Greater Manchester Doulas CIC has a wide range of programs and services, providing crucial support to new and expecting mums.

For instance, their ‘The Basic Needs of Birth’ workshop helps pregnant women and their partners craft their ideal birth plan. This helps the growing family make informed choices about all the birthing procedures. 

Notably, this team is an advocate of Freebirthing, which they view as the natural, unmedicated way of giving birth. So, if that’s your cup of tea, their doulas are the perfect fit for you!

Starting the process with them is straightforward: simply book an initial call online. This allows them to get to know you better and set expectations, providing an opportunity to discuss your antenatal plans, the type of support you’ll need, and post-natal follow-ups.

Their birth doulas go on-call starting in your 37th week, which is standard practice. The fee also covers your access to two doulas, offering more support than the usual one-doula-per-mum model—perfect if you need additional reassurance!

Incredible support and resources

“The support and resources we received from Greater Manchester Doulas were really incredible. We went on a journey of becoming informed and empowered and it led to a beautiful calm home birth that was everything we could have wanted. It’s honestly hard to express how helpful the information and support was. Having had a difficult hospital birth previously – Greater Manchester Doulas empowered us to have everything we wanted for this birth.”

Angela Davenport, Google Review

Supportive birthpool experience

“I hired a birthpool from doulas and also attended a home birth zoom call ahead of the birth of my second child. The care and support provided by the ladies was so great, and not only that, listening to the experiences of ladies who had also had a home birth made we feel confident and empowered in those last few weeks of pregnancy. A big thanks to the team and also the ladies that attended the zoom for all of their support x”

Sofia Harrison, Facebook Review

A BCAP-registered councillor, Hayley Dunn complements her personal experiences as a mother with her professional expertise.

As a birthing doula, Hayley primarily offers remote support. Her on-site presence during labour and birth will depend on her availability, and this will incur additional fees. Her package includes 5 hours of face-to-face sessions, though.

Where she shines is in her service as a postnatal doula. Her clients have praised her for being a fantastic hands-on support, assisting in breastfeeding, childcare, and helping them gain confidence. Overall, she’s the perfect companion to new mums learning the ropes.

Hayley also offers one-off doula consults, perfect for a “confidence-boosting pep talk.” Whether it’s about the birthing process or parenting, she provides a safe space and evidence-backed information. 

That said, Hayley Dunn is a one-woman team, and as such, all services are carried out solely by her. While available 24/7, her schedule can fill quickly, so booking ahead is recommended.

Redefining normal

“Where to begin…I cannot rate Hayley highly enough. I simply could not have gotten through this first year of motherhood without Hayley’s continuous support as our doula. When things seemed too tough to manage, she was always there. The support she provided ranged from things like help with the basics (how to give my little girl her first bath, when to freak out about a rash), to the big and difficult stuff (coping with the shock following the birth process, and adjusting my identity and expectations after motherhood). Hayley also had no hesitation connecting me to other amazing people when I had questions that were outside of her area of expertise (sleep and lactation consultants). I trust her implicitly. She helped me to redefine “normal” and is the reason I am the confident mother I am today.”

MaryJane Maillard, Google Review

Support during the pandemic

“Being pregnant and giving birth during a global pandemic is not easy, thankfully we had the support of Hayley to help us through this journey. After a traumatic birthing experience with our first son, my partner and I knew we wanted a doula if we were to have another child. Luckily during the 4 years between these events our good friend Hayley trained as a doula so we knew she would be the right person for us. Her skills as a trained counsellor helped us unlock the previous trauma so we could work out what was most important to us this time and explore our options. As the Covid 19 situation progressed she was also able to strongly support us through the uncertainty and was very skilled in helping my partner deal with his anxiety issues. Hayley joined us at about 6:30am and by 9:30 the midwives had confirmed over the phone that they didn’t have the staff to support our homebirth so we were asked to attend triage when the time was right. Obviously we were very disappointed in this but Hayley did an amazing job of keeping me feeling safe, supported and focused, and allowing me to just concentrate on the natural progression of my contractions, whilst also guiding my partner in how he was best able to support me. She calmly took care of everything that would have taken him away from me and this care was invaluable as without having her there we feel we may have panicked and stalled the labour progression. As I wanted to stay at home for as long as possible we were able to trust her judgement on when to make the journey and I felt she was listening to my signals, along with using her own experience as a doula to make this decision. She travelled with us to the hospital, with my partner driving, and did a great job of keeping me feeling loved and supported in the back while I was having very strong and frequent contractions. Sadly, due to the current guidelines of only 1 birthing partner allowed, we knew she wouldn’t be with us for the birth but by this point we both felt she’d got us to the point where we had the confidence to do it together and we knew she would be available on the phone if advice was needed. We can’t wait to introduce her properly to our son and can’t commend her highly enough for helping us have the positive birthing experience we so desperately wanted that we were able to achieve despite having to change our plans so much. Megan and Yoav, April 2020”

