Tappon, Ellen

Ellen 在我们的生产旅程中发挥了非常重要的作用，我们真的无法想象没有她事情会怎样发展。她帮助我们了解各种选择，并做出对我们来说合适的决定；在我们需要时为我们发声；当事情变得困难时，她也安慰并支持我们。 Ellen 不仅是我们生产团队中一位很棒的成员，她还帮助我们成为彼此更好的队友。她知道何时以及如何支持我们每一个人，并帮助我们一起应对这段经历。 我们尤其欣赏她以证据为基础的分娩理念，以及她对本地区孕期、分娩和产后资源的广泛了解。我们觉得可以和她谈任何事情。她始终充满同情心，而且总是要么直接帮助我们，要么准确地知道该指引我们向谁寻求帮助。我们非常感激她成为我们这段旅程的一部分，并会 wholeheartedly 向任何正在寻找导乐的人推荐她。

Ellen在各个层面都给予了我极其出色的支持。在我们进行IVF冷冻胚胎移植之前，我们就开始与她合作，因为我之前已经经历了三次流产，在面对第四次怀孕时，我需要有人支持我应对焦虑和担忧。她始终非常理解我，也认可我的感受。她提供了很好的、信息丰富且以证据为基础的资源，并陪伴我梳理感受、处理思绪，帮助我为自己做出最合适的选择。在我长达39小时的分娩过程中，Ellen简直像超人一样。我不知道她是如何在这么漫长的分娩中始终如此专注且给予支持的，但我知道没有她，我不可能做到。在当下，她帮助我梳理那些我感到挣扎的决定，以及那些我原本希望避免、但在那个时刻却有必要进行的干预。我感到自己得到了深切的支持和关怀。我强烈推荐她给任何正在寻求整体性支持的人！

如果没有我的优秀导乐 Ellen Tappon 陪伴我两个孩子的出生，我无法想象自己能怎样分娩。一次是在医院进行的引产（高风险），当我艰难应对各种医疗干预时，她在我的床边陪了超过一天。她让我保持冷静和专注，而不是陷入恐慌。我丈夫也在场，她能够指导他，让他觉得自己能帮上忙（而不是感到无助）。我的第二次分娩最终因为臀位而进行了紧急剖宫产（尽管我原本希望能更自然地分娩，但显然是宝宝说了算！）。她帮助我为自己想要的一切发声，让这次经历尽可能不那么可怕。事后，她还帮助我度过了一些产后抑郁和焦虑。我毫无保留地推荐她！

If you asked me what the most helpful part was about having Ellen as our doula, my shortest and most accurate answer would be "everything." Her body work preparation, prenatal care questions and answers, labor itself, and post-partum support was remarkable. However, if you are asking for a specific instance in which I felt she was most helpful it would be in changing the pace of labor. I was in early labor for 5 hours or so and my husband and I were feeling exhausted and bummed that we weren't further along. We felt like it was a good time to call her in for help and other ideas... 30 minutes after her arrival, I was in active labor! We had a fresh perspective on positions to try, hands-on help with counter-pressure and partner coaching/support as well as her amazing aromatherapy, personal hand-held fan, cold rags, candles and garden veggies/flowers. It was exactly the help we needed at the perfect time we needed it. This constant support continued for hours and made birth as smooth as I think it could have possibly been! Ellen is a steadfast oak, roots unwavering in winds of change and unpredictability, while her branches flow and adapt to every situation she is challenged with. She is strong, agile, and physically able to keep up with the demands of labor, while remaining calm and tending to the emotional intensity birth brings forth. She is a peaceful presence and a delightful person to have around during one of the greatest days of your life. On top of it all, she is certified in all the credentials everyone wants in a doula (DONA, BodyReadyMethod, Spinning Babies, SBD, has given birth herself etc.) and has spent lots of time doing additional training, as well as research, improving her skills. I would highly recommend Ellen to anyone!!

I always knew that I wanted to have a doula with me when I gave birth but as I got underway in pregnancy I was so overwhelmed by the process of finding someone I waited too long and then panicked.  I set up a meeting with a different doula only to have her cancel and say nevermind the day of the meeting.  I was completely distraught when a friend recommended Ellen.  She was so responsive and open, saying if she wasn't the right fit she'd help me find someone else, and it reassured me after my bad experience.  As it turned out we didn't need anyone else.  Throughout the whole process, she brought a perfect mix of holistic advice and scientific data in response to our questions and needs.  If we needed a book, a website, a video, a yoga ball, and even an infant scale, she provided whatever she could.  I felt like she really listened to what we needed, she took the time to get to know us, and for such a big, personal, intimate event, that was really important.  It was really hard for me to get pregnant (we need an IUI) and I think that added a layer of stress to the birth.  I also had to be induced, which introduced new elements for me to worry about.  However, I was able to give birth without complications, extra interventions, or pain medication and I don't think that would have been possible without Ellen's support.  She made it so I, and my husband, didn't have to worry at all about what we needed to do.  Ellen guided us both through what would help and I'm so thankful. Her presence never felt like too much and I felt like I didn't have to be in control of anything, because she was in control for me.  She stayed with us until we were settled in our postpartum room and continued to be a present support system months after I gave birth.  Those months were, and still are, hard, and just knowing someone is there for you means so much.  I would strongly recommend Ellen's doula services.

I had no experience with having a doula for my 3 previous children and had heard that they're very helpful so when my OB asked if I was interested I said yes. Ellen contacted me and we got to know each other a little bit. She had some great advice and was so kind and calm. She came to the hospital when I was induced and she was a great asset. I wish I would have been more assertive with the nurses so that I could have had more of her input and ideas. my husband wasn't so sure about having a doula, but ended up really appreciating her support. She helped give him ideas of ways to help me and that helped him feel more useful and confident. she never overstepped, she was always calm and helpful. I especially appreciate that she continues to check in from time to time. She even brought us a meal after we had our little girl.