I am a mother of two grown up children and live in Westbourne in Dorset with my husband and little mini–Dachshund Percy. Having over 20 years’ experience supporting families with new babies. I am passionate about delivering a high level of emotional, physical, and practical support, enabling you and your partner (if you have one) to focus on each other and the baby. I understand and respect that every woman’s birth journey is unique, and life changing and will put you and your family’s experience of pregnancy, labour, birth, feeding and postnatal journey at the heart of everything I do. 

"Hiring Maria as my doula for my second pregnancy was one of the best decisions I made. She was instrumental in helping me achieve a positive birth experience this time around. Her biomechanics training was incredibly valuable in helping rotate my baby into an optimal position, making labour smoother and more manageable.
Her support didn’t stop at birth. Postnatally, Maria provided much-needed night support, allowing me to rest and recover. She also gave invaluable advice on helping my toddler adjust to the big changes of having a new sibling. Having her as a resource and a helping hand has been a total game changer.
Thank you Maria for being such a great support to our family."  Nabba ❤️❤️❤️

I am an NCT trained Doula, Antenatal practitioner, Infant /breastfeeding counsellor and postnatal doula. My training has given me a vast knowledge of the birthing and postnatal world and ensures that I am up to date with research and local policies and guidelines. With all my clients I strive to develop a strong connection through trust, empathy, and a non- judgmental perspective, understand that working together to meet your individual needs, whatever the birth setting (homebirth, or hospital) or type of birth (vaginal, VBAC or caesarean) and however your feeding and postnatal journey unfolds, helps make an already wonderful experience more empowering. 

To ensure that you and your partner feel prepared, included, and supported, I look to provide evidence-base, un-bias information so that you can make your own informed decisions.  I am passionate that all women should feel that they have autonomy over their birth, support them and ensure their voices are heard and will help you and your partner to advocate for yourselves to be able achieve this. 

By helping to formulate your birth preferences, led by your hopes or past experiences and explore all options available, I aim to make your birth as empowering and fulfilling as it can be. I offer sessions in body preparation work and biomechanics for birth, to encourage your baby to be in their optimal position and work with your body during labour to encourage babies to turn and descend which can lead to a shorter labour and positive birth outcomes. Supported with comfort and calmness throughout labour together we can create a safe and protected environment. Through guided breathing techniques, affirmations, massage, visualisation, and by using various labour and birth positions and techniques, I will help to maintain an oxytocin-fuelled sacred space and enable you to feel in control throughout labour and birth. 

Once your new baby has arrived, I will be there to ensure that you feel settled and comfortable, will be on hand to help with achieving skin to skin, the first feed and provide any information on taking care of yourself and your baby as your postnatal journey into parenthood begins. I offer postnatal and night doula services along with feeding support. 

 I will provide support by; 

• Meeting with you and your partner (if you have one) up to three times before the birth to form a supportive relationship, discuss your birth preferences, talk over any concerns, and explore your birth options.
• Be available in the evenings and at weekends between meetings by text message or email.
• Be on call 24/7 for 10 days before your estimated due date and until your baby is born.
• Stay with you throughout your labour and birth and for a few hours after to ensure you and your family are comfortable and settled.
• Meet once during the first six weeks after the birth to reflect on your birth experience, answer any questions you may have and signpost you to additional services if required.
• Offer postnatal/night doula and infant/feeding packages and support

 I am happy to attend the following locations and  hospitals: In your own home, Dorset County Hospital - Dorchester, St Marys Maternity Hospital - Poole, Bournemouth Hospital - The Beach Building, Salisbury District Hospital, Princess Anne Hospital, Royal Hampshire County Hospital.   

 Qualifications 

• NNEB nursery Nurse 
• Foundation Degree in Birth and Beyond 
• NCT Antenatal practitioner 
• NCT Yoga for Pregnancy instructor 
• NCT Infant/breastfeeding counsellor
• NCT Birth Doula 
• Certified in Birth Practices with Spinning Babies 
• Certified in Pregnancy, birth and postnatal Rebozo with Sophie Messager 
• Advanced Certified in the Biomechanics for Birth with Optimal Birth 

Testimonials 

"I would highly recommend Maria as a Doula. We considered a hospital birth but decided that this time round we wanted a hands-off homebirth.The community midwives were very supportive but talked about guidelines that I was not comfortable with. Maria guided us and supported us in discussing and putting in place an out of guidelines birth plan. On the night of the birth Maria arrived but what struck me the most is that she just sat back, unobtrusively watching, and let me and my partner have our birth together. Our baby was born in water, it was calm, cathartic and healing. Thank you, Maria, for your presence, your knowledge, and your down right sassiness when needed".  Lucy ❤❤❤

Maria was incredibly helpful during my pregnancy as a birth doula. She was always provided unbiased information about my birth options. Following unexpected complications from my baby's birth, Maria went above and beyond by supporting us in the hospital and taking on the role of postnatal doula. She continued to provide postnatal support to us at home, making time for us that we hadn't planned for. She provided breastfeeding support throughout the newborn period that ensured I was able to breastfeed my baby. This was particularly important when the advice I received from midwives and others did not work for me and my baby. Maria showed me, my partner, and our baby care beyond what anyone could have expected and we truly don't know how we could have got through a difficult postpartum period without her!  Gemma and Sam ❤️❤️❤️

