Heather was an integral part of our birth experience as we welcomed our first baby into the world. She is absolutely amazing! Words truly cannot express how grateful my husband and I were to have her by our side. From the moment we spoke with her, we knew she was the doula for us. Her calming, grounded presence was exactly what we needed. Our prenatal sessions with Heather were so informative and reassuring. She provided guidance and encouragement that helped us feel confident heading into labor and delivery. Throughout every unknown and scary situation, Heather was our constant. Her zen energy brought calm to even the most stressful moments and she always seemed to know exactly what to do or say. Heather was an incredible advocate for us at the hospital. Our birth ended up being not so straightforward but she made sure we felt supported and informed every step of the way. In the early postpartum days, she checked in frequently to make sure we were physically and emotionally okay and helped us navigate early recovery with compassion and warmth. She became like family, even our dogs could not wait to see her! From her amazing cooking that nourished us after birth to introducing us to amazing overnight support when we found ourselves in a pinch (especially with no family on the West Coast), she always came through for us. Her love, intuition, and genuine care made all the difference in our experience. We already miss her so much. Heather will be our first call when it's time for baby number two. Trust me, you want Heather by your side. She is a true gift! read more

Words aren't adequate to convey how important, amazing, and supportive Heather was in helping us welcome our first baby boy this October. From our initial Zoom call, Heather had a calm presence and warmness that put me and my husband at ease right off the bat. She is confident, kind, so knowledgeable, and helped us both feel comfortable entering a new realm that we knew almost nothing about! The two home visits we had to prepare for the birth process were incredibly helpful, collaborative, and confidence-inspiring. We delivered at Kaiser Redwood City and had an incredible experience between the midwives and the way Heather worked closely with them through a long and difficult labor that left me feeling empowered in the end. I call Heather my angel now! In the delivery room, Heather's presence was calming, gently assertive when needed, and she coached me and helped me make the right decisions alongside the medical team. We signed up for three postpartum visits which we highly recommend opting into - her cooking is otherworldly! When it was time to say goodbye to her, I cried... I am so grateful that we had her by our side and cannot imagine going through birth any other way. Anyone who gets to work with her is incredibly lucky! read more

Heather walked with us through some of the most important moments our life. We worked with her as a birthing and postpartum doula. She helped us navigate some truly difficult moments in the hospital and was an incredible resource on a variety of things in the weeks after. Having her mama bear energy by my side made some truly unbearable things bearable. She was a tireless advocate for me in all regards and always making sure I was having the experience I wanted. Beyond her counsel and resourcefulness, she's an incredible cook and whipped up delicious meals I'm still trying to recreate. Perhaps the most appreciative feedback I can provide is that in my husbands words : Heather is 'good peoples.' We were so lucky to have her in our corner and would recommend her without hesitation.. read more

Heather was unbelievable. I can't recommend her enough! From the moment we interviewed her, the calm and warm way she spoke made me sure we'd found our doula. During the pre-birth classes, her kind, gentle energy helped with preparation. Once in labor- her confidence, caring and knowledgeable demeanor was more than we could have hoped for. She has incredible hands, helping massage the tension between contractions - grounding calm and encouragement radiating. All in all my partner and I feel so lucky to have had her with us. This was not our first birth and we used a different doula for the prior birth. While that doula was great, working with Heather made it clear what is possible and what we should expect in a doula. Her experience really showed and we learned so much from her, even though it was not our first time around. read more

Heather is truly one of a kind. I cannot recommend her enough!! After interviewing many doulas it felt obvious that Heather was going to be our person. She is not only deeply caring about her work, she is also extremely knowledgeable about all the different things that can happen during birth. She was with us from 4am to 11pm during my delivery (which was long and intense) and I don't think we could have been as successful without her. Her level of care is unparalleled. You will not regret going with Heather! We love her! read more

Heather was an incredible and invaluable part of our journey to parenthood. From the moment we met we knew that her calming and supportive nature was a good fit for our family. Her doula services went above and beyond what we imagined. She not only spent a lot of time getting to know us and educating us during the pregnancy but when we found out our baby was breech she came with us to multiple procedures and additional check ups with doctors, she connected us with experts, she sent us resources and she helped us fight for the natural birth we always dreamed of. So when I say above and beyond I mean WAY ABOVE AND BEYOND. During the labor and birth she was very in tune with the signals I was giving off and intuitively knew what to do and when to help me. Then during postpartum I needed extra help which was unanticipated and she once again stepped in. She's amazing, an angel, and we are lucky to have found her. She will be my first call when we are ready for baby #2. I highly recommend Heather! read more

Heather Hughes Doula - Heather with two babies she helped usher into this world - Doulas Near Me

