The Doula Training Foundation course offers you a unique opportunity to train with two experienced career doulas. Jemma, who trained as a midwife at one of the biggest teaching hospitals in the UK and has been a successful doula since 2016 and Anne-Marie who is a qualified “train the trainer” coach, mentor and has been doulaing since 2017. Between them they have supported hundreds of women and their families; from pre-conception and IVF to wild pregnancy and heavily managed, high-risk pregnancies to elective caesarean and free birth.  Jemma and Anne-Marie have a huge knowledge base, tonnes of experience and most importantly, can communicate that in a fun and engaging manner. They are both incredibly passionate about supporting women and their families and they now love to share that passion and knowledge with newer doulas. 

Their aim is to create a safe space for new doulas to delve deep into who they are, to unpackage and unburden their own experiences of pregnancy, birth and postpartum and to figure out the type of doula that they would like to become. The environment is warm and welcoming, the vibe is a mixture of calm and chilled with a big dollop of inspiration and empowerment. You will leave feeling excited, confident and fully prepared to start your doula journey.

The Why... 

It's actually quite simple...we LOVE what we do! And we want to share that passion with as many people as possible. The more doulas there are, the more women and families can be supported.

Birth and the early postpartum is a completely transformative experience, it can build you up, break you down, and smash you into a million tiny pieces. It can leave you feeling broken and traumatised or it can leave you feeling euphoric, empowered and like you can achieve anything. It is, quite literally, life changing and we want that to be in a positive way for as many people as possible.

We also know that birth trauma rates are incredibly high in the UK. Figures from The Birth Trauma Association show that 4-6% of women have PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) as a direct result from their birth experience, that's about 30,000-37,000 new cases every year in the UK. And an estimated 30% more, experience some symptoms of PTSD, but not the full-blown condition.

More often than not, the trauma is caused by the way that women were treated in hospital rather than what physically happened. Having the support of a doula had been shown to improve outcomes, decrease interventions, increase overall levels of satisfaction and lower rates of postpartum depression.

Doulas can play a crucial role in preventing birth trauma by providing continuous emotional, physical, and informational support throughout the childbirth process. One of the key ways doulas help prevent trauma is by empowering the birthing person with knowledge and confidence. They ensure that the birthing person is well-informed about their options, helping them to make decisions that align with their preferences and values. This sense of agency is vital, as feeling out of control or unheard during birth is a significant contributor to birth trauma. Doulas facilitate clear communication between the birthing person and medical professionals, advocating for the birthing person's wishes and ensuring that they remain at the centre of the decision-making process.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says “Continuous companionship during labour and birth is recommended for improving women’s satisfaction with services”  and that the benefits are enhanced when the birthing person had "continuous labour support from a doula, someone who was not a staff member at the hospital and who was not part of their social network."