We are experienced, warm and friendly London-based BIRTH doulas here to support you through your journey into parenthood.
We work individually or as a team to offer you continuous support from pregnancy through birth & the early days with your new baby. We can combine birth and postnatal doula roles for the same family.
Please scroll down through the tiles below to see our full range of doula packages.
All birth doula packages include loan of peanut ball, TENS machine, massage wax and other items without extra charge.
-
Classic Doula
Our comprehensive package of prenatal preparation, labour and birth support and postnatal support
-
Classic Doula Plus
Everything you get in the Classic Doula package plus discounted postnatal doula hours.
-
Doula to the Door
All the pre- and postnatal care of our top-rate birth doula packages. Your doula arrives at your home and supports you in person until you feel it’s time to go into hospital; and then by phone/Whatsapp message after that.
-
The Doula in your Pocket
Focussing on pre-birth preparation for mum and partner. An affordable and practical alternative to the classic birth doula support. Click button to find out more.
-
Get Me Started
Now we’ve brought the baby home, what do we do?
Instant postnatal doula support session - no ongoing contract required and all you need to know to feel confident.
-
Postnatal Doula
The postnatal doula does everything the mum needs to feel comfortable. Normally booked in advance but we sometimes have unexpected availability so it’s always worth contacting us.
Click on the banners below to contact us right now. Please note that we can’t take clients who live more than an hour away from us by public transport - this is to ensure that we can give our clients full and flexible support.
〰️
Find out now if we are available when your baby is due
〰️ Find out now if we are available when your baby is due
Scroll down the page to learn more about our philosophy.
If you have just had a baby click here
〰️
If you have just had a baby click here 〰️
Sarah and Lou of The Baby Experience….
Lou Toosey
Birth & Postnatal Doula trained with NCT and University of Worcester
I am an NCT Doula and trained with the NCT and the University of Worcester. I have supported many women and their partners through their birth and/or the early weeks with their baby.
Having a baby brings a rollercoaster of emotions and decisions, and I believe a doula’s role is to look after parents and help them navigate their individual path, so that they can actually relax and enjoy the journey.
To me, partners and fathers are integral to the whole pregnancy, birth and parenting experience, and my role is to support them to feel empowered and entirely involved.
I have a calm, gentle but practical approach and a keen sense of humour. I am resourceful and diplomatic, but will also be assertive if it means getting the mother what she wants/needs.
As your doula I offer my unconditional support in whatever way is required before during and after your baby is born. I will be there for you emotionally to listen and where needed help you practically, and offer evidence based advice, loan of anything from my extensive kit bag and my experience with positions & techniques to optimise the best possible experience for you at this special time in your lives.
I try to attend many workshops and study days to update and extend my knowledge and practical skills for pregnant women and also in baby care, including Blossoming Bellies Pelvic Dynamics with Brittany Sharpe, Biomechanics for birth with Mollie O’Brien, Rebozo with Nicola Nelson and the Brazelton Newborn Observation Course.
Sarah Johnson
Doula UK Recognised Birth and Postnatal doula trained with Paramanadoula and Nurturing Birth
I am a Doula UK recognised birth and postnatal doula and have supported hundreds of women through their birth and/or their postnatal journey.
My philosophy is to support not just mum but the whole family. I initially trained with the renowned Dr Michel Odent, and then added postnatal doula training with Nurturing Birth. I am especially interested in the dynamics of the birth process, and am qualified in the innovative Body Ready Method .
I am a qualified Mother Supporter with the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers and an NCT antenatal teacher with 100% of my class attendees rating my classes “excellent or good”.
I can also offer a one to one hypnobirthing course following the Wise Hippo Birthing Programme - after 20 years in the business I can safely say this is the best hypnobirthing course available.
I have attended many workshops and study days relevant to my practice including Blossoming Bellies Creating Space Workshop, Spinning Babies®, Rebozo techniques with Stacia Smales-Hill, Sheila Kitzinger’s Birth Crisis workshop, NCT Relax, Stretch and Breathe and the Body Read Method
Once you have booked me as your doula I’ll work with you to maximise your chances of having the birth you want. If you are hoping for a straightforward vaginal birth, I will recommend you start daily Spinning Babies® exercises and work with you on breathing and relaxation, so that you approach your birth feeling confident and prepared.
And you might like to book your relatives onto my Grantenatal Workshop to help them refresh their wisdom! This takes place every month on a Sunday morning and it’s great fun - I love connecting with my fellow gPs!
Still not quite sure what a doula is or does? Scroll down the page.
A note about doula fees
Birth and postnatal doula fees are calculated differently. A postnatal doula is engaged by the hour. A birth doula is on call for one client only, 24/7, and cannot take on work that would conflict with her availability for that client. We take this responsibility very seriously.
The birth doula fee is not affected by how long the mother was in labour for or what mode of birth she has.
Hiring a doula in London is expensive, so we devised our Doula to the Door and Doula in Your Pocket packages to enable more families to benefit. We keep our fees as low as we can and are very happy to discuss payment by instalments for all our doula packages.
What is a Doula?
Doulas are ‘trained or experienced lay women who provide social, emotional and practical support to other women during pregnancy and birth’.
A birth doula traditionally gets to know her client before the birth and stays with her throughout.
A postnatal doula comes to the home to support mum in practical ways and also should have good listening skills as well as evidence-based knowledge around newborns and birth recovery.
International evidence shows their ‘involvement is a cost-effective method to improve outcomes for mothers and infants’, and they can have an impact beyond the birth process itself’.
(Steel et al., 2015, cited in McNeish and Redshaw 2018:53), (Gruber, Cupito and Dobson, 2013:56).
And why should you have one?
Doula support in labour makes it 39% less likely for labour to end with a Caesarean birth.
Having a doula increases the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth by 15%, and can result in 10% decrease in the use of any pain relief medication. On average, labours are shorter. The baby is significantly more likely to have a good Apgar score after birth.
Mothers supported by doulas are significantly more satisfied with their birth experience.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Jul 6;7:CD003766. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub6. Continuous support for women during childbirth. Bohren MA1, Hofmeyr GJ, Sakala C, Fukuzawa RK, Cuthbert A. evidencebasedbirths.co.uk
Making padsicles! Lou shows how we make these soothing, healing must-haves for new mums.
If you are looking for something to give a mother-to-be, forget the cuddly toys.
Give them a Baby Experience Gift Voucher - to exchange for practical support & evidence based advice.
Find it in our shop via this button: