What is the Birth Hub? Why am I offering an online doula service? Who am I?
What?
- A community hub, information and support for expectant and new parents, whether this is your first child or your fifth!
- An online doula service offering support via email, phone, instant messaging, skype.
(Unsure what a doula is? Read about doulas here)
Why?
As the benefits of doula support become better known, I am finding that more and more women just can’t find a doula to work with. Despite an ever increasing number of doulas, there are many women unable to access this kind of support.
This might be purely for geographical reasons – no doulas in their area. It might because by the time they realise they want a doula, all the local doulas are booked up. It may also be because they can’t afford a doula. Whilst there is a Hardship Fund kept by Doula UK many families not on state benefits may still find paying for a doula an impossible task.
I’ve found that increasingly women are asking for my ‘virtual’ support by phone, email and Facebook. I love doing this but there is only so much time I can give when my family, my paying clients and the doulas I mentor need my attention.
Hence the idea for this website. Perhaps I could offer online and phone support to women who can’t find or afford full, face to face doula support. Whilst I wouldn’t be able to support in person at a birth or postnatally, I could still offer emotional support, point parents to sources of infomation so they can research their options and help by offering a shoulder, a sounding board and practical suggestions.
So, after a long labour and birth, here is The Birth Hub. I hope that if you need a ‘well-informed friend’, a teensy bit of ‘mothering’, or someone objective to bounce things off that I can provide a helping hand along your journey. You need spend no more than you can afford and have access to a doula at a time that suits you.
Who?
At the moment, this is just me, Maddie McMahon but if I need some help, I’ll be inviting doulas I love and trust to help here.
About Maddie
I’m mother to 2 wonderful young people (born 2000 and 2003)and stepmum to one wonderful, all-grown-up person. I’m a birth and postnatal doula, doula course leader and breastfeeding counsellor. I can’t think of anything more important than the way we give birth and nurture our children.I’m not a perfect Mum, but I’m Good Enough and have learnt that laughter and a laid back attitude usually oil the wheels of family life!
Experience
I have supported both first time mothers and those having subsequent children. My clients have opted for both hospital and homebirths. Some have chosen to have vaginal births after caesareans. I have supported women having caesareans, and been present in theatre and have supported many women labouring and birthing in water, both at home and in hospital.
I have also worked as a postnatal doula for dozens of families, both short and long-term. I love nurturing a family through the transition to parenthood, watching their confidence grow as they work out how they’d like to parent.
I am a recognised doula with Doula UK.
I am a registered Breastfeeding Counsellor with the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers
Preparation to become a doula
- Doula Course with Paramana Doula in December 2003. With Liliana Lammers and Michel Odent
- On going training with Doula UK ie regular Study Days/weekends
- I run Developing Doulas a successful Doula Preparation Course and enjoy guiding women through their first steps to becoming a doula
- I am an Assessor Mentor for Doula UK
- I sit on my local Maternity Services Liaison Committee
So what?
This is all very well but does that mean I can help you? Or that I really know what I’m talking about? Why not see what some of my other clients have said (I’ll be adding more here soon) and why not check out my Developing Doulas Facebook page.
Or just get in touch for a chat – by email, phone or carrier pigeon, if you want.