Cally Edwards

About Me

I live in the Chalke Valley (just outside Salisbury on the Wiltshire / Dorset / New Forest border) with my husband Piers and two non-stop busy boys, Giles, born in 2003 and Caspar, born in 2005.

Having myself been part of an amazing NCT group, I’ve been an NCT antenatal teacher for several years wanting to be a part of an extrordinary support network. My passion for helping parents at such a challenging and fulfilling time in their lives saw me becoming a doula and now my local trust is funding my training as a BFC so that I can work for them.

Creating a family is one of the most important transitions in people’s lives.  The changes can be intense and challenging at any stage of pregnancy, birth or postnatally.

Giving birth is a major rite of passage, an experience you will always remember. My aim is to help protect your experience of birth and ease your journey into parenthood; to help women and their partners feel empowered and approach birth and parenting with confidence and the trust that you know what is right for you and your family.

By being a consistent, continuous support during pregnancy, labour, birth or postnatally, I can give you the confidence to feel assured that one person is always listening to your wishes and hopes, whether it is for a natural or medicalised birth or simply someone to help when you get home as you get to know your baby.

I endeavour to ensure that your fears and questions are answered honestly and that no question is deemed silly or irrelevant. Your peace of mind is important with so much conflicting information out there. My role is to guide and signpost you to researched-based information to help you make informed decisions that suit you and your family’s needs.

I am here to help. Whether you’re looking for antenatal teaching, support during labour or simply some practical postnatal help – I have the skills and experience to help ease you into making the early days of parenting a joyful and happy occasion. Be it for your first child, second or an additional member of an existing family; I’ll help clear the daze.

I offer:
Antenatal classes – natural active birth; tried and tested pregnancy exercises, relaxation and breathing techniques; birth preparation for couples / birth partners___
Postnatal classes for mum and partner or individual or often a group of mums
___Doula service for birth support and practical postnatal help___
Breastfeeding / bottle feeding advice and support
My role as a doula is to nurture and mother the mother so that she in turn can confidently birth, care for and mother her new born baby. As your doula I will provide support and encouragement so that you can develop confidence in your way of birthing and parenting your baby and I will provide practical help around the home.
As your birth or postnatal doula, I will provide:
– emotional support and encouragement
– practice and physical support
– support for your partner
– information and suggestions about helping you in labour, birth and postnatally.
– feeding support
– help with household duties, including: laundry, general tidying, meal planning and cooking
– shopping and running errands.

DipHE in Antenatal Education
NCT Antenatal Teacher – Excellent Practitioner
Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond Teacher
Certified Doula with Nurturing Birth
Certified Association of Breastfeeding Mothers (ABM) Breastfeeding Counsellor
DBS checked

Care of the Labouring Woman (Lesley Shuttler)
Massage with Juliana and Chris Beadsmore
Chichester Home Birth Conference (Sheila Kitzinger, Mary Cronk (breech birth))
London Home Birth Conference (Ina May Gaskin (Sphinter Law), Suzanne Colson (Biological Nurturing), Denis Walsh (Assoc. Professor of Midwifery, Nottingham University)),
Michel Odent (renowned Obstetrician),
Waterbirth (Dianne Garland)
Homebirth (Marie Coveney)
Breech Skills (Joy Horner and Shawn Walker)
Birth Physiology (Michel Odent)
I have experience of spontaneous labour, induction and emergency caesearean.
I breastfed my 2 children and have experience of expressing and bottle feeding
I cook to a high standard