It's hard to put into words the gratitude my partner and I feel for Allison, who we worked with through the Sisters Doula team. Allison is truly incredible (we refer to her as a birth angel). Before meeting her, we thought of birth as something to get through. Allison helped us see it as something to be experienced. The birth of our son became a deeply intimate, connected, and transformative experience. Even weeks later, we still find ourselves in awe, and we're certain it wouldn't have been the same without her. Allison and the Sisters team prepared us for labor in a way that felt both meaningful and empowering. The experience itself left us with a profound sense of awe, and we feel so grateful to have begun our journey into parenthood in such a beautiful way with their support. From our initial at-home meeting with Allison, we immediately felt at ease. Her calm presence and deep wisdom around birth were grounding from the start. Throughout labor, she was a steady, reassuring presence--gently guiding me through different positions, offering encouragement, and helping me stay grounded. The postpartum visits with Allison have been meaningful and supportive in ways we hadn't anticipated. Having the space to process the birth experience with her felt emotional and grounding. She has been incredibly helpful in normalizing the challenges of early parenthood while also sharing in and celebrating the joys. read more

I can't speak highly enough about our experience with Allison as our doula. As a first time dad, I had no experience with any of the things, and Allison was great with answering any questions we had. The pre-natal visits were so helpful to set a framework/context of what the labor/delivery date would be like, and both her and my role in it. She was so calm, caring, and reassuring. She helped talk us through during the at-home contractions part of labor until we decided it was time to go to the hospital. At the hospital,I was so appreciative of her experience and the relationship she already had with the labor staff. Because she had the context and experience, I didn't have to stress as much about anything I didn't know to ask or do and could focus on my wife and encouraging her through the process. Allison also helped to record some of the experience as well as explain the labor status. The post-partum checkups were also very helpful and reassuring/validating. read more

I can not say enough positive things about Allison! From our first prenatal home visit I knew I liked her vibe. She is a funny, kind, compassionate and easy to talk to person. As a first time mom I had a ton of questions and she had a ton of patience and a wealth of knowledge. When contractions started her calm demeanor was vital in helping my husband and I calm down and think clearly. She was available via text and call and set clear check ins (let's talk at x time) until we made decisions about next steps. When we decided to head to the hospital she arrived first and met us in a parking spot she was holding for us. While my husband was getting us checked in she talked me through contractions. When I made a comment about the smell of a nearby trash can she, within seconds, had essential oils; when I complained of leg cramps she had a TENS machine readily available, when we needed a pen to sign paperwork she had two. She was always steps ahead clearing the the path for us. When labor slowed she was a joy to talk to! She fit right in with my support team (husband, mom and sister) and felt like part of our family (she will forever be part of my family now) When my baby's heart rate dropped and we faced some (what felt like to me) scary decisions it was Allison I looked to for reassurance. While 10-15 medical staff were asking rushed/urgent questions and waiting for answers I was able to find Allison's eyes and with a smile or head nod or pat of my hair know we made the right decision. Her existing relationship with the hospital staff was as added bonus! She was the glue that brought everyone (the hospital, her and my family support) together to feel like one team. During our post partum visits she provided the reassurance, encouragement and support my husband and I didn't know we needed. The photos and videos she took (with our permission of course!) during labor are treasured and I'm so thankful for those memories. If you're questioning hiring a doula I say do it! And if you're going to do it- get Allison. You will not regret it read more

Allison is one third of the amazing Sister Doulas, and I cannot recommend her and then enough. During the lead up to my birth, we hadn't landed on who of the three would attend and provide support. I met with all three women a few times and Allison was so thoughtful and intentional with the questions she asked about my birth plan, and advice she gave. While Allison was not in the room for the birth of my son, I know she would have been a tremendous support. read more

If you're on the fence about whether to hire a doula, get off the fence -- you should definitely hire one. If you're on the fence about whom to hire as your doula, get off that fence, too -- hire Allison Stanton. My first delivery left me with PTSD after I faced a 4-1/2 day failed induction amid a nursing strike without a doula. I recently delivered my second child with Allison as my doula, and while this second delivery was unfortunately even more traumatic than the first (through no fault of Allison's), my baby and I are both alive and thriving despite what happened to us, in no small part because of the care Allison provided. Allison supported my husband and I through what was initially a routine induction of labor and worked seamlessly with Alta Bates nurses and physicians to provide me amazing, holistic care. She was my advocate, my translator, and my counselor throughout labor and beyond. She knew to ask for the things I would never have thought to ask for myself, and things I didn't even know were options. She amplified my voice when I could not do it myself. And she was there for me when I needed her, before labor, during labor, and in the days and weeks after delivery. Allison approached my care, from pregnancy to delivery and beyond, with exceptional compassion and mindfulness around the trauma I experienced in my first delivery. She collaborated with me on ways to approach this delivery with an eye toward a different outcome and she helped me prepare mentally for a variety of possible paths my labor and delivery could take. She was supportive of me every step of the way and of every choice I made. Unfortunately, my delivery did not follow any of the typical paths we prepared for. I sustained a catastrophic uterine rupture and underwent an emergency c-section. In the wake of what turned out to be a near death experience, Allison checked in on me regularly by phone, in person at the hospital, and later at home. She was there for me both as a shoulder to cry on as I processed the trauma we all went through, and as a cheerleader for every victory (from the moment when my milk came in despite having lost my entire blood volume, to when my daughter was finally discharged from the NICU). Allison provides a vital service to which every pregnant person should be entitled (and, thankfully, medi-cal now seems to agree). She was a grounded, calming, and thoughtful presence through the full breadth of our experience. She provided trauma-informed care and undoubtedly mitigated some of the emotional harm caused by our experience. I can't recommend (or thank) her enough. read more

