I believe that everyone deserves support antenatally, in labour and in the postpartum period. Society recognises the value in other forms of care such as childcare, so why shouldn’t this be the same for birthing people and their families? In many countries, some form of doula support is provided by the state. Historically, women and birthing people haven’t navigated matrescence alone. I love the following quote by Maddie, founder of Developing Doulas, the organisation I trained with:

“We have many names and none. We are that woman in the village who always knows when your time is close. We appear with food, love, warm water and strong arms. We shepherd the children, call the midwife and hold the mother as she and her baby work together towards birth.”
— Maddie McMahon (2015). Why Doulas Matter. Pinter & Martin.

I come from a background of nannying young babies and working with adults with mental health and neurodiversity support needs. As someone neurodivergent myself I recognise the importance of sensitively considering sensory needs in birthing environments, and we will consider the access needs of the whole family in our work together. 

I also believe that postnatal mental health is so intertwined with a birthing person’s access to resources, community and information and am so passionate about my role as a doula in this. Being knowledgeable about trauma is also central to my practice - I have recently been studying on the ‘Herbalism, PTSD & Traumatic Stress Course’ by herbalist and community organiser, Nicole Rose.

I’ve always been fascinated by birth and newborns - in fact, I used to think everyone was as keen to attend a birth as me! Working as a nanny with young babies made me realise how much I enjoyed working as a team with a family in this special time. 

Aside from being a birth nerd, I spend as much time in nature as possible and particularly enjoy foraging and crafting my own DIY herbal medicines. My other favourite thing to do is cooking - having lots of food intolerances has inspired me to be creative with flavours and I love making nutritionally dense meals and baked goods. I believe that food sharing has such an important role in care and community and I can’t wait to share my cooking with you.

What does my doula support look like?

Antenatally 

• We will chat/ mindmap to explore what you (and your birth partner if you have one) envision for your birth, directing you to information about the different options available.
• We will have time to explore your feelings and perceptions about birth and parenthood - we can discuss how you can have the greatest sense of control over your experience.
• I can lend you books and source articles/podcasts on any areas of interest to aid in your decision making and help you feel prepared. I also love learning from other local perinatal professionals and am a member of Lewes Birth Collective.
• We will discuss the different stages of labour and the roles of the wonderful ‘cocktail of hormones’.
• We will come up with some postnatal plans, working out how to maximise your rest, look after your wellbeing and nourish your soul. We can also talk through infant feeding.

During labour

• I will support you with your chosen comfort measures - whether you choose hypnobirthing, acupressure, certain affirmations or music - we will have familiarised ourselves well beforehand. 
• I will support you in your natural rhythms of labour, and can provide knowledge of birthing positions and Rebozo if you feel this is helpful for you. I can deliver valuable practical and emotional support whether you choose a homebirth or hospital setting, and before and after a Caesarean birth. 
• I will help bring a sense of calm and sacredness into the space - wherever you choose - I will help to encourage a grounded birthing environment.
• If you have a birth partner, we will have discussed how we can make the best team for you, and I can give them opportunities to rest - supporting them to support you.
• I’ll have my doula ‘kit’ with various sensory tools, comfort measures and refreshments.
• I have experience with medical advocacy which helps me to navigate medical systems with confidence - giving you the time and information to make decisions on your own terms.

Postpartum - support for you while you rest, recover and cherish time with your baby.

• Sessions begin with a check-in, a cup of tea and I’m a big believer in cake! We assess and prioritise how I can be most useful that day.
• Often I might batch cook a delicious meal or prepare some snacks to be easily on hand while you’re feeding. I can also pick up bits on my way.
• I love babywearing and when/if you are comfortable I will care for your baby while you shower or nap.
• I’ll lend a hand with laundry/ washing up/ household chores to help your home feel a bit more cosy and manageable.
• We can have a chat about infant sleep and feeding and I can bring helpful resources so that together we can work through any worries that you have.
• I am interested in the role of ritual in the postpartum period - even if this just means drinking tea together in a way that feels like a restful ‘pause’ for you.

I am also available for some night support if you’re looking for an opportunity to catch up on some rest.

The above descriptions come nowhere near to summing up the breadth and variety of the support I offer. Unlike the dominant mode of healthcare, my approach is entirely individualised and my role is a product of our unique relationship.

I support you however and wherever you decide to give birth and I work with families of all shapes and sizes. I’m a queer doula committed to reproductive justice, constantly reflecting on the hierarchies in my practice, led by the work of decolonial birthworkers.

I believe everyone deserves support through pregnancy and beyond, and deserves to be loved and nurtured during this rite of passage. As a mentored doula I am really glad to be able to offer support with a sliding scale fee - feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or to see if we might be a good fit.