I found Lauren through the Evidence Based Birth website. I was so grateful to have a doula who was up to date on the research and would help support us in pushing against some unnecessary hospital conventions while still being generally pro-medicine. Lauren was very responsive and helpful throughout our pregnancy. We had great prenatal visits and texted and emailed about some concerns that arose. Lauren always replied promptly with great insight and calm. She was just the same way on the day I gave birth. I texted her early in the day that I was feeling contractions but I thought they might be Braxton Hicks. She suggested I focus on other things and time again in a few hours. Later that night it became clear I was going into labor. I waited a bit too long before asking Lauren to come - I had just started to feel the urge to push when she arrived. But I knew I was in safe hands. She drove me to the hospital while my husband grabbed our bag. Along the way she bent over so I could lean on her through the contractions. I gave birth to our beautiful baby girl 40 minutes after we arrived at the hospital. Lauren cooled my face with a cold towel and massaged me through the contractions. She also took lovely photos just after the birth. An hour later, I turned up my husband and said, "I could do that again." It was no doubt thanks in part to Lauren's emotional and physical support. She stayed another 2-3 hours after the birth as well to make sure we were all settled. Lauren has also been helping a new doula Emily train. Emily attended our birth as well and it was helpful to have her extra set of hands! read more

Lauren Noble - One of Lauren's several priceless photos! - Doulas Near Me

I sent an inquiry about availability and setting up a consultation for being my birth doula BUT She's not accepting clients right now due to being a recent mom. I appreciated her prompt response to inform me. read more

My daughter is almost 15 months old and I can't believe I haven't written a review. My husband and I found Lauren on Yelp a few weeks after finding out we were pregnant with our first baby. I can honestly and without reservations say that it is the best investment of money ever! I had no interest in a natural birth and Lauren was extremely respectful of my decision. She made herself available to us throughout our pregnancy and gave us wonderful advice on helping our baby shift into the ideal position for birth. She kept my husband sane throughout labor while I was kind of out of it. I pushed for less than 20 minutes, which was such a great surprise to me being my first baby. Lauren had asked us if we wanted pictures and took some beautiful pictures of our new family. I am extremely grateful for having found Lauren and will seek her out once again when we decide to give our girl a sibling. read more

I asked Lauren to be my doula for my first delivery. She is AMAZING. She supported me through my pregnancy, labor and delivery and even postpartum. She is so kind, sweet and knowledgeable. I believe she saved me a long-lasting labor by predicting my symptoms and avoiding me from receiving epidural in early stage of labor. Lauren wisely kept me busy and distracted from feeling pain until it was time for me to go to the hospital. I was admitted at the hospital around 5 pm and my son was born at 10:01 pm. My delivery was so smooth and I owe it to Lauren. I would highly recommend her! read more

Lauren Noble - Amazing Lauren, beside my bed, one hour before the delivery - Doulas Near Me

Lauren was our doula for the birth of our son in April 2016. I can't recommend her highly enough! We love her. When I found out I was pregnant, a friend highly recommended I get a doula. I am so glad she did! As a first time mom, I had no idea what to expect of pregnancy and birth, and it was so comforting to have someone who could guide me through it all. Lauren helped us figure out what questions to ask of our OB and hospital, explained what to expect next in terms of different prenatal and labor procedures, helped us decide what birth classes would be helpful and suit us best, and helped navigate birth preferences as far as labor, delivery and newborn procedures. We had several in-person sessions to discuss our goals and plans for the birth, which were super helpful! She showed us exercises to help optimally position the baby and options to relieve pain during labor. She was also so open to whatever a positive birth meant TO ME and supported my choices (for example, I knew I wanted an epidural and she wasn't pushing me to do something that wasn't me.) When I went in to labor, Lauren was immediately available to advise on what to do, when to go to the hospital, what to do in the meantime, etc. My labor went FAST and she was at the hospital as soon as we needed her (even though she lives a little ways from us!) She helped remind us of our preferences, but also understood when those had changed a little! (E.g. Once in labor, some things I'd thought important sort of no longer felt as critical!) She was so supportive and helpful at every step. She helped me to push, and took pictures for us once our baby was born so we had something to document such an important moment! After the birth, she stayed for another hour or two to support us. Honestly, I can't recommend Lauren enough. She helped us feel more confident going in to birth, and set us up for a really positive experience. You will be in wonderful hands with her. read more

