My husband and I learned about this class through our prenatal care provider with Women Partners in…read moreHealth. We registered for an all day Childbirth class complete with a Seton hospital tour-- it was a wonderfully informative day that left us feeling confident and prepared for what to expect on "Labor Day". Jillian Silva, our childbirth instructor, was communicative via email and text in the days leading up to the class and welcomed us at the door upon arrival. The class presentation was delivered through PowerPoint slides, lectures, videos and hands-on demonstrations and practice. Jillian was very knowledgeable on all points discussed during the class, and had tangible hospital items for us to view and touch for further understanding and familiarity. We covered topics such as: what to pack in your hospital and baby bag, stages of labor, relaxation techniques, responsibilities of partner, options for labor pain relief (degrees of natural and non-natural options), labor aids/tools that the hospital provides and more! Jillian, who is also a certified Doula, has such a calming and confident nature. She was professional, timely, prepared and very friendly; she even made brownies for the class! Anyone who chooses to have her presence and expertise during their labor and delivery is one lucky mama. The class was from 9am-4pm with a 30 min lunch and the hospital tour from 3-4pm. The long day was totally worth it! I walked away from the class feeling equipped to do what my body knows how to do naturally, and if and when I need support, I now know who to contact. Thanks Jillian for being a great instructor!

Brandi and Jillian are both amazing. Like another yelper wrote, "where to even begin?"…read more We engaged with Austin Childbirth for birth doula services. They come highly recommended, from my wife's OBGYN as well as some of the Seton Hospital staff and Shelley, also of Seton, who taught our "ABC's of Childbirth" class (recommended). I was skeptical at first. Being a traditionalist... and fearing the costs for, well everything as I stand on the edge of the financial abyss of having my first child. My wife wanted to go "all natural" for her birth which means NO PAIN MEDS. #scary At first we were considering birthing centers but that was a bit "too natural" for me. We compromised on getting a doula and having a hospital birth. The biggest benefit to me going in was that a lot of the pressure of what goes on during "go time" wouldn't be on my shoulders alone. In a large way, the doula was joining "team dad" to support mom. Having a professional who knows massages, counter-pressure exercises and other techniques to alleviate pain naturally is NOTHING SHORT OF MAGIC. Even small things like reassuring my wife that "this will pass" and coaching breathing techniques SEEMS like a small thing but when the rubber hits the road, you want that support; TRUST ME. Jillian and Brandi work as a team. From the beginning until after baby comes, Jillian and Brandi communicate via WhatsApp for any quick questions or concerns you may have. Brandi was personally present for our long session in the hospital. Brandi ... is ... AMAZING. So much so that I not only cried when hugging her as she was saying her "goodbyes" at the hospital but I also welled up a bit when she visited to check in on us after we brought baby home. (I just got a little emotional writing this.) ALTERNATIVE PAIN COPING TECHNIQUES: Brandi brought a calm positivity which is hard to explain. Early on she worked magic with massage and compression techniques, some of which she and I did together. She gave my wife coping techniques which brought her pain from an 8 down to a 3 WITHOUT MEDICINE. AGAIN: IT WAS LIKE MAGIC. The hospital staff looked on with admiration as she supported my wife, coaching her though contractions while doing lunges in the hallway at 8cm. ADVOCATE FOR MOM / FEWER INTERVENTIONS: Another thing that's important which can't be understated is that a doula is able to be an advocate for mom and her birth preferences. No slight meant for the medical staff here. The medical staff have their set of tools and protocols that they know and they will try to get you to accept them because that's their playbook. My wife was pretty adamant however about doing the fewest amount of medical interventions because each intervention makes you more statistically likely for more interventions as you careen down the rabbit hole to an unplanned c-section. A doula can help you stick with your birth preferences just by asking the right questions. Just having Brandi in the room was empowering because her goal isn't to get you in and out quick, but rather help you have the birth that you want. TENS FTW: Part of the package is that Austin Childbirth will loan you a TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) unit for pain during your last few weeks of pregnancy and then also for use in the labor / delivery room. It works by This also was something that cut down on my wife's pain considerably. The units they provide has a "surge" button which, when pressed, will go into higher strength mode for use during contractions. My wife swears by it. Brandi stayed with us through it all and then was even willing to keep us company as long as we wanted post-partum. Both Brandi and Jillian engaged with us after we were home just to check in and Brandi even came over to our house a week afterwards to check up on us and see how things were going / see if she could help out. While we aren't planning on having another, if we do, I can't imagine not calling up Brandi and Jillian to join us on our journey.

