Jilly Clarke - Birth Doula in Hertfordshire, North London and West Essex
The pregnancy and birth support you need - to trust your body, your choices,
your birth
You've sat in appointments and left feeling unsure, like there's more you should know. You feel like there's a whole part of the puzzle that's missing.
You deserve more space to ask questions. More time to feel heard and supported.
You want support that doesn’t just tick boxes — but helps you trust your body, understand your choices, and feel emotionally held through it all.
That’s what I offer as your doula across Hertfordshire — supporting births at Lister hospital, Barnet hospital, Edgware Birth Centre, Princess Alexandra hospital Harlow and at home around Hertfordshire and North London.
• Imagine having someone you trust to guide you through every question, every wobble, every moment of doubt — not with opinions or pressure, but with resources, calm, and deep respect for your instincts.
• Imagine having unwavering support — for you and your birth partner. Someone who holds space for your birth partner too, so they can just be there with you, without carrying the full weight of knowing what to do.
• Imagine preparing for birth with someone who truly sees you — who doesn’t just teach you what might happen, but helps you feel safe, strong, and ready to shape the experience you want, not the one you’re handed.
• And imagine being nurtured through early parenthood by someone who’s still right there — holding space for your emotions, helping with feeding and rest, easing the load, and reminding you: you’re doing this. And you’re not doing it alone.
What is a doula?
A doula is a professional birth partner.
Quite honestly, the best investment you’ll make in pregnancy.
Because this isn’t just about birth. It’s about how you feel during it. How you carry the biggest day of your life, every day, for the rest of your life.
Birth impacts how you step into parenthood. How you carry the story forward.
A doula isn’t a midwife. I don’t replace medical care.
But I do offer something no one else in the room is trained to provide: continuous, personalised, emotional and physical support, from pregnancy through to birth and beyond.
I don’t clock off at shift change.
I don’t rush your questions.
I don’t make decisions for you.
I support you and your birth partner to feel calm, confident and fully seen. Whether that’s breathing with you through every surge, helping you advocate during a tough conversation, or simply holding your hand when everything else feels too much.
I work for you.
Not the hospital. Not the system. Not your birth plan.
Just you.
And when you look back at your birth, however it unfolds, I want you to know, deep in your bones; I did that. I was supported. I was in charge.
I don’t advocate a certain type of birth (hospital / home / vaginal / caesarean). I advocate for a positive birth - and that looks different for every person, and it could change throughout our time together. This is why it’s so important to me to spend time getting to know you, your wishes, your needs.
I’m here to support every birth but am a specialist in supporting: "high risk" pregnancies, hypermobility, chronic conditions prior to pregnancy, VBAC (Vaginal births after caesarean), previous traumatic birth experiences.
What working with me as your doula looks like
Every doula is different and you need to find the right fit for you — here’s what you can expect when we work together:
We start with a free call. A relaxed conversation to see if we’re the right fit. No pressure. Just connection.
Then we prepare — together. Through in-person or virtual antenatal sessions, we unpack your hopes, explore your options, and make space for any fears or uncertainties. I help you plan in a way that feels empowering, not overwhelming. You'll have access to my comprehensive online antenatal and hypnobirthing course, and depending on the package, in person group sessions and pregnancy yoga.
I can attend your appointments. Depending on the package you choose, I can be available to attend any antenatal appointments where you feel like you need some extra support. To help you advocate, and to be the person who remembers the details.
From 38 weeks, I’m on call for you — day and night. When labour begins, I’m by your side. Whether you start at home or in hospital, I stay with you throughout. No shift changes. No interruptions (except to go to the loo!).
During birth, I support you both. Through movement, breath, massage, and mindset. I help you stay centred, adapt when things change, move through labour to help baby move down and to help you feel grounded no matter what comes up.
And I stay with you into parenthood. In the early days, I check in. We talk through the birth. I support with feeding, rest, and anything else that’s needed to help you settle into this new chapter.
Doula packages and pricing
This isn’t just someone to show up on the day.
This is deep preparation, expert guidance, and unwavering support. Being held, prepared, and powerfully supported throughout.
From your very first questions through to those quiet, messy, beautiful early days of parenthood. From navigating appointments to breathing through surges — from birth plans to postnatal tears — you’ll never be left figuring it out alone.
All packages include access to my full online course library (worth £150+), covering pregnancy, birth, postnatal recovery and parenting.
Payment plans available – pay in 3 instalments. A non-refundable deposit secures your place, once we've had our discovery call.
Jilly - Hertfordshire and North London Doula packages
Level 1 - Virtual Doula Support - £795
Expert support, emotional grounding and tailored guidance — from wherever you are
• Two Zoom-based private antenatal sessions
• WhatsApp, text and phone support from booking until birth
• Virtual support during labour (voice, text, or video as needed)
• One postnatal debrief session via Zoom
• Full access to CubCare online courses (worth £150+)
Perfect for:
Those who want meaningful, flexible doula support even if we can’t be in the same room.
