Why I became a Doula...

 

After the birth of my first child, I knew I wanted to be a doula, and help other women the way I was supported by the doula we had. We asked our doula to support us because although not new to this country, I had never given birth here before and just felt we needed someone to help us negotiate the system. When my doula came to my side at the birth of my first baby, my beautiful daughter, I emotionally melted in to her loving embrace. I allowed myself to let go and be vulnerable, because I knew she was there to watch over me, to hold me, to protect me. She held my hand and guided me to that place I needed to be, that safe space inside myself, where I could shut down my thinking brain, and cut out all light and sound, release myself from thought, worry, fear, and my environment, and let my body do what it needed to do. In that space, at that time, she became my protector, my mother, my sister.

 

I asked the same doula to come to my side again for the birth of my second baby, my gorgeous butterball son. Again, my doula became the presence I needed to shut out my environment, and become that birthing mama. 

 

Life before kids...

 

My two children were born in 2006 and 2008. Up until I had my children, I have always worked in an education setting, as a teacher of English as a Second Language as well as in an administrative capacity, helping international students study in the UK.

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My vision...

 

I left the profession of international education while pregnant with my daughter and have been home with her and my son since then. When my son turned two, I became a work-at-home mum, and started up my own childcare business as a childminder. www.kt1childminding.co.uk. For me, moving into the Doula profession was a natural progression and addition to my childminding. I completed my Doula training both with Michel Odent’s Paramana Doula and with Developing Doulas. I continue to add to my professional development all the time and always have some amazing training to look forward to. 

 

My professional training is detailed here.

 

And my experience here.

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One family at a time, I wish to support my local community in the transition to parenthood for women and men, through pregnancy, bith and thereafter. 

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Some personal bits...

 

I have a deep interest in learning about other cultures and countries. I love to cook and bake and spend a lot of time with my children in the kitchen. I am passionate about eating healthly, delicious and real food, and I strive to have a toxin free home with green cleaning. I love to read and am a bit of a compulsive book buyer. My current genres are parenting, child development and birth. I also enjoy volunteering in the community. In the past I have volunteered with Age Concern and the Kingston and Merton Real Nappy Network. Currently I am on the committees of both the Kingston Childminding Association and the Kingston branch of the NCT. I also am a peer supporter with Home Birth Kingston and a lay member with Maternity voices at Kingston Hospital.

 

I am from New York originally but have lived in the UK since 1997 and London is now my home. I am married and my husband Erich is a stand up comedian. We live in Kingston upon Thames with our two children.