Allison is the warm, calming, grounded energy you want by your side during one of the most powerful and vulnerable moments of your life. I have felt a strong kinship and comfort with her from the moment we met, and I'm so grateful that I had her by my side for the birth of my second baby. From talking through my birth plan and giving advice during my pregnancy to the hilarious dance of "am I in labor?!" at the end, to the birth itself during which she made me feel held, calm and safe, even after being gaslit by hospital admin (who didn't think I was in labor) and a nurse who was very much not the vibe. THIS is why you want someone you trust to be in there with you - without her, I think my husband and I would have felt very alone. I know my birth experience was largely made positive by her presence and support. Additionally, I suffered from mastitis in my first weeks postpartum, and it was so helpful to be able to text her for guidance. The 4th trimester is such an intense, raw and emotional time, and I was so grateful to have her support. read more

I am so grateful to have had Allison by my side during the births of both my babies (two years old and 6 mos old). Neither birth went as planned but she was my rock during both deliveries. Also, my first baby was breach and Allison's guidance during that time helped me and my husband figure out what care I needed the get little man to turn. Without her I don't believe I would have avoided the c-section I desperately did not want. Cannot recommend her highly enough. read more

What would we have done without Allison?! She's was the best doula ever. I honestly believe that she made all the difference in my birth experience. My husband and I would have been lost without her. She was warm, reassuring, evidence-based, thoughtful, and consistent. She has 100x more experience than any other doula we interviewed. She knows the ins and out of Kaiser and Alta bates in the east bay and knows a lot of the staff as well. Apart from my great experience giving birth with her support, she is the ONLY doula I've heard of that works with Kaiser to bill back for insurance. Most other doulas don't bother with the paperwork and you have to pay out of pocket. Allicares about making her service affordable for anyone that has insurance coverage through Kaiser. Anyone who is willing to deal with the pain of insurance billing cares about her clients! read more

My partner and I were so grateful to work with Allison leading up to and during the birth of our daughter. As first-time parents, we didn't know what to expect or even what questions to ask when preparing for labor and delivery. Allison took the time to get to know us and asked thoughtful questions that helped us clarify our preferences and create a birth plan that felt right for us. I really appreciated her holistic approach and how she supports clients through every stage- prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum. Her presence gave us confidence that we had someone knowledgeable and compassionate in our corner, and an advocate for us in the hospital. We also appreciated that she works as part of a small team of doulas, ensuring there's always a backup plan if needed. Allison went above and beyond our expectations. From her thoughtful prenatal guidance to her hands-on support during labor and attentive postpartum check-ins, she helped us feel secure, prepared, and well cared for all along the way. If we have another baby in the future, we would absolutely reach out to Allison again to support us through the experience. read more

My husband and I worked with Allison as we prepared to welcome our first child and could not have been happier with our decision. She brought experience and calming presence both leading up to and during labor, and in postpartum support. From the initial meeting, Allison was kind, caring and very professional. It was clear she was very knowledgeable and experienced and made us both feel comfortable and answered all our questions. She was very warm and took the time to get to know us as individuals and as a couple to help us build a relationship as she would be part of a very intimate and personal experience with us. Each home visit we had with Allison prepared us for labor and was tailored to our unique needs. After each meeting or visit, I felt more and more confident and excited for labor due to Allison's approach and support. She calmed all of our anxieties and truly made this a wonderful experience for us. We felt very prepared for what to expect from the birth experience at Kaiser Oakland and it was clear she knew how to navigate that system. She was also very flexible and willing to adapt her rates to Kaiser's new policies. Having Allison there provided us with guidance as we navigated making medical decisions and she offered well-informed information and facts to help us to make an informed decision. Allison's experience and knowledge was invaluable during labor. More importantly, having her by my side provided me with the comfort and confidence needed throughout labor. Allison also took beautiful pictures and videos during our labor which are invaluable to us. We have also enjoyed all of our postpartum visits which have exceeded our expectations (We didn't realize how many we would have!) It has been wonderful having someone checking in on us and being able to process the birth and the fourth trimester. We are very happy we decided to work with a doula for our first born and are very lucky to have chosen Allison. We would absolutely look forward to working with Allison again if the need arises and highly recommend her for anyone searching for a doula! read more

