Working with Kirsten as our doula was a fantastic decision and I'd highly recommend her…read more From the beginning, Kirsten was a wealth of information, sharing a variety of informational documents and videos covering everything from prepartum stretches/exercises all the way through birth and postpartum recovery. She was always available for questions and has extensive knowledge from her hundreds of clients as well as her own 6 birth experiences. The night I went into labor, she came over and walked my husband and me through exercises to speed up contractions. During delivery she kept me comfortable, worked seamlessly with the L&D nurse, followed the birth plan we made together, and always had the perfect words of encouragement. She was also a wonderful support to my husband and mom. After birth, when we were ready to give my daughter her first bath, Kirsten came over and walked us through the process, offering additional guidance and advice around sleep and breastfeeding. Kirsten really knows her stuff and loves what she does. Seriously, work with her. Kirsten is an amazing doula and very special human!

Not a good fit for me. An unfortunate waste of ~$3,200. I am disheartened to have to share that…read moreour experience was not good for us. Each relationship is a combination and this wasn't the right one for me. I should have said something early on as I knew it right after our first meeting. I feared having to deal with contractual bindings and didn't have the energy to. I hoped for the best when it became "showtime" during labor. It didn't change, it actually got worse. I originally liked Kirsten b/c she seemed compelling when she spoke. Quick. Which I thought would be a positive for a couple of reasons: -to be efficient with time given with my career responsibilities, I do not have much to give -I thought the pace would do a good job at keeping my attention How that formed up was: During our call to come up with a birth plan, Kirsten spoke so quickly and consistently we felt as though we couldn't get much of a word in. She also interrupted us multiple times. She seemed impatient. The insight she was sharing with questions we asked seemed boiler plate and lacking much depth. Or avoidant all together. I felt I was finding and receiving much more thorough information elsewhere on my own. I thought she was supposed to create a more personal rapport with me/us. Then help us really hone in to answers that were right for us. It seemed early on like she was just trying to check her deliverables boxes. My pregnancy was uncomplicated, therefore I didn't have much to share with her post pre natal appts etc... However, as the due date got closer, we could have used more attentiveness. As I mentioned, her style felt so impersonal that my motivation to reach out to her waned. It was more of a disapointment than an uplift. It felt like an easy paycheck grab. Our second mtg of her allotted services (the in-person one) she also seemed a little impatient and checked out. She was stopping to text with her kids during. The hour visit seemed to lend us again more of a machine gun style of "help" and pointers. Without great direction or clarity. In the meantime I was working with a prenatal bodyworker and midwife whom was a glaring counterpoint to the different styles of supporting someone during pregnancy. Patient & attuned to the person, not seemingly seeing them as a to-do list without really connecting. Fast forward to the weeks before the due date, the bodyworker/midwife could tell our baby was posterior or sunny side up. She was recommending certain exercises to do. Kirsten sent quick responses to any questions I asked that seemed like copy and paste answers. The lack of personal connection made this feel like a waste of time. My interest was already low, yet I tried to stay the course vs. say we don't need your services at all. (on a side note, there should be something said very clearly up front that if it doesn't feel like the right fit... even after contract signing and deposits paid that the mother and client should feel 100% welcome to say so and stop services without further payment - this would have created a safe environment vs. more stress in a time that can be draining enough). When it got closer to the date, and we went in to the hospital Kirsten sent a substitute b/c she had a personal event to attend. The substitute was, from the onset, seemingly more attuned to me (vs seeing me as a task). I responded much more openly to this and it was a pleasure to work with her. My labor process was just over a cpl of days w/ some stops & starts. Kirsten seemed to be either absent (w/ her replacement there for a portion of) or too late. If she were more connected I think she would have known to work on the posterior likelihood much earlier. I also wanted to ask for her substitute to come back instead, but I feared the bad energy that could bring to an already lack luster exchange...and my partner talked me out of it in the end. I found I lost respect for her and did not want to listen when she did make some effort. Her tone was again lacking personal touch. She sat on her phone and droned from across the room good job, you're so strong on repeat for a while. That sums up how I felt the service was performed for me. It seems she is a great fit for many, I am very happy for those mothers. I believe it is clear, she was not for me. I debated saying anything here for 5 mo. If nothing else, I wanted to advocate for the ability to get out of the contract if you start feeling the fit isn't for you. I think this should be offered up verbally and clearly by Kirsten at the onset of the relationship. I skimmed the contract and believe I saw binding language. I was pregnant, still running my business & drained. I did not however go back in and dissect it to see if I could get out of it. I avoided the confrontation thinking it would bring more bad feelings to our sacred space vs. help. I hoped for the best when it became show time. The best it was not.

