How does anyone birth a child without taking Kelly's class?? In her empowering and grounded way, Kelly would say you don't NEED the class, you will birth your baby no matter what! But let me tell you, I feel infinitely more confident and informed after taking this class, and much calmer about the process. I can't imagine heading into birth without the wisdom I gained. The content is so relevant, evidence-based, unbiased, captivating... the time flew by. Even my husband, who was a little skeptical heading into it, totally had his mind blown and is a much more informed partner about his role in labor. Kelly herself is a godsend. She has a wealth of knowledge on this complex topic and presents it in the most digestible way. She is a brilliant educator, not just a brilliant birth educator. I wish we all had a Kelly to teach us about this when we were children. Five stars does not do this justice. If you're on the fence about whether you need a birth class, just sign up. You, your partner, and your baby will all benefit tremendously. read more

I was anxious about taking a birthing class virtually, but Kelly really knocks it out of the park. She keeps the class small and conversational, covers a wide variety of topics, and ultimately helped me and my partner feel so much better prepared for the birth of our first baby. After class she sends out some great materials and reading to further prepare. Most of the class mentioned they were doing hospital births, so she was able to tailor her material to the experience we would be having at a hospital. Lots of time for questions and quality things to take away. Highly recommend! read more

My partner and I participated in Kelly Gray's holistic childbirth class (5-hour version) about 6 weeks before we delivered our first child. The class was conducted via Zoom due to the pandemic. I am so glad we chose to take this class, and I will always feel like Kelly was an important part of my labor and delivery experience. I'll go into more detail below, but I will briefly say that this course is incredible and I recommend taking it to everyone as an excellent way to prepare for bringing your child into the world. Prior to taking this holistic childbirth course, I had taken the childbirth class through my medical provider. Kelly's course left me feeling prepared, informed, and as ready as one can be in a way that my medical provider's course did not (in fact the Kaiser course only made me feel more anxious). Kelly covers very specific ways that you and your partner can support the childbirth process and explained the stages of labor and what signs indicate you are moving to an new stage. Kelly led discussions among the multiple couples participating in the course and helped us each to identify our own existing resources for managing stress and pain during labor. It was great to connect with other expecting parents since we have been so isolated during the pandemic. I truly feel like this course helped shape a very positive delivery for my child. read more

My partner and I absolutely loved Kelly's class. We attended via zoom and I was a little bit worried because it was a very long session (6 hours) but it was sooo good. It felt small and intimate and highly engaging. I feel so much more confident for the birth of our first baby after learning so much from Kelly. She's amazing, I would recommend her to all the mamma's and their partners. read more

Kelly's wealth of knowledge on the subject of childbirth is impressive. My husband and I attended her 6-hour course on Zoom over the weekend. I left that session feeling like we're 1.) better informed about our choices 2.) more aware and empowered to do things that are within our control to facilitate a healthy birth and 3.) a stronger team than we were before. It is well worth your time and money. Kelly was also super generous with sharing resources after the course-- she's just a good person, and you can feel it even through a computer screen. Good luck to you if you're reading this! read more

We attended Kelly's daylong holistic childbirth preparation workshop at Luma Center in Petaluma with two other couples. I'm halfway into my pregnancy, have read a lot so far, and am currently also taking a hypnobirthing course, but wanted to take another childbirth class to continue learning from different sources/professionals. Kelly's class is well structured and presented, and covers a lot of practical advice, mixed with some hands-on exercises. She included a few partner intimacy exercises that were really helpful -- something that my husband and I can continue to make time to do as the months pass. She clearly explained numerous concepts that had been previously challenging to visualize, and her discussion of different aspects of labor (hormones, fetal positioning, stages, etc.) filled in a lot of holes for me. She is engaging and welcoming, and someone I sense we could trust if she were part of our birth team. read more

We just took Kelly's day-long birthing class and wow, it was so wonderful! My husband and I were definitely skeptical and weren't sure how much of the class would translate well to a virtual platform. The class far exceeded our expectations. We really enjoyed being in our home, having time to share special moments while connecting with others through video. Kelly really made all this possible and was lovely. Very attentive to everyone (just 2 other couples), knew when to take breaks, clearly explained complex concepts, respectfully expressed her opinion, and was warm and kind. We learned so much about the physiology of birth, stages of labor, hormones, and how partners can actually be supportive pre-, during, and post-birth. Highly recommend this class and Kelly. Thank you so much! read more

Truly a holistic and educational experience. Kelly's Holistic Childbirth Preparation workshop is informative, interesting, and one of the best gifts a couple embarking upon parenthood can give themselves. As a birth worker, sitting through an eight hour day, I was worried that I would become restless or bored, neither of which happened. I was riveted the entire class and would take it again in a heartbeat. Kelly is not only a wealth of knowledge, she's also open minded, with an excellent sense of humor, which I think is immensely valuable. Five stars for Nine Moons! read more

