TESTIMONIALS
Click on a name to read the testimonial:
Flora P
Before waxing lyrical about Ebony, I should say that we’ve had two babies, two completely different births, worked with Ebony for both, and wouldn’t have been able to get through either as calmly and smoothly as we did, if it wasn’t for her kindness and expertise.
If you are looking for someone who makes you feel instantly calm yet empowered, who works brilliantly with your partner, who can be as ’grounded’ or ‘woo woo’ as you like, and who has exceptional skills with breath work, hypnobirthing and acupressure. Seriously, Ebony is for you.
I was anxious about both my births as I’d had a string of miscarriages prior. Friends had used doulas in the past but hadn’t had great experiences with them.
After a LOT of research I found Ebony and instantly resonated with how down to earth and experienced she was. She wasn’t judgemental at all about things like epidurals, and was so up-to-date with legislation and rules/restrictions around covid.
My first birth was quintessentially ‘perfect’. Smooth labour, water birth, instant latch. Tick, tick, tick. But there was absolutely no way this wouldn’t have happened without Ebony. As soon as we got to hospital she showed me how to breathe properly. She dimmed the lights and got me in the shower. She played rhythmical music and applied acupressure which brought me along faster, and used essential oils and visual stimulus to help focus my mind and relax my…you know what.
All of this was done with my consent and a thorough explanation of why she was suggesting these things. She also worked brilliantly with the medical team and my husband throughout.
My second birth resulted in an emergency c-section.
After what seemed like a lifetime of pushing, with Ebony by my side, she spoke to the midwife and doctor. They promptly did a scan, saw my baby was facing the wrong way, and said we needed to take immediate action. They briefly attempted forceps, but very quickly decided a c-section was required.
I was pretty chilled (and out of it). I just wanted my baby to be safe! But my poor husband found the experience very scary as the baby was further along the birth canal than was safe, and he was asked to sign lots of forms. I am so glad Ebony was there to explain everything to us, keep us calm, and help me cope with the pain while I waited (what seemed like forever) for an epidural.
No matter your desired birth, or what type of birth you end up with, I would strongly recommend having Ebony by your side. More than a doula, she’s an incredibly kind, strong, informed and talented friend when you need one most.
James (Cait)
Hey Ebony, now that the dust has begin to settle, I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for all your help and support. I genuinely don’t know what we would’ve done without you at several points in the decision-making process, but your experience, calmness, care, guidance and positivity was everything we both needed to make the birth of Olivia Ray an amazing experience. Yes, it was long, and in places very hard, but also, I will never forget the home birth section of this. It was truly special and magical experience. Anyway, thank you. It will be lovely to all go to pub at some point and enjoy a glass of something to celebrate sometime. X
Susannah FB
Ebony was our doula for both our children’s births. From the moment we met Ebony we knew it was a good fit. She was calm, kind and knowledgeable, but also fun. She really put us at ease and helped us to set out a birth plan that was right for us. There was no judgment or pushiness for going down one path or another – she was open to whatever we wanted and provided the support and guidance we were looking for in order to achieve that. As ever, events got in the way both times and we ended up going down a different path but it didn’t matter and we were supported throughout. The first time Ebony was amazing at helping us deal with the complexities of having an induction after my waters broke but didn’t go into labour. She was so helpful to us and respectful of the NHS midwives. Second time, lockdowns prevented her being there at the birth but she was full of support and advice, in particular helping get into the right headspace after a difficult few weeks before the birth and then being very overdue. We’d highly recommend Ebony.
Emily S
Laura
Paula
As soon as you came in the energy transformed and even though I had been feeling calm until that point I then felt like I could finally surrender and let things flow because I knew you had my back (quite literally at some point).
I would’ve not made it without you.
You are an absolute godsend
Ellie
I had my first baby by elective C-section and although I knew I wanted a doula, I wasn’t sure how it would work with a C-section and whether getting a doula would really be worth it. I’m so, so glad I did and we had an amazing, positive birth experience because of Ebony. She is an incredibly calming presence and really helped both me and my husband get into the right headspace for the birth of our daughter. She helped us to write a birth plan that made our wishes clear and to advocate for ourselves at the hospital when we needed to, which meant we felt informed and in control throughout the birth. I would absolutely recommend Ebony if you’re considering having a doula, she provided us with much needed support and guidance during my pregnancy and the birth.
