Shannon is everything we could have imagined for a doula--she is welcoming, warm, thoughtful, and has a lovely sense of humor! You get the whole package (and then some!) with her. As part of her doula services, she comes to your home for 3 prenatal visits, where you get the opportunity to try out practical exercises (from pregnancy massage techniques to pain alleviating exercises, talk through how your pregnancy is going individualizing our care and even review a manual binder that she provides for you. And of course, the main event, true labor and giving birth! Shannon has a way of just blending into your family during such an intense moment and your family's needs, stepping up and stepping down seamlessly, but always right there when we needed her. During labor/birth at the hospital, Shannon's belief and faith in me to surrender and brave through a natural birth never wavered. She really did it *all*--preparing bone broth for me to sip on in the midst of a contraction, acting as head cheerleader, setting the oxytocin mood in our delivery room with string lights, aromatherapy, and music. Oh, and not to mention, the hip squeezes and back rubs she provides in the most intense moments of labor. My husband and I had never been so impressed with a service before! Oh, I'm not done...she even did labor/birth photos for us, and a newborn session in our home two weeks postpartum. *cries happy tears* Thanks to Shannon, I experienced the most FUN and empowering birth. 12/10 recommend investing in her services! read more

For anyone seeking a birth doula, I wholeheartedly recommend Shannon. In our search, she stood out during our initial meeting by not only trying to understand what we cared about but being able to reflect that understanding back at us with even more clarity. It was clear to us that Shannon's approach is personalized, recognizing that not every path to parenthood is the same. Having attended over 400 births, Shannon also brought a wealth of experience with her that shone through in her calming presence, well-balanced guidance, and the articulate birth plan she helped us craft. Her ability to address our worries without ever being dismissive, provide valuable advice at the right moment, and offer a diverse array of resources made our journey as first-time parents all the more enjoyable and helped us be prepared. read more

Shannon is a gentle, calm, caring, and very attentive doula. I felt she truly listened to my needs and always remembered even the smallest of details, that would bring a smile to my face when she brought them up. Shannon was there every step of the way. I felt safe, secure and held by Shannon, while also feeling I had any space I needed. I didn't know how much I would lean on her, until we were in it, and while I love my husband and believe he is the best daddy, Shannon was my #1 getting me through contractions while laboring at home for nearly 2 days. Be it holding my hand, squeezing my hips, rubbing my back, or offering words of encouragement, Shannon supported me through it all from home to hospital transfer. While we planned for a home birth, once we were in the hospital she magically made it feel homey by putting up some twinkle lights, a photo of our dog and displaying my special stuffed animal from childhood. Shannon was also able to beautifully capture our experience through photos while still supporting me. It was an added bonus that we are infinitely grateful for. I Shannon was a lovely doula to have shared the birth of our first baby with. read more

We interviewed 7 doulas and Shannon was our stand-out pick. Absolutely nothing went right with my birth experience. Literally not one thing that we listed on our birth plan came to fruition (with the exception of our baby care preferences when he was born). But the amazing thing through all that was that Shannon was with us, acting as the non-anxious, calming presence. Having her there after the birth and even in the weeks that followed was such a gift. She has TONS OF EXPERIENCE having been to hundreds of births, which gave me such confidence going into my birth experience. Her prep and education leading up was extremely helpful to both me and my husband. She's worth every penny and then some. We love Collective Hearts Birth! read more

As a first-time mom, Shannon was absolutely invaluable in helping me feel prepared for and supported during childbirth. She helped us in so many ways I couldn't have ever anticipated, from role-playing to movement & nourishment recommendations to the beautiful birth & postpartum photos I will cherish forever. She was incredible to have on call for every question and 6am "am i going into labor??" panicked phone call, and was super responsive and calming when I needed it most. Would recommend her 100 times over - she's the real deal and you won't regret it. read more

Shannon is an incredible doula and also a very skilled and attuned birth class teacher. I've had 3 births that Shannon helped me to prepare for, and 2 births Shannon attended as my birth doula (she was already booked when my first was born, but we attended her Birthing from Within class and felt so prepared emotionally.) A large part of what Shannon did for us was before the actual births of my children. She combines emotional and mental preparation for birth with sharing hands-on knowledge about the different directions a birthing experience can go in, and let us explore the different decisions we'd need to make ahead of time when we had plenty of time to research and ask questions about all of our options. We had a solid list of birth preferences from this that covered the gamut from our medical preferences, to pain management techniques, to laboring positions, and even to our thoughts on the kind of environment we'd like to maintain in our birthing space. Going through all of the scenarios of birth during her Birthing from Within class and understanding within each scenario what decisions were still in our control helped a lot to emotionally prepare us for the possibilities vs. being stuck in fear of some scenarios. Shannon was also amazing in how she prepared my birth partner to support me in labor effectively. Rather than just Shannon supporting me, which would also have been great, Shannon helped my husband to understand and practice the best ways to support me. As a birth doula, Shannon was very tuned in to what I emotionally needed to process and plan for before the birth. She had effective strategies for working through those things months before the actual birth. She could tell from a jokey email I sent after an ultrasound showed the baby was big that I was feeling worried about it and immediately called and helped me to get through the fear, and I called up the mantras Shannon prepared me with when those fears arose during the birth itself. During labor, Shannon was great at creating and maintaining a calm environment and vibes for the birth. My second child's birth was incredibly chill, with just me, my husband, the labor and delivery nurse, and Shannon in a darkened room with calming music, working through labor in the way that felt right for me. On top of being an amazing birth preparer, and an attuned birth supporter, Shannon is a great photographer. I have wonderful, emotional photos and even a video of my earliest moments with my babies, and she did this very non-intrusively in a way that didn't interrupt any moment. I would highly recommend Shannon to anyone looking for an amazing doula! read more