I will tell you that I could not have given birth without the help of our doula Heather. She was an incredible partner and pillar of support. She knew the hospital, the staff, the clinical side of things and also knew how to focus on me and my wife... to tap into what we needed and support us emotionally and physically. She was life changing and helped me overcome moments I never could have on my own. In preparation for the birth, she provided excellent education and in home exercises and practice. As a natural researcher, I was going down the internet rabbit hole on birthing options, medication implications, signs of labor, etc. Heather saved me tons of hours and stress with her meetings and being available for any and all questions in preparation. It gave me peace of mind that I didn't need to be the expert. During birth, she jumped in and focused on getting my wife and I what we needed whether that was massage, water, cold clothes, labor coaching, advice, etc. she always seemed to know what would bring relief. There was no way to know I would end up with a 4 day induction with lots of twists and turns and big decisions and Heather was there through it all. The staff kept changing over and it was such a comfort to have Heather there as a consistent part of our team. She helped coach me through painful and scary moments moments and her presence always made me calm. After birth Heather provided continued support and resources to help us navigate those crazy early days of breastfeeding, taking care of my postpartum body and learning about baby. It brings me to tears how impactful and helpful it was to have Heather a part of our birth plan. I would say 100% don't give birth without a doula and if you want the best doula - pick Heather. read more

It's hard to put into words how Heather's softness, support, and knowledge has made my partner and I feel. We worked with Heather both as our birth doula and PP doula. From our first call to our final postpartum session, Heather guided us through the ups and down of new parenthood with the utmost care and sweetness. As a seasoned doula, her instincts are spot on. I had some big fears going into labor which is one of the reasons I partnered with a doula. Heather built up my confidence and gave my partner and I helpful tools to prepare both physically and mentally. She knew exactly how to communicate with the medical staff to ensure everyone in the room was on the same team, my team! She could read the room and knew how to float into conversations with doctors without overstepping on their practices. And her presence in the room, it was such a good vibe and felt like a giant hug! My labor nurse was a bit of a drill sergeant, so thank god Heather was there to balance out the energy. Lastly, postpartum. On day that I felt completely lost and overwhelmed, Heather brought me back to myself. I would count down the hours until her visit knowing relief and support was on the way. She knew exactly how to take care of baby and taught us so many things about newborns. And her cooking! She prepared us meals during her visits and they are now some of favorite recipes in our rotation. Although when we recreate them, they don't taste as good as hers. :) Heather feels like our family now. I look back on my labor journey with such warm, joyful memories largely because of Heather and the confidence she brought out of me, the labor environment she created, and her healing touch during PP. read more

Heather was my postpartum doula in Nov 2024 and I highly recommend her! If you're wondering if you need support after giving birth - the answer is YES! Heather came to our house as our saving angel, her calm presence soothed the baby, giving us a break so I could take a shower, a nap or a small walk. I also got the most healing massage from her in my first postpartum week and she had lots of recommendations for postpartum recovery. She is highly knowledgeable around breastfeeding, which I struggled with a lot. She recommended the right measures for recovery when my nipples were sore and bleeding from breastfeeding. She helped with getting my milk supply back up when I was able to breastfeed again. She recommended craniosacral therapy to relax baby's jaw and tongue which was key for a good latch. Apart from all the lactation support I received from Heather, she also cleaned the kitchen and helped with tidying up our place. I always felt such a relief when she was around, I could ask questions and have her practical and emotional support. I will choose her again if I have another baby. Thank you Heather for everything you do! read more

For my partner and I, Heather *made* the birth experience. Leading up to the birth, she was easy to work with, and helped us set up a lot of expectations for the birth itself. During labor, Heather's presence was all the difference for us and I say unequivocally that without her help, we would have had a *much worse* birth experience. A few notes about her hard skills, before I extol the real virtue of her presence. One, Heather is very experienced- which is critical. Labor is scary, and having a support person by our side to reassure us about what was normal and what wasn't made us feel safe and confident. Heather facilitated our conversations with the SF Birth Center (where we gave birth), and helped guide decision making about when to labor at home and when to go in. Two, Heather is stacked with techniques! She's chalk full of positions, breathing exercises, equipment, tinctures, sprays, you-name-it, and is well equipped to employ any of them to help shape the experience. Three, Heather is a trained masseuse. When she demo'd some of the types of touches that would be useful during labor, my partner was even looking forward to the experience! More importantly though, Heather is nurturing, attentive, and deeply intuitive, able to put the above hard skills into action at just the right time. She'd often suggest positions, location changes, or motions, leaving my partner openly asking -- How did you know I wanted that before I did? Labor is an insane endurance game. The number one reason for transfer from the Birth Center to the Hospital is fatigue and exhaustion. The ability to recover and recollect between each contraction is paramount, and with Heather's support, my partner was able to take advantage of every non-contraction moment. "Drop your shoulders", "Breathe lower", "Loooowww", "Stay inside". Heather, with intuition, experience, and strength, maximized my partner's recovery time and helped her manage her contractions. As the non-birthing parent, Heather (amazingly) was also able to be attentive to my needs, and provided me with well timed breaks, and guidance on how I could be most supportive. It wasn't even just us who loved having her expertise on hand. At the birth center, she collaborated with the midwives to help my partner with labor, and we could see they, with all their experience, were also happy to have Heather as a teammate. She is clearly revered. Heather's support continued after the birth as well. She encapsulated my partner's placenta into pills, and when she came over to drop the pills off, debriefing the birth with her was a highlight experience, and she continued to provide useful tips and support for the lactation as well. My partner and I adore Heather, and would recommend her to anybody. She's indeed our homegirl. read more

