Birth Doula
What services do I offer?
Birth and antenatal preparation
I will meet you and your birthing partner at your home for these.
These will be tailored to your circumstances of pregnancy and birth plan. I will meet you where you are at. We will explore your hopes and fears around birth, as well as any medical or birth history and desired experience.
What we aim to cover as a minimum:
Physiology of birth: to support your expectations and your progress in labour.
The path to birth and its different stages (both physiological and within the nhs system); and explore how you see us working together, supporting you as a team, in accordance to your needs and preferences.
What are your birth rights to receive individualised care and how to advocate for yourself
Comfort measures in labour, for you to work towards having your own toolkit for birth;
Including optimal or rest positions, touch, counter pressures, vocalisation, rebozo (use of scarf) etcThe 4th Trimester & Postpartum planning: Anticipating everything to do with your 4th trimester; From breastfeeding/ bottle feeding baby, infant sleep, to your recovery and preparing for support and managing everyone’s expectations.
Continuity of Care
From time of booking until your first month of postpartum;
Through phone, video calls, text and voicenotes.
Supporting you and your partner; From following your birth preparation and journey, to riding the highs and lows of postpartum.
Birth debrief
For you and your partner to process the birth cognitively and emotionally in a safe space. Sometimes, this can help also gain understanding of events that occurred during your birth and piece memories together where you cannot remember.
Guidance navigating the maternity system
Based on both my knowledge & experience of working in the NHS maternity systems. Passionate about birth rights and individualised care.
(see ‘About me’)
Equipment and resources
You can dispose of all my resources and birthing equipment, including one of my TENS machines, birth balls, birth sling and a birth pool.
Obstetric & Consultant appointment attendance
If you do not have someone to go with you to your late pregnancy appointments, or if you are having important tests and conversations in late pregnancy,
I can come with you to listen in and advocate for you.
After your appointment I usually suggest to get a cuppa for a “debrief”.
Review & Advocacy Sessions
I can offer guidance when considering an induction of labour or an elective caesarean due to arising circumstances (gestation, breech baby, low lying placenta, VBAC, pre-eclampsia, etc)
I will take you through the evidence and provide in-depth education, including an exploration of the benefits, risks, alternatives, and your personal believes and circumstances, so that you can make an informed decision.
On-call for your birth for 30 days
Ready to attend your birth,
7 days a week, 24 hours a day;
from 38weeks +3d, until baby is born.
Birth support
Acting as an advocate, protecting your space and your autonomy, and supporting you physically, practically and emotionally through birth.
Whether you chose to give birth at home or at hospital; Whether your baby arrives before midwife’s arrival; Through hospital transfer or being diverted from your chosen hospital- I am there for you.
Bespoke support care plan:
Birth coaching
We can meet regularly to check-in, and more importantly to go deeper working together on your birth and matrescence wishes. I do this using Birth Coaching, as well as incorporating tools and practices for emotional regulation and self exploration.
Upon an opening mapping session, we will evaluate your confidence on specific areas of birth and matrescence, which will help us to agree on a plan and areas we would like to focus on together.
We can also use our time for intention setting and surrendering to what you are bringing in, in the present moment.
Sometimes, I may even offer you to receive relaxation and/ or reiki within our time together if I feel you would like to be held in this way.
Postnatal Support
Regular check-ins via phone/ WhatsApp, and a closing visit to suit your needs.
Signposting
Shall you or your newborn need additional services (depending on circumstances)
Birth Doula Packages
-
For those with experience of birth or needing minimum support
Not recommended for first time parents.
What’s included:Virtual support via Whatsapp, phone and video calls from 28 weeks, until one month post birth
2 private antenatal sessions (2.5 hour each) with your birth partner
Support writing and editing of your birth plan
Check-in with mother one on one at 38 weeks
On-call 24/7 for 30 days (from 10 days before your due date)
Birth support.
Supporting you and your birthing partner practically, emotionally, physically and with advocacy, from early labour and during your birthBirth debrief and closing visit within the first 3 weeks post birth
Access to my birth library: birth equipment, resources (TENS, birth ball, birth pool, birth sling. books, etc)
£1,800
Interest free payment plan available.
