Birth Preparation & Hypnobirthing
My support services start right from the beginning, offering you guidance and reassurance as you and your partner prepare for the birth of your baby. I provide group Hypnobirthing Workshops but can also offer specially designed 1:1 preparation classes within your own home or via zoom at a time to suit you and to meet your needs. Breastfeeding preparation workshops are available too to help you get off to a positive start on your feeding journey. (Within my birth doula support you will receive antenatal sessions also).
I believe that valuing your birth experiences, educating yourself and gaining good evidence based information to enable you to make informed choices and having a good support network really is key to positive outcomes. Working with women who are highly anxious and even fear birth (Tokophobia) is something I am particularly interested in. Using my emotional health coaching knowledge to work through these fears and support you to prepare for a calm and confident birth.
My services are designed to offer something for different budgets and provide you support through your pregnancy, your birth and into motherhood, a constant companion for you every step of the way..
Currently no group courses are running....
For information on my 1:1 packages please get in touch, all my 1:1 sessions are fully personalised to meet your own unique needs and are delivered at a time and place of your choice. I have varying packages to offer to suit all budgets and learning styles, you can browse some for an idea of costs at the bottom of this page but prices are quoted on an individual basis depending on your preferences. Why not book a free antenatal consultation with me to discuss how I could support you best
What is Hypnobirthing?
"Hypnosis is a natural state of mind that we all dip in and out of each day, for example.. waking and falling asleep, day dreaming/staring into space, driving, reading a good book or watching a good film. It can be hard to truly define as each person will experience hypnosis differently. One thing it is often referred to (when used purposefully) is a feeling of deep relaxation. Using relaxation scripts and breathing exercises to input positive messages to the subconscious mind. The client is always in full control of the hypnosis and can stop at any time. All I do is facilitate it and positively influence your thoughts. The client is the one in control and they have to work with me to ‘allow’ themselves to relax and receive the hypnosis, and the more they practice it the easier it will become and the more they will benefit. Using hypnosis in birth can bring many benefits to allow the woman to 'switch off' relax and trust in her body so it can do what it is designed to do and birth her baby. It can be used anywhere anytime and in any position giving you a flexible reliable tool
Learning how your mind works, how your body works during labour and birth and the hormones involved allows you to trust in your innate ability to birth your baby and provides you with tools to enable your mind and body to work more harmoniously for a more positive birth experience with reduced fear"
~ Kimberley Boyd ~
Birth Doula
A question I am asked a lot when people ask what I do for a living is 'What is a Doula?' unfortunately not many people in my area - Lincolnshire - have ever heard the word 'Doula' or know what one is or does...….
"doula[duːlə]: a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth" (Klaus, Kennell and Klaus, Mothering the Mother)
"Doulas provide continuous support for the whole family through pregnancy, birth and the early days of parenthood. Filling a role that new mothers and families have always needed, we are there to listen, give confidence and not judge. Offering flexible, practical and emotional support we work in women’s own homes as well as in hospitals throughout the UK.
Doulas are usually experienced women who have completed some basic training. We do not offer clinical skills and are not medically trained. (Doula.org.uk)"
A Doula does not advise or tell you what you should do, nor does she advocate or speak on your behalf.
A Doula will inform you of all the information available, she will listen, she will support you in your own decisions and empower you to make them and try stick to them.
She wants you to have the experience YOU want and to do what feels right for YOU and your family and to help it be a positive experience for YOU.
Its YOUR Birth, YOUR baby, YOUR body, YOUR choice, YOUR way.
I feel very privileged to be asked to work with a family and support them in this huge life event.
Why should I hire a Doula?....
You might be thinking.....but why would I need a Doula - won't I get all this from my midwife/health visitor? Sadly, not always no. Due to staff shortages and busy maternity units care can be really stretched meaning things can be overlooked regarding the woman's wishes and often they simply do not have the time to be a constant caregiver during labour or even fully explain everything to them.
Current maternity care has become very 'medicalised' and women are often not fully involved in their care and the decisions made around their care, too often women can be coerced into things they may not have wanted or were 'told to' do this or 'not allowed' to do that. Its so important that women understand their rights and that they have total autonomy over themselves and what happens to them. Nobody can make you do anything you don't want to do or tell you how and where to birth your baby, all they can do is inform and influence you and your decisions, the only person that is in full control of your body and your birth is YOU.