I was very fortunate to take Kelly's intro to natural childbirth class when I was midway through my pregnancy. It was a full day of learning and I was completely intrigued and overjoyed to soak up all she had to teach. There honestly wasn't a moment I thought, "Is it over yet?" Kelly taught with wisdom, non-judgemental openness, and covered both in and out of hospital births. The best part of the class, however, was the sense of connection and empowerment it gave me and my husband, my birth partner. He had normal concerns any first time father might experience, but after the class he was feeling very confident and ready to welcome baby. After the class, I kept in touch with Kelly about questions I had about childbirth, and she was always happy to oblige. I love recommending her classes to any expecting parents. Time and money very well spent. read more

Dads... you need Kelly as much, if not more than your partner will need her before, during, and after the baby's arrival. Please read! My wife initiated our doula search and of course I was more than happy to support anything she needed regarding the childbirth process. What I didn't anticipate was how much Kelly would help ME with this process as well, as a father-to-be. Even with the childbirth classes we had taken and all of the information/conversations I had exposed myself leading up to the actual day, it was the prenatal meetings with Kelly that really helped me mentally prepare for childbirth, taught me what to expect, and helped me to understand what I could do as a partner during labor to support my wife who would be doing the real work!. Looking back, I CANNOT imagine having gone through all of this without Kelly's guidance and support from the prenatal meetings all the way through to the end of a very long labor. Dads/partners- I can't say it enough, do NOT attempt to go through this alone. You need an advocate and support system there for you too during labor, and Kelly is just that. Kelly did not leave my wife's side at all during the labor process and when she could tell that I needed a timeout, a nap, or just a break from the emotions of it all, she would tell me that I needed to rest for a bit. Kelly always had our birth plan in mind and was such a trusted adviser when we were faced with decisions and weren't sure how to proceed. Had we not had Kelly there with us, I would have felt so ill-equipped to support my partner during the process and would have been flying blind. Plus, I don't know how I would have made it through emotionally without someone there telling me that what I was doing was actually helping and that my presence was an asset. I thought that doulas were only there to support the moms, but it turns out that they are a dad's best friend as well! I cannot recommend Kelly enough. She is a strong, even-keeled, calming person that supports mom AND dad from beginning to end. Don't do this on your own- go through this process with a knowledgeable, caring individual who has both of your backs! read more

Kelly is a magical birth doula. I was skeptical of hiring a doula at first, but my wife was dead set on it. After one brief meeting with Kelly at a coffee shop (you have to vett everyone these days) I knew she would be great addition to our birth team (me). Kelly is very knowledgeable about birth, extremely resourceful, level-headed, calm (and calming), passionate, thorough, the list goes on and on. I honestly don't think we could have done the natural birth without her. My wife is high-strung as is, so having Kelly there was a necessity. My wife would listen to her every idea - I know for a fact I would have been yelled at had I recommended the same thing. Kelly provided resources for books before the birth, information as it popped up, and our pre-birth meetings were full of great nuggets of info. Talking through the whole birth process with her and understanding what we wanted regarding the labor was invaluable. Kelly listened to our likes, dislikes, fears, etc and made it all work. During the labor, Kelly was a star birth doula. She made the process go exactly how we wanted. Calm. Quiet. Natural. Dim. Mobile (not laying in bed). She knew all the tricks to help my wife cope with the 24hr labor. Not once did my wife ask for drugs. It was amazing. If it weren't for Kelly instilling strength in my wife, I fear my wife would have asked for pain killers. I'm sure I would have asked for some too! If you are considering a birth doula. Look no further. Kelly is it. Meet with her once, and you will know. Good luck and have a good labor!!!! read more

My husband and I truly enjoyed the class. It was a unique opportunity for both of us to come together and go over the same birth prep material at the same time, which is feel is key to setting the tone for being on the same page. We were hesitant about doing the class via online conference style, my husband is not the type to sit inside all day staring at a screen, but there was no other option because of the stay at home mandate.... I was happily surprised how well it worked. It was fun, and comfortable and we learned so much. Amazing guidance and advise! Dont hesitate just book it! You wont regret it and you will feel more confident bout your birth and gain more community. read more

My husband and I took Kelly's Holistic Childbirth Preparation Workshop last weekend in Occidental. We found the class immensely informative and totally fascinating. Kelly's knowledge of and passion for childbirth is apparent throughout the class; she delivers what could be complex medical information in a thoughtful, clear way to those of us lay people. We left the class feeling more informed about what actually happens during the birth process - including descriptive detail about what contractions actually feel like and why they feel that way - which translates to less fear of the unknown and greater trust in ourselves to get through it safely, naturally and as smoothly as possible. We are so, so, so grateful to her for sharing both her kindness and expertise, and we highly recommend her to any expectant couples. read more

Kelly Gray may be somewhat new to the business of being born but she knows that some things cannot be improved upon. While the business side of being born could use a lot of improvement in the U.S.A. she helped me to do my birth naturally and without any medication. I am testimony to the fact that it can be done and that nature intended it that way for a reason. Not only was I at the hospital for only a half hour before the baby arrived, the Midwife herself said "I didn't do anything". One important note......Kelly had the lovely task of running the bathwater for my water birth. The water was only lukewarm though and caused my baby and I to get extremely cold thereby having a longer recovery in the center afterwards. Experience is often the best qualifier for working with babies, I doubt that an older Doula would have been so careless. read more