We truly cannot recommend Shannon enough. Shannon was my older sister's doula, helping bring our 2 nieces into this world, and then we were lucky enough to have her as our doula for the birth of our daughter in November 2022. From our very first meeting, my partner and I felt an immediate connection with Shannon, as she exhibited such genuine warmth, innate ability to deeply listen, and genuine support. It was clear that Shannon was enthusiastic about making this a personalized and unique journey for us, while providing expert advice, support and love along the way. I so appreciated her openness to whatever type of birth experience someone is looking for, whether it is a medicated hospital birth, a home birth, or anything in between, there is zero judgement and only 100% love and support. Shannon has attended HUNDREDS of births, and her depth of experience brought so much wisdom and sense of calm along the way. It was a true joy to create our individualized birth plan with her expert help and guidance, and we felt so fortunate to have emotional support check ins along the way with her. By the time of our daughter's birth, we felt prepared, calm and excited, all thanks to Shannon. The labor/birth experience itself was much faster and wilder than we had anticipated (we unexpectedly had to be induced at the hospital), but Shannon still managed to help us feel empowered and at ease during some situations that felt out of our control. I honestly have tears in my eyes writing this because we certainly would not have felt that level of ease, love and empowerment during our birth had it not been for Shannon. We will most definitely be seeking her services again when we decide to go for baby #2. Shannon is a true gem. read more

Shannon was my doula for all three pregnancies and my birthing experience was amazing thanks to her! She knew how to help me advocate, how to support my partner, how to plan and how to let go. During labor itself, and immediately after, I felt so held and cared for. Shannon helped ease my fears about giving birth and I ended up having three wonderful experiences and healthy babies. So so grateful to have had her as a partner during such intimate and powerful times. We couldn't recommend her more- if you're thinking about hiring a doula, GO FOR IT! 10/10 read more

Before my wife suggested we get a doula for our first, I had no idea what a doula did or what the experience would be like. I was open to it, and to be honest a bit skeptical. The first meeting with Shannon put me immediately at ease, and I felt a weight lift off my shoulders I didn't know I was carrying. My wife and I had a partner, a teammate, a coach, a support. Shannon allowed my wife to focus entirely on her body and her process, and Shannon allowed me to focus on my partner and be the best support I could be. From facilitating tough conversations to help us make our birth plan, to helping get us on the same page as our nurses, to reminding me when to eat, to taking those first magical photos - Shannon was there for us. The first question I ask folks (especially partners) when I hear that they are expecting, "Have you thought about getting a Doula? Because for me it was one of the best decisions we made." read more

I first met Shannon in 2018 as part of a doula collective. She was a present, empathic guide during my challenging pregnancy. While a different member of the collective was my doula for the actual birth of my first child, I immediately reached back out when I learned I was pregnant with my second. Partnering with Shannon was a no-brainer. She is so knowledgeable about the birth process, the multitude of experiences a pregnant person may have, and is a natural teacher and coach. It was a joy to come together to identify what I wanted and needed for my second pregnancy and delivery. She was there every step of the way, including in those first, tender postpartum days. She is genuine, funny and a calm, confident presence. From answering technical questions, to processing emotions, to listening to me vent (usually something like "I'm so over being F%$cking pregnant!") she was there for me. I cannot recommend Shannon more highly! read more

I heard so many great things of having a doula during your birth. Friends and co-workers recommended it. I am a first time mother and I wanted to try to go natural and I have to say without the help of Shannon I don't think I would have been able to go through the labor pain and push my little son. My husband tried his best to support me but the massages Shannon gave me helped really to go through each contractions. She also helped during the active labor phase to make decisions based on how I feel. After 16 hours of pain I ended up having an epidural which actually helped me to rest for a little bit. I think all of us needed some rest. During the pushing phase I had a horrible old lady as a nurse, who kept pushing me around, not being supportive, doing things that was more painful and uncomfortable for me. I even yelled at her to stop whatever she was doing. Then she had the nerve to leave the room while I was pushing. (and I was pushing for 3 hours straight and on the top the epidural wore off... felt everything). But Shannon keep encouraging me, suggesting different position and helped me to push through each contractions. She was just awesome. The whole experience was so wonderful (even with the pain), I would do this all over again with her as my doula! My husband and I can highly recommend her. She is a wonderful support. read more

