ABOUT ME

During both my pregnancies I was fortunate to live in an extended community in W. Wales where homebirth was considered normal. My two sons were born into welcoming hands in familiar and comforting surroundings, amongst friends and family. All the babies were born this way; gently and lovingly. There was no intervention, no forceps, no ventouse, no pain relief and all babies were breastfed. It was a remarkable experience.

My passion for birth had begun and I went to as many births as I could during those years purely to 'be' with women and their babies at this transformational time in their lives. It was wonderful to observe each woman finding her own unique way through the challenges of childbirth and I witnessed the power of the experience and the absolute trust and belief they had in their body's innate wisdom.

On my return to the UK after living in Australia for many years I attended a six day intensive American doula training brought over by Birth & Bonding International. This reignited my passion to be with women during birth and helped expand my knowledge and understanding of the impact it has on us all. Doulas were well known and accepted in the States but it was a totally unknown concept in this country so getting to births was difficult and usually done for love not money. Since then I have attended waterbirths, hospital births, homebirths, one twin birth including a vaginal breech & many VBAC births and have gained valuable experience and insight.

I have supported women and their partners in the following hospitals - Derby City; Nottingham City;  Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham;  Calow, Chesterfield;  Jessops, Sheffield;  North Staffs, Stoke on Trent;  Leicester General and Birmingham City - and have been well received at all of them by staff and midwives.

In 1997 I trained as a reflexologist to complement my work as a doula and now specialise in maternity reflexology. As a result I am able to offer women a gentle, healing therapy that will support them during the sometimes difficult months of pregancy, through the birth itself and into parenthood. I am fully insured both as a doula and a reflexologist and am a member of Doula UK www.doula.org.uk.

I adore babies and am in awe at the miracle of birth.  I am passionate about women (and their babies) having the best possible birth experience and I feel it is a great privilege and honour to be invited to share this intimate and transformational time with a new mother and father.

My philosophy..