While I am in no way there to replace the midwives and fully respect their role in the birth - I believe we work together as a team to fully support you. I can provide that constant support and encouragement and will be with you every step of the way, never leaving the room to care for other women at the same time as you (only to go grab a coffee or go for a wee!). I will guide you in your decision making, reminding you and the Drs/midwives of your preferences and helping you to consent to the care you are being given. Ensuring you feel safe, supported and fully informed throughout.
Not only for you but for your birth partner too. We work as a team to care for you. I want to support them also to be the best birth partner for you and hold their hand at times they feel unsure or worried or allow them to pop off for a break and know you are not alone when they do.
It has been proven that women cared for during labour by a birth doula, compared to those receiving usual care were:
26% less likely to give birth by cesarean section
41% less likely to give birth with a vacuum extractor or forceps
28% less likely to use any analgesia or anesthesia
33% less likely to be dissatisfied or negatively rate their birth experience
(Findings of Hodnett’s et al meta-analysis of 15 trials from N. America, Europe, and Africa). There is more research available on the Doula UK website.
Please visit www.doula.org.uk or www.thedouladirectory.com to find out so much more about Doula's and what we do or contact me with any questions. I have also written a blog about Doulas.
Postnatal
Doula
So the baby is here! You planned and prepared for your birth but now what.......?
As your postnatal Doula I am there to offer emotional, practical and informational support on your journey into motherhood.
After the birth of your baby and during your recovery period your hormones are all over and sleep deprivation is taking its toll you may become overwhelmed while also trying to establish feeding, getting to know your new baby and keeping the house in some sort of order. A lot of women struggle to adjust to this new life and feel like they are failing because the house is a mess, they haven't cooked a meal for a week and feel that they have neglected their partner. This is all completely NORMAL and I think we need to remember that life will never be the way it was before and our baby is now our main priority - everything else can wait. You have been through a life changing event yourself too, you have birthed a human! So be kind to yourself, allow your body time to heal and seek support - this is in no way a sign of weakness. There is no such thing as the 'perfect mother'. You are in what we call the 'fourth trimester' - the transitional period after birth where your baby is adjusting to life outside the womb.
As an emotional health coach and doula I can listen to your worries and help protect your mental health, talking through any anxieties and working together to achieve a more positive mindset. I can give you up to date information and guidelines on lots of parenting styles so you can decide how you want to approach things. Support you in your decisions on what feels right for you and your baby - not what your family or friends did or are telling you to do. We all too often loose our 'instinct' and I really encourage new mothers to listen to what their gut is telling them to do and help you feel confident to do that.
My role varies day to day and from client to client depending on what your needs are but I can help with all parenting tasks, support encourage and give tips to establish feeding. If you are breastfeeding, as a trained breastfeeding peer supporter I can help with getting a good latch and building up supply, positioning and making you comfortable/giving reassurance and encouragement to keep going. troubleshooting any problems that arise and knowing if we need extra outside support. If you are bottle feeding, help with correct preparation of bottles, washing and sterilising and help to again reassure you that you are doing a great job. Or you may be doing a combination of both which again is OK!
Helping Dads/partners to get involved and show them ways he can bond with their baby too and how to support/look after the mother, take phone calls/monitor your visitors to prevent you feeling invaded during this very important time with your new born.
Other duties may include, the odd light household tasks such as sorting laundry, emptying the dishwasher, taking the baby for a walk while mum rests for an hour. Involving older children in helping mummy with new baby or occupying them while you feed. Making a light lunch for us all. Or just sitting and listening to mum over a cuppa and a slice of homemade cake I have made you and offering emotional support (this is my favourite job!).
I am there to support you in your new life as a mother and encourage you to do things the way you want to, I am not there to judge and correct you or tell you how to do things. The right support in the early days is vital for a mothers mental health and to help you have a positive postnatal experience and research shows that women who have had the support of a postnatal doula are less likely to experience postnatal depression and are more likely to fully establish breastfeeding.
If there is ever something I cant help you with I do have strong links with other local services which I can signpost/refer you on to also.
I can do as many hours/visits as you want me to within this fourth trimester (first 12 weeks) until we feel you are coping absolutely fine without me at home. But hopefully we can continue our new relationship at my postnatal classes which you will now feel confident to attend with my support and start a new support network in the other mothers attending these.
I do have the postnatal package on the website but I do offer an hourly rate if it is just a few hours you are looking for or have a limited budget - do get in touch. Individual custom packages can also be made to suit your requirements.
Please contact me with any questions or worries you may have about fees, I am happy to work out instalments to help you and I want to be as flexible as I can to ensure I can support the women of Lincolnshire.
