Supporting you through pregnancy, birth and beyond
I am a doula mentor and an experienced birth and postnatal doula. I have been an active doula for 15 years, supporting 100s of families over the years in many different ways.
My practice as doula is known to be rooted in my understanding and experience of the benefits that can be gained from undisturbed and appropriately supported physiological birth. I have a strong belief in the wisdom of the body and the power of letting things unfold in their own time. I am also realistic and deeply respectful of the nature of birth and the skills that are offered by medical practitioners when needed. Every birth is unique and every woman makes decisions from their own place of strength and limitations and with a deep love for their unborn child. I will support you and your family however your plans for birth unfold and wherever your decisions take you.
I offer a range of services including birth preparation and hypnobirthing classes, mother blessing ceremonies, birth and postnatal support and trauma debrief and support.
I offer my services primarily to people living in Peterborough, Stamford, Oakham, Oundle, Corby, Kettering and across North Cambridgeshire and South Lincolnshire. If you live further afield than this, I am happy to talk to you and to help you to find someone who can support you closer to home if needed.
My passion is to support others to become truly empowered and to support other women to become doulas and role models within their own communities.
DRB Checked. Fully Insured.
Verina Henchy Doula, Birth Doula, Antenatal Support, Hypnobirthing Practitioner 26 Google reviewsPosted on Google S TTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Verina was fantastic. Going into this being a first time dad, Verina was informative, caring and really supportive. We found her content really helpful and after the course feel a lot more confident about becoming parents.Posted on Google Chloe TaylorTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Before going to see Verina, I was fully of negativity about birth and labour. I had a lot of previous pain related trauma, and honestly couldn't think of anything worse than going through the pain of labour and the idea of willing putting myself in a position to feel pain. I didn't trust my body to know what it was doing or to be able to cope with the experience. I also felt that due to having a planned c-section, I had zero control over how this birth was going to go. However, by the end of the course, my mindset had entirely changed. The hypno-birthing meditations had an incredible effect on me, allowing my brain to be open to the idea that birth and labour was not something to to feared, and that my body would know what to do. I realised that I also have a lot more say in what happens during labour, even a c-section where everything is more formulaic - she just had all the information and know how! I found working with Verina on a 1:1 program was much more helpful for me than any other prenatal classes I had attended as it was tailored around me and the c-section birth we have planned. I really trusted in Verina and her guidance and can say now that I am feeling much more prepared for labour and life with a new baby. She even went above and beyond to give me guidance and reassurance when I wasn't in session, and even crochet a gorgeous cord tie for our baby upon their arrival. Thank you Verina, we couldn't be more grateful.Posted on Google J STrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Can’t recommend Verina enough, she has been such a calming and informative support to us. This is my husband and I’s first baby, we had a lot of fear and anxiety around birth, which I can safely say has turned into excitement and confidence leading up to our due date. Doing sessions with Verina has taught us some incredible tools which we look forward to putting into action, it’s also specifically really helped my husband understand his role and how he can support us. Thank you again !Posted on Google Natasha GilsonTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I recently had a Closing The Bones ceremony with Verina many years after having a child. I feel it is something that all mothers would benefit from. Verina is a warm and loving space holder and deeply listens, which made me feel valued and cared for. I loved being wrapped in the rebozos, the womb massage and having beautiful words spoken over me as I lay feeling relaxed and at peace. After 13yrs and a very traumatic birth experience, I feel a completion through the ceremony. Thank you Verina for your wisdom and presence.Posted on Google Amber FaceyTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. There are some people who come into your life at exactly the right time and leave an imprint on your heart forever. Dawn and Verina have been those people for me. I initially reached out to Dawn during my twin pregnancy, looking for support as I prepared for one of the biggest transitions of my life. From the very beginning, Dawn offered such warmth, wisdom, and reassurance. What touched me deeply was that her focus was never on simply being my doula—her focus was on creating the best possible support for me. She felt that having Verina alongside us would bring something special to the experience, and I am so grateful she made that suggestion. What followed was a truly unique and beautiful journey. Although Dawn and Verina work independently, they came together to support me through my twin pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey, and I honestly cannot imagine it any other way. Carrying twins brought its own unique emotions, challenges, and unknowns, but with both of them beside me, I felt completely held. Their support wasn’t just practical—it was emotional, spiritual, and deeply personal. They each brought their own gifts, strengths, and energy, yet together they created a circle of care that made me feel safe, empowered, and deeply seen. When it came time to give birth, their presence was invaluable. They held space for me with such calmness, compassion, and confidence. They reminded me of my strength when I needed it most and supported me without judgment through every step of the journey. Knowing they were there allowed me to trust myself and surrender more fully to the experience. The Closing of the Bones ceremony was the most beautiful way to complete this chapter. Because both Dawn and Verina