Maria - The Natural Doula

29/06/2026

05/06/2026

05/06/2026

Doula Support Through Pregnancy Loss

Losing a baby, at any stage, is one of the most profound and devastating experiences any woman can go through. Whether you have experienced a miscarriage, a stillbirth, the loss of a baby shortly after birth or maybe having to make the difficult choice of having an abortion... your grief is real, your love is real and you deserve to be held through every moment of it.

In the UK, around 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage and approximately 4,000 babies are stillborn every year. Behind every one of those statistics is a mother and a love story that deserves to be honoured... not rushed, not minimised and never faced alone.

What I can Can Offer

I cannot take away the pain of loss but I can make sure you don't carry it alone. In the immediate aftermath, having someone calm, compassionate, and completely focused on you can make an enormous difference.

A doula provides:

A safe, non-judgemental presence, someone to sit with you in the silence, hold your hand or simply be there when words feel impossible.

Emotional and spiritual support, Honouring your baby in whatever way feels right for you, whether that is through ritual, remembrance or simply being allowed to grieve freely.

Practical guidance, Helping you navigate what can feel like an overwhelming medical process with gentleness and clarity, so you never feel alone in a clinical setting.

Birth support during stillbirth, many families are unaware that a doula can be present during the delivery of a stillborn baby, offering the same loving, continuous support as any birth because this birth matters just as much.

Postnatal bereavement care, The weeks and months after loss can feel like an emotional rollercoaster. A doula can offer ongoing emotional check-ins, a listening ear, and signposting to specialist bereavement support when the time feels right.

Why Support Matters So Much...
Research consistently shows that women who receive continuous emotional support during and after pregnancy loss experience lower levels of prolonged grief, reduced feelings of isolation and a greater sense of having been seen and heard in their experience. Grief that is witnessed heals differently to grief that is carried alone.
Society can sometimes expect women to grieve quietly and quickly after pregnancy loss. Told to move on, try again, stay strong but your baby was real. Your bond was real and your need to be truly supported through that loss isn't just valid but vital.

If you have experienced pregnancy loss or if you are currently pregnant after loss and carrying fear alongside hope, please know that you do not have to navigate this alone. There is no loss too early, no grief too small and no question too difficult. I am here 💛

04/06/2026

Its almost as if breast milk is made for babies benefit 🙃

A large study found children exclusively breastfed show distinct epigenetic markers linked to immunity and development, suggesting early feeding may leave lasting molecular signatures, though functional effects remain unclear.

24/03/2026

For many years now, continuous monitoring in labour has become very common here in the UK. It’s offered with the intention of keeping babies safe — watching every heartbeat, every moment, so that any signs of distress can be picked up quickly.... And of course, as mothers, that reassurance can feel so important.

But when we take a step back and look at the evidence, a more nuanced picture appears.

For women with low-risk pregnancies, continuous monitoring hasn’t been shown to improve long-term outcomes for babies…
Yet it IS associated with higher rates of intervention — including assisted births and caesarean sections.

Understand that birth, in most cases, is a physiological process — not something that automatically needs managing minute by minute.

Continuous monitoring can sometimes mean being more confined, less able to move freely, and more focused on the machine than your body and sometimes, that can shift the whole flow of labour.

Here in the UK, guidance does support that for low-risk labours, intermittent monitoring is a safe and appropriate option too, NOT CONTINUOUS.

Which means… you have choices.

✨ You can ask what’s being recommended and why
✨ You can explore alternatives
✨ You can be part of the decisions around your care

This is about coming back to trust — in your body, in your baby, and in the process of birth itself 🌿

Not rejecting support, but making space for informed, evidence-based care that truly honours you.

Because your birth isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience.
And you deserve to feel safe, supported, and heard every step of the way.

You’re allowed to ask questions.
You’re allowed to take up space.
You’re allowed to birth in a way that feels right for you.

And this is where I help women, I bring back the forgotten wisdom within them, that empowers them to trust and believe in themselves, their body and their baby. I enhance my clients confidence to ask the questions & to demand the science to back up any answers.

Knowledge is power 🫶

24/03/2026

There’s something so powerful about the little choices we make as mothers… even down to the fabric that touches our baby’s skin 🤍

I recently came across a beautiful piece of research showing that babies wrapped in linen tend to fall asleep more easily and cry less and honestly, it makes so much sense. Linen is one of those gentle, natural materials that seems to just breathe with our babies — soft, calming, and comforting in a way that supports their tiny, developing nervous systems.

As mums, we feel it, don’t we? When our babies are more settled, when their bodies soften into rest, when sleep comes just that little bit easier. It’s not about perfection — it’s about creating a nurturing environment where they feel safe, held and at peace.

Something as simple as choosing a natural fabric like linen for swaddling or bedding can be a small but meaningful way to support your baby’s sleep and wellbeing. A softer transition into rest… for them and for you 🤍

13/03/2026

Denmark just made a bold move in infant care — and the science backs it up completely.

Comforting your baby isn't spoiling them 🙄

It's brain development in action.

Save this for the next time someone tells you you're holding them too much. 🫶

13/03/2026

Did you know the first hour after birth can affect bonding, breastfeeding, and recovery?

It’s often called the golden hour — and it’s one of the most powerful moments for both mum and baby.

Right after birth, a mother’s body releases a surge of oxytocin (the love hormone) This hormone helps:

✨ The uterus contract and reduce bleeding
✨ The placenta separate
✨ Breastfeeding begin
✨ Bonding between mother and baby

What helps stimulate this natural process?

🤍 Skin-to-skin contact
🤍 Touch
🤍 Warmth
🤍 Smelling your baby

When a newborn is placed directly on their mother’s chest, something amazing happens. Mothers instinctively touch, kiss, and smell their baby’s head, which helps stimulate more oxytocin and supports early bonding.

One routine many parents don’t know about is the newborn hat that’s often placed on babies right away.

Hats were originally introduced to help prevent heat loss, but when babies stay skin-to-skin, a mother’s body actually regulates their babies temperature, Her chest can warm or cool to meet her baby’s needs.

Because of this, many birth professionals who support physiologic birth often focus on something very simple during the golden hour:

✨ Baby skin-to-skin on mum’s chest
✨ A warm blanket over baby’s back
✨ Time and space for bonding
✨ Minimal interruptions

Every birth setting is different, but understanding your options can help you make informed choices for those first precious moments.

Sometimes the most powerful support after birth is simply time, connection, and skin-to-skin.

Save this if you’re pregnant or planning your birth. 🫶