birth preparation for the realities of nhs maternity care

when the system prioritises process over people - preparation needs to do more.

I help pregnant people understand how maternity care works, and build the communication and decision making tools to stay informed, confident, and involved in their care - even when things change or pressure increases.

Because compliance doesn’t equal safety - understanding and involvement does.

 
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giving you the tools to boss your birth

when birth preparation meets the reality of the system you’re birthing in

Most birth preparation courses focus on creating a “positive birth” - but they don’t prepare you for what actually happens in the system you’re birthing in, or how to truly make your birth positive.

I work with families throughout pregnancy to understand the system you’re birthing in, building your confidence, advocacy, and decision-making tools to navigate care safely, stay in control, and ensure your birth can feel positive no matter what unfolds.

CONTACT ME

welcom!

I’m so pleased you’ve found me!

 

Who I am/what I do:

Hey! I’m Ellie!

My approach to perinatal support is shaped by over 5 years of working with families navigating maternity care - supporting them not just to prepare for birth, but to stay informed, confident, and involved when care becomes complex.

You can read my full story here.

My experience:

I have over 5 years supporting families across pregnancy, birth & postpartum care as a:

  • Hypnobirthing educator

  • Birth and postnatal doula

  • Birth Trauma Practitioner

I’m passionate about empowering parents to understand, advocate, and take control - at whatever stage of your journey you find yourself.

ways of working with mE:

Whether you want ongoing support, tailored preparation or guidance throughout challenging experiences, these are the way I work with families to navigate the system, make informed decisions, and stay in control - so you can experience birth in your way.

A monthly membership designed to equip you with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to feel supported and in control throughout pregnancy and birth.

Understand care: Learn how maternity care works so you can navigate it confidently at every stage.

Advocacy & Communication: Build the skills to feel informed and ensure your care is tailored to you - without feeling confrontational or questioning medical advice unsafely.

Decision making tools: Make choices that consider your medical circumstances, evidence based information, and personal preferences and values.

Preparing for complexity: Explore common scenarios when care becomes more complex, so you can anticipate challenges and plan proactively.

JOIN THE WAITLIST

Personalised 1:1 birth preparation to help you navigate your unique pregnancy alongside maternity care with confidence, clarity and control.

Flexible support: Choose one-off sessions or a complete course tailored to your unique circumstances, pregnancy stage, and wishes.

Navigate complex care: Understand recommendations, policies, and decision points so you can engage confidently with your care team.

Mindset & emotional preparation: Reduce fear, strengthen mindset, and approach birth feeling grounded and empowered.

Protective planning: Prepare for unexpected scenarios and develop strategies to stay in control, whatever the system throws your way.

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Experienced, continuous, support throughout pregnancy, birth and beyond - helping you feel confident, supported, and empowered at every stage.

Pregnancy support: Guidance on appointments, decisions, and preparing physically and mentally for birth.

Labour & birth: Emotional and practical support for you and your partner, advocacy for your preferences, and guardianship of your birth space.

Postnatal Support: Helping you to settle into parenthood, build confidence, and navigate early challenges with reassurance and practical guidance.

Working alongside the system: Navigate policies and recommendations (at all stages) confidently, with strategies to stay in control without feeling confrontational.

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Trauma informed support for anyone who has experienced a difficult, overwhelming or traumatic birth - helping you process what happened and regain control.

Independent reflection: Gentle, guided sessions to make sense of your experience and begin to processing at your own pace.

Three Step Rewind Therapy: A neuro-linguistic approach to reduce the ongoing impact of traumatic memories.

Empowerment & choice: Support designed around what feels right for you, helping you reclaim agency over your body, your story, and future birth experiences.

Safe, sensitive, environment: Trauma informed guidance to help you explore, reflect, and heal without pressure or judgment.

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start here call

Sometimes, knowing where to start is the hardest part.

A quick call with me helps you get clarity on your pregnancy, your birth, or postnatal journey - and shows you how my support can fit your unique needs.