I feel incredibly grateful to have had Yula as our doula. I have very high healthcare literacy and…read moreknow I already had the tools to understand decisions related to my labor/birth and advocate for myself, so I was a little on the fence about working with doula at all. However, I also valued labor/birth as a potentially transformational experience and wanted in support in having an unmedicated birth if possible. After talking with Yula--whose calm and pragmatic demeanor left me also feeling calm and pragmatic--I decided she could help me prepare physically/psychologically for birth and serve not only as an advocate for me but also as a support during a time when both me and my partner would likely be in an altered state. This was beyond true and I cannot imagine my labor and birth experience without her. First, Yula was diligent in understanding my birth preferences. She offered evidence-based information and shared past experiences, but I NEVER felt like she had any agenda other than to support me and help me have the experience that I myself wanted. Second, she was very thorough in helping us prepare for labor. She had 3 meetings with us before my due date to talk through options we might be faced with, help us solidify our birth preference sheet that we would share with our healthcare providers, and practice hands-on ways to cope with labor. I especially appreciated guidance she gave us on perineal massage as well as exercises she offered to help me figure out ways that I personally best coped with pain/uncomfortable sensations. And finally, her support during my labor was invaluable. She offered extremely helpful hands-on counterpressure during my contractions, served as a very calm presence and helped ensure my labor room in the hospital stayed peaceful for me, repeatedly reminded our healthcare team of my preferences and ensured these were enacted so that I could focus on the incredible work I was doing to birth my baby. She provided support in a way that also allowed my partner to support me--she supported our connection rather than interrupt it. When I was doubting myself, she met my doubt with unwavering confidence in me and this helped me find more reserves (the energy gummies she gave me helped too!) Yula has an impressive fund of knowledge to share, yet always centered my experience. She is pragmatic, and also understood and supported the mystical/transformational experience of birth that I desired. I could not recommend her more highly.

I first chatted with Yula at a "Meet the Doulas" event (which she moderated) at Natural Resources…read morein SF. She was 1 of 2 doulas who started out by smiling and asking how I was doing, letting the conversation flow naturally, vs launching into a monologue about herself. I also liked her science-based approach (citing data and studies) and calm, no-nonsense demeanour (check out her website FAQ if you don't believe me :-)). All good signs. My husband and I had just one (3-hour!!) prenatal meeting with her at home to talk about hospital and medication logistics before my water broke (excellent timing!) In the days that followed, Yula sat down with us to formulate a birth plan and talk through pain management, helped us advocate for ourselves against the hospital-recommended induction, AND brought us yummy lemon pistachio cake from a nearby cafe. When I finally went into labour a few days later (no induction!), Yula helped calibrate my early contractions over text, then showed up at 4am and stayed by my side for the next 10 hours. She did whatever it took: applying firm yet gentle counterpressure when my back hurt, negotiating with a crabby nurse, singing with me as I chanted through the pain, guiding me through decision-making, and encouraging me with words of support at every turn. Best of all, when I ran out of steam about 12 hours in, she miraculously produced sachets of delicious marathoners' goo, which I sucked on to get me through the next 3 hours of pushing. She took some really incredible photos of the actual birth, too. We've been in occasional contact over text message in the weeks since, her checking in on me and the baby, me sending her questions and photos. I wish we could see her more often! She is warm, smart, and pragmatic -- a fantastic combination. As a first-time parent, I would highly recommend engaging a birth doula; if I could give Yula a 6-star rating, I would!! Thank you Yula for everything you did to ensure my birth experience was beautiful and safe. We love you :heart:

I'm so glad my husband and I found Richelle and hired her as a sleep consultant. The 4-month sleep…read moreregression hit our son hard and we wanted to try non-sleep training solutions first. Richelle was so helpful revising his sleep schedule and giving us guidance on how to help him. Within a week or so we started seeing improvements and his sleep got so much better! As our son has grown, Richelle has continued to be a valued resource and now she's helping us transition him to one nap per day. We have recommended her to several friends struggling with sleep with their little ones and I'm sure we'll be reaching out for further help in the future.

