Kristal has continued to keep in touch with me after she delivered my encapsulated pills. She…read morechecked in on me and showed that she cared ever since I first emailed her. It was the fact that she went above and beyond with her communication that caused me to choose her about the various others that offer the same service. The pills are helping me with the recovery after the birth of my daughter and I am grateful to Kristal.

I used Kristal for my 2nd child's birth, oh do I wish I had her help with my 1st. Kristal is a…read moresweet easy person to be around. She fit in perfectly with my friends and family. Making a birthing plan with Kristal was helped put me at ease, my pregnancy had complications and I was overwhelmed with the stress and all of the what if?!. Kristal was a wonderful support and she help me manage the pain during some extremely difficult back labor. If you take the time to meet with her you won't be disappointed.

We were incredibly lucky to have Andrea Berkey as our postpartum doula for six weeks, starting the…read moreweek our baby boy was born. As first-time parents, those early days felt overwhelming, and Andrea's calm presence and support made a world of difference. She has an amazing depth of knowledge about newborns and patiently taught us the basics--burping, de-gassing, bathing, and feeling confident handling our extra-small newborn. As a new mom, I was especially grateful for her help with feeding. She walked me through different feeding positions and helped me get fully set up and comfortable with pumping. Andrea was incredibly gentle and patient with our baby, often lulling him to sleep and holding him for long stretches. Knowing he was in such caring hands gave us so much peace of mind and allowed us to truly rest and recover. She consistently went above and beyond--staying an extra hour on her first day to accompany us to our baby's first pediatrician visit, keeping our baby's dresser organized, always refilling the water in our bottle cleaner before leaving, and sharing age-appropriate activities along with helpful tools and resources. We are really thankful for her little acts of thoughtfulness. She was always flexible and adapted her approach to what worked best for our family. Because of Andrea, we were able to enjoy the first weeks of parenthood without feeling constantly overwhelmed. We are so grateful for her support and cannot recommend her highly enough to any family looking for a knowledgeable, compassionate, and thoughtful support system!

Andrea is a wealth of knowledge about newborns and postpartum: nursing and latching,…read more mastitis prevention and management, baby weight gain, wake and sleep patterns, identifying types of baby cries, burping tricks, pumping, bottle and syringe feeding, baby quiet alert state, integrating older siblings, rhythms and strategies for getting through the nights, setting boundaries with overzealous friends and family, and just generally getting your sea legs with a new baby no matter how seasoned a parent you are. Some of this info, tips and tricks seem to be lost over the years and generations but she has honed it and is holding the flame alive for us. She is a sought out favorite of other doulas and midwives themselves. I'm not sure there is a bigger recommendation than that! I initially thought the most helpful move would have been having a night doula but I actually benefited much more from Andrea's support and education during the days - which turned out to make the nights so much more manageable and less mysteriously hard. This was not intuitive to me but I'm now an absolute believer in daytime doula support. She delivers all of this learning with a cheerful and steady calm I've rarely encountered and I look up to so much as a mother. I feel so lucky to have gotten to spend some time with her - she is unforgettable and her impact on my parenting is forever. I hope to pass on everything I learned from her to others.

Leah is all around an amazing doula to work with! She is knowledgeable, patient, calming, and…read moreoffers great advice to new parents during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. I knew from the first introductory phone call with her that she was the perfect fit for my needs. My review will go into detail on my labor and delivery experience and how having Leah made all the difference. If you purchase the L&D inclusive package, Leah's prenatal lessons are split up into three sessions so that there is no information overload. Since my pregnancy occurred during a time when all prenatal classes were converted to virtual web based lessons (COVID concerns), having Leah come to our house and show us ball exercises and techniques in person was really helpful for both me and my husband. I went into early labor which lasted for almost a week (baby was late). It was very painful for me with an extremely itchy belly and contractions keeping me up at night. I was in tears at one point just wanting to go to the hospital, and it was helpful to call Leah to consult with her what I should do. She calmed me down, talked me through my options, understood (from my tone) my pain level, and offered positive encouragement to remind me not to give up. Eventually, I found out via a blood test that I had a liver bile complication (cholestasis) which required me to head to the hospital on short notice for an induction. Luckily Kaiser allowed two support people (protocol as of early December 2021), so when I went into active labor, Leah was allowed in the delivery room with me. Without prompting she started massaging my legs/neck/shoulders, tied back my hair, and put a towel on my forehead to help relax me. I chose to go with an epidural, so each time I needed to flip over (so that the medication doesn't pool on one side of your spinal cord), Leah would help adjust the peanut ball to be comfortable so that I could keep on laboring until it was time to push. At a critical point after two hours of pushing, the doctors told me I needed to make a choice between vacuum assist or a C Section, both of which were undesirable to me. There must have been 15 nurses and doctors swarming in my room all trying to talk to me at one time while I was trying to make a decision. Leah helped by offering a middle ground option for me to try pushing in different positions first because she sensed my hesitation to go forward with only those two options. In the very end, I still had to go with vacuum assist, but if not for the extra pushes in other positions, the vacuum attempts would have failed and I would have needed to go to the operating room. Without Leah advocating for us, my husband and I would have likely just listened to the doctor and I probably would have needed the C Section, so I'm very grateful Leah was there to intervene in a sensitive way that didn't undermine the doctors professional judgment. I also purchased postpartum visits from Leah and she is an absolute gem when it comes to being supportive of all the things a new mom is trying to figure out in the first month postpartum. She is like a baby whisperer, always knows how to calm down my newborn (he loves to fuss and cry when it's just my husband and I). I'm very grateful to her for helping with household chores, giving me time to take a nap, watching the baby, and even bringing us hot meals. She also showed us how to give infant massages and a mind-blowing way to change diapers with no hassle and no more messy blowouts. Please trust me when I say Leah is a superstar! You will not regret working with her.

