Optimum Doula

05/12/2025

The price of formula has been in the headlines, claiming families could save £500 a year! But there isn't actually going to be any decrease in price. Families will only save money, if they are currently using more expensive brands of formula and switch to a cheaper brand. What is actually changing is that it will be made clearer to the public that the all brands are nutritionally equal, regardless of the price.

Headlines promised £500 savings on baby formula, but the UK government’s plan offers far less than struggling families hoped.

04/12/2025

This evening, I am attending a webinar on breech birth.

04/12/2025

What is the difference between a certified doula, a mentored doula and a recognised doula?

There are no entry requirements, or exams to pass, to be able to work as a doula. Anyone can call themselves a doula, whether they have any relevant qualifications and/or experience or not. Doulas do not need to become members of any specific organisations, and there is no governing body that all doulas must join, or abide by the rules of.

But most doulas, in the UK, do complete some sort of doula preparation course. This is a course which prepares them for life as a doula, by teaching them about pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period, as well as how to best support expectant and new families. There are many providers of such courses. The entry requirements and the volume, level and content of work varies from course to course. Some courses are online, although most involve at least some in-person participation. Some take weeks or months to complete, while others are intensive courses, lasting a few days. And some require quite extensive written assessments.

Some of these course providers give the title of ‘Certified Doula’ (sometimes other words may be used, such as ‘qualified’ or ‘accredited’) to those who have completed their course.

As doula preparation courses vary a lot, just knowing that a doula has completed a course does not necessarily tell you much about just how prepared they are! If you are considering hiring a doula, whom has completed such a course, and want to know a bit about the course, you can always visit the website of the course provider.

So that’s the term certified covered. But what about mentored and recognised? Here’s where we need to start talking about Doula UK.

Doula UK is the leading organisation of doulas in the UK. It is a not-for-profit community interest company, with a membership of over 700 doulas. Although Doula UK does not provide its own doula preparation courses, it looks at those provided by others, and gives its approval to those it considers to be of a good enough standard.

Doulas do not need to join Doula UK, and many choose not to. However, if they do wish to become a member of Doula UK, they must complete a Doula UK approved doula preparation course, go through a rigorous mentoring and recognition process, and agree to comply with Doula UK’s policies and code of conduct.

When doulas, who have completed an approved preparation course, initially join Doula UK they are ‘mentored’. This means that they are working towards becoming ‘recognised’, as they gain experience working as a doula. The recognition process may take months or years, depending on the individual doula. The doula has a mentor, providing support and supervision, until they have gained enough experience to be considered ‘recognised’. Doulas must work with at least four birth clients before they can be considered a ‘Doula UK Recognised Birth Doula’ and at least four postnatal clients, before being considered a ‘Doula UK Recognised Postnatal Doula’.

There is an alternative route to gaining Doula UK membership and Doula UK Recognised status. This alternative route involves extra training modules and is open to experienced doulas, who have not completed an approved doula preparation course.

So to answer the original question:

A 'Certified Doula' has completed a doula preparation course.

A 'Mentored Doula' has completed a Doula UK approved doula preparation course, and is going through the Doula UK recognition process.*

And a 'Recognised Doula' has completed both a Doula UK approved doula preparation course and the Doula UK recognition process (unless they have gone through the process via the alternative route).

29/11/2025

A few years ago I started doing shout outs for local bump, birth and baby businesses, on Saturdays (although I frequenty don't get round to doing them).

But I am doing one this week, and it's for IBCLC Elena Rossi, who after much badgering by myself, has finally got herself a page!

I first met Elena back in 2011, when I was a breastfeeding mum, interested in getting involved with Swindon Breastmates, and training as a Breastfeeding Peer Supporter. Elena was an NCT trained Breastfeeding Counsellor, who volunteered at some of the groups, as well as training others to become Peer Supporters. She also did antenatal breastfeeding sessions, as part of local NCT courses, and volunteered at the Great Western Hospital, on the postnatal ward.

In 2012, I trained, with Elena, to become a Breastfeeding Peer Supporter. I began volunteering at several of the local groups, and gradually took a more and more active role in the running of Swindon Breastmates, which both Elena and I continue to do to this day.

