I cannot recommend Marilou at Doulas by the Bay highly enough. She was our postpartum night doula…read morefor the first few weeks after our son was born, and she was incredible. As new parents, the sleep deprivation is real, but knowing she was there allowed us to finally get the much-needed rest we required to function. Beyond just being a set of expert hands, she became a trusted guide for us and taught us invaluable newborn care tips that we still use daily. We trusted her implicitly with our baby from night one which was critical for us as anxious new parents. Marilou's calm, professional, and warm presence made us feel so at ease during a very vulnerable time. We truly loved our time with her and are so grateful for the care she provided. If you are looking for a doula who is knowledgeable, nurturing, and completely trustworthy, Marilou is amazing!

We had an incredible experience with Sally for our son from when he was 1-3 months. She was…read moreconsistently punctual, professional, and incredibly kind. Beyond just helping with night feeds, she took the initiative with bottles and laundry, which was a huge help to our family. We felt completely at ease knowing our little one was in such caring hands. In addition, she helped with sleep training. Additionally, the office staff was a pleasure to work with. They were extremely professional and maintained a quick turnaround time on all our requests and paperwork. We highly recommend this team for anyone looking for top-tier newborn care!

Meleah is a rock star. It was wonderful having her support throughout pregnancy and the birth of…read moremy first baby. When the pain became intense during my contractions, I was so grateful to have her by my side (I'm not sure what I would have done without her!). During my hospital stay, she was very hands on and a great team player -- she was ready to help the nurses and do everything she could to make sure I was comfortable, being repositioned often, and getting the best care possible. Postpartum, she came to our home and helped us navigate the first few days of newborn life. She brought us snacks, made sure we were doing ok, answered questions, helped us figure out how to wear the baby carriers, and provided us with reassurance as new parents.

Hiring Meleah was one of the best decisions we made as first-time parents…read more She was an incredible resource throughout pregnancy, helping us prepare for labor, birth, and life with a newborn. When labor finally arrived, her support was invaluable. She brought a calm, reassuring presence, helped us navigate decisions, and was a tremendous advocate and source of encouragement during a long and emotional experience. Having her with us at the hospital made a world of difference. After our daughter was born, Meleah continued to be an amazing source of knowledge and support. Whether we were struggling with feeding challenges, babywearing (she wrote a book on it!), sleep deprivation, or just trying to figure out what was normal, she always helped us find a path forward and gave us confidence as new parents. Meleah combines deep expertise with genuine compassion, and it's obvious how much she cares about the families she works with. We are incredibly grateful for her guidance and would recommend her without hesitation to any expecting parents.

As a new parent, the postpartum period is challenging enough without having to deal with the stress…read moreand disappointment of a difficult agency. While Stork and Sprout does have some excellent doulas on its team who provided great support and coaching, my experience with the agency's leadership was overwhelmingly negative. We had a particularly difficult time with Brittany. She demonstrated a pattern of manipulation, gaslighting, and lying, both to us and, from what I understand, to her own employees. Our contract promised consistent coverage, but the scheduling was erratic and communication was poor. We were left to wonder many nights if we would have support, and for several weeks, we only received 1 to 2 days of support instead of the 6 to 7 we paid for. When we requested a refund for the services not provided, Brittany refused and even fought our bank with out-of-context emails and more lies. She claims she "offered a refund" but is even today refusing to honor it as she says in the response. The lack of professionalism extended to some of the staff as well; one sick doula was sent to our home and intentionally caused our newborn physical pain. Brittany treated us like we were the difficult ones and responded with empathy-less chatGPT emails to manage the situation. We were also led to believe we would have one primary doula with a backup, but over the course of our service, we had seven different doulas come to our home. This complete lack of continuity made an already difficult period even more stressful. Based on my experience, I would advise new parents to skip Stork and Sprout and work directly with an independent doula. You will not only save the 30-40% extra fee the agency charges for scheduling, but you will also avoid the toxic and difficult management. This experience is unacceptable for a service that costs tens of thousands of dollars and demands payment upfront months ahead of providing the service. We were not able to switch easily due to the inflexible Carrot reimbursement process through the employer.

