The Doulaverse

To become a doula

Can I tell you something about becoming a doula? Sometimes the call doesn't sound like a voice telling you what to do. Sometimes it just won't leave you alone.

If becoming a doula keeps coming back into your mind, maybe stop asking yourself whether it's practical for a minute. Ask yourself why you keep coming back to it.

In this episode I discuss the many calls that people get. Maybe one of them is yours? Thy include:

You keep thinking about becoming a doula

You...

Become the Doula Families Never Forget and Transform Lives Through Compassionate Birth Support

Birth is one of the most profound experiences in a person's life. As a doula, you have the opportunity to provide the guidance, reassurance, and support that families remember forever.

Krysia Lynch's Doula Training is designed to equip you with the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills to support people through pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum period with professionalism, empathy, and excellence.

Whether you're starting a new career, expanding your work in maternal wellbeing, or following a calling to support...

What is the story with Private maternity care in Ireland?

Why do people choose this model?

1. They can afford it

2. We’ve been conditioned into believing it's better than public care

3. We’ve been conditioned into believing it's a real "choice" but isn't it just different ways of getting highly interventionist medicalised childbirth?

4. It offers continuity of care. Only other place to get that is via the home birth service.

5. You might get your chosen consultant in labour and you might get a private room. Not the use...

What is the difference between a midwife and a doula? Are doulas just wannabe midwives? Find out some of the differences in training, approach, continuity and functions. Also find out why so many midwives are considering switching career to being a doula. Can doulas act as midwives in freebirths? What are the legal implications of working as a birthkeeper in Ireland? For this and much more listen in.

Next Comprehensive Doula Training starts October 2026. Suitable for midwives looking to move out of obstetric settings, suitable for people who know lots about birth, suitable for people who have...

Unbelievably for Ireland studies show that about ¾ mothers interviewed antenatally actually want and plan to breastfeed their babies, but somewhere along that continuum from antenatal visit to coming home from hospital with their newborn baby things change, and we know that only about 35% of women actually do breastfeed their baby exclusively after giving birth. What influences this decline in breastfeeding and how can we as doulas and other birth workers and health care specialists reverse it and support mothers in their feeding journeys to achieve their own goals rather than those set by a medicalised birthing culture? If you w...

Baroness Amos spoke to over 8,000 people in the UK about maternity care. Many of the aspects that she highlighted as gaps also feature in the Irish Maternity Services. Listen in to hear Niamh Griffin Health Correspondent with the Irish Examiner and myself discuss some of these in more detail including institutional racism, lack of choice in care options, poor communication, maternal death, coercion, over medicalisation of labour and birth, poor working conditions and understaffing

With the closure of PMI there has been an increased spotlight on Freebirth. There are a a lot of rumours surrounding freebirth; for example that it is illegal(it is not), that it is reckless (it is not), that it is not a real choice (it is).

On this episode of the Doulaverse I speak with Claire Kerin about her decision to freebirth and also about her freebirth experience - what it felt like, what they had to do to prepare and how they interacted with midwives and the hospital . Listen in to find out more.

Private Midwives Ireland were the sister company of Private Midwives UK In Ireland they were the only care provider offering a HBAC service (Home Birth After Caesarean Section).

Prior to their inception in 2015, women who were looking for a home birth following a c section remained unable to access this choice in the Republic of Ireland.

Choices in home births and what midwives could deliver in terms of home birth services became severely restricted in 2011 following the Nurses and Midwives Act. This Act set out that it was illegal to attend a birth without insurance...

The postpartum is still treated as a sacred time in many cultures. The full 42 days are honoured and special food and care are provided to the mother and the baby.

Aine from @ostara_and_co discusses some of these approaches with me in this podcast which was originally recorded as a n Instal Live in May 2025.

Aine is a guest speaker at my Lactation Doula Training Course this year. If you would like to find out more about this training and join us see link in bio or see https://www.dublindoula.com/breastfeeding-support-training-for-doulas
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My Breastfeeding Training is coming up on the 17th and 18th May 2025 at Insight Matters in Capel St in the heart of Dubli as well as live online by zoom and by playback for whenever you want and need it, so I am sharing this podcast again! To find out more head over to Breastfeeding Training for Doulas Midwives and Complementary Therapists

If you haven’t signed up yet, then the time is now! If you have been sitting on the fence then the time is now! This training will not be repeated this year and is a m...

