Helping pregnant women for 14 years
The New Paper speaks to three female-dominated businesses that aim to provide services and support to all women. Their services include photography, menstrual-related products and maternity support
This is her 14th year as a doula, a woman who supports and gives advice to another woman during pregnancy, and during and after giving birth.
An unwed mother when she started, Mrs Ginny Phang-Davey had a less-than-ideal labour when giving birth to her first child, son Kieran, 16 years ago.
"I heard the word doula from a colleague. Her boyfriend's sister was expecting her third child and planning to have a drug-free birth with a doula," she said.
"I also wanted to have a drug-free birth, but was dealing with too much in my life at that point, and did not fully explore that option."
Little did she know that she would become a doula.
She said: "I met a group of breastfeeding mothers online and met Dr Amy Chin-Atkins, who became one of my good friends."
They started Four Trimesters, a doula company that provides prenatal sessions, birth support and postnatal visits. The team has now grown to nine doulas.
Mrs Phang-Davey has taught antenatal classes to over 1,000 couples and supported the same number of births. She hopes to expand her birth sanctuary, a holistic centre for women before and when they give birth, open a hospital, and make "doulaing" a recognised career.
"I hope it will become an option for mums who want to work part-time."
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