Birth Doula & Birthkeeper in Gloucestershire

Traditional, relationship-based pregnancy and birth support

Based in the Forest of Dean, I provide birth doula and birthkeeper support across Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire and Herefordshire, including Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud, Ross-on-Wye, Monmouth and surrounding areas. Travelling and virtual support are also available.

Found what you are looking for? Let’s Chat!

Book your Free 20 Minute Discovery Call Now

You already know you want something different.

You've read the books, questioned the conventional pathways and begun imagining how you really want to welcome your baby into the world.

But knowing what you want and creating the circumstances around it are two very different things.

Imagine having someone alongside you who doesn't need convincing.

With nearly two decades of experience supporting women like you, I bring a deep trust in physiological birth, traditional wisdom and the sacred nature of pregnancy and birth.

Someone who understands your beliefs, respects your instincts and brings the knowledge, grounded perspective and practical skills to walk beside you throughout this extraordinary journey.

You know in your bones that modern maternity care is not what it should be.

Two women having a conversation in a cozy, warmly lit living room with plants, blankets, and warm decor.

To you, pregnancy and birth are not illnesses. They are rites of passage.

You value continuity — but not with just anyone. You want a wise woman beside you who understands your values, honours your choices, beleives in you and helps you stay deeply connected to yourself.

And who knows how to really make a difference.

The women I work with know that birth matters, that the people around them matter, and that they have the right to decide what care they accept.

You may be planning a homebirth or freebirth, exploring wild pregnancy, or choosing particular elements of maternity care while declining others.

You already know what matters to you. Now you want someone who knows how to help you make it happen.

As a traditionally trained birth attendant, I bring far more than reassurance. I am actively involved in helping you prepare for birth — physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Through body balancing, movement, positioning, rebozo, bodywork, breathwork and deep relaxation, we work together to prepare your body and create an environment that supports physiological birth.

I help you think through different possibilities, prepare your partner and family, and navigate the dynamics of your birth space, including how to welcome midwives or other professionals without losing your own voice.

I bring experience, perspective and practical skills, without taking your authority away.

My role is to walk beside you, hold steady when doubts arise and help your whole family feel supported, so you can be fully present for this extraordinary experience.

Birth on Your Terms

What it feels like to work with me

Imagine having one woman alongside you throughout your pregnancy who really gets to know you.

Someone who checks in, remembers the little things and genuinely cares about how you're feeling.

Someone you can message when you're having a wobble, without worrying that you're wasting her time, making a fuss or asking the wrong question.

Someone who knows your hopes, your fears, your history, your family and the birth you're moving towards.

And someone who knows when you need a listening ear, a little perspective, practical help or skilled hands-on support.

Our time together is shaped around you.

Some days we might explore nourishing food, lifestyle and ways to build health and vitality. Other days we might work with massage, shiatsu, reflexology, rebozo, body balancing, movement or deep relaxation.

We might spend time preparing your partner, exploring different possibilities or talking through something that's been playing on your mind.

And when birth comes, I'm not a stranger arriving at your door.

I'm someone you already know. Someone your family knows. Someone who understands the atmosphere you want to create, who can quietly take care of practical things, support the people around you and help everyone settle into their part in welcoming your baby.

This is continuity.

This is traditional woman-to-woman support.

And it's so much more than a collection of antenatal appointments or birth preparation techniques.

With me, you won't be preparing alone.

Woman receiving a massage from a therapist in a cozy room with a stone wall, wood stove, and colorful textiles.

What my clients say…

Emma attended my homebirth last April

Emma was brilliant. During pregnancy, she helped me through some low emotions with visualisation and art journalling. She also gave me a lovely relaxing massage to help with tension. Her calming presence is a balm for the soul and really helped us all. She worked with the midwives brilliantly, and ensured my wishes were kept to, even making a little station for them outside of my birthing room at home, so one of them just came in every now & again to check on my baby, which is what I wanted.
- Hayley, Local Mum of 5
In a difficult four day labour Emma was a rock for me and my husband.

