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.

​I cannot say enough wonderful things about Nova. If you are looking for a postpartum doula who is…read moreprofessional, deeply intuitive, and truly goes above and beyond, look no further. ​It had been 6 years since I last had a newborn, and to be honest, I was feeling incredibly rusty. Nova was an absolute lifesaver in easing me back into the groove of infant care, bringing a sense of calm confidence into our home right when I needed it most. ​While she is fantastic with babies, what truly sets Nova apart is how much she focuses on the entire family unit. She didn't just care for my newborn; she took incredible care of me as a recovering mother. She anticipated my needs before I even knew them--constantly ensuring I stayed hydrated, offering much-needed massages, and knowing exactly the right level of support to offer. She balances warmth with the utmost professionalism. ​On top of that, she was a massive help around the house, seamlessly taking over everyday household tasks so I could actually rest. She also went out of her way to engage and entertain my 6-year-old son, making sure he felt included and special during a time of big transitions. ​Nova doesn't just do a job; she brings peace, order, and genuine care into your home. We are so incredibly grateful for her support!

Nova is such a wonderful human being. I hired her as a postpartum doula last minute. She was so…read morewarm and welcoming from our very first text exchange. When she came to my home she made me feel at ease and is so great with my son. She has a huge heart with good intentions and takes care of the whole family, not just the baby.. I couldn't say enough positive things to share how much of a difference she made to our family.

Short answer: Hire a doula, if you can afford it, it is so worth it!…read more Long review: I worked with birth doulas from BBD for both of my births (2024 and 2026). I was extremely nervous about giving birth, and my main goal the first time was just to not have trauma. Thanks to amazing support from our doulas, I discovered not only did I not have trauma, but I also find giving birth such a transformative and positive experience, something I never even considered a possibility for me. I worked with Tamara and Sage for my first birth, a late-term induction and vaginal delivery (both attended), and Tamara and Kim for my second, spontaneous labor and vaginal delivery (Kim attended). A goal in both my births was to wait until transition to get an epidural, and thanks to Sage helping me ride contractions and helping my spouse keep me comfortable I was able to wait as I had hoped. In my second birth, I used techniques I had learned from Sage as well as new ones from Kim to stay so comfortable laboring that I got to the hospital pretty late without realizing how far labor had progressed! I never considered an unmedicated birth a possibility for me, but due to doula support allowing me to stay comfortable I think I would give it a try if I have another baby. Doula support was key to keeping me out of my "fear brain", as in both births, things happened that I didn't understand and they were able to explain them, both on the phone and in person at the hospital. This allowed me to keep calm. We didn't do the birth class due to our schedules, so did 2 prenatal visits instead both times. These were helpful in getting to know the doulas, but also they gave a wealth of recommendations for birth and for postpartum - for instance, Tamara suggested identifying a lactation consultant before birth, which was an amazing suggestion given that I needed lactation support immediately with my first and I would have not lined this up without her suggestion. We really like the 2 doula model, also, which seems pretty unique. We highly recommend BBD!

I had the best experience with Breathe Bitch Doula! Louise and Mahri were incredible. They made me…read morefeel so supported and relaxed throughout my whole journey. They are set up to tag team so one of them is guaranteed to be there for the brith which was so helpful to know that someone would be there no matter what. They helped prep me and we amazing resources throughout my pregnancy, obviously during labor, and even postpartum. I'd text them with all my "my baby is doing this is it normal" questions. I want them there for any future pregnancies and labor!

Courtney is the most amazing midwife! I truly couldn't have asked for a more perfect match for my…read morehome birth. She has a kind, patient, and calming soul that brought peace to my heart and mind each and every time that I saw her. From the hour long prenatal appointments, to the calming presence at my birth, she really blew us away with her care. During my delivery, our baby was found to have shoulder dystocia. Although a scary event, Courtney remained calm and used her knowledge, expertise, and care to manipulate the situation and deliver my little girl safe and sound. She made my entire postpartum experience so enjoyable and special for my family and I. She even took the time to teach my older daughter all about the placenta. I highly recommend her to anyone considering a home birth. We will definitely be using her again if we have another little angel in the future. Thank you so much, Courtney!!

