As a perinatal practitioner and doula, I offer unconditional, non-judgemental support, self-help strategies, and evidence-based information to parents-to-be and newborn families across Derbyshire and beyond.

I live in Belper with my partner, two children, a dog and two cats.

I’ve been working with parents in the transition to parenthood since 2006 when my first baby was born. Following a career in higher education (I taught anatomy and physiology at City University) I found myself on maternity leave. Inspired by my antenatal course, I joined NCT as a volunteer and was soon running postnatal support groups, organising branch events, and working on my face painting skills. I quickly realised that I needed to do more to support new families so, following the birth of my second child, I trained with ABM as a mother supporter and with UNICEF and the NHS as a Breastfeeding Buddy. By 2015 I was training with NCT to become an Antenatal Practitioner, and in 2017 I added Postnatal Practitioner to my qualifications.

In 2020, the first year of the Covid pandemic, I was appalled but how little support there was for families in the transition to parenthood.  It seemed clear that the pressure of the virus on the NHS had exposed and intensified a massive preexisting problem.  I knew I needed to do more work one to one with expectant and new families so I embarked on my Birth and Postnatal Doula journey with Developing Doulas.  I run antenatal and postnatal courses and sessions across the region, including the weekly Belper Baby Club, as well as supporting women and birthing people as they meet their babies.  I am an accredited Rebozo practitioner and a 3-Step Rewind birth trauma release practitioner. I am also a Slingababy babywearing consultant.

In 2022 I trained with Toddle Talk as a baby signing teacher, offering fun, accessible BSL baby signing classes for babies aged 5 months to 3 years and their grown-ups

Please visit my shop page to see my artistic endeavours as The Crafty Lucy.