It always strikes me as a funny kind of question. I mean isn’t it obvious… A dad fathered the child*. The doula did not. The dad is the life-partner (we hope that’s the case but understand that life is full of mysterious twists and turns). The doula is not. The dad loves the mother of … More dads & doulas: what’s the difference?
Let’s start with what a Mother Blessing Ceremony (hereon refereed to as *MBC*) is NOT. Ok, so *MBC* is not a baby shower (gifts for baby and party games), it’s not a religious ceremony, it doesn’t need a celebrant (but you might like to have one anyway), it is not an opportunity for people to … More What is a Mother Blessing Ceremony?
Labour is hard work, there is no two ways about it. Even the name of it ‘labour’ tells us that, it is hard physical work. When the work to be done requires so much mental concentration that brainwaves slow down from active Beta to distracted Alpha to turn the focus inwards then labour has truly … More How to increase pain in childbirth
Imagine if we approached all major milestones in our life in a way that honoured us, not only physically but mentally, emotionally & spiritually – in ways meaningful to us and our individual circumstances. How might our lives be different? I like to think we would feel stronger, with a tribe at our back as … More Celebrating birth as a rite of passage
Connecting * Supporting * Informing Autumn rolls around again, with its vibrant hues, misty mornings with that certain special smell in the English air and then it’s certainly time to set off for the annual European Doula Network conference! This year was hosted by the Polish doula association ‘Doula w Polsce,‘ in Warsaw. The quote … More The European Doula Network
If I was to ask you right now on a scale of 1-to-10 (with 1 being wide awake and alert and 10 being fast asleep) what number would you choose? Consciousness is generally meant to mean how aware one is of one’s own existence, sensations, thoughts and what’s going on around you. But what if … More Brain waves & birth stages
Birth is influenced by a variety of aspects, some seen some not, some commonly known & understood, other less so. The extent of influence depends on the individual woman and baby, I believe this is why each birth is different. In this blog I’m going to look at each influence in turn. Physical The … More Exploring Birth
Labour is hard work there is no two ways about it. Even the name of it ‘labour’ tells us that, it is hard physical work. When the work to be done requires so much mental concentration that brainwaves slow down from active Beta to distracted Alpha to turn the focus inwards then labour has truly … More Eight ways to increase pain in labour
In the third trimester the end of your pregnancy comes into focus. You will not be pregnant forever! Preparations for birth take on a different meaning as the day comes closer when you will finally get to meet the small person who has been growing inside you all these months. The natural bond between mother … More Preparing your baby for their birth
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