The Rebel Sunflower Doula

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The Rebel Sunflower Doula

Doula based in Leicestershire. To support YOU, provide evidence-based info, practical skills & the knowledge to make empowered decisions.

Be a pillar of strength, hold space, & validate your feelings. To ensure you are at the heart of this unique journey.

22/08/2025

🌻 Pain-icking 🌻

Fear. Tension. Pain.
It’s not just emotional…it’s neurological.

Your body responds to fear like a threat, triggering tension, which increases pain, which…you guessed it…creates more fear.

So what helps?
→ Not bottling it up
→ Getting curious about where your fear came from
→ Having people around who’ll listen (not brush it off with “you’ll be fine”)

Fear isn’t weakness…it’s a message.

And you can decide how you answer it 🫶🏼

✨ Want support unpacking it all? You’re allowed to ask. You’re allowed to feel safe.

18/08/2025

🌻 Ask, ask, & ask again 🌻

🧐 If something - anything at all - crops up during your pregnancy or birth and you feel unsure…ask.

🤰 If a test, procedure, or exam hasn’t been clearly explained and you need more detail…ask.

🤔 If something doesn’t sit right and you want a second opinion…ask.

✨ You’re not being awkward. You’re advocating.

💬 You don’t have to do it alone - your birth partner (or doula 😉) can be with you, boost your confidence, or even ask on your behalf (with your go-ahead).

It’s OK to want clarity. It’s OK to pause.
You don’t get a do-over on this experience - so ask, and keep asking. 🌼

09/08/2025

🌻 Birth Story Series: Martha Part 2 🌻

TW: transfer to hospital

Martha’s second baby was born at home in January 2022 - a fast, intense labour that brought her baby safely earthside before the pool could even be filled!

After a quick active stage and a few heart rate concerns, her baby arrived just after 7am. A third-degree tear and heavy blood loss unfortunately meant a transfer to hospital for treatment. Understandably - this was very frightening and something Martha is still processing to this day 💖

This was a birth full of contrasts - power and vulnerability, calm and urgency. And space is held here for all of it 🫶🏼

—

Sharing a story like this is never small.
It’s generous, brave, and deeply personal...and I’m so incredibly grateful to Martha for trusting me with all three of hers.

✨ Part 3 coming soon.

27/07/2025

🌻 The Instant Gratification Trap 🌻

There’s not much we have to wait for anymore. Same-day delivery. Instant notifications. Skipping ads, intros, even conversations 🙃

But pregnancy and birth? They didn’t get that memo.

Your due date isn’t a deadline…it’s a vague suggestion wrapped in a centuries-old theory. (A polite fiction, really.)

So, if you’re 39 weeks and spiralling into Google like it’s your job, here’s your reminder:

Your body is working.

Even when it feels like absolutely nothing is happening.
(Especially then, actually.)

✨ Save this for when you need a nudge back to patience…or drop a comment with what surprised you most about the waiting part of pregnancy.

21/07/2025

🌻 Let’s stop asking if babies are “good” 🌻

It might seem like a harmless question…but asking whether a baby is “good” often means “are they sleeping through yet?” And when you’re running on empty, that question can land like a lead weight!

Here’s the truth:

🧡 Babies are meant to wake at night.
🧡 Sleep is not a measure of how “good” a baby is.
🧡 And you are not failing if your baby doesn’t sleep through.

Instead of focusing on sleep “performance,” let’s focus on how new parents feel - how they’re adjusting, what they need, and how we can support them.

Swap “is your baby good?” for:

✨ What’s your baby been up to today?
✨ How are you doing?
✨ Can I bring you anything?

Let’s change the script - because your worth (and your baby’s) should never be tied to a sleep log.

16/07/2025

🌻 Holiday - Celebrate 🌻

After a veeery long travel day…we have arrived. Glorious, right? Picture perfect.

Well…here’s where insta vs. real Life comes in. One of my children has already declared this the “worst holiday ever” and announced they want to go home…

…not today…they confirmed they will wait until go home day (thanks hun). BUT…they’ll keep hating it until then. 🙃 (I won’t say who, but if you know me, you probably know which one.)

Parenting through that? Honestly? It’s sh*te. It feels like I can’t do anything right, ever.

