THE CLAPTON DOULA

BIRTH & POSTPARTUM

HACKNEY - LONDON

Welcome!

I’m Elly, The Clapton Doula (and formerly The Stokey Doula) and offer doula support, as well as birth and postnatal photography.  I’m a born Londoner and live close to Homerton Hospital and the Hackney Marshes in Clapton, Hackney in London with my partner and two children.  You can often see me walking around the Hackney Marshes with my dog!

I trained as a birth and postnatal doula (and as a hypnobirthing teacher with KG Hypnobirthing and later with The Birth Uprising) following the birth of my first child in 2018.  Her birth came after several years of infertility, IVF and pregnancy loss, and it took time to adjust to the reality of pregnancy and impending birth. Once I was ready, I put everything into finding out all I could about pregnancy and birth. I was determined to not let the birth of my child be defined by the medical intervention that defined her conception. As IVF pregnancies are often categorised as ‘high risk’, this was not straightforward but fuelled my determination.

I ended up having an extremely positive and empowering birth experience; one that I believe may not have been possible if I hadn’t prepared in the way that I did and if I had not armed myself with knowledge of the legal rights that we all have in birth (having over a decade of advocating for others as a lawyer may have helped).

I felt privileged to have experienced being pregnant and giving birth, and was not ready to leave that world behind.  Being able to support others through their pregnancies and onwards since then is endlessly fulfilling. 

Before undertaking a birth photography course, I often captured (with permission) images through my phone at my clients’ births and I also had the birth of my second baby photographed.  Recording such monumental and once in a lifetime moments felt truly powerful.  I am really excited to now be able to offer professional birth and postnatal photographs for my clients, either as part of a doula package or as a standalone service, documenting the life-changing transition into parenthood.

WHY CHOOSE A DOULA

When I became a doula, it was with the intention of empowering the people I would work with, allowing them to make the right decisions for them and enhancing their experience of birth and/or post-partum. For me, the key is feeling heard, supported and strong, no matter what your birth looks like and who you are. This is particularly important in a maternity system that does not standardly provide continuity of care and where intervention is normalised but often not necessary unless wanted by the birthing person.

There has been various research (for example, see here) that supports the assertion that there are real potential benefits to hiring a doula, including but not limited to:

  • Reduced risk of unplanned caesarean birth.

  • Reduced risk of instrumental birth.

  • Reduced need for painkillers or epidural during birth.

  • Reduced rate of induction of labour.

  • Shorter labour.

In my opinion, the most important factor (whether or not induction or other interventions take place), is that you enter your birth feeling informed and prepared, which in turn provides decision-making tools and so the ability to give true consent when needed.

Head over to my services page to see what I offer.

REVIEWS FROM MY CLIENTS

Max - London N16 (January 2024)

“As new parents without nearby family support, we were overwhelmed with the challenges of adjusting to parenthood. That's when Elly stepped in, not just as a Doula but as a guiding light during our most vulnerable times. Her expertise in all aspects of parenting, from sleep training to breastfeeding, was invaluable. She was always ready with practical advice, tips, and tricks that seemed tailor-made for our situation.

What set Elly apart was not just her professional knowledge, but her warm, reassuring presence. She was more than a Doula; she was like an older sister or a caring aunty, always there to lend a supportive ear or share a word of encouragement when we needed it the most. Her positive attitude and pleasant demeanor made every interaction a joy.

Elly's support has been a cornerstone in our early journey into parenthood. She helped us navigate the rough waters with grace and confidence, always making us feel heard and understood. We are immensely grateful for her guidance, reassurance, and the genuine care she showed our family. Any new parent would be lucky to have Elly by their side. She's not just a Doula; she's a true gem.

Thank you, Elly, for making our transition into parenthood a beautiful journey. We couldn't have done it without you!

Jade - London, N16 (October 2023)

“Elly was a legend, so happy we had her on our side during my pregnancy and the birth. She made us feel confident, empowered and excited about the birth of our first child. I don’t think I could have done it without her. She is very knowledgeable and super calm and reassuring. She is never judgmental either. She has a great aura that makes you feel safe. I highly recommend her services.”

Jennifer - Leyton, London (June 2032)

“My original motivation for hiring a doula was to ensure I had a birth partner if my husband had to stay at home with our 3 year old daughter. What Elly gave me, even just in the run up to the birth of my baby was so much more. She helped me recognise that I had a greater deal of control over the kind of birth I wanted than I previously thought and through her help and guidance I was able to prepare myself much more proactively for a conscious and calm birth.
Then came the birth itself, and after my waters broke, my labour speeded up so fast that I wasn’t able to make it to hospital on time. Without Elly this experience would have been so much more stressful. She calmly took control of the situation, letting my husband know what we’d need, guiding me through my contractions and in the end delivering my baby with the paramedics on standby. Ultimately, although unexpected I ended up having exactly the birth I would’ve wanted and I simply couldn’t have done it without Elly. I am so grateful to her!”