I truly couldn't have accomplished my VBAC goals without the incredible support of the Stork and…read moreSprout birth doula team. From the very first moment I needed them through labor and all the way until I was settled into the maternity floor with my new little boy, they were there every step of the way. Their calm presence, deep knowledge, encouragement, and advocacy made all the difference during such an intense and meaningful experience. I felt supported, empowered, and never alone. I am beyond grateful for their care and dedication and would wholeheartedly recommend Stork and Sprout to anyone preparing for birth--especially those pursuing a VBAC.

Working with Kirsten as our doula was a fantastic decision and I'd highly recommend her…read more From the beginning, Kirsten was a wealth of information, sharing a variety of informational documents and videos covering everything from prepartum stretches/exercises all the way through birth and postpartum recovery. She was always available for questions and has extensive knowledge from her hundreds of clients as well as her own 6 birth experiences. The night I went into labor, she came over and walked my husband and me through exercises to speed up contractions. During delivery she kept me comfortable, worked seamlessly with the L&D nurse, followed the birth plan we made together, and always had the perfect words of encouragement. She was also a wonderful support to my husband and mom. After birth, when we were ready to give my daughter her first bath, Kirsten came over and walked us through the process, offering additional guidance and advice around sleep and breastfeeding. Kirsten really knows her stuff and loves what she does. Seriously, work with her. Kirsten is an amazing doula and very special human!

Not a good fit for me. An unfortunate waste of ~$3,200. I am disheartened to have to share that…read moreour experience was not good for us. Each relationship is a combination and this wasn't the right one for me. I should have said something early on as I knew it right after our first meeting. I feared having to deal with contractual bindings and didn't have the energy to. I hoped for the best when it became "showtime" during labor. It didn't change, it actually got worse. I originally liked Kirsten b/c she seemed compelling when she spoke. Quick. Which I thought would be a positive for a couple of reasons: -to be efficient with time given with my career responsibilities, I do not have much to give -I thought the pace would do a good job at keeping my attention How that formed up was: During our call to come up with a birth plan, Kirsten spoke so quickly and consistently we felt as though we couldn't get much of a word in. She also interrupted us multiple times. She seemed impatient. The insight she was sharing with questions we asked seemed boiler plate and lacking much depth. Or avoidant all together. I felt I was finding and receiving much more thorough information elsewhere on my own. I thought she was supposed to create a more personal rapport with me/us. Then help us really hone in to answers that were right for us. It seemed early on like she was just trying to check her deliverables boxes. My pregnancy was uncomplicated, therefore I didn't have much to share with her post pre natal appts etc... However, as the due date got closer, we could have used more attentiveness. As I mentioned, her style felt so impersonal that my motivation to reach out to her waned. It was more of a disapointment than an uplift. It felt like an easy paycheck grab. Our second mtg of her allotted services (the in-person one) she also seemed a little impatient and checked out. She was stopping to text with her kids during. The hour visit seemed to lend us again more of a machine gun style of "help" and pointers. Without great direction or clarity. In the meantime I was working with a prenatal bodyworker and midwife whom was a glaring counterpoint to the different styles of supporting someone during pregnancy. Patient & attuned to the person, not seemingly seeing them as a to-do list without really connecting. Fast forward to the weeks before the due date, the bodyworker/midwife could tell our baby was posterior or sunny side up. She was recommending certain exercises to do. Kirsten sent quick responses to any questions I asked that seemed like copy and paste answers. The lack of personal connection made this feel like a waste of time. My interest was already low, yet I tried to stay the course vs. say we don't need your services at all. (on a side note, there should be something said very clearly up front that if it doesn't feel like the right fit... even after contract signing and deposits paid that the mother and client should feel 100% welcome to say so and stop services without further payment - this would have created a safe environment vs. more stress in a time that can be draining enough). When it got closer to the date, and we went in to the hospital Kirsten sent a substitute b/c she had a personal event to attend. The substitute was, from the onset, seemingly more attuned to me (vs seeing me as a task). I responded much more openly to this and it was a pleasure to work with her. My labor process was just over a cpl of days w/ some stops & starts. Kirsten seemed to be either absent (w/ her replacement there for a portion of) or too late. If she were more connected I think she would have known to work on the posterior likelihood much earlier. I also wanted to ask for her substitute to come back instead, but I feared the bad energy that could bring to an already lack luster exchange...and my partner talked me out of it in the end. I found I lost respect for her and did not want to listen when she did make some effort. Her tone was again lacking personal touch. She sat on her phone and droned from across the room good job, you're so strong on repeat for a while. That sums up how I felt the service was performed for me. It seems she is a great fit for many, I am very happy for those mothers. I believe it is clear, she was not for me. I debated saying anything here for 5 mo. If nothing else, I wanted to advocate for the ability to get out of the contract if you start feeling the fit isn't for you. I think this should be offered up verbally and clearly by Kirsten at the onset of the relationship. I skimmed the contract and believe I saw binding language. I was pregnant, still running my business & drained. I did not however go back in and dissect it to see if I could get out of it. I avoided the confrontation thinking it would bring more bad feelings to our sacred space vs. help. I hoped for the best when it became show time. The best it was not.

