Becky James

More about me

Hi! And thank you so much for taking the time to read a little bit about me.

I live near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire with my four gorgeous children who I am immensely proud of.

My journey to becoming a doula really started when I was a little girl. I had a natural fascination with babies and motherhood right from the start. As soon as I knew a brand new baby had entered our family or social circle, I was desperate to get round there and offer my assistance. I had a natural ability to calm babies even as a child . . . my own mother will tell you what a blessing I was when my youngest brother was born 8 years after me.

I worked in the caring profession for 15 years and have looked after a multitude of very different individuals including babies and children, older people, people with learning difficulties and acquired brain injuries, people on the autistic spectrum and people with mental health issues. I learned so much during this time, but I think the most important thing is that no matter who I am caring for, why they need me or what for, I just have to care. It’s as simple as that. Be empathetic, compassionate, loving and supportive, because that’s all any of us really needs, particularly in our most vulnerable moments.

My first child was born in 2008 and the last in 2016 and I suppose it’s my own transition to motherhood that inspired me to want to support others with theirs . . . though I always loved a birth story even before my own! Before and after becoming a mother, I have been there for many friends as they navigate the maze of information that is pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood. It’s kind of my trade mark that when anyone I know has a baby, I magically appear in the evening for a few days after the birth to drop off a home cooked dinner for the whole family.

So as my very last baby started getting bigger, I began to think about the future and how I could go on to put my passion for supporting new mothers to good use. I did a lot of research and discovered becoming a doula – and all the pieces of my life finally fell into place. I still feel as though I have absolutely found what it is I was put on this earth to do.

In 2017 I was so very fortunate to attend the Developing Doulas course. What an experience! It was here that I first learned the immense value of a non judgemental ear, what a gift it is to be truly listened to and how to give that gift to others and be blessed by their stories. I am so grateful to my doula sisters who have been invaluable to me on my journey. We were also taught about how to signpost new parents to the information they need in order to be able to make informed decisions, how to provide comfort measures during labour and teach these methods to birth partners, how to ‘mother the mother’ and were given a working knowledge of infant feeding, baby wearing and baby care. This knowledge has grown with me over my years of practising as a doula and I believe I have stayed true to the ethos of my course – I am constantly developing.

I am passionate about breastfeeding support and love helping new mothers that want to breastfeed, achieve their dream. I trained as a Breastfeeding Counsellor with ABM and I have volunteered at my local breastfeeding support group, as well as for national organisations.

I really believe the key to successful breastfeeding is in antenatal education and postnatal support. Breastfeeding is the only skill in the world that lots of people expect us to just be able to do, without any kind of training in the subject. Largely, we are no longer taught by our mothers, sisters, friends or wider society – we need help to make our passage from woman into breastfeeding mother a beautiful one.

I became a Doula UK Doula Mentor in 2020 and am now a Developing Doulas Companion. I absolutely love doulaing the new doulas as they embark upon their journeys. It’s wonderful to feel as though you can give something back and support women the way that you too were supported. It gives me great pride to watch my mentees flourish and I’m so grateful to them for choosing me to walk the path with them.

There is no greater honour than being asked to accompany a family as they welcome their newest member. Some women I’ve supported have given birth naturally at home, others have had assisted deliveries in the hospital and some have had caesarean sections. Every one of them would tell you that their birth was a positive experience. Because a positive birth is not about what happens, it’s about how the individual birthing person feels. What’s right for one, will not be right for another.

It would be my privilege to empower you to make the decisions that are right for you, for your pregnancy, your labour, your birth and your baby. I’d love to walk beside you on your path, offering you all the practical, emotional and informational support you need in order to make your unique experience one you can look back on with fondness.

Testimonials

‘Becky provided me with unfailing care and support throughout my pregnancy. She never let me down. During labour, I felt that Becky was my voice when I didn’t have one. She complimented the midwifery team by offering support to me and my partner. I have some difficulty maintaining relationships due to being untrusting and highly emotional in my responses. Anyone who can connect with me and maintain throughout my highs and lows deserves a medal. I wish I could keep Becky forever as she is one of the kindest people I have met. Being a doula is her calling’

Tracy Wilson

‘Becky was warm hearted and friendly around my toddler. She has a natural caring personality and I felt instantly comfortable around her. She spent a lot of time getting to know me, understanding my situation checking that I was OK so I felt confident that I could trust her and always felt support was there.’

Kelly Stapleton

 ‘Becky was absolutely fantastic in every way that I can think of. She is knowledgeable but knows her own limitations and where to turn to for guidance, which to me was equally as if not more important than being knowledgeable in the first place. She’s well connected within the community and utilises this well. She is reassuring, empowering and empathetic without being overbearing. She’s supportive without trying to influence. She is kind, nurturing and a pleasure to be around.’

Emilia Bowzyk

Feel free to call me any time on 07397969520 or e-mail me on [email protected] for a no obligation, informal chat.