Articles
Here I share what I have gathered through almost 2 decades of learning, teaching and supporting women and families, studying birth and listening closely to women’s experiences.
You’ll find writing about pregnancy, birth preparation, hormones, movement, breastfeeding, postnatal recovery and emotional wellbeing — alongside deeper explorations of maternity culture, autonomy and birth in the news.
My work brings together evidence, traditional wisdom, practical experience and a deep trust in women’s bodies.
Take your time here, use the index, follow what speaks to you. And if you would like someone beside you as you prepare for pregnancy, birth or the months beyond, you can explore my classes and support here in the Forest of Dean and online.
Topic Index
These articles have been categorised to the best of my ability!
Open one of the topics below to explore, continue on to explore in date order, or if you’re after something particular and can’t find it let me know here
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Personal Stories, Reflections & Local Advocacy | Birth Stories | Home Birth Suspension | Community & Events | Personal Reflections | Self-Care | Herbal Wisdom | Womb Wisdom | Hormones | Rites of Passage | Menopause |
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All Pregnancy Wellness Topics | Pregnancy Yoga | Nutrition | Supplements | Vegan Pregnancy | Keto Pregnancy | GBS | Microbiome |
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All Pregnancy Risk Factors, Monitoring & Complications Topics | Low Iron | Blood Tests Older Mothers | Young Mothers | Diabetes | Gestational Diabetes | Graves Disease | Twins & Multiples | Breech Baby | Posterior Baby | Small for Gestational Age | PROM - Premature Rupture of Membranes | Pre-eclampsia | Growth Scans | PAPP-A | PCOS | Thyroid Conditions | Worms in Pregnancy | Preterm Birth |
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All Normal Labour & Birth Topics | Baby Positioning | Birth Biomechanics Doulas | Birth Companion | Antenatal Classes | Partners | Birth Partners | Relaxation | Pregnancy Massage | Shiatsu | Reflexology | Hormones | Oxytocin | Rebozo | Breech Birth | Twin Birth
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Postnatal & Baby | Breastfeeding | Babywearing | Sling Support | Postnatal Support | Postnatal Recovery | Bonding | Fourth Trimester | Birth Trauma
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All Baby Loss | Miscarriage | Stillbirth | Abortion | Death | Rites of Passage | Rituals
Do You Really Need a Doula? 5 Questions Worth Asking Before You Decide
Thinking about hiring a doula but not quite sure? Perhaps you're worried about having too many people at your birth, how a birthkeeper will fit alongside your partner, or whether the investment is worthwhile. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience, I explore five common questions about birth support, from intimacy and trust to antenatal preparation, freebirth and finding the right woman to walk alongside you.
Twin Pregnancy & Birth: Beyond Fear, Guidelines and the ‘Allowing’ of Women’s Bodies
Twin pregnancy and birth is extraordinary, yet so often surrounded by fear, risk management and the language of what women are 'allowed' to do.
In this first part of my twin birth series, I explore how medical guidelines can become mistaken for rules, why more monitoring and intervention don't automatically mean better outcomes, and how mothers can reclaim their intuition, confidence and authority.
Because informed choice isn't about rejecting medical care. It's about understanding your options, choosing your support and remembering that your pregnancy, your babies and your birth belong to you.
Doulas and Birth Workers Community Sharing Day’s 💛
A nourishing day of connection, skill-sharing, Qigong, treatment swaps and honest conversation with fellow doulas and birth workers. Why local, in-person community matters so much when so many of us work alone — and why resourcing ourselves is part of supporting women well.
Why I Say Yoni…
Why do I use the word Yoni? Rooted in ancient Sanskrit, Yoni can mean source, womb, origin and place of creation. In this piece I explore why language matters, the importance of knowing our anatomical terms, and why reconnecting with pelvic wisdom can support women through birth and throughout life.
Caring for Tears & Stitches After Birth: Traditional Ways to Support Healing
A practical guide to caring for tears and stitches after birth, drawing on traditional postpartum wisdom and women’s lived experience. From Hypercal, calendula, green clay and seaweed dressings to peri bottles, warmth, hydration, soft stools, nourishment and rest, this article explores gentle ways to support comfort and healing in the early postnatal weeks.
Sister Morning Star: Deepening What It Means to Be ‘With Woman’
An incredible weekend of traditional birth skills, sisterhood and deepening what it really means to be ‘with woman’. Learning alongside a Native elder, holding a Village Prenatal and Closing of the Bones ceremony, I came home profoundly changed — with more skills, more trust, a stronger village around me, and an even deeper understanding of what it means to truly be of service to women, families and babies.
