Angela, from Keighley.  First time mum to Mika'il born May 2008                   Angela's word during her pregnancy

I initially looked into having a Doula involved during my first pregnancy from just the small amount of information that Julia provided me at our first meeting. The information given meant that i felt assured that my body was capable of doing what was ahead. Prior to this I was terrified of Labour and was planning of taking every drug that was available because of my fear even though deep down I wanted to avoid them. Julia informed me of what my body does to cope with pregnancy and childbirth and that the body is actually a very clever design. I was also much happier knowing that there would be someone there to support me through every step physically and emotionally, during the pregnancy and afterwards. It is nice to have someone who listens to what i actually want, informs me of the medical facts and also feeling comfortable to question anything'

Angela's word after her the birth of her son

'During my pregnancy I was very lucky to discover that I could have a Doula supporting me through my pregnancy and birth. Since having Emma present throughout the birth of my son I feel that Doulas should have the title of Angels. Throughout my labour it was an amazingly big help having someone who was so supportive, at times I felt that she was reading my mind. It was so nice to have someone helping me that knew from experience what I was going through. I think that because having a baby is so natural, people underestimate how hard pregnancy and childbirth can be but thanks to Julia and Emma I always had help at the end of the phone and Emma's hand to squeeze during labour. I can't say in words how grateful I am to them both for all the care and concern, they were both a godsend. I will always remember how much more of a positive experience my sons birth was because of them.'

 

 

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Alex and Chris, from Leeds.  First time parents to Billy Todd born July 2008 

We moved to Leeds back in May after the realisation that continuing to live in London was going to prove difficult on a number of levels, mainly the cost of child care in the capital would have meant that I would need to go back to work.

By the time we arrived in Leeds all the antenatal course had been booked up. This was when I started thinking about finding a Doula as neither of us had a clue about childbirth and many of my colleagues at work had spoken about how useful it was to have a Doula towards the end of the pregnancy and for the birth.

I found Rachel's details on the internet and decided to give her a call as I was about 37 weeks by now and my husband was getting increasingly nervous about the fact that we still didn't really know anything. I had also managed to get out of him the fact that he wasn't sure how he would react to attending the birth (even though he was a farmer's son!). I really wanted him to be a part of our son's birth but I didn't want him to feel that he had to be there every second if it all got a bit much. Again having a Doula with us just made sense for this very reason. If he wanted to go for a coffee or get some fresh air for 5 mins then he would feel that he could leave me in very capable hands, as we all know that now days midwives are often looking after a number of women at the same time these days, so there is no guarantee that they will be with you all the time.

From the very first telephone conversation with Rachel I knew we were going to get on, which is pretty important when this person is going to be with you at one of the most intimate moments of your life. What I liked about Rachel was that she was warm and friendly but still maintained her professionalism. Her knowledge on childbirth was amazing and this was what we really needed to tap into. After a few telephone calls we arranged a meeting, I guess it was an interview really form both sides, from there we arranged our first antenatal session. Rachel came to our house one evening where we had supper together and then she talked us through each of the stages of labour and what we wanted from our birth experience. It was at the end of this session that I knew I had done the right thing by getting in contact with a Doula.

Rachel and I were in contact by phone after that and as I ended up being 16 days over due she offered us far more antenatal help than we originally anticipated. Rachel was extremely supportive of the fact that ideally I dint want to be induced and wanted a spontaneous labour. She even attended an appointment with my midwife to help support me in this decision.

Eventually after 14 days over due and attending hospital for regular check ups I gave in to being induced. I was given the gel at about 2pm in the afternoon. That certainly got things moving and I felt as though these were contractions although I hadn't started to dilate yet. By 3am Friday morning I was moved to the labour ward and we called Rachel but things were to progress very slowly. I was given more drugs to speed things up and it was at this point after knowing I couldn't have any more morphine that I felt an epidural would be a good idea. That certainly did the trick in terms of pain relief but again slowed the whole process down.

Rachel and Chris were fantastic in keeping my spirits up and motivating me throughout the labour. By about 5pm they said I could start trying to push and although I was trying with all my might it was really hard to know when to push as the epidural lessened the sensation to push or even to know when a contraction was coming. After and hour the midwife said I would need to have forceps to deliver the baby. At the back of my head I really didn't want a c-section so I was willing to try anything. The forceps delivery did hurt momentarily but the second he was on my chest it was all worth it. That moment is truly amazing.

I was so proud of my husband who had stayed with me throughout. Rachel had been able to inform him exactly what was happening each step of the way, he therefore felt in control of the situation. Rachel has since been a great help with my breast feeding and has been at the end of the phone for all those questions that new mums have. In a word she has been a 'star' and has made our birth experience one that we will always treasure even though things didn't go to plan. Maybe the whole experience was a bit too positive as I can't wait to have another one now!!!!

 

 

Gill from Harrogate,  Mother to Jasmine aged 2 and Matthew born May 2008   My first child, Jasmine, was born in November 2006 by emergency caesarean at 42 +2 weeks following 3 days of induction and "failure to progress". She weighed 11lb 8oz and was laid back to back - hence she got stuck. The whole experience was so traumatic and I'd so wanted to give birth naturally. Problems with low BP during surgery meant it was a few hours before I even got to see her properly and touch her. Bonding with her was difficult and I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress and PND shortly after.