"Maria was my doula for our first baby and I would highly recommend her. I hadn’t thought about having a doula until a friend suggested it as I was very anxious about the birth and wanted to get support for myself and my partner. I found Maria through the NCT and her profile spoke to me. In our antenatal sessions she gave us the opportunity to ask questions and I felt her answers were not bias and she was never judgmental about our birth preferences. During the birth she helped with positions, movement, and exercises to help shift the baby round as he was back-to-back. With some changes of position, we gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and Maria had stayed with us for the whole time. She was so unflustered, always reassuring and she made me feel confident and calm. Thank you Maria, we love you" Kate 

"Maria was incredible on our journey to a beautiful elective c-section birth, following a difficult emergency c-section with our first baby. She presented unbiased information and extra resources to help us educate ourselves about our options, equipping us with confidence in our decisions, and enabling me to advocate for myself in appointments. It felt as though we had inside information; we knew exactly what to expect on the day, the clinicians followed our gentle birth plan that Maria had guided us to compile, and the entire birth experience transcended everything we thought it could be. Following the birth, Maria also offered breastfeeding support, which we also wished we had the first time! Thank you so much for all your support"  Jennifer 😘

"Maria was absolutely incredible throughout our pregnancy and birth.  She was our NCT antenatal teacher and we found her very knowledgable. She talked us through every aspect of the labour process and ensured we maintained a calm atmosphere. Maria was incredibly calm throughout and ensured we had our voices heard by the medical team. She made the birthing room a lovely, relaxing place (to the point where it was commented on by several members of staff!). Both my husband and I felt continuously cared for throughout my long labour. We couldn’t have asked for a better birth experience and felt empowered and well informed throughout, and we owe a huge amount of that to Maria. Thank you so much".  Kate and James with baby Henry.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"After a long labour that ended in a c-section with our first child, I knew we needed support with our second and booking Maria was the best decision we made.
We had a positive out of guidelines VBAC with her help. We knew Maria was the right fit for us as she was non-judgmental, and I felt at ease talking to her about our concerns and preferences. Maria put a biomechanics exercise plan in place for my third trimester which I believe helped for a positive birth experience and to get the baby in the optimal position for my body. My husband also found Maria to be supportive throughout but never intrusive. Our second baby arrived within about 90 mins on entering hospital and Maria ensured I caught my baby and had skin to skin (this was very important to me). I found this birth to be empowering and very positive. Our only regret was not having Maria at our first birth!"  Darshni and Danesh 

 "We are so grateful we had Marias help throughout pregnancy and labour, and after our little ones birth. Maria is wonderfully down-to-earth, professional, and committed, and very warm and kind. I had a particularly long and complicated labour that involved induction and ultimately a c-section, and there were several things we particularly appreciated about Maria. First, she really went out of her way to help me make sure I had tried all I could before accepting induction (at 42 weeks); she came all the way down to London to try some biomechanics and showed me and my husband how to do them on our own. Then, during labour, we really appreciated not just her practical skills,  but the way she transformed the hospital labour room into a little oasis of magical calm with dim lights and her own birthing ball was amazing. Finally, throughout the long process Maria was a wonderful friend. She helped make sure my husband and I both ate and rested, she gave me great hugs when I needed them, and her warm, calm demeanour helped both my husband and I relax. Despite it being such a lengthy experience for everyone, Maria was always in good spirits, warm, and helpful. Thank you, Maria—we’re so glad we had you there!"           Molly and Fabian 

"Maria is caring, supportive and incredible knowledgeable, I'm so happy we had her support during my pregnancy and birth. My first birth was a traumatic experience for me, and I knew that I needed to feel more in control this time. This birth was beautiful, healing and an empowering experience and I'm convinced that Maria's preparation and presence played a large role in that. Her communication with my midwife and my partner was great and I felt extremely supported by all of them - it was a team effort! Thank you, Maria, for guiding me through all of this!"  Tanja xxx

“As the partner and first-time father, I think the best decision we made was to include Maria as our Doula in our birth plan.
I never felt overwhelmed because I knew we always had Maria there to help shepherd us if we needed it. She has a great intuition on when and what to suggest in the moment but also gave us space as well. She was our constant while many other things changed, and her presence provided reassurance, so we felt that we weren't getting lost or overwhelmed within the process. It takes a really special person to be able to go on this journey with a couple. I truly appreciate the care in which Maria approaches her role as a Doula and I highly recommend her.”  Lucas, dad to baby Noah 💜💜💜

"Maria was the most amazing birthing doula - my partner and I cannot imagine giving birth without her help and support. One thing I appreciated the most was the use of spinning babies to optimally position the baby and initiate labour: this was particularly important as we were 2 weeks overdue and keen to avoid induction! Maria walked us through the circuit and encouraged us to try it ourselves. It really worked! I went into labour! At all stages Maria was the best advocate for us as a couple. She remained calm and comforting. I highly recommend Maria as a doula, and greatly appreciated her help, guidance, presence, and support throughout.”  Harriet and Laurie - Baby Dougie 

"Maria was fantastic from the start, she instantly put us at ease when we first met her, and really took the time to listen to our birth preferences. During the pregnancy, we had been trying to remember our B.R.A.I.N., but once you are talking face to face with a midwife or consultant and on the ward, it can become harder to think clearly about your options, or challenge authority. Maria's gentle prompting, to remind us of all our options, was really helpful, making us feel empowered to make the right decisions. Thanks to having Maria there to help us, the birth of our second child was a much more positive experience, and I would absolutely recommend her to anyone considering a doula". Ian - Dad it baby Alina