We cannot say enough wonderful things about DCBD. This was my/our first pregnancy, and we truly…read morefelt supported every step of the way by their team. Especially in those last 1-2 months, we leaned so heavily on the birth doulas and they responded to all of our questions and concerns immediately. We learned the most about how to care for our daughter and what was happening in my body from DCBD. I went into labor and the birth experience feeling ready and excited, and that's because of the experience, information, and kindness that were shared with us ahead of time. The birth - nearly 4 months later, and we are still talking about Camille! We are going to remember her forever - she was such a wonderful presence during my entire labor and after, and we don't know what we would have done without her. She made sure my husband and I knew what was happening, she advocated for us, she ensured I was comfortable (well, as comfortable as you can be in labor), and she really rooted for us the whole time. I felt safe because she was with us. And Ella - we were shocked that someone who didn't *have* to be there, stayed for the entire labor, participated, and stayed after when we were transferred to the postpartum room! She will be (or already is) a phenomenal birth doula. We felt so lucky to have Camille and Ella. Post birth - Lolonyo came to our house the very first night we were back from the hospital, and what a gift she is. She taught us how to soothe a baby, how to change a diaper (I'm sure they showed us in the hospital... but I could not remember haha). We had her for several nights during those first 2 months and we were so, so grateful to wake up the next morning refreshed, rested, and with the knowledge that our daughter had been held in loving arms all night long. She was never judgmental and was always supportive as we navigated breastfeeding, safe cosleeping, and everything else. We also had Joanna for several daytime visits. She always made sure to check in on my mental and physical health, which was so appreciated, and she was so helpful. We always felt like we were able to reset a bit after her visits, because she'd leave behind clean bottles and pump parts and a rested (and sometimes still sleeping) baby, and we would have had time to ourselves to shower and get a little more organized. She made our chaotic lives feel lighter, and we loved her for that. As a DCBD member you'll also have the opportunity to be part of a postpartum circle of other parents going through what you did. Shaleen and Elizabeth gave us space to talk through birth and everything that comes after, while feeling supported and safe. I'm still friends with some of the parents from my circle. In closing - DCBD is worth every single penny. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts!

Rebecca from DC Birth Doulas was absolutely incredible. From the moment we first connected, I…read moreimmediately felt comfortable with her and the entire team. She has such a warm, genuine presence that made it easy to ask questions and talk through everything honestly. She was always responsive and gave thoughtful, real answers that helped me feel informed and confident throughout the process. I was hoping for a VBAC, and with Rebecca's support we were able to have a successful one. She provided amazing support not only for me, but also for my husband. During labor she was calm, encouraging, and incredibly knowledgeable, helping us both feel grounded and supported every step of the way. Having Rebecca there made such a difference in our birth experience. I'm so grateful for her care and for the support of the entire DC Birth Doulas team. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a compassionate, knowledgeable, and truly supportive doula

Hiring Ashley, Michelle and Jackie was the best decision we made in planning for the birth of our…read morefirst baby. We had a lot of questions and issues toward the end of my pregnancy and having them available to us was truly invaluable. The team was constantly on hand to talk through whatever came up and to help us navigate challenging situations. Having Jackie at the hospital with us was amazing - she worked seamlessly with all the doctors and nurses at GW and lifted our spirits after several challenges during labor and delivery. We can't imagine going through this process without her. The services provided are well worth the price. The classes and workshops were extremely helpful and informative. They also helped to eliminate some of the fear of the unknown for first-time parents. I can't recommend Jackie, Ashley and Michelle enough - you will not regret working with them.

Words truly cannot do justice regarding how amazing Michele is and how much my husband and I would…read morerecommend her and Ashley's services. Run, don't walk, and hire her! :) Not only is Michele knowledgeable and talented regarding anything and everything prenatal, labor/delivery, and postpartum, but she brings the added layer of being approachable, honest, hilarious, and unbelievably encouraging. She is there to support the type of birth that *you* want - whatever that might be. She made me feel empowered, strong, and prepared. We found the three classes that they taught to be very helpful - giving us the right amount of information, as well as the right type of information. It also connected us to others in the community in similar stages of life. I always looked forward to attending. Additionally, during the labor and delivery, it seemed as if Michele almost served as a family member, doula, nurse, midwife, *and* doctor - she wore so many hats - all while making me feel extremely comfortable and supported. At every step along the way, and every decision point, I looked to her first for her insight and opinions. I also heard firsthand from both a nurse and midwife how much they appreciated having her as support to them as well. Choosing Michele was single-handedly the best decision I made during this journey and I cannot recommend her (and Ashley) enough. I will definitely use them again if/when we have another child.

