Birth support
"A woman birthing physiologically requires no instructions or techniques; all she requires is for those around her to not distract her and disrupt her instincts with their need to do."
- Dr Rachel Reed
You come from a long line of women who birthed their babies in full autonomy in the comfort of their homes, not matter how remote. Resourceful and confident, these women are your direct ancestors.
Can you feel their wisdom running through your veins? Your intuition is whispering in your ear that you too can do this. But your mind is not so sure it can trust what the body has known to do perfectly well on its own for thousands of years.
If you are reading this, chances are you are beginning to remember...
The birth support I offer is rooted in sovereignty and radical responsibility - that is rooted in the unshakeable belief that the woman intuitively knows what's best for her throughout pregnancy & birth. I believe that asserting our sovereignty over our body and reclaiming full autonomy over our birthing experience is the key to improve both birth outcomes and long-term health.
As a traditional birthkeeper and herbalist, I provide physical, emotional, holistic health and advocacy support during pregnancy, labour and birth, but I do not provide mainstream medical, midwifery and nursing care.
I use herbal medicine to deal with a range of issues associated with pregnancy, delivery and postpartum to promote strength, resilience and connection.
Birthkeepers (doulas) are not a new role. In the past, this role was provided by family members or a local woman (howdies in Scotland) who was highly skilled and experienced. The more formalised doula role as we know it today is the result of women living away or disconnected from their families or being convinced to birth away from their home away from family members.
My experience has shown me that a lot of doulas make their presence at a birth the key to an undisturbed, physiological experience, but the reality is that oftentimes, they are in the way of a woman experiencing the full spectrum of the rite of passage that is birth by acting like a “saviour” (especially when there are midwives present but also in freebirth).
I recognise that hiring a doula that won’t automatically be physically at your birth is a big departure from what we commonly hear: that birth is dangerous, that women need help/advocay to birth their baby safely. I truly believe that the only birth support that is required is how to bring yourself back to your own intuition. Your intuition is your own built-in doula.
My role as a doula is to bring you to a place of:
Unshakeable confidence in your ability to birth your baby in full autonomy.
Fierce boundaries around your inner experience.
Full trust in your intuition for moments of doubt - there will be some doubts and worries along the way.
Radical responsibility for your choices and circumstances. You don’t outsource your experience to others “just in case”.
My Reclaiming Birth Autonomy support includes all the following:
1 monthly online session to discuss full medical history for herbal support, fears, worries & past traumas, antenatal care and choices for place of birth, nutrition, lifestyle, pelvic alignment protocols, pelvic dynamics, Optimal Maternal Positioning and postpartum planning.
Monthly supply of herbal remedies posted to you throughout pregnancy and early postpartum
Voice messaging support via the Voxer app throughout your pregnancy and up to six weeks postpartum
Cost is £350 GBP/month of support required.
In addition to the above, I offer a placenta tincturing service
I also offer a Closing the Bones ceremony (in-person) for birth at any stage of gestation.
And Postpartum Food Bundles to keep you nourished throughout postpartum.
Interested in reclaiming full autonomy over your birth experience no matter where you live?
