Merrie was one of the best decisions we made during our birth journey. As we prepared for a VBAC,…read moreshe helped calm both my husband's and my fears with a level of knowledge, reassurance, and confidence that was truly invaluable. She never pushed an agenda - instead, she empowered us with information, supported our wishes, and helped us feel prepared every step of the way. During labor and delivery, she was an incredible advocate while also working seamlessly alongside the medical team. Her ability to strike that balance - supporting us wholeheartedly while fostering a collaborative environment with our doctors and nurses - made us feel genuinely cared for. Beyond her expertise, Merrie is simply an amazing human being. Compassionate, calming, intuitive, and deeply invested in her clients, she made one of the most important days of our lives so much better than we ever could have imagined. I truly cannot recommend her enough. If we're lucky enough to have another baby, Merrie will be my very first phone call to make sure she's available for the birth.

I truly cannot say enough amazing things about Lauren. Going into birth as a first-time mom, I was…read moreabsolutely terrified. From the very beginning, Lauren made me feel safe, supported, and completely cared for. She has such a calming presence, and she gave me the confidence I didn't even know I had. Lauren was with us every step of the way--starting months before I delivered--helping us prepare for labor and delivery with thoughtful education, helpful advice, and so much reassurance. When it came time for labor, she advocated for me in ways I will forever be grateful for. Her expertise not only helped move my labor along more efficiently, but she also helped me manage the discomfort in ways that made such a difference. Both my husband and I felt so thankful she was by our side. Having our first baby felt a lot less overwhelming because Lauren was there guiding and supporting us through it all. She even came to visit after our son was born, which meant so much to us. I genuinely cannot imagine having another baby without her. If you're considering hiring Lauren--do it. I cannot recommend her more highly. She is an incredible doula and an even more incredible person.

Stacey is hands down the best! When I decided to hire a doula for my labor and delivery I…read moreinterviewed 5 ladies before I met Stacey. From our first interaction I knew she would be the one by my side during such a special time in my life. Stacey is not only experienced and wise in her practice, but her caring personality shines through every part of her work. She was available to answer any of my questions leading up to the birth, she anticipated every one of my needs during labor, and she made sure me and my son were off to a great start at our post natal apt. I would highly recommend Stacey to any woman wanting an exception experience during their birth. I know I will be calling her for any future kiddos I have!

Stacey is absolutely amazing! I feel so lucky that I found Stacey to be our doula for the delivery…read moreof my first baby. From the minute my husband and I met her we instantly felt comfortable in her presence and we both naturally gravitated towards her, she seemed like someone we would have been friends with for years. Looking back on the entire experience, I know I would not have been able to do it without her. I ended up having a natural birth and Stacey was there to help me through it all. There were several times that I did not believe in myself or think I could do it and Stacey knew exactly what to say and knew exactly what to do to help make me feel mentally strong and physically better. I have told all my friends about Stacey and strongly encourage them to use her when they decide to have a baby. I know for sure my husband and I will be calling on Stacey when we go to have baby number two. Stacey is incredibly knowledgable and so easy to relate to and get along with, I was able to be completely myself with her and was able to talk with her like I'd known her for years. I was so happy to have her by my side when the nurses asked me questions or advised me on things that I wasn't sure about. Knowing Stacey's resume, background and years of experience I knew I could trust in her advise and opinion. I knew she was looking out for what was best for me and that ultimately it was my decision but she was there to help me understand all my options. All in all, my husband and I would have paid five times as much to have Stacey there, she truly was so amazing. Thank you Stacey!

