Katherine Knapp

About Me

It’s great that you’re thinking about support in the early days, we aren’t meant to do this alone. Whether you’re welcoming your first baby or your fourth, adjusting to the shifts and changes a new life can bring takes time and it can be challenging and exhausting. I can offer flexible support and help whatever that might look like to you.

I’m Katherine, a 43  year old Recognised Postnatal Doula based in Surrey. I live in Dorking with my husband James and our three  children aged 15, 13 and 9. I have been a doula since 2018 and have been working with new families as a sling consultant and breastfeeding peer supporter since 2016.

My support will always be warm, compassionate and non-judgemental, as your doula I will walk alongside you through your joys, doubts and anxieties, I will work with you to create a space where you feel nurtured, valued and supported.

As your postnatal doula I can give you some extra time and space so you can:

Rest and recover from your birth.

Bond with your new arrival, spend time being together and getting to know one another.

Establish feeding and develop an understanding of your baby’s cues.

Gently introduce a new sibling and spend time connecting with your other children.

I can offer you practical help, I can do light housework, hang the washing, load the dishwasher -all those little tasks that often feel like they are mounting up and taking up a lot of head space.

I love cooking and can make you and your family nutritious and tasty meals, snacks and treats to keep you going day and night.

I will happily entertain your other children, giving you precious time to rest or focus on your newborn, I have spent several years as a primary school teaching assistant and running a busy toddler group so I am familiar and comfortable with children of all ages.

I can offer you a listening ear and a safe space on your journey to becoming a mother and above all I can support you to be kind and compassionate to yourself as you adapt to the changes a new baby can bring.

As your doula I can act as a bridge or short cut to other sources of information and support, in the haze of sleep deprivation and vulnerability it can often seem hard to find them. Whether it’s a free breastfeeding drop in or a baby massage class, I will be there for you as you explore your options and find your way.

Get in touch: Thank you for taking the time to read this, if you’d like to arrange a time to meet and chat about how we might work together please get in touch here or through my website. I’m always happy to chat and our first meeting is free of charge and without obligation.

K x

Some kind words from families I have supported recently:

“Katherine was, without a doubt, our secret weapon to enjoying – and thriving during – post natal recovery with our third child. Her warmth and guidance is both practically and emotionally helpful, and those early weeks felt so much easier. By looking after us all at a time when I was depleted, it meant I had time to nap, eat well (she’s a delicious cook!), and have the energy to enjoy our baby, whilst offering a listening ear and reassurance to the endless “am I doing this right” questions I had. Having a doula might feel like a “nice to have” luxury spend, but as an investment into my mental, physical and emotional health – aswell as more time – it’s hands down the best money we spent to help our family. Katherine was such a joy to have in our home at a time when things are both exciting and stressful. I wish I had known about her with my first two!”

August 2022

“We had never really heard of ‘doulas’ before and were unsure about having a stranger help us at home with our new baby and toddler, but we are so grateful that we made contact with Katherine. Katherine was with us for about a year and during that time she was a huge help to our family; she cared for our new baby beautifully whilst cooking some lovely meals and offering gentle moral support. I cannot overstate the positive impact having her around had on us all and I would not hesitate to recommend Katherine to anyone who is in need of a helping hand.”

July 2022

“Katherine is friendly, knowledgeable and super helpful. Not only is she great with my daughter but she is also an amazing cook and does all of this whilst concurrently providing emotional support at a time when you are adjusting to motherhood. I wish I’d found her sooner!”

April 2021

“I was so lucky to find Katherine as my doula. I was due my second baby, and after a traumatic birth with complications after my first, I wanted to ensure I had the right support so I could enjoy the early days with my newborn this time.

Katherine has a calm, kind nature, I trusted her immediately and her support was brilliant. She is totally non-judgemental and has a wealth of knowledge about postnatal support in the local community. Katherine is a wonderful doula and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to any new mum”

November 2019

“I think Katherine is everything you could ask for in a doula: calm, gentle, thoughtful and curious, hugely supportive and lovely with the baby.”

September 2019

“Katherine’s support has changed my experience of being a new mum. Knowing that a calm and helpful presence is coming once a week makes me so much more confident. We use her visits to get things done that I can’t manage on my own or to catch up if I get behind on daily chores, and also make use of her knowledge of baby care and baby wearing. She has a gentle manner and great affinity with little babies, my son loves her and enjoys her visits as much as I do. Highly recommended.”

July 2019

Recent Training:

I am passionate about all things birth and early parenthood, I love learning and continue to update my knowledge on a regular basis. Here are some of the workshops and courses I have attended over recent years:

2016

• The Association For Breastfeeding Mothers, Mother Supporter Course.
• Slingababy Sling Consultant Training.
• Active Listening and Basic Counselling Skills, Wibke Holt, Carry On London.
• The Benefit of Skin to Skin Contact and Applying TICKS in Kangaroo Care, Nicole Hastie, Carry On London, 2016

2017

• ‘Infant Mental Health’, Wibke Holt, The Northern Sling Exhibition, Sheffield
• ‘Using Slings and Wraps in Labour and Beyond’, Sophie Messager, Slingababy CPD
• ‘Understanding Newborns’, Younique Postnatal, London
• 8 week Breastfeeding Peer Support Course with Jill Sheperd IBCLC

2018

• ‘Breastfeeding Case Studies’ Study Day with Maddie McMahon, Haywards Heath
• ‘Understanding Infant Behaviour’ Emily Fackrell Director of CalmFamily CIC, Slingababy CPD
• ‘Postnatal Doula Preparation Course’, Younique Postnatal, Midhurst
• ‘Perinatal Mental Health’, A 1 day Workshop led by Dr. Jo. Gee Psychotherapist, Mummas Wellbeing, Guildford.

2019

• ‘Nurturing New Baby and Me’ A 3 day course with Lynn Murphy, The Active Birth Centre, London.

2020

• ‘Understanding and Preventing Reflux’ Workshop with Younique Postnatal, London.
• ‘An Introduction to Postnatal Shiatsu’ with Well Mother, Surrey.

2021

• ‘Holistic Sleep Mini Course’ with Lyndsey Hookway, Online.

I am fully insured, DBS checked and hold a 12 hour Paediatric First Aid qualification.