Fee inclusive of my business and travel expenses, and any back-up doula fees. -
Recommended for first-time parents
Ongoing support via Whatsapp, phone and video calls from point of booking until a month post birth.
3 in-depth antenatal preparation sessions at your home with partner (2.5 hours each).
This will be an opportunity not just to prepare practically for birth and postpartum, but to get to know you and your partner; building and defining our birth team.One meeting with mother, to go deeper on a specific matter (for example, fear of pain or practice advocacy tools); this will be drawn from a mix of tools, from coaching exercises to emotional regulation and relaxation practices. Sometimes, when it feels most beneficial, I may suggest using this time for relaxation, where we can practice letting go and anchoring in your ideal birth together (I can also offer reiki).
Additional antenatal sessions - subject to matters arising- include: Breech baby, Induction of Labour: making a decision or planning; Positive Caesarean Birth Preparation; etc
Writing, editing and reviewing yourbirth plan, exploring different scenarios, NHS pathways and making suggestions for how to build rapport and advocate for yourself within the NHS.
Possibility to attend or advocate for up to 2 obstetric or consultant appointments
Access to my Birth resources and equipment (tens machine, birth ball, birth sling etc)
On-call for 30 days around your due date
Supporting you and your partner on the day(s) of your birth, from early labour to your bonding with baby and early recovery
Birth Debrief (if needed)
Closing visit in the first 3 weeks after birth.
£2,200
Interest free payment plan available.
Fee inclusive of my business and travel expenses, and any back-up doula fees. -
All my advocacy birth support, with deep self- exploration through coaching, regular meetings and birth practice.
My complete doula support includes:
All that my Advocate Birth Support includes, plus:
Meeting you regularly in pregnancy, to go deeper and unravel blockages on your journey to birth and matrescence.
As an experienced doula and qualified transformational birth coach, we will have a 90-minute mapping session to agree on a bespoke support plan.
Our interactions and work together will be framed by a plan, and draws from a mix of different tools from coaching to birth anchoring practices, emotional regulation and self-exploration exercises.
I will facilitate the space and structure for insights and sometimes relaxation. Together we may sometimes set some intentions or ‘homework’, and you can use me to be accountable or to lean on if you encounter any blocks.
These are also a chance for us to check in regularly and build a deeper relationship. Although we have agreed on a plan, you may bring how you are feeling within our sessions, depending how your journey to birth unfolding for you. You can bring just about anything to our sessions, as it will all serve as a catalyst for change.
£375 for 5 sessions of 75 to 90minutes.
£2,575Inclusive of some travel expenses and any back-up doula fees.
Interest free payment plan available.
Birth Preparation Course & Virtual Support
- “ Doula in your pocket” -
Some parents chose to work with me before and in the lead up to birth.
How I prepare and support you:
We have 3 private sessions about 2 hours each with you and your partner (these can be in person if you’re in Sussex, or online if you’re further afield); (see above for typical antenatal plan)
Some women also chose to work with me regularly with coaching and a bespoke support plan (see my Complete Doula package)I support you writing and editing your birth plan (1 online session), supporting you understanding your rights and to seek individualised care, including if birthing outside of the guidelines; As well as supporting you to advocate for yourself and your partner in the lead up to your birth and during birth.
I’m available for ongoing support throughout your pregnancy (from time of booking) until you go into labour, over the phone, or Whatsapp.
Whether you have a hospital appointment coming up and would like to feel prepared; Or would like to debrief after the findings of any tests or scans, or after your midwife appointment, with someone that knows you and knows birth;
Whether you are approaching your “due date” and looking for reassurance or someone knowledgeable about birth and the system to guide you and support you through the induction of labour conversation with your consultant. Etc etc
Here are a few of the reasons people have decide to take advantage of this support:
Finances won’t allow a full doula package.
I’m fully booked around your due month
I’m away during your due month
You don’t live near to me
You want all the support of a doula in pregnancy and that’s enough for you.
If you decide you would like my support during birth the cost of this package is deducted from the enhanced package.