What's included in my birth doula package?

Doulas are professional birth supporters who provide emotional, informational, physical, and mental support to a birthing person and their family during the prenatal, birth and postnatal period.

A doula does not provide medical care but are extremely knowledgeable about childbirth. Their main role is to provide support leading up to, during birth and immediately post-partum. The doula's role and agenda are tied solely to the birthing persons agenda, so their responsibility is to you and not the midwife, hospital, or doctor.

Provide physical support such as massage or counter pressure, create a calm birth environment, assisting with water therapy (such as shower or pool) apply warm or cold compress, assisting with movement or position change, Robozo (Mexican birthing scarf) techniques and offering food and drink.

Emotional support so you feel cared for with their continuous presence, reassurance, encouragement, praise, helping to work through fears and doubts and provide a debrief after the birth.

Informational support such as helping you find evidence-based information about different options in pregnancy and birth, keeping you informed, suggest techniques in labour for comfort such as breathing techniques, movement and positioning, explaining medical procedures before or as they occur, helping your birthing partner understand what is going on.

Advocacy by encouraging you to ask questions and verbalise your wishes, asking what YOU want, supporting your decision without judgment, amplifying your voice if you feel dismissed, creating space and time to ask questions and have open discussions with your care provider.

Continuous birth support from a doula during birth has shown:

- A 39% decrease in the risk of Caesarean section.

- A 15% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth

- 10% decrease in the use of any medications for pain relief.

- A shorter labour by 41mins on average.

- A 38% decrease in low Apgar score for baby at 5 mins old.

- A 31% decrease in the risk of dissatisfaction.

https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/

I also offer a power hour call to provide a listening ear for any concerns you have surrounding your pregnancy and birth, signposting you to further information and helping you to gain clarity on your situation. This means no matter your location you can get the support you need.

If a phone call is not for you or you need more time, then I can offer a 2-hour meeting in person in your own home or place of your choice.

Finally, I offer one to one birth preparation and planning package. This is completely tailored to your circumstances and needs. Making sure you get the information you and your birth partner need to make positive decisions for your pregnancy and birth, helping you to find your own power. This is 6hrs one to one support in your own home over 2-3 sessions.

A 2 hour in person meeting is £130, includes follow up email signposting you to further information.

Bespoke one to one birth preparation and planning is £360, we can then keep in touch on the run up to your birth and includes one follow up power hour call in case circumstances should change for you.

Full birth doula package is £1460. This includes 3 prenatal birth planning meetings, ongoing prenatal support by texts, calls etc. 4 weeks on call, birth support from when you call for my attendance up until a few hours after the birth and one postnatal debrief meeting.

• Doulas don’t perform clinical tasks

• They do not give medical advice or diagnose conditions

• They do not make decisions for you.

• They do not take over the role of your birthing partner