Jess Parkins
The Rebel Sunflower…all births, all bodies, and all families.
About me!
Birth felt like something that happened to you. Something unpredictable, medical, even a bit scary.
That wasn’t helped by my own start to parenthood – which was, frankly, a bit of a car crash (not literally, but emotionally? Yikes). After a prolonged labour and an emergency caesarean, I was left traumatised and diagnosed with postnatal depression and PTSD. I couldn’t even talk about birth without my chest tightening.
Fast forward 3.5 years: my daughter was born via VBAC in water, supported by an incredible midwife team who introduced me to hypnobirthing, a Professional Midwifery Advocate, and a different way of doing things. They didn’t try to “fix” me – they just listened. And that changed everything.
For the first time, I felt like I was in the driving seat. I prepped like a nerd, worked through my fears, and when labour came, I felt something I hadn’t expected: power. It was messy and wild and beautiful. I came out of that experience changed. And I knew I wanted to help others feel that way too.
That’s what led me here.
I believe everyone deserves care that’s person-centred, not protocol-driven. That you should be able to ask questions, make decisions, and feel like the expert on your own body and baby – because you are. My role is to offer calm, capable support that adapts to you. No fluff. No agenda. Just real, evidence-based information, steady support, and maybe a well-timed biscuit.
You bring the baby, I’ll bring the badass.
Training & Experience
Over the years, I’ve considered various career paths—hairdresser, teacher, educational psychologist, and even paramedic—but none of them ever felt like the right fit. In 2008, I graduated with a 2:1 in BSc (Hons) Psychology and entered the full-time workforce. My first role? A far cry from what I do now—working in the world of incontinence products! I went on to take on several roles within the company, but none of them brought the fulfillment I was looking for.
After becoming a mother and experiencing a healing birth, I felt drawn to the maternity world. A few months after my daughter was born, I joined my local Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership as a Service User Representative. My passion for supporting families led me to become Co-Chair, and not long after, I made the life-changing decision to train as a doula. It hasn’t been an overnight journey, but every step has been worth it.
The work I’ve done in various fields, combined with my own experiences as a mother, has given me a deep understanding of the challenges and joys of parenthood. It’s been a journey of hard work, growth, and commitment, and I’m here now, ready to support you through your own.
Some of the relevant experience and training I’ve completed include:
- Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership – Service User Representative (2019-2022)
- Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership – Temporary Co Chair (2021-2022)
- Badass Birth Doula Training (2021)
- Postnatal refresher (the fourth trimester) – Grace Williams (2021)
- LGBTQ+ Competency – The Queer Birth Club (2021)
- Allyship – The Queer Birth Club (2021)
- Supporting Trans people in pregnancy – Transparent Change (2023)
- Trans people and perinatal mental health – Transparent Change (2023)
- Supporting Trans people in the postnatal period – Transparent Change (2023)
- Supporting fat birth – The Queer Birth Club (2024)
- Doula conversion course – The Riot Birth Network, formerly TBU Academy (2024)
- Supporting Neurodivergent Birth – ND Birth (2024)
- Birthing Biomechanics – The Serenity Doula (2024)
