Why Birth Matters

The way we are born leaves a profound imprint on us, shaping our lives in ways we often don’t realize. This imprint influences not only the child but also the mother, the family unit, and, by extension, society and humanity as a whole. Birth impacts us on deep psychological, emotional, and physical levels, with effects that resonate throughout a lifetime.

The birth environment plays a pivotal role in this transformative process. A supportive and nurturing space, coupled with an understanding of a laboring woman's unique needs, can make an enormous difference. The right information, conditions, and mindset help create the best possible beginning for both mother and baby.

Childbirth has the potential to be one of the most profound, transformational, and ecstatic experiences in a woman’s life—a sacred rite of passage meant to empower and uplift. While much of what doesn’t go as planned can be healed, prevention is always preferable. Conscious and intentional birth preparation can significantly boost confidence, foster a positive attitude toward the process, and increase the likelihood of an empowering experience.

Moreover, the knowledge, skills, and tools gained through mindful birth preparation extend far beyond the delivery room. They become invaluable resources for parenting and for navigating life with greater strength and awareness. When we approach birth with intention and care, we lay a foundation not only for a healthy start but also for lifelong resilience, connection, and well-being.

Involuntary Physiological Process

Childbirth is an involuntary physiological process, and when it is undisturbed, women can give birth with remarkable power. Our bodies are perfectly designed for this process and know exactly how to do it. What often stands in the way, however, is our thinking brain or environmental factors that inhibit this natural flow. This is why I believe two crucial elements for a positive and empowering birth experience are proper birth preparation and creating the right birth environment. These are aspects we can influence and control. Once these are in place, the birth process itself is largely about surrendering.

Birth Preparation

Being well-informed and understanding our options are essential for making conscious choices about childbirth. Unfortunately, many women are unaware of their rights or alternatives and often follow conventional practices without exploring other possibilities.

Negative birth stories dominate our culture—they’re in movies, on social media, and in the stories shared by those around us. Many women don’t realize that a different, more positive experience is possible. To counter this, it’s important to work on our mindset, expand our consciousness, and challenge any limiting beliefs or negative conditioning. Addressing emotions like fear, shame, or guilt is also essential.

Equally important is preparing our bodies. Nutrition, exercise, and sleep play a key role, but so does learning to relax. The ability to let go, surrender, and connect with our inner wisdom is vital during a natural birth.

Learning about the physiology of birth is incredibly empowering. Understanding how our bodies are designed to give birth, what they need during the process, and the conditions required to support them can instill confidence and trust. There is so much we can do to influence the outcome—so many birth tips, insights, and strategies that can maximize our chances of a positive and empowering experience.

Even when circumstances prevent a natural birth or the desired experience, the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual preparation remains invaluable. Knowing we made informed decisions can be deeply empowering, and the skills we gain often extend beyond birth, enhancing our approach to parenting and life.

Birth Environment

Since my first pregnancy, I’ve been inspired by Michel Odent’s ideas about the basic needs of women in labor. Odent emphasizes the importance of protecting women from stimuli that activate the neocortex—the thinking part of the brain—during labor. According to him, the neocortex is meant to shut down during childbirth. A calm, undisturbed environment that reduces mental activity can facilitate a faster, easier birth.

Stimuli that activate the thinking brain, such as language, being asked questions, bright lights, or feeling observed, act as inhibitors to the process. Additionally, the release of stress hormones like adrenaline—caused by perceived danger, cold environments, or the presence of worried or fearful individuals—can block the release of oxytocin, a hormone essential for labor progression.

To create the optimal birth environment, it’s crucial to protect women from these inhibitory factors. Their basic needs during labor include:

  • Silence, as much as possible

  • Dim lighting

  • Privacy

  • A sense of security

  • Warmth

  • Supportive, calm, and loving people whom they trust

By honoring these needs and creating a nurturing environment, we can support women in experiencing the full power and potential of a positive birth.