Having Leah as our doula was one of the best decisions we made for the birth of our daughter. We…read moreweren't sure about having a doula at first, but we heard how beneficial they can be to your delivery and we wanted to learn more. Leah met us at our house for a consultation and a friendly chat. We knew immediately that she would be a great fit for our family. Leah helped us feel comfortable and she showed genuine interest in getting to know us and our expectations for the birth experience. She was warm and kind, but we could tell she would be able to stand up for us if necessary. We especially appreciated Leah's philosophy of healthy mom and healthy baby, whatever it takes. We knew she would be an advocate for our birth plan no matter what. Leah helped make our delivery more comfortable and calm. She provided guidance for my husband and encouragement for me. She came super prepared and stayed with me the entire time to make sure things went as smoothly as possible. She tirelessly supported me emotionally and physically through her words and massage throughout my labor. We were so pleased with our birth experience and we owe so much of that to Leah. After the big day, she came by a few times in order to check on us and show us how to use things like the breast pump and baby carriers (and also get baby cuddles). She's been available to help us with any questions we have had. It was so helpful to have her as a part of our team and we strongly recommend any nervous parents-to-be to think of including her in theirs. We would definitely ask for Leah's help again!

We truly cannot say enough amazing things about our doula, Cristina. Meeting her honestly felt like…read moreit was meant to happen. Before giving birth, we had been looking for a doula but were worried we wouldn't find the right person because Kaiser didn't have a large variety of doulas available. While we were at Kaiser for our hospital tour, we happened to meet Cristina in the waiting room. She started sharing her own birth experience with us and explaining what a doula does not only during labor, but throughout pregnancy and even after you bring your baby home. From that first conversation, we immediately felt comfortable with her and knew there was something special about her. Cristina became such an important part of our birth experience. Before labor, she helped us understand and put together our birth plan, showed us different stretches and techniques to prepare for labor, and connected us with resources available through Kaiser, including meal programs and information about breast pumps. When labor finally came, Cristina truly showed us how dedicated she is. We left our house around 2:00 a.m. because the contractions had become much stronger. When we arrived at the hospital, I was already 8 cm dilated. We immediately called Cristina, and even though it was around 3:00 in the morning, she was at the hospital within about 10 minutes, ready to support us. She stayed right by our side through everything. She helped with breathing techniques, pushing, positioning, and keeping us calm and comfortable during an extremely intense experience. She made sure the nurses understood our birth plan and advocated for everything that was important to us. We wanted a completely natural birth, had specific wishes regarding which vaccinations we wanted for our son, wanted delayed cord clamping, and did not want the vernix immediately wiped off our baby. Cristina made sure our voices were heard and our wishes were understood and respected. But what makes Cristina so special to us goes far beyond everything she did as our doula. Somewhere along this journey, she stopped feeling like just our doula and became family. We love and appreciate Cristina more than we could ever put into words. She was there for us during one of the biggest, most emotional, and most important moments of our lives. The love, care, support, and dedication she showed our family is something we will never forget. Our son, Atticus, now has an amazing Tía Cristina, and that is exactly how we see her as family. We feel incredibly blessed that a simple, unexpected conversation in a Kaiser waiting room brought someone into our lives who would become such an important part of our family's story. Cristina, thank you for being there for us, for advocating for us, for comforting us, for supporting us, and most importantly, for loving and caring for our family. You didn't just help us welcome our son into this world you became part of his life and part of our family. We couldn't recommend Cristina enough. If you're looking for someone who will truly care about you and your family, stand beside you through every moment, and treat your birth experience as something just as important to her as it is to you, Cristina is that person. We love you, Tía Cristina, and we will forever be grateful that life brought you into our family's lives. With love and appreciation, Juan, Mariela & Atticus

