Birth Doula
A doula is, simply, a woman who protects the birth environment. I am not a labour coach, birth assistant or a medic.
The word ‘doula‘ is the Greek work for ‘slave’ and understandably there is an aversion to this word by Greek people who prefer the word ‘paramana’ as it is synonymous with ‘midwife‘. However, the word has caught on and is now widely used and accepted with positive connotations.
Birthkeeper is a term coined by Jeannine Parvati Baker, marrying the terms Earth Keeper (eco-activist and holders of the sacred Earth-based wisdom) and Birth Worker (doula, midwife, etc), thus meaning a birth activist and keeper of the sacred wisdom of birth. The space that we enter during labour is indeed one of knowing, mystery, grounding, higher connection, letting go, vulnerability, power, ending and beginning…everything.
Basic Birth Doula Package includes:
Free introductory meeting (45mins)
Three antenatal visits before the birth, at least one of them with your partner, if applicable. Two will be online and one in-person. These are usually 60-90mins sessions
On-call from week 38 -42
Birth attendance
1 postnatal visit
Backup Doula:
This is quite rare (and has never happened in the 9 years that I have been attending births) … but if circumstances are beyond my control to be physically present, I will send a backup doula to be with you in your labour.
Cost: £2,500
Shared-Care Birth Doula Package
I offer this package if you’d like us to work together but I am not fully available for the on-call period of 38 to 42 weeks (and beyond if baby chooses a birthday past this range)
This means that you will have two doulas looking after you and have the advantage of calling on the expertise of two doulas from the moment you decide to work with us. We have worked together since the beginning of our doula careers and complement each other very well.
It will be me and another doula from a selection of doulas I personally know and have worked with. You will get to know both of us as we share the antenatal sessions (one with both of us and one each, 3 in total) and we will share the on-call period giving you the peace of mind that one of us will be with you when you call us to your labour. You will see both of us postnatally too regardless of who is with you during labour and birth.
Cost: £2,500
Please contact me for availability
Deluxe Birth Doula & Hypnobirthing Package
Basic Birth Doula Package Plus Hypnobirthing course
£3,150
Birth & Postnatal Doula Package
Basic Birth Doula Package and 15 postnatal doula hours
£3,200
Hypnobirthing
I believe that anyone who enters the birthspace could do with preparing themselves prior to labour and my offering to facilitate this is through hypnobirthing for mothers and birth partners. Together we can release the fears and wipe the slate clean from the dominant social conditioning about labour. The sessions that I offer are a complete antenatal class that will assist you to feel calm and confident during pregnancy, birth and labour. It works!
You will get a better understanding of the physiology of labour and the benefits are that it will help you to feel confident, calm and in control during pregnancy, in labour and postnatally. Many midwives are now requesting that couples inform them when they have attended hypnobirthing courses because of the calm disposition observed during labour. I believe that a woman’s body knows how to give birth. When you trust in this innate ability, let go of resistance and fear and simply allow through breath and relaxation, birth happens more easily.
Here are some birth stories from parents who have used hypnobirthing. As you will see, hypnobirthing cannot promise a “perfect” birth but gives you the tools to have the best possible birth for your particular journey.
It is recommended to start the course as soon as possible after 20 weeks of pregnancy so that you have time to practise the course at home but it’s never too late to learn. Book a course and practise the techniques at home. It works!
I offer evening and weekend classes and private sessions.
Cost: £700 (private)
Please contact me for availability
Postnatal Doula
My role as a postnatal doula is to “Mother the Mother” and to share skills that will help you and your partner, if you have one, to get more confident in looking after your baby. These may include, but are not limited to: basic breastfeeding support, how to identify your baby’s needs, looking after your baby, using a sling/pram,attending appointments with you and your baby, looking after yourselves-if you need sleep, time for self-care, food etc, Your emotional wellbeing is of utmost importance to looking after your baby and I will do what I can to ensure your emotional and physical wellbeing. I am happy to do anything that helps the smooth running of the household. I do a minimum of 3 hours per booking, am available to do overnight shifts too and I work with babies up to 3 months. Please note that these postnatal rates are only applicable to Monday to Friday between 9-6pm. Overnights only Sunday-Thursday. Bank holidays excluded.
Packages:
Ad hoc £55 ph: Minimum 3 hours per session.
Welcome Home Package: £2,250 (45 hours)
5 sessions in week 1
4 sessions in week 2
3 sessions in week 3
2 sessions in week 4
1 session in week 5
Mothering the Mother Package: £900 (18 hours).
3 sessions in week 1
2 sessions in week 2
1 session in week 3
Sleepover: 7pm to 7am is £450 or 10pm-7am is £337.50
Bump, Birth & Beyond Workshop
I offer a private 1 day workshop that is tailored to your needs and includes information that is presented in a fun and engaging way. It involves me meeting you and your partner and designing a one-day workshop that is personalised to your particular situation and needs. This can include talking through any previous births, our own birth stories and birth stories that you have heard to help you debrief these experiences and prepare for the birth of your coming baby. We will also discuss your options such as where you can birth, how to work well with the medical staff, positions for labour, natural and medical pain relief options, the functions of the placenta and placenta remedies, preparing yourself and your family for your 4th trimester, the microbiome and how you can protect your baby’s short and long term health. We will have fun, you will be super-prepared and you will definitely learn some new information whether this is your first or your fifth birth!
Cost: £750.
