I found Labor of Love by doing some of my own research online. And thank God I did! My doula,…read moreKaren, was my rock throughout my labor and was 100,000 percent amazing--I'll definitely be working with her for my second! A little backstory: I was overwhelmed and so nervous about finding "the one" person to be a part of the most important event of my life. After doing my research and reading through all these bios, I honestly was left feeling overwhelmed, especially knowing how indecisive I can be. I knew I just had to trust my intuition and my gut on this one! After looking at Karen's bio on their website, I had such a good feeling. Staci (the owner), who was super friendly and professional, helped me get connected with Karen, and I booked an interview right away! Karen was so sweet and asked me about my pregnancy experience so far. We discussed how I wanted my birth to go and any concerns I had. There wasn't any pressure to hire her, and it just felt like she was already invested in me, like I was already family. I even had her video chat with my husband to make sure we both felt comfortable and vibed well together--and we sure did! Overall, Karen ended up being the perfect balance of knowledge, experience, and professionalism. It was the most perfect amount of care I could have asked for. She was also such an advocate for my birth plan to work out. Before, during, and after my labor and birth, she was always naturally in tune with what I needed. She was never overbearing, worked so well with my husband, and gave him space to be a part of my support team as well. I am so grateful to have come across Labor of Love

The business owner is quite the opposite of the type of person any vulnerable new mom should have…read moreto work with. My experience with Labor of Love was almost two years ago now but continues to upset me when thinking back on my experience. We hired Lauren as our doula, who made it clear she expected us to go far past my due date as a first time mom. While it's possible for that to happen, it didn't in my case. At 39 weeks and at 5am while in active labor and getting ready to head to the hospital, she let us know she had Covid. Her backup was Karen, who I wish we hired to begin with as she is far more caring and professional. Though unfortunately our experience still fell short and we ultimately delivered without Karen present. We were left feeling like we invested a lot of emotion and money into this process with ultimately no help. Staci has been incredibly rude to us since then and even revoked our access to watch her training videos, sending me a link to pay her once again when wanting to rewatch for our now second baby on the way. Karen herself even recommended we ask for a partial refund due to our experience, but Staci lacks the professionalism and courtesy to her clients. Truly mindblowing that she revoked access to the training videos after we had already paid for them. I would stay far away and recommend a more experienced and caring doula group.

We were planning a cross country road trip with our toddler and for peace of mind I wanted to make…read moresure our car seat was installed correctly and there were no changes we had to make to it. We hired Amanda to come to our home and help us out. It was so convenient and she was amazing! She recommended some changes to make safety wise and showed us how to install them and let my husband and I each do it in our own cars so we felt comfortable, especially since I will be getting a new car soon and will have to learn to. She gave us some great tips and sent us a follow up email with a ton of resources and information. Overall I would highly recommend this service to make sure everything is correct with your car seats, car seat safety is so important and I feel so much better knowing my son is as safe as he can be.

AMAZING experience with Amanda. She helped us installed two different car seats in two different…read morecars. She is very knowledgeable, I learned a lot from installing the car seats to how to keep our baby safe in them, because it is not only about strapping the harness around your little one, it's about doing it right. Thank you Amanda.

I took Lia's childbirth class during my first pregnancy in 2023. I live in South Orange County, so…read morethe drive was a bit of a commitment, but it was absolutely worth it. Being in class with other expectant couples created such a supportive environment, and the course was incredibly comprehensive. It gave me the knowledge and confidence to navigate a hospital birth and make informed decisions about the many interventions that are commonly offered. At 38 weeks, my water broke unexpectedly while I was riding a stationary bike. I immediately reached out to Lia for guidance. Since I wasn't experiencing a fever or any signs of infection, she explained that I had options: I could either go to the hospital right away or stay home and wait for labor to begin naturally. She also educated me about the fact that the body continues producing amniotic fluid and that, in some cases, a small rupture in the membranes may even reseal. Knowing that going to the hospital before labor started would likely lead to an induction (which wasn't aligned with my goal of having an unmedicated birth) I chose to stay home and monitor myself. The night before my 39-week OB appointment, I was feeling anxious. I knew that if my provider confirmed my water had broken before labor had started, induction would almost certainly be recommended. I reached out to Lia again, and she suggested trying the Miles Circuit. I followed the stretches that evening, and to my surprise, I went into early labor around 1:00 a.m. Whether it was the Miles Circuit, my body simply being ready, or a combination of both, it gave me the confidence to keep trusting the process. In January 2024, I welcomed a healthy baby girl through the unmedicated birth I had hoped for. While my hospital experience was unfortunately traumatic, the education Lia provided made all the difference. There were many moments when my husband, my doula, and I had to advocate for my birth preferences, and it wasn't always met with respect. Without the knowledge and confidence I gained from Lia's class, I truly believe my birth could have unfolded very differently. I'm now pregnant with my second baby, and one of the first things I did was sign up to retake Lia's class. One of the biggest perks is that once you've taken her course, you can retake it as many times as you'd like for free. Childbirth education isn't something you only benefit from once, and I love having the opportunity to refresh everything I've learned before welcoming another baby. I'm incredibly grateful for everything Lia taught us. Her class empowered me to make informed decisions, advocate for myself, and approach birth with confidence. I wholeheartedly recommend her course to any expecting parents, especially those hoping for an evidence-based, physiologic birth. Even if you have to drive a little farther to attend like I did, it's worth every mile.