Effie D
As soon as I met Ebony I knew I wanted her to help hold my hand during pregnancy and childbirth. Her warmth and huge heart were evident as soon as we had our first meeting and I’m so grateful she was part of my childbirth experience.
In the months before my 2nd daughter arrived, Ebony was always at hand to talk me through my fears, as well as offering me divine moments of relaxation. And in the days before my labour Ebony came and calmed me in my own home which was such a treat.
The day itself was a whirlwind with my baby deciding to arrive quicker than anybody expected, but Ebony’s presence was always a relief and felt like a huge hug.
Thank you Ebony ❤️
Lauren Goodrum
Ebony played an invaluable role in the home birth of our daughter – I can’t imagine doing it again without her.
The perfect combination of expertise, humour, empathy and a gentle touch makes Ebony such a special doula.
It’s been two years since I gave birth… and we’re still raving about Ebony and our birth experience to anyone who’ll listen!
People ask us whether it was worth the money. Abso-f**king-lutely!
Opting to have a home birth, Ebony’s presence was invaluable. She allowed me to fully relax at home knowing she was an advocate for our birth preferences (and had a wealth of experience, unlike us!). She empowered my husband to take part in the birth and was the calm and authoritative voice that supported him in phone calls with the midwives and paramedics. Her massages and foot rubs were dreamy, and the physical support she gave me during contractions (hello pelvic girdle pain!) helped me push through mentally and physically.
Her ability to make both my husband and I feel safe, respected and empowered in this transformative moment, I believe, played a huge part in the positive home birth of our daughter. I hope we’ll be lucky enough to have her by our side as a doula again.
Olivia
I am very thankful to Ebony for contributing to our positive birth experience. This was my first baby and I was previously apprehensive about childbirth. However, our focused, informed sessions gave me calm confidence and a selection of tools to navigate the delivery of our little boy. A really personable and down to earth doula, I’d highly recommend. Thank you Ebony!
Veronique
Ebony was recommended to me by one of my colleague who told me that she assisted her for both her pregnancies.
I was about to have my first baby and as I had only been in Britain for 5 years, I was not familiar with the nhs and I was looking for someone to advise my partner and I.
Ebony has been an essential support in the birth of my daughter. She went above and beyond everything we expected from her, she stayed we us during the lengthy process of induction and comforted us both when I went through an unexpected postpartum hemorrhage. Without her it would have been a completely different experience and I am so grateful for everything she did for us three.
I can only highly recommend her services.
Julia and Andy
From the minute I first spoke with Ebony I knew we were going to get along. She immediately put me at ease, was reassuring and kind, always conscious not to overwhelm or bombard with information or technical terminology and overall just a really lovely human being. Someone you most definitely would benefit from having by your side in labour. She had lots of homeopathic tips and remedies to help with both preparation for labour and during the birth, one of which I believe I have to thank for such a relatively short labour for a first baby. When things got tough post birth Ebony was there to hold my hand whilst my husband held the baby and she let me squeeze it so hard but never once complained or lost her composure. I don’t know how I didn’t break it! I can’t speak highly enough of Ebony, she is an asset to any birth team, a calming presence and all round wonderful person.
Celine B
We were so lucky to have Ebony present at our first child’s birth (from which I still carried a lot of emotional baggage) and knew immediately that we wanted Ebony by our side for our second pregnancy. Ebony was amazing in the run up to the birth, helping me with the additional emotional burden I still carried due to our first experience. We ultimately decided on an elective Caesarian but ended up with a spontaneous labour and very speedy birth which Ebony just managed to get to! Having her present instantly calmed me and put me in the right frame of mind for this unexpected labour and she truly was instrumental in making this second labour a restorative experience. I could not recommend her highly enough and she will always be a treasured part of our two birth stories.
Kate and Chris
When finding a doula, I was looking for someone to provide emotional support, and who wouldn’t be dogmatic about a certain way of birthing. Ebony fulfilled both expectations to the max: she is a genuinely kind person who is open-minded and enthusiastic about all options. I was two weeks’ post-dates during which time I went slightly crazy with stress – regular phone calls with Ebony was the only thing that could calm me down. I actually credit Ebony‘s calming voice with getting things going – my waters broke after a conversation on the phone with her, and after a lot of stopping and starting, my contractions started for real after one of her calming touch sessions.
