Troop saved my life!!! I could not have survived the newborn phase without the help of my doulas…read more They were all so caring, helpful and knowledgeable. Even though it can be tough to be separated from one's newborn baby, I felt so comfortable sleeping while my doula took care of him. Having overnight support allowed me to get the rest I needed to heal and gave me energy to spend time with my toddler during the day. Troop is like family to me! I would recommend them to anyone in need of support.

Pregnant and postpartum moms - DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY…read more We signed up for doulas for 12 weeks while I was pregnant and put down the deposit (roughly $10k). Our needs changed postpartum and when we went to update our timeline we were told that the deposit we put down would not be applied to the updated timeline - basically we were asking for $8k in services and even though we had already paid $10k we were told that we still needed to pay more. They quoted the handbook which was not noted in the contract we signed and we were never told of this "policy" while interviewing or signing the contract. We received the handbook after we had signed the contract. We worked out an agreement after pointing out how ridiculous this was and we felt it was still worth it to move forward as we were hopeful that they would provide the services they promised. Over the course of four visits we had two different doulas. Both were very polite and nice but had totally different levels of care. The first doula set timers on her phone to wake up and check on our daughter as well as wake and bring her to feed so that she didn't go too long without eating. As a mom that is EBF this was immensely helpful and she was great to work with. The second doula was polite but did not take care of our daughter. She slept so deeply that did not wake during my daughter's feeding cues/crying. I awoke to engorged breasts and when I checked the monitor I could see my daughter fussing in her bassinet while the doula slept on. I also saw that she had set the temperature of the room to 74 degrees. For a 6 week old that can't regulate heat this was VERY concerning. I went to wake my husband to figure out how we could change it to a safe temperature and then went downstairs and woke the doula while getting my daughter from the bassinet. My daughter was so overheated that she could barely finish one side even though she regularly finishes both. While I was feeding her, this doula fell asleep again and when I brought my daughter back she did not wake to me entering the room- I changed my daughter's diaper and only after returning with a light on did she wake up. We were scheduled to have her for the next month and my husband and I did not feel comfortable leaving our child in her care again. When I emailed the company to cancel (on a Thursday with our next visit being a Monday), I received an OOO message from Lynette Wilson the Director of Operations. The following day (Friday) I forwarded the message to the scheduling team and did not receive a response. When Lynette returned that following Monday she did not ask why we were suddenly cancelling but did try to tell us that she was going to charge us for not cancelling 24 hours before the shift even though the message was sent several days before. Only after I was able to get Lynette on the phone (you cannot contact anyone in the office directly) did she relent. I also brought up the concerns with the doula - again she did not once ask why. She did not seem to care or bother to offer solutions but rather wanted to end the conversation. We've spent $10k+ for 4 nights. Pregnant and postpartum moms - this company does not care about you or your child. Their team of overnight doulas is sporadic in their level of care and created an unsafe environment for my child. This company only cares about squeezing you for money during one of the most stressful and vulnerable times of your life.

Investing in Davinah's support as our postpartum doula was such an important decision for our…read morefamily. The first three months of motherhood were so much more difficult for me than I could have anticipated (even though I did as much preparing for the difficulty as I could have...the sleep deprivation and endless infant screaming still humbled us in a major way)! Having Davinah's presence to look forward to got me through. On multiple evenings when I reached what felt like the end of my capacity to mother, I would remind myself, "Only two more sleeps until Davinah comes.", that thought gave me the hope and energy to keep going. Her presence in our home gave us so much! Never before have I felt hosted in my own space. She was warm and attentive, and did everything from wiping down my kitchen counters to holding my fussy baby to giving me reassuring hugs while I wept on the couch. I felt like I could truly invite her into the mess of my home and emotional state. The postpartum months are uniquely vulnerable, and she was able to listen and respond to our families needs with so much thoughtfulness and depth. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- From my husband : as a new Dad, I didn't expect to need or want support from a postpartum doula but I can't imagine the transition into parenthood without Davinah. She works fluidly, flexibly, and tirelessly. I was so impressed by her ability to intuit our needs and remind us to take good care of ourselves. The mornings of sleeping in while Davinah fed or soothed the baby were magical. When we woke up breakfast was ready! It was such a blessing to have her support.