During this subsequent pregnancy, I was scared of a repeat scenario. While I feel I and well informed about pregnancy, labour etc, I knew I would find it difficult not to be swept along in a blur of medical intervention, which I believed would most likely end in a similar way. I wanted an advocate; I wanted a good birth experience, one to be treasured and remembered with joy rather than with pain and sadness. Ideally I wanted a VBAC and after much negotiation was given the go ahead as growth scans were inconclusive. In order to reduce the likelihood of an unplanned section, I consented to an elective if nothing happened before 41 weeks.

My partner and I discussed hiring a doula when we met Rachel at an NCT sale though I'd toyed with the notion before.

The 2 antenatal visits were really useful to consolidate our knowledge of the process of labour, comfort measures etc. It gave us the opportunity to discuss Jasmine's birth, which was very cathartic. We devised a birth plan for both a VBAC and an elective with Rachel's input. She got permission from the hospital to be present in either eventuality.

Just knowing Rachel was there with us, acting on our behalf, helping us negotiate how to make the birth special, supporting Joe and I emotionally was incredibly calming. I felt stronger, more in control of my environment and knew that I wouldn't feel obliged to have any intervention I didn't want.

I got to 41 weeks and nothing happened. Rachel encouraged me to consider my options, though I never felt pressured. We went ahead with the elective. Rachel was by my side as I went through my birth plan with the surgeon and he agreed my requests to have no screen, have a verbal commentary, see and touch the baby immediately, see the gender for ourselves, have photos. She was there as I addressed my concerns with the anaesthetist regarding my reaction to spinal anaesthesia. Rachel was right beside us the whole time offering unwavering support, encouraging me, soothing me, helping Joe the same way. Matthew was born and revealed straight away. He was pretty stuck too and weighed 10lb 1.5oz. She took photos for us and helped me cuddle Matthew when he was brought to me. The birth experience was magical - despite taking place in a theatre. Not exactly the way we hoped, but it was better than we dared to dream. The staff were fantastic, but it certainly felt reassuring having an independent person there with us.

It doesn't end there. Rachel visited us at home a few days later bringing homemade soup and cake! She helped me so much getting my breastfeeding technique right - I so wanted to do it but was finding it difficult. I've never looked back! It's great! We agreed a postnatal package and the doulas became more indispensable - doing chores, shopping, taking Jasmine to the park, letting me rest. Worth every penny! What Rachel helped us achieve in terms of an empowered birth, a fantastic experience - I simply can't put a price on it. If we have a third baby, I'll be hiring them again, definitely.

 

 

Pete from Leeds, father of Elliot born September 2008

 

Pre-birth
Sarah and I had several informal meetings with Rachel at around the eight month stage of pregnancy when she was able to outline what she could offer as a doula. This included everything from taking an active role during the birth itself to simply being available to answer any number of questions we had about becoming parents for the second time, as we seemed to have forgotten everything in the four years since we had our first child !

What became immediately clear was Rachel's extensive knowledge around childbirth and babies combined with a relaxed and informal manner. This immediately put us at ease and enabled us to think clearly about the type of birth we wanted.

Birth                                                                                                                                

The birth itself was pretty far from the experience we had hoped for - at home and as naturally as possible. In the end Sarah's high blood pressure required that the birth be induced because of concerns that she may develop preclampsia. We had to remain at the hospital for nearly three days while we waited for a birth suite to become available. I found this to be a particularly stressful period because of the uncertainty relating to Sarah's potentially serious condition and the possibility of a difficult birth with a lot of intervention.

It occurred to me at this point that although it was not me having the baby, I had been under a lot of pressure myself to remain constantly supportive and strong for Sarah throughout the pregnancy, but particularly in the later stages when her high blood pressure condition became evident. I felt this pressure particularly acutely in the days we waited for the induction and Rachel was a great support to me, initially over the phone and then at the hospital when she came to the delivery suite in early labour. Ordinarily she would not have come to the hospital until labour was fully established, but she did on my behalf because by this point I was beginning to feel that that I really needed someone else there for Sarah and for me !

As soon as Rachel arrived it immediately felt as if a weight had been taken from me and that together we could both be there for Sarah. Rachel's knowledge of the birth process helped us to interpret the information being given to us by the doctors and midwives and to make informed decisions as the labour progressed. As well as providing moral and emotional support Rachel was also a great help and encouragement when Sarah began pushing. Everything went as well as could be expected under the very controlled and medicated circumstances of the labour and Elliot was delivered using forceps the next morning - Rachel having remained with us all night.

Post-birth
Rachel's visit to us at home after the birth confirmed her significance in Elliot's life. We had dealt with many doctors and midwives over the preceding weeks and months but only at different pre and post-natal stages. As our doula Rachel was there at every stage and therefore provided a hugely important constant for us and for Elliot as he came into the world.

I hadn't heard of a doula until a few weeks before I called Rachel / (MNDs), and although I knew my husband and I wanted some sort of support and help both antenatal, during labour and postnatally I was uncertain how they could help as we didn't know ourselves what we needed.

