I have wanted to work in the world of birth for many many years, but other roads opened up, and I have now had 3 different careers, solicitor, musician and then brewery owner. My daughter is a midwife, and I have loved seeing her progress, and learning more and more about the challenges facing midwives today. She said ‘Mum, I love it when I have a doula at a birth, it’s so much better for the woman and makes life easier for the midwife’ and then several conversations later ‘Why don’t you train as a doula?’
So that is what I did.  I have enjoyed fantastic training with the Doula Training Foundation and  I want every woman to have the best possible birth she can, to feel calm and strong as she heads towards childbirth, whether this is first time, second, third or more. Maybe a previous experience, birth related or otherwise, makes the prospect of giving birth frightening, or maybe there are niggles and worries that need addressing to ensure a woman is happy with her care and knows how she will manage in the various scenarios which may arise.

Why would you want to employ me as your doula?
We spend so much time on things like buying a house, or planning a wedding,  why would we not take as much care and attention of pregnancy and birth, when these experiences can affect us for the rest of our lives? I know that having a doula can make all the difference to you, to the birth of your baby and to your postnatal experience. I know the steady reassurance of someone you trust, and access to reliable information and resources, is what you need to feel safe and birth your baby the way you want to. I’m the one in our family who people look to for considered advice and support, good at finding out the right information, helping people to make decisions, and keeping calm under pressure. I love helping women find their inner strength and confidence and now I’m into my fifties, I am enjoying my new found status as a wise, older woman!

I can offer antenatal support, helping you understand the changes to your body, what decisions and plans you need to make, so as to be ready and looking forward to your baby’s birth. I can help you to work out your birth plan, make sure you have all the information you need if you have some tricky decisions to make before hand or during labour, and teach you some ways of easing labour pain. You can learn some soothing lullaby songs to sing to your baby, who will love to get to know your voice as they grow, and once born, will delight in and respond to the familiarity of your gentle sing songs.

I can be there at the birth, to support, comfort and guide you, to support your birth partner to help you, and to advocate for you, whether you’re at home or in hospital. You can have the confidence of knowing I am in your corner, making sure your voice is heard and that you’re able to decide what’s best for you and your baby. If you want I can even take photographs. Or maybe you simply want your birth space protected and peaceful, and I can help make that happen.

Postnatally, I can continue to support you by phone or in person. This might be by caring for you, breastfeeding support, helping you to look after your baby or your other children, some cooking, some housework, dog walking, or just letting you bath, sleep and rest – whatever you need to give you the chance to recover, heal, and adjust to your new family member.

A bit about me :
I have a son and a daughter (32 and 30) and a younger son who is 18. My daughter has just given birth to her daughter, in our family home, and I was thrilled to be her doula, supporting her all the way through pregnancy and her water birth, and afterwards with breastfeeding and postnatally.
I help run a family brewery business with my husband Bill. I was first a solicitor, and then once I had children I ran a children’s music business, which I set up with a friend I met as a new mother. Over 13 years we ran multiple drop in groups for new mums with babies and tots, sharing songs and musical games, providing a warm and friendly space for parents,grandparents and childminders to meet up, relax and enjoy singing together.
I love walking my dog, cooking, playing piano, doing patchwork and crochet, and making kombucha tea! I live 5 minutes from the sea, and often meet my sister Clare, who is also a Mentored Doula. We work together as 'back up' for each other, so clients can meet her too and know that in an emergency (eg if I was ill)  they won't be left in the lurch. We often visit our Dad who has advanced dementia, and explain to him for the umpteenth time what a doula is!

I am happily back to ‘mothering the mother’, and hopefully sharing a good few lullabies and tickly baby songs along the way. I can support you and your family before, during and after you give birth, and can tailor my package to what you want and need.
My website is lullabydoula.co.uk and has details of my services,  please get in touch and we can walk and/or chat and see if I am the doula for you.