We took Lia's virtual Bradley method class, and would highly recommend it for any expecting…read moreparents. First off, it can be hard to find time to take a birth class, and Lia chooses convenient times, with multiple options to choose from. It's a very comfortable classroom atmosphere where I felt good to ask any question, or add any comment. Lia keeps it fun and interesting, and is a great teacher. Lia is also available outside of class for questions, and she is super responsive. It shouldn't really matter if a doula has been pregnant herself.... But it was really helpful to hear about her first hand experiences and to know that she has gone through it all before. I just wish we in lived in LA so that we could have Lia as our Doula.

Looking for a Doula? Search no further! I was on a hunt for…read morethe best Doula and came across Breana randomly and was extremely drawn to her, for some reason I had the strongest gut feeling that she was going to be the perfect match for me and my husband. Right a way meeting her she was very knowledgeable and had such good energy radiating off of her. Me and my husband left the interview feeling great and knowing we would love for her to be our Doula. She helped me get through my contractions and deliver naturally, I couldn't imagine her not being there she was my safe space. I'm beyond thankful for her through it all. I even referred her to my best friend and now she's helping her bring in a little one very soon. Thank you again Breana!

I didn't believe writing this review would be difficult, because Breana's support felt like a dose…read moreof calm and ease to our family. But reliving your birth story means crossing paths with a version of yourself you didn't know existed. And maybe that is where I will start. I remember a conversation I had with Breana on the phone, as I was getting closer to my delivery date the anticipation, dread, worry, and nervousness's of our child's arrival surged. She shared, "The person you are now will not be the same person who will be in the hospital, nor will it be the same person who walks out of the hospital." This statement held true, but I didn't understand the magnitude of sincerity it carried. If Breana wasn't part of our story, I wouldn't have navigated the level of confidence and courage I did. Giving birth can be frightening and intimidating. Having a BIPOC doula serving a BIPOC community with profound knowledge and experience, is hard to find. But Breana's services are truly the epitome of support.   Since the moment I met Breana, I was met with nothing but wisdom, poise, knowledge, care, gentleness, and a place where all my questions could be answered. She met each of my worries, doubts, and angst and held them safely and replaced them with encouragement, assurance, and edification.   Breana set me up with free resources so I could prepare ahead of the birth. She assisted me with putting together my birth plan. Thinking back, she included my husband in every part of the experience, that was wonderful. She provided me with an emergency kit that served me well during early labor and had checklist.   During our labor, Breana didn't leave our sight. Whenever my husband and I felt doubtful, we turned to Breana. She deliberately changed the atmosphere, by creating an ambiance warm, calm, nurturing, and safe. She provided relief when I needed it the most. She wore so many hats, she became our behind-the-scenes photographer. She gave my husband a break so he could catch a breather. She truly went above and beyond to the point that she slept in her car to ensure she wouldn't miss any crucial part. She advocated for me every step. My labor did turn into a C-section birth, but I felt I needed Breana more so.   She provided postpartum support for an entire year. I had a lifeline and access to her wisdom for twelve entire months. Let me tell you, that is priceless, she educated me on crucial PP care. She created beautiful art pieces for us of my child's first home, and she encapsulated it to aid with my recovery.   Breana provided care that felt personal, tailored to me. Hiring Breana as our doula was the best decision our family could have made. Thank you, Breana, for all that you did for us, the patience you provided this mama, the bountiful knowledge you shared with us, and the level of attention you gave us.

You give birth once and unfortunately I had a very bad experience with Lorraine. I would not…read morerecommend it to anyone. She definitely a good marketing person of herself and she did not keep that up during the birth for me. Please think twice before you hire her. I did hire her because she has experience but sometimes it's about the excitement. She is done. She is doing it just for money and she is not even doing it right.