 

Lucy from Ilkley, First time mum to Eve born August 2008

I hadn't heard of a doula until a few weeks before I called Rachel / (MNDs), and although I knew my husband and I wanted some sort of support and help both antenatal, during labour and postnatally I was uncertain how they could help as we didn't know ourselves what we needed.

Thankfully Rachel intuitively seemed to know what we needed, and provided the perfect level of support. She neither interfered, nor left us to flounder. She taught us so much, but never lectured us or tried to persuade us to make a particular choice. Armed with her knowledge and support we made choices we might never have made before, and wouldn't change any of them for the world.

Rachel was there when we needed her. She supported us all throughout the birth, enabling us to concentrate and achieve the perfect birth that we had wanted, yet disappeared quietly afterwards to give our newly extended family time to be together. She lifted me when I was in tears and believed I'd never breastfeed, and arrived day after day to support me in everyday chores which had suddenly become impossible with a new baby.

It was the little things too, I will always remember her coming round the day after I arrived home with my baby. I saw her walk down the hall carrying a cake. Great, I thought, this is what Doulas do then, bake cakes... how does that help me? Over the next few days that small gesture became huge as more and more visitors came round and instead of facing an empty cupboard I could tell them to help themselves to a slice of cake. And it went down well!

The phrase "couldn't have done it without you" is rather overused, but with regard to our baby's birth and using a Doula I mean it in it's true sense.

 

 

 

Julia from Leeds, Mother to Charlie aged 20 months and Lucia Rose born September 2008.

My first birth experience was very unpleasant. After three days of induced labour in which every type of intervention known to man took place I ended up having an Emergency Caesarean for failure to progress/fetal distress. I'd opted for an epidural on day 2 and afterwards I felt that it was in some way my fault- that my decision to have pain relief had led to me being punished by failure to progress. I felt that I had been encouraged too strongly to have an epidural and that that had caused the failure to progress. I was so exhausted that when I was eventually handed my lovely baby boy I couldn't even hold him. The exhaustion didn't pass for many months and it tarnished my enjoyment of the first few weeks. My partner who had been there for the birth did not enjoy the experience as he was terrified of being called away to work and of having to leave me there alone. He had been too busy to attend any antenatal classes with me and I knew that the birth of our first child was  at a very very difficult time for him work wise.  My mother who was trying very hard to help,unfortunately made my partner even more stressed. Seeing them both like that made me feel even more tense.

When I became pregnant again 1 year later I still burst into tears thinking about my first birth experience and felt cheated that I couldn't enjoy holding my baby for the first time. I was terrified that I would have a similar experience again. Julia came to see me and my partner a couple of times before the birth and we with her post-mortemed the previous experience. It was really really useful to have her there as my partner and I had never before discussed what had happened and I think he had no idea prior to that how I had felt. She covered the birth process in some detail and gave him the equivalent of a course of ante-natal classes in a short space of time in our own home.

When the baby started to come 2 weeks early Julia came to the hospital as soon as I called her which was when I was in established labour. When I was encouraged by the medical staff to give up trying and to opt for a Caesarean she gave me the confidence just by being there to say no I want to carry on labouring. When my partner was tired we were able to send him off to rest in the knowledge that she would be there with me throughout which was a great comfort to me. She made me feel much more comfortable and was very very thoughtful. I was at the point where I was sufficiently dilated to have a forceps delivery when sadly an infection took hold of me and my temperature shot dangerously through the roof and it was time for a second emergency caesarean, Julia asked the Doctors to dim the lights and to turn down the noises in the theatre so that the first person my daughter saw was my partner and his was the first voice she heard. I felt that I had given it my best shot, I felt no guilt at all.

I have recovered very very much more quickly from  the Caesarean this time and think that having Julia's calm and confident presence there helped immensely. Many thanks

 

Helen from York, mum to Henry born June 2009

Why Rachel our Doula was so important to us:

I hadn't really considered having a doula into relatively late in my pregnancy when an independent midwife suggested it to me, but I am so thankful I did, working with Rachel especially post-natally helped me more than I can say.

I guess our story is not unique, but my husband and I were trying for a baby for nearly 10 years and had reached a point of acceptance that it wasn't going to happen for us and then I became pregnant against the odds! Whilst my initial feeling was complete euphoria but the anxiety about this precious pregnancy and baby soon took over, I worried about most things, especially the birth and felt that somehow I couldn't do it. Meeting Rachel gave me hope and confidence, my feelings of anxiety over the birth shifted more toward excitement and I felt in safe and caring hands knowing Rachel was going to be there for us, it reassured me greatly and I felt able to put my trust in her. Rachel was both knowledgeable and confident, and I knew she would be an excellent advocate for me.

During the long latent phase and labour Rachel was an endless support for both me and my husband, I found the labour so hard to cope with and Rachel comforted and encouraged me for hours on end, she was such a strong advocate and voiced my wishes and concerns. The birth did not go how I had anticipated after a failed forceps delivery I had an emergency c-section, over the coming days I found this very hard to deal with and felt distressed, traumatised and tearful whenever I thought about it, which was often and this sadly over shadowed some of the joy I felt at having our precious long awaited baby (Henry). Rachel kept in regular contact with me whilst I was in hospital and came to visit me at home five days after Henry was born. She helped me so much at that visit and I will always be so grateful to her for that, as until that point I felt traumatised every time I thought of the birth. I felt so vulnerable at this is time but was able to just talk with Rachel without fear of being judged; she was compassionate and caring but also offered sensible advice. Rachel stayed for hours and we discussed the birth at length; Rachel had written an account which I have read a number of times since and find helpful to reflect upon.

