Venesa: For almost three years, Venesa has given me a little…read morepiece of paradise I look forward to every Thursday. A picky client, with asthma, allergies, lots of sports injuries and some arthritis, her intuitive massage works best for me. She goes deep when she needs to and switches up her approach so it never becomes routine. Venesa specializes in Shiatsu massage. Besides being a gifted intuitive massage therapist, she has found that the shiatsu method is giving her rewarding results and new challenges. I respect that after 2 years in the spa field, 4 years in the medical field and now 2 years with her own business, she is always striving to do a better treatment for her clients. She works with or without essential oils and offers hot stones, bamboo and acupressure points for various needs. After my cancer surgery coupled with Crohn's Disease, Venesa worked with my doctor's advice and my multiple surgery scars have given me no problems. My crohn's has flipped from mostly bad to mostly good (along with a "strict" diet). I have had massages all my life and believe that it is one of the keys to health. During my massage I can relax, meditate, focus on healing or even chit chat a bit. I like that flexibility. She will always stay on the positive side of a chit chat and discourages negative conversations as they are not healthy. I referred her to my neighbor who had plantar fasciitis so bad my husband and I had to help him walk his dog. He is now back to his regular three walks a day and never complains about his foot. I love Venesa's office decor and energy. I feel at home around her and am on vacation in her room, feeling totally cared for and safe. I know massage is very subjective and everyone has specifics they look for. I definitely think you should give her a try. I have gone from one hour a week to 90 minutes and have never looked back. I drink a lot of water after my massage and sleep well that evening.

After the birth of my first daughter I was struggling with extra support in understanding the new…read morerole of motherhood and how the the first few months after were the hardest. From the moment I met Caroline I instantly felt a complete understanding, kindness and support that I needed. Her assistance with taking care of my daughter helped me to realize that self-care is also important in being the best mommy I can be. She's extremely caring and I felt myself and daughter were in great hands. I would highly recommend there services to anyone!

I cannot say enough about my experience with Birth Prep DOULA's and Erin- the doula for the birth…read moreof my baby boy in January. Throughout my pregnancy journey Erin was a steadfast source of knowledge and encouragement for my husband and I as we prepared to welcome our first child. I was striving for a natural, unmedicated birth. Erin helped me put together a birth plan that was just right for me, and helped me find my strength and my stride as I built up the confidence to tackle it. During the labor and delivery she utilized a number of techniques to keep me comfortable and keep my labor progressing. I'm lucky enough to say that I got everything out of my birth experience that I had hoped for... plus SO much more. I have infinite gratitude for Erin and everything she did for us during this special time in my life.

Amanda is truly a God-send. I can't say enough great things about her and her work! I never planned…read moreon having a doula for my second birth; but my husband was out of town and Amanda was the first person I thought of to call. She drove 45 mins in the middle of the night to get to the hospital. On top of that, she had to wait outside for 3 hours until my Covid test came back - all during that time, she was constantly in contact with me and my mom making sure I was ok. Once she came in, she had everything I never knew I'd even need. She was so calm and comforting and always made me feel like I was in control and reassured me I could have my baby naturally. She brought anything you could want and everything you forgot (she even left me with her phone charger when mine wouldn't work :)) Not only did she help me deliver my baby boy naturally, she cut his cord and followed him into the NICU when I asked her to. She goes above and beyond and truly feels like a family member being there. Personal experience of giving birth is the best experience I'd want a doula to have and trust me, she has that! I can't and would never recommend anyone else!

From the owner: Birth Doula, Labor Doula & Breastfeeding Support. Serving Ocala, FL and Gainesville, FL and…read moresurrounding areas. Ocala doula. Gainesville doula. Accepting new clients!!

My doula Holly Kaddour was amazing!!!! She was refreshing, supportive and always available to help…read moreand answer my questions. She guided me through the stresses of going from natural in a birthing center to transferring to a hospital, she was a rock through my 30 hr labor! I would highly recommend her for any momma looking for a calm, kind and compassionate birth worker.