Megan Kaye, Facebook Review

Behind Bump and Baby Hideout is Tracey Sutton, a birth doula of over 18 years! Impressively, she has attended over 300 live births, covering everything from high-risk pregnancies to VBAC and home births.

For her Full Birth Doula package, Tracey works with another doula to support expectant mums. Antenatally, they provide three hours of face-to-face sessions—perfect if you need support while visiting a consultant.

From 38 weeks, they will be on-call 24 hours a day and can come as early as requested when labour starts, armed with aromatherapy oils, a TENS machine, and even a birthing pool!

Tracey is also a certified Hypnobirthing coach, which is ideal if you want an unmedicated birth. The course can be included in the package for an additional cost, and can be done during the three home visits.

Other notable add-ons include an induction reflexology session, a full-body pregnancy massage, and prenatal yoga or pilates course—that’s the complete Hideout Package!

On the downside, Tracey is pretty much a one-woman team, save for her partner doula during childbirth.

Wonder Woman doula

“I cannot recommend Tracey enough she’s a Wonder Woman! When I found out I was pregnant I was really anxious about the birth because I had mainly heard negative stories. After reading some literature on positive birth, I realised the important positive impact of having a Doula, not only for me, but also for my husband in being the birth partner. Tracey put us at ease immediately and it was a no brainer to book her as our doula for the birth. We also booked her for private hypnobirthing sessions in the lead up to the birth and these were fantastic! We learned so many techniques for the birth and had access to some brilliant mp3s and a workbook to ensure easy practicing between sessions. All of this made me feel so much more relaxed and positive in the run up to the birth of our little boy. Part of Tracey’s services as doula is to be ‘on call’ for the 2 weeks either side of our due date (4 weeks total). As we went overdue, we text Tracey and relied on her expert opinion around natural induction we could do at home, as well as advice on medical induction. During the birth is when Tracey really shone. We couldn’t have done it without her. My labour was long and I nearly deviated from my birth plan (that Tracey helped us write). Tracey gave us advice that ensured I was able to overcome the little blip and follow the birth plan, ensuring a natural home birth which is just what we wanted. Although my labour was long, I feel very positively about my birth and I know that’s because of Tracey. I should also say she noticed I needed a catheter when the midwife hadn’t. There is real value in having her trained eye, calm manner, expertise and medical background. It is also vital for me that Tracey worked so well with the midwives. Some doulas we met had an us vs them approach, which never sat well with me. Tracey is well known in the Sale area and surrounding areas and has a great reputation with the medical teams. Which meant she had a relationship with lots of the medical teams and knew about little tips for the hospital, should we require a transfer. I’m [not] sure we’ll ever be able to truly express our gratitude to Tracey for helping us to have such a positive birth experience. I would one hundred per cent recommend Tracey and will be planning a home birth for any future children. I will definitely want Tracey’s support for any future births and can honestly say it was some of the best money I’ve ever spent. You won’t regret having Tracey’s support. The access to the pre & post natal classes and experts through the hideout are brilliant too. I had acupuncture before the birth (which really helped) and am currently doing the baby massage course every week. Thank you Tracey, we love you! Xx”

Rachel Stewart, Google Review

Relaxing and supportive environment

“We attended Baby massage at the Hideout with Jemma and more recently have been going to the post natal mum & baby group with Tracey. Always such a lovely relaxing atmosphere at the hideout, feels such a supportive environment and has a lot on offer for both pre & post natal. Would recommend to anyone expecting, or with a new baby🥰.”

