About Me
Postpartum care is my passion. The need to nurture the new mother through nourishment of mind and body, giving the space to slow down and build an intimate bond with your new baby.
My Story
I’m Natalie and I am a postpartum doula. I am married and have three of my own children, nine-year-old twin boys and a five-year-old daughter. My journey to this point has been quite different to birth work; before having my own children I worked within multinational organisations running and supporting their hiring functions as a recruitment manager. My husband and I lived in Dubai for five years where I became pregnant with twins and birthed for the first time.
After a difficult journey to get pregnant, and undergoing intrauterine insemination (IUI), I suffered with pre-eclampsia towards the end which resulted in my waters breaking spontaneously at 35 + 1 weeks. I birthed my twins via caesarean and distressingly both needed to stay in neonatal intensive care (NICU), one for two weeks, the other for three. I was passionate about breastfeeding so started my journey via expressing, and when the boys were strong enough, we managed tandem feeding and direct breastfeeding, although the expressing continued!
When my twins were 11 months old, we moved back to the UK. Four years later, I fell pregnant naturally with my daughter. The pregnancy was much smoother, although harder as I had four-year-old twins to look after! Again, I birthed via caesarean at 41+5 weeks and my daughter came home with me the following day. My breastfeeding journey second time round was easier, despite a tongue tie (which both my twins also had!) and I still nurse her now, providing emotional security when she needs it.
I’ve always been drawn to new mothers and babies. My experience of motherhood has pulled me in to explore more of the transition mothers go through when moving from maiden to mother, and mother again. I am a huge believer that it takes a village to raise a child, and a mother. We were never meant to do this alone. Mothers should be held and guided by the women around us who have birthed before us. I want to act as that village for you. I want to support you and your family in this transition. I want to help you find your intuition and parent your baby as is intrinsically right for you. By holding space for you, and providing a space to rest and nourish yourself, you will find this within you. And then when you’re ready, I’ll move on leaving you to enjoy your family deeply connected and bonded.
My Experience
As an experienced mum to three, including twins, I have knowledge of:
Twins
NICU
Caesarean section
Premature birth
‘Overdue’ birth
Breastfeeding
Tandem breastfeeding
Extended breastfeeding
Expressing/pumping
Formula feeding
Tongue ties
CMPA
Births abroad and in UK
Fertility issues
Reusable nappies
Montessori
Gentle parenting
“Getting to know Natalie, we knew she was exactly the right person to rely on”
Ric