From day 1 working with a Richelle as our Doula was one of the best pre parenting moves we made…read more This was our first baby and while we had a small clue of what the adventure ahead looked like, Richelle provided us with a plethora of knowledge to support us as new parents and a wealth of options to suit our life style and core values. All of our classes and meetups were via zoom which was very convenient for my husband and I and we got to know Richelle so well during this time, when show time came and it was time to head to the hospital we truly felt we had a best friend and advocate present, we even had a few surprises pop up and she was there to support with options before the hospital staff gave us any. From communication to one of a kind mentoring we couldn't have picked a better doula and look forward to sharing her with future friends and family looking for get support. Erica and Michael

Working with Brigette for my birth doula and placenta encapsulation was a great experience…read more Brigette, and Vanessa Norton who she teamed up with last summer, were the doulas for the birth of my daughter this past July. During our pre-birth meetings, Brigette was warm, responsive, and gave my partner and me a sense that she would be a competent, caring, and strong advocate. On the week of my daughter's birth, the City of SF experienced a record birth boom. What this meant for us was that Brigette was in back-to-back births. As soon as I told her my water broke, she arranged for a back-up for us in case the birth in which she was participating didn't finish by the time I was in active labor. It didn't and we went with her back up doula. We stayed in contact throughout the day until I went into active labor. The Universe has a way of giving me what and who I need at the right time, and this was no exception. Even though Brigette had been in 20+ hours of labor and deliveries, she came to my hospital room right after I delivered my daughter. Can you imagine? We hugged and cheered and introduced Brigette to our miracle - it felt as if in a way she'd been there for the birth. Brigette also took my placenta home with her and encapsulated it. Seeing my placenta post-delivery was nauseating, so I was grateful that Brigette was encapsulating it rather than me try to DIY prepare it. The encapsulation process was easy. A couple days later, Brigette came by and visited with us. She gave me the encapsulations and directions on how to use them. Everything was straightforward and simple, which as an exhausted, new mom, was a big help. I highly recommend partnering with Brigette for your birth!

My wife Gwen wrote this review but it speaks to how we both felt!…read more I can't imagine not having Brigette at my (first) birth and postpartum - throughout the process she was a breath of fresh air and allowed me to stay calm and even maintain my sense of humor when things got tough. I joke with her that I can't wait to get pregnant again so she can support me for round two - although I'm going to give my body some buffer time ;) haha. I planned a homebirth, but hired Brigette because I knew she'd be an incredible advocate for me whether I gave birth at home or had to transfer to hospital. She was recommended by our midwife Kara Englebrecht, and I was so grateful that Kara pointed us to her. From our first meeting Brigette was down to earth with a warm and openhearted energy. She made me feel calm and confident - helped me feel empowered about the fact that I was the one giving birth and she was there to support and guide as needed. During my labor she was extremely intuitive. She was great at providing counter pressure on my hips during labor sensations and read my body for what I needed. Most of the time what I needed was to bury my head in her neck during contractions so I could breath through them - she felt like a sister to me, which is incredible when I step back and think that we hadn't spent *that* much time together - but it speaks to how quickly I grew to trust her. When I was pushing, I was concentrating on her bangs, blowing air towards them to focus and she read my mind and made sure to stay close so I could continue to focus that way (strange I know, but it helped, and best part was I didn't have to ask/tell her to stay still - she just knew what to do!). She also encapsulated my placenta and supported our family postpartum. She showed me how to be an excellent burper, and helped me spread my momma wings with little tips and tricks to grow my confidence. I'm *so* glad we got to continue working with her as our postpartum doula - she was so helpful and efficient it was almost difficult for me and my husband to think up additional to-do tasks. But mostly, she was a warm familiar face that helped me exhale and feel at ease in those challenging first couple of weeks. I'd recommend her 100x over, can't imagine it any other way. FYI: I was able to use my FSA health savings account to use pre-tax dollars to pay for her birth doula services. It's an eligible expense ("Birth Coach"), I had my OB fill out a short form (Letter of Medical Necessity) that I got from the FSA website, and attached it to the reimbursement request. I think hiring a doula is worth every penny, but helpful tip to get a "discount" by using pre-tax dollars!

