Pregnancy and giving birth was one of the most meaningful and empowering experiences of my life,…read moreand Holly played an extraordinary role in making it that way. Working with her from pregnancy through postpartum was nothing short of transformative. From the moment she took us on as clients, I felt deeply seen, cared for, and empowered. Throughout my pregnancy, she provided a wealth of resources -- from dietary guidance and exercise tips to ways to promote the growth of my baby and prepare for labor -- and helped me process and make informed decisions for myself. She anticipated questions before I even had them and ensured I felt knowledgeable and confident every step of the way about all the decisions we faced. Holly made the entire process beautiful, spiritual, informed, and deeply connected. She helped me get in touch with my own needs and empowered both me and my husband to feel confident and capable throughout. During labor and delivery, she was with us every step of the way -- whether on the phone or coming to our home to assist me in labor and guide us on navigating the transition to the hospital. In those moments of extreme intensity, Holly was so in tune with me; she knew exactly what to say and how to help me navigate each wave. It felt like she, my husband, and I were in a shared trance, and I felt completely held and nurtured. I wanted a natural labor, and Holly championed that goal every step of the way; I truly believe I would not have been able to achieve a natural birth in a hospital without her. Immediately postpartum, Holly continued to be an incredible presence during the intense and sometimes overwhelming adjustment to life on the other side of birth. She listened deeply, advocated for my mental and physical health, and again never imposed her opinions. Instead, she helped us think clearly, process our emotions, and understand our own decisions and feelings, giving us confidence in our new roles as parents. What's incredible about Holly is that she ensures you are informed, know your rights, and understand all your choices -- while always advocating for you -- yet she never makes decisions for you. She is non-judgmental, full of positivity, love, and light, and makes the journey feel sacred, grounded, and empowering. Holly is an exceptional doula and guide -- she truly transforms the birth experience. She is absolutely incredible.

Review #1017 -…read more Kudos to Holly...seriously we really enjoyed having her on our birthing team. My wife had called and wanted to interview a variety of people and within a spectrum of birthing paths. We chose Holly and it was a very good experience. First off, my wife had a wonderful phone call with her...and she was available and willing to answer all things. We then met her locally and had a face to face interview. Holly was respectful of the birth path my wife wanted, she offer advice and her experience. While we were interviewing her at a local coffee shop she was approached by another client with her recently born baby. We got to see the level of interaction between that new mom and Holly. Very impressive to see the happiness of another parent with the person she chose. So as a Dad to be, there was also the need to convince me...i wanted to make sure my wife had every person and resource. So the expense of a doula was justified pretty easily. But i wanted an active role in the birth plan and birth experience. Holly was great to me. Attentive. Gentle. She was okay with me being there in the delivery stuff and an active part of it. She did not shrug me off or anything, I was able to feel very close to my wife and newborn in the moment. My wife really loved all Holly did for her when the time came to start the birthing process. Once we knew it was go time...we planned to stay home a while and Holly came to our place and worked the first 12-15 hours with her. Then she perfectly timed the "when to go to the hospital" and as that progressed she was very preset and active with us. She was awesome and seeing how well she'd coached my wife was incredible. We got a healthy baby and my wife came through it amazingly. Holly was a very good resource and served us well as the "Offensive Coordinator" calling the plays and helping us through the game plan. Holly is super. Follow up and coaching didn't end with the hospital. She's been so good at checking in and keeping us in the learning and adjustment. Easy 5 stars!!

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.

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.

I found Happy Baby when my husband and I were moving to the South Bay from the East coast and I was…read morelooking for prenatal yoga! Fast forward to me now having a 7 month old and Happy Baby is my second home. Prenatal/postnatal classes are great. I did both prenatal boot camp and prenatal yoga but I was a little limited since I had to stop working out. Once I was cleared to work out, I was at some kind of class 4-6 times a week. Being able to bring your baby to class and get to meet other moms is fantastic! The majority of the fitness classes are taught by Lauren, who is an AMAZING teacher. She kicks your butt all while being the most encouraging, empowering teacher ever! Mama classes- I have done the mindful mama class with Khefri and it was such a great resource as a new mom! I also made new mama friends who I have kept in contact with even after our class ended.

