Let me start off by saying Sarah is amazing and knows her stuff…read more I had a lot of girlfriends that had postpartum so I wanted to do anything I could to not get it with my first baby and this was one of those things to help. It might sound a little crazy but my placenta pills gave me energy when I was exhausted made me a happy mommy and I knew 100% that I was going to do it again with my second baby. I'll never forget coming home with my first baby and waking up in the morning and thinking that my dogs were so dirty ( and they are inside very clean dogs) I thought to myself -now I know why people get rid of their pets when they bring home newborns then my husband gave me a placenta pill and right away I was back to my old self nursing my baby on one side and holding my little puppy on the other side...lol!! I don't know what that was about..... maybe my hormones and my brain adjusting to a brand-new baby, nevertheless I never got baby blues postpartum or anything AND my milk came in with both kids pretty much the same day as I got my pills. Sarah makes it such an easy beautiful process I highly suggest using her and everything she provides I believe deep down in my soul and my brain that this works. Happy baby happy mama

Sarah is one of the most passionate and knowledgeable professionals that I have encountered…read moreregarding natural birth and related services. My husband and I attended her Bradley Method course along with five other couples. Her presentations were consistently filled with invaluable educational content and a delivery that was very easy to understand. She presented research based approaches and information, and recommendations that enhanced our pregnancy and ensured a healthy delivery. As each topic was discussed, she demonstrated such eagerness to share in our journey. In fact, she was always available to assist in answering questions and to help us make informed decisions prior to and after baby. In addition to her superb Bradley instruction, I utilized her services to encapsulate my placenta. Though I do not have a comparison, I was happy with my postpartum results as I attributed my smooth recovery to her services. I highly recommend Sarah to all expecting families! If you have the opportunity to attend sessions in a group that is what I recommend, as we have established lifelong friends along the process. Most importantly, we have a VERY happy and healthy beautiful baby boy!!! Congratulations to all of you in search of services related to your growing families.

Hilary and her team were all top notch, and I would recommend them most highly to any newborn…read moreparent. We worked with Molly S for postpartum doula help. Molly was an invaluable support both emotionally and with practical help during a difficult time. It was like having a wiser, older sister help out and counsel a few times a week. She is kind, knowledgeable, and brings a lot of mom wisdom from parenting her own three kids. The back office structure and onboarding and contracting process were all fast and efficient. Highly recommend.

I truly do not have enough words to express my sincere gratitude and praise for Hilary and her…read moreteam. I sent Hilary a message at 2am after months of sleepless nights and she promptly replied the next day and set up a call for us to chat. She completely understood not only what I was going through and the help that my family and I needed but she has the kindest, most caring, loving and dedicated team who were willing to jump in at a moments notice to ensure that our baby boy got the love and care he needed so that the rest of us could get some much needed rest. If anyone is thinking about a night nurse or daytime doula, I would 1000% recommend Hilary and her team.

Bonnie and Karen helped me achieve my goal of giving birth unmedicated…read more I met Karen at the hypnobirthing class she teaches at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. My husband and I had been playing with the idea of hiring a doula, but as we got closer to my due date, we realized we would truly benefit from having that support. I reached out to Karen, and right away we began working with both her and Bonnie -- and I'm so glad we did! From the start, we had a group text and every question I had was answered quickly and thoughtfully. As my due date approached, I felt completely comfortable reaching out about my symptoms and getting guidance and reassurance. On the big day, Karen came to our home and helped me get comfortable and work through each contraction. When we arrived at the hospital, Bonnie was there to support me through the birth. She brought snacks and a colored lamp to help create a relaxing environment. I truly felt like she was there just for me. She worked beautifully with the nurses to ensure I was comfortable and made sure my voice was heard. Throughout the entire process, we felt understood, supported, and completely at ease. We are so grateful to have had them as part of our birth story. I truly can't thank them enough.