When it came time for a childbirth class, my husband and I didn't want to do the all day option at…read moreour hospital or a 6 week course; we wanted something that focused on an unmedicated hospital birth and was more personal and concise. I found D'Andrea via a google search for natural childbirth classes in Austin and I'm so glad I did. D'Andrea traveled to our home for a private 4 hour class which was incredibly informative and hands on. We covered a lot on the body, what can be expected during labor, positions and support my husband can offer, the birthing process, etc. I'm due with my first baby next week and I know that the information, skills and techniques D'Andrea introduced us to, and practiced with us, will be crucial while I labor at home for as long as possible! Her class really made my husband and I feel more confident and empowered and ready for this experience. D'Andrea was personable, professional and knowledgeable and was always quick to respond to any emails. She also provided us with a few sample birth plans and additional resources after our session which have come in handy. We are not using a doula for the actual birth but if we were, it would be D'Andrea.

De'Andrea was an amazing teacher - compassionate, straight forward, patient and detailed. With…read moreour first child on the way, my partner and I were aiming to have a natural birth. De'Andrea educated us via her weekly birthing classes how to prepare for a natural birth but also to be emotionally prepared for various outcomes, because each labor is unique. My partner and I learned so much together and felt educated and sure about what we wanted because the knowledge De'Andrea provided empowered us to be our best advocates for this very special time in our lives. Because of the coping techniques I learned in De'Andrea's class , I was able to stay at home for 8 hours when labor started, and even let my partner sleep because I was informed and calm about what was happening to me during the early stages of labor. Also, after the classes were complete and right before I went into labor, I had emailed De'Andrea about a personal issue and she was so kind and helpful - she won my heart and our business forever : )

"The important thing is, the nurse I had for the last 8 hours of labor was AMAZING and didn't leave…read moreus until my daughter was born... she would also make a rad doula." ^ That's what I wrote about Maureen in my review of the hospital where I birthed my daughter in 2015. I didn't go into details in my review of the hospital, but I'll expand here: I had been in induction and (natural) labor for more than 24 hours when I had begun what were to be many hours of transition labor. I'd stopped listening to my husband. Maureen walked into our hospital room at the beginning of her shift, and her voice and demeanor got me back to reality and focused on delivering my baby. She managed to get a very difficult patient (me) to cooperate with relaxation and pain management options, calmly guided me through difficult contractions, and reassured me when she said, "I'm not leaving you until your baby is born." For those last eight hours of my labor, she was supportive and encouraging. Any new options were always presented clearly, and she laid out options, advantages, and disadvantages quickly (and so I didn't have to listen during a contraction!). It was a total change from the previous nurses I'd had. In terms of empowerment, there were two things Maureen did during this experience that definitely stand out. The first was when she confidently said, "You are having this baby by lunchtime." Up until that point, I had no idea what time it was, and didn't want to ask about a finish line. Once she told me the end was near, I became more focused on my role in completing labor. It was just what I needed to hear. The second thing was, after delivery, when she was pushing me in the wheelchair to antepartum, she spoke with me on the walk about the whole labor process. I asked her if I was really in transition for about 10 hours, and she confirmed it, and added, "You tell everyone that. You are an amazon." Those words were something I reflected on often in the next month as I transitioned into life with a newborn. I'm excited that Maureen is now available through Empowered Birth Austin. We are planning to have another child, and figured the chances were slim that we'd manage to snag Maureen as our nurse for a second delivery at the hospital. She will definitely be a part of my next pregnancy and birth experience.

I vividly remember the phone conversation we had a few weeks before my first son's due date…read more Maureen gave me tons of info about the birth process and tips for both me and my husband. I looked over all these notes again leading up to my second delivery, and she was also able to tell me how things might be different the 2nd time around. She was my go-to person to text with during the very confusing time when I thought I felt labor starting mere hours after my OB said it wasn't going to happen anytime soon (and baby did arrive later that night!). Also helpful for providing trouble shooting and advice when I thought I might be having mastitis/clogged duct. Maureen is extremely knowledgeable and caring, and I'd recommend her to anyone!

