<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[The Naked Doula]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Naked Doula's Hypno-Birth Programme will boost your birthing with childbirth education through evidence-based info. Discover hypnobirthing magic.]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 08 Oct 2026 06:41:27 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.thesofiaapp.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[when should I actually go to hospital?]]></title><description><![CDATA[First things first, all units will ask you to call before you come in. So if you're unsure, anxious, or just need a calm voice: pick up the phone. That's not bothering anyone it's exactly what the number is for. If you want to know what they're likely to say when you call, read on.... The word you'll hear: established Most units will ask you to wait until you're in established labour before coming in. It's a clinical term and it can feel a bit dismissive, like everything your body has been...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/when-should-i-actually-go-to-hospital</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a2190eb14f1bdc71961e983</guid><category><![CDATA[Getting ready for labour]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 15:09:01 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_a96407a07928413298bb6dcdcbddb0f8~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[EARLY LABOUR - what's actually happening — and what to do about it]]></title><description><![CDATA[Everyone talks about labour like it starts at the dramatic bit. The intense surges, the coping, the pain relief decisions. That part gets all the airtime. Early labour doesn't. And for a first baby especially, early labour is where most of the work quietly happens AND its often at home, often for hours, sometimes for days before things ever really ramp up. What your body is actually doing Before your cervix can open, it has to do three separate things. Most people don't know this, and it...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/early-labour-what-s-actually-happening-and-what-to-do-about-it</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a2177a2513f7725cf1ec64a</guid><category><![CDATA[Getting ready for labour]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:29:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_291b73e7fdc2463286e0b21d7d23817c~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What Your Birth Partner Actually Does on the Day]]></title><description><![CDATA[You've done the reading. You've talked about what you want. Now comes the practical bit. What does your birth partner actually do on the day? Most of it comes down to knowing you. But let’s be real—there are some things worth thinking about in advance. In the heat of the moment, nobody remembers to think of them! The Questions Worth Asking Before You Go Into Labour Do You Want to Be Touched? Some women crave constant physical contact during labour. Others can’t bear to be touched. This varies...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/what-your-birth-partner-actually-needs-to-do</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a106b520efc8f1038e0dbb7</guid><category><![CDATA[Making decisions about YOUR birth]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 15:34:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_7aded5ce887040739a6a8860ebe7a915~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The NICE Antenatal Care Guidelines (NG201) ]]></title><description><![CDATA[what the NICE guidelines actually say and what that means for you The NICE Antenatal Care Guidelines (NG201) are the official framework for what your care during pregnancy should look like. They're written for clinicians so most women never read them, and many never know what they're actually entitled to. This is the version written for you. Full guidelines at http://nice.org.uk/guidance/ng201 . Your care should start early Your first midwife appointment is called the booking appointment (see...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/the-nice-antenatal-care-guidelines-ng201</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a104388b0cf3c364860b93c</guid><category><![CDATA[Making sense of it all]]></category><category><![CDATA[Making decisions about YOUR birth]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 12:11:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_fdc4138c21e34ee794a7fd5c5b5ab474~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[who is your birth partner &#38; what are they there for?]]></title><description><![CDATA[the original birth partner The word midwife literally means 'with woman'. Historically, that was exactly what she was, a woman from your community, present in your home, with you through every hour of labour. She was the original birth partner. That's changed. Your midwife today is a skilled clinician with clinical responsibilities, paperwork to complete when you arrive on the unit, and a caseload to manage. She is not there to hold your hand for six hours. That is not a criticism, that is a...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/who-is-your-birth-partner-what-are-they-there-for</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a1038170ac12a65423a76c7</guid><category><![CDATA[Making sense of it all]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 11:43:48 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_d02c459362e44ea38c11895311313468~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[consent - your right to say yes, no, and tell me more]]></title><description><![CDATA[Nobody tells you this clearly enough at the start of pregnancy, so here it is: You have the legal right to accept or decline any intervention from any healthcare professional. This applies during pregnancy, during labour, and during birth. It is not a courtesy. It is not something that depends on whether your midwife is having a good day. It is the law, grounded in the principle of autonomy, and upheld by the 2015 Montgomery ruling. What that means in practice: NOTHING should happen to YOUR...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/consent-your-right-to-say-yes-no-and-tell-me-more</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a0f26372b5c18841b938c61</guid><category><![CDATA[Making sense of it all]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 16:20:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_586d2ba47b94442aa18ad0c01d1854c9~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[folic Acid Vs Folate . . . And why it matters]]></title><description><![CDATA[Folate is a B vitamin. It's essential in pregnancy, specifically in the weeks before and just after conception, when the neural tube forms. The neural tube becomes the brain and spine. It closes by week six. Most women don't even know they're pregnant at week six! That's the whole reason supplementing before conception matters. The NHS recommends 400mcg of folic acid a day, ideally three months before you conceive. That advice is solid. But folic acid and folate are not the same thing, and...