I cannot recommend Bonnie enough. I hired her as I prepared for a VBAC after two prior C-sections,…read morewhich felt incredibly scary and full of unknowns for me. From the beginning, she validated those fears while also giving me the confidence and encouragement I needed to believe it was possible. My labor ended up being long and emotional -- nearly two full days -- and she stayed by my side the entire time. Her knowledge of labor positioning was incredible. She was constantly helping me find positions that encouraged progress while also paying attention to what felt best for my body. Nothing about her approach felt rigid or "textbook." She truly supported what felt right for me in the moment. She also helped me delay my epidural with techniques and coping methods I had never known about, which helped me go much longer than I thought I could. During the hardest moments, she remained calm, positive, and deeply supportive while also holding space for the emotional intensity that comes with a VBAC journey. Another thing that stood out was how well she worked with everyone in the room. She collaborated seamlessly with the hospital staff and guided my husband in ways that helped him stay involved and supportive, creating a true team environment during labor. After such a long and emotional experience, I'm incredibly grateful to say I had a successful VBAC2C, and I truly believe her support played a huge role in making that possible. If you're considering a VBAC, especially after multiple C-sections, having someone like her in your corner is invaluable.

She-Tara was truly an integral part of my birthing experience. She educated my husband & I in the…read moreweeks leading up to my delivery and made us feel comfortable asking any question we could think of (at literally any time we had a question). She let us know what all of our options were and empowered us to feel in control of our own experience right down to the 'adjusting at home' stage. When I went into labor, she came to the hospital immediately and supported us as much (or as little) as we needed her to and contributed to the safe and healthy delivery of my baby girl. We are grateful for her and highly recommend hiring her.

From the owner: I specialize in supporting families through pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. Need help…read morewith feeding choices?, baby sleep patterns equal no sleep for you?, wonder about the Fourth Trimester?, confused about birthing options? I have solutions! Don’t navigate this journey alone!

Colleen has been an unbelievable help during our time welcoming our first baby! From helping us…read moreset up the nursery and giving us tips about our furniture and room arrangement to teaching us how to swaddle and wear our baby to giving our dog lots of supplementary cuddles to reassuring us that we're doing everything right, Colleen's support was welcome and incredibly useful. Being able to nap and come out to a happy baby and a clean kitchen is priceless! We really appreciated Colleen's expertise and sense of humor, and kindness in never making us feel silly despite having no idea what we were doing. It was terrific to have someone so trustworthy and capable during what could have been a very overwhelming time. We will always be grateful to Colleen for her role in helping us find our footing in these first precious months!

My husband and I were both so happy we had Bethany as our doula. She was awesome prenatally - I had…read morea stubborn placenta previa and didn't know whether I would need a c-section or not until I was nearly 35 weeks along. She provided a lot of information, thoughts, and reassurance during those months of uncertainty and anxiety, but she was also fantastic during labor. You know when someone just somehow *knows* what to do? Where on your back to rub and what words you need to hear? That was her! Bethany is also the reason my daughter wasn't born in the car, or (accidentally) at home in my living room! She knew when I needed to go to the birth center, even though I was worried it was too early (it was NOT too early - baby was born an hour after arriving at the birth center). And, as others have mentioned, her photographs are a great bonus! I have some beautiful photos of me and my husband shortly before my daughter was born that I will always treasure. If I were going to have another baby, I'd hire Bethany again in a heartbeat.

I delivered with the Midwives at Mt. Auburn Hospital just over a week ago and can't say enough…read morepositive things about labor and delivery as well as the recovery period. I had read rave reviews about Mt. Auburn (including multiple people claiming to have had a "wonderful" labor there), all the while wondering how wonderful labor really could be. I now understand completely. From the moment that we called the hospital after contractions started to the arrival and long delivery process, each nurse and midwife that took care of me provided the utmost care, professionalism, and explanation of what was happening next and why. Amidst the inevitable anxiety of a first labor, I felt fully cared for and at ease. I can't thank the nurses enough for their tremendous care during both the labor and delivery process, as well as postpartum care for myself and baby. Postpartum, the nurses and a wonderful lactation consultant provided guidance on everything from what to expect during the first few days of our newborns' life to feeding techniques to giving the baby a first bath. Recovery was peaceful and allowed us time to bond as a family of three. By the time we left the hospital, we felt prepared enough to care for our newborn and with the opportunity to call with any questions that we might have. Thank you, Mt. Auburn!