She looked after us before, during and after and was available at short notice when another Doula cancelled we were so grateful for her support respect kindness and love during the whole process.
She had tinctures she helped administer my homeopathy that I’d already had prepared beforehand. She used traditional rebozo techniques and lots of massage and reassuring touch which as a chiropractor I really appreciated and it helped regulate my nervous system.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/JzP1kus4z7xMi6tG8
Meg, Freebirth Mum
Emma supported my pregnancy and planned homebirth.

Baby was undiagnosed breech and I transferred to hospital for a few reasons. Emma advocated & made sure I didn't have any unnecessary procedures and knew all the things to ask for. I opted for a gentle caesarean, Emma was brilliant with the medical team, it was the first time they’d done delayed cord clamping & skin to skin in a c/s!! Emma made sure we had a golden hour afterwards so baby could do a breast crawl.
- Jennie, Sister
Emma has been a wealth of knowledge and a rock of calm.

Emma has truly helped me. I’ve had some wonderful online sessions with Emma as well as continued support, communication and factual sharing of information I’m so grateful.
I’ve made some big decisions and advocated more so for myself as a result during the poor decisions of my trust, I’m now at peace with my journey and path forwards and know it’s right for me and baby.
Bethany, Mum of 3
Emma was wonderful as our doula on our journey into parenthood.

Every step & chapter of the way during pregnancy & postnatal visits, she was kind, wise, honest & nurturing.
Her support for mummas & sisters & little ones in community clearly flows from a place of deep passion & care. I would & do recommend her offerings, she’s a special soul.
-Clo, Mum of 1
Emma’s calm and supportive guidance made all the difference.

Her classes gave us the tools we needed to feel prepared and confident for birth and beyond. Especially learning the acupressure points and ways that we could stay connected throughout labour & advocate for ourselves. All the little tricks were invaluable - everyone should have an Emma for their birth!
–Hannah and James
Thanks to Emma amazing pregnancy yoga, my baby is no longer in a breech position

I have felt so much more relaxed throughout my pregnancy thanks to Emma’s classes, her voice is so relaxing. Would highly recommend any pregnant ladies to come try a session x
- Lauren, Yoga Mum
I was struggling to find my inner power

to follow a path that deep down instinctively I knew was right for myself and my baby. Emma very kindly spoke with me over video call for an hour, reassuring me that listening to my own intuition and instincts was the best call. Emma really empowered me and gave me the confidence I needed again to trust myself, my body and my baby to fight the pressure I had been feeling from the hospital system and to do what I believe was the right thing, not what anyone else believed was right.
-Natalie Hughill
Emma has a gift for making you feel calm and confident.

Each preparation session felt like the perfect balance of information & practical skills. By the time baby came, we felt so prepared & calm, and Emma’s presence at the birth - which was a freebirth was the perfect calm, strong energy we needed to remind us that we could do it! Our baby was born in the pool after a long but beautiful labour.
– Sarah and Tom
Closing The Bones

I will never forget this and highly recommend anyone has this, whether after having a baby, or other life transitions.
There was a 4 handed full body massage that was so loving and nurturing, a herbal bath that was magical, one friend drummed thru the whole thing while Emma poured the herbal water onto me. Then there was the rocking and holding with the rebozo.
Emma is professional, intuitive and so nurturing.
-Rosie, Mum of 2
I had wonderful support from Emma, that allowed me to accept what was happening instead of fight it.

This experience has helped me to open up and pass what needed to be passed.
It is my second miscarriage & I feel so much more at peace than the first time.

This experience also helped me to realize some of the fears I had about pregnancy. So I can work through it, before trying for the baby again.
-Eugine O Liberty
What an inspiring power woman!

I am blessed to enjoy so nourishing, food every day at Da-a-Luz Birth-keeper School. Emma is a birth and wisdom keeper, that is a gift for this world and shares her knowledge from many years of studying and experience with joy and straight from her heart.
Reach out to her, her wisdoms and support is a blessing!
Thank you for everything Emma!
-Sophie Klama, Student
Emma was with my wife and I during our beautiful freebirth.