This class was exactly what my husband and I were looking for and after taking it, we feel so much more prepared for birth. Kelly is an amazing teacher and she has really adapted so well to teaching the class remotely. She provides wisdom and knowledge on how birth actually works and provides the tools needed so my partner and I can get through it together. The full day class is broken up in a way that I never got bored and was truly engaged the whole time, even with the amount of information the provided. The small class size allowed her to gear the information to the participants completely and answer all questions we had. read more

Kelly is absolutely amazing at what she does. She bases her course in a wealth of experience, love and (importantly, to me) science based evidence. Her course was incredibly empowering for me as a first time mom-to-be and I left feeling like I understood what labor may be like and with a knowing that my body knows what to do. She provides so many resources and I felt like I walked away with so much knowledge of how to best support me, baby and my partner and how my partner could provide that support as well. My husband was very reluctant to participate but left feeling so grateful that he took the course. I was very skeptical of zoom birth class but I forgot I was on zoom as I got immersed in the information and her presence. It felt very personal, I felt connected to the other couple, and in some ways, it might have been more comfortable for me as some of the exercises brought me to a very vulnerable place and my home was comforting to me in such times. My amazing midwife recommended Kelly's course over the many that she knows of and I am so grateful that she did. I couldn't imagine a better person to be doing this work! Absolutely perfect for what I was looking for in a birth class! I would feel very comfortable recommending Kelly's class to anyone who is looking for a birth class! read more

I was blessed to have Kelly as my doula at the birth of my daughter in January 2012. Starting with the two prenatal visits we had with her, Kelly served as an invaluable resource and support as we prepared for a natural birth. Meeting with her was so enjoyable and I never felt that she rushed things along. She was incredibly thorough when discussing our wishes for the labor, birth, and postpartum period, and she helped my partner and I make decisions about issues that we hadn't thought of before. Kelly was truly incredible during my long labor. She arrived at our house around midnight, after I'd been laboring for about 6 hours, and was a huge help all through the night as I needed to change positions, be talked through my Hypnobirthing relaxations, and be massaged. She really seemed to know, intuitively, what I needed to hear to deal with the increasingly strong surges. One of the affirmations she gave to me became my focus point during the uncomfortable drive to the hospital and made it much more bearable. At the hospital, Kelly did a great job helping us to communicate with the medical staff and to make our wishes known. She helped me to try different positions to deal with the surges and gave me a wonderful hand and arm massage. When I hit the 24-hour mark in my labor and decided to deviate from my birth plan, Kelly was very calm and collected as she talked through the decision with my partner and me. I felt supported every step of the way with her and am so glad to have had her advice as I went through my first labor and birth. Kelly was also a major support for my partner, making sure that she ate, drank and rested during our long labor. Once my baby was born, Kelly made sure we were settled and comfortable before she left. I also felt that Kelly's postpartum visit with us was very useful and important. It really helped to process the labor and the birth with her and to have her as a resource as we navigated life with a newborn. When we hit a few bumps in the road as new parents, Kelly provided invaluable information and contacts to help us get the support we needed. I can't recommend Kelly highly enough and hope that I am lucky enough to have her as my doula if I have another child. read more

I'm a birth doula in SF and after hearing one more of my clients rave about their childbirth ed class with Kelly, I figured it was well past time to write a review. I know Kelly personally and think the world of her, but that doesn't automatically warrant a claim that she's good at what she does. But, man; she is!! Time and again I've heard people describe their wonderful experience in her course. One of the things that I hear often is that folks find the idea of an all-day commitment daunting. But I've never heard anyone say that they felt that the time was wasted, and most of them marvel at how fast the class went, how interesting it was and how much useful info they learned. Selfishly, I'm delighted when my clients take this class. With a vast background in the field of birth, Kelly helps birthing people learn so much about the process, without making them feel like they have to have the "right answers", follow a specific plan, or feel judged about any decisions they may make during their birthing experience. She apparently has a way of honestly and clearly presenting information so that folks know what to expect but aren't scared by it. Today my clients told me that they left her course more confident, more informed and more joyful about their upcoming birthday. They were glowing when they recounted their day with Kelly. We are a lucky city that there are so many wonderful options for this kind of course, and not every class is going to resonate with every pregnant person. But if you are curious and ready for an informative, entertaining, warmly professional and thorough experience, you will appreciate Kelly. Also a shout-out to the amazing new resource space in the Sunset where Kelly teaches: Recess on Taraval/32nd Ave. read more

Woo - hoo, Kelly! My husband & I signed up for a birth class @ Carmel Blue, and we lucked out - Kelly was our teacher. As the class was in preparation for our first baby, we went into the class with lots of basic questions - Kelly was so supportive and no question seemed too obvious or too small. She also stayed a few minutes late each session to ensure that we fit in the desired material. The class was a great mix of teaching, experiential learning, demos, and visuals. I loved that she allowed time to connect with your partner & encouraged us to do some of this labor prep work right there...rather than hoping we'd figure it out later. It was clear that the class was personalized to suit our needs - she continually checked in with us to see what our wants/needs were, and adjusted the class content accordingly. Her knowledge and comfort with the material allowed her to be flexible on the fly & I was confident that she knew what she was talking about! All of our questions were answered & we left the class feeling as prepared as one can be for labor! Kelly is clearly passionate about her work. Her appreciation & trust of a woman's body is evident & proves that she's in the right field! I'd definitely recommend her classes! read more