Omg where do I start. I barely met Cristina but she already felt super warm and easy to talk to!…read moreShes so accommodating. I got my placenta encapsulated and I'm so happy I did with HER! She was able to pick it up and drop it off and was there and communicated the whole way, especially since the hospital was telling us they couldn't provide a bucket and ice! Since I am not working and financially it's been hard for me to pay in full (took me some time) Christina was super understanding and supportive about it and gave me all the time I needed. She's awesome. Like I said, I'm glad I got to encounter this experience through her.

I lucked out with having Sophia as my Doula!!…read more Sophia helped me deliver my first born baby boy this September 2022. I thought I was mentally prepared to have my first baby but I soon realized that if it wasn't for the support of the nurses and Sophia, my experience could have easily turned out not to be so great. The day of my delivery was the first time I met Sophia, but I instantly felt comforted by her with her calm demeanor and willingness to make my feel as comfortable as possible. As soon as Sophia got into the delivery room, she began helping me with my breathing and massages. She knew exactly what I needed. I asked her for recommendations on positions and technics to help with the contractions and she provided a selection (some that were new to me) to help with easing the pain. She helped me mentally with consistently providing encouraging words during each contraction and during my labor. Even after my delivery Sophia checks in with me during my postpartum. She really cares about my recovery and provides advice on whatever she can. She made my birth experience one to be proud of and I highly recommend her!!

My midwife recommended Sophia to me. I never knew I needed a doula until I met Sophia, I can't…read moreimagine the birth of my baby boy without her. As first time parents, she gave us insights what to expect before and during birth, and also helped us with my birth plan. When my contractions started, she came home and helped with pain reliving massages. Once in hospital, she kept continuing to support me. She made me and my husband be relaxed during the birth. I was able to handle the pain with her support ( no epidural or other pain relieving methods). She stayed with us in the hospital till my baby boy and I were well rested and kept checking on us with messages. She also visited me during postpartum and helped with a sitz bath, breastfeeding and pumping tricks. She is very easy to talk to and makes you feel comfortable quickly. Recommend her 100%

We went with Redwood Doulas for a night nurse. Our baby came 3 weeks early so our original doula…read morewas initially unavailable. Redwood doulas was responsive to help us get another interim doula right away. Doula Thais stepped in to help us super last minute. She was extremely professional and helpful. We were triple feeding when we first got back from the hospital, so doula Thais would every three hours bring me the baby, then bottle feed her while I pumped, then clean all the bottle and part pumps. When she left in the morning all of the bottle and pump parts were cleaned and organized and ready for the next day. She listened and helped us figure out our game plan for the nights. She was very communicative about her availability and it was great she was able to help on such short notice. We only had her for a few nights but would definitely recommend her to anyone considering her, she even followed up asking about our baby and how she was doing weeks later! Doula Suely was the other doula we worked with. We worked with Sue for about 7 weeks and she was so critical for helping us get peace and sleep. She was great and easy to work with and schedule shifts for the week. She went along with whatever schedule and plan we wanted for the night. But when we were uncertain about something, or wanted advice for reflux and spit up she was extremely helpful with her advice. You could tell the love and care she had for our baby! It's nerve wracking handing your baby over to someone for the entire night but it was so easy to trust Sue. She helped us get some extremely critical sleep and always ensured my pump parts and the bottles were clean in the morning. We ended up extending our contract by three weeks because Sue's help was so critical to our family. I can't recommend Sue enough!!

