We had a great experience with our doula, Katie. She was incredibly supportive during those first…read morefew weeks with our newborn and helped us so much. She was kind, caring, and always made us feel supported. She truly felt like the big sister I needed during such an important time. The only downside of my experience was the lactation support. I only attended two sessions because, unfortunately, they were very stressful. During the first visit, the lactation consultant arrived late, seemed rushed, and left me with a few nipple shields that ultimately didn't work well for me. At the end, I didn't end up using them because they weren't helpful. The second session felt very similar. It also felt rushed and stressful, and my baby became stressed as well. Because of those experiences, I decided not to continue with the lactation sessions. Overall, I'm very grateful for Katie's support, and she made a huge positive difference during our postpartum journey.

My husband and I had an incredible experience working with our night doula, Jacqui. From the very…read morebeginning, she brought such a calming, warm, and reassuring presence into our home and immediately put us at ease as new parents. She is extremely knowledgeable and experienced, and naturally wonderful with newborns. Not only did our daughter thrive under her care, but my husband and I were finally able to get much needed rest and feel more confident as parents. Jacqui also taught us so much along the way and always made us feel supported, never judged. We are so grateful for her help during those early months and truly cannot recommend her highly enough to any family looking for a compassionate and highly skilled doula.

So much gratitude to this amazing doula duo!!…read more From the first time we met with April and Joy we felt comfortable and confident in our decision to work together. We are from out of town and I came down to San Diego first as my husband had to finish work and it was very reassuring to have April and Joy as part of our birth team in case I went into labor earlier than expected. Throughout my pregnancy all the resources, check ins, and words of encouragement that April and Joy provided were much appreciated. They were also very quick to respond to any questions/concerns that I had. The morning of my delivery my surges came in very quickly. I contacted Joy and April right away and shortly after had a phone conversation with Joy to confirm it was time to head to the hospital. She met my husband and I there and it was such a relief to see and have her support during the most challenging part of my labor. Her calming presence, hands on comfort measures were invaluable and she worked so harmoniously with the hospital staff. The photos she captured of our first moments with our second born are truly priceless. After delivery I had unexpected bleeding and I'm so thankful to have Joy's knowledge on the different types of medications. She helped slowed things down and explained the benefits of them for my case and I felt confident in my decision making. I am incredibly thankful for April's belly binding offering postpartum. The foot bath and belly massage was such a treat and it was a lovely way to wrap up our time together with her. There isn't a single thing I would have changed with my birth experience. April and Joy are a fantastic team, highly highly recommend them!

Working with Joyful Roots was truly one of the best decisions we made, and I can honestly say that…read moreJoy and April are the number one thing I credit for helping me have such a beautiful, positive birth experience. Before giving birth, I was someone who felt really nervous and unsure about the whole experience. But after going through it, I genuinely tell everyone that I loved giving birth, which is something I never thought I would say! That is such a testament to the incredible support and care Joy and April provided throughout my pregnancy, labor, and postpartum experience. My hope going into birth was to labor naturally at home as long as possible and remain open to getting an epidural once I was at the hospital and further along in active labor. They helped me achieve exactly that. While we were laboring at home, April was the one on the phone coaching my husband and me through contractions, helping us feel safe and calm. She offered different suggestions for positions and comfort measures that made such a difference. My husband shared after that he would have been freaking out much more and probably would have pushed going to the hospital earlier if it was not for her guidance. When Joy met us at the hospital, I instantly felt a huge sense of comfort and relief the moment I saw her. She was tremendously helpful supporting me through contractions with her touch through different comfort measures. After I got the epidural, she continued to be so knowledgeable and helped position me in ways that encouraged baby to be in the best possible position for birth. He was more to the side before but she made such a difference in getting him in a great position. What stood out most to me was how deeply seen and understood I felt by her. She was so in tune with my needs, emotions, and what I needed in each moment in a way that felt different from anyone else present in the room at my birth. Her presence was grounding and incredibly reassuring. Even after I gave birth, when I was feeling overwhelmed by all the emotions and hormones, she noticed immediately and supported me so thoughtfully and gently. That care meant so much to me. I know hiring a doula is an investment, but truly, it was one of the greatest gifts I could have given myself, my family, and my birth experience. If you are considering working with Joyful Roots, I cannot recommend Joy and April enough.

