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.
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