Ana Paula is a wealth of knowledge and compassion. She's a beautiful mix of warm and calming with a…read morefun energy and the utmost professionalism.

Normally I'd be very reluctant to be apart of a non in person training. ANA is truly a gem. Some…read morepeople give you feelings of love within. Some people give you a genuine feel like whatever they say they mean and that is exactly what I feel with Ana Paula Markel. I spent 3 days with not only fellow woman who share the similar passions and career goals but also a leader and guide. I've been working as a doula for a year now and really trying to find a place to call home for guidance and connections and I truly have found it. I feel motivated and filled with such gratitude to have been apart of this experience. I feel more than well informed and ready to further my mission.

Taking Hypnobirthing with Alisha Tamburri in March 2020 was one of the best decisions I made while…read morepreparing for the birth of my first child that July. The tools and techniques I learned in her class gave me the confidence and calm I needed--and I used them again when I gave birth to my second child in June 2023. Both births were completely unmedicated, peaceful, and empowering. I wasn't afraid--I actually enjoyed the experience. Alisha is incredibly warm, kind, and grounded. Her presence alone is calming, and she was always able to soothe any fears or anxieties I had. I even called her while in labor, and she guided me through breathing techniques that helped me stay centered. With my first, I arrived at the hospital already 9 centimeters dilated after laboring at home most of the day. It was a beautiful experience. My husband took the class with me, which was so helpful. He knew exactly how to support me and understood the birth experience I envisioned. Because I had such a positive experience, I even reached out to Alisha while my sister was in labor. Although my sister hadn't taken the course, Alisha generously offered to speak with her and provided much-needed reassurance during a stressful time. To this day, I still use the calming techniques I learned, and I'm teaching my children the importance of mindfulness and meditation. Alisha's guidance has truly had a lasting impact on me and my family.

Alisha's Hypnobirthing course took all the fear and nervousness out of the picture and changed my…read morewhole mindset going into labor. I had an extremely long labor and my husband and I were so lucky to have Alisha in the room with us for the entire thing. She was such a calming presence throughout. In the end I needed to get an episiotomy and Alisha put me into hypnosis during the proceedure and I barely even felt it. I couldn't believe it. After it was over, the Dr. who was a neo-natal surgeon (and wasn't too sure about hypnobirthing) was so impressed, he took Alisha aside in the room and said he'd never had a patient so calm while he was suturing them. I will always be grateful she was there with us and all the training she gave us ahead of time made an incredible difference. I cannot recommend her enough!

I feel so fortunate to have found Janet and Rachel and the The Birth Co-Op. It has been a unique…read moreexperience to navigate pregnancy during Covid and I was a bit apprehensive to take our parenting classes via a Zoom class. I was very pleasantly surprised by the format and really enjoyed getting to know our group over the course of the 4 sessions. The class was informative and inclusive. Janet and Rachel's love for what they do and deep knowledge birth and labor was informative and heart warming. Janet and Rachel are very careful to underscore that each birth experience is unique, and that choices are personal. They present well rounded information and resources that helps guide you rather than tell you something is right or wrong. I especially liked the guest speakers (a midwife from Kaiser and a lactation consultant) who spoke about their practices and answered questions. I feel so fortunate to have found the Birth Co-Op. I feel more informed going into my birth, and know that I have an amazing resource in Janet and Rachel as questions come up in my pregnancy and after the babe arrives.

Great service, had to be done virtually and Rachael was awesome. Glad I found the birthing coop, it…read moreprepared me mentally for natural child birth also prepared me with child care. I'm a FTM and didn't know how to do so many things.. even change a diaper.. , so this was definitely a huge help. Diaper changes actually come very naturally now, after doing it so many times lol.. and Rachael did put my mind at ease on so many things I had questions on. Even on finding other services like doulas/midwife's/prenatal/postnatal masseuses etc.. very well connected. Thank you!

We looked into care at Pure Births after an unpleasant hospital experience with our first-born…read more Before making any definitive decision, I asked my partner to just accompany me to the first introduction class so we could both learn more about their care & birth center. Midwife Tiffany educated us on the safety of the birth center, the benefits to mom & baby, the financial aspect, shared success stories, answered all of our questions & concerns, and finished with a complete tour of the birth center. We were both blown away by the education we received & decided we would like to try for a VBAC under their midwifery care. From October, when we took the class, to May, when our baby girl was born, we felt so seen and supported by the entire midwife team. Our girl was brought into the world by a redemptive VBAC experience & it was the best decision of our lives! Thank you to the entire Pure Births team for the constant clear communication. You all helped us achieve our what we sought to experience as a family and for that, we will forever be indebted to you! We are walking away so in awe of midwifery care, but more importantly, huge advocates for Pure Births & their lovely team.