We found Anya through the Central Texas Doula Association and she was the first doula we met with…read more My husband and I felt almost instantly that she was the doula for us! Her passion for her work, for mamas and babies, is contagious and so comforting -- we knew we would be in the best hands through the prenatal journey and birth of our first child. And we were right! Anya was there for us every step of the way. She dedicated herself to getting to know us, getting to know our worries, wants, and wishes. I loved preparing for the arrival of our little one with her -- she shared so much wisdom and made me feel at ease both physically and mentally (the one-on-one yoga session included in our package was such a nice treat!). We were so ready when the day arrived to deliver our baby! By day, I really mean days... Anya was with us through an incredibly LONG natural labor that ended at the hospital. (But we still delivered vaginally and I owe so much of that to her!) Our journey began at the Austin Area Birthing Center on Monday night and ended on Wednesday morning. She spent every minute of that time encouraging me, supporting me and my husband (literally, like physically supporting me), standing up for and reminding me of the things I wanted and needed, and helping us make some really tough decisions. She was basically like family to me for all those days. It was bittersweet to go our own ways at the end -- sad because she had just shared with us the most momentous occasion of our lives and that kind of connection is so real, but sweet because she needed to rest too!!! Could we have done it all without her? Sure. Would we have wanted to? Absolutely not. I cannot recommend Anya enough if you're looking for a little extra support through your own prenatal/birth/postnatal journey. She's a force. You'll get so much more from your relationship than you ever expected!! We sure did.

Anya is an AMAZING force. I interviewed several doulas, but I went with Anya because of her energy…read more-- she was the perfect balance of confident, non-judgmental, calm and wise. I wanted someone who would help prepare and support me through a natural birth, but who wouldn't judge me if I changed my mind in the end. I'll never forget the thing she said to me in one of our prep meetings that really put me at ease, "There IS something -- a position or a technique -- that will help bring you relief during birth. We'll practice some options now and when the time is here, we'll find the exact one that will work for you." And we did just that. I can say for certain that there is no way we would have been able to avoid an epidural without all the prep she did with me and my husband ahead of time and without her calm, supportive presence in the room. We met with her several times ahead of the birth and she was super thorough with us, never rushed the process and made sure that we as first time parents were as confident as we could be going into this. She lent us books we could peruse if we wanted, but honestly her guidance ahead of time was so thorough and we were so ready for the big day even without taking a formal birthing / breathing class. She even did a prenatal yoga class with me in my home a couple of weeks before our baby arrived. We also hired her for the placenta encapsulation -- it was wonderful having someone who already knew us well do that for us and we opted for her to do it at our home, which sounded strange to us at first, but she scoured the kitchen before and after and in the end, it was a really cool learning process!

Highly, highly recommend Empowered Beginnings!! Ciarra supported us through the arrival of our…read moresecond baby, and she is the best! Super informative and a wealth of knowledge, helping us to feel empowered and informed during the process. Many doulas wait for questions - not Ciarra. She was very proactive with checking in often and anticipating support needed. Her knowledge is gold and she's so generous with her time. Also, Empowered Beginnings presents a community of families and has a wealth of resources available. They are the best if you want genuine and caring support for one of the most vulnerable times for a family... 5 stars!

Jes at Empowered Beginnings was so great!!! I had such a positive experience with her for overnight…read morecare and would definitely recommend her and Empowered Beginnings to anyone with a new little one looking for some help. Getting someone that is the right fit for taking care of your newborn is so important, and it was great knowing I had someone so caring and trustworthy to make sure I could catch up on sleep the nights I needed it! Plus she's just awesome. Love her and working with Ciarra on the back end was always easy and straightforward!

This class was truly a life saver. My husband and I were clueless to most things being this is our…read morefirst child. Kristen really took the time to explain everything we needed and wanted to know. She is so personable and kind and easy to follow. It was an interactive class even though it was a private class. She kept us engaged and made me as a soon to be mom feel SO encouraged and empowered to feel confident about my birth plan. I now know that I can advocate for myself and I few great going into the birth! We also learned a lot about breastfeeding. This class was so worth it. Please take this class!!!!

Owner's response was not helpful and did not address issues with the course. She spent time during…read morethe middle of the class talking about what she watches on Netflix and her boyfriend, among other things. No where did I speak about the course starting late, that was not an issue. I was saying that it was frustrating to rush to a course that you hope will be helpful, only to have the instructor go off on tangents unrelated to the class. Owner's email to me was brief and implied that I should have taken better notes. All materials she provided appear that they can be obtained for free. I have since taken another lactation course (at a similar price point) and I learned so much more! It really emphasized the weaknesses in this class. I really didn't want to update this review, but I felt her response glossed over concerns raised in my initial review.

Austin Doula Care is truly exceptional…read more From the moment we began working with Chelsea, Kim, and Chrys at Austin Doula Care, I felt deeply supported, informed, and cared for. Chelsea was our primary doula during pregnancy and birth, and Chrys supported us postpartum. Chelsea's presence during pregnancy and birth was grounding, empowering, and steady. She listened without judgment, shared knowledge without pressure, and held space in a way that made me feel calm, capable, and strong. She helped me trust my body and myself. Chrys's postpartum care was just as transformative. They cared not only for our baby, but for me: My healing, my emotions, my confidence as a new mother. They normalized the hard moments, celebrated the wins, and helped me feel healthy, supported, and seen during such an important time. If you are looking for doulas who are knowledgeable, compassionate, emotionally intelligent, and deeply respectful of your journey, I cannot recommend Austin Doula Care enough. I will forever be grateful for them!