Somehow as I didn't have a 'natural child birth' I felt like I had failed, and I also found the labour difficult to come to terms with and I couldn't understand why I had found it so hard to cope. I feel that Rachel helped me to begin to process my experience, explained that a lot of the events were because of the baby position and that I'd actually coped much better than I had initially believed. From this support and debriefing I felt I could begin to come to terms with what happened, this was so important to me and from that visit I felt that I could begin to let go of the birth a little; this was such a relief and helped to settle my distress really very quickly and effectively and allow me start to look forward to life with Henry. I cannot recommend Rachel highly enough.

      

 

 

Cath from Thurlston, first time mum to Ivor born May 2009

I can't imagine what I would have done without Rachel Cline my doula from Mother Nurture Doula's. She helped Neil and I through every stage of Ivor's birth. The main reason I approached Rachel was because Neil had "Pregnantwomanophobia". He was so squeamish he couldn't even look at my bump or my scans so I knew it was unfair to expect him to support me through the birth on his own. What I hadn't realised was how helpful a doula would be prior to and post birth.

Antenatally Rachel supported me when doctors were being pushy and I was so hormonal I couldn't be my normal assertive self. She knew what I wanted and helped get that across to the medics. She gave us lots of really helpful advice and pointed me in the right direction for further reading so that I could make my own informed decisions, which she would then support without being pushy or dictatorial.

I had really wanted a natural waterbirth at home and was keen to avoid the slippery slope of medical intervention as it so often leads to caesarean. Ironically that's exactly what happened and I ended up having a caesarean under general anaesthetic.  Thankfully I don't feel in any way that I failed and I can only attribute that to Rachel's positive input in what was potentially a very scary situation. Rachel also gave Neil the confidence to be present during my labour; something that I never thought would happen. She also supported and encouraged him to give Ivor skin-to-skin contact whilst I was still under anaesthetic, this would never have happened without her. This even led to Neil naming Ivor (he was going to be called Shay).

Postnatally Rachel was invaluable. She helped me with breastfeeding, cooking, chores and took Ivor and the yapping dogs out for walks so I could grab some precious sleep. Without Rachel I don't doubt I would have slipped into depression. Primarily I would have felt that I had failed in labour. I would also have probably given up breastfeeding as my latch was awful and I was getting a lot of pain because of my Raynaud's ( spasming blood vessels), and if I had continued feeding like that Ivor would probably still be screaming with trapped wind due to inappropriate advice I had been given at the hospital (a midwife had told me that breastfed babies don't need winding...major major myth).  Fortunately Rachel was there with time and patience to teach, to listen and to care.

I always felt I had someone who I trusted to turn to for advice. Rachel has been a tremendous support and a great friend. I am sure the fact that I am less stressed has had a great impact on Ivor. He is a really happy chap, feeds and sleeps really well and is the best thing that's ever happened to us. I can't thank Rachel enough.

 

Janine from Wakefield, first time mum to Finn, born October 2009

Finn was born at Pontefract Hopstial with the support of Rachel in October 2009.  Janine and Finn were supported at home for about 6 weeks to adjust to changes motherhood brings.

 

Claire, mum to Mya 16 months and second time mum to twins Sienna and Talia, born December 2009

Having discovered that we were expecting identical twins and that our hopes for a home birth could not be realised my husband and I set about doing everything possible to ensure a calm, natural delivery for our babies. Twin births are highly medicalised and we wanted to be sure that our wishes would be prioritised.

The antenatal visits attended by both Emma and Rachel (they had shared care due to me expecting over Christmas) made a huge difference to my birth experience. They sat down with my husband and I and we worked out every detail of what may happen and what our choices would be. This preparation meant that when the time came I could concentrate on keeping calm, knowing that my husband and Emma would ensure that my wishes would be adhered to as much as possible.

Emma's presence during my long labour gave my husband the confidence to question the midwives, doctor and anaesthetist and together they encouraged me to keep going when things got tough. This meant that once my first twin, Talia, was born I was allowed a full hour and twenty minutes to try to birth Sienna naturally, when half an hour is the hospital's policy. I knew that Talia's first hour spent mainly with Emma, next to me, was calm when Sienna's birth was complicated. Emma and my husband were still fighting my corner when I decided that I felt ventouse was necessary to delivery Sienna who wasn't presenting favourably. We were delighted to have two beautiful, healthy girls at the end of a long day and I felt that I had pushed myself as far as I could for the birth we wanted. We will never forget Emma's part in our special delivery and I am grateful for all the help she and Rachel gave us to allow us to prepare fully for this.

