During your labour you will probably meet several midwives. They are skilled and they do care, but they work in shifts, and the one who admits you may well have gone home before your baby arrives. Your notes travel with you. Everything else has to be explained again.
I'm the one who stays. I know what you decided months ago and why. I know what you said you wanted if things changed. And I'm still holding all of it at four in the morning, when you have stopped being able to say it yourself.
As a birth doula I have attended births at hospitals and birth centres across London, as well as home births. I have supported hundreds of families — first, second and third-time parents, solo parents and families with twins. I have supported many successful VBACs.
Home births · Birth centres · Labour wards · Water birth · Hypnobirthing · VBAC · Twins · Induced labour · Epidural & pethidine · TENS · Instrumental birth · Caesarean
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My aim as your Doula is to gently support you in meeting your baby in the most loving way possible and most importantly in your own authentic way so that you have happy memories of your birth journey
My greatest wish for every woman is that she transitions into motherhood healthily and lovingly body and mind. With me, this is through loving touch, heartfelt and mindful support and good nurturing nourishment.
As a birth and postnatal doula, I supported hundreds of families including first, second and third-time parents, solo parents and families with multiples.
Postnatal period is a very special time that should be honoured and protected. It is a time to slow things down, recover and rest. I want to encourage and support women to spend the first weeks after birth resting as much as possible with their baby to promote healing, recovery and bonding.
It's important to me that you have support as you move through this challenging time in life.
Birth & Postnatal Doula Services For London mums
Birth Doulas provide emotional, physical, and information support but do not perform any clinical tasks. Our focus is on supporting the family through a pivotal moment, whereas midwives are focusing on making sure you and your baby are safe! Your doula is the one who will be by your side throughout your birth, helping you with comfort measures, supporting your partner in supporting YOU, and helping you make informed decisions about your care
Build the best labour support team who will be there to hold your hand, provide counterpressure, remind you how amazing you are doing, and keep you focused on the finish line: holding your baby in your arms.
During Postpartum Doula Support, you will be nurtured along with your family to adapt to this new member of your household. From feeding to laundry, to simply understanding the emotions you're experiencing or giving you a restful night's sleep, it's all taken care of with a postnatal doula.
Unconditional emotional support, education and resources, holistic solutions, recovery process & postpartum healing, mood support, breastfeeding support (help with latch, positions, breastfeeding education), diapering (cloth or disposable), infant/toddler feeding options, nutrition & healthy habits, sleep strategies, etc
While I am always willing to share my experience on any question you might have, my goal is to be helpful in a quiet, pleasant and respectful of the traditions, culture and values of your family
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TrainingCompleted my first birth and postnatal course. It covered all aspects of birth, postnatal care and breastfeeding - 2013
Waterbirth Workshop - 2013
Holistic postpartum recovery -2014
Developing Doulas Preparation Course - 2017
Homebirth Study Day for Doulas
Completed foundation Mexican Rebozo training with Angelina Martinez - 2019
Hypnobirthing and Antenatal educator Diploma at KGHypnobirthing - 2019
The infant Microbiome course with Microbirth School – 2019
Rocio Alarcon’s “Closing the bones ceremony” workshop – 2019
Reflexology for childbirth workshop – 2018
I am also trained in aromatherapy, acupressure and massage for birth
Antenatal educator course with Doula.ru - 2019
Baby massage instructor by IAIM - 2019
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ExperienceAs a Birth Doula I have attended births at all the London hospitals and Birth Centres as well as home births. I have experience of every type of birth from women physiological births using birth pools and/or gas and air, Hypnobirthing, water births. VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean), instrumental deliveries, water births, caesarean sections.
I have supported births that have included the use of epidurals or Pethidine, involved T.E.N.S , induced labours and a few births that have needed ventouse or caesarian deliveries. I’ve also supported many successful VBAC births and have had several twin birth clients.
Feel Confident in Your Postpartum with Personalized Support!
If you just had a baby and your life has changed in an instant, it's a lot to take in! Sleepless nights, recovery after birth, learning how to care for your baby all while trying to figure out how to be a mom yourself.