We are incredibly grateful to have had Katie as our doula. She is professional, deeply experienced,…read morecompassionate, and exceptionally skilled at working with medical providers while always advocating for her clients. As someone of advanced maternal age with a pregnancy complicated by hypertension, I felt supported and informed every step of the way. Katie was a steady, reassuring presence throughout pregnancy, induction, and birth. She helped us navigate complex medical decisions with clarity and confidence, and her calm advocacy made a meaningful difference in our experience. We felt heard, respected, and empowered throughout the entire process. I cannot recommend her highly enough.

Katie is exceptional at her job, and an amazing human being. My wife and I were both very anxious…read moreeven before we were expecting for the first time. My wife needed someone who could instill calmness, provide information, and accommodate her preferences for labor. I needed someone who could help me be the involved partner i wanted to be through the childbirth process and after. That is why once we found out we were expecting we were looking for a doula to help us sort through the tons of information on preparing for childbirth, childbirth itself and the medical, personal, and other choices associated with it. Katie is an expert's expert, but is able to talk through different topics in a way that helped put us at ease. She's friendly and funny, which helps when she is walking through medical decisions, how to talk to doctors, how to talk to family, considerations and questions we have as first-time parents. She also makes herself available by phone and text when we have questions at random hours with baby. On top of all that, after our baby girl was born, she was able to follow up with us and help teach us a few tricks here and there as well as answer questions we had as things came up.

Our family hired Carrie Scott for nighttime postpartum doula services for the first two weeks after…read moreour son was born and we had such a great experience! We trusted her right away and she put us at ease taking to our newborn immediately! She was reliable and took great care of our son. I was able to get some extra much needed sleep. I highly recommend her!

WHERE TO START... The investment is 1000% worth it. For us as new parents wanting to experience…read morepregnancy, labor & delivery and then postpartum season with zero knowledge but as enjoy the process as peace-filled and confident with objective info as possible... (everyone's aim right?!) ...Celina made this happen!! She was a resource for all questions, providing excellent advice that balanced beautifully with her expertise, medical recommendations, and general common sense, making sure to always leave the decision in our hands yet make us feel confident in doing so! She is a patient and calm presence, always temperate and positive! Her class in our home before delivery to educate on techniques, help us walk-through a birth plan, and know what words even meant and what doctors and nurses would ask for was incredibly helpful. On the actual birthday, she was there to equip us in general to make the best choices and move me around in positioning for a really positive birth, experience and healthy baby (including bringing lavender aromatherapy and cozy lights in the delivery room!!)! She taught my husband a support move for laboring that saved me getting to 6cm dilated while I had intense lower back contraction pain and we said we would pay the whole investment of having a doula for that 1 move alone :) After coming home, Celina did night care 2x nights a week literally coaching us and everything from breast-feeding tactics to bottle sterilizing to best holding positions for gassy baby, how to get her to sleep well ... Swaddling!! And so much more! Also, mom healing questions and practices (or "is this normal" texts) -- she is a vast source of information and support, I just could not imagine going through this without her! We felt equipped with what we needed for each step, but never overwhelmed. A doula such a special, and in my opinion 100% necessary part of the family to have for a positive experience from pregnancy to newborn care!! What a blessing we will always be grateful for!

Doula Nathalie & Associates is an incredibly supportive team. Through the online meetings covering…read morepregnancy-related topics, the childbirth classes, and the rental of a TENS unit, we felt truly supported and confident that we were with the right team. Hannah Wright was our doula, and she was incredible from the very beginning. From our first meeting, I knew she was the right person to support me and my husband during our baby's birth. She was deeply attentive, always helping me understand what I wanted and guiding me with clarity, care, and respect. I learned so much from her, and she was always checking in, offering support, and helping us make informed decisions. I had an induction and spent three days in the hospital before our baby arrived, and Hannah was consistently present, checking on us, bringing food, and being there whenever we needed her. When it was time to give birth, she arrived immediately and never left my side. I am certain that without Hannah, I would not have had the birth experience I wanted. She ensured my wishes were respected and supported me through every up and down with confidence and compassion. Hannah will always be part of our family's story.

