Patricia was not my doula; but I wanted a consultation with her to possibly become my birthing…read moredoula. Her CV appeared impressive, she holds a DONA certification, which is why I emailed via Yelp and her website to set a consultation up....never received a reply. Ended up going with someone who was prompt and responsive.

Patricia's birth doula services is comparable to an exclusive wedding venue. You need to book her…read morein advance. Her services are invaluable and worth every penny. She'll tell you that and her clients will tell you the same. She backs up her years of experience as a birth doula and in those years she has made valuable connections with other people who strive to help provide services and support for natural unmedicated births. Patricia was referred to us by a midwife in the East bay. We interviewed her along with several other doulas and she was down to earth and straightforward. Don't let her website throw you off, she doesn't need to fancy it up. Her experience speaks for itself. Consider yourself being lucky if she chooses to offer her services to you as she prefers only select hospitals that welcome natural births. While she's all about coaching for a natural unmedicated birth, she does not push in that direction if you don't believe in it. She wants you to believe in what you're asking for and do the research on your own. If you believe what your needs are she will help advocate those needs, especially if you're giving birth in a hospital. While the mom is laboring in pain and the dad is watching aimlessly, she's there whispering in the mom's ears what to say to the nurse and doctors that come in insisting on routine checks or procedures that are really not needed but sounds like they are required through their tone. With her help and some luck my wife had a wonderful birth story. My wife only labored for one hour at the hospital and the baby was out in two pushes all in five minutes. She helped my wife labor at home for three hours and knew when it was time to go in. Patricia helped coach her during the months leading up to the day and then through her whole laboring period at home and at the hospital. If you're seeking a natural unmedicated birth, hiring Patricia would be an invaluable investment.

This review is a bummer to write, but after reading other reviews about communication delays and…read moreissues on the administrative end, it's clear i'm not the only one experiencing this issue and something needs to be seriously addressed. Alicia herself is wonderful, and we used her for placenta encapsulation in 2019. We had an overall good experience, so as we are nearing the birth of our 3rd baby, I reached back out to Alicia as a return client looking for placenta encapsulation again. It took 4 days to get an initial response to my email. Julia (Alicia's assistant) reached out to let me know Alicia is on maternity leave and had a few clarification questions to get the ball rolling with another doula. Unfortunately, I never heard from Julia or anyone else again. I've since left a voicemail and 4 follow-up emails with no response. If Born Doulas is too busy to accept me as a client, I would have appreciated hearing that upfront vs. just ghosting me, especially as a returning client. These types of customer service issues are just unacceptable, and if you are looking for a doula or placenta encapsulation company during the very delicate time of pregnancy and delivery, I recommend looking elsewhere and finding a company that cares about communication.

I can't begin to describe how wonderful, passionate, caring and knowledgeable Alicia is! From the…read morebeginning she guided us during the pregnancy, had many great tips for me, and helped me make my (right) big decisions towards the end. My birth story took longer than we expected, 40+ hours and Alicia was so supportive and strong even till the last seconds, let me correct that, even after the birth! Her stamina throughout the 40+ hours is just amazing! She was always there reassuring me that everything is going well, and making sure I'm hydrated and nourished to go on with the big game. This alone makes me want to tell every women, regardless how supportive your husband is, you still need a doula 100% especially Alicia 10000%! Before and after the birth I had many complications, that caused me to be hospitalized right after my birth, so my newborn was left with my clueless husband and mother. Alicia right away came over and helped them in so many ways, guiding and teaching them how to take care of our baby. She kept checking in on me before and after the birth regarding my condition, and helped me in all kinds of ways, sending over wonderful people to help with my condition, etc. We are eternally grateful to you Alicia! Baby M sending all his love!

I'm really disappointed with my experience with Susan as a doula. I had high hopes after our…read moreinitial consultation -- she seemed experienced and kind during the first call, and I was looking forward to working with her during my pregnancy. Unfortunately, that positive impression didn't last. After our initial conversation, I never heard from her again. She didn't follow up with the promised contract, invoice, or any additional details about next steps. I tried reaching out multiple times, but she simply didn't respond. This left me feeling uncertain and frankly stressed -- especially since I'm pregnant and looking for consistent, reliable support during such an important time. I ended up finding another doula who was responsive, communicative, and organized -- which really highlighted how unprofessional this experience with Susan was by contrast. I wouldn't recommend her unless she seriously improves her communication and follow-through.

