Well, firstly, I am a complete cheerleader for women (I’d like to pretend I’m something cooler and more kick-ass than that but really I’m too peppy to be called anything else). I fully get behind and fiercely support mamas to feel their decisions, feelings and route through pregnancy, labour and beyond is okay. I am there for you every step of the way whether you want an all natural, no pain-relief, candlelit water birth with thirty naked chanting women around you or a c-section in a hospital and every piece of medication you can get. I don’t judge, I don’t worry, I don’t try to change your mind.

I want to bring joy and honesty to your pregnancy! There’s so much pressure to be doing and feeling and saying the right (and often very wholesome) things about your pregnancy: ‘oh it’s fine, I’ve been really lucky’ when really your feet no longer fit in your shoes and you were stuck crying in the toilets at work because your bump burst the button off your trousers. I let you be real and honest and straightforward about all those things about pregnancy that you may not want to tell everyone else. I promise I will always laugh with you, commiserate with you and listen to you with my heart wide open.

I support birth partners. Doulas and partners should never ‘compete’ to help during a birth. Birth partners play a vitally important role during a birth but, when you actually really think about it, it can be a seriously daunting task: ‘Hello, please help your deeply breathing, crooning, roaring partner whilst she births a small human and make sure you instinctively know what to do at all moments.’ It can be a big ask and a lot of pressure. Some partners are naturally absolutely phenomenal but others need some support too. Whether it’s so they can take a nap or go get some food during a long labour or just need someone there who knows that it’s all going normally, that’s what I’m there for. Doulas never replace a partner, we are there to help everyone to do what they need to do to bring that tiny baby into the world.