http://www.postpartummatters.co.uk/

Postpartum Matters CIC, The Women's Health Hub, 79 Park Road, Hartlepool (2026)

07/04/2026

🌻Pregnancy Wellness Retreat🌻

Back in January, I walked into ‘s stunning tipi and just thought… yeah. This is exactly how I want people to feel in pregnancy.

Soft.
Held.
Like you can actually exhale for a minute.

I’m coming together with the wonderful & to create a day that isn’t about doing pregnancy “right”…but about having space to slow down, connect, and be supported.

There’ll be a mix of gentle practices & workshops - think yoga, rebozo massage, infant feeding support, mindful meditation - space to rest, and time to just be - with a group of really lovely women holding it all with you.

It’s going to feel really special. ✨

If you’ve been craving something like this, you’re so welcome to join us 🤍

Tickets are live via the link in my bio (there aren’t loads of spaces to keep it super special) or comment ‘retreat’ below and I’ll message you the link 🙏🏻

Sending love,
Zoe xx

25/03/2026

There’s a lot of money being made from telling you how to have your baby

do this
don’t do that
move like this
heal this part of yourself first
make sure you’ve worked through everything before labour

and it can start to feel like
if you don’t get it “right”
something might go wrong

and I just don’t believe that’s true

I’ve sat with people who were still scared
still anxious
still carrying stuff they hadn’t “figured out” yet

and they still had really powerful, beautiful births

there isn’t one way to do this

and I don’t think more instructions is what’s missing

most people already have a sense of what they need
it just gets buried under all the noise

so when we work together
we slow it right down

we sit together
we talk through what’s coming up for you
your body, your baby, your thoughts around birth

and we build support from there

not from a formula

if you’re looking for someone to lead you or tell you what to do
I’m probably not your person

but if you want to be met where you are
and supported in a way that actually fits you
you can book a free chat through the link in my bio

I have space for one more family ahead of the summer and I’d love to connect with you ✨

Sending love,
Zoe xx

🌻

16/03/2026

Everyone talks about community in the birth world.

But sometimes I wonder if we’ve made the idea of it too small.

Last week I hosted a community conversation with Birthrights and something really stayed with me.

We talked about how access to community can shape people’s experiences of pregnancy and birth.

When people have access to support, shared knowledge and information, they’re often more able to understand their rights, recognise respectful care and advocate for themselves.

Community can be a powerful tool.

But something else came up too.

Community can also become somewhere we stay within.
A place where we only connect with people who look like us, live like us or believe what we believe.

At this event there were women from lots of different communities. Orthodox Jewish women. Muslim women. Black women. White women.

Different lives. Different experiences.

And what kept coming into my mind was this:

All of those women are my community.

Community doesn’t have to mean people who are the same as us.

It can mean sitting together, listening to each other, learning from each other and recognising each other as people who deserve care and respect.

Maybe part of the work is asking ourselves:

Who do we include in our community?
Who do we leave out?
And why?

Because when we widen our idea of community, we make space for more connection, more support and more care.

And honestly, I think pregnancy and maternity care needs more of that.

If you’re pregnant and looking for support around you during pregnancy, birth or postpartum, you’re always welcome to reach out for a chat.

Sending love,
Zoe xx

🌻

11/03/2026

Pregnancy can feel like everyone is talking at you.
A doula is someone who sits *with* you.

We sit together.

We chat through your fears, your thoughts, your feelings about your body, your baby, your birth plans.

Sometimes we talk about the practical things.
Sometimes we try things like rebozo, breath, movement or touch.

Sometimes we just sit with whatever is coming up for you that day.

You can message me when something feels wobbly.
You can ask the questions that feel silly or too small for an appointment.
You can change your mind about things.

A lot of doula support looks very simple from the outside.

But having someone consistently in your corner during pregnancy, birth and postpartum can change how the whole experience feels.