Susan was a last minute support for us and I'm so glad we had her with us for the birth of our…read moredaughter. I won't get into the details as to not traumatize soon to be mothers, but let's just say I went through almost every way to give birth over a matter of several weeks. We started off getting advice on how to help flip our breech baby naturally (and she did flip!) and ended up working with her for not one, but two labor inductions. Anyone I tell my birth story to says that she might have saved my life and I agree completely. She is an advocate for you in the medical system, can speak from experience, and help you be more informed in your choices during stressful moments you weren't expecting. You can feel how much she generally cares about your mental health and the health of your family and I would recommend her in a heartbeat to any soon to be mom.

I had a great experience working with Paula for post-partum doula services. Would highly recommend:…read more- great with my baby, notices everything from reflux to stuffy nose. She made suggestions to make things better but doesn't push (e.g., bottle to use) - excellent communication and reliable. Quick to reply, always on time, she even sends out schedules and reminders so i know when she's coming - care about mom's wellbeing and about giving me enough sleep and proactive with offering suggestions so i can squeeze in more sleep - carrot approved doula which made reimbursements so easy! When carrot required additional non-standard info, she provided it promptly

I had a mixed experience. Overall I felt like my experience with Paula as a birth doula could have…read morebeen better. Pros: -She has years of experience although I do not think she knew the doctor delivering my baby or the nurses on staff -She can encapsulate your placenta so it is one less person to coordinate with. -She is excellent with email and text Summary of my experience: My water broke 2 weeks early so I don't remember getting my second pre-natal session. I was a bit rattled the day my water broke but worked hard to keep my composure began cancelling my appointments (dr appointments, massage, acupuncture, etc). It was 8am and I know Paula is a night owl so I didn't want to wake her just yet. I messaged her at 10am letting her know my water broke and telling her I purposely waited so I didn't wake her up. I'm very sensitive to "bothering" people so I think I wanted her to reply with "no, no, it's not a bother, wake me, I'm here for you" . When I didn't get that, I think my subconscious brain felt like I had to be fully convenient for her. Paula and I went back and forth with scheduling over text to determine when she would meet us at the hospital. After checking in with me in the hospital, she said she would leave and come back when I was in active labor. She left us the TENS unit but did not give us a demonstration or directions on how to use it.In that vulnerable state, a nice gesture like leaving the TENS unit was interpreted by me as "leaving me" because we didn't know how to use the machine. Paula told me to call her when I was in "active labor". Even though I took a birth class, when I was actually going through labor I wasn't paying attention to when I was transitioning into active labor... I was too busy being in labor. Finally, a random nurse who was taking over the break shift for my nurse asked me if I had a doula. When I responded I did, she said, "well, you should call her already". When Paula arrived I was in full blown labor. My eyes were closed and I was concentrating on the contractions. She made three comments right away that threw me off and created uncomfortable feelings in me. The first was asking how my husband was doing in supporting me during my contractions. Going in, I was concerned about how my husband was going to do, however, during actual birth, that's not the time to ask for a critique. This was a time when he and I needed to be completely united. Luckily we were. I felt Paula's comment was divisive even though I'm sure she didn't mean it like that. Next, she told me the TENS unit was on full blast and she lowered it. I didn't respond but in my mind I was upset because I felt like, well, how are we supposed to know how to use it and aren't you supposed to be here? We were doing the best we could. The third comment was her telling me I should have contacted her earlier. A lot happened and happened quickly when she left the hospital. I knew that she had appointments because she told me about her busy day in the morning when we were trying to determine when she'd meet me at the hospital. Again, I'm not one to bother people so I never felt comfortable calling her. I never knew when the "right" time was until a nurse said--CALL. When I was pushing, Paula was holding up my leg. I felt very self-conscious about this, even during the worst part of my pain, because I don't like to burden people. I gained a lot of weight and my legs were swollen and very heavy. Paula mentioned as she was holding my leg that she recently had surgery. My first thought was, "oh no, I don't want to hurt her" and my second thought was "stop thinking about anything other than giving birth". I feel with Paula's years of experience, these kind of comments came as a surprise. Pregnant women are already so hormonal and sensitive why say anything that can be misunderstood? The day after my birth, Paula dropped off the encapsulated placenta. I was grateful she did that so quickly. She asked me how my baby was doing. I started answering her question in detail when she stopped me because she needed to go. She had somewhere to be. On the one hand, I get that she had plans since I delivered early. However, I was also under the impression she did not have a packed life because birth is so unpredictable. I think for future births, it would be helpful for her to have time for them during the days she is in the hospital; especially for first time moms like myself. Paula got very, very busy as soon as I gave birth and it became challenging to schedule a post partum meeting. After Paula rescheduled a bit and delayed reaching out, I finally cancelled just because I was so darn sleepy. I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore I was so sleep deprived. So, overall, when hiring a birth doula, you really need to know yourself so you can make sure there is a match.

