• News

    Norfolk Doulas 2022 Round Up

    We hope you’ve had a wonderful 2022. Whether you are celebrating the season with a new tiny human in your world or are preparing for a 2023 arrival, we hope that your days have been full of joy and love.
    2022 has seen our Norfolk Doula cuddle blossom (read about it HERE) and we have all been up to so many interesting things. We’d love to share a little round up of what some of the Norfolk Doula collective have been doing in 2022.

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    Siobhán Ridley

    As I reflect on this past year, I find myself beaming from ear to ear remembering the women whom I was honoured enough to witness as they birthed new life with power, courage, serenity and joy. I have made some exquisite connections (with clients and colleagues) for which I am so grateful. I have been busy with my activism work through the grassroots campaign group March With Midwives. We have made strides in pushing for change in maternity services and this November we orchestrated our second round of nationwide demonstrations. 2022 has been full of love and courage.
    2023, I’m coming for you and the adventures you have in store.

     

    You can check out Siobhán’s Norfolk Doulas profile HERE and her website HERE.

    Beth Russell

    2022 has been a year of growth – it has brought the opportunity to work for the charity Birthrights, who I have long admired. It has brought the absolute joy of doula training with the wonderful Maddie McMahon. And it has seen me grow the confidence to become a Private Midwife and step up for the families I support. I have found wonderful new connections, supported amazing families on their journeys and been supported by incredible friends and family along the way. 2023… I’m so ready for the adventures you will bring! 

    You can check out Beth’s Norfolk Doula profile HERE and her website HERE.

    Paula Cleary

    This year I took some time out to go to festivals, travel, and unleash some creativity with some new hobbies. This year I took up macramé in a big way and accidentally become an macramé teacher in the process! I’ve also been doing some activism as a local organiser and supporter with the March With Midwives movement and spoke outside parliament square in the spring.

    As the year has progressed, I’ve been going with the flow and taking on doula clients again and lovingly holding space for some wonderful couples as they prepare to birth their babies in 2023.

    I love the ebbs and flows of this joyful work ~ and am excited for all that the coming year brings

    You can check out Paula’s Norfolk Doula profile HERE and her website HERE.

    Cazzy Sayles

    Wow, what a year!!
    I supported my first 5 births (one of which was my first grandchild❤️)
    Saw 23 Hypnobirthing clients.
    Started a community antenatal group/education classes and
    got funding to start a community postnatal group as well. 2022 has been an absolute joy and I can’t wait to see what 2023 brings 💫❤️.

     

    You can check out Caz’s Norfolk Doulas profile HERE and her website HERE.

     

    Yasemin Serpin

    2022 has been a huge year! I’ve started the birth beautiful foundation, a charity which will be working to improve perinatal outcomes, and have my first article for the practising midwife in the pipeline. My move to Norfolk this summer was a big step and I’m so happy I’ve joined this wonderful community. While I love being a student midwife, the gratification and happiness I get from my work as a doula in wonderful Norfolk far exceeds anything else I have done professionally. In 2023 I’ll be doing more to get to know the local community, and get cracking with supporting you all though the foundation. Lots of love xx

     

    You can check out Yasemin’s website HERE.

    BJ Woodstein

    In 2022, I published three new books, including one on the depiction of breastfeeding in literature and another on becoming an LGBTQ+ parent, and I also translated several works from Swedish to English. And of course I supported several birth and postnatal clients in my role as a doula. Finally, I enjoyed lots of time with my wife and children.

     

    You can check out BJ’s Norfolk Doulas profile HERE and her website HERE.

  • News

    Norfolk Doulas is Growing

    As 2022 draws to a close, we are so excited to see that our collective has grown to a whopping 13 doulas! It seems like a distant memory since our little cuddle collective began with just two lowly Norfolk Doulas and since then the county’s doula community has boomed. And it is flourishing. We are so excited about what that means for families in Norfolk. We now have more breast feeding support, more antenatal education options, more postnatal care, more ways of receiving birth support, more community groups and circles and so much more variety in services and support…all thanks to the many, inventive offerings of our Norfolk Doulas. Don’t forget to check us all out here: THE DOULAS.
    We are looking forward to 2023 and all that it may bring for both our cuddle of doulas and for families in Norfolk. Watch this space for a little summary of all that we have been up to this year and what our plans are for the new year ahead.