 

 

Ellie from Howarth, first time mum to Emily Rose, born February 2010

Until my wife's 36th week of pregnancy, we did not even know what a 'doula' was. However, at our final NCT class, a minor mention was made of doulas and the perceived benefits they bring in terms of pain relief. This struck a chord as I guess like most first time parents, there was quite a fear of the whole birth process and my wife was particularly anxious regarding how painful things could be.

Despite it being late in the day, we quickly undertook some 'google' research and everything seemed to suggest that this would be a very good move. There was no real downside and we felt that even if we did not get much benefit, so what !! It was worth a go and at worst, we might just feel after the birth that it was all a bit unnecessary and we could have saved some money.

We contacted Rachel after reading other testimonials on her website. As it was late in the day, she came round to see us the following day so both parties could work out of this would be a good idea. A rapport was struck up quickly and as soon as she had left, my wife and I felt confident enough to say that a doula was a great idea and that Rachel would be an ideal choice.

Little did we know how Rachel would become an integral part of what was to be a harrowing birth but with a very successful ending.

When we met Rachel, she introduced a whole host of ideas to us and without ever telling us what to do, our views changed completely as to what we wanted. We had expected to have a hospital birth with maximum pain relief. Home births were for others !!! However, we listened to some of Rachel's ideas and then conducted a lot of evidence based research on the internet. Our eyes were really opened and we decided that a home birth with a doula would give my wife the very best birth experience and just as importantly, it would give our baby the best start when she entered this world.

We quickly put our plans in place and our community midwife was very supportive of a homebirth despite making the decision just before week 37. Everything was put into place and Rachel completed her very helpful ante-natal class.

And then the fun (!!!) started as my wife's waters broke before she went into labour which increases the chance of infection. This was after 38.5 weeks and we were quickly put under pressure by the hospital to come in for an induction and not to have a home birth. Rachel was on a constant source of support and expertise throughout this as she was constantly available to advise and provide us with information. She has some great contacts when she does not know the answer but more often than not, she helped guide us to the right information. Again, she did not tell us what to do but always acted as a sounding machine to help provide clarity as to what the best decision was. She was providing links to helpful research available on the internet. It must be pointed out that the NHS can be so rigid and they try to take you down their rigid path with no real thought as to mother's wishes.

To cut a long story short, our planned homebirth in a large birthing pool in our lounge in a calm tranquil atmosphere turned into a 79 hour labour, induction due to baby having some difficulties, our babies heartbeat dropping dramatically and hence requirement of full hospital crash team before when we thought we were through everything, just as my wife was about to push, they discovered at the last second that baby was breech and only way to get it out was an emergency C-section.

It was the most traumatic 3.5 days of our lives yet Rachel became an integral part of it. Initially it was as a constant source of support over the phone. Then as we were under pressure for induction, she came round to do some acupuncture to see if we could kick start the labour a bit. Then at 1.15am when my wife was moved to delivery ward, I phoned her and she raced to hospital arriving at 1.30am on a Monday morning.

She then never left my wife or I throughout what was a very difficult labour. When things looked like they were going very wrong and the alarms were sounded with the crash team, the hospital staff completely ignored my wife and I despite the fact that we were petrified as they were concentrating on assessing our baby. Rachel headed straight for us to calm us and explain what was going on.

She was always trying to melt into the background whilst every time she perceived that her presence would help, she jumped in to help. She explained things whenever necessary. When it was discovered that we had a breech baby at 9cm dilated and after 79 hours, my wife was totally exhausted, she was able to persuade hospital staff that she be allowed to join me in the Operating Theatre to support us. I was struggling emotionally at this stage but again she was constantly supporting us.

If Rachel had done nothing to that point, the simple thing that she did next in the recovery room would have made hiring her services worth it. Ellie was out of it on epidural/diamorphine and would remain so for some time. Rachel saw that our little girl, Emily, was looking to feed straightaway. I had no idea about this and Ellie was on a different planet !! Rachel carefully got Emily and started her breastfeeding. She then came with us to maternity ward and carried on keeping the breastfeeding going. Despite the NHS support for breastfeeding, we found that the staff didn't really know what to do or provide any real support. So with Ellie being so drugged up, if Rachel had not been there, we may have missed the opportunity. Indeed, over next few days at hospital, Ellie continued feeding but struggled and whilst some staff were willing, we got impression that they did not really know what they were saying. Rachel returned to the hospital and just a short period of going over everything with Ellie ensured that the brilliant start she gave us has continued so some 3 weeks later. As I write, we have had no feeding issues at all and Emily is piling on the weight and is a really well baby.

Whilst we did not engage Rachel for post natal services as we had a mass of family support, she visited a week after and again was the source of much invaluable advice (plus some lovely home baked cakes!).

We have learnt so much over the past month as it has been the most frightening and ultimately the most rewarding time of our lives. There can be no doubt that the saying that every labour is different is so true.

So, would we recommend Rachel in particular and would we recommend doulas in general. The answer is an unhesitating 'yes' as whilst there is an element of financial commitment, we felt ultimately that it was a price worth paying if that helped Ellie through the birth process and if it helped Emily have the best start in life.

We are first time parents and the support and expertise we got from Rachel throughout was first class. We had a very difficult time and her support was unswerving. Whilst as a 'doula' Rachel will make it very clear that she is not there to act as a midwife, there can be little doubt that she has a great deal of expertise which becomes invaluable.

