We worked with Lisa, and while she is nice, she is not a good communicator. My husband and I had a…read moresession scheduled for 1:1 prenatal birth classes, and 5 minutes before the session, she messaged and said she wasn't coming because a client was in labor. Ok, that is fine. I understand that. We rescheduled for the next night. 15 min past the hour, I messaged her and asked if she was coming since she still wasn't at our apartment. She messaged back 45 min later, "No, not tonight." What! not tonight?? What does that even mean? I have never had a professional message me something with such a laissez-faire attitude. That may not seem like a big deal by rescheduling one appointment last minute and then not showing up to another. However, I would not want that from my doula. What if I was in labor and couldn't get in touch with her, or she just dropped the ball because she was tired from previous labor and didn't attend? I think it's important to communicate and even overly communicate with prenatal and especially clients later in their pregnancy. I want to be clear that we didn't hire Lisa as a doula for labor, only for prenatal sessions. However, we strongly considered hiring her as our labor doula and are very disappointed with this outcome. Also, my feedback for the prenatal 1:1 sessions is that they are not customized for your birth. We wanted to focus on when the baby comes home, and we did two x2 hour-long sessions and never touched on that. Lisa also moves slowly through the material. There is wasted time rather than moving through the material in a structured manner. I found myself getting frustrated by the amount of time we spent on side conversations rather than the material at hand. At times it felt awkward. I wish our experience with TBC was different.

Lisa was an invaluable support during the first few weeks of having a newborn. She was kind,…read morehelpful, and knowledgeable about every aspect of postpartum care. After a very difficult birth, she was exactly what we needed to gain our footing as new parents. She helped with breastfeeding, bonding, and took care of the baby so we could get a few extra hours of sleep. We will be forever grateful to Lisa!

This was our first baby -- not knowing what we didn't know, Colleen provided a regular and much…read moreneeded blend of factual and emotional support. Sometimes that was making sure I had coffee or that my partner got to go to the gym, and other times was about the theory and science of various parenting practices. She came to watch us at home and support what we truly needed and pushed us to try things to optimize our parenting behaviors. In addition, her local contacts put me on a solid breastfeeding plan when I was not producing milk and thought the situation was hopeless. We were with Colleen for two weeks and I truly believe that without this time and what we learned, it would have taken us months to get on solid footing. Colleen was a godsend and genuinely celebrated with us as we became better parents each day. I couldn't recommend her enough and do not think anyone should do this without her!

Colleen took care of our son from age 3 months - 9 months, which gave my husband and I a break and…read morealso allowed me to get back to some part-time work as a business owner. As first time parents, it was really important to us that the person taking care of our baby when we were working or out of the house was specifically experienced in working with tiny babies. Colleen was amazing. She was always super patient and kind. In addition to taking care of him, she gave us tips in areas like sleep, activities, and eating as he grew. We are grateful that she was the first person outside of our family to spend significant time with our son!

Laura was incredible throughout the entire process. My wife and I went with Laura for our doula for…read moreour first child. The peace of mind that comes from a knowledgeable and calming presence before, during and after delivery is worth their weight in gold. I know, I know. I'm the husband in the situation but what many people don't realize is that a doula gives me peace of mind as well. I was able to ask her questions on how best to support my wife and I knew we had someone who would be with us every step of the way. My wife chose Laura because others in our circle had used her and couldn't stop raving about her. My wife was asked would she use Laura again and she said, without pause, "Absolutely." We are thankful for Laura and her guidance throughout the process and whole heartedly recommend her and her services.

The first time I met Laura, I knew she had what it takes to be a great doula. She was very patient…read moreand understanding when helping me to prepare for the process of giving birth. She listened very carefully and responded very thoughtfully to all of my questions and concerns. The "fear" was the biggest hurdle for me - and Laura definitely helped me to confront and feel more at peace with the unknown and unexpected factors that may occur during the birthing process - giving birth was definitely the biggest fear in my life. Specifically, Laura helped to reduce my anxiety with demonstrations and examples of her techniques in advance of the birth. Then she utilized many of these techniques during the actual birth to help me get through it all. I was a lot less anxious and a lot more prepared and calm thanks to her! She knew the right words that I needed to hear while giving birth, and she knew how to give me the right massage, so that it would be less painful. I basically had no epidural in the hospital until close to the very end of the process, and I would not have been able to accomplish that without her. She also helped to explain to my husband how he could help me through the process, as he had no idea of what to do initially. She guided him through different methods of helping me to deal with the pain, and each of these proved to be successful. At the end, it all worked out very well. The baby was born happy, healthy and with a lot of energy! Without her, it definitely would have been a much more difficult and painful process. We are so thankful and feel so grateful that we were able to find Laura in advance of our special day.

I cannot emphasize what a crucial part of my pregnancy and daughter's birth Stephanie was for us…read more Stephanie provided the exact support we needed; from the moment we hired her to the days leading up to my labor to the birth of our daughter to the days after and everything in between. Any question, request, guidance needed - Stephanie was there. She made us feel no shame in asking the smallest questions. She was clear about when something was evidence-based vs her intuition/experience. She never pushed us to do anything and was always supportive of decisions we made. It was important to me and my husband to have a natural birth, which was my main motivation to hire a doula. Truly could not have delivered this baby without Stephanie (I mean, I would have, of course - but likely after much more pain and decisions I would later regret). She was with us on the phone (my husband, mostly) as soon as my water broke and she was with us in person by the time contractions got heavy to get us through the later stages of labor and the pushing/delivery process. Stephanie worked so in sync with the midwife and nurse on my delivery team - it took a village! In addition to Stephanie supporting me, she was also an amazing guide and support to my husband - equipping him with reading materials before delivery and coaching him on best ways to support me throughout labor and delivery. In the days after our baby was born, we talked to Stephanie every day. She visited us to make sure baby was latching properly, showed me some other tips and tricks for feeding, and has continued to provide us with guidance on feeding and pumping and all feeding things! When I become pregnant with baby #2, Stephanie will be among the first to know - could not imagine doing a totally natural birth again without her!

Hiring Stephanie as our doula was one of the best decisions we made while preparing for the birth…read moreof our first child. When my partner and I started looking into childbirth education, we quickly realized how much we didn't know and how overwhelming it could be to research everything on our own. From our very first meeting with Stephanie, it was clear how knowledgeable she is. She focuses heavily on evidence-based information, which was exactly how we wanted to approach decisions around birth. I became interested in attempting an unmedicated birth, although I was only about 60% confident I could actually do it. Stephanie never doubted me. From that point on, all of our preparation and meetings were geared toward helping me achieve that goal. She was always quick to respond to texts and emails and provided detailed, thoughtful information whenever we had questions. Stephanie also did an incredible job coaching my partner ahead of time so he knew how to support me during labor. In our prep meetings, she walked him through different techniques and ways he could help when things became intense. Because of that preparation, he was able to really play an active role during labor. Even during labor itself, Stephanie continued guiding him on how to support me in ways that were actually helpful in the moment. When things were very intense, she would gently coach him on what to do, whether that was how to help with breathing, positioning, or encouragement. If he wasn't sure whether something he was doing was helping, she gave him feedback and reassurance so he could keep supporting me confidently. That support for both of us made a huge difference. When my labor started, I was able to text Stephanie updates and questions and she was always quick to respond and help ease my worries. At one point she had another client in labor (which we knew was a possibility), but her backup doula came to my house and provided wonderful support until we went to the hospital. Stephanie met us there and immediately helped me focus on breathing and staying calm. The moment I'll always remember most was during the pushing phase. I was exhausted having been awake for nearly 36 hours, but Stephanie's coaching and encouragement made such a difference. Her reminders to breathe for the baby and "blow out the birthday candles for the baby," along with her steady counting and encouragement, helped me push through and ultimately deliver my baby the way I had hoped. One unexpected benefit of working with Stephanie is that she is also a lactation consultant. She helped us prepare for breastfeeding, explained how pumping works, and helped us troubleshoot breastfeeding our baby a few days after coming home. I didn't expect that level of support, but it ended up being incredibly helpful. Stephanie is incredibly knowledgeable and very honest. She gives you the information and may offer a recommendation, but she never pressures you if you decide differently. She's straightforward, fact-driven, and clearly very dedicated to her clients. Working with her truly showed me how valuable doulas can be. Stephanie was wonderful to work with, and I would not want to have another child without her by my side.