I know how challenging these first days, weeks, and months can be. But I believe that with personalized support, education and care, your transition to parenting can be positive and calm
Michel Odent
He created the Primal Health Research database
and the website www.wombecology.com. He is the author of 13 books (including the classics Birth and Breastfeeding and Primal Health) published in 22 languages, and author (or co-author) of 92 articles listed in www.pubmed.com
KGHypnobirthing Teacher Training course with Nancy Keen ( founder of Birth Right Hypnobirthing.Creator of Birth Right Academy ) & Kemi Johnson ( Birthkeeper, former NHS and former Independent Midwife in the UK)
Certificated Foundation Rebozo Training with Angelina Martinez Miranda. She is a traditional midwife living and practicing in Morelos, Mexico. Throughout her life she attended around 15,000 births. Angelina is a long-time member of Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA)
Support in birth is not a luxury
Women have never given birth alone. There was always someone beside them — a village midwife, a mother, a sister, a neighbour — someone who had seen it before and knew what to do. The idea that you can give birth on your own among strangers is very recent, and not because it works better.
Your partner will be prepared and he will support you — I'll see to that. But he doesn't know which position will help right now, where labour has moved in the last hour, or what the midwife has just said. He is in that room for the first time in his life, and he is at least as nervous as you are.
A doula doesn't replace him. A doula makes it so that he doesn't have to be the expert — he only has to be your person. The system, the protocols and the technical side are mine.
That is why birth is calmer with a doula. Not because anything is guaranteed, but because someone is there who has been in that room many times and whose hands don't shake.
And here are the more benefits of hiring a doula, that you’ll personally notice during and after childbirth:
Help you if you’re scared
Help you let go of the control, and simply let your body guide you through childbirth.
Can be the only person who can keep everyone’s nerves calm and cool during childbirth.
She can be integral in facilitating communication and letting your support team and midwife what you need and want
Can provide massage, breathing help, and so on during delivery as well as teach massage and breathing techniques to your partner
Can also help provide any emotional or physical support you need
If you will be at home, a doula can get in contact with the homebirth team when needed
Can answer your questions about newborn baby care
Can answer your questions about your post-pregnancy body and emotions
Can answer questions about breastfeeding and latching on
Can offer nutrition guidelines and information
Can also offer you guidance when it comes to rest, exercise and offer support
A postnatal doula also visits you in your home and helps you manage tasks and responsibilities as a new mother
What’s the difference between a Doula and a Midwife?
A midwife and a doula are not the same thing, and not a choice between two. Your midwife is a clinician: she is responsible for your safety and your baby's, she checks, monitors and makes clinical decisions. She also changes at the end of her shift.
I have no clinical role at all. I don't examine you, I don't give medical advice and I don't make decisions. I'm the one who stays — through the whole labour, with the same face, remembering everything we agreed months ago.
Before birth, a doula will help you by:
making sure you have solid information which allows you to make educated decisions about your birth plan, you define a clear vision and plan for your birth
Helping you know your options as far as Hospitals/Birth centres/Private midwifes gives you
Talk through any unexpected changes to your birth plan, makes sure you know what interventions will likely be offered to you and help you know how to communicate your desires around them
What Does A Doula Do During Birth?
A Doula Will Help You Physically By:
- making sure you have a constant supply of water
- spending hours squeezing your hips to get you the counter-pressure you are craving
- bringing tools like a rebozo or yoga ball for you to use during birth
- going with you for a walk if you need a change
A Doula Will Help You Emotionally By:
- reminding you that birth is normal
- giving you courage with her confidence
- counteracting that voice in your head that says you can’t do it
- providing you with ideas for pain management when you run out of them
- suggesting different ideas that could help your labour progress if you feel stuck
- telling your husband exactly how to press your back in the way you need
- being comfortable and confident that everything that is happening as you birth is normal and okay when he is not sure
- giving him a chance to take a break from supporting you so that he can pee, make a phone call or get something to eat
- making sure that you are not alone when it is 3 in the morning and he is exhausted and needs a nap
Directly after birth a doula can help you and your new baby with your first latch.
This makes a doula even more of an important investment if you’re at a hospital or facility without good breastfeeding support.
New babies have never nursed and sometimes, it can take time for your little one to learn this skill. I’ll be there to help with different holds and positioning to make breastfeeding more comfortable
The decision stays yours. My work isn't to bring you to the «right» choice — it's to make sure the choice is yours. The difference between «I chose this» and «it was decided for me» is what a woman remembers about her birth for years.
Your birth should be your experience, not mine. I share what I know whenever you ask — but my job is to be useful quietly, and with respect for how your family does things.
By the time you go into labour, I already know what you want. We have talked about it so many times that in labour I don't need to ask you anything. I simply do it — so you don't have to explain, find the words, or think for two at the moment when thinking is hardest.
