Ana was our birth doula and I couldn't have imagined delivering without her! Initially, I reached…read moreout to Ana about her availability as a night doula. A friend who recently had twins recommended her to me and praised the quality of care she received from Ana. That friend also shared how invaluable having Ana as a doula was to a first time mom and mentioned how much she learned from her. Unfortunately, our timelines didn't align on night time support, but I'm glad she was available to assist me at birth. When I first met Ana, I was blown away by how comfortable she made me feel. I didn't know much about doula services, but she was able to explain her role in my birth and it made me feel more at ease with delivering a child. At our meeting, we went over my birth plan in detail, specific exercises / stretches for a natural birth, and she patiently answered my long list of questions. After the meeting, she also made sure to stay in constant contact and send me helpful materials. When it came time for me to deliver, Ana was my biggest advocate. I had a less than ideal birth experience and I was so fortunate that Ana was there to communicate to the nurses and midwives, and to reiterate my birth plan to make sure it was being respected and followed. Ana is probably the reason why I didn't deliver in a tiny triage room! I also decided to not get an epidural and Ana made me feel supported every step of the way. She knew exactly what to do to help minimize the pain or at least distract me from it. During active labor, she continued to guide me until my baby was delivered healthily and safely. After, she stayed to make sure that I was okay before she left us to bond with our baby. Working with doulas has been the best decision during pregnancy / birth and postpartum, and getting the chance to work with Ana was a joy! Ana really focuses on making sure the mommy to be is heard, comfortable and empowered throughout the time she works with someone. Our family can't recommend her enough as she played a pivotal role in welcoming our baby to this world.

My partner and I were looking into birth doulas once I hit the third trimester, and one of my…read morefriends who had recently given birth recommended Ana to me. I couldn't have been happier to receive this referral after working with Ana. Our work together started with an initial zoom call to see if we would be a good match. From the first meeting, I felt very welcomed by Ana. She was very professional and answered every question we had. I really appreciated the timeline and contents of each meeting. Ana was very clear during our meetings and always made herself available to us via text. The meetings were a combination of zoom calls, phone calls, and an in person visit before the birth and one postpartum. She was very knowledgeable not only about birth itself, but also about how to advocate for moms during labor at the hospital. I'm not the fondest of the hospital setting, and Ana did a fantastic job at making me feel safe and respected at the hospital. I really couldn't thank her more for this. As someone who was skeptical about even getting a birth doula in the first place, I couldn't recommend Ana more.

Disclaimer: New to the Alameda County area and a first time mom who was looking for prenatal yoga…read morecourses. Instructor: Kind, compassionate, reassuring. I trusted Anandi as I had seen she has worked with Kaiser in the past and was offering zoom courses during the pandemic. Consult: Didn't know what to expect. She did offer a one-one consult first to practice breathing and what type of poses we would do and/ or have customized throughout the courses. Course: Enjoyed that the course was more intimate, smaller, which allowed her to point out what positions/ poses were best for individuals who have limits/ certain aches and pains. Tried to join in on some of Monday AMs but mostly participated Thursday evenings. Joined from mid-2nd trimester until the end; Anandi made sure to take her time and practiced mantras and focused on breathing which helped calmed me down and focus on strength. Good for beginners as I didn't have much experience.

I started going to Anandi's prenatal yoga classes (online) when I was 12 weeks pregnant and she has…read morebeen one of the most amazing yoga teachers. She will always check in with you at the beginning and end of the class and provide tips on how to make your pregnancy and labor experience better. She is kind and empathic so I can see why she has a group of long-term students who come back to attend her classes each week. I really enjoy the intimate setting and size of the classes. Attending the Alyce yoga classes did not only help me stay active but also helped me develop a stronger mindset going into labor. Each class ends with a little meditation session which is always relaxing. If you are pregnant or even if you are not and are looking for a good yoga class, I would highly recommend joining Alyce online yoga classes.

America, our night doula, was the single biggest source of confidence, comfort and wisdom for the…read morefirst, foundational months of our baby's life. We were lucky enough to have her for 3 nights a week, for 12 weeks. The first thing I noticed about her was how she behaved when she met our son. This was our first night home from the hospital and we were exhausted, overwhelmed and nervous. She picked him up and just stared into his eyes. She immediately connected with him and he immediately felt safe with her. As a new mom, I learned something from this interaction alone. From there, America helped us in key, specific ways that empowered us and gave us confidence. She helped me with feeding - how to read his cues, pumping best practices, what to worry about and what not to. She helped us establish a daytime routine that could set us up for more restful nights. And she helped us create consistency and a soothing environment to promote sleep. At 12 weeks, our son was sleeping soundly from 8pm - 6:30am. She was also incredibly respectful in our home and always on time. I can't reiterate it enough: Having America was the most pivotal investment we made in our baby and our family's wellbeing. She has three kids of her own and has been working as a night doula for 12 years. She's able to commute almost places in the Bay Area. She also is eligible for Carrot reimbursement if you or your spouse's employer offers that benefit.

