About Me

About Me

I’m Melanie, a mother of 3 gorgeous children, and stepmother of another gorgeous one. I have come to the doula world quite late in life compared to some, after learning and working in various industries from Hotel & Catering Management, to the charitable sector, public service middle management, and most recently professional childcare as a self-employed childminder. I have a BSc (hons), an MBA and plan to start an MSc in Counselling & Psychotherapy in 2021. I am a mentored Doula UK birth and post-natal doula.

I have been a single parent, a married parent and obviously a stepparent. I have been a working outside of the home parent, reliant on professional childcare myself and a Stay at home parent. I have claimed benefits and I have been self-sufficient. I have formula fed, mixed fed and exclusively breast fed. I have supported other mums through their early parenting journey as their childminder and enabled their return to paid work by providing a caring loving environment for their most precious bundles, as well as a listening ear and signpost when those parents faced their own challenges.

My own parenting experience has taught me many things, not least to bend, adapt, respond and take responsibility for the events that challenge you. I was not fortunate enough to know about doulas when I birthed my own children, but if I could turn back time and talk to the pre-parent woman I was in my early twenties, I would give myself three pieces of advice; Hire a doula, learn how to baby wear and find/get to know your nearest breastfeeding support group before your baby is born.

I can’t even remember how I came to know about doulas, but whenever it was, I have known since then that that is what I need to be. New parents are not meant to birth and parent on their own, and most especially in those first few weeks after birth (the 4th Trimester) you cannot have too much support and love.

I have the heart of a mystic and the mind of a scientist. Just because I search for and share evidence-based information, doesn’t mean that I can’t honour the goddess/divine within you!

I also choose to honour the great mother, Earth, in thought and deed. I am convinced of the link between satisfied, happy, healthy, attached mothers and babies and the future health and prosperity of humans and by extension our planet. These happy healthy dyads are achieved when they have continuous, non-judgemental, compassionate support around the time of birth and the immediate post-natal period. Love really does make the world go around.

I volunteer for Motherwell Cheshire as and when I can, when I found them after completing my final Doula preparation project on Post-natal depression and Birth Trauma. This project continues to direct my practice and the direction of my continuous professional development

In my spare (!) time, I read, sew, cook, garden, facebook, yoga and swim – I’m a member of the Green Party standing for election several times, and am the vice chair of the Central Cheshire Maternity Voices Partnership.

I dream of warm sunny evenings filled with laughter and good food and of writing a book.