From the moment I met Chelsea and Rachael, I knew I made the right choice in coming to Austin Doula…read moreCare. Their support extended far beyond childbirth support, from pregnancy check ins, the multitude of programs and classes at the office, as well as postpartum help, made my husband and I feel well cared for and confident about the journey of pregnancy and postpartum. Rachael's support during my pregnancy and childbirth was instrumental in me feeling empowered about every decision I made. She was a sounding board for each step of the way, helped me ask the right questions when needed, and assisted in crafting a birth plan and walking through all scenarios to make sure I felt prepared and confident. I am beyond grateful for her presence during my labor and baby's birth, as well as her postpartum help as I navigated things when my husband went back to work. A huge thank you to Rachael and the whole team at Austin Doula Care, I couldn't recommend their support more.

Summer has extensive knowledge of the body. She is so thorough and takes excellent care of both me…read moreand my husband. We have attended her yoga classes, both have had massage and cupping. The experience with Summer is truly wonderful. Her demeanor is kind, loving and she takes her time. I never feel rushed and I always feel amazing during and after the treatment. I would highly recommend her. The best massage in Austin. As a yoga teacher myself she has also helped me with years of misalignement and I am so grateful. Her office is beautiful, serene and she uses wonderful products as well. Thank you Summer for all that you do!

This review is for Summer Greenlees…read more When my wife was wrapping up her first trimester, she sat me down and told me that she'd like to go through childbirth naturally. As a guy, this went against every instinct, noting that I'd prefer a c-section or to be "numbed from the nose down". Understanding that my support for this decision was a must, immediately I told her to find a doula. Soon later, my wife met with and enlisted Summer Greenlees' help. Her services included [but are not limited to] pregnancy massage, water massage, breathing exercises, aromatherapy and [of course] an active presence in labor & delivery. Fast forward to the third trimester, this is when I met Summer and one of her protégés for the first time. I was immediately struck by Summer's calming presence and uplifting personality-- even her laugh relieves tension! A few weeks later was our due date, but we had that time to practice techniques as a couple in preparation. I'd also like to note that while natural labor is encouraged as the ultimate goal, Summer both understands and acknowledges that epidurals and the like are additional tools in our belt rather than great evils or instruments of failure. When finally in the labor & delivery room, Summer was there from the first moments, setting the stage with calming music, scents that had already shown to calm my wife, foot & shoulder massage, etc. As labor intensified and I locked up with anxiety, she helped to include me with suggestions of what would be most helpful. Without her, I most likely would have remained isolated and closed off when my wife needed me the most. Whatever I paid Summer for her services, I assure you that it was worth much more than that just to have her there. If not for Summer and April (who was present and instrumental in the final stretch of delivery), I would not be able to look back at that moment with fond memories. Their calming energies and positivity helped my wife succeed physically and me emotionally. Getting a doula is a good decision. Choosing Summer makes it a great one.

I can't recommend Vanessa enough! We originally sleep trained our son at 3 months because he…read morewouldn't nap for more than 30 min. That worked well but right around 5-5.5 months something changed and he had trouble sleeping again. We started rocking him to sleep again and it was so frustrating. We finally found Vanessa at 6 months and am so happy we did. Our struggles were naps and 530am wake ups. In just one week we saw such a huge improvement and those early morning wake ups started to fade away. We decided to add on another week to make sure we were in good shape for our upcoming vacation, and she was so invested in us it was amazing. She did everything she could to coach us and help us reach our goals with the tight timeline. (we leave this weekend, fingers crossed!) The time she spent with us was above and beyond, and I can say it's such a great value and investment, especially since we worked with someone else prior. I loved the sleep log and the comments she made daily to help encourage us along the way. Thank you Vanessa!!

I'm not a first time mom so I thought I had this whole baby sleep thing figured out and apparently…read more*NEWS FLASH* I didn't! I used Vanessa's "pick my brain" help when my baby decided it was time to wreck havoc on the wonderful nightly pattern I thought we had going. We needed a fresh set of eyes on our situation to give us some clarity on what the root of our discourse was, and that is exactly what she provided. We tweaked what she recommended we tweak and lo and behold it worked! And everyone's sleep became markedly better in a matter of a few days. Thank you Vanessa for helping us get back on the right (and well rested) track!!