I can't imagine going through my childbirth experience without having a doula, and Collective Hearts was absolutely wonderful. Here are some of the reasons why I considered not getting a doula, and why I'm really glad I ignored those and got one anyway: - What if I get an epidural, will the doula be useless? I wasn't planning on getting an epidural, but I had back labor and I was in labor for 48 hours. Shannon helped me so much throughout that time. I probably would have gone to the hospital after 4 hours of labor and been sent home if not for her. 100% because of her support, I was able to labor at home for the first 24 hours. And Shannon continued to be an amazing source of strength, advocacy, and support over my next 24 hours at the hospital. - My husband can be my birth partner and support person, why do I need a doula? My husband has never been through labor before, and had no idea what to expect going into it. We read books, took online classes, etc., but there is really no way to prepare for something as intense as labor. Because of Shannon, my husband felt so much more confident about knowing how to best support me. Also, I needed someone to be angry with during the worst contractions, and if Shannon wasn't there I think I would have been angry at my husband. Having her there is what allowed it to be a really positive and beautiful experience in our relationship. - Will it be awkward if some other person is just hanging around the whole time I'm in labor? I'm slightly introverted and my husband is VERY introverted, so I was a little worried that having someone new around would be awkward for us. But this wasn't the case at all. Shannon has a sixth sense about when to step back during the labor process; since my labor was 48 hours long, there were times when she asked us if we preferred that she leave for a few hours and come back later, and we took her up on it. Her ability to intuit the right times to ask this was amazing. read more

This review is so long overdue! Alli was the doula for the birth of our daughter, Ellie. Ellie is now 5 years old. And still I think of Alli often. Her presence at the birth was invaluable. Her knowledge and experience guided both me and my husband through some tenuous medical decisions. Her easy going, caring and loving support got us both through the rest. (And thank goodness she had Altoids on hand when my husband was trying to comfort me.) When I first told my husband that I wanted a doula when I was pregnant, his response was "Why? I can be the doula.". Very sweet, but having been through a birth now, he is the first to say to all our friends, "You need a doula. It's worth every penny and more." read more

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE SHANNON AND ALLI! Every step of the way - from pregnancy to birth and my ongoing postpartum journey - they made me feel empowered, encouraged, educated and loved. I cannot say enough good things about them and would recommend them wholeheartedly!! read more

I guess the most important thing I learned from the birth of our daughter is to expect the unexpected. In our meetings before the birth, Alli and Shannon helped us think through and prepare for the types of things that can happen during labor. This process made the actual experience much calmer and the decision making easier. Having a background in biology and scientific research, I appreciated their their thorough knowledge of current evidence-based guidance, while at the same time they strongly support personal choices and preferences. When the day came, Shannon was on-call, and her presence increased the feelings of calm, continuity, joy, and excitement perceptibly. There was no shortage of laughter, constructive ideas and suggestions in our room. I would highly recommend Alli and Shannon to anyone preparing for a birth--they are warm, professional, and fun to get to know! read more

Oh, Alli. Where do I even begin? We weren't planning on having a doula, but when our homebirth turned into a hospital transfer, our midwife recommended Alli join us. In her words, "Alli will just come and love on you the whole time!" We met Alli in the hospital after 4 days of pre-labor at home. She immediately took care of us, sending my husband to get some much needed sleep and doing everything possible to get me hydrated and nourished again. As I was in terrible back labor, she used intense poses to help the baby turn. During the next two days of labor, Alli managed to keep me focused and energized, while also finding allies in all of the hospital staff, helping them stay focused on our birth plan. Honestly, she was able to balance all personalities on the labor and delivery team in a way that seemed both deliberate and effortless. I can't imagine this birth without her grace, wisdom, and charm. She'll be the first call we make for the next baby. I couldn't recommend her more highly. read more

Alli was an incredible resource for us during pregnancy and our daughter's birth. Within 5 minutes of meeting her, we knew she was the perfect doula match for us, and it instantly felt like we had known her for many years. She brings a very organic and natural feeling in her approach to birth work, but never shows any judgment to any decision the mother or birth partner makes. We've said many times that we would have been lost during labor and birth without her; she was an absolutely essential member of our team and we will most certainly seek her out for our next child. We had to make many difficult decisions during this labor, and she was helpful, supportive, and lending of her strength and knowledge throughout. If there were more than 5 stars to give, we'd give them all. read more

Collective Hearts Birth Services - Doulas Near Me - San Francisco, California

Alli is the greatest doula ever. Seriously, 100% glowing recommendation from us. She is experienced, loving, patient, knowledgeable, respectful, and has the most amazing positive energy you could ever imagine. She will bring such joy to your life and will care for you and your little one truly and deeply. She stayed with my husband and I throughout my entire ridiculously long marathon natural birth, encouraging and supporting us every step of the way. She teamed up with us to make sure our wishes were respected at the hospital, and helped us understand what was happening, even/especially when things took a turn toward emergency c-section. Afterward, she followed up with us, spending quality snuggle time with our little guy and helping me get out for short walks. If we have another little one we will seek her out immediately. Alli is the real deal. So much love and thanks to you, Alli. read more

