We started working with Marianne when our post-term baby was about 3.5 months old. I was about to…read morego back to work and honestly panicking about how little sleep we were all getting. I didn't want to do full cry-it-out, but I also knew what we were doing wasn't sustainable. Marianne helped us put together a realistic plan. She went through our baby's feeding and sleep schedule, made suggestions to make sure he was getting enough calories during the day, and walked us through how to phase out his middle-of-the-night feed. She also encouraged us to drop the pacifier at bedtime, which I was nervous about, but it turned out to be the right move. The best part was honestly just having someone to check in with. She was responsive to texts when I wasn't sure what to do, and she kept me from giving up when things felt hard. On a couple of nights when I had to work early the next day, she even came and stayed overnight to keep things consistent. That kind of support made a huge difference. It wasn't an overnight miracle -- there were still some rough nights -- but within two weeks our baby was falling asleep on his own and sleeping through the night. Now he is 5 months old and we are so happy about our decision. If you're looking for someone practical and supportive who will give you a plan and stick with you through it, I'd HIGHLY recommend Marianne.

Marianne changed my life! I am a single mom of 18 month old twins (they were 7 months at the time…read moreof sleep training). I reached out to Marianne and desperation after my twins being on completely opposite schedules. She was absolutely incredible and guided me through the whole process. She was available day and night via phone and text and was so supportive and loving through the process. The best decision I've made as a mom! I now have time, sanity, and some kind of manageability in my life. Forever grateful for you, Marianne!

Autumn is an awesome doula!!! We had a great experience with Seattle Doula Partners and would…read moreabsolutely hire them again. We interviewed 3-4 doulas and the team at Seattle Doula Partners stood out the best to us. They were not pushy and their experience and calmness in communicating to us through facts and information really appealed to us. The initial conversations before the birth were very helpful. I was very apprehensive about the birth and talking with them to help uncover my and my husband's anxieties about the birth and it really helped prepare us emotionally. In many ways I felt like it was a therapy session! When I was hospitalized at 32 weeks, Autumn checked in on me consistently to make sure we were doing okay which felt very reassuring. Finally when the day came, we let Autumn know we were on the way to the hospital at about 11pm and she arrived just after I settled down in the L&D room which was super speedy! She immediately attended to both mine and my husband's needs, answering any questions we had. One of the most valuable things that Autumn did was that before anything that happened, e.g. getting my epidural or pushing, Autumn talked through in detail what to expect and this helped prepare us well emotionally and in many ways, made me less fearful. She was always right by our sides coaching us on what to do in a gentle and reassuring way. She wasn't intrusive and allowed me and my husband to have our own time. Through the pattern of my contractions, the nurse hypothesized that my baby was face up. Autumn had a ton of suggestions on how to resolve this and coached the nurse to getting me in the right positions. By then, my lower half was pretty weak from the epidural and every time the nurse had to shift me, Autumn was always there to lend a helping hand. At about 2am, all of us went to rest and my husband was exhausted. The IV machine kept beeping and Autumn always promptly stood up and turned it off so that we could all rest. She was close by and helped me with every small little thing I needed so my husband could rest. Autumn coached me through the entire 2 hours of pushing and holding my legs up. She was very encouraging and her calming and reassuring words gave me a ton of confidence. Once the baby was out, she stepped back, got one of our phones and took a bunch of pictures that I really treasure today! Post birth, I had a lot of difficult breastfeeding and Autumn shifted her schedule so she could come and visit me soon after that. She helped me with the latch and gave me a bunch of ideas to help increase my supply. 3 months on and I still think about how lucky we were to have Autumn by our side! Thank you so much for your hard work, Autumn!!

Autumn is a fantastic Doula! I am so thankful that I was able to have Autumn during my labor. She…read morewas extremely helpful with pain management and came with a bag full of goodies to aid in my comfort. She was very helpful in coaching my husband and provided an extra set of hands so he could shower and make sure we had everything we needed before leaving our place. She arrived at our apartment at nearly 2am and stayed with us for at least 24 hours! We had planned an out of hospital birth, but after a very long labor at home and at the birth center, my midwives transferred me to UW. Postpartum home visits are just as helpful, providing breastfeeding and pumping advice, she will even show you how to baby wrap and answer any questions you have. Before I decided to hire a Doula for my birth, I was unsure if I would "need one." My midwife had initially recommended that I have one, especially for first time births. I then spoke to a few people who had used a Doula, and only heard positives! No one ever says "I wish I didn't have my Doula!" Now I tell everyone "you need a Doula!"