Ecstatic Birth: Redefining the Journey

Childbirth is meant to be one of the most transformative, empowering, and potentially pleasurable experiences in a woman’s life. It holds the possibility of being ecstatic on every level - emotional, physical, and spiritual. For some women, giving birth can bring heightened states of bliss, ecstasy, and even orgasm.

Rather than simply enduring labor and delivery, it is possible to enjoy and embrace the journey. Empowering yourself during childbirth not only transforms who you are but elevates your experience of motherhood and life itself. It also profoundly influences the quality of life for your children and future generations.

Childbirth is a powerful rite of passage that allows women to step into their new identity as mothers. Like all meaningful transformations, it may not always be easy, but it has the potential to lift you higher than you’ve ever been before.

At its best, birth weaves together emotional empowerment, spiritual connection, and physical ecstasy. This is not the story of birth often told in our culture or depicted in media. Those portrayals often show birth as something to manage or endure, full of pain and fear. Ecstatic Birth, however, turns that narrative upside down and reclaims birth as a sacred, joyful, and profoundly transformative experience.

Birth as a Rite of Passage

Birth with Awareness and Preparation

This type of birth is available to the conscious, fierce, and well-prepared woman. When you give birth to your child, you are also birthing yourself as a mother. Learning to birth with the full force of your feminine wisdom allows you to carry that same strength and connection into motherhood. It is a gift - for you, your baby, and the future generations.

Ecstatic Birth isn’t about sacrificing your joy for the benefit of your child. It’s about honoring your experience and embracing the value of how you feel along the way. Your emotional and physical state during birth has significant repercussions for both you and your baby, shaping how you move into motherhood.

Training for Conscious Birth

Like any monumental endeavor, giving birth with pleasure requires preparation—much like training for a marathon. You will need to swim against deeply ingrained cultural narratives, societal constructs, and personal beliefs about pain and fear in childbirth. But with the right tools, resources, and mindset, you can let go of these limiting ideas and open yourself to a new possibility.

A New Paradigm: Birth with Pleasure

Imagine a birth that is transformative, empowering, and even ecstatic. Picture using the most holistic birthing tool available—pleasure—to support the natural flow of labor. By honoring this sacred rite of passage, you can enter motherhood with ease, grace, and joy.

Are you ready to embrace a new way of being that honors your body, cycles, and sexuality? To tap into the profound blueprint of childbirth to birth not just your baby but your dreams, desires, and fullest self?

Let go of fear. Welcome empowerment. And discover how to give birth with pleasure, flow, and ecstasy.

The Role of a Doula

Doulas provide holistic support during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period, offering a blend of emotional, practical, and informational assistance to both the birthing person and their family. Research has shown that having a doula positively impacts the birthing experience and outcomes for both parent and baby.

Rather than offering advice, doulas empower individuals to make informed decisions by providing evidence-based information and helping navigate maternity care options. They support all types of births and parenting styles while working collaboratively with midwives and doctors, without taking on a clinical role.

Types of Doulas

Doulas typically offer support during significant life transitions, such as the beginning or end of life. Those who specialize in the beginning of life generally focus on two key areas: birth support and postnatal care. While some doulas concentrate on one of these areas, others provide comprehensive services that cover both.

Birth Doulas

Birth doulas offer continuous support during pregnancy, labor, and the immediate postpartum period. Their role begins with at least two prenatal meetings to build rapport, address any concerns, and help craft birth preferences. Birth doulas also provide phone or email support for questions that may arise throughout pregnancy.

As the due date approaches (typically from 38 weeks), a doula is on-call 24/7, ready to join their client during labor whenever needed. Whether assisting at home or supporting a hospital or birth center birth, the doula provides tailored support, which can include:

  • Emotional reassurance and encouragement

  • Practical comfort measures like breathing techniques, relaxation, and positioning

  • Guidance for partners to feel confident and involved

The doula remains present through the birth and stays until the family feels settled and secure. After the birth, they typically schedule a follow-up visit to assist with infant feeding, discuss the birth experience, and support the family in their new routines.

