Ashley hosted our private birth education course. Even though we had completed a birth course with our first baby, Ashley created a customized course to support us in the kind of birth we wanted the second time around. Her teaching style was warm and friendly, she made me feel so comfortable and empowered. Would highly recommend her. read more

I was fortunate to have Ashley as our Hypnobirthing instructor at the Birth Education Center and our birth doula for my first child (pre-COVID). My husband and I were on the fence about having a doula, but my friend who took the classes and had Ashley as a doula recommended I at least meet Ashley in person. During our hour-long chat at the coffee shop, I realized that the birth of my child would be one of the most important days of my life, and what we see on our TV and movies is FAR from how the birth experience really is. Ashley was so knowledgeable about all the hospitals/doctors/protocols, anatomy, just anything birth-related. This was helpful in having the awareness and expectation so that I could make my own decisions. I had to get induced at 38 weeks due to high blood pressure and other conditions and was basically freaking out. Ashley helped me through it and assured me that this was the right time and the right call for my situation. Her calm demeanor kept me calm. She was very hands-on and helped me throughout my labor (utilizing spinning babies technique and massage/hip squeezes), and my husband still talks about how helpful it was to have her there so that he could take a break and eat lunch! Ashley was an advocate for me during birth and I am so grateful, like when the nurse just decided to buttoned my gown up in the chest because that's more "modest" and Ashley, knowing the importance and benefits of skin-to-skin and my wishes, unbuttoned it when the nurse wasn't looking! Small things like this add up and actually mean a lot. I ended up having a beautiful and positive birth at the hospital (opted for epidural) and I have Ashley to thank for it. Ashley is one of my favorite people, and I cannot recommend her enough. She is a fairy godmother! As for the hypnobirthing...my first reaction was "I'm not a hippie," but after that meeting with Ashley, I realized it is a total misnomer, and Hypnobirthing is just relaxation methods AND birth education to help you feel confidant on the big day. I recommend taking these classes over the classes taught at hospitals which tend to be more clinical. read more

I had a traumatic experience with my third labor, and a friend connected me with Ashley to help me get through my fourth. She instructed me and my husband in hypnobirthing, in a group setting. Her guidance helped me overcome my fear and face birth again without hyper-focusing on my past. My pregnancies are always high-risk and as such, I'm always tackling a certain feeling of helplessness... Ashley helped restore my confidence about the authority I maintain over my body, the power I have even when things don't go as planned, and the strong connection I can foster with my baby amidst any circumstance. read more

Ashley is one of the kindest, empathetic and professional doulas I've ever dealt with. Not only is she totally responsible and reliable, but her knowledge and presence during my pregnancy and daughter's birth was a tremendous help. She knew my birthing plan (hah, like anything ever goes as planned) and she was an excellent advocate for me in the L&D department. I wish I had her for my first child, but if I ever have any more, she'll be the first person I contact. 10/10 we love Ashley and are so grateful for her and her doula services. I could not recommend anyone else more. read more

Ashley Stetson is a magical human and a essential part of the birth community. She is so passionate and educated, it is contagious. While I didn't have the chance to have her be my doula, I am proud to say she has been an integral part of my own growing doula business, as my mentor. I also had the pleasure to take her hypnobirthing class and wholeheartedly recommend her and said class to my own clients interested in hypnobirthing. Thank you for all you do and will continue to do read more

Ashley was simply put the MVP of our birth experience. She was so helpful for advice and sharing knowledge prior to birth and assisting with walking us through our birth plan and also was a strong advocate and guide for us in the delivery room. What I appreciated most was her accessibility and how she also built a strong relationship and trust with us. Our birth was a crazy experience and Ashley helped every step of the way- from assessing if water broke, initial contractions, helpful positioning during labor, interactions with the nurses/doctors/staff, and calming our nerves when hurdles came our way by explaining what's happening in laments terms. We are so grateful to have had Ashley as our doula and will be recommending her to friends in the future. read more

