Latest reads from my blog

Rebozos, shawls and scarves : the lost art of supporting women through the childbearing years
I was introduced to the art of using a traditional Mexican shawl called a rebozo to comfort birthing women at my doula course by Maddie McMahon in 2008. Whilst I developed my antenatal and doula career, in my usual, knowledge junkie style, whislst I learn to use the tool for myself, I decided to learn…

rebozo master class
I did a 45 min rebozo master class on facebook yesterday and I have uploaded it so you can watch it here

What do you get when you hire a doula, or why she’s totally worth the money
This week I saw this meme. It made me want to write about what you get when you hire a doula. The birth/wedding spending is a very well known analogy in the birth world. Most people spend A LOT more time and money planning for their wedding day than they do for their birth. I’ve…

On being an independent doula and a proud member of Doula UK
I wrote a blog about what it means to me to be a member of Doula UK On being an independent doula and a proud member of Doula UK

The miracles that happen when you have no expectations
As I write this, I just came back from the annual doula retreat. This year was my 6th year there. I’ve written about the retreat before here. Organised by doula Selina Wallis, the retreat is a unique space for doulas and birthworkers to gather and recharge. It’s held in the most magical place. Cae Mabon…

Your postnatal recovery isn’t about how soon you can start doing chores
This morning, a antenatal teacher friend shared the local hospital’s leaflet about the timeline of physical recovery after a cesarean. It’s been a while since something in the birth world has triggered me as much as this leaflet did. The leaflet, whilst I’m sure is well meaning, appears to be something straight from a 1950’s…

Why a rebozo, shawl or scarf might be the most powerful tool in your toolbox
Why a shawl or scarf might be the most powerful tool in your tool box Over the last 8 years, since I started my reconversion in the world of science to that of a birthworker, the one tool that has amazed me the most is the humble shawl or scarf. You might know it foremost…

The background of the rebozo
I’ve written a guest blog for Birthing4Pros on the background of the rebozo The Background of Rebozo

Sophie’s guide to choosing a rebozo
When I started using rebozos 5 years ago, I only had one, a short, open weave one. It worked well for me, and I used it to support many mums through labour. Over the last 6 years that I have worked as doula, I have developed my own knowledge of rebozo use and how varied…