Birth doulas support all kinds of births, from planned caesareans or epidurals to home water births, adapting to meet each client’s unique needs.

Postnatal Doulas

Postnatal doulas provide flexible, personalized support to families as they transition into life with a new baby. This may begin in the early weeks or months after birth—or even later if a family finds themselves needing extra help. The duration of support varies widely, from a few weeks to several months or even years.

The practical assistance offered by postnatal doulas depends on the family’s needs and can include:

  • Light household tasks and meal preparation

  • Caring for the baby while parents rest

  • Supporting older siblings

  • Helping with feedings, bedtime routines, or school runs

  • Offering overnight support to improve parents' sleep

Unlike a maternity nurse, postnatal doulas don’t take over parenting duties but instead help parents build confidence and embrace their own parenting styles.

For breastfeeding families, doulas can provide valuable encouragement and guidance, with evidence showing that support from a postnatal doula increases the likelihood of successful breastfeeding.

Emotional and Informational Support

Doulas also serve as a calming presence, offering a non-judgmental space for parents to talk through their concerns, share their birth experience, and navigate the challenges of parenting. From feeding advice and sleep concerns to sibling dynamics or transitioning back to work, doulas help families find clarity and confidence amid the overwhelming mix of advice they may receive.

By supporting parents to feel empowered and nurtured, doulas play a vital role in helping families thrive during one of life’s most transformative times.

My Approach

Services Offered

I provide a range of services tailored to your needs, including bespoke antenatal preparation, breastfeeding support, certified Active Birth teaching, Ecstatic Birth practice, postnatal recovery massage, and more.

Languages Spoken

In addition to English, I speak Bulgarian, French, Russian, and Spanish.

My Background

I am a mother of two incredible children, both born at home in beautiful, spontaneous, and ecstatic births—a daughter in April 2010 and a son in October 2020. My greatest passions are conscious childbirth and parenting.

Originally from Bulgaria, I studied in France and later lived in Spain, where my daughter was born. During my first pregnancy, I immersed myself in pregnancy yoga and active birth training in Sofia, followed by courses on natural childbirth, hypnobirthing, and breastfeeding in Madrid.

After moving to London in 2013, I completed the Paramana Doula Course twice under the guidance of Dr. Michel Odent and Liliana Lammers. I also trained as a Younique Postnatal Doula with Sally-Anne Holman and Naomi Kemeny, became a certified Active Birth teacher with Janet Balaskas, and later trained as an Ecstatic Birth Practitioner with Sheila Kamara Hay. Over the years, I’ve gained experience in hypnobirthing, pregnancy yoga, and various body practices that deeply supported me during both pregnancies.

I began supporting expectant parents shortly after moving to the UK. Following my son’s birth during the unique challenges of lockdowns and social isolation, I emerged even more empowered and knowledgeable. Now based in Kent, I support clients in both London and Kent.

Philosophy and Beliefs

To me, childbirth is one of the most profound, transformative, and ecstatic experiences a woman can have. I believe the way we are born leaves an imprint that influences us throughout life. The birth environment is critical, and I prioritize creating a space where women feel safe, respected, and free.

My goal is to provide you with the information, tools, and emotional support you need to feel empowered throughout pregnancy, birth, and beyond. I am committed to understanding your unique needs and preferences, ensuring you have privacy and freedom during labor, and offering continued support as you navigate life with your baby.

My own experiences of pregnancy and childbirth inspired me to help other women reclaim the joy, confidence, and beauty of these natural processes. By choosing to focus on positivity, preparation, and trust in my body, I was able to embrace childbirth as an exciting journey of personal growth and connection.