Ashley is such an an amazing birth doula. I reached out for help with my second pregnancy as my first was very traumatic. She met me where I was and helped me prepare for the birth and postpartum period. My little baby kept faking us out and acting like she was going to come early and Ashley was the voice of reason. I ended up having an unmedicated delivery thanks to her support. She helped my husband find ways to be more supportive this time around too which enriched our bond. She is amazing and you'd be so lucky to have her help you welcome your baby(ies) into the world. read more

I can't say enough good things about Ashley. After a traumatic experience with my first baby's birth, I was referred to Ashley while pregnant with my second. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted and didn't want for this second birth experience. Ashley helped me work through my goals and past trauma. She was patient, supportive, knowledgeable, warm, and calming. She guided me in writing concise and effective birth plans (which the OB on call followed in detail when the day arrived). She was always accessible to answer my questions, informed by current evidenced-based research and common sense. When my water broke a few days before my due date, she calmly talked me through what to expect and what to do, and when we arrived at the hospital she was a stellar advocate. She was our rock, that whole day. When it became clear that I was going to need a second cesarean, she kept me calm, informed, and encouraged the whole time (I'm prone to panic attacks, so this was a huge deal). Ashley is a birth hero! read more

We chose Ashley as our doula for our second birth. Loved working with her because we 'fit' from even our very first phone call. She met with us via zoom and in person many times before birth and had great advice for pregnancy. She helped us with a written birth plan for delivery. She was available any time I needed her. Towards delivery time, she helped me navigate questions with the doctors and reassured me when I was uncertain. Even though the Omicron covid variant excluded her from physically being present at our birth, just having her in our court via zoom haha helped me achieve the most I could have hoped for in my desired birth experience. She was on zoom through the whole labor and delivery and checked in multiple times afterwards. We even did a postpartum visit! If you are having a baby, whether you plan for a natural birth or not, Ashley Stetson should be your doula! She is kind, reassuring, keeps it real, has amazing resources and connections, and makes you laugh when you need it. read more

Ashley Stetson - Birth Services - Us with my now 2 month old! - Doulas Near Me

Ashley is a thoughtful, educated and inclusive birth worker, and we have been so lucky to have her in our San Diego birth community! She is deeply committed to building community and that spirit is evident in the way that she supports and encourages other birth educators and birth workers. Thank you for sharing your gifts, Ashley! read more

Ashley brings sunshine wherever she goes As my doula for my son's birth, Ashley was bubbly and lighthearted which made me feel comfortable from the start. She is a wealth of knowledge and was able to supply my husband and I with evidence based information whenever a question or concern arose. My son's birth was incredible and I cannot imagine it being so without her love, wisdom and experience facilitating his path. You're simply amazing and we love you read more

My family was blessed to help you start on your journey. You being there to assist with Tristans birth, was so incredible. Watching you grow into who you are now has been a gift. You bless countless families by helping them bring their babies into the world. I almost wish I were younger and experiencing pregnancy. I'd definitely be reaching out to you. Anyone who is lucky enough to secure you for their baby's debut will definitely be very happy. read more

Ashley did an in-home birthing class for my husband and I. The content of the class was standard hypnobirthing material. However, Ashley really brought it to life for us, made it meaningful for our particular family. She took time to talk through my previous birth experience, address concerns we had from it, emotional baggage we were carrying and helped us by giving us the tools to let that all go and prepare freshly for the current birth. She was wonderful, and I went into my birth prepared and calm. read more

Having Ashley's guidance and support during both pregnancy and birth were invaluable. She offered calm reassurance and thoughtful expertise while talking through all scenarios leading up to the birth. It was especially helpful to be able to call and text her during my long induction to gain her insights and review our plans, as this enabled me to advocate for myself. She was always clear with spot-on advice and all of the nurses remarked positively about her suggestions, too! During the birth, my husband found it extraordinarily supportive to look at Ashley as the image of serenity and calm during an emotional rollercoaster, involving the happiest moment of our lives to one of the scariest. The medical team determined that our child needed to go the NICU while I had my own complications. When my husband went to the NICU, it gave us both solace to have Ashley by my side. This was not something I anticipated when I initially chose to have a doula and it ended up being a huge part of the happy ending of the birth. We're so grateful for Ashley's support in welcoming our little one into the world and encourage others to bring her on as part of your team during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum! read more

