Leilani truly saved my breastfeeding journey. As a first-time mom to premature twins, I was ready…read moreto quit breastfeeding and pumping, but finding her was a game changer. She helped me with ultrasound therapy, correctly sized my flanges after multiple hospital lactation consultants got it wrong, and supported me through countless breastfeeding and pumping challenges. As an IBCLC, her expertise is incredible, and there really is a difference. Her online videos and resources have also been invaluable. Because of her support, I've been able to continue providing breast milk for my twins far longer than I thought possible. I am so grateful and highly recommend her to any breastfeeding or pumping mom.

Leilani is very responsive and helpful navigating the challenges of breastfeeding and postpartum in…read moregeneral. She is quick to respond and makes you feel very comfortable in her sessions.

Bri was an absolute treasure after the birth of our twins! I had birth doulas present for my…read moreprevious babies, but after finding out we would be having twins I knew I'd need as much help as I could get. Now having experienced Bri's postpartum doula care I must say it's one of the best gifts a new mom can receive. It's an intimate thing to welcome someone into your home after giving birth. Bri has great vibes and put me at ease right away. I met with other postpartum doulas but found the best fit with Bri, as she truly wants to nourish new mothers holistically. The love she has for mamas and babies radiates from her and made me feel so cared for. She provided us with nourishing food, herbal baths, lactation support and education and techniques for burping and massaging gas from the babies. She even washed the dishes when I wasn't looking! She also gives amazing relaxing facials - such an extra boost of pampering that I wouldn't have been able to make happen without her at the house. I'm so grateful to have been able to navigate those early days with Bri! If you are pregnant and wondering if you need postpartum support, you certainly would be in good hands with Bri.

We had a great experience with our doula, Katie. She was incredibly supportive during those first…read morefew weeks with our newborn and helped us so much. She was kind, caring, and always made us feel supported. She truly felt like the big sister I needed during such an important time. The only downside of my experience was the lactation support. I only attended two sessions because, unfortunately, they were very stressful. During the first visit, the lactation consultant arrived late, seemed rushed, and left me with a few nipple shields that ultimately didn't work well for me. At the end, I didn't end up using them because they weren't helpful. The second session felt very similar. It also felt rushed and stressful, and my baby became stressed as well. Because of those experiences, I decided not to continue with the lactation sessions. Overall, I'm very grateful for Katie's support, and she made a huge positive difference during our postpartum journey.

My husband and I had an incredible experience working with our night doula, Jacqui. From the very…read morebeginning, she brought such a calming, warm, and reassuring presence into our home and immediately put us at ease as new parents. She is extremely knowledgeable and experienced, and naturally wonderful with newborns. Not only did our daughter thrive under her care, but my husband and I were finally able to get much needed rest and feel more confident as parents. Jacqui also taught us so much along the way and always made us feel supported, never judged. We are so grateful for her help during those early months and truly cannot recommend her highly enough to any family looking for a compassionate and highly skilled doula.

Dorinda is truly amazing! My husband was traveling out of town and I desperately needed night…read moresupport with our 3 month old so that I could be ready for our toddler in the morning. From the moment we FaceTimed her for a consult, she immediately offered a sense of comfort and support. She was so sweet and pretty quickly learned our son's needs. She provided super helpful tips which have now changed our nights. And, she was thoughtful to check in with me during the day even after caring for our son all night. Thank you, Dorinda!

I found Dorinda through her glowing reviews here on Yelp, which we found to be very accurate from…read morestart to finish of our time together. Dorinda came to our home before the birth to talk in depth and was very tuned into my pregnancy experience; she provided a lot of supportive words/sent me funny memes and videos during the last dragging weeks of pregnancy. She also sent baby resources like a list of recommended items - this consultation would be especially useful for first time parents. Once we were home from the hospital, Dorinda came over the first night and provided a burst of energy and positivity. She sat next to my bed as I fed our new (second) baby and helped me stay awake and make sure she was getting a proper, full feed. We talked everything from birth care to postpartum recovery to current events and family chat (she's a mom and parents her 2 kids in San Diego, so she's been there too!). For subsequent visits we figured out ways to maximize my healing and sleep once I could pump and Dorinda could give a bottle. It's been a game changer for recovery and mental health, especially juggling a toddler, newborn, high energy dog, busy lives and jobs during the day. During my first postpartum I struggled with baby blues, isolation, and extreme exhaustion symptoms but have had none of that this time around and am so grateful. Why we clicked with Dorinda - she's smart, caring, attuned to the whole family's needs, is a strong communicator, and fits into systems we already have developed. She cares about evidence-based parenting and safe sleep. But is just like having a friend around in your home. Highly recommend!