Level 2 - In-Person Doula Support - £1,995
In-person labour support, with tailored birth prep and postnatal care — plus access to additional expert-led resources
• Three private, in-person antenatal sessions to plan, prepare physically and emotionally
PLUS access to:
• Full CubCare antenatal group course (worth £265)
• 10-week pregnancy yoga pass (worth £100)
• On-call support from 38–42 weeks - available 24/7 for the birth, never more than 1hr away
• Full in-person support during labour and birth
• Two postnatal visits for feeding, emotional wellbeing and recovery support
• WhatsApp and phone support from booking to 2 weeks postpartum
• Access to CubCare online parenting courses (worth £150+)
Perfect for:
Families who want personalised birth preparation, in-person continuity, and access to trusted resources and movement support to feel truly ready.
Level 3 - Continuity Doula Care - £2,595
The most complete doula experience — total continuity, every appointment, every decision, every stage
• Attendance at all key antenatal appointments (consultant, scans, midwife, hospital planning, etc.)
• Four private, in-person antenatal sessions including:
Birth preferences, mindset and emotional planning
Partner-focused session for birth roles, communication and teamwork
Nervous system and movement-based preparation
Postnatal planning and practical support prep
PLUS access to:
• Full CubCare antenatal group course (worth £265)
• 10-week pregnancy yoga pass (worth £100)
• On-call from 38–42 weeks - available 24/7 for the birth, never more than 1hr away
• Full in-person support during labour and birth
• Three postnatal visits tailored to your needs — feeding support, emotional processing, recovery care
• WhatsApp and phone support from booking to 6 weeks postpartum
• Access to CubCare’s full online parenting course library (worth £150+)
Perfect for:
Those who want to feel fully supported at every step — in appointments, in labour, in their recovery and transition to parenthood. This is high-touch care from someone who’s all in on your story.
Why choose me as your doula?
Because birth is too important to go it alone.
You want to feel informed, steady, and held — not rushed, dismissed, or left second-guessing. You want someone beside you who knows the local NHS system, but trusts your instincts.
That’s what I offer. Calm, connected, evidence-based support — the kind that stays with you from your first appointment to your last postpartum tears.
I live in Welwyn Hatfield and support births across Hertfordshire, including Lister Hospital, Barnet Hospital, Edgware Birth Centre, Princess Alexandra (Harlow), Luton & Dunstable, and home births throughout the area.
I’m also by your side during pregnancy — in the waiting room at QE2, in appointments with your community midwife, and in the background of every conversation that matters.
And it’s not just a nice-to-have. It’s proven to make a difference.
Evidence shows that having a doula can lead to:
Reduced risk of caesarean or instrumental birth
Reduced need for epidurals or strong pain relief
Shorter labours and lower rates of induction
Increased parental satisfaction with the birth experience
Higher breastfeeding rates at birth and 6 weeks
Lower rates of postnatal depression symptoms
Improved equity and more culturally responsive care
That’s what continuous, person-centred support can do. But more than that — I’ll walk in with you when it matters. To appointments. Into labour rooms. Into the hard conversations.
I’ll help you feel strong in your body and confident in your choices. And I’ll hold space for your partner too — so they feel prepared, not pressured.
You don’t have to fit a mould to work with me. You just need to want care that goes deeper than the NHS system can offer — and a birth that feels like yours.
Client Feedback
“Adrian said that everything you taught in the Antenatal Course came in really handy. He knew the stages I was going through and he knew how to deal with me and help me through it.”
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Rachel - Active Hypnobirthing Antenatal Course
“I felt completely in control for the entire 26 hour labour – I just felt so calm, the breaths were incredible and the consultant commented on how she couldn’t believe I’d refused an epidural. I felt confident enough to question and on occasion challenge recommendations of the midwives so that the birth ended up being as natural as possible! A very positive experience to look back on. Thank you!!”
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Stephanie - Active Hypnobirthing Antenatal classes
“We were so glad we chose this course. Comprehensive without being too overwhelming, and really set us up to feel prepared and react calmly to the inevitable hiccups of birth and the first days with a new baby.”
Aki - Antenatal Course Welwyn Garden City
Hi, I'm Jilly and I'm your doula...
I’ve supported thousands of families through pregnancy, birth and parenting, but my journey started with my own.
After a difficult first birth, I realised how much was missing from the care and education I’d received. I did all the “right” things — NCT classes, reading the books, listening to the advice — but nothing prepared me for what it was really like to give birth in the NHS.
I knew I wanted something different next time.
So I trained. I immersed myself in hypnobirthing, biomechanics, active birth and movement science.
