I recently took a Slow Flow yoga class with Victoria and it was LOVELY. The pace was perfect, equal…read moreparts movement, rest, and stretch, and I was introduced variations of poses I had never done (such as kneeling warrior II). The studio itself is an open floor plan with a corner that welcomes children during certain classes. Fireside does cater to mothers and parents (to which I am neither) but there is space for everyone :) If you are looking for an intentional, supportive, and inclusive studio and community, I highly recommend Fireside Sanctuary.

If you are looking for an inclusive and welcoming space then you need to visit Fireside Sanctuary!…read moreSam and Victoria have created a beautiful space for families of all shapes and sizes, welcoming all family structures and individuals. This has been a sorely needed space in the South Bay and I am so excited for all they bring to our community. They offer a variety of classes to the community, including Childbirth Education, Pre/Postnatal Yoga, Family Yoga, Morning Meditation, Belly Dance for Birth, Sound Baths - to name a few. If you are even a little bit curious, then please do yourself a favor and go check them out!

Going through my first birth experience with Katie as my midwife was truly a gift. Every prenatal…read morevisit was done right in my home -- no stressful drives to the doctor's office, no sitting in waiting rooms. Blood tests, check-ups, and even listening to my baby's heartbeat all happened right on my couch. But the convenience was just the beginning. Katie's care was exceptional in every way a family hopes for when choosing a midwife. She brought a depth of knowledge and clinical skill that made me feel safe and confident from day one -- monitoring both my health and my baby's with precision and explaining everything clearly so I always understood my options. She balanced that expertise with a calm, grounded presence that instantly put me at ease. She answered my million questions with a calm smile (hey, it's my first time!), so when it came time to give birth, I felt informed, supported, and ready. From her gentle hands and confident decision-making to her unwavering emotional support, Katie embodied the perfect mix of professionalism and heart. In week 35, my blood pressure became too high for a home birth, and Katie guided and supported me in the process of reconnecting with my OB's office seamlessly. I experienced a level of continuity of care between homebirth and hospital that I wish every woman could have! After my son was born, Katie went above and beyond to visit us at the hospital as well as follow up visits at home. I cannot recommend her enough. If you're on the fence, choose Katie!

The decision to work with Katie as midwife to our third baby was instinctive. Our experience was so…read morepositive, I would make it again and again. Katie brings to her practice professionalism, patience, compassion, and just immense support to myself and our entire family as we navigated pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. I looked forward to our regular check-ins at our home where nothing was rushed and nothing was required. When challenges came up with my GBS test, Katie provided unbiased information and allowed me the space and time to make the decisions that made sense for my body and my baby. Our birth unfolded exactly how we had manifested and Katie was never intrusive, and completely tuned in to where we were in the birth process. On our birth night, we were lucky to have Mikki and Tasha who brought such calm and lightness to the experience. And truly, is anything better than birthing your baby at home and then being tucked into bed with your baby and nourishing food, supported by your midwife and birth team? Katie's service did not stop at birth though, we had many heart-felt check-ins and check-ups post-birth and she continues to keep in touch. Birth is such an intimate, raw, and expansive experience, and Katie was the perfect support in creating a birth experience we will remember with positivity and light forever.

We took Lia's virtual Bradley method class, and would highly recommend it for any expecting…read moreparents. First off, it can be hard to find time to take a birth class, and Lia chooses convenient times, with multiple options to choose from. It's a very comfortable classroom atmosphere where I felt good to ask any question, or add any comment. Lia keeps it fun and interesting, and is a great teacher. Lia is also available outside of class for questions, and she is super responsive. It shouldn't really matter if a doula has been pregnant herself.... But it was really helpful to hear about her first hand experiences and to know that she has gone through it all before. I just wish we in lived in LA so that we could have Lia as our Doula.