Terri Burleson did a phenomenal job as my doula. I was first drawn to Terri for her experience and…read morefrom the time my husband and I interviewed her, I felt comfortable with her and trusted her. We met with Terri at 36 weeks and discussed our birth plan. She was non-judgmental, offered suggestions and provided the guidance we needed as first-time parents. We exchanged several text messages leading up to my baby's birth, especially after my OB appointments, or when we had questions, and she was always quick to respond. Of course, our birth plan shifted as soon as my baby decided to arrive two weeks early. I wasn't sure if my water broke, but once we were in hospital triage, we contacted Terri and she calmed us down and gave us confidence that this birth could still be everything we hoped. She came to the hospital to be with me while my husband went back to get the hospital bag, and offered ways for me to try to get labor going without pitocin. She is familiar with St. Anthony North Hospital and worked very well with the staff there. We sent Terri home after a few hours since we knew it would be a waiting game at that point, but she checked in with us into the late night hours. At almost 4 AM, we decided it was time for Terri to come back. Without Terri, I wouldn't have been able to have a natural birth! She was so encouraging and knew exactly what to say and do when I needed it. She helped my husband feel included throughout the whole process, and we appreciated her taking several photos and videos for us so that we have those memories forever. She stayed for a few hours after my baby was born so that we could eat and process the whole experience. She also checked up on me several times once I got home and made one home visit to further process the birth experience and how we were adapting to life as a family of three (plus our pup). We appreciated the written birth story that she sent us as well! I would hire Terri again in a heartbeat. I sincerely feel like she was a big reason why I had a positive birthing experience and that is invaluable to me!

Terri was incredible and my birth experience was wonderful directly because of her involvement. She…read moreis warm, kind, caring, thoughtful, sweet, and funny and having her with me every step of my journey was incredible. She helped me craft my birth plan with zero judgement and then walked with me through a very long, difficult, and decision-heavy labor. Any time a nurse, doctor, or midwife offered suggestions, I cleared the room except for myself, my husband, and Terri and she gave me the information and support I needed to make the best decision for myself and our baby. I truly cannot recommend Terri enough and I want her to be at every single one of my births.

These women are absolutely incredible. I found them in the last month of my pregnancy, and I'm so…read moregrateful I hired them. They offer prenatal visits, birth support, and postpartum visits. I hired them mostly for support during birth, but I ended up having a quick labor and a very challenging postpartum period. They were there for all of it in every way I needed them. Each woman brings a different set of skills to the table, but they all offer exceptional prenatal/labor/postpartum support. If you're considering hiring a doula for your birth, do yourself a favor and allow these women to help make it a beautiful experience.

Since you are reading this, I assume you have decided that a doula is a good idea for your birth…read more But if you are unsure, let me help you - the answer is YES. Especially if this is your first baby, after going through it, doing it without a doula is simply unimaginable. More on why below. Boulder and environs are not short on doulas as we learned when we moved here two months ago, seven months pregnant). Boulder Doula's Circle was recommended to us by a friend, but we were hesitant at first - like many health providers, on the "big day" you do not know which of the three doulas you might end up with. What if we had a favorite or were not crazy about one of them? This is intimate family stuff after all. However, after a 1:1 meeting and attending one of their monthly birth circle open houses at the Mamahood, we knew it was not just a case of being the "right fit" for us, but so much more. Suddenly we felt incredibly supported by these three very wise, very experienced, and very fun women. Each brings a unique set of skills to the table that will benefit you, not just on the big day, but throughout your pregnancy. Whether it was herbs, exercises, guiding us to other resources in the community, pre-natal home visits, or post-partum visits, Amanda, Rachel and April gave way more than we ever imagined. We were clueless, but by the time labor arrived we were super-educated, prepared, and confident. And the benefits of their support during labor cannot be overstated. Its difficult to express how grateful we are to these three. Another aspect of the team-doula approach: you can't end up in a situation where your one doula is on vacation or at another birth, leaving you in the lurch. Or, if, heaven-forbid, you have a marathon labor, you can get a hand-off, where one of them will come in as relief. A final thing to add - while we were on board with their approach, we saw other couples who had different ideas of what they wanted (or didn't want) and all three of the doulas were really non-judgmental and supportive. I suppose that in this world thats normal, but there was something genuine about it - its not that they were hiding what they really thought, but that they were truly not judging and wanted to do whats best for their pregnant mamas and their babies. In this incredible, exciting, daunting process of starting a family, I cannot stress how great it was to have these three as counsel. If this sounds too good to be true, message me and Ill be happy to share more details of our experience. Nikko