We weren't really sure at first if we needed a birth doula, given our plan to have a hospital birth at Sutter Alta Bates. Honestly, I didn't even know what a doula was. But wow, we definitely needed Allison! After seeing her in action, I have so much respect for what doulas do. Without her calm presence and amazing support, we would absolutely have ended up with a Caesarean during what turned out to be a very tough labor and pushing stage. Right when Allison walked in, everything felt calmer. Amazingly, she had just come from another long labor, but she still had incredible energy, patience, and kindness throughout ours. It was clear right away that the hospital staff, nurses and doctors, really respected and trusted her, which made things much easier. Her suggestions were spot-on and perfectly timed, helping both the mom and guiding the medical team exactly when we needed it most. She recognized how challenging our labor was and stayed with us much longer than usual after the birth of our child, even helping us settle into our postpartum room. Unfortunately, our postpartum period ended up being a bit complicated too, involving 2 hospital readmissions. Allison visited us twice during this period, and helped contextualize and humanize everything that we had and were going through. And on top of all this, what an awesome baker! She brought us delicious homemade cookies just when we needed them most. We contracted Allison through the Sister Doulas, who themselves provided fantastic coordination and support - Renata and Andrea were incredible throughout our engagement. I don't normally write online reviews, but I know this is the most heartfelt one I'll ever write. If you're thinking about getting a birth doula, you absolutely should choose Allison and/or the Sister Doulas. Her support changed everything for us, and we couldn't be more thankful. read more

I cannot imagine going through labor without Allison. My labor took multiple days and Allison was there to support, guide, and comfort me the entire way. She has an incredibly healing and calming presence. She figured out my baby was not in the optimal position pretty early on and put me in positions to help the baby rotate. She visited multiple times during the postpartum period to check on our physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and offer any advice/support needed. We are so thankful we had her as our doula and will beg her to return if we have baby #2. read more

Allison was an amazing doula. She was there as soon as my wife requested her and stayed with us throughout labor. She helped her try different positions and continuously advocated for my wife in the hospital so that she could have the birthing experience she wanted. Super supportive the whole time! read more

We got to know Allison as part of the Sister Doulas -- I can't recommend working with their group enough. Allison is very warm, knowledgeable, and has a calming presence. read more

Allison was my doula during my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum (late 2019 early 2020). Her ability to hold space for me as a queer person with C-PTSD and a medically challenging pregnancy was beautiful, life-saving, and positively impacted the trajectory of me as a parent and my child's early life. Her thoughtful, extremely well-educated yet grounded and focused approach to prenatal support was epic. She answered my millions of questions about my upcoming c-section and was completely accepting of my decision to solely formula-feed for mental health and trauma reasons. Her energy grounded me in ways I'd never been grounded before. My baby was born via emergency c-section due to decelerations on the fetal non-stress test, and Allison amped up the post-birth support since she wasn't able to attend. Amongst other critically essential expert assistance at home, she helped me advocate for myself in my hospital recovery and get the pain meds I needed to be able to walk around and get rid of the catheter (I think I would've had it in forever if she hadn't given me the words and support.) This review is 5 years late, #1 because the pandemic lockdown started 3 weeks after my birth, and that was...a lot. #2 because I wanted to put into words what her advocacy, care, energy, and support did for me and meant for me. I now realize I can never sufficiently express the import of her care for me and my baby. If you have the slightest inkling that a doula might be right for your birth, do it. Find a doula. And if you can hire Allison Stanton?????? Thank every star in the sky. read more

As a Dad - I can say walking along side my wife during labor and delivery was not fun - but it was one of the best experiences of my life. Having Allison as our Doula - made this possible. The best analogy I can come up with to describe our journey with Allison during the labor and delivery is river rafting. Let's assume you decided to go down a river with extreme rapids. You have two routes: Option 1: You could research the river and the equipment. You could practice on segments of the river to build skills. You could try to map out how you want to enter each rapid. However, the day you actually decide to raft the river - what happens if you don't enter the rapid the way you wanted to? What happens if there is equipment you didn't realize you need? What else could happen not as planned that you didn't think about? Option 2: Hire a rafting guide that has successfully rafted the river hundreds of times, has all their own equipment/tools, and built out skills/intuition for every part of the river. For us, option 2 was Allison. Background: my wife was Advanced Maternal Age (AMA). She does not like needles and decided she wanted to have a natural birth with no pain killers if she was able to. She also wanted to labor at home as long as possible. With the help of the Allison as our Doula - she was able to do all of this. Our outcomes: - We labored at home for ~24 hours. - The baby was delivered at the hospital 3.5 hours after we left the house - My wife pushed for just under 1 hour The reason I love the river rafter analogy is because we had multiple decision points at home and at the hospital that Allison guided us through with ease that could have changed our delivery experience and the outcomes. For us looking back there were four critical decision points that I am going to skip for brevity and I think every pregnancy would have different critical moments. However, I think these are important observations: 1. Allison understands what is going on with a woman's body every step of the way. She was able to establish trust with my wife and adjust noises, labor techniques, pain management techniques. She also coach myself and mother in-law on support methods for us. 2. For pain: Allison had my wife in an almost hypnotized mental state where the pain seemed bearable. 3. At the hospital: Allison continued her laboring connection with Autumn while managing the room (including me). I was able to hold her hand when needed, touch the baby's head as he came out, and catch him as he came into the world. Net-net: If you want the best chance of doing your birth plan - get a Doula. If Allison is available, try to get her. She truly has a gift and experience to back it up. She has done tons of education, 400+ delivery's, and had two kids of her own. As much as possible, enjoy the labor and delivery river. Allison was able to allow me to be fully present and have one of the best experiences of my life while welcoming our son into the world. read more

