veradubrovina.com

veradubrovina.com Holistic wellness practitioner - supporting women therapeutically through full female lifecycle .

Today is Earth Day, and it’s also Scott’s birthday.I have always found it interesting how the days we are born on someti...
22/04/2026

Today is Earth Day, and it’s also Scott’s birthday.

I have always found it interesting how the days we are born on sometimes seem to reflect something about who we are and the direction we take. I was born on the summer solstice, and it also happens to be International Yoga Day, which in many ways mirrors the path I have grown into over time.

Scott, on the other hand, was born on Earth Day, and with him that alignment feels almost too precise to ignore.

Earth Day is meant to bring attention to our relationship with the planet and the responsibility that comes with it, but with Scott this has never been an idea or something external. It is simply how he lives. His connection to the land runs through everything he does: permaculture, biodynamics, the allotment, working with seasons and cycles rather than trying to override them. And the bees are part of that world too, not as a hobby, but as something to be understood, respected, and worked with. Watching that has changed how I see nature altogether.

Over the years, this has shaped me more than I probably realised at the beginning. Not just in practical ways (he saves me from hibernation), but in how I observe and work with cycles more broadly. My birth work has always been rooted in physiology, in trusting the process, in recognising that the body knows what it is doing when it is given the right conditions. And over time, I have found myself noticing parallels with the biodynamic calendar and the way natural rhythms unfold: the patterns, the timing, the quiet consistency of cycles repeating themselves.

In that sense, we are not doing such different work. I am working with inner landscapes: the body, birth, the transitions a woman moves through. He is working with outer landscapes: soil, ecosystems, regeneration. Different expressions, but grounded in the same principles of attention, patience, and respect for processes that cannot be forced.

We come at it from different directions, but we meet in the same place, and I can clearly how we complement each other because of that.

I am so blessed in having such a steady, grounded presence in my life.

Happy birthday to my husband and happy Earth Day.💗

Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth is one of the books that changed the course of my life and it is still relevant today.It i...
13/04/2026

Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth is one of the books that changed the course of my life and it is still relevant today.

It is split into two parts and quite unusually starts not from theory, but from a collection of positive birth stories from The Farm, before it goes into explanation how labour works, including interventions and the role of environment.

The stories are there to counter the usual fear-based narrative around birth. They show undisturbed labour where women are moving, vocalising, birthing in water, being supported rather than managed. That alone can shift expectations. But they are also mostly positive, so they are inspiring in the world where we don’t have many positive stories to share.

In the theoretical part, two key ideas still stand out.

The sphincter law (which was Ina’s key discovery) the cervix behaves like other sphincters. It opens in privacy, warmth and safety, and closes with fear, stress or observation. She gives clear examples of labour slowing when a woman feels watched or pressured. Today we would explain this through stress response and oxytocin inhibition, but the principle is straightforward and still not applied consistently.

The pain–pleasure riddle (a novelty idea back then) that labour sensations are not fixed as “pain”. They shift depending on environment, support and mindset. Some women describe elements of relief or even pleasure. This is not about denying intensity, but about how the experience is shaped.

She also covers interventions and how environment influence outcomes. Some details reflect the time it was written, but the core message holds.

From a modern perspective, the strength of the book is how clearly it links physiology with environment and experience.

The reality is that for many women today, especially in standard maternity systems, this may feel hard to relate to because fully physiological birth has become less common.

That doesn’t make it unrealistic, it shows how far current practice has moved away from supporting it. If this is your goal, the book is still relevant and worth reading.

Have you read it, did it resonate or feel out of touch with today’s system?👇

11/04/2026

There is something deeply regulating about watching a flower open.

In labour, we often think we need to do more, push more, manage more, bring labour on, curb walking, stairs, you name it….

But the body doesn’t open through force. It opens through safety.

Watching natural opening like a flower sends subtle signals to the brain:
🌸that opening can be gradual
🌸that there is no urgency
🌸that unfolding is allowed

This really makes a difference because your nervous system is not separate from your cervix.
When the mind softens, the body follows.