As a first time mother, I knew that my husband and I needed support during this time in our lives, but I didn't realize how much having Alli involved with our daughter's birth would mean to us. From our first meeting, we knew that Alli and Shannon were perfect for us. We met with Alli in the weeks before our daughter was born, discussed our thoughts about labor and Alli helped us to understand that the most important outcome was a healthy mom and baby. This preparation for the big day meant even more when it came time to make those important decisions during her birth and, after, helped me to appreciate that the birth process went exactly how it needed to go. Between our prenatal appointment and the Mama Circle, we had met with Alli so much that having her at the birth felt natural and so welcome. When we asked Alli to come to the hospital, she came right away and I immediately felt her calming presence as she jumped right into the flow that my husband and I had going. Even though I wasn't hungry, she knew I needed energy for the rest of labor and offered me almond butter. From our meetings Alli knew which mantras were meaningful to me and used them to help me focus. She even brought me bone broth for after - I didn't realize how much adrenaline I would have going through me, how much I would need nutrition, and how much I would not want to eat solid food - the broth was perfect. When I initially told the labor and delivery staff who our doula was, the overwhelming response was, "Oh! We LOVE Alli here!" I already knew that Alli was right for us, but knowing that the rest of our labor team loved her too made me feel like we were really all working together. There are so many wonderful things that Alli offered during this past year and this review is not enough to do her work justice. I would recommend her assistance to anyone looking for birth support. read more

Alli, the most incredible addition to our birthing team :) We hired Alli for our homebirth and during our initial phone conversation I knew she was the right doula for us. She immediately felt like someone I had known for years, like an old friend. For the birth of my second son, Alli came to our home during early labor and was there for us every step of the way. She came equipped with a bag of tricks I never could have imagined. From the get go she fed me, talked me through options and helped me to keep the confidence up that I needed to labor at home. I am quite sure that if she had not been with us, I would have headed to the hospital early on. She had so many perfect ideas and suggestions that energized me, turned my attitude around and got me through the most challenging parts of my natural labor of our 10lb 6oz son! I love Alli for being there with us and making me feel so safe and empowered. I can't imagine getting through my labor without her and I feel so fortunate to have her in our family's lives now! We've gained a lifelong friend! read more

Collective Hearts Birth Services - Fin and his sweet doula Alli! - Doulas Near Me - San Francisco, California

Collective Hearts was our doula team. We had a pretty rough pregnancy and they were there for us the entire time, helping every step of the way. The team model works great because someone is always available and everyone on the team is wonderful. Jen ended up being our birth doula and she was magical. She's kind, extremely smart, intuitive, sweet and a midwife. I can't imagine having gone through that experience without her. Highly recommend collective hearts. We are absolutely using them again for baby #2. read more

I am so thankful for Yelp - I found Alli via Yelp, read her reviews and then decided to hire her after a phone interview. And sure enough, Alli was an amazing doula. During labor she encouraged me and my husband, guiding us through an intimate and challenging process. With Alli's support, I was able to have an all natural birth, without any drugs prior to delivery. Alli knew so much about pregnancy too - for every problem or unfounded concern I had, Alli either had the solution or information to wipe away the concern. I hope to call on Alli again one day. read more

Alli is absolutely amazing and by far the best decision I made when it came to my pregnancy. Without Alli I don't think I would have had the strength to go through birth naturally. She was by my side every step of the way and knew exactly what I needed throughout the process. I could have bypassed the birthing class we went to but what Alli provided to us was priceless. I would hire Alli again in a heartbeat and honestly can't imagine giving birth again without her by my side! read more

- Alli took the time to get to know us as soon as we interviewed her, listening empathizing, and opening her heart. - Alli was available to us whenever we needed her. We were able to text, call, or email her if we had any issues and she always responded promptly with care and provided wonderful advice. - Without her guidance and wisdom we would have felt completely unprepared for birth. She addressed our fears with compassion, love, and respect. - Alli and Shannon facilitated pregnancy support groups that gave us resources and tools that we needed. - During birth, Alli displayed her amazing abilities. She sensed exactly what my wife needed and provided reassurance, strength, calmness, and positive energy. - After birth, Alli helped us process everything. Her wisdom, warmth, love, and sense of humor help us transition into our new lives with our baby. - Having Alli as our doula was a life changing experience that helped us grow as a couple, as a mother and father, and as individuals. read more

