'I am exceptionally proud to work as a certified doula'
Although the word ‘doula’ may still be unfamiliar to some, the role they play has been a vital one for centuries.
Doulas are an extra support and advocate during pregnancy, labour and in the early months after childbirth.
Maeve Briar, who lives in south Shropshire, has been working as a doula since June 2023, inspired by her own experiences and journey into motherhood.
“I barely saw the same midwife or medical professional from one appointment to the next and during the births themselves I didn’t know or recognise the midwives appointed to me,” Maeve explains.
“I know we are incredibly lucky in this country to have the NHS and the midwives we do but having a stranger care for you at one of the most vulnerable times of your life can be difficult.
“In my opinion, it’s not particularly conducive to relaxing, feeling safe or advocating for yourself.
“I knew I wanted to support families through this incredible, personal, life-changing experience to facilitate the best possible birth for that family.”
Encouraging and informing parents-to-be to make informed decisions around pregnancy, birth and early parenting is a large part of the role of the doula.
“I am exceptionally proud to work as a certified doula,” says mother of two Maeve.
“A doula differs from a midwife as midwives are medically trained.
“A doula supports women and families through the child-bearing year; we provide information along with practical and emotional support.
“A doula’s support can be multi-faceted including antenatal information, birth plan support, appointment attendance, signposting, birth presence, advocacy and postnatal support.
“I look to support families holistically, offering individualised and continuous care.
“I find it important to support all members of a family. I encourage the whole birth team to get involved.
“Doulas are nothing new, women have been supporting women through childbirth for thousands of years.
“A doula does not have to be ‘trained’ in any way, there is no official register or training required to work as a doula.
“However, I decided to become certified through a wonderful organisation called Conscious Birthing.”
For Maeve, aged 34, there is no typical day in her professional life.
“Every day I try to keep on top of any new research in the field of birth work, promote myself on social media and spread information that may be of interest.
“I may then spend time researching information for a particular family or as I offer free connection calls I may speak to a family over Zoom to see if we are a good fit for each other.
“I may visit a woman on her pregnancy journey to offer antenatal support or offer guidance in writing her birth plans.
“I also keep in contact with all the families over WhatsApp so may have a message or two to reply to,” she explains.
Being a doula and supporting parents offers plenty of job satisfaction.
“One of my favourite offerings as a doula is organising mama blessings. A mama blessing is a pre-birth celebration focusing on mama. It nurtures her connection to the women in her life and allows us to surround her with love, support, joy and strength.
“A mama blessing is a celebration that will be remembered forever and it is a privilege to organise these for families.
“Some part of my day may be preparing for a mama blessing, for example writing notes and affirmations, foraging or buying flowers for flower crowns or keeping in contact with guests,” says Maeve.
She has recently started making gift boxes for expectant and new parents, which include vegan and palm oil-free items such as snack bars, herbal and fruity teabags, a rose quartz gemstone and lip balm among a couple of other things.
Although there has been a rising number of people employing doulas, Maeve fears that many women may rule it out due to the perceived cost.
“The most challenging part of being a doula is knowing that for some people it seems financially impossible to access the support. However, I urge anyone wanting support from a doula to get in contact. Many doulas, including myself, are happy to discuss payment and even offer skill swaps,” she says.
Maeve would advise anyone considering working as a doula to follow their dream.
“Being a doula is so fulfilling; I struggle to even label it work – it’s a calling, and I feel so proud to be a birth worker,” she says.
For more information, visit maevebriardoula.co.uk or search Maeve Briar Doula on Facebook.
