“Just as a woman’s heart knows how and when to pump, her lungs to inhale, and her hand to pull back from fire, so she knows when and how to give birth.” – Virginia Di Orio
It's a wonderful thing to find yourself doing the work you feel you were always meant to do, which is how I feel about providing doula care and helping families to begin or grow together. I am a recognised doula living and working in Bristol, and I work alongside other doulas in the respected Bristol Birth Support Doula Collective so I am able to facilitate shared-care or ensure back-up doula care for reassurance all round.
I live with my partner, three beautiful teenage boys (how time flies!) and a menagerie of animals. My boys were all born at home - same birth pool, different kitchens, and quite different births - and I tandem-fed my babies/toddlers, so have some first-hand experience that other breast-feeding mothers might find helpful.
I am a passionate believer that every birth is a sacred rite of passage. Your birth experience is an important initiation to parenthood and a peaceful and empowered birth is the very least any mother should expect. My aim as a doula is to understand your feelings going into this journey, to learn about the birth experience you wish to have, and help and support your partner (if there is one/more) to ensure they also have the birth experience they hope for too, as they become a parent alongside you.
We will work together antenatally to prepare you for your birth. I am as fascinated by the physiology and science as much as I am in awe of the sacred spirituality of birth, so we will devise antenatal sessions that feel right for you, exploring the topics that concern or excite you, weaving the practical and the spiritual according to your needs.
What is included: I will be available for telephone and email support during your pregnancy. Antenatal sessions will typically be in person, tailored to your needs and wants. I will go on-call for your birth, available 24-hours a day, from 10 days before your EDD, until your baby arrives. (Let's not put an end date on that, as we know your baby will come when they are ready.)
When baby arrives, your early moments with them will be protected and your wishes for your placenta care will be honoured. Postnatally, you can rely on me to visit you several times to check on your well-being, bring meals, provide practical help around the home, or hold the baby so you can enjoy having a bath or snooze! I will be happy to support with breast-feeding (I am not an IBCLC but can help you recognise if their services are required, to make sure you are not left without the right help when you need it most).
I work on the premise that "birth is as safe as life gets" (Harriette Hartigan) but expert help should be brought in when needed. I am inspired by the midwives, doulas, wise women, birth-keepers and baby-catchers who do the deep work and follow the evidence for safe and healthy birth practices. I follow the wise ones who are not afraid to let birth unfold without poking and prodding and who enable women to birth in their own power.
"Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers... strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength." – Barbara Katz Rothman
What I am: an advocate, constant companion and fierce champion for your birth, however things go.
What I am not: a midwife or doctor or miracle-worker. I will not give you medical advice, clinical treatment or tell you what to do.
Nobody else can birth your baby for you. Your body, your baby, your birth. I got you. And you really got this.
Testimonials:
"It’s hard to put into words. There were so many moments. The first that comes to mind was deep in the night during labour Charlie just held my hand and placed a hand on my side. This instinctive recognition for my need for non fixing, non distracting touch, without words gave me this huge sense of having some one there with me who had complete confidence in my ability and was just there too so I wasn’t alone in it. Charlie’s instincts were impeccable. She was fun. We all laughed together so much!" – Alex H
"Charlie thought of everything in relation to her role, the big things and the smaller details. I now can't imagine what it would've been like without her! ...
She took care of things in the background so that I had everything I needed and felt so held, and also came right to my side and supported me through the pain and intensity of labour when my partner needed breaks or to be elsewhere.
She was calm, respectful, thoughtful and intuitive." – Leah
"I was a birth partner for my daughter, and Charlie was a calming voice in my head throughout. She worked with my daughter, her partner and myself antenatally, through the pregnancy, to give my precious girl the best experience possible. While she wasn't at the birth (we live too far apart), I saw her teaching and guidance in Aiden (father) as he supported Mollie (mother) along each stage. I heard her words when things got difficult and I know Mollie was calmed by what she had learned by having a doula as part of her journey." – Laura