We are so grateful to have had Lauren's help for the birth of our first child. She was fantastic for my husband and me providing knowledge, support, and care throughout the entire process from learning about the birth, to supporting us during the actual event, and finally during postpartum with placenta encapsulation and care. During our first meetings she was knowledgable, acting as a fantastic resource answering our questions and providing additional, evidence-based resources to learn more. She really took the time to get to know my husband and me, learn our hopes/fears/goals toward the birth, and educate us about hospital procedures and related options. When it came time for labor Lauren provided amazing support. I went into labor early so it was a bit of a surprise for everyone however when we reached out to let her know she was immediately there for us and went above and beyond, making herself available for questions and dropping in on us to see how we were doing. We had a prolonged birth and she was with us every step of the way, reminding us of our options, supporting us in our birth preferences with the hospital, and yet also going with the flow as things changed throughout the birth. Overall Lauren was there for me, working through a variety of options for pain management and making me more comfortable, helping me into a variety of birthing positions, and supporting me with various massage and pressure. She was a strong, knowledgeable, calm, and focused presence to have by my side during an intense couple of days and I can't imagine going through that experience without her support. We can't recommend Lauren highly enough. She's an amazing doula and just a kind, wonderful person and friend to be with you during such an important life event! Having a doula to help with any birth is a fantastic idea and Lauren is the best choice you can make! read more

This review is long overdue! My little one, just celebrated his first birthday and it brought back floods of memories of my crazy delivery. I do not know what my husband and I would have done without Lauren here. Not to scare anyone, but my labor all in all was 56 hours. As you can imagine, my poor husband was a nervous wreck and I was ready to call it quits. But with Lauren's support, she managed my husbands nerves and helped me make decisions that supported me through everything. She has a generous heart, an open ear and a gentle touch. And her follow up appointment a few weeks later, she brought my placenta pills, a beautiful print of the placenta and the most amazing lactation cookies I had ever tasted. Even my husband snuck some. I highly recommend Lauren! read more

Lauren Noble - Placenta pills, placenta print, umbilical cord dried into a heart and yummy lactation cookies - all from Lauren. - Doulas Near Me

As I sit here having just celebrated my daughter's 1st birthday, I can't remember her amazing and difficult birth without thinking about Lauren and how invaluable she was to the whole process. A lot of the five star reviews already say what I want to say, so I won't repeat that info and encourage you to read those reviews. Simply said we wished we had Lauren for our first birth instead of the doula we chose. When we quickly became pregnant with our second (our first was only a few months old), we knew we had to go with Lauren. Best decision ever. From the get go, she could sense I was having a hard time processing my first birth and gave me referrals to see those who specialize in helping patients process difficult births, but her words alone gave me comfort. Lauren shows up on time and then spends time with you, you never feel rushed with her. Her GentleBirth class was invaluable, especially b/c I could never find time to read the book and do the CDs (the app helped, but is no substitute for the class), and the TENS unit was a big help during prodromal labor. Then she goes above and beyond, making sure to inform back-ups when she is away. Like my first, I was sent to the hospital for additional testing and because Lauren was away, she had others cover for her. I was scared I was going to have another emergency c-section, but Lauren's backups were amazing as well, giving me advice and I had a "beautiful" NST according to the doctor. When the pregnancy became difficult and my option of wanting a VBAC was heavily discouraged by random doctors/nurses at the 11th hour, she came with us to a c-section scheduling appointment and could sense we did not want to go through with it and offered wise words that gave us the perspective we needed to allow ourselves to make a decision we were comfortable with. We ended up going through 30+ hour birth and Lauren was with us every step of the way. She was non-judgemental and supportive when I had to give into pain management in order to be able to VBAC. If we are ever blessed with a third, I would want her to be my doula again :) read more

