According to research, women receiving care and from female birth support or ‘doulas’ benefit by experiencing shorter labours and lower rates of epidural anaesthesia and caesarean section deliveries.
Over a five week, 24 hour on-call period between weeks 37 and 42 of your pregnancy, I will be available to give support to you and your partner both at home and in hospital. By using massage, reflexology and breathing techniques I will help to reduce stress and anxiety and control labour pains by encouraging the release of endorphins, your body’s natural pain-killers, in a calm environment.
As your birth support partner, I will provide continuous emotional and physical support and encouragement throughout your labour. I will also give guidance as to when it is necessary to go to hospital, thus avoiding being sent home due to going to the maternity unit too early in labour.
When working as a midwife, I may be unable to attend for eight days or nights of the five week period. Should birth support be required, I can arrange cover by other birth support professionals.
Although I am a qualified midwife, I can only offer birth support and not a midwifery service.
Discounts are available for those booking regular reflexology treatments. For further details and prices, please contact me by phone or email.
Further reading:
http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab003766.html
http://doula.org.uk/FAQs/whatresearch.php
http://www.familiesonline.co.uk/article/articleview/2039/1/52
http://www.birthchoiceuk.com/BirthChoiceUKFrame.htm?http://www.birthchoiceuk.com/SupportResearch.htm