My husband was initially worried about hiring a doula as he thought it might replace his role – I think this is quite a common anxiety for birth partners. Nothing could have been further from the truth: Ebony‘s ante-natal sessions gave him the skills and confidence to be the best possible birth partner. During the labour, she timed contractions and spoke to the midwives, freeing Chris up to support me. Crazy as it sounds, my time in labour was one of the most magical, bonding experiences of our marriage. The contractions were intense and
exhausting but not painful – who knows why I experienced it that way, but I can’t believe that the hypnobirthing with Ebony didn’t have something to do with it. Ebony suggested different positions and acupressure points but she knew when to hang back and let us work together. Walking round the hospital car park with Chris on a winter
Sunday evening, hanging off bicycle racks while I was having contractions, actually felt romantic!
My birth ended up being more complicated than I would have liked – with induction, an epidural and ventouse delivery. With every decision that I had to make, Ebony listened to my fears and anxieties, and talked me through the options carefully. I never felt like she had an agenda or was pushing me in any particular direction – she supported me through the decisions but ensured they were mine alone.
Ebony‘s skills are endless – she is optimistic yet pragmatic, a brilliant listener who gets things done, gets on with everyone but is firm when she needs to be – she requested a ventouse when the doctor wanted to use forceps and if she hadn’t slipped me some illegal Gatorade during the pushing I don’t think I could have carried on. She was incredibly thoughtful throughout: when our daughter was being examined on the other side of the room, she took photographs and a video so we could see what was happening. My labour was long —
difficult in parts, intensely joyful at others — and having someone who had been there to talk through it afterwards helped us process it. Looking through the photos she took of the birth was both moving and healing.
Hiring a doula is obviously a very personal decision but based on our experience, I would urge you to do it! It was a strange and wonderful rollercoaster and there was no one better to have by our side during the joy and the tears. Now all I’m worried about is whether Ebony will be free for baby 2!
Emily McCart
I can’t rave about Ebony enough, in fact so much that my best friend has already booked Ebony for her birth.
She is a fountain of knowledge and very understanding of the birth you would personally like. She doesn’t enforce any views but will provide factual evidence so you can make your own informed decisions. For me she was the perfect blend of medical vs alternative.
Her expertise extends further than just during the birth, she gave top tips for everything for how your body delivers the baby to the best toys & beds to buy. I would still text her months after Eddie was born to ask her opinion…and she is always right!
During the birth she was extremely calm, very understanding, amazing at pressure point massage and guided me through my breathing, all while being very assertive with the medical staff.
Finally and most importantly for me she is a very genuine, loveable, warm person. I instantly liked her and felt very at ease in her company, she is non judgemental, funny, kind and I couldn’t have asked more from her during my birth.
Melanie Nolan
Although I was thrilled to discover I was pregnant I have to admit I was also scared about the process and with no close female relatives in London I was a bit uneasy about what support I would have on hand – I did some research and thought that a Doula sounded like the answer to my prayers. I did a lot of internet searching and realised that I needed to find someone I could relate to – someone who would understand where I was coming from and if possible try to steer clear of some of the ‘hippy’ cliches. And then I found Ebony! What a revelation.
Ebony is not only incredibly knowledgable with great experience, but she is so warm and supportive with a really great sense of humour. Ever since I met Ebony for a coffee after work when I was 5 months pregnant she’s been there for me. The only way I can think of to really explain my experience with Ebony was that having her by my side was like having a best friend who just happens to know absolutely everything there is to know about birth and early days. From the start we just ‘clicked’. Ebony really understood my hesitations and concerns, without ever preaching, she talked me through them and was able to recommend the best books and websites, sent me supportive texts and was with me every step of the way. I don’t know what I would have done with out her.
During the actual birth Ebony was an absolute Godsend – I don’t think my husband has ever been so happy to see anyone! Ebony and I had prepared for a natural water birth using hypnobirthing… although things didn’t exactly go as planned as my waters broke 24 hours before I actually went into labour. I was devastated to be missing out on the birth experience I’d imagined and was really emotional and Ebony absolutely took care of me. She stayed by my side the whole time, talked me through each step as I went through the contractions, Hypno-exercises, then the gas and finally an induced birth with epidural. Ebony was the one that held my hand during the birth and welcomed our little girl into the world. Having her support me is something I’ll never forget and I’ll always be grateful for.
I stayed a couple of nights in hospital and when I got home Ebony came around for post-natal chats and support and it was great to see a friendly-face and have a girlfriend to talk through the experience with.