I chose Nicole Morales as my midwife for my second child. She started care at 23 weeks. My first…read morechild I had a UCSD birth center and it was an awful experience. So when I met Nicole I had a lot of stipulations of how I wanted my care- really hands off, special training and skill in making sure baby is breathing well after born (my first child landed in NICU hour 3 after birth for not being able to transition, clear the fluid in his lungs), no required vaginal checks, short heart monitor checks for baby during labor. She will be as hands off you want and as hands on as you want. So yes, she met all my requirements. BUT the element about Nicole that won me over is her care for my heart and mind. I was so messed up mentally after my first birth. I didn't know how not to labor in fear and shame. Nicole has the training and takes the time to help walk you through emotional pain that may come up during labor. She counseled me during our prenatal sessions and helped me process my pain and disappointment with labor one. She helped me see myself in a new way. I thought I didn't do enough and I failed, even though I had my desired natural vaginal birth. But she helped me see my true self, that I would lay down my life for my child over and over again. And in my labor, even when I was giving everything, I found a way to give more. During labor, she showed up with Marli (her assistant at the time, who also is phenomenal), and played the exact role I asked her to. During transition, I thought I wasn't progressing and she just said, "Everything looks good back here. I'm seeing the progression." (she was behind me) really calmy, and it was what I needed to hear. Calm confidence. Sure enough, 20 minutes later my daughter was born. Also, after birth she stayed and cleaned up the house beautifully, allowed my husband and I to progress the baby's few exams as we were ready. Placenta stayed attached for 3 hours because we were all so chill about the process. At hour 3 my daughter started showing signs of difficulty breathing. Nicole calmly asked us to pray (which to me showed she knew my husband and I, we are Christians and believe in the power of prayer), and she decided to give our daughter 3 false breaths and to tap her back. Our daughter miraculously cleared all the fluid from those three simple methods. Much less intense than a 7 day NICU stay like our previous experience. I want Nicole as my midwife as long as I am childbearing and I will give her 100% recommendation to all those who ask. She is a birth game changer.

I was referred to Nicole by my Doula & let me tell you she is truly something special!!!…read more I have been referred to & seen numerous practitioners throughout my pregnancy for various reasons & she has been by far the best! I knew I was in excellent care when I went in to see her for one item & immediately she was able to assess & diagnose me & treat me for something completely different & inevitably what I really needed that day. I have never felt so cared for with utmost dedication, patience & true motherly care & instinct. When I later found out she delivers babies, I knew she was the one I want to deliver my next baby!! I trust her completely. I still reach out to her for advice & she is always there for me! She always knows what to say to give you her unbiased opinion & give you the power to make your own informed decisions. Nicole, thank you from the bottom of my heart & will you please deliver my next baby?!?

