Helen Discombe

About Me

New Working Practice from September 2020

I am delighted to confirm I am now available for working “in-person” once again!  At the moment I have limited availability, with in-person support only available during October / November.  My diary is now open for 2021 bookings.   

I have made the decision to limit my in-person contact as outlined below, and my online sessions are also filling up fast so I highly recommend you get in touch to discuss your needs soon! 

• I work “in-person” with one family at a time.
  • If I am on-call to support you during your labour and birth, I won’t be on-call for anyone else and I will not be providing in-person postnatal support for anyone else either.  
  • If I am supporting you in-person postnatally I will not be on-call for anyone due to give birth and I will not be providing in-person support for any other families either.
  • Due to the above I am currently only offering Closing the Bones to those I am working with in-person.

• All pre-conception, antenatal and Mummy Mentoring sessions will be via Zoom.  Depending on weather and your location it may be possible to arrange to have some of these appointments outdoors (whilst adhering to social distancing guidelines).

• As it isn’t always feasible for those who are pregnant or who have new babies to join in-person groups, my Facebook Communities are currently free of charge to join.
  • If you are pregnant there is Berks, Bucks & Oxon Expectant Mums
  • If you are a new parent there is Berks, Bucks & Oxon New Mums

Since 2014, I’ve been supporting expectant parents through Hypnobirthing.  After many of my clients asked me to provide support to them at their births, I decided it was time to begin this journey and became a Doula in 2018.

I specialise in supporting women who have fear or anxiety around giving birth, including those who may have had a previous difficult birth experience.  As I am experienced in using and teaching Hypnobirthing, I support many couples who have learned Hypnobirthing techniques as part of their birth preparation, or I also offer a complete package that includes a full birth preparation including the very best of Hypnobirthing combined with more traditional antenatal education.   However, I do recognise that Hypnobirthing isn’t for everyone and I have supported many people who haven’t used this birth preparation.

Previously I have undertaken a variety of voluntary roles with NCT and ran a busy Positive Birth Movement group.  As well as being the Buckinghamshire Area Representative for Doula UK, I now also volunteer in my local community as a Service User Representative on the Buckinghamshire NHS Maternity Voices Partnership, working as part of a team of women and their families, midwives and doctors who work together to review and contribute to the development of local maternity care.

In addition to these roles, I am a qualified Breastfeeding Peer Supporter with Buckinghamshire NHS Maternity Services.  I volunteer alongside Health Care Professionals giving valuable infant feeding support and time to new mums, however they choose to feed their babies.

I am passionate about supporting families from pre-conception, through pregnancy, birth and into to the early days with their new baby.  It is important to me that you feel powerful throughout your jouney.  It matters to me that you have choices, and that you feel heard, safe, protected and loved.

When I’m not working I love to read, spend time outdoors and my current favourite physical activities are running, swimming and this summer I’m trying to get to grips with stand-up paddleboarding (something I never thought I’d do, but such fun).  I am by no means a gym bunny though!

I generally cover an area up to a one hour drive from Stokenchurch.  I support births across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and parts of West London at hospitals including Cotswold Birth Centre (Chipping Norton), Horton General (Banbury), John Radcliffe (Oxford), Hillingdon, Royal Berkshire (Reading), Stoke Mandeville (Aylesbury), Wallingford Birth Centre, Wexham Park (Slough) and Wycombe Birth Centre as well as home births.  If you live or plan to birth somewhere that is more than a one hour drive from Stokenchurch, do please contact me as I may well be able to support you.

For postnatal work I generally cover a 10 miles radius from Stokenchurch and tend to work in towns such as Beaconsfield, Bourne End, Henley, High Wycombe, Maidenhead, Marlow, Oxford, Princes Risborough, Thame and Wallingford.  If you live further afield, do please contact me as we may well be able to find a way for me to be able to support you.