I chose Pure Births Birthing Center because I deeply valued the philosophy of midwife-centered,…read moreholistic, and family-focused care. The environment and overall mission of the center truly resonated with me, and I appreciated the calm, natural approach they strive to provide. One of the most positive aspects of my experience was working with student midwife Alysia. I intentionally chose to have her present during my labor because she made me feel safe, supported, and emotionally grounded. Her presence was comforting, encouraging, and compassionate throughout a very vulnerable time, and I am genuinely grateful for the care she provided. I also loved the courses being offered for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum. Everyone i've met was so sweet and kindhearted. I labored at home for most of the early process and arrived at the birth center around 4:35 AM at 6 cm dilated, ready to continue laboring. Nurse midwife Angela was the on-call midwife overseeing Alysia. Early on, Angela mentioned that she had attended a birth the night before and was exhausted. While I understand that birth work is demanding, hearing this during my own labor created underlying anxiety and made me feel as though my experience might be influenced by fatigue -- something that, as a laboring mother, felt outside of my control and not something I should have had to carry emotionally in that moment. As labor progressed, I began to feel that my experience was becoming rushed despite there being no emergent medical concerns. This was my first pregnancy, and I was already navigating the physical intensity, emotional vulnerability, and uncertainty that come with first-time labor. Some comments made during labor felt discouraging rather than empowering, and I noticed that as Angela became more involved, my confidence declined and my labor felt less supported and more pressured. There was a particularly difficult moment when Angela attempted to assist with pushing using manual support internally with my consent. During this, I had an involuntary knee-jerk reaction and accidentally kicked. Instead of reassurance or redirection, the response focused heavily on her personal safety, and I was told that if the movement continued, I could be transferred. This occurred while I was actively laboring, in pain, and emotionally vulnerable. I found myself repeatedly apologizing for something that was clearly accidental and reflexive, which left me feeling ashamed, distressed, and unsupported during a moment when compassion was especially needed. Additionally, being asked questions about past sexual assault during active labor felt unexpected and emotionally jarring given the timing and intensity of the situation. As a nurse myself, I tried to remain understanding and rationalize the intent behind the questions and responses, but emotionally it contributed to my discomfort and sense of vulnerability. Another significant source of stress was feeling as though there was a time pressure placed on my labor, including comments suggesting that if birth did not occur by a certain timeframe approaching midnight, transfer would be necessary. This created a sense of failure and defeat, making me feel as though my body was not performing adequately rather than feeling supported through a normal first-time labor process. I truly believe that with more patience, reassurance, and time, my birth experience may have unfolded differently. I want to emphasize that this review is not meant to discredit anyone's clinical skills. I believe Angela is likely very knowledgeable and experienced in her field. However, bedside manner, emotional safety, and communication profoundly shape a birth experience, and in my case, I felt rushed, discouraged, and emotionally unsupported at times. In contrast, Alysia remained incredibly compassionate and reassuring. She comforted me, encouraged me to trust my body, and reminded me that if I felt the urge to push or return, I would not be turned away. Her support helped me feel seen and cared for during a moment when I was questioning myself. It took me over a year to write this review because I struggled with denial, self-blame, and not wanting to place fault on anyone. Birth is deeply personal, and processing a difficult emotional experience takes time. Ultimately, I am sharing this in hopes that future patients feel emotionally safe, unrushed, and fully supported regardless of staffing fatigue or scheduling challenges. A laboring mother should never feel like a burden or that time is working against her during a normal birth process. Pure Births offers a beautiful philosophy and environment, and I still value the concept of midwifery care. My hope is simply that emotional presence, compassionate communication, and patience remain central to every birthing experience.

