Why I trained to be a doula
When I experienced pregnancy loss, I quickly tried to find a way around it. Throwing myself into creative pursuits and waiting for the chance to start trying again immediately. It was hard not to feel helpless, I wanted to regain what was lost but also understand why there was so little support available. Then I stumbled across birth support, and the role of a doula.
I had experienced women coming into my Pilates studio with their babies, seeing them with the wriggling infants as they held their body in planks on my call, and then picking them up swiftly to feed. At the end of the class, I’d often say things like ‘i’m so sorry you only managed a few of the exercises, I hope you got enough out of the session” and they’d reply, “I’m glad to have done anything at all! And honestly, I just love being here”.
Then it hit me, how I’d not only created the kind of environment that people wanted to come to at a vulnerable time with their precious newborns, and trust me to guide their postpartum bodies through exercise, but also created a place for community, guidance and support.
The mums attending my classes weren’t just looking for a place to exercise, they were looking for a place to simply catch up with old friends, meet new ones, and talk about things like growth spurts and nap timings.
I’d meticulously plan each session, making sure I had relevant exercises for the pelvic floor and safely engaging the core, but in reality these women weren’t going to remember my cues. They remembered the feeling of the room, the warm lights and cosy blankets to place their little ones. The patience in the room when they would opt out of the flow to feed or soothe. The acceptance of the changes they were experiencing, just to be there at their own pace, taking part on their terms.
And on days like this I thought, I want to be a part of this world. I would go home from these sessions with a grin on my face and my mind still back at the studio as I pedalled my little e-bike along Upper Clapton road. It took a seismic shift in my life to make that clear for me, which happened when I lost the pregnancy and the future of the studio in the same week.
I’d completely underestimated the power of community, which has turned out to be the very thing that put my career in motion.
So what brings me here?
I believe there are few things more precious than bringing life into the world (this is a personal opinion and not a judgement on anyone who chooses not to). Being a part of birth and supporting women at the most intimate, precious and vulnerable moments is a huge privilege. The ability to empower women and be part of the village is something I look forward to most.
Doula support is becoming more of a thing in the UK, which isn’t a surprise with the NHS facing more pressure than ever, staff shortages and lack of continuous care. From my own experiences in the EPU, I can see why women are seeking further, tailored support outside of the medical system. Doulas come with good stats, too, such as a 39% decrease in the chance of C-section1, which is quite an amazing find for non-clinical support. Stats like this highlight that providing support instead of interference have a huge impact on the process of birth. It raises the question of how much birth outcomes are tied to the mental state of the mother in their experience; outcomes improve when mothers felt safe and supported emotionally, not just physically. And in addition, how emotional preparation before the birth, such as having doula support during pregnancy, can facilitate a positive birth and reduce intervention.
Something I’ve learned in my training is the concept of birth doulas being known as ‘The Guardians of Oxytocin’, which is the hormone that enables birth. Basically, our role is to do everything possible to protect a woman’s release of oxytocin, making them feel safe and comfortable to give birth. Even small environmental cues like sound or being talked at can delay the process, bringing a birthing person into the conscious brain and away from the task of pushing out a human. It makes sense that we should aim to protect the birthing process; enabling their active engagement with birth and passive engagement with the outside world.
I’ve been speaking with my therapist about the role of a doula, and they (anonymously) relayed that a client of theirs experienced birth trauma partly due to a lack in autonomy they had during the process. I wonder, if we had doula support as an accessible option for all births, would women feel more control of the process? Would the risk of having a difficult birth decrease? Birth trauma is an underserved area of Psychology, yet affects up to 40% of birthing people each year2 (not all of those go on to develop PTSD).
The NHS is already piloting the role of community doulas in the maternal pathway, The Birth Bridge project was formed for Global Majority communities in collaboration with Homerton Hospital3, I hope we will see more doula support enrolled into mainstream healthcare, although I imagine with funding cuts, salaried roles will not be likely.
Despite doula support not being widely utilised in the UK, there is so much unearthed value to be had for our increasingly isolated society, and I’m ready to be a small part of it.
Chloe x
Bohren MA, Hofmeyr GJ, Sakala C, Fukuzawa RK, Cuthbert A. Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Jul 6;7(7):CD003766. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub6. PMID: 28681500; PMCID: PMC6483123.
Webb, R., Uddin, N., Constantinou, G., Cheyne, H., & Ayers, S. (2025). Prevalence of Birth Trauma and Childbirth-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in UK Women: Results from the International Survey of Childbirth-Related Trauma. Women’s Reproductive Health, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/23293691.2025.2545307
https://cityhackneyhealth.org.uk/about-us/city-and-hackney-population-health-hub-phh/match/improving-equity-in-maternity-services/
