Doula · 10 minute read
What inspired me to work in a hospital as well as running And Chillax
Thirty years ago today, I became a mum for the first time
What a day to be writing this.
My eldest daughter is thirty today, and I've been sitting with my memories of her birth, the good, the hard, and everything in between. I wanted to share some of it with you, because it's really the whole reason I do what I do.
Her birth was difficult. Not just physically, but because I felt unheard at a time when I really needed someone in my corner. A group of medical students came into the room during my examination, I hadn't been asked, and I didn't feel able to say no. When I was vocal during transition (and honestly, who isn't?) I was asked to keep the noise down. When it came to pushing, there was no gentle guidance just voices urging me to push harder. I ended up with a third-degree tear.
Afterwards, I really wanted to breastfeed. But the support just wasn't there. My nipples were sore and bleeding, and nobody helped me understand why or showed me what to try instead. I carried on, I was determined, and I'm glad I did but I did it the hard way, when it really didn't need to be that hard.
I didn't know then that things could have been different. That's what I want every parent I work with to know.
Things have changed and also, some things haven't
The NHS has come a long way since I had my daughter. There is so much more awareness now around consent, around birth trauma, around feeding support. I've seen that first-hand, because I've never stopped working within it.
But I also know that the NHS is stretched. Midwives are doing an extraordinary job under real pressure. Appointments are short. Wards are busy. Sometimes you go home with more questions than answers, and nobody to call who really knows you.
That gap between the care that exists and the support that's still needed is why I've always worked in both worlds.
What staying close to the NHS means in practice
Because I'm still working inside NHS maternity part-time, I know how things work right now
And because of my own experience thirty years ago, I will always make sure you feel listened to.
You don't have to do this the hard way
You don't have to figure it all out alone, and you don't have to be anything other than exactly where you are right now.
Happy birthday to my wonderful daughter. And thank you, in a funny sort of way, for everything your arrival taught me.
Eva Levinson is a postnatal doula, NHS midwifery assistant, infant feeding specialist, and first aid instructor based in Anerley, South London. She has been supporting new parents for over 15 years.
Want to find out how Eva can support you? Get in touch, she'd love to hear from you.
Eva Levinson is a part-time Postnatal Midwifery Assistant & Infant Feeding Specialist for the NHS, a Doula UK trained postnatal doula, and an Ofsted/HSE compliant first aid instructor. She runs And Chillax in Anerley, South London.