Lorna Phillip – Birth Confidence Summit
Lorna Phillip's Bio
She goes by the name of ‘Birmingham Doula’ but that’s a bit of a misnomer because Lorna Phillip has supported births all over the West Midlands and beyond.
With her desire to serve birthing women and their families more deeply, she offers birth and postnatal support that goes beyond the standard because, as she says, there’s nothing standard about giving birth and parenting a new-born!
Lorna is a mother to 2 grown-ups and a grandmother to 2 little boys; she brings a wealth of experience to her work and a unique mix of current thinking, granny wisdom and a healthy dose of humour.
It’s her pragmatic and nurturing approach that attracts clients who are seeking a birth professional who can assist them to navigate their way through the maternity system and support them to transition smoothly through two of life’s most major events – birth and parenthood.
To find out more about Lorna’s birth and postnatal services, visit her website – Birmingham Doula
Bonus: If you've enjoyed this you may like to listen to Lorna's previous interview giving the low down on exactly what a Doula does.
Time Stamps.
Lorna is a mum to two adults born 89 and 93 and Grandma to two little boys age 3 and 1. She retrained as a doula when during a deputy manager role with Sure Start Children’s centre she realised the importance of women's birth stories and how many were not as positive as they could be.
3.50 What makes a difference in a nutshell is being listened to and responded to with respect not like a naughty school girl who wants too much.
Tips to help if you are not being listened to. 1 Know you can ask questions. 2 ask for time 3.Know its not your fault if you don't understand at first.
If still not happy sack them off.! Do your research just as you would choosing a school for your child.
8.00 What is the nonsense of " This is my plan for you, this is what we are going to do."?
Take someone along for appointments, write down your list of questions and tick them off.
11.45 Know you have time. Presented in a you’ve got to make your mind up now , ask for time there usually is some.
14.25 How quickly atmospheres can change both in a positive and negative direction in the birthing room and how to ensure you keep the right atmosphere in the room.
18.30. What you do as a doula is more about how you are rather than what you do.
19.30 Getting your needs met and being a Good Enough Parent
26.28 But a doula is not for me. Who is the type of person that benefits from doula care?
27.00 Part of Lorna's vision for the future includes more honesty and transparency of the real challenges of parenting when there is so much fakery on line.
29.00 What is confidence?
33.00 Starting off on the back foot. How asserting yourself can be even tougher for WOC when you may face people.s assumptions of you. How to deal with prejudice: Once you've exhausted questions and discussions Lorna remind women they do have the choice to change caregivers
Sack them off!
40.00T What we need is nothing short of a birthing revolution. We need those who are observing these things to be confident to call it out.
Drop perfection and just be good enough