Annika was an absolute godsend during those early newborn days and an incredible support as a…read morefirst-time mom. She came highly recommended by a friend and completely lived up to the recommendation. Every night, she arrived on time with a smile and was immediately ready to help with the baby. She did an amazing job protecting my sleep while also making sure my baby's needs were always met with so much care and attention. What really stood out was how knowledgeable and up-to-date she is on the latest research and evidence-based newborn care recommendations. I felt completely safe, supported, and at ease knowing my baby was in such capable hands throughout the night. If you are looking for a reliable, compassionate, and experienced night doula, I cannot recommend Annika enough. She made such a huge difference for our family during a very special -- and exhausting -- time.

We cannot recommend Annika highly enough. She was warm, completely consistent, and totally…read moreprofessional--every single night. There was never a moment of doubt that our child was in good hands. We truly cannot imagine navigating that season without her.

If you are thinking about reaching out to Aly at New Wave consider this your sign to DO IT…read moreIMMEDIATELY! It will be the best decision you make for yourself and your new family. From the earliest days of postpartum, Aly met me with kindness, calm, and such deep knowledge that I instantly felt supported and safe. She gently taught me the intricacies of breastfeeding and lactation, helped me understand my newborn in ways that felt empowering instead of overwhelming, and somehow always knew what I needed before I even had to ask. She cared for my baby overnight on several occasions so I could actually rest, but we spent a lot of our time together during the day when she cooked meals, helped keep my space together, and made those foggy early weeks feel manageable and human. But what makes Aly so special is that she never just cared for my son--she cared for me. She encouraged me to take showers, watched the baby while I squeezed in a workout once the time felt right for my body, and slowly helped guide me back to feeling like myself again. Her support was lighthearted and warm, yet deeply grounding. She brought peace into our home during such a tender, vulnerable season, and I will forever be grateful for the way she showed up for our family. Aly is a gift, and anyone lucky enough to have her as their doula is truly in the best hands.

I am a true believer of postpartum doula care after working with Aly and her team! As a first time…read moreparent, I was really nervous about raising a baby and the toll postpartum takes on a new mom. The care I received from Aly's team made a HUGE difference in my experience. We worked with Aly, Naomi, Ledale, and Tori - who provided night support for 6 weeks. I couldn't recommend them enough. Everyone was focused on both newborn education and the mental/physical wellbeing of parents. It was so nice to have someone to talk to about my baby - what her personality is like, care goals to work on, and just providing humor to the whole experience. Naomi, our primary doula, went above and beyond at this and I was sad to see her go after our 6 weeks was up. I wish everyone could have this type of support postpartum because it made the newborn trenches so much better.

Candace was a wonderfully supportive lactation consultant, and made my breastfeeding journey with…read moremy first child feel so much more grounded; and I felt so much less alone. She helped me through issues that popped up at various stages, such as an oversupply on one boob that made it impossible for my baby to feed on that side, which meant I was engorged and he wasn't getting enough! And taught me techniques and different positions that worked like a charm. When she was out on maternity leave I visited her partner Wendy, who helped me through a difficult time where my 8-month old was no longer interested in feeding. She offered emotional support and suggestions for things to try. Candace has built a wonderful community around support for mothers and their babies. I met Candace through the weekly lactation support group that she hosts, and not only received frequent care from her, but found comfort in the comeraderie of the other new moms who were going through such a similar experience at the same time--many of which I'm still friends with today. I would recommend her to anyone, no matter where you are on this journey!

After a very difficult journey to get pregnant, I welcome my baby girl just 2 weeks ago but nothing…read morewent according to plan and I felt like I was struggling with everything that should "come naturally" to a mom. I was recommended Candace to help me navigate through all my questions and worries and it was a game changer to say the least!!! Right away she listened to all my concerns and I felt like she was really listening and cared about our family. She went above and beyond in following up and made some amazing suggestions, for feedings, that took away so much stress and frustration. I don't know what I would have done without her! Highly highly recommend!

Marjorie is the most amazing woman we've encountered pregnant/postpartum…read more She does it all and we couldn't be more greatfull - baby laundry, tidying up, making momma bear AMAZING salads and snack. Helping me nurse, teaching sleep queues and routines. We love her like family and felt comfortable from her first day in our home. Everyone needs a Marjorie in their life, especially on their postpartum journey. She was a tremendous benefit to my physical health and both mine and my husbands mental health.