Words can't describe the vibes & energys that was on our birth room ..my wife was having her birth…read moreexperience to the fullest and exactly like her birth plan and all of that couldn't happened without Cynthia's services Cynthia is well educated in all of birth world and know everything about woman's needs in this precious time of newborn coming to the world she made our birth room look like a yoga class in a spa and our minds clear of fear allso as a husband i felt much more confident and secure to have a professional educated and highly sensitive doola that listen to my wife's needs ( and allso giving me my sleep time :) .. me and my wife moved into California not long time ago and our families are over seas it was so important to us to have a natural birth experience she was giving birth in a hospital and we were afraid to deal with medical intervention i really believe and know that we couldn't do that without Cynthia's help Thank you Cynthia for giving us the opportunity to have an amazing experience of life

From the owner: The Birth Whisperer, Cynthia Marie, PhD, has a passion for the birth process and wants to support…read moreevery woman in having the birth they choose with as few interventions as possible. She encourages each client's partner to be involved as little or as much as they are comfortable with. She offers doula and lactation support during conception, prenatal, birth, and postpartum She supports all births including Natural/Non-Medicated/Minimal Interventions, VBAC, C-Section, Home Birth, Water Birth, HypnoBirth, and Birth Center. She offers special sessions in Couple’s Birth Preparation, Childbirth Eduaction, Child Development, Reiki Energy Healing, The Fourth Trimester, The First Forty Days, Attachment Parenting, Safe Bedsharing, and Effective Child Discipline. Clients may attend sessions with a partner or solo. Birth the way you choose... Get attached to your birth plan... Happy mama, happy baby, happy family.

I don't know how I would have survived my pregnancy or birth without Jaquelin's help!! From the…read morebeginning of our relationship (while I was still pregnant), she was very supportive and helped me learn more about what I was going through via personal meetings, phone calls, email & web articles. She has a very calm and attentive nature (and I love her South African accent!) During my labor & delivery (32.5 hours!) her assistance was invaluable, since my husband did not want to be in the room at all - since he was afraid of passing out...lol! She knows what she is doing to keep you and your family comfortable and to move the process along. I don't remember a lot about that weekend as I was exhuasted, in pain, & eventually took some drugs to help with the pain, so it was great to have Jaquelin's story of my birth, with all of her notes! She also took some still photos with my camera, so I would remember this important moment in my life! If you are even thinking of hiring a doula, look no further! Her postpartum visit was also very nice & I can honestly say that she was much more than just another body in the delivery room...I now consider her a family friend and we stay in touch often. She is well worth the money that she charges for her services...I only wished that insurance would cover it. Either way, if I did it again, I would still use her. She made the whole experience as comfortable as it could be! :)

I was newly sober and pregnant!! I was warned about the dangers to my sobriety that could come from…read morebeing given prescription pain relievers after giving birth. Especially when C sections and medical interventions are at their highest. I was told to do some research on how to avoid unnecessary C sections and this eventually led me to a doula. I was planning to move back home to California from Florida. I looked up doulas in the area. When Jaquilin returned my phone call I was a mess and nervous over becoming a new mom & screwing it up! She brought peace to my heart answered ALL my questions which brought hope for what was about to come. I was not sure if I could even hire a doula and still living in Florida at the time. I can remember standing in one the isles of a grocery store in Florida. I was so concerned over fish oil in DHA inside the prenatal vitamins. I called Jaquilin, feeling silly because she hadn't been hired yet, but she returned my phone call over such a silly question like that or, "I ran out of my prenatal vitamins and it's only been 2 days. I'm worried about the baby!" She was there and helped bring peace to me! I knew then, standing in the middle of the store that she was the doula for me! I moved back to California, finally at 7 months. When I hired Jaquilin and started the lamaze classes with her they were intimate, small and fun. Very "homie". As well as extremely informative. I felt free to ask any questions. Any! Our choice for birth was for it to be all natural, but in a hospital (we chose the UCLA midwives Westwood. Also an A+ experience) As I'm writing, I'm thinking there is just too many wonderful things and experiences with jacqueline to to say! So I'm writing a list of the 1st ten things hat come to mind below!! My experience far superseded what I paid for and what I expected. I have the most memorable, REAL and intentional birth to thank from her support! 1. She was there for me after the birth, more than she "should" have. In regards to me being at risk for post Partum depression. Supported me all the way through & called in to check up on and make sure I made the phone calls I needed. 2. Jaquilin came over at exactly the right time during my labor. Supported me in all the ways I wanted and needed in order to move into active labor and through the pain. 3. Helped me with my birth plan and met me For walks in the park. 4. Helped me find organic and holistic approaches to many things. 5. The birth!!!! The birth was exactly what I asked for. Exactly!!!! She believed in me the whole time and I in turn believed in my bodies ability to do exactly what it needed to do. 6. I used her experience and knowledge with birth as my guide. I needed her to know when I was ready to go the hospital (I know I would have gone way to soon if I didn't have her!) and because of that there was no need for the hospital to do "hospital things" I was ready! 7. I showed up at 7 centimeters. (All the nurses and the midwives were impressed) I couldn't have done that without the support from my doula Jaquilin. 8. An hour after arriving I gave birth to Liam! Beautiful, all natural, healthy and strong! 9. She was there the whole way through, to the end & then some. 10. I didn't receive any narcotics or epidural. No medical interventions. I was aware. My birth was intentional and I was empowered. Thank you Jaquilin for helping me achieve the birth I was meant to have