My baby boy is turning one! Looking back Heather was so crucial to getting me through labor (36 hrs ) I can't thank Heather enough for all the support and care. During these times, it's overwhelming and stressful. It's nice to have a doula who is a friend and expert by your side. read more

Six weeks into having a newborn, my husband and I have been reflecting on my pregnancy and delivery. Heather was such an important part of our journey, sharing her expertise and calm, supportive energy during the time we needed it the most. We had met with several doulas and had a great feeling about her after our first zoom call. We were most drawn to her soothing demeanor and direct style of communication, albeit with a gentle presence. We also appreciated her background in massage, as we knew touch would be an important part of trying to labor at home. She demonstrated that exact energy during our in person sessions. We really appreciated her hands on techniques and showing us how to use our home and it's contents to achieve our goals. Heather was great to bounce ideas off of as well. My water broke early, and it was comforting to talk through how to try and labor at home before going to the hospital. She was always checking in and was readily available if we had questions. When laboring at home wasn't working and I had to transition to the hospital, she was helpful in talking through the options as we realized that medications would be needed to induce labor. She was also great at interacting with both my husband and mother, who were both in the room with her. She was gentle in helping guide them to comfort me and really involved them in the process. We also really appreciated the small details that show how good she is at her work-- the string lights in the bathroom to move away from the harsh lights, the bone broth she brought which was the only thing I wanted to drink, the perfect touch to help with contractions. She also captured several important moments such as my husband cutting the umbilical cord that we will cherish forever. Postpartum, she was great about checking in with us and when breastfeeding wasn't going well, came the next day to troubleshoot and offer help with latching and increasing supply. She also came another day to give me an upper body massage that was amazing. My husband said I looked noticeably more relaxed that day. We are so grateful that Heather was a part of our journey, and would 100% recommend her to others! read more

Heather is such a blessing. I found her on the web and immediately connected with her when we met in person. She has a kind and loving spirit with the kind of gentle encouragement you need during birth. I really consider her part of our family now and we couldn't have done it without her. I progressed through labor quickly and she was at the hospital to meet us as soon as we told her it was time to go. She is also the reason I was able to have an unmedicated birth as I had intended. I remember being in such pain and so tired when we arrived in triage but she gave the support I needed to get through to labor and delivery and alongside my husband they made the dream birth team. There are so many great things I can say about heather, but what really stands out is her genuine love and care for us mamas and our babes. She stayed with me after my baby and husband were sent over to the NICU, for what must have been hours/throughout the surgery/stitching they had to do on my severe laceration. I would wholeheartedly recommend Heather if you are looking for someone you can trust and depend on before, during, and even after birth. Thank you lil mama doula. read more

I could go on and on and on about Heather. Right when we [my husband Kyle and I] met her, we knew that she would be an important part of our birth journey. We kept saying "how would we do this without her" - and we were right. She is extremely chill, calm, genuine, loving, smart, educated, zen and all around just a bad a$$ woman and mama. 1. After 2 prenatal visits, one of which was at our apartment, Heather had us feeling much more comfortable with the labor process [something I was completely terrified of, as most new mamas are]. She even showed up with a bag full of tricks - delicious smelling essential oils, creams, and all kinds of things to make me feel better during labor. 2. She always responded to my texts "can i take a bath"? "what is this weird pain" ... etc etc etc ... bless her 3. Not only was Heather present for my contractions and the birth of our son, but she also came in a day early to sit with me through a long long day of confusing back and forth with doctor's when we found out our son was breech. She came in the OR with my husband to support us as we had him manually flipped, and for my induction. She really cares about what she does, and I cannot imagine having been through everything we did without her by our side. 4. She also encapsulated my placenta [another thing that originally freaked me out, but she explained to me the benefits and I never felt "forced" to do it]. I took all the pills and I really do think they made a difference - I would highly recommend taking advantage of this! All in all, HEATHER IS THE BEST! We love her and would recommend her all of our friends and family who are looking for a doula. read more

Heather was an awesome birth doula for the (unmedicated) birth of my daughter in March 2019. After meeting her, I knew she had the right kind of energy to be a good support for us. She has a calming presence, is super down to earth and has a good sense of humor. Like most women, I had some anxiety and labor hit me in different waves but her approach as a doula helped me feel more in control and calmer. During labor, Heather was in contact with us throughout the experience while I labored at home and was ready to come over whenever we needed her. She offered tips, the tens machine, positions, oils and confidence to help. I was able to last at home for most of the experience (as we'd hoped) ONLY due to Heather's experience before heading to the hospital. I did not want to get turned back to come back home after going into the hospital! In the hospital at UCSF Mission Bay, she helped us with communication so we could efficiently be admitted, she helped draw me a bath and gave me *critical* coaching I really needed as I moved through the different stages of labor. Plus she took a few pics which are memories we'll have forever of the moments meeting our daughter. Lastly we had a great postpartum follow up that was really helpful for processing everything. Overall, I'd strongly recommend Heather and I plan on working with her again for any future pregnancies! read more