Allison Stanton - Doulas Near Me

We had a very poor experience when reaching out to Allison for services. When we reached out, she responded to schedule a time for an interview, and we replied confirming the time within the hour. However, we never heard back from Allison, so the day prior to the appointment, we reached out three times with no answer, trying to figure out how we were supposed to contact her for the appointment (via call or Zoom). Finally, she called back. The call was very cold, but she said she would send a Zoom link to us later that day. Next thing we know, she reached out and asked us to help her find her emails. We were very surprised by the level of disorganization from someone with such good reviews. We gave three stars because we wonder if she may be good at other parts of doula work, but relieving a client's stress is not her strong suit. Instead, she caused more stress and put her burdens onto us with no apology, showing a lack of accountability. read more

Allison was my doula during my pregnancy and birth, and my husband and I will never regret the decision to have her by our side. What a caring human being who was born to do this type of work! Although my pregnancy was essentially issue free, my birthing experience was filled with twists and turns and Allison was there for the both of us at every moment. We felt supported from the beginning of our interactions with her and she really showed up in the hospital when we needed her the most. If you are looking for a doula and reside in the East Bay, contact her immediately. There is no one better to support you and your family! read more

Allison is everything a doula should be and then some. She has been by my side for both of my births. She has mastered the art of holding space and will adjust to your needs as well as your birth partners. When our toddler plays "baby in the belly" she always shouts out "call Allison". We hope to add one more to the family in the coming years and we hope Allison is by our side again. read more

Allison is an incredible doula. She was a calming presence and did an incredible job guiding both me and my partner through labor. Her support enabled us to have an extremely positive birthing experience. We highly recommend working with Allison! read more

I wish every birthing person could be so lucky as to have Allison as their doula. For our first child, my husband and I were focused on doing what we could to proactively have a positive birth experience. Allison was an essential part of our ability to meet that goal. During pregnancy she met with us multiple times to talk about our birth preferences and preparation. She provided us with resources, exercises, and strategies to help with optimal fetal positioning, breathing techniques, and coping with labor. She would always listen to our concerns and questions, and share her experiences and knowledge with the goal of empowering us to make the decisions that worked best for us. She is a wonderful listener, and we would have been underprepared for the birth experience without her. I ended up having a relatively fast, 9.5-hour labor and with Allison's support (answering our calls in the middle of the night and getting to our house at 5am!) I was able to labor at home and then get to the hospital at just the right time. Giving birth is a really vulnerable and emotional experience, and I am so grateful I had Allison's calm, kind presence during this time. read more

Allison made my labor and delivery experience emotionally and physically manageable (and even enjoyable in between contractions ;) ) She is truly a class act and became a seamless part of our family in the most needed time. Pre-labor - In the months leading up to our due date, Allison met with us a couple of times to help us be emotionally and physically prepared for labor and delivery. She came into our home and we talked through a plan of action and practiced laboring positions. Labor - I don't think I could have powered through labor without the grace and support that Allison provided. I was induced on a Thursday afternoon at 40.5 weeks due to concerns around preeclampsia and my husband took over communication with Allison. As we had planned and discussed, we were going to manage early labor and then once things started to progress Allison would join us. By Friday morning all of our well laid plans were out the window and I didn't know how I was going to keep going as dilation was slowly progressIng. Luckily my husband had been texting with Allison and she arrived promptly. Her calm presence and intentionality made all the difference. I knew I had an advocate, friend, and expert at my side to gently coach and cheer me on. I'm not going to say the rest was a walk in the park but after 36 hours of labor we finally welcomed a beautiful baby girl. Allison even slept over night in the waiting room at the hospital the night before I delivered my daughter! She was wonderful with my husband, mother, and doctors/nurses. Allison has a true gift and I'm so glad that she was part of such a special (and sometimes scary) time in our lives. read more