Ashley was our virtual birth doula for our twins in September 2020. I wasn't sure how helpful or valuable a doula would be virtually, but Ashley was AMAZING! This was our first pregnancy/birth, and we had always planned on having a postpartum doula (which I also highly recommend). It wasn't until i was about 7 months in that it dawned on me that we might benefit from a birth doula as well. The postpartum doula we chose (Ali Feroah, also amazing) referred us to Ashley because Ashley is a mom of multiples herself, with triplets nonetheless. Thanks to COVID and Sharp's rather ridiculous Doula policy, we didn't have an option to have Ashley in-person for the birth. We decided ultimately, however, that we wanted to have Ashley available virtually to help me advocate for what I wanted and to help my husband feel confident and empowered to support me throughout the laboring process. We had a couple of in-person prenatal visits, and then she was available throughout my induction and labor which took about 48 hours. My husband did a lot of texting with her, and we called a couple of times to discuss progress and next steps. There were points when the doctors were making suggestions on next steps (e.g. "Time to break your water!") that I was able to say, "Please give us a minute to discuss with our Doula before we make any decisions." And then Ashley was able to reassure us on these steps or guide us in asking questions, etc. I had planned on having an epidural but wanted to wait until last minute, but not really knowing when "last minute" would be. At one point, I was in terrible pain with no break between contractions (thanks to the 24 hours of pitocin), and I called Ashley gasping and crying, and she very gently said, "It's time for your epidural." It was like getting permission from my mom, I was so relieved. My husband had no experience with pregnancy, babies, birth, etc., and Ashley was an incredible resource for him. She helped him understand his role and feel totally comfortable in all the crazy. She's also SO funny! She's a great doula and an awesome human. I'm glad to know her. I honestly can't believe we got so much value out of having her only available via phone. I really wish she could've been with us in person to welcome our two, but our experience was still pretty great. read more

During the COVID-19 situation and at 36 weeks of pregnancy I was on the fence of hiring a doula. However, after taking Hypnobirthing Refresher course at Birth Education Center, my husband and I realized we would really benefit from doula support, be it virtual or in-person. Upon contacting a few of their Tier 1 recommended doulas including my previous doula (who ended up not being available around my due date), Ashley stood out the most as the caring, knowledgeable, down-to-earth doula that we ended up hiring. She even shared out with us that our hospital's labor & delivery opened their doors to doulas and we immediately hired her. The best decision made in my pregnancy and delivery journey! After my water broke spontaneously at 38 weeks, Ashley was the first person to call. She kept me informed and advised throughout this journey and met us at the hospital when my doctor recommended to go in after 19 hours of water breaking. I was chemically induced and it was thanks to Ashley that we have made great progress using all kinds of techniques including Rebozo, Spinning Babies, and Hypnobirthing. She helped us navigate the hospital procedures and assured us throughout our laboring journey with her copious knowledge she's acquired over the years and helped us make the right decisions at the right time. After 16 hours of being in active labor and then using surges to push with Ashley and Dr. Cobb's guidance, I delivered my baby without any tear and without any complications. Ashley stayed with us throughout the whole process, and never lost her enthusiasm and caring attitude. I wholeheartedly recommend Ashley's services if you are lucky to be able to book her. read more

Ashley was my doula for both my children. She provided support for the birth of my first child in person and my second virtually during the global pandemic. She has so much knowledge pregnancy, birth and postpartum any question I had she answered. Would recommend her services! read more

