Surrey Doula Support
Member of Doula UK
Postnatal Doula
Birth Doula
Trained with Developing Doulas
I am delighted to be able to offer both birth and postnatal doula. This means that I have attended a training course approved by Doula UK and follow the Doula UK Philosophy and Code of Conduct. I am based in Reigate, and offer both birth and postnatal doula support across Surrey and East Sussex.
I have two boys, aged 20 and 18, and am passionate about families being able to relax and enjoy their early days together. I feel that accompanying families through such a significant time in their lives is an enormous privilege. Every individual, family and situation is unique and as a result, being a Doula is a continuous learning process.
What is a Postnatal Doula?
Postnatal doulas often describe their role as mothering the mother and providing guidance during the transition to motherhood/parenthood and following the birth of additional children. Nurturing the mother supports her to be able to nurture her own children. Doulas provide practical and emotional support and ongoing encouragement. They offer information and refer families to relevant resources and professionals to enable them to find solutions when guidance is needed. Doulas do not provide advice, clinical care or medical advice (even if qualified in a clinical role otherwise). The aim is to empower women and families to make the decisions that are right for them and ultimately for them be able to care for themselves. As many families now live remotely from each other, postnatal doulas aim to fulfil the role that extended family would have done in the past. The support provided is flexible and is determined by the needs of the mother, baby and family. Postnatal Doulas often work with a family for 6-8 weeks or more.
What is a Birth Doula?
A birth doula is a trained, non-clinical support person who stays with you continuously throughout labour and birth. Unlike midwives, who rotate shifts and carry clinical responsibilities, a birth doula's sole focus is you — your comfort, your confidence, and your experience of birth.
Leila attends your birth in person and works alongside your midwifery team at whichever setting you are planning — whether that is a home birth, a midwife-led unit, a hospital birth suite, or a planned Caesarean in theatre. She does not replace your midwife or provide medical advice, but she offers something the NHS is rarely able to provide: continuous, one-to-one presence from the moment you need her.
What does Leila actually do during your birth?
Helps you stay calm and grounded using breathing, relaxation, and hypnobirthing techniques — particularly valuable if you have completed a hypnobirthing course together
Offers physical comfort measures such as positioning, massage, and movement suggestions during labour
Explains what is happening at each stage so you feel informed rather than overwhelmed
Advocates for your birth preferences and helps you ask the right questions of your medical team
Supports your birth companion — partners often feel helpless during labour; having a doula means they can be fully present rather than anxious
Remains steady and reassuring if your birth takes an unexpected turn, helping you adapt your preferences with confidence rather than fear
What makes Leila's birth doula support different?
Most doulas bring warmth and practical support. Leila brings all of that, plus a clinical understanding that is genuinely rare. As a former NHS and Harley Street obstetric sonographer with 17 years of scanning pregnant women, she has spent her career inside maternity units, watching births unfold, understanding exactly what midwives and doctors are doing and why. She knows the environment, the language, and the pressures — and she knows how to help you navigate them.
She is also a certified hypnobirthing teacher and qualified hypnotherapist. This means that if you choose to prepare with a hypnobirthing course beforehand, your birth doula support and your birth preparation are completely joined up — the same person, the same techniques, the same reassuring presence from first session to final push.
Leila is a member of Doula UK and trained with Developing Doulas, following the Doula UK Philosophy and Code of Conduct.
Frequently Asked Questions
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A birth doula provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support throughout labour and birth. Leila attends your birth and works alongside your midwife team — she does not provide clinical care, but helps you feel calm, informed, and supported. Her background as a hypnobirthing teacher and former obstetric sonographer means she brings both mindset tools and a deep understanding of the clinical process.
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A postnatal doula provides practical and emotional support in your home during the weeks following birth. Often described as 'mothering the mother', the role focuses on nurturing the mother so she can nurture her baby. Support typically continues for 6–8 weeks and is flexible to the needs of the whole family. This includes emotional reassurance, practical household help, feeding support, and signposting to other professionals when needed.
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A doula and a midwife have different roles. Midwives provide clinical care; a doula provides continuous personal support that NHS staffing levels rarely allow for. Research consistently shows that continuous doula support is associated with shorter labours, lower intervention rates, and reduced postnatal depression. Many families find they complement each other well.
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Yes. Leila Gardiner is a member of Doula UK and trained with Developing Doulas, following the Doula UK Philosophy and Code of Conduct. This means she is insured, regularly trained, and committed to ongoing professional development.
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Leila offers doula support across Surrey including Reigate, Redhill, Dorking, Epsom, Banstead, Coulsdon, Caterham, Oxted, Guildford, Tadworth, Leatherhead, East Grinstead, Crawley, and Horley, as well as into East Sussex and South West London. Get in touch to discuss your location.
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Yes. InspiringBirths offers a dedicated Caesarean Birth Doula Support package at £899, which includes compassionate support before, during, and after your C-section, alongside early postnatal recovery care. Leila's medical background as a former obstetric sonographer means she understands the clinical environment as well as the emotional experience.
Areas Covered
Leila offers birth and postnatal doula support across Surrey and into neighbouring areas. She is based in Reigate and regularly works with families throughout:
Reigate · Redhill · Dorking · Epsom · Banstead · Coulsdon · Caterham · Oxted · Guildford · Tadworth · Leatherhead · Horley · East Grinstead · Crawley · Kingston upon Thames · Wimbledon · Sutton · Purley · Warlingham · Lingfield
And further into West Sussex and South West London — get in touch if you are unsure whether your area is covered.
Birth doula support is available at East Surrey Hospital, Epsom Hospital, Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford, and St George's Hospital in Tooting, as well as for home births across the region.
Online antenatal doula consultations and postnatal check-ins are also available via Zoom for families who prefer remote support.
Client Reviews
★★★★★
“Leila was a brilliant teacher, I would recommend her to anyone. I'm sure I will be getting some refresher classes when I have baby #2!”
— M Spencer in Tadworth, Surrey★★★★★
“I have no hesitation in recommending Leila. She is a great teacher and was very supportive throughout and post pregnancy.”
— Sarah in Dorking, Surrey★★★★★
“I just wanted to thank you so much for the relaxation session yesterday. I definitely felt serene and well balanced afterwards.”
— Lauren from Reigate, SurreyContact Us