We can not say enough about how grateful we were to have Allison with us for the birth of our 1st child! We felt that we learned so much more with Allison during our pre-birth home visits than we did at an all day Kaiser childbirth class! Allison took the time to walk us through what to expect, taught us breathing/massage/stretching techniques, helped us to feel more prepared and even helped us in deciding what was important for our birthing experience. We were very impressed with her depth of knowledge, professionalism, genuine warmth and kindness. When it got close to "game time", Allison was actively communicating with us and answering all of our crazy questions. The early stages of labor are filled w/ so many emotions and Alison helped to put us at ease. When we got to the hospital she joined us, helped us every step w/ all the craziness of being in a hospital, brought items that made such a difference with the environment (oil diffuser, tapestries/blankets, and little lights) and ensured we were getting everything we needed from the staff. When things were getting closer, she stayed by our side, even slept on the floor to be sure to be there as things ramped up during the early hours. Alison was an incredible advocate as she used the values we had identified in our first meetings to help us make decisions on treatment etc. When it came tie to push, Alison's experience, professionalism and knowledge really shined. She was working hand in hand with staff and helped to direct us support people to ensure we were working as a team for my wife. When the full medical team stepped in towards the end, she was a comforting presence and continued to be an excellent advocate for us. After our little one arrived, got cleaned up and checked out- Alison stayed after to help my wife breastfeed for the first time and gave us instruction on ways to help with feedings. If all that wasn't enough, after she even followed up for post birth visit to check in and help us with any issues we were having! To this day we talk about how grateful we were to have Alison as our doula and don't know how we could've done it without all that she did for us! She will always have a special place in the heart of our family!! read more

My pregnancy and birth process was incredible, largely thanks to Allison. She is the most caring, calm, compassionate, understanding, flexible person and guided me through every fear, anxiety, or unexpected moment from beginning to end.. and even through postpartum! Way beyond our contract expectations. If people ask me for one takeaway or recommendation from my first birth experience, I always say get a doula! (Allison, if possible) because she was my personal sounding board, experienced guide, calm presence, and friend through every second. My husband will also say that Allison and her guidance was the best part of our birth experience, aside from welcoming our daughter. I was very nervous about birth, and from 20 weeks or earlier, we started meeting with Allison in our home to develop an ideal birth plan. We discussed alternatives and hopes in the event that the plan had to shift, which made me feel prepared for anything. When the time came, I was so ready and supported. I felt empowered, strong, and brave, but at the same time taken care of. Having Allison's experience, familiarity with the hospital / staff, and advocacy became so important. You can tell that being a doula isn't a job for Allison, it's a calling. I wish everyone could have her support through their birth journey and can't recommend her enough! read more

My husband, our newborn baby girl, and I can't recommend Allison enough! This was our first pregnancy and Allison guided us through the prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum period with expertise, kindness, grace, and wisdom. Having Allison by our side brought us a sense of confidence and calm when we felt anxious or had questions during pregnancy. During the labor and delivery, which had some unexpected difficulties and twists, Allison was again a source of peace and her incredibly in depth knowledge proved critical at multiple key decision points. There is no question that without Allison we would not have made it through our challenging labor and delivery unmedicated, which was our goal. We also deeply appreciate how Allison tailored all of her work with us to our lived experiences, perspectives, and hopes. She was incredibly patient and compassionate and we always felt heard and supported, which is so important when navigating pregnancy for the first time. When we look back, Allison will forever be a part of our first birth experience and the creation of our family and we feel so incredibly lucky for it! Thank you Allison! read more

When my husband and I look back at our daughter's arrival, we can't imagine getting through it without Allison's wisdom, guidance, compassion, confidence, and physical support. Look no further: contact Allison today! About us: hetero couple, singleton, low-risk pregnancy, first experience with labor and delivery. Long labor (64 hours). How Allison supported us during difficult times: 1) When my OB suggested inducing and I wasn't feeling ready for it, Allison took my worried phone call and made another suggestion. I never would have had the confidence or idea on my own, and my OB went for it! I began labor naturally, 48 hours later. 2) Early labor was long (two days) and my husband and I weren't sleeping at night. Allison relieved my husband so he could nap and helped me get into a rhythm to move my contractions along. We moved and rested and labored at home for many hours and arrived at the hospital at the perfect time. 3) When I was admitted and settled into the labor and delivery room, Allison knew what to do! If we'd been alone, my husband and I wouldn't have been sure how to proceed. Allison also connected me to a community of new moms and captured our daughter's birth story with photos, video, and a written summary. We will forever be grateful to Allison. read more

There is no doubt that my husband and I could not have gotten through my labor without Allison. She is the most warm, grounded, knowledgeable, kind, easy to talk to, and comforting person. We also loved our prenatal visits with her and found them much more useful, exciting, and fun than any prenatal appt I had/classes through Kaiser. I had a very long labor and some postpartum complications and she was with us the whole time, comforting us, and guiding us through every step & decision. Her presence is magic, especially for someone with anxiety and white coat syndrome like myself. Even when things weren't looking too good she stayed completely calm, was right there with me instilling confidence that I could keep going. We ended up being very disappointed that we didn't also book her in advance as a postpartum doula, as she was already booked when we were scrambling to find someone, so do yourself a favor and book her for both!! Allison is just the absolute best. read more

