Willow Aislinn

Background

I was born in the North East of England in a town called Newcastle-upon-tyne at a birthing hospital just down the road from my house. I was my Mother's second birth, and the birth was fast, smooth and my Mum claimed this is what set me up for my subsequent confidence around birth. I have travelled from the UK, to Sweden and Germany and I now live in Stockholm, Sweden on a small island called Tranholmen. This island has no cars and is mostly only accessible by boat which leads to a wonderful community. If you are interested in home-birth but for some reason need or wish to birth in a different space, I do offer a cosy cabin on our plot to rent. I love the Swedish nature and the water but a part of my soul will always be strongly connected to the North East coastline of England.

Birth and the Body

From my own experience I have great faith in the knowlege that our bodies have everything they need to heal and give birth. We just need to give the body the right support, emotionally and physically. I know that birth can be deeply empowering and how every birthing mother has a strong capacity to give birth confidently and positively. I would absolutely love to support you have the birth you need. It is a right of passage. I will be there to support you emotionally and physically during your pregnancy, labour, postpartum and beyond. I truly believe in you and your body's ability to give birth in whichever way you want.

Preparing for childbirth is key and that preparation is individual to each woman and their needs. One of my roles as a Doula is to be your guide, as you navigate this preparation for birth and postpartum. I work with you as a team to design our meetings to your individual needs. Whatever it is that you feel you need to fully connect and trust your body, we can bring up. Nothing is off the cards. You are the one at the center here. It is all about you.

Reading positive birth stories is one of the best ways to prepare for birth. I share two of mine here:

• The Birth of Luna Ru
• The Birth of Io Fox

Postpartum

Postpartum is often a period that is forgotten in our modern age. Postpartum is a critical period where the body, that has been pregnant for 9 months, is suddenly not so, and finds itself radically changed. So too does the new mother and the baby, as they begin to integrate themselves into the world. This is a deeply transformative time that is emotional, painful, beautiful, exhausting and overwhelming. Postpartum support is essential and something every woman should have access to. Your needs for support are individual but there is common ground that all traditional societies practice. I offer an approach that is grounded in somatic work to help the body and the mind integrate the intensity of birth as well as nourishment, through food and herbs, massage and a loving presence. I also offer practical support from breastfeeding to newborn care. Building a community is also essential, and I can help connect you to the right resources.

Somatic Work

Our nervous systems are key to our overall health. I work with you and your child to address issues such as sleep, digestion, reflux, physical trauma and more. These sessions can also be focused on the individual for anxiety, mood, energy, pain and most physical and emotional challenges. View my somatic website here

Education