When I found out I was pregnant, many people told me to take labor and breastfeeding classes. After…read moresome research, I found that there weren't any classes locally offered to new moms, other than at Henry Mayo Hospital. And of course, their classes were only offered once a month. Unfortunately, they didn't work with my schedule. My main concern being a new mom was breastfeeding. I went online and tried finding a doula who would offer me a private class. Alas, I found Cali. What immediately impressed me was how quick she responded to my intro email. She was open to come over to my house, teach me the basics about breastfeeding and offer her advice postpartum. Cali was helpful, professional, and caring. Having my first baby with Cali's support made the experience that much better. So glad I found Cali!

When my husband and I found out we were expecting, we immediately started planning the type of…read morebirth we wanted. It wasn't long until we felt very overwhelmed by all the decisions and challenges that faced us. One of our friends recommended that we hire a doula to help us with the process... and so the search began. We met with a few different doulas, however as soon as we met Cali, we knew she was the perfect fit for our growing family. We felt very comfortable with her, she was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions, and her beliefs aligned with ours about the ideal birth. In addition, she offered us private parenting classes since our schedules were always conflicting with the hospital's classes we were interested in taking. In all of our meetings before the birth, Cali came prepared and ready to work. However, I always felt like I was meeting with a good friend. When my water broke 1 month early, Cali dropped everything to be at my side (even though it was her birthday!!) She even came to our house first to help pack for the hospital, keep me calm until my husband got home from work, and even installed our car seat (since we were so unprepared for such an early arrival!) I was a little unsure that I was going to be able to follow the birth plan we had put together, to keep things all natural, with no medical intervention, but with Cali's help, I was! She was calm and encouraging through my entire labor, and provided support for my husband as he coached me through a successful, all natural birth. We could not be more grateful. After the birth, Cali constantly checked in on us, and offered advice and help when we were having some difficulties with breast-feeding during her postpartum visit. We are so thankful that we can look back on our labor in a positive light, and we have Cali to thank for that. I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for a Doula.

[Acknowledging the gaslighting undertones of the owner's response. Fluffy messaging, sidestepping…read morecore issue.] Working with Princess, the owner of BelliBind, was one of the most unprofessional and distressing experiences I've had. For a long time I suppressed the memory and didn't leave a review in December 2021 because I was overwhelmed postpartum. However, receiving a recent automated email from the company brought the experience back, and I feel it's important to share a word of caution for other mothers -- especially those whose postpartum experience may not be smooth or well-supported. Like many mothers, my daughter's birth did not go according to plan. I nearly lost her, she required hospitalization in the NICU for respiratory distress, and when she came home she had an extremely severe case of colic. She could not be soothed by anyone except me, including my husband, and the situation in our home was incredibly stressful and overwhelming. When the BelliBind employee came for the first session, she was kind and genuinely tried to help. I have no criticism of her personally. She attempted to support me by assertively requesting that my husband manage the baby so I could have the appointment. Unfortunately, the reality of our situation made that impossible. Our baby was extremely distressed, tensions escalated, and I simply could not relax or continue the session. I ultimately asked to cancel the remainder of the visit. My concern arose afterward when I contacted Princess to request a refund for the remaining unused sessions. I made it clear that I was completely willing to pay for the first visit, but asked if she could consider a prorated refund for the thousands of dollars of services that had not been rendered and realistically could not be completed given my circumstances. At the time, I was in a very fragile psychological state postpartum, experiencing severe depression and even suicidal thoughts -- something I could clearly recognize as an otherwise strong Licensed Clinical Social Worker (knowing postpartum can be suddenly triggering for those who survive childhood abuse/neglect). I communicated this openly in the hope that she might approach the situation with compassion and flexibility. She knew my mission in life was to protect other vulnerable individuals, and I thought in this moment of vulnerability, hers was to look after postpartum moms. Instead, the response I received was shockingly cold and combative. The empathy that had been conveyed earlier in the process disappeared entirely. In my own telephone conversation with Princess, she refused any form of accommodation or refund and communicated in a manner that felt volatile and dismissive. The interaction became so upsetting that my husband ultimately had to step in to try to handle the conversation in order to protect me during an already vulnerable postpartum period. Following our joint attempts to reason with her over the phone and seemingly reaching a mutually agreeable resolution at the time, Princess later emailed to inform us that she decided NOT refund 4 unused sessions, and she requested that I use them in a "2-week postponement period" ... as if our unglamorous situation would somehow magically resolve in 2 weeks. If only the reality of our lives could morph it one of her captivating social media marketing photos in that 2-week period. As referenced in the attached screenshots, she states, "Please note we have offered to provide you with: 2 week postponement of services, once you have more of a handle on your child's needs." Needless to say, the latter comment to "get a handle on our child's needs" was incredibly offensive. Her additional comments were equally perplexing: "I truly believe, as a post-birth professional with a team providing in-home recovery support and newborn care guidance to birthing families for nearly a decade now, that we would be doing you a great disservice by just giving you a full refund opposed to the many options you could use with the care you already have paid for with us." The fact that a business owner of a service directed towards postpartum mothers, could be so rigid, inflexible, and tone-deaf continues to baffle me. Ultimately, I filed a claim with my credit card company, and Chase quickly reviewed the situation and happily obtained a refund for the *unused amount*, as per my request to Princess. This experience was deeply disappointing. Postpartum mothers are often in extremely vulnerable positions, and businesses that market services specifically to new mothers should operate with a basic level of compassion, integrity, and professionalism. Unfortunately, that was not my experience here, and the utter lack of integrity continues to shock me in memory. I can only hope that some version of karma eventually reinforces the importance of genuine integrity, so that other mothers receive what is truly good for them ... even when life has unexpected challenges in store.

