I cannot recommend Marilou at Doulas by the Bay highly enough. She was our postpartum night doula…read morefor the first few weeks after our son was born, and she was incredible. As new parents, the sleep deprivation is real, but knowing she was there allowed us to finally get the much-needed rest we required to function. Beyond just being a set of expert hands, she became a trusted guide for us and taught us invaluable newborn care tips that we still use daily. We trusted her implicitly with our baby from night one which was critical for us as anxious new parents. Marilou's calm, professional, and warm presence made us feel so at ease during a very vulnerable time. We truly loved our time with her and are so grateful for the care she provided. If you are looking for a doula who is knowledgeable, nurturing, and completely trustworthy, Marilou is amazing!

We have had an incredibly poor and frustrating experience with the admin staff here. I cannot…read moreemphasize this enough. As new parents we're struggling to support our baby and have been looking for care. Doulas by the bay has dragged us through weeks of ghosted interviews, last minute cancellations, double bookings and extremely poor communication. We have one doula starting next week, and still don't have anyone assigned for the 2 weeks after - DESPITE having already paid and signed a contract.

We worked with Kaylyn G. during the first 6 weeks with our newborn, and had a really positive…read moreexperience. She was punctual, reliable, and made scheduling and billing paperwork very easy. She provided overnight support so we could get some much-needed rest, and was incredibly helpful knowing we could trust that our baby was in good hands. She would also leave notes for us in the morning so we knew how he did. She also helped with washing bottles, preparing formula, assisting with our newborn's bath, doing baby laundry, and even emptying the dishwasher. She also gave thoughtful product recommendations, offered a helpful pumping consultation, provided sleep training tips, and walked us through using the Huckleberry app. As first-time parents, it was helpful to see firsthand how she changed, fed, and burped our baby, which helped build our confidence. We also appreciated being able to text her with questions between visits--it made those early weeks feel a lot more manageable.

Getting a night doula was one of the best decisions ever. We didn't have one with my first but I'm…read moreso glad we were able to have one with our second child. Jodie M. was our night doula and her presence gave me more confidence, more sleep, and less anxiety during the first weeks postpartum. She is so loving and caring and I feel like we instantly clicked and got into a great nighttime routine with my baby. No evening scaries going to bed and wondering what the night was going to be like! She was there to bring my baby to me to nurse and then she handled the rest! Diaper changes, rocking back to sleep, washing pump parts and bottles, etc. it gave me back some time to get more good sleep--no waking up from postpartum anxiety to check if baby was ok since I was confident she was there to care for him. She really takes the time to understand you and your baby and your particular situation/pediatrician recommendations to put together a feeding/sleeping plan. My baby was underweight which was very stressful in the beginning and she was so supportive through the triple feeding and pumping and had lots of great advice in addition to the recommendations from our pediatrician. I would work with Jodie M. again if we have another baby!

Doula Jen is amazing!! I'm so grateful we had the opportunity to go through our second pregnancy…read moreand childbirth with her by our side. From our first meeting I felt at ease by Jen's calm presence and vast experience as both a doula and a nurse. (Coincidentally we learned Jen was a birth doula twice with our neighbors' kids too, and they assured us of their own positive experience.) My pregnancy took several unexpected twists and turns, and along the way there was no question too big or small for Jen, who'd patiently educate and encourage us to make our own informed decisions. A notable facet of my pregnancy was our baby's breech position the last month and half, when my husband and I decided to try turning him head-down through what felt like every method available. Jen provided vital support in this often stressful last stretch of pregnancy with recommendations, checkins, and referrals within the Golden Gate Doula community who could help (including a wonderful acupuncturist and chiropractor group). We went in twice for external cephalic versions (ECVs)-intensive attempts to turn baby that I felt better prepped for thanks to her guidance. She was even present for one of the procedures, during which I opted in to more intensive options I otherwise would have forgone in hopes of higher chances of success. Ultimately our little guy stayed in breech and we determined a planned C-section was safest. I was super nervous going into the surgery, and Jen helped us stay as grounded as possible by her comfort techniques, encouragement, and doses of humor at just the right moments. Her background as a UCSF pediatric nurse was especially beneficial to us as I gave birth to our son at UCSF Mission Bay, where Jen worked seamlessly with their systems and staff. I can't imagine our baby arriving as smoothly or free of complication as he did without Jen's expertise and magic touch. She's one of a kind, and we absolutely loved working with her!!