I believe Ebony is just one of the world’s naturally caring people, I feel so lucky to have met her. She’s so easy to relate to and we really have a great laugh together. If I ever had any questions that Ebony couldn’t answer on the spot she would research the answer for me. I think of Ebony as not only the best decision I made for my birth experience but also as a friend, she’s a wonderful, wonderful woman.
Leah McCormack
Ebony came in with an attitude of total supportiveness and no judgment. She listened and comforted me when I shared with her how I ended up needing an emergency cesarian. She felt like an immediate friend.
She was always responsive, professional, and helpful. She is the kind of person that I felt like I could immediately be open with, and she is a pleasure to have around.
I would highly recommend Ebony. Her cheery, relaxed nature is exactly what new moms need around them. She is an amazing listener and I also felt very comfortable with her watching the baby; she is patient and capable and in general just gives off good energy.
Silvia and Rafael
My husband and I were supported by Ebony before, during and after the birth of our son in October 2014. We also attended her Hypnobirthing training. Ebony gave us a lot of information about the birthing process and labour. Together we evaluated our different options. We were confident and fortunate enough to have a home birth.
Ebony was absolutely perfect to have around. We enjoyed her humour, her spirit and her attitude. Ebony is highly empathetic. Whereas I am the relatively quiet and my husband more bubbly, Ebony understood it very well to balance her attention between me and my husband and gave me an absolute comfortable felling. I could really open up and be most relaxed around her. Ebony assisted us long before the midwife arrived, in preparing the rooms and help me coping with the surges.
After the birth Ebony was there with tips and emotional support and helped us with contacts from her wide network. I surely missed her positivity when having my second child in a different country. It is absolutely worthwhile hiring a Doula to assist with any pregnancy and birth, it makes a big difference.
Sara
We were looking to be as prepared for our little guy’s arrival as possible, and knew that like preparing for a marathon or exam, preparing for birth is just as essential. Ebony was an awesome “trainer”, full of information and techniques to help demystify giving birth and allow my husband to be part of the process which made me feel like it was truly a team effort. Her hypnobirthing sessions were such a crucial part of ensuring that our minds and hearts were ready, and we felt empowered that we had the ability to somewhat control how things would pan out when the time came.
The birth was everything we wanted; over and done with in 24 hours, no drugs, water birth, and Ebony was so relaxed that her calmness was definitely absorbed by me, my husband, the midwives and I reckon my son… his heart rate never changed during his birth.
It was after the baby arrived that Ebony truly showed the depth of her empathy and experience. I had some complications post birth with the placenta, and Ebony held my hand and helped me remained focused and calm while my husband could give his attention to our new baby. She didn’t leave my side in the ambulance and initial time at the hospital, and I really can’t thank her enough for her support during these hours. Everything was fine and we were out of the hospital and home before we knew it, and I really owe it to Ebony for the fact that even though there were some hiccups at the end, we had such an incredible birth and consequently a happy, healthy little man.
Rebecca
Rebecca R
>>> Ebony supported me through a long and difficult birth. I feel she cared and attended to me in the moments that my husband was unable to.
>>> She is incredibly nurturing and it felt like she understood my needs as a woman and knew my requests prior to the birth, so that during the labour she could be my voice and guide where necessary.
>>> Both myself and husband feel huge gratitude that we had her support and presence.
MA
Maia
Ebony was our doula at both of my births, and while these involved inductions, labour ward and epidurals she made the processs feel incredibly calm, in control and beautiful. I have such positive memories of birth and she really helped me overcome my initial extreme apprehension. She was extremely supportive of my decisions around pain relief (I wanted all of it!) and created a wonderful environment when the moment came. I will forever be grateful to her.
Divya
…Ebony was amazing with us and our little pre-baby unit of myself, my husband and our little . Not only did she take the time to explain all aspects of pre labour, labour and delivery that a new mom (or any pregnant person and their partner) should know but she also really took the time to sit with us, understand our personalities. This helped her give us really specific ways to manage our delivery process. She even gave us tips on how to position ourselves in our particular bathroom for optimum pain management which I had never even thought of. She was always available on the phone or chat and when I had some complications she really took the time to explain how to go about being well informed to make decisions for ourselves. I really valued her opinions and was very grateful to have her by our side. Would 100% recommend her to any ‘parents to be’ out there.
Tania F
Working with Ebony was fantastic. We felt informed and prepared for our birth and supported all the way through the process. We couldn’t have wished for a better birth partner. Ebony was a wealth of information and helpful at all points and we’d highly recommend working with her!
