Barb was put on this earth to do exactly what she is doing: Inspiring countless nervous moms-to-be…read moreto overcome their fears and embrace the beauty and wonder of the birth experience in all of its unpredictable but amazing glory. She is Seattle's hypnobirthing grande dame, and her passion, experience and knowledge of the techniques she teaches have turned many a doubter (likely most of the male partners in the classroom) into die hard believers of the power of self-hypnosis techniques to attain complete relaxation and control. Most useful for us - especially my husband - was her empowering approach to birth: the birth experience does not have to be terrifying, over-medicalized, or powerless.

Let me stare by saying I was a skeptic about HypnoBirthing. It was my wife who first brought the…read moreidea to my attention. Since completing the class and the birth I have become a convert. It was a wonderful experience and I wouldn't have changed a thing. I can't say enough about Barbara Decker she is simply amazing. We were lost in the wilderness before we signed up for her HypnoBirthing class at Great Starts. We did our research and found it to be a better deal than elsewhere and the class included Breastfeeding and Newborn Care which others did not. We knew immediately we were in good hands. We were also fortunate enough to have her as our Doula which was priceless. Her energy, attention, guidance was a true gift in the birth of our daughter.

Thank you, Christi, for being the best doula a first time mother could have asked for! I had a lot…read moreof anxiety with my first pregnancy because of gestational diabetes and a baby who was consistently measuring in the 99th percentile. Christi brought me a lot of ease with her vast knowledge of child birth and assured me that I am more than capable of a vaginal delivery. My birth went according to plan and she really gave me the confidence that I can deliver a giant baby. I will remember you for the rest of my life, thank you!!

A friend of mine spoke wonders about having a doula for labor, so between that and my commitment to…read moreself-advocacy, I knew that hiring a labor doula was a non-negotiable for our first child. What I didn't know is how lucky we'd be to find Christi @ Emerald City Doulas! She is the perfect combination of experienced and empathetic, and her calm but direct approach was the perfect fit for my personality as well as my husband's. We loved having our two prenatal sessions and the ability to text Christi with any questions (they were always super responsive), but for us, the real value came during labor and delivery, which was not only traumatic for me but also came with tons of unexpected turns (starting with PROM, which is when water breaks with no contractions). Between the horrible pain and the decisions to break with our birth plan, Christi didn't waver and made sure I was supported and safe throughout. Needless to say, next to my husband, Christi is the person I will most remember as being there for me in the process of having our first child. After our little girl arrived, we worked with Jylane as our postpartum support doula. I can't say enough about her demeanor (our baby is comfortable with her, but so are our two cats, which says a lot!), reliability and kindness--not to mention the lack of judgment, which is critical in a time where you're already hard on yourself. We purchased a combo of overnights and day shifts, and at this point in baby's life, there aren't many other people we'd trust to take care of her for such long periods of time! We are grateful for her role in the early days of parenthood.

Aneke at Mama Bear comes highly recommended by our family. We took her childbirth education class…read morewhich covered pregnancy, birth and post partum. It left us with many life changing "golden nuggets" of information. We also hired Aneke as our doula. She went above and beyond in supporting and empowering me through this process. From education to massage to supporting me at appointments to connecting me with other resources--Aneke's support was invaluable. It also brought so much comfort that Aneke was only a text or phone call away. Aneke also encapsulated my placenta and gave me the most beautiful placenta art. I would love to have Aneke support me through this process again and I recommend her to any expecting mother and family. Aneke is a wealth of information and welcomes you with the most open and loving arms.

