Doulas Supporting Families With: A Diagnosis of Down Syndrome
Nurturing Birth | Doula News
by Emma Ashworth
2y ago
By Sarah Ojar When a family discovers that their baby has, or may have Down syndrome, it can be news that many people struggle to immediately accept. There is often so much negativity surrounding a diagnosis of Down syndrome during pregnancy that there is often an expectation from family, professionals and wider society that the pregnancy should be terminated. There has historically been a stigma and fear around raising a disabled child and, tragically, for years people with Down syndrome have been shunned, excluded and segregated. The current statistics in the UK are that 90% of women who fi ..read more
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Cally Edwards: Training to be a doula
Nurturing Birth | Doula News
by Emma Ashworth
2y ago
By Cally Edwards I work both as a birth doula and a postnatal doula, but I tend to get more enquiries about birth doulaing. My work before training as a doula had nothing to do with birth at all! I have worked in public and private art galleries since I’d completed my Masters in Museology (Museum Studies).  I’ve worked at Denver Art Museum, Norwich Castle Museum, Hampton Court, Tower of London, The Tate Gallery helping to fundraise for Tate Modern and Tate Britain and then I worked in London’s Cork Street running two private art galleries. Then, at my NCT course 19 years ago, my NCT teac ..read more
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Doulas Supporting Families With: Twins and Multiples
Nurturing Birth | Doula News
by Emma Ashworth
2y ago
By Sarah Hawkins Around one in every 250 pregnancies are twin pregnancies, so it’s quite possible that you’ll be asked to support a family who are pregnant with two babies – or more! As a doula supporting families pregnant with twins and multiples, what are some helpful things to know about? Sarah Hawkins, twin mum and doula, shares her top ten useful things for doulas to know about twins and more! There are different types of twin pregnancy. Some multiples are called ‘monozygotic’, which means that they were one zygote that has split into two (or more). These twins and multiples are what we ..read more
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Nurturing Birth Book Review: Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage
Nurturing Birth | Doula News
by Emma Ashworth
2y ago
Book review by Emma Ashworth “Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage”, by Dr Rachel Reed, is available from her website (rachelreed.website) as a ebook for £6.49, an audio book for £7.99 or from various bookstores as a printed book for £10.99 (prices may vary by outlet). “Rites of passage are words and actions that mirror and support the woman’s transformative process.” Not since reading the classic (and for me, life changing) book, “Midwives and Medical Men” by Jean Donnison have I felt so moved and inspired by a birth book. And I’ve read some really good birth books over the years. “Rec ..read more
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Train as a doula – Frequently Asked Questions!
Nurturing Birth | Doula News
by Emma Ashworth
2y ago
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about doula training, with some helpful answers! How can I juggle becoming/being a doula with a young family? How do other doulas with children manage their commitments? Firstly, remember that what you choose to offer as a doula is entirely up to you, and can adapt according to your commitments. For instance, you can just provide antenatal support or postnatal support, which is a bit easier to plan than if you also attend births. Antenatal support can be planned around your schedule, if you have childcare needs or other commitments, such as ..read more
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Nurturing Birth Book Review: Supporting Breastfeeding Past the First Six Months and Beyond
Nurturing Birth | Doula News
by Emma Ashworth
2y ago
Book review by Lesley-Sheena Robbins “Supporting Breastfeeding Past the First Six Months and Beyond”, by Emma Pickett, is available from Jessica Kingsley Publishers for £24.99 In her book, Emma Pickett skilfully evokes honest reflection and knowledge into the personal journey of natural term breastfeeding. She aptly relates evidence-based sources and draws upon stories from breastfeeding families and healthcare professionals  from across the UK to facilitate a 4-dimensional view on breastfeeding beyond the early months.      There are many misconceptions around breast ..read more
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Doulas Supporting Families with: Formula Feeding and Mixed Feeding
Nurturing Birth | Doula News
by Emma Ashworth
2y ago
By Shel Banks and Emma Ashworth Doulas who are supporting families postnatally will frequently work with women and birthing people who have made the decision to feed their baby formula, or to mix feed (part formula, part breastmilk). The decision to formula feed or mix feed can be a very positive one for some families. For others it may not be what they wanted, and for some it can be devastating. You, the doula, can make a huge difference to each family by listening to them, hearing their feelings and reflecting them without judgement, and if they wish it, by signposting them to support and i ..read more
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Sam Sheppard: Why I trained to be a doula
Nurturing Birth | Doula News
by Emma Ashworth
2y ago
Sam Sheppard is a doula based in Chelmsford, Essex, and is known as The Unapologetic Doula ? This is the story of why she decided to train to be a doula. I’m primarily a birth doula, but I also do postnatal work from time to time. I think, actually I know, that I tend to limit how much postnatal work I do because I hold emotional energy pretty deeply, and work hard at processing it all. Being with a family for an intense period of time, as is typical with postnatal work, takes a lot out of me, so birth work I can moderate a little more clearly. I know that I need to protect my space. Does tha ..read more
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The importance of physiological birth
Nurturing Birth | Doula News
by Emma Ashworth
2y ago
By Sophie Brigstocke My father, who became a farmer in his retirement, has a beautiful herd of Ruby Red Devon Cattle and there is something so special about being around them.   Several years ago, when the herd was managed by someone else, I witnessed one of the first-time heifers calving.  She was out in her field, surrounded by her cow friends and her labour started calmly and beautifully.  My daughter and I sat and watched as it unfolded, her contractions coming increasingly regularly.  Suddenly, the herdsman arrived on a quad bike, decided that she wasn ..read more
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Nurturing Birth Book Review: Nurturing the family, a doula’s guide to supporting new parents
Nurturing Birth | Doula News
by Emma Ashworth
2y ago
Book review by Lynsey Montgomery Nurturing the Family, a Doula’s Guide to Supporting New Parents by Jacqueline Kelleher is available from Praeclarus Press in the US, or local bookstores/Amazon in your own country. When I first saw “Nurturing the family, a doula’s guide to supporting new parents” on offer for review I just knew this is exactly what I had been looking for in a book to hopefully help me gain a better understanding of how to support parents postnatally. This book is like a mini mentor – I say ‘mini’ mentor because really there is no substitute for actual mentoring whether virtual ..read more
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