I could not recommend anyone better to help you prepare for birth. The techniques she taught me for massage and just how to be and connect with my wife during the process were absolutely invaluable.
Of course birth is a natural process, but it is also natural to have a wise woman to walk alongside. Don't hesitate to work with Emma to prepare for your perfect birth.
-Glenn, Freebirth Dad
Amazing lady empowering women in pregnancy and birth

Very grateful for Emma's help with preparing for birth, she has provided us with the tools, techniques and mind set that we need for going into birth and beyond ❤️
-Cara, 2nd time Mum

A woman giving birth in a hospital, with a man supporting her during labor.

Birth is not just something to get through.

It is a rite of passage — physical, emotional, instinctive and life-changing. It can ask everything of you: your body, your trust, your courage, your vulnerability, your voice.

-Emma

The Spiral of Support

A woman outdoors in a rustic kitchen mixing herbs and oil in a bowl.

My work brings together the best of modern knowledge and ancient wisdom — supporting women and couples to prepare for birth not just physically, but emotionally and instinctively.

The relationship we build is not a series of isolated appointments. It's a journey that deepens as your pregnancy unfolds, with trust, understanding and familiarity growing along the way.

You don't need to have everything figured out before we meet.

Our first conversation is simply a chance to explore the birth you're envisioning, the support you already have and what you'd love to gather around you.

When you book your free 20-minute discovery call, you'll also receive my Spiral of Support guide, helping you begin to imagine what this journey together could look like.

Let's see if we click. ❤️

Book your free 20-minute Birth Clarity Call

Printed brochure titled "Walking the Path: A Spiral of Support" offering services for preconception, pregnancy, birth, and postnatal support through virtual and in-person classes, featuring a photo of a smiling woman with curly hair, and an image of a woman receiving massage therapy with a supportive partner in the background.

A woman with long red hair sitting on a log, drying fish on a rustic wooden drying rack at an outdoor festival with tents in the background.

Ways to journey with me

I offer birth support in a way that allows us to build a real relationship before labour begins.

The quality of the support comes from the preparation we do together beforehand
— the conversations, bodywork, trust, planning, emotional processing, partner preparation and understanding of what matters to you.

For that reason, my core package is designed to support you properly through pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal days.

From 20 weeks of pregnancy | £2,800
This is the heart of my birthkeeping work — offering continuity, skilled preparation and dedicated support throughout pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal days.
Our antenatal time allows us to build a genuine relationship, prepare your body and nervous system, explore different possibilities and help your partner and family find their confidence too.
When labour begins, I'm there as someone you already know and trust — bringing calm, practical skills, reassurance and continuous support so you can focus on your birth.
What's included
Pregnancy preparation & ongoing care
- Personalised antenatal preparation sessions
- Birth planning, exploring choices and advocacy conversations
- Partner preparation and support
- Body balancing, movement and birth biomechanics
- Rebozo, positioning and comfort techniques
- Breathwork, relaxation and nervous system support
- Mother Blessing Ceremony
- WhatsApp and message support throughout pregnancy
Birth support
- Dedicated on-call support around your due time
- Continuous physical, emotional and practical support during labour and birth
- Support for your partner and family, helping maintain a calm, familiar birth environment
- Trusted backup doula or birthkeeper wherever possible if I'm unexpectedly unable to attend
Early postnatal care
- Early postnatal visit and care
- Time to reflect on your birth experience and receive support as you settle into life with your baby
Support through unexpected outcomes
If your pregnancy ends unexpectedly, my care doesn't simply disappear.
I can continue to walk beside you through late miscarriage, pregnancy loss or stillbirth, offering emotional and practical support, birth preparation, postnatal care and space for remembrance.
Beginning your journey
Signature support begins from 20 weeks of pregnancy.
If you'd like to begin earlier, my 2-Month Starter Package is available from preconception and can be booked up to 16 weeks.
If you then move into Signature Birthkeeping Support, £200 will be deducted from your Signature package price.
Investment: £2,800
Let's meet for a free 20-minute Discovery Call and explore whether we're the right fit.

Other Ways to Journey Together

Not every woman comes to me at the same stage of her journey, and not everyone needs the same kind of support.