I don't argue with doctors and I don't speak for you. The moment someone else starts answering on your behalf, people stop asking you. I hand you back your own questions and buy you the time to ask them.
I don't give medical advice. That isn't a doula's job. I explain how the system works and help you talk to the people who do give that advice.
I provide day and/or overnight support to improve your new parent experience.
I help you however you need help
Support with newborn care - learning baby hunger cues, bathing, diapering, calming, etc.
Emotional support - a safe space to talk about your birth experience and parenting worries
Breastfeeding support/latch and position help. Refer to a specialist when needed
Bottle feeding support & pumping guidance
Baby-wearing assistance
Infant & parent sleep solutions
Be a listening ear to help process their birth experience
Help the family find a new rhythm for daily life so parents feel confident in parenting
Playing with older children
Feel Confident in Your Postpartum with Personalized Support!
SERVICES
A trusting relationship is the foundation of doula care. Prenatal visits are offered in person and/or virtually and provide opportunities to discuss your hopes and goals and create a real connection.
Your doula can help capture memorable moments of the day your baby was born by taking photos or videos to ensure your family has priceless images that can be cherished for a lifetime.
• Prenatal visit. Assistance in creating a birth plan to help you clarify your preferences for birth and explain the options available to you and communicate with your caregiver
• Specific breathing techniques to help you to relax during pregnancy and birth
• 24/7 on-call availability for your birth from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after your expected due date
• Comfort and coping suggestions and techniques for pregnancy and labour
• Alternative pain relief during labour / Position suggestions for comfort and labour progress
• A very gentle and highly effective massage technique which will stimulate the production of the body’s natural pain-relieving hormones
• Continuous, uninterrupted support for mom and partner during labour and up to two hours after the birth of your baby
After the birth, your doula stays with you for 1-3 hours to assist with breastfeeding and recovery, encourage family bonding,
and remind pediatric staff of your newborn choices
*Birth Photography
Mothering the mother in this journey of transition, a postpartum doula provides loving, non-judgemental support, so that the new mother feels rested and well-nourished. Newborn care practices taught to both mother & father so both feel supported, and connected.
• Includes all the same prenatal and birth support as our Regular Birth doula package with the addition of two in-home postnatal visits for :
• Reflection on your birth, answer any questions
• Newborn Care and Education
• Maternal Postnatal Care
• Nourishing Meal Preparation
• Breastfeeding support
• Care of sibling (where applicable) / Light housekeeping (for example, light laundry and folding, tidying up, loading and unloading the dishwasher)
• Unlimited phone/ What’sApp access from booking up until 4 weeks after the birth of your baby
This package is for REMOTE clients designed to empower you to trust your innate knowledge and maternal instincts. Through trusted information and evidence based research you will be able to make informed choices and conscientious decisions for your pregnancy, birthing and parenting journey. You will know your rights and have the confidence to communicate with your healthcare provider.
• Online Consultation to solidify your birth plan and make sure you feel confident and relaxed as you await your baby
• Continued support during your labour, birth and up until you and baby are ready to sleep.
• 4 weeks of remote support post-birth
Care for mums who need a few extra hours of support after their baby has arrived. Enjoy the comfort of your postpartum doula care in your home
• Supporting you with feeding, whether breast or bottle feeding
• I can help with general tidying (picking up, unloading the dishwasher) preparing meals, helping with siblings, taking baby out for walks
• Grocery shopping and healthy meal preparation
• Demonstrate techniques for soothing and caring for your baby
• Spend time with baby so parents can shower, sleep or spend quality time with older children or I can look after your older children to allow you to concentrate on your baby's precious bonding time
• A friendly, non-judgmental ear and a cup of tea
• Postpartum Massage
Package of 12 hours
You have the flexibility to use your 12 hours of Postpartum care over 3 months. Visits need to be a minimum of 4 hours in length
Daytime Support
£30/hour
3-hour minimum shift required.
Availability: Mondays-Fridays, Saturdays -Sundays
Overnight doula
Nighttime can be a challenge for new parents;
An overnight postpartum doula supports families with baby care and feeding in order to maximize nighttime sleep after the baby arrives.
Overnight Support
£25-30 hour
8-hour minimum shift required
I offer 8-hour overnight shifts where I help with light (quiet!) housework, provide breastfeeding support, assist in newborn care and aid in your postpartum recovery.
heydaydoula@gmail.com