Heather helped us prepare for our first birth, answered all of our questions as first time parents, and was a joy to communicate with from the start. She was available via text or phone whenever we needed her. She also helped us after we brought our son home. We are so lucky to have the benefit of her experience, I don't know what we would have done without her. read more

Heather was incredible. She was recommended by friends of mine whom she was a doula for, and I'm so happy we decided to select her as our doula. I couldn't have wished for a better person to be our doula. Here's my story: I had planned to have a natural VBAC with my second kid. Because of COVID restrictions, our hospital allowed only one support person and we decided that Heather would be the one and my husband would stay with our 3-year old son. Because of COVID, it ended up being a completely unmedicated VBAC since gas is not available -- and Heather supported me throughout a pretty long (18 hr) unmedicated labor! She came to our apartment at 3am and then brought me to the hospital at 6 am. She did an amazing job of guiding me through the process for 12+ hours in the hospital all by herself! Not having my husband there meant she had very little time for breaks but she was always there with me with great warmth and dedication. I totally trusted her in the process and was doing all the things she was suggesting like changing positions, doing certain movements, laboring in the shower, laboring on the toilet, walking, resting, not to mention she was feeding and giving me water on a regular basis. Heather has a magical touch and her massage helped me greatly to go through contractions. Heather felt very emotionally connected with me, and it felt very easy to trust her during my birthing process. I truly felt like I had a best friend on the journey with me. In addition, Heather was communicating with the hospital staff on my behalf and did an amazing job on this front. She even recommended a specific intervention at one point that the midwife agreed with (but had not suggested) and this got me past a point where progress had stalled. To this day, I genuinely believe that was the thing that enabled this VBAC to be successful and avoided another c-section. I can't tell you how grateful I am for Heather - not just her emotional depth but her professional skill and proactive attitude. She's simply the best. The Kaiser midwife and nurses liked Heather so much, they remarked how she was one of the best doulas they had met and wanted to add her to their list of recommendations. If you're looking for a doula, you should absolutely consider Heather! read more

Heather is exactly the kind, calming, competent energy you need in a birth doula. She was an invaluable resource as we prepared for labor, being available by text for any questions or to gut check what we were thinking about different procedures or options. She did a great job preparing us for labor and what we might expect - you never know how it will go for you, but we felt like we had a good sense of what to expect from my body, the hospital and our options in different scenarios. CPMC didn't allow doulas at the time I went into labor, due to the Omicron outbreak, which was super disappointing, but Heather was still able to labor with me at home through one of the most intense physical experiences of my life. She helped create a calm atmosphere, suggested positions to make me more comfortable and help baby along. My favorite part was probably her rubbing my back in between contractions, helping me get small moments of fleeting sleep. After my son was born he had to spend his first day in the NICU and had trouble breastfeeding at the beginning, which was a huge source of stress. Heather's postnatal visit was the first time he had a full feed as she patiently sat with me, showed me how to hand express milk to entice the little guy and kept his hands out of his way so he could focus on nursing. I will always be so grateful for that! We are so glad we invested in Heather to support us! read more

Heather has been such a comfort and teacher for us, both before and after the birth of our first baby. She was patient and quick to answer all of our (many) questions ahead of the birth, and has been a massive help for us as a postpartum doula. She has a magic touch with our baby and intuits what we need without us having to ask. We'd highly recommend her for any birth or postpartum doula services. read more

Heather played such a fantastic supportive role in the event of my first birth. Her guidance, encouragement, and knowledge really made such a huge impact and I am really grateful to have had her apart of my birth team/experience! read more

Heather was our doula for the birth of our son in March and I can not say enough good things about her! As a first time parent it was incredibly important to me to find someone we connected with,  who made us feel comfortable and empowered, which is exactly what Heather did from the first time we met her. In the lead up to the birth, she was an incredible resource of information, education and recommendations, always very responsive and respectful of our wishes. Then, most importantly, when it came time for my labor, which was over two days of inductions that ended up in a very intense c-section, Heather was everything and more that I could have hoped for. She was incredibly knowledgeable, nurturing, helpful and loving. She coached me through my contractions (which made a HUGE difference) and was constantly with me, massinging me, helping me change positions, making me comfortable. She was always one step ahead - with us tirelessly through this marathon labor. She helped us understand our options and make decisions, even suggesting things to our nurses or midwife that were very helpful. And most of all she was a beautiful calm energy who we loved having with us on one of the most important and meaningful days of our lives. We laughed and we cried together, will always have such a special place in our hearts for Heather and feel so beyond grateful to her. Then when it was time to go home, Heather came over as a postpartum doula and nurtured us there. With Covid we had no family in town, and we were in a daze from a long stay at the hospital, she came over with groceries, strapped the baby on and whipped up some nutritious food that was perfect for postpartum recovery. She helped me with breastfeeding, getting the house set up, and getting my bearings. I absolutely loved having her - as an always loving and calm force. I wish we could have had her come much more!! She was the best substitute for family - and so much more helpful!! I didn't even realize how important, profound and absolutely necessary having a doula was before my birth. If you are looking for a doula who is the full package - look no further. Heather is truly the best of the best. read more

