Services

WHAT DOES A POSTNATAL DOULA DO?

The key difference between a doula and other postnatal support such as a maternity nurse or a nanny is that the doula is focused on the new parent or parents rather than the baby. The phrase often used to describe what a doula does is ‘mothering the mother’ - making sure the person who has given birth and their partner or family, if they have one, feels fully supported, listened to and looked after in those early days, weeks and months.

As your postnatal doula I’m on hand to create a calm, gentle and nurturing environment, allowing you time to heal, rest, recover and bond with your new baby.

I believe everyone should feel supported during this precious time and I feel privileged to be able to help. Here’s how…

Services

  • Dulwich Doula practical support

    Practical Support

    • Helping you establish breastfeeding or bottle feeding.

    • Taking care of your baby while you catch up on rest / have a shower or take some time to yourself.

    • Preparing healthy and nourishing meals for you.

    • Looking after a sibling to allow you time to bond with your new baby.

    • Light housekeeping tasks.

    • Running errands.

  • Dulwich Doula emotional support

    Emotional Support

    • Debriefing your birth experience. Helping you unpack the momentous occasion and the impact that may have had on both your body and mind.

    • Building confidence with things such as bathing, nappy changing, holding and feeding your baby.

    • Helping you navigate your feelings as a new parent. Encouraging you to trust your insticts.

    • Providing a non judgemental, listening ear and creating a calm space for you.

  • Informational Support

    • Providing up-to-date, unbiased information on topics such as feeding, sleep and baby-wearing so that you feel empowered to make decisions that feel right for you and your baby.

    • Helping you to make sense of the vast amount of information that is out there and helping to pinpoint what is particularly relevant to you.

    • Signposting local groups, support networks and activities in your local community.

PRICING

INITIAL MEETING

Free

We can do this either in person or virtually to discuss what you think you will need after the birth of your baby and how you would like me to support you. It is also a chance for you to work out if I feel like the right doula for you. For every person and family there is a doula suited to them!

SUPPORT PACKAGE

£500 for 20 hours — min 3hrs per session.

My role as your postnatal doula is flexible and tailored to your needs during this precious time. Sessions can be booked on a week-by-week basis according to what you feel you need most help and support with. I can also provide overnight, weekend and evening support if that is something you feel you may need.

The support package can begin from as soon as soon after the birth as you would like to help you recover, rest and settle in with your new baby.

As well as all the practical, emotional and informational support outlined above, the support package includes:

  • A two-hour antenatal session to talk through your hopes and expectations for the postnatal period in which we put together your personal postnatal plan.

  • Unlimited text / email / phone support should you have any questions or need any support in between visits.

SHORT NOTICE HELP

Babies, births and life are unpredictable! You may have already had your baby or babies and feel you suddenly need help. Maybe that C-Section you were or weren’t planning means you need more rest, recovery time and help than you were expecting. Maybe a family member can no longer be on hand to assist as planned. Perhaps you are much more tired than you expected to be, or finding things more challenging than you’d imagined and just really, really need some decent rest or additional support.

I may well be available at short notice so just give me a call or message me on 07958961396

Even if I’m not able to help it’s likely I’ll be able to put you in touch with a doula who is. My ad-hoc rates start from £28/hr for a minimum 3 hour booking.

POSTNATAL PLANNING SESSION

£50

If you’re unsure you need a postnatal doula but want to prepare for life after birth, this specially created two-hour private session is designed to focus on the key-elements of postnatal self-care and recovery.

The session can either be done in person or virtually and would ideally happen a month before your due date. Together we will discuss everything from your postnatal expectations, the changes that will occur and how to be prepared for different postnatal scenarios. We will identify what support is available to you, how to involve partners, friends or family. We will think about how to aid recovery with nutritious food preparation, how to carve out time to rest and how to manage visitors and set boundaries. By the end of the session we will have created a postnatal support plan personally tailored to you leaving you feeling prepared, supported and informed.

Locations covered

I live in East Dulwich, SE22 and cover a wide area of South East London: North Dulwich, South Dulwich, Dulwich Village, Peckham, Honor Oak, Ladywell, Forest Hill, Sydenham, Herne Hill, Nunhead, Brixton, Catford, Upper Norwood, West Norwood, South Norwood, Crystal Palace, Penge, Streatham, Selhurst, Hither Green, Crofton Park and Thornton Heath.