had walked alongsides me from pregnancy through birth and into motherhood, it felt like we were all closing something together. They had witnessed my transformation from the very beginning, and there was something profoundly healing about being held by the same women as I reflected on everything that had unfolded. The ceremony gave me space to honour my twin pregnancy ex, the birth of my babies, and the enormous transition into motherhood. Not just becoming a mother, but becoming a mother of twins. It allowed me to acknowledge all that I had carried, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I felt nurtured, witnessed, supported, and loved. It brought tears, gratitude, release, and a deep sense of peace. I honestly struggle to find the words to express how grateful I am for both of these incredible women. Their care is genuine, their presence is healing, and the work they do is truly sacred. The fact that they came together to support me speaks volumes about who they are—women who place the needs of mothers at the heart of everything they do. I will always be grateful that our paths crossed and that they walked beside me through one of the most transformative seasons of my life.Posted on Google Dr Suchi VaidyaTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Verina helped me prepare for my pregnancy for several weeks before my due date, and honestly she was one of the most reassuring, knowledgeable and grounding people I had around me during my first pregnancy. I had hoped for a water birth, and although things didn’t ultimately go that way for various reasons, I truly believe that if I had followed more of Verina’s instincts and guidance rather than some of the medical advice I was given, my birth experience may have been very different. Nevertheless, when my birth turned into an induction, Verina was by my side the entire time. Her calm presence made such a difference. She used music, rhythm, breathing and visualisation techniques to help me through what was a long and challenging day. In those moments, her support helped me stay centred and find the strength to keep going. Her support didn’t stop after the birth either. Verina gave me incredibly helpful advice with breastfeeding and helped connect me with some amazing specialists who supported my daughter with a tongue tie. That guidance made a huge difference during those early weeks. Verina supported me before the birth, throughout labour, and afterwards as well. She genuinely cares about mothers and the birth experience, and that shows in everything she does. She truly is a blessing to mothers as a doula. I cannot thank her enough and would wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone preparing for birth.Posted on Google Amy Fox BondTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Verina supported me through the most challenging time of my life, in every way. I have a disability and was Consultant-led while pregnant. She advocated for choice for me and this allowed me to give birth to my daughter in the Midwife-led unit of the hospital as this was the only area with a birthing pool. She offered constant emotional support during the ending of my marriage while pregnant, and kept me sane(ish) through this. She is a formidable lady who is amazingly knowledgeable and she enabled me to have a wonderful, completely natural birth in the water while taking the stress of managing my family away from me. She advocated, while giving me the confidence to advocate for myself, which I have pulled forward into my everyday life I cannot recommend this beautiful lady enough.Posted on Google Litty BabuTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We attended the hypnobirthing sessions with Verina. There were 4sessions across 4weeks, felt the price was worth it for the content and resources. Verina has so much knowledge and experience supporting delivering babies, the sessions were engaging, inclusive of mother and father, at a good pace, answered all our questions. Verina’s advice was based on research and she would forward the research e.g. effect of complications on mother/child. It was a pleasure and we are very glad that we could attend Verina’s hypnobirthing sessions. We were recommended c-section in the end and she was also very helpful with this. Would happily recommend to expecting parents. Thank you.Posted on Google Sarah ShawTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Where do I start… this lady is a legend. I was absolutely petrified of labour. I decided to meet Verina based on her incredible reviews and WOW I was not disappointed. As soon as I met her I knew I needed her involved in my pregnancy. She made my whole experience such a joy and a positive calm labour which I didn’t think existed. I was so impressed, not only by her positive calm ora but her knowledge is second to none. I cannot thank this lovely lady enough. Sarah and David xxPosted on Google Deborah WatsonTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. When we were expecting our first baby, I felt having a doula would be beneficial, for me and my partner. At the time, we felt it was a worthwhile investment, as it was our first baby and we didn’t know what to expect. We said to ourselves, “We can spend the money this time and then if we have any more children, we won’t need to.” Roll forward nearly three years to child number two and we immediately agreed we needed Verina on board again! The first time we met Verina we knew that we wanted to have her as part of our birth team. She has such a calming, reassuring demeanour that I knew would be essential to both me and my partner. When it was time to have our second baby, she was also great with our daughter, helping her also to prepare for the arrival of her sibling. We also opted to do hypnobirthing with Verina and this was especially useful as she was then able to refer to the techniques during my labour, helping to keep me focused. I cannot recommend Verina enough. Throughout my labour she made me feel completely safe and respected. She helped me tune into my own body and encouraged my partner and I the whole way through the process.
Closing the Bones
Closing the Bones is a postpartum healing ceremony, created by a Mexican tradition where the postpartum mother is anointed, massaged and wrapped. It helps to nurture the mother after her birth journey into motherhood. It is a celebration, a setting of sacred space, and a way to nurture mother and baby.