Emilee was a DREAM with her placenta medicine services. From the moment we signed her on she was…read morereliable, communicative, and professional. She was also a valuable resource for myself and my husband for questions, support and general education and information. Her capsules and tincture packaging were very high quality and came with detailed and valuable instructions. I can't stress enough how grateful we were!! As for consuming my placenta, I felt a distinctive difference the days I took the capsules vs. the days I forgot to take them. I also never had any postpartum depression and I truly believe it was the placenta medicine that saved me. I would HIGHLY recommend this (and Emilee!) to anyone having a baby!

I had the pleasure of working with Sada as my doula during my pregnancy, and home birth this fall…read more Sada was amazing! I personally really enjoyed taking her yoga classes at Golden Sol in Los Feliz, she has an extensive array of knowledge - from pregnancy to birth and the journey onward into motherhood. I felt supported and empowered by the information Sada supplied me with. My husband and I also took private childbirth ed classes with her. Sada seemed to be especially passionate about home-birth, but when I would see her interact with women having hospital births she had SO MUCH information to share with them about the hospitals and doctors they'd be working with. It was amazing really, and part of the reason I was so drawn to working with her. My labor was about 33.5 hours total, and at the first sign of labor (my labor started hard and fast) Sada came over and sat with me so my husband could get some rest since we had a big day ahead. When she came back the next afternoon, I was still laboring, and completely exhausted. She helped me (and my team) stay focused, and was the strong energy I needed to get through my slow labor. Leading up to my labor Sada was a continuous support system for my husband and I. She checked in with me, counseled me, hugged me when I needed a hug and really took the time to dive in deep so that she could help me have the experience I wanted. After my baby was born, we had a lovely visit a few days later sharing fruit, gawking at all the hair on my sweet babes head, and discussed the happenings of my birth. : ) I ended up making smoothies with my placenta, so i did not need to utilize LABK's placenta medicine services, but Emiliee did teach me how to make a tincture just incase I wanted to make one with any left over placenta (which I ended up doing). Sada was lovely to work with, and I just wish she did postpartum classes because I miss her! :)

Dawn Batson was fantastic from start to finish. From our first phone call, we could tell that she…read morewas an exceptionally good listener, who heard what we were looking for and was able to meet us there. She is calm, kind and knowledgeable. She paces out clients responsibly enough so that we never had to worry whether or not she would have time for us when labor came (and our son was 10 days early) and if she were sick or couldn't be there, she knows all her backup doulas very well and is even starting a collective with them! In the lead up to the birth, Dawn was there to offer any advice we needed, and she gave us extensive instruction on the different ways the day might go. When the birth finally came, we had a number of unexpected scenarios, and Dawn was able to offer an informed perspective on what to expect, as well as what to push for and against at the hospital. She ultimately helped us make a very difficult decision, and if she hadn't been there, we firmly believe we'd still be debating whether it was the correct one. But she was there, and while it wasn't in our initial birth plan, we were happy with the choices made, and we now have a healthy baby boy. In the post-partum period, Dawn was always there to answer questions and offer support. She once again gave well-rounded advice on what to expect, as well as practical tips on dealing with a newborn. We really can't recommend Dawn enough. We've had friends who have had questionable-to-bad experiences with their doula, and that seems like it would be a nightmare in the very moment when you need the most support. When we have another child, we will be hiring Dawn again. For us, she was an ultimately indispensable and crucial part of the birthing process.

I wasn't familiar with doula work during our first pregnancy -- which I regret. Dawn completely…read morechanged our postpartum experience the second time around. Every time she arrives our toddler lights up, and my wife is visibly relieved. She taught our newborn to fall asleep (and continue sleeping!) in his crib which, before she started working with him, seemed like an impossible feat. She prepares snacks and breakfasts for us -- including a stack of really great, freezable breakfast burritos and tiny muffins for our older child. She's also funny and generous with her praise, which lifts the spirits on the more exhausting days. It has been such a relief to have someone with so much experience supporting us -- we can ask her advice on anything about the newborn and toddler, and she always has an honest, empathetic answer or suggestion to help us figure out a path forward. And she has endless stories to let you know you're not alone in your anxieties or struggles. Dawn will keep you sane and help your newborn grow into a healthy baby. She's the best!

Nina is incredible and such a wonderful person to have around! she really helped me to feel more…read moreconfiDent and prepared for birth. she is very empathetic and guides you through everything you need to know! she helped me also get rid of the pain immediately and is reachable! I am from Germany and she had a lot of knowledge about my country and culture!

My husband and I just finished Nina's Hypnobirthing class and felt like it was incredibly helpful…read moreand that Nina was just a wonderful teacher and guide. Nina was on a list of recommended classes provided to us by the UCLA midwife group and we are so glad we were brought to her. We took a few other classes that were quite informative but this class was really experiential and Nina led us though exercises that connected us with the other students in the class in a lovely way (even through zoom) and it was very nice to connect and feel a sense of community going through similar things. We are so grateful to Nina for her warmth, generosity and calming care through this class. We highly recommend it!

