Doula - Kent & London

Blog

Articles and posts on all things pregnancy, birth and parenting.

Topics include: pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, formula feeding, co-sleeping, any kind of sleep, newborn babies, newborn mothers, 4th trimester care, tongue-tie, silent reflux, attachment parenting, mothers mental health, PTSD, PND, birth trauma etc.

Instagram post - what does a birth doula cost?

Doula Business, birth doula kentRuth PayAugust 21, 2018rochester, end of life doula, kent, rochester doula, birth trauma, cost, start of life, doula, birth doulaComment

Guest Blog Post - Hannah from Reframing Birth: When it comes to birth, it should not be a question of midwife vs. doula..

Doula BusinessRuth PayAugust 13, 2018Mother Mother Doulamidwivesmakeadifference, midwive, student midwife, doula and midwife, hypnobirthing, reframing birth, community, working together, better birth Comment

I might have stopped breastfeeding if it weren't for social media, that doesn't make me better than you

Doula BusinessRuth PayAugust 5, 2018social media, breastfeeding, formula feeding, informed is best, social justice, am I breastfeeding right? Comment

World Breastfeeding Week 2018 - Breastfeeding health benefits

It shouldn't be the case that by sharing information about breastfeeding I feel like I am scaremongering those that formula feed. That is not my intention, and I don't think information about breastfeeding should be hidden to protect us from feeling guilty. We shouldn't feel guilty if we make informed choices for the best of our baby and family and Ourselves.

Doula BusinessRuth PayAugust 2, 2018Mother Mother Doulabreastfeeding, am I breastfeeding right?, normalisebreastfeeding, rochester breastfeeding, how long should I breastfeed?Comment

Instagram post - C-section, 'natural birth's and failure

Doula BusinessRuth PayJuly 30, 2018pain relief, labour, c-section, breastfeeding, birth, doula, baby, motherhoodComment

Interviews with people about doulas, birth and new born life: 5. Mother of a four month old

Interview with a mother about her recent experience of hiring a doula for the birth of her daughter. "She was a guiding light"

Professional developmentRuth PayJuly 27, 2018Mother Mother Doulainterviewwithaparent, Positive Birth Movement, first time mum, home birth, birth doula, interviewwithsomeonelikeyou, , what is a doula, breastfeeding, happy baby, birth story, normal parentComment

Instagram post - Thank you NHS

I don't want there to have to be a need for private doulas. Dream world scenario is that we have continuity of care, time to listen, more and better cared for staff...and so on.

Personal, Doula Kent, Doula Medway, Birth Doula Medway, Kent DoulaRuth PayJuly 25, 2018gillingham hospital, , SCBU, special care baby unit, newborn, maternity, doula, home birth, NICU, medway maritime hospital, nhsComment

Interviews with people about doulas, birth and babies - 4. Father of an 11 year old

Interview with a father about his experience of birth as a teenager and what his expectations of using a doula would be.

Doula BusinessRuth PayJuly 23, 2018medway childbirth, , medway doula, doulas, medway antenatal classes, parenthood, father, kent doula Comment

Instagram post - protecting your bubble, pulling up the drawbridge, filling up your cup

PersonalRuth PayMay 13, 2018skin to skin, pnd, c-section, , SCBU, newborn, NICUComment

Interviews with people about doulas, birth and babies - 3. Mother of a one year old

Interview with a mother of one child under the age of one. She speaks about her experiences in birth and her reservations about having a doula.

Doula BusinessRuth PayJuly 15, 2018Mother Mothermother, mum, families, birth stories, why hire a doula, doula, kent doulaComment

Instagram post - postnatal fog

Doula BusinessRuth PayJuly 12, 2018mental health, mother, fourthtrimester, encouragement, postnatal, women supporting women, newborn, 4thtrimester, doula, motherhood Comment

Interviews with people about doulas, birth and babies - 2. Mother of two adults

Interview with a mother of two children in their thirties about the usefulness of doulas during birth.