You might be preparing for pregnancy, looking for guidance from further afield, or wanting to build a small circle of trusted birthkeepers around you.

There are several ways we can work together.

Explore the options below, or book a free 20-minute chat and we can find the right starting point for you.

From preconception up to 16 weeks — because it is never too early to start building your support system.
You do not need to wait until birth feels close to bring in support.
This is a supported two-month journey designed to help you create strong foundations for your health and wellbeing, make informed decisions and move towards birth feeling more confident and connected to your body.
If you begin before conception, we can explore cycle awareness and tracking, nutrition, supplements, physical and emotional wellbeing, and the daily rhythms that support you as you prepare for pregnancy.
Using my Foundations framework, we will work through six key areas:
- Cycle awareness, nutrition, supplements and physical wellbeing
- Sleep, movement and daily rhythms
- Nervous-system and emotional support
- Family birth stories and previous experiences
- Understanding your antenatal care and maternity pathways
- Beginning to shape your birth values, support system and next steps
Your four sessions can include women’s shiatsu for conception, early-pregnancy safe holding, reflexology, gentle bodywork and Yoga Nidra, alongside detailed, personalised guidance around nutrition and supplements.
We can also explore the physical and emotional changes of early pregnancy, with practical support for symptoms such as nausea, exhaustion, digestive changes, sleep difficulties, anxiety and physical discomfort.
Alongside our sessions, you will have ongoing WhatsApp support and virtual check-ins throughout the two months. This gives us space to respond to what is actually happening, talk through symptoms, appointments or decisions as they arise, and keep you supported as you put changes into practice.
You will gain a clearer understanding of what you and your body need, practical steps you can begin taking immediately, and a personalised plan for the months ahead.
Early pregnancy does not always unfold as hoped. If you experience uncertainty, bleeding, miscarriage or loss during our time together, you will not suddenly be left without support. I can offer emotional and practical care, space to understand your options, gentle bodywork and nourishment where appropriate, and ritual or remembrance if that feels meaningful to you.
This is not full pregnancy or birth support, and it does not include being on call or attending your birth. It is a focused early journey for women who want to prepare consciously and begin with knowledgeable, relationship-based support already around them.
Includes:
- 4 × individual in-person sessions
- Women’s shiatsu for conception and early pregnancy
- Early-pregnancy safe holding, reflexology and gentle bodywork
- Yoga Nidra and nervous-system support
- Cycle awareness and tracking for conception
- Detailed nutrition and supplement guidance
- Practical support with early-pregnancy symptoms
- A personalised wellbeing and pregnancy foundations plan
- Ongoing WhatsApp support throughout the two months
- Virtual check-ins and support between sessions
- Preparation for appointments and decisions as they arise
- Support through early-pregnancy uncertainty, miscarriage or loss
Available from preconception and bookable up to 16 weeks of pregnancy.
Price: £1,250
If you go on to book my Signature Birthkeeper & Doula Support package, £200 will be taken off the Signature package price.
The Village Birthkeepers model grows from something women have known for generations: we were never meant to do pregnancy, birth and early motherhood alone.
Rather than relying on one birthkeeper, you are held within a small, trusted circle of women who get to know you, your family and your hopes for birth.
Alongside my Signature Pregnancy & Birth Package, you will build a relationship with a second birthkeeper from my close-knit village. We share the same values around autonomy, deep listening, practical preparation and protecting the birth space, while each bringing our own skills, experience and ways of working.
You will have the chance to experience some of what women have traditionally received from their village as they prepare to give birth.
Having two established birthkeepers creates greater spaciousness and resilience around labour and birth. Some labours take time. Sometimes one woman needs to rest while another holds the space. Sometimes circumstances change unexpectedly. And sometimes it is simply wonderful to know that there is a wider circle around you.