My husband and I recently completed Kelly's childbirth class and were pleasantly surprised. The class was recommended to us by our care providers. We are both very scientifically-minded and were a bit skeptical going into the class but it was excellent. The first half focused on the four major birth hormones - what makes us produce or stop producing them and the affect that they have on birth. The second half broke down all the different stages of birth and coached both mom and partner on what to expect. We learned a TON. Lots of accreted wisdom from years of births and punctuated by exercised that we can do before and during to prepare ourselves. Also, in the current moment (sheltering in place due to COVID-19) Kelly completed this class remotely. We thought it would feel like an eternity. It flew by. Highly recommend. read more

Looking at my childbirth experience in retrospect one of the key things I learned was if you want to have a natural birth free of drugs, having the right birth team is critical and having the support of an extremely intuitive and understanding doula is essential. You're unlikely to find a more intuitive, knowledgeable, compassionate and understanding doula than Kelly Gray. I found Kelly through a circuitous circle of connections, one referral lead to another and then ultimately to Kelly. I took a look at her website and called her right away. We arranged a time to meet in person. Before we met, I had been planning on having a hospital birth, but was considering having a homebirth. When she came over and met with my husband and me, we discussed both and found out more about her role in the birthing experience. She explained that her focus is on providing emotional support and covering the basic needs of the laboring woman and her partner. Having complex and somewhat fearful feelings around birth that I knew I needed to process and release it was important to me to have support. I could see from our very first meeting that Kelly had the skills and qualities I needed to help me through this process. I didn't realize how right I was. In our two prenatal meetings we discussed many things, my partner's role, how I wanted the birth to be, my issues around birth, what my own birth was like, and many other things. We had decided at this point that we were indeed going to have a homebirth. She was very supportive of this decision. We went through the comprehensive questionnaire she had us fill out and discussed some of the things that came up from it. This helped me and my husband focus on our ideas around birth. When the time came for the birth Kelly was incredible. My labor was very long, 60 hours total. In the beginning she was just finishing up another birth and sent a fantastic backup to be there with us. In a few hours she arrived. We didn't know it at the time but we had another day and a half to go. Through that long labor Kelly helped coach me through the contractions. The first day of labor was really rough and I was resistant to moving. The second day of labor I moved more and Kelly recommended several ideas of dealing with the surges. There were times in my very long labor that I hit the wall and didn't think I could take anymore, but Kelly helped me stay focused and get past those grueling moments. In the early evening of the second day she and my midwife recommended I get in the birth tub to ease the contractions, just before this I had nearly had enough. I was six centimeters dilated with four more to go. After hours and hours in the tub I finally felt like pushing and my midwife checked and I was fully dilated. So we started the pushing phase. The baby was moving down lower but wasn't coming out. My midwife asked me to go to the bathroom to empty my bladder, and just walking there was excruciating. Kelly came in and talked to me. I was at a very low point, but Kelly told me just what I needed to hear. She said I needed to change my strategy and go from relaxing and moving through the surges to being active and pushing my baby out. That moment was really pivotal for me and it wasn't too long afterwards that my daughter finally came out to join us. Sometimes knowing what you're supposed to do is not intuitively understandable, and when she spoke to me she did it with great compassion for the pain I was experiencing, and she was pointing me towards the way to end it, which meant doing some serious work after great exhaustion and feeling even more pain. It felt a little like a pep speech from a kinder, gentler version of a boxing coach. As if she was telling me to go back in the ring and show them what I've got. I did just that. My husband was on my right side holding me and Kelly was on my left when I pushed my daughter out. I'm really not sure I could have done it without her. My birth team was absolutely stellar, from my midwife, Nile Nash, her assist, Sue Baelen, my wonderful encouraging husband, and doula extraordinaire Kelly Gray. I am eternally grateful that I had all of them to help me through the journey to bring my daughter here. Kelly also made some really cool placenta prints and took our first pictures as a family. After that intense experience, Kelly came over and met with us to follow up and to give me a great postpartum massage, which made me feel grounded again in my own body. It was my first experience of wonderful self-care since becoming a mom. I would recommend Kelly to anyone. You will be lucky to have her on your birth team. She knows her work. read more

My husband and I took the childbirth preparation class with Kelly. We definitely got more out of than we expected. It really helped my husband and I connect on another level. She provided a safe, encouraging environment for everyone in the class. My husband and I started the class nervous and stressed, but left excited and more knowledgeable about the new journey we were about to start. And we really appreciated the handouts and hypo-birth CD. I read the meditation page from her handout to myself nightly and it does wonders! I feel so empowered and confident that I can labor how I desire! read more