I want to share my experience to be able to help future mothers and especially first time mothers…read moreto have the best experience possible wether its for birth or postpartum as mine wasn't what I wish It would have been. I wanted to feel supported and try for a VBAC for my second birth so I decided to work with Andrey for the birth of our daughter. Everything went good at the beginning, we had our in person interview, shortly after that meeting we decided we would be a fit for each other. After that she came over one more time and afterwards she told me she had a family oversees she was working with and would be available via phone/zoom and if needed to she would introduce me to a back up doula incase she wasn't back in time for my birth. The way she introduced us was thru text (no phone call or even an effort to do a zoom call so me and that back up doula could meet each other) no professionalism. My prenatal care was very limited nothing close to what Andrey promotes. Then I asked for a list of what to bring in my birth bag, she said she would send, I had to ask about 4 times until she sent and the reason I didn't get it was because she had sent it to a 'Victoria' how do you forget your clients name especially when you are a part of one of the most vulnerable times in their life. Fast forward to my birth Andrey ended up not being there. I ended up working with the back up doula & my first time meeting her and talking to her was her walking in my room while I laid in my bed clothe-less in pain as I was going thru my contractions (not the most ideal setting to meet someone for the first time who is going to be a part of a raw and emotional intimate time) a few days later Andrey lets me know shes back in LA and is coming to see me & baby to help with postpartum care. Then texts me cancelling because her car is in the shop (She could've taken an Uber) and cannot make it and she can come another day. She comes over a couple days after that for a few hours and tells me she will be back @10am the next day to help us some more. The next morning @9:35am she txts me she cannot make it and isn't available until the following week. I had cancelled help from my sitter to help with my newborn and toddler and my husband had left to work because we had relied on having help from Andrey that morning. At that point I was feeling extremely upset. The care and support I was expecting which Andrey advocates heavily on was nowhere close to what I was given. What was supposed to be a time in my life where I should've been given unwavering love and support turned into a time of grief and sadness for me. I decided to have a conversation with Andrey and let her know how I was feeling and I no longer felt comfortable working together. She apologized and told me I was a client that 'fell thru the cracks.' Simply she overcommitted and I was put in the back burner or was her last option sadly. She offered to bring some postpartum stuff to help with grief and overall just to help me emotionally and would drop it off in the next couple days, she never did. Unfortunately Andrey constantly overpromised and underdelivered.

Absolutely incredible experience with Andrey! From the moment we met her, her calming presence put…read moreus at ease. She brought not only warmth and reassurance but also deep experience and medical knowledge that made us feel completely confident in our birth plan and, most importantly, safe--both for mom and baby. Andrey was the advocate we didn't even realize we needed, always prioritizing our best interests over the hospital's. We genuinely cannot imagine going through the experience without her. If you're considering a doula, stop searching--Andrey is the one. Cannot recommend her highly enough!!!! Thank you Andrey!!!

Melanie was our doula for our first baby and we were very glad to have someone knowledgeable and…read moreextremely confident in her abilities and expertise. We chose her because we wanted someone who was calm, used methods based in research-backed science, and had the right balance of logic/practicality to fit with our style and some emotional/breathwork to push us to embrace that part of the experience. We ended up needing to switch OB-GYNs in my 39th week and Melanie was supportive and helped talk us through that decision, which ended up being the best decision we could have made. We had Melanie stay on postpartum for a couple of weeks to help with baby's sleep and care and although we have been lucky to have a good sleeper, that extra set of hands at night was super helpful for us to get some recovery and a great start to parenthood.

Melanie was our doula for our 2nd pregnancy. She offered great advice during our prenatal and…read morepostpartum visits. At the hospital, she worked collaboratively with our nursing team, created a calm environment for labor, and helped me stay comfortable and kept me moving. Melanie is knowledgeable and calm, and I'm so glad she was our doula.

