Birth Doula Package

What you may want from a Doula, might not necessarily fit a ‘package’, but as a starting point, the package listed below is the one I routinely offer. Over 8 years of working with families has given me a good idea of what ticks most boxes for most people – but birth and people are of course beautifully individual!

I support families in Somerset and parts of Wiltshire, covering Frome Birth centre and both Bath and Yeovil Hospitals, and of course births at home anywhere in those areas.

I only work with one family at a time for births, blocking out my on call period to ensure there are no overlaps with other families. This is to ensure my availability to you as much as anything can ever be guaranteed in life! Obviously packages can be tweaked to suit you, please just get in touch if you would like to talk about the various options.

Initial Meeting

This is free and you are under no obligation. It is a chance for us to meet and talk about you and your experiences, and what you are hoping for from a Doula.  For you to gauge whether you think you would be comfortable working with me, and for me to explain a bit about what I do. It is then up to you to decide whether you would like to employ me. Once you have made that decision, and confirmed this with me, I will book you in, and ensure that I don’t take any other clients with similar Estimated Due Dates. To ensure continuity of care and that I can prioritise you and your family, I always work to ensure there are no overlapping client dates.

4 Antenatal meetings

These are opportunities for us to get together (with or without any partner/birth partner/friends or family you may also want with you at the birth) and discuss your pregnancy so far as well as your preferences for birth. We could also debrief any previous pregnancy and birth experience you may have had. These are useful exercises to ascertain what worked well for you, and what is important to you to change. If you would like company, or support at midwife/consultant appointments, I’m also happy to attend these where possible. During these meetings we may also cover;

*Physiology of birth and the different stages of labour – how they might look and what we might expect.

*We may chat a bit about the biomechanics of birth, the role this can play in optimal positioning for baby and how you can work with your body to understand and facilitate this.

*We can work together to create a comprehensive Birth Intentions/preferences document that details your preferences for your labour and birth. I usually then type this up and email copies over to you as well as keeping one on me, so that we can ensure you choices can be communicated to the people supporting your birth.

*We can also discuss your feeding preferences, talk a little about what your thoughts are and the best evidence based practice. I am a trained breastfeeding peer supporter but I work with families to support the feeding path that is right for them. This means that although I have extensive breastfeeding experience, I am also very happy to support mixed and formula feeding.

*We can schedule a 40 week celebration check in. Too often in modern day pregnancy the focus is on unhelpful due dates (I’ve always preferred the notion of a due month!) so instead, I like to arrange to see you for a very casual coffee and cake. Sometimes pressure starts to build towards the end of a pregnancy and you need a little extra support, and this can be particularly useful then.

If there are any particular issues you are concerned about, I would help signpost you to relevant information. I have a collection of useful books and evidence based links to save you searching! These meetings are relaxed and informal – and there is nearly always food involved! It is a time for us to develop our relationship so that you feel fully supported and confident about your birth.  I am always contactable via phone or email alongside this. And although I am not an official birth photographer, I am always happy to document your labour and birth if that feels appropriate and is something you would like. 

On call and support at the birth

I will go ‘on call’ for you from 37 weeks until baby is born. This may mean I’m on call for up to 6 weeks, and that is absolutely fine. If your baby were to arrive early, I would still make every possible effort to be with you. Being on call means that I don’t travel more than an hour from either my home or your intended birth place, so that I can get to you quickly and easily. It means I have childcare plans in place for my own children, a car full of fuel and change for any necessary parking! I have a birth bag that I carry with me, that includes various items I have found useful to have throughout a labour. I have my phone on 24/7 and am contactable any time of day or night. If I am anywhere where my phone signal may be patchy, I will always give you an alternative number to contact me on.

Once you are in labour, and decide you would like me to be with you, I stay with you until baby is born. I don’t usually leave you until you are settled and comfortable, have preferably eaten and had a cup of tea, and baby has had the first feed.

2 Postnatal  meetings

The first postnatal visit is usually within the first few days after birth – so that we have the opportunity to quickly work through any issues that may arise around feeding and for you to talk through your experiences.  I am happy to support feeding – however you choose to do it. I am also happy to spend time at the family home – helping out where needed. It may be that you would like to have half an hour to walk outside, in which case, I’m more than happy to care for your baby. We would check that you are able to rest and recover, and discuss any concerns you may have. These usually last a few hours and I will be led by you and what your needs are in that moment.

We would then arrange another meeting, to ensure that you were happy with the level of support you were receiving. Again, I am happy to work with you to help out where YOU feel it would be most beneficial. These visits also usually include nourishing food…!

Further Support

It is then up to you whether you would still like support from me in a Postnatal Doula role. I remain contactable if you have any queries or concerns further down the line, but generally I step back after a few postnatal meetings, and leave you to grow and explore parenthood and enjoy your new baby.

Package Fee

The fee for this package is £1600, with a £600 deposit payable at the beginning (once you confirm and book me) and the remainder to be paid before 37 weeks (this is primarily so that you don’t have to worry about anything else just before/just after giving birth!) I am very happy to agree payment plans if requested – please just ask.

If finances are a barrier to you receiving the support you would like, please get in touch, I am always open to finding ways to ensure we can still work together.