“Your calm presence, steadiness and belief in me and my body knowing just what it needed to do on was so important to me, and enabled me to really relax and go into myself so that I could totally focus on getting our daughter into the world. It was so lovely being able to call you when I first realised it was all happening, and then to have you step into whatever role was needed from the moment you arrived.
I loved your companionship in the earlier stages when we sat and chatted in between contractions. You also really helped me to stay calm and feel I had choices when the conversations about measurements and temperature were raising my anxieties.
Thank you so much for supporting us to realise our dream birth.”
“A truly huge THANK YOU for the support and help you have provided us with. Week after week, life has been a little easier thanks to you. Thank you for your kindness – we have always enjoyed having your good spirit and smiles amongst us.”
“I didn’t have any family close by, and I needed somebody to take care of my daughter during my labour. From our first meeting she was kind, calm and listened with unhurried interest to my concerns and needs. My daughter took to her immediately. And it was wonderful to know that I had her support. In fact, such was her positive effect on me, that at my midwife appointment after our first meeting my blood pressure was significantly lower than at any previous stage of the pregnancy.”
I was amazed by your patience and stamina and I’m positive I had as positive experience I did because you were there.
Thank you for your support during the pregnancy and labour. Speaking with you during the pregnancy and having you with us during the labour made it all a positive experience.”
“She is a truly wonderful person. She is kind, genuine, trustworthy and gentle.”
“I was not familiar with what “Doula’s” do . . . I looked up ‘doula’ on the internet and the description of a doula was exactly what I received. My husband said that she gave us the reassurance we needed in the early days. If I had any anxieties I would talk them through with her and she would support me through particular issues. I found that helped to keep me more calm and therefore kept our whole household as calm as possible. She was always very positive, especially with breastfeeding (the twins), always encouraging me with helpful suggestions and she was always reminding me how well I was doing.”
“It helped my partner a great deal as he was very stressed trying to look after me, the baby and work from home. He wouldn’t have managed without her.”
“Her knowledge and experience gave me confidence and made me feel less anxious about the process. She was a calming presence and continually encouraged me. She supported however I felt most comfortable to labour, and did great massage. She continued to encourage and calm me immediately after giving birth whilst I was being stitched. Without her I would have found my induction of labour far more stressful. She was an excellent doula and I thoroughly recommend her.”
The best thing about our doula was that she made me feel that I was the best person for my baby. She gave me great confidence in decision-making instead of craving reassurance all the time.
“I knew I needed help when at 4 months pregnant we found out that my husband would be deploying to Iraq or 6 months and would miss the birth of our second child. I put off looking for a doula because I was worried about going through the experience alone. Finally, at 6 months I realised I needed help. I scoured web pages and found our doula, who came highly recommended by many of her peers. As soon as
I met her, I knew that she and I would make a great team. She was open to my opinions and was truly there to support me . . .”
“She gave me confidence in myself and calmed my fears. [She] helped me understand what I wanted for the birth and how to get it and all the options I had.”
“Thank you for always being there for me during this pregnancy and always saying the things I needed to hear.”
“Thanks so much for all your help – you were a little oasis of calm”
“As the labour advanced I had a sudden moment of self doubt. I knew what was required of me and I did not want to go through it. At this point I rang [our doula] for a second time and asked her to come over. As soon as she arrived, she started helping me through each contraction, providing heat compresses and back massage as I was experiencing back labour. When I expressed anxiety about a particular issue e.g. perhaps the baby posterior, why was I being sick, how long would I have to do this for, she answered each time in a way which completely allayed my fears and enabled the labour to progress in a natural way. At all times she would strive to make me comfortable in my environment, reminding me to eat or drink, to experiment with positions, to try using the pool to alleviate pain and to call for the midwives at the appropriate time.”
“We are thrilled you could share that special time when [our baby] was born. I will always remember and be grateful for all that you did. I am so happy that our baby was born surrounded by love…words cannot express how much your support has meant to us.”
“Thank you so much for your precious help and support. I am not being OTT when I say I can’t imagine how I’d have managed without you!”
You have been so much to this last year: guide, mentor, supporter, listener and friend. I’m so very glad you came into our life.
“Thank you so much for all the help you have given us. You really have shone a light into our lives…I have learnt so much from you – from breastfeeding guidance, slings and the way you interact with the children to simple reassurance that nobody can be perfect and that my best is good enough…keep doing such a marvellous job.”
“I don’t have the words to explain how much [the birth] means to me but I think you already know. I know you will say something like “you did all the hard work”, but you helped in so many ways, big and small…you are truly amazing doula extraordinaire.”
“She very quickly created a calming and secure environment. She was wonderful with my 18 month old daughter who I was worried would feel jealous with the birth of her new little sister and I therefore felt totally happy and guilt free to devote some time to my new born. Having her with us before and after the birth was like having a close family member but without the emotional baggage! She had suggestions if I had any concerns about the baby, ensured I got some much needed rest, helped out around the house (often just getting on with things even without being asked which was truly amazing) and enabled my husband to enjoy the whole process much more than the first time.”
“She has also provided friendship and emotional support when I have needed them, and I am very pleased to call her a friend as well as a brilliant doula. We still enjoy her support, most often nowadays as babysitter, when she will arrive in the early evening and cheerfully get the children bathed and into bed and asleep with no tantrums (far more than we can usually achieve!) My children adore her and always look forward to her visits – as do I, both for the support she provides and because she is a lovely person and I enjoy seeing her. She is vastly experienced, always positive, endlessly capable, intuitive, proactive, lively and energetic and brilliant with little ones, and I would heartily recommend her to other parents.”
“Scared and anxious of giving birth, I was researching alternatives. I came across hypnobirthing and knew instantly it was for me. The techniques…gave me the control, confidence and focus I needed for a comfortable birth. When expecting my second child I had no doubt that I wanted a doula to assist me again. She understood my anxieties and managed to turned them into excitement. I would whole heartedly recommend [a doula] to any expecting mum!!”
“[My doula] has been a fantastic match for me. She is very knowledgeable and always tries to provide unbiased information as the basis for my own decision making rather than telling me what to do. I do appreciate this very much! You can easily tell that she is very passionate about all things pregnancy, birth and baby, and she always encourages me to trust myself and my own instincts. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone, especially if you are hoping for a natural birth.”
‘The best decision I made for the birth of my second baby was to [have a doula]. I would never have achieved the confidence and level of mental and physical preparation without her. Her dedication, helpful suggestions, contacts and warm personality made my whole birth experience a very confident and happy one. In preparation for the birth, her support and willingness to listen to my fears and expectations were invaluable; her calm practicality and gentle encouragement during the birth made it not only bearable but very empowering for me; her complete selflessness and care after the birth was beyond what anyone would expect. I would wholeheartedly recommend [having a doula] to
anyone looking for a confident and happy birth experience. Thank you!”
“I don’t know how I would got through my first birth without our doula. My birthing partner was wonderful, but her calm presence was so reassuring for us both even when things got stressful – plus her amazing lower back massage saw me through.”
“She was always just a call away for any questions no matter how small which was a great relief as it was a difficult pregnancy. She helped us navigate the NHS and gave us the support and encouragement we needed to ask the questions we needed to ask so that we could aim for the natural birth we hoped for. I was induced at 38.5 weeks and all through my labour experience she supported myself and husband and the atmosphere throughout was one of calm and at times humorous. Her support resulted in me delivering my girls with just gas and air. It was a great honour to have such a special Doula at one of the most intimate experiences of our lives.”