Optimum Doula

15/02/2026

I'm all set up, at the Little Pickles Markets Somerset And Wiltshire Chippenham market. Come along to Sheldon School, between 10am and 11:30am this morning (Sunday 15th) to grab some pre-loved baby bargains, and maybe come say hello to me.

12/02/2026

There is a misconception that doulas are only for those who want home births; for those who want to have drug-free, water births surrounded by candles, with whale music playing in the background.

But doulas are for anyone giving birth. They are for home births, birth centre births and hospital births. They are for natural, drug-free births, induced births, epidural births and caesarean births.

Whatever way you are hoping/planning/expecting to give birth, there is a doula for you.

A doula's job is to help you get the birth that is right for you. And what is right for one person may not be what is right for another. And that includes doulas. Just because a doula is the perfect fit for you does not mean they are the perfect fit for your friend, sister or work colleague.

Some doulas specialise in supporting specific types of people, or specific types of birth. Some specialise in caesaren births, twin births or VBACs, or in supporting teenagers or those belonging to the LGBTQ community. Some doulas only support births in their specialist area, whist others support any type of birth. Even doulas who support all types of birth usually prefer supporting certain types of birth, or certain types of people over others. Just as every person giving birth is different, so is every doula.

11/02/2026

As well as being a birth and postnatal doula, I am also a fully qualifed Babywearing Consultant, and run Swindon and Devizes Sling Library. This means that as part of my doula services I can support you in choosing a sling for your baby, and using it safely and comfortably.

But you don't need to hire me as a doula to use the sling library. I run slingmeets in Swindon (on the second and fourth Mondays of each month), in Devizes (on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month) and in Lyneham (on Thursday mornings, once every other month).

The slingmeets in Swindon and Devizes are free to attend (although a voluntary contribution of £1 or £2 per family is highly appreciated) and cost just £1 in Lyneham (payable to the venue, not to me).

If you cannot get to a slingmeet, or would just prefer to have some one-to-one support, then there are several options available, full detatils of which can be found at www.swindonslingibrary.co.uk

And any of the library's slings can be hired, for just £3 or £4 per week.

10/02/2026

Did you know that the majority of midwives, health visitors and doctors do not have proper training in identifying tongue ties in babies?

Midwives, health visitors and doctors should have a basic understanding of what tongue tie is and how it may impact feeding, but most are not trained beyond the basics. They may be able to spot an obvious tie, but unless they have had extra training, in addition to the standard education for their profession, they do not have the skills needed to rule out a less obvious tie.

And just because a tie isn't obvious, to an untrained eye, does not mean it does not impact on a baby's ability to feed effectively (or without causing you ni**le trauma).

I see a lot of families, with feeding issues, who tell me that their baby doesn't have a tongue tie, because they were checked by a midwife/health visitor/doctor. But more often than it should, it turns out that they do. And that after being properly assessed and treated by a qualified Tongue Tie Practitioner, feeding improves.

I am not a Tongue Tie Practitioner, but as a Breastfeeding Counsellor, I do have more of an understanding of tongue tie than your average midwife, health visitor or doctor. And I do sometimes identify ties that others have missed.

But what I do not do, and what I am pleading with others (without specialist training) not to do, is to tell parents that there is no tie. If you cannot spot a tie, but do not have the training required to absolutely rule it out, then do not say: "Your baby does not have a tongue tie."

Instead, please say something along the lines of:

💜 "I cannot see an obvious tie, but I am not fully trained in tongue tie, so cannot rule it out."

💜 "There doesn't appear to be tie to me, but here are the contact details of a local IBCLC, who I know is excellent at identifying tongue ties."

💜 "I can't see a tie myself, but my colleague is an expert on these things, so let's go and heve a chat with her."

💜 "I don't think there is tie, but if your feeding issues continue, you may want to find someone better qualified than me, to do a proper assessment."

So, if you are experiencing feeding difficulties, and someone tells you that your baby does not have a tongue tie, please do ask if they have any specialised training in tongue tie, before taking their word for it.

And remember that a full oral assessment involves someone physically checking inside your baby's mouth, with their finger. If this has not been done, your baby has not been properly assessed for tongue tie.

06/02/2026

It's pouring with rain outside, but I'm under a blanket (hand-made by my sister), with a mug of hot chocolate and a good book.

'The Last Midwife' by Karen Lawrence is the first novel I've read in ages. Normally you'll find me with a non-fiction book, on birth or breastfeeding. This book is about birth, but it is a dystopian thriller, in which you need a license to have a baby and caesareans are compulsory.

