Jodie, Emma & Louisa
Two midwives. One postnatal facilitator. Three directors. Decades of professional experience and plenty of real-life parenting between us. Meet the team behind NPPC, in their own words.
Jodie
Director and Postnatal Facilitator
Hi, I am Jodie. I also go by Joe. As one of the directors and the postnatal facilitator here at No Perfect Parent Company CIC, my absolute passion is supporting families to truly enjoy their journey, exactly as they are, without the pressure of trying to be perfect.
When it comes to parenting, I have lived through the wild, unpredictable magic of it all. During my first pregnancy I was navigating the world as a single parent. To make things extra fun, I lost my home, I lost my job, and my car broke down, all before my baby arrived. Later I had my son with my now ex husband. It was a completely different experience, but it still came with its own plot twists, including a stressful two week stay in the NICU. Today life looks a little different. I live with my wonderful partner and my two children, who are now 11 and 8. Oh, and full disclosure: I am unapologetically dyslexic, so you may spot some creative spelling from time to time.
Because of those real life experiences, I bring zero judgement and a whole lot of empathy to our sessions. If your baby is screaming, your outfit is covered in unknown substances, or you just need to drop the brave face and ask the silly question, you are safe here. I promise you, whatever you are going through, you are not alone and you will not be judged.
I am a total geek for learning and CPD, and I grab every training opportunity I can find so I can bring you the best evidence based, responsive care frameworks. My personal favourite topic is babywearing. I run our Sling Library and love nothing more than helping parents get comfortable, snug and hands free. Over the years I have been published in several parenting magazines, and I currently write for Wycombe Pulse.
I genuinely believe that No Perfect Parent Company CIC is going to change the face of parenting, and I could not be prouder to walk this path alongside you.
Jodie’s training
- Slingababy: accredited sling consultant, trained in breastfeeding in slings, and a member.
- Calm Family: Calm Baby and Calm Toddler, postnatal support focused on neurological development and developmental norms.
- Love Radius (previously Je Porte Mon Bébé): a specialism in stretchy wraps, including supporting families in the NICU and additional considerations.
- Sophie Messager: Rebozo birthing techniques and closing of the bones, a traditional South American practice.
- Queer Parenting (previously Queer Doula): supporting families through their journey, the challenges they may meet, and how to mitigate them.
- TalkBack: ASD and learning disabilities, supporting individuals and making sure all needs are met.
- Deafblind: creating inclusive spaces, identifying necessary adaptations and highlighting potential challenges.
- Samaritans: what Samaritans is, how to access support, and key listening skills.
- Eden Project: community impact training, and how to use the tools available to us.
- AA awareness for professionals: the AA model, who can access it, and how to break down the barriers people may have.
- Dementia Friends: supporting people with dementia and understanding the challenges they face.
- Lincoln College: Digital Marketing Level 2.
- VTCT: NVQ Levels 2 and 3 Beauty Therapy.
Emma
Director and Midwife
Hi, I am Emma. I am a midwife with 20 years’ experience, a mum of two, and one of the directors of No Perfect Parent Company CIC.
I have spent most of my adult life supporting people through pregnancy, birth and those first days and weeks with a baby. I am a trained antenatal educator, a baby massage practitioner, Rebozo trained and neurodiverse birth trained. I love the evidence, I love the practical stuff, and I absolutely love helping people understand their choices.
But I also know what it feels like when pregnancy does not feel the way you thought it would. During my first pregnancy I developed a pregnancy complication and, for a time, thought I was losing my baby. The pregnancy I had imagined enjoying suddenly became one filled with worry. I knew the medical side, because I was a midwife, but I was also simply a frightened mum who desperately wanted her baby to be okay.
That experience has stayed with me throughout my career. Behind every pregnancy, every birth plan, every decision and every set of notes is a person going through something enormous. And that person matters.
I am a fierce believer that there is no hierarchy when it comes to birth or parenting. Your straightforward birth matters. Your chaotic birth matters. Your elective caesarean, emergency caesarean, induction, home birth, epidural, water birth, change everything at the last minute birth. It all matters, because it happened to you. And however your journey unfolds, you still matter within it.
After 20 years I know that pregnancy, birth and parenting rarely fit neatly into the version we pictured in our heads. Sometimes it is incredible. Sometimes it is frightening. Sometimes it is hilarious, messy, exhausting or nothing like you expected. Usually it is a bit of everything.
