Melissa worked with us as night doula from birth through 12 weeks for our second child, and did a fantastic job setting our family up for success. She was a very supportive and flexible presence in the early weeks as we were establishing breastfeeding, figuring how to handle cluster feeds and fussy periods. And you can tell immediately from seeing Melissa work that she's great with babies, finding how they like to be soothed and comforted and to get to sleep for lying down in bassinet. I learned from Melissa how to help baby go to sleep at bedtime once they come out of the "pass out from the boob" phase, and how to double swaddle for working with a snoo. Melissa is also very dedicated and committed to her work. She was frequently early, and very communicative throughout the day through text if issues came up that I wanted to chat through (like troubleshooting burping, gas, soothing to sleep). She even drove through flooded areas one night to get to us as she didn't want to leave us hanging! It's also clear that Melissa has a wealth of experience that she's able to share and communicate directly - things like advice on the best swaddles, how to maintain bottle feeds to fight baby rejecting them, when to try more independent sleep routines, etc.  The experience with Melissa supporting us for our second baby was night and day compared to our first baby (where we had no doula), and I (mom) was quickly able to get to the point of having decent chunks of sleep again. It's been invaluable for setting up our baby for sleep success, and for me to have enough rest and patience to learn our new baby's preferences and bond with her. I highly recommend Melissa for this critical newborn period. read more

Melissa is an incredible force! She helped with our newborn, from sleep training to just sleeping. We felt a tremendous burden lifted off our shoulders with her help and guidance as an expert for the first three months of the newborn. She utilized the Snoo and transitioned the infant to the crib seamlessly, and by the time she left, we had no need to "sleep train" any more. Very grateful to my mom's neighbor who recommended a night nanny or doula after having our first child. We were very anxious with all the random things that can go wrong with newborns (e.g. gassy, feeding, sleeping, sleep training, etc) so Melissa's calming and reassuring presence and guidance was very appreciated. read more

I am delighted to write a letter of recommendation for Melissa H and EBPPDC. As a third time mom, navigating the early newborn/postpartum phase and potential sleep deprivation was my biggest concern. My husband and I knew it would be important to build some support into our daily lives so that we could continue to be present for our older two kids as well as take care of ourselves. This was our first time hiring a night doula so we were unsure exactly how it would go or if the investment would be worthwhile. I can now wholeheartedly recommend this investment - and Melissa specifically - to any family. She holds great expertise and experience in helping families navigate this time. Having not utilized a night doula before I was nervous about how it would all go down but from the first evening when Melissa arrived, all my concerns evaporated as she calmly and confidently took the reins. In addition to helping us set conditions for a healthy relationship to sleep for our little one, she taught us things along the way that we had forgotten and that have been helpful in balancing the demands of all the kids (how to set your infant up for healthy routines, the best swaddling techniques, tips on feeding, etc). She is a wonderful combination of head (knowledge) and heart - both critical for parenting in the early days when so much can feel like a puzzle. She has a no-nonsense and very authentic demeanor which we appreciated. Having someone in our home during such a tender and vulnerable time was not a choice we took lightly, and we instantly felt comfortable entrusting our family and baby to her care. read more

I cannot say enough about Melissa - she taught me how to be a mother. Without family closeby it was essential to my husband and I to find someone to support us both as we welcomed our first child. Melissa worked with us 3 nights a week for the first 12 weeks after my daughter arrived. I had an unplanned c-section and was very anxious about the postpartum period but Melissa made me feel so comfortable and comforted. She helped me with everything from nursing, introduction to bottles, pumping, sleep and wake windows. She didnt impose anything on us but worked with us based on what we were comfortable with at every step. She diagnosed my daughter's acid reflux when everybody else missed it so that we could get her some support and relief immediately. She is well connected and recommended an amazing pediatrician and pediatric chiropractor. One morning I even woke up to see she had organized my entire freezer stash of milk by date. For months after our time ended I would still consult her for her professional opinion and those wise words and sage advice have built the foundation of my confidence as a mother. She is kind, knowledgeable, punctual, funny, friendly, comforting, validating and above all, trustworthy. If we ever choose to embark on this journey again it would be my privilege to have her support a second time around. read more

