Fruit of the Belly has been a staple service in the Los Angeles area (under Enlightened Birth Services) for over a decade. I'm so happy that Fruit of the Belly has moved to Houston, TX! Looking forward to the great services Claudia will provide to this community! Cheers! read more

It's hard to write a review for such an amazing experience. I met Claudia while she was the doula on board at the Natural birth and women's center, where I gave birth. The first thing I will tell you is that it was my first pregnancy, I knew I wanted a natural birth and when I would call birth centers I had so many questions and many of them didn't want to spend the time to talk to me on the phone they just wanted me to come in and make an appointment so they could make $. This bothered me because I felt people who had this sort of attitude would also being impatient with me during my pregnancy and birth . However when I called the place Claudia was working she talked to me for such a long time and I felt a warm connection with her she made me feel informed, supported and confident. So it was a no brainer for me at that point. I asked the birth center that I want her to be my doula and they had her on schedule when I gave birth. During my contractions she would massage pressure points and it helped so much to make he pain less. She was so supportive the whole time, and helped me the whole way. My midwife was so amazing too. Having a natural birth was the best thing I ever did, and it was actually fun. lol Thank you Claudia!!!!! & thank you nbwc read more

Fruit Of The Belly - 4 years later !!! my review was long over due. - Doulas Near Me - Katy, Texas

Claudia is awesome in so many ways. Let me tell you the ways. This was my first pregnancy. I had my son almost 1.5 years ago. I wanted to be as "natural" as possible. I considered a home birth but the thought scared me a little, not because I doubted Claudia but because I have some health issues and if something went "wrong" and I ended up at a hospital I wouldn't be able to afford to pay Claudia and the hospital bill, etc. Before contacting Claudia. I searched for Doulas here on Yelp. I must have called half a dozen. Left messages for about half of those and for the other half I spoke with, I felt rushed or like I was bothering them or that they didn't want to "give up" too much of their unpaid time. THEN, I called Claudia and she immediately picked up (which was great cuz I felt that when I went into labor I'd be able to reach her), she was kind, attentive and she immediately starting asking me pertinent questions like how far along was I and was I taking vitamins. She was already worried about my well being! But before asking me questions, guess what she did? SHE CONGRATULATED ME ON MY BABY! Something none of the other 5 star Doulas here on Yelp did. Anyway, I signed up for her "ALL" package. She recommended a OBGYN that was in line with my beliefs. She gave us classes on the stages of pregnancy, labor, patient advocacy, birth, post-birth and even breastfeeding. She was always a phone call away, email or text. She has a private Facebook group as well. She even went on a tour with me to a birth center in Pasadena which was awesome because she interviewed the doulas/midwifes there asking the questions I didn't know had to be asked. This woman is a warrior and her utmost concern is that your rights as a patient are not violated. I had a pretty painful week of labor pain. The labor pain (much of it being back labor) for 5 days with hardly any progression, which ultimately led for me to get pitocin and an epidural. I was really upset about this but with my water having been broken (on its own) for 14+ hours I decided to accept these interventions. I did have a vaginal delivery. I feel like without Claudia I would have had a C-Section and who knows what other interventions. She was there for me throughout my pregnancy and through those 5 days of labor pains, delivery and post-delivery. I would highly recommend her. She goes above and beyond what she's paid. read more

Anyone who is considering a home birth or who is having a child no matter where the birth takes place -would do well to contact Claudia. She gets down to business but not without being nurturing in the process. During childbirth one needs to have someone who can help with maintaining being grounded and present so as to facilitate the birthing process. She helped to successfully deliver my son in a very delicate situation. I would recommend her to my closest friends and family because I trust her. I wanted to reiterate that she is amazing and how thankful I am for her part in my child's birth. read more

