Birth
The “untried penis”
Women sometimes get told that they cannot give birth at home with their first baby because they have an “untried pelvis”. What if we told men they couldn’t have sex at home the first time because they have an “untried penis” Just imagine a young couple going to see a health professional, to discuss their…
Read MoreHow a doula can support you if you are having a planned cesarean birth
It’s a commonly held belief that there is no point having a doula if you are having a planned cesarean, and I want to debunk this myth. I too, once believed that I couldn’t justify charging to support a woman who was having a planned caesarean. There would be no on call period, no phone…
Read MoreThree rebozo techniques for pregnancy and birth
I’ve had so many mind blowing experience using rebozos shawls and scarves in my doula work to support women through pregnancy, birth, the postpartum and beyond, I’m on a mission to pass on this skill to ask many people as possible. Every technique is ridiculously simple to do, anybody can do it. Yet this humble…
Read MoreA four day long HBAC
Caro and Santi (both from Argentina) had hired my co-doula Becky and myself as their doulas, they were planning a HBAC (home birth after cesarean) after having had what their considered to be an unnecessary elective caesarean with their first child. We met several times during Caro’s pregnancy, and built a lovely rapport together, getting…
Read MoreThe Myth of the Ageing Placenta
I am a doula and birth educator. I also have a PhD in physiology of reproduction, and 20 years of research experience and I have a confession to make: I get REALLY irate when women get given poor quality evidence (or no evidence at all) in support of a recommendation for inducing labour. Whether…
Read MoreThe mother blessing -a mother centered alternative to the baby shower
Recently I had the privilege to organise a mother blessings for one of our local doulas who was pregnant. A mother blessing is an alternative to the “baby shower” were friends of the pregnant mother gather to give her presents. The big difference is that in the baby shower, all the presents are for…
Read MoreReflections on what I did in 2017
In my last blog, I suggested you spent some time reflecting on what you achieved in 2017. Inspired by my favourite doula, Maddie Mc Mahon, review of the year (you can read hers here), I decided to blog about reviewing my year too. As you will see, one should really do what they preach because…
Read MoreA tale of two VBACS
I wrote this blog with Sarala’s permission, and it is now featured on the Cambridge vbac friends blog Sarala’s two VBACs in the Rosie Delivery Unit and the Rosie Birth Centre as told by her doula
Read MoreEnergy hygiene for birth and perinatal professionals
What is energy hygiene and why do you need it as a birthworker? Please don’t let the “woo” undertone of this title put you off and read on because I am going to try and explain it in a way that is hopefully both meaningful and helpful for those of you who aren’t used to…
Read MoreWhy it’s important to sit with the pain
I have just supported another long birth, one that didn’t end up the way the parents were hoping for. I always find myself raw and open after supporting such a birth. As a doula I become so emotionally invested in supporting the parents, when thing don’t go the way they had hoped for, I feel…
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