I delivered both my babies with Maternal. The kind of care and attention you get here is unlike any…read moreother. The doctors are all phenomenal. Dr Abdelhak is a high risk pregnancy doctor, and I felt at ease under his care. Dr Ratzerdorfer delivered my first and he's truly gifted at what he does. Complicated delivery with so much ease and confidence, that I trusted the process and his decisions comfortably. Dr Resnikoff delivered my second, and she made the whole experience so smooth. She was very calm and approachable throughout the pregnancy and delivery. Highly recommend this practice.

Great doctors, staff and setup. Had two high risk pregnancies and births go very well.read more

I was pregnant during the peak of the pandemic here in Jersey City where one no longer could take…read morein-person classes. At my building community, they sometimes offer various types of classes. When this class was offered in October, I jumped at the chance since I was craving the in-person experience. Disha was absolutely wonderful. Kept socially distant and a mask on at all times. The infant massage class was so much more than I expected. My 3-month-old and I loved it! Disha is very patient when babies don't want to cooperate for whatever reason that day. I found the class to give me great tools to not only bond with my baby but also how to soothe her when something is bothering her. Disha is kind, gentle, and professional! I can't recommend this class enough. I wish my husband could have taken it too!

I took a class with Disha to learn about infant massage and develop the bond with my baby. Disha is…read morevery knowledgeable and was able to answer all my questions. She took us through each stroke step by step and how it can help my baby. She also showed us ways to relive the baby from colic, gas and fussiness problems. This informative session with a demonstration of each stroke made me feel more confident about being able to massage my baby on my own and learn about the benefits of it. I am definitely going to take more classes soon and highly recommend taking the classes/course with Disha!

Nettle came to us from a trusted recommendation and we have already passed it along to everyone we…read moreknow starting their birthing journey. We are forever grateful for Jo and Jenna's thoughtful and enthusiastic care and support. Every visit, phone call, text, etc was always particular and intimate to our own story while being backed by informed, professional advice and conversation. From billing support to postpartum visits in their new gorgeous office, Nettle made this process easy in a medical landscape that can often be so opaque and overwhelming. As a sporadic doula, I'm lucky enough to have been present at several births and they offer a level of care that I didn't know existed. We were fortunate to have an incredible home birth in our barely one bedroom apartment and throughout felt supported but empowered, nurtured but independent. From the first meeting we knew it was the only way, and they were there for us every step. Both pre and post natal care (not to mention labor and birth support) were approached with attentiveness, warmth, and joyful tenderness. I've carried their philosophy with me into parenthood and find myself asking WW(Jo/Jenna)D for decisions beyond the health of our baby girl and myself. Their sage advice and general outlook on all things birthing and beyond offer a lovely bedrock for this new phase. Briefly, we cannot recommend them highly enough. We love you Jo and Jenna and the whole Nettle crew!

I couldn't possibly express how grateful I am to Jo and Jenna for their incredible care. I am now…read moresix months postpartum and continue to reflect daily on the fact that I feel so lucky to have had Nettle Wellness as my north star throughout my pregnancy and after. I had the home birth I was hoping for, and never for a second felt like I wasn't in the best hands possible. My experience with them was transformative. If you want to feel supported, heard, understood, if you want to ask questions without fear of feeling annoying, if you want your appointments to feel like the focus is 100% on you, this is the place to go.

Annette is one of a kind, and I am so grateful that I had her by my side throughout my pregnancy…read morejourney, and birth of my son. To be very honest...I didn't even know what a doula is or if I needed one. But being a FTM, I had so many questions and worries about giving birth. I started to do research, and was recommended to check out Annette. And I am so glad I did! From the first conversation, I knew I was in the right hands. I am anxious and an over-thinker, but thankfully Annette's expertise and calming nature helped ease all of that. Most importantly, she helped me become informed in all of my options - so I was able to make the best choices for me and my baby throughout the whole experience - especially when dealing with doctors (which can be rather intimidating). Finally, she was also beyond helpful and reassuring to my support person, my mother...as the two of them together helped me welcome my son into this world. Annette takes on many roles while helping - a coach, a best friend, a cheerleader, an educator and many more. My family is forever thankful to her, and highly recommend having her in your corner to anyone on the beautiful, yet sometimes rather wild, pregnancy journey.