We cannot speak more highly of Laura. She was a blessing to our family, and her support has made us…read morebetter parents. We are so grateful to Night Owl Nanny for making the connection, and allowing my husband and me to interview several of their highly qualified, experienced candidates in advance. (Other community members AND other agencies who happened to be overbooked, unequivocally steared us to Night Owl.) Having twins felt overwhelming, but our experience with this fabulous agency helped tremendously. Thank you!! Cannot recommend more strongly. 100% worth the investment. #rested #betterinformed

One of the best decisions I've made as a first time parent was calling Night Owl Nanny Care. My…read morebaby came a month early and my husband and I felt totally overwhelmed when we got home from the hospital. Cecile and her team worked very quickly to send over resumes and interview people to start the next night. It's so hard to trust a new person with your child for the very first time. However, Amanda has been absolutely amazing and I don't know what we would've done without her. She taught us how to put our baby on a schedule within the first couple of weeks, and had her on a 7-7 schedule where she was consistently sleeping through the night with 1 night feeding by 2 months. She is a wealth of information when it comes to all things baby-related and is happy to answer all of our questions. Everyone we've worked with at Night Owl has been a total professional and has taken wonderful care of our child. I highly recommend anyone looking for help with their newborn reach out to them. I am truly a better parent to my baby because of the support and care I've received from them.

Please check Gina (Regina) Gerboth's license before hiring her…read more She didn't follow my birth plan- which including leaving my waters intact and transferring if there was meconium. She didn't know the position of my baby. She said he was LOA. Really, he was asynclitic posterior. She had me pushing for so long that my cervix was so swollen and when I transferred, I was 6 cm. They don't know if I got to 10 but I pushed for 3 hours at home. At home, I kept telling Gina something was wrong. All I wanted to do was be on my hands and knees. She kept wrapping a blanket around me and forcing me up to "engage the baby." When I told her I was going to pass out, she put on oxygen on me and left the room. She did not turn on the oxygen tank. When I told her I wanted to transfer to the hospital, she didn't take me to the facility in my birth plan. I later learned it was because she had just taken a client to that facility so she drove me farther to a different hospital. I felt such immense pain- I later learned it was because my bladder prolapsed from pushing for so long at home. Gina kept saying she could see the head, but I didn't feel it. It's because she was seeing my bladder, which the hospital instantly recognized. Getting my bladder moved to get a catheter was an agonizing process. I was GBS+. I was a primip. I was 42+1. I was only 6 cm. There was thick meconium. The baby was asynclitic posterior. I required an emergency c section for prolonged late decelerations. My baby had to be resuscitated. My care at the hospital was delayed. Why? Because Gina refused to transfer my records so I had to slowly, painstakingly tell my history between contractions with a prolapsed bladder. Since she refuses to transfer my records, I was drug tested and the baby was drug tested because it was as if I had just come off the street with no prenatal care to have a baby. I filed a complaint with the state. Gina was found guilty of negligence. She fled town and moved up to Denver. She changes practices every couple years. She disables reviews on every midwifery pages she's been involved in because of my child's story.

A warm and loving experience for my whole family! I'm sad that I couldn't of had all my babies…read morehere. All my wishes were heard and honored at this center. My husband, mom, and 3 kids(9-4) were at the birth and the entire experience was amazing!