We hired Heather to be our birth doula and it was the best decision that we made in preparation for our first born child. From the first call we had through the after-birth visit, Heather has been compassionate, thoughtful, and knowledgeable about everything that we had been through and were going to go through. In the classes we signed up for through our hospital, so much of the material was redundant for us because we had had such great, informative conversations with Heather already, complete with follow up resources. A few hours before my wife started to have contractions, another of Heather's clients was admitted to the hospital to deliver her baby. Foreseeing this possibility, Heather had been in touch with us days prior to coach us through how the timing would likely work. She connected us with another doula from her team early, stayed in touch with us via phone throughout my wife's labor, and once she wrapped up with her other client, she crossed the Bay Bridge to meet us at our hospital where we were in the room with her doula partner, Nicky. (As an aside, Heather has picked doula teammates who are truly like-minded and like-hearted, which made our early labor work with Nicky feel seamless.) If Heather was exhausted coming into her second birth without a break, she certainly never showed it! On the contrary, she arrived energized, focused, and resourced. She was a fantastic advocate for us during labor/delivery, providing positioning suggestions that members of the medical team did not. Those decisions, like having my wife push on her side rather than her back, were like body hacks that cracked open labor and brought our child into the world as quickly and safely as possible. Heather's love, dedication, and energy made the entire pregnancy and labor process smoother and less intimidating for us. The cherry on top: she also has a phenomenal network of resources that she generously offered when we needed additional, non-doula support. We truly cannot recommend her highly enough! Seriously -- if you are thinking of working with a doula, your very best bet is a home girl. read more

Heather and Lisa...wow, what an amazing support during such a special, yet difficult time. Heather was a ray of sunshine with a warmth & ease that was priceless. Lisa was a source of peace with a strength that exuded during the whole journey. I couldn't have asked for a better support team. They were advocates, respectful and loving. They were amazing with my toddler, held my hand during labor and cried when my newborn entered the world. I don't know what my prenatal, my labor or my postpartum experiences would have been like without them ... And, I don't want to know!! We Love these ladies. They will always be a very special part of our story. read more

I could not imagine our birth journey without Heather. We wanted an unmedicated vaginal birth for our first born, but there were some bumps a long the way that altered our birth plan. Heather was there through it all, helping us navigate the hospital and the many decisions we had to make. But most importantly she helped me stay calm and focused when I had an unexpected overnight hospital stay at 24weeks. Thankfully our baby stayed put for another month and I was induced at 36.5 weeks. Throughout the labor Heather communicated thoughtfully with the nursing staff at UCSF. She helped me move my body and embrace the contractions. She helped create the calm and meditative environment I wanted. I was in labor from 7am-8pm and all the while Heather stayed with our family, supporting my husband and me fully. she took pictures, birth videos and sang along when Stevie Wonder came on our birth playlist. The support did not stop with the Birth of our son. Heather continued to stay connected for several days postpartum. we hired her for some postpartum care too, she cooked us food, did some laundry and helped me navigate the crazy body changes that come from breastfeeding and vaginal birth. I highly recommend her prenatal massage! She's got a great sense of humor and a wonderful spirit! We are so thankful for all her support and help in bringing our baby into the world! read more

Heather is a dream! She was our Doula for the birth of our little girl Ever and I couldn't be more happy to tell you about her. She is kind and warm, laid back and cool as hell, and just such a peaceful, beautiful person to be around. Having her around was calming and she helped us make decisions without judgement. Everything she did was helpful to us - from being there to text "is this normal?" to at odd hours, to finding free birth classes for us to attend, to stringing firefly lights around the hospital room, to doing the "hip squeeze" for hours on end while I was in labor, to even recommending bone broth and food recipes for post partum - everything was just so so great. I couldn't recommend her more!!! read more

We partnered with Heather and Lisa for the birth of our son Grayson on may 12th of this year. We had one of the most traumatic births and they were there every single step of the way. From the at home labor support including massage, advice and words of encouragement, to the in hospital support with the decisions around finally getting an epidural after 38 hours of labor, to the final part of our laboring journey with Heather holding my hand and crying with me as my husband spent the first of many hours with our son in the nicu, Home Girls turned a traumatic labor into a beautiful journey. They are such a gift to us and they are now forever in our lives as people we care deeply about. So glad we decided to partner with this team. Couldn't love them more or be more grateful for all that they do. read more

