After the birth of her daughter, Fen realised she had a further role to fulfil, not just as a mother – but as a woman in service to other women – calmly and respectfully supporting each and every woman to have the birth they deserve.
Support from a close female friend or relative through labour and early postpartum is a tradition that human cultures have shared for thousands of years. In today’s fragmented world, not everyone has such a support network on hand, and this is where a doula can help.
A doula provides support to the woman, her partner and in turn the family throughout the childbearing year. The role is often referred to as ‘mother to the mother’. A doula does not replace the midwife or and medical staff, but works alongside. A doula does not replace an appointed birth partner (if you have one); but rather supports them so that they can focus on loving and encouraging you appropriately. A doula has the resource to gently help the woman, a partnership or family to gather information about their pregnancy and labour, and the options available to them for delivery.
During your labour and birth, your doula will be a quiet, constant, calming presence to guide and support you through the birth of your child. Ideally you will feel unobserved but very well cared for, creating the optimum conditions for a healthy labour.
A doula’s goal is to provide continuous physical, emotional, and professionally informed support during pregnancy, birth and the immediate postpartum period. We want the arrival of your child to be a beautiful, protected and memorable experience from start to finish.
Before birth
Every couple and every woman is different, with their own ideas about their ‘perfect birth’. It is my Fen’s to get to know you (and your partner/family), and to support whatever your vision is. Fen aims to achieve this by:
- Meeting at least twice before your due date – getting to know you and your wishes
- Exploring issues from previous labours or settling first time nerves
- Talking through labour and what to expect
- Discussing important personal elements you would like to bring in to your birth
- Helping to write a birth plan
- Teaching your birth partner some simple labour massage to help them get more hands on (if desired), aromatherapy and acupressure
- Helping you to plan your needs for a hospital visit (if planned
If you decide on the ‘massage package’ there will be two sessions of pre-natal massage during two of our meetings, to prepare you for labour and ease any pregnancy related tensions in your body. Fen will be available by phone or e-mail from the moment you engage her services – she’s always happy to answer questions or have a chat, so don’t be shy if you need anything. For the two weeks leading up to your due date, and for two weeks after your baby is born, she is available on-call 24 hours a day.
During birth
It’s hard to know how you’ll feel when your big day finally arrives. You can rest assured, though, that Fen will be on the other end of the phone and ready to join you whenever you feel the need. It might be appropriate for Fen to do a little massage in pre-labour and leave you to it with your birth partner (if you have one) for a while.
Other mothers prefer Fen’s services a bit later on when things are further underway. Ultimately, it’s up to the woman to decide and what you want when the moment comes. Fen will be there to help in any way she can, be it practical (packing bags, filling pools or calling cabs), therapeutic (massage, aromatherapy, acupressure, supported birth positions) or emotional.
Fen is also there to help the birth partner; to take the pressure off so that they can support you the best they can, enabling them to take a break if they need it. After the birth of your baby, Fen will stay with you until you are comfortable, have managed your first feed, and settled into the nesting bubble.
After birth
A few days after the birth, Fen visits her clients to talk about the birthing journey and see what she can do to best be of service.
Fen offers two visits after the birth, giving the opportunity to discuss anything you need to talk about in order to process and celebrate your birth. The time Fen offers could also involve any daily jobs that you are needing suppport with, from breastfeeding support to household chores. If you’ve signed up to the ‘massage package’ she’ll also do two post-natal massages during two of the visits. Contact Fen for a chat and to arrange an over the phone or in person chat.