Rachel Elizabeth, Facebook Review

If you’ve seen the Pocket Doula app, then you might already know Hannah Campbell! This handy app is mainly what caught our attention, so we checked out Hannah’s services as a doula.

As a birth doula, she provides the usual necessary support to mums, plus she’s a hypnobirthing coach! For first-time mums, Hannah may be the ideal doula, especially if you want to learn more about what to expect in your pregnancy journey!

Postnatally, she’s also a great doula option, focusing on the new mum’s state. She can also do feeding support and baby massages—a fantastic stress-reliever! 

From our client interviews, we found that Hannah prioritises her clients’ safety and wellbeing, keeping them well-informed and looking after their mental health. 

That said, Journey Ahead Hypnobirth is another one-woman doula team, so Hannah would have her hands full with clients. Additionally, if you fancy one of her packages, do note that they’re pricier than the usual. The silver lining is that she has one-off sessions.

Thank you Hannah!

“Hannah is incredible and I had such a positive birth experience, which is all thanks to her. She made me feel empowered to make informed choices. Everything went smoothly according to my birth preferences, but I went into labour feeling in control and able to confidently make decisions if anything hadn’t gone to plan. She was also so supportive in the weeks before, super responsive to all our messages and questions. Honestly can’t recommend her highly enough!”

Rachel Briggs, Trustpilot Review

Would choose a million times

“I have chosen Hannah straight after our informative call. She felt like the right person to support [me and] my husband through pregnancy and delivery and she actually has been the right choice. She gave me all the knowledge I needed to make an informed decision. She’s been essential during delivery as she supported me each and every second. I would [so] choose her another million times, I really recommend her!”

Francesca Cascella, Google Review

Birth Nerd, founded by Steph Flynn, is just about everything new mums need for every aspect of childbirth. A midwife, hypnobirthing coach, doula, and breastfeeding councillor, Steph has the complete resource for the ideal birthing experience.

Steph’s Basic Birth Support is perfect if you’ll mostly need her services during labour and childbirth. Support isn’t lacking, though, as it includes 2-hour sessions, being a part of the Group Birth Preparation+ Course, and a postnatal visit.

The Full Birth Support is more extensive, as it includes visits to doctor appointments, eight pregnancy sessions, and 6 hours of post-birth support. Both packages come with a TENS machine, a birthing pool loan, and 14 days of having Steph before and after your due date.

With her holistic approach to doula practices, Steph recognise birth as both a natural process and a journey that requires careful medical attention. She’s the perfect match if you’re looking for a doula with a balanced and open-minded mindset.

The only downside? If you’re seeking a Manchester-based doula, Birth Nerd’s care centre is a drive away from the area. 

Safe and validating space

“Thank you SO much for providing such a safe and validating space for me. It was exactly what I needed and I know it’s a cliche but I feel like a huge weight has been lifted that I didn’t even know I was carrying. You are such an incredible wise and nurturing woman and I am so grateful that our paths crossed at the right time. Honestly thank you a million times!”

Fiona Shaw, Google Review

Helped us feel prepared and confident

“Steph’s birth preparation course should be at the top of everyone’s list of things to do before the baby arrives! I first learnt about Steph and Birth Nerd during a pregnancy yoga class, so many ladies were talking about her so positively I thought this many people can’t be wrong and signed up to her birth preparation course straight away!

To say I wasn’t disappointed is the biggest understatement. Steph’s course left me feeling prepared and confident for birth as well as arming me with all the tools I needed to advocate for myself and navigate the maternity system (something friends of mine who have done other antenatal classes have felt let down by). What makes Steph truly special is the fact her support does not end when the course finishes. At 39 weeks we had a difficult antenatal appointment and Steph wasn’t just at the end of the phone but met myself and my partner in person to discuss our options and quite frankly calm me down!  I cannot recommend Steph and Birth Nerd enough for birth preparation and breast feeding support. Steph understands the system and is one of the kindest human beings who makes the sometimes tricky situation of dealing with birth and a newborn that bit easier.”

Emily Jones, Facebook Review