Since then, I have trained as a Breastfeeding Cousellor with the ABM, while Elena has trained as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). This means she now has the highest qualification anyone working in infant feeding support can get.

As well as helping with the running of Swindon Breastmates, including training Peer Supporters, doing antenatal breastfeeding sessions for the NCT and volunteering at GWH, Elena now also offers free feeding support at the West Swindon Family Hub (alongside myself), at Kube Medical, and in her own home.

For those who would prefer the support came to them, she also does paid for home visits.

Elena is the person I refer anyone whose feeding issues are beyond my own skills and knowledge to. And not only is she a long-standing collegue, but also a friend.

27/11/2025

Nothing like a bit of last minute nesting! A few hours after writing this I was in early labour (though didn't really realise it at the time) and the next morning I gave birth.

23/11/2025

North Wiltshire HomeBirthers has a meet up meet up this afternoon, Sunday 23rd November.

The meet up is for anyone interested in homebirth, whether you have had a homebirth, want a homebirth or are just considering a homebirth. Ask lots of questions if you're a 'homebirth hopeful' or a 'homebirth contemplator' and share your experiences if you're a 'homebirth veteran'.

We will be meeting in the Lansdowne Strand (in Calne), in the Harris Room, which can be found by turning left after entering the main doors.

Birth partners and children are more than welcome, as are birth workers (doulas, midwives and antental teachers).

Whether you want to ask people about their experiences of giving birth at home, discuss local birth pool hire options or just or chat to others who are interested in home birth, do come along to this informal meet up.

Our meetings are open to anyone within the North Wiltshire area, from Swindon and Chippenham, to Trowbridge and Marlborough, and everywhere in between.

Although you do not need to book, it would be helpful if those planning to do so, did register their interest, by following the link: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1964474570322

22/11/2025

The Moonrakers Fellowship is a Devizes based organisation, who each year donate money they have raised to a different local charity, or other deserving cause. This year they have chosen to donate to Wiltshire Breastfeeding Support, which I help run.

Wiltshire Breastfeeding Support volunteers run free feeding support groups in Chippenham, Calne, Devizes, Trowbridge and Salisbury.

The photo shows me accepting the cheque, from a Moonraker, at Optimum Corner, where I run the Devizes group.

All of the volunteers would like to say a huge thank you to the Moonrakers for their extremely generous donation :-)

14/11/2025

I have just seen this entry, in my diary. It was written by my eldest.

13/11/2025

Optimum Bumps is a free antenatal support group, which I run. It allows anyone with a baby bump the opportunity to meet others, in a friendly and informal setting, while learning a little something about pregnancy, birth and babies along the way.

Each week we cover a different topic. You can choose to come to every meeting or just to those that are of particular interest to you.
Our upcoming topics are breastfeeding, hypnobirthing, sleep and pain relief.

The meetings are from 7:30pm to 9pm on Thursday evenings, at Optimum Corner.

Although the group is free to attend, you do need to book, as places are limited. Please follow the Eventbrite link to book your places: www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/optimum-doula-39763881283

11/11/2025

How we are looked after and cared for as babies affects our mental health and emotional wellbeing as adults. It can affect every aspect of our lives, from coping with stressful situations to forming romantic relationships. Being held, being responded to, being comforted when we are upset, having adults show us that they care for us, that we are important to them, and that we bring them joy helps us develop an emotionally healthy brain.

The Centre for Early Childhood’s Explainer on growing a healthy brain explains why early relationships, surroundings and experiences are central to children’...

08/11/2025

"A rigorous review in 2017 found that compared with stethoscope monitoring, the electronic version did not reduce stillbirths or cerebral palsy. . . The tool did decrease rare neonatal seizures, though that did not change the baby’s risk of neurological injuries later on. And the technology increased a woman’s odds of cesarean delivery by 63 percent"

Round-the-clock fetal monitoring leads to unnecessary C-sections. But it’s used in nearly every birth because of business and legal concerns, The Times found.

07/11/2025

Lara and I are ready for this afternoon's Devizes, Melksham and Calne Breastfeeding Support session, at Optimum Corner.