Every once in a while, we discover a heart-warming corner of the ‘gram that brings a smile to our faces and Midwife Marley’s page is doing just that through fun yet educational doodles about pregnancy and childbirth.
As a busy midwife and mum of five (including twins!), Marley Hall knows plenty about the process of bringing new life into the world – something she has been sharing with her thousands of Instagram followers.
Through her entertaining and educational doodles, she is able to share much-needed information, connecting in a unique way with women who are seeking a helping hand in getting through their pregnancy and childbirth.
In the last few months women across the UK have had their parent education classes cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak so Marley’s free to access social media page, is sure to be a welcome resource as she covers everything from conception to pregnancy, birth and postpartum life in a down to earth and humorous style.
Marley exclusively explained to us how she learned to doodle. She said: “I got given a tablet one Christmas and just started playing around. I drew one picture of a pregnant stick lady and it went viral so I just continued. I’m no artist but I’ve certainly improved my touch over time! I choose specific subjects relating to pregnancy, birth and beyond.”
Marley’s perspective as a midwife of colour means that she can connect with a diverse audience. She also has an insight into the challenges faced by Black women, who are more likely to suffer complications (including death) during pregnancy, an inequality which is rarely discussed and still not understood properly.
Marley says: “There is some evidence that suggests that women of colour are more susceptible to conditions in pregnancy such as gestational diabetes and uterine fibroids. The risk still isn’t high enough however to explain such a difference in the number of women that are dying during pregnancy and childbirth. This is why we are looking into other areas that may pinpoint the reason why this is happening.”
The speedy growth of her Instagram page attests to the need for the midwifery knowledge that Marley shares through her doodles.
Following the success of the page, Marlena has now branched out into offering her expertise in a number of ways. She has been a speaker at The Baby Show at London’s Excel Centre, launched a series of downloadable birth guides, which can be found on her website and is now writing her first book, which is still a work in progress.
“There can be information overload when it comes to learning about pregnancy, birth and parenting. I will be publishing a book later on in the year that covers everything expectant parents need to know, that is easy to read and illustrated in a fun way.”
Marley still can’t believe the popularity of her page. “I now have people following and sharing my posts from all over the world! It’s hard to keep up sometimes, especially when I get so many wonderful messages from my followers.”
To find out more about Marley and see the doodles for yourself, head over to her Instagram page at @midwifemarley. Get hold of her free downloadable birth guides via her website www.midwifemarley.com.
