Maria Marsh

About Me

I am a mother of two grown up children and live in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire 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, and birth at the heart of everything I do.

I am an NCT trained Doula, Antenatal practitioner and Lactation Consultant/Breastfeeding counsellor which has give me a vast knowledge of the birthing world and ensures that I am up to date with research and local policies and guidelines.

With all 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), 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 advocate for both you and your partner to 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 the 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 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 additional breastfeeding support if needed.

I cover Lister Hospital, Princess Alexandra, Barnet, Watford, The Rosie, North Middlesex, Homerton, The Wittington, UCLH, Edgware and Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals and if you are planning a home birth will come to your home and support you throughout.

Qualifications

NNEB nursery Nurse

Foundation Degree in Birth and Beyond

NCT Antenatal teacher

NCT Yoga for Pregnancy instructor

NCT Birth Doula

NCT Breastfeeding support/counsellor

Certified in Birth Practices with Spinning Babies

Certified in Pregnancy, birth and postnatal Rebozo with Sophie Messager

Certified in Advanced Biomechanics for Birth with Optimal Birth

Testimonials

“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!”

Jen – Mum to baby Finley

“It’s difficult to put into words how much Maria helped me and my husband especially during labour. She was also a fountain of knowledge with any questions we had before baby! During labour we had the most beautiful experience and I put a lot of that down to Maria and her calm and informative attitude. I would absolutely recommend using Maria. She helped make our pregnancy and labour experience so special and sacred, thank you Maria” ❤️❤️❤️

Lois – Mum to baby Joey.

The labour and birth of our first child was quite a traumatic process, where our best intentions for a calming and positive experience seemed to go out of the window when complications arose and pain relief was ineffective. As my wife’s birth partner, I thought I had everything figured out beforehand, but in the heat of the moment when plans and backup plans were being cast aside, it felt like everything was going wrong and I was powerless to help.
Keen to avoid this the second time around – and knowing this would be our last child – we decided a doula would be a worthwhile investment in helping us to create some positive memories, and healing some painful ones in the process. Maria was fantastic from the start, she instantly put as at ease when we first met her, and really took the time to listen to our birth preferences.
During the induction, Maria was a great sounding board for us via our WhatsApp chat. We kept her up to date on how things were progressing, and she would helpfully remind us of the options we had. For example: Did we need to accept the next step in the induction, or could we wait a bit? During the course of the pregnancy we had been trying to remember our B.R.A.I.N., but once you are on the ward and talking face to face with a midwife or consultant, it can become a bit harder to think clearly about your options, or challenge authority. Maria’s gentle prompting to remind us of all our options was really helpful in making us feel empowered to make the right decisions.

Once we were in active labour and Maria had joined us, she helped us to maintain a calm and peaceful environment in the room – even though we were in the clinical-looking CLU. She was a very welcome extra pair of hands during the contractions, able to remind my wife of breathing techniques, or massage her back when it became painful during the pushing phase, whilst I could focus on being there for my wife, holding her hand and talking to her.
Thanks in large part to having Maria there to help us, the birth of our second child was an overall much more positive experience, and I would absolutely recommend her to anyone considering a doula.”

Ian – Dad to baby Alina

“Maria is caring, supportive and incredible knowledgeable, I’m so happy we had her support during my pregnancy and during birth. My first birth was a traumatic experience for me and I knew that I needed to feel more in control this time. Maria put my mind at ease by listening to my birth story and providing a lot of great resources, all evidence based, to help me decide on my birth preferences. This helped me to regain confidence in myself and my ability to make my own choices. When complications during my pregnancy arose, Maria helped me stay calm and navigate the sometimes confusing health care system, laying out all my options. And when I unexpectedly got hospitalised at the end of my pregnancy and had to be induced, again it was her support and guidance that kept me positive and ensured that I was in control and able to make the right decisions for me.
The actual birth was beautiful, healing and an empowering experience and I’m convinced that Maria’s preparation and presence played a large role in that. Despite needing another induction, which wasn’t part of my preferences, I was calm and collected and not scared. Despite not being able to be on the Midwife led unit, a big preference of mine, Maria made the birthing room on the consultant led ward beautifully calm and relaxing with fairy lights and aromatherapy. Her communication with my midwife and my partner was great and I felt extremely supported by all of them – it was a team effort!
My birth went really fast in the end, only 2h in total and only 8 minutes of pushing – it was an incredible experience, very intense but also made me feel strong and empowered. Thank you Maria for guiding me through all of this!”

Tanja – Mum to baby Alina

“Maria was incredible throughout our pregnancy and birth. We met Maria during our NCT classes and following a disagreement with the hospital regarding our birth plan, we decided that we would like a doula to help us achieve a positive birth experience, as we felt we weren’t being listened to.

Maria’s support in the lead up to the birth and help with our birth plan was invaluable, making sure we were truly ready when the time came and that we were informed about all of our options.

From the moment my waters broke Maria was on standby and made sure we were ok. She talked us through every aspect of the labouring process and ensured we maintained a calm atmosphere. When we arrived at the hospital, we were unable to go to MLU or have a water birth as desired due to a complication with our baby, but Maria was incredibly calm throughout the whole process, she helped us both, ensuring we had our voices heard by the medical team and asking questions we hadn’t thought of.

Maria also made the birthing room a lovely, relaxing place (to the point where it was commented on by several members of staff!) and made me feel so much better. Both my husband and I felt continuously cared for throughout my long labour.

Despite not being able to have the birth I wanted, 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.

