The Dependable Doula

06/06/2023

I haven’t posted for a very long time .
I am almost positive I wont be returning to the doula world .
However I had to post today.
It is international Homebirth Day !
I have had the absolute pleasure off attending many gorgeous homebirths, but on this day 8 years ago at around this time we welcomed this little beauty into the world .
Happy Birthday to the crazy , beautiful Tillie ❤️❤️❤️

26/11/2021

It is with so much sadness I’m writing this post , I’ve put it off over and over again in the hope I didn’t have to write it.
Back in January I caught covid , in all honesty it was what I considered to be a really mild infection. Wiped me out for a few days but really thought is that it .
A couple of weeks later something hit my like a ton of bricks . I was absolutely exhausted, it felt like my body and brain weren’t connected . I had to really concentrate to walk and talk , the smallest of tasks wore me out .
After a barrage of tests and lots of prodding and poking, the health care professionals decided it was long covid. No one knew what to do with me.
I tried to do things each day, somedays I could walk around the park somedays I couldn’t. I spent days in bed just sleeping.
I had to rest when I needed to and my pace of life changed dramatically.
By April/ May time I saw some improvement and I thought I was over the worst of it . I started to do a little more, I had odd days where I crashed but I was getting a lot more good days .
Fast forward to July and I had a major relapse , pretty much bed bound for around 8 weeks . I was in constant pain and so exhausted all the time . I haven’t improved much since , I am as bad if not worse than I was in the beginning.
I have some pretty debilitating symptoms that have turned my life upside down.
So this is the reason I have been so inactive on this page . I haven’t been able to do any Doula work for over a year and sadly I wont be working for the foreseeable future.
I miss it so much , I miss supporting new and old families, I miss welcoming new babies into this world.
I’m very lucky I’m not missing new baby cuddles because a few weeks ago I was blessed with a new grandson, baby Eli.
So I apologies to those that have had very short replies to any Pm’s.
We are lucky to have some fab doulas locally and I always pass any messages on to them .
I keep saying to myself this is Long Covid not forever covid!
So one day somewhere in the future I will be able to doula again.
In the meantime please contact
Angie or Kim our two lovely local doulas .
Much love to you all
Sarah ###

Much love
Sarah ###

04/02/2021

It’s back x

Please be aware that to be eligible for a home birth you will need to be completely asymptomatic for COVID-19, including any family living with you.

30/11/2020

So had a busy few days putting my house on the market ,
Send me good selling vibes x

12/11/2020

Can anyone help xx

Desperately seeking some of you to give us your opinion on what the University of Hull Midwifery curriculum should look like.
Basically this just means a conversation on what you think is important and what skills, knowledge and characteristics a student midwife should come out of their training with.
Basically think of how you want your midwives to be and tell us.
If you can take part we would be so grateful - this is planned via zoom for approx 30 minute chat on 25th Nov at 11am.
Please let me know and send me your email - i will then send you code to join on the day.
Your opinion really matters 🤰❤

08/11/2020

This beautiful boy is 7 😍
My first doula home birth my second grandchild .
7 years has gone so fast ###

01/11/2020

All packed and ready for again today ,baking like a loon last night .
There over a kilo of chocolate in this little lot 😂😍 xx

31/10/2020

I’m caking today at my very first pop up xx

Pop up at today from 10am

27/10/2020

Wow ###
https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/grimsby-news/grimsby-surrogate-mum-30-becomes-4634212

She has three children of her own, had a surrogate birth for the first time last year and has now delivered triplets

21/10/2020

14/10/2020

❤️

Meet Toni..
Toni is our bereavement midwife who works across the trust. Toni started her Midwifery training in Hull in 2003 and joined us at NLaG in 2013. Toni worked in all area's in our maternity services before starting her dream role as a specialist Bereavement Midwife in July 2019.

Toni's role involves providing regular training and being a continuous support for our maternity staff to ensure bereavement care we provide for famillies, is exceptional. Toni provides bereavement support to women and their famillies throughout their personal journey. Toni facilitates a rainbow clinic for women and their famillies who journey into another pregnancy following a loss. We know rainbow pregnancies are usually full of anxiety and worry until they have their rainbow baby in their arms.

Toni says:
"I love my job and I feel priviledged to help famillies during such an incredibly difficult journey. As a bereavement midwife I aspire to provide women and their famillies with exceptional bereavement care and be a source of support throughout their journey. I love to provide women and famillies with opportunities to make memories with their babys as I know we only get a short time for memory making. The care women receive following the loss of their baby will remain in their memories for the rest of their lives so it is important it is done right. I am honoured to have the opportunity to hold these precious angels and ensure their birth will not be forgotten."