Fantastic doula! I credit Barb with my positive unmedicated childbirth experience, from the weeks…read moreleading up to the big day, to the day itself, to afterwards when I was having substantial breastfeeding troubles. She helped remind me of our birth plan every step of the way, and the continuity of her presence was a great service to me while I was in pre-labor and labor in an otherwise unfamiliar place with unfamiliar faces. She is extremely well informed and knows all of the best pre- and post-natal local resources, and her connections and knowledge helped me tremendously. I was getting very impatient in the days past my due date, but her assurances that it was normal for a first time mom to go into labor a week and two days after her due date made me feel better and less inclined to schedule an induction. As it is, my baby came exactly a week and two days after they said she would! Barb visited us a couple times at home and was extremely informative and helpful. She responded with prompt grace to all of my texts and calls. We had been planning to labor at home, but my water broke in the middle of the night with meconium, so I ended up doing all of my labor at the hospital. She came there after I was admitted and sat with me for a few hours to give my husband a chance to go back home and get some rest. The next day when I was in active labor, she came and stayed with us for 12 hours, helping us move into the recovery room and taking pictures for us, etc. Her presence was an implicit reminder of everything we had prepared and she was a grounding force when things didn't go exactly as planned (they never do)! : ) I was in active labor for only 4 hours, including 1 hour of pushing. My baby came out very easily and with no complications, and I'm fairly certain that without Barb's help (and the patience of my midwives), I would have otherwise been induced and ended up with an emergency cesarian. At the post-partum visit, Barb showed us how to give the baby her first bath, and helped us use the moby wrap for the first time. She is a very down to earth person, providing a balance of heartfelt support, stern advocacy, awesome bodywork, and a wonderful sense of humor at just the right time. She is prompt and responsive and a very clear communicator, which was essential during this sensitive and uncertain period in a new family's life. I will absolutely use her for my next birth, and I highly recommend her to anyone!!

Barb was the best decisions we made for our first pregnancy. After months of research and deciding…read morewhat we wanted for our child's birth, Barb spent several sessions with us during the pregnancy dialing in a plan that fit our wishes for labor and delivery. When the time came she was at the hospital exactly when we needed her. The labor was difficult and our baby was not set up great for delivery; Barb helped with positions and techniques that kept things from going bad. We had great midwives, but it was Barb's dedicated attention and experience that really made the difference in the end. It seems you lose all sense of control during labor and delivery, but having Barb there gave us the reassurance and guidance we needed to stay positive and on plan; almost like a guardian angel. Forget the fact that Barb has no reviews yet here on Yelp; it felt like she's been helping deliver babies her whole life. Always near her phone, Barb was there when we needed her. We look forward to working with her again ourselves and will be recommending her to friends and family. Thank you, Barb!

I will be going into my second birth after a traumatic unplanned c section. I want to have an…read moreunedmedicated vbac but preparing for the birth was leaving me terrified of dying in childbirth, unmanageable pain, and with nowhere to turn for advice. I took Ann's childbirth class remotely, and I can honestly say that when I have my baby in a week or so, I will not be afraid and I will even welcome the whole process with excitement. Ann is down to earth and extremely knowledgeable in childbirth practices and especially in emotional support in labor, and being a mom herself she knows exactly how to relate. I'm extremely impressed with Ann's ability to get to the bottom of my fears and help me work through them! She knows exactly what to say and when to say it, promoting an atmosphere of feminine strength and confidence. I now feel like I have the tools to manage my pain as she's taught me first hand what each stage of labor is like (I had an epidural last time), and many positions and other tools to help ease pain and move the baby into position. The exercises including birth art and ice practice have gotten me to feel confident and prepared to tackle contractions without fear. I highly recommend Ann to anyone who is preparing to have a baby, especially if they are preparing to give birth after a bad experience. I live in Maryland and the ease of the remote classes was wonderful. If I lived in Colorado I would absolutely be hiring Ann as my doula!