Allison, thank you for all your help! As expecting parents, it was incredibly reassuring to have someone to text or call with questions at any time. It made the entire pregnancy much easier to stomach. It's kind of like buying really nice car rental insurance - so much peace of mind. Except, not at all like car rental insurance because you're making a baby. I think one of the first things my wife and I noticed about Allison is that she is super calm and comfortable in whatever space she is in, which is very important when things start to get real. She visited us several times at our home throughout the pregnancy to check in, share insights, share birthing exercises, and to answer our questions. When my wife's contractions first started, we weren't sure if they were braxton hicks or just mini labor contractions. I called up Alison to check in and even though my wife and I weren't certain, she drove to our place. Apparently my wife was in labor. We wanted a natural birth and Allison helped us labor at home for the majority of it. She guided my wife through breathing exercises and let me know how to make myself useful (I'm usually not). Allison let us know that we still had time and told us to look for certain cues that meant we should leave for the hospital. She drove with us to the hospital, helped us get to the delivery room, and stayed with us until our baby was born, plus some. Even though it was an intense experience, we were still relatively calm because we knew Allison was there with us. At the end of it, Allison shared pictures and videos she took, and also shared a really touching birth story she wrote for us. If you're on the fence about a doula, it is totally worth it, for both parents I think. If you're trying to figure out if Allison is the right doula for you, the answer is yes if you appreciate calm certainty and prompt friendliness! read more

Some people are born ideal for a given profession - Allison is one of those people. She was meant to be a doula and was indispensable to us throughout the 52(!) hour labor that brought us our first child. Allison possesses a calm and comforting mien that I feel is a crucial quality for a doula. After all, most of us enlist a doula's help in order to help cope with the bewildering confusion, stress and pain of childbirth. As a loving mother herself, she epitomizes motherhood in her gentle, thoughtful approach to childbearing. In addition, she is incredibly well-informed about everything pregnancy and labor related. In our two visits with her prior to labor, we pumped her for answers to our myriad questions and she always gave thoughtful, evidence-based and open-minded responses. She also taught us many positions and movements to help facilitate birth prior to and even during labor, which I found very helpful. As useful as it was to have Allison on our team prior to labor, her true magic came through for us during the birth process itself. My labor was complicated by quite a few curveballs which I won't go into, but suffice it to say she was instrumental every step of the way. We had to make a lot of confusing decisions and I turned to her time and again as my north star. Medical staff kept throwing out recommendations to me as complications were piling on, but I was not in a position to think clearly and Allison was there to advise me and inform me of my options and the evidence behind each one. She very gently guided me and ultimately supported my decisions such that we achieved about as successful a birth as one could hope for given the circumstances. Allison also provided plenty of physical support, helping me feel more comfortable as I screamed and writhed in pain. She was full of calm compassion and understanding, making me feel safe and less terrified. At one point I was told I could only have one person in the room, my partner or Allison, and we both immediately chose Allison to stay with me. Allison was my rock and my ally - choosing to have her on our team was probably the best decision I made during this entire pregnancy. If we have another (I swore we wouldn't during that grueling labor!), I can only hope Allison will still be around offering her loving doula touch. read more

Allison is such an incredible, compassionate, and down to earth person, with years of experience as a doula. I can't imagine my birth without her! Upon meeting her I could tell she had a grounding presence that would be valuable in the birth experience, and as I got to know her through the two prenatal visits, I saw that even more. She did a great job of listening to my and my partner's ideas and interests and providing insights and suggestions that truly helped frame how to think about giving birth to my first child. The birth itself was an amazing experience that would not have been that way without Allison's presence and guidance. She stayed with me at my home for many hours and knew exactly when to head to the hospital. She provided advocacy, massage, and gentle affirmations and encouragement when labor felt too difficult. I ended up following my birth plan to have a natural, unmedicated birth, thanks to Allison. My partner also loved her presence, and she gave him breaks in support and also insights on how best to help based on her extensive experience and intuition. She also provides birth photography if requested, and writes up a story about the birth experience to share with you a few days later. It was so powerful and beautiful to read the story from her perspective and meet up to chat in that immediate postpartum period. Allison is so good at all that she does! Thanks again, Allison! We'll definitely be recommending your services far and wide! read more

Allison was an incredible doula to me and my partner during my labor last month during the COVID19 pandemic. I am an anxious person by nature so Allison is a great match for me because she is super calm, relaxed and non judgmental. I felt at ease with Allison in our initial phone call as I was evaluating services. We met Allison a few times ahead of my labor via zoom and masked in our backyard. On the day of Allison helped me labor at home as long as possible (she wore an N-95 the whole time). She also helped us get to the right place at the hospital and helped get us set up before leaving (hospital only allowed one other person). She was also on call for us had we needed her via phone/ video after that point. I wouldn't have been able to achieve a natural birth without her. She knew when to help me find a new position, gave me confidence that what I was experiencing was normal, helped keep me hydrated and helped me get to the hospital at just the right time to minimize my exposure there but in time to have my baby safely. She also called when I was going to have my baby while I was in labor. I can't say enough about Allison - I loved working with her and if I had to repeat it would choose her again and again! read more