When I decided to have a home birth I didn't think I would need a doula. However, when my husband and I met Alli at a home birth event at Community Well, we instantly changed our minds. Alli is such a positive, warm, friendly, kind, wonderful person that upon meeting her we knew she'd be great to support us with the home birth of our first baby. And I'm so glad she was there. On the day I went into labor, everything was going fine. My husband would check in with Alli by phone throughout pre-labor. When he called her towards the end of that day she could hear that my surges were progressing. By that point I was getting to the end of my rope with the intensity of the surges, but when Alli arrived everything changed. She gave me a big hug and really helped me to feel calmer and grounded. She also helped me stay hydrated and energized--something I greatly needed because three hours later I gave birth to a 9 lbs, 12 oz beautiful baby boy! Alli encouraged me every step of the way. Alli gave me and my husband so much peace of mind before birth just knowing that she'd be there. She really gave me a sense of ease and relief as I was about to go into active labor. And her loving support throughout the whole process was invaluable. I don't think I could have done it without her. Thank you Alli! read more

Just amazing. Alli is a phenomenal doula. She will support you through anything that comes up. Her presence will add knowledge, wisdom and calm to your experience. She is simply fantastic. If you are considering a doula, definitely get one. If you want the best, get Alli! read more

I was one of Alli's first clients. She was amazingly supportive. Three things come to mind when I think about how helpful she was to me and my family. 1) About a week before I was due, I went through a very emotional few days where I was crying a lot and feeling "unready" mainly because I had a to-do list with things like "figure out what to do about vaccines", "read 4 birthing books", etc. My husband encouraged me to call Alli and so I did. She normalized things in a way my husband and friends couldn't. I felt immediately better. 2) When she arrived at my house, she guided my breath with such simple, loving instructions and helped me birth my baby with joy and ease at home. 3) She was with me while my husband had to make a trip to my doctor's office. I felt completely taken care of and held during that time- just the 3 of us. :-) Alli continues to be in my family's life and I know she is someone I can always turn to for advice and support. She is highly respected in this community and a true sister. Thank you so much, Alli. read more

I had an amazing experience with Alli. She is very skilled and nerdy about all things birth and babies, making her an amazing resource throughout my pregnancy. She has a group offered at Community Well for all her pregnant mamas which was a wonderful way not only to get to know her better before the birth, but also a chance to meet other pregnant women in the community and get a lot of questions answered. Alli was very generous with her time always, and made herself available to me consistently over the months leading up to birth. She was the first person I called when my contractions started in the middle of the night since she specifically requested to be called and woken up in the middle of the night so she'd know what was going on with me. I had a very long labor and Alli checked in with me constantly until I asked her to come over. Even then it was too early but she obliged me anyway and slept on my couch for a while just so I'd feel supported. At some point the next day when I was in active labor I remember saying to her "I don't know how anyone does this without a doula." Which, I firmly believe, no one should. The birth experience is so vulnerable and intimate, you really need your team to be people who you feel at complete ease with and can completely trust. I found both of those things in Alli and I imagine you will too. So if you're going to have a baby, spend the best money of your life and hire Alli to be there with you. You will thank yourself, and her, forever. Good luck!!! read more

Alli was an irreplaceable member of my birth team! I cannot imagine my birth journey without her strong, warm, clear and steadfast presence. She was THERE for me. In a way that I really couldn't imagine in advance would be needed. I would recommend Alli (and have!) to my dearest friends and family. She is a gem. read more

Alli is both an amazing doula and human being. It is not everyone that can so gracefully step into an intimate birth experience and immediately feel like family. Alli felt like family from the start. She made us feel welcome and cared for from our first meeting and was so present and emotionally available in a way that allowed us all to totally relax and be ourselves through the whole journey. She was invaluable leading up to the birth and helped move my labor along with her coaching in a way the hospital staff could not. We also so value that Alli is a true community servant who works with all kinds of families. In addition to being a master doula she also happens to be an amazing cook and the best hugger ever! We can't recommend her enough. read more

Alli is an incredible doula! My partner and I feel so incredibly lucky that we had Alli by our side through my 32 hours of back labor, as well as for pre and post-labor support. She really made us get through the labor in the way we had hoped for, and offered unique support, care, encouragement, knowledge, validation, cultural competence, and such positive energy that we really needed. If you are able to have Alli as a doula, you are incredibly lucky and will see for yourself what a warm, loving, rare gem she is! Her presence was just so critical for us at our birth. Alli thank you so much!!! We look forward to staying in touch and letting you know when we are ready for our second baby. read more

Alli is an amazing doula! She is loving, understanding and present. She helped me process and accept a previous loss of a baby I had in 2014. This helped me prepare for the birth of my daughter in September 2015. Alli guided me to embrace the pain during labor. This helped push labor along and have a speedy delivery. I was able to have a natural birth at CPMC and delivered a healthy 9 pound 2 ounce baby girl. I loved how Alli interacted with the medical staff and my husband! She said all the right things at the right time. Alli was the only person I wanted to see and listen to during the labor. I am extremely grateful that I had Alli as my doula for the birth of my daughter. I would use Alli again and highly recommend her to anyone having a baby!!!! read more