We had a great experience! Very early in my pregnancy, I reached out to Nathalie for a doula and…read moregot a response right away. She was very informative and provided my husband and I with answers to all our questions. We were initially connected with a couple different doulas that would be available during my due date and had interviews with them -- we ended up hiring Hannah Wright. From the get-go, Hannah was amazing. She was exactly what we needed. She provided great advice throughout my pregnancy and she especially gave my husband a lot of confidence in being my support person by having her there during the actual labor and birth. She provided excellent support and kept me grounded during the entire process and immediately stepped in and started providing all the tips and tricks in her wheelhouse to help me cope during my fast and intense epidural-free birth. I would certainly recommend her to anyone else. As for the more administrative end of things, we also have no complaints. Communication was excellent, the contract process with was very clear and straightforward, and we found the doula rates very reasonable.

Our awesome baby showed up 50 days before his scheduled due date. Needless to say, we were totally…read moreunprepared and caught off guard. When we finally got him home, we realized we were overwhelmed. We called Overnight Newborn Care and they set us up with Claudine. She has been nothing short of a miracle. We can sleep through the night now which gives us the energy to finish our cross-country move (which was supposed to have happened BEFORE the baby came, but nooooo - yikes!). They explained everything in detail and were sensitive to our concerns about safety and care for a premie. Claudine is super sweet and has been so reliable, we actually don't want her to ever leave. She has been with us for almost 3 months now - 7 days a week - without incident! So, yeah, happy parents here. Highly recommend.

Kudos to Overnight Newborn Care! When my wife and I left the hospital, we realized we were woefully…read moreunprepared for the first nights w our newborn. We were referred to Angy Dieckmann to help care for our son. She was diligent, kind, and compassionate to both us and our boy. She took great care in both instructing us on best practices as well as waking my wife up to feed three times a night. We are so grateful to have had Angy's invaluable assistance to set us off on the right path. We are so appreciative to have so much help sent on such short notice. Thanks again!

To be honest, when I hired Mari I had my doubts. I did not know anybody who had hired a doula…read morebefore and even after looking through all the package options I started to wonder if this was just another upscale way to turn birth into a business. But I was determined to have a natural birth and studies show that having a doula on hand can increase these chances. After finally going through the process myself I can say with confidence that Mari is absolutely the real deal. She has turned both my skeptical husband and I into believers. When arriving at the hospital, I was surprised how hands off the staff was during the actual labor -- they mostly left me to my own devices while they checked vitals every once in a while. Mari was there to ask questions to prompt responses from our medical team, massage my back, and suggest/show us different labor positions. I think my husband was a bit worried that he would be taking a back seat in the entire delivery process since I hired a doula but hiring Mari was more of a support staff for him. He was able to be the star by holding my hand and reassuring me while she stayed in the background rubbing my back, bringing out snacks when necessary and allowing us to take breaks when needed. No lie, natural labor is painful AF but Mari gave me this handy machine called a TENS unit which delivers an small electric buzz during contractions which pretty much saved me. The whole price of everything was worth it for that one machine. My birth plans took a detour when my physician suggested a C Section. I was really impressed that Mari was able to ask the right questions to see if it can be prevented or not. In fact, I even found her to be more knowledgeable than some of the staff members on board about the entire birth process. She truly was an integral member of our care team and even my doctor made a special exception for her to be in the surgical room with us after seeing how important she was to us. After the birth she came to my house and worked with me to answer any postpartum questions I had. She even helped me with breastfeeding which is something I probably would have given up on if I didn't have that private on on one time (there are lactation consultants in the hospital but everything is so hectic after birth it's really hard to get the hang of things.) Investment wise? It's definitely pricey and she does not accept insurance but I absolutely will (and hope!) to hire again.

