Rosy Glover (BA Hons, Dip.FE) - Flower Essences, Reiki, Birth Doula

Flower Essences are made from wild flowers to support the mind, emotions and soul. The most well known flower essence is Bach's Rescue Remedy, but Flower essence combinations can be formulated for almost any situation and are especially good for periods of change, concern or challenge. I use over 300 essences from UK, America and Australia.

• Consultation with Rosy (1.5 hrs) £40
  
  
• Flower Essences & Energy Meridian Treatment (1.5 hrs) - suitable for those less keen to talk or who would like a relaxing session £45
   
• Gateway Sessions (2.5hrs) for preconception, pregnancy, menopause, divorce or other gateway £60 per session including essences to take home. (£350 for 6 sessions) Please ring to discuss whether these sessions may be useful for you.
   
• Reiki Treatment (1 hr) £35
   
• Flower Essence Room Sprays £12

In a consultation I take a holistic approach to your current situation as we gently get to the root of the way you are feeling. Relaxed conversation and a sprinkling of Reiki or meditation provides a pause from busy or overburdened life, allowing reflection.

At the end of a session you will receive a bottle of relevant Flower Essences to take home. People usually notice the essences beginning to work within a few days.

My Work as A Birth and Gateway Doula

A Doula is a woman who provides support for another woman in childbirth. Working alongside midwives, the Doula’s role is not a medical one, but rather a personal, nurturing, consistent support throughout the mother’s journey from pregnancy to parenthood. Doulas are familiar with the physiological, emotional and medical layers associated with pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood, and with the major decision making involved with this time. They offer a hand of support, a back rub, a cup of tea, a listening ear, a reassuring glance and a wealth of birthing and breastfeeding knowledge.

The role of Doula is growing as the call for them expands rapidly. Sadly midwives have become so pressured and stretched in the medical system that they are not always able to spend as much time with mothers as they would like, nor are they able to guarantee they will be able to support a woman throughout the whole of her journey, offering that much needed continuity of care. Doulas build a relationship with mothers and are there to support them throughout, no matter what.

From the research over the past 20 years into women birthing with the support of a Doula, we know that having a Doula present at your birth:

• Shortens first time labour by an average of 2 hours.
  • Decreases the chance of caesarean section by 50%
  • Decreases the need for pain medication
  • Helps fathers participate with confidence
  • Increases success in breast-feeding

(source: Mothering the Mother, Klaus, Kennell and Klaus)

Having had previous experience working for the NHS on breastfeeding, parenting and postnatal projects in challenging communities, the role of Doula came naturally to me and works wonderfully in combination with my Flower Essence Therapy and Reiki. I believe that birthing is one of life’s gateways where women are called upon to delve deeply within themselves in order to understand their journey and birth powerfully. Inner emotional, physical or spiritual challenges often show themselves brightly during the vulnerability of pregnancy and labour, but offer us the opportunity to move through them powerfully and emerge the other side, a stronger woman and mother.

Before working with a couple, I talk in detail with them about their anticipated challenges and difficulties, hopes and wishes as well as the bits in between they don’t think are relevant! This is so that I can offer personally tailored birth preparation sessions using creative exercises, discussion and visualisation suitable for their journey. During creative work, when we are using the intuitive side of our brain instead of the organising or planning side of our brain, we can get to the heart of what we feel deep down and get a friendly insight into where our attention should be focussed on this ante-natal period.

Near the due date I am on call and will normally attend the labour and birth. It is important that our relationship has built up during the antenatal period, so that the birthing woman can trust that she is supported and let go. An important aspect of this is facilitating the involvement of the father. Doulas provide womanly support, and our work is often referred to as ‘mothering the mother’. In this way the role is very different from that of partner or father. We facilitate his involvement, enable him to understand why and what is happening in labour, explaining what medical terms mean, make sure that he takes a break and eats enough etc during this emotionally demanding event. If women know that someone is looking out for their guy, they are more able to focus on themselves too.

Post-natally I support the family with similar sessions, or with regular visits or phone calls often filling gaps in memory from the actual birthing time and reinforcing positive messages about the outcomes and achievements. Having a clear understanding of what happened and being able to talk about it is a very important part of the journey, and is really important for preventing postnatal depression. Parenting skills and breastfeeding support is obviously key too.

The birthing room is a special and sacred place that deserves honour and respect, alongside deep trust of the normality of childbirth, but it is much more than the fixtures and fittings, obstetric devices or pain relieving aids, doulas midwives or doctors. This room is about the meeting of a mother, father and a baby. To be able to hold that space, and facilitate their special journey is my privilege.

I extend my services as Doula to those going through other life-changing gateways too. I draw upon the same toolkit to provide support sessions for women at menarche, Saturn return, conception, post new motherhood, midlife ‘crisis’, divorce, marriage, bereavement, illness, menopause, wisdom years, dying etc.

I am passionate about celebrating personal growth at these times and believe it can be so positive if we are supported to go through these gateways with our eyes and spirits open. The pressure and pace of modern life so often provides us a distraction from these important gateways, and we can sometimes find ourselves believing that they are ‘in the way’ or feeling that we must ‘just carry on as normal’. I find that women who honour and celebrate these gateways with time, self-reflection, inner work and support, are ones who are enriched by the journey of life and feel wellness at their core. Whatever their journey, as a Gateway Doula, I am here to support them, with my toolkit and my time, and I love it.

To contact Rosy Glover, visit www.rosyglover.com