One of our concerns at the outset would be that some midwives might react against the fact that we had a 'doula'. This could not have been further from the truth partly because of Rachel's kind nature but also due to the fact that she always knew when to get involved and when not to. The hospital staff made some very complimentary remarks about Rachel.

And finally, perhaps an overlooked thing about the whole reasoning behind using a 'doula' is what it can do for the Dad. If you are a soon to be father and you are doing the research like I did as you want to help your partner have the best experience, quite simply I would say, don't think about the money as I cannot even begin to put a value on support we got from Rachel during the whole harrowing process and the fact that she got Emily breastfeeding despite Ellie being drugged to high heaven.

And if nothing else, she bakes exceedingly nice cakes !!

 

Krupa from Leeds, mum to Param 5 and Ananya born April 2010

Krupa was induced with her first baby while living abroad and after an induction that did not cause her to labour she had a section.  Second time around she really wanted a VBAC (vaginal Birth After caesarean) and she worked really hard to achieve this.  Her doula supported her to negotiate with the hospital to not have monitoring (which is standard procedure) and to be able to use the birth pool at the hospital for pain relief, however on the day her daughter was born she laboured so amazingly and quickly that hen we arrived at the hospital she was already fully dilated and ready to have her baby shortly after.

 

Helen from Wakefield, first time mum to Florence, born May 2010

During my pregnancy I heard all sorts of horror stories about giving birth in hospital and how it seemed that as soon as you came through the doors of the delivery room you gave yourself up to medical intervention and you lost your voice.  It was this fear that led me to asking Rachel to be present at the birth of my daughter at Pontefract hospital.  Throughout my pregnancy Rachel gave me advice and really helpful reading material and DVD's which made me confident that although I would be birthing in hospital I would still do it my way with the support of Rachel and my husband. 
 
The assistance and information that Rachel provided me with during the later stages of my pregnancy, for example hypnobirthing CD's and information about homeopathic techniques meant that I did not need to go to hospital until the labour was well advanced as I was able to manage my contractions myself with my breathing techniques and a tens machine.  In fact when I arrived at hospital I was fully dilated and told to start pushing - Florence was born two hours after we arrived at hospital.
 
Having a doula present both at the birth and in the run up to the birth really does fill you with confidence and also that of your husband.  You really feel that there is someone totally on your side.  I felt so confident during the birth that even when very minimal intervention was advised by the midwife I did not feel fazed.
 
Not only did Rachel equip me with the tools to have a really positive labour but she also assisted with the first breast feed very shortly after birth and she has been on hand both in person and on the phone to assist me with any queries that I have since the birth.  I really think that knowing that I have continued support means that I have not panicked at the slightest thing and I know that I have someone with experience and who I trust to discuss any anxieties that I may have and therefore I have enjoyed those first precious few weeks of motherhood

 

  

Alison from Leeds, first time mum to Fergus, born June 2010

I was keen to hire a doula for a number of reasons: we were due to move from London to Leeds just a few weeks before our baby was due and the lack of continuity of care was making me anxious, especially as I had a medical condition that could cause complications; the negative experiences of a number of friends who had not been satisfied with the births of their children, and having read about the possible benefits - including reduced pain relief and less chance of needing a caesarian section.
 
My husband took a bit of convincing but an informal meeting with Rachel reassured him that she would be there to support him too, not to take his place during the birth, and he was impressed by her obvious knowledge and evidence-based information. We had a handful of further meetings with Rachel before the birth and found her to be easy to talk to, supportive, reassuring and full of common sense. She was particularly helpful when it came to various meetings with medical professionals and suggesting questions to ask and points to consider.
 
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts to turn him around, Fergus was breech when I went into labour and further complications meant that he was delivered by emergency caesarian under general anaesthetic. Due to the speed of events, Rachel was not at the birth, but provided a lot of support afterwards, particularly with breastfeeding, and even helping me to get out of the house with Fergus for the first time!
 
Although the birth was the opposite of the natural birth I had hoped for, with Rachel's help we were able to make informed choices along the way, and I am sure that I recovered emotionally from the birth far more quickly than I would have otherwise.
 
In short, we would not hesitate to recommend Rachel - she is wise beyond her years!"

 

Kim from Leeds, mum to Ollie 2 and Sasha born October 2010

We moved from London to Leeds when 6 months pregnant and were naturally concerned about child care for our toddler Ollie, when going into labour.  All our family and friends were in the south and may not have been able to get to us in time to help so a friend recommended that we hire a doula to help out.   We found Rachel.  The traditional role of a birth doula is not emergency child care however Rachel was happy to be flexible and support us in whichever way we wanted.  We used the normal antenatal sessions for Rachel to get to know Ollie so that he would feel happy with her whilst we were at the hospital.  During these sessions Rachel also provided me with invaluable information on birth choices.  It was thanks to this that I felt much more in control of my labour and able to express my wishes to the midwives which led to the natural birth that I had.  The labour and birth that I had with Ollie was very medical and ended up with a lot of assisance, so I was thrilled to have the experience of a totally natural birth.  Our beautiful daughted Sasha arrived as a perfect little bundle and Ollie loves his little sister.