Shortly after finding out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to find a postpartum doula. It was my…read morefirst baby and my family doesn't live close, so I knew the extra help at nights would be so valuable. Once I met America, I instantly felt comfortable around her and knew she would be a great fit for our family. I ended up having some blood pressure issues and was induced early. Shortly after birth, our baby stopped breathing and was diagnosed with a severe grade 4 brain bleed. It was incredibly tough not knowing when we'd get to bring our boy home, but America continued to reach out and check-in. After a 2 week NICU stay, we finally got to bring our baby home. Leading up to discharge we had many meetings with doctors and specialists about our son's conditions and potential limitations and we were exhausted and overwhelmed. When America came to our house our first night home with him, she picked up my son and looked at him like he was the most precious thing and it made me feel like everything was going to be okay. Right away America helped us establish a feeding and sleeping routine that worked for us. Our baby quickly started gaining weight and we started feeling more confident. Unfortunately we got tough news that he'd need to have surgery at only a month old. America rearranged her schedule to be with us the night before he went into surgery and the night we returned from the hospital. Even my husband who was initially a little skeptical about hiring a postpartum doula, said it was the best investment we could've made for our own health and for our son. Overall, I can't recommend America enough! She is professional, always on time, and most importantly she offers kindness, caring and love when moms and babies need it the most!

Renee was a truly a blessing to our family while we prepared to have our first baby. After…read moreexperiencing doctors' appointments where it felt like we had maybe 10 minutes to get all of our questions out, it was a relief to be able to sit with Renee until all our questions were answered. Once labor began, she didn't hesitate to come down and help us through the tough beginning. As the husband during labor, it feels like you need to be in 3 places at once, so having Renee to help made it much more manageable. She helped us form a realistic birth plan, supported us, and advocated for us even when we were faced with friction from the medical staff! After our baby was born, she continually checked on us and helped out with the tricky lactation learning curve. I can't imagine what the birth of our first baby would have been like without Renee there through the whole process. We're so thankful for her loving care. She's very clearly passionate about her work, and we couldn't have asked for better.

Renee was a lifesaver in the early days of breastfeeding. I frantically contacted her on a weekend…read moreafter a sleepless night and she was available to come to our home that day. She did a weight check on baby, observed our latch, offered tips for both breast and bottle feeding, as well as for pumping. I felt so seen, heard, and supported during this difficult moment. Renee is amazing!!

Working with Juliana was a great experience. This was my third baby, and I specifically wanted a…read moredoula for emotional support and guidance through an unmedicated birth and she exceeded all my expectations. Juliana was incredibly supportive, knowledgeable, and attentive throughout the entire process. I really appreciated how she took the time to listen to my needs and consistently checked in for feedback, making sure I felt comfortable and heard every step of the way. Her presence brought a sense of calm and confidence during labor that made such a difference. I'm so grateful to have had her support and would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a compassionate and skilled doula.

We couldn't be more grateful for the exceptional support we received from Doulas Institute…read morethroughout both our pregnancy and postpartum journey. We had interviewed many Doulas til we talked to Jessica who imparted high confidence in her skills and that of the doulas in her group. Pregnancy Doula Experience: Maria Maria, our pregnancy doula, was incredible from the moment we met her. Her warmth and calming presence immediately put my wife at ease, which was definitely necessary given her high anxiety. Maria highly was available through text, and when the contractions started she came to the hospital and her skills were greatly appreciated as the pain was immense. My wife and I highly recommend Maria. Postpartum Doula Experience: Alan On the postpartum side, Jessica paired us with Alan as our night doula, and he was a lifesaver. Initially, we tried to manage the sleepless nights on our own, but after the first month, the exhaustion became overwhelming. Alan was very reliable and came twice a week for over a month, without him we would have had a much harder time. Alan helped us from 10pm to 6am, but also with strong knowledge on how to better take care of our son when it came to sleep information. He assisted as well by doing the baby's laundry and cleaning the bottles when the baby was sleeping. Alan has our high recommendation!! We can't recommend Doulas Institute, especially Maria and Alan, enough. They are professional, have high levels of expertise, and performed with great care for us and our baby. They made this experience more manageable and memorable. If you're considering getting a doula for your pregnancy, you can't go wrong with Doulas Institute!