Jen Darwin is absolutely fabulous!! When putting together a labor and delivery checklist, make…read moresure it includes Jen - she deserves FIVE stars and more for how good she is at her job. The support that she gave to my husband and I during the birth of our second baby DURING COVID is unmatched and I can't thank her enough for the beautifully positive birth experience that we had. During our pregnancy, Jen provided my husband and I with the information that we needed to make informed decisions on where we were going to deliver (we switched from CPMC to UCSF at 37 weeks) and how I was going to manage my gestational diabetes. She put me in contact with other women who had GD, which was extremely helpful to understand how the care was being managed at the hospital with COVID. She also met us in person at our home to help prepare us with techniques and equipment to labor at home. When we arrived at the hospital, Jen met us in the parking lot and escorted us in. If you've ever met Jen, you know that her presence is enough to put you at ease and instantly make you feel comfortable and taken care of. With her background, she is extremely knowledgeable on hospital procedures and decision making and walked us through each step as we were being admitted to the hospital. We ended up delivering in triage because so many babies were being born that night, but we had one of the larger and more spacious rooms all due to Jen and her experience in knowing the hospital layout and in working with the UCSF staff. We also had an unmedicated birth, which would not have been possible had Jen not coached me through each stage and gave me the strength and confidence to keep going. My recovery was quick and easy due in large part to how Jen helped me to prepare before and during labor and delivery. If you are thinking about getting a doula, look no further - get on her schedule before she fills up!

Talia I worked with Talia through out my pregnancy, birth…read moreand postpartum periods, and I am so grateful for her support. She truly works from the heart, which is something you don't come across often. Talia consistently went above and beyond her role, always making sure I felt comfortable, informed and supported. Her presence during such an important time felt more like having a sister by my side than just professional. I would absolutely recommend Talia to anyone looking for a caring, dedicated and compassionate

Thank you to Charley, who helped us care for our newborn an reassured me through many anxious…read morenights. This is my third baby and I was still an anxious mess and she helped us navigate so many things. She's an expert at newborn care and it shows in her work. 10/10 recommend. We also had weekend help from Priscilla and Las who were wonderful and I recommend both of them as well!! The agency was easy to work with, I have used them for all of my kids. Amazing experience.

My experience with Heather for placenta encapsulations was absolutely amazing. I am still amazed by…read morehow kindly & clearly she communicated, how punctual, and how fast she was for pick up, even though I found her last minute. Thank you soo much! I most definitely recommend!

Heather was fantastic!! She helped me with placenta encapsulation for my first child and we hope to…read morework with her again for #2! She was responsive, professional, warm, and incredibly kind! She provided helpful guidance and instructions, and the whole process went so smoothly. I believe the placenta capsules helped me tremendously. Thank you, Heather!!

Have you ever met someone and thought to yourself, dang, that human was born to do this kind of…read morework and has a real gifting for it? That was my thought about Lauren after meeting her for the first time (she taught our 6 week birth prep course). This woman was in her element. She cared, she was knowledgeable, and and she lit up the room. To our pleasant surprise and an epic answer to prayer, she ended up being our doula and what a gift she was in that space for us too. Lauren knew when to say or do something and the art of not saying or doing. We ended up having a dream birth and I'm not sure I would have been able to do it without her support. She was a part of the dream birth. She came along and partnered with me and my husband in a way that complemented and strengthened. Lauren helped me to trust myself and my body. There are no guarantees with birth. I don't love Lauren because I had a dream birth; I love her because of who she is and am so grateful she was with us and for us in the tender, sacred space of birth. No doula is for everyone, but if something about her resonates with you, book a call to see if there's a match.