I always thought I would try a natural birth but I really started to do alot of research once I…read morefound out I was pregnant. So many times my friends were going to go "natural" but in the end they would give into the almighty needle. So I did a ton of research and I came to the conclusion that I was going to educate myself as much as I could and that I would hire a doula. My husband was very skeptical... His entire family laughed when I said I was going to try a natural birth. Their exact words "Why would you ever choose that?!!" So I dragged my reluctant husband to our 6 week Hypnobabies course. By the 3rd week he was fully on the natural train! He told me "I really think you can do this!" The class was great and I really loved how we bonded with the other couples!! Lorraine was our doula also and it was a great experience. From our interview to when our sweet baby girl came Lorraine was at our disposal. She kept me calm and focused during my birthing time/labor and at the end I faced some complications... Lorraine gave me the lowdown on what was going on and let me know that it was crunch time! Looking back it really was the perfect pep talk... I pushed the baby out in 3 contractions!! And believe it or not I was up and walking around 30 mins later! My husband looked more jacked up than I did, lol. I had such a positive experience with Lorraine on top of a great birthing experience. I would do everything all over again in a heartbeat!

I decided to hire a birth doula because I knew I was going to need the emotional and physical…read moresupport for an unmedicated labor/birth (I can imagine having a doula even medicated is just as important with first baby). I labored for 18 hours and Francesca was a huge support from the moment I started to feel my contractions. She really listened to my needs, was hands on, and so helpful the entire time. Looking back I wish I even hired her for the postpartum care. I love Francesca. Thank you for doing what you do to support us mamas. You are amazing!

My very first prenatal yoga class I was 4 months and I got lucky! I met Francesca and immediately…read morefelt I'd met a genuine spirit. Not only were her prenatal classes amazing but I find out she's a doula I attended a few of Francesca's classes but sadly my schedule changed and there was a conflict of time. So I stoped attending and wouldn't you know Francesca reached out to me. Asked me how I was doing and that she missed seeing me in class. I can't tell you how special that made me feel. So I tried my best to make it to her classes .... But then in walks Covid with all its stay at home quarantine SAS! At this point I'm 7 months. And I now feel my pregnancy plan to stay active is going down the drain. But wait... there's a rainbow at the end of this freak show. Francesca to the rescue ... she starts offering online prenatal classes and I'm so happy I cry. *all those hormones* talk about hot mess. I now attend her classes just about every day AND I ask her to be my Doula She and her classes helped me get through a lot of anxiety. Being pregnant and so close to giving birth during a pandemic..... it got pretty dark there for a min. But Francesca is very informative and has this calmness about her.... She's all the good things you need/ want from a prenatal yoga teacher/ doula While she could not be with me in the delivery room she was with me through phone and text guiding me through. My husband and I couldn't have been more grateful. So in conclusion Francesca is a Unicorn! And I love her... but you'll find that out once you take her classes or have her as your doula

Christy is seriously amazing. Finding the right midwife was really important to me because birth is…read moresuch a personal experience, and I knew I needed someone I felt 100% comfortable with. From the moment we met her, we just knew she was the perfect fit for us. This was our first baby, and she guided us through everything. She answered all of our questions, made us feel so supported, and honestly exceeded every expectation we had. I also really loved that she's the perfect balance of holistic, but will absolutely speak up if something medical is needed. You can tell her top priority is always keeping both mom and baby safe. We also took her Bradley Method class, which was so helpful and made me feel way more prepared and confident going into birth. We learned so much, and I've already been recommending it to everyone. I fully trusted her the entire time, which made such a difference for me going into labor and birth. Throughout my labor, she was there at any time of day to answer my calls and questions, and she always helped me feel calm and educated about what was happening. On the day of the birth, she was calm, confident, and completely in her element. She made the whole experience feel so smooth and magical. I recommend Christy to anyone, and I already know I'll want her as my midwife for all of my future babies

Safe, warmth and validation. Three words that I experienced with Honey Midwifery during my second…read morepregnancy and birth that I didn't experience with my first. The team at Honey Midwifery has been cultivated with love and education. Every step of the way we talked through my concerns and we talked about the vision of how I wanted my birth to look. My partner was included at every appointment and together we celebrated each new milestone in my pregnancy with love and guidance from Christy and her team. When it was time for my son to make his earthside debut, Christy and her team created a safe space for me and my partner. It's hard to describe but they knew exactly when to check in and when to respect my space. Christy was right there when I needed her wisdom the most. Her words provided the warmth and safety I needed in my most vulnerable time. Honey Midwifery is committed to not only caring for mothers and their families during pregnancy (and postpartum), but also in providing education so families can make informed decisions. I am so glad we chose Honey Midwifery for our health team!

Ophelie is an exceptional doula! She knows everything baby and what a postpartum body needs. She…read moreprepared the most delicious and nourishing soup that even my toddler loved. She did everything from helping me organize baby clothes to informing me on how to best introduce a bottle to my newborn. When she came over she seemed to know just what I needed help with before I even did. One hectic morning she got my wild toddler dressed, did her hair and even put eye drops in her eyes when she had pink eye! She truly went above & beyond what I expected. It was so nice having her knowledge, experience, and extra set of hands during such an overwhelming time. I always felt calmer & more at ease after one of her visits. It truly takes a village and I felt so grateful to have Ophelie in mine! I would hands down give her 5 out of 5 stars! Every postpartum mother deserves a doula like her.