We would highly recommend Maria as a doula”.

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 VBAC with Marias 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 with our second. Maria was supportive, and pointed us to information, research, and books to help us make informed decisions. In addition, to achieve what we wanted, she helped us put an “out of guidance” birth plan in place which was instrumental in our birth. I also found her emotionally supportive, and she helped us advocate for ourselves. Maria joined one of our midwife appointments too as we didn’t feel confident enough to put our point across to the hospital by ourselves, but she let us lead the conversation and only providing input when requested.

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. Maria came to our house when we called her once I felt I needed her during labour. She was a calming presence and helped me through surges. When it was time to go to the hospital, she confirmed our preferences with us again, kept me calm (as the birth centre was closed) and made the labour ward room feel very cosy with lights etc and helping me with surges. 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).

Maria built a good relationship with the midwives which helped. After our baby was born, I needed a backrest but there was none so Maria sat behind me so I could lean back on her back! Maria also stayed with us (including postnatal support and helping with the first breastfeed).

It was useful to reflect on the birth 2 weeks after with Maria, to fill in the gaps we couldn’t remember. 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 decided to get a doula because I was extremely anxious about giving birth and was keen to ensure continuity of care given the scientific evidence about how it improves outcomes. From the first meeting Maria put us at ease with her relaxed but professional approach. It was clear to us she would be a great advocate but also have a sense of humour to help us through any challenges. She was thoughtful about making sure my partner was included throughout. After our birth plan session where she clearly answered all our questions, she had even managed to make me look forward to the birth! In the end we had an elective c section but found Maria’s help invaluable – she supported us in hospital on day 2 and answered so many questions by WhatsApp throughout the pregnancy and post partum. Maria’s knowledgeable, warm, and kind: I wish she had been our NCT teacher!”

Kim – Mum to baby Ethan

“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. She signposted me to research so that I could make informed decisions and we also made sure that we were aware of reasons why I might need a transfer to hospital.

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. She did make some quiet suggestions and rang for the midwife when I felt I needed her but apart from that I didn’t even know she was there.
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 x

“We are so grateful we had Maria’s help throughout pregnancy and labour, and after our little one’s 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 (and she also brought essential oils!). Then, during labour, we really appreciated not just her practical skill (suggesting positions for me to try, massaging me when I could still bear touch, and continuing to do biomechanics exercises with me), 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 (all weekend, really), 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 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. On meeting with her she was very knowledgeable but most of all she seemed very kind and calm. 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. She worked well with the midwives and helped us advocate for ourselves; we did not want to go to the labour ward as the midwives were saying that pushing was taking too long. 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 xxx”

Kate – Mum to baby Mollie

“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 was incredibly sensitive in giving us advice or just stepping back. She has a great intuition on when and what to suggest in the moment but also gave us space as well. This was important in retrospect, especially as dynamics can constantly shift, new midwives and new Dr’s appearing and giving different information/suggestions. 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.

As a partner my role was purely to support my wife and having Maria there meant I could be completely present to support my partner and her needs. Being our first time, it was invaluable having someone, who had much more experience, with us through the whole labour. Someone who could advocate for us, if we needed it, when we were our most tired, or even just allow me to sleep without worrying that there wouldn’t be support for my partner.

It takes a really special person to be able to go on this journey with a couple. Someone who is prepared for whatever may arise and be a constant calm presence, while providing support during the most delicate time of our lives. 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 always very responsive whenever I had any questions or concerns about my pregnancy. As soon as I went into labour, she was on her way to our home and did not leave our side until approximately 25 hours later once our son had been born and the three of us felt settled.

At home Maria helped with positions, breathing and movement suggestions and after a while she used the rebozo and some biomechanics positions as the contractions were not progressing. These really helped to speed things up and soon I was in established labour, and it was time to head for the hospital. Once we were in hospital, she helped make the birth room nice and comfortable, offered encouragement and helped protect the space from unwanted distractions.

One thing I really appreciated about my experience was that I never felt like Maria was pushing her opinions or agenda onto me. She is very kind, encouraging, supportive and knowledgeable. She is easy to talk to and listens to her clients wishes and concerns. She genuinely wanted to support me in fulfilling my birth plan in the best way possible. My labour journey ended up having some unexpected detours and during this time Maria was comfortable communicating with the midwives and doctors, guiding use to advocate for ourselves and our wishes. I fully trusted her to help me, and my partner evaluate our options and to make informed decisions. I recommend Maria to any expectant mothers/couples who are looking for additional support and guidance in their pregnancy and birth journeys. I only wish she was offering postnatal doula services as well so we could keep her longer. Thanks, Maria, we love you!”

Nikki, mum to baby Noah

“Maria was the most amazing birthing doula; my partner and I cannot imagine giving birth without her help and support. We decided to get a doula to support us both mentally and physically, as well as to provide advocacy throughout.

We met Maria early on in our pregnancy. She was super personable, helped us to shape our birth plan whilst being supportive and encouraging to my partner. We looked at positions for labour and birth and different breathing techniques and Maria signposted us to easy to access evidence-based information and guidance.

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! Maria stayed with us for over 24h and did everything to make sure that the birthing environment was as calm as possible including candles and low-level lighting, suggested many different positions, breathing and visualisation techniques, both at home and on the consultant lead unit. She was always there for us and went above and beyond, her energy and passion was infectious, even when things started to slow down. She was personable and friendly with the midwives which was helpful in establishing the best decision-making processes and atmosphere.

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. Thank you so much!”

Harriet and Laurie – Baby Dougie