Davinah - she just breeds joy and empathy with a side of fierceness! I can hear her now saying…read more"that's real" and I learned so much from her about how to be a better listener. Davinah was a voice of reason during our prenatal stages. She helped us prepare for the unknown that was to come as new parents by giving us concrete tasks to plan for and questions to answer for ourselves. I think it really saved us during those first few weeks and months. I ended up having a scheduled c-section so we did not get to experience Davinah's full services in labor, birthing, but she was there with us all along the way as we navigated the hospital, OBs, etc. and showed up for us as a postpartum doula to help with the much needed basic care after friends and family had returned home and husband was back to work. If she does not know the answer to something, she's honest about it and directs you to a wealth of resources in the community. We wholeheartedly recommend Davinah for any expecting parents, whether it's your first time or not! You will feel heard, supported, advocated for, seen, and celebrated.

We interviewed a number of doulas but chose Ashley because although she did not have the most…read morereal-world experience of those we interviewed, she was the warmest and seemed most passionate about her job. Throughout my pregnancy, Ashley was quick to respond to my questions and requests, and I never once felt as though I was bothering her. She was quick to admit when she didn't know something and do the research needed to educate herself. She has a great sense of humor, a soothing demeanor, and escorted us through a very complicated birth process that saw us from birth center to hospital to emergency C-section. She remained alert, supportive, and calm from 1am until 10pm. When I chose my doula, I wanted not another "medical professional," but rather someone who felt like a friend who happened to be well-educated in labor and childbirth. Ashley was a perfect fit. I would recommend Ashley as a doula to anyone.

We had such a wonderful experience with Ashley. She was attuned to Mom's needs right from the…read morestart, listening closely to her concerns and asking the smartest questions to learn more about us. When she didn't have an answer to one of our questions she knew just where to find it. She was so warm, comfortable and respectful, we felt like she was part of our family. She told us we could call her any moment of the day or night, and she really meant it. When the time came for us to rush to the hospital, we called her at 2:00 am and she was awake and alert as if she had been waiting for our call, and she stayed that way through the entire birth process. Afterward she called and visited, and became a friend. Our daughter is now a cute and healthy 6 month old, and the whole family is adjusting well, which is the highest recommendation I can offer.

I cannot say enough good things about Cheryl. She is incredible and I hope she'll be my doula for…read moreall my future births. BACKGROUND on me/us. We decided when the pandemic hit that we wouldn't let it stop us from starting a family. I got pregnant in April of 2020, and in September, we moved from San Francisco to Seattle. Since this was my first, I wasn't sure what I was looking for. I visited Swedish First Hill thinking I might want a hospital birth, and interviewed three midwives and several (six, to be exact) doulas. When I met Cheryl, I knew I had found "the one." She was also the only person I spoke w/ that made me genuinely feel EXCITED about giving birth. PRE. Not only did Cheryl offer to meet me throughout my third trimester to do the stairs or go for walks, but she also hosts weekly prenatal yoga classes (over Zoom), which I'll be honest, were the *only* times I did yoga during my pregnancy. BIRTH. On the birth day, Cheryl was phenomenal. She comforted me not only w/ her words, but also her hands when I was laboring. She rubbed my back or my leg, which I later found out is not the standard for birth doulas, and suggested different positions for me as things progressed. She was so good about feeding me and making sure I was staying hydrated, too. (As an endurance athlete, I know for a fact I would have bonked had she not force fed me a banana, honey, and electrolytes.) She made me feel strong and safe throughout my entire labor. POST. After baby was born, Cheryl took such good care of my partner and me. She fed us, taught us how to swaddle baby, helped me through mastitis, and became someone we consider to be family. She encapsulated my placenta after making placenta art, too. Her intuition about what we needed was so spot on, it truly is a gift. I birthed a 9lb1oz baby w/o drugs or stitches at home, and I thank Cheryl (and my midwives) for that. We adore Cheryl and anyone would be lucky to have her.

As a first time mom, I was clueless about the labor and delivery process. As I was exposed to…read morevarious kinds of births, I came across the idea of having a birth doula to help both my husband and I through the process. Cheryl was everything we had hoped for and more. We connected with her immediately. I would reach out to her regularly during my pregnancy with questions and concerns, and she was very quick to respond and ease my nerves. We took a few prenatal classes with her which helped us understand labor and delivery better. I wanted to make sure my husband and I were also well versed with the possible interventions that could take place at a hospital birth. Cheryl did a great job of teaching us what the alternative options were in case things didn't go as planned. On the day of, Cheryl helped me labor at home and the hospital, which is exactly what I had hoped for. I wanted to labor at home for as long as possible before heading to the hospital, and I felt very secure knowing that Cheryl would know when is the best time. The majority of my labor was pretty intense back labor and Cheryl knew exactly what to do to help me get through the contractions. Our experience with the labor and delivery would never have been the same without Cheryl. I had an amazing experience thanks to her faith and support. After the birth, Cheryl came to our home a few times to check on us and help me breastfeed as well. Being with Cheryl on this journey felt like being with our family! It's been almost a year and a half since our daughters birth and we still keep in touch with her and enjoy speaking to her about parenthood! Cheryl was a Godsend, and we could not have imagined our daughters birth without her!