Working with Annie was one of the best decisions I made as a new mom. From the moment she stepped…read moreinto our home, I felt a wave of calm and reassurance that I didn't even realize I needed. She brought so much knowledge, patience, and warmth -- not only to my baby's care but to mine as well. Annie gently guided me through things that had felt intimidating at first. I'll never forget the first time she showed me how to bathe my daughter -- she took the time to walk me through each step, making sure I felt confident and safe. She taught me how to read my baby's cues when she was overtired and showed me soothing techniques that helped her go down to sleep during the day, even when she was fussy. When it came to feeding, Annie supported me in introducing a bottle -- helping me find the right position, pace, and environment so my baby could take it comfortably. She also taught me how to play with her in ways that were developmentally appropriate and engaging, which helped me build a real bond during those early days when I sometimes felt unsure. Annie gave me strategies to make tummy time more enjoyable for my daughter-- and even fun! One of the most meaningful gifts Annie gave me, though, was emotional support. Postpartum can be incredibly isolating and raw, and Annie always checked in on me -- not just the baby. She created space for me to share what I was feeling, offered thoughtful reflections, and never made me feel judged or alone. She was a steady, grounding presence during a time when I desperately needed one. Annie is more than a postpartum doula -- she's a teacher, a nurturer, and an unwavering support system. I'm endlessly grateful for everything she brought into our lives.

It's hard to describe what Annie meant to us, but suffice it to say that we recommend Annie with…read moreour whole hearts. She cared for our newborn in a way that not only met his needs but provided love and comfort so he could thrive. And her care for me was essential to my recovery. One of Annie's superpowers is her ability to connect with people, and she brings this to bear in how she approaches her role supporting parents. I really appreciated her interest in getting to know us, how we think, and how we want to parent (and helping us flesh that out at a deeply introspective time). Rather than being prescriptive in her advice, she supported us in figuring out how to do it our way with perspective, knowledge, resources, compassion, and reinforcement. If anyone is having to balance day & night time support - I'd highly recommend seeking some help during the day. It wasn't something I knew existed until our friends recommended Annie, but it turned out to be invaluable. As a first time mom, I didn't realize beforehand that the days can as full on as the nights and there's a lot we need other than sleep. Not to mention that during the day, we greatly benefitted from Annie's expertise and friendly shoulder. And most importantly, it was important to us that our baby have many sources of loving care, and we are lucky that Annie is part of that village. Annie is truly invested in the wellbeing of her babies and mamas (and whole families!). If you have the privilege of working with her, it's a must!

My partner and I recently completed the Hypnobirthing three week course at Brilliant Births. We had…read morean absolutely incredible experience, for many reasons--The information we learned was invaluable, but also the instructors' teaching styles and depth of personal experience they offered was appreciated, comforting, and helpful. They clearly have a deep well of wisdom and experience-based expertise to share. We started our class with Keira and absolutely loved her--originally we were a bit bummed to know we would have a different instructor for our last day of the course. However, it turned out that Heidi was equitably wonderful and all things lovely-- instead of only one great instructor and guide, we ended up with two...which leads me to believe you'll be in skilled hands with anyone you interact with at BB. We will definitely be returning to take advantage of their other offerings!

We had the best experience with Maureen, one of the many talented doulas at Brilliant Births. We…read moreopted for a private Laboring together class, and it exceeded every expectation. Maureen guided us with so much knowledge, warmth and patience. She gave us practical tools, hands on techniques, and the confidence we needed as we prepare for our baby. We both walked out feeling way more prepared. If you're looking for someone who empowers, educates and genuinely cares, Maureen is incredible. We're so grateful!