Thanks to Claudia I was able to have a successful home birth against all odds! I hired Claudia as my Doula when I first realized I was pregnant at two months. Having had a miscarriage a year prior almost to the date, my husband and I were anxious to do everything in our hands to ensure a successful pregnancy. Along with my monthly OBGYN visits at Kaiser, I attended all 12 of Claudia's birth classes through early and mid pregnancy and really liked the fact that her training is designed for the mom and the dad; as she was adamant that my husband take part in all the classes. We didn't know it then, but had he not been present at all the birthing classes, there is NO WAY I would have managed to deliver my baby at home. Throughout my pregnancy, Claudia provided me with vital information on nutrition that I simply was not getting anywhere else (not even from doctors), she also made herself extremely available and always answered any questions or addressed our concerns. If you are a first time parent this is VITAL, as people will always come up to you and fill you with weird advice and horror stories. Once I was full term (38 weeks), Claudia was very proactive about getting me into labor and not allowing me to go over my due date. I really liked this aspect of her care because my husband was an 11 lb. baby and I was TERRIFIED that if I went over the 40 week mark I would end up with a baby that was too big for a natural birth. In the end, my baby was only a few days late, which is not bad at all considering he was my first, and, although he wasn't a nice 6 lb. baby, he weighed 9 lbs and was delivered successfully at home with NO DRUGS and minimal tearing!!! The labor itself was pretty intense because the baby never fully turned until he was coming out, and this caused me to have frontal and back contractions, making things twice as painful. Claudia helped me manage the pain with acupressure, special positions and hot baths. She also made sure I was taking all the right homeopathic stuff and was hydrated. She constantly monitored how dilated I was and checked the baby's heartbeat to ensure he was doing well. This was very reassuring as the main concern I had regarding a home birth was making sure the baby was fine. After a 12 hour labor with a cervix that was not properly dilating, front and back contractions and a baby that turned out to be quite large, we still managed to deliver my baby boy safe and sound. He had the cord wrapped around his neck and torso and Claudia took care of it before I could blink. She also kept my husband on track and told him what to do for each step of the way, which was super helpful. To sum things up, Claudia delivered excellent care and she stuck with me the whole way through because she had the knowledge to deliver the baby safely inspite of some of the hiccups we encountered. To me this is absolutely priceless because I see so many failed home births out there and it breaks my heart to see these women end up in the hospital and scared simply because their Midwife/doula doesn't really care either way how things turn out. Claudia knew how important it was to us to have a safe and natural home birth and she was able to help us achieve it without putting me or the baby in danger. I highly recommend her to anyone out there interested in doula services! read more

Claudia is amazing. I am a first time mom and had no experience with doula care. I knew I wanted post partum support but had no idea really what it would look like. Claudia collaborated with us from the beginning. She educated us and gently suggested best practices, but was never judgmental when we went in another direction. It felt like she was partnering with us and it really helped us feel like we were working together to make good choices for our family. She was always willing to meet us where we were. I learned so much working with her about how to care for both myself and my son. When I had a medical emergency, she showed up and jumped into action, caring for me and the baby when my husband had to work. When I decided to wean earlier than I had originally wanted to, she was non judgmental and supportive during what was a really vulnerable time for me- something that will stick with me forever. She loves our baby and treats him like family. When Claudia is in our home, I can relax knowing he is in great hands. She is also fun to be with and we just enjoyed having her around. I completely trust her and would recommend her to anyone who needs birth or post partum support. She has a wealth of knowledge about pregnancy, childbirth and infant care that honestly blew my mind. Hiring her really transformed this period in our lives. read more

EXCELLENT! I HIGHLY recommend Claudia's services (Enlightened Birth Services) to anyone seeking a knowledgeable, professional, friendly, personable and experienced doula and PATIENT ADVOCATE! Our story in brief: this is our 1st pregnancy, and after months of mediocre treatment at your typical cookie cutter hospital (which left us feeling like just another number in the medical system), we felt that we had no where else to turn to for trustworthy advice and we had no voice with our decision to have a natural delivery. We felt helpless and hospitals are known for unnecessary medical interventions. We almost felt defeated, but after much prayer and by God's grace, we found Claudia! She is a patient advocate who is knowledgeable with the hospital system which meant that she knew what our RIGHTS as a patient were. She helped us navigate the maze of questionable treatments (questionable to us), and she provided much needed TRUSTWORTHY information which allowed us to make INFORMED decisions regarding our care. She gave me GREAT NUTRITIONAL counsel, she LISTENED to our needs as 1st time parents and most importantly, gave us the TIME AND CARE that we needed. Never once did she rush any of our meetings, she took her time explaining everything, she was ALWAYS AVAILABLE via text, email or phone...and well, what else can I say, SHE WAS AWESOME and We LOVE HER! On the day of delivery, she was with us through the entire labor process and stayed with us to the very end (and even came back to visit me during my unexpected hospital stay). We truly know that God blessed us by leading us to Claudia because in all my doula research, I did not find anyone comparable to her and what she has to offer as an experienced doula. If I had to do it all over again, i already know who we'll be calling and I will refer her to everyone I know! read more

