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Our Services

 

Let us start by explaining what a doula is.

A doula is a non-medical professional who has been trained to nurture and provide practical, emotional and physical support throughout pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period.

Our aims and objectives:

We come alongside to listen, support, inform and advocate for those who are vulnerable or isolated and have had their self-autonomy removed.

We support some of Birmingham’s most vulnerable women. When we meet our clients they’re often isolated with little or no support. Most of our clients live in areas of deprivation in Birmingham and have suffered trauma due to their experience of: homelessness/living in temporary accommodation, seeking asylum and navigating the systems of a new country, human trafficking, mental health difficulties, drug and alcohol addiction, teenage pregnancy, domestic abuse or time spent in prison.

We work for individualised care planning and continuity of care so that all involved are fully informed, prepared and affirmed in their choices around their journey into parenthood.

 
 
 

We work on a referral basis to support our clients holistically in the following ways:

  • Accompanying to appointments (where possible)

  • Birth preperation

  • Birthing partners

  • Birth debrief

  • Regular follow-ups to check wellbeing

  • Breastfeeding and general feeding support

  • Postnatal support - such as light housework and meals

  • Signposting to useful services

  • Supplying baby and maternity essentials where needed, such as equipment and hygiene products

  • Ensure clients have enough food for themselves and their families by taking them to supermarkets and food banks 

  • Engage the whole family in preparing for the birth, including older siblings

  • Hold space to discuss past birth trauma and ways we can provide support for a more positive birth

  • Support more widely including accessing translation services and support completing paperwork

  • Help clients engage in their local community by taking mother and baby out for local walks and to parent and baby groups

 
 

 What to expect from us

  • Once we have received your referral you will then be assigned a key worker who will contact you via a phone to introduce themselves and arrange an initial assessment. We will inform the referrer that we are working with you.

  • We’ll take time to get to know you, your circumstances, your needs, and your hopes for this pregnancy, birth and fourth trimester.

    We’ll asses whether you need practical support such as baby and maternity supplies, befriending, or referrals for additional support.

    We’ll offer to work on a birth plan with you so that we can be as informed as possible as your birth partner and advocate. We can also accompany you to appointments when possible.

    We can engage with other services that are already involved in your situation as needed.

  • We will be on call 24/7 when labour begins. We aim to join you from active labour, earlier if possible. But birth can be unpredictable, so we will be with you as soon as we can once you notify us that labour has begun. Please note: our shifts are a maximum of 12 hours, so a second doula may need to swap if necessary. In cases of planned C-sections, we will plan to attend hospital with you.

  • We offer wellbeing visits after the baby comes to see how you’re doing emotionally, physically, etc. Please note: we are not healthcare professionals. If you feel unwell, contact your midwives, health visitor, GP etc.

    We offer practical support, such as help with the baby, light housework, bringing meals, getting out of the house etc.

    We can help you get connected in your local community, such as signposting to children’s centres, baby groups, park groups, breastfeeding cafes etc.

    We have a team of volunteers who can offer additional support and befriending via telephone or face-to-face visits.

    We typically work with our clients for 3 months post birth. However, this is decided on a case-by-case basis.

 

Partner Organisations

We’re always looking for organisations that we can signpost our clients to, helping to build community around them and increase their support network. If you know of any great organisations, please tell us about them here.

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