I can't imagine having gone through the labor and birth of our son without Carole. She came to the…read morehouse twice in the last month of pregnancy to help us prepare, was very patient and super knowledgable and supported us In preparing to have the kind of birth that we wanted. The actual birth did not go according to plan (I'm sure it often doesn't) and she helped us to understand the choices and feel good about the outcome. I was never scared because she was there every step of the way (for 72 hours!). She also got along well with my family and husband which is really important. Carole is the perfect balance for us - she has a deep understanding of the medical side of the process, but really supports and educates on the body's natural ability to give birth. She is caring and wise, and helped us have a positive birth experience.

If you're interested in hiring a doula you must meet Carole! When I became pregnant with my first…read morechild my biggest worry was my baby's health and the labor and delivery. I looked up many doulas and Carole seemed like the best fit. I didn't want someone that was too young or too "hippy dippy", sorry if that offends anyone. So we set up an interview with Carole and it was at that interview that we knew Carole was the one. She immediately made my fears disappear and put my husband at ease also. We knew if we had Carole by our side everything about our labor and delivery would go smoothly and we were absolutely right! We had constant contact with Carole leading up to the day. She would answer any questions I had and offered helpful advice when I didn't like what the doctor's were telling me. Then when the big day came Carole was awesome! Her and my husband would take turns putting pressure on my back during contractions which provided huge relief and she did so much more. I could go on and on but I'll probably run out of room. So give Carole a call and you won't be disappointed!

My husband and I had a wonderful experience working with Alana Corrin through Healthy Mamas,…read moreHealthy Babies. First, learning about the services and speaking with Amber was great. She is highly organized and very responsive. I also loved the online mom support groups with different topics covered each week - these were so helpful! For the doula services, Alana was wonderful. She is very laid back and easy to talk to while also being super knowledgable and attentive. I wasn't sure if I was going to try to have a natural birth or get an epidural and I felt like Alana was ready to support me no matter what option I wound up choosing. Also, my husband tends to be very anxious around any medical or hospital setting so we weren't sure if he would be able to be with me for all of labor and delivery. Our meeting before birth was great because Alana was able to listen to his concerns and talk him through what L&D would be like so he wouldn't be so nervous. We only wound up being able to have one pre-birth meeting because my baby decided to show up 6.5 weeks early! Thankfully, Alana was able to meet us at the hospital within an hour of my husband calling her (around 3am??). My labor proceeded very quickly and we were both overwhelmed because we had not anticipated having our baby that early. Alana remained a calm and consistent presence throughout my labor and for a while after delivery after they took my baby to the NICU. She was also able to ask the nurses and doctors questions we had completely forgotten to ask and kept us up to date with everything that was happening. My husband wound up being able to stay for most of L&D and I think a lot of that has to do with Alana being there - we both felt fully supported the entire time. We had three post-partum sessions with Alana and they were also incredibly helpful. I would definitely recommend her to others and would love to work with her again if we wind up having another baby (hopefully closer to my due date next time, hehe)!

Ok, I gave 4 stars to highlight the comment. I'm honestly not sure what the right number of stars…read moreis. We consulted and ended up NOT hiring her (we had 1 video appointment). She seems to know things well, no concerns there, but we were a bit put off by the very commercial set up, ie, the initial consultation had a charge while all the other doulas were ok to do a free into over video. Then we got cut off because the initial intro appointment was so time limited (I think it was 15 minutes if I recall). Her regular emails are helpful, but we ended up not hiring her just because it seemed so money driven (her prices are on the high end, which looking at the reviews does seem to be somewhat justified).

I am so incredibly happy that Becca was our doula for our hospital birth. This was my first baby,…read moreand I knew that all I wanted was for the baby to be healthy and to avoid an emergency C-section if I could. We met with Becca and knew right away that she was the perfect person to help us in preparing for and giving birth. She immediately set us at ease by assuring us that the hospital we chose had an excellent Labor and Delivery team. She was 100% right about that, and everything else. She helped me trust myself and my body. I never thought I would have such an amazing and thoroughly happy birth experience. Becca really cares. It meant a lot to us that she also visited us after the birth to check in and provide some very welcome support. If we have another baby, we will definitely work with Becca, again!

