At the heart of my vocation – the purpose of all my various qualifications – is the belief that every woman, every person, in pregnancy and motherhood deserves to be held in her power, to be seen and heard as an individual, cared for in the light of her wishes and values. And that all parents deserve access to evidence-based information and expert support, both emotional and physical, alongside the clinical support of their midwives and doctors. When the women and families I have the privilege of working with find calm and confidence on their transition to parenthood, I know I’ve done my job.

Since 2008, I have been supporting women and partners in accessing good, evidence-based information about their choices in maternity care. I started by volunteering with AIMS Ireland, attending my first meeting when my second baby was just 7 weeks old. Using my background working in publishing, I co-edited The Healthy Birth Directory for the West of Ireland, an independent maternity resource guide which included essays and heaps of information and resources for pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.

I also learned from my own pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding experiences the incredible difference continuity of unbiased support, companionship and understanding makes. For my third pregnancy and birth, I was lucky to have a home birth midwife who I got to know and trust, and who trusted me. I felt safe, calm and confident to make the decisions that were right for me, with expert support to help me with a plan to achieve my goals. The evidence is clear that continuity of care and carer leads to better outcomes for mothers and babies. This is why I became a doula and what has led me to offer specialised support in lactation/breastfeeding and also in birth trauma healing.

Every pregnancy, birth and early parenting journey is unique and comes with its own considerations, challenges and joys. The Irish maternity services can be disjointed and frustrating, information on all options can be hard to find, continuity of carer is sadly rare and resources are limited – I know this firsthand as a parent, a maternity advocate and from the many stories I have heard from other women and clients over the years. Having a guide to navigate it all – to connect you to evidence-based information and resources, to be a sounding board for your concerns and then to help you make a plan – can make all the difference for positive birth, breastfeeding and postnatal experiences. I’m here to help.

I am proud to be a part of the West Coast Doulas collective and to be a member of the following organisations with whom I undergo continuous professional development with incredible colleagues and networks of support: the Doula Association of Ireland (DAI), the Association of Lactation Consultants of Ireland and Antenatal Ireland.(Cuidiú). I am registered with the Federation of Antenatal Educators (FEDANT), am insured by Balens EU and am Garda vetted.