From the owner: Aneke opened Mama Bear Midwife Care after moving to Seattle to bring her 25 years of expertise…read more(certified midwife since 1998) to her new community. She believes in natural childbirth out of hospital for low risk pregnancies. She trusts the human body, the physiology of birth and babies to work in harmony together. She is experienced in water birth, VBACs and offers a natural and holistic guidance for your journey into parenthood. As a midwife she offers prenatal , birth and early postpartum support. Aneke thinks that postpartum time needs lots of attention and offers therefore different package deals for lactation and newborn care support. Aneke helps you as your doula through birth too, if your birth place of choice is a different one than your home. Baby massage is taught at Mama Bear to keep you all bonding with your babies and meet other parents. At Mama Bear we thrive together, so come and join lactation tea meet-ups, dads meet-ups, childbirth ed /prenatal classes and let's just have some fun at events or talks on special topics. If you are trying to get pregnant and would like a belly massage, then Aneke can help you. She was trained by her Mexican colleagues in the mexican belly massage/ sobada abdominal and bone closure after birth. We offer placenta encapsulation for you with fast return times under 4 days, so right when your big hormonal shift occurs, you have your placenta pills/ prints/pictures and a keepsake ready for you.

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

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

I've been seeing Kathleen and I've found she knows what she's talking about is willing to share…read morewhat she knows so you aren't dependent on her. I can tell she wants me better and out of the door and I appreciate that. For someone who's been through a surgery, PT, lots of imaging, I especially appreciate she listened to my whole spiel- my pains, excuses thoughts, theories, and desires - before examining me and providing feedback and guidance. She helped accelerate healing in a reoccurring injury and helped me develop a strengthening plan to prevent it from happening again. The facility is clean and spacious. Mandatory temp checks and immediate hand-washing at the door.

Do you need PT for an injury, post-surgical rehabilation, or because (like me) you are tired of a…read morechronic problem that stops you from doing the physical activities you enjoy? Make an appointment at Sage. See Deb. S or Kathleen, and take action to improve your health and quality of life. After working with 8 different physical therapists --- all of them quite good --- over 30 years, I am certain that Deb is the best one. I committed to the work, and she guided me to improve flexibility, strength, and coordination. I kept improving even through several surgeries and multiple injuries. Deb is an expert who can explain the theory behind her approach, which I appreciate as well.

I found my doula, Shelia Kandeler, via a friend's referral rather than the Swedish Hospital Doula…read moreServices, but the Swedish Hospital Doula program made things incredibly easy administratively. I keep telling people that doulas aren't just for people who want a natural childbirth! It's a huge benefit for any laboring mother-to-be to have an experienced person on hand whose only role is to provide emotional support and comfort. In childbirth classes, Dad is sometimes coached to play that role, but the reality is that a first-time father isn't going to have any better idea what to expect than the mother. Birth plans can easily go awry, and an experienced doula can be a great help in getting the mother back into a a calm emotional state regardless of whether the mother wishes for as little intervention as possible or all the painkillers in the book. The presence of a doula has been shown in studies to reduce the odds of C-Section or instrumental delivery. Both the doulas I've had also provide lactation support after the baby is born. The fact that Swedish respects the role of the doula says volumes about the level of care they provide for expectant parents.

Laurie Levy is the best! We interviewed a couple of doulas who were very good, but we clicked with…read moreLaurie right away and were very excited to partner with her for the birth of our first child. Laurie met with us twice before the birth to go over questions and our thoughts on how we wanted everything to go. When I found our I was going to be induced, I thought I might not need her assistance as much - I was completely wrong! She was the greatest support, especially during the last 4 hours of hard labor. I ended up having complications during the actual birth and I am so glad that Laurie was by my side. The room was chaotic with lots of nurses and doctors and having someone I knew and trusted next to me was a life saver. She kept me calm and focused, and made a scary situation much less so. I'm so thankful we found Laurie through Swedish and hired her as our doula - I highly recommend her!

Massage is always so great here! Would highly recommend them. They're flexible and easy to work…read morewith.

Jodelle is the best massage therapist I've ever had! She was able to help me with a pinched nerve…read morethat no one else could help with. She has the perfect balance of friendliness and professionalism. she clearly knows her stuff and is a pleasure to work with. I love this place, feels like a neighbor as well as a business.

