Doula and Hypnobirthing coach covering Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and London

Absolutely. And a i'm not there to take that job away from you. I enhance it.You're her partner. You know her, love her and share a connection no professional can replicate. I bring heaps of experience, practical skills and continuous support so you can feel more confident in your role, rather than feeling you have to figure everything out alone.Read about Matts experience here"She created a sense of calm and acted as a buffer between us and the clinical environment. It allowed Abi to stay in her own space to focus and let her body do what it needed without being pulled out of that mindset. For me it removed a huge amount of pressure and gave me real clarity in how to support Abi properly."

Midwives provide essential clinical care, monitoring and medical support. Within the NHS, their practice is shaped by professional standards, national guidance and local hospital policies, alongside the practical realities of staffing, resources and service delivery. These systems are designed to support safe, consistent care across a large population, but they cannot always account for every individual woman’s circumstances, preferences and priorities.A doula brings a different kind of support. Working autonomously, I can explore the research, evidence and guidance relevant to your particular situation, helping you understand your options and prepare informed questions for your maternity team. My approach is guided by you as an individual, your needs, values, preferences and circumstances, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to birth.This doesn’t mean working against midwives or dismissing clinical guidelines. It means helping you understand the evidence, recognise where individual circumstances matter and feel better equipped to navigate the maternity system and make informed decisions about your care.Midwives may need to care for other women, complete clinical tasks or hand over responsibility to another member of the team. My focus remains on you. Throughout my support, I provide continuous emotional, physical and practical support for both of you, helping you feel informed, supported and confident in the decisions you make together.

Yes , and there's research to back it up. Having a Doula really isn't just a "nice to have", it provides real clinical and emotional benefit to mum and baby.There have been approximatly 60 unique studies looking at the effect of continous support throughout labour and the impact it can have. In summary what is found is "Continuous support (most effective when provided by a doula) reduces the risk of cesarean birth by 25% to 39%, lowers the need for instrumental vaginal births and pain/epidural medications, shortens labor, and increases spontaneous vaginal births" But it is about even more than the clinical benefits. Doula support also enhances the womens experience of birth including less need for medical pain relief

A caesarean isn't a failure, an epidural isn't giving up, and a doula can't guarantee a particular type of birth.Birth can be unpredictable. Your partner might change her mind about pain relief, choose an induction or require an unplanned caesarean. My role isn't to push a particular birth experience, but to help you both feel prepared, informed, supported and confident as decisions evolve.I'll help you explore evidence-based information, understand the conversations happening around you and ask questions when appropriate, while respecting her choices and working alongside the clinical team.You don't hire a doula to guarantee how your baby will be born. You hire one to help you navigate whatever happens, together.Read Toms review of a homebirth which evolved into a cesarean birth"As it happened the birth our son was not what we had planned (emergency c section at 42.5 weeks) but because of Nicole's accompaniment at the hospital and perseverance for our ideal birth preferences, we had a truly amazing experience and one will always cherish."

Absolutely not. Clinical teams bring essential expertise, and their guidance can be lifesaving. But NHS professionals also work within local Trust policies, clinical guidelines and the practical constraints of a busy maternity system. These frameworks are designed to support safe, consistent care across a population, but they cannot always account for every individual woman's circumstances, preferences and priorities. As an independent doula, my role is to help you understand the full range of options available to you, explore the evidence behind them and prepare questions for your maternity team. I'll help you understand when a recommendation reflects national guidance, local policy or your specific clinical circumstances, so you can have a more informed conversation about what is right for you.This isn't about rejecting clinical guidance or automatically choosing an alternative. It's about approaching each situation individually, considering the available evidence, listening to your instincts and keeping the woman at the centre of every decision.You deserve the space to make decisions that feel informed and genuinely yours, rather than feeling rushed, pressured or as though events are happening beyond your control. Where a decision is urgent, I'll help you seek clear information as quickly as the situation allows, without delaying necessary care.Read Bhavicks full review reflecting on how I supported him and his partner navigate NHS recommendation and their preferences"We faced numerous obstacles from the hospital and doctors before and during labour and Nicole’s exceptional skills allowed her to decipher and explain complex information, ensuring that we had the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions. This was especially crucial as we were two weeks overdue, facing pressure from the NHS to induce labour without a clear clinical reason. Nicole helped us stay calm and composed, guiding us through and preventing us from being rushed into making decisions without proper consideration."

That's precisely when additional support may be valuable. Long labours can be physically and emotionally exhausting for both of you.I'll help with comfort measures, reassurance, practical support and understanding what's being discussed. If a medical emergency develops, the clinical team takes the lead in providing clinical care. I remain within my non-clinical role and work around the needs of the situation.Read Simons reflection on me supporting them through a long and complicated birth"And when labour came, Nicole was the remarkable friend, support and ally that the two of us needed."

It's a fair question. With a baby on the way, there are plenty of things competing for your budget, and you want to know what you're actually getting for your money.You're investing in more than someone being present at the birth. You're paying for preparation, my experience, on-call availability, continuous support and the services included in your package. Ultimately, it's about deciding what matters to you as a family and what support would make a meaningful difference to your experience. You should never feel pressured to spend money you can't afford or made to feel guilty for asking questions.Let's have an honest conversation about what's included, what you need and whether I'm the right fit for you. The aim is for you both to make an informed decision, with no pressure and no hard sell.Read Mikes reflection of working with me"From both my side as the father and my wife Hannah's side, Nicole was absolutely incredible to work with in the weeks leading up to the birth and on the day of the birth itself"

You, as the birth partner get preparation, practical tools, another experienced person to turn to and support that isn't dependent on you having all the answers.You will feel more confident, more involved and less alone when things become intense. You can concentrate on your partner and your baby without feeling that you have to manage every part of the experience yourself.Read Chris's review, a husband of a midwife who gained so much value even during a birth where he knew the midwives supporting"Nicole took us through everything from supporting your wife physically and mentally, management of pain, advocating for baby and partner in a medically dominated field, implementing therapies, space management and preparing for all eventualities."