    Siobhán x

  • News

    Norfolk Doulas in the Papers

    We are super proud of Norfolk doulas, Shauna Tate and Siobhán Ridley for their wonderful spread in the Eastern Daily Press, the regions primary newspaper. It is a wonderful thing when those in the public eye are rumoured to make use of various services as it can sometimes act as a catalyst for much needed publicity for those services. Such was the case when Meghan Markle was rumoured to have chosen a doula to support her as part of her birth squad. This news has generated a great deal of interest in doulas (a much misunderstood profession) and we hope that more women will become aware of the fact that there are more choices available for pregnancy, birth and postnatal support. Every woman deserves to be loved, nurtured, supported and encouraged free from judgement and agenda, throughout this pivotal time in their lives.

    As a result of this exposure, the EDP spoke to Shauna and Siobhán about what doulas are and why they are beneficial to birthing people and their families. You can check out a digital version of the article HERE.

    For more information about what a doula does, visit What is a Doula?

    To meet your local Norfolk doulas visit The Doulas

    If you would like to have a chat about your birth and/or postnatal period and how a doula can support you, please get in touch via the Contact form. We’d love to hear from you.

  • News

    Doulas aren’t just for Duchesses

    Norfolk doula Siobhán, writes an informative piece about why you should have a doula for your first birth, just like Meghan:

    “Doulas have been around since time memorial. They provide the ancient art of emotional, nurturing female support during the most vulnerable moments of a woman’s life – the day she gives birth. The doula community doesn’t shout about what we do. We work with families in strictest confidence, holding their secrets, the details of their journey and their personal stories, under lock and key in our mental filing cabinets. Behind the scenes we work tirelessly in whatever ways we can to change birth culture, to support vulnerable women, to spread good quality information, to counter the dearth of click bait rubbish and to spread as much emotional and practical care as possible. We’re so busy doing all those things, that sometimes our voice is lost in the swamped advertising world where pregnant women and parents are cash cows to an ever growing industry of ‘must have things’.

    And this is why, when high profile women such as Meghan Markle reportedly choose to have a doula in her birth squad, we get very excited. We also get very excited because we know that she is going to have SO much love during her pregnancy and birth and that is what doulas want for ALL women.”

    Why should you have a doula for your first birth?

    • A doula will guide you through all the information
    • A doula is your confidant on speed dial
    • A doula supports you and your partner
    • A doula is a member of your birth squad that YOU chose
    • Research shows that having a doula makes a difference
    • Doulas are for everyone

    “A woman, as long as she lives, will remember how she was made to feel at her birth”.

    -Anna Verwaal

    CLICK HERE TO READ MORE >>


  • The Doulas

    Bonnie Stack

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    I became a Doula without even noticing at first. After I started supporting friends’ births I realised that I wanted it to turn from passion to vocation, then career, so I completed my formal Doula
    training. I have experience supporting families through pregnancy, birth and the newborn period. I support parents’ choices and ensure their voices are heard. My passions lie with supporting physiological birth and establishing successful breastfeeding relationships, but your goals are my goals and I am here to walk beside you along whichever path you choose.
    I provide emotional, informational and practical support for all stages along the journey of bringing a new baby into the world. This includes preparing for birth, support during the birth and immediate postnatal period, and with breastfeeding, safe baby wearing, sleep and adjusting to life with a new little person in the family.
    I live with my husband, two young children, cats and chickens, and we often host a trio of visiting horses! We live a busy outdoorsy muddy lifestyle. I spend as much time as I can pretending to be a
    mermaid, whether it is in the sea or river, or at my local pool.

     

    “I had the most beautiful home birth with Bonnie’s support. I felt confident that she would be my strongest advocate during labour. She held my birthing space beautifully, quietly reassuring and encouraging me from the sidelines. I gave birth feeling like an absolute goddess and the whole experience is one I look back on with such joy.” –  Alice.

     

    “I knew Bonnie was there for me at every step along the way. She has the most gentle calming voice, which you need when things really heat up! When we came home, Bonnie was there to help me with breastfeeding, and hold my baby while I rested.” – Nadia.

     

    Connect with me on social media: 

    Instagram: @bonnie.norfolk.doula


    NR10
    Tel: 07540484584
    Email: bonnienorfolkdoula@gmail.com
    Web: Coming soon!
    Services: Birth preparation, birth doula, postnatal doula, feeding support.