When you hear the word "doula," what comes to mind? Many people have heard of doulas but may not fully understand what we do or who we serve. There are some common misconceptions about doula work, which can sometimes prevent people from considering the support a doula offers or as training to become...

Credit: Bridie Solman, Expansive course 2023/24

In the world of doula work, the concept of self-care isn’t just a buzzword - it’s an essential, ongoing practice that enables us to offer the best of ourselves to our clients. As someone who transitioned from a career as an Occupational Therapist (OT)...

How the Back-to-School Season Can Inspire a Journey Towards Becoming a Doula

As summer fades and the first hints of autumn colour the trees, a familiar rhythm returns to many households across the country. Parents wave goodbye at the school gates, sending their children off to another year of learn...

Embracing the Essence of Doula Work: Why Being 'Just a Doula' is More Than Enough

In a world that often equates value with versatility, the profession of a doula stands as a poignant reminder that sometimes, the greatest impact comes from mastering a single, profound skill. As doulas, our primary r...

There’s a lot that’s said about birth plans. Are you thinking of making a birth plan but are not sure whether it’s right for you? Should you write a birth plan?

A couple of years ago I decided to read the autobiographical tale “It’s Going to Hurt” by Adam Kay.  In it he recounts his journey as a ju...

I want to share something with you that may shift your perspective if you have been holding back on training as a doula, or starting your doula business.  

I’ve had many conversations with people recently where they say something along the lines of...

I don’t know enough yet to be a doula

or 

I’...

After every Nurturing Birth doula training course, we ask for feedback from the participants, and the themes are the same every time. We thought that we’d share some of these with you, as you try to decide which doula training company you want to train with, in your journey to your new doula career....

When a family discovers that their baby has, or may have Down syndrome, it can be news that many people struggle to immediately accept. There is often so much negativity surrounding a diagnosis of Down syndrome during pregnancy that there is often an expectation from family, professionals and wider ...

Around one in every 250 pregnancies are twin pregnancies, so it’s quite possible that you’ll be asked to support a family who are pregnant with two babies – or more!

As a doula supporting families pregnant with twins and multiples, what are some helpful things to know about? Sarah Hawkins, twin mum...

Sam is a Nurturing Birth course facilitator and has worked for many years as a doula in Chelmsford, Essex. This is the story of why she decided to train to be a doula.

I’m primarily a birth doula, but I also do postnatal work from time to time. I think, actually I know, that I tend to limit how muc...

No one told me it would be like this. I had wanted a baby since my teenage years. I’d craved the closeness of a newborn, fantasised over the kind of happy, centered mother I’d be and yearned for the love shared between parent and child. However, when my first child was born, what I felt bore very li...

Being the second eldest and with seven siblings my doula journey started early on in life. I was blissfully unaware that I would still be in a position to be doing something that I love to this day and with a confidence that has grown over the years.

My career path before becoming a doula was in th...