If I could give Allison all the stars in the Milky Way, I would. She has truly found her calling, and our family is grateful for our experience with her *every* day. She guided our family from duo to trio with her immense generosity, unwavering groundedness, and mystic insight into the birthing process. From learning the songs I wanted to sing and singing them with me during labor, to giving my husband the chance to sleep while also massaging my back for _hours_, to helping me growl through every contraction, to supporting our family after the birth in many ways, including a new moms' group, Allison was our rock, and our champion. I can't recommend Allison highly enough! read more

Allison was an incredible partner to my wife and I during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. She was the perfect match for our personalities and approach to pregnancy and birth - super knowledgeable of the evidence base as well as non-traditional approaches, supportive of whichever paths through pregnancy and birth we wanted to take, calm, grounded, but never too serious and willing to laugh with us at the craziness of it all. Labor and birth was quick, and we ended up having to meet Allison at the hospital. But even for the short amount of time she was with us, she was indispensable. She knew the staff, protocol, and where everything was in the room (she was helping the nurses and pulling towels out of cabinets!), and gave exactly the amount and type of support I needed at the hardest moments. Finally, she was super supportive and kind during a difficult postpartum. We truly valued her friendship and guidance through the whole journey, and would absolutely recommend her to anyone seeking a doula. read more

We used a doula with our first baby (born in SoCal) and were sure that we wanted to make the same investment in our birth experience the second time around. What we didn't realize is that Allison would blow the expectations from our first experience out of the water! Allison took time to really get to know our family and tailored her services to our unique needs accordingly. She is calm, patient, thorough, empathetic, confident, and extremely knowledgeable. I couldn't have asked for more and am so glad Allison was part of our son's birth! read more

Where can I start? Allison is everything my partner and I have wanted in a doula. With a calming voice, soft touch, and vast knowledge of pregnancy, labor, and delivery, Allison went above and beyond for our entire family. Requesting Allison to be part of our homebirth was one of the best decisions we made regarding my partner's labor and delivery. She's also incredible with kids, as our toddler was never left to feel neglected during my partner's twelve hour labor as he clearly loved being with her. As a birthing partner, I cannot recommend Allison enough as I felt very safe and supported during the entire experience. Naturally we rate her five stars, but honestly there aren't enough stars in the galaxy to express our happiness in having Allison part of this experience and in our home. We would ask for her guidance and support again and again and again. read more

There are not enough stars in the world that I could give Allison. She made all the difference for my husband & I in the preparation, labor & delivery of my daughter. I look back on that time with such gratitude toward her & the amazing support she was to us. This was my first pregnancy & I knew I wanted to try my best to have a natural labor & delivery. We interviewed 3 doulas & Allison was the obvious choice. She was calm, knowledgeable, approachable, patient & incredibly kind. From the beginning, she empowered me to make the best decisions for myself & for my baby. Allison met with us a few times during labor, giving great information & topics to chat through & think about as we prepared for our daughter to get here. She was available 24/7, which sometimes I took advantage of too much probably! But as my first baby, I had no idea what labor was supposed to feel like & Allison always answered my text or called back as soon as she could, regardless the time. Once, she even stepped out of a wedding she was a guest at to patiently listen to my questions & concerns as I was 10 days past my due date. My husband will say that he couldn't have survived labor without Allison. He is a strong man & was completely committed to helping me labor naturally, but we didn't realize how physical labor can actually be. My labor was 30 hours & my husband & Allison would take shifts helping me cope. What was so encouraging was Allison's calm demeanor throughout the contractions. She never left my side. I never felt scared or unsure or myself. Throughout my pregnancy I had come to trust & rely on her wisdom & instincts & that was so critical during labor in a hospital setting because you feel very vulnerable. She is completely trustworthy. Allison was an advocate for me in the hospital. We had to make some tough decisions, but she never pressured us to fit her agenda, she only gave us counsel based on what we had talked from the beginning. She took photos & video of the birth. After we were home, she stopped by 2 days later with my placenta pills, the birth story & an amazing fruit pie. Allison is so thoughtful & continues to check in. I found her to be such an incredible friend, support & encourager in those 9 months. I would completely recommend Allison if you are searching for a Doula. Not only is she qualified & dependable, but she has become a dear friend to our family. I will never think of doing a birth without her. I love you, Allison! Thank you! read more