Claudia came to assist my midwife, Elena Khatibi of Socal Midwifery; Claudia arrived when I was stalled in my labor and helped coach me through the last stages. I can't say enough good about her - all the reviews are right on. She is a warrior woman! So strong and steady, when that was just what I needed. She was truly a blessing, and an incredible woman have as part of my birth team. read more

Im holding my baby girl Naomi. She came into the world without any complications. I feel this was largely due to the awareness and education I received from Claudia. She gave me support and security through my pregnancy which gave me added power to make healthy decisions, etc. I was able to achieve the natural birth I wanted. Education is definitely power as they say when it comes to child birth - thank you Claudia again for all you did for my family. read more

My girlfriend & I first contacted Claudia about her Doula services about 1 month before my girlfriend was scheduled to go into Labor. We waited this long because we didn't think we needed a Doula until we started talking about all the friends we have that had C-Sections (but tried for a natural birth). After meeting Claudia for the first time, we knew we had someone special to help us and hired her right away. She went above & beyond her call of duty. We felt we got a deal. She was very informative, very caring, and we felt that this wasn't just a job for her...but that she actually cared about us and the baby, and cared about our goal of a vaginal natural birth. After a couple of weeks, we came to understand through Claudia's training that a Natural Birth would be very hard to achieve no matter what if we are in a Hospital. So she referred us to an amazing Midwife named Elena Khatibi (Socal Midwifery on yelp). Despite complications, Claudia was there as an assistant to the Midwife, and we had a successful & amazing home birth of our beautiful young daughter named Zayera. I recommend not doing vaccines as more and more research is showing that SIDD's is actually caused by vaccines read more

Claudia is simply extraordinary. I contacted her from abroad as soon as I knew I'd be moving to L.A. and needed a doula. Right from the start she was quick to respond to any queries and had lots of advice. When I got here and met her, I knew I'd made the right choice. She's very knowledgeable and she has assisted many women giving birth both in a hospital setting and at home. Throughout the pregnancy her presence and knowledge kept me calm and focussed, even when the baby was breech at 35 weeks or when my obgyn wanted to induce me at 40 weeks (Claudia had many tricks up her sleeve to help labor come along and I eventually went into labor naturally on my due date). We also took her birth preparation course, which was a lot more thorough than the course we took at the hospital. When the time came, Claudia came as soon as the contractions started and stayed with us at home and later in hospital during a very long labor. When they asked who I wanted in the triage with me I picked her over my husband because she knew exactly where to place her hands to alleviate the pain! Her presence while in hospital was such a godsend, not just to provide help and comfort for me, but also to give my husband a break. Even after the birth Claudia was available if I needed any advice, and she came to our place to give our baby her first bath. We couldn't have asked for a more dedicated and lovely person to help us throughout pregnancy and labor! read more

