Meet the team

Our Committee are responsible for the day to day running of IPBB and for the direction and continuation of the organisation in the future.

Sally Carter. Committee Chair and Fareham and Gosport Group Co-Facilitator.

Sally is a Birth & Postnatal Doula, Sling Consultant, Lactation Supporter & trainee Hypnobirthing Instructor, who also co-facilitates the F&G group.
I am passionate about supporting women & other birthing people during this transformational period of their lives! Caring & nurturing them to step into their own power, to prepare for & experience positive birthing, postnatal & parenting journeys. Being part of the Informed Pregnancy Birth and Beyond team, gives me a greater capacity to reach more expectant & new parents, as together we strive for an inclusive, informed, better birthing world for all.

Elizabeth Staunton Acheson.
Committee Secretary and Fareham and Gosport Group Co-Facilitator.

Elizabeth is the committee secretary and facilitator for the Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond Community Group based in Fareham and Gosport. She is also a birth and postnatal doula.
I found my local positive birth group really helpful personally when I was planning my second birth and I value the opportunity to provide that for other mums. I’ve always had an interest in human rights especially the rights of vulnerable groups. I’m committed to empowering women to author their own birth stories. 

Robyn Taylor.
Comittee Treasurer.

Over a year ago I gave birth to my daughter at home. Looking back on the day I felt
supported and empowered.
Informed pregnancy, birth and beyond had a huge part to play in how empowered I felt. The
topics covered in meetings informed and made me consider what type of birth we wanted.
The amount of knowledge I have gained since becoming pregnant and giving birth is
astonishing to me. I am not the first of my friends to have children but I feel a lot of parenting
is done 'behind closed doors'. I knew so little before embarking on this journey! I believe this
isn't how it should be. We need a 'village' and a huge part of this is talking and sharing
stories.
I feel so lucky to have met the incredible IPBB members who support women during this life
changing time in their lives and I hope I can help others in the same way.

Alanna Burchett.
Online Group Facilitator

Alanna is a pregnancy and postnatal yoga teacher.

IPBB was a lifeline for me being pregnant during the pandemic. The peer support was invaluable and I continue to be moved every time I have the privilege of hearing someone’s birth story. My own experience of birth was calm, powerful and safe. I have joined this community to try and ensure more people are given the chance to enter parenthood in that way, and to have the support and tools to address when it wasn’t.

Melissa Flack.
Organisation Development Lead.

Melissa is a Breastfeeding Supporter with the Breastfeeding Network.

I'm mum to my daughter, born in November 2020, which led me to discover IPBB. I'm utterly fascinated by anything and everything to do with pregnancy, birth and babies and passionately believe in the importance of women and birthing people being empowered through information and support. I'm really excited to be a part of IPBB and support in the amazing work they do.

Sarah Lewis.
Portsmouth Group Facilitator.

Sarah is a perinatal educator, working with The Parenting Network.

I was lucky to have a positive homebirth with my second son and I learnt so much when planning for it. I'm part of Informed Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond because I want other expectant parents to know they have options, and that birth can be a positive experience. I want people to be excited about giving birth, not scared.

Sarah Dauncey.
Online Content and Communication Lead.
Havant Group Facilitator.

Sarah is a doula and supporter of doulas and families.

I'm part of this group because I want to see as many people as possible realise for themselves the power they hold in their own lives and especially in their pregnancy, birth and parenting experiences. I believe the best way to achieve this is as a group who build each other up and support each other as we support and inform families in Portsmouth, South East Hampshire and beyond. 

Kimberley Knight.
Online Content and Communication Support.

Kimberley is a Placenta Encapsulation Specialist. 

I was fortunate to have a beautiful home birth with my daughter and am sure that this was in part due to knowing what options were available to me and having confidence in my informed choices. For the same reasons, I then went on to have a wonderful cesarean birth. Having a heightened awareness of body autonomy and consent (and who does the ‘allowing’ made this an empowering and healing experience. Informed Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond is an amazing source of support (whatever ‘positive birth’ looks like to you) and a wonderful community to be a part of.

Sim Goudarzi 
Team Member

Sim is a birth doula and holistic womb practitioner.

I’m passionate about supporting women and birthing people on their fertility and birth journey, helping them to cultivate a safe space within themselves before, during and after birth, and reminding them that they don’t have to do it all alone - and in fact, we humans are biologically wired to lean on one another. A lot of the focus in my work is around reestablishing ancient practices, and a big part of that is a return to the ‘village’ - a community of people supporting each other through shared experiences. For me, this is exactly what IPBB is about and I’m happy to be supporting the wonderful work they do.

Jessica Scaife
Team Member

I started attending regular meet ups with IPBB early in my pregnancy and new to the area. From the first one I went to, I loved the environment, it was always very welcoming, informative and non judgemental. I very quickly started to feel a part of a community and build friendships which was very important to me. Even though I didnt have the birth I wanted I always felt able to make informed decisions, how and where to seek further information when I wanted it, thanks to the support from IPBB. I wanted to become a part of that for others. To help build community, to help others to feel as informed about their options and choices through their pregnancy and birth as I did, and to be a part of a welcoming and supportive group for all.