My Journey

Growing up in a culture where pregnancy and birth were often over-medicalized and viewed as burdensome, I witnessed fear and disempowerment surrounding these natural processes. I consciously chose to break free from this narrative, embracing a more confident and empowered approach.

Both my children were born at home in a birth pool, surrounded by love, joy, and strength. These experiences not only deepened my connection to my inner wisdom but also profoundly shaped my parenting journey. They taught me to trust my instincts, fostering a deep bond with my children from their first moments.

Through my second pregnancy and birth, I expanded my knowledge and developed new skills, navigating unique personal and external challenges. These experiences enriched my understanding of birth and strengthened my resolve to help others create their own empowering birth stories.

Expertise 

I bring over six years of personal breastfeeding experience and knowledge in attachment parenting, baby-wearing, co-sleeping, emotional intelligence, and postnatal recovery. My approach is deeply respectful and holistic, tailored to your family’s needs.

My Doula Services

My birth doula package includes:

  • A free initial online meeting to discuss your needs and ideas

  • Three antenatal sessions tailored to your preparation

  • Unlimited phone, message, or email contact

  • Full availability during the “on-call” period from 38 to 42 weeks

  • Support during labor and birth, at home and/or hospital

  • One postnatal visit to assist with your early days of parenthood

If desired, you may also choose antenatal sessions only.

I would be honored to support you in this transformative journey, helping you feel empowered and protected as you prepare to welcome your baby into the world.

Feedback from clients

“Teodora, thank you so much for your help and support. I couldn’t have asked for a better doula! This birth was definitively the most positive and memorable out of my previous births. I don’t think I will ever forget the experience. Thank you for all your advice and for being with me from the start of labour through to the post-natal period. You are truly an amazing doula and have been an amazing inspiration to me!” – Ruzina

“Teodora is very caring and compassionate. She made my birthing experience very comfortable with her support and help. I can advise her services to anyone who is looking for a friendly face.” – Funda

“It was a pleasure having Teodora as a doula. She is very easy to talk to and her quiet confidence is very reassuring. With Teodora’s help my VBAC went very well. It was the positive birth experience I was hoping for.” – Heather

“Teodora, thank you for all your help Larissa and I are very grateful for the excellent support you provided during the birth. We really appreciate the effort you made on the day to make it very special for us. We are so glad we chose you as our Doula

Personally I thought you did a marvelous job, I was very impressed and I have nothing but praise for your professionalism, sensitivity and approach. If you ever need a recommendation for future clients then we’d be happy to oblige.” – James and Larissa

“Teodora’s smile and calm presence was a well of light accompanying me through the birth of my first child Cosima. Her support before and during the birth was invaluable, thanks to Teodora, I could enter the journey of birth without fear, I was blessed with a natural home birth and my little girl entered gently into this world. I was able to recover very quickly and bonded very easily with my baby, I am sure Teodora’s guidance is for something! Best tips ever!

This experience was so profound that I am myself heading towards the journey of becoming a doula. Thank you so much Teodora!!!” – Mildred

“The birth of our baby boy and Teodora's role in supporting us felt truly miraculous. We had another doula who, at 36 weeks, found out she couldn't support us. Jess felt ready to have a free birth, but Sam felt he needed someone to be with us to be calm and positive so he didn't panic. A friend put us in touch with Teodora and we spent a whole afternoon getting to know each other. We connected so well on many levels. Hearing her own birth story of her son and meeting him and his dad gave us a huge boost of confidence. Her smile made us feel so good and we felt a huge sense of relief and positivity. That very night Jess started labour, straight away into 5-minute-apart surges! We decided to phone Teodora and ask if she could come and, miraculously, she saw Sam's missed call in the middle of the night and was able to get to us quickly. She was immediately so reassuring to Jess and gave her confidence to go with her instincts. Our baby was born after 2 hours of labour and Teodora stayed with us for a while afterwards to make sure we had everything we needed. She even returned later that day with some delicious, nourishing soup.” - Sam & Jess