Having a kid is scary. Beautiful. Amazing. And SCARY. As a first time mom I am thrilled to have run…read moreacross an organization that supports the many forms/styles/approaches parenting can take. And participating in E.M. s new mama group was one of the most intelligent things I could have done. (In fact, i still am!) The childbirth collective and enlightened mama were really the two most positive organizations I have run across when it comes to birthing and parenting. I highly encourage any parent to check out Enlightened Mama's wide array of classes and groups.

I haven't taken any of the Enlightened Mama classes yet, except for prenatal yoga, which was kind…read moreof 'meh.' (Too gentle, and too much lying on your back for pregnant women!). But they do have a nice variety of educational classes, which I will be taking advantage of. The people are really nice, too. What I have used is the Childbirth Collective, which is a non-profit that operates in the same space and offers free lectures on various pregnancy/birth topics, and brings together many members of the natural childbirth community. The lectures are hit or miss, some I thought were awesome, and some just ok, but the good ones were WELL worth it, and the networking opportunities to meet other parents and care providers is fantastic. The only thing I really wish they'd update is the seating. The couches are pretty uncomfortable, and many people have to sit on the floor on pillows, since there isn't enough seating. But other than that, the space is beautiful, clean, very nice. Recommend checking them out if you're in the area. Update: I took the Infant CPR class at Enlightened Mama, and while they did get the information across, I wish I'd done it somewhere else. They were disorganized, and spent the last 30 min discussing "natural" remedies for common childhood illnesses, some of which were goofy, and others which frankly, were dangerous in my opinion. If you are the "crunchy mama" type, you might be into it, but if you are looking for a medical-type class, this is not it. Still giving it 4 stars, but only because of the Childbirth Collective. I'll be taking my other classes elsewhere.

When I found out my husband and I were expecting again just after our second turned six months old…read moreI immediately told him I wanted to hire a post partum doula. I interviewed three companies, and chose Better Beginnings because I had heard such glowing reviews from a friend. Joy went above and beyond: providing our family with much needed support and care as well as delicious meals that I still (over one year later!) think about. We felt so well cared for and held during a vulnerable and overwhelming time.

After the birth of our second child, we used night doula support through Better Beginnings. Saideh…read moreand Eileen were our doulas and they were fantastic-- proactive in finding ways to support our family and offering gentle encouraging support as we transitioned to being parents of two. All of the communications, from the first introductory call with the owner to our pre-natal consultation to our first meetings in person with the doulas were all so professional. We don't plan on having more children, but if we did we would absolutely use Better Beginnings again!!

Our doula Sarah was great when she was here to help our family but I can't in good faith recommend…read moreWelcome Baby Care and their unprofessional/disorganized admin services to other families. Not only did the owner run late and almost miss our very first meeting to get to know Welcome Baby Care & what they offer (because she admittedly slept in past our meeting time) WBC also decided that our previously arranged doula schedule was less important than another families new request for doula Sarah, despite us having had her scheduled with us previously weeks in advance (prior to this other client). I understand things happen but I feel that what I experienced from the owner & her scheduling team was very unprofessional - and left me without care and needing to scramble in order to find help with my baby and not let my own clients down for my and my husbands in home business and meetings..causing this new mama a lot of stress that was unneeded as shouldn't have been an issue because I thought I had a dependable service.

Love the staff at Welcome Baby Care! They've now helped us with two of our babies and it's such a…read morerelief to have someone trustworthy watching our newborns so we can get some much-needed sleep! The service and care are both wonderful - cannot say enough good things!

We just took the Labor & Birth Basics 2 class tonight with Mary at Regions Hospital in St. Paul. I…read morewould have to say that it was much needed to understand comfort measures. There were demos like birth balls, Rebozo wraps, and yoga mats. Alot of the material focuses on how control your situation and having good support partner. We did breathing exercises at first then transitioned to massage. Mary was great to explain things in her perspective of doula. Overall, my wife appreciated we took this class together. Already we got our birthing ball sized so know which one to get at Target.

