Optimum Doula

18/04/2026

Another interesting day spent parenting a two-year-old!

16/04/2026

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 sleep, breastfeeding and birth plans.

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 free places: www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/optimum-bumps-2377469

13/04/2026

I am running a 'ring slings and woven wraps for beginners' workshop, on Sunday 19th April.

This interactive session, is suitable for expectant parents or parents with babies or toddlers, who are considering buying, or already own, a ring sling and/or woven wrap, and want to ensure they are using them correctly.

If you already have a ring sling and/or woven wrap do bring them along with you. Do not worry if you do not have your own, as there are some for you to use during the session. Even if you have your own, you are welcome to try out any of the library slings and to compare them to each other and to your own.

As well as using ring slings and woven wraps, we will also cover how to ensure that when buying, you choose ones that are safe and comfortable to use.

You can attend before your baby is born, as there are suitably sized and weighted demo dolls for you to use.

If, at the end of the session, you wish to hire one of the slings you have been trying out, this can be arranged.

Numbers are limited to a maximum of 4 adult participants.

For more infomation and to book your place, follow the link: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/947077774117

12/04/2026

Tomorrow, I will be at the West Swindon Family Hub, as I am most Mondays. For the first half of the session, I will have my Breastfeeding Counsellor hat on, providing feeding support, alongside IBCLC Elena Rossi.

For the second half, I will have my Babywearing Consultant hat on, providing help choosing and using slings.

As well as feeding and babywearing support, there are scales available for you to weigh your baby.

The Hub is run as a free to attend, drop-in session.

10/04/2026

The joys of parenting a 5 year old!

08/04/2026

Tomorrow morning, I will be holding a slingmeet, in Devizes. There's nothing unusual about that, as I generally have Devizes slingmeets on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month. But this meet is a bit different. It is a combined 'Swindon and Devizes Sling Library slingmeet' and 'Chippenham Cloth Nappy Library nappy meet'.

The meet allows parents (or parents-to-be) to find out about and hire different slings and/or cloth nappies, as well as meeting other sling and/or cloth nappy users.

If you want to take a sling, or a nappy hire kit, away to try before you buy (or if you just want a sling to take on holiday or for a specific event) then you can do so.

And there are scales available, so you can combine getting help choosing and/or using slings and/or nappies, with checking how much your baby weighs.

07/04/2026

Back to work this morning, after having Bank Holiday Monday off (didn't have Good Friday, Easter Saturday or Easter Sunday off).

And this afternoon, I am spending in the garden, enjoying the blue sky and warm spring sunshine, while trying to get the lawn ready for summer.

26/03/2026

This Saturday (28th March), IBCLC Elena Rossi will be running an antenatal breastfeeding workshop, in Swindon.

In this relaxed, supportive workshop, Elena will guide you through the essentials of breastfeeding to help you feel informed and confident as you prepare to welcome your baby.

Topics will include:
🤱 What to expect in the early days
🤱 How breastfeeding works
🤱 Common challenges and how to manage them
🤱 Getting the right support when you need it

There will be a two-hour talk with plenty of time to ask questions and explore topics that matter most to you.

Elena has been supporting families for nearly two decades and brings both professional expertise and deep compassion to every session. Whether you’re just starting to think about feeding or have specific concerns, this is a great opportunity to gain knowledge, reassurance, and community.

To book your space, follow the link: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introduction-to-breastfeeding-workshop-tickets-1984971982634

And it is Elena's birthday today, so Happy Birthday Elena 🎁🎂

Join IBCLC Elena Rossi for a supportive evening workshop covering breastfeeding basics, with plenty of time for Q&A.

22/03/2026

This recent headline leads you to believe lots of babies, who would have been safe in cots, died while sleeping in beds, with their parents. But let's look into things a bit more closely.

Firstly, co-sleeping is defined as baby sleeping in the same room as an adult, which is actually recommended, by pretty much everyone, as a way of reducing the risks of SIDS. What the article is actually referring to is bed-sharing, which is a specific type of co-sleeping. So, this article has been written by someone who hasn't even bothered to do enough research on the topic, to get the definition of a word, used in the headline, correct!

The article does not state how many deaths happened while cot-sleeping. But during the same two year period, there were a total of 122 baby deaths, 93 of which were not associated with bed-sharing.

If bed-sharing is planned and done safely, it is as safe as cot sleeping. So how many of these deaths were safe bed-sharing and how many were unplanned/unsafe?

No information is given about whether the bed-sharing was planned/unplanned.

No information is given about whether parents were following safe bed-sharing guidelines.

Of the 29 baby deaths, 11 (over a third) were associated with parental drug or alcohol use. Bed-sharing is considered unsafe if parents have used alcohol, or drugs likely to make them drowsy.

