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My Doula Journey

Becoming a Doula

I’d been thinking about being a Doula for quite a while. I’d had clients ask me if I was a doula. Told how they’d like to have had me at the birth. It felt like a very natural progression to the hypnobirthing teaching. I get to build lovely relationships with my clients. To then be present during one of the most wonderful moments of a woman’s excites me.

Since having had my first son birth has fascinated me. I’m far too squeamish to be a midwife. How could I ever take bloods at a woman’s booking in appointment?! But a Doula I could certainly do that.

What does a Doula do?

A doula isn’t medically trained. That’s not to say you don’t get midwifes, doctors, nurses training to be doulas. A Doula’s role is to give continuous support to a birthing woman. To Mother the Mother as women can get forgotten about during birth. Support physically and emotionally. Nurture, encourage but not to make decisions for. Not to give advice but to signpost so a woman can be as informed and knowledgeable about her birth. To be unbiased, listen, support.

A Doula doesn’t replace the birth partner, the midwife, obstetrician but there as part of that woman’s team.

It’s a big role for a birth partner sometimes being the only person in the room with a birthing mother. Some birth partners want support in that room as they worry will they be enough for that woman. Will they be able to cope with this new role that they will need to take on. For birth partners where a Doula is present they worry less about what they need to do which therefore relaxes the mother and birth partner.

My Doula Training

I undertook my doula training with Birth Bliss Academy and loved every moment of it. The long intense days don’t feel that way when its something you are so passionate about. Being in a room with 12 other women who all want to help women achieve the most positive and empowering birth experience.

Women from all different walks of lives. Some of us mothers others not but all with the same end goal to support pregnant women. It was a truly amazing environment to be in. It also shows how there is a doula for every woman you just have to find the right one for you.

Once completing the course and the post-module coursework this has allowed me to go on to find a doula mentor so that I can offer my services as a mentored doula to pregnant women under Doula UK.

Why have a doula?

Research supports that by having a doula at your birth it can:

  • Shorten labour by up to 25%
  • Reduce caesareans by 45%
  • Use of pain relief reduced by 30%
  • The use of forceps reduced by 34%
  • Fewer signs of postnatal depression
  • Reduce anxiety in new mothers
  • Improve the breastfeeding journey

‘If a doula were a drug, it would be unethical not to use it’Dr. John H. Kennell

Looking at the stats above it really does reinforce this quote. To be able to potentially reduce many of the stress factors that often worry women during pregnancy surely seems sensible doesn’t it?

Interested in having a Birth Doula or just want to know more?

As a Birth Doula I cover most areas I can get to within an hour from Twickenham including Ascot, Barnes, Chelsea, Clapham, Cobham, Esher, Fulham, Guildford, Isleworth, Kingston, Putney, Richmond, St Margarets, Staines, Surbiton, Sunningdale, Teddington, Twickenham, Virginia Water, Wandsworth, Weybridge and Windsor.

I offer my Doula services on their own or coupled with my hypnobirthing courses.

To find out more about having a doula, learning about hypnobirthing or to book your hypnobirthing course get in touch – I’d love to hear from you.

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Ali x

My Doula Journey