My inspirations
My other main interest in my life was working as a Doula * She who serves.
My own background is quite different to most as my Mother and I were both pregnant at the same time (for 3 months!), living in the Tipi community in South Wales (Talley Valley). We had a very close relationship and I had been only child until my beautiful sister, Bracken was born 20 years later.
My introduction to birth was receiving/catching my sister as she shot into the World, whilst I was 19 years old and 6 months pregnant myself.
When I was giving birth for the first time, with the fire at my back and the stars fading in the dawn sky, as I stood in the Tipi door-way, my partner, Mother and 6 month baby sister were present!
It was a natural progression for me to support women, who became friends when they were pregnant and requested a home birth.
30 years ago, the Scottish Borders community midwives were not attending such births, in our locality, so it was essential for women to find the right support to be able to feel able to give birth at home. This was often a challenge to achieve, as GPs did not support this, community midwives mostly ran antenatal clinics and carried out postnatal checks, but did not encourage home births, as they had little practice in offering this service.
Happily, times seem to have moved on and at our Grandson’s birth last July 2021, we were supported very well by the community midwives,many of whom, we met many during the birthing process.
I followed my vocation to study a midwifery degree (1999 -2003), which was extremely hard work, with 3 children and a business to run, however my partner supported me whole-heartedly throughout this period and in the time that I practiced and after my qualification as a direct-entry midwife.
However, the majority of hospital midwives saw me as a threat who challenged their knowledge, as most had not experienced or supported birth at home, or indeed knew how to support women in labour without the use of gas & air and other analgesia.
This was a very difficult time for me where I suffered regular psychological bullying. If it had not been for my partner's faith and belief in me, I would not have endured working in the NHS for as long as I did.
I stayed and persisted as I loved working with women and their babies, supporting breast-feeding and the transition into of women becoming mothers. However, when it became obvious that I would never be accepted, I suddenly left without explanation and continued to work alongside Terry running our self-built Crafts business; Centaur Design.
I continued to offer my knowledge and support to pregnant women, when called upon and was present at the birth of our Grand-daughter in a busy London hospital in 2008. I know my presence helped to keep the birth as normal as possible and I gave several sessions of reflexology treatments throughout. The long 'back-to-back'labour eventually resulted in our first Grandchild being born, without too much intervention.
In 2013 I delivered our Grandson in the antenatal toilet of the same London hospital. This was not planned but necessary (a bit like karma repeating itself, as I also 'delivered' my sister).
Most recently, I supported our eldest son and his partner in their request for a home-birth in July 2021. My 1st blood-line Grandson was born at our home, with my offerings of spiritual, emotional and grounded support, with their wishes fulfilled!
I am blessed to have such lovely family, which is continually becoming more enriched as I am now a Mother & Grandmother
(amongst other roles!)
So, empowering women is a big part of my life's path. I feel honoured to offer this support and encouragement, which also crosses over to using astrology as this is a tool for also empowering ourselves by knowing ourselves better.
