BETTER Start Bradford has welcomed the arrival of a newly extended project giving practical and emotional support to expectant families.

Thanks to funding from the BSB project, the support of trained doulas volunteers who befriend pregnant women and new mums is to be extended across Bowling & Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton areas.

Doulas do not give out clinical or medical advice  but they can give support acting like a professional friend.

The Bradford Doulas service has already supported 162 women over six years with a pool of 45 doulas but now Better Start Bradford is to train up 54 more volunteer doulas hoping to support 198 more families by the end of 2020.

Aliya Fazil, Project Manager for Bradford Volunteer Doula Service said: “This funding from Better Start Bradford means that now the project will be not only be able to meet the demands of women requiring a Doula, but also those wanting to be Doulas.

“Women who use a Doula benefit greatly. Overall evidence has shown that women who received continuous support were more likely to have spontaneous vaginal births and less likely to have any pain medication, epidurals, negative feelings about childbirth, vacuum or forceps-assisted births, and Caesarian-sections."

And she added: "We are also achieving a higher rate of breastfeeding mums at birth and at six weeks compared to the national average."

Michaela Howell, Better Start Bradford Director said: “Good pregnancy and birth experiences can be a great foundation to build a happy parent infant relationship so we are thrilled that we are able to enhance this successful service to pregnant mums in the Better Start Bradford area.”

Interested in volunteering as a Bradford Doula? To find out more, call 01274 223232 or email antoinette@carlislebusinesscentre.co.uk