Obstetric Violence contributes to birth trauma, and difficult birth experiences which in turn contribute to difficult early parenting experiences.

Some of the categories of obstetric violence include:

Physical abuse

Non consensual care

Non Confidential care

Non dignified care

Abandoned or neglected care

Discrimination

Detention against the person’s will

Lack of privacy

Postnatal Doulas can help new mothers by listening and validating their birth story and experiences and offering much need physical and emotional support in the early parenting days...

Routine induction of labour is peddled as a maternity must to pretty much everyone who receives late antenatal care in the Irish maternity services. Its as though the medics have shares in a global syntocinon factory.

But jesting aside – is there any harm in being induced at 39 weeks just for the sake of it? You know – you don’t want to be pregnant forever now do you? Conversely is there any benefit to staying pregnant?

And what of those statistics that are fired at will about inductions at 39 weeks reducing c section rates and limiting the ch...

Its Christmas season! That means that the trucks of syntocinon are rolling up to the entrances of our maternity units. We are approaching peak season for induction “for dates”.

What are the risks of induction that are rarely, if ever, discussed?

Listen in to find out more about the risks induction of labour bring to your labour, birth, birth experience, breastfeeding, early parenting and also the risks to your baby, toddler, child and teenager.

The studies referred to in this podcast are the following:

Grobman WA, Rice MM, Reddy UM, T...

One of the key issues that receives little attention and yet has a huge affect on the initiation of breastfeeding is the way a mother has given birth.

Pregnancy Birth to Breastfeeding is a continuum.

The way we birth will affect the early days.

The national first-time mother c section rate is now 41%, and we also know that the routine induction of healthy mothers and babies at 38/39 weeks is being actively pursued.

Of the 59% of first time mothers that have had vaginal births, about half of them have had an operative...

Listen in to find out how doulas can support women and pregnant people during pregnancy, labour, birth and the postpartum.

Find out what skills doulas need, and how they can obtain those skills.

Hear how people realise they want to be doulas and what their journey is like.

To be part of this year’s amazing cohort of doulas training with me see link here. To find out more email me at drkrysia@gmail.com

Registration options include an 8 month payment plan of €250 a month and access to some fabulous bonuses with...

In this episode of the DoulaVerse I speak with Pregnancy Yoga Trainer and Doula Melissa Curtis of Tummy Love.

Both of us have just had children go through the Leaving Certificate exams, who were born about 18 – 19 years ago.

What has changed in the Irish maternity system in those 18 years? Listen in to find out.

If you are interested in becoming a doula and working with me for a year then my Comprehensive Doula Training which starts in October 2024 is registering NOW. More details here 

If you have questions or want to tal...

People often talk about different aspects of doula training – what they learnt along the way, the knowledge, the information, the skills.

What is not often mentioned, is that for most people who undertake doula training, it changes their life in some way.

Training is not just about learning information – in fact its the opposite of that. Its about your innate knowledge being revealed. Training also about being present with a group of women, forming a circle of trust, learning together, supporting each other, hearing each others stories and more.

In this episode I talk...

In this episode of the DoulaVerse I talk about becoming a doula with new doula Anke Roth. Anke talks about her journey to making the decision to become a doula and also about the process itself. Anke took my Comprehensive Doula Training Course, to find out what it is like listen up!

If you are thinking of making the step to become a doula, then registrations for this year’s doula training are open. There are currently over €950 worth of discounts if you register by 31st August 2024. See here for more information Become a Doula

What...

Listen in to this episode of the Doulaverse to find out!

If you hear a call and you think you’d like to bring your passion for birth, women and babies to the next level, if you d like to spend time with me and other maternity care supporters and professionals and be part of the amazing group of people that will train with me this year, then registrations are currently open for my Comprehensive Doula Training.

People come to train with me fuelled by a calling, a desire to make things better and a ne...