When I told people I wanted to have a natural birth with no pain meds they thought I was crazy and didn't think I would be able to go through with it. I accomplished this and it has earned me bragging rights for life. I honestly could not have done this without Kelly. I read that hiring a birth doula can coach you through intense labor. I researched around and found Kelly. I connected with Kelly from the very beginning. Her calm, caring demeanor made me feel at ease (even though I considered myself an anxious pregnant women!) When I started feeling my first contractions, I was pretty confident I would not be able to stand the pain and would probably ask for the meds ASAP. I was wrong! I was in labor for 23 hours and Kelly was like an angel. She walked me through multiple positions that helped me tolerate the pain. She had many amazing techniques to deal with the pain that I didn't even learn about from my birth classes. She also couched my husband to help me through my worse contractions. Although most of my family had never heard of a birth doula, they were so impressed by Kelly and have been telling friends and family about her services. It sounds crazy, but I felt hypnotized by Kelly (in the best way possible!) She really got me through the most intense pain I have ever felt in my life and allowed me to accomplish my birth plan. I will forever be thankful and grateful for Kelly! Kelly is also a wealth of knowledge (during my pregnancy, labor, and post partem). She is a gem! read more

My husband and I took this holistic childbirth preparation workshop on 6/10/2018 in Occidental with Kelly. It was a a day filled with valuable information, such as the anatomy of the uterus/cervix, how mom, baby, and partner work together. We learned about how having people you trust in the room can impact our experience. I learned about the importance of relaxation and being in tune with my husband and my breathing. We practiced massages, we practiced speaking in low voices to each other as this will be important on the day of birth. We learned about using the birth ball prior to labor. Overall it was an amazing experience for the both of us. We were 18 weeks when we took the class. Taking it early has allowed me to feel relaxed, trust my body and plenty of time to prepare and practice the tools we learned. We also received many tools after the workshop that are very helpful! Kelly, your delivery is very clear, caring, loving and passionate. Thank you for making our experience as good as it can be by providing all of your knowledge. read more

Kelly's postpartum visit to our home was the turning point in my ability to breastfeed. She helped me put all the competing advice I received from hospital nurses and lactation consultants in perspective. After watching me feed and assessing my positioning, she showed me how to to relax so that baby and I could have a good feeding session. I appreciated her knowledge, her calm demeanor, and especially her frankness--the first person to tell me the truth about how breastfeeding is "supposed" to feel. She made me feel confident and competent as a new mom! She's also an amazing massage therapist. I felt like a new woman afterwards! As a mom herself, she was well aware of my needs and where I was holding tension from nursing. She was very attentive to my preferences (including the level of pressure--I didn't wake up the next day and feel like I had just played a game of football as I have with other masseuses). Nurturing and compassionate, Kelly is a natural caregiver--make her part of your postpartum recovery period!! read more

These are the following things I love about Kelly - Knowledgeable. Throughout our meetings she provided both of us with vital and helpful information. She also recommended helpful books and provided articles that proved to be useful through the pregnancy and labor. She was always able to answer our questions thoroughly, clearly and presented pros and cons, allowing us to make decisions on our own. - Attentiveness - She made sure that we were both taken care of during the labor. She was much in tune with our needs. - Personality - Not pushy or demanding at all - very comforting, and has a great ability to understand and help with our needs, fears, and wishes. - Above and beyond- A few days after the labor, she wrote a heartfelt, beautiful email recounting the labor, not necessarily in time-order, but more like a diary entry of all the beautiful moments. We still have not had the time to write our own account of the labor, so it is so wonderful to have that as a memento. During labor she was simply amazing. Her knowledge, support, and her personality proved to be very useful during our labor (39 hour labor!). She was constantly in touch with what needed to be done and did so in a calm, collected way that was greatly appreciated. I would fully recommend Kelly as a doula without hesitation. read more

Kelly Gray is made to be a birth doula. Rarely have I seen a doula fit so seamlessly into the role, as though she herself was born knowing this work. Her background and experience offer her a unique perspective on the work (ask her about it!), and that is evident in her passion for advocacy and informed choice, and in her warmth and connection with her clients. We attended a birth together, she as doula and I as midwife, and Kelly was indispensable. She was super available to and lovely with the clients, always receptive to and respectful of my contributions as the primary care provider, and she brought a sweet, grounded, loving, enthusiastic presence to the client's labor and birth. Her experience as a massage therapist was evident and invaluable, and she was clearly comfortable in her role as doula, offering consistent, kind and insightful physical and emotional support to both the laboring woman and her partner. Kelly continually seeks to educate herself, asking smart questions, seeking research and resources, and establishing connections with other practitioners for the betterment of her skills and service to clients. In furthering her own knowledge and resource base, she goes above and beyond in furthering her ability to serve clients with the utmost thoughtfulness and care. I have a deep respect for her integrity, for her innate skill, for her deep passion for the work, and for her warmth and caring for her clients. Kelly tops my list of recommended birth doulas when my clients ask for names, and I look forward to working with her again. read more