Lauren was my doula for the birth of my first baby. My husband and I like to be prepared and plan ahead but we learned that births are always unique and you can never truly know what to expect. We found Lauren through Stork & Sprout and she made us feel at ease. She was knowledgeable and was able to answer all our questions. When I went into labor, she kept in touch by phone to gauge my progress and when I said I was ready for her to come over she came right away. She was able to see exactly when the time was right to head to the hospital. At the hospital she was a strong, gentle, confident presence always in my peripheral. She made sure I understood what the medical staff were doing and coached my husband to give the right support I needed. The sips of water she gave me (without even asking) I swear is what got me through pushing! :) I was so glad to have her guidance through this and helping me achieve my goal of a natural birth! I definitely recommend her as a doula! read more

Lauren was my doula for my daughter's birth in June 2015, and my husband and I are so thankful and grateful for her support throughout the entire process. We met Lauren through Stork & Sprout, along with the rest of their doula team. I was originally paired with Jody, but I had the opportunity to meet with the entire team (Jody, Lauren, Kali & Michelle) which was great. When the day came, Lauren was the one to support us, and I was so glad! From the time I texted Lauren (4am) to the birth of our baby (11pm), and for another hour or 2 afterwards, Lauren was there for us. Because I was induced, my labor was not quick, easy, or anything like I'd imagined. But between Lauren and my husband and of course the L&D nurses, I was in incredibly great hands. When Lauren arrived at the hospital, she quickly went into action by changing up my labor position, making me more comfortable, and suggesting different things to help get through the contractions. She and my husband took turns squeezing my hips during contractions, which helped me a ton, but I know was not easy on either of them!! My intention was to have a natural birth, but ultimately I had to give in to an epidural. Lauren got me through as far as I could without it, and then completely supported my decision. During five long hours of pushing, Lauren encouraged and cheered me on the entire time. When our baby was finally born, I was thrilled to be able to share that moment with her. Also, I had opted to use Lauren's services for placenta encapsulation. She helped remind the nurses and my doctor that we needed to save the placenta, and then she took care of the transport of it. A few days later, she delivered my placenta pills to my house, and they've been great! I very highly recommend Lauren (as does my husband :). She is an amazing doula!!! read more

This review is both so overdue and so deserved. Lauren was our doula in 2016 and assisted us with a natural birth at Kaiser SF. She was a very patient, kind, down-to-earth doula who helped both my husband and I through the hospital birth process as first time parents. Looking back, choosing someone to be part of our first birthing experience felt like a really big decision and we interviewed a lot of different doulas. Beyond her knowledge and experience, what my husband and I really liked about Lauren was her sweet and calm manner. Lauren was very involved and physically hands-on during active labor without ever being intrusive. Her massage techniques and TENS unit were really helpful in supporting our hypnobirth process and she did a great job at keeping me hydrated since we opted out of the help-lock. She also had good rapport with the nurses and doctors while still helping us to have private decision-making check-ins as needed throughout delivery. Lastly, she was a great sport about my husbands sense of humor as he was constantly giving her a hard time about the fact she would not make decisions for us. We feel very fortunate to have had Lauren as our doula and highly recommend her. read more

Lauren Noble - Doulas Near Me

Lauren was an incredible support prior to and during the birth of our first child in October 2014. Having a baby is an emotional rollercoaster, but Lauren was like the seatbelt and safety bar holding us snuggly while we were thrown about on the crazy ride. She helped us put what we learned in our birthing classes in to the context of our own experience, asked thoughtful questions to help us prepare, and was a steadfast member of the team when push came to shove (literally!). During labor and delivery, Lauren was by my side the entire time. She was calm, supportive, and responsive to my needs. After a long labor and several hours of pushing, I also had a lot of repair work that had to be done; Lauren stayed with me until I was stitched up and ready to go to the maternity ward. It was beyond the call of duty, but so, so, so appreciated. read more

Lauren was my doula for my first delivery and I'm SO glad she was there to help us! We had a birth plan/preference; however, that went out the window quickly as I was induced a week early. It was great to be able to ask Lauren questions beforehand about the induction process as well as once we were in the hospital, as it took a few days. Her knowledge really helped us make better, informed decisions. Lauren did a great job of being available via phone or in person. She is very kind, sweet and nurturing. I highly recommend! read more