I cannot say enough good things about Lia and her natural birth classes. I did the 12 week in…read moreperson classes with my husband. I really wanted to know everything I possibly could and I was also looking for a little community as I was feeling very alone in those first weeks of pregnancy (and overwhelmed with what I didn't know). AND THESE CLASSES DELIVERED! My husband is also a knowledge seeker so when I told him these were the classes I wanted he was all in. We learned so much. We joke that he didn't just learn about the natural birth process he learned how to be my "daddy doula". We still enjoy talking to people about everything we learned and how to support each other and how to speak to your doctors or the hospital nurses. Even if you aren't considering a natural birth these classes should be taken by everyone expecting a baby. You learn about the body, you learn about the different stages of labor, how to prep your body and your mind. There is even a class on breastfeeding which was invaluable those first 3 days postpartum. Lia is also an amazing teacher. If I have another I would definitely also hire her as my doula. She is a person you want in your corner during birth.

We had the most incredible experience with Ashley! She was actually covering for another doula who…read morehad a family emergency when I went into labor, so we met Ashley for the first time at the hospital. Within minutes, we felt completely at ease with her. She immediately connected with both my husband and me, bringing such a calming, grounding presence during an intense and emotional time. She guided me through contractions, helped with different labor positions, and truly walked us through the entire labor. Her reassurance and steady support made such a huge difference, not just physically but emotionally as well. We truly couldn't have asked for better support. If you're considering working with a doula, you will be in amazing hands working with Ashley.

After a traumatic birth experience with my first I was determined to have a different outcome the…read moresecond time around and knew hiring a doula would help me achieve that goal. I truly hit the jackpot when I found Ashley! Both my husband and I instantly bonded with her from the first meeting even though it was through the screen over a zoom call, and each prenatal appt with her only reaffirmed that we had made the right decision. She is down to earth, kind, knowledgeable, and has such a calming presence. Ashley had a family trip planned just before my due date (which we already were aware of before booking her) but she made sure we were comfortable moving forward with her and that we had a back up doula in place. Lo and behold, baby girl decided to arrive a few weeks early and Ashley immediately made herself available and was at our house within 20 min of calling her. We were frantic and it was undoubtedly chaotic not being prepared for such an early delivery, but once Ashley arrived we were immediately put at ease. Throughout labor she was an awesome coach alongside my husband. She motivated me when it felt too tough to continue and she provided suggestions to help progress the labor along. In the end, I was able to get my "redemption birth story" and I owe a lot of that to Ashley. After delivery, she continued to be a huge presence in my postpartum journey despite it being a busy holiday season. She went above and beyond checking in on us and providing helpful tips and resources. If you're considering hiring a doula Ashley is 100% your girl, you won't be disappointed!

Wanted to provide an additional update since it's been about 3 months. On October 27,2025 I…read morerequested a receipt for the "services" and Marisol agreed. Till this day I have not received any sort of receipt for the "services" provided. Adding to my feelings of being ignored, since she got what she wanted the payment of $2,800 dollars.