That is why I do not want to tell you the right way to do it. I want to give you evidence based information without overwhelming you, practical skills you can actually use, and the confidence to make decisions that feel right for you and your family.
I am also very much a just ask me person. Nothing is too silly, too awkward or too small. There is no judgement here, and absolutely no expectation that you should already know what you are doing.
Twenty years of midwifery and raising two children have taught me plenty, but probably the biggest lesson is this. You can know all the information in the world and still need someone beside you saying, I get it. And I really do.
Emma’s training
- Registered midwife, 20 years.
- Trained antenatal educator.
- Baby massage practitioner.
- Rebozo trained.
- Neurodiverse birth trained.
Louisa
Director and Midwife
Hi, I am Louisa, and my fun fact is that my name means warrior. I have certainly had to live up to it, battling my own challenges with getting and staying pregnant, and then accepting that good enough was a truly great way to parent. As one of the No Perfect Parent Company CIC directors, the midwife I am today is shaped by my own experiences as well as those of all the birthing people I have cared for along the way.
At 18, with watery eyes and slightly ringing ears, I witnessed my first birth. Afterwards I longed to become a midwife, and my deep love of being a little part of new life beginning started right there. Since qualifying in 2000 I have gained extensive experience across community midwifery, births at home, the birth centre, hospital settings and operating theatres. I have gained skills, tips and understanding about feeding choices, answered countless triage calls and provided emergency care. In all, over the past 26 years, I have supported a huge number and variety of pregnancies, births, early days and family combinations.
People’s experiences of pregnancy, birth and early baby days vary hugely. The skills I have gained helping, caring and experiencing this range mean I have seen almost everything before. If your experience was fairly easy, or needed mountain climbing strength to keep going, both are worthy, both are important and both matter. I am here for all versions, expected and unexpected.
For me, I had five miscarriages on my route to becoming mum to my amazing boys. I had to let go of my carefully constructed plans, drop my unavailable expectations and accept the version I was having. By adjusting to the pathway I was on for my pregnancies, I let myself enjoy the version I was having. Once I finally became a parent, I soon realised these coping and adapting tools would also help me navigate the demanding role of being a parent too.
As a mum and a midwife, I genuinely believe NPPC is the service to help YOU if you’re thinking about becoming a parent, are pregnant, or have become a parent. There is often an unexpected route or an unwanted challenge on the journey to becoming a parent, and amongst the excitement and joy it can also be an isolating, confusing and slightly wobbly time. NPPC is your opportunity to speak with someone offering understanding, support or information. I genuinely believe that between myself and the two amazing people I work with, we can bridge the gap between what you think you ‘must do’ and the reality of actually ‘doing it’.
I’m so excited to meet, support, giggle or soothe any tears with you, while being refreshingly open about the ups, the downs and the floating along parts of the journey.
So, if you have endless questions, or no idea where to start, and have already gained your unofficial Dr Google qualification, NPPC is here for you without judgement. We offer training, advice, support and skills, while actively encouraging perfect parent expectations to become Officially Imperfect. At NPPC, expect to meet a trustworthy, professional, friendly and realistic team who also know what it’s like to be alone when the rest of the world is sleeping.
Finally, I believe there’s a little bit of warrior in all of us! When navigating pregnancy to parenthood, join us and become an army of Officially Imperfect warriors together!
Louisa’s training
- BSc (Hons) Midwifery.
- Junior midwife: low risk care, plus ongoing training in complex medicines, care and births. Inpatient wards, community clinics, home visits, home births, infant feeding, and liaison with services including schools, health visitors and Women’s Aid.
- Senior midwife: in charge of clinical areas, working with agencies via Sure Start, supporting student and junior midwives, training ambulance crews and doctors, independently caring for clients with increased clinical, social, emotional, mental health and learning needs, midwifery supervisor, professional midwifery advocate, and Lead Midwife for Triage.
- Freelance antenatal and postnatal education midwife (The Midwife House): designed and delivered workshops, classes, courses and community groups in homes, community settings and learning rooms.
- NMC registered: revalidated every three years since qualifying in 2000, evidencing training, learning, skills and professional accountability, with a clinical and professional PIN.
Officially Imperfect.
Prep without pressure. People before perfection. A community from pregnancy onwards.