She saved my sanity!!! Just a few days prior to giving birth…read moreto my first child I decided I needed a doula. Not just for me but also for the daddy-to-be as I thought he would need assistance just as much. So I "yelped" and reached out to Mari and thankfully she had the capacity and stopped by in the evening so we could get to know each other better. You know that feeling when you meet someone for the first time and it just clicks? That was the case here. She came and we talked and what I thought was minutes turned out to be two hours and I KNEW this was the best decision! We talked about a lot of things, pros and cons, already worked on my birth plan. When she went home my husband came home just a couple of mins after she left so she just turned around to meet him. SO awesome! When it came to my delivery it did not go as planned (as in probably most cases) but she helped me through with a variation of techniques, still I ended up with an epidural (you mums, there is no shame in this. none of us needs to be a warrior). Honestly, she was the most important person (besides my husband) in the delivery room. Though my nurse as super nice, Mari was the one that was my go to person, the one that told me to push in the way I needed it, the one that assured me everything was alright, the one I feel like I yelled at NOOOO when she asked me if I wanted to touch baby's head when he was almost out .. LOL (sorry about that again, Mari). Also her follow-up visit was really helpful, she spent a lot of time, she showed me a lot of things, explained a lot of emotions I would be going through (and sure enough I did). If I will have another child, signing her up as my doula will be one of the first things I will do for sure. If I could for before, during and after birth because it was the best.decision.ever!

Had a wonderful experience with Becca/Rebekah. She provided us with an introduction to parenthood…read moreincluding diapering, sleep habits, and answered our million questions. We felt incredibly supported.

Having a baby is one of the most rewarding yet terrifying things you can experience in life. If…read moreyou're a parent you already know how the hospital just sends you on your way after a few days in recovery with no instruction manual or help desk number. Luckily my wife did some research and convinced me to hire doulas. We had the pleasure of working with Betsy and her team of doulas who consistently perform magic to soothe and care for our baby. Simultaneously, they teach us parenting techniques, act as our therapist, and most importantly allow us to catch up on sleep. They truly provide care to the whole family. It's also a lot better than having in laws come "help". I definitely recommend Metropolitan Doulas. It has 100% helped me enjoy being a new dad with their help to reduce the fear and anxiety of being a new parent.

If you're even thinking about hiring a doula, stop debating and call Liz! She is the professional,…read morecompassionate, and knowledgeable presence you didn't know you needed but absolutely do. My husband and I couldn't have asked for a better person to have by our side during our second labor and delivery experience. I was late to the game, deciding to hire Liz toward the end of my second trimester, and she jumped in like we'd been friends for years. She listened to every detail of my first delivery (tears and all) and helped me process my fears about being induced again. Liz didn't just hear me--she held space for my feelings, validated my worries, and helped me shift my mindset in the most empowering way. On the big day, she arrived at the hospital right when my contractions were ramping up. Her calm guidance and confidence in me made the experience transformative. I wanted an unmedicated birth, and thanks to Liz's support, encouragement, and expert coaching through contractions and pushing, that's exactly what I achieved. This delivery was night and day compared to my first--it was redemptive, empowering, and everything I'd hoped for. Even my husband, a man of few words, quickly admitted after our son was born that having Liz there was a game-changer. He felt supported and reassured knowing we had someone on our team who could explain the medical lingo and navigate the process with us. Liz is truly a gem. Her calming demeanor, wealth of knowledge, and radiant smile will carry you through labor and beyond. Whether you're a first-time parent or not, she'll leave you feeling capable, cared for, and encouraged. Do yourself a favor: hire Liz. You'll thank yourself later!

I had a better experience than I could've imagined with Blanca from Balanced Birth Support. From…read moreour very first zoom she was incredibly easy to talk to and made me feel so much peace leading up to birth. Our two in person sessions before the birth were informative, and it was clear that she really wanted to understand my hopes for the experience. Ultimately, I ended up having to be induced and because that process can be long I was initially just texting with Blanca at the beginning. Even over text, she was encouraging and helped me understand what the doctor was suggesting and what next steps would look like. When she arrived I was past the point of being able to have a conversation but she immediately stepped in providing physical and emotional support and helping me get into a more comfortable/sustainable position. Everyone in the room immediately felt more calm when she showed up! When it came to pushing, I had some nurses that seemed very inexperienced, but Blanca's tangible step by step guidance throughout pushing helped everything still feel calm and under control. In addition to all of that, she took photos after the birth and was able to provide support to my partner when needed, so neither of us can imagine the experience without her. Her in person visit a few days after the birth was so meaningful because she feels like family now! I felt extremely comfortable with her throughout everything and her follow up texts have been so encouraging. It is very clear that she cares deeply about her clients as people. Additionally, I appreciated the various education emails sent by Balanced Birth Support throughout my pregnancy. Overall I would highly highly highly recommend BBS and especially Blanca!