Reading reviews like this always makes me pause because being invited into someone’s pregnancy journey is a huge privilege 🤍

I currently have space for two families due before August, and then from mid September 🥰

If you’re pregnant and wondering if having a doula might feel supportive for you, you can book a free chat through the link in my bio. Or comment ‘doula’ below and I’ll pop the link over 😊

Sending love,
Zoe xx

🌻

rebozomassage birthpreparation holisticbirth fourthtrimester postpartumcare northeastmums durhammums teesvalleymums hartlepoolmums newcastleparents pregnancyjourney expectantparents durhamdoula

03/03/2026

Hi I’m Zoe and I’ve decided that my March is going to be lovely 😂🌻❤️

Yesterday I held the most beautiful closing ceremony for a doula client who had her baby in December ✨
I have two other closing ceremonies booked in with clients this month and I’m just forever grateful to be able to offer this support to women 🥰

Yesterdays client said she’d never felt so relaxed ❤️🙌🏻 which is just exactly what I love to hear 😍

Other things I’m excited for in March:

🌻our community conversation with - check out the link in my bio or comment below if you’d like to come along 🙏🏻 it’s free, there’s food and it’s going to be awesome

🌻starting my level 3 sports massage course with and expanding my knowledge base and skills

🌻welcoming two new birth clients with their first session, getting to know them and their families and beginning to map out the care they need over the coming months ❤️ (I only have one more space for birth support this side of September so drop me a message if you’d like to find out more 😊)

🌻continuing to work hard growing and supporting our community - we have a fab collaborative event coming up for international women’s day on Monday at Hartlepool art gallery and I have a couple more free journaling workshops at the space this month too ✨

🌻meeting with & to plan something exciting for later on in the year 🥰

All whilst continuing to allow myself to be cared for after my miscarriage last month ❤️ I have a retreat day booked this week and well as a my own closing ceremony with 🥰 I’m just so grateful to be surrounded by and to sit in community with so many amazing women🙏🏻🙏🏻

I’d love to hear from you all - what are you looking forward to in March? 👇🏻

Sending you all so much love for the month ahead too 🌱
Zoe xx

11/02/2026

I’m really excited to share that we will be hosting a community conversation with around rights-respecting care in pregnancy, birth & postpartum ❤️

We are bringing together women, birthing people and birth professionals for a day of honest conversation, shared learning, and connection

Join us on Friday 13 March at ❤️

We are inviting service users who are either currently using the maternity services across the North East, or have used the maternity services in the last six years. As well as anyone who advocates for, works with and supports families in the perinatal period.

This is an opportuity to learn about human rights and childbirth, but also feed into the conversation about what support is needed for service users, to understand and advocate for those rights.

Things that are helpful to know -

✨It’s free to attend, there is food and refreshments available and support for travel if needed

✨Children are very welcome to be brought along.

✨There’s disabled access and the site is within walking distance of Newcastle train station.

✨A breakout space will be provided so if people are talking about things that you don’t feel comfortable with, or you’re not ready to listen to, you can take yourself out the conversation.

There is a form to register your interest - you can find it in my bio or comment birthrights below and I’ll DM it to you ❤️ you can also email me at zoe@postpartummatters.co.uk with any questions or support needs you might have 🥰

I’d love to see you there - please do share and tag anyone else who might benefit or be interested - your pregnant friend, your antenatal teacher, everyone is welcome 😊

Thank you 🙏🏻
Zoe xx

10/02/2026

TW miscarriage 💔

Apparently it’s generational but I find it horrifically uncomfortable when people don’t know everything about me so here is my overshare.

At the end of January I found out my IUD had failed and I was pregnant.

Not for the first time, my firstborn is an IUD baby but unfortunately it didn’t work out as well this time 💔✨.

I have all kinds of feelings about that - about how validated my grief has been when losing this unplanned baby at 34 compared to the abortion pressure I received with my successful IUD pregnancy at 22.

Going through this has also made it impossible to ignore how much care matters. Community care. Because whilst I received blood tests and scans and plans from the NHS, I did not feel cared for.

I am grateful for the -

People who shared practical information about what to expect.
People who dropped off soup, flowers, cards, teabags ❤️
People who offered walks, distractions and childcare so I could get to appointments.

I’m really grateful for the support around me and for the work I do. Work that has meant I am surrounded by so many people who know how to care so well. I have been very well looked after and loved 🙏🏻

I’m going to be moving slower over the next few weeks/ month and I thank you for sticking with me 🙏🏻❤️

Zoe xx

26/01/2026

This weekend I washed my car magnets.
Light pink. Absolutely filthy. Didn’t think that one through at all 😅

It’s one of those tiny, boring, weird admin jobs you don’t see when you imagine “running a business.” Not glamorous. Not impactful. Just… necessary.

