About Me
Supporting women and birthing people and their families through the life changing and life enhancing journey of pregnancy, birth and early parenthood.
Hello! I’m Gemma, a birth and postnatal doula living in Pewsey, Wiltshire with my husband, two young boys and our lovely dogs. I cover all areas within an hour of Pewsey which includes Swindon, Salisbury, all of Wiltshire, West Berkshire, parts of Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Dorset and Somerset. I feel passionate about providing support and care to women and birthing people and their families antenatally, during labour and birth and during the postnatal period. I help them to understand physiology of birth, gain trust and confidence in their bodies and enable them to make informed decisions throughout their journey based on evidence based research. I look to ease the transition to parenthood with a supportive and nurturing presence. My mission is to help women and their families have a positive experience, however that may look for them. When working with you, I spend time really getting to know you and your family, understanding and learning your beliefs and preferences, providing individualised support with an open-mind and zero judgement. I am keen for any partners to be fully involved (they should attend at least one antenatal session if you hire me for a birth) and I aim to empower you to give birth and parent the way you want to. Following the birth of my two children, I felt compelled to help others experience a positive birth and journey into parenthood thereafter. I had two quite different births (the second sparked my interest in wanting to become a doula) and two very different postnatal experiences (goodness, I wish I had a doula!), all of which led me to where I am now. Prior to training to be a doula, I worked in corporate events for many years, organising global conferences and large social events. I have always loved meeting new people and building relationships. I bring with me a calm and caring demeanour alongside professionalism and strong organisational skills.
My support
Birth: My aim as a birth doula is to provide a calming and grounded presence, help remove any fears you may have and replace them with knowledge and confidence as you prepare for your birth. We will have two antenatal sessions to go through your birth preferences in detail, raise any concerns you have, talk through how your partner (if you have one) can support you as well as discuss options for the birth and the period immediately after. I want you to feel excited, confident and fully supported ahead of the birth! During the birth, I will hold space for you and ensure you are equipped with the knowledge to help you make informed decisions. I will stay by your side throughout, providing emotional and physical support to you, and your birth partner, if you have one. Following the birth, I will stay with you for a couple of hours or until you are all settled. I will then visit a few days later and offer support to you and your newborn, helping you find the answers to any questions you may have.
Postnatal: As a postnatal doula, I offer emotional and practical support and provide evidence based information where needed. I like to help my clients form a postnatal plan, which can help ease the transition into parenthood, giving you time to adjust, bond with your baby and recover, setting you up for a positive experience after the birth. For previous generations and gladly still evident in some cultures today, raising a family involves close-knit communities who provide support, time and experience. However, for the majority of us, our busy modern lives have precluded that possibility, so with every family I work with, I strive to recreate that feeling of community “village” and shared responsibility. I am happy to help with any tasks in the home so you can focus on those newborn cuddles or equally I can provide an extra pair of hands to hold your baby so you can take a shower or get some rest. I am completely led by your family, providing the type of support you feel you would benefit from the most. I can provide breastfeeding support and if required, signpost you to breastfeeding counsellors or lactation consultants in the area as well as support you to develop skills such as recognising ‘normal’ newborn behaviour and discuss what may come up in the 4th trimester and beyond. I am devoted to providing emotional support in the postnatal period, reassuring and encouraging you as you find your feet. As part of our time together, you may wish to set aside some time to discuss and reflect on your birth over a cup of tea – I will always be there to offer a listening ear.
I am DBS cleared, paediatric first aid trained to Level 3 and fully insured. I have recently completed a course in Biomechanics for Birth and passed the ABM (Association of Breastfeeding Mothers) Foundation Module so I also support new parents on their breastfeeding journeys.
Get in touch!
If you have any questions about how a doula can support you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch for a friendly chat via the form or email link above. I offer a 30-minute free video consultation before clients commit to hiring me so you can get to know me and learn more about what I offer. It is important you feel comfortable with the doula you choose so an initial call is a must! I look forward to hearing from you!
