About Us

                   Surrey and Sussex Doulas

                          Antenatal, Labour and Postnatal support in Surrey and Sussex.

ABOUT CLAIRE BARRAUD

 

Claire is a mother, midwife and Doula and has a real passion for pregnancy and birth.  Her experience comes from working as a midwife but since having her first child in 2006 she realised the importance of support during labour and retrained as a Doula.  Having had two very different births she passionately believes that with the right level of support any birth can be a wonderful experience. She now uses her skills and experience to help assist and support women in their pregnancy’s, labours and first few weeks with their new babies.  Her passion lies in assisting women to have a happy, confident and fear free pregnancy which leads to a positive birth experience.  She has a particular enthusiasm for water birth, having given birth to her daughter Phoebe in water, and has assisted dozens of women to give birth in the birthing pool.  She will assist women whether they birth at home or in hospital, in the birthing pool or with an epidural.  She will never judge and very strongly believes that birth in whatever form can be beautiful, and that women should never be made to feel guilty about the way they have birthed their babies.  

 

 

ABOUT NICKY

 

Nicky has over 20 years experience in nursing, is a practicing midwife and Hypnobirthing® practitioner.  She is a mother to three boys (ages from primary school to university!) so has years of experience in both health and childcare.  Through her experience as midwife she became passionate about the bodies ability to birth babies naturally.  She attended the hypnobirthing practioners course which confirmed her enthusiasm for natural birth.  She is very aware and enthusiastic about alternative therapies and their importance in childbirth.  Through her hypnobirthing training she provides classes to individuals or groups and educates women to birth gently using relaxation, visualisation and breathing techniques.

 

ABOUT CLAIRE BLACKSHAW

 

 

Claire has been a Midwife for 14 years and attended over 800 births. Childbirth is felt by Claire to be one of the most magical experiences in life and one that is a privilege to be apart of. When birthing her own children Claire experienced two very different births, Holly aged 7 was born in hospital following a long labour that involved using the pool and finally an epidural as pain relief. George aged 5 was a home birth which was a very relaxing and calm experience.

 

In 2003 Claire trained as a Health Visitor, this has provided her with more skills to support parents in the transition into parenthood. She has experience in Breast feeding, baby massage and postnatal depression. Claire had undiagnosed postnatal depression following the birth of George and therefore has a passion in supporting mums postnatally and if needed providing strategies for mothers to use to overcome postnatal depression

Claire with her daughter Jocelyn at 36 weeks pregnant with Phoebe.