I was so inspired by the education I received that I went home and wrote this immediately. The birth I experienced was incredible and empowering and I *know* it's because of the intuitive, thoughtful, power provoking nature of both the birth workshop and of Kelly, herself. Because of her, I birthed my baby with the utmost confidence and a true fervor for what my body was capable of and doing. To say my birth was incredible would be the understatement of the century, and I'm convinced that it had everything to do with how educated I was on the process. Here is my review of the class: My husband and I had the absolute pleasure of taking the Holistic Childbirth Class with Kelly Gray. An astounding amount of knowledge and wisdom were miraculously packed into 8 hours of lively, detailed, dialogue. I am so grateful for her ability to teach and share and am even more grateful that she chooses to do so. What an awe inspiring woman. Her gentle spirit was matched by her authoritative temperament, which gave way for, not only a truly heartfelt learning experience, but also an organic guide towards comfort from within. The empowerment she gifted to us will undoubtedly carry us through our birth experience. She instilled confidence in us to know that our choices were to be respected and to trust in our instincts. I've never felt more in charge of my birth and more at ease with our direction. Giving birth outside of a hospital environment can be scary to those who couldn't imagine it any other way. While giving birth inside a hospital can evoke those same level of fears in those who imagine their birth as a natural event that doesn't require too much fuss unless absolutely necessary. She managed to bridge that divide and create an open dialogue about what "necessary" means, what normal and natural looks like and how best to move forward. Her comforting techniques for birthing partners gave my husband a guide to follow; a path to establish his role in the birth room and gave his presence a purpose that I, unfortunately, could not have communicated as thoroughly and with as much gumption. He feels necessary to my comfort now, which he always was. But the important part is that he feels it and that I know that. Thank you, Kelly, from the bottom of my heart. read more

My husband and I took Kelly's class in Occidental where she welcomed us into a the room with hot tea and scones. The warm environment helped set the tone for the realization that birth is not sterile and medical, it is natural and women are designed for it. Birth education has clearly been her work for a long time, and she continues to stay up to date on practices, science, and data in the field. Her delivery of information was thorough and clear, but she also held non judgmental space for each of us to be nervous, fearful, and curious. I really appreciated how much Kelly engaged and empowered the dads in class too. We feel so much more prepared and knowledgeable to go into Kaiser and advocate for the birth we would like for our baby. I would definitely recommend taking her class! read more

Kelly is a truly gifted masseuse. She is deeply intuitive about where to use strength and pressure and where to be gentle and soothing. Her work with pregnant and post-partum moms gives her a unique ability to tailor the massage to the needs of the client. Kelly's massages always leave me with a sense of great calm and centeredness, and I would highly recommend her as both a masseuse and a doula. read more

We hired Kelly to be our doula for the birth of our first child and can give her an unqualified five stars. She was an indispensable part of our birthing team and we don't believe we could have carried on with an unmedicated birth without her! From start to finish, Kelly was accessible and helpful, sending us information on things we needed to know about in the weeks prior to the birth. She came twice to our home to go over our birth plan, discuss how we would handle complications if they arose, and try out various birthing positions. I felt comfortable with her from the start. She has a nurturing, empathetic personality that is backed up by skills and experience in massage and hospital work, giving her a familiarity and ability to communicate effectively with not only us but with hospital staff as well. During our birth, she was deeply in tune with the way labor progressed, never missing a beat in suggesting new positions and anticipating our needs. She was very respectful of our space as well, not intruding on the intimacy of our experience with one another. Kelly is new to doula-ing but is a natural pro. We were very pleased with our birth experience and credit much of our success to Kelly's helping hand. read more

We could not have asked for a better experience with Kelly as our doula. Our circumstances were a little different than most as we transferred to San Francisco from San Diego to have our daughter where there were specialists who could treat her particular condition. I found Kelly online while still at home, and she was immediately available as if she was just down the street. She set up skype interviews, phone calls, and was truly available for us anytime. Once we arrived in SF, she was even more accessible, but never disrespected our privacy or need to settle in. She offered to go to dr. appointments with me, and gave me recommendations on local midwives. She offered us help not only in preparations for the upcoming birth, but suggested great restaurants and parenting resources for us that we would not have found otherwise. She consistently offered her help not only as a doula, but as a local guide. I knew I had to have a special sort of person to be our doula since we were not sure if our daughter would survive the birth or first weeks of her life. It was a trying time for both my husband and I and all I can say is that Kelly was absolutely perfect. She was strong and positive, encouraging, but also realistic and pragmatic- I was so comforted to see that she had researched the rare condition we were dealing with even more than some of our best friends had. She educated herself about how things would be for our daughter and knew what questions to ask. She was never prying or too inquisitive, yet she was genuinely interested in what our thoughts and feelings were about our complex situation. She asked all the right questions. When it came time for the birth, Kelly was assertive but kind in dealing with the doctors and nurses, and an amazing support for both myself and my husband. If I could find a word that meant support times 1000 mixed with great love and calm guidance, that is how I would describe her presence with us. I know that I was able to have the natural birth I wanted (despite having to be induced) because of her strength and inspiration. She was calm and knew what to do and say at the right moments as well as when to just sit back and let the process take its course. She was respectful with the hospital staff, but not afraid to speak up when things needed to be clarified or disagreed with. When things strayed from the path I wanted my birth to take, she was never judgmental, always encouraged us to move forward from where we were and not look back: this was immensely helpful and satisfying. Im thankful to say that our daughter did (and is still doing) wonderfully, and I felt that being able to have the birth I wanted contributed greatly to the strength she had to fight her battles in the first part of her life. Kelly gave us advice about breast feeding, sleep, and many other things that new parents wonder about too. Our post-pardum meetings were extremely helpful- the support that she offered throughout the birth never wavered and was something that grew into a different kind of support after the birth, but just as valuable and appreciated. We will never forget Kelly. I could not recommend her more highly- she is a bright spirit and beautifully grounded strong woman who knows birth in an intuitive and intimate way. read more