And it feels extra strange doing things like this while the world feels so loud. So much harm. So much suffering. So much scrolling and witnessing and not knowing what to do with it all.

There’s something grounding about doing a small, physical task with your hands. About stepping out of your phone and the collective trauma and back into your own life for a moment.
That in itself is a privilege — to be able to look away, even briefly. But helpful if it means we can keep moving forward.

So I’ll wash the magnets.
And I’ll keep showing up where I can.
And it will keep not feeling like enough.

The link to donate to UNFPA is still in my bio 🤍

Sending you all love,
Zoe 🌻

15/01/2026

✨Some magic from the last seven days✨

✨I supported a wonderful family to bring their first baby into this world ❤️ and have cared for and held them in their first week at home

✨I held a beautiful closing ceremony for a mother who birthed her first baby back in October, wrapping up her hips and her whole self as well as 8 months of support together in such a gentle way

✨I have supported other clients with accessing support, with deep listening & information sharing

✨I have walked alongside and worked with some amazing folks - which has felt great but, more importantly, has led to others being supported so much more than if we were walking all alone

~sending love to

& Riki from NeuroClean 🙏🏻❤️

It feels so good to be able to give people true, bespoke support specific to them - not feeling all the pressure to be all the things by myself but knowing I have some amazing people around me who can step in to build a lush circle around families at such a vulnerable time ⭕️

I have availability for doula support from mid-May 🥰 you can book a free, no-obligation chat with me via the link in my bio, I’d love to meet you ❤️

Sending love,
Zoe xx

🌻

06/01/2026

✨Happy 2026✨

This month is VERY busy. With births 🥰. With antenatal and postpartum care 🥰. With new client consultations and prep for a new round of my Mindful Bookbinding course 🥰. With writing funding bids for Women’s Health Hartlepool and running my free, fortnightly creative journaling sessions 🥰.

I have so many thoughts and things I’d like to share with you but I haven’t the time to make them Instagrammable so I’m just showing up to say I’m here for the in-person support & chats and I’d love to connect - you can book a cuppa with me via the link in my bio.

I hope your 2026 is full of joy 🌻

Zoe xx

✨

26/12/2025

I hope you’ve had a gentle and happy festive season, whatever that’s looked like for you. I know this time of year can hold many different feelings and I’m holding space for all of them ❤️.

I’m inviting anyone who’d like to join me for some quiet journaling tomorrow. Nothing fancy or heavy. Just a notebook, a warm drink, and a little time to slow down.
I’ll be at Women’s Health Hartlepool, 10am till 12pm - with all the warm drinks and the biscuits and the journaling materials to guide you through the above prompts 🥰

For those who can’t make it, I thought I’d share it here for you join in - you can zoom in on your phone or drop me a message and I’ll send you a copy 😊

Here are the prompts inspired by unicursal labyrinths, one path and no wrong turns.

✨Labyrinth as self reflection✨

a)
When I imagine reaching the center,
what is waiting there for me?
is it clear, blurry or uncertain?
How does that feel in my body?

b)
If there are no wrong turns here,
how might I meet this moment
exactly as it is - with more
gentleness, ease or compassion?

c)
How do I usually respond when
the way forward feels indirect or
progress feels slow or repetitive?
How would I like to respond to this
instead?
How can I help myself bridge that gap?

✨

Sending love,

Zoe xx

✨

💛

09/12/2025

It feels really vulnerable to share this, but the Women’s Health Hub is at a point where community support genuinely matters more than ever. 💗

If the Hub has ever been a safe place for you - or if you simply believe that women and birthing people in the North East deserve somewhere warm, free, and supportive to land - I’d be so grateful if you could consider helping us stay open.

Even the smallest regular donation (£3 a month!) helps us keep the doors open, the kettle on, and our support groups running. It really is the “lots of us doing a little” that makes the difference. ✨

👉 You can donate here: www.postpartummatters.co.uk/donate 🔗is in my bio too

And if you can’t donate right now, sharing this post or mentioning us to a friend or local business honestly helps just as much.

Thank you for being part of our community, it means more than you know. 🫶

Zoe xx

Postpartum Matters CIC

07/04/2026

25/03/2026

16/03/2026

11/03/2026

03/03/2026

11/02/2026

10/02/2026

26/01/2026

15/01/2026

06/01/2026

26/12/2025

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