Christi performed placenta encapsulation for us after our baby girl was born and I highly recommend…read moreher for this service. The process took two days, and she spent about two hours in our home each day. She explained the whole process and took time to make sure I understood the instructions before she left. During "down time" she gave me some pointers on breastfeeding and some guidance on cluster feeding. She left our kitchen cleaner than it was before. :)

Christi Nixon at Emerald City Doula's was by far the very best person I was lucky to work with…read more Week 32 of my first pregnancy I was to suddenly change care from midwives to a specialty care. I was so stressed out, I decided to get myself a doula to help self advocate and boy was that the best choice! Wonderful Paula, who mans the office, got back to me immediately and helped reassure me that she was on the case and would help me quickly. I got a call that day and I was paired with Christi (who I was referred to). It's so strange having to choose a complete stranger to pay to be a close companion in little to no time. It turned out to be a perfect fit. After a long and troublesome induction I called Chrisi to Northwest and the nurses attitudes completely changed. Chrisi had a wonderful working relationship with the staff and I wish I'd called her sooner even if it meant going beyond the contracted time. In the end, with such a complicated and troublesome delivery, Christi was right there with me postpartum and helped me get through the most challenging parts of adjusting to parenthood. Her non judgement, compassion and empathy were life savers and what's best about having a postpartum doula is that they're there to help you specifically, so there is very little to no drama like you'd inevitably get with family. I also appreciated how available she was via text. She even helped coach me through my child's tongue tie and helped me find a wonderful lactation specialist who came to my home. Together we worked out breastfeeding and pumping and the very best gift of a postpartum doula was giving me one blissful full nights rest while she stayed up with my child. Having a doula is a wonderful gift to give yourself, having a postpartum doula in addition is a blessing and having Christi or anyone from Emerald City Doulas is a must! I recommend these wonderful folks hands down every chance I get.

So far I've completed 5 hypnotherapy sessions with Audra and it was truly such an enlightening…read moreexperience. I left each session feeling significantly lighter, relaxed, and optimistic about life. The in-person space is easy to get to and has a very calm and soothing atmosphere. I highly recommend Audra for anyone who has done traditional therapy methods but didn't quite get the desired results. For me, I was able to not only confront my trauma head on, but also accept it and leave it behind all in the same session. Her methods were so transformational for me and I look forward to continuing hypnotherapy work when I am able.

Before beginning this hypnotherapy work, I was deeply afraid of money, afraid to make it, afraid to…read morehave it. I unconsciously associated money with betrayal, loss, and spiritual danger. The idea of trading my life force for survival in a system that didn't feel aligned felt suffocating. I also carried ancestral and personal wounds where money was used for control or harm. In my past, someone who represented evil was obsessed with money, which made me reject it entirely as a form of protection. Through our 9 sessions, Audra and I slowly dismantled those beliefs. I came face to face with the root fears and survival programming I didn't know were shaping my life. I saw clearly that my avoidance of money wasn't laziness or lack ,it was trauma, entanglement, and protection. I wasn't equipped to have money back then because it wasn't safe to want it. Now, I feel different. I've reprogrammed the meaning of money in my body and my mind. I no longer see it as something dark or dangerous. I now see it as a neutral energy, a tool that reflects who I am, what I value, and how I serve. I've reconnected with my ability to earn and receive money without fear or guilt. I'm ready to allow it in, aligned with my sovereignty and truth. This work changed my relationship with money at the root. I'm so grateful for this transformation. I'm planning to do the 9 sessions again, for other beliefs that need to be rewritten. Thank you for guiding me back to myself, Audra. warmly

