This is Clare’s story, a journey of strength, patience, and deeply listening to her body and her baby. Navigating the maternity system in Cheshire, Clare stayed true to what felt right for her. Throughout the process, I worked closely with the Eden Team at Leighton Hospital, communicating with the midwives to ensure Clare’s wishes were heard and followed every step of the way. While this may not have been the birth plan we originally worked for, seeing how empowered and beaut

Mama Magic – the clue is in the name The prenatal work After not having the home birth I had hoped for with my first baby because of her breech presentation, I was absolutely determined that I wanted a HBAC (home birth after caesarean) with my second. I wanted to experience the power of physiological birth and I wanted to feel that overwhelming, surreal sense so many women speak about after giving birth naturally. Our first hospital appointment was extremely disappointing. A

Starting your breastfeeding journey is a lot like planning for your birth, it takes preparation, a solid support team, and a fair bit of patience. While breastfeeding is a natural process, it’s also a learned skill for both you and your baby. Here is how you can set the stage for success from pregnancy through those first hazy weeks. 1. Antenatal Colostrum Harvesting Why wait until the baby is here to start thinking about milk? Antenatal harvesting involves hand expressing c

Are you embarking on the incredible, transformative journey of pregnancy and birth? Perhaps you’re feeling a mix of excitement, anticipation, and maybe a little bit of natural apprehension. Here at Mama Magic, I understand that every birth story is unique, and my mission as your doula is to provide unwavering support, evidence-based information, and a calming presence as you navigate this profound chapter. Many families ask, "How exactly does a doula work?" and "What can I ex

Hello reader, You’re probably seeing a lot of social media posts about "Baby's First Christmas." They’re filled with matching pyjamas, perfectly decorated trees, and sleeping newborns in Santa hats all of which maybe your thing and works for you. But if you’re looking at a mountain of laundry, you can’t remember the last time you had a hot drink, and the thought of surviving a 3 hour family dinner makes you want to cry. Let’s start with a deep, cleansing slow breath. I'm her

Hi all, sharing my wonderful healing home birth story for those who are planning one or need more confidence due to risk factors Skyla Jean Second time parents EDD: 24/09/25 (6 days different to ovulation dates) Born: 30/09/25 (original due date) Planned: home birth Actual: hone birth Weight: 7lb 12oz Pain Relief: birth pool for last 20 min “Risk” factors: previous 1.5L PPH After an anxiety ridden pregnancy and a traumatic induction during covid at 38+3 weeks with my

A Healing Home Birth: Welcome, Skyla Baby Skyla entered the world on the last day of September 2025, a warm, sunny Tuesday that brought with it the rare gift of a daytime birth. It was the culmination of a journey for a wonderful couple, Sally and Ross, who had worked and waited with unwavering patience to have the healing home birth they so deeply desired. As Sally approached 41 weeks, her body had been whispering signs but these changed to the promising signs of birth. Cosy

As a home birth supporter and doula deeply committed to helping birthing women and families, I've seen first hand the...

In a world that thrives on speed, measuring and efficiency, it’s easy to feel a lot of pressure to get things done, and that can include...

Rethinking the new born hat, Why I suggest no hats at births. If you close your eyes and picture a brand-new baby, what do you see? For...

My Doula tips for keeping cool during pregnancy and for newborns: So the big question how do you keep sun safe and cool when your...

Our Second Home Birth: A calm, cosy, early morning arrival (Written in the run-up to our youngest daughter’s first birthday, as I reflect...

Written in 2022 for a book all about homebirths. The book is called Home Birth By Anna-Marie Madeley To understand why I love homebirth...

What happens when your doula is unwell, or unable to work? Well the easy answer is read your contract/agreement/arrangement with your...

Here I'm honoured to be sharing the amazing home birth of Alfie, I'm blessed to have been able to support this family all 3 times! Ellie...

The story of my home birth. For the birth of my second child I really wanted to have a home birth after attempting one with my first...

My story is one of getting the complete opposite of what you wanted, and coming to terms with that being ok in the end :) It was the...

Birth story So pleased I got my homebirth! Although things seemed to take a turn for the worst at the end (TW: PPH and hospital...

The Magical Touch of Skin-to-Skin Contact. The moment a mother holds her newborn baby in her arms, a huge surge of emotions washes over...

I gave birth to my daughter in September 2020. We’d been in lockdown since I was 13 weeks pregnant so no antenatal classes and no in...