MICHELLE BARNES
I am a Doula UK recognised Doula with over two years experience supporting women (and their partners) through pregnancy, labour, birth and post-natally. I am very familiar with local maternity services and I know what women’s rights in maternity care are. I represented maternity service users in my role as lay Chair of Sheffield Maternity Services Liaison Committee (MSLC) and Sheffield Maternity Forum 2006-2010. I also set-up Sheffield Homebirth Group - a support group for families planning home births in Sheffield and I co-organise the Sheffield Home Birth Conferences with Olivia Lester - www.sheffieldhomebirth.org.uk

I am an AIMS (Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services) Committee member - www.aims.org.uk and was also a committee member on the Independent Midwives UK Board during 2010. I have two children and I have had two very different birth experiences. Michael was born in 2003 by emergency caesarean, under general anaesthetic, after an unsupported and heavily medicalised labour. Blake was born at home, in water, in 2006 with the support of an Independent Midwife (IM). My IM empowered me to believe in myself and my ability to give birth normally. As a consequence my home birth has had an extremely positive affect on my life.


Photo © Michelle Barnes

KATE MARSTON BMedSci (Hons)
I trained with Nurturing Birth in Ante-natal and Post-natal doula-ing and subsequently have attended many births in the home, hospital and birthing centre environments.

I have been an active member of the Sheffield Maternity Forum since 2007, taking over as Chair in June 2010 - www.sheffieldmaternityforum.org.uk

I have hosted a number of Home Birth Group sessions in my own home and often network pregnant women to new mums seeking support and information in preparation for their own home births -www.sheffieldhomebirth.org.uk

I am mother to one daughter, born in 2006 by instrumental delivery. Having planned a home birth I experienced initial disappointment and anxiety at having to transfer, however, my own experience of childbirth has formed my impression of labour and delivery and been an important aspect in my personal development as a doula.

I have a very good knowledge of the local maternity services, both as a service user advocate, and as an NHS employee. I feel very strongly that all women should have access to the type of birth they wish for, be that at home or in hospital.


Photo © Kate Marston

OLIVIA LESTER
Extensive training at the Active Birth Centre 1995-1997 led me to set-up and run YogaBirth Sheffield offering pregnancy yoga classes, active birth workshops and private birth preparation sessions, as well as postnatal yoga courses with baby massage and a professional birth partnering service - www.yogabirthsheffield.co.uk

With 14 years experience as a birth educator and doula I have consistently taught and attended births. I have contributed to the Labour Ward Forum, at the Jessop Wing and I am now lay Chair of the Sheffield Maternity Services Liaison Committee (MSLC). I am a Committee Member of YogaBirth (the Professional Association of Yoga & Childbirth Educators) and of AIMS (Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services). I also co-organise the Sheffield Home Birth Conferences with Michelle Barnes - www.sheffieldhomebirth.org.uk . I have two daughters, one born in water and the other on land!


Photo © Olivia Lester

To contact us please email: mail@sheffieldbirthdoula.com