Kelly Gray has made me a convert. Before working with Kelly-- who I contacted due to a friend's glowing recommendation and strong urging-- I would not have thought of myself as someone who would open up to anyone outside my family to get support during pregnancy. Kelly is an incredibly intuitive, calming, knowledgeable, and nurturing Doula. I worked with her for pre-natal massage to cope with some major pregnancy discomforts. After our first session, I felt much more physically (and dare I say it, emotionally) at ease. I work at a desk all day, and was having some pregnancy related back issues that were becoming increasingly problematic. After just one session with Kelly, who isn't just a talented pregnancy-specific masseuse, but an extremely informed resource and counselor who helped me work through some other more psychological pregnancy issues I was struggling with, I knew I had found a partner outside of my partner to help me through the last 8 weeks of my pregnancy. I set up three more appointments with Kelly, and also saw her two days before I gave birth for a pressure point session to encourage labor. You will be a very lucky set of parents if you work with her! I highly and unabashedly recommend Nine Moons Doula. read more

Kelly was the second doula I interviewed and I knew almost immediately I wanted her to be present with me at the birth of my first babe at home. Something I found very helpful and heart opening was the "questions for new clients" form Kelly asked me and my husband to fill out before our first meeting. It was as much about enlightening and reminding me of where I was at mentally and emotionally as it was information for her. I felt grateful that she guided our first meeting around my concerns, issues and energy blocks that I had been carrying with me throughout the pregnancy. I was very picky about who I wanted with me during my labor and birth, and I immediately connected with Kelly's insight and her calm and balanced way of asking questions, retrieving information and generating a peaceful and caring environment not only between me and my husband, but also in our home. I called Kelly 12 hours into my labor when I felt it was time to get some support. She was at another birth but asked me if I wanted her to send her back up doula until she was able to arrive within the hour - I said yes and felt so taken care of when her back up doula who was wonderful arrived seemingly within minutes. Kelly arrived soon thereafter and my home went from feeling empty and cool, to warm and comforting and from that point on, Kelly was with me in all the ways I wanted her to be. She is intuitive and understands the laboring woman. She gave me space when I needed it and was at my side for hours offering just the right amount of presence when I was having a hard time. Something I will always remember was how Kelly communicated with me. When I told her I was scared, she didn't offer empty reassurance, but asked me to further explore WHY I was scared. This, I found SO helpful and really shows how wise, connected and insightful she is and how good she is at what she does. The two meetings before the birth and the de-briefing meeting after, were so helpful for me and also for my relationship with my husband (my husband spent the entire labor and until our baby was crowning in another room due to my request). Kelly really facilitated a space for us to explore our feelings about the birth which was healthy and also very inspiring. I had an amazing home birth and Kelly was a large part of making that happen. (She also gave me an amazing post-natal massage!!) read more

I would give Kelly all the stars in the sky if I could! Ok, that's cheesy, but true. I'm not entirely sure I , or my family, could have made it through without her there. Both myself and my husband were a little uncertain about hiring a doula initially ( ok my husband was downright skeptical, supportive, but skeptical ;) ). We had interviewed a few people but none felt right. Either they weren't warm, or just didn't seem educated. Then we met Kelly. As soon as we sat down with her at our initial meeting over tea, we felt her calm and warm presence. Which I, as a bit of a type- a, found very reassuring, and we found she was non- judgmental, funny, and super educated and knowledgeable. Done deal. After hiring her, we met with Kelly for two rather long "meetings" before our birth. We had planned to go as natural as possible: starting labor at home with Kelly there to help when we needed her, and heading to the hospital when it was time. But of course, as they do, our labor plan went out the window rather quickly. I was diagnosed with a condition that required I be induced and admitted THAT DAY to the hospital for the safety of the baby. As soon as i called Kelly when we were packing our bags, she reassured me and asked if i wanted her there. Since nothing was happening yet, i told her to hold tight and we'd call her. So we were admitted and Kelly came by to check in. The induction was pushed off until the next morning, so since nothing was happening, i told her to go home and get some rest. As soon as we found out the induction schedule, she was en-route to be there by my side. She was my absolute saving grace and coach through 5 ours of petocin induced natural labor and 26 more of watching and waiting post-epidural(s). My mother and husband who were also in the room, couldn't have kept their sanity without her reassurance during that time. When i made a decision to have an epidural ( also not my plan) . Kelly was FULLY SUPPORTIVE of that decision , something you think a doula might not be. But she knew i was exhausted and that it was the right choice for me. LoNG story abridged: 30 hours of labor and two epidurals later, Kelly was there. Napping while i napped, talking my mom through it, keeping Brad rested and generally being all of our saviors mentally and emotionally through a long process! We have kept Kelly in our lives because she was such an integral part of the most wonderful, though at times long and arduous, event in our lives. She was one of the first people to meet our little girl and i'm not sure I could have done it as calmly as I did, were she not there to help us all. Recently we've asked Kelly to be the officiant at our daughter's blessing ceremony, something that she fervently yet humbly accepted. We feel honored. Kelly is the best, and only doula, i've ever known. And if we have another child, we hope she'll be with us again. read more