WE LOVE MARJORIE!! She worked with us for over 3 months, 7 nights a week as a night nanny for our…read moretwin boys when they were 2-5 months old. Marjorie was FANTASTIC! I was nervous at first to hire a night nanny because it can be uncomfortable having a stranger in your house tending to your babies at night while you sleep, but we felt COMPLETELY comfortable with Marjorie in our house. She was always calm, happy and trustworthy. It was wonderful knowing Marjorie was there to take care of the babies so we could sleep peacefully and wake up fully rested. Honestly, I would recommend her to anyone. She always showed up on time (never late once), she knew what needed to be done around the house without needing to be asked (such as washing bottles & baby laundry), and most importantly, she took excellent care of our babies. Our #1 priority for whomever we hired was that they needed to be gentle and kind with our babies - Marjorie exceeded our expectations. She clearly has a lot of experience, and we could tell during her interview that she was going to be a great nanny for the boys. I'm happy to be a reference for anyone interested in hiring her. We'll DEFINITELY call her for our next round of babies :)

Kiersten Markham is a gem…read more As a man going through all of this, I had my world rocked in the most amazing way. My wife and I took her Conscious Conception for Couples course and honestly at a very deep level we know we are ready to bring a life into this world. From her visualizations to navigating our birth stories with our parents or the homework that kept us in tune and accountable, we not only learned more about ourselves but we were able to heal so many aspects of our lives. Through talking to our parents, it was eye-opening to hear how uninvolved men/dads were with the entire process of conception, pregnancy and birth back then and how this has absolutely affected us today as a society. Or how women were told that our patriarchal healthcare system knows more about their bodies than they do themselves... to have my mom talk about my birth was a massive step on its own but for us to reconcile much of our relationship, well, that speaks for itself. Conception, pregnancy and birth as fundamentally what has been responsible for life on earth for eons of time........ this procreative process does not need more unconscious men trying to control it whether it's husbands or our healthcare system, it needs us to be MORE conscious and yet be a part of creating and holding space for the wonder and awe that it is. Kiersten has changed our lives of not only for ourselves as individuals but as a couple who will now populate our planet with much more conscious beings. We are so blessed and excited :) This might be a weird thing for most guys to consider doing BUT trust the process. Trust Kiersten, her wisdom and her expertise... she has been doing brilliant work with this community for years and she's not just excellent, she has made an indelible imprint on our family for generations......

Kiersten's Conscious Conception course is a must for any couple planning on starting a family. This…read morecourse really dug into our own birth experiences, our parents and even grandparents births and childhoods. Through visualizations, meditations and connecting with our partner with the weekly assignments it not only brought me closer to my partner but it made me feel more connected to our spirit baby. Kiersten is an excellent resource for all things birth all the while being the absolute sweetest person on the planet. She deeply cares for everyone's situations and stories and offers heartfelt guidance and wisdom in creating the conception and birth of your dreams. I feel so grateful to have taken such a spiritual and intimate course. I highly highly recommend it.

Beth was a godsend…read more We started having her when our daughter was two month. I had this feeling that I could rely on her immediately. She is such a loving and caring person who cares for your baby as her own child. I can ask her anything about babies. She told us we can contact her anytime and knowing that there's somebody there for you with no judgments is HUGE for a first time mama. After a month, our baby started to sleep better and no longer needed her help. Even so she'll check in with us and we are still in touch. I highly recommend Beth to all the moms out there who need help!!

I hired Beth to support my husband and I with our first child. She stayed with us overnight when we…read morearrived home from the hospital. Due to the pandemic, many newborn and breastfeeding classes were not available and being new parents without family near, we knew we needed help. She was incredibly knowledgable and taught me the basics of breastfeeding and our sons cues. Breastfeeding was more complicated than I realized, and the knowledge she shared may not have been available in a classroom setting as every baby and momma is different. In addition she worked with us a during the day and helped me while in those critical first few weeks of the 4th trimester. She shared knowledge on baby basics (which nipple to use for bottles and how to clean them properly, tools my husband could use for soothing a baby, best lighting for night time feedings, etc.). She stayed very busy while with us and helped with baby-related chores, such as laundry, and encouraged us to relax while she watched over our son. Beth gave us the confidence we needed to care for our son and is a master at swaddling and soothing babies! She even sang him lullabies in Portuegese - which was incredibly adorable!