I LOVED working with Ophelie! I work within the birth community so I knew exactly what I wanted and…read moreit felt like such a collaboration of care because Ophelie heard what I needed and delivered exactly that. She was always on time and very communicative about scheduling. I loved being taken care of and her cooking is amazing! It was such a joy to have her in our home during those precious first weeks after baby came. She was so attentive and loving and it was so bittersweet when our time together ended but she left me feeling so well cared for. I would absolutely hire her again!

Looma Birth connected us with an amazing night doula. We finally got to sleep during the newborn…read moremonths! Elizabeth took the time to hear our needs and helped make the process of finding the right doula for our family so much easier. Highly recommend Looma Birth!

Wanted to update this after our third class, following empowered hospital labor we took the…read morebreastfeeding and postpartum class led by Brittany and then Emma. I cannot recommend these 3 classes enough, all the instructors were incredibly kind, empathetic and used both data/ research and their own experiences in the classes. It made me feel so much better about the future. I highly recommend these classes - knowledge is power!! You and your partner will feel so much better.

So grateful that I found this amazing doula team and mama community!…read more Krista Jawin worked closely with my husband and I to prepare us for the birth of our first child. She has truly been the guiding light through our journey into parenthood. We had the amazing, magical, beautiful, empowering home birth that we visualized during our birth education sessions with Krista. We know we would not have had this experience if it were not for her guidance before, during and after the birth of our baby. Thank you Krista for the amazing selfless work you do for mamas, babies, and families!!!!

I love Maureen and the team at In One Breath Center! I'm so thankful that I was referred to…read moreMaureen: I was halfway through my first pregnancy and my yoga instructor encouraged me to become educated about labor, birth, and postpartum life. I am SO glad I received that encouragement and Maureen's name from her. I had interviewed a couple doulas who I found on Yelp, but my 3rd call was Maureen and I knew by the end of our first phone conversation that she was the one who would be my teammate and would be there to witness the birth of my first baby! We opted to do a hospital birth (although I loved the idea of a midwifery center or a home birth, my husband's desire was to have our son born in a hospital setting) and I knew that I wanted the wisdom and support of a birth doula to assist my husband and I in making the best decisions possible during the labor & delivery process. My goal was to have a natural birth and I knew that might be challenging in the hospital setting. As a side-note, I had previously thought birth doulas were mainly for people who had extra money laying around - but now I don't know why I had that idea because it's not true in the least bit! We made a point to save where we could so that we could spend some on a doula. Before "The Day" arrived, we met with Maureen in person. She asked great questions about our wishes, fears, uncertainties and she helped us to write a very simple birth plan (or 'birth preferences'- since most of the time things DON'T go exactly as you plan for with birth!). She was in contact with us often in the weeks leading up the my due date, especially because at 34 weeks I needed to go to the hospital Triage due to intense/frequent Braxton Hicks and we also found out that baby was breech and would need to turn - and soon! She and Krista gave me excellent advice that I wouldn't have otherwise received - little suggestions and tricks for taking care of myself at home leading up to my due date. We wanted to keep the baby in the womb until he was closer to (or at) 40 weeks and we were hopeful he would flip around, too! So, Maureen advised me to rest, calm my mind, listen to hypnobirthing mp3s, etc. We kept in touch regularly for the 3-4 weeks before my water broke at 37 weeks + 1 day - baby boy waited until he was considered full-term and then wouldn't wait a day longer! He was placed in my arms 37 hours later! For the actual labor & delivery she met us at Hoag while we were still trying to get labor going (unsuccessfully) and then she supported us as the nurses suggested Pitocin to get things going. PItocin wasn't in our "Plan", but with Maureen's support, my husband and I asked that we start the process very slow & steady... LONG story short, I was able to deliver the baby vaginally without any drugs or intervention with exception of the Pitocin. Thank God we had Maureen - she helped with massaging, bathroom trips, various labor positions, pep talks, and she really supported my husband. I think that's the biggest takeaway- my husband had the confidence to tell the hospital staff our desires (when needed) because Maureen was his teammate when I was out of my usual mind during the labor process. Maureen is sincere, hard-working, loving, and just an all-around JOY to be around. God knew what he was doing when he set us up together. It's been nearly 6 months since my son was born (another pregnancy isn't in our imminent future) and when the time is right I know I will be dialing Maureen as soon as we make plans to have Baby #2. I encourage anyone who read this long-winded review to connect with Maureen before making your final decision if a birth doula is right for you! As my husband has told several other of our expecting couple-friends: "Talk to Maureen (or any doula you're considering), it's the best money we chose to spend during this season!"