We loved working with Redwood Doulas and would highly recommend them!…read more Kymberlie is SO incredibly warm, understanding, empathetic, and compassionate. She was a great help in setting up the initial meetings with doulas who she thought would be a good match for us and figuring out schedules and such. During a postpartum call, she was so kind and empathetic. I just can't say thank you enough to her for her kindness. Doula Thais was our birth doula and was amazing in every way. She was incredibly supportive to both my husband and I, helping us navigate the unknowns pre-birth, during labor, and afterward. I had some medical issues crop up that required an extended postpartum stay and she was so so kind and continued to reach out and check in on me, which meant SO much to me. We also did a baby wearing session with her and that helped both of us feel more comfortable that we were wearing our baby correctly (those darn things have so many darn straps and snaps and doodads, lol). Regarding postpartum night support, we had initially gone with a doula (who ran her own business) that we hired outside of Redwood Doulas. Within two weeks, we were desperately looking for other help as this private-doula-for-hire was just not jamming well with us. We reached out to Kymberlie and she was able to help us do some trials until we found a doula we matched well with. We were able to snag a couple weeks with Doula Ivette and we loved working with her just as much as we did with Doula Thais! Doula Ivette came in the first night and was able to identify that our baby was gassy and helped show us different techniques on how to de-gas her! We continued using those techniques for the next few months while our baby's digestive system was sorting itself out. We weren't able to continue with Redwood Doulas after a few weeks as we had contacted them too late and we weren't able to find continuity of care with just one doula. For this reason, we decided to hire another private-doula-for-hire outside of Redwood Doulas and similar to our first experience doing this, this private-doula-for-hire just was not as professional as the doulas from Redwood Doulas. I bring this up to highlight that our experience with Redwood Doulas was truly exceptional. I contacted and spoke with A LOT of doulas and different agencies around the bay area and the team at Redwood Doulas was my favorite to work with. They were always ON TIME! Which is like SO FREAKING KEY when you're a first time parent holding a baby who has been screaming their head off for hours hours and nothing you do is working and you need a break from that damn yoga ball bouncing you've been doing! Lol. When my private-for-hire-doula would come late, the intense baby screams tears at you every additional minute you're waiting. But Redwood Doulas never did this to us. They were always on time- thank. goodness. Lol. So all in all, work with them!! They're awesome. (Open to DM's if anyone has questions, etc!)

Deanna was not my doula; but I wanted a consultation with her to possibly become my doula. Her CV…read moreappeared impressive, an educator and DONA certified, which is why I emailed via Yelp and her website to set a consultation up....never received a reply. Ended up going with someone who was prompt and responsive. Expected more from a veteran doula.

When my husband and I were preparing for our first baby to be born, I knew I wanted to hire a doula…read morebecause I wanted to give birth naturally with no epidural or any other pain medications. We did our research and chose three doula services that we were interested in. After having multiple phone and in person meetings with all three, I knew Deanna was the right one for me. Meeting Deanna for the first time is like meeting a friend you haven't seen in a long time. She definitely gives you a sense of comfort. She's also very knowledgable and answered all of my husband's and I's questions we had about my pregnancy and prepared us for what to expect during labor and delivery. When that day finally came (about 2.5 weeks earlier than expected) Deanna and my husband were on it. Both of them worked so hard to make me feel comfortable. Deanna definitely helped my husband be more hands on during my labor which took over 24 hours. As much as I wanted to give birth vaginally, I eventually had to get a c-section after pushing for 6 hours and trying all the possible birthing positions Deanna recommended. I was also prepared going in to the operating room as Deanna also educated us about what would happen if I was to get a c-section. Deanna was by my side the whole time up until I had the c-section. When the nurses where not available Deanna was moving the bed to get me to a comfortable position and also helping me get to the bathroom. So if you're looking for a knowledgable doula with lots of experience and is hands on, I would definitely recommend Deanna.

We are incredibly grateful for the care and support we received from Shari Stamps. From our very…read morefirst appointment, she truly listened to our concerns and made us feel heard, supported, and understood throughout our baby's tongue-tie journey. What stood out most was her whole-body approach and the way she helped us see our baby as an individual with his own rights, preferences, likes, and dislikes. She gently reminded us that even at such a young age, our baby communicates with us, and that respecting his cues is an important part of supporting his growth and development. Shari provided thoughtful guidance, education, and practical tools that empowered us as parents. She helped me understand how I could actively support my child's tongue tie journey and gave me confidence in my ability to recognize and respond to his needs. We highly recommend Shari to any family looking for a caring, knowledgeable, and holistic approach. She has made a meaningful difference in our family's journey, and we are so thankful for her support.

Shari has been a life saver! I wish I was educated on tongue ties and lip ties sooner. I came…read moreacross Shari because my 2 month old had a side preference on nursing and would get super frustrated and stop nursing. She was also very gassy and clearly uncomfortable. Shari worked with me and my baby and checked her for a tongue and lip tie which she ended up having both! Before I could get an appointment to get it revised she taught me so much about body work and how it all affects baby's feeding. With the stretches and techniques of full body massaging baby, working with her mouth, neck, head, nursing got better. I was able to nurse her on both sides and we worked on latching. After her lip and tongue revisions, I continued doing everything Shari taught me and I haven't had problems since. This baby is my third and last so I thought I knew it all. It has been such an emotional experience and Shari saved our nursing bond. She is very nurturing, kind, and informative. She has a lot of knowledge and experience. The only thing I wish was done differently was the fact that I didnt go to her sooner!