Heather is great! There is a lot of potential for anxiety around the pregnancy and birth process so my wife and I were looking for the most chill, down-to-earth, no drama doula we could find. We met Heather at a Golden Gate doulas open house, and we found her to be very professional and knowledgeable, but always retaining a breezy and assured demeanor. Using her no-nonsense approach, Heather repeatedly reminded my wife that something was sure to go wrong during the birth process -because it always does- but that was OK and part of the experience. Her help in the weeks leading up to the birth of our daughter was as valuable as her time with us in the delivery room. She was always available to answer all of our questions and remind us that our experience was typical. Also, my wife found Heather to be a very intuitive massage therapist -and she scheduled several pregnancy massages with Heather. She received pregnancy massages from at least two other practitioners and she declared Heather to be the best. A mom herself and -like us- still making a go of it in a rent controlled Alamo Square apartment, Heather provided the wisdom, confidence, and seen-it-all attitude that built our trust in the process, and the groovy, supportive, and intuitive demeanor that smoothed out any potential rough patches before we even knew they were happening. Obviously personality fit is essential, but if you are looking for a total pro and an emotional old soul to take down the tension in the room, Heather could make a great partner in your birth -she was for us! Heather even covered for me for a day when our kid was something like six days old! I had to go back to work and my mother-in-law had not yet arrived so Heather arranged to be with my wife for the day while I was at work so that my wife had the help she needed before her mom arrived. We really appreciated Heather's willingness to continue to help us after our daughter was born, and now we get a kick out of seeing her with her kids around the neighborhood. Thanks again, Heather! read more

Heather Hughes was our Doula for the birth of our girl last month. We are first time parents and were looking for someone who could help us navigate all the decisions that could come up during labor in a calm and peaceful manner. Meeting with Heather beforehand, we had the opportunity to tell her what we wanted from our birth experience and she really listened to us. I can't imagine our birth experience going better than it did and Heather was an essential part of that. She helped me better cope with early labor (in part by helping my husband to better coach me through contractions), she was present and confident when I needed that, and she also let me and my husband do our thing when that was working for us. Heather was a very positive part of our birth experience and I'd highly recommend her as a birth doula! read more

This review is so long overdue! My only excuse is that I'm a new (ish) mom and wanted to make sure I had a good amount of time to sit down and write the perfect words to describe how amazing Heather was! Amazing is not even a strong enough word. From the first meeting with Heather, my husband and I could tell how knowledgable she was but it was her kindness and non-biased support that won us over. Every meeting with Heather felt like meeting up with an old friend. She is funny, supportive, and obviously puts her whole heart into helping each of her clients have the birth experience they want to have. I delivered at UCSF and she was very at ease working with the staff there. She made it a point to create a relaxing ambience in an otherwise sterile setting by bringing in twinkle lights, battery operated candles and essential oils. The twinkle lights around the bathtub and the oils she wafted into the air (at just the right times) were two of my favorite memories of labor. These things and her constant support and encouragement (and very effective massage techniques) helped me manage the pain until I was about 7 centimeters dilated. When I said I couldn't take the pain anymore and wanted an epidural she gently offered trying other things first to give my body more time to get where it needed to be. Ultimately when I did get an epidural, my contractions slowed and labor stalled. After a few hours of waiting this out, she suggested I move into an all fours position. I was completely numb but her and my husband managed to turn me over and get me into a more suitable position to help my labor progress. Within an hour of this I was dilated to 10 and ready to go! Heather cried with my husband and I when my baby was born which just goes to show how much of her heart goes into this. It speaks to the loving and caring person that she naturally is. I was initially a little concerned about having someone that I barely knew in the room for such a private life moment but I wouldn't have had it any other way. She knew when to give us space and when to be there for us and having her there felt just like having a good friend around who just happened to have a wealth of knowledge about the situation too. She really helped my husband to feel at ease as well. By giving him the right techniques to help soothe my nerves and pain he was able to feel more confident about giving me the support I needed. I have recommended her to anyone who is needing a doula and will continue to do so. read more

Heather was an invaluable part of my pregnancy and birth experience. She served as the doula for our baby's birth in August, and in the months leading up to the birth she offered excellent insights, resources, and--perhaps most importantly--calming, nonjudgmental, grounding energy. Her holistic, evidence-based approach to prenatal care combined with her diverse set of birth experiences gave me confidence as I approached this momentous rite of passage; thanks to her I felt empowered to trust my intuition and choices and to prepare my body, mind, and spirit for birth. When it came to the actual birth, she provided soothing touch, words of encouragement, and wise counsel in partnership with my husband and midwives; as a result I was able to have the birth experience that I had wanted: unmedicated, present, transformative. Thank you, Heather, for giving me the gift of this beautiful birth experience; I highly recommend her to anyone who wants to have a supported and enlightened birth experience! read more