Shannon was a wonderful doula for our recent baby. I didn't think that I would be using her services to the extent that I did. We initially hired Shannon to ensure that we would have a smooth natural delivery of our first baby without medications using hypnosis (Hypnobabies). I loved how Shannon went out to research Hypnobabies and read up on the role of the doula under this program. I visualized my birth in certain way and needed Shannon to support it. The third trimester was a little bumpy with a breech baby and then an induction at the end. She came to support us when we turned our breech baby and stayed with us just in case I went into labor. Then she stayed with us during our _long_ induction, which eventually lead to the birth of our baby. However, I have mention that we ran into compromises of our birth plan. This was really upsetting, because I had not anticipated so many last minute changes to our plan. Although I knew I had to stay open-minded, I had visualized my perfect natural childbirth. Instead, I faced drugs after drugs during the induction. It was emotionally draining! But Shannon was there to support and advise along the long journey. I love the support that my husband gave me during the labor, but Shannon's support was different since she was more objective with experience. She was our advocate, asking the staff of other options. She protected our birth plan as much as possible. I knew that I wanted to hire a doula during the latter half of the pregnancy. I found her through Harmony's Meet the Doula Night. We even tried to find doulas at Blossom Birth. We interviewed another candidate from a referral thoroughly. Our interviews are very comprehensive, because I realized that doulas had to be strong to protect our interest but was sensitive enough to meet our needs. We felt right with Shannon after interviewing her at Peet's. She didn't pressure us to make decisions fast, and I like the no-sales pitch. I became a serious supporter of doulas after my experience. Even my husband was impressed, and hiring a doula was "my thing." I highly recommend Shannon's doula services. read more

I am slow getting my review out there (my daughter is 10 months old!) but I just wanted to give another great review to Shannon. the help she gave me and my husband preparing for our birth was unreal. unfortunately Shannon didn't get to attend the actual physical birth of our daughter...but then again neither did my husband! my daughter was born in the ER after an extremely short labor. prior to her birth I was in contact with Shannon via the phone, when my contractions abruptly changed I called her and told her I was going to call 911. Shannon made it to my house in record speed getting there right when the ambulance did, my husband and our other daughter got there at that time as well. my husband admits that he may not have run the red lights that the ambulance passed through if Shannon hadn't run them first...what a great doula, willing to risk a ticket! immediately following the birth (which happened about 2 minutes after arriving to the ER) she and my husband came in. she made sure to inform me of everything going on and helped me enforce the decisions I had made prior to the birth. she stayed with me until I was well settled and made sure I needed nothing else. I had a great experience with Shannon. when people ask me whether it was worth it or not since I didn't have her present during the birth I invariably say YES! without the support of Shannon prior to the birth I don't know if I would've had the confidence to birth how I did. AND in the end I got the natural unmedicated birth I wanted! read more

Shannon gets both my and my husband's highest recommendation. She quite literally enabled us to have the experience that we envisioned and wanted. Our little kiddo was quite comfy and took her sweet time arriving, and Shannon was extremely helpful in advocating for our birth plan and negotiating with UCSF to delay inducing. I went into labor naturally and Shannon helped us labor at home. Shannon and all her tricks helped me be as comfortable as possible, and Shannon's coaching helped me to feel safe and prepared. After a few hours of labor not progressing as smoothly as we would have liked, Shannon helped me get into a position that would better align the baby. Labor kicked back into full effect and after my water broke, I started to feel the need to push. Shannon held my hand during the drive to the hospital. I was 10cm dilated and was put in a L&D room. Shannon took the lead on helping me through the pushing, encouraging me to try all kinds of different positions. After 4.5 hours of pushing (our baby was huge at 10lbs), Shannon took care of me even after the baby was successfully breastfeeding. Also, the photos Shannon took are some of our favorites from our daughter's birth. Thank you, Shannon, for being a source of strength and a friend to me. I will never forget how you helped our daughter come into this world naturally. read more

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We worked with Shannon to welcome our first baby into the world and we are so grateful she was by our side. She is really everything I had hoped for in a doula - professional, supportive, knowledgable, empathetic and very skilled. She helped me and my husband labor for 18 hours (about half of that was at home) and was an invaluable source of support and guidance when things at the hospital didn't go according to "plan". She kept us calm and helped the staff understand our preferences which led to a great outcome in the end. The sessions with Shannon before and after the birth, as well as many emails and text along the way, were also extremely valuable - her responsiveness and resourcefulness gave us great comfort and assurance. We also took her birth class which was a great way to get even further aligned on knowledge and approach. I highly highly recommend Shannon and look forward to working with her again! read more

As a current medical provider and prior labor/delivery RN... I really wanted an experienced doula who had a fresh take on birthing... who understood natural birthing but was also open minded to a delivery at UCSF and multiple modalities for coping with pain. In the end, I gave birth to my daughter at exactly 42 weeks in a relatively quick induction at UCSF.... Shannon was key to my success and my husband and I would hire her again for any subsequent birth. I was just so impressed with every part of the process - she was the perfect fit for us and I recommend her highly to all my friends and patients already! Tip; I've heard from others that Shannon is so popular her schedule fills up fast... book her while she's available, I know you won't regret it! read more

This review is loooong overdue as our son is almost 11 months old. Finally getting enough sleep to put two coherent sentences together. (The sleep does get better people!) Been wanting to write this for Shannon ever since he was born. Do not hesitate to hire Shannon as your doula. She is FANTASTIC!!!! We interviewed several other doulas and just didn't feel like we had the right fit...until we met Shannon. She is extremely knowledgeable, kind, empathic, patient and funny. We felt an instant connection with her and hired her on the spot. She had such a calming effect on both my husband and I and we really appreciated the prenatal sessions with her. She helped us to create our desired birth plan and to process our fears and concerns about the birth process. During the birth, she was our absolute rock and guide (our birth sherpa really) through a very long and challenging labor. The strategies she used REALLY helped with pain management while laboring at home. Once we were admitted to UCSF she was our constant advocate with hospital staff (and really knew her stuff!). After several hours of pushing I was told I had 20 minutes left or it was off to the operating room for forceps or vacuum extraction. I had zero energy left, but with Shannon's indefatigable spirit and support I was somehow able to muster the strength to push him out without interventions. We now have a healthy, happy and full of life little boy. My husband and I still talk about how we could not have possibly done any of that without her support. She was with us every step of the way. Thank you Shannon!!! You are amazing!! read more