Courtney changed my life and opened my eyes to what birth can really be! A powerful and life…read morechanging/transformative experience and I will forever be grateful to her. Her wisdom, patience, and love for what she does shines through and is inspiring. My care under Courtney was exceptional. She was my midwife, doula, managed my placenta and even became a friend I couldn't be happier with my birth experience

I honestly don't even know where to start! I met Joanna through a yoga studio in North park because…read moreshe did prenatal massages in the studio. I was about 3 months pregnant when I started getting massages with her once a week. And off the bat, her and I clicked so well! She's truly so amazing and so passionate at everything she does! She made my pregnancy a breeze! I could do it over and over again! I call her my pregnancy and birth angel! I knew that I wanted a doula as I was preparing for a natural birth, so when I found out that it is one of the services she offered, I already knew she was it and I didn't even have to look around and interview anyone else. Throughout pregnancy she gave so many pointers and advice and I see the difference it has made with my daughter. On the day I was giving birth, she was at the hospital within minutes, she was there the whole entire 37 hours and maybe took a 4 hour nap within the whole time. I cant even go into detail about all the things she's done during my birth.. I guess it's more like what didn't she do for us?! Lol but after I gave birth, she took my placenta and sterilized it, and encapsulated it at her home, came back a few hours later with my own placenta shake. People might find that gross but it was actually really yummy, tasted like mixed fruit smoothie, you can't even taste the placenta. I took my placenta for about 3 months. Never had postpartum depression and it helped me feel energized! Even though I ended up with a c-section, I was up doing chores within 5 days after birth! I didn't feel tired or lazy as long as I was taking my pills! My mom and sisters even had to force me to stop doing everything I was doing. My placenta pills helped reduce post-natal bleeding and also helped with my milk production but since my daughter couldn't latch as she was 3.5 weeks early it got very hard and after 2.5 months, I dried up. A couple of weeks after my birth, Joanna massaged me focusing on my stomach to reduce the bloating and to start moving everything to get back to my pre pregnancy state. She also used cupping during the massage to help promote healing. I had the herbal steam bath done, which was amazing! Afterwards I felt so brand new down there and so clean.. I did bleed heavily after but I felt it took out all the gunk that was there for the last 9 months lol (sorry..tmi)! She's given my daughter infant massages and she taught me how to do them as well, which I do on my daughter everyday for bonding. I can't even tell you what a good and calm baby I have and I honestly believe it's because of how easy and relaxing my whole pregnancy was! Every service I've received through Joanna, she's blown me away by her work and passion every time! I love her so much and honestly wouldn't give birth without her, and that is coming from my partner as well! Even if we had to fly her out somewhere as long as she's there lol! Absolutely amazing and I'm so blessed to have found her!

Joanna is AWESOME! She provided incredible support and healing remedies to me postpartum. The…read moreherbal remedies helped me heal quickly; her binding helped my ligaments reattach; the stretching methods kept me strong and relaxed; and her outstanding postnatal massage utterly restored my being. She has my strongest recommendation for herbal remedies, prenatal and postnatal massage and postpartum doula services.

As a dad-to-be, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect going into a hypnobirthing class. If I'm being…read morehonest, I was a little skeptical at first--"hypno" anything sounded a bit out there to me. But I signed up to support my wife, and I'm really glad I did. This class completely changed how I see birth and my role in it. Instead of feeling like a bystander, I walked away feeling informed, useful, and actually confident in how I can support my wife during labor. The techniques we learned--breathing, relaxation, visualization--aren't just for moms. I found myself using them too, and they've already helped us both stay calmer leading up to the big day. What stood out most was how much emphasis was placed on teamwork. I learned specific, practical ways to advocate for my wife, help her stay relaxed, and create a positive environment no matter how the birth unfolds. It made me feel like an active participant instead of just "the guy in the room." The instructor, Care, was very knowledgeable, approachable, and never made any question feel silly. She made the classes very comfortable and even pretty funny at times. The class also struck a great balance between education and hands-on practice, so it didn't feel like we were just sitting through lectures. If you're a partner on the fence about taking a hypnobirthing class--do it. Even if you're skeptical like I was, you'll come away with tools, confidence, and a much deeper understanding of what your partner is going through. Honestly, it's one of the best things we've done together to prepare for becoming parents.

I gave birth a couple months ago, and decided to go through Care's Hypnobirthing class, and also…read moreuse her for my placenta encapsulation, and I can't recommend her highly enough! From the very first class, it was clear that Care is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about empowering expectant parents. Her approach to hypnobirthing and breathing techniques was not only informative but also calming and reassuring for both me and my partner. We completed it feeling much more prepared and confident for the birth experience ahead. Care provided a wealth of resources, ensuring we had everything we needed to make informed decisions about our birthing plan. She was always responsive to our questions, both during the classes and even after the birth, which made a world of difference in our journey. It's rare to find someone who continues to support you even after the classes are over. Overall, the entire experience with Care was amazing. Her warmth, expertise, and dedication to her clients truly set her apart. If you're looking for guidance and support in your birth preparation, look no further than Care Messer at the Birth Education Center!