Karen L. Was the perfect doula for my first birth. She was the exact presence I needed in addition…read moreto my husband and mom. My mom is usually pretty chaotic and very hovers and Karen balanced her out perfectly with her calm and grounding demeanor. If I wanted someone to worry with me I'd look at me mom and if I needed to forget my worry I looked at Karen. Her face was always peaceful and expected nothing from me. No look of question on her face, just acceptance of the situation and how I was dealing with it. She was very respectful of my religious beliefs and even provided materials related to my faith. One of the quotes she provided actually stuck with me through labor and I'll never forget it. "When my strength runs out, His is only beginning". I would absolutely recommend Karen to anyone who is mostly looking for a grounding and calm presence for their birth experience. Side note: my labor was on the longer side and Karen never complained nor did she look inconvenienced. She was very serving. She also took AMAZING photos of my birth and I get to look at the moment my baby came out. Very thankful.

Rebecca is truly an amazing human being! She will be your biggest advocate. She morphed into just…read morethe support I needed. If you are thinking about a doula, get this doula! Very educated in childbirth along with lactation. Nervous about Childbirth ask her about her hypnobirthing class! She can also show your birth support comfort measures. She does not take away their role. Rebecca simply makes sure you feel you are in control, you called the shots, you feel empowered. You are comfortable. From the moment I met Rebecca I knew she was my doula because she spoke my thoughts word for word. She said, "Birth is intimate and sacred. And it's her job to protect that." Those were my very words about childbirth intimate.

I don't know what we would have done without Rebecca. She held my hand all the way through, and…read morebelieve me, if you wind up in the hospital like I did, you will be infinitely glad she is with you!!! It is so important to have a holistic caregiver by your side, someone who understands birth is a natural process and believes in beautiful positive outcomes. Thank you Rebecca!!!

I highly recommend all mothers-to-be hire Gina as their birth doula! She is absolutely amazing. We…read morehired Gina early on in our pregnancy to ensure we had as much birth education as possible heading into labor & delivery. Gina's postpartum support is also very valuable. I didn't know what to expect or how I would feel postpartum & Gina helped me navigate it. Additionally, Gina provides an abundance of resources during pregnancy & postpartum so they are always available to you.

Gina saved us! From the moment I got pregnant, I knew I wanted to create a support group to help me…read morein my parenting journey. Gina helped our family during my postpartum, however, she is skilled in these areas Doula, CD(DONA)+Postpartum Doula, CPD +Dancing For Birth, prenatal, postpartum, and so much more! Having gone through the baby blues right after giving birth, although a sad period to start that totally shifted because I had Gina in my corner. Thanks to her stepping in to help with education, hands-on training, resources, and restoring my mental health. I highly recommend her services and I'm looking forward to continue working with her on this parenting journey for a lifetime. Thank you, Gina, you truly are amazing!

Compassionate and skilled midwife…read more I have had the pleasure of working alongside Full Circle Midwifery, Estee in particular thus far, as a Birth Doula and I cannot speak highly enough of her expertise and compassion. Throughout our time together, Estee has demonstrated a profound dedication to her patients' well-being. Her calm and reassuring presence in the birthing space has truly made a difference for the families we supported. Beyond her clinical skills, Estee has shown genuine care and empathy for her patients. She took the time to listen, answer questions, and ensure that everyone felt heard and respected. Her dedication to holistic care is truly commendable. I wholeheartedly recommend Full Circle looking to having a physiological homebirth.