In this episode of the Doulaverse I gave people the option to “ask me anything”. I answer three questions in this episode:

Being labelled in pregnancy and labour and how that might affect your options in labour and birth. Specifically, the label of Gestational Diabetes, but I discuss labels in general, and how these are primarily physical, when in reality we give birth uniquely and differently to individual wonderful babies, with our bodies, our hearts our souls, our minds and our feelings.

Freebirth and whether doulas can attend them

Is there any pre requ...

The level of pain we encounter in labour is a combination of life experience and genetics!

We can’t do much about genetics, but we can certainly influence our perceptions, our coping strategies our social support network and the way we approach fear and anxiety.

In this podcast I discuss the physical, emotional mental and environmental approaches we can use to help us view the discomfort and pain of labour as being purposeful, productive empowering, and something we can cope with, rather than viewing pain as frightening and terrifying leaving us feeling vulnerable, distraught and un...

The level of pain we encounter in labour is a combination of life experience and genetics!

We can’t do much about genetics, but we can certainly influence our perceptions, our coping strategies our social support network and the way we approach fear and anxiety.

In this podcast I discuss the physical, emotional mental and environmental approaches we can use to help us view the discomfort and pain of labour as being purposeful, productive empowering, and something we can cope with, rather than viewing pain as frightening and terrifying leaving us feeling vulnerable, distraught and un...

Do I need an epidural if I get an induction? I often get asked this question. The short answer is no. The majority of my doula clients do not take an epidural if they opt for an induction, or if their labour is being augmented..

The longer answer has a lot more nuance.

It depends on what kind of induction you are getting and how favourable or ready you and your baby are. It also depends on what kind of support you have what pain coping strategies you have invested in, and the belief those a...

Our ancient birthing knowledge lives within us in the form of timeless wisdom, cultural traditions, and the collective experiences of women throughout history.

It enables us to look beyond just the medical or technical aspects of childbirth. We can tap into the deep well of human wisdom surrounding birth by drawing on myths, stories, rituals, and cultural practices that have been passed down through generations. By exploring our own ancient maps, pregnant people can gain insights into the emotional, spiritual, and psychological dimensions of birthing, helping them navigate the modern childbirth experience in a more holistic way.<...

Why am I running a pregnancy retreat?

I feel that pregnant women and people need to be nourished during their pregnancy, not just informed. Preparation via nourishment is a very different concept to preparation through the dissemination of information. Nourishment for body, mind and soul is in short supply in the Irish Maternity Services. What we have instead is the treatment of birth as a clinically managed event in a woman’s fertility and life cycle. The focus is on safety risk and avoiding legal proceedings. Sometimes the woman as a holistic being seems lost along the wa...

People become doulas for all sorts of reasons and everyone has a different journey that brought them to the point of starting their doula training. Everyone will also have a different journey as a doula. In this podcast I chat with Michelle who has just been certified from my doula training and she talks about the highs and the lows and what she learnt and how she is going forwards in her doula career.  Michelle can be found on Instagram here.

If you are interested in doula training the next doula training course is about to start i...

I have learnt so much about myself, my capacities, my weaknesses, my strengths and about life in general from my doula work.

In this episode I share just three things; staying the course, boundaries and going beyond what you ever thought was possible. Listen in to find out more.

If you would like to engage in this magical incredible journey of doula work, then my doula training starts in 8 days – sign up now https://dublindoula.com/doula-training-course-with-krysia-lynch/

There are of course many things a doula does, so don’t be going thinking that these are the only five!

This podcast came about as a result of five Insta reels I did during the last week on five of the ten things a doula “does”.

Of course in the little reels you are limited to just 90 seconds, so you don’t get the opportunity to go into things in more depth; enter this podcast. So for a juicy version of the five things that feature; Continuity of Care, Communication, Trust, Wisdom and Listening have a l...

In this episode I discuss who might be interested in becoming a doula, and I talk about my Comprehensive Doula Training Course in general and then with Emma Fitzsimons who did the Doula Training with me this year about her experiences doing the course as a pregnant person and effectively doula ing her self through it! Come and listen to the great chat!