How I Treated Threadworms Naturally During Pregnancy
When I discovered that my son and I both had threadworms while I was pregnant, I chose to research natural ways of treating them. Here I share the complete two-week routine that worked for us—including raw garlic, carrots, pumpkin seeds, dietary changes, homeopathy and the essential hygiene measures that helped prevent reinfection.
Women’s Health, Menopause & Matt Bishop’s Event…
After hearing women’s experiences of being dismissed by healthcare services at Matt Bishop MP’s women and girls event at Speech House, I reflect on menopause, oestrogen, the role of the adrenal glands—and why women need community, meaningful information and genuine choice.
Remembering How to Hold Women: Closing the Bones in Community
At Sun and Moon Festival, women gathered to experience Closing the Bones, rebozo work and the extraordinary feeling of being truly held. What unfolded was a beautiful remembering of ceremony, community and the ways women can nurture one another.
When a Pregnancy Ends: Supporting a Miscarriage Naturally
Miscarriage is not necessarily a medical event. It is a birth, a death, a physical process and an experience of grief.
This guide explores natural or expectant miscarriage, including how long you may choose to wait, signs that medical help is needed, and ways to prepare and care for your body. It also considers homeopathy, shiatsu, nourishing food, loving touch, ceremony and the importance of being properly held through pregnancy loss.
You do not have to navigate miscarriage alone.
Independent Antenatal Classes in the Forest of Dean: Why the Way You Prepare for Birth Matters
Preparing for birth isn’t just about gathering information. The way antenatal classes are taught can shape how confident, supported and prepared you feel as labour approaches.
Pre-Eclampsia: What We’re Not Told — And What Actually Helps
Modern maternity care focusses on FINDING problems, but forgets to build health & avoid them in the first place - find out what is missing from NHS care & how you can help yourself.
Graves’ Disease in Pregnancy and Newborn Babies
Graves’ disease is an autoimmune thyroid condition. Some women experience it earlier in life, are treated, recover well, and go on to have healthy pregnancies years later with no ongoing symptoms.
Why More Women Are Choosing Freebirth
Many women are making the careful and well researched decision to freebirth - but, it’s not a decision being made in a vaccum. Lets explore the pros and cons.
When Maternity Services Feel Unstable — What Women Can Do Now
With Gloucestershire’s home-birth service suspended and maternity wards under strain, many women are asking what to do next. This guide explores practical steps to restore calm and confidence — from nourishing your body and preparing intentionally for birth, to understanding your rights and creating your own continuity of care. Whether you choose to stay home, switch Trusts, or hire a doula or independent midwife, you do have options. Birth is powerful — and so are you.
⭐️ Free ⭐️ Birth Companion & Advocacy Support for POC, Vulnerable & Minority Communities in the Forest of Dean
Becoming a parent is a big moment — and everyone deserves support, safety, and respect. Each month, I’m offering one free Doula (Birth Companion) & Advocacy place for someone in the Forest of Dean from a minority or migrant community — such as Romanian, Indian, Polish, Zimbabwean, refugee/asylum-seeking and other under-represented families.
PAPP-A - Part 2, Placental Physiology, and the Science of Growth
This second part dives deeper into the science behind PAPP-A and the Insulin-Like Growth Factor system — exploring how placental enzymes, blood flow, and vascular growth interact throughout pregnancy.
Aimed at birthkeepers and midwives (but valuable for anyone curious), it unpacks the research, physiology, and evidence behind how lifestyle, nourishment, and calm continue to shape placental health long after the first trimester. 🌿
Low PAPP-A: What It Really Means and How to Support Your Placenta Naturally
Being told you have low PAPP-A can sound worrying, but it isn’t a diagnosis — it’s a marker of how your placenta is developing.
This enzyme helps build blood vessels and nourish your baby, and its function can be supported naturally through food, movement, rest, and calm.
Understanding how your body works turns fear into empowerment — your placenta is alive, responsive, and still growing with you. 🌿
The Truth About Continuous Monitoring – What Really Improves Birth Outcomes
Continuous monitoring (CTG) is one of the most common interventions in modern maternity care — yet it hasn’t been shown to make birth safer. Evidence shows it increases intervention rates, restricts movement, and undermines confidence.
What does improve outcomes is continuity, connection, and trust — the kind of support once offered by village midwives and birth companions. This blog explores what the research really says about CTG, and how women can take back their power through homebirth, skilled support, and radical responsibility.