And as falling asleep on the sofa, with your baby is generally lumped into bed-sharing, by these statistics, it is highly possible that some of the deaths did not even happen in a bed. Sleeping with your baby on a safa is known to be more risky than either cot sleeping or actual bed-sharing.

No information is given about whether the babies were premature, or of low birth weight, both of which increase the risk of SIDS (regardless of where baby sleeps). Bed-sharing with a premature, or low birth weight, baby is considered unsafe bed-sharing.

No information is given about whether the parents smoked, which increase the risk of SIDS (regardless of where baby sleeps). Bed-sharing with a parent who smokes is considered unsafe bed-sharing.

No information is given about whether the bed had a firm matress. Bed-sharing on a very soft matress, on a memory foam matress or a water bed are all considered unsafe bed-sharing.

No information is given about whether the baby was formula fed, which increases the risk of SIDS (regardless of where baby sleeps). Bed-sharing with a formula fed baby is considered unsafe bedsharing.

No information is given about whether the baby was dressed appropraitely, or that apprpriate covers were used, or that the room was kept at a safe temperature. Overheating, due to over-dressing, or to the use of a duvet, or other heavy bedding, increases the risk of SIDS, regardless of where baby sleeps. Bed-sharing with a duvet, or other heavy bedding, on baby is considered unsafe bed-sharing, as is bed-sharing where baby could come into contact with pillows.

Unfortunately, no matter how safe we make our babies' sleep environments, there will always be a few who succumb to SIDS. But the number who do is actually very small (less than 3 in 10,000) and the vast majority of those babies had at least two risk factors for SIDS: sleeping in a room without adults present, formula feeding, smoking parent, parent under the influence of drugs or alcohol, premature or low birth weight etc.

So instead of demonising bed-sharing, maybe we should be discussing the risks and benefits, of both bed-sharing and cot sleeping, with expectant parents, and giving them plenty of information on how both types of sleeping can be made as safe as possible.

For more information on safe sleep follow the links:

www.lullabytrust.org.uk
www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/safe-sleep-breastfeeding-babies
www.llli.org/news/the-safe-sleep-seven

18/03/2026

Birthrights report says women are being told they are ‘not allowed’ and are being denied genuine choice. :-(

Exclusive: Birthrights report says women are being told they are ‘not allowed’ and are being denied genuine choice

16/03/2026

Although most families book their postnatal doula before they give birth, did you know that I also do 'emergency' postnatal visits?

When I say emergency, I don't mean I arrive with blue lights flashing, I mean postnatal visits, arranged at very short notice, to families who find themselves unexpectedly struggling with feeding or with an unsettled baby, or who are just feeling overwhelmed with the enormity of being a parent to a newborn. Depending on how busy I am, I can usually get to you within 48 hours, and sometimes even the same day.

During visits I can provide help and support with various aspects of newborn care, including feeding. I can help you with using your sling, or show you how to use one of mine. We can talk through all your, "Is this normal?" and, "Am I doing this right?" questions. I can watch baby while you take a nap or soak in the bath. I can run the vacuum round or do the washing-up, while you enjoy newborn snuggles, or when you feed them for the eleventy-billionth time!

I can do visits in the evenings and at weekends (and sometimes even on bank holidays), not just Monday to Friday, 9 to 5. And all of this is available for the bargain price of just £35, for a visit of up to 2 hours. Or if you want me for a bit longer, this can usually be arranged.

For more information on myself and my services visit: www.optimumdoula.co.uk

09/03/2026

As it's Safer Sleep Week, here are some reminders about safer sleep:

💜Sleep spaces (cots, cribs, moses baskets or carry cots) should be clear, with no pillows, duvets or toys. Cots bumpers are not safe.

💜Baby bouncers and swings are not safe for sleep.

💜Car seats should not be used for sleep, when not in a vehicle. Although essential for safe travel, babies should be removed once you have arrived at your destination (whether awake or asleep, newborns should not be in car seats for more than 30 minutes at a time, and older babies not for more than 2 hours).

💜Nests, pods, baby hammocks, bean bags and sleep positioners are not safe, unless fully supervised, by an alert adult (even if the packaging/advertising says it is safe).

💜Slings are safe for sleep, as long as sling itself is safe, it is being worn safely, and the adult wearing it is alert. Babies must be facing towards the adult for sleep.

💜Babies under the age of 6 months should not sleep in a room without an adult. This applies to naps, as well as overnight.

💜Bed-sharing can be done safely. For information on how to safely bed-share, follow this link: www.llli.org/news/the-safe-sleep-seven/

And for more information on sleep products follow this link: www.lullabytrust.org.uk/baby-safety/baby-product-information/baby-sleeping-products/