There is also something happening beneath awareness. The subconscious absorbs imagery. It learns through symbols, not instructions.

Opening. Softening. Releasing.
And then there is beauty. And joy.
And a moment of pause in something intense.

Sometimes that is exactly what is needed.

Less is more.

We can heal the world, one birth at a time 💕

I see this in my practice as breastfeeding counsellor: confusion between lactostasis and mastitis and the same treatment...
10/04/2026

I see this in my practice as breastfeeding counsellor: confusion between lactostasis and mastitis and the same treatment applied to both.

They are not the same, although one can lead to the other. And yes, breast pain can feel overwhelming, especially when it escalates quickly.

Understanding what’s happening in your body changes everything. In the carousel is your guide to recognising the difference.

08/04/2026

During doula interviews I sometimes hear the phrase: “can we skip mindfulness and hypnosis sessions, my mind doesn’t need it, I just want the doula bit.”

And I have to admit, it makes me smile. Not out of judgement, but because of how much this underestimates the environment we are stepping into.

Birth today is not happening in a vacuum. It unfolds within conditioning, within a mind that has been trained for years to anticipate, control, analyse. To assume that this will simply switch off when labour begins is wishful thinking at best.

In birth, sensation is real. Intensity is real. But what creates suffering is often the second arrow that is the fear, the resistance, the stories we attach to what is happening.

The moment the mind steps in with “this is too much,” “something is wrong,” “I can’t do this”, the experience changes. Not because the body has changed, but because the mind has.

And this is where honesty matters. It is unrealistic to believe you will simply “surrender” in birth if, in everyday life, your default is control, tension, and constant doing. The mind does not suddenly transform in labour, it amplifies what is already there.

Resilience, softness, the ability to stay with intensity without resisting it, these are not ideas, they are trained capacities. If we don’t practise meeting discomfort, letting go, and trusting the process before birth, the second arrow will come quickly and convincingly.

This is why preparation of the mind is not optional, it is the foundation. This is where the work begins. Mindfulness teaches you to stay with what is, without adding layers. Hypnosis allows you to access the subconscious patterns that shape your response long before labour even begins.

Together, they don’t remove intensity, they change your relationship to it. From contraction to breath. From fear to focus. From resistance to something that can move through you rather than against you.

👉 If you want to prepare not just your body, but your mind for birth, work with me and my signature programme developed after decades of practice.

👉train with and me to use mindfulness in pregnancy and postpartum yoga classes.

07/04/2026

We have gone so far trying not to offend… that we have stopped telling the truth about birth.

Not all births are the same and pretending they are doesn’t protect women, it leaves them unprepared.

There is a difference between judgment and discernment. And we need to start knowing the difference.

👇 Is comparison in birth helping or harming?

Here is my current doula availability until the end of the year along with an important update on how I work and who I a...
06/04/2026

Here is my current doula availability until the end of the year along with an important update on how I work and who I am here to support.

I have limited availability in May and July, and after that from October onwards, so if you are considering working together, early connection matters.

If you are committed to a homebirth or birth centre birth, please reach out. This is where my work is increasingly rooted, in protecting and supporting physiology in environments where it can truly unfold.

At the same time, I want to be very clear. I do not support postdates induction without clear medical reason, and I am also no longer available for what I would call “transactional” birth where birth is approached as a series of decisions, timelines, and negotiations with the system, rather than a significant event in woman’s life.

I am here to hold space for women who feel that birth matters. Who sense that this is not just about getting a baby out, but about being changed in the process. Who are willing to prepare, not just practically, but mentally, emotionally, and deeply within themselves.

Because birth does not start in labour. It starts in how you think, how you feel, how you relate to your body and your environment long before contractions begin. And yes, birth is unpredictable and different paths emerge but we work together.

