Doula, Antenatal and Postnatal Educator, Babywearing Instructor and Reiki Healer.
Workshops to help birth workers unleash their inner power through a unique blend of science and traditions.
Latest reads from my blog
Valentines day is bullshit
Today is Valentines day. Up until a few years ago, I bought into the “romantic” idea of it. I don’t anymore. I guess you might have got that from the title of this post already 😉 I think it ‘s a piece of commercial bullshit, and it just makes me laugh, to be honest. The…
Love and fear-more than ever
I am sure I am not the only one who feels this at the moment. We aren’t in a particularly happy space in the world right now. I spoke to several friends recently about the doom and gloom of my Facebook feed. Some people have chosen to give themselves a social media break as they…
Do as you’re told, dearie, or the end of independent midwifery.
I am fuming. At the beginning of January, and with almost no warning, the NMC (Nurse and Midwifery Council) declared IMUK (Independent Midwifes UK) insurance policy not fit for purpose. And just like that, without warning, they put an end to independent midwifery practise in the UK. This has left many expectant mothers who had booked…
Supporting empowered knowledge in a broken system – a birthworker’s dilemma
The most important thing in everything I do is to support informed decision making and empowered choice. And yet it probably is the toughest balancing act. In a maternity system that isn’t fit for purpose, how do you prepare parents for what is waiting for them without scaring the shit out of them? I find…
Doula myth series part 2: doulas are only for homebirths
After “I don’t need a doula because I have my partner” this is the second biggest myth about doulas I have lost count of how many times I’ve been asked “can I have a doula if I am planning to birth in the hospital”, so this myth is very real indeed. Let me set…
Induction of labour- do you know what you’re letting yourself in for?
Induction of labour in the bane of many birthworkers lives (and of many pregnant women’s too). In the area I live in, it is reaching epidemic proportions (about 35% of first time mothers) Deciding to consent to induction is a complex decision, one that should be fully supported, without pressure or coercion, so that women…
Reiki – the ultimate tool for birthworkers
I’ve been using Reiki to support my work as a doula for over 4 years , and I have been meaning to write down my thoughts about this for a while, if anything to help me gain clarity on it, and help others too. I think Reiki is the ultimate tool for birthworkers-one that gives…
Anger, shame and awe, a reflection on visiting a refugee camp in Dunkirk
I am just back from spending a day helping volunteers and women in a refugee camp near Dunkirk, in the North of France. I am in shock, and I am finding it hard to find the words to express the multiple layers of emotion this trip elicited. I started planning for this trip months ago,…
Slow the f*ck down-how to look after yourself after the birth of your baby
Looking after new mums recently, I’ve been reminded how the message we get from our culture is seriously wrong. This emphasis on “getting back to normal” is bullshit There is no “normal” just after you’ve had a baby. This isn’t a bloody race. Yet everything is geared towards you pretending that nothing has happened, and the…