Wow - just wow. Shannon stepped in as a back-up for our birth just last week (our doula was at another!) and we could not have ended up in better hands. She was there at all the perfect times, she helped us with photos and videos, and she helped to welcome our little girl into the world at our home with love, support, and excitement! We just had our post-partum visit and Shannon showed us the ins and outs of baby carrying as well as debriefed us on our birth experience with notes that she took (you rule!!). It was seriously fun and perfectly timed for us. Shannon is forever a part of our family and if you're looking for a doula - you couldn't do better; she's experienced and seamlessly knows what to do (that's called experience, honey!) read more

Shannon is amazing! She was super supportive of us choosing a hospital birth - helped to guide me through the ins and outs of the hospitals in the area. But then when we decided to switch to a homebirth at 31 weeks, she was equally as encouraging. I'm positive we wouldn't have arrived at that decision without Shannon's education and support, and yet she was never pushy or judgmental. She truly wants what you want for yourself. I highly recommend Shannon - super experienced, down to earth, and has a bag full o' tricks to help with labor and postpartum. read more

Collective Hearts Birth - Checking in for a postpartum visit, setting up the birthing tub, rebozo sifting - Doulas Near Me

My husband and I are just thrilled with the support and guidance Shannon gave us during our prenatal, birth and post-natal process. I had heard of Shannon before I met her through her glowing Yelp reviews. Then we happened upon her at an Altos Oaks Medical Group informational session - she was there with another couple. I liked her personality off the bat, but we weren't in "find a doula" mode at that point, so I just filed the information away. When I reached out to Shannon a few weeks later, her schedule was full for my due date - major bummer. But she wrote me a few weeks later saying a spot opened up. Yeah! From our first meeting both my husband and I felt at ease with Shannon right away. We feel pretty comfortable sizing someone up based on initial impressions and Shannon makes a great one. She's outgoing, open, honest, cheerful, inquisitive, and passionate about her work. We already knew she was well respected in the home birth community - two other midwives had referred us to her. So between midwife referrals, yelp reviews and our positive first impression we were ready to book her on the spot. Shannon was a wealth of knowledge from the get go. She shared a whole bunch of videos and audiotapes with us, as well as printed material. She came to our house for two prenatal appointments and asked us about how we wanted our "best birth" to go. She also helped us make a back up hospital plan that we were comfortable with, incase we were not able to achieve our goal of a home birth. When labor began Shannon was on the scene shortly after we called her, and began working her doula magic as soon as she arrived. We used her TENS kit which worked surprisingly well (I had thought it sounded a bit like poof originally) but mostly we relied upon her words of encouragement, gentle touch, and position suggestions. We delivered at home, so our experiences with Shannon are quite different than most other mammas. As it was, we didn't need anyone to stick up for or medical choices, or decipher doctor suggestions. But my husband and I had talked about how confident we were that Shannon would have been able to serve in that capacity, in the unlikely event that a transfer to a hospital was necessary. However, since we were complication free, Shannon mostly acted as our at home peacekeeper, planner and labor guide. Through the course of the day Shannon cooked food for the midwife and my husband, gave me massages, photographed our emotional moments, recorded a beautifully written account of the labor progress, suggested alternate labor positions, helped regulate the temperate of the labor tub, fetched towels and cleaned up, time contractions... all things that would have overwhelmed my husband if he'd been in mission control solo. Labor is never "easy" and having Shannon on hand for support and guidance was invaluable. After delivery, Shannon stayed with us while we practiced breastfeeding for the first time. She gave us suggestions about improving our latch, and changing the hold so that my back wouldn't get as tired. She also came back a few days later to make sure mom and baby were still breast-feeding a-okay. If you are thinking even for a moment that you might want a doula to help support you through the labor process, go for it. You never know what labor will have in store for you, and Shannon will help you navigate its unpredictable waters with patience, kindness and wisdom. If you have any specific questions about our experiences with Shannon Padlog for our homebirth, feel free to private message me. read more

Having Shannon as part of our birth support team was one of the best decisions we made. After our first meeting I was convinced that Shannon's sweet and calming presence, together with her firm, professional, and knowledgable demeanor, would help us during this important time. Shannon was an integral part of many important decisions - from choosing our hospital to establishing with a lactation consultant before our daughter was born. She was available by phone and email when I needed advice and, fortunately, steered us toward St. Luke's hospital when I wasn't thrilled with the care I was receiving elsewhere. In addition to being well-informed on local support options, Shannon helped us understand that whatever choice we made was the right choice. Shannon's birth prep class offers valuable information about labor and delivery but also gets you to really think about your own expectations, fears, and understanding of the birth process. It encouraged my husband and I to discuss what was coming on a deeper level so that when the time came, we were on the same page. I would highly recommend hiring Shannon for everything birth related - as your birth doula, for her prenatal birthing classes, and encapsulation services. read more

