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The Smart Doula| Virtual Doula Blog
Welcome to my Blog page!
You can find all my musings on virtual doula support, my own birth experience and other pregnancy, birth and postpartum topics


Medical Pain relief in labour
Pain relief in labour Before you start reading this blog, I would recommend you hop over to my other blog about non-medical pain relief in labour. Not because I want to discourage you from using medical pain relief in labour, but all of the things in the first blog can be used alongside medication - layering up is a great strategy for labour and one you need to get in on! Paracetamol for pain relief in labour What is Paracetamol You most likely already know about this one! Pa
thesmartdoula
Jan 136 min read
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Homebirth and Freebirth. How They Compare and How They Differ
If you are pregnant and reading the news right now, you may feel anxious. Homebirth can feel unsafe because of media headlines. Freebirth can feel terrifying because of extreme stories shared online. It is hard to make a confident choice when everything around you sounds dramatic and confusing. So let us slow everything down. Let us look at what homebirth and freebirth actually involve. Let us explore the similarities and the differences with calm evidence and clear explanati
thesmartdoula
Nov 25, 20257 min read
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10 Tips For Your VBAC
Once a cesarean, always a cesarean? Didn't it use to be once a cesarean, always a cesarean? Yes, and unfortunately for some, this mindset persists for some today! At the time of this saying, rickets, malnutrition, and pelvic deformity were common, and the surgical procedure was much less refined. It was accepted that once it had been performed, most women would not give birth vaginally again. Today, the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (RCOG) states: ‘Planned VBAC i
thesmartdoula
Nov 11, 20258 min read
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Is My Newborns Sleep Normal?
Is my newborn's sleep normal? They won't sleep in their cot! They only want to sleep on me! If I had a pound every time my Virtual Doula...
thesmartdoula
Sep 9, 202510 min read
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Reduce the risk of tearing during birth
'I tore from front to back' In almost every childbirth horror story shared online, there is somebody in the comments saying they know...
thesmartdoula
Aug 26, 20259 min read
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What if I don't make enough milk?- Insufficient Glandular Tissue
Breastfeeding using a Supplemental Nursing System (SNS) Its World Breastfeeding Week 2025 and this years theme is 'Prioritise...
thesmartdoula
Aug 2, 20258 min read
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Should I let them break my waters?
A crochet hook that has similarities to the tool used to artifically break your waters What are 'your waters'? Let's start with a brief...
thesmartdoula
Jun 10, 20258 min read
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Caesarean Section Recovery Tips from Real Mums
Whether you are reading this while you are planning for your elective cesarean, have found this blog from your hospital bed after an emergency caesarean, or you had a cesarean years ago and are still struggling with your scar, I promise you will find something here that is helpful! Cesarean recovery time is MUCH more than being discharged from the hospital and then being signed off for 'normal' activities at the 6 week postnatal check. Your birth requires both physical and em
thesmartdoula
Apr 14, 202515 min read
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Choosing where to give birth - Leeds Teaching Hospitals
Choosing where to give birth. It's entirely possible that if this is your first baby (or even if you have given birth before), that when...
thesmartdoula
Mar 26, 20258 min read
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Using your BRAIN - Informed choice in pregnancy
The most important thing to remember as you walk into your pregnancy and birth journey is that EVERYTHING is a choice, once you...
thesmartdoula
Mar 4, 202510 min read
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Crystals for your birth space
As a child I was drawn to gem shops, their shiny stones, and pretty crystal angels, it felt almost impossible not to reach out and touch...
thesmartdoula
Feb 17, 20256 min read
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Is Babywearing Dangerous?
With babywearing in the news recently because of a very sad story about a six-week-old baby who died while being in a sling due to an...
thesmartdoula
Feb 1, 20257 min read
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Nourishing and delicious pregnancy mocktails by trimester
Why drink pregnancy safe mocktails? Well there are a few reasons! You enjoy a cocktail when not pregnant and you don't want to miss out...
thesmartdoula
Dec 30, 20245 min read
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Should Ultrasound Scans Hurt? What to expect from your 12-week scan in Leeds.
Ultrasound scans or pregnancy scans have become a rite of passage when you are pregnant! From that 12-week scan where you see your baby...
thesmartdoula
Dec 3, 20249 min read
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My almost Waterbirth in Leeds Lotus Midwifery Unit- Learning from my mistakes from my first birth to have an empowering second birth!
My First Birth was nearly in the Leeds Lotus Midwifery Unit You can't write about one without the other! My first birth was a classic...
thesmartdoula
Nov 23, 20249 min read
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Ditch the ice packs - Ways you can use heat in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum! Can I have a hot bath during pregnancy and other topics?
Discover the surprising benefits of using heat in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum! From easing aches to reducing labor pain
thesmartdoula
Nov 19, 20246 min read
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Curious about Boosting Oxytocin in Labour? Check Out These 5 DIY Items to Make Right Now!
5 things you can do right now to set yourself up for an empowering birth experience
thesmartdoula
Nov 12, 20245 min read
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How a hypnobirthing course helped sabotage my first birth - and why I now choose to offer it as a service!
My first experience of hypnobirthing When I was pregnant the first time around I honestly felt like I could not be doing more to prepare...
thesmartdoula
Oct 29, 20246 min read
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Do I have to have Vaginal Exams?
A Brief History of Vaginal Exams, Why They Started Being Used, the Evidence Behind them, and Your Rights
thesmartdoula
Oct 15, 20249 min read
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Using Positive Affirmations: Pregnancy to Birth.
Have you heard of using positive birth affirmations but feel like they are a little 'hippy' or alternative for you? You might be...
thesmartdoula
Oct 8, 20245 min read
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