Bumps and Babies with Ruth

Bumps and Babies with Ruth https://linkin.bio/bumpsandbabieswithruth. I’m a birth & postnatal doula caring for the expat community and those with family far away.

I look after women in South-West London 🥰

Contact
https://app.doulado.co/client?eyJpbnRha2VfaWQiOiIxMDQ4In0%3D=_ Caring and compassionate doula helping you through pregnancy, birth and beyond

World Doula Week 🤍It’s taken me a long time to find what I truly believe I was born to do… but I found it. 🥰I love my wo...
26/03/2026

World Doula Week 🤍

It’s taken me a long time to find what I truly believe I was born to do… but I found it. 🥰

I love my work. Supporting people through one of the most powerful, vulnerable, and life-changing moments they will ever experience. Holding space, offering strength when it feels tough, and always striving to help each family achieve the birth they most want.

As I write this, I’m on my way to another birth… another moment where a miracle will unfold. The miracle of new life entering the world never loses its wonder. ✨

Every birth is different. Every mum, every journey, every baby. And yet each one stays with me. Each one leaves its mark, held forever in my memory.

Feeling incredibly grateful this World Doula Week to do the work I love. 🤍If you’re expecting and looking for support, my inbox is always open 💌

Four babies. Four completely different humans. Four of the greatest teachers I’ve ever had.They’ve taught me patience I ...
15/03/2026

Four babies. Four completely different humans. Four of the greatest teachers I’ve ever had.
They’ve taught me patience I didn’t know I had - and shown me the moments I need to dig deeper for it. They’ve taught me that gentleness isn’t weakness, it’s the most powerful thing in the room. That resilience isn’t something you find once - it’s something you practise, over and over, in the small ordinary moments.
They’ve taught me that love isn’t one size. It stretches and shapes itself differently for each of them - and somehow, impossibly, it just keeps growing.
They’ve taught me to be spontaneous (sometimes against my will 😂), to find joy in the completely unplanned, and to laugh when things don’t go to script - which, with four kids, is most of the time.
Most of all, they’ve reminded me again and again that every single person is different. Different needs, different hearts, different ways of moving through the world. Watching that unfold in my own children has made me a better mum - and a better doula.
Happy Mother’s Day to every mother out there holding it all together, falling apart, and showing up anyway. You are doing something extraordinary. 🤍

Let’s talk about episiotomies. 💬 🫣It’s one of those words that comes up a lot in birth prep - but what actually is it, a...
12/03/2026

Let’s talk about episiotomies. 💬 🫣
It’s one of those words that comes up a lot in birth prep - but what actually is it, and do you need one?
An episiotomy is a small surgical cut made to the perineum (the tissue between the va**na and a**s) during the pushing stage of labour. It used to be done routinely, but guidelines have shifted significantly - it’s now recommended only when there’s a clear clinical need.
When it might be necessary:
→ Baby is in distress and needs to be born quickly
→ An assisted delivery (forceps or ventouse) is needed
→ To prevent a severe, uncontrolled tear
The potential benefits in those cases:
✔️ A clean, controlled cut that’s easier to repair than a jagged tear
✔️ Can speed up delivery when time is critical
✔️ May reduce risk of severe tearing in certain positions or situations
The considerations to weigh up:
→ Pain and discomfort during recovery
→ Risk of infection at the wound site
→ Can extend into a deeper tear if not managed well
→ Research shows many episiotomies can be avoided with the right support, positioning, and pushing techniques
→ You may experience scar tissue sensitivity for months after
The evidence is clear: routine episiotomies are not recommended. But when used at the right moment, by a skilled provider, they absolutely have a place.
This is exactly why knowing your options - and having someone in your corner who can advocate for you in the room- matters so much. 🤍
Questions about this? Drop them below. 👇

🫶🏼This is what I see in every birth I attend.Yes, a baby is born. But so is a mother.And my role? It’s to help you disco...
09/03/2026

🫶🏼This is what I see in every birth I attend.
Yes, a baby is born. But so is a mother.
And my role? It’s to help you discover just how strong, capable, and powerful you already are.
Birth has a way of revealing what’s been inside you all along—an inner strength you might not have known existed. Through every contraction, every moment of doubt, every surge of courage, you’re becoming the mother your baby needs.
You don’t need me to give you strength. You already have it.
But I’ll be there to remind you of it when you forget. To hold space when things don’t go to plan. To believe in you when you’re not sure you believe in yourself.
Because birth isn’t just about bringing a baby into this world. It’s about you discovering who you become in the process.
Strong. Competent. Capable. Exactly as you are. 💪🏻

Happy International Women’s Day 💛To every woman who has grown a life far from home - who navigated a foreign healthcare ...
08/03/2026

