Faketown Profession Service

When I became a mother over a decade ago, I quickly realised how much our modern way of life was harming our experiences of birth and motherhood. Gone are the wise women from the village who prepare you for birth, or who swoop in afterwards to make you soup, give you massages, do your housework and help care for your baby.

I craved this community and wisdom desperately, so with my second child I had a doula and a very empowering homebirth at almost 43 weeks (eek!). At first my husband assumed the doula would be a hippy who would replace him in the birth process, but he soon changed his mind.

She was not a hippy, she was an impressive, informed woman with a brilliant sense of humour. I aspired to be like her, so decided that’s what I would do going forward!

I love a placenta as much as the next doula, but I’m not a hippy in really any other way. If you want crystals and sage, then awesome – there are a ton of doulas who can give you that (and I adore them!), but that isn’t me.

What I will give you is research-backed information, a warm and caring presence and a wealth of experience being with babies and mothers that began when I was still a child myself.

There is nothing quite like the privilege of being invited to someone’s birth – it’s a role I absolutely adore! However, for now, it doesn’t work for my family so I’m focusing on postnatal work.

I may occasionally take on a birth doula client if the circumstances are right. Contact me if you want to talk more about this.

I will aim to make your first 6 weeks as easy as possible by ‘taking care of mother’. The support I offer can vary depend on what you feel you need assistance with, but the most common items are:

• Cooking meals
• Feeding support
• Emotional care
• Confidence building
• Sibling & pet care
• Light housekeeping
• Massage
• Tips & advice
• Birth reflection

There are many benefits to using a sling, which is why I highly recommend them. Beyond the convenience of keeping your hands free, a sling can help your baby bond, support breastfeeding and promote healthy development by emulating the womb environment.

Although I am not a trained sling consultant, I have been wearing babies in slings for many years, so can certainly pass on my extensive knowledge on a peer-to-peer basis.