I came to having doula services through Ann Kaplan quite by accident and completely against my…read morewill. I only wanted someone to keep me company while I received better and more thorough drugs than my previous traumatic child-bearing experiences, which persons educated childbirthing these days will tell you is no longer en vogue. The reality is that while I was thrilled to be having another child, the idea of getting that child out of me was so incredibly terrifying that I could not envision a situation where that could happen, without it filling me with dread. As my due date was getting closer, my panic really started to rise. So to jump way ahead, it was my husband who had heard about Ann Kaplan, from a colleague, also a husband. He came home and wanted to call this "birth coach", this "miracle worker" he'd heard about from a fellow GUY, who had sung Ann's praises. He said their birth experience had changed their lives, that his wife's fears were not only dissolved but it was this amazing bonding beautiful whole-family transformation to have their baby, completely naturally (!!!). No, no, no. I do not know what words were exchanged but my normally suspicious and totally impervious husband wanted to call her. I did not, and I cried and was more terrified than before. Somehow, we called her, she reluctantly agreed to meet with us, and then she waved her wand and she just simply changed our lives. Ann and her approach and education of us as a couple and family changed pretty much every belief I held about giving birth, and reigned in my out-of-control fears in a way I didn't think was possible. She never said I had to do this naturally, she said she'd be there if I wanted drugs. She said I would want to move around though, I'd want to find what soothed me(like a warm bath) and I couldn't do that with an epidural in ( she would turn out to be correct). She drove next to us on the highway in the middle of the night, with me backwards in the passenger seat, with her shouting encouragement to me. She walked ahead of me in the hospital and protected me, advocated for me, stayed with me every second, talked me through every contraction. Beautifully, naturally, incredibly guided us, as we welcomed our babies with love and a total lack of fear. To say that my daughters' births, coached by Ann and my husband, were some of the most powerful, healing and transformative experiences of my life is a pathetic understatement. I am a different person because of what Ann did for our family. We are a different family, because of Ann's gift in supplying that safe and educated space for us to expand. I wholeheartedly believe we have a different bond with our daughters than we would have without Ann. Without dipping into sappy, or metaphysical, or religious, or other realms that might make your eyes roll, having had both medicated "paralyzed" births and supported, coached, and empowered births, I promise you there is a huge and powerful gift in being present and participatory in actually "giving" birth... I am so proud of myself, having accomplished this and provided this for my children, and infinitely more aware of my own ability to make choices for myself and my family. So I'm the unlikeliest of clients and now one of the biggest converts to the idea of Doula-supported birthing, and I passionately encourage you to go through Ann Kaplan even if you, like me, were only considering a better epidural. I PROMISE, you will not regret it.

Alexandria is a kind, gentle, warm intuitive woman. Her prenatal visits were helpful, informative…read moreand she made us feel comfortable with her real quick. When my birth plan took a detour at 36 weeks (breach) I was very heartbroken, but she was still very encouraging no matter how my baby decided to come. And baby decided to come early via emergency c/s. Alexandria was there for us right away. A couple of days after I was discharged, Alexandria came by our home to visit. With her memories, insight and retelling of my babies birth, I was able to reframe the experience in such a better light. Enough that I look back on it with just as much joy as if she came naturally! Even if I had known a c/s was necessary months prior, I still am glad I hired Alexandria. On top of her loving doula service, she also encapsulated the placenta. I can't explain how helpful the placenta was for my recovery. I had plenty of energy those first few weeks, my milk was flowing without effort, no sadness, and the salve she also made for my scar helped it heal great.

I attended Alexandria's prenatal yoga class at Birthwise downtown on Wednesdays and absolutely…read moreloved it! I was never really into yoga prior to this pregnancy (my first) but decided to give it a try as I read it can be very helpful in preparing for birth. I am SO glad I did and that I found Alexandria. She was kind, warm and encouraging throughout my classes with her, offering excellent suggestions to any issues that came up as well as lending an ear when I just needed to vent. She truly cares and it comes across in her practice. The class itself isn't difficult, she does a good job of modifying anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, but it also made my body stronger and more flexible. I always felt more relaxed and yet somehow also energized after her class. Additionally, the meditation which she incorporates into the class has been so helpful and I feel has really prepared me for natural birth. I have way more confidence in my body and myself now and I owe so much of that to Alexandria and her class.