Working with Melanie as my birth doula was one of the best decisions my husband and I made. She is…read morea true super mom -- she always arrived with positivity, a big smile, and a grounded confidence that immediately made me feel safe and understood. From the very beginning, she took me under her wings. I always felt attended to, heard, and genuinely protected. As immigrants who were completely unfamiliar with the U.S. medical system, my husband and I would have felt lost navigating pregnancy and birth on our own. But thanks to Melanie, we never did. She guided us step by step, explained everything clearly, and made sure we understood our choices. When I faced a very challenging situation with my medical team, Melanie was the person I leaned on for honest, thoughtful opinions and unwavering support. What makes Melanie truly special is how resourceful and connected she is. She didn't just support me herself -- she brought an entire community of top-tier professionals to my side: doulas, midwives, a chiropractor, an acupuncturist, a birth educator. Through her, I was able to piece together my own birth support team -- my own village. Even though my birth journey turned out to be very, very different from our original beautiful plan, I never felt alone. I will never forget the moment after my unexpected c-section when Melanie held my hands and told me, firmly and lovingly, that even though everything had been dramatic and difficult, I did my best... that I did a good job, and that next time could be better. Those words meant more to me than I can express. In a fragile moment, she gave me strength and dignity. If you are looking for someone who is not only exceptionally skilled, but who leads with heart, wisdom, and genuine care -- someone who will stand by you no matter how your birth unfolds -- Melanie is that person. She changed my experience, and I will always be grateful for her presence in my birth journey.

Melanie is the best!! I'm SO grateful I found her. She is so knowledgeable in all things birth and…read morehelped me feel so much better prepared. During birth, her calm, supportive confidence and positivity are a game changer and I felt so well guided. Melanie has such a depth of experience and knowledge, and is truly one-of-a-kind! I highly recommend working with her if you get the chance.

My family and I worked with Sunshine Tomlin for the home birth of our second son. She was…read moreabsolutely fabulous and we are so thankful to have her in our lives. My first son's birth was also unmedicated but in a hospital setting and I experienced quite a bit of trauma from that experience (as well as the postnatal care I received through that provider). As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I had to work through a lot of fear and some anger as well. It meant so much to me to be able to share that with Sunshine and have her support and understanding. My younger son's birth was a completely different experience, and beyond my hopes and expectations. Another thing I loved about Sunshine's care is that she is very gentle in her exams, both with mamas and babies. One of my favorite parts of my appointments with Sunshine were when she would talk to my son and let him know what she was checking, both through my belly before he was born and when she lovingly cared for him after his birth. If any mamas have questions about working with Sunshine or the whole home birth process, I'm happy to support you in any way-please feel free to message me.

I am so grateful to Hope for the amazing care I received throughout my pregnancy, birth and…read morepostpartum! She is amazing - warm, knowledgable, caring and considerate. My partner appreciated that she was very balanced and non-judgmental in her approach to birth. I was so sad to say goodbye at our 6 week check up... wish she could be part of our lives forever! Thank you Hope!!!

As a new mom I was all over the place. I was SO thankful that I secured postpartum services with…read moreReyna. You will think to yourself that you can go get massages on your own but sadly, you won't have the headspace to do that the first couple weeks. Reyna comes to your home to take care of you so you don't have to be far from your little one. She offers so much knowledge and her calming energy was always appreciated. Do yourself a favor and contact her! Thank you Reyna for taking such good care of me during my postpartum journey!

Reyna has done amazing massages, both prenatal and postpartum. She focuses me on my breath and…read morespeaks words of affirmation and asks me about my experiences, feelings, worries, etc. She validates it all. Before the prenatal massage, she did a side lying release on me. Whatever she did that day worked and sent me into labor later that evening! (I was almost 40 weeks) Her hand is firm, flow is nice, and the pressure is just right. Looking forward to the next massage!

We are very grateful to have had Stephanie as our doula for our recent birth! From the initial…read morecalls, to the birth and postpartum visit, you can tell that she not only has a great deal of expertise, but also deeply cares about ensuring that you have a positive birth experience. Thank you Stephanie for helping us welcome our new little one into the world, and we would strongly recommend her services to others!

We had the honor of having Stephanie as our doula for our second pregnancy. Stephanie is extremely…read moreknowledgeable, friendly and professional. Although the birth didn't go as planned (do they ever?), Stephanie still made sure that I was well taken care of at the hospital and postpartum. We would be delighted to recommend her to all our friends and family!