For more information on this year’s comprehensive doula training with me click here

If you have further questions, I’d love to chat – drop me an email at drkrysia@gmail.com

If you’ve been booked for a routine induction (or if you have requested one), consider why you are doing this. Is it because you want to ensure that your baby stays healthy and well, or is it because you want to reduce your risk of c section or is it because you are simply tired of being pregnant and you just want to meet your baby!

Research shows routine induction of labour at 39 weeks offers no improved health benefits to you or your baby (ARRIVE study).

Routine induction of labour at 41 weeks may offer mo...

In this episode of the Doula Verse I look at the thoughts feeling and options when we have had a previous c section and then find ourselves pregnant again. It can be a tricky time and support is needed from the start to enable people to follow their hearts and make the best decision for them.

Listen in to discover your options and what to do to find the best caregiver and experience for you on this pregnancy and birth.

Safety is a key issue for parents and caregivers. The American College of Obstetricians and...

​Interpersonal racism shows up in biases for and against others based on race or ethnicity minority .status In contrast, institutional racism is embedded into the structures of our maternity care system. Institutional racism leads people of different races to have different outcomes from the majority.

Listen in to find out why and how and what we can do to change things

If you would like to support people in the maternity care journey, especially people from migrant and different ethnic minorities, maybe my doula training is for you? See the link here for more information: Bec...

​Yesterday a judge in Ireland ruled that a  woman who lacked capacity because she had a delusional disorder; a vulnerable person,  could be forcefully sedated and have a forced c section against her will under General Anesthesia and would include intubation and a recovery in the ICU. The judge noted there was currently no risk to her life.

The court reportage cited lack of attendance at antenatal appointments, sexual abuse, refusal to adhere to standard monitoring procedures and admitted consumption of cocaine and alcohol at some point in her pregnancy as justificatory arguments.

There was no d...

​If you are Rh-negative, your red blood cells do not have a marker called Rh factor on them. Rh-positive blood does have this marker. If your blood mixes with Rh-positive blood, your immune system will react to the Rh factor by making antibodies to destroy it. This immune system response is called Rh sensitization.

Rh sensitization can occur during pregnancy if you are Rh-negative and pregnant with a baby who has Rh-positive blood.

It takes a while to make antibodies that can affect the baby, so during your first pregnancy, the baby probably would not be...

What you need to know

1. First time labours are about  23 hours. Second time labours are less than half that.

2. Most fast labours are in multipara mothers

3. Look for signs of labour progression; changes in position, changes in frequency of surges, change in demeanor, a latent “not sure ” phase can sometimes quickly develop into transition. If the waters have released with contractions then things are moving along – call the doula, call the midwife midwife or get heading to hospital!

4. Know what to do if a BBA occurs; be prepared for what your baby wi...

How often have we heard of people being told that they “failed to progress” because their labour was slow or stalled?

How often do we hear of people being induced or augmented in our maternity services?

We have been groomed as a society to believe in labour kicking along at a certain pace, that all labours whether first or second plus are the same and follow the same patterns and have the same baseline to adhere to. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. Not all labours are the same, not all labours have the...

No one can ever fully control birth, not the cosy APP promising you a candlelit waterbirth or the obstetrician who thinks that they have intervened early enough to mitigate every risk imaginable. Birth will always have unknowns and part of the work of preparation is to acknowledge that.

One of the most important things we can do is get to know and trust ourselves as part of our preparation. Communication with our minds our souls our bodes and even sometimes with our deepest fears all feature in birth preparation.

There are also pragmatic things such...

“I d like to have as natural a birth as possible”. This is how many pregnant first time mothers start their conversation with me.

Then they go on to tell me that they are booked into a care pathway that has FTP induction rates of over 45% and similar FTP cesarean rates.

More than likely they are booked in semi private because they have some health insurance or because their GP suggested it.

It’s hard to secure a physiological birth under these circumstances. Very hard. Because you are working against a system that is not...

This Podcast Episode is part 2 of two podcasts focusing on making a postnatal plan and was originally recorded as an Insta Live Episode on January 5th 2023.

Your postnatal plan is as important as your birthing plan or preferences, if not more so!

Your plan needs to focus on yourself, your baby and your other family members and cover issues such as your physical, emotional and mental well being after giving birth to a new human being.

You need to think about nourishment physically and otherwise and about preparing to spend a reasonable amount...