By Your Side with Emma

By Your Side with Emma Experienced antenatal, birth and postanatal doula supporting confidence in pregnancy, birth & beyond

I help expectant & new parents experience a positive, calm & trusting mindset as they approach labour, birth & parenthood. Offering years of knowledge, information, continuity, compassion, & understanding, during what is the most memorable time in their lives. Therefore, enabling them to navigate the perinatal period with confidence & trust, knowing they are fully respected & supported. I provide

in-person and virtual doula services that include antenatal preparation, relaxation techniques, birth planning, and working through fear & uncertainty. I host 1-2-1 & group courses, workshops & planning sessions, one off coaching calls, virtual weekly coffee mornings, monthly virtual parent-to-be sessions where questions can be answered, and you can meet like-minded others. I hold monthly virtual 'miscarriage matters' meetings, to hold space & support those struggling or who feel alone during a difficult and emotional time. To find out more > https://digital.byyoursidedoula.co.uk/linktreefindoutmore

You can buy the sleepsuits, wash the tiny clothes, choose the pram and work out how on earth the car seat fits in the ca...
02/09/2026

You can buy the sleepsuits, wash the tiny clothes, choose the pram and work out how on earth the car seat fits in the car… 😂

But one of the best things you can do before your baby arrives is learn a little bit about your actual baby.

What does normal newborn sleep really look like?
Why do babies cry?
How will you know when they’re hungry, tired or overwhelmed?
What helps a newborn feel safe and settled?
And what might those first few days actually feel like?

You don’t need to become a baby expert before you give birth.

But having some idea of what to expect can make those early days feel a lot less bewildering and help you trust yourself as you get to know your baby. ❤️

That’s why I created my FREE Bringing Home Your Baby guide — full of gentle, practical information to help you prepare for the little person you’re actually bringing home, not just all the stuff that comes with them.

🌿 Comment BABY below and I’ll send you a copy.

“If my midwife or doctor recommends it, I have to agree.”❌ **MYTH.**A recommendation is just that — a recommendation.Whe...
01/09/2026

“If my midwife or doctor recommends it, I have to agree.”

❌ **MYTH.**

A recommendation is just that — a recommendation.

Whether it’s an examination, test, procedure or intervention, you are allowed to ask questions and understand **why** something is being suggested before making your decision.

You can ask:

🌿 What are the benefits?
🌿 What are the risks?
🌿 Are there any alternatives?
🌿 What is my intuition telling me?
🌿 What happens if I do nothing, or not right now?

That’s **BRAIN** — a really useful little tool to keep tucked away for appointments and during labour.

Sometimes you’ll hear the information and think, *yes, absolutely*.
Sometimes you might want more information.
Sometimes you might want a little time.
And sometimes your answer might be no.

Informed consent isn’t about refusing care or being difficult. It’s about being involved in decisions about **your body, your baby and your birth.**

Save this one somewhere handy. You never know when you might need your BRAIN. 💛🌿

Out of office is looking a little different this week... 🎶💃The doula hat is coming off and the vintage dresses, hair flo...
30/08/2026

Out of office is looking a little different this week... 🎶💃

The doula hat is coming off and the vintage dresses, hair flowers and dancing shoes are coming out. 😂

We're getting ready for Twinwood Festival 2026 and I am VERY ready for a few days of music, dancing, dressing up and switching off.

I've been working hard behind the scenes recently getting lots of things ready for By Your Side, so I'm looking forward to some proper time away with family and friends.

And yes, there is every possibility I've packed considerably more vintage clothing than any human could reasonably need for a few days. Yet no doubt I will purchase some more. After all, you can never have too much of a good thing. 🤣

Especially when some of my favourites will be there -





who are responsible for many of the outfits and fabulous hair flowers you'll spot me wearing.

It would be rude not to see what they have, wouldn't it?👀😂

Priorities. 😂❤️

Birth partners sometimes worry:What if I don't know what to do?You don't need to know how to deliver a baby.You don't ne...
29/08/2026

Birth partners sometimes worry:

What if I don't know what to do?

You don't need to know how to deliver a baby.

You don't need all the medical answers.

And you certainly don't need a clipboard. 😂

You need to know your person.

What helps them feel safe.

How they like to be reassured.

When they want encouragement and when they need quiet.

What matters to them if decisions need to be made.

And how you can help them ask for the information they need.

That's one of the reasons I created Five Conversations Everyone Needs Before Birth.

