I'm Penny, founder of Balance & Root Healing also Mum of two teens who were born in New York. I'm a lover of all things wild, foraged and fermented. Since I was a kid one of my wierd quirks was being fascinated by the healing power the of Placenta to heal from birth, I can't explain it, so let's just say it's a calling! ​
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A hold a fashion degree and as soon as I left art school I hopped across the pond to be a Brit in New York's fast-paced fashion industry designing for one of their biggest luxury brands. New York lead me to a quiet and gentle scientist born and raised Long Islander, Italian American and father to our two funny, creative children. If you've seen the film "the Devil Wear's Prada" then you would understand Fashion can be a hard environment for sensitive souls long-term and navigating through any life changing events like pregnancy and transitioning to motherhood without maternity leave really strained my well-being and a change was so needed to turn things around.
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My family and I moved to my native England in 2014 now living a much gentler pace of life in the Cambridgeshire countryside. I feel more at ease being closer to nature. My work now focuses around honoring birth, and nurturing the gorgeous families who find me on their parenting journey. As a doula I advocate for my clients, educating them antenatally and giving them support after their birth.
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My personal approach to birth is physiological. Like any animal birthing quietly in privacy, undisturbed and without pressure to perform I feel most comfortable not to be probed and measured against someone else's chart to suit a hospital policy I competely respect that this isn't everyone and therefore my aim is to rationalise with clients who could otherwie be consumed with worry or fear. I provide evidence-based information to allow clients to make the best choices to suit them with no coercion or judgement respecting that the UK upholds human rights when it comes to maternity car and birth choices, medical or non.
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I myself having been pregnant and birthed twice in one of the most medicalised maternity systems on the planet where your primamry care physician is an obstectric surgeon and at the time I was living there, I only found six independent midwives to accept my insurance it was a minefield trying to stay in control of my mind and body. ​
​My biggest wish is for all clients is to create time for them to make informed decisions, know their birthrights and understand what they are consenting to. It is essential that my client's birth team work harmoniously and are supportive, respectful and aligned with the mother at the heart of it all.
I am highly attuned to the neurodivergent mind, coming from both my creative and healing roles so like an animal I am a kin to our human's mammalians instincts and energy and I am a great steward of the birthing environments for my clients. Don't worry I am not going to make you act like an animal but I will work with you at strengthening trust within your inner self and I can do that in a langauge and mannorism tailors to how you feel most comfortable with.
Linking my placenta research and the hormonal sensitivity of those who feel unbalance with PMDD, ADHD and Autism, studies reveal people within that category can be up to six time more likely to develop a perinatal mental illness (anxiety, depression, anger) . A poor birthing experinece on top, can result in trauma such as postnatal depression or psychosis. It can even go onto to develop antenatal mental health issues for subsquent pregnancies. I say this from my own debilitating postnatal depression. I have also trained with Victoria White from Neurodivergent Birth to ensure the birthing enviroment a person has is aligned for optimnal flow of the birth hormones and to lessen the risk of postnatal depression. This is also why I am a big advocate for Placentophagy which I disvcovered for my second birth. I would certainly never push this on a person though, it's not for everyone! ​
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REIKI
Reiki can be so helpful to gently quieten anxiety before birth or if you are feeling the isolating effects that can come with waiting for your baby and a spinning mind. Reiki can be for some people profoundly moving and grounding. The peaceful effects might be just what's needed to align body, baby and mind for birth to commence - but no promises!
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DOULA & PLACENTA HEALING
I started to work within the birthing world since 2018 and have slowly gained my full spectrum radical doula training with the amazing Alexandra Burnes and her team at Original Birth Connection. In my circle of doulas there's also midwives, osteopaths, lactationist and trauma councillors and where necessary I am signposting and referring onto other services where families need me to. I have also trained with Shellie Poulter (serenity doula) learning the biomechanics of birth and how to work with body, gravity and movement during pregnancy and birth.
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I have first hand experience on how placentophagy was of hugh benefit to me with my second postnatal recovery. It was like night and day compare to the way I felt with my first child and I would say it massively aided my breastfeeding. I was a proud breastfeeder for two years vs five weeks the first time around and therefore it's no surprise I have been providing placenta remedied to clients and repeat clients since 2018 when my first born was ten. Client's have reported a really positive outcome too postnatally and my google reviews reflect this. It's troubles me how the placenta has lacked the reverence it deserves and there is a whole history as to why we have come to discarding it even loathing it. It is part of your baby. It deserves, like your baby to be born quietly and peacefully so I like to inform clients about physiological third stage/placenta birth not just your baby's birth.
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I am recommended mostly through word of mouth and have a small network of supportive private midwives, doulas, nutritionists and birth educators who refer clients over to me. If you would like to speak to me to learn more than me an email to schedule a chat.​
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