http://www.postpartummatters.co.uk/

Postpartum Matters CIC, The Women's Health Hub, 79 Park Road, Hartlepool (2025)

22/10/2025

The day after you give birth, I give myself space too 🌀

I take it slow — no rushing, no moving straight on. Just space to breathe, to feel into how things unfolded, and to sit with the emotions that might have came up for me

Sometimes that looks like journaling about what I witnessed, and how that made me feel. It’s important for me to process those feelings first, because they’re mine and not yours and, as your doula, I need to be able to hold you postnatally too ❤️

I like to reflect on the things I want to remember, and the things I want to learn from.

It’s how I tend to myself and my practice — gently weaving what happened into reflection and growth, so I can keep meeting you with presence and care.

There are also little rituals that help me come back to centre: a warm cup of tea, yoga, baking something nourishing (usually for a door-drop for you 🥰)

And there are ways I’m held too — by meeting with other birthworkers, sharing stories, receiving mentorship and listening support, remembering that this work is never done alone. (Sending love to & for yesterday ❤️🙏🏻)

Because birth doesn’t end when the baby arrives — it ripples through all of us.

And part of my role as your doula is to honour that — the integration, the slowing down, the deep exhale after all that energy and love and witnessing. 🌿

With love,
Zoe xx

⸻

P.S. Ways I can support you —
✨ Doula support through pregnancy, birth and postpartum - my availability is from March 2026
🌸 Closing ceremonies, pregnancy massage and other ceremonial bodywork
🫶 Free creative journaling at Women’s Health Hartlepool every other Sunday.

You can book a free cuppa & chat through the 🔗 in my bio if you’d like to connect more ❤️

17/10/2025

There’s been a lot of heavy stuff in the news about birth lately — and it’s completely understandable if it’s left you feeling anxious or unsure.

So much of the support I offer — in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum — is about gently exploring those fears and helping you find calm and trust in yourself.

Because you are the one experiencing this — and you are capable of birth. ❤️

I know this in my bones. I know this without ever having met you.
You are capable of growing, birthing, and nourishing this baby — safely, wholly, and beautifully.

Even if you never read a birth book, never do a hypnobirthing course, never go to a single antenatal checkup…

You can birth your baby. ❤️

Birth doesn’t have to feel terrifying or unsafe.
It can be supported, grounded, and deeply your own.

If you’ve been feeling worried — from the news, from family stories, or just the weight of it all — you’re welcome to book a free hour-long consultation with me. 🥰
It’s a space to talk things through, share a cuppa, and breathe a little easier.

You can book via the link in my bio. ❤️

Sending love,
Zoe xx

P.S. these cards from are so beautiful 😍 I can’t wait to share them with clients at antenatal sessions next week ❤️

⸻

06/10/2025

Five years ago, I walked this path every day, pregnant in the middle of the pandemic.
The world felt unsafe. Out of control. Lonely.
Those walks were the only moments I could breathe — where I could hear myself think, and start to trust my own instincts again.
Where I could figure out what I actually wanted and needed - away from the noise and global fear.

That time taught me so much about what it takes to feel safe in pregnancy.
Not just physically, but emotionally too.
How to take back a sense of control when everything around you feels uncertain —
and how hard that really is to do on your own.

It’s one of the biggest reasons I do what I do now.
When the world still feels so unsafe. So uncertain.
To help others find that same sense of safety, trust and support in their bodies, their births, and their becoming. 🌿

🕊️
If you’re pregnant or in the tender postpartum and want to feel more grounded, confident and supported, I offer gentle doula care, whole family support and ceremonial bodywork across the North East.

You can book a free chat through the link in my bio — I’d love to hear where you’re at and what you need ❤️

Sending love,
Zoe xx

03/10/2025

Our shared lunch yesterday for the Pool Together week of action 😍❤️ pulled together by our wonderful Women’s Health Coordinator, Maureen and supported by our Engagement Leads, Ngozi & Sammi from 🥰 with Jess from and Katie from and service users too 😊

You can find the 🔗 to our timetable full of free peer-led sessions in my bio ❤️

Sending love,
Zoe xx

29/09/2025

I had to cancel this in August because of everything that was going on and because I’m really not great at marketing events

But I feel so strongly that we need these quiet spaces to be with ourselves and each other ❤️

It will be a magical day ✨ and the perfect way to set yourself up before the mayhem of December

Pregnant folks are welcome, it will all be individualised and self-paced, an exploration ❤️ and you don’t have to live in Hartlepool - we’re easy to get to by car and public transport

The 🔗 to book is in my bio 🥰

Please share with anyone you think might benefit / be interested in coming 🙏🏻 I’d really appreciate any support getting this in front of the people who need to be there 🌀

Sending love,
Zoe xx

25/09/2025

That’s probably not all I’ve got to say on the matter but it’s all I’ve got the energy to verbalise 🙏🏻❤️

22/09/2025

This morning my lovely doula friend Vicky came round to hold a Closing Ceremony for me 🌿

Both of my kids have just taken big steps – one starting reception, the other starting secondary – and with all the complaint/NMC stuff going on, I hadn’t had much space to honour what a huge transition this feels like.