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/folic-acid-vs-folate-and-why-is-matters</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69ff411cecab9011375404da</guid><category><![CDATA[Just Found Out]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 16:15:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_7ef694c983214f769bf9c379e5d65433~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What actually happens in pregnancy, and when?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Every pregnancy is different but there’s a general shape to how it goes on an NHS pathway. Your postcode can affect the details though, so ask your midwife early on what your local setup looks like. The booking appointment is usually around 8-10 weeks. It’s usually your first proper appointment and it’s looooong. They’ll ask about your health, your family history, the biological father’s family history. They’ll go through all the tests and screenings they offer too. If you have any risk...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/what-actually-happens-in-pregnancy-and-when</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a004918e7aa162ecc6fae8e</guid><category><![CDATA[Making sense of it all]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 09:15:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_f64e7c1b83fd421bb55fb17b52aef73b~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What actually happens at your first midwife appointment?]]></title><description><![CDATA[In the UK, your booking appointment is usually your first proper in-person thing with the NHS. It happens around 10 weeks. And it's much less medical than people expect. No scans or real tests, it’s just a long conversation about you. If you've gone private, your independent midwife will have their own schedule. Worth checking it lines up with what you actually want. It's mostly questions. A lot of questions. About your health. Your partner's health (or whoever the biological other parent...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/do-i-have-to-do-all-the-screening-tests-i-m-offered</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69fee135e7aa162ecc6f38a4</guid><category><![CDATA[Just Found Out]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2026 11:35:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_10402785439b4f51aa38093cac07f965~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[First trimester emotions]]></title><description><![CDATA[The first trimester does a lot to your body in not very long. HCG (pregnancy hormone) is behind most of the new symptoms, and a fair chunk of the emotional chaos too. So if your brain has been on a low hum of is ‘everything okay?’ since the test came back, that’s the hormones talking as much as anything else. Anxiety is one piece of it. There’s also the crying at adverts. The rage at your partner for breathing. The sudden disconnect from a body that doesn’t quite feel like yours yet. The...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/first-trimester-emotions</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69fed6ffe7aa162ecc6f3496</guid><category><![CDATA[Just Found Out]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2026 11:00:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_82e2f0a4a33f454e8374d4568e925732~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Do I have to do all the screening tests I’m offered?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Short answer: no. Screening is offered, not required. You can take all of it, none of it, or pick and choose. That’s worth knowing now, before the appointments start. The way it gets offered can feel like a fixed pathway. It isn’t. What screening actually is It gives you information. It doesn’t diagnose anything. It tells you whether something is more or less likely. Not whether it’s happening. That difference matters. A “higher chance” result isn’t a diagnosis. A “lower chance” result isn’t...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/when-things-change</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69fe2d1ce7aa162ecc6f0d9e</guid><category><![CDATA[Just Found Out]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2026 10:57:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_54070a7272dc498d800a7d375dd3096b~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What Happens after a positive test?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Everyone reacts differently to a positive test. Some people have been trying for years. Some weren't planning this at all. Some are holding a whole history of loss or trauma alongside those two lines. However it lands for you, that's okay. Nothing needs to happen immediately. Take a breath. Take a moment. Home tests are sensitive enough now to pick up a pregnancy around a week before a missed period. Which means you might know before your body's even clocked it. You don't need to see your GP...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/what-happens-after-a-positive-test</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f6413e7b1c42fb24f5ecff</guid><category><![CDATA[Just Found Out]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 18:28:26 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_e4f1c0e213b7437491d529001134eb72~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Early Pregnancy symptoms]]></title><description><![CDATA[The early weeks can feel enormous. Especially when you’re sitting with a positive test and the next midwife appointment feels like a lifetime away. Ten weeks is a long time to hold something this big on your own. And it is big …. even if right now, your baby is about 2mm. Most people find out around the time of a missed period, roughly two weeks after ovulation, four weeks from the first day of their last period. That last bit matters: the whole dating system runs from your last period, not...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/early-pregnancy-symptoms</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f63e2090b4365cb8635efb</guid><category><![CDATA[Just Found Out]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 18:11:44 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_72fe6ec804aa4ebfb80ab10c76737428~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Making sense of it all]]></title><description><![CDATA[You've got the basics. Now things start to get a little bit..... more. Appointments, scans, options, decisions you didn't realise were yours to make. This is the bridge stage. It's where pregnancy stops being something happening to you and starts being something you're actively part of.  