Mixed with a healthy dose of guilt - because I am grateful. Grateful for this beautiful holiday and the memories we’re about to make. But also guilty that it’s so hard sometimes.

So, those picture-perfect, fun family photos you’ll see over the next 6 weeks? They’re absolutely true, but maybe not the whole truth.

And it’s okay to find the hard days, well…hard. Really hard.

Don’t let Insta mess with your head - it’s curated. Here’s to the messy, the beautiful, and everything in between.

May your WiFi be strong and your snacks never-ending ✌🏻

14/07/2025

🌻 Out of office (ish)…🌻

I’m heading off for a bit of a break…but not disappearing. I’ll still be gently checking messages between naps, snacks, and sea breezes.

I’m working with a few lovely families antenatally right now, but I’ve got space for more - so if you’ve been wondering whether to get in touch, go on then 🥰 Future you might be very glad you did.

📩 Message me any time (expect slower replies)
📎 Save this if you’re planning ahead
👶 Or share it with someone expecting

👉 And if you’re curious about availability into 2025 & 2026, check my recent post for all the details 🌻

09/07/2025

🌻 My books are open & a space could be yours🌻

Whether you’re newly pregnant, deep in the later stages, or suddenly realising “oh…I don’t have to do this all alone” - I’m here.

🌻 Birth support
🌻 Postnatal care
🌻 1:1 antenatal education

I’m based in Leicestershire but also cover parts of Notts & Derbyshire…and I always have time for a cuppa and birthy ramble.

🗓️ I support 1–2 birth clients per month to keep things calm, connected, and well-supported.
Now booking for late 2025 and early 2026.

No pressure. Just a gentle nudge - and an open diary.

📩 Message me to chat
🔁 Share with someone who might need a doula
📎 Save for when you’re ready

05/07/2025

🌻 Keep Your Hands to Yourself 🌻

“Was it planned?”
“Can I touch your bump?”
“You don’t look that pregnant…”
“Are you sure there’s only one in there?”

👏 No. Just no.

Pregnancy apparently comes with a free pass for strangers (and that one overly familiar co-worker) to forget all social norms.

But here’s the thing: you are not public property. And your bump isn’t some kind of community hand-warmer!!

💥 Every unwanted touch, invasive question, or awkward overshare can chip away at your sense of calm. And when you’re cooking up a baby, calm = oxytocin = useful hormones that help labour start, progress, and feel safer.

So protect your peace. Set those boundaries early…your future self will thank you 💛

01/07/2025

🌻 Real Birth Stories: Martha, Part 1 of 3 🌻

Every birth story carries weight - and every time someone chooses to share theirs, it is such a privilege!!

This is the first of three stories from Martha, who’s given kind permission to share her experiences across three very different births.

Her first baby was born after a planned homebirth turned hospital transfer, an epidural, and forceps. It wasn’t the journey she’d hoped for - but it was powerful in its own right.

For anyone due to give birth - Martha had this to say:

🤍 Trust your instincts
🤍 Ask the questions
🤍 Know your options
🤍 You are allowed to be heard

💬 Feel free to share your thoughts or stories in the comments and stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 of Martha’s story 📖

Thank you again Martha 🌸💖

27/06/2025

🌻 S*x and the Bump 🌻

First thing’s first: s*x during pregnancy is usually totally fine.

Unless you’ve been specifically advised otherwise by your midwife or doctor (things like placenta previa or unexplained bleeding), it’s a green light 🚦

And how you feel about it…that’s probably changeable!

💤 You might have zero interest in your partner.
🔥 You might want them more than ever.
🫠 You might swing wildly between the two.

All of it = normal.

If you or your partner are having s*x with other people during pregnancy, using protection still matters…we’re talking STI protection for you and baby.

Oh, and the whole “s*x can bring on labour” thing? Unless your body’s already gearing up to go, it’s unlikely to make anything happen. But it does release oxytocin (our fave labour hormone), so if it feels good and it’s safe…go to town 💃🏻

Your body. Your rules. Your pleasure.

*xandpregnancy

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Loughborough

Website

http://www.therebelsunflowerdoula.co.uk/, https://buytickets.at/therebelsunflowerdoula/1553376

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