As a first-time mother, navigating the postpartum period felt overwhelming until we found Mary Ann. Her support and guidance was invaluable during those first 8 weeks. She provided advice on soothing techniques, early "sleep training" and self-care for both me and the baby. She helped us deal with a horrible diaper rash and helped us get our baby used to sleeping in the crib. Her expertise helped ease my anxieties and boosted my confidence as a new parent. We were able to sleep peacefully knowing our son was safe, fed and taken care of. In addition, her help with laundry and pump/bottle cleaning made my mornings a lot easier. From my first conversation with Mary Ann, I knew we would be in good hands. She is deeply empathetic and has a great sense of humor. We got along instantly and she became a part of the family. I never felt judged for asking questions or sharing my concerns with her. Mary Ann was always just a phone call or text away, ready to offer guidance whether it was about spit up or crankiness. I can't recommend Mary Ann highly enough to any new parent seeking support during the postpartum period. Her combination of expertise, empathy, and unwavering support made all the difference in our transition to parenthood. read more

Bev is the best of the best, truly. I wish I could hire her to live at my house forever. Not only does she treat my babies like her own, she treats me like her own. She goes above and beyond to make sure every box is checked and she is more knowledgeable than I am with my own newborn. She has been my night doula for both of my boys and I would refer her to anyone and everyone. Waking up rested to a happy baby, folded laundry, empty dishwater etc etc is priceless. Sleep is a true torture method and the peace of mind I had on nights Bev was coming was life changing. It gave me the boost I needed to get through the nights without her and made me count down the minutes until she arrived. Postpartum is a wild ride and I don't know how I would have done it without Bev. I only wish we had more time to hang out but mama gotta sleep :) We love you Bev!! read more

Melissa is a true superhero helping support me, my husband, and our now 7 week old son as our nighttime doula. Being my second baby and having a toddler in the house, I was dreading the looming newborn phase. We were so lucky to have been referred to Melissa, who has been nothing but supportive, knowledgeable, and kind throughout the 6 weeks of her help. We quickly found out my son had an allergy, and she was helpful in providing recommendations for alternative feeding methods alongside our pediatrician. She made sure my son and I felt comfortable during the transition flexing her great experience. He was throwing up, had poor weight gain - I honestly couldn't have gone through it without her as my son is now a feeding machine and sleeps really well! Also, having sleep back is truly wonderful, of course! Melissa is very prompt, thoughtful, and also loves our pup. We even decided to have her stay on with us several more weeks. The best out there! read more

I worked with Mary Ann for 7 weeks when my son was born in March 2023. She was an incredible resource and support to me and my husband in those early days. I truly do not think I would have survived without her. She ensured my newborn was safe, fed and cared for, and provided advice and help with things like laundry and bottle cleaning. She made sure I was resting and healing, which is really hard to do in those early days. I highly recommend her and would hire her again! read more

We had our first child in February, and it's hard to imagine getting through the first few weeks without Denise and Hillary. Their warm, caring, and calm nature was exactly what we (and the baby) needed those first few weeks and especially during some very long nights. I was grateful for their decades of experience and learned so much from them. I can't recommend them enough! read more

We started working with Shilpa in February 2024, the day we brought our boy home from the hospital. She is exactly the kind of person you'd want to give a day-old baby to. She is grounded and thoughtful, and brings calm to every situation, which we found especially helpful in those challenging early days. We also really appreciated her emphasis on holistic care - she's not just a nighttime babysitter but someone who really brings another level of medical and psychological attention to her work. She was able to recommend resources and networks that we wouldn't have known about, and she also surprised us with incredible and delicious ayurvedic foods she'd cooked for us. My wife and I are missing Shilpa's presence (and our largely uninterrupted nights) we're so grateful for our early weeks with her. She made it so easy. I'm glad she's part of this network! read more