Little bit of a late review, my son was born last May, but I have to say having homegirls support my wife and I during our birth and throughout the pregnancy really helped us get through it. I have to admit that I was ignorant about doulas in general- had no idea what they did, but my wife felt like she wanted that extra layer of support and experience. I figured that can't hurt to help guide her thru the birth process. What I didn't realize was how much they would help me as well. Speaking to other dads to be, especially first time dads, heading into the unknown of a birth experience can be pretty both exciting and scary. Having the homegirls there was a life saver. Once we realized she was in labor I reached out to Heather/Lisa and they were there for us immediately. My wife wanted to labor at home for as long as she could, that couldn't of happened without Heather and Lisa's support and guidance. They brought food, massage gear, the works. They helped establish the right kind of energy in our home that enabled us to stick to our birth plan. Once at the hospital, from arrival to beautiful baby they worked with my wife, nurses and doctors in a very gracious way. I was struck by how knowledgeable they were with hospital practices, as well as their persistence to uphold our birth wishes when necessary. They generally rocked and I would recommend them to any Dad or Mom to be! read more

Heather was our birth doula for the birth of my son in April 2019. After interviewing several doulas, I knew Heather, with her knowledge and experience and calming presence, was who I wanted to support my husband and I for the birth of our first baby. Working with her in the prenatal meetings, helped us feel calm and mentally prepared for labor. She was also consistently in touch with us leading up to my due date, checking in on how I was feeling and if there were any changes. I had an unexpectedly quick labor at home, and we were in contact with Heather over the phone consistently. After only being in labor for a few hours, I felt like I had to go to the hospital, but my husband and I were really uncertain about going since it hadn't been very long. Heather listened to a few contractions over the phone and helped us decide that it was time to go. When we arrived at the hospital, I was fully dilated. During pushing, Heather was simply amazing. She coached me through the contractions and helped me focus, amidst everything else happening in the delivery room, which allowed my husband to simply be there and present with me - we even sneaked a few smooches between pushes. Once our son was born, she stayed with us for about an hour in the room to help us get started with breastfeeding, and support us during that first hour as a family. And lastly, we had a great postpartum visit with her, re-hashing my birth experience. We loved working with Heather - she was extremely calming and supportive through my entire pregnancy, labor and delivery and plan to work with her again for any future pregnancies! read more

Hiring Heather to support my birth was the best decision we made. She is very knowledgeable, positive, calm and fun to be around. Right away when we met Heather we knew that she is the right person for us. During our prenatal visits she shared so much valuable information that even my husband did not feel like he needed to take birthing classes. Both of us felt very comfortable and well prepared for the labor. We were planning on having a natural birth, however, our boy refused to come out, so I had to be induced at almost 42 weeks. Heather helped us tremendously to learn about all available options for induction and to make all the right decisions at the right timing doctors never even suggested. She helped me to stay calm, focused and motivated through the labor. Only because of Heather I ended up having short natural birth regardless of all the induction I went through. All the nurses and doctors at Stanford were amazed at how perfect my birth was and how knowledgeable and helpful Heather was. The doctors would never gave us the options of what to do without Heather's suggestions. We felt very empowered and comfortable about the whole process. Both I and my husband have the best memories of our birth experience, and we are very grateful to Heather for everything she did for us. read more

Heather and Lisa were my labor and delivery doulas for my first baby. From the moment we decided they would be apart of this wonderful experience they went above and beyond for me and my family. Due to Heathers nurturing demeanor and Lisa's strength I was able to lean on them during my pregnancy and my labor. Even when my story took me from a home birth to a csection they were still able to provide stability, encouragement, and lots of love. Their energy adapts to any situation. But truly the best thing about these two and their partnership is at the end of the day their ability to be their for you in whatever capacity you need them to be, at the end they are your Home Girls! I highly recommend them! When it comes around to having my second child I couldn't imagine having anyone else by my side then these two lovely ladies! You won't regret it! read more

Heather from Home Girls was my postpartum doula for a couple weeks when my baby girl was 5-6 weeks old. She was truly exceptional and I wholeheartedly recommend her. I met Heather at a local "Meet the Doulas" night. I had a rather complicated birth that ended with a c-section. As a result, my milk came in slowly and my daughter came home from the hospital with formula and a bottle. Determined to breastfeed, I was pumping 8 x's a day while taking care of a newborn and recovering from a c-section. I was mostly on my own during the daytime since my husband had gone back to work. Needless to say, I was exhausted and desperately needed help! When my husband and I first met her, it was briefly, but we had the hunch she was a good fit for us. Our hunch proved right. She has a wonderful and valuable combination of warmth and grace, love for mommas and newborns, and - very importantly - practical know-how and helpfulness. The first day she came to my house, she looked in my cupboards, realized I needed restocking of nutritious food, and went about grocery shopping (I didn't need to get her a list!). She took those same groceries and whipped up some basic but amazing meals and snacks that I could eat for the next few days. (I still make some of her simple recipes to this day.) Through our casual conversations, she shared her knowledge and wisdom around nutrition, lactation, and infant and self-care. She reminded me that my baby needed me now, and so she took care of food and laundry. I could relax with my baby, which was such a welcome opportunity and relief! She also treated my baby with such genuine affection and TLC that I couldn't help but learn from her and adopt some of her approach to my parenting. One of my challenges was getting my little girl to breastfeed more, rather than bottle feed formula. One day we devoted most of the day to this endeavor. It was hard work as we tried to soothe my daughter in ways other than just feeding her a bottle, and sought new breastfeeding positions my daughter would accept. Though it took perseverance, by the end of the day I had learned more ways to soothe my daughter, and that day started a gradual increase in my daughter breastfeeding (and taking less formula). Today at 3 months, she is just about exclusively breastfed! I was sad that our work drew to an end as I would have loved to have had her with me and my daughter everyday. I felt very fortunate to have found Heather from Home Girls and would recommend her to my closest friends and family if they were seeking a doula! read more