Kelly is an amazing woman, first and foremost, and an incredibly compassionate and thoughtful person. Her warm energy, gentle strength, and general attitude of calm and competence is exactly what I would want in a birth situation. I've worked with Kelly in supporting women and families in the Bay Area for two years, and I know how committed she is to the health and wellbeing of not only the clients she serves, but our entire community. From her passion for organizing to her competency as a masseuse, she has the acumen and background to fit the role of doula perfectly. I consistently refer friends and contacts to her for doula services, with complete confidence that she will fulfill their hopes for the highest quality of doula support. read more

Kelly......................What can I say about this knowlegable and nurturing woman? When things didn't go as planned in my daughter's labor, and they often don't in the delivery of a baby, Kelly's presence in the labor room was truly a Godsend to me( grandma), my daughter and my son-in-law, as well. She has a serenity and sense of well being that radiates to those around her. She answered my questions when the medical staff was too busy, she held my hand when I was frightened, and she reassured me that things were moving in the right direction, if not in the exact direction we had all planned for!! We spent the night sleeping in chairs, she never left the room except to walk to the Starbucks with me while my daughter slept to take my mind off the situation for just a bit. We left the hospital together at 5 AM after the birth and I thought about how much she helped all of us through the ordeal and how I couldn't have made it without her. Her techniques to aid my daughter through the pain of childbirth were wonderful and so sensible. I was so thankful as she helped my daughter to be more at ease with the process, even when the pain seemed unbearable to me. In closing I can just say that the whole experienced was enriched beyond my expectations because of Kelly. I highly recommend her. read more

My fiancée and I just took the Childbirth Preparation class with Kelly Gray this past weekend at Carmel Blue. After the first day, we knew that if we hadn't already hired a doula, we would want Kelly. She is so friendly, calm, engaged, and she has a lovely sense of humor. We immediately felt comfortable around her. The class itself was wonderful. She is very knowledgeable and thorough and teaches the class with a nice flow - lots of interaction/q&a, discussion, videos, exercises to foster connection between partners, some massage and pressure techniques for pain management, to just name a few things. We walked out of the class having a better understanding of what to expect emotionally and physically from childbirth. It was a fun and intimate atmosphere, and we felt that all of our questions had been answered. I especially loved and appreciated the focus on the partners and their role, and the focus on the connection between partners. It's clear that she loves what she does and is committed to it. I highly recommend this class and if you're looking for a doula, absolutely give her a call! read more

Kelly is fantastic. My wife had a natural childbirth in large part thanks to Kelly's support. If you're thinking about hiring a doula, do it. There are so many decisions that pregnancy brings; even if you take classes and read all the books, you're still not fully prepared for those "in the moment" decisions that you'll have to make. Kelly did two pre-natal visits with us to talk about our goals and help us write a detailed birth plan. That was crucial for us to understand and think through many of the decisions we'd have to make in the moment. And she was available throughout the multi-day birth process, checking in every few hours once my wife's water broke, going to the hospital with us a for a non-stress test, spending the entire evening/morning of the next day helping my wife work through contractions at home, and then, finally, meeting us in Hayward where my wife ultimately gave birth (all the hospitals in San Francisco where booked for some reason). Kelly was an invaluable partner for my wife and me. We can't recommend her--and the role a doula can play--highly enough. read more

I strongly recommend Kelly to any expecting parents seeking a doula. My wife began looking for a doula last year soon after getting pregnant. She knew she wanted to deliver our baby in a hospital--but she wanted to do so with as few medical interventions as reasonably possible. While a natural birth was her strong preference, she didn't want to take any options (such as an epidural) off the table if things got out of hand. She also needed someone who could deal with her husband--known to get queasy in hospitals and at the sight of blood--and step up if he took himself out of commission. She wanted a doula who "got" all of the above, who was supportive of natural childbirth without being dogmatic or judgmental, and whose focus would be on helping her have the best delivery she could--whether it went according to plan or not. Kelly was that doula. My wife had a wonderful, natural childbirth, with both Kelly and me at her side. She was an integral part of the birth team that gave my wife world-class care before, during, and after labor. Kelly is, of course, all of the things you would demand from a doula: empathetic, calm, experienced, utterly reliable. That's a given with Kelly. Here are some additional reasons why you should work with her: * Strong working knowledge of the birth protocols followed by local hospitals, and the way in which they work with doulas. She was particularly great at integrating with the team at St. Luke's, where we had our son. * Kelly takes the time to coordinate in advance how she, the mother, the father, and any other key people (like grandma-to-be) will work together during labor. The care that Kelly took during our two pre-natal visits ensured that we trusted one another and worked well together when the time came. * A note to people concerned about money: Kelly charges a competitive rate. In my view she represents the best value for money that we got at any point during the labor and delivery process--and that includes paying the hospital. * A further note to people who, like me, are not into alternative medicine or New Agey therapies: Kelly is a good fit for you. She believes, correctly, that the evidence-based case for natural childbirth is strong, and she knows her facts. Unlike some practitioners, she isn't going to come at you with a lot of incense and ooh-ing and ah-ing if that's not something you value. Hire Kelly, or at the very least take her labor and delivery class (and if you do the class, be sure to go on a day when Kelly gives it in person--she really is the best for this). read more