“Can I just ask…?”
Got a question about antenatal classes, birth or postnatal support? Most people do!
If you can’t find the answer in this collection of frequently asked questions, get in touch. My inboxes are always open and I’d love to help.
Gemma, can I just ask…
Birth and parenting: do you actually know what it’s like?
I absolutely do: my own adventures through pregnancy, birth and parenting are what’s fuelled me to give top-level support to people navigating the journey. I have two little girls, a husband and a fur baby.
Why did you become a doula?
I’ve had two babies: one without a doula and one with. I know how hard it can be to feel alone and unsupported in this journey…
I also know how incredible it can be with the right knowledgeable, skilled and unwaveringly supportive person behind you.
I am on a mission to bring that level of incredible to others.
But birth is so risky: aren’t you scared?
Not even slightly.
I have complete and utter faith in you and your abilities: you are built to birth your baby, in every sense. While, I know that it doesn’t always go to plan, but I believe you’re totally ready for this too: your instincts and your decision making will help you to navigate those blips with confidence.
My job is to help you find that confidence, and I love that.
Do you have to train to be a doula?
No, you don’t but I have. Lots!
I am a total birth & baby nerd (and really love a certificate) and am a bit addicted to training courses! I am currently a certified birth doula which has given me a solid grounding in late pregnancy, labour, birth and initial postnatal support.
I am always looking to deepen and sharpen my skills and I regularly undertake other courses & training.
What did you do before becoming a doula?
My ‘trade’ is teaching and I love it.
I’ve taught English as a Foreign Language abroad (Italy), I am a qualified horse riding instructor and up until July 2023, I was an English teacher at a state secondary school and had been there for 13 years.
Teaching and mentoring is a core part of Born to Birth Cornwall & I am so passionate about using my expertise to support families.
So, your antenatal classes…
Are you qualified for this?
In a word, yes.
Antenatal preparation is a core part of any doula’s work and my training with TBU Academy gave me a really strong grounding in antenatal preparation. Delivered by a team that featured hypnobirthing instructors, a doula and a midwife, I not only have a real working understanding of what happens during labour & birth, but ways to support it holistically.
But I also LOVE a certificate and am a bit addicted to training courses; I undertake CPD regularly to keep my skills sharp.
Which antenatal course should I book?
I totally believe you should book one that feels right.
For me, your antenatal course has to put you and your needs front and centre: after all this is your journey and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to birth and baby matters and that’s why I have several options: it allows you to create a course that works for you.
If you think you might like to work with me, we’ll discuss what you want from your antenatal and how I can make that a reality for you in our free 30-minute consultation.
When should I book an antenatal course?
It’s really up to you.
The important thing is that you feel ready to get to grips with birth and postnatal prep, and for most people that’s after their 20 week scan, with a view to starting sessions with me between 28 and 32 weeks of pregnancy.
However, because my courses are private, we can be really flexible with timings: we can spread our sessions out or jam them in dependent on what you need.
This is something we can discuss in our free 30-minute consultation.
There are a lot of topics to choose from: which should I go for?
It depends on your experiences with birth and babies.
If this is your first birth and/or baby, and you don’t have any clear leanings, I’d encourage you to look at the topics with a (*) next to them; these are topics that are universally covered in antenatal classes (but that I will personalise to you) and will help you get a good grounding in what’s to come.
But if this is not your first rodeo, or if you have prior knowledge of birth & baby life, I’d encourage you to reflect and think about things that didn’t go so well first time around. These will be the areas I can support you best to feel more confident and comfortable with.
Do I have to pay for my course up front?
It depends on when you book your course, and when you want it to start.
During our free consultation we’ll talk about the course and package you’d like and I’ll put together a schedule for you; I’ll email this across to you and if you’d like to go ahead with it then I'll invoice you for the cost of the package. You can pay this deposit as a lump sum, or it can be split, however a 25% deposit will secure the dates in my diary. The final amount will need to be paid before the first session takes place.
Lets talk birth support…
Do I need a doula?
You are fully capable of growing, birthing and raising your baby by yourself. But that doesn’t mean you don’t want one.
When I work with you, my job is to make this the best journey it could ever be… and I speak from experience when I say that starting your journey as a parent positively is an absolute game-changer.
It’s invaluable.
Why are doulas so expensive?
We’re skilled, knowledgeable professionals who will bring everything we have to your birth.
The skills and knowledge of a doula are ten-to-none but they’re so subtle. You might not be able to see my brain whirring through physiology, birth rights, pain management & emotional support strategies as I drink my cup of tea and laugh with you, but it’s happening.
And that’s not to mention the hours I’ve supported you from a distance and waited for your phone call.
I price my packages to reflect my skill levels and my time. I offer payment plans and gift vouchers to help make my support more accessible.
Will getting a doula get me a pain-free water birth?
I cannot control the future and I cannot control your birth.
My job is not to make a certain birth happen for you, but to work with you in every way I can to help you achieve a positive birth for you. That means using everything in my physical and emotional toolkit to help you navigate pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum with a sense of calm, control and confidence.
Why have none of my friends and family had a doula?
Because our culture sees birth as a medical event: but this is changing.
Two-hundred years ago, your doula would have been your mum, aunty, sister, neighbour… maybe all of them together… as they had a rich and comprehensive knowledge of birth and babies because babies were born at home. But as hospitals took over, the communal knowledge of birth rapidly disappeared. And so doulas shrank into the background (but did NOT disappear).
But doulas are on the rise: more and more people are looking towards independent approaches to the birth of their babies. That might be freebirth, homebirth, doula supported birth or antenatal… but it’s rising.
If you have a doula, you might be the first in your group to do it. But I doubt you’ll be the last.
And your postnatal support…
I’ve got family and friends around me: why do I need a postnatal doula?
I do not replace the love and support of a family member or friend. I enrich it.
Just as my birth doula hat allows me to bring a strong, grounding knowledge of how birthing bodies and emotions work to make the arrival of your baby as smooth as can be, my postnatal doula hat allows me to transform how you feel during the postnatal period.
Sure, I’ll make you a cup of tea and let you nap, but I’ll use my knowledge of normal to reassure you; evidence based skills and tricks and hacks to empower you with feeding & sleep issues; a compendium of professional links and networks to refer you to support you if and when you need it.
But parenthood is all about the struggle? Isn’t it?
No: parenthood is hard and challenging but it doesn’t have to be a struggle.
Our society tells us that feeling overwhelmed and crushed under the weight of life with a newborn is normal.
It isn’t.
It’s become a fashionable rite of passage that is both unnecessary and has the potential to lead to mental health issues that are entirely avoidable (trust me, I speak from experience on this one).
As your postnatal doula, I bring all of my practical and subtle care, my knowledge and my empathy to support you to navigate the challenges of newborn life without the struggle.
When should I book you as my postnatal doula?
Whenever you need me!
Some families know in advance that they’ll want some extra help; these families tend to book me during their pregnancies.
Some families realise they’d like an extra pair of hands once their baby arrives, or once the paternity leave ends, or once the routine of normality settles in; these families book me postnatally.
Whenever you realise you’d like my support, get in touch and we’ll create a package that gives you what you need.
Is a postnatal doula the same as a nanny?
Nope: a nanny is there for the baby, I am here for you.
While I love a squidgy baby, my focus is always and will always be, you and your needs.
My skillset, knowledge and training helps me to support you as you recover from birth and find your feet in parenthood; I can absolutely support you as you care for your baby, but I am not there for them.