Johana from Slovakia, Via Huddersfield, first time mum to Joshua born November 2010

 

Raquel from Spain, via Leeds, mum to Sophie 2 and Naomi born December 2010

Raquel and Adam came to the VBAC group just about a week before they were due to have their second child and booked Rachel as a doula the following week and after 2 very intense antenatal sessions had their second daughter shortly after.  Raquel had been worried about not progressing in teh first stages of labour as she was induced the first time.  There were no worries about this as she dilated and was pushing within about an hour and a half of her waters breaking, the issue however was she was still at home, and was booked for a hospital birth.  After an unplanned ambulance transfer the labour stalled and Raquel needed some help to deliver her baby, meaning she had a second section, but Adam and Rachel were there to support throughout the whole experience. 

Cath from Thurlstone, mum to Ivor 2 and Hamish born December 2010 

Things didn't quite go to plan as once again I was over 2 weeks overdue (according to them) and under pressure to have a caesarian.  Rachel supported me with my decisions throughout this period to help enable me to get the birth I wanted, directing me to further literature where appropriate and was never pushy.  I was told by the medics that my baby was estimated at over 11lbs (and could be a pound either way) and strongly advised to have a planned caesarian the next day (42 weeks +2).  They had considerably underestimated the weight of my first son (who was 9lb13) and I have to admit that the thought of a baby potentially over 12lbs was a bit scary and I was worrried that once again I would end up needing an emergency section and miss the birth.  A planned section would also mean that my partner could attend the birth as we could arrange childcare. It certainlywasn't the birth that I had planned but it was still absolutely amazing and wonderful to see my son being born with Neil at my side. 

Rachel had been with us prior to the section and was there to help me breastfeed straight after the birth.  I had breastfed my first son but was amazed by how much I had forgotten and how difficult it was to get positioning right on my own due to the surgery and the venflons sticking awkwardly from my wrists. 

Rachel came and visited me at home and was there to listen and to help with the chores that I just could never keep on top of from cleaning to the laundry.  She was fantastic and most importantly for me she helped again with breastfeeding tips.  I can't thank her enough for this because without her I would definitely not have managed.  I had mastitis, my nipples had torn in the first few days in hospital (which I am sure was due to bad latch due to the venflons), they had cracked and kept getting stuck to my the inside of my bra, it was excruciating!  I had breastfed before for 10 months and found it much harder than I had expected. 

Rachel was brilliant!! She gave some great tips and corrected my position which everyone else (includng myself) had thought was ok and gave me fantastic advice about managing mastitis.  I was amazed at how the smallest tweaks in position made the difference from me being in agony to me succeeding in continuing to breastfeed to this day (now 7 months down the line).  Rachel is a fantastic doula, she is patient, supportive, a wealth of information and a great friend.  I would highly recommend her and can't stress how endebted I am to her for all her help.  Many thanks, Cathx 

 

 

Claire from Leeds, first time mum to Kai born January 2011

When we met Rachel we were immediately put at ease and felt very relaxed having her there despite having never met before. Having Rachel as our doula made everything much less stressful. To have someone informed on our side felt really important as we were battling the NHS
who thought I was too sick and too fat to have the home waterbirth I wanted. We needed to hear another side to things and get some support.   

My partner felt a lot more relaxed about the birth knowing he wasn't my only birth partner. As it turns out my waters broke early and I ended up having a hospital birth. I laboured at home in relative comfort having signed ourselves out against medical advice. We wouldn't have had the knowledge or the courage to do that without Rachel and I'm pretty sure I would have given in to being induced if I had stayed in hospital.

I had an easy natural labour with only gas and air in the final stages and I am indebted to Rachel for this. Also, for her sitting in Jimmies canteen for easy info. and backup when I was told I could only have one person with me in the maternity assessment centre on the day my waters broke.

There were lots of benefits to having Rachel around after the birth that I hadn't really considered
beforehand. From getting our birth story, photos of the birth, friendly visits so we weren't suddenly alone after escaping from hospital, visits in hospital (where I was for 2 weeks post-natal), having someone who knows who to put you in contact with to get your needs met and just knowing that she would always be there at the end of the phone or email and that she would come if needed.

Lynsey from York, first time mum to Rory born March 2011

After been recomended that having a doula attend a birth can reduce the stress I searched for a local Doula on doula-uk. I found a few but Rachel's website hit the right note for me and we arranged to meet. From the moment Rachel entered the house I knew this was someone who I felt very comfortable with and after chatting we booked her for our birth - even though she suggested we meet other doulas we knew we had the right person for us.   Each ante natal session was very informative and our respect and liking of Rachel just deepened. Rachel gave us great support over the phone for my early stages of labour and hopped into her car in the early hours on a Saturday morning to join us for our journey into York hospital. All the way through labour it was great to have someone to turn to for additional support and to explain what the doctors choices meant to us. We believe that having advice from Rachel as to our choices meant we did not end up with a C section in pressurised circumstances.   After the birth Rachel helped me get started with breast feeding straight way which gave us a great start. Then when Rory was unfortunately taken back into hospital at 48 hours old Rachel again gave us advice on cup feeding Rory when all we had been given on the paediatric ward was formula in a bottle.   I can't put in words just how much it made a difference having someone with us who was able to see the bigger picture..........if you are thinking of booking a doula for your birth I can only say DO IT.