Kelly Rae was our doula and an intern midwife for the duration of my pregnancy, and was there to…read morehelp catch my daughter as she was born in our home. For nine months, Kelly Rae was available to me as a constant support, a teacher, a calming presence, and a friend. She answered any and every question I had, and if she didn't know the answer, she'd research it and get back to me as soon as she had an accurate and well-studied answer. This gal knows her stuff more than anyone I have met in this profession! Kelly Rae would show up to our house with nutritious teas, books about pregnancy/delivery/self-care, and her adorable and loving presence, whenever I needed her. When she was there, she was THERE-always focused on me and my baby and my family! I had several bouts of prodromal labor-each time, no matter what time of day it was, Kelly Rae showed up to help me stay calm, she rubbed my feet and my back, and helped me work through pain. I knew she'd be there for me no matter what! On the night I went in to labor, Kelly Rae was the first one at my door. She guided me through my contractions, helped me stay collected, and was the one to say "Reach down and catch your baby!" when my daughter made her arrival! She was there at every follow up appointment, and helped me through a few days of difficult breastfeeding, as well as the concerns many moms of newborns have! I couldn't have had such a positive birth experience without her. Kelly Rae also encapsulated my placenta! I wish I had done this with my first child, but I'm SO GLAD I did this last time. She had the capsules back to me less than 24 hours after she took it to process! I still take a tincture she taught me to make, 6 months postpartum! Overall, I felt fantastic, and I genuinely credit my experience mixed with my placenta capsules to this. Ladies-use Kelly Rae. I can't sing her praises enough! She's a rock star, and you'll be grateful to her for the rest of your life-I promise!

Kelly was an amazing doula for my first labor and birth. She guided me through my pregnancy with…read moreincredible knowledge, especially during the last trimester when nothing seems to help the aches and pains and other pregnancy side effects, and when it came time to go to the hospital she was so helpful and comforting. I had a few complications during labor and Kelly did such a great job in keeping me focused and at ease. I highly recommend her.

I had back surgery last weekend and I was very pleased with the DR and nursing staff. They were all…read moreso friendly and helpful to me in my recovery. They all came right away when I called. I would definitely recommend the to others.

We HAD an affinity for Abbott since both of our children were born there and received excellent…read morecare (decades ago). Fast forward to 2026 - Deplorable! 5th floor staff allowed a family member with a gaping open wound to be put in a DIRTY room which we cleaned ourselves. Then to find out 2 days post-surgery the care team on floor #5 WEST -DID NOT FOLLOW POST OPERATIVE TREATMENT PROCEDURES PERSCRIBED BY THE SURGEON! Are you serious? Who is holding the care team accountable? A patient doped up on narcotics? EPIC FAILURE ABBOTT! Biggest hospital system in Minnesota? In our experience, big does not mean best.

My experience with Midwest Doulas was nothing short of spectacular. After a horrible first birth…read moreexperience, my husband and I decided I needed more people on our team to help me achieve my birth goals for baby #2. We hired Midwest Doulas and immediately felt seen, heard, and cared for. Justine, Bella, and Ale were incredible and personable to work with, making us feel like we had our healthcare back in our own hands. No matter the time of day (or night) I was immediately responded to, even at 3 am when having contractions. Although our pregnancy ended in a C section due to medical concerns, Justine stayed in the OR with me the entire time and after the birth as well making sure we had everything we needed. We finished our experience with a lovely post partum visit to check if we needed anything, and continued check ins via phone regarding baby appointments and any follow up care we received. 10/10 would recommend these doulas to anyone with ears!!!

Hands down the best investment I made in my pregnancy and birth. Justine and her team were…read moreincredible to work with. Their support gave me the courage I needed to trust in my vbac even when medical concerns had me doubting it. During labor Justine was the grounding force I needed to stay locked into my vision and have the confidence to push back on unnecessarily rushing my induction. She was a quiet force in the room that allowed me and my husband to work as a team through contractions. When I started to panic as I transitioned she held my focus and reminded me I'm almost there. 20 minutes later I was holding my baby girl. It was the redemptive birth I dreamt of and I am grateful for Justine's unwavering support and confidence. We felt so taken care of from the initial call through delivery. I wouldn't do it again without her. Worth every penny and then some.

Rosa attended two births I was a guest at. She has a powerful, calming energy and so much knowledge.read more

Jessica and Rosa went above and beyond (my birth story is on their website) this is a very late…read morereview but much needed. I moved across country half way through my pregnancy and they were willing to accept me and it was a hit since the beginning! They were helpful answering any questions during my pregnancy, were quick to arrive at my birth and had a wonderful experience and the aftercare and thoughts were the best! Start to finish these two are an A+ Roman (20months) is now a few pounds shy of his big brother and thriving! We are so lucky to have had our dream home/water birth!

Amy was our Doula for both of our kiddos. I'm absolutely positive that my first experience was…read moregreat mostly because of her presence. Her support leading up to our birth helped me get my mind and body ready. During labor I was able to really relax because I knew between her and my partner everything was taken care of. I felt supported, safe, and calm. My second birth I needed more help with comfort measures and somehow she always knew exactly what to try to get me through the contractions. I would recommend her as a Doula without hesitation.

From the owner: Holistic birth doula support for families during the childbearing time.read more