Lauren is incredible! She helped me bring both of my babies into the world and I couldn't imagine…read morethe birth experience without her. She brought such a truly compassionate, intuitive, calming, and empowering presence to the experiences, and navigated all of the twists and turns with us. She felt like part of the family, and made us feel so held throughout the entire process from prenatal to postpartum. I couldn't recommend Lauren more highly. I almost want to have another baby just to be able to work with her again! If you're considering hiring her, DO IT! She's the absolute best.

Oh my god. Your search is over. Hire this amazing human being NOW…read more We hired Elizabeth for our first pregnancy and we regret nothing. We were already taking classes and knew I needed more support than just my already sleep deprived partner. She was phenomenal! Her calm, cool demeanor was something we needed when we didn't know what to do. I had BAD hip pain that I was having trouble managing on my own. After calling Elizabeth over, she knew exactly where to add pressure on my hips to relieve some of the pain before we hit the hospital. She suggested how to adjust the TENS unit patches to help manage such pain before heading over to the hospital. She even knudged when to go to the hospital. She was with us for all the decisions at the hospital (i.e. took the initiative to ask the anesthesiologist what to do when my epidural fell out. Originally the anesthesiologist gave us options but we wanted to know his recommendation). She even snapped the best birth photos! She kindly moved our stuff from the delivery room to the post partum unit. She truly listens to your concerns and wants the best for you and your family. I can sense the love and care from her. Elizabeth was wonderful and I truly believe with her help, we had a great delivery. Highly recommended :) Fyi Elizabeth had a similar structure to most Doulas in the area: 2 prenatal zoom visits, labor and delivery support, and 1 post natal visit.

Hiring a doula for one of the most intimate moments of your life is a hard task, and I couldn't be…read morehappier that I found doula Elizabeth. She brings years of birthing experience, so much knowledge, and a warm calm personality to the delivery room. Her prenatal visits helped calm any nerves I had, and she was so helpful in setting expectations and birth plans. During labor she was immensely helpful- suggesting positions, keeping me hydrated, a hand to hold, applying warm compresses, and checking in with the medical team. She always knew what to do! Her help also allowed my partner to be present in the birth experience by not having to worry as much as we welcomed our first baby. I hoped to have an intervention free birth in hospital, which isn't necessarily the easiest thing to have, and with doula Elizabeth's help I was able to achieve that. Welcoming my baby in a happy, calm, peaceful environment was such an amazingly wonderful experience. If you're looking for a wonderfully caring and super knowledgeable doula- look no further. Doula Elizabeth is amazing!

This review is for Luo Ah Yi. She was a great postpartum nanny for our family during the first…read moremonth after our daughter was born. She made a huge difference during a very busy time. She took full responsibility for our newborn overnight so we could rest, and she also cooked three meals a day for our family. Everything was delicious, varied, took our input into account. Beyond her work ethic, she is warm, kind, and wonderful with children. She was gentle and loving with our newborn and built a sweet bond with our 5-year-old. She was also flexible, easy to work with, and quickly felt like part of our family. We highly recommend her to any chinese-speaking family looking for a postpartum nanny.

We were incredibly fortunate to have Zhang A Yi during the first 3 months of our journey with our…read morenewborn. Her experience, attentiveness, and proactiveness in taking care of not only everything for the baby but also our home made such a big difference during this crazy time for us. Zhang A Yi is incredibly knowledgeable about newborn care and immediately stepped in to help the moment she arrived, handling everything from feeding and bathing, to soothing him and putting him to bed. Given we're first time parents, she was also very helpful in decoding our son's crying/fussiness for us and provided great tips for taking care of him. In those first few weeks when we were still adjusting, she would oftentimes even cut her afternoon break short to help out, despite us insisting that she rest. It was honestly surprising to us just how quickly we became comfortable with Zhang A Yi and entrusted her with our son's care. She really treated our baby as if he were her own and it was very reassuring to see just how much she genuinely cared about him (and how much he enjoyed being with her as well). There was no shortage of smiles and cooing when Zhang A Yi was practicing tummy time with him or entertaining him with all his toys. In addition to Zhang A Yi being very attentive to our baby, she was also incredibly observant when it came to the day-to-day. She'd proactively clean any dishes that we left out, and on the occasions that we'd take our baby out with us to meet up with friends, we'd come back to a very clean and organized home (even though Zhang A Yi was not at all required to help with this). And as the cherry on top to all this - she's also a fantastic cook. You'd think that over the course of 3 months we'd have gotten through her entire repertoire of dishes, but she continued to surprise us with something new. Mealtime was definitely something we looked forward to every day. We've really enjoyed having Zhang A Yi as part of the family and would highly recommend her to anyone who's looking for a dedicated and warm-hearted nanny to help with taking care of their newborn.