We started working with Marianne when our post-term baby was about 3.5 months old. I was about to…read morego back to work and honestly panicking about how little sleep we were all getting. I didn't want to do full cry-it-out, but I also knew what we were doing wasn't sustainable. Marianne helped us put together a realistic plan. She went through our baby's feeding and sleep schedule, made suggestions to make sure he was getting enough calories during the day, and walked us through how to phase out his middle-of-the-night feed. She also encouraged us to drop the pacifier at bedtime, which I was nervous about, but it turned out to be the right move. The best part was honestly just having someone to check in with. She was responsive to texts when I wasn't sure what to do, and she kept me from giving up when things felt hard. On a couple of nights when I had to work early the next day, she even came and stayed overnight to keep things consistent. That kind of support made a huge difference. It wasn't an overnight miracle -- there were still some rough nights -- but within two weeks our baby was falling asleep on his own and sleeping through the night. Now he is 5 months old and we are so happy about our decision. If you're looking for someone practical and supportive who will give you a plan and stick with you through it, I'd HIGHLY recommend Marianne.

Marianne changed my life! I am a single mom of 18 month old twins (they were 7 months at the time…read moreof sleep training). I reached out to Marianne and desperation after my twins being on completely opposite schedules. She was absolutely incredible and guided me through the whole process. She was available day and night via phone and text and was so supportive and loving through the process. The best decision I've made as a mom! I now have time, sanity, and some kind of manageability in my life. Forever grateful for you, Marianne!

I overall had a pretty terrible experience. I thought the prenatal care was fine and it was nice to…read morehave longer appointments to talk about everything. However, when it came to the birth the experience was awful. The midwives were on their computers constantly and not engaging with me. Several other people who recently used the Center for Birth had a similar experience. Thankfully I had a doula. Then when I had to transfer they didn't get the records to the hospital and they didn't listen to me when I first requested a transfer. They charged two separate hospital transfer fees as well, which only one was actually specified in the paperwork. After the birth the appointments were virtual due to COVID except for one which I understand but they billed me for separate office visits for both me and my child and I'm paying $70 each ($140 per appointment) after insurance, which is more expensive than a standard virtual doctor appointment and I didn't find them helpful. This is way more expensive than it would have been to have a hospital birth, my outcome was arguably worse and the experience was traumatic. I wasn't ready to do a home birth and I didn't want to go to a hospital so this felt like the only middle ground. I just wouldn't recommend it.

Such a beautiful place to have a baby, second only to giving birth at home. The midwives my client…read moreworked with were wonderful and gave such great care to new mama and baby. They welcomed me as her doula and when they found out I had some experience assisting midwives, they would sometimes quietly comment to me on what they were doing and answer my questions. Baby was born twenty minutes after we arrived! So we had to scramble. But all went well and the facility is quiet and lovely and comfortable and spacious. I would recommend to anyone wanting to labor and deliver at a birth center.

Jen came to our office to provide chair massages for our team, and we absolutely loved her! She was…read moreprompt, professional, and brought such a calm presence to our space. Her tranquil voice and expert touch created a truly relaxing experience for everyone. Be warned--it's hard to return to your desk after one of her massages because you feel so relaxed! We would welcome her back in a heartbeat.

I just had my 1st Ashiatsu (Ashi) massage with Jen and it was great!…read more I have long term shearing damage in the muscles in my back from a major side impact car accident injury long ago. Because of my back.pain, I require a very deep tissue massage to get into those problem areas. This style was new to me and I wasn't sure about it, but wow this really worked f9r me phenomenal, it was phenomenal !! I have also had regular deep tissue massage from Jen and I can assure you that after my 15 plus years of treatment and therapy Jen is truly exceptional and one of the best in her field of massage and healing. I would and do, strongly recommend Jen Chan and Jen Chan massage to my family and friends! You should give them a try, it is well worth the money.