Aneke at Mama Bear comes highly recommended by our family. We took her childbirth education class…read morewhich covered pregnancy, birth and post partum. It left us with many life changing "golden nuggets" of information. We also hired Aneke as our doula. She went above and beyond in supporting and empowering me through this process. From education to massage to supporting me at appointments to connecting me with other resources--Aneke's support was invaluable. It also brought so much comfort that Aneke was only a text or phone call away. Aneke also encapsulated my placenta and gave me the most beautiful placenta art. I would love to have Aneke support me through this process again and I recommend her to any expecting mother and family. Aneke is a wealth of information and welcomes you with the most open and loving arms.

Maria is truly a miracle worker! We started working with Maria days after hospital discharge,…read morefollowing a difficult and prolonged delivery. She displayed an extremely high level of compassion and genuine concern for both my and my newborn's well-being, helping us navigate issues related to engorgement, breast-milk supply, pumping, and latching. She makes herself readily available to clients, offering "real-time" troubleshooting advice via text messaging. Her support and encouragement had made all the difference for us, and I can not recommend her services more highly!

I can't recommend Maria enough! After struggling countless times to get my baby to latch--even with…read morehelp from nurses at the hospital--I was feeling discouraged. But during our session, she showed me a simple trick using a nipple shield that made an immediate difference. Beyond her expertise, what really sets Maria apart is her ongoing support. She doesn't just come for a visit and leave you in the dark. She stays in touch through text, helping troubleshoot issues and following up until we both feel another visit is necessary. Her responsiveness and dedication gave me so much confidence in my breastfeeding journey. If you're looking for a knowledgeable, patient, and truly supportive lactation consultant, Maria is the one! I'm so grateful for her help and highly recommend her to any new moms needing guidance.

I totally recommend Catherine as a lactation consultant. Her calm and patient demeanor were very…read morecrucial to helping me have hope in breastfeeding my child. I very much appreciated her walking alongside me in this journey.

Catherine is brilliant at what she does. I was close to giving up on breast feeding because it was…read moreso painful and my daughter wasn't gaining weight appropriately. I had already seen several lactation consultants who were all surprised I reported so much pain because they all believed the latch looked good and her tongue tie was only "mild." Both my doula and pediatrician referred me to Catherine so I decided to see one more lactation consultant and I am so grateful I did. Firstly, having a health care practitioner make a home visit feels like an impossible luxury in the first month post partum. It is such a production to go anywhere with a newborn, so that in itself was a huge help. Secondly, it was invaluable having the lactation consultant see the exact location in which I was attempting to breastfeed. She was able to help me be successful with the items I had on hand. I had thought I might need a different chair or some kind of special breastfeeding pillow - nope. Catherine showed me how to support myself and the baby with the pillows and blankets I already had on hand. She helped me to latch my baby in a way that immediately and substantially reduced my pain. She also showed me how to use saran wrap for nipple care. Prior to that I had been spending a lot of money on Medela gel pads. We saw her for a total of three visits in which she coached me through a feeding and pumping schedule to maximize milk production and then slowly weaned me off the pumping to match my needs and comfort. Add to all of this her compassion and humor during such a stressful time. I can't recommend her enough!

I wish I could have given Aleca a 100 stars. Aleca was with us for almost 10 weeks for a contract…read morethat was meant to be 6. From the night we got home from the hospital, she was with us. She took care of our baby like it was her own and was a part of our family then and forever. Aleca was always on time and went above and beyond every single time she was over. Whether it be as simple as picking up packages or as monumental as helping me build my confidence as a first time mom with a lot of anxiety. We saw her as a mentor/coach to navigate all challenges with our newborn - feeding and sleeping. We found her extremely knowledgeable. She supported my goals with breastfeeding even though it was difficult journey. She pulled in her contacts quickly in areas she wasn't comfortable and helped us out every challenge of the way. She helped me with my postpartum isolation and kept encouraging me to find my new normal with the baby. In the few weeks we had Aleca, her love felt like an extension of our family. Our baby was always super comfortable in her loving arms. We still call Aleca whenever have any questions with our baby at 3 months. She proaactively has kept a tab on our baby's milestones. We know for sure she will always be an important part of our baby and our lives. The only regret I have is I wish had asked Aleca to be with me during my first few days at the hospital. The kind of support she could offer especially to First time parents who are so sleep deprived can be invaluable.