Our daughter was born at Kaiser in Oakland in Jan 2018. Allison was our doula on our joyous day, and we are delighted with our birth story. We highly recommend Allison to you. If you are looking for a doula that you believe in, that you trust, that you can open your heart to as you would to your mom or your sister or your partner, then Allison is your doula. If you are looking for a doula you can tell all your desires and all your fears, and when you need the strength, she will be there, then Allison is your doula. Allison will be your conscience and she will be there to remind you of your path and your desires. She cannot direct the course, she cannot do the work for you, but she will be by your side 100% when you are flooded with emotions and will help you reach complete presence, and to let go. read more

Modern gentlemen, fear not the doula. Shed your stereotyped notion of wading pool in your living room with some hippie woman kneeling beside it in a cloud of incense smoke chanting mantras and occasionally ringing a tuning fork. When my wife first broached the notion of hiring a doula for the birth of our first child, I must admit that I was initially a little skeptical. But Allison Stanton is amazing. First of all, for first-time fathers, especially if you're like me and prefer to have everything planned meticulously and take comfort in knowledge about how things are going to go, the birth of your child is psychologically pretty intense as it approaches, because there's no way to really plan for something for you've never experienced before. Sure, read all the books and take all the classes, but you won't really know how it all goes down until it all goes down. And that uncertainty can be more than a little troubling and stressful as the big day gets closer and closer. You want to be as good a partner and father-to-be as you can be, but you're unavoidably nervous that you'll screw something up in the critical moments. But having a doula takes all that away. Allison is experienced, knows the protocols (and the staff) at many of the hospitals in the area, leaving you with nothing to worry about except being there for your partner. If you don't know what to do or what to ask the nurse for or where something is or what options are available to you when the doctor explains something that you may or may not fully understand, Allison will be there to help. Even more importantly, Allison will also be there for the things that you'll need that you aren't even thinking of because you don't even know what you don't know. I can't recommend her strongly enough. My wife is a bad-ass who did 30+ hours of labor, and Allison was absolutely instrumental in getting us through it all. She came to our home in the middle of the night, even slept on the floor beside our bed in brief snippets when she could, helped guide my wife through her slowly-increasing-in-frequency-and-intensity contractions, made sure we slept when we could and ate when we could, and made sure that we were able to do as much of the labor as possible in the comfort of our home. She expertly helped to manage our psychological anxieties and dissuaded us from rushing to the hospital, such that when we did finally arrive at the hospital, it was go-time. If Allison hadn't been there, we would certainly have nervously rushed to the hospital way too early, and had to either come back home, or spent an entire day laboring in a hospital room. Logistically, if you procure Allison's services, she'll come to your home and meet you a couple of times before the big day, she'll work with you to develop a plan, and she'll get familiar with your home so that, when the time comes, she can be there to help with food, linens, etc. Also, Allison never once tried to push any particular type of birth plan. We were open to using drugs and even an epidural, and she wasn't dogmatic about having a drug-free birth at all; she worked with us to develop the plan that worked for us. One last thing. You may think that it will be a little weird to have a perfect stranger in your home and in your hospital room during what may be one of the most intimate and intense moments of you and your partner's joint life, but what I found is that, by the end of it all, I felt very close to Allison, like she and I had gone on a journey together, and it wasn't weird or uncomfortable at all. So don't hesitate. If you're having a baby soon, hire a doula. And if you're hiring a doula, hire Allison. read more

I started my first pregnancy with a lot of fear around labor. My partner and I decided to seek the support of a doula to help us feel prepared more and confident navigating this life changing event. From our first meeting it was clear that Allison possessed a breadth of knowledge and a warm, caring demeanor that put us at ease. I am a pretty private person and still felt this near-stranger would be a comfort in the delivery room during the incredibly intimate experience of birthing our daughter. We were lucky to have a healthy and smooth birth experience, surprisingly without any pain medication or medical intervention (I thought for sure I would need some). I attribute a great deal of that to Allison's ability to soothe my fear and anxiety and help manage pain through massage and other natural techniques. Allison is so grounded and steady, working harmoniously and respectfully with my partner and hospital staff- it felt like she was effortlessly orchestrating this experience so that I could focus all of my energy on birthing my baby. It is a gift to reflect on this experience feeling strong and proud of my body's wisdom and it will serve me lifelong as a positive stronghold to refer to when new parts of motherhood feel challenging. Thank you Allison for the tremendous gift you shared by participating in the birth of our new little family! read more

I'm happy to say giving birth to my first baby was one of the best experiences of my life. It went exactly as I had hoped thanks to Allison. She helped me labor at home as long as possible. At my first exam in the hospital, I was already 7cm and my baby would be born only five hours later. I was able to achieve a natural birth without even thinking about pain medication. The environment in my birthing room was extremely calm and positive thanks to Allison who normalized all my fears and provided soothing lighting, calming massage with scented lotions and recommended new laboring positions to keep things progressing quickly and naturally. At our postpartum visit, Allison gave us a written birth story and photos that my husband and I cannot read or revisit without tears streaming down our faces. It was a beautiful experience that Allison helped create and then capture for us to relive forever. We are so grateful to Allison and recommend her 110% for anyone considering a doula or hoping for a natural or enjoyable birth experience. read more