"Baby Loss Awareness week is such an important week as it helps to break the taboo around baby loss. The Wave of Light on October 15th is an especially important moment for famillies to remember their precious babys life"

Join us in the digital at 7pm tomorrow. x

03/10/2020

A week ago today I attended my first birth in nearly a year . It’s the longest time I’ve not been on call forever.
But wow what a return .
Mum was a true birth warrior !
A peaceful calm amazing home waterbirth.
I also had the pleasure of working with not two but three amazing midwives, they respected mums every wish and were totally hands off, as one of them said this is how birth should be.
Glad to be back, supporting families again ❤️

02/10/2020

My two jobs work well . New baby cookies for a family I’m supporting

16/09/2020

This doula is baking again this weekend ###

PRODUCT ALERT !!!!!!
Finally ready to go,they have been taste tested and approved by lots of family and friends.

New York City style Cookies!
A mix flavour box of 6. 2 Red Velvet, 2 Triple Chocolate and 2 Chocolate chip. They are big and easily shareable although I doubt you'll want to share.

Order now for collection on Saturday late afternoon.

£10 per box

16/09/2020

Calling all The Dads xx

NEW DADDY WORKSHOP - TOMORROW 11am

WE STILL HAVE PLACES!!!

if you’re an expectant Daddy or you’ve just had a baby book now!

Held at Mumaroo HQ with a maximum of 4 participants to ensure social distancing.

An opportunity to meet other new or soon to be fathers.

Learn:
• Supporting your partner through labour and to make birthing choices
• What to expect from your newborn
• The fourth trimester
• Supporting your partner in the early days - how to support her if she’s breastfeeding
• How to bond with your newborn
• Babywearing benefits with demonstrations and an opportunity to try
• Ending with a cuppa In a relaxed environment for getting to know each other

*partners welcome to attend too

14/09/2020

Edit , sorry for earlier I read on the run and thought it was just Scunthorpe xx

Please all note changes to take effect from today regarding birth partners attending the department and alternation to early pregnancy emergency scan appointments.
If you have any queries please discuss these with your midwife. Thank you all for your continued patience and support.

09/09/2020

yay b***s are amazing x

Great news! Researchers in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, have found COVID-19 antibodies in human milk.

Read more here - https://nltimes.nl/2020/08/19/amsterdam-researchers-find-covid-19-antibodies-breast-milk

and here -
https://www.llli.org/covid-19-references/

02/09/2020

Ok. It’s time for me to start getting cross now. I’ve heard far TOO MANY stories from distraught mothers and deflated fathers.

Let me tell you a story of something I experienced first hand a few weeks ago...

I was waiting outside the hospital in the rain for a lift. I noticed a man next to be who seemed extremely agitated. He was pacing up and down, constantly checking his phone. There was quite a few people milling around outside for various reasons.
All of a sudden a lady appeared from A+E; I presume his partner. She looks him in the eyes, still wearing her mask and says “we’ve lost our baby” Then bursts into tears. She’s holding an A4 booklet on baby loss.

They both hug and cry whilst everyone stands by watching. In the rain. My heart broke for them both. I tried to hide my tears as I watched them walk away, arms around each other in the pouring rain

THIS IS NOT OKAY! Excluding fathers from antenatal appointments cannot continue. This couple deserved better. They deserved to hear the news together, in a private space. They deserved time to digest their grief. They didn’t deserve to have to do that with an audience and especially not in the damn rain.

I’m hearing from so many anxious mothers right now. So upset that they can’t have anyone with them in their appointments, making decisions about their birth and feeling supported.

I’m hearing from dads who have never felt so far removed and uninvolved from the process - which inevitably is going to lead to a surge in post natal depression and anxiety in partners and birth mothers

How come these dads can legally and safely visit a supermarket or go for a pint, if they choose the right day of the week they can even get themselves a half price meal. But they can’t be there for the single most important moments of their lives????
It’s insane and we need to start making a fuss now and get fathers and birth partners back where they belong, Included in the care of their babies and supporting their partners

During my own births I made decisions that were against the grain. I was questioned at my antenatal appointments about why I was choosing to home birth, water birth , delayed cord clamp etc. I literally wouldn’t have had the strength to make these decisions alone. They just wouldn’t have happened.

Midwives - this is not aimed at you. You’re all FABULOUS! and you do such a wonderful job at supporting mothers - but we now need to step up and shout from the rooftops. Our dads, birth partners and doulas need to be back in the birth room where they belong!

Kimberley Boyd - Support through Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond The Dependable Doula Better Births Lincolnshire