Shannon is an Angel! My husband Josh and I were sooo grateful, honored and delighted that she was a part of our birth experience. I can honestly say that without Shannon, I would not have had a 100% natural birth! Like many woman, in the many months leading up to labor, I had hoped for a natural birth with little or no drugs. And with all of the prenatal yoga, birth movies, and birthing classes, I felt confident that it was possible. But once labor started, all my preparation only got me halfway. In fact, after being up all night long with labor pains, I was ready to throw in the towel and get some medicinal relief. But once Shannon came to our home, she knew exactly what to say and do to ease my discomfort and help me continue with my labor, drug free. Her kind words, soft voice, and knowledgeable ways helped so much, that by the time I finally got to the hospital, I was 8 cm. dilated! She stayed by my side for every contraction, easing my pain with her soft voice and soothing touch. I felt so incredibly empowered with my birth experience and it was Shannon's presence and experience that helped create that for me. She provided a feeling of safety and comfort along with the distractions and advice I needed to endure my labor with confidence. On top of everything she also took pictures immediately after which are so precious to us now. We cannot recommend Shannon highly enough to anyone considering a Doula. She was absolutely FANTASTIC! read more

My husband and I would give Shannon Padlog 10 stars if we could. She was so amazing and I can't recommend her highly enough. So, here's the 411 on all she did for us: First, when we met at our prenatal appointments with her, she asked us a lot of questions about what we were hoping for and loaned us lots of books and even some videos to help us get more educated on the process. She gave us information by email, too, whenever we had a question or concern. She would find a resource or a list of choices for us to decide on a solution, but she never made the decision for us or pushed her views on us. When our midwife went out of town suddenly, 4 days before our due date, (and she had to have known she was going to do so as she was helping her daughter who had the same due date as me, and never mentioned it to us the entire pregnancy), we were beside ourselves. Shannon called around to other midwives and even called some natural-childbirth-friendly Ob-Gyn's for us to see if they would accept me after 39 weeks. Unfortunately, they couldn't, and we were stuck with our original midwife's backup, an Ob-Gyn who is not someone we wanted as she seemed to be very pro-intervention when we met her a few times during our routine visits. Unfortunately, the doctor turned out to be psycho in the end. She did intervene, lied to us at least twice, and was über controlling and manipulative. Shannon stuck with us the entire process, and even though the birth didn't go according to plan, she helped us embrace the experience and even enjoy parts of it that were hardest for us. The parts that did go according to plan were due in large part to her advocating for us and her reminding me about what was going right since so much wasn't. It helped so much. Shannon has become a part of our family since our daughter's birth, and we hired her to help during the first 10 days when we didn't want our crazy biological families coming to "see the baby" until the baby (and we) emotionally recovered. She did so much for us and even when I bawled my eyes out the first 2 weeks, she was there for me. She helped me with breastfeeding issues (and I had lots!!) and general recovery from the trauma that we all endured, including our daughter who had ended up in the NICU. Our baby's birth wasn't the easiest thing ever, it's true, but honestly, I can't imagine how horrible it would have been without Shannon. We likely would have been forced or coerced into much more intervention than we had been because we were educated and informed thanks to Shannon's knowledgeable responses. And, I would not have been able to labor naturally after the induction for the first 21 hours if it hadn't been for her coaching both my husband and me and giving us pain-relieving tips and tricks. We also met Diana, Shannon's backup, and she was amazing as well and we felt super confident knowing that if we were to need a backup doula, Diana was also wonderful. If we decide to have another child, Shannon will be our doula for sure. Best money we invested during the pregnancy by far. And my husband, who is more budget-conscious than I, agrees!! The woman KNOWS HER STUFF!!!!! Oh, and I found her on Yelp, by the way. After going to Meet the Doulas night at Harmony, we decided she was still the best fit for us. And she was even better than we expected. read more

Wow. I can't imagine how our daughter's birth would have gone without Shannon's help. Our baby came a bit early, and Shannon was at another birth. She immediately arranged for her backup to come help, and then as soon as possible Shannon came too. Straight from one birth to another! Throughout the 12 hours of labor Shannon provided support, suggestions, massage, help with the hospital system and nurses...the list goes on. My wife went through the whole experience with no drugs, no unneeded interventions; she was able to work with her body and give birth in a fully natural way. Without Shannon, no way this could have happened. Thank you Shannon! read more

I can't say enough great things about Shannon. She is the best! My husband and I met Shannon when we were taking a class at Harmony Birth in Campbell, CA. We weren't sure if we were going to hire a doula but now I can't imagine not having one and I can't imagine anyone other than Shannon. We had interviewed four or five doulas and pretty much knew that Shannon was the right fit for us. She is extremely knowledgeable and very passionate about what she does. Shannon met with us a couple of times to discuss our birth plan and made sure we had all our questions answered. When we first hired Shannon we lived in San Jose, but we were in the process of moving to Fremont and planning on having our baby in Berkeley. We asked Shannon if this was going to be an issue. She assured us that it was fine and that she would be there for whatever, whenever. The night I went into labor Shannon gave us suggestions to help make me as comfortable as possible. After a few hours of laboring at home with my contractions steadily getting stronger, Shannon met us at our home in Fremont. She then drove us to our second location in Alameda. After a few hours of laboring there, Shannon made the suggestion that we should head to the hospital. Once there the doctor checked me out and told me I was already fully dilated and ready to push! After two and a half hours of pushing, squeezing my husband and Shannon's hand with all the strength I had, I met my baby girl! It was the most incredible experience! With Shannon's amazing support, love and guidance we were able to follow our birth plan! Shannon is truly an amazing woman, which makes her an amazing doula. She not only cares for you but for your partner and your baby. She still checks in with us to see how we are doing and wants updates on the baby. She will forever be a part of what has been the best day of our lives thus far. We can't imagine that day without her and her wonderful services! Thank you Shannon! read more

