Birth & Postpartum Doula Support & Antenatal Education
Hampshire-Based & Virtual Support
Hello there & welcome
Hi, I’m Kez! I’m A Doula & Antenatal Educator & Breastfeeding Peer Supporter based in Hampshire with my husband and little boy.
First things first… Congratulations on your pregnancy - You’re about to have a baby, how exciting!
I imagine you’re here because you already know you don’t want to just ‘go with the flow’ or bury your head in the sand. You know this day is the most important day of your life so far, and you’re not willing to let others write the narrative for you, and so you shouldn’t!
This is your birth. One story you know will shape your life forever.
You’re here because you don’t want to fear the process or get stuck in confusion from all the information and opinions you are facing. You long for clarity, compassion and autonomy as you meet your baby for the very first time.
You know you’re already transforming from the inside out. This is your rite of passage, and you know there has to be more than what the current maternity system can offer you.
You want consistent emotional and practical doula support where you can feel unapologetically understood, trust in your intuition, be in control, and feel wholeheartedly supported.
You want to soak it in and bask in the wonder of your birth and postpartum experience. You dream of being able to say “wow, I did it!”- no matter what happens!
As your doula, antenatal educator (or both!), I’m entirely on your side, amplifying your voice and holding space for you to be as you are, come highs or lows, to birth as you need and become the mum you long to be.
No apologies, confusion, fear, or fighting for your voice to be heard.
I’m a doula who just gets it, gets YOU and has your back consistently - even with laughter and fun along the way!
You can birth and mother your way, not “their way” - I’m here to help you figure that out!
Testimonials
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The Preparation Package
Prepare for birth feeling confident, equipped and nourished with my antenatal-only doula support package
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The Birth Package
Birth powerfully, trusting in yourself and being fully supported from pregnancy to postpartum
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The Bite-Size Package
Find clarity, confidence and support in a specific fear, question or decision as you approach birth with power-hour support
What I offer…
Birth & Postpartum Support
Transformational, Holistic Guidance: I guide you as you transform through birth and be the parent you long to be. We look at the whole of your lives with evidence-based information to help you prepare for all the ways birth and parenthood change you.
Support for ALL birth types and postpartum choices: There is no one right way birth or postpartum. I support every informed choice. Whether you hope to freebirth, elect a c-section or don’t know yet, I will guide you to be equipped to birth however you need to.
Candid, compassionate Approach: No sugarcoating, glamourising or diminishing talk; we get honest so you know exactly what to expect, full of hope, confidence and joy at what’s to come!
Antenatal Education - The Re:Birth Course (coming soon…)
1:1 Antenatal Course for Both parents: Captivating, fun & holistically-minded birth preparation course to prepare you to birth and parent your way.
Not just another antenatal course: Re:Birth Course guides you as you transform into confident, connected, and resilient birthing partners and parents.
The Re:Birth Journal: A course companion that journeys with you, full of engaging information, tools, self-coaching, reflection and templates as you are transformed into parents.
Engaging, integrated Education: I’ll help you cut through the noise, the opinions, and any voice of fear within you to lean into what matters to you with engaging, fun and varied ways of learning and investing into yourself.
Who I support …
If what you’ve read so far speaks to you as an expectant mum or birthing parent, then you’re already in the right place.
I support:
All pregnancies (low and high risk)
All birth choices
LGBTQIA+ families
In-person + virtual clients
First, second and twentieth time parents (and anything in between!) whether you’ve had a brilliant, mixed or traumatic birth experience previously.
What I Value…
Compassion I unconditional compassion and kindness, dismantling fear and fallacies as we prepare for birth and parenthood.
Candour I value authentic relationships and down-to-earth connection and communication; cultivating a safe, inclusive space for expectant parents to stand up against judgment, guilt or shame.
Curiosity I value embracing curiosity; a posture of being present, mindful and inquisitive; to help us adapt, grow in resilience, problem solve and inspire creativity in our thinking and actions.