Kim from America, via Leeds, Mum to Anna 3 and Elizabeth born June 2011

I moved to this country when I was 33 weeks pregnant with my first daughter from the US. I had taken a class to prepare for the birth of my child and decided to have an epidural and a standard medical birth, which is typical of my country. We had a very good experience at Harrogate Hospital where I find the staff are fabulous. However, I experienced quite a bit of pain during labor prior to the epidural due to the fact that I pretty much just laid back on the bed the entire time. I had Gestational Diabetes with my first daughter and was going to be discussing induction the day I went into labor with her, I was very grateful that she decided to come when she did! I was numb on my left side and could not walk for an entire day after her birth. 

Three years later I decided to hire a doula when the subject of induction came up again due to another diagnosis of Gestational diabetes. I knew that if I was induced I would not be able to handle the pain by myself in early labor without an epidural and knew that I needed some additional support. I found Charlotte on the internet and was impressed with her still set of being both a yoga instructor as well as a massage therapist. We met when I was 36 weeks pregnant and based on the fact that I had gone into labor early with my first daughter she set up antenatal sessions very soon after we met her. They were great in helping me to release my anxiety and educate me about natural pain relief methods. The use of hypnobirthing and books from her library also helped allay many of my fears regarding pain and labor. Whenever I got anxious I would listen to hypnobirthing and feel very much relaxed during the weeks leading up to the birth of my baby. 

There were several surprises that happened along the way. The first was that my second daughter decided it was not time to be born until 40 +5 days! I was able to wait for her to come based on the confidence I found through working with Charlotte and reading the material she had given me. In the end I did end up having a stretch and sweep but I was not induced the way the doctors had recommended. Two hours after the procedure my contractions had become 5-6 minutes apart and were much stronger than Braxton hicks. Labor want much better as I had learned to move around and listen to my body. We went to the hospital early on in labor based on my wishes but we were able to create an amazing environment in the room and the staff allowed us to have our space. Charlotte helped ask questions any time decisions needed to be made. I was not hooked up to monitors when we decided to allow the doctor to break my water. I decided to have my water broken only because It was very early in the morning and I was very tired. I was still very anxious about having the procedure done but it turned out to be a very good decision as it helped to move things along.  During this time I also had a half dose of pethodine to help with my anxiety.  After my water was broke and the pethodine was administered my labor progressed very rapidly. However, my contractions remained at the same pace for the entire labor, they did not come one on top of the other as I had expected. I was only on the monitors for the last two hours of labor which the midwife said was very rare indeed. Charlotte had discussed monitoring with us and the fact that I would pretty much have to stay still from the use of the pethodine was helpful in making my decisions about monitoring. Charlotte was very helpful during labor in allowing my husband to get some rest and supporting me while he was gone. I found her skill in massage greatly helped relax me and her use of counter pressure was also very supportive.  The next big surprise came when my daughter was born. Her shoulders got stuck, which I knew was an increased risk due to my diagnosis but the hospital team was able to assist her by pressing slightly on my stomach to move her shoulder into the right place. She was born within two minutes after she got stuck. She was 10 lbs and 4 oz.! The other surprise was that pushing did not hurt as had previously with my first daughter. Mentally I was prepared and it was very rewarding. I am very proud of the fact that I gave birth to a 10 lb baby without the use of an epidural, forceps, or a ventuse! I honestly don’t think it would have been possible without the education and support of our doula! Thanks Charlotte!

 

 

Becky from Leeds, mum to Molly 9 and Imogen born June 2011

 

Heather from Oklahoma, via Harrogate, mum to Annika 3 and Pierce born July 2011 

When, I moved to this country in January I hadn't ever really heard of a Doula, even though they are popular in the States.  But, I knew that my husband and I would need somebody that could help us with a different health system and the extra support since family isn't here.  I found Rachel and we couldn't have been happier with our decision.  We hit it off right away and I knew this would be a great partnership, little did I know how much she would support my husband and I during the birth of our 2nd child.  I was induced and had an epidural with my 1st child and had a great experience.  This time around I wanted to avoid induction if possible and try and go med-free.  Well, I ended up having to be induced for medical reasons but did achieve a med-free birth with Rachel support and encouraging my husband and I through the whole process.  

My son's birth was a whirlwind of events.  Water broken at about 11:30am and Rachel encouraged us to go for a walk, (probably most exercise I got in the whole time I was pregnant).  I was able to walk more vs. having to have pitocin and had Rachel there the whole time supporting us and giving us wonderful information.  The biggest support from Rachel for my husband and I was her calming affect on us when I went from 5cm to my son being born in a short 40minutes.    I know I could have done it with just my husband but we both agreed that Rachel was a VALUABLE player in this birth.  She held my hand after he was born while my husband did skin to skin and then helped me get into a bath, which was heavenly at that point.  

We are so thankful that Rachel took us on as clients, especially being the last birth before she goes on to have her own child.  My husband and I can't speak highly enough of Rachel and her wonderful Doula wisdom!