Estee and Sadie were absolute delights to work with. All the appointments leading up were great,…read morethey include time to chat and ask questions which is nice. Day of- they sat back and let my body do it's thing, offered support when I needed it, and made sure I was taken care of before leaving after baby boy came. They moved around my space quietly doing whatever they needed to do without disrupting the peace. Great support postpartum as well. I definitely plan to use them for the 2nd baby

My husband and I hired Angela for the birth of our first child, and I could not recommend her…read moreenough. I truly would not want to have another baby without her present. Prior to taking Angela's prep classes, my husband commented on how the role of a doula suits less dominant personalities best, as they require assistance asserting themselves. How wrong he was! We took her comfort in childbirth, infant care and breastfeeding classes, and by the end of the series he told me to ask for her number. Before she even consulted with us we were ready to put a deposit down. Angela met with us a handful of times prior to labor, and then met us in Gainesville (we traveled from Ocala) early in the morning when I went into labor. She stayed with us for our entire 24 hour labor, and guided us through every step. She laid out candles, played music, massaged me for hours, asked for specialty laboring tools and brought some herself, advocated for things I wouldn't have known to ask for, and held my legs as I pushed for hours. Labor was far from an easy experience but I felt supported the entire time because Angela was there to ensure I was taken care of. Following my daughter's birth, she traveled to our home twice to consult me on breastfeeding and proper weight gain. This was invaluable, as my mom was unable to be with me following her birth due to COVID, and I really needed the emotional support. If you're wondering if you should hire a doula or are looking for the right one for you, look no further. You will not regret adding Angela to your care team.

From the husband/father: My primary motivation behind hiring Angela was to ensure that my wife had…read moreas much guidance as possible before, during, and after the birth of our first child. This was especially important to me in the event that I couldn't make it to the hospital (military), having Angela there to coach and reassure my wife was critical. To say that she did amazing would be an understatement. I did make it to the birth and I must say: Hiring Angela was the best money that I've ever spent. She knew everything to do and say at those crucial moments when, let's face it, the husband is clueless. She met with us for coffee a few days prior to labor to go over what to expect, and when to leave for the hospital vs. false alarms. She was very knowledgeable, thorough, and personable. There is no price too high for the assurance and comfort that she provided my wife leading up to labor. During the delivery she arrived just after we did, after midnight. For the next 17 hours she comforted my wife through labor pains with methods that I, and I'm assuming the nurses as well, were totally unaware of. She set a soft mood with little electronic candles, and helped my wife get some much needed sleep. After the delivery she helped us with the nursing, postpartum care, and infant care. She also made recommendations for books, videos etc. that would help us on our new journey. About a week after the delivery she made the 45 minute drive out to our house to check up on us and the baby. Even after labor and delivery, Angela was still able to comfort my wife during the rough first weeks with our son. It was notice from both her and I, after each interaction, how much better and confident she made us feel as new parents. I can't recommend Angela enough and would be willing to vouch for her, and her services at a moments notice. We will be seeking her services again if we have another child, and will recommend to her to any expecting couples that we encounter.

I had the privilege of attending Natalie's Childbirth education class. My husband and I both found…read moreher course to be comforting and informational. We left feeling so much more at ease. I truly enjoyed how honest, research based, and non biased Natalie's class was. I feel confident that I will be heading in to my upcoming birth being able to make informed, educated and consent based decisions.

I have the good fortune of having Natalie as a personal friend and now, as a doula and birth coach…read more Natalie is passionate, disciplined, attentive, prepared, and incredibly knowledgeable about pregnancy and labor. We all have our very unique birth experiences and stories. In my case, my labor was nearly 100 hrs. Natalie was with me through it all. She came fully prepared to my home and provided personalized attention to ease my discomfort. However, what remains the most pivotal (and difficult for me to share without getting teary-eyed), is the support she provided as a friend and doula during my labor. What will remain vivid for me all the days of my life, is her voice when I pushed "Dig deep, Rachael". I did, and have been blessed with my beautiful son. "Dig deep" is something I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. I cannot express the level of gratitude I have for her support and presence. You likely will find yourself feeling the same way. She has my highest recommendation. #warriorwomen

We rented two paddle boards. They delivered no issues life vests oats and boards- easy peasy-read more

Decided to add this place to Yelp. We were staying at Hammock Beach Resort for Memorial Day…read moreweekend. This place is set up right on the beach renting the same stuff as the resort but for half the price. We did surf lessons for our two sons with them and then later rented a surf board for an hour. The people were friendly and nice and the equipment was in great shape. Would definitely use them again if we come back.