Loucina Birth Keeping
About Me
From Midwife To Birth Keeper
Greetings and welcome to my website! My name is Lou Clay, and I am a traditional birth keeper. Having worked as a midwife in the NHS, I became disenchanted with the over-medicalised approach to birth and the trauma that women were experiencing under systemic-centered care. As a result, I decided to leave and discovered When Push Comes To Shove, an organization offering the Midwife Lifeboat conversion course for midwives who wish to become birth keepers. It was a pivotal moment for me, and I have never looked back. I am now able to provide women with autonomy and respect without adhering to strict guidelines based on limited evidence.
As a birth keeper, I have the privilege of providing woman-centered care and empowering women to take responsibility for their births. Studies have shown that continuity of care is the most effective model for women, improving their experience and the safety of both mother and baby. Working with a select group of clients allows me to create individualised care plans and build strong relationships based on mutual trust and respect. I no longer provide clinical care, believing that birth is a natural process that rarely requires medical intervention.
Since leaving the NHS, I have been fortunate enough to support “unicorn births” – those that the system would never have allowed. I work with women who trust their bodies and do not wish to “hand over” their births to the system. My role is to provide evidence-based information and alternative holistic care that empowers your choices, drawing on my experience as a midwife to explain how the system views you and what potential risks you may face whilst offering you evidence based information so you can make informed decisions.
I am here to help you decide what you want out of your birth experience, and I will never tell you what to do. I will support you from the early stages of pregnancy to after your baby is born. You are a powerful woman, and I have faith in your ability to bring your baby into the world with the ease you did whilst growing your baby in your womb. Birth does not have to be a traumatic disaster – it can be a positive, empowering experience. Choose empowerment, and I will be here to guide you.
What Is A Birth Keeper?
A birth keeper is an experienced professional who specialises in attending physiological births and advocating for women’s rights during the birthing process. They typically have clinical training and may have previously worked as a midwife. While similar to a doula, a birth keeper’s expertise lies in navigating the hospital system and advocating for their client’s rights.
The over-medicalised model of birth has led many women to seek out birth keepers to help them take control of their birthing experience. A good birth keeper is a strong advocate who knows hospital protocols and can help their client birth inside or outside of the system. It’s important to note that there is no legal requirement for a woman to engage in systemic care, and she has the right to choose how and where she gives birth.
A birth keeper’s role is to provide their client with information to make informed decisions rather than telling them what they are “allowed” to do. They offer holistic care and are not responsible for how their client navigates their clinical care. However, statistics show that hiring a birth keeper increases the likelihood of achieving the desired birth outcome.