Doula Support in Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Antenatal, Birth and Postnatal Doula Support in Wakefield
Do you live near Wakefield and currently pregnant or recently had a baby?
I live in South Leeds, near Wakefield and I love what the local area has to offer. You can often find me enjoying a cuppa tea and a yummy cake at Tingley Garden Centre or Tong Garden Centre. My children love to run off some energy at Grasshoppers soft play, in Tingley or Tong and I take the opportunity to sit down for an hour and catch up with friends.
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If you find yourself currently pregnant and you're wanting to prepare for your birth, my 5* rated antenatal classes or Hypnobirthing courses can absolutely help you with that. Maybe you'd like some support during your labour and birth, then my birth Doula support package would be perfect for you.​ Alternatively, you might have recently had your baby and you're looking for some postnatal doula support within the Wakefield area? Wanting someone who can come to your house and offer you emotional or physical support? Help you with that overwhelming feeling of becoming a parent? If this sounds like you, then you are in the right place!
I can support you at whatever stage you are at in your pregnancy or parenting journey. As a local doula and hypnobirthing teacher in Wakefield, I am very familiar with the local maternity system. I had both of my 2 children in Leeds and I am also the Co-Chair for Leeds Maternity Voices Partnership. I work closely with the maternity team at LGI and SJUH and I have supported many doula clients, who are using Wakefield maternity services too.
Where to give birth in Wakefield?
If you are currently pregnant and wanting to give birth in the Wakefield area, but not quite sure where to start, then let me help you! There are a number of choices available to you and it's really important that you make the right decision for you.
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If you live in the Wakefield area, then you are probably booked with the Mid Yorkshire hospital trust. Mid Yorkshire maternity supports home births, hospital births and births in a birth centre. If you are wanting a hospital birth with the care of obstetricians and midwives or considering the option of being able to have an epidural during labour, then Pinderfields Hospital is an ideal place. If you would like to have your baby at home, then you can be supported by the brilliant home birth midwives. Alternatively, if you don't like the idea of giving birth at home, but would like a less clinical birth place, you could opt for the birth centre. Mid Yorkshire have 2 birth centres. One is situated at the end of the corridor at Pinderfields hospital and if you needed any care from doctors during your labour or you decided that you'd like an epidural during labour, you can easily be transferred to the labour ward via a set of double doors. The second birth centre that Mid Yorkshire offers, is the free standing birth centre at Dewsbury, called the Bronte Centre.
What is the Bronte Birth Centre at Mid Yorkshire?
The Bronte Birth Centre is situated at Dewsbury hospital, but the only maternity care that is provided in Dewsbury, is by midwives at the Bronte Centre. The doctors who work at Dewsbury hospital do not provide maternity care. This changed in 2016, with all doctors and obstetricians from Mid Yorkshire Trust only supporting births at Pinderfields hospital.​
The Bronte Centre is a gorgeous building that provides 2 birthing rooms with a birth pool and private en-suite and 2 private birthing rooms without a pool, but with a pull down double bed and private en-suite facilities. The birth centre is incredibly quiet and peaceful, with many people describing it just like a spa. It does not have the clinical feel like a hospital does and you have your own midwife caring for just you. It has the perfect environment to get those all important birth hormones flowing and it has it's own parking space right at the entrance too.
Can anyone use the Bronte Birth Centre?
Birth centres are often only advised for women who are having low risk pregnancies. However, it is your choice where you give birth and if you are considered high risk and you make an informed decision about birthing your baby at the Bronte Birth Centre, then that is your choice. The midwives are highly trained in recognising potential risks for Mum or baby during labour and will quickly arrange for a transfer to hospital, with plenty of time, should they be concerned about anything. The Bronte Centre only reopened in April 2024 and since then they have had very few emergencies and only 1% of women experienced a haemorrhage. The risks are statistically much lower for women giving birth in a birth centre than a hospital and the need for intervention is much less likely. To date, there have been 0% of women giving birth at the Bronte Centre, who needed to have an episiotomy since it reopened.
If you are considering the Bronte Birth centre for your place of birth or if you are considered high risk and you'd like to give birth at the Bronte Centre, speak to your community midwife or arrange a chat with the Bronte Midwives themselves. You can give them a call and ask if you can arrange a tour of the birth centre and have any of your questions answered too. You can contact the Bronte Centre midwives on 01924 319152. Even if you are not booked under Mid Yorkshire Trust, you can still give birth at the Bronte Centre or Pinderfields if you wish. You will still receive care during pregnancy and post birth, from your community midwife at the trust that you are currently booked with e.g. Leeds Trust, Bradford Trust, Calderdale etc and you will just need to complete a few forms to transfer your birth place over to Mid Yorkshire.
What can a Doula do?
Whether you are looking for antenatal support during pregnancy, birth doula support or postnatal support in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, 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 increase your odds of having 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 easy 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 feel calm. I can advocate for you if you want me to, support you emotionally and physically during your pregnancy, birth and postpartum. 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.
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I live between South Leeds and Wakefield, so I am within a very short distance from lots of Yorkshire towns. My local maternity unit is equal distance to Pinderfields hospital and also the Bronte Birth Centre, in Dewsbury. I can be at either location in around 15 minutes, (depending on traffic). I am very familiar with Pinderfields hospital, having supported my doula clients there.
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As a doula, I have supported lots of new and expectant parents in Wakefield and the surrounding area. Here is what two of them have to say....
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"Julia offered in depth information and support and was calm and comforting. She was a great source of support to myself and my husband during pregnancy and birth. Julia has buckets of emotional intelligence and is an extremely kind person." - Nikki
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"I would recommend Julia to any of my friends or family, as I believe the birth experience is completely different with a Doula by your side, guiding you through step by step. The care that you receive in the NHS is not all-round care or resourceful enough to cater for women's whole birth experience and emotional well-being." - Emily
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"Julia very subtly empowered us through the whole process and this led to a great birth experience, that I will always look back on with positivity." - Emily
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If you would like to have a free 30 minute online consultation to find out more about my doula services and discover how I can help you to have a positive birth and parenting experience, please contact me.