birth. She helped us collect bags from the (unlocked!!) car, made sure we had food and drink and loved and cared for us beyond expectation. So if you aren’t sure about whether having a doula is right for you, I hope our story helps just a little.

Hayley & Dan, May 2020, hospital birth during Covid lockdown.

Louise was my yoga teacher and was supporting me during my yoga practice when I became pregnant and approached me and asked if I would be interested in having her help as a doula. I wanted to use as much of my yoga knowledge during labour as possible. To help me to stay relaxed and to support my body during the birth. Having a doula would help with this. That was my expectations. As I had a relationship with her already, and I trusted her and her knowledge as a yoga teacher.

Unfortunately we were only able to meet twice before the birth of my baby and once was via video call. So we still had some things to work on. I was quite nervous at the thought of having to give birth in a hospital and had hoped for a home birth. Louise had started to help with this but then my baby was born unexpectedly at 35 weeks.

Louise was not present for the birth. My baby was born unexpectedly at 35 weeks and I was unsupported. This was during the first lockdown in the UK. I was unsupported and not listened to during the birth of my baby. My husband was not able to be there either. A doula would be an ally during a time where you are vulnerable. A doula will know what your birth preferences were when you are unable to speak for yourself.

After my son was born I spoke with Louise via a video call and she offered me a safe space to share my birth experience. She also provided me with some excellent post natal exercises to start to physically recover from having a baby.

Our time with Louise was invaluable. Before our baby arrived she helped us come together as a couple to discuss what we were collectively worrying about. It brought us closer at a very stressful time. Our time together postnatally helped me a great deal. She offered a supportive smile when it was needed the most.

(What would you say to other parents considering having a doula?)

Absolutely do it. All the support the better.