I'm very disappointed by my recent experience with the Midwives at Mt. Auburn Hospital. My prenatal…read morecare was pretty standard, nothing exceptional. I had a low-risk pregnancy and everything went according to plan. The midwife I saw continually pushed for induction through castor oil, membrane sweeps, and evening primrose oil - these are not proven to be effective and are not positively backed by scientific research. I cannot believe that they don't follow evidence-based research when making medical recommendations. I went into labor spontaneously and progressed well. However, during my entire active labor, the midwife was in the room for no more than 5 minutes total. She basically did a quick pelvic exam and then left me on my own. I had no one in the room with me other than my husband. There was no nurse and no midwife - I felt so unsupported. After about 6 hours of labor, the midwife came back in and suggested a peanut ball and a warm bath, but she disappeared without setting me up with either. I guess my husband was supposed to figure this out? She returned a few hours later and I requested nitrous oxide - She said I needed a form for this (which was already in my file) and disappeared again. I never received anything to manage my pain and never saw the midwife again. I would have hoped that the midwife would have suggested labor positions to ease pain, pressed on my back/hips, showed my husband some ways to help (we took Bradley classes, but some extra direction in that moment would have been appreciated), provided encouragement, shown care, and simply been present. I feel like I was ignored and neglected. No one even brought me water. It wasn't until an OBGYN arrived that I felt like I was validated and heard - she got an anesthesiologist and I received an epidural. The OBGYN delivered my baby via c-section after failure to progress. My after-care at Mt. Auburn was pretty good. I felt all the nurses were caring and competent. I had to self-advocate to get time with the lactation consultants, but they were helpful. Takeaways: If you want support of any kind during labor, you'll need to hire your own doula. If you plan to breastfeed, arrange for your own postpartum doula or seek support from a non-hospital affiliated IBCLC. I am exclusively breastfeeding in spite of the care I received and not because of it. Just find a good OBGYN and forget about all the midwife nonsense - they're basically useless.

Ellie is an absolute gem. My husband and I first worked with her as a sleep consultant during a…read morebrutal 18 month sleep regression for our daughter. Both empathetic and whip-smart, Ellie helped identify specific actions we could take to get sleep back on track. It was so reassuring to make a plan with her and to have real time follow up so that we could course correct and adjust as needed. When we encountered some challenges with the 2 to 1 nap transition, Ellie was the only person we wanted help from and once again she was exactly the resource we needed. We also felt SO supported by Ellie as a birth and postpartum doula for our second child. Using zoom, email, text, and phone, Ellie was like an expert big sister in the weeks leading up to the birth, as well as in the beginnings of labor, and most especially in the early postpartum period. The birth escalated so quickly that there wasn't time for zoom support, but honestly the postpartum support alone was invaluable (and thank goodness for Ellie's nudge via phone for us to hightail it to the hospital-- our son was almost born in the car). Her expertise in sleep and lactation along with being a thoughtful and experienced mom of three... I truly can't speak highly enough. We will forever be grateful to Ellie for helping us grow into happier, stronger parents, and she will forever be our go-to for all questions parenting / birth / sleep!

Working with Ellie was a wonderful experience. I am so grateful that she was our doula for my…read morefirst birth as there are so many questions and unknowns. Ellie helped us navigate all of this and made me feel incredibly supported.

We cannot say enough wonderful things about Tara. Having her as our doula for the birth of our…read morethird child at Mount Auburn Hospital was one of the best decisions we made. I was hoping for a VBAC, and Tara's experience, knowledge, and calming presence gave us so much confidence every step of the way. Throughout my pregnancy, she was incredibly responsive, thoughtful, and generous with her support- always available to answer questions, explain options, and share tips (including hospital bag suggestions we never would have thought of, even after two previous births!). When early labor stretched on longer than expected, Tara was an absolute rock- providing steady emotional support and helping us navigate our options with clarity and reassurance. Once we were admitted, she arrived immediately and supported me so my wife could get some much-needed rest. As labor intensified, the coping techniques Tara guided me through were essential in helping me achieve the unmedicated birth I had hoped for. Tara's care didn't end after the birth. Her postpartum support was truly invaluable, with regular check-ins and thoughtful, thorough guidance that made such a difference during those early weeks. We are beyond grateful to have worked with Tara- she helped us have the birth experience we dreamed of, and we would recommend her wholeheartedly to anyone looking for a compassionate, skilled, and truly exceptional doula.

