"Doula" (pronounced "doola") is a Greek word meaning "woman servant or caregiver".

In today’s terms, a doula is an experienced woman who offers emotional and practical support to a woman, couples and families before, during and after childbirth.

A doula believes in “mothering the mother” (and looking after the father too!) enabling a woman to have the most satisfying and empowering pregnancy, birth and to continue this feeling into the early days as a new mum. This type of support also helps the whole family to relax and enjoy the experience.

About Sweet Doula Baby

Doulas aim to maintain a calm and soothing energy in the birthing mother's environment enabling her to labour in peace and in sync with her natural rhythm. When women are looked after in birth by someone they feel comfortable with, who knows them and respects their wishes, they feel safe and birth more quickly and easily. Tamily believes that with the right antenatal preparation that women are freed from the fear of labour and birthing; that they learn to trust in their bodies to guide them and in their birth partners to look after them. In this frame of mind, women birth better. Antenatal visits prior to labour will help prepare and reassure women, partners and families alike that they are equipped with the necessary means to birth their child safely and calmly.

Research has demonstrated that women require less medical intervention, a reduced labour time and suffer fewer consequences both physically and emotionally when they are supported through labour and childbirth whether that support comes from their partner, a doula or both.

Sweet Doula Baby aims to provide this support and care whether you choose to birth at hospital or in your own home, making sure that women feel secure and precious. A doula will allow the woman to labour, in the most part, undisturbed. Tamily will encourage the mother to move as she likes, to walk, sway, rock, kiss or bathe through labour, to let go and become one with their baby and their body.

Postnatally, I can be available for as many hours, over as many weeks as suits you and your family to support you emotionally, spiritually and practically as you feel you need. The first few weeks with a new baby is a wonderful whirlwind of unexpected challenges and emotions. A postnatal doula can help everyone in the family adjust as you need. A father can return to work knowing that his partner is being cared for, older siblings can be included and helped to adjust to the new arrival, and of course mum has the knowledge that she has hands on support in pretty much any way she needs during those first few weeks or months.