Why I Doula!

I had my first baby 1month into the first Covid-19 lockdown in Australia without any family or support around. My husband and I navigated the first 18months of our daughter’s life in & out of lockdowns, relying on Facetimes, shitty Zoom quizzes and socially distanced social meet-ups with friends for support. The in-person family support we were counting on, the home visits by healthcare professionals, the numerous visitors, trips back to the UK etc. couldn’t happen. I know I am not alone in this, but postpartum, disconnected from loved ones with a newborn in lockdown was wild.

But, also amazing.

We were SO prepared for the birth physically, mentally and emotionally.

Even though my daughter’s birth deviated from ‘the plan’ and we had to deal with unexpected situations, it was an incredible experience. This set us up for an amazingly positive and empowered postpartum, despite what was happening in the world, how hard having a newborn is and the many other challenges we faced.

Fast-forward a few years after relocating back to the UK, we now have 2 other children, but our road to completing our family was filled with lots of unexpected ups & downs, trauma and anxiety. Miscarriage and baby loss truly changes and shapes a person and I found navigating the medical system really challenging at this time. Our birth experiences once again, deviated from the ‘plan’ and it cemented in my mind how much more support families need during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.

This is why the world of birthwork and supporting other families during this hugely transformational time in their lives is where I feel I need to be. I retrained, built my business and totally immersed myself in all things birth-related. I have had the pleasure of working with numerous families now and although each experience and baby is different, the importance of true connection is the foundation of it all.