Imagine yourself at the birth of your baby. There is a woman there. You know her. She is holding your hand. She is stroking your hair and massaging your back. She is bringing you water and snacks. She is putting your favourite music on. She is reminding your birth partner of that comfort measure you found helpful. She is making sure your birth partner is taking time to eat and rest. She is providing evidence-based information to help you make informed decisions. She is quietly whispering to you, “You are so strong, you’ve got this mama”. She is making sure that your wishes for your birth are honoured. She is a doula.

As your doula, I will know you and your birth partner intimately, I will know your desires and your values and will be able to communicate those on your behalf if you feel that you are unable to. I will remind you of your power and enable you to make decisions from a place of empowerment.

I will support you in preparing for birth and motherhood by sharing evidence-based information and other women's stories. I will support you in releasing fears and connecting back in with your intuition.

I will listen to you and hold you in those tender moments of early motherhood, bringing you food and tea and running you a warm, healing bath. I will hold your baby while you catch up on some sleep or take the dog for a walk or just take a moment to yourself. I will remind you that you are exactly the mother your baby needs.

There is evidence (sources below) to show that having a doula can mean:

• Reduced risk of cesarean birth
• Reduced risk of instrumental birth
• Reduced need for painkillers or epidurals during birth
• Reduced rate of induction of labour
• Shorter labour
• Increased parental satisfaction with the birth experience
• Increased likelihood of initiating breastfeeding
• Increased likelihood of successfully establishing breastfeeding and breastfeeding at 6 weeks
• Lower incidence of depressive symptomatology

The evidence found in these studies is amazing and really proves that having a doula can improve outcomes for women and their families.

But also, when you choose to invest money into hiring a doula to support and hold you during one of the most transformative events of your life, you are investing in yourself. You are affirming that you are worthy of having the most empowered, transformational birth experience. You are choosing to put yourself and your baby first. And I believe that the world needs more mothers who are brave enough to choose to centre themselves and their babies during birth. 

* Brigstocke S. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest, vol 24, no 2, 2014, pp 157-160

** Hodnett ED, Gates S, Hofmeyr G, Sakala C. Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD003766. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub5 and Bohren MA, Hofmeyr GJ, Sakala C, Fukuzawa RK, Cuthbert A. Continuous support for women during childbirth.

There is often a misconception that a doula is only for those women who are more ‘alternative’ and want to give birth at home. However, I would argue that given the current maternity crisis in hospitals, a doula is for EVERYONE. Whether you are planning a home birth, a birth in the midwife-led unit, a birth in the central delivery suite or a cesarean birth; I will walk alongside you.

Yes. After payment of an initial deposit, the remainder of payments for all of my packages will be evenly spread out (either monthly or weekly, depending on how many weeks along you are when hiring me) with the final payment due before 37 weeks or as close thereto as possible. Of course if you wanted to pay the full and final amount in a lump sum then that would also be possible.

Yes. Even though our initial Discovery Call will be online, I am more than happy to meet you in person before you consider inviting me into your birth team. After all, I want you to be completely comfortable investing in me (and yourself!).