Kate MB
Hiring a doula was hands down one of the best decisions we made. I genuinely can’t imagine pregnancy or birth without Ebony on side —
the whole experience would have been utterly different. She is warm, wise and funny; full of common sense and an inspiration.
When finding a doula, I was looking for someone to provide emotional support, and who wouldn’t be dogmatic about a certain way of birthing.
Ebony fulfilled both expectations to the max: she is a genuinely kind person who is open-minded and enthusiastic about all options.
I was two weeks’ post-dates during which time I went slightly crazy with stress – regular phone calls with Ebony was the only thing that could calm me down. I actually credit Ebony’s calming voice with
getting things going – my waters broke after a conversation on the phone with her, and after a lot of stopping and starting, my contractions started for real after one of her calming touch sessions.
My husband was initially worried about hiring a doula as he thought it might replace his role – I think this is quite a common anxiety for birth partners. Nothing could have been further from the truth:
Ebony’s ante-natal sessions gave him the skills and confidence to be the best possible birth partner. During the labour, she timed contractions and spoke to the midwives, freeing Chris up to support me. Crazy as it sounds, my time in labour was one of the most magical,
bonding experiences of our marriage. The contractions were intense and exhausting but not painful – who knows why I experienced it that way, but I can’t believe that the hypnobirthing with Ebony didn’t have
something to do with it. Ebony suggested different positions and acupressure points but she knew when to hang back and let us work together. Walking round the hospital car park with Chris on a winter
Sunday evening, hanging off bicycle racks while I was having contractions, actually felt romantic!
My birth ended up being more complicated than I would have liked – with induction, an epidural and ventouse delivery. With every decision
that I had to make, Ebony listened to my fears and anxieties, and talked me through the options carefully. I
never felt like she had an agenda or was pushing me in any particular direction – she supported me through the decisions but ensured they were mine alone.
Ebony’s skills are endless – she is optimistic yet pragmatic, a brilliant listener who gets things done, gets on with everyone but is firm when she needs to be – she requested a ventouse when the doctor
wanted to use forceps and if she hadn’t slipped me some illegal Gatorade during the pushing I don’t think I could have carried on. She was incredibly thoughtful throughout: when our daughter was being
examined on the other side of the room, she took photographs and a video so we could see what was happening. My labour was long — difficult in parts, intensely joyful at others — and having someone
who had been there to talk through it afterwards helped us process it.
Looking through the photos she took of the birth was both moving and healing.
Hiring a doula is obviously a very personal decision but based on our experience, I would urge you to do it! It was a strange and wonderful rollercoaster and there was no one better to have by our side during
the joy and the tears. Now all I’m worried about is whether Ebony will be free for baby 2!
Melin
Ebony was simply wonderful – and it was definitely the best decision to work with her for the birth of our daughter. She is calm, super knowledgeable and even made the birth preparation fun and enjoyable for my husband. When i was getting nervous, she was always available for questions or just a friendly calming chat in the months prior to giving birth. With her guidance and support, i was able to have a great birth experience using the hypnobirthing techniques she taught us. And after giving birth, she supported us in the first weeks with breastfeeding advice and as a helping hand through the newborn stage. If you are looking for a kind, caring and knowledgeable doula, i couldn‘t recommend her more highly!
Christina Morris
I’m so happy that we found Ebony. The midwife system meant that I didn’t see the same person at any point. To have Ebony there to guide me through birth and hypnobirthing was really transformational to my experience, and it made me feel relieved to have some continuity. Living some distance from my family, it felt warm and comforting to be able to have Ebony in my corner to advocate for me. Also, she gave my husband great insight so he knew what to advocate for too. My baby arrived very quickly and we were told not to call Ebony because he was already on his way. Boy, am I glad I ignored the midwife who told us that! In the heat of the chaos with midwifes and a doctor, heartbeat checking the baby and whispering worryingly, Ebony entered the room like a ray of sunshine. Having made us already feel at ease in our home with meditation and breathing exercises, she launched into action. She offered us both a herbal pill, put our playlist on and massaged my hands and head. She comforted us and she’s exactly what I needed for the final pushes. Thank you Ebony. You made my son’s birth story peaceful when it was, very nearly, stressful and I will always be grateful for that.