This review truly breaks my heart to write. When I get pregnant with my second child and I…read morecontacted Marisol right away to book her as my Doula. I was so excited to finally meet her in person and I signed the contract right away. I immediately sent over my deposit and I requested that she provide me with a receipt for the deposit . The fact that she was initially declining my request for a receipt because she wanted to wait until after the baby was born was probably the first sign that trouble was coming. I went back-and-forth with her and asked to get my receipt for the money that I had already paid so that I could use that receipt for a reimbursement with my flexible spending account. She still refused to give me the receipt so I reached out to my flexible spending company and asked them if I had to wait for the baby to be born in order to be reimbursed and they said no. Finally, Marisol agreed to give me a receipt for my deposit. I found this quite odd since people generally get a receipt when money exchanges hands. My husband and I meet with Marisol around 36 weeks to go over the birth plan. I tell her that my plan is to have her help me labor at home as much as possible since I wanted to reduce the likelihood of medical interventions. I also asked they she capture some photos for us. Marisol explained that we should not contact her right away if labor starts in the middle of the night, only call when ready. She kept stressing this point and even emailed me a document that says to only call when we are ready for her to come. A couple of weeks later I go into labor late one night. My labor progressed quickly and we called Marisol when we wanted her to come over, no answer. I then texted her. A short time later I told her we were headed to the hospital. Labor pains got so intense that I was not able to monitor my phone so my husband and Marisol were texting. Labor pains were so intense so I requested an epidural at the hospital. Once Marisol got this information , she assumed she had more time. I guess she didn't take into account that that epidural was not completed. Long story short, she didn't make her way to the hospital until after the kid was born. Per her contract, she had 90 minutes to get to me. My labor was quick but she had a 3 hour heads up. I was actually disappointed that she came to the hospital because now it feels like a random acquaintance just showed up for one of the biggest days of your life and now you have to entertain them. She stayed with us until we got transferred to our postpartum room. At this point, Marisol was not a part of my birth story at all and I was angry. A couple days later I immediately requested a partial refund. She denied my request saying she was "available." Instead she offered me one additional 3 hour postpartum visit. I didn't accept that and said we could discuss this matter when she did her postpartum visit. During the visit, Marisol said she could tell that I "felt some type of way" and she asked me to share my feelings. I told her I felt cheated, I'm out a lot of money and she didn't have to do anything. It was her choice to not come to me right away, I followed all of her instructions. Marisol then told me she was actually on her way to me but she needed time to shower, clean her doula supplies and pack her doula bag. Once she heard about the epidural, she returned home to pack snacks. This information infuriated me....she missed my birth for this?!?! This is an area where you don't get a do over. I would imagine that with the nature of this job you would always have your supplies clean and ready. She ended up offering me 12 postpartum hours. I told her that was not what I wanted since I didn't want to think of things for her to help me with. In plus, it's easy to get help during the day. I ended up requesting my money back and threatening legal action since she breached her own contract. In the end she agreed to return 1/2 of my money ($1400) and I was able to avoid legal action. (I didn't mind taking legal action, this was an open and shut case according to the guidance I received). I'd say she still came out ahead, $1400 for 2 short visits to my house and a short 45 minute visit to the hospital after my kid was born. I am beyond bummed about this experience. So yes, I still "feel some type of way!" I'm not sure how you could say you were available yet you missed the birth. And I still can't comprehend the rationale. I'm so confused.

You give birth once and unfortunately I had a very bad experience with Lorraine. I would not…read morerecommend it to anyone. She definitely a good marketing person of herself and she did not keep that up during the birth for me. Please think twice before you hire her. I did hire her because she has experience but sometimes it's about the excitement. She is done. She is doing it just for money and she is not even doing it right.

I always thought I would try a natural birth but I really started to do alot of research once I…read morefound out I was pregnant. So many times my friends were going to go "natural" but in the end they would give into the almighty needle. So I did a ton of research and I came to the conclusion that I was going to educate myself as much as I could and that I would hire a doula. My husband was very skeptical... His entire family laughed when I said I was going to try a natural birth. Their exact words "Why would you ever choose that?!!" So I dragged my reluctant husband to our 6 week Hypnobabies course. By the 3rd week he was fully on the natural train! He told me "I really think you can do this!" The class was great and I really loved how we bonded with the other couples!! Lorraine was our doula also and it was a great experience. From our interview to when our sweet baby girl came Lorraine was at our disposal. She kept me calm and focused during my birthing time/labor and at the end I faced some complications... Lorraine gave me the lowdown on what was going on and let me know that it was crunch time! Looking back it really was the perfect pep talk... I pushed the baby out in 3 contractions!! And believe it or not I was up and walking around 30 mins later! My husband looked more jacked up than I did, lol. I had such a positive experience with Lorraine on top of a great birthing experience. I would do everything all over again in a heartbeat!

Kim was not only a friendly instructor but also filled with knowledge! She made our class super…read moreenjoyable and fun. We came out of each class feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on our daily hypnosis sessions. My husband and I feel very ready for the birth of our baby thanks to Kim!

Kim is an incredibly kind, accommodating, and knowledgable birth educator. From the very beginning…read moreof the Hypnobabies course, my partner and I knew we were in the best hands possible. Her breadth of experience as a doula and an educator comes through in every session, and she made herself completely available for questions and conversations outside of the class structure. My partner and I experienced several challenges in our pregnancy, and up until I started Hypnobabies I was really struggling with how to have hope and cultivate a positive mindset for the birth ahead. The Hypnobabies content and Kim's gentle yet direct approach were exactly what I needed to shift my perspective. Now, I'm enjoying the last weeks of my pregnancy and eagerly anticipating giving birth. I can't wait to apply everything I've learned and meet my baby.