There’s been this deep sadness sitting with me. I had my eldest baby when I was 22 and his early years were so tough. Then my second baby in 2020 – which was difficult for obvious reasons. And I always dreamt of a third baby… but it’s looking like that isn’t in the cards.

Today Vicky gave me space to share, to be held, rocked, wrapped. She guided me through a powerful meditation where I buried those hopes in the ground, giving them up to become something else. Honestly, it was incredibly hard – but I did it. ❤️

A little reminder to myself (and maybe to you too): we deserve to be cared for, just as much as we care for everyone else 🌸

Sending love,
Zoe xx

18/09/2025

I’m sorry it took me so long, I have no excuse really but I learnt my lesson the hard way.
Byeee 👋🏻

12/09/2025

I was going to record some sort of video but it felt like too much. And I keep not sharing this here and I want to always be direct and honest so here it is.
The last few months have been hard and the NMC webinar this week has made it difficult not to spiral.
Anyway, this is all I have to say 😆 ChatGPT told me it was a bad idea and would put people off 😂 but whatever. I’m proud of everything I have done and the care I have been able to offer
Thank you to everyone who has let me cry on them over the last couple months. And to my amazing doula client who I’m incredibly privileged to have been able to support ❤️❤️❤️

09/09/2025

First week back at school has left me feeling SO exhausted!

Here are the happy things that have happened:

🌻I welcomed a new doula client and am super excited to begin supporting her and her family

🌻I paid for the doula training for Vivian & Ngozi with and have had some really exciting chats with them both about improving access to perinatal support for migrant families in the area

🌻I’ve sorted out our final spots on newest facilitation training which begins in October - we’ll then be working with our new session leads to develop a peer support group for those who have experienced FGM and another for those with experience of having their child removed from their care ❤️

Big big stuff happening at Women’s Health Hartlepool 😍

🌻I had a whole day of chats and plans about funding and income streams as we head further into our fourth financial year and I start the annual worry of not knowing where the money is coming from to pay for it all

🌻We made a little plan for becoming more financially sustainable without me working so much I get ill 😅

🌻I did loads of boring admin jobs and am feeling a bit more on top of things today

How has your first week back been? Whether that’s back to school, to work, or just to a normal quiet time now all the kids have gone from the public places 😆 I’d love to know 🙏🏻❤️

Sending love,
Zoe xx

01/09/2025

We tried to take this trip in 2020 when I would have been five months pregnant ❤️

Instead we’ve taken it in 2025 just as Han is about to go into reception and Hen is heading to secondary school.

It’s a funny old life, isn’t it ✨

I definitely left a piece of my soul in Kvie Sø lake. I hope it’s not another five years before we’re back 🙏🏻

I’ll be replying to all my emails on Thursday 😆❤️

14/08/2025

I’ve always found relationships tricky – as an autistic woman, it’s taken years to find people I can work alongside with trust, ease, and joy.

But now look 😍… I have this solid team of epic women beside me. Women who share the vision, who deeply care about the work, and who represent so much of our community. They bring their own experiences, perspectives, and hearts into everything they do – and together we make this space what it is ❤️.

I can’t tell you how good it feels to finally have that – the sense of belonging, shared responsibility, and knowing I’m not holding it all by myself. It’s taken so much hard work, patience, and trust-building to get here.

Next week I’m going away for ten days, and for the first time ever, I feel confident in just turning my phone off. A year ago, the thought of that would have been impossible – now it feels like freedom.

These wonderful women are at the Seaton Beach Huts today if you want to pop by and say hello 👋

The timetable for our free peer support groups is in the link in bio, or comment HUB and I’ll DM it to you. We’re open every day apart from Saturdays currently and have loads on offer 🥰 you don’t have to live in Hartlepool to come along.

Sending love,
Zoe xx

Postpartum Matters CIC

22/10/2025

17/10/2025

06/10/2025

03/10/2025

29/09/2025

25/09/2025

22/09/2025

18/09/2025

12/09/2025

09/09/2025

01/09/2025

14/08/2025

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