Lauren was my doula for the birth of my second child in November 2013. I didn't have a doula the first go-around, but I am so glad I hired Lauren because she made a huge difference in the outcome of my son's birth. I had an emergency c-section for my first-born, so this time I was determined to have a VBAC. Lauren met with my husband and I several times prior to the birth, answering any questions we had and getting to know us as partners and as people. My husband was not super convinced that a doula was necessary, but he sang a different tune during my labor. My labor began in the wee hours and Lauren texted with me in the middle of the night, as well as visited my daughter and I the following day before my water broke. She met us at the hospital and was soothing and helpful to me and my husband. She encouraged me to try different coping methods when I was losing hope of having a drug-free birth. Because of her encouragement, I was able to hold out longer and when I finally did get an epidural, it helped me get from 5 centimeters dilated to 10 in about an hour! I believe this wouldn't have happened without her encouragement and assistance. Shortly after the birth at 12:30am she went home, but visited us the following day at home and checked in with me several times after. The services of a doula can be so crucial during a birth. The guidance of a woman who has seen countless births can make all the difference to you and your husband, who at best have seen a couple. Lauren herself is kind, thoughtful, encouraging, and she LOVES babies and mamas. I can't recommend her enough. read more

Lauren is an amazing doula. She is super sweet, supportive, kind, and knowledgeable! She also had the best energy and really helped me get in a Greta mindset. She also seemed to provide things before I even knew I needed it during labor- juice boxes, massages, support, and even pictures! The best birth experience, highly recommended! read more

Lauren was my doula for the birth of our second son. I got to know Lauren when she just completed her doula training & had not attended any births yet. I loved her easy-going, calm, yet up-beat nature. When I decided to have a doula, I naturally thought of Lauren & felt confident that she would be able to provide the kind of support that I would need. She visited me a few times pre-natally & got to know my husband & family better. She was kind, supportive & knowledgable about the birth process. She offered all her support without ever being pushy or judgmental. When I went into labor, she arrived promptly at our house. I had a planned home birth & my midwife & her assistant were the other members of the birth team. Lauren's presence never felt invasive. She was there doing all the little things for me like offering sips of water, holding my hand, helping me change positions & yet, invisible when she needed to be. So, I felt completely comfortable & free to labor the way I wanted. I had a fairly difficult pushing stage & Lauren's encouragement was a big reason why I managed to pull through and have a successful vaginal birth. She would visit me post-natally & always help with whatever I was doing like putting away diapers or laundry while also listening to my concerns & offer help or advice. I still treasure the cute little booties she knit for my son after he was born. Lauren has done many births since & genuinely loves what she does. She has all the qualities that a wonderful birth support person should have. If you are considering a doula for your birth, I highly recommend Lauren to be your doula. read more

Lauren was our doula for the birth of our first baby. The main reason I wanted a doula was because I wanted to give birth with no pain meds. I felt that having someone there who was experienced and who could help me with alternative coping methods would also decrease my chance of a C-section. Mission accomplished. =) Lauren met with my husband and I a few times during my 3rd trimester. She wanted to get to know us and get a feel of our personalities, and more specifically, get an idea of how I dealt with pain. We tried several techniques and there were a couple that really connected with me. Initially, my husband had no idea what a doula was or what they did, and he was still skeptical but he supported my desire to have a doula. Post-birth, he said "If we have another baby, we're definitely hiring a doula!" LOL. Lauren was a blessing. I started contractions at 1am. I had a hunch today was the day, but at the same time, I was also uncertain what I was feeling. Lauren and I kept in touch via text all morning. She was willing to come over to be with me, but I'm the type that likes to hold out, so I was fine keeping it via text. I asked my hubby to come home from work at noon, and by 2pm, he called Lauren to come over to our house. By then the contractions had built up substantially. For the next 3 hours, Lauren kept both my husband and me calm and she was instrumental in helping me deal with the pain and worry. She has a very calming demeanor. If she wasn't with us, my husband would have driven me to the hospital at 3pm, but Lauren knew from experience that it wasn't time yet. (I told her I wanted to labor at home for as long as possible). By 5pm, my contractions quickly sped up, so we made our way to the car and drove to the hospital. I held onto Lauren's hands the entire time during active labor! Poor girl. Her verbal cues which guided me through mental imagery really helped me get through each contraction. She also reminded me to exhale low and deep vs short and high-pitched (amazingly, that really works to relieve your body of tension and fear). She also kept reassuring my husband and asked him to do things for me, like rubbing my back or fetching ice chips and water for me to drink. Without her, my husband would have no idea what to do during labor & delivery. Being my first pregnancy, I also had no idea what I needed. Lauren was able to anticipate all my needs. After our baby arrived, Lauren stayed for a couple more hours to make sure everything was situated and we were comfortable for her to leave us. We can't thank Lauren enough for helping and supporting us through our birth journey! She is a treasure. read more