Through our antenatal sessions, I help you in building trust in your body and resilience in your mind using yoga, breath, visualisation, hypnosis, and a range of holistic practices including bodywork, rebozo, acupressure, and more. I am with you through pregnancy, birth, and beyond offering grounded, continuous support for both you and your partner.

And beyond birth, in addition to postpartum doula support, I actively offer postpartum closing work, a deeply needed, often missing piece in modern motherhood. A space to be held, to integrate, to restore, and to honour what you have just moved through.

Matching matters. So I always encourage you to take your time, explore my work, and feel whether this resonates.
If it does, let me walk by your side✨

We can heal the world, one birth at a time💕

Here is my current doula availability until the end of the year along with an important update on how I work and who I a...
06/04/2026

Here is my current doula availability until the end of the year along with an important update on how I work and who I am here to support.

I have limited availability in May and July, and after that from October onwards, so if you are considering working together, early connection matters.

If you are committed to a homebirth or birth centre birth, please reach out. This is where my work is increasingly rooted, in protecting and supporting physiology in environments where it can truly unfold.

At the same time, I want to be very clear. I do not support postdates induction without clear medical reason, and I am also no longer available for what I would call “transactional” birth where birth is approached as a series of decisions, timelines, and negotiations with the system, rather than a significant event in woman’s life.

I am here to hold space for women who feel that birth matters.
Who sense that this is not just about getting a baby out, but about being changed in the process.
Who are willing to prepare, not just practically, but mentally, emotionally, and deeply within themselves.
Because birth does not start in labour. It starts in how you think, how you feel, how you relate to your body and your environment long before contractions begin.
And yes, birth is unpredictable and different paths emerge but we work together.

Through our antenatal sessions, I help you in building trust in your body and resilience in your mind using yoga, breath, visualisation, hypnosis, and a range of holistic practices including bodywork, rebozo, acupressure, and more. I am with you through pregnancy, birth, and beyond offering grounded, continuous support for both you and your partner.

And beyond birth, in addition to postpartum doula support, I actively offer postpartum closing work, a deeply needed, often missing piece in modern motherhood.
A space to be held, to integrate, to restore, and to honour what you have just moved through.

Matching matters. So I always encourage you to take your time, explore my work, and feel whether this resonates.
If it does, let me walk by your side✨

We can heal the world, one birth at a time💕

Easter is a major religious festival, held with deep reverence and devotion by millions of Christians around the world. ...
05/04/2026

Easter is a major religious festival, held with deep reverence and devotion by millions of Christians around the world.
And yet, somewhere between that depth and the way it is often reduced to chocolate eggs and bunny hunts, something essential can get lost.

Beneath it all, across traditions, it speaks of hope, light, renewal, and rebirth, not just as a story, but as a pattern that repeats in nature, in culture, in life itself.
Perhaps it is less about what we are told to believe, and more an invitation to pause, to tune in, and to recognise what is beginning again, quietly, but unmistakably.

Happy Easter!

The details for the events and classes for April are here, 🔖save the post for the future.Group Yoga online classes:🪷 Yog...
05/04/2026

The details for the events and classes for April are here, 🔖save the post for the future.

Group Yoga online classes:
🪷 Yoga for Postpartum recovery, Monday, 11.00-12.00
🪷Yoga for Pregnancy and Birth, Monday, 17.15-18.30
🪷Therapeutic Yoga, Monday, 19.30-20.45
🪷 Weekly meditations on Mondays and Thursdays at 21.00

Monthly events and workshops (registrations in bio):

🍀 Women circle - Full moon gathering, TBC
🍀 Unlocked Series: positive birth stories - IG Live on 04.04 at 10.00
🍀 Ask doula a question or two - monthly sessions, TBC on IG Live
🍀 IAIM Baby massage course - please register interest for end of April start
🍀Postpartum Yoga with Mindfulness Teacher Training (April-June) - book via bio, last TWO places

🌸 Services offered (in SW and central London):
♡ Yoga and Mizan-based Therapy Programmes (female centric)
♡ Birth and Postpartum Doula Programmes - Booking for May (one place), July ( one place), no availability June, August and Sep, open from October.
♡ Breastfeeding Support - clinic or home visits
♡ Closing Ceremonies (across women’s lifecycle)
♡ Signature Antenatal Preparation with Hypnosis and Mindfulness Course
♡ Birth and Postpartum preferences planning sessions

To book all of the above, please DM me.