Ashley is the real deal! Experienced, kind, and goes above and beyond for her clients. As a doula myself, I have been blown away by the amount of care she shows for the clients we have worked together on. She is at the top of everyone's referral list for a reason. Don't hesitate to hire Ashley if you're lucky enough for her to be available for your due date! read more

We were so incredibly lucky to have Ashley both as our Hypnobirthing instructor and our doula for our first birth. She was the perfect combination of smart, knowledgeable, down-to-earth, and practical. She provided us with tons of information and support, but ultimately let us make all the decisions with her full support. Some other doulas I interviewed seemed to be pushing a certain agenda, but although Ashley made her opinions known, I never felt pressured into any certain decisions or course of action. From the moment we interviewed her, my husband and I both felt extremely confident in her abilities as a doula but also very comfortable with her as a coach/guide/person. We had an absolutely amazing birth at the Birth Center at UCSD Jacobs. My labor was 8 hours from start to finish, and we were able to have the all natural birth that we had hoped for. A lot of this was due to Ashley's guidance and support. When my water broke, Ashley was our first call and we made the decision to wait a few hours before going in, which turned out to be perfect. She met us at the hospital and was with us every step of the way from there. Her advice on positions, when to use the tub etc was perfect. I couldn't have imagined a better birth experience and am so thankful the Ashley was the one to guide us through. I would definitely recommend her to anyone! read more

After interviewing a handful of doulas, my husband and I knew right away Ashley was the one to be my birth doula. After talking with her for about an hour we knew she was smart, knowledgeable, dedicated and efficient. The more we got to know her we realized how resourceful she was, even though she hadn't been certified at the time we met her. She has a very bubbly personality and likes to talk with you about everything about babies and pregnancy. So you get to know each other very quickly. We had a couple of meetings at our home before the birth to get to know each other and to go over the details of the upcoming birth. We had lengthy conversations regarding baby stuff that lasted a few hours and went over the birth plan on our final meeting. I let Ashley know I wanted to do as natural as possible without pitocin and epidural. As soon as my water broke one evening, I let Ashley know and she let me know what I had to do or could do. She always gave me the option to do what WE wanted to do and never tried to persuade us to do anything. We decided to wait at home rather than go to the hospital right away like the doctors told us to do. We went to the hospital the next morning, but took our time. I was having contractions, but they weren't serious enough. We asked Ashley to meet us at the hospital. Throughout the night, we were texting each other, so I know my husband, Ashley and I really didn't sleep much. At the hospital, Ashley wasn't there, but she was delayed due to family duties. As soon as she arrived she knew exactly what to do and just talked my husband and me through everything. She told us what to expect-- what the nurses and doctors would say to us, and she explained some of the terms we didn't understand. She was familiar with the hospital machines and told us how to read them. She also befriended all the nurses and doctors that came through the door and made everyone feel at ease-- including us and the hospital staff. She helped me to the bathroom and massaged my back. She was there the whole time giving me feedback and cheering me on when I was breathing to ease the contractions. I was admitted at around 9 and gave birth the next morning at around 5 AM?-- I can't remember now. haha. Ashley was with us the whole time except when she had dinner and when she had to get a couple of phone calls from home. Ashley was amazing at the time of delivery. She was on one side and my husband on the other and let me know exactly what was happening. She encouraged me and guided me if I had any doubts or was feeling too painful to push. I had no complications and delivered a very healthy boy. If there was one thing I would do differently, I would ask Ashley to record the timeline of my delivery event because now I don't remember the time it took and all the nitty gritty detail of my time at the hospital because I was in so much pain. But Ashley was so involved the whole time, I'm not sure she could've actively recorded everything. My husband and I had doubts about even getting a doula at first with all the expenses of buying baby stuff. However after our experience with Ashley we thought the money was more than well-spent and we just wonder what we would have done without her enormous help--especially my husband! In other words, she is a 'god send'! read more