02/02/2026

I was on the radio, yesterday.

25/01/2026

I have just recorded an interview with White Horse Radio, which will be broadcast, on their breakfast show, next Sunday (1st February), sometime between 7am and 9am.

www.facebook.com/WhiteHorseRadio

A Wiltshire based Online Radio Station - www.whitehorseradio.co.uk - Bringing you Music from Across the Decades 24/7

23/01/2026

There's a reason some people refer to babies as poo machines!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTcfJN8jpT9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

20/01/2026

Me: How was your day?
Husband: I got very wet? How was yours?
Me: I got w**d on, pooed on and sicked on.
Husband: Nice!

It's been pouring with rain most of the day, hence the wet husband. And I've been doing some postnatal doulaing, hence the wee, poo and sick.

19/01/2026

If you are a pregnancy, birth, baby or toddler business, or a new or expectant parent, do join me at the Birth Network North Wiltshire's Chippenham Baby Show.

If you are currently expecting a baby, or have a child aged under 2, then put the date in your diary. Entry for new and expectant families is free. There's even free goody bags for the first 50 attendees.

Here is a list of the services and organisations who have already confirmed they will be there:

❤️ Rooted Motherhood by Jasmine
🧡 The Mother Rite
💛 Sing and Sign Chippenham & Marlborough
💚 Deep Connexions
💙 Tracey Andresen Reflexology
💜 Optimum Nursing Bras
❤️ Odyssey of Motherhood
🧡 Devizes, Melksham and Calne Breastfeeding Support
💛 Children's Calm Community
💚 Little Pickles Markets Somerset And Wiltshire
💙 Kathryn at Singing Mamas North Wiltshire
💜 Craniosacral & Integrative Baby Therapy, Swindon, Wilts
❤️ Smiles Photography
🧡 Aquatic Harmony
💛 BabyBeatsWestWiltshire
💚 The Mother's Hour
💙 Optimum Corner
💜 Water Babies
❤️ North Wiltshire HomeBirthers
🧡 Swindon and Devizes Sling Library
💛 Optimum Bumps
💚 Swindon Birth School

14/01/2026

Every now and then I take a look at what other birth doulas charge to see how my own prices compare. I know different doulas offer slightly different services and have different areas of expertise, and their prices will reflect this. However, what I am increasingly aware of is that although there are doulas who charge less than me and who charge a similar price, there are also those who charge considerably more than I do.

💜 So why do some doulas charge so much more than others? 💜

Some doulas need to charge high prices, just to be able to pay the bills. Doulas who are the sole or main bread-winner in their household need to charge enough to afford to pay the bills. Those who have a partner who earns a very high wage, or who have other sources of income besides doual-ing can get away with charging less and still be able to have enough money to live. Most doulas, had other jobs before becoming doulas, some of which may have been quite highly paid. And if a doula’s previous job afforded them an affluent lifestyle, they may wish to maintain it, by charging more.

Some doulas charge more because they live and work in an area with a high cost of living. In areas where there is a high cost of living, not only are the people more likely to be able to afford (and be willing to pay) higher prices, but the doulas who live in those areas will need to charge more to be able to afford to live there themselves.

Price variations may also be due to the level of experience and qualification a doula has. A doula who has, not only had 10 years’ experience working as a doula, but also previously worked as a healthcare assistant on a maternity ward, and has given birth 4 times herself, for example, can quite justifiably charge a lot more than a new doula with no relevant qualifications.

Some doulas are also antenatal teachers, hypnobirthing instructors, breastfeeding counsellors or babywearing consultants or have qualifications in relevant therapies such as pregnancy and postnatal massage or reflexology, and charge more because of their additional expertise.

Some doulas offer a very comprehensive service, while others offer a much more basic package. Some offer the use of birth pools, TENS machines or birth balls. Numbers of inclusive antenatal and postnatal visits, as well as on-call periods can vary too. Some doulas offer just two antenatal and one postnatal visit and only go on-call from 38 weeks, while others offer several antenatal and postnatal visits and go on-call from 37 weeks.

💚 Do I charge less because I live in an area with a low cost of living? 💚

No. The area I live and work in is neither cheap nor overly expensive. I am ‘down south’, so things are generally a bit more expensive than for my more northern counterparts, but I am quite far from London (where doulas regularly charge more than four times what I do). There are certainly some extremely well-off people living in some of the nearby villages, but the vast majority of people who live in the surrounding area do not earn six figure salaries or live in houses big enough to have their own postcodes.