Because being a brilliant birth partner starts long before labour does. 💛

To get your copy - comment FIVE below 👇

Babies don't suddenly go from perfectly content to screaming for absolutely no reason.Often there were little whispers f...
28/08/2026

Babies don't suddenly go from perfectly content to screaming for absolutely no reason.

Often there were little whispers first.

A change in movement.

Turning their head.

Bringing their hands towards their mouth.

Looking away.

Becoming restless.

And when those quieter cues don't work, eventually they have to shout. ❤️

Learning about baby cues isn't about memorising a chart and getting it right every time.

It's about beginning to notice your baby.

Their patterns.

Their little signals.

Their way of saying, I've had enough, I'm hungry, I need you or I need some sleep.

And you're not expected to know all of this straight away. You and your baby will get to know each other.

But you can start learning about life with a newborn before your baby is even here.

That's why I created my free Bringing Home Your Baby Guide - to help you feel a little more prepared and confident for those early days. 💛

Comment BABY below and I'll send you a copy.

There's a difference between being capable of carrying everything...and actually needing to.Pregnancy and parenthood hav...
27/08/2026

There's a difference between being capable of carrying everything...

and actually needing to.

Pregnancy and parenthood have a funny way of adding things to our invisible list.

Remember this.

Arrange that.

Research this.

Buy that.

Keep everyone informed.

Make the decisions.

And somehow look after yourself as well. 🙃

Sometimes making things feel lighter isn't about becoming more organised.

It's asking:

Does this actually need doing?

Does it need doing by me?

Could somebody help?

Could I simply let this one go?

A lighter backpack doesn't mean you've failed.

It means you've stopped assuming everything has to be carried by you. 💛

And if this has made you realise how much you're carrying, I've created something to help.

Comment LIGHTER below and I'll send you my free Lighter Backpack Guide -
a gentle way to look at what you're carrying, what can be shared, and what you might be ready to put down.

26/08/2026

25 years of Twinwood.

We love this festival with friends xx

Yep. We're talking about poo. 😂That first poo after giving birth can feel like an EVENT.Especially if you're sore, you'v...
26/08/2026

Yep. We're talking about poo. 😂

That first poo after giving birth can feel like an EVENT.

Especially if you're sore, you've had stitches, you've had a caesarean, or everything just feels a little unfamiliar.

A few things can make it feel easier:

💛 Drink plenty of fluids
💛 Eat plenty of fibre - fruit, veg, wholegrains and pulses can help keep things moving
💛 Don't ignore the urge to go
💛 Gentle movement can help too
💛 Put your feet on a little stool so your knees are slightly higher than your hips, then lean forwards
💛 Relax your tummy and pelvic floor, breathe out and try not to strain
💛 Supporting your perineum gently with a clean pad can feel reassuring, especially if you have had stitches
💛 Warm water over the area while you go can also feel soothing.
💛 If you're constipated or struggling, or worried, speak to your midwife, GP or pharmacist about what may help

Is this the glamorous side of doula work?

Absolutely not. 😂

But if remembering this post makes someone's first post-birth poo slightly less terrifying, my work here is done 💩🤣.

🚫 Breastfeeding Myth: Breastfeeding should come naturally.Breastfeeding is natural, but that doesn't mean it's easy.For ...
25/08/2026

🚫 Breastfeeding Myth: Breastfeeding should come naturally.

Breastfeeding is natural, but that doesn't mean it's easy.

For many parents, it's something that takes time, patience, practice and support for both parent and baby.

If you're finding it difficult, you're not failing.

Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.

Swipe through to discover the truth.

💛 What's one thing you wish someone had told you about feeding your baby?

For me it was that breastfeeding changes.

With my first baby, I was told to "just keep going", but nobody explained why she suddenly wanted to feed all the time. When we reached the cluster feeding stage, I genuinely thought something was wrong and that this was how was going to be from now on. I was exhausted, in pain and felt like I couldn't do it anymore, so I stopped. That decision hurt in more ways than one.

With my second, I decided I wasn't going to put myself through that experience again and weaned my baby off the breast earlier, but more gently.

By the time I had my third, I understood what was normal, what wasn't, and where to get support. That knowledge changed everything. My breastfeeding journey was completely different.

Looking back, I don't wish someone had simply told me to "keep going". I wish someone had explained what was happening and reassured me that I wasn't failing.

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44 Cornfield Way
Nuneaton
CV100FR

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