Happy International Women’s Day 💛
To every woman who has grown a life far from home - who navigated a foreign healthcare system while also navigating pregnancy, who has been handed leaflets in a language that isn’t quite hers, who has missed her mum more than ever in those last few weeks - this day is for you.
Being pregnant as an expat in London is a particular kind of brave. You’re building a village from scratch, in a new city, with a new accent, and new protocols. And you’re doing it while your body is doing the most extraordinary thing it has ever done.
My work as a doula exists because women deserve to feel held in that experience. Not just medically supported - truly held. With continuity, warmth, and someone who shows up knowing your name, your story, and your fears.
Today I’m honouring every client who trusted me to be part of their journey, and every woman still searching for her people in this city.
You are not alone. You never have to do this alone. 🤍
📍 London-based doula supporting expat families
🔗 Link in bio to learn more about working together

🥰 Being someone’s safe place during one of the most powerful moments of their life - there’s nothing like it. 🤍 So grate...
07/03/2026

🥰 Being someone’s safe place during one of the most powerful moments of their life - there’s nothing like it. 🤍 So grateful for this beautiful review and for the honour of supporting this incredible family. Congratulations again, supermum - you were amazing. ✨

How do you tell if your newborn wants to feed? 🤷🏼‍♀️Those tiny fists say it all.Before a baby ever cries for milk, thei...
07/03/2026

How do you tell if your newborn wants to feed? 🤷🏼‍♀️Those tiny fists say it all.
Before a baby ever cries for milk, their body is already telling you exactly what they need. Learning to read your newborn’s hunger cues early can make feeding so much smoother — and help you respond before frustration sets in for both of you. 💛
Early hunger cues to watch for:
• Rooting (turning head side to side, searching)
• Bringing hands to mouth (just like this little love 🤛)
• Smacking or licking lips
• Sucking on fingers or fists
• Increased alertness or restlessness
Late cue = crying. By the time baby is crying, they’re already worked up — which can make latching harder and feeding more stressful. Watch for the early signs and you’ll both be much calmer!
Every newborn is different, and learning your baby’s unique cues takes time. Be patient with yourself. You’re doing beautifully. 🤍
If you’re navigating those early feeding days and need support, I’m here. Drop a question in the comments or send me a DM. 👇

Spot on advice 🥰 • .nurture We are often told that by responding to our childrens cries, we are creating bad habits or m...
06/03/2026

Spot on advice 🥰 • .nurture We are often told that by responding to our childrens cries, we are creating bad habits or making them too dependent. We are warned that we are spoiling them or that they will never learn to be independent if we do not let them figure it out on their own.
But the truth is that independence grows from a place of deep security. When a child knows that their needs will be met and that their voice matters, they develop the confidence to eventually step out into the world on their own. They do not become clingy because we held them; they become brave because they know they have a safe place to return to.
I want my children to expect me to be there. I want them to go through life with the unwavering certainty that they are loved and supported. I am not just raising a child; I am building a relationship that will last a lifetime.
Responding to your child is not a mistake. It is the very essence of motherhood.
Tag a mom who needed this reminder today.

Let’s talk baby showers…… and far away family and friends. Do you want to hire an Doula but aren’t sure how to afford it...
04/03/2026

Let’s talk baby showers…… and far away family and friends. Do you want to hire an Doula but aren’t sure how to afford it? You’re in luck! I have a few different payment options for my services as I believe everyone that wants the support of a doula should have it. One of my payment options is to put me on your baby registry! I am registered with baby registry. How does it work? You create your registry through their website, connect your account so you get the funds you’re gifted, share your registry with your village however far away they are, and the cash goes straight into your bank account so you can pay for the things that are actually helpful to you in motherhood like my doula support! A lot more helpful and meaningful than being gifted 50 cute newborn onesies that your baby might not even wear…

Find me on • “Doula work is a unique profession. We deal with the intangible and the unexplainable. We stand in our own...
04/03/2026

Find me on • “Doula work is a unique profession. We deal with the intangible and the unexplainable. We stand in our own strength letting things be the way they are without trying to fix them or pretty them up. We are deeply intimate during a vulnerable transition in people’s lives. Then we move away, having helped them to find strength and abilities they didn’t know they possessed. Our services are needed and valuable. When we hold this as truth inside ourselves, we know who we are. That transforms everybody.”
– Amy L. Gilliland (The Heart of The Doula)

Gold for Libbie! 🥇
28/02/2026

Gold for Libbie! 🥇

Kind words, they truly mean the world to me! It was such a privilege to support this family on their incredible journey,...
26/02/2026

Kind words, they truly mean the world to me! It was such a privilege to support this family on their incredible journey, and to welcome their son into the world in such a beautiful, natural way was an absolute honour.
They came in knowing what they wanted, and watching mum own that experience with such strength and grace was truly inspiring. This is exactly why I do what I do, every family, every birth is a gift, and theirs was no exception.
Wishing them all the love and joy in the world. Congratulations! 🌟

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