Carly Harding-Jones

About Me

First of all, congratulations wherever you are in your motherhood journey.

I am indeed a mother myself to a little boy Ruben, but we call him Ruru. A pregnancy full of lots of downs mentally and physically made me want to encourage a positive birth. I started Marie Mongan Hypnobirthing in my third trimester and found some relief in the relaxation that I had struggled to find earlier in my pregnancy. With a lot of practice I had, to my surprise, a quick and very enjoyable natural birth.

However, my journey began once I had my baby. I’d always found it difficult to imagine life with a newborn. It felt an alien concept and I felt a lack of maternal instinct despite my gained knowledge from classes and other mother’s stories during pregnancy. Ru was a baby that cried (rather screamed) a lot and we later found out he had silent reflux. In addition, I hadn’t been well myself. Undiagnosed Hashimotos and PND was a slow recovery for me, but one that has inspired me to want to help other mums. I breastfed my baby and support those who choose to do so but I believe it is a mother’s choice and can help you feed your baby anyway you wish.

Before embarking on my journey of supporting mothers, babies and the family as a whole, I had a wonderful career as a broadcast sound engineer for TV. Once a mother my priorities changed as I believe many mothers feel. My husband worked away a lot and I just felt alone, not physically but mentally. I surrounded myself with friends and activities but in hindsight, I wish I’d had more down time at home enjoying my baby instead of trying to constantly distract myself. Of course I became exhausted very quickly and I wondered how I could have helped this…

Cue postnatal doula!

Medically, we aren’t going to advise you. In fact I won’t tell you to do anything, you already know what’s best, being that you are the mother of your child/children. But I can help you with gaining the information you need and empowering you to make choices you feel confident and happy with. I can give you an understanding of what your body may be doing physically at any stage and I have compassion with many emotional states post birth. A doula’s role is to provide you with support and encouragement to become the mother you want to be. I have a healthy respect for modern medicine and all our hard working medical staff but I also like to find alternative and complementary therapies that work well alongside science. I keep a balance and will explore this further with you if you wish.

I spend a great deal of time with new mothers and have a real personal happiness in giving my best to make this exciting, if not a little daunting, chapter of your own story a little easier.

We can certainly discuss the next points further but these are a few things you might like to consider that a postnatal doula can help you with:

 

• The first and MOST important of all the things a doula can provide is the innate ability to be able to listen, and I mean listen. I don’t mean reflecting back to ourselves or providing you with our own solutions, we are a listening ear. We want to understand you and your own unique journey
• Adjusting to newborn sleep patterns
• Assisting you to get some kip or have a shower/bath by holding baby or looking after other children
• Giving confidence in feeding baby
• Bathing baby and newborn care
• Using all my local knowledge to point you in the right direction for classes or other support
• Shopping, preparing food
• Light housework, washing, tidying, vacuuming
• Looking after pets and dog walking
• School/nursery runs

I wouldn’t expect any two mothers or two babies to be the same but I do sometimes think, realising you are not alone is the key to happiness.

Here are a few of my credentials and CPD:

• Accredited Birth Bliss Doula Course (Doula UK Accredited)

2016 Wandsworth, London

•  Diploma Katherine Graves Hypnobirthing (RCM Accredited)

2016 Belgravia, London

•   Introduction to Essential Oils Workshop                                          

2016 This Wholesome Life, London

•  Diploma Online Academies Aromatherapy                                        

2016 Online

• Maternity, Midwifery & Baby – Seminar                                              

2017 Lillie Road, London

•  New Insights presented by Birth Companions        

2017 Royal Society of Medicine, London

•  Family First Aid with Caroline of West London Babies                

2017 Chiswick, London

•  KG Hypnobirthing Observation                                                              

2017 St Thomas’ Hospital, London

•  Essential Oils for Pregnancy & Labour                                                

2017 This Wholesome Life, London

• Rebozo Workshop (RCM Accredited)                                                    

2017 Way of the Koi, Bristol

•  ABM Mother Supporter Module                                                              

2017

• Kicki Hansard’s Antenatal and Birth Preparation course              

2017 Hertfordshire

• Diploma Online Academies Reflexology                                        

Current Online

• ABM Training Breastfeeding Counsellor                                        

Current

•  Regularly attend local Positive Birth Movement meetings    

Current

 

My services are flexible and I try my very best to work around your availability and your personality. You can get in touch via the phone, email or through my website.

What some clients have said about me:

“She has been an invaluable source of emotional and practical support for the whole family…Very calm and considered and is very knowledgeable about birth, the post natal period and breast feeding; all of which is evidenced based and is underpinned by detailed research and continued professional development.”

 

“Carly was my first choice as she was straight forward and efficient…Very hands on and fun to be with!” 

 

“She is very positive and has great energy as well as being really knowledgeable.”

 

“She came to our home and made my husband and I feel at ease immediately.”

 

“Making the decision to have a child – it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ”
― Elizabeth Stone

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