Pregnant or recently had a baby in Leeds and looking for a Doula?
I can support you at whatever stage you are at in your parenting journey. If you are currently pregnant and wanting birth preparation support, birth Doula support during labour or if you are wanting postnatal Doula support, you are in the right place. As a local Doula in Leeds, I am very familiar with the Leeds maternity system. I had both of my 2 children at St James's University Hospital (SJUH) and I am also the Co-Chair for Leeds Maternity Voices Partnership. I work closely with the maternity team at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) and St James's University Hospital (SJUH) and I have supported many clients during their antenatal period and clients who hire me as their birth doula and using Leeds maternity services. ​
I am FEDANT registered, a member of Doula UK and 5 star rated by my clients. I am a fully qualified Hypnobirthing Teacher, trained in biomechanics for birth, aromatherapy for birth and an experienced and recognised birth and postnatal Doula through Doula UK.
Registration Number: 13852
Birth Preparation, Birth Doula & Postnatal Doula Support in Leeds
Whether you are looking for antenatal support, birth doula support or postnatal support in Leeds or the Yorkshire area, I can assist you. I can make you and your partner feel excited about your birth, prepared and informed. I will show you that you do have choices in your birth plan and you can be confident and in control. This will enable you to have a positive birth experience, however that might look. I can help you to plan and prepare for birth, help you to be able to make informed decisions, understand different coping techniques when you are in labour. Explain the benefits and risks of each pain relief option, teach you hypnobirthing techniques, to make you feel calm, confident and in control during labour.
I can help you to understand the labour and birth process, be by your side when you are in labour, helping to keep you and your partner to feel calm. I am trained in biomechanics for birth, so I can assist you with good positions for birth, during pregnancy and labour, helping to make labour shorter and feel more comfortable. I can advocate for you if you want me to, support you emotionally and physically during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. As a certified aromatherapist for childbirth, I can safely use or show you and your partner how to use aromatherapy during your birth should you want to. Aromatherapy has many benefits during birth, which can help promote calmness, relaxation and may help to alleviate pain.
I can visit you at your home during the postnatal period and offer you any feeding support that you might need, whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding. I can listen to your birth story or any concerns or worries that you might have. I can help you to keep on top of the everyday chores, from doing the laundry, cooking, light housework etc. I can hold your baby whilst you take a nap, have a rest or a relaxing bath.
"Having a doula helped us better prepare for labour by prompting us to consider things we hadn't previously thought about, and the additional resources/info provided were really valuable. Also, my husband was able to relax a little, knowing he didn't need to have intimate knowledge about birth and labour, when we had the support of a doula - he could then focus on providing emotional support to me during birth and didn't need to worry about coaching me through decision making or advocating for my needs."
Sara- Leeds Mummy
Maternity Care in Leeds
You may have seen recent reports in the media about Leeds maternity services, how they are under investigation and have been downgraded to inadequate. This will have no doubt made you feel quite scared and anxious about receiving care from Leeds maternity services. Having a baby can be an anxious time anyway, but then learning that your local maternity system in Leeds isn't as safe as it should be, this will have undoubtedly increased your anxiety levels.
Do not feel that you need to navigate your pregnancy by yourself though. By having a doula to support you through pregnancy, labour and birth, can really help you to feel more confident, in control and supported. That continuity of care from a professional who "gets it", can really help you and your partner to feel more comfortable and less anxious. With my support, we can assess your unique circumstances together and you can make informed decisions that are based on real evidence and not a one size fits all policy. I will give you the tools that you need to go into your birth feeling prepared, confident and in control.
I have supported lots of new and expectant parents in Leeds and the surrounding area of Yorkshire. Here is what two Leeds parent's had to say about my Doula support...
"Amazing birth experience thanks to Julia. We hired Julia to help with the birth of our second daughter and could not recommend her highly enough. I had a lot of trauma from the birth of my eldest, but Julia really helped me with this and equipped us both with the confidence to have a positive second experience. She is kind, thoughtful and incredibly knowledgeable. She was there as a sounding board for some difficult decisions around induction and supported me to make decisions that were right for me in the lead up to the big day. At the birth itself she was motivating and encouraging. She felt like a really positive presence in the room and worked collaboratively with the midwives. I felt like she really had my back and felt truly held and supported. Thank you thank you thank you".
Gillian, Leeds Mummy
"Julia was absolutely fantastic throughout our Birth experience. We were incredibly lucky to have a homebirth and Julia was instrumental in supporting both me and my wife through the entire process. Having her at home during labour enabled me to take breaks and take the pressure off me as the birth partner. We also took her hypnobirthing course that really helped us understand what was to come and was invaluable for the two of us to do together. Highly recommended, don't hesitate to use her services."
Django, Leeds Daddy
Doula Support Across Leeds, Helping You To Enjoy Your Pregnancy, Birth & Parenting Experience
In today's current world, the maternity system can be an anxious place to try and navigate. Not having that continuity of care, seeing a different midwife at each appointment and repeating your story to somebody new every time, can be triggering, draining and frustrating. You might be upset after you've been told that you "can't have" X, Y and Z or that you "must do" this or that. You might feel that you are just a number and that you have no choices. However, there is always another way and sometimes the hospital's policy on what they want you to do, isn't always the best way for you. Everyone is different and you want evidenced based information that will help you to make informed decisions that are right for you and your baby. Induction rates and caesarean section rates are the highest they have ever been and this is not right. Physiology has not changed so much that the majority of women can no longer give birth as nature intended. The human body is not broken. However, the maternity system is! But this does not mean that you need to join the crowd and innocently be swept up into the system too. You have a voice and a choice and this is where my support comes in.
Become informed about your maternity care and do what is right for you and your baby
Medical professionals are not always right and they have to follow hospital policies, whether they agree with them or not. Induction of labour comes with risks, caesarean sections come with risks. Vaginal examinations come with risks and CTG monitoring does not always save your baby. What is important though, is doing what is right for the individual and for some people, their baby does need to be born quickly via caesarean section because the risks of having a vaginal birth or waiting longer could be catastrophic. However, these interventions are not necessary for the 75% of UK people who are using maternity services. Discover the current maternity statistics in Yorkshire over on my blog - Where to give birth in Yorkshire. Discover the current rate of inductions, caesarean sections and forceps deliveries in our local Yorkshire hospitals.