In this call we’ll:

  • Talk through your current stage and what’s most important to you - pregnancy, birth, or postpartum

  • Identify the best way to prepare, navigate care, or recover confidently

  • Explore the support options that fit your needs, from 1:1 birth preparation, to the membership, or trauma informed guidance.

It’s completely no pressure - just a chance to see how I can help you feel informed, supported, and in control, whatever stage you’re at.

BOOK YOUR CALL

what my clients say

  • "We booked a hypnobirthing refresher course with Ellie in the run up to the birth of our second baby. I could tell right away, during the initial consultation chat that she was exactly what we needed. Throughout the two sessions she got exactly the right balance of listening and understanding our previous experience and offering relevant and practical advice to suit us specifically.”

    — Philiipa (Bristol)

  • "Having Ellie as my doula was an absolute blessing during the early weeks of motherhood. She supported me from when my baby was just 2 weeks old, helping me navigate the fourth trimester and adjust to life with a newborn. Her kindness and care for both of us made a world of difference, alleviating so much of the stress that comes with those early days. Her guidance was invaluable and i always felt reassured by her."

    - Abigail (Nailsea)

  • "Ellie's help processing a difficult birth experience was so comforting and I felt at ease discussing some difficult subjects with her. I was very validated by her and it was just like speaking to a friend."

    — Emily (Bristol)

  • "provided invaluable advice and reassurance - whether it was navigating reduced movements and deciding whether to go into hospital, or managing the pressures that came when we passed our NHS due date. They threw everything they had into helping us try to turn the baby (who was asynclitic and back-to-back). Ellie has also provided invaluable postpartum support, and the debrief we did together was a really special moment that gave us clarity and closure."

    - Anna (Bristol)

  • “After a traumatic first birth, they were everything I needed to navigate my second pregnancy and my choice for a VBAC. Through every wobble, difficult decision, panic etc. giving expert advice and exploring all options before fully supporting whatever I decided. The difference it makes to be reminded that everything is your choice! They have extensive knowledge about all things birth and I believe it’s what everyone needs to get the full and individualised picture on their maternity care and truly make informed decisions. Something you cannot unfortunately get from the NHS alone where protocols are one size fits all".”

    - Rachael (Backwell)

  • “We had a brilliant experience with Ellie via a doula Power Hour. It was clear she had taken careful note of the information we shared before we spoke, and she prepared plenty of relevant research for us to discuss. We were so grateful for her compassion, insight, and guidance. We left the conversation feeling heard and empowered. We can’t recommend this process enough.”

    - Jordan (London)

  • “Ellie gave me the reassurance and scientific evidence to help me feel confident in my decision, which was outside of NHS guidance.”

    - Alice (Weston-Super-Mare)

  • “I feel forever grateful for how supportive Ellie was throughout the birth and for how calm, smooth, and special she made the most important day of our lives. On that note, people often spend far more on their weddings than they do on the birth of their children - and the latter is far more important. A doula is a very worthwhile investment, especially given how important that day is and the unfortunate reality of declining maternity services in the NHS in recent years.

    - Marcus (Bristol)

  • “Their support in navigating the NHS maternity system was especially valuable given my choice to birth at home and outside of NHS recommendations. Ellie’s support during labour and birth was exactly what we needed to welcome the arrival of our baby in the gentle way that we’d hoped.”

    - Samantha (Bristol)

  • “We enlisted the help of Ellie for a power hour session to get my mind back on track and talk our situation through. Ellie went above and beyond to support us. She understood and empathised with our situation and provided so much meaningful and helpful advice. We felt heard when we needed a little security when in the latter stages of pregnancy things became tricky.”

    - Alicia (Bristol)

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First of all, a reminder to breathe deeply today 💫. Maternity care has a way of feeling simple until all of a sudden it’s complex. This usually comes up in your third trimester, when pressure is already mounting, you’re at your most v

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