Care is intentionally woven between us, with shared antenatal preparation, on-call support and postnatal care, so that whichever birthkeeper is beside you during labour is already someone you know and trust.
This is not simply backup cover. It is a different model of care — one built around relationship, community and the idea that birth is better held within a village.
Village Birthkeepers: £4,000
Available alongside my Signature Pregnancy & Birth Package, subject to birthkeeper availability.
A package of support for women who value deep continuity but:
- Live further away and still want my support.
- Want a more affordable alternative to my Signature Birth Support package.
- Already have birth supporters who may benefit from additional preparation and guidance themselves.
- Want wraparound support and continuity, without another person physically present at their birth.
This is a complete, personalised antenatal preparation journey with ongoing virtual support through pregnancy, labour, birth and the early postnatal period.
Sometimes families don't want or need someone physically present at their birth, but still value having a trusted birthkeeper who knows their story, understands their wishes and can remain quietly in the background when needed.
You remain at the centre, deciding what support, information and care are right for you.
Across four private sessions, online or in person, we will build a relationship and prepare thoroughly for birth.
We can explore birth physiology, your choices, your body and nervous system, the support you need around you and how your partner can confidently support and protect your birth space.
I can help you prepare for maternity appointments and conversations, attend appointments virtually where needed, and support you to understand your options and make informed decisions that feel right for you.
When labour begins, I will be available by phone or video to offer reassurance, help you think through anything that arises and guide your partner in positioning, comfort measures, rebozo and bodywork.
Includes:
- 4 × private antenatal preparation sessions (online or in person)
- Homebirth, freebirth and wild pregnancy planning
- Understanding birth physiology and creating supportive conditions for labour
- Exploring your choices and individual circumstances
- Birth mapping, including different possibilities and backup plans
- Practical preparation for birth outside standard maternity pathways
- Advocacy preparation and support navigating maternity policies
- Preparation before antenatal appointments
- Virtual attendance at selected appointments where needed
- Body awareness, movement, positioning and birth biomechanics
- Emotional and nervous-system preparation
- Practical tools for labour and birth
- Partner preparation and guidance
- Feeding and early postnatal preparation
- WhatsApp and message support throughout our work together
- On-call virtual support around your due time
- Phone or video support throughout labour and birth
- Guidance for your partner in bodywork, positioning and comfort measures
- Postnatal reflection session
This package does not include in-person birth attendance.
It offers something different: a known and trusted birthkeeper in the background, providing continuity, wisdom and practical guidance wherever and however you choose to give birth.
Price: £1,125
For some families, the right support is worth travelling for.
I may be able to offer travelling doula or birthkeeper support for families outside my usual area, depending on availability, timing, location and the level of preparation needed.
This works best when we begin the relationship earlier in pregnancy, with a mixture of online preparation and planned in-person time before birth. Depending on distance, this may include one or more longer preparation days, travel to you near your due time, accommodation arrangements, and a clear plan for how support will work if labour begins quickly.
Travelling support is bespoke. It needs to be realistic, well planned and properly resourced, so that I can offer grounded support without rushing, overextending, or creating uncertainty around availability.
May include:
- Online preparation sessions
- One or more in-person preparation days
- Birth planning, partner support and advocacy preparation
- Bodywork, biomechanics, rebozo and relaxation work
- On-call birth support, depending on location and arrangements
- Travel to your home or birth setting
- Early postnatal support before handover to local support where needed
Additional travel, accommodation, parking, tolls or mileage costs may apply.
Price: bespoke, from £4,500