Lauren was my doula for my son's birth in March 2015. I found her thru Stork & Sprout, along with the other team. We contracted the junior team when I was at 35 weeks (so grateful they had availability around my EDD). They were on call for any questions/advice we needed. When my EDD passed,everyone was supportive with natural induction method tips. When I needed to be induced, again they gave us lots of discussion points to review with the doctor and just were there to provide support. When labor started, I was most nervous about experiencing active labor/transition process - it was thru the techniques I learned in the yoga workshop and prenatal yoga that I was able to have the right coping mechanisms that allowed me to surpass my goals without an epidural. Lauren was the doula on call that night, and she was a perfect addition to our team (husband, nurse, doula and myself). She helped keep us calm, made sure my husband rested, found ways to reward me after successful pushes (ice chips, cold compress, lavender oil, positive affirmation). When we had to go thru a c-section, Lauren stayed until the surgery was done and offered to stay longer (it was 3:00 am at this point). She was just a great energy to have in the room. She also kept the team up to date with the situation, and they texted throughout labor to keep my energy up. She came to our home two weeks after, and shared the timeline of how the labor had went. I don't know how she was able to capture such great detail! I highly recommend having her as part of your labor team! read more

Lauren was part of our doula team for our daughter, and she was the one who came over after my wife's water broke and went with us to the hospital. She was, quite simply, amazing. Incredibly knowledgeable, funny, warm, and down to earth -- we couldn't've asked for better support. read more

We absolutely loved working with Lauren for the birth of our daughter at Mills Peninsula in Burlingame. She was so dedicated, caring, and skilled and interacted so professionally and quietly with the staff at the hospital. I had terrible back labor and Lauren massaged my back for about 24 hours! She was amazing with my nervous husband and she was my emotional support throughout. Highly recommend this amazing person to be a part of your birth experience. We love Lauren!!!! read more

Lauren was my wife's doula for the birth of our child and I'm writing this on her behalf as she doesn't have a Yelp account. Lauren was outstanding and we would work with her again in a heartbeat. My wife strongly wanted a natural birth (in a hospital, but no medical interventions including IV or pain medications if possible) and Lauren was instrumental in making this happen. This began two nights before the birth when my wife's water broke two weeks early - we called the hospital and they wanted us to come in as soon as possible for evaluation, but Lauren reassured us that it would be fine to get some rest and wait until the morning and she was right. In the hospital, Lauren provided a constant, calming yet strong presence for my wife as she labored throughout the night and the many techniques she used to coach my wife through the contractions and into the morning were key. The labor did not go entirely smoothly and there was one point when my wife was close to asking for medical intervention that could have led to a C-section, but with Lauren's help she was able to push through and everything worked out. One surprise later is that Lauren was carefully documenting every event during the birth process and sent us a document of the events of the birth as they happened chronologically. We can't recommend her strongly enough and would absolutely work with her again. read more

This review is long overdue. Lauren was the doula for the birth of my second child in 2014. I had a different doula for my first, but she lived much further away and I was worried she wouldn't make it in time for the birth of my second (since labor can be a lot quicker the second time around). I found Lauren through Stork & Sprout. She was so helpful near the end of my pregnancy when I had a lot of false labor and didn't know if I should head to the hospital or not. She talked me through it and helped me realize it wasn't time yet! When it finally was time, it turned out to be her birthday(!), but she didn't miss a beat appearing at the hospital and helping me through my labor and delivery. At the very end of my quick labor, I felt the rest of my water bag break and knew the baby was coming, but the nurses were not paying attention because it was happening so quickly. Lauren got their attention so they were able to call my doctor just in time. I had an amazing vaginal birth with no drugs, exactly what I had hoped for. Lauren was so caring and calm throughout the whole process and I'm so grateful that she was there! read more