Please think twice before choosing Heather LeMaster as your provider…read more I wish I had listened to my intuition sooner and not ignored the many red flags I encountered throughout my care. I'm writing this review for anyone considering her as their midwife -- I encourage you to truly, deeply reconsider whether she is the right fit for you. From early on, I felt invalidated and dismissed. I had chronically low blood sugar throughout my entire pregnancy, and rather than receiving the support and care I needed, Heather denied my symptoms and was dismissive of my concerns. Instead of offering evidence-based guidance, I was shamed -- for eating fruit, for eating carbs -- at a time (first trimester) when I was sick and just trying to get through each day. Her constant warnings about delivering a "sugar baby" felt more like threats than medical advice, adding to my stress and confusion. I consulted the rest of my care team, including my PCP, and Heather heavily criticized that decision, routinely telling me that they did not know what they were talking about. She also claims to practice spinning babies, but none of what we did during my pregnancy aligned with the true Spinning Babies exercises and practices that my Doula had me practicing. It was frustrating, as I initially sought out a Spinning Babies provider. In addition to that, the one time I used the 24-hour help line, no one responded to me for over 16 hours. In her practice, she relied far too heavily on forms and checklists in an online portal, and rarely showed the kind of human care and emotional support that is absolutely essential in midwifery. When things got scary and I truly needed her -- emotionally and physically -- she simply was not there in the ways that mattered most. We ended up having to transfer to a hospital instead of our planned home birth, and despite it being in the contract, Heather did not transfer with us and was not involved in the birth at all. She sent a pathetic text message after hearing from her assistant encapsulating the placenta that the birth had happened. Looking back, I realize that, despite Heather always making me feel as if it was my direct fault when something went wrong, what actually went wrong with my birth wasn't about my body or my baby -- it was about my decision to stay with a provider who made me feel unheard, unsupported, and often blamed. That choice is something I now deeply regret. One of the most hurtful moments came in early postpartum (2 weeks), when she tried to go behind my back and privately consult my husband in an attempt to pressure me into medication -- after I had explicitly told her that I was not interested. She also pressured me to start it ASAP, as it can take a month to "kick in" and I "obviously needed it." Since my experience, I've met several others in the industry who shared similar concerns about her care. Many of them were just as confused as I was by the glowing reviews she has received, given the inconsistency in her approach and lack of real support. This further confirms my decision to speak out, as I hope others will be more cautious when choosing their provider. This review isn't written lightly -- my birth was over 8 months ago. It's written from a place of hoping that someone else who feels any of those early twinges of doubt listens to themselves and chooses a care provider who will honor them, respect them, and hold space for the incredibly vulnerable journey of birth.

Heather is an amazing midwife! This was my first VBAC birth and she helped settle all my fears,…read moremade me and my boyfriend feel cared for and took the time to answer all questions I had and wake me through my pregnancy step by step! She was the voice of reason I needed during my birth and with her support as well as the support of my family my beautiful baby boy was born with no need of a hospital or repeat c-section!

I apologize this review is late but please know that Christal was just so amazing it is really hard…read moreto put it in words. I wanted to make sure to return to leave a review for her because she is just the most wonderful and supportive person. I want others to know just how amazing she is and how much she really does make all the difference in the preparation and birth process. Becoming a mom was a huge transition for me but having Christal really made a huge difference in my birth experience. As someone who was afraid of childbirth as a young adult prior to pregnancy, I can now look back at my labor fondly and proud of how smooth and well it went and I attribute that to my preparation with Christal and having her warm and gentle support the day of. I began working with Christal in the summer of 2021 and delivered my baby in October 2021. We met with Christal twice prior to delivery and each time she was on time and prepared for the session. She was so great about covering a lot of information but also holding space for my anxious questions as a first time mom. Every time she left I felt so reassured and calmer about delivering my baby. It was also helpful to be able to reach out to her if I had any questions between sessions. She was also helpful with reviewing my birth preferences with me. I felt very prepared going into the birth process which made all the difference. The labor gown she recommended was amazing! When I went into labor I stayed in touch with Christal from home until we met at the hospital. She was aware of the current hospital guidelines and came prepared with her credentials mask and doula magic bag of supplies. Christal was great about setting up the space to feel most relaxing. I really appreciated how she would talk me through the current stage and next stages of labor which helped me to remain calm. Her and my husband worked so well together and she helped with things like offering recommendations on how the pillows might be adjusted to provide some relief or model some soothing massage techniques for my husband to try. I distinctly remember how she indulged my talking to distract myself and held my hand when I was a little scared at one point. I also really appreciated her post birth visit to check on us. It was nice to talk through the birth experience with someone who was there and she answered any questions we had about life with a newborn. I would recommend Christal to any friend or family member. If we do have another child I would 1000% want Christal there with us for the journey!