The cost of waiting?

You've put so much thought into the birth you want. You've read the books, questioned the conventional pathways and imagined how you'd like to welcome your baby.

But who is going to be there beside you when the time comes?

What might it look like to navigate the rest of this pregnancy without someone who truly understands your choices?

How might the pressure of preparing for birth, making decisions and managing everyone else's fears affect your relationship with your partner?

And have you imagined those precious first days as a new family?

Will you be surrounded by people who understand your values, know when to step forward and when to step back, and genuinely care for you?

Or will you find yourself muddling through, managing the expectations of well-meaning family members who simply don't get it?

These are some of the most important moments of your life. You deserve to give real thought to who will share them with you.

And the relationships that make a difference during birth are built long before labour begins.

I take on only two in-person birth clients each month, allowing me to offer the time, flexibility and personal commitment this work deserves.

If you already feel that I might be the woman you'd like beside you, don't leave that conversation until the final weeks of pregnancy.

Let's see if we click. ❤️

Book your free 20-minute Discovery Call.

The Doula Team

I work closely with a small, trusted, local team of doulas and birthkeepers.

We each bring different personalities, experiences and ways of working, but we share the same passion: supporting birth with women at the centre. We believe in autonomy, continuity, deep listening, practical preparation and protecting the birth space.

This means I can offer both backup and shared care models.

For some families, I am your main birthkeeper/doula, with another trusted woman available as backup if needed. For others, especially those wanting a deeper level of support, two of us may share the antenatal preparation, on-call period and birth support.

This gives you more resilience, more continuity, and a wider circle of support — while still keeping the relationship personal and grounded.

A woman with blonde hair and glasses smiling while on a boat near the water, with mountains and a blue sky in the background.

A smiling woman with long brown hair, wearing sunglasses on her head, a beige t-shirt, and gold jewelry, sitting inside a room with a white door and bookshelf in the background.

A woman sitting on wooden stairs holding two young children, one on each knee, in a cozy home interior with a window and a small decorative house on the window sill.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’m Emma Gleave, an experienced birth doula and birthkeeper based in the Forest of Dean. I offer relationship-based support throughout pregnancy, labour, birth and the early postnatal period.
My support includes antenatal preparation, birth planning, bodywork, partner preparation, advocacy, continuous support during labour and space to reflect and be cared for after birth.
I support families across the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Monmouthshire, including Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud, Ross-on-Wye, Monmouth and surrounding areas.
I may also travel further for the right family and offer virtual antenatal and birth support throughout the UK and internationally.
Yes. I support women planning home births, freebirths and wild pregnancies, including those choosing some elements of maternity care while declining others.
We can explore your individual circumstances, prepare thoroughly, think through different possibilities and create practical backup plans. I will offer information, perspective and grounded support, but you remain at the centre and make your own decisions.
Yes. Doula support can be deeply valuable during a hospital birth. I can help you prepare for appointments, understand your options, communicate your wishes and create a birth plan that reflects what matters to you.
During labour, I provide continuous emotional and practical support, help protect the atmosphere around you and support your partner to feel confident and involved.
You can contact me at any stage of pregnancy, but beginning earlier gives us more time to build trust, prepare your body and nervous system, explore your choices and create a strong support team around you.
I accept only two in-person birth clients each month, so it is worth checking availability early. Later bookings may still be possible, depending on your due time, location and the preparation required.
A doula provides continuous emotional, physical and practical support through pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period. Birthkeeper is a term I use to describe the deeper, relationship-based way I work: bringing together practical preparation, traditional wisdom, bodywork, advocacy and steady presence.
Neither role replaces a midwife or doctor. I do not provide clinical care or make decisions for you. My role is to walk beside you, help you understand your options and support you to remain connected to your instincts and authority.
Yes. My virtual package offers personalised antenatal preparation, support with appointments and decisions, partner preparation, birth mapping and phone or video support during labour and birth.
I may also travel to support families outside my usual area. Travelling support is arranged individually and may include online preparation, longer in-person sessions, travel near your due time and accommodation where necessary.
My Signature Birthkeeper and Doula Support includes antenatal preparation, birth planning, advocacy conversations, partner preparation, body balancing, massage, rebozo, birth biomechanics, nervous-system support and continuous care during labour and birth.
It also includes ongoing message support during pregnancy, on-call availability around your due time, backup support wherever possible and an early postnatal visit for care and birth reflection.
Choosing a doula is about more than qualifications or finding someone who is available around your due time. This person may be beside you during one of the most vulnerable and transformative experiences of your life, so it matters that you feel safe, understood and able to be fully yourself with them.
Ask about their experience, approach to birth, availability, backup arrangements and how they work with partners, midwives and medical teams. Consider whether they genuinely respect your authority and choices, including choices they might not make themselves.
Most importantly, notice how you feel in their presence. The right doula should not take over or make decisions for you. She should help you feel calmer, clearer, more confident and more connected to yourself.