Kate McEnery Evans
Ebony was simply the best birthing partner I could have asked for! From the first moment I met her, I felt immediately at ease and confident that I’d made the right choice having her as my doula. The sessions we had ahead of the birth were immensely helpful. Talking me through things to think about and tips for the run up to the birth, as well as the labour itself – selecting a scent, key music, and candles for during the labour to support a relaxing and comforting environment, as well as more practical things like my birthing plan for the midwives.
Having created my ‘zen’ space, I was so comfortable and in the zone at home in the first part of the labour, that it was Ebony who finally insisted that we must leave for the hospital. Which was just as well, as it would likely have resulted in an unplanned home birth given the speed with which my son then arrived!
It was her intuitiveness, and all the small things that she was able to introduce to help me as the birth progressed that I am forever grateful to her for; from homeopathy, massage, to a comb in my hand to help focus the pain, through to having a hot water bottle on hand when I started to shiver post birth. She did things in a very unobtrusive and supportive way, and I was aware of her calming presence the whole way through.
I honestly can’t thank her enough. I have such positive memories of the whole experience and would recommend her to anyone considering a doula.
Emily Anstead
We decided to get a doula after we became pregnant shortly after having a miscarriage. The experience had left us bruised and very nervous and we wanted someone experienced and kind to help us navigate through this new pregnancy and birth, to provide us with the knowledge and reassurance we now realised we needed. We don’t have a lot of family and certainly not anyone who would support us during birth, so a doula seemed like a sensible option. We spoke with a few doulas but the minute we spoke with Ebony on the phone, we knew she was right for us. She was warm, approachable and fun, but very respectful of our relationship and just seemed to ‘get’ us and what we needed. From the minute she was on board we felt like an unstoppable team. My husband never felt sidelined, just supported and empowered to best support me. Ebony was always there when I needed to talk and gave us so much useful info (more than NCT or books ever did) to make us feel informed and empowered ahead of the birth.
I found the visualisations she did particularly helpful and we practised them as a couple regularly too which really helped with the nerves.
The birth of my first son, Jude was one of the most incredible, empowering and beautiful days of my life. That’s not to say it all went smoothly or I had a dream natural birth. It didn’t go to the birth plan AT ALL. It was long and at times painful. But I felt so calm and was able to take on every twist and turn with ebony at our side. Holding my baby in my arms was the most beautiful moment and I felt like a superwoman. Ebony sent us a photo card a few days later saying ‘what a team’ and I just l loved seeing the photos she’d discretely taken of my husband and I during labour.
When I was pregnant again 1.5 years later, I called ebony immediately. Unfortunately due to covid 19, she couldn’t be with us for the birth of my second son, Felix, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it was a much more difficult experience. However she was still amazing helping us to prepare for it and supported my husband virtually during the birth when he needed help supporting me. She also dropped everything to go and pick up my medication from the hospital the day after I was sent home, when we didn’t have any childcare. Just seemingly small things like that make all the difference when you don’t have family to help.
I would recommend Ebony to anyone. She’s an amazing doula and a pleasure to hang out with (which is essential when your labour lasts 3 days!!). Thank you for all you did to bring my beautiful boys into the world 💜
Laura and Adam
Jenny Butler
Having a doula to support me during pregnancy and in labour and choosing Ebony to be my doula was the best decision that I made and one I have no regrets about.
I have a history of recurrent miscarriage and had a traumatic delivery with my first son so I was really conscious of the doula that I chose needed to be mindful of my history and able to support me in a trauma informed way. Ebony was able to do this. She was kind, caring, supportive and considerate of my history at all times. She enabled me to find my voice and advocate for myself prior to my delivery and during my labour she was on hand to ensure my wishes and needs were met by the hospital team.
Ebony’s inclusive style ensured that my husband was not forgotten and he found her direction and support really beneficial during labour.
With Ebony’s support, I was able to have the labour that I wanted and it has helped me to heal from the first difficult labour I experienced. I will forever be thankful that she helped me to do this and I would encourage anyone thinking of having a doula to chose Ebony. You won’t regret it!
Scott and Emma
When we decided that Ebony was the right person to come with us on our birth journey in Feb 2020 we could never imagine what was coming our way. At this point I really thought that the main reason we needed a Doula was to help and support my husband to stick to a birth plan and make informed decisions while I was busy having a baby. I couldn’t have been more wrong!
When lockdown 1 happened and we all thought it was going to be short lived, Ebony was so accommodating with getting our sessions done in a way we all felt comfortable with. All of our sessions were helpful to get us prepared, got us thinking about things we had never considered and helped us to make some kind of plan at an uncertain time.