What a gift these woman are! To be held in such a strong and honest circle of women in service is nothing short of magic. Birth and the pathway into parenthood is one of the scariest most rewarding experiences you can ever have. To be witnessed and supported by people you feel safe with and even inspired by is the greatest gifts in making that transition a more smooth and celebrated journey. With laughter and love, as well as knowledge and deep intuition these two woman helped me feel safe and sacred every step of the way. From our first meetings with all the unknown, unknowable questions and curiosity of a first time mother. To the infinite portal of all knowing they held open for me with their encouragement and calm commitment to supporting my journey into motherhood. The love and grace in their faces during the hardest parts of transition let me know how powerful I am and that I was made for this! This is my prayer for all families in the birth journey. Being seen and supported by women like this is life changing and deeply healing. They not only fed my spirit but also my body with deeply nourishing food after my 12 hour delivery. They made my partner laugh when it got real and a little scary and then washed my dishes. Good to have Home Girls like these. All it takes is meeting them to know they are the real deal and who you want to have around during one of the hardest most important moments in your life. With Home Girls I not only found amazing birth workers to help me in bringing my baby into the world, but friends who enrich me and my family still. Thank You Lisa and Heather you two are in my heart always. read more

Heather was our birth doula. Without her skills and grace, it's hard to believe we would have been able to follow through on our plan for a natural birth. Heather partnered with another doula (who handled daytime delivery), but ultimately was on call and present for 18 hours of the 30 hours between my water breaking and delivery. Heather was invaluable every step of the way through my pregnancy and labor. She supported and informed the decisions that went into our birth plan, and used powerful comfort measures to help me through 12 hours of active labor and delivery drug-free. Heather's knowledge of UCSF's birth center and her experience with mind-altering breathing techniques made our ideal birth possible. Heather gave my husband and me the strength to stick to our decisions, and her touch and support made the most challenging experience of my life also the most satisfying and beautiful. Words cannot describe Heather's ability to make a natural birth experience manageable, but also, more importantly, fearless. With Heather's support I felt like I could do anything. She is an amazing birth doula and I hope to have her by my side again for the next one! read more

We had the most magical un-medicated birth experience I could have imagined in a hospital setting, and it's all thanks to Heather Hughes! We had our baby girl two months ago and my husband and I still talk about how fortunate we were to have Heather help us bring our daughter into the world. She was like the ultimate sports coach and spiritual coach wrapped up in one. She anticipated my every move, she knew exactly what I needed when. She and my husband were the perfect team. She helped him feel as much a part of the birthing experience as possible. She even managed to take a video of the actual birth when the baby made her first appearance into the world, and that video is utterly priceless! She handled the entire experience with such ease and grace and passed that energy onto us. She knew how and when to advocate for what we needed and when to hold back to gain the trust and good will of the hospital staff. It was the birth I had dreamed of and my husband and I both feel like we owe it all to Heather. She's got an energy, presence, and ability that you can't teach. We are so lucky to have found her. We cannot recommend her more. read more

These ladies came recommended by two separate girlfriends when I was beginning the process of finding a doula. I had met with other doulas through the interviewing process, but what I liked about meeting Heather and Lisa was how comfortable I felt with them immediately, and how nurturing but strong both of them are. Plus, getting two doulas is a major plus. I was, and am, so happy my partner and I hired them. We went over my birth plan in preparing for my due date, and when the due date came and went, the two ladies patiently checked in on me even two weeks past. The client they had booked after my birth gave birth early, so it turned out Heather was attending my birth and Lisa the other birth. Heather was the sweetest presence massaging my feet with Jasmine oil and feeding me bone broth for what turned out to be a 3 day induction at the Hospital. In the end my birth was nothing how I had planned it, but I was so thrilled to have spent those days with my partner, sister and Heather. She kept the atmosphere light when I was waiting for active labor to start and hunkered down and held space for me when the contractions became unbearable. Then after we came home from the hospital with our son, the ladies came over for multiple visits to drop off my placenta pills, share some hearty food, and chatted casually around the kitchen about how much changes in ones life becoming a new mom and the highs and lows of this major transition. I really feel like I gained some awesome friendships from these two ladies through this process and would do it again in a heart beat. read more