I was referred to Claudia at Enlightened Birth Services by a friend and I am so grateful for that referral! Claudia went above and beyond what we had originally agreed upon in our package contract. I attended several classes by Claudia and these helped the most in ensuring my labor and delivery went as smoothly as possible. Not only did we go over hospital birthing procedure, patient rights and policies but she let us know what was physically happening to my body during the entire pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum! With that data under my belt (and Claudia's calm composure) I felt completely safe and like I was doing the right thing as I went through labor. Claudia was available whenever I needed her to ask her questions or to help me with my choices at the doctor's office. She took a lot of personal time to help get my body ready for labor and her husband even helped me with an adjustment to make sure everything was in place. Once I started labor she was right there timing the contractions and letting me know what progress I was making. Most of the labor was done at home and then once I got to the hospital my beautiful baby girl was born in less than an hour. Claudia was my rock through the whole process and I looked to her at each contraction for direction and reassurance. My baby was measured and weighed and Claudia stayed for a while afterwards and showed me how to breastfeed successfully. I am so glad I took that initial advice to go with Claudia and I know I have made a lifelong friend that I can always look back with and enjoy a wonderful, natural, drug-free birth. read more

I Paula R. strongly recommend Claudia Perez-Silva as doula. This was my second pregnancy, I wanted help to have a natural delivery but I wasn't able to afford it. So I let time pass by. I couldn't stop thinking that even though I had a natural delivery with my first son, I ended up with 50 stiches and my son with a broken clavicle, so in my mind I knew that I needed help. My belly was growing and the doctors kept offering me a C-section at every visit. Thanks to a friend I got Claudia's information. When I contacted her, I was in my 34 week of gestational age. Thankfully, she accepted to help me that late in my pregnancy. I wanted a knowledgeable professional doula that could be with me during my labor and delivery in the Hospital and I ended having that and more. Claudia was all business right away; she invited me to her class. She wanted to know everything (verbal and medical documentation) about my first pregnancy and delivery to work on and to help avoid the same situation from happening again. In 2 or 3 days Claudia help me coaching my diet, offering me scientific information, she reviewed my medical history and also very important, my birth plan. My fears were gone when after every Doctor's appointment I was able to talk to Claudia; she gave me the words needed to heal my soul. On my delivery day, Claudia came home promptly, she guided me with positions to cope with pain and help the baby move forward, breathing techniques and acupressure. When it was time, we went to the Hospital together. Even during the ride she continued coaching me, it was extremely helpful. In the hospital, she was my friend and watching at her eyes I had confidence that things were right. The delivery was awesome!!! I had no medication whatsoever for a completely natural delivery; my baby and I were perfectly fine. Thanks so much Claudia Perez-Silva for your amazing help! Paula Rosello (BS IBCLC-WIC Program Breastfeeding Services) read more

Having our first baby was very scary Claudia explained the entire process of pregnancy and birth and helped us from one week up to a month after the birth. it was so easy to learn and understand because pregnancy and birth is simple the complications are what are hard to understand she focused on having a correct process of pregnancy and birth and this actually helped avoid complications instead of the opposite of looking over all complications and getting so much information that you forget to have a birth. She also physically helped us get my wife to the hospital (which she did not have to do) and communicated information which helped the nurses and the doctors tend to her better. the doctor came in to the room and a few minutes later our daughter was born. Aside from this it was very interesting the diversity and background of each mom and her husband we became great friends and I'm sure our children will too. read more

Having this doula at the birth of my little one earlier this year was wonderful! She made a HUGE difference! I had a natural birth and she was at my side every step of the way, helping me manage the pain, massaging my back, guiding my husband how he could best help, explaining what was happening to me and really keeping me in the present. She made the experience safe for me and was very knowledgeable and able to answer my questions and concerns before, during and after the delivery. Her attention was with me, she really cares and stays with you when doctors and nurses are not able to do that as they have other patients to take care of, etc. She was also there for me after the delivery and helped me with the baby, gave her the first bath and let my husband and daughter participate, which they loved! Overall, I feel that having Claudia be part of my birth experience was an excellent decision. I definitely recommend any expecting mother, even if you are not having the baby at home or at a Birthing Center and are delivering at a hospital, to have her at your side during the birth! Also getting a consultation with her ahead of the birth and knowing exactly what will happen during the delivery is tremendously helpful. She will help you discover all you didn't even know that you don't know and really prepare you! I was so ready that I was the calmest one in the family on the morning I went into labor. I even asked my husband to stop along the road and pick up some flowers on the way to the delivery! The birth of your child is one of the most important moments of your life and Claudia really helps you make it that - a special moment! read more