I am a Doula UK recognised birth and postnatal doula, and a Relax and Breathe Birthing instructor. I give physical and emotional support to women who may choose to give birth at the birth centre or home, mostly focusing on the latter. The services I offer vary greatly according to the needs of the mother. Every birth is unique and therefore every woman's experience is also unique.

 

A doula believes in mothering the mother - enabling a woman to have the most satisfying and empowered time that she can during pregnancy, birth and the early days as a new mum. This type of support also helps the whole family to relax and enjoy the experience. Therefore, as a doula, I am there not only for the mothers, but also for the rest of the family. I can encourage partners and/or other members of the family to participate in the labour and birth at a level they feel comfortable with.  This may range from a father who massaged her partner’s back throughout the labour and then caught the baby, to one who preferred to go back and forth between older siblings and the mum during a home birth. As the responsibility of ensuring the women's well-being during labour is shared with me, family members can take a break or focus on their other loved ones, offering support at their own pace.

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I have a multicultural family with three children (Turkish-Russian), and have lived in Turkey, England, Latvia and Finland, before settling down in Scotland in 2003. Therefore, I am particularly aware of the needs of international mothers who give birth in a new country, often without the support network in the absence of family nearby.