When I first found out I was pregnant with my second baby I knew that I wanted to attempt a home…read morebirth. I search online for the best midwifes in SF and Maria popped up. After my first in person visit with Maria and Suzannah I felt confident in my decision. My husband, who was apprehensive at first of a home birth, also felt more at ease. Throughout my pregnancy, Maria was there for me physically and emotionally every step of the way. The student midwife/photographer, Suzannah, was even able to schedule a maternity photo shoot for me! Once it came time for my labor I was met with a hands on team, compassion, and professionalism. Since I had a toddler at home, my husband had to take care of the little one for parts of the labor. Maria filled in the gaps that were needed when my husband couldn't be present. Overall, having a home birth was such a special, intimate, and pure moment. It was the best decision I could have made for myself, my baby, and my family. I did not anticipate how fulfilled and proud of myself I would feel. Thank you Maria and Suzannah for supporting me through my pregnancy and labor. You both helped create such a calm and safe environment for me to bring my baby into the world. The support I felt from other women during this journey is unmatched. I could not have gotten this type of support and compassion in a hospital setting. I will definitely be reaching out to Maria when we're ready for baby #3!

We used Maria for our two boys, one born in 2018, and one in 2021. Both experiences were great…read more Through both pregnancies, we had ample time in appointments to get to know each other. She had calm and thoughtful responses to our questions, and a refreshing openness to discuss benefits and concerns at any stage without giving any feeling of pressure. By the time my wife was in labor with our first boy, we had complete trust that Maria could encourage and guide us through labor and delivery at home. We chose a home-birth for our second son, too. Maria always stays steady, clear, and calm, exactly the type of person you'd want at such a special and transformative event. Just like all the other reviewers, we can thank Maria enough - she is a true gem!

It's hard to even imagine our son's birth without Orna by our side. I never imagined what an…read moreamazing impact she would have. I had my mind set on having a natural birth but had no idea how tough that would really be. Orna prepared us for birth, gave me confidence during labor and was our calm and steady rock though the process. She helped my husband remain strong too. When I went into labor, our son had moved into the wrong position. Orna's knowledge of spinning babies helped him turn as she helped me use best positions to help him turn. I was so glad how she documented the day for us. I thought I'd want to forget, but now It's magical to revisit the day we met our son! Orna supported us with all our decisions and always was there with the knowledge to share with us. She was our best advocate in the hospital and she even knew the nurse there that assisted that was phenomenal! I can't recommend her enough to any family that will be having a baby! Thank you Orna!!!

I was at the end of week 40, and my obgyn wanted to induce. I asked for another week before…read moreinducing and reached out to Orna. I hesitated at the beginning since I wasn't sure how would I feel to have someone I bearly know to support me in my most intimate moment. Orna came to my home, and after ten mins I felt as she was part of my family. When she came to my house, we worked on spinning babies exercises, and two days later my contractions started. Four hours after my contractions began my beautiful baby arrived in the world. During my labor, I had only Orna and the hospital staff with me. She gave me all the support I could wish for and even more. More than that she updated my partner every minute with pictures and videos which helped him feel like he was in the delivery room with me. If you are hesitating about taking a dula like I were, I highly recommend Orna! You won't regret it. I am definitely going to reach out to her again in my next pregnancy :-)