Ashley is the most amazing person to have around and is such a breath of fresh air always! I hired her early on because I had heard incredible things about her when I first found out I was pregnant and I didn't want her to book up. SO GLAD I DID! At the end of our first meeting, I knew she would be perfect to help me along in my pregnancy and during the delivery. I ended up having a scheduled c-section but couldn't have gotten through it without her and because she was there, my husband could be with our little one right away. It also helps that she captured my favorite picture from that day - me seeing our little guy for the first time. Ashley was always available by text or phone call whenever I had a question or a concern right away. She was full of knowledge and covered everything so well throughout my pregnancy. Our meetings were amazing and my husband and I both felt so much relief after meeting with her because we felt so in control of everything and so full of knowledge. I can't recommend hiring her enough! read more

My partner and I decided to hire a doula late in the game when I felt I needed more support than I was receiving from my OB (and starting to get really anxious about labor). When we met Ashley we instantly knew it was a match. She asked us all the right questions to get is thinking about our upcoming birth, was available anytime we had questions or concerns, helped us create our birth plan, and worked with us on techniques to use in labor. On THE day, Ashley met us at our home and supported us there until it was time to head to the hospital. Once at the hospital things completely deviated from our well-intended plans, and had we not had Ashley by our side we would not have felt so calm. Having someone who knows the ropes supporting us through difficult decisions in times of rapid change was beyond valuable to us. Ashley is kind, funny, practical, and incredibly knowledgable. She is the person you want in the room with you to offer relief for your partner, massage your back during contractions, and offer assurance during decision time. We are so blessed she was part of our birth story. read more

I wholeheartedly recommend this woman to become your doula if her schedule allows! Ashley is sweet, genuine, humorous, extremely knowledgeable yet down to earth and has magical hands that will help ease your pain during active labor. She is highly educated in her field and does not have an "agenda" like some. She isnt afraid to give your her professional opinion but will also respect yours should you want to go the other way. She's always just a text message or phone call away when you need her. Ashley was my doula for my second child. Unlike my first, I had an extremely rough pregnancy this time around. I started off with hyperemesis gravidarum during the first trimester and was ordered to bed rest due to early contractions starting around 19 weeks. I developed gestational diabetes towards the third trimester ( I did not have it with my first ) and was prescribed almost every medication deemed borderline safe for a pregnant person. My body pretty much reacts negatively to most medications so there was a lot of experimenting. All these complications + hormones turned me into an emotional wreck and had me battling high anxiety and depression through most of my pregnancy. Ashley knew what to say or do and when to say it to assure me that everything was going to be all right. Most importantly, she did all in her power to make sure my labor went smooth and well when the time came to meet my little one. It's been over 6 months since I've had my son and I am still grateful that I had Ashley by my side each step of the way. Some people may wonder if it is necessary to hire a doula when you already have a doctor or midwife. I had an absolutely wonderful OB but he could not replace what Ashley did for me as a doula. You may regret not having a doula but you certainly will not regret having one if your doula is Ashley. read more

Ashley is such an absolute gem of doula and educator, and I was so lucky to take many of her classes as a fellow birth worker. She is warm, personable, funny, easy going, and she possesses wealth of knowledge. If ever I had a question or needed more nuanced information and insight about something any of my clients were experiencing in their pregnancy or postpartum, Ashley was always the first person I reached out to. I have recommended her to my dearest friends when they were looking for a doula, and if I had lived in the same city as Ashley when I was pregnant with my youngest last year, I would have hired her the second I got a positive pregnancy test. I truly cannot say enough good things about Ashley and the level of support that she provides to her clients and students. She makes everyone feel confident and excited to give birth, and she gives you the tools to work through anything unexpected that may arise, so that you can make the best decisions for your baby's birth experience. Anyone would be fortunate to have Ashley as part of their birth team or as a colleague. read more

