Kirstie Broughton

About Me

Hi

I’m Kirstie,  I trained as a birth and postnatal Doula in 2017. I have a wonderful daughter who is 3 years old and a 12 year old step son. I’m married to Steve and we all live in Chelmsford, Essex.  I am The Doula Association Ambassador for Essex and Suffolk and enjoy networking and building relationships with doulas in my local area and further afield. I am also the Chair for Mid and South Essex Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership and I am passionate about your voice being heard, after all the maternity service is here for you, so your opinions and experiences are essential to the smooth running of the maternity system.

I worked as a nanny for various babies when I left college but then decided to try working in London in finance for a while, I got caught up in London life and stayed there for 15 years. After feeling very unfulfilled for the majority of this time I’ve recently been given the opportunity to do what I love, working as a Doula and yoga teacher, combining these two loves whenever possible.

I’m passionate about all things pregnancy, birth and baby related, but also about empowering women in to realising they have choices in the world of maternity care, after all it’s your body and your baby! I will support you in any way I can so that you feel confident in making your own informed decisions. I have access to a knowledgeable network of birth and baby professionals who can offer evidence based research to help you make these decisions, that are ultimately individual to you. I won’t judge your choices or tell you what to do, I will simply provide you with the facts.

I’d love to hear from you and we can have an informal chat on the phone or meet for a cup of tea. There’s no pressure to book.

Below is just a snippet of the services I can offer, I will tailor a bespoke service to your needs.

Birth Doula support:
My aim is to make you feel safe, supported, loved and empowered to achieve your best birth possible, for you to take away happy memories of such a special day.
You will receive my physical, emotional and practical support before birth, during birth and afterwards until you are comfortable for me to leave. During labour and birth you will have access to my birth pool, Elle TENS + machine, aromatherapy diffuser, and to the contents of my famous doula bag! There will be no need for you to pay for these items separately.
I can support any birth type e.g. hospital, home, birth centre, water, active yoga birth, VBAC, caesarean birth, surrogacy, birth after loss, same sex couples, physiological births or births using any pain relief options that you desire. I will support your birth partner (if you have one) and will work alongside your midwife and doctors. It’s in everyone’s best interests to get along and work together to achieve the desired outcome of a positive birth experience. I will hold your hand, mop your brow, bring you drinks and snacks but I can also advise on optimal foetal positioning, how to sustain energy, active birth positions, breathing techniques for the various stages of birth, I can coach you through surges (contractions), offer affirmations and visualisations and explain what’s happening. I will be there for anything you need and to remind you that you are an amazing, strong and powerful woman who can do this! As I’m a pregnancy yoga teacher I can incorporate this into your birthing experience, if you’d like to try it. Did you know that giving birth in an upright position allows your pelvis to open up 30% more! We can use a birth ball, lots of props, move around and use gravity to aid the birth of your baby. We can even get your birth partner involved, nobody is ever excluded.

Postnatal Doula support:
It can be a daunting time so I can be there from day one if needed, or at any point afterwards until you feel you no longer need my support. I will support your transition into parenthood in any way I can. I want you to feel you have all the support you need and you will grow in confidence day by day. I can support you with physical tasks, be a great listener, share practical knowledge and support you emotionally. I can help with light household chores, cook certain meals, offer information on health (eating, self-care, exercise), look after older children so you can focus on the new baby, I can take care of the baby whilst you sleep or have a shower, I can help you establish feeding (breast or formula), I can help with setting routines or work with you if you prefer a baby led approach, I can show you how to change a nappy, make up a bottle and what to dress your baby in for bed in certain weather conditions and much more. I’ll even walk your dog if that helps! Don’t forget I’m also a postnatal and mother and baby yoga teacher. If you’d like to try this the sessions could be specifically tailored to you.

Relevant training and volunteering:

Birth and Postnatal Doula with Birth Bliss Academy

BTEC National Diploma in Childhood Studies

Breastfeeding Peer Supporter for Barnardo’s Virgin Care

Biomechanics for Birth with Molly O’Brien, Optimal Birth

EDEXCEL level 2 & 3 BTEC certificates in life coaching – specialising in women’s health

Aromatherapy for Childbirth (RCM accredited)

Holistic Sleep Coach Certificate with Lyndsey Hookway

Pregnancy, Postnatal, Mother & Baby Yoga with Sally Parks Yoga (85 hours)

Yoga teacher with Yoga Teacher Training Essex (200 hours)

Advanced Postnatal Yoga Teacher Training with Sally Parks Yoga (25 hours)

Hot Yoga Teacher Training with 121 Urban Hot Yoga

Antenatal and Birth Preparation Workshop with Birth Bliss Academy

Waterbirth during Covid19 – Keeping midwives, mothers & babies safe certificate by Dianne Garland.

Beyond Bea Training in Baby Loss

Anatomy and Pysiology Certificate for Exercise Professionals

NCFE CACHE Level 2 Certificate in Mental Health First Aid

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) and Early Trauma Certificate

Understanding the Infant Microbiome Certificate

Full DBS check and certificate

Safeguarding Children level 2 Certificate

Anxiety – Helping Children to Cope Certificate

Addressing Postnatal Depression as a Health Care Professional Certificate

Domestic Violence & Abuse (DVA): Identifying & responding to DVA in Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond.

I regularly attend industry networking events and keep up to date with current evidence based practices.

I work as a volunteer for Health Watch Essex as Maternity Patient Partner which gives me great insight into the maternity world.

The right fit:
I’m happy to work with most people but I do understand everyone is different. If we meet and I think there is another doula who will be better suited to your needs please don’t be offended if I recommend them. I have your best interest at heart and as the relationship with your Doula is such a personal one it’s best to find the right fit.

I look forward to hearing from you x