I can help you and your family navigate some of the challenges of pregnancy and the first year.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ANTENATAL AND BIRTH DOULA SUPPORT
Hopefully if you have any unanswered questions about what my support as an antenatal or birth doula looks like you'll find answers here. If not feel free to get in touch.
WHY SHOULD I HAVE AN ANTENATAL OR BIRTH DOULA?
Research shows that working with a doula during your pregnancy and birth helps you be better prepared for birth and have more reasonable expectations of what happens during labour, birth and the immediate postnatal period. This reduces stress and helps you have improved satisfaction with and happier memories of your birth experience.
Working with a doula also reduces the likelihood of induction, shortens labour, reduces use of epidurals and other interventions, reduces risk of instrumental birth and reduces risk of emergency abdominal birth.
WHAT DOES YOUR SUPPORT INCLUDE?
My standard antenatal and birth support package includes 2 antenatal home visits of approximately 2 hours each to discuss your pregnancy, available chocies and your wishes.
I then go on call from 38 weeks of your pregnancy, 2 weeks before your "due date", until your baby is born. We keep in touch regularly through the on-call period and you contact me when you feel labour is beginning. At that point we make a plan for me to join you in labour and support you, in your chosen birthing space, until your baby is born.
Following the birth I help the new family get settled and enjoy their first feeding experience, however you decide to feed, before leaving you to rest.
As part of my antenatal and birth support package I also make one postnatal visit - when you are discharged from hospital or in the first few days after a home birth to dicuss your birth and answer any questions you may have about your birth.
We can build a custom antenatal and birth support package to include a full antenatal education course, support at medical appointments or more postnatal support and care.
Your body, your birth experience, your desired care.
WHAT AREA DO YOU COVER?
I'm based on the Hertfordshire Bedfordshire border, on the Herts side but cover parts of both counties for antenatal care and home births. I also travel further afield by prior arrangement or special request.
I support families at appointments, and births within the midwifery led units and consultant led units in the following hospitals:
Luton and Dunstable University Hospital
Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Watford General Hospital
Northwick Park Hospital
Lister Hospital
Barnet General Hospital
Princess Alexandra Hospital
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU HAVE
I've undertaken study with Nurturing Birth and Red Tent Doulas.
I have recieved a Certificate of Higher Education in Maternal and Neonatal Health Studies from the University of Hertfordshire.
I'm a certified HypnoBirthing educator.
I have achieved the title of Antenatal Education Practitioner following an approve and certified programme at the Willow Tree School of Health.
I am a registered member of FEDANT, the federation of antenatal educators, who regulate antenatal teachers, doulas and breastfeeding counsellors in the UK.
ARE YOU INSURED?
I have professional liability and malpractice insurance in place. I have never had insurance refused or had cause to make a claim on any professional insurance policy.
I also have a disclosure and barring service (DBS) certificate, available for clients to view. It is updated regularly. (This was formerly known as a criminal record bureau check).
WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW?
I have a First Aid certificate, renewed every 3 years, following an approved course from the British Red Cross.
I have a certificate in Food Safety after following a course approved by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.
I've undertaken various continuing professional development courses including:
"Maternal Health during Pregnancy: How can we make every contact count?"
and
"Womb to World: Active bonding through sound"
If you have further questions or would like to enquire about my availability for antenatal and birth support please get in touch.