We can heal the world, one step at a time.💕





#доулавлондоне

This poem began to form at the end of last year and came to its final conclusion under the light of the pink full moon. ...
03/04/2026

This poem began to form at the end of last year and came to its final conclusion under the light of the pink full moon. Parts of it may need some more refinement but the essence is there.

So it has began after witnessing a couple of births that felt deeply unsettling to me. It was not because of what happened on the surface, but because something essential felt unanswered. As if the deeper call of birth had been missed.

For a moment, I found myself questioning…had birth become transactional?
I sat with that. I questioned. I meditated. I prayed.

What followed felt like a quiet turning through the flow of uninterrupted births, not all of them easy or straightforward, but all profoundly powerful, and deeply healing. Women leaning into something, even when they could not yet fully name it.

And slowly, this piece began to take shape with me working on it subtly through the nights whilst holding the space. Perhaps it is no coincidence that this finally came together under the full pink moon yesterday, a time of emergence, of life that can no longer stay hidden.
And in the apiary, my girls reminded me again of what I already knew: that birth is not just a moment, but a crossing. A threshold. And that whilst SHE is never alone, the call to complete is always there.

We can choose not to answer it.
We can stay on the surface, keep it contained, keep it transactional.
But the initiation has already begun whether we actively seek it, choose to accept it, or prefer to ignore it.

And sometimes, it only takes a single conversation, a moment of disconnect, of hearing birth spoken of without its depth or what it stands for, to remind me why this work, and this remembering, matters.

We can heal the world, one birth at a time💕

There is a lot of noise right now around fast or “precipitous” labours. They are often framed as something risky, chaoti...
02/04/2026

There is a lot of noise right now around fast or “precipitous” labours. They are often framed as something risky, chaotic, even dangerous.

And I’m writing this having just come back from a birth that lasted 21 minutes from the very first contraction, totally intense, undeniable, and completely unstoppable in its unfolding.

So let’s pause and look a little closer.
Officially, a precipitous labour is defined as birth that unfolds in under 3 hours from the onset of regular contractions to baby being born.

On paper, the perceived risks include:
🔥maternal shock
🔥tearing
🔥postpartum haemorrhage
🔥fetal distress
🔥retained placenta

And yes, some women do describe feeling overwhelmed, disoriented, in shock, especially when the experience is unexpected, or happening within a system that is not designed for speed. And yes, I have seen PPH, tearing and retained placenta within the system.

But here is the part that is rarely explored.
What if the context matters more than the clock?

Because in my own experience, many undisturbed home-based labours, particularly freebirths, unfold quickly, efficiently, and without drama.

Not rushed.
Not forced.
Just… unobstructed.

When a body feels safe, unobserved, unmeasured, not interrupted at every step, it often doesn’t need hours upon hours to “progress.”

So it raises a question.
Is “under 3 hours” truly pathological…
or simply unfamiliar to a system that expects labour to be monitored, timed, and managed?

And if a woman is told from the start that fast labour is dangerous, does that prepare her… or disconnect her from trusting her body?

Of course, not every fast labour feels good.
And not every long labour is problematic.
But perhaps instead of labelling speed as risk, we need to start preparing women for range, for intensity, for unpredictability, for the possibility that birth may unfold faster than expected.

Not to fear it. But to meet it.
So I’m curious. Did you have a fast labour?
How did it feel in your body?

And if you could choose… would you want it slower, or just better supported?

We can heal the world, one birth at a time 💗

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