Helping to sooth early worries

Giving birth and coping with a newborn baby for those first important weeks is probably the hardest job any woman can do. This is more so for a first time mother who is perhaps worried of what is happening to her and the baby during birth and later is perhaps concerned that she is caring for her baby properly.

These are the times when a birth or post-natal doula can really help the new mother and her partner.

Already established in America and now becoming common in London, Shrewsbury woman Deborah Derrick, pictured, is now pioneering the option in Shropshire.

Already a trained registered maternity nanny and child care expert, she is training to become both a birth and post-natal doula in order to offer the service locally.

A birth doula provides support and encouragement to a women during birth, while a post-natal doula does what a mother needs her to do in her home to support her in the early weeks after giving birth.

A maternity nanny helps show new parents how to care for their newborn in a similar way to a midwife.

Maternity nannies and doulas are mainly full time in London and can cost £800 a week, but Deborah plans to offer a service of flexible hours to make it more affordable.

Deborah, of Gains Park, trained as a nanny before working for Social Services in a day care centre for adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities, running a hydrotherapy room and a multi-sensory room.

She returned to full time nannying 10 years ago but 18 months ago trained as a maternity nanny. Deborah said: “A maternity nanny is able to show the parents how to handle the baby, show techniques for breast feeding and latching on and help with feeding and sleep routines. You also advise them if you think they should take an issue to their health visitor or doctor.”

This is also what a visiting midwife does, but there is a shortage of midwives and new parents get just two home visits from midwives after mother and child return home from the hospital.

Deborah said: “Maternity nannies and doulas are a more London-based thing, but myself and another maternity nanny in Shropshire are hoping that we can gain more interest up here.”

The practice is so new here that Deborah and her colleague believe they are the only ones offering the service locally.

Deborah is registered with Ofsted, Sure Start and Nestor and is studying an NVQ Level 3 in children’s care, learning and development at Shrewsbury College. She is believed to be the first nanny in the area doing the new course.

Her doula training will take her back to the centre which qualified her as a maternity nanny, Maternity & Nanny Training in Hampshire.

Deborah said: “There aren’t any Shrewsbury-based agencies. I think there might be one in Shropshire. People may read about doulas or maternity nannies but it may be very hard for them to work out who to ask to do these things.”

Deborah is registered with Shropshire County Council as a registered childminder. Parents may be able to claim working tax credit and child tax credit towards childcare costs.