Doula BusinessRuth PayJuly 8, 2018support, parents, birth stories, parenting, birth trauma, doula, kent doulaComment

Electronic Fetal Monitoring and the dramatic rise in C-sections

Why do we get monitored during labour? Duh. To check if the baby is OK. If their heart rate is normal, they are probably ok. Right?

But here is the issue with that premise: there has been no drop in the number of births with CP, not even when the lower rate of death rate of premature babies is taken into account. EFM has not prevented or reduced the thing it was meant to do.

Professional developmentRuth PayJuly 6, 2018midwives, c-section, cesarean, birth trauma, kent doula, vbac, labour, , pregnancy, birth, all birth is birth, vaginal birth, natural birthComment

Interviews with people about doulas, birth and new born life: 1. Father of a toddler

An interview with a 30 something dad of one about his experience of birth and the usefulness of doulas.

Doula BusinessRuth PayJuly 1, 2018cesarean, dads, birth trauma, doula, birth doula, induction, kent doula, fatherhood, , birth stories, birth, father, fathersComment

Instagram post - do you want to have a baby?

PersonalRuth PayJune 30, 2018pregnancy, infertility, baby, hypnobrthing kent, birth kent, rochester doulaComment

Instagram post - National Breastfeeding Awareness Week - how to be still

This is us in the first 6 weeks. Sitting on the bedroom floor. Dressed! Next to me is an apple core, a box of cereal bars, 2 bottles of water, a green smoothie and breast pump.

PersonalRuth PayJune 22, 2018Mother Mothernew mum, , slowing down, fedisbest, breastfeeding, postnatal, normalisebreastfeeding, new mother, bottle feedingComment

Instagram post - Thank you to my midwife

PersonalRuth PayJune 14, 2018midwives, hospital birth, medway hospital, home birth, doula, midwivesmakeadifferenceComment

Instagram post - partners and maternal mental health

Doula BusinessRuth PayJune 7, 2018pnd, postnatal depression, dads, newborn, ptsd, birth trauma, partners, mums, , families, family, fathers, mothers Comment

Instagram post - when I became a mother

PersonalRuth PayJune 1, 2018c-section, mother, birth, newborn, new mother, parenthood, motherhoodComment

International Doula Month - book club: Nurturing New Families, Naomi Kemeny

Resource hub for local in person support for new mothers, fathers and families plus online and virtual support.

Antenatal, Birth & Postnatal Doula for Kent and London

Towns and areas that I can cover

Ashford, Aylesford, Allhallows-on-Sea, Bearsted, Biddenden, Bonnington, Brenchley, Broadstairs, Canterbury, Charing, Chatham, Chiddingstone, Cliffe at Hoo, Cobham Cranbrook, Crockenhill, Dartford, Deal, Detling, Dover, Dunton Green, Dymchurch, Eythorne, Edenbridge, Eastry, Faversham, Folkestone, Gillingham, Goudhurst, Gravesend, Greenhithe, HawkhurstHeadcorn, Herne Bay, Higham, High-Halstow, Hildenborough, Hollingbourne, Horsmonden, Hythe, Kemsing, Kingsdown, Kings Hill, Lamberhurst, Langley, Leigh, Linton, Longfield, Lydd , Maidstone, Manston, Marden, Margate, Martin, Martin Mill, Meopham, Minster-in-Thanet, Minster-in-Sheppey, Maxton, Monkton, Nettlestead, Nettlestead Green, New Ash GreenNew Romney, Northfleet, Otford, PaddockWood, Pembury, Penshurst, Postling , Queenborough , Ramsgate, Rochester, Sandwich, Seal, Sevenoaks, Sheerness, Shoreham, Shorne, Sittingbourne, Stone, Sturry, Swanley, Tenterden, Thurnham, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Upnor, Upchurch, Walmer, Westerham, West Kingsdown, West Malling, Whitstable. Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham, and Southwark