I could not imagine my first birth without Becca! From the very first phone call, I felt an instant…read moreconnection with her--she's such a kind, caring soul and a true expert in her field. One of the things that impressed me most was how seamlessly she read the dynamic between me and my husband. She always knew when to step in with support and when to step back and give us space. That balance was invaluable during such an emotional, vulnerable time. When my birth plan didn't go the way I had envisioned, Becca's expert advice and calm presence gave me so much security in the decisions I had to make. She helped me feel grounded, informed, and confident every step of the way and encouraged me to listen to my instinct and body. Another aspect of her support that you simply can't put a price on is how connected she is at Kaiser. She knew nearly every midwife and nurse, and because of her strong relationships there, I felt reassured that the care I was receiving was exactly what I needed. Her presence gave me an extra layer of trust in the whole process. Becca communicated beautifully, supported us with such compassion, and helped make my first birth experience one that I will cherish forever. I can't recommend her enough--if you're considering a doula, Becca is truly one of a kind! Thank you so much Becca!

The first several months of your baby's life, especially for first time parents, can be filled with…read morestress, anxiety, lack of sleep, self neglect, worry, and the list goes on. Fortunately for my wife and I, we were blessed to have one of the best Doula's working with Carte Blanche stay with us for the first three months after my wife delivered our son. However, her services started far before the birth of our son. Prior to the delivery she provided us with several consultations to help us prepare for the arrival of our baby. This included things expect, measures and responses we could make as a team in the event of emergencies, what issues and emergencies to watch out for, how to prepare the home and the nursery for the baby, what supplies/toys/equipment to purchase, emotional support, and most importantly- lots of hand holding and reassurance. Our Doula explained the Carte Blanche philosophy of recognizing the major needs of all newborns, how to anticipate those needs, and how to preemptively address those needs before the baby becomes stressed and reacts to lacking those needs. One of the most amazing and unique value of Carte Blanche is that their Doula's will live with you for 3 months after your baby is delivered. This allowed our Doula to help us develop a consistent structure and regimen which allowed for a much smoother developmental course for our baby. Although our Doula took the role of the primary caretaker for our son, she was never intrusive, nor dismissive of our wishes, preferences, or lifestyle; however, it was also very obvious that her primary concern was our baby and that would never be compromised. Our Doula created an hourly schedule for every aspect of our baby's life days in advance. This not only helped us coordinate our schedules and lives, but also helped to minimize the random unpredictable events which made these first few months so much less stressful. At our request, our Doula also slept in the baby's nursery and took care of all the night time feedings, diaper, changes, and any other needs our baby may have throughout the night. At first we were apprehensive and felt a bit guilty leaving our baby to the care of someone else during the night. However, this allowed us to be well rested to have better engagement and quality time with our baby throughout the day. If what I have just described hasn't sold you on Carte Blanche, perhaps this may be one of their most compelling value propositions. The Carte Blanche method is to facilitate all newborn babies to sleep through the night (at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep) by the end of the 12th week. This almost sounded too good to be true but was a huge selling point for my wife and I. In our case, the first night we had our baby overnight without the Doula, he slept 13 hours straight through. Our baby is now just over 8 months old and has continued to sleep 8-12 hours every night since our Doula has left. In addition, our baby has been an incredibly easy tempered baby who rarely cries, and is always smiling and laughing. Some may call that luck of the draw, but I believe the Carte Blanche method of setting up a predictable structure, minimizing stress within the household, and anticipating and preempting our baby's needs is what helped him develop and grow with as little stress as possible. Lastly, I don't want to fail to mention what I found to be the most valuable and priceless part of having a Doula with us for those crucial early months. Our Doula fell in love with Hudson as we fell in love with him. She instantly felt like family and became family. She not only had the knowledge, expertise, and experience we needed to help two totally clueless first time parents; but more importantly, she loved our baby boy to such a great degree, that we could trust her in every capacity to love him, to protect him, and always have his best interest at heart (even above her own). And to this day, even though she is no longer living with us, we still consider her a part of our family, we speak regularly, we see each other regularly, and she is always invited to holiday gatherings and family functions. There is no substitute, comparative, or alternative service that I would ever recommend for such an important and critical time in your child's life. I'd give them 100 star rating if that existed

I never knew a 24 hour a day live in doula existed until I met Carte Blanche Parent Services. They…read morewere able to set me up with the most fantastic Doula. If you are looking for a very well experienced Doula I would recommend you reach out to them they can even travel with your family to care for your child.