This is my second time working with BelliBind and it was just as wonderful as the first. Princess…read moreand her staff are lovely and the service is so necessary for postpartum self care. I've gifted it to friends as well and they have been just as satisfied! Would definitely recommend for the postpartum experience.

Working with Jen was one of the greatest gifts of our birth experiences (for both myself and my…read morewife). She supported both of us through two births, about two years apart, and each experience was very different (including one with pre-eclampsia and the other with heart rate decels). Her ability to meet each of us exactly where we were, with such calm, confidence, and care, was remarkable. We trusted her completely. From our first phone call, it just felt right. Jen is a powerful advocate for her clients and brought a steady, reassuring presence that allowed us to feel safe, informed, and deeply supported. Her care extended far beyond labor and delivery. Her prenatal and postpartum home visits were incredibly helpful, especially as she guided us through preparing our older child for siblinghood, and she always made us feel seen as a whole family. We also loved how intentional she is about building community among her clients, helping families feel connected to one another and supported beyond their individual journeys. Her work is deeply equity-centered, and as an LGBTQ+ family, having affirming care was incredibly meaningful to us. We are so grateful to have had Jen alongside us during such transformative moments and would recommend her without hesitation to anyone looking for compassionate, affirming, and truly exceptional birth support (especially for those whose journeys end up looking differently than initially planned)!

Jennifer at Labor of Love is truly one of those people who makes you feel cared for the moment you…read moremeet her. I've had the privilege of working alongside her professionally as a peer, as well as seeing her for my own well woman visits. She is kind, compassionate, professional, and incredibly knowledgeable. Jennifer has such a calm and grounded presence that makes you feel safe, heard, and respected. The care she provides is genuine, thoughtful, and never rushed. You can tell she truly loves what she does, and it shows in the way she cares for her clients.

Ariana is our Angel! I'm a first time mother and I would have been pretty much completely lost…read morewithout her expertise, love and guidance. TG did not want to be let go when he was a new born so she rocked and held him all night the first couple nights so I could rest and recover. Ariana taught me tricks and eased my mind every time I reached out. She still gives me great advice whenever I ask. Her patience is something I admire. Ariana is the reason I get sleep! I wasn't able to sleep train myself and she came to our rescue. I still call on her for help whether it's advice or babysitting.

Amma Doula was an amazing experience postpartum! Ariana's quick thinking and discernment quite…read moreliterally helped save my life when I had complications with my C section. It was complete chaos and she never skipped a beat. Ariana did not let me lift a finger and was there through all the ups and downs of postpartum. She is very experienced and was excellent with my newborn. Very soothing energy. She gave good advice and was a great sounding board. She helped us get on longer stretches of sleep for my little guy and was so sweet with him. The energy of your caregivers post partum is VERY IMPORTANT and Ariana and her team was a great fit for our family. She also makes AMAZING oatmeal for lactation!! We love her!