As my due date approached and passed (by 3 whole weeks)Ebony helped me so much in preparing for the birth. Sending lots of practical holistic things I could try to move things along but also to help me feel prepared when our baby decided to put in an appearance! I had a hard time navigating the NHS on my own, as partners were still not allowed to appointments, with increasing pressure to have an induction which I didn’t want but felt like I had no choice but to have. The support that Ebony gave me at this time was invaluable, she helped my understand what I was in control of, made helpful reading recommendations and taught me to advocate for myself and my choices. Ebony was always there at the end of the phone if I needed advice or also often, a cry.
The skills that Ebony taught me while being our Doula are skills that I‘ve used again during my second pregnancy. Although Ebony didn’t end up with us at the birth she was absolutely instrumental in making sure I had a birth experience that was positive and that I was comfortable with at a time where it felt my choices were so limited. Turns out my husband didn’t need very much help at the birth, it was very quick, but he is ever grateful to Ebony for empowering me during those last few weeks.
Thanks so much Ebony, I really do wish I had the words to explain how much you helped me.
Vicki S.
Ebony is a most talented Doula and I can’t recommend her highly enough. She supported me through my pregnancy and the hypno-homebirth of my second son Donovan in 2014. I’m currently pregnant with 3rd baby and when we found out we were expecting again the first thing we did was book Ebony for the upcoming birth. Some specific notes from our experience;
Knowledge and passion – Ebony is deeply passionate and well read about all things maternity and birth related. The fact that she’s also KG hypnobirthing teacher trained is a real plus for us as that was fundamental to the birth approach we believe in.
Experienced, well respected and connected in the doula network – so even if there was something she hadn’t had direct personal experience of herself, Ebony was quickly able to consult with other doulas and share reassuring examples and experience from other mothers.
Personality, humanity and connection – as soon as I met Ebony I knew she was the doula for us. Her warmth and personality meant that I instantaneously felt I trusted and believed in her and very quickly felt comfortable with her as if she were an old friend. For me this meant when our son’s birthing day arrived she immediately and unobtrusively slipped in to her role and I genuinely felt we were a seamless team. This total trust and the resultant relaxation (I’m usually a control freak) enabled me get in to my hypnobirthing zone, and Ebony guided me to a position that worked, with light tough massage techniques that fit perfectly with my hypnobirthing practice.
Ebony’s respect for the role of father/birth partner – again a significant point for us, particularly as we were hypnobirthing. Of course the Doula role during labour is primarily to support the birthing mother but Ebony connected so well with my husband too during our antenatal appointments that it was really empowering for him.
Respectful and sympathetic of our history – our first baby was stillborn at 36wks and Ebony’s incredible skills meant that she was such a fundamental support during our anxious second pregnancy and the ultimate wonderful homebirth. For me it was so important to be able to take back some control and have the birth I wanted second time round and Ebony truly enabled that. I had a wonderfully positive birth experience and genuinely could not imagine doing it without Ebony on my team.
Mallory Kauppila
I had the pleasure of having Ebony as my birth and post-natal doula. She was the greatest friend I never knew I had until I delivered my daughter, Imogen. Ebony is a wealth of information and support – just what I needed with the overwhelming, emotional and unpredictable days of early motherhood! Her warm, friendly and can-do demeanour makes it easy to open up, ask for help and not at all uncomfortable having her around your home at such a crazy, but special, time. She’s the best listener – extremely empathetic and completely non-judgemental. I would highly recommend Ebony to anyone looking for friendly, caring and knowledgable support throughout their pregnancy and after.
Melina and Neal
To have Ebony as our birth doula and to do the hypnobirthing class with her was honestly one of the best decisions we ever made. We had a really positive birth experience and I will always be grateful for the wonderful preparation & support from her throughout the pregnancy, labour & birth. She is an amazing person & I wholeheartedly recommend her as a doula.
R & N
Rebecca
Ebony has been wonderful and exactly what I was looking for in a doula! She has a warm, bubbly personality and is a calm, emphatic listener with an incredible wealth of knowledge on all things birth. She gave me total support with no judgement whatsoever. She was always available for a comforting chat, especially when things didn’t go as planned (as they do!) and after birth.
Dulcie
You totally are Mary Poppins – you’re clearly better than her in fact because you can also advise on jeggings and know about hilarious baby dancing videos on YouTube!