We had Melissa as our doula for a couple months after our twins were born. She was indispensable to our family. She put us at ease right away, as I could tell she was comfortable with our babies and confident about her skills and expertise. She taught us useful techniques to help our children sleep better, made helpful suggestions for formula, taught us how to swaddle and deal with reflux. I had so much anxiety about how to sleep train twins and she made the newborn experience so much more special for our family. read more

Hiring Munira was one of the best decisions of preparing for our first child. She was referred to us by my midwife, who had hired Munira for her own postpartum period. She's a true baby whisperer - she knows what's bothering him and lots of ways to fix it and soothe him. By the time she left around 3 months, our son was often sleeping 6-8 hours straight, which felt like a miracle. Beyond understanding babies, though, she genuinely loves babies. She spends a lot of time outside of work keeping up with doula education, enjoys hearing from past clients, and is so excited to see my son and his growth after any days away. She supported us in so many ways and made an otherwise very stressful time so much more enjoyable. She has such a gentle, calming nature that put everyone in our home at ease, and I'm so grateful to her for her kind, gentle, loving approach to her work. read more

What can I say about Bev and her team besides that she saved us? We were headed into our fourth baby (all under 5 years old) and knew that we needed help. We had never had a night nurse before, so weren't sure what to expect. From our first conversation, Bev was very easy to communicate with, understood what challenges we were facing and helped us create a plan that we were all comfortable with. From the first night she helped us and throughout our whole time with her, I only had one thing that I wish had been different. I wish we would have had Beverly for our other three babies. On nights that we had Bev or her team coming, my anxiety would go away in the late afternoon, knowing that "Bev's got this" and I could take the night off. She helped while I was still nursing, and then pumping and then bottle feeding. She went above and beyond by taking time out of her day to come over and read a book to my 2, 3 and 5 year old and introduce herself to them. They instantly loved her and called her the "night fairy" who would put them back to bed if they got out as well. It was truly bliss knowing I was going to get a couple stretches of solid sleep and that "Bev's got it". She also noticed and did little tasks for us that made a huge difference in our chaotic mornings (such as refilling and packing away the kids water bottles). Her attention to detail allowed for a tired mama to catch a few zzz's (and dad) and to be a better Mom the next day because of it. I have continued to recommend Bev and her team to everyone who is having a baby in the bay. It's truly a treat and you won't regret the investment in your sleep/sanity. read more

Bev Harper was our night nanny for 6 months with our twins and we couldn't have survived without her! In that time, she became a part of our family. We had no idea what to expect with hiring a night doula but it was the best decision! She was extremely loving to our girls and took amazing care of me, helped a ton around the house, was full of awesome suggestions and even helped our 5 year old get back to bed when she would make surprise appearances in the middle of the night. Bev was truly a gift to us and we don't know what we would've done without her!" -Sylvie Segar read more

In a desperate attempt to get find support for my sleep deprived daughter I reached out to Enricka. Her help during my daughter's postpartum journey was invaluable. Enricka guided us through challenging moments and resolved breastfeeding issues with patience and compassion. I highly recommended Enricka for any new parent needing support. She was a life saver to our entire family! read more

I had my second child during Covid and had never felt more isolated. Bev came into our lives and literally saved me. She is so caring and helpful, she is like family. She made such an impact to our lives that she was one of the first people I called when I found out I was pregnant  with our third. I would've kept Bev indefinitely if I could. read more

I don't even know where to begin on this review. Bev is simply amazing. From the first time we chatted on the phone I knew she was going to be awesome. She's down to earth, full of ideas, incredibly knowledgeable and not to mention she treated my baby boy like her own son. During the duration of using her services she made having a newborn not feel so overwhelming. As soon as she would come over she took over and made me go to bed so I could get as much rest as possible. Not only did she provide care for my baby, she also in the meantime became a very close friend..well actually it feels more like family. If there were a zillion stars she'd deserve them all. Bev- thank you for all you do for everyone's families. I know I'm not the only person in Lamorinda that holds you near and dear to their hearts. YOU ARE A GOD SEND read more