Completely unprofessional and neglectful. My experience with Jennifer as a midwife was truly…read moredisturbing. This was my first pregnancy and I was relying on Jennifer to guide me through birth. A couple hours after my contractions became constant and increasingly intense, I called her. She told me to lay down and get some sleep, that it would be at least 24 hours. When I asked if I should let her know when contractions reached a certain timing, she told me not to time them at all. I asked when she would know to come, and her answer was: "I'll hear it in your voice." Apparently that means when you can't speak then she'll come. Four hours later, I gave birth. During that time, I labored alone--scared, confused, and unsupported. Jennifer did not check in with me by text or phone. The doula Jennifer referred me to was also no help during labor. I called her 4 times to please come but she kept saying it wasn't time yet and only telling me to keep breathing over the phone. I felt helpless. Finally, after the fourth call she came and arrived at 10:30, by 11:20pm I gave birth. Jennifer didn't arrive until 12:30am--well after my baby was born. I was worried because she lived over 40 mins away but always told me she would be there. She reassured me she never missed a birth which is obviously a lie. Afterwards, when I tried to express how traumatic this was for me she took no accountability. She claimed she did everything right and only blamed the doula for not communicating with her. She also put the blame on me claiming my labor was just "too fast." She had always told me to wait until she arrived for the tub because she would set everything up. So everything we planned was pointless, I gave birth standing up over my bathroom counter. She said there were absolutely no refunds and never apologized for what I went through. I was robbed of my water birth experience. This was supposed to be a supported, empowering home birth. Instead, it was the most frightening experience of my life. I'm now terrified of ever getting pregnant again. I could never recommend Jennifer as a midwife she will not be there when you need her the most.

Johanna made our home birth experience one that we will never forget. After talking to over a dozen…read moremidwives and looking even in other states for the perfect match, our last phone call was from a referral to Johanna. Her gentle and confident approach made us feel safe. Johanna is never in a rush whether it be during her pre-and postnatal visits or with a question over the phone, she is always there and present when you need her. She is reliable, accommodating, always on time and keeps her word. Johanna's visits taught us so much and answered many questions that we never would have known who to ask them to. The prenatal visits made us so much more prepared as first time parents not just for a healthy and satisfying birth, but also with questions such as sleeping arrangements, breast-feeding support, pregnancy clothing, and postnatal support to name a few. Johanna seemed to know exactly what we wanted out of our birth beyond what we even knew, and made the birth experience memorable and very enjoyable. With her vast experience as a second generation midwife, she has seen it all and is full of options that makes her a truly one-size-fits-all midwife! Through the time we spent together, Johanna became not only a friend, but a genuine part of our family. As very strategic and prudent people, Johanna truly exceeded our expectations of what a midwife could be and the services she provides. We hope to have the privilege of using Johanna again if we have the blessing of another birth in the future. Words can't express how valuable and what a gem she truly is. Obviously, we highly recommend her.

Julia was our midwife for both of our children - our daughter's birth at SCV Birth Center and our…read moreson's home birth and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. She is so calm, kind, and supportive, and she made both my husband and me feel completely comfortable and cared for every step of the way. Julia's gentle presence and expertise brought such peace and confidence to both of our births. We would choose her again and again - she's truly a blessing to the families she supports! We miss her dearly!

Working with Julia has been a God-sent gift. After having my first home birth 2.5 years ago, I…read moreplanned to do it again, although I was not expecting all the challenges that life would present right before the birth. In an extremely unfortunate event, my brother and sister-in-law, who were supposed to have their first baby right around my due date, suddenly lost their child during birth. I was in absolute shock and deep grief, and I was contemplating whether a home birth was the safest option for me. I found Julia, and she held my hand through every moment of fear and self-doubt throughout my prenatal care. She showed me what heartfelt understanding can look like while still not losing sight of what she knew I was capable of. I knew in my bones that a home birth was what I desired, but having this happen so close to me shook my confidence and sparked so much fear in me. During my birth, Julia held my hand every step of the way. She was proactive in her approach, giving me positions to hold that resulted in direct progression of labor, all while being very attuned to me and the baby throughout the process. I went from having a 38-hour labor with my first child to a 14-hour labor with my second, with only 4 hours of active labor. I honestly can't recommend her enough!!! Julia carries a deep understanding and love of midwifery care and her expertise are showcased in her level of care and knowledge. I had the most beautiful birth and felt so supported thanks to her guidance and heartfelt diligent care.

Melanie was, to put it simply, perfect…read more Before we were giving birth to our second child, we were somewhat overwhelmed with the idea of having 2 tiny ones in the house. Melanie gave us great advice and was so encouraging that we felt better prepared. During fourth trimester, Melanie helped us overnight with our newborn. She was so reliable and competent, helping us balance the jealousy and confusion of our older child while comforting and soothing our younger one. She also was such a help with my baby blues, making sure I was eating, making me laugh with her stories, and making me intellectually stimulated with our conversation. After Melanie left, she kept in touch to check in our kids too! If you are looking for a night-time nanny, I cannot recommend Melanie enough. She is everything I was hoping for and more. Seriously, hire her! (And feel free to DM me if you want to hear more praise!)

Melanie came to us highly recommended by a friend for postpartum doula care and she absolutely…read moretransformed our newborn experience. Not only is she such a warm and compassionate person who took excellent care of our baby, she gave my husband and I the confidence we desperately needed during such an intense time. This is truly her calling and we felt so lucky to have had her in our lives. And our dog loved her just as much as we did! She always made me feel so comfortable, whether it was her calming presence, nuggets of wisdom, or delicious bowls of oatmeal. We all love Melanie and will always recommend her to any expecting parents!