Danellia was our natural birth educator thru @LaFuente and I highly recommend her class. For those…read moreof you worried about cost, you get a lot of bang for your buck-- she really is providing you 3 services for the price of 1. Here's the breakdown: +Birth Educator She is super knowledgable and passionate. I watched a ton of videos and read a ton of articles, but she helped synthesize the info so it wasn't overwhelming. Her descriptions of the stages of birth gave me a clear roadmap of what to anticipate. She made abstract and complex concepts easy to understand. (Here's looking at you Effacement Balloon exercise) Compared to 3 free Kaiser classes, this HANDS DOWN was more valuable. Those classes were redundant, with little substantive info. One of her 10 min videos on lactation clearly presented info that took more than 2-hours in the Kaiser lactation course. (Read the KP workbook available online to get the essence of the info.) +Pre-game Doula She gave us an outline for a birth plan. She discussed possible interventions and methods to advocate for yourself. If you don't have a doula this is INCREDIBLY helpful. If you do, it is still valuable. I came into my doula sessions more informed, like I had a second opinion, and I could hone in on the areas of specific concern. Plus, I knew what to expect and ask of my doula Stevie Merino @solandrootsdoula (who I love and also recommend btw). So in essence, Danellia optimizes the value of your doula services. Her real world experience with local hospitals let us get into the nitty gritty and ask real specific questions. I used some of her pain management technique (with my doula and partner), an adaptation of her breathing technique, and her ice exercise in the labor room and for the surges (contractions) before hand. +Counselor She was the counselor that we didn't know we would need. I vacillated between being a ball of anxiety, rage, and ease and my partner was real worked up as well (more so during pregnancy, than postpartum). I'll attribute that to not knowing what to expect, internalized pressure, and hormones I figure. But for me Danellia greatest strength was in holding space where you could share your worries and ask ALL your questions and even frustrations. She held it compassionately, non-judgmentally, and normalized what was happening. And unlike another paid program we did, it was beyond mental/logical support, it was that AND she was a settled and calming energy. In summary, just do it. Sign up for her class. Check out @LaFuente. I hear it is available virtually too now. Birth and postpartum is challenging, especially these days. So get all the support you can get! Regardless, may you have a pregnancy and birth filled with ease.

I was so pleased to have received Danellia's placenta encapsulation service. Danellia is very kind,…read moreprofessional, and knowledgeable. You can hear the passion for her work in the way she speaks about it. She explained everything thoroughly to me as to what her encapsulation service entails and how pick up and drop off would work. When it came to being in labor I didn't have to worry about a thing. Danellia and my birth team were able to communicate with one another to make sure she knew I would be giving birth soon. The day after I gave birth Danellia was able to swiftly pick up my placenta and take it for processing. It was important to me to have a photo of this beautiful organ that my body grew to keep my baby alive all 9 months. Not only did Danellia take a photo, she made sure to make it extra special placing beautiful herbs next to the placenta for the photo. A couple days later my placenta was already encapsulated, made into a tincture, and ready for drop off. So we coordinated a smooth drop off where I received my entire placenta package which included placenta pills, placenta tincture, placenta print, and umbilical cord keepsake. But of course with how caring Danellia is she went a step further and brought along some soup for my husband and I and a traditional Mexican postpartum drink for me called atole. This meant so much to us as we were only 3 days postpartum and had 0 time or energy to cook meals for ourselves. My placenta print came out so beautiful! Im so excited to frame it and hang it in my son's room. The placenta pills have been super helpful in giving me energy, establishing my milk supply, and stabilizing my hormones which in turn stabilizes my mood. In fact my placenta pills gave me so much energy I could only take them earlier in the day. If I waited until the afternoon to take them I would be up late at night! Aside from that I loved the way the package was put together and presented. Danellia gifted me some herbs from her garden and had a card in the bag that explained how to take the placenta pills and tincture. I am 6 weeks postpartum now and can now start taking my tincture which I'm so happy to have! I chose to have a tincture made because it will last forever since it is an alcohol extract. Overall I was so happy I made the decision to have this sacred organ encapsulated by someone who has so much respect for it and for birthing people. The energy that went into my capsules was important which is why I specifically chose Danellia and her grounding, calming, loving energy. Thank you Danellia for supporting me during my postpartum journey.