Gaby was our night doula for our newborn from the first night we came home from the hospital until…read morehe was 3 mos old. She was very helpful and we trusted her completely with our newborn son. Well worth it.

Gabby was our night doula when our newborn was 3 to 6 weeks old, and she was a huge help. She…read moremagically got my son to sleep during the night for long stretches while my husband and I fumbled to get him to sleep for a couple hours. She was punctual and a great communicator by phone or text. If I left instructions for her regarding feeding or sleep, she followed them no problem. She also gave us advice on witching hour and other ideas on how to improve our particular baby's sleep needs, which we continued to use after she stopped working for us.

I could not imagine giving birth without Shauna's soothing voice and loving presence!…read more I had some previous experience with Shauna at a restorative yoga workshop and her warm and gentle nature helped guide me into a deep relaxation. Additionally, three of my friends hired Shauna as their doula and had amazing things to say about her, so once I got pregnant I knew that I wanted her to be my doula too. She met with us a few times while I was pregnant to discuss birthing plans and lactation, as well as offering a folder of information and helpful books. I also got an incredible restorative yoga session!! But it was the day of my second daughter's birth that she exhibited her true gift as a doula. Shauna acted as a lighthouse and I looked to her for guidance. From the moment when the wave of contractions got closer and closer together, I messaged her and she was the one who called my love to let him know he needed to come home from work to take me to the hospital. To the middle of labor when I wanted to proverbially "jump ship", she was there reminding me of my inner and physical strength. Her voice was gentler yet louder than the voice in my head that was saying, "I can't". To the hand delivery of my placenta to her colleague who created pills and a tincture for postpartum. Shauna was an integral part of my incredible experience giving birth naturally. I would definitely hire her again!!!

Shauna is such a lovely human being, both inside and out. We knew right away when we met her that…read moreshe would be the perfect doula for our pregnancy and birth. She's incredibly sweet, ridiculously funny, and is so comfortable to be around. She felt like family during all of our interactions with her. Thanks to the sessions that we had with her, I was able to have a pretty manageable birth experience. Our little one arrived early at 36 weeks. Everything happened so quickly that Shauna barely made it to the hospital before he was born about 30 minutes after her arrival. Due to some complications, things didn't exactly go as planned, but keeping the wisdom that she shared with us in mind, I was able to come out of the ordeal fairly unscathed with a healthy little preemie. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to have a positive and supportive pregnancy and birth.

Talia was recommended by another Doula who was unavailable during our birth window. We hit it off…read morewith Talia right away - she is warm, engaging, and clearly passionate about what she does. She squeezed in two prenatal visits even though we didnt reach out to her until late in our third trimester and I ended up going 10 days early. She also texted almost every day to see how I was feeling, get updates from the OB, and offer advice. Our actual labor ended up far from plan - my water broke aggressively and we were unable to labor at home. Our son was sunny side up, resulting in excruciating back labor for ~16 hours mostly unmedicated. Despite wanting a natural labor, I ended up with an epidural, then pitocin, and, eventually, an urgent c-section (squished cord and pelvis too small). Through all of this, I was very grateful to have Talia. The physical support she provided during the unmedicated back labor was critical. She spent over 12 hours doing hip squeezes, other back/hip massage technique, and assisted in the shower (as well as guiding my husband through much of the same). She also provided calming elements like aromatherapy, LED candles, and reminded me to eat and drink. She also struck a good balance between offering advice/guidance and deferring when necessary to the Drs/nurses. Would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a Doula. While Talia is still a relatively new doula, what she lacks in experience she makes up for in attitude and personality.

Talia is an awesome doula! I felt so lucky having her as my birth doula. She has a ton of knowledge…read moreabout all things related to pregnancy, child birth and breastfeeding. She worked with us to create our birth plan. She texted daily to see how I was doing as it got closer to my due date. Due to other circumstances I ended up having a c section and Talia was right there to support both my myself and my husband. She even helped to get us breastfeeding very quickly which I was so grateful for! Honestly I don't know what I would have done without her. I feel so lucky to have had her as my doula. Post birth she checked in often and was always available to answer any questions we had or if we needed an extra set of hands to help with our daughter. If you are looking for a birth or postpartum doula I HIGHLY recommend Talia.