Juliana was my birth doula and I had the best experience. As soon as I met her, I could tell how…read moreexperienced and knowledgeable she is! She helped us prepare for a natural birth, which was my preference, but also understand the unpredictable things that could happen during labor. She helped us create the birth plan, she shared resources of what to pack, how to cope with pain and more. She kept in touch with us as soon as I started to labor at home, checking in often with my husband. At the hospital, her presence was crucial in ensuring things continued going smoothly. When labor stalled during the pushing phase, she noticed that I hadn't peed in a while and suggested that emptying my bladder would be helpful. She then suggested moving to happy baby position. Despite being reluctant of laboring on my back, I trusted her and guess what? My baby's head started to crown! We welcomed our daughter into the world as peacefully as possible. I'm very grateful for all her support, I wouldn't have been able to have the birth experience I had without her! After our baby girl was born, she also did a home visit to check on us, discuss the birth story and teach us some baby massages.

Juliana worked with me as a back-up doula since my doula was on vacation during my last trimester…read more She is truly amazing and resourceful. She is both very clear in her communications and compassionate. A rare and perfect balance. Plus, she is really knowledgeable about the best healthcare experts in Marin! I am building my postpartum support group with her help and I will continue working with her through private yoga sessions. She is truly exceptional and I highly recommend her!

Meleah is an angel on Earth!!! I truly cannot imagine my birth experience without her. I had an…read moreextremely long labor (over 72 hours) and Meleah was there guiding me, comforting me, advocating for me, and coaching me through it every step of the way. She helped me find the optimal labor positions for my body, guided my husband in how he could best support me, and provided a depth of knowledge that we would have been completely lost without. My goal was to have a vaginal birth without induction, and with Meleah's support, that goal became a reality. I know that if I hadn't hired her and had gone to the hospital as soon as my contractions became more painful, my birth would likely have ended with far more interventions than I wanted, especially given how long my labor was taking. Because of Meleah's constant support and reassurance, I was able to labor safely at home until I reached 6.5 cm and then have the vaginal birth I had hoped for at the hospital. Once we arrived at the hospital, Meleah stayed by my side the entire time. She brought her expertise into the delivery room and helped position me in ways that made a huge difference when it came time to push. She was also there helping with cleanup, offering emotional and physical support, and advocating for me throughout the entire process. I felt completely safe with her. Before my labor, we had three meetings with Meleah, plus another meeting postpartum. We talked through our expectations and preferences, created our birth plan, and did a full labor-preparation session. My husband and I both knew immediately that we were in incredibly good hands. On top of everything else, her communication is outstanding. She responds to texts and emails as soon as she possibly can (often almost immediately) even when it's a 3 a.m. text! And even now, two months later, Meleah continues to check in and answer any questions we have about our baby girl. Her support didn't end when the birth was over, and that has meant so much to us. Meleah was recommended to me by a friend, and I could not be more grateful. I honestly want Meleah at all of my future births because I know she will help me feel supported, confident, and as comfortable as possible throughout the entire experience. I cannot recommend her enough!!! If you're considering hiring a doula, hire Meleah. You will be so grateful you did!!

Hiring Meleah was one of the best decisions we made as first-time parents…read more She was an incredible resource throughout pregnancy, helping us prepare for labor, birth, and life with a newborn. When labor finally arrived, her support was invaluable. She brought a calm, reassuring presence, helped us navigate decisions, and was a tremendous advocate and source of encouragement during a long and emotional experience. Having her with us at the hospital made a world of difference. After our daughter was born, Meleah continued to be an amazing source of knowledge and support. Whether we were struggling with feeding challenges, babywearing (she wrote a book on it!), sleep deprivation, or just trying to figure out what was normal, she always helped us find a path forward and gave us confidence as new parents. Meleah combines deep expertise with genuine compassion, and it's obvious how much she cares about the families she works with. We are incredibly grateful for her guidance and would recommend her without hesitation to any expecting parents.