Almost one year after our son's birth, our gratitude for Shannon is still overflowing. She offered us so much guidance from pregnancy to postpartum. Because she supplied us with so much information she was so valuable to us during our pregnancy - she literally has information about everything from scoliosis during pregnancy to nutrition to baby classes. As for labor, I cannot even express my gratitude for her. I don't think I would have been able to have a vaginal labor if it weren't for her. You see, my labor lasted for FORTY-NINE hours and she stayed the whole time. I originally wanted an all natural, but after my bag of waters had been ruptured for over 24 hours and I stubbornly refused to go in, they started me on pitocin. I did not react to it for a long-time, it was nice to have Shannon there to talk to and run through our plans. Finally, the pitocin hit me and it got horrible within minutes. She supported my decision to take the epidural (which I instantly regretted) but she calmed me down so much. She helped delegate communication with the doctors and when I was exhausted she helped me stick to my guns. They tried a number of interventions during my long labor but Shannon stood up to me every step of the way. When it was finally time to push and the scalpel-happy attending tried to give me an episiotomy and I was too focused on pushing, Shannon reminded her that I refused one before-hand. She even helped keep my parents out of the room during intense labor (I CANNOT thank her enough for this!!) Do not hesitate to use Shannon. What a wonderful, intelligent, and easy-going person. Hope to use her again for our second child! read more

Upon finding out I was pregnant, I knew immediately I wanted to hire a doula. We didn't hire one for our first, and I've heard so many great things about doulas. I am beyond happy and blessed that Shannon was there next to me during my labor. Being crazy and deciding on a nonmedicated birth, the pain was intense. Shannon was steadfast and calm during transition and helped me through my begging for an epidural and yes, even a c-section. Anything to take away the pain, right?! :D Without her, my husband would not have felt as empowered and calm as he did, and I'm sure I would not have been able to power through the birthing process like I did. My friend had told me before that a good doula is worth her weight in gold, but I firmly believe that Shannon is worth double her weight in gold. read more

We were so hesitant to spend the money on a doula given the costs of all things baby, but are so glad we did. We initially met with two doulas and decided to go with the one that seemed more like a friend (Shannon). Again, so glad we did. You will speak to your doula in the first few hours you know her about things that you would hesitantly spill to your girlfriends after a few beers. For this reason alone, I am so glad Shannon was on the receiving end of my blush-able questions and concerns. Both prenatal visits with Shannon were amazing. In fact, we didn't end up taking a childbirth class and Shannon really provided the information we needed going into the process- including pain coping techniques, reading/viewing materials and information on the labor process and what to expect. Shannon is a wealth of knowledge. Our son was born very quickly. So the wine I picked out for my "early labor" bath is still on the shelf (ha!). In fact, it was so quick, Shannon ended up meeting us at the hospital and I was already 7cm. When we pulled up to the hospital, Shannon's face was the first I saw, and I immediately felt so much more comfortable and calm. Shannon guided me through my quick labor and took amazing pictures and notes from the day. We look back on the pictures and laugh and cry all the time. I am absolutely thrilled with her support during the labor and the priceless photos she took. Simply put, Shannon was the perfect doula for us. Everyone is different, but I highly recommend Shannon and her friendly, professional and calm approach. Good luck to all of you. It is an amazing process. read more

Shannon is an awesome doula! Her fun and thoughtful approach make her a joy to be around. She is very knowledgable (might be those 200 births under her belt!) and just an all round super kind person. She knows hospitals, she knows births, and she knows women. Yay! read more

When I first found out that I was pregnant I knew I wanted a doula by my side. It was my first pregnancy, and I was the first woman in my family to give birth in America. I had a preconceived notion of American hospitals viewing pregnancy as a medical condition and not a natural process, and I wanted not only the support but the knowledge of a doula throughout my pregnancy. Words cannot describe the comfort and knowledge that Shannon provided for my husband and me throughout my pregnancy and labor. At 40 weeks I was being pressured by the hospital to induce my labor due to 1, yes 1, elevated blood pressure (120/91) to be exact. My baby was still comfortable in the womb, and monitors verified fluid levels and heartbeat were all great. I knew it wasn't time, and Shannon helped reassure me that I could and should wait. I am so glad I did, because my little girl arrived 3 days later on her own time! Shannon was fabulous through out the labor. She helped me feel calm and taken care of, and my husband felt so comfortable having Shannon by his side. Often times we forget that labor is also very much an experience for the partner. Their role and participation is key in their outlook of the experience. My husband had such a positive experience with Shannon's help, and we as a couple were able to have a very close labor experience. I look back on my birth as a wonderful experience thanks to Shannon. She helped me remember what a natural process pregnancy and labor is, and really helped me feel calm, comfortable, and well informed at all times. I recommend Shannon to anyone looking to have a doula by their side, her presence was priceless. read more