Choice I value people being rightfully supported to make informed choices that are right for them; celebrating the many unique ways we thrive.
Community I value community and continuity of care; building connections, strengthening relationships and signposting parents to find their own "village".
About Me & My Story
Since the beginning of my memory, I have always been fascinated by pregnancy, birth and motherhood. My dream job was a midwife, but after getting ever-so-slightly distracted by a teen heartbreak, I didn’t get the grades needed to go into studying midwifery…
Since then, I have worked a variety of roles as a Support Worker, Nanny, Community Wellbeing Project Coordinator, and Coach - all giving me invaluable knowledge and experience to support parents going through birth, advocating, and navigating multidisciplinary services, yet none allowing me to discuss my favourite topics such as pregnancy piles and leaky breasts without risk of getting fired!
After a difficult birth and postpartum recovery in 2021, my lifelong love for pregnancy, birth & postpartum transformed into an active mission to support parents-to-be in their journey into parenthood holistically, providing support, resources and community for others to walk this journey with confidence and peace.
Following this, I have invested every spare penny and moment where I wasn’t running after my sweet toddler or desperately trying to fit in a shower, pouring myself into this work. Manna Birth was born during a difficult night in the early baby days.
I was exhausted, lonely and needed some nourishment while I cared for my baby. I was led to some wonderful support, information and community that were answered prayers. ‘Manna’ is a word from the Old Testament that refers to heavenly nourishment provided to sustain people walking a journey through the wilderness.
I received my Doula training with Nurturing Birth in 2022. I received my Diploma in Antenatal Education & Breastfeeding Peer Supporter certificate with Antenatal Training International straight after. I have worked with clients, friends and family in supporting them as they prepare for birth and supported them postpartum.
I am mentored & coached with Nurturing Birth and Doula UK, and continue my personal development with additional training designed to better my care and reflective practices, such as, ‘How To Safely Support Traumatised Parents In Your Care’ by TBR College of Perinatal Emotional Health.
Choosing to do any birth and post-partum education course will teach you the expectations of labour, birth and basic newborn care. I take an approach that puts you in the driver’s seat and gives you space to find your own way together, with fun and connection. Rather than just teaching you what will help you, I also coach you to empower your own learning.
My private antenatal courses will teach you:
Birth physiology, birth choices, and how to confidently navigate and advocate for your informed choices, changes & challenges
Mindful birthing: How to be calm, resilient, connected and adaptable
Realistic expectations and relationship guidance
Newborn care confidence and staying connected as parents
Birth partner support and empowerment
When and where to seek help and support
Any much more…
Course coming soon…
Why learn with Me?
Birth is more than a baby entering the room; it is a rebirth of ourselves and life as we know it.
Benefits of hiring a Doula
Continuity of Care - rare within the current NHS Maternity System
Reduced risk of Caesarean birth † *.
Reduced risk of instrumental birth † *.
Reduced need for painkillers or epidural during birth † *.
Reduced rate of induction of labour † *.
Shorter labour †.
Increased parental satisfaction with the birth experience. †
Increased likelihood of initiating breastfeeding *.
Increased likelihood of successfully establishing breastfeeding & breastfeeding at 6 weeks *.
Lower incidence of depressive symptomatology †.
Improve equity and provide culturally responsive care #
(References below - taken from Doula.org.uk)
Embraced | Equipped | Empowered
Pregnancy and Birth Preparation that really gets you and has your back.
References
References linked to information found at: https://doula.org.uk/research/
*Brigstocke S. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest, vol 24, no 2, 2014, pp 157-160
#Meghan A Bohren and Sarah Chapman Cochrane review
† Hodnett ED, Gates S, Hofmeyr G, Sakala C. Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD003766. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub5 and Bohren MA, Hofmeyr GJ, Sakala C, Fukuzawa RK, Cuthbert A. Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2017, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD003766. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub6