Michelle is a phenomenal doula! I hired her to attend the planned home birth of my second child. Michelle was really thoughtful about learning our family dynamics and building rapport with my spouse and I. Michelle is knowledgeable about Spinning Babies techniques and hypnobabies techniques, if that's your thing, and is queer competent which was important for us. During the birth, Michelle was very hands on (at my request)...truly by my side for the duration of quite a long labor. In my first birth, I labored for 18 hours and with very little dilation to show for it and very exhausted, got an epidural & pit augmentation at the hospital. When this birth started to show a similar trajectory I felt dismayed, but michelle was very proactive in making sure I got enough fuel, hydration, and rest to continue and she helped me find the confidence I needed. Michelle (gently) pushed me to stay active and do what I needed to do to keep labor progressing, even when I just wanted to curl up and make it all stop! (Remember, the only way out is through ). Michelle worked cooperatively and dynamically with the attending midwives, and most importantly, Michelle empowered my spouse to be the best birth partner she could be. If you're a first time pregnant person, you might think that hiring a doula is too expensive, and to that I have a few things to say: 1)it's the best money you'll ever spend 2)looking at it from purely an hourly perspective: Michelle provides two prenatal visits, attends labor and birth, and comes for a postnatal visit. When I add up all those hours, I honestly feel that she deserved double what I paid her! 3)Michelle was a key part of the team that kept me at home when, at the height of intensity, I wanted to "opt out" of natural labor and head to the hospital. If I had done that, I'd be looking at a hospital bill much larger than her fee. read more

Creatrix Doula Care - Homebirth baby - Doulas Near Me

Michelle is the best. She's a person you would want to have your back no matter when, but especially when you're having a baby. She's solid, grounded, experienced, and sensitive to what is happening so she knows how to best respond. She gave me and my partner custom resources/information to suit our needs and sensibilities. I recommend her placenta services as well. We got the capsules in two days, and they helped me so much. During labor and delivery, she made sure I got exactly what I needed, even though the birth room circumstances did not match my birth plan. She was sensitive to this, checked in with me to make sure I was ok with everything (and I was). She thought of things I would not have thought of. For example, putting my contacts in right before the baby came out so I could actually see him. :) When I had a raging headache and labor shakes, she knew just what to do. She was so present without being overbearing in any way. If I had another baby, I'd definitely ask Michelle to be my doula again. A+ read more

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We loved loved loved working with Michelle. She was very helpful during the weeks leading up to labor, but she really shined on the big day. I am so grateful that she was by my side, and were I to go through this whole process again, I would without a doubt want her support again. She is calm, knowledgeable and caring. Nothing really prepared me for the immense pain of labor, and I honestly can't imagine having gone through it without Michelle. When the pain was so intense, she gently, but firmly reminded me how to breathe, she soothed me with her face and hand massages, and she calmly (and without judgment) helped us make decisions. Her presence was so comforting and necessary for both my husband and me. Michelle is certainly an expert doula and knows the ins and outs of child birthing, but she also seems awed by the journey of having a baby. She genuinely loves supporting women while they are pregnant and giving birth. We feel so lucky to have found her and to have had her loving support while giving birth to Baby Theo. read more

Creatrix Doula Care - Doulas Near Me

Aw, Michelle! She is a great doula because she is like the big sister you wish you had. She is a great confidante, and is willing to talk to you every step of the way. I personally did not end up with the birth that I had "planned" at all, but it was wonderful for me to be able to discuss things with Michelle as they came up, and she offered plenty of references for everything I needed as my pregnancy progressed. Without her level-headed presence at 3 a.m., I don't know how I could have made the right decisions as my labor stopped progressing and the plan had to change again and again. Oh, and *bonus* is that she got along fantastically with my husband, who has a tendency to clash with people from time to time. We love Michelle and look forward to seeing her a lot in the future for birthday parties and pregnancies. read more

Lovely Michelle provided my family postpartum doula services after my twins were born and we were so happy with her. She was so loving with the babies and obviously got so much joy from being with them. She was professional, fun to hang out with, knowledgeable, extremely helpful and game for anything - reading to the babies, helping with dishes, or just keeping me company and providing meltdown backup while we took a walk around the lake. Attention twin moms: this woman is able to pick up and hold two babies at the same time! read more

Creatrix Doula Care - Doulas Near Me

Working with Michelle was incredible and I had such a positive birth process thanks to her presence! I admit I didn't know much about the role of a doula and was intrigued when a friend talked about having Michelle's support at her birth. Her support leading up to the birth was great and really got us ready for our new arrival. Fast forward to the big day and I'm SO glad she was by my side. I appreciate the way she brings knowledge and strength into the room and helps you tap into your own wisdom and power at the same time. She allowed space for my partner and me to have our moments but was also there whenever we needed her. She works with grace, compassion, and expertise and I highly recommend her. read more

Michelle was a huge help with the preparation and delivery of my daughter, Kallie! I literally couldn't have made it through labor without her. She was able to answer our questions and provide material for us to follow up with. She brought some nice "tools" for the labor process! I particularly love the Evian mist!!! She comes highly recommended from myself and my family! read more

From helping our family find the perfect midwife to providing loving compassionate care before, during and after the birth of our first child Michelle provided us with the best of the best. Not only did she take the time to help us create the perfect birth plan, she bent over backwards to make sure both my family and I had anything and everything we needed for our birthing experience. She is very knowledgeable and was able to give us a lot insight in creating our birth plan which included the "what if's" of an emergency situation/having to transfer to a hospital and the options (Compassionate Caesarian ect.) available to us that would be as close to our birth plan in that situation/environment. She is the best of the best, our birth would not have been the same without her presence. I am looking forward to working with her again during our next pregnancy. read more

I had an immediate connection with Michelle. I truly appreciated the way she empowered me to make decisions with no hesitation. Though my birth didn't go as "planned", she saw to it that my needs were still met. Her aftercare was the icing on the cake! It was awesome to have her check in on my healing, how were adjusting to be home, and even do some light cleaning. Having a doula the second time around has made me not want to experience a future pregnancy any other way. read more

Creatrix Doula Care - Doulas Near Me

I don't know how I would have made it through the last part of labor without Michelle! She was the perfect combination of kind and strong. Michele was always available and prompt before, during and after our baby girl was born. She is such a genuinely warm person and always had helpful advice and resources to share at each stage of my pregnancy. She is a pro and I would highly recommend her. read more

I was having so much difficulty finding a doula that was not only affordable but also who I connected with and had similar views as myself. I was in the process of moving to the bay at 7 months pregnant & It was such a stressful time! I contacted Michelle and she was SOO great at being on top of communication which I appreciated very much. She was even able to meet with me last minute when I came up to visit and was very understanding of my situation and the uncertainty of my move, etc. When we met (after meeting/speaking with a bunch of potential doulas) I was immediately comfortable---Michelle was very warm, down to earth, had great energy---the connection was instant for me! She answered all my questions, had great resources at hand and was able to make me feel really confident in my plan of a hospital birth after much trauma. Michelle was so patient with our process of moving and settling in, she was generous with her time and worked with us to make having a doula possible. She suggested techniques and services for pain relief that I used and really helped me with all the pains associated with 3rd trimester & anxieties. When I finally went into labor, it was very sudden/active/painful---Michelle came right away and was truly a godsend. She helped relieve pain from the contractions and made me feel confident and empowered to labor for as long as I could at home. While my labor/delivery didn't go exactly as planned and was quite long and challenging, Michelle rolled with the punches and helped make sure that whatever decision made was my own. I can honestly say that because of Michelle's presence I honestly don't regret a single choice I made even if it diverted from my original intentions because I feel like I was able to make them rather than them being made or forced on me. If I didn't have a doula I know that my experience would have been COMPLETELY different and very traumatic with all of the difficulties that arose. I can't imagine having a birth with out one now. I truly appreciate Michelle's role in this life experience and am forever grateful. I would recommend her hands down! read more

I don't know what I would have done without Michelle at my birth. During my labor, after a visit with the meanest doctor who wanted me to "get an epidural and pitocin and be done with it," Michelle arrived and we were able to negotiate an afternoon of the closest thing to natural child birth that I got to experience. Kaiser Walnut Creek really let me down and I really relied on Michelle to give me the courage to question their decisions and the options they were "giving" me (more like forcing down my throat.) Her presence also helped my partner, who was very stressed out by the situation. With her there he was able to take her cue and give me support and remain calm. I am grateful Michelle was able to be at my son's birth. I hope you are as lucky. read more

Michelle was an awesome doula. I was expecting my first baby and don't have close family out here so wanted some extra support. I also had some anxiety around the birthing experience. Michelle immediately put us at ease and provided great advice along the way. She also had a great sense of humor which was important to me. Along the way she provided clear and quick responses to our questions in our meetings and by email and text. In particular I was induced and she had very helpful "what to expect" information on that. When it was delivery time, Michelle made me much more comfortable in the hospital and thought of addressing needs I did not even realize I had. She also gave support to my husband. We had a very positive birth experience at Alta Bates and Michelle was a big part of it! read more

I cannot recommend Michelle highly enough. As our doula, she was calm, grounded, and centered - an experienced guide and unflappable supportive force. We really appreciated how nonjudgmental and impartial Michelle was in our early meetings with her; she clearly worked hard to understand our vision for bringing our daughter into the world as well as who we are and our communication styles. During delivery, I was especially grateful for how she approached medical decision points, advocating for our birth plan and also helping me to understand what the choice entailed. I really loved our postpartum meeting as it helped me process the birth. Plus Michelle gives the best hugs! read more

Michelle is a master helper. She is intuitive, knowledgeable, empathetic, and wise. We couldn't recommend her more highly.

I highly recommend Michelle as a birth doula! She was so wonderful in helping us prepare for and make it through the labor and delivery. Michelle provided helpful resources, such as evidence based information that helped me make decisions about my baby's birth. She was always calm, cool, collected and non-judgmental. I ended up having a long a difficult labor, and Michelle was super supportive the whole time - for both me and my husband. I don't know how we would have made it through without her! read more

Michelle will forever be apart of my amazing birth story. She had good recommendations on reading material and videos to watch to help prepare me for natural childbirth as well as breastfeeding, and mindfulness. She was realistic with me about my goals, desires, and fears surrounding natural childbirth. She also did a wonderful job of helping me put past experiences and triggers into perspective to help make my birthing experience a positive one. She checked in with me after prenatal appointments and answered any questions I had by either phone call, text or email in between our meetings. She was also very understanding and patient with our needs for flexible payments. Her personality is very calming, friendly and open to communicating. She did an amazing job supporting my Husband and me during labor and delivery. She stayed the night with us and basically became a part of our team, messaging, encouraging, feeding me etc throughout my very long labor. She knew exactly what I needed at each stage of L & D. When I felt it was time to go to the hospital she supported my decision and luckily we went just in time because I was almost fully dilated. During the delivery process, she did an amazing job advocating for me as far as wanting to push on my own, having limited people in the room, as well as delayed cord clamping. She reminded me of my body's strength as well as my goals when I felt I was at my breaking point. In the end, she helped me accomplish a 30 hour, natural birth with very little interventions, and no tearing!! We love you Michelle and we hope you have continued success helping women take back their bodies and fully own their birthing experience. read more

Michelle was invaluable in the birth of our son. She was available to answer questions weeks before his birth as well as when things sprung into motion. Michelle provided us with resources so we felt empowered to make decisions and advocate for ourselves. During labor and delivery, Michelle was as much a support to me as she was to my husband, guiding him to be the partner I needed. Her calm, nonjudgemental and positive presence was exactly what we were looking for. After the birth, Michelle did our placenta encapsulation with little to no effort on our part. Michelle was a blessing to have with us and I can't recommend her highly enough. read more

Michelle is such a wonderful person and doula, and I am so glad she was a part of my labor team for my second birth. Michelle was incredibly supportive leading up to the labor, talking through our birth hopes and concerns as well as suggesting classes and activities to take care of myself and try to get baby into a good position. As for labor, I don't know what we would have done without Michelle's support. She was there every step of they way offering positions to try, massage, food/drink, etc. She supported me physically and mentally when I didn't think I could keep going, and that made all the difference. I would definitely recommend Michelle as part of your birth team! read more

Michelle was part of a team of awesome women who took turns supporting me through a long and challenging labor in my home. Michelle's intuitive care helped create a safe, warm, and relaxing environment amidst the pain and discomfort of being in labor. She was an excellent communicator (asking good questions to figure out what I needed moment to moment and expressing my needs to the other members of my team). I felt very comfortable with Michelle during one of the most vulnerable and exposed times of my life. I am grateful for her physical, emotional, and spiritual presence during that time. read more

I'm not sure how I will put into words how amazing Michelle was for me during my pregnancy and birth experience, but I will try =). I really appreciated that Michelle started out the process by asking my partner and I to fill out a questionnaire about our ideas, feelings, etc. about pregnancy and birth. This made us take the time to identify and formulate our thoughts about the process and gave us a great foundation for the journey ahead. She then used our answers to frame our subsequent meetings, calls, etc., which was helpful b/c I already felt she had a good idea of where we were coming from and what we needed. Michelle was always available to me when I had questions. She was great at providing me with her expert opinion, but also with resources so that I had the knowledge to make an informed decision that I could be confident in, which was something I really needed. I didn't have a lot of confident in myself going into pregnancy and birth, but Michelle was always there telling me that I was capable and strong and would be fine. When baby time came, I had my husband, my sister, and Michelle. And I am beyond thankful that I had Michelle because my husband and sister had no idea how to handle things - not in a bad way, but I think having a person in the room who has birth experience made them feel much better. She was so loving, kind, strong, and supportive to me, but also to my other support people, which made everyone feel comfortable and good about the situation. I started labor at midnight and it intensified quickly, so we called Michelle to come meet us at the hospital around 3am. I was only dilated to 3 cm, so made the decision to head back home to continue labor. Once back home, all I wanted to do was lay down in the bed, and Michelle helped me be as comfortable as possible - doing things herself (aromatherapy, massage, touch, TENS machine), but also by guiding my support people in what to do to. To be honest, the hours between 4am-6am are fairly fuzzy, but I do remember Michelle's voice telling me I was strong and capable of handling the sensations that were going through my body. Around 6am, I had gotten into the bath, but after a few mins, I started feeling the need to push. Michelle knew baby on its way, but I was somewhat hesitant to get up b/c my contractions were coming so close together, so she used her best mom (loving, yet assertive) to tell me I needed to get up so we could get to the hospital (I think if she wasn't there, I might have had the baby in my bathroom). We were at the hospital by 6:30 and I was 10 cm and ready to push. Michelle was such an asset at that point b/c the nurses at the hospital were just trying to get the delivery room setup, so I just hopped up on the bed and started pushing. She was incredibly encouraging and helped me remember to breathe. Once baby arrived, she just hung back and let our little family take it all in. I ended up having a lot of bleeding post baby and because Michelle was there (and b/c of the confident she helped me find), I was able to express to the care team how I wanted to handle the situation. Working with Michelle on my care expectations prior to birth helped me find my voice and I was able to get the care in the way I wanted. She helped me realize I deserved a magical/powerful/lovely/incredible/present birth experience and she helped to achieve that for us - or as much as one can with such a dynamic and unpredictable situation such as birth. She also did my placenta encapsulation. She did it super quick and dropped it off at my house after we were back from the hospital. All that said, I think the work prior to birth was what allowed me to come away from my birth feeling so positive and Michelle was instrumental in guiding me through that. read more

This review is about 6 months overdue, but time really flies with a newborn! Michelle was an incredible support, both before the birth of my baby, and especially during my marathon labor and delivery. Michelle helped me come up with my birth plan, and asked me lots of questions that I hadn't considered. When I went into labor, my birth plan immediately changed, as I had to go to the hospital right away. Michelle was calm and supportive, and came to the hospital at 3am, when I was struggling to cope on my own. She stayed with me and my husband for another 30 (!) hours and offered advice and encouragement as I made the decision to opt for an epidural. She was never judgemental, nor did she try to push me in a particular direction. Her calm yet confident presence was crucial during the 4 hours of pushing- she never left my side, and she helped me tap into my inner, maternal strength to deliver my baby after an exhausting day and a half. Michelle was a powerful advocate to have in the delivery room and was a crucial part of my birth team. Her postpartum visit helped me process some of the more challenging and disappointing parts of my birth story, and she offered up helpful breastfeeding tips as well. I highly recommend Michelle to anyone looking to hire a doula! read more