Our experience with Shannon was awesome. My husband and I had been considering switching from hospital birth to home birth for our second child quite late in the game (week 34) and Shannon helped direct us to resources necessary for us to make the decision. Once we settled on home birth, she was very helpful planning for labor and preparing to cope with the pain. With my first child, I'd had an epidural and wanted more guidance before doing it naturally. She was fantastic during labor and really helped me get through the difficult times with various strategies we'd practiced in advance. She really helped us plan for dealing with our 3.5 year old who would be home during the birth as well. Highly recommend Shannon! read more

If I could give Shannon Padlog 5.5 stars I would! She demonstrated so much strength in our long labor. She is very sweet yet very decisive and confident in difficult times. Highly recommended, she was probably the best investment we made around birth. read more

Shannon is an amazing doula. Although I ended up having an emergency c-section, Shannon stayed with me throughout the whole delivery process and was a vital member of my team to get me through what ended up being a pretty traumatic birth experience. She is incredibly warm, knowledgable, and amazing all around. Highly recommend! read more

Are you hesitant about hiring a doula? Trust me, just do it. And if you are looking for the best, then Shannon is the way to go! My husband was skeptical about hiring a doula. He wondered what a doula could do that he couldn't. Then we met with Shannon and he understood. He would be writing a review too... but he is also a skeptic of yelp. Shannon was another part of our team through our entire pregnancy. She would check in after our OB appointments and give me feedback about his suggestions. She never made me feel pushed into making any sort of decisions or judged about the ones I made. Shannon arrived at the hospital promptly after we called her. I probably should have called her earlier, but I didn't realize my contractions were getting so strong. As soon as she arrived she got to work. What my husband and I both loved was that she helped coach him on what to do and he did not feel like she was stepping her his toes. He has his place in the birth and she just helped coach us both through it. She somehow knew what I needed, even when I didn't know (maybe it's because she has been to a billion births.) With nurses switching shifts and the OB just arriving to catch, it was great to have a constant person in the room supporting us both. Music? she's an excellent DJ. Mood lighting? She can create an ambiance like nobody's business. Massages? The gods blessed this woman with some magical handsI have a loud and pushy family, and I asked Shannon prior to the birth to help contain them and keep them from inserting themselves. I don't remember anyone hoping in when my legs were spread, so I am guessing she did a good job at that too. :) Post birth she checked up on us and brought my placenta encapulation pills (which I also highly recommend.) I honestly don't know how anybody could give birth without a doula (and my labor was as short as it gets)-- we feel very lucky that Shannon was ours! read more

I highly recommend Shannon!! She is knowledgable and can assist in any situation! My husband and I felt that having Shannon at the birth of our son was worth every penny and also probably prevented us from having a cesarean. This was a second baby for me and I thought things would move quickly so wanted a doula. In the end, I got induced and then had an epidural that didn't work when I needed it most. Shannon talked me through the intense pain and helped me stay calm. I could have never predicted how things would go with this birth and having Shannon there to help us turned what could have been an awful experience into something that I look back on happily. She came into the hospital room, rearranged the furniture, helped me get back in my tank top and sweat pants ( I hated that hospital gown they had me wear), offered me food to eat and in general made the room so nice that we had nurses on the floor coming in to see how comfortable we were! During the hardest part of my labor it was Shannon's voice that kept me calm. And lastly, I want to add that Shannon is supportive of whatever birth plan you want.....or even if you don't want to have one. She wants your experience to be the best possible and helps make that happen! Thank you Shannon!!! You were amazing!!! :) read more

WE LOVE DOULA SHANNON!!! She's a natural! We felt immediately comfortable with Shannon and confident in her. She is competent, capable, delightful with wonderful energy and a heart of gold. My husband and I met Shannon at Harmony Birth Center (Campbell, CA) at "Meet the Doulas Night" which is set up like a speed dating event. Every doula we met that night we asked, beyond the obvious questions (ie: What's your training/schooling? Experience? etc.), if they could offer a pearl of wisdom for us first-time parents and also "What's in your bag of tricks?". We knew that Shannon was the right doula for us after we heard her "pearl" (and she has wonderful tricks in her bag; like pressure point massage, squat ball, hypno-baby, TENS machine, aroma therapy, various positioning and breathing techniques, etc.) but being first timers we did further, more in-depth interviews at our home with five doulas (including Shannon). We knew, without a doubt, that she was the right fit for us. We thought it important to have one-on-one interviews within our home since staying at home as long as possible before going to the hospital was part of our birth plan. We wanted to have someone who was comfortable in our environment and birthing situation, and Shannon fit right in. Shannon took her time (which she was very generous with) to genuinely get to know us & our birth plan. We had started a bp prior to Shannon but she helped us immensely in fine tuning it. She introduced us to options and information that hadn't occurred to us or hadn't come up through our own research. She was able to answer any queries we had or further research answers for us. We appreciate how she took time to practice different birthing positions with us, which my husband and I practiced together and also with her. Just as important to us was someone who could be "light" and laugh along with us. It was obvious to us that Shannon has a passion for what she is doing and respected our birthing choices. The day of our family's big event, Shannon was absolutely amazing and we were blessed to have her there by our sides! Once my contractions started coming on every 5-7 minutes, we called Shannon and she came over to our home, where we stayed until after my water broke. She was engaged and proactive the moment we spoke to her. We did many relaxation and pain management techniques that helped me through this period. Shannon had a wonderful balance of hands-on interaction when needed and stepped back when not needed. I felt so much love, assurance and confidence from Shannon; never was I concerned with anything and I was free to concentrate on what I had to do. For my husband, Shannon was able to give him the mental and emotional support he needed, as well as guidance and focus. When he needed to rest, Shannon was right there- ready and willing to jump in at any capacity that was needed. They were able to laugh and enjoy the experience along with me. When we all arrived at the hospital, I was admitted at 9 cm. and ready to push. Shannon was such an amazing source of strength for me (and my husband)! I was in hard labor for nearly three hours; during that time Shannon helped me try different positions, continued aroma therapy, acted as our liaison and advocate with the hospital personnel and kept us informed on what to expect next. She helped me stay focused and comfortable as much as possible. Shannon was a calming, reassuring point for me. I knew I was safe and in good hands with the team I had around me! After our little bundle of joy was delivered, Shannon stayed to help with breast feeding and bonding, as well as continuing to let the hospital staff know our desires for after the birth, keeping us informed of what was to happen next and for a mini-celebration with us and our friends. :) Shannon checks in with us to this day. :) We feel so fortunate and thankful to have found Doula Shannon! Neither my husband or myself could have wanted more in a doula, nor could we imagine doing it without her. Shannon will always be a part of our hearts for the wonderful role she played in our first baby's birth. We hope to have her help with our next baby too. WE LOVE DOULA SHANNON!!! read more

