Thank you for reading my profile as you consider what doula support might mean for you.  I'm very grateful.  

I’m drawn to being with women at this time in their lives by a strong belief in the importance of feeling emotionally held, listened to and respected during pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood.  Your agency, and care and support that fits your needs, can make the world of difference to how you experience your journey.  

I’m a mentored trauma-informed birth and postnatal doula and a parent of three teenagers, with lived experience of home and hospital labour, hospital transfer, emergency caesarean section, physiological VBAC, pre-eclampsia, premature birth and NICU care, breastfeeding a premature baby, one who preferred to come at 42 weeks, and parenting children close in age.  While also recognising that the experience of each and every woman will be unique, no matter the similarities on the surface.  

Alongside my doula training, I bring over 30 years’ experience in rights-based work, including ten years in international women’s rights, much of it centred on trauma and gender-based violence.  For decades I have worked with women the world over who have faced abuse of power, discrimination, barriers, harm and injustice relating to aspects of their identity including gender, pregnancy, age, race, religious beliefs or practices, language, sexuality, level of formal education, including here in the UK.  I believe that maternity spaces, as part of a wider societal culture, are not immune to these dynamics.  This has deeply shaped how I support people.  Gently, humbly culturally aware and open to correction, without judgement, and with great care for emotional safety, consent and informed choice. 

I offer birth and postnatal support that is responsive rather than prescriptive, with particular awareness of the needs of neurodivergent people. Drawing on personal experience, I understand how sensory needs, communication differences, anxiety, or past experiences can influence how pregnancy and birth are felt, and I work in a way that is calm, flexible, and shaped around you.

I believe that continuity of care centred around the pregnant person is the right of everyone, not just those with privilege.  

Testimonial

'Due to have my first child 18,000km away from family and the health system I'd grown up with, my husband and I asked Jodi to support us through the pregnancy and birth. Jodi is warm, open and empathetic. But when you are her person, she is also your staunchest ally. I was lucky to be able to tap into her holistic approach. When I was anxious and overwhelmed during labour, Jodi's calm yet assured presence brought me back to myself. She also helped us find the right questions to respectfully and confidently navigate conflicting messages as midwives rotated, and intervention that was presented as ‘required’ by the consultant from his office.  This helped my husband and I centre ourselves back in the experience as quickly as possible, knowing that I had made an informed safe choice instead of the one being imposed for the benefit of the system. The birthing journey is utterly unique to everyone, it doesn't always go to plan, but the little human you wrap up and take home is an everyday miracle. Jodi was such a valuable  source of support to both me and my husband. We needed her and we'll always be grateful'.