I reached out to a few doulas and felt an immediate connection with Alexis. From the first moment…read morewe spoke, she was so generous with her time and wisdom, as well as personal anecdotes to help me get a better sense of the types of scenarios we should be thinking through. She also helped me navigate the world of prenatal care - sharing the names of a wonderful birth class, prenatal masseuse and chiropractor that kept me in decent shape up until my birth. During labor, Alexis was a perfect partner to my husband and me. My labor was long, and having Alexis there with us meant that I always had a rested partner to help me through labor. She also helped us navigate the many decisions that inevitably arise during birth, and I can honestly say that while it didn't go according to "plan," it was one of the most beautiful moments of my life and I give Alexis so much credit for that. She's incredibly passionate about what she does and even after birth, was an incredible resource and partner to us in those early, uncertain weeks. We're lucky to have her in the Bay Area!

This is a long over due review. Alexis was my doula for the birth of my second son (7/24/14). My…read morehusband and I couldn't have done it without her. I contacted Alexis late into my pregnancy because I really wanted my second birth to be without an epidural. I didn't have the best experience with my first birth and I really wanted this time to be different. Alexis reassured me that this was a different birth and that my body was meant for this. From the moment I spoke to her I knew she was meant to be a doula. She is super calm and sweet and you can tell she loves what she does. We met shortly there after and I didn't have to interview anyone else (although I spoke to many over the phone). I wasn't too happy with my doctor at the time and Alexis not only knew who he was but helped me research other doctors and suggested many others to me.. She always responded to all of my silly questions and concerns and helped me come up with a birth plan. The day I went into labor I called Alexis and she gave me the option to come over or let me keep laboring on my own at home and meet me later. I felt calm and confident so I stayed in the tub and labored from home and stayed in touch with her. She could tell just by talking to me if I was close or not. When the time came I called Alexis and we met at the hospital. I can honestly say that thanks to Alexis I was able to have an un-medicated birth, my husband said it was the best money we have ever spent (and he was hesitant about getting a doula). Alexis helped me through the contractions and helped me remain calm. She even stayed long after to help in any way that she could. The only regret I have is that I didn't take any pictures with her that day.

Clara went beyond our expectations of support as a doula. She became part of the family while still…read moregiving us space when needed. She helped us navigate a complicated labor like a pro, facilitating an incredible experience. She took lots of time to support us in the weeks leading up to birth and answered any questions we had. We highly recommend Clara as a doula who is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about taking care of the family while bringing baby earthside and honoring birth preferences along the way!

Finding Clara was probably the best thing I did when I first got pregnant. I could tell immediately…read morethat she would be a calming, patient, positive force through pregnancy and delivery. When I lost my first pregnancy and then had to go through multiple IVF retrievals and transfers, I was so happy that Clara was available once I had a pregnancy that stuck, and she did a wonderful job helping me prepare practically, mentally, and emotionally for the transformative process of becoming a mother. She offered a wealth of helpful information and was a fantastic resource through her network. It's clear how much she cares about what she does because I always felt she went out of her way to be supportive in a way that fit me and what I needed, going above and beyond the basic doula contract. For example, when I was admitted to the hospital in my 36th week with my partner out of town, she brought me lunch and then stayed with me the whole afternoon to help keep me company and continued to check in through the anxiety-filled waiting periods to find out what was happening. I ended up needing a c-section, and her caring, smiling, reassuring face was just what I needed in the OR to make it through. She supported us in a great start to our breastfeeding journey by helping him latch in those early moments and then stayed with me until I was settled out of recovery. Even though my birth didn't happen the way I had hoped, I feel good about the journey and have no regrets. After hearing about some of the other experiences of women in my prenatal group, all I could think was I wish they would have had someone like Clara to have helped them because I know she would have made a world of difference. Can't recommend her enough!