My wife & I recently worked with Shannon for the birth of our second child. She could not have been more amazing! Shannon is incredibly knowledgeable, kind, caring and compassionate. She helped us through every stage of the pregnancy and was exceptionally supportive to both my wife and me. We decided to do a home birth for this pregnancy. I admit that I was feeling very nervous and unsure about a home birth at first, but Shannon helped us find an awesome midwife and really helped us have an amazing experience. Before working with a doula, I imagine some partners might not be sure what role the doula would play, or might be concerned that the doula would essentially replace their role in the birth. On the contrary, Shannon helped me be much more effective and comfortable supporting my wife before and during labor. She is super generous with her time and I have no doubt that I was much better prepared to help my wife during labor. Not only is Shannon very experienced -- she also really cares about her clients and their families. We are grateful we got to work with Shannon and would work with her again in a heartbeat if we have another child. read more

Shannon's guidance in my birthing process was the key factor in preventing a C-Section. I hired Shannon shortly before my baby was due. By fluke, she had availability. I tried natural childbirth, but the labor was very long and complications began to set in. 24 hours after my water had broken, I still was only at 8 cm (despite pitocin). The midwife called the Ob for a C-Section. Shannon asked if I would like to take a few minutes for a meditation. She offered me a few options of scripts and went with what resonated most for me (this is key- she didn't impose her ideas, but drew it out of me). Shannon took what was probably 20 minutes to guide me through a meditation. When it was over, I was at 10 cm and the C-Section was called off! I had a natural vaginal birth to my baby girl. That wouldn't have happened without Shannon :) Since then, Shannon has bonded with my daughter and she's like a part of the family. We are really lucky to have found such a bright spirit to be a part of our lives! read more

i guess when i first heard of the concept of doulas, i was probably like most dads and thought, "do we really need one? is this going to be extra money that i really don't need to spend?" after all, these guys probably had similar thoughts when planning their weddings. i mean, i work as a dj and end up djing a lot of weddings; and i know the wedding industry is pretty rotten with people just out to get your money without your own interests in mind. i guess the birthing industry can be the same way, and parents - especially mom's - nowadays really think a lot about exactly how they want their births to go, often in the same way they planned their weddings. well, let me tell you: i really feel that it was worth every penny to hire shannon, and i can't imagine going through the birth without her. she was a great help to me as a dad, and i don't say that because i was just trying to get out of my paternal duties in the delivery room or anything; but, seriously, she has great skills for supporting moms through birth and a lot more during one of our meetings with shannon, my fellow expectant daddy friend dropped by to help me paint the baby room. he said he was surprised because he expected doulas to all be the grandma types. sure, shannon is young but she's got so much more experience than you would expect, and her energy is unbeatable. she is so considerate and serves with a humble heart, which is very important because... well, some of the doulas we met simply seemed a bit egotistical. my wife was set on the hypnobabies birthing method, _very_ set on it. back when we worked with her, shannon already had done quite a bit of hypnosis based birthing stuff but also happily studied up on our specific brand/flavour of hypnosis.based birthing. our pregnancy and birthing had a few obstacles along the way: towards the end of our pregnancy, our little dude decided it would be funny to spin around and sit breach for a while. shannon totally supported us through these tough times while we tried all sorts of methods to flip him back on his head and was there with us when we finally, simply had to have an experienced m.d. at the santa clara kaiser to perform a physical version to flip our boy over. in a way, my wife and i may have gone into our birth a little naively, thinking that if we just pretended nothing could go differently from our birth plan that nothing would. we originally wanted a totally natural birth with a quick labour. however, gee... one thing after another kicked in. even though we ourselves didn't really have much of a plan b... wow, shannon really knew her stuff, kept such a level head, and helped us make good choices as various things came up. it was _not_ a short labour, but shannon stuck with us throughout. seriously, i don't know how we would have done it without her. read more