Aight, if you're on the fence about placenta encapsulation, just hit up Momma Love and call it a…read moreday. My wife and I had our baby on Monday, found Meriah through Google, and she was solid from start to finish. Her website is hella organized, communication was on point, and even though she's based in Encinitas, she drove all the way to UCSD to pick up our placenta and then delivered everything to our house in Chula Vista. That's love!! She's certified in food safety and foodborne illness prevention too, so you know she actually knows what she's doing. That gave us a lot of peace of mind. And man... we got way more than just capsules. She hooked us up with a tincture, placenta prints, umbilical cord heart, peri spray, raw smoothie cubes, a thank-you card. I was like, "Hold up... all this was included?!" Meriah goes above and beyond. Super kind, calm, professional, and just an all-around awesome human. I'll definitely be sending friends and family her way. Appreciate you, Meriah!

I am so happy that I chose to work with Mama Love Placenta Encapsulation!! Meriah is truly special…read moreand goes above and beyond to make the entire process smooth and easy, and also special! I am so thankful not only for the encapsulations but also all of the additional free offerings (frozen pieces, tincture, placenta print, etc) and all of the information and resources she provides! It is so apparent how much she cares!! 10/10 would recommend Thank you for everything!!

I could not be happier with my placenta encapsulation. I reached out to Trisha from Zoe Bella after…read moremy birthing doula recommended her placenta encapsulation services. Trisha explained the whole process to me and answered all of my questions. She even offered a print of my placenta before she encapsulated it. We unexpectedly had to stay a few days longer in the hospital while my son received care in the NICU and Trisha graciously offered to get me the capsules to me within 48 hours AND personally delivered them to the hospital herself. I could not have been more thankful because I was experiencing a lot of stress at the time and the capsules helped regulate me. I've been taking the capsules as Trisha described for 6 weeks now and I have not experienced any postpartum blues, no dips in my mood or emotional rollercoasters. I've even experienced a surge of energy similar to having a cup of coffee about an hour after taking them (without the caffeine crash) which has been so helpful in the postpartum days caring for a little one. I would HIGHLY recommend any expecting mama to get her placenta encapsulated and would HIGHLY recommend Trisha at Zoe Bella for this service. You won't regret it!

Trisha is the best! I reached out just two weeks before my baby arrived, and she still managed to…read moreencapsulate my placenta for me. She was incredibly communicative, answered every question I had, and made the whole process feel so easy. I was honestly shocked by how fast she worked--she encapsulated everything and hand-delivered the pills so quickly. When she dropped them off, she even helped me with some breastfeeding questions I had, which meant so much to me as a first-time mom. And the cord artwork that comes with the pills is absolutely beautiful--something I'll treasure forever. This was my first baby, so I don't have another postpartum to compare it to, but I truly believe these pills made a positive difference. I had zero PPD or PPA, my milk supply was super healthy, and overall I had such a smooth postpartum experience. I'll definitely do this again for my next baby. Amazing experience! I recommend Trisha to all mamas--because honestly, when else do you get the chance to eat your own placenta?!

I hired the Airalia and Brent Keime after listening to them speak about the benefits of placenta…read moreencapsulation as guests Preggie Pals podcast. They thoroughly answered my questions and concerns prior to me making the decision. They were flexible with timing with us dropping off the placenta, which is important as new parents. They were easy to communicate with and get ahold of. They were kind, professional, and thorough with our phone consultation. Airalia delivered the capsules in a beautifully wrapped box, along with the umbilical cord which was beautifully preserved in a coiled shape, and an art print of the placenta which will go in our scrapbook. The service is definitely worth their price. My baby is now three weeks old and I am still taking the capsules. This is my first baby so I have nothing to compare to in regards to how I feel, but I feel like I am reaping the benefits of taking the capsules, as I seem to have more energy than most new moms, and my bleeding completely stopped after only two weeks. My nails are incredibly long and strong, I'm producing lots of quality milk (my baby gained a pound in a week!) and I have no signs post-partum depression. I absolutely recommend encapsulating your placenta and hiring The Placenta Whisperer.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Airalia and Brent! Their passion and knowledge of…read morebirthing is profound. I recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and decided to encapsulate my placenta. Airalia helped guide me through the process and was so informative on the benefits. I loved the entire experience and would do it all again.

Miquela was my doula for the birth of my daughter in July 2017. We met several times before the big…read moreday; Miquela came over and talked my husband and I through ideas of how he could support me in labor, and her and I took a lovely walk together. On the day of, Miquela was there for us, helping us to labor longer at home. She rode to the hospital with us, and helped keep me comfortable on the ride. One really incredible thing about Miquela is her photography skills! She took some amazing pictures of us right when our girl was born. Miquela also processes placenta pills, which I did, and found to be helpful in regulating my hormones postpartum.

This review is based on a recent transaction with Miquela for placenta encapsulation. I learned of…read moreMiquela through my wife's cousin WHILE in the hospital for my daughter's birth. We were having a discussion about placenta processing and Miquela's name came up. She is professional, prompt, and convenient. She came to us to retrieve my wife's placenta and she returned with the capsules within 36 hours. I would definitely recommend her to any of my friends.