How many stars would you give to a person who hand held you through one of the most difficult,…read moreintense, and mind blowing experiences of your life? Too bad Yelp maxes you out at only five. I knew I wanted Amber to be my doula right away, it was amazing how much at ease I felt knowing she'll be there when I need her. Months later I called Amber in a panic at 40+ weeks pregnant after my doctor mentioned induction for the first time. I always envisioned having an all natural birth and staying at home for as long as possible before transferring to a hospital, so the mention of pitocin really scared the s..t out of me. Amber calmed me down and offered to give me her magical Mayan massage. I started feeling contractions on my way home from her massage and was in full labor just hours after. Through the whole labor Amber's voice was the thin line connecting me to the reality and telling me I'm doing great. Every time I opened my eyes Amber was there, always knowing when to reassure me, when to push me, and when to keep quiet. My husband was there, ready to support me and do everything he could to help, but you really need someone with experience to guide you through l&d. Husbands cannot replace doulas!!! And if all of that was not enough Amber manages to take amazing pictures of the baby's arrival and of our first moments together as a family of three. I get to relieve that experience every time I look at the pictures now. I could not have done it without Amber, cannot recommended her enough!

There are people who "know their stuff" and then there is Amber. When it comes to women's health,…read morefertility cycles, knowing your body, and feeling more grounded and empowered as a woman, you couldn't have a better person on your team than Amber. I have experienced both her Mayan Abdominal Massage and her natural fertility class, and am deeply grateful to her for both. She has taught me so much about how to look after my own reproductive health in a way that feels empowering rather than patronising. She helped me totally reframe what is possible in terms of knowing my own cycle, birth control, family planning, and acting to take control of it without hormones, devices in my body, and so on. Amber is one of my top five practitioners of all time (and I see a lot). Even if you don't understand why you might need an Abdominal Massage, or a class on your own fertility, I would advise going anyway, if you resonate with any of the following: You feel a need to take back your body from the medical model You feel grief around how you or others have treated your body in the past You want to have a baby, and want to feel more connected to your body/baby, and/or would like an unmedicated birth You have had a baby and experienced any physical/emotional discomfort during pregnancy, birth or the postpartum time You want to feel witnessed by your women's healthcare provider, and are not receiving that from your OBGYN or other providers You suspect that there is wisdom in your body, that you are yet to discover As you can tell, I can't say enough about how wonderful Amber is. Her work in the world is such a service to all women, and I'm so grateful she was born.

Having Rachel as our doula was not only fundamental to the well-being of our pregnancy but also an…read moreincredible gift we will always cherish. From the start, Rachel's demeanor aligned perfectly with ours. She was very knowledgeable, informative, and easy to talk to. As the carrying parent, I had many questions that Rachel was able to explain in detail thanks to her years of experience in the field and her ability to navigate the different settings in which a person can labor, including the birth center of our choice. Knowing she would be there to help us make important decisions and advocate on our behalf was priceless. From our first meeting, still over Zoom, I greatly appreciated her approach and how caring she was without being overbearing. When I was searching for someone to support us, it was important to me that the person had experience, understood my needs and concerns, and wasn't solely focused on taking pictures. Rachel checked all of those marks. Although she wasn't focused on photography only, her passion for the entire journey of life--from pregnancy to postpartum and beyond--can be seen through her amazing pictures as well. Her ability to capture special moments is truly incredible and artistic. Lastly, knowing that she is a professional who values and advocates for the rights of all people is the cherry on top. When I share our experience with friends, they all say: "I wish I had a doula like yours." We definitely recommend her for anyone hopping on this wild journey called parenthood.

After becoming pregnant I knew I wanted to hire a birth doula, as a death doula myself I understand…read morethe importance of having someone guide you through a transformative experience that I knew would hold many emotions. Once we met Rachel it was immediately clear we were a match, it felt like she had been in our lives forever. Rachel's extensive knowledge and thorough guidance ensured that we were well-informed about our choices at each phase of the birthing process, which brought us immense comfort and confidence. We had planned for an out-of-hospital birth but at the end of the pregnancy had to urgently schedule a C-section and Rachel was by our side the entire time, helping us navigate every decision with clarity and care. She prepared us for exactly what we could expect, slowed us down when fear was starting to take over, advocated for me in the hospital (immediate skin-to-skin with baby, supporting my husband as the nurses cared for baby, latching as quickly as possible, etc.), and ensured that either she or my husband held my hand the entire time. Beyond just her knowledge, she provided a safe space where we could express our fears openly and encouraged acknowledging all the emotions that come with becoming new parents. She did a beautiful job honoring my grief, grief in becoming a mom and the change of identity, grief in having to change our birth plan late in the pregnancy, and grief that I wouldn't have my mom with me. Rachel's soft energy and loving presence was a true anchor for us during this transformative time and when I think about the birthing experience I know it was a positive one because of Rachel. We will forever cherish the photos she took, as they capture so much of the emotion and love.