Aleca helped us with our first baby and she was the first person I reached out to after finding out…read moreI was pregnant with our second to get on her schedule. I cannot recommend Aleca enough; the support she provides is one of a kind, she is passionate about her work and is an incredible resource to have in your corner. The thoughtfulness and care she had for my family and myself during the postpartum experience was above and beyond. I went through preeclampsia with my second and had to go into the ER a few nights after delivering because my blood pressure spiked. As difficult as that was, it was a lot easier knowing Aleca was with us and my babies. Her flexibility and ability to stay calm and collected is something that I will always remember and helped me tremendously. She is the easiest person to work with and welcome into your home. She is incredibly generous and has a huge network. Aleca still feels like she is part of our family to this day and is always available if I have any questions.

All the five star reviews speak for themselves! My husband and I attended a HypnoBirthing class…read morewith Tracy and had an amazing experience. We learned so much and we really developed a strong practice and relationship as we prepared for our birth. On the day of our son's birth my husband and I walked into the hospital on the same page and as a great team. All thanks to Tracy and her work with us. We were able to have a natural birth and all of the techniques we learned in class helped immensely. Tracy is a great educator, incredibly kind, and very supportive of each couple's decisions and preferences. I appreciated how optimistic she was and how she helped us understand that Hypno birth techniques can be flexible and be used in a variety of birth settings. I would highly recommend this class if you have any anxiety around birth and/or if your birth partner wants to play an active role on the day of your baby's birth.

We took the class in the winter of 2018 and found it so helpful to prepare for the birth of our…read morebaby girl. In addition to the hypnobirthing philosophy and techniques, you learn how to be your own advocate in the birthing process and how to prepare for the inevitability of medical intervention (that will arise in some form). We felt truly supported and educated when facing an induction that I did not want, nor need. Tracy gave us the tools and knowledge to push back when we were feeling pressure from our medical caregivers. Once labor started things progressed fast and although I felt as though I was not utilizing the techniques given the intensity and speed of the labor, the midwife that delivered our baby said she could really tell how focused and relaxed I was given the intensity of my contractions. Our baby was born healthy according to the birth preferences that we had hoped for. We HIGHLY recommend this class to anyone preparing for your labor and parenthood.

I can't recommend Milla and Melinda enough! My husband was skeptical about hiring a doula, but…read moreafter the birth he was the first to say how grateful he was they were there for us and that the investment was so worth it. Their package is outstanding compared to others. Milla was with us for delivery and she was such a calming, supportive presence. She reminded me of my birth plan when I needed it, worked beautifully with the hospital staff, held me through contractions, cheered me on when I felt like giving up, and set boundaries with family when I asked. She just knew what I needed and I felt safe with her. Melinda was equally fantastic. I felt deeply seen by her. She helped me with my anxiety before labor and in postpartum, gave me practical tools (the ice exercise was a game changer), and walked through our house helping us set up baby stations + shared so many helpful tips. Some additional highlights: - Their website has the best list of questions to ask when interviewing doulas. - The prep class with Milla was both super helpful and honestly fun. I truly believe the exercises she taught me made a huge difference in my labor. - Melinda dropping everything to come help us on day 3 postpartum when we texted her in frenzy. Hiring them was hands-down the best decision we made. I'm so happy with how my labor went, and I honestly credit that to this amazing doula team. Overall, the biggest impact they made on me was that they believed in me, and that gave me so much strength. For a first-time mom with higher levels of anxiety, that kind of support was priceless. I honestly wish they could be my team of support forever in motherhood--that's how much I loved them and how much I trust them. And even now, I still bug them from time to time and they always quickly help me out with resources. I am so fortunate to have found them. I am sure you will feel the same way if they become your choice of doulas.

I've been supported through 3 pregnancies and deliveries (2 with midwives at a birth center, 1…read morec-section in hospital) by Melinda Ferguson, and cannot recommend her highly enough for her extensive experience from attending hundreds of births, empathy, responsiveness, and ability to connect me with others in the perinatal community for specific things like birth prep classes, lactation, sleep, etc. As a first-time parent, I especially found Melinda's guidance and presence helpful to calm my anxieties around the process of giving birth, as well as caring for a newborn. So the second time, I wanted to have the same support and was so glad to have her with us even though we'd been through this before once. And although I had expected the third time to be even easier, some complications came up and it was so helpful to be able to consult with Melinda and work through some difficult decisions. She also helped me with processing and accepting the surgical delivery that I had really hoped to avoid.