We reached out to Christal with seemingly very short notice, roughly a month before our due date. I…read morethink the whole thing was very serendipitous. From our very first phone conversation we knew Christal was the doula for us. She was so caring and understanding of our short time frame (we were working with someone else but decided to switch) and she had so much knowledge, something a first time parent does not have! She was able to schedule two home visits with us and, like the phone conversation, from the first one she showed us how caring, considerate, knowledgeable and just how down to earth she is. We had ideas of how we wanted our labor and delivery to go and her background in spinning babies, hypnobirthing, and Rebozo were an instant match. She spent time with us to make sure we were calm and collected in our heads and made sure we had some techniques to take with us to the hospital. Well...nothing ever goes to plan does it?! Our L&D was so short and everything happened so fast we didn't have time to even think about what we learned during our two visits with Christal. Thankfully, she was there. I can't even begin to explain how calm she made us feel and how much her pressence in the delivery room meant to us. She held hands right when we felt we needed it the most, she helped guide pushes, and she even took photos and videos (had no idea she was even doing that!!). She was everything we could have hoped for in a doula! Our postpartum visit was no different. She came to our home again and talked to us about the L&D process and gave us some tips and tricks that are indispencable as new parents! We can honestly say that through the whole process Christal felt like a friend that we have know for years and we could not have asked for anyone better!

So much gratitude to this amazing doula duo!!…read more From the first time we met with April and Joy we felt comfortable and confident in our decision to work together. We are from out of town and I came down to San Diego first as my husband had to finish work and it was very reassuring to have April and Joy as part of our birth team in case I went into labor earlier than expected. Throughout my pregnancy all the resources, check ins, and words of encouragement that April and Joy provided were much appreciated. They were also very quick to respond to any questions/concerns that I had. The morning of my delivery my surges came in very quickly. I contacted Joy and April right away and shortly after had a phone conversation with Joy to confirm it was time to head to the hospital. She met my husband and I there and it was such a relief to see and have her support during the most challenging part of my labor. Her calming presence, hands on comfort measures were invaluable and she worked so harmoniously with the hospital staff. The photos she captured of our first moments with our second born are truly priceless. After delivery I had unexpected bleeding and I'm so thankful to have Joy's knowledge on the different types of medications. She helped slowed things down and explained the benefits of them for my case and I felt confident in my decision making. I am incredibly thankful for April's belly binding offering postpartum. The foot bath and belly massage was such a treat and it was a lovely way to wrap up our time together with her. There isn't a single thing I would have changed with my birth experience. April and Joy are a fantastic team, highly highly recommend them!

Working with Joyful Roots was truly one of the best decisions we made, and I can honestly say that…read moreJoy and April are the number one thing I credit for helping me have such a beautiful, positive birth experience. Before giving birth, I was someone who felt really nervous and unsure about the whole experience. But after going through it, I genuinely tell everyone that I loved giving birth, which is something I never thought I would say! That is such a testament to the incredible support and care Joy and April provided throughout my pregnancy, labor, and postpartum experience. My hope going into birth was to labor naturally at home as long as possible and remain open to getting an epidural once I was at the hospital and further along in active labor. They helped me achieve exactly that. While we were laboring at home, April was the one on the phone coaching my husband and me through contractions, helping us feel safe and calm. She offered different suggestions for positions and comfort measures that made such a difference. My husband shared after that he would have been freaking out much more and probably would have pushed going to the hospital earlier if it was not for her guidance. When Joy met us at the hospital, I instantly felt a huge sense of comfort and relief the moment I saw her. She was tremendously helpful supporting me through contractions with her touch through different comfort measures. After I got the epidural, she continued to be so knowledgeable and helped position me in ways that encouraged baby to be in the best possible position for birth. He was more to the side before but she made such a difference in getting him in a great position. What stood out most to me was how deeply seen and understood I felt by her. She was so in tune with my needs, emotions, and what I needed in each moment in a way that felt different from anyone else present in the room at my birth. Her presence was grounding and incredibly reassuring. Even after I gave birth, when I was feeling overwhelmed by all the emotions and hormones, she noticed immediately and supported me so thoughtfully and gently. That care meant so much to me. I know hiring a doula is an investment, but truly, it was one of the greatest gifts I could have given myself, my family, and my birth experience. If you are considering working with Joyful Roots, I cannot recommend Joy and April enough.