It's hard to even know where to begin. Last summer we welcomed our son into the world. Knowing that…read moreI was hoping to have an all-natural birth, and also knowing that my partner's tolerance for seeing me in pain is quite low, I was insistent on having a doula be a part of our birth story. I did a lot of research and we interviewed two potential doulas. Both seemed beyond qualified, but from the minute Annette entered our living room, it was like having a long lost friend come over. We chatted very easily. She guided our discussion, asking pertinent questions to make sure the fit was mutual. We had another sit-down a month or so before my due date to go over questions and review our desires. She went over our birth plan and reassured us that it would all go well. Fast forward to my water breaking and contractions starting. My wife was in constant contact with Annette throughout the night. The next morning when my labor was progressing, Annette came over. She was amazing. Reassuring and calm, her presence was the perfect blend of taking charge and letting our birth story unfold naturally. She guided me through breathing and various positions. When my contractions plateaued, she encouraged us to walk the dog around the block to get them started again. Her soothing and knowledgeable demeanor was encouraging and the exact support not only I needed, but my partner needed as well. She guided my wife to being the perfect support throughout. She knew exactly when to call the Lyft. We got to the hospital and our baby arrived 45 minutes later. I was hoping to be in the birth center at Mt Sinai West (which has since shut down), and found out it was closed. Thankfully, Annette guided us to laboring as much at home as possible - which was my requested goal. She was in the delivery room, and stayed until our baby learned how to latch (and he learned well - a year later he's still a breastfed baby). She was available for questions throughout the next few weeks. She came over two days later to make sure all was going well. I cannot rave enough about the virtues of having a doula throughout the birth experience - Annette was the perfect one for us!

My husband and I took the Childbirth Prep class this past weekend and are so happy we did. Our…read moreinstructor Liz was amazing, she is a L&D nurse who is so passionate about what she does and educating others. The content was informative and approachable, and we feel so much more prepared!

My husband and I went to the 6 hour class by Ceridwen recently. Just some background about us,…read morewe're 39 weeks pregnant with my 2nd child, his 1st child. My son is currently 4 years old. This class not only gave me a refresher, but helped my husband and I set our expectations, and learn so many things that even I didn't know the first time around. We learned about things from fetal stations to birthing positions to self advocation to coping without pain management drugs, and more. We left the class completely confident and ready for our bundle of joy.

the receptionist in the matronly center was very rude and unfriendly not helpful not go backread more

We had an exceptional birth experience for our second child at Our Birthing Center. The design,…read moredécor, and amazing staff create a tranquil, secure environment. At our first visit, I knew I wanted my child to be born in this peaceful place - it had none of the sterile, mechanical & "busy" feeling of the hospital where our first child was born. The orientation class held by Beth Ann was very informative, and created a sense of familiarity, especially when we ended up having Beth Ann as our nurse. I was well into active labor when we arrived at the birth center, but as soon as I walked into the birthing suite, I felt a complete sense of security & confidence. We immediately got into the shower for hydrotherapy while Beth Ann prepared the bathtub. The room & bathroom were impeccably clean, and somehow everything we needed was concealed but close at hand - from a birthing ball to towels to a puke bag from the dresser drawer! The best part of the experience for us was the intimacy - my spouse, doula, nurse, and midwife were right there, focusing only on caring for me. There was no in & out of nurses, or additional personnel in the room. I felt completely safe and protected, even through the intensity of the delivery. My daughter was born in the birthing tub and I was the one to pull her out of the water and into my arms. Once she was born, everything was so relaxed and we could truly enjoy those first few moments. Beth Ann & our birthing team took such wonderful care of me after the birth, ensuring that my husband knew exactly how to care for me & my daughter at home. We left the birth center about 4 hrs after the birth and it was so comforting to sleep in our own bed that night! My recovery was much quicker than with my first birth, and I contribute that in part to the unmedicated, gentle waterbirth I was able to achieve at Our Birthing Center. Knowing now the extraordinary level of care, encouragement, and medical expertise available at the birthing center, I wouldn't give birth any other way!