It's YOURS.  You don't need to have it all figured out yet, just start to understand the journey you're moving through. Pick what feels relevant to you right now. what actually happens in pregnancy... and...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/making-sense-of-it-all</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69fe08cf5bf92805eb5ffe30</guid><category><![CDATA[Making sense of it all]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 16:26:57 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_5d581e4f2aae42eba053640d7922bccb~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Making decisions]]></title><description><![CDATA[This is where preparation starts to matter. The decisions you make at this stage, where to give birth, who’s with you, what you’re saying yes and no to, shape what your birth actually looks like. You don’t have to get it perfect. You just have to know what’s yours to decide. Most of it is. Pick what feels relevant to you right now. where should I give birth, and how do I know what’s right for me? There isn’t a single best answer. There’s the one that fits you, your body, and what you actually...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/making-decisions</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69fe1fffe7aa162ecc6f0747</guid><category><![CDATA[Making decisions about YOUR birth]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 15:51:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_12de743f74ce4149af7bc826d5aac436~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Induction explained]]></title><description><![CDATA[Induction: what actually happens If you’re facing an induction, or trying to decide whether it’s right for you, this is here to help you understand the process. Not to scare you. Just so you know what’s is happening. Because the consent process around induction is often not what it should be. A leaflet, a ten-minute chat, a casual mention of booking you in “just in case”, sometimes weeks before your due date. That gets in your head. You deserve more than that. And if you’re arriving here...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/induction-explained</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f3a1b282ae5695e7301ceb</guid><category><![CDATA[Making decisions about YOUR birth]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:42:44 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_2ef51cd1ce0c488f946e9657929846e1~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Just found out? Start here]]></title><description><![CDATA[I just found out, what actually happens now? The overwhelm is real. Here's a calm, clear breakdown of the very first steps, and what can wait. [Read more →] is this normal? or should I be worried? Early pregnancy symptoms vary more than anyone tells you. Some people feel everything. Some feel nothing. Here's what's actually going on. [Read more →] why do I feel so anxious when I thought I'd feel happy? First trimester anxiety is more common than it looks from the outside. Here's why it...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/just-found-out-start-here</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69fb0037f97c520375643ec4</guid><category><![CDATA[Just Found Out]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:54:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_f2c3aa1e727247ada8070f3fb4482514~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Where to give birth ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Most people assume they’ll have their baby in hospital. And if TV is your reference point, that means bright lights, doctors rushing in, machines beeping from every corner. The reality is usually much calmer than that. Even on labour wards, the ones labelled high risk, you’re typically getting one-to-one care with your midwife. Doctors are there, but they tend to pop in for reviews rather than hovering, and they’re called when a midwife needs a second opinion or extra support. It’s not the...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/where-to-give-birth</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f1ab5824f9d3e5cd724c1c</guid><category><![CDATA[Making decisions about YOUR birth]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:07:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_e7777bcaa2c1447da4ba31073dc9a618~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_800,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[WTF is a doula?! And what you need to know about having one!]]></title><description><![CDATA[We were featured in SheerLuxe recently talking all things doula, go and read it. But here's our version. When most people hear the word "doula" for the first time, they nod politely and Google it later. Or they picture someone burning sage. Either way, they don't really know ....but its just because nobody talks about this enough. So let's fix that. The word comes from the Greek for woman caregiver. In practice, a doula is a trained birth companion, non-medical, non-clinical, completely on...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/your-title-what-s-your-blog-about-79</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6515cdaec4a977c14825e0df</guid><category><![CDATA[Making sense of it all]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_0975053a677c4d198688e1d3ea0b94cd~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Our founder's birth story — "I delivered my own baby in theatre": the birth of George, a home birth turned maternal caesarean with hypnobirthing]]></title><description><![CDATA[A year ago I gave birth to my baby George. Little did I know 5 days prior when my waters ruptured that I’d be faced with many challenges including obstruction of labour leading to this POWERFUL moment of me pulling my boy out of my own belly in theatre. I was ready for anything Leading up to this, I had envisaged a beautiful vaginal birth, I had gotten excited about the thought of feeling those incredible sensations as the uterus contracts to dilate the cervix. I had dreamt about crowning as...]]></description><link>https://www.thenakeddoula.com/post/i-delivered-my-own-baby-in-theatre-the-birth-of-george-home-birth-turned-maternal-caesarean</link><guid isPermaLink="false">660732601eb11bb839323c76</guid><pubDate>Sat, 30 Mar 2024 10:39:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/02622d_821a726b2a7c4023acc2fabafb19a042~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Team Naked Doula</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>