We chose Ashley to be our doula for the birth of our third child. We were attempting a vba2c, and wanted someone with experience helping vbac moms. Ashley was the perfect person for our situation. It's hard not to love her when you meet her, she's extremely personable and engaging and so very encouraging and supportive, all things you want for someone who is going to see you in labor. Her experience was invaluable. This was our third kid, it wasn't like we didn't know what labor would be like, and yet because both of my other births ended in surgery, we still felt insecure about things. Ashley was so calm the entire time, before and during labor, she answered questions and reassured me at times but she also stayed out of the way when I didn't need her. I know that sounds strange, but it was so helpful. She made me feel like she trusted me and my birthing body and she didn't distract me during labor. My husband was so grateful for her help, my labor was long and things got serious late at night, so he was exhausted. He and Ashley were a perfect team, trading off who was sleeping and who was comforting me, so I never felt alone. One thing we really wanted from her was to know when it was a good time to go to the hospital, because we really didn't want to go too early and end up on a clock. I can honestly say if she hadn't been the we wouldve gone a lot earlier. She gave me an idea of what internal signs to look for (vocalization) and when I hit those signs she let me be the one to decide it was time to go. She never rushed or pushed us, we both felt like we were in control of this birth, a feeling we did not have with the other two. Because of Ashley I got to the hospital fully dilated (a HUGE victory for a vbac mom) and pushed a baby out within a half hour of being there. She held one of my legs and my hand (my husband had the other side) while I pushed, and encouraged me the whole time, and I had a completely natural, beautiful, calm birth. The support didn't end with the birth either. She checks in on me still, and when I got mastitis and couldn't nurse for a while, she found me donor breast milk so my son could still get that nutrition as I healed. Who does that? She's amazing. Anyone would be lucky to have her at their birth, but especially vbac moms, if you want someone to help calm your fears and create an environment of peace, and help you to trust your laboring body, you could not do better than Ashley. read more

We loved Ashley and connected with her right away. She was dedicated and helpful throughout pregnancy and helped arrange for a perfect on-call doula for us when we went into labor a week early and she happened to be sick with bronchitis. She and our on-call doula both came for our postpartum visit when she was feeling better. It was amazing to have someone so invested in us and our son. read more

As a new doula in the area I have gained such wisdom from Ashley. She is a wealth of knowledge and cares deeply for the families she serves. She has offered me great guidance. I'm sure she would make a great doula for any family and would not hesitate to recommend her to others. read more

I was so nervous about going through my pregnancy alone due to my husband being deployed so for this pregnancy having a doula was a must. Ashley was such an important person to have at my birth and still is such an amazing person to have in my circle. For me, Ashley's presence was all about having someone to assist in case my husband couldn't make it home but when he did make it she worked with both of us to ensure our confidence with or birth plan. when things didn't go as planned Ashley was there to make sure that my husband was confident and that I was comforted during the unexpected all natural delivery. Ashley is warm and non- judgemental. She is a great trustworthy person to have with you. read more

Love Ashley! Kind, caring, and she REALLY knows her stuff. I highly recommend her for anyone looking for Hypnobirthing classes or Birth Doula service. read more

Ashley was an amazing doula! We are so happy we chose her early on in the pregnancy (she books up fast!). Our sweet boy is now 5 months (took me a while to get the time to write this :)) She was supportive every step of the way from meeting before hand a couple times to go over our ideal birth plan and make sure we had everything crossed off our list we needed to get done. She also helped a great deal with making sure the placenta was taken care of appropriately and transferred to the appropriate person. Our birth did not go as planned as happens often and I was so glad to have Ashley by my side helping me out throughout all the decisions that had to be made, and assisting with comfort measures/positioning changes you name it. I was induced on Wednesday and had a C-section on Saturday morning. Throughout the whole process she was there by text/phone call, and when it was time for her to come in she spent the night and stayed until the morning when the decision was made to perform a C-section. There are so many unknowns when it comes to having your first baby, and it was truly wonderful to have her there by my side supporting my husband and myself. And she comes for a follow-up post-partum visit too! Overall she was so wonderful, caring, gentle, knowledgable and supportive! Couldn't recommend her highly enough she is AMAZING! read more