💜 Do I charge less because I have little or no experience or qualifications? 💜

No. My level of experience isn’t huge. I haven’t supported hundreds of births, but I have been a doula for 13 years. I have trained and worked as a nursery nurse, babywearing consultant and breastfeeding counsellor. I regularly attend relevant courses, workshops and conferences, to keep my skills and knowledge up-to-date. And I have experience of giving birth myself, both in hospital and at home.

💚 Do I charge less because my services don’t include much? 💚

No. My services are pretty comprehensive. I don’t include 6 postnatal visits, as I have seen a few doulas do. Although if you do want more than the two I offer as standard, with my birth package, you have the option to pay for more. But I do offer up to 6 antenatal visits, and I know that this is more than most other doulas offer. My on-call period is from 37 weeks (or earlier if you are likely to give birth early for any reason) until you give birth, even if that is later than 42 weeks. When I take a booking I will make sure I am available until at least 43 weeks. Some doulas don’t go on-call until 38 weeks, or even 10 days before your due date. And I include the use of one of my birth pools and/or TENS machines in my services.

💜 So why are my prices lower? 💜

It isn’t because I live in an area where no-one would be willing, or able, to afford higher prices (otherwise those doulas that charge more wouldn’t be in business).

It isn’t because I have no relevant qualifications or experience. I have a significant level of relevant experience and actually have more relevant qualifications than many other doulas, who charge more than I do.

It isn’t because my services don’t include as much as others. In fact, from what I have seen they generally include more.

It isn’t because my husband earns so much money I don’t need to work. And it isn’t because I have another more lucrative source of income, meaning I can just doula as a hobby!

I know that if I charged more I would still get people paying for my services. But the people I would get paying for them would change. Currently I get a lot of clients who I’d consider to be ‘like me’. Before becoming a doula, I was primary school teacher, living in a 3 bedroom house, paying a mortgage and living a very ordinary lifestyle. I couldn’t afford to buy brand new cars straight off the showroom floor or to go on regular holidays to exotic locations. And I would have considered hiring a ‘higher charging’ doula to be a luxury I couldn’t justify paying for.

It isn’t that I don’t think doula services are valuable. In some cases having a doula can be worth more than even the most expensive doulas’ fees. It is hard to put a price on having a positive versus negative birth experience, or of avoiding postnatal depression.

But however valuable a service is, when it is not free, not everyone is in position to be able to pay for it.

I know there is the Doula UK access fund. It is there to help individuals or families who feel a doula could help them, but who cannot afford to hire one. But it is there to help those in significant financial hardship or some other form of disadvantage. A ‘normal’ family, who do not receive any benefits or have any other disadvantages would be unlikely to qualify. And it is those ‘normal’ people, who aren’t disadvantaged enough to qualify for the access fund, but would struggle to pull together enough money to pay a more expensive doula, that I tend to get as clients.

I am more than happy to work for clients who could afford a much more expensive doula. I believe everyone who feels a doula would be beneficial to them should be able to have one. But it is when working with the families with more modest incomes, who have to know how much a doula charges before decided to hire them or not, that I feel I am doing what I am meant to do.

There will always be doulas available for those that don’t need to check the price of something before deciding to buy it. What I strive to provide is a doula service for those that have to give bit more consideration to an expensive as big as hiring a doula.

In summary. I do not charge less than other doulas because I feel my service is worth less or because doulas in general are not worth paying a high price for, but because I want hiring a doula to be something that isn’t reserved only for those that are either very rich or very poor. I want to provide a doula service that is accessible to ordinary people, with average incomes.

09/01/2026

I have noticed recently that a lot of the mums I am seeing for feeding support have had the rugby hold recommended, by their midwives or health visitors. Now while this position does work well for some people (espcially if you are tandem feeding twins), for the majority of people there are other positions that work much better.

I rarely suggest the rugby hold for a number of reasons:

💜 It tends to cause those using it to hunch over, potentially causing back and/or neck pain.

💜 It often relies on pillows/cushions. And no-one wants to have to carry a feeding pillow around with them whenever they go.

💜 Baby is fighting gravity, as they are below the breast. Gravity will pull the baby down, away from the breast, This can cause a more shallow, less efficient latch. And babies may try to hold on, by clamping down, which will likely cause ni**le damage.

💜 Some seats may be unsuitable. Firstly, because the baby is off to the side, so some seats may not be wide enough. And secondly, because baby's legs may end up squashed up against the back of the seat, which will impact their ability to achieve suitable position at the breast.

If feeding in the rugby hold works for you, I'm not going to suggest you don't do it! But if you come to me because feeding isn't working, and the position you have been using is the rugby hold, then a change of position could well be one way of improving things.