Before working as a postnatal doula and massage therapist, I took a break to stay at home with my children until my youngest started school. Previous to that, I worked with families who had young children with autism. I felt honoured to be invited into their lives and homes as they learned to accept and live with autism. So I knew that when I returned to work, I wanted to continue supporting families.
After our first birth, my husband and I felt so much love for our daughter and such joy, while also experiencing anxiety, exhaustion and being overwhelmed like never before. The bubble of our new family of three was incredible, but was often popped with feeding worries and differing opinions and advice, rather than being kept intact with unbiased emotional and practical support. My desire to support new mothers and their babies began and grew after the birth of each of our children. Our family unit continued to change, meaning the support we needed changed too.
Looking back, I realise that I didn’t place enough value on my own self-care after having my babies. The baby is the focus of everything, so much so that the mum and her physical recovery and well-being are often overlooked. Now, following my postpartum experiences it is a privilege to be able to support mums after having a baby.
As a postnatal doula I will:
- Listen to you, as you tell me about your birth experience, how you’re feeling that day, or what happened during the night; providing support for your emotional well-being and mental health.
- Support you with breastfeeding and bottle feeding; making sure you are well hydrated and have eaten, making you comfortable, supporting with latch and positioning, providing insight and information, supporting with breastfeeding aids, sharing infant feeding resources and services.
- Hold baby while you sleep or shower.
- Support you with the care of your newborn, such as first bath and creating a safe sleep environment for baby.
- Attend postnatal appointments or parent and baby services with you.
- Signpost you to local professionals, services and groups, such as lactation consultants and new parent social groups.
I will tailor my support for your family’s needs. The support you need on one day, may be very different to the support you need on another.
If you think I might be the right postnatal doula for you, please feel free to get in touch for a chat. I look forward to hearing from you,
Hannah x
Relevant qualifications:
Restore Scar Therapy, C-section Scar Massage Specialist - January 2024
Breastfeeding London Course Diploma with Centre of Breastfeeding Education and Research - November 2023
London School of Massage, FHT, CTHA Accredited, Trigger Point Therapy with Stretch Massage - July 2023
Intuitive Breast and Body Feeding Course provided by Younique Postnatal - June 2022
Starting Solids Training provided by Younique Postnatal - November 2022
Understanding Newborns Workshop provided by Younique Postnatal - November 2022
Reflux Workshop provided by Younique Postnatal - November 2022
SIDS and Safer Sleep for Babies Training provided by The Lullaby Trust - June 2022
Twins Workshop provided by Younique Postnatal - May 2022
Comprehensive Online Baby Loss Training for Healthcare Professional provided by BeyondBea - May 2022
London School of Massage, FHT, CTHA Accredited Deep Tissue Massage - May 2022
Blended Paediatric First Aid Training - Busy Bees - March 2022
Younique Postnatal Planning Workshop – February 2022
Practitioner’s Diploma in Pregnancy Massage/Abdominal and Full Body – February 2022
Level 2 Food Hygiene - February 2022
Younique Postnatal Doula Initial Preparation Course – November 2021
iTEC Level 3 Diploma in Holistic Massage – September 2021
iTEC Level 2 Award in Infection Prevention (COVID-19) for Complementary Therapies – September 2021
iTEC Level 3 Certificate in Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology for the Complementary Therapist – February 2021
I have a current DBS Check and full UK driving licence