I learned how to advocate, how to plan for the unpredictable, and how to support people through the most powerful and vulnerable moments of their lives.
That personal transformation didn’t just come from learning new skills; it came from learning how to ask better questions.
Living with chronic conditions myself, I’ve spent years navigating medical systems that often overlook or oversimplify. It taught me how to research deeply, advocate clearly, and hold space for nuance and complexity. Skills that shape how I show up for my clients every day.
Second time around, my birth was calm, informed, and full of intention. A world away from the first. I still smile about it now, nine years on.
And I didn’t just birth differently. I parented differently. Because I felt strong, in control, and supported from the very beginning.
That’s what I want for you.
Whether this is your first baby or your fifth, whether you're hoping for a home birth or planning a caesarean, I’m here to help you build a birth experience that reflects you — your values, your voice, your strength.
And I’ll be right there with you. In the lead-up. In the room. And in those early days when everything changes.
FAQs
What does a doula actually do?
A doula offers continuous emotional, physical, and practical support throughout pregnancy, labour, and early parenthood. I’m not a midwife — I don’t offer clinical care (I can't take blood, listen to your baby, or do the magical bump feeling to work out where baby is) — but I do everything else. I help you understand your choices, prepare for the birth you want, feel calm and grounded through labour, and navigate the early weeks with confidence. I’m the steady presence who doesn’t leave when the shift changes, who knows your birth preferences inside out, and who stays focused on you.
Can having a doula give me a better birth experience?
Yes — and not just in theory. Evidence shows that having continuous support from a doula can lead to shorter labours, fewer caesareans and interventions, less need for epidurals, and a higher likelihood of breastfeeding success. But beyond statistics, most people I support say the real difference is how they felt: safe, informed, and not alone. That emotional impact is just as important as the clinical outcomes — and it lasts.
(† Cochrane Reviews 2013 & 2017; MIDIRS 2014)
Do you support births at my local hospital or at home?
Most likely, yes. I support births at Lister Hospital (Stevenage), Barnet Hospital, Edgware Birth Centre, Princess Alexandra Hospital (Harlow) and Luton & Dunstable Hospital, as well as home births across Hertfordshire and surrounding Essex and North/North West London borders. If you're planning to give birth in one of these hospitals, or you're still deciding, I can help you prepare for what to expect at each location and how to make it work for you.
What does 'on-call' mean — and when are you available for me?
Being on-call means I’m available for you 24/7, day or night, from the start of your on-call period until your baby is born. That includes keeping my phone on at all times, staying local (no more than an hour away from you).
For most clients, I’m on-call from 38 to 42 weeks, and I remain in close contact with you in the lead-up so you never feel like you're facing this alone. Once labour starts, I’ll come to you — whether you’re at home or heading into hospital — and stay with you until your baby is born and you're settled.
What’s the difference between your antenatal sessions and the antenatal course?
My CubCare antenatal course is a structured, evidence-based group programme that covers everything from labour physiology to practical prep and postnatal care. When you work with me as a doula, you'll be able to attend those, and also receive private antenatal sessions, which are one-to-one and entirely tailored to you. These sessions go deeper — exploring your birth preferences, decision-making tools, fears, hopes, and practical techniques specific to your body, your baby, and your circumstances. As a doula client, you get the best of both worlds.
Can I have a doula if I'm planning a caesarean or being induced?
Absolutely. A doula’s role is to support you, not a specific kind of birth. If you're having a planned caesarean, I help you prepare emotionally and practically, support you on the day, and stay connected postnatally to help you process the experience and recover. If you're facing an induction, I help you understand your options, prepare for a potentially longer or more medicalised process, and stay calm and confident through it. Every birth deserves support — not just the "natural" ones.
Will you support my partner too?
Yes — wholeheartedly. Birth partners often feel a huge weight of responsibility, but aren’t always sure what to do or say. I support them just as much as I support you. During our antenatal sessions, I help your partner feel prepared, confident, and involved. During labour, I hold the practical and emotional space so they can focus on connecting with you, without needing to have all the answers.
How far do you travel and what areas do you cover as a doula?
I’m based in Welwyn Hatfield, and I support births throughout Hertfordshire and the surrounding area (The Hertfordshire/Essex borders, and parts of North and North West London). This includes home births and hospitals like Lister, Barnet, Harlow (Princess Alexandra), and Luton & Dunstable. If you’re unsure whether I cover your area, just ask — if I can’t be there in person, my Virtual Doula Support package may be the perfect fit.
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Based in Welwyn Hatfield, offering local pregnancy support and doula services across Hertfordshire: St Albans, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Potters Bar, Stevenage, Harpenden, Hitchin, Barnet, Mill Hill and surrounding areas.
Online antenatal and postnatal education available UK-wide.
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