Tara was everything I hoped for in a doula. As a pelvic floor physical therapist myself, I work…read morewith pregnant patients often and knew that having a doula as part of my birth support team was essential. After my husband and I met with Tara, we immediately knew she was the right fit for us. Her background in midwifery, extensive experience as a labor and birth doula, and her knowledge of optimal baby positioning through the Body Ready Method gave me complete confidence that I could have the positive birth experience I hoped for. Tara was not only incredibly supportive during my labor and delivery, but also throughout pregnancy. She always responded to my questions (even the small ones) with patience and care. She also taught my husband Body Ready techniques he could use to help me during pregnancy and birth to optimize positioning, and these skills came in very handy when my baby started to turn posterior close to 40 weeks. My pregnancy went to 41+4, and as a first-time mom I wasn't sure what true labor would feel like since I had been experiencing Braxton Hicks for weeks. Tara checked in with me almost daily during those last couple of weeks, which gave me so much peace of mind. Knowing I had someone experienced watching over me and guiding me on when it was time to head to the hospital was invaluable. When I finally went into spontaneous labor, things progressed much faster than anyone anticipated, so fast that we didn't even ask Tara to come to the hospital until I was already pushing! This just shows how much support and confidence she had already given me throughout pregnancy and early labor. I felt calm and capable enough to labor at home with my husband until the very end, which is exactly what I wanted. My birth experience was amazing. I was able to have a natural water birth at Mount Auburn Hospital without an epidural, which was everything I hoped for. I can't recommend Tara enough to any family looking for a compassionate, skilled, and knowledgeable Boston doula for pregnancy, labor, and postpartum support. I truly don't believe my birth would have gone the way it did without her. Thank you, Tara, for everything!

I decided to try again despite my initial lesson and I'm so glad I did. Vladimir, Viktor and Ervin…read moreare compassionate, attentive and informative. Their lessons were worlds apart from my initial lesson. I took 5 lessons with these guys and I got my license this morning! I booked the test through the school and it went *chef's kiss* so smooth and stress-free. Shout out to the receptionist as well for being super informative about what to expect/bring for the test. This rating would be 5 stars if not for my initial experience. My advice to potential students - and this honestly goes against my own ethos: if you're not vibing with one of the instructors, try another! Though a business really only gets one chance to make a first impression - there are some really good instructors at this school. Don't let one experience stop you from your endgame.

Inconsistent, Unprofessional, and Ultimately a Waste of Time & Money…read more I am writing this review on behalf of my father, a retired military Veteran from India, who just completed 7 lessons with Brookline Driving School. Unfortunately, his experience was overwhelmingly disappointing and I would strongly advise you to look elsewhere. Our primary issue was the complete lack of consistency between instructors. He had at least three different teachers, primarily switching between Ervin and Vitaly. While Ervin was patient and seemed to genuinely enjoy teaching, the same cannot be said for his counterpart. Vitaly was, frankly, obnoxious. He lacked basic respect for his students, was often loud and visibly frustrated, creating an environment where my father felt intimidated and unable to ask questions. If you don't have the patience for this job, why are you in it? To make matters worse, he made uncalled-for and stereotypical "jokes" about Indians being bad drivers, which was completely unprofessional and offensive. The biggest practical problem arose from this inconsistency. Ervin and Vitaly taught completely different techniques for parallel parking. One would say to do it one way, and the next lesson, the other would contradict it. This constant change in instruction confused my father daily and shattered his confidence. The culmination of this failure was on his road test. He failed specifically because of the parallel parking maneuver. The conflicting advice from his own instructors left him unsure of the correct method, leading to a critical error. I hold Brookline Driving School 100% responsible for this. We are cutting our losses and heeding our neighbors' recommendation to try Waltham Driving School instead. Save your time, your money, and your sanity--go somewhere else. This school is unorganized and employs instructors who are not aligned, with at least one who lacks the basic demeanor required to teach.