TLDR: If you and…read moreyour spouse are lost in the sauce on this whole having a baby business, or if you're like me and just want to be prepared for anything, I highly recommend taking the Prepared Childbirth Series with Patricia. You'll be glad you did. Long version: Having a baby for the first time was definitely daunting for us. There were too many what-ifs and unknowns that made us nervous about the whole birthing process. I'm so glad we decided to take Happy Baby's Prepared Childbirth series with Patricia. It was an informative, fun, and confidence-boosting experience. I actually had to convince my husband to go with me: He walked into the first class saying he's there cause I told him to be there (gotta admire the honesty). After the last class, however, he left saying that he was glad I forced him into taking it. (yay me!) The moment my water broke, I was able to apply things that I learned in class that kept me calm and collected(we even went grocery shopping the next day). We were able to check into the hospital mentally and emotionally prepared, even though labor did not pan out as we had planned. We were well educated so we were able to ask about our options (most of which aren't discussed) and feel confident and comfortable with our decisions. By the time I started active labor, my husband was able to use the skills he learned from class to help me through my contractions, so much so that I was able to deliver without an epidural. The support and encouragement that he displayed throughout the whole process just made me fall even more in love with him (cheesy, I know). I can't thank Happy Baby enough for offering the series and everything we learned. I've been recommending this series to all my family and friends who are pregnant or planning to be since I gave birth. So my fellow Yelper, do not hesitate any longer. Take the class and feel empowered like we did.

We hired Denise to be our birth doula and it was the best decision we made for our pregnancy/birth…read moreexperience. The birth doula service that Denise offers covers everything you need to prepare for birth and the basics on caring for your baby once they arrive. Denise checked in with us regularly throughout the pregnancy, came to our home to do in birth classes, came to our home to put together our birth plan with us, came to our home before birth for baby care basics classes, and came to our home after the birth for two check in visits where she was there to help with whatever you might need help with (for us it was using the breast pump, trimming baby nails, checking baby's latch, and learning baby soothing techniques). And for the birth itself, Denise was an absolute ROCKSTAR. There's no way my husband and I could have achieved the unmedicated hospital birth I wanted without her there. She came to our home to help me through some of my labor there and then followed us to the hospital to get us through the rest of it. My labor was 24 hours in total and Denise was by our side providing support through all of it. And a bonus, Denise is great with dogs. We have two large dogs and one of them does not do well with strangers. Denise was patient with our dog and now both of our dogs loves her. Denise was everything and more in what I wanted with a birth doula and she made me feel confident and supported theoughout the experience. I cannot recommend her enough!

I am so thankful for the invaluable teachings and information I received in the weekend child labor…read moreclass I did with Denise. Wow! So helpful! Such good access to resources! She is so knowledgeable on child birth and completely calmed my nerves and anxiety before the birth of my baby. Life was so busy for me the year I was pregnant with school and work obligations that I had absolutely no time to "prepare" for pregnancy or to read a book. Nevertheless I understood the importance of being equipped with knowledge but never felt I had enough time with my ob doctor in a brief doctors appt on "what to expect when you're expecting". So when I heard about Denise Curtis's labor class on a weekend, I eagerly signed up and so glad I did. The weekend long group class was super helpful, full of a wealth of information, well organized and illustrated, and engaging I continue to use the color printed handouts and resources for information . I highly recommend it to all my pregnant friends and colleagues , especially if you need a concise but comprehensive course on child birth .... Perfect for busy expecting moms who want a crash course on child birth. Highly recommend

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!

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!

I took yoga classes with Chelsea and was thrilled to learn that she is also a life coach. I had…read morealready felt such trust and peace around her that I knew she was the perfect person to help me work through some past trauma and help equip me for a happier, healthier and more positive future. It was a life changing decision to work with her. Her guidance has made a significant positive impact on my life. She cares so much and has been an amazing listener, guide and teacher. She has helped me navigate some very difficult life situations both old and new. Her personally tailored coaching has helped me feel more peace, control over anxious situations and has given me tools to work though life's ups and downs. I would not have had the courage to push forward and make life changes without her support, love and encouragement! I am so grateful for her and cannot recommend working with Chelsea more!

Chelsea is the best! I wish I could have her as my prenatal yoga teacher and doula for every…read morepregnancy. She went above in beyond in classes to give us the best information for natural birth and delivery. When she wasn't actually available for my birth, she had many great recommendations. Overall, everything she told me through class and training truly prepared me for a beautiful birth experience. I wish I still lived close by to have her around my next birth. I highly recommend her services!

