From Corporate Career to Birth & Postnatal Doula: Why I Made the Change
After finishing my education, I fell into office work and quickly into recruitment. I didn’t love it, but I was good at it. What I did enjoy was helping people, supporting them through job changes, preparing for interviews and finding their right fit.
After around 10 years doing agency recruitment, I moved to an ‘in-house’ recruiter role in a clinical research organisation. It was a job I didn’t particularly want but after being made redundant just two days after signing the mortgage on my first home, I felt I had no choice. I told myself I’d stay for a year or so…
Fast forward 20 years and I was still there.
Over that time, I moved through various roles and departments, eventually returning to Talent Acquisition, where I spent the last seven years leading systems, processes, and strategy for a global team of around 500 recruiters.
I generally enjoyed my role. I loved helping people, training, coming up with solutions and strategy for problems and generally being the person people could rely on. But deep down, I was done. Done with the stress, the politics, and the corporate red tape.
After a 30-year career, I felt stuck. The thought of another 20+ years in an office filled me with dread, and I knew something had to change.
In early 2026 I was offered an opportunity to have a career break, I saw it as a lifeline. After many conversations with my husband, I realised this was my chance to retrain and do something completely different.
For years, I had wished I’d trained as a midwife, but at this stage, committing to several years of training and returning to a highly structured system just didn’t feel right.
Then one Friday evening, I had a lightbulb moment.
What if I became a doula?
I spent weeks researching, speaking to other doulas, and exploring training options. Very quickly I knew, this was it, it was my ‘calling’ and something I had to do.
Of course I had some doubts, would my husband support such a big career change? What would people think? I shared the idea with my husband and his response was immediate: ‘I think you would be amazing, go for it. I’ll totally support you’.
I didn’t wait for him to change his mind, I signed up for my training right away.
Telling my colleagues felt more daunting. I genuinely thought people would laugh. How could a corporate director change career and be a doula? But when I started sharing my plans, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Not one person tried to talk me out of it. In fact, their encouragement gave me even more confidence that I was on the right path.
I love all things pregnancy, birth, and babies. During my training, one thought kept coming up: I wish I had known all of this when I was pregnant.
I’m now also training as a hypnobirthing instructor, and again, I’ve been amazed at how much valuable information isn’t widely shared. It’s so different from the antenatal classes I attended 12 years ago.
When I was pregnant with my son, I thought I didn’t need a birth plan, the baby would come whichever way it wanted to, so why write down what I wanted then be disappointed? With my daughter two years later, I had slightly clearer idea of the type of birth I wanted, but again, I didn’t do a lot of research as I thought knowledge might make me more fearful.
I now know the opposite is true. Knowledge is power.
I wish I had researched more, that I’d understood all about the conscious and subconscious parts of our brain and how our minds work during birth.
I wish I’d understood and investigated optimal birthing environments, anchors, and how possible it is to have a calm, supported, physiological birth.
I have two children and a stepson, so a fourth baby is not on the agenda! Honestly, this made me a bit sad as I’d love to be pregnant and go through labour again, using all the tools and techniques I now know.
Although I won’t be having any more children myself, I now have something incredibly special: the opportunity to support others.
I feel so passionate about helping women and birthing people feel informed, confident, and empowered. To help them understand their choices, advocate for their preferences, and have the birth experience they want.
Becoming a doula has been the most rewarding decision I’ve ever made. Supporting families through pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood is truly an honour, and I feel incredibly grateful every day that I get to do this work.
If you are considering having doula support through your pregnancy birth, or postnatal journey, I’d love to hear from you.
I offer a free 30-minute call where we can talk about your hopes, concerns, and the kind of support you’re looking for, with absolutely no pressure or obligation.
You can book using this link or email me if that feels easier - I’ll be more than happy to have a chat. Alternatively click here to view the services I offer.
Kelly x