My wife already posted about our experience with Natasha, but I wanted to add my two cents from the…read moreperspective of a husband/support person. We hired Natasha as our doula for the birth of our first child. I was initially skeptical of hiring a doula, because it seemed like an unnecessary expense/fad. However, I could not have been more wrong! My wife and I watched YouTube videos, read about, and talked to others about childbirth and what to expect. Natasha gave us more thorough information than any of those sources, and she walked us through a birth plan. She was very helpful talking about the advantages/disadvantages of all the choices we had to make for the birth. It made our lives so much easier. No amount of talking to people can prepare you for the chaos of childbirth! Having Natasha there with us and knowing our wishes was very reassuring. She was our advocate with the doctors and nurses, and she made sure we got what we planned. Natasha also helped my wife tremendously. Natasha helped mitigate my wife's pain prior to the epidural by using various body positions and breathing techniques. I thought I would be able to help my wife more, but using the one technique we learned prior to delivery was not cutting it. Natasha provided real-time support and adapted her approach based on my wife's needs. In between admittance to the hospital and the actual birth, Natasha was with us the whole time. She was a constant support. That means that I also had time to breath! Having Natasha with us throughout the birth made my wife's life easier, and Natasha made my life easier! I cannot imagine ever going through childbirth without a trustworthy, supportive doula. I am converted! If you are considering a doula, I wholeheartedly recommend Natasha. If you are wondering whether you should hire a doula, you should! (and it should be Natasha)

My husband and I hired Natasha after she was referred to us by a coworker. This was my first…read morepregnancy/labor/delivery and I was initially unsure about whether I even wanted to hire a doula. I questioned whether it was excessive or an unnecessary expense. I also wasn't sure how it would feel to have someone I barely knew be present during some of the most intimate and vulnerable hours of my life. I am now almost 1 month postpartum and looking back I can say without hesitation that hiring Natasha was one of the best decisions I made related to my pregnancy and childbirth. Throughout my pregnancy I felt routinely unsupported by my OBGYN and was often made to feel rushed or that I was asking stupid questions during my OB appointments. Our first meeting with Natasha was such a breath of fresh air! She provided a free consultation so we could get to know her and patiently answered all of our many questions. One of the things that truly separates Natasha from other doulas is her background as both a labor and delivery nurse, a midwife, and a pre/postnatal yoga instructor. This woman has some serious experience with the birthing process! She is chock-full of useful information and was able to explain medical aspects of my pregnancy that my OB never took the time to do. She was incredibly thorough and gave us a useful packet in our first appointment that included information about what to expect during labor/delivery and how to prepare (e.g., what to pack for the big day, how to save time checking in at the hospital, what kind of decisions we may need to make during delivery, etc). She also had such a lovely, laid-back presence that was neither overbearing or too passive. I was sold! My daughter ended up arriving 3.5 weeks early and I was so glad to have Natasha to text that day and ask if the contractions I was experiencing were the real deal. She was able give me some pointers on how to differentiate between early signs of labor and the Braxton Hicks contractions I had been getting fairly frequently at that point. I was so relieved when she arrived at our apartment and helped me find positions and utilize breathing techniques that made my contractions significantly more manageable. I thought I would be able to use my knowledge of paced breathing to successfully manage the pain on my own, but I definitely needed her there! I was in so much pain that I was having trouble thinking straight and when Natasha arrived she just took over and immediately made both my husband and me feel like we had someone there who knew exactly what to do. She also helped us to know when to go to the hospital so that we would be admitted (4cm dilated) rather than told to go back home and was a huge advocate for me once I was checked into labor and delivery. She explained everything that was going on to me (something the doctors/nurses just don't seem to have time to do), was key in getting the anesthesiologist to arrive as quickly as possible for the epidural, and continued to help me with breathing/positions until the meds kicked in and my daughter arrived! She worked seamlessly with the hospital providers and seemed to know when to speak up/ask questions vs. when to just let them do their thing. She was also lovely to have around my family and again seemed to know how to interact with everyone and put people at ease. I did not end up feeling awkward or uncomfortable at all having her present during the delivery process- just grateful for her support, knowledge, and encouragement! After the delivery, Natasha followed up with us to help us give my daughter her first bath, answer many, many breastfeeding questions, and just generally continue to provide wisdom and support. Hiring Natasha was worth every penny and I would hire her again in a heartbeat for future labor/deliveries. If you want a doula who is the whole package (e.g., reliable, a calming presence, insanely knowledgeable on ALL aspects of labor/delivery), then don't hesitate to contact Natasha!

I really enjoy this studio. It's a really nice change of pace in comparison to some larger…read more"corporate" style yoga chains I've been to. The teachers have their own unique flows that make a lot of sense to me. They take the time to correct postures as well due to the experienced teachers and smaller more intimate studio feel. Showers and bathrooms are clean and easily accessible

I love taking yoga classes at 423 yoga. My favorite is the 6:30 AM Vinyasa class with Joseph. This…read moreplace is so unique and I'm so glad I found it. I live in MB and its such a quick drive to get there, the parking is easy, the bathrooms and showers are well set up and the studio is impeccably clean and gets nice and hot. This is one of the cleanest studios around where it actually smells good. All the equipment is always clean and smelling good. The staff and instructors are great and very welcoming. I highly recommend giving them a try.