We loved working with Redwood Doulas and would highly recommend them!…read more Kymberlie is SO incredibly warm, understanding, empathetic, and compassionate. She was a great help in setting up the initial meetings with doulas who she thought would be a good match for us and figuring out schedules and such. During a postpartum call, she was so kind and empathetic. I just can't say thank you enough to her for her kindness. Doula Thais was our birth doula and was amazing in every way. She was incredibly supportive to both my husband and I, helping us navigate the unknowns pre-birth, during labor, and afterward. I had some medical issues crop up that required an extended postpartum stay and she was so so kind and continued to reach out and check in on me, which meant SO much to me. We also did a baby wearing session with her and that helped both of us feel more comfortable that we were wearing our baby correctly (those darn things have so many darn straps and snaps and doodads, lol). Regarding postpartum night support, we had initially gone with a doula (who ran her own business) that we hired outside of Redwood Doulas. Within two weeks, we were desperately looking for other help as this private-doula-for-hire was just not jamming well with us. We reached out to Kymberlie and she was able to help us do some trials until we found a doula we matched well with. We were able to snag a couple weeks with Doula Ivette and we loved working with her just as much as we did with Doula Thais! Doula Ivette came in the first night and was able to identify that our baby was gassy and helped show us different techniques on how to de-gas her! We continued using those techniques for the next few months while our baby's digestive system was sorting itself out. We weren't able to continue with Redwood Doulas after a few weeks as we had contacted them too late and we weren't able to find continuity of care with just one doula. For this reason, we decided to hire another private-doula-for-hire outside of Redwood Doulas and similar to our first experience doing this, this private-doula-for-hire just was not as professional as the doulas from Redwood Doulas. I bring this up to highlight that our experience with Redwood Doulas was truly exceptional. I contacted and spoke with A LOT of doulas and different agencies around the bay area and the team at Redwood Doulas was my favorite to work with. They were always ON TIME! Which is like SO FREAKING KEY when you're a first time parent holding a baby who has been screaming their head off for hours hours and nothing you do is working and you need a break from that damn yoga ball bouncing you've been doing! Lol. When my private-for-hire-doula would come late, the intense baby screams tears at you every additional minute you're waiting. But Redwood Doulas never did this to us. They were always on time- thank. goodness. Lol. So all in all, work with them!! They're awesome. (Open to DM's if anyone has questions, etc!)

We went with Redwood Doulas for a night nurse. Our baby came 3 weeks early so our original doula…read morewas initially unavailable. Redwood doulas was responsive to help us get another interim doula right away. Doula Thais stepped in to help us super last minute. She was extremely professional and helpful. We were triple feeding when we first got back from the hospital, so doula Thais would every three hours bring me the baby, then bottle feed her while I pumped, then clean all the bottle and part pumps. When she left in the morning all of the bottle and pump parts were cleaned and organized and ready for the next day. She listened and helped us figure out our game plan for the nights. She was very communicative about her availability and it was great she was able to help on such short notice. We only had her for a few nights but would definitely recommend her to anyone considering her, she even followed up asking about our baby and how she was doing weeks later! Doula Suely was the other doula we worked with. We worked with Sue for about 7 weeks and she was so critical for helping us get peace and sleep. She was great and easy to work with and schedule shifts for the week. She went along with whatever schedule and plan we wanted for the night. But when we were uncertain about something, or wanted advice for reflux and spit up she was extremely helpful with her advice. You could tell the love and care she had for our baby! It's nerve wracking handing your baby over to someone for the entire night but it was so easy to trust Sue. She helped us get some extremely critical sleep and always ensured my pump parts and the bottles were clean in the morning. We ended up extending our contract by three weeks because Sue's help was so critical to our family. I can't recommend Sue enough!!

Carolina is the BEST EVER!! Extremely grateful to her for giving me support during postpartum. We (…read moreme and my baby ) go to her mommy and baby yoga and we love it. Even though my baby is crawling now, Carolina encourages us to attend her sessions. She is extremely attentive to both mine and my baby's needs. My little one loves her and feels extremely calm in her sessions. Her wisdom and advice has helped me recover from postpartum issues. She's prompt to respond to questions and has high quality resources to offer. Highly recommend. Grateful to her for everything she has been doing for us.

This would have been 5 stars based on the breastfeeding class I attended. I was reluctant to even…read morego to any breastfeeding class because it was important to me to not be attached to the idea of breastfeeding, and I was worried I'd be beaten over the head with how important it is and set myself up for mom guilt if it didn't work out. Quite the contrary, the speaker was really approachable and practical. She talked through just about every scenario and offered a really great mindset - feed as much breastmilk as you can whenever you can, and it's totally OK to make up the difference with formula. Unfortunately, the baby care class dropped this down to 4 stars. It was borderline a waste of time. The instructor was scattered and not very helpful. Lots of tech challenges. Not much help in the way of answering questions or providing practical advice. Very limited hands on practice. I went with a friend because my husband was out of town and I was almost embarrassed that she wasted time in that class with me.

My partner and I recently completed the Hypnobirthing three week course at Brilliant Births. We had…read morean absolutely incredible experience, for many reasons--The information we learned was invaluable, but also the instructors' teaching styles and depth of personal experience they offered was appreciated, comforting, and helpful. They clearly have a deep well of wisdom and experience-based expertise to share. We started our class with Keira and absolutely loved her--originally we were a bit bummed to know we would have a different instructor for our last day of the course. However, it turned out that Heidi was equitably wonderful and all things lovely-- instead of only one great instructor and guide, we ended up with two...which leads me to believe you'll be in skilled hands with anyone you interact with at BB. We will definitely be returning to take advantage of their other offerings!

I reached out to Brilliant Births to find a birth doula. They offer a matching service and…read moreconnected me to 3 doulas who work independently (not employees of BB). We were really fortunate to find our birth doula (who we love!), but the other 2 candidates were not very impressive. The first doula missed our appointment with no follow-up communication. We were initially confused and thought she was the coordinator for BB, because she only communicated by text. The actual meeting was just by telephone so there was no face-to-face interaction, which felt strange. We could've easily FaceTimed or Zoomed. So communication and reliability were not great. The second doula abruptly canceled our half-hour appointment when we were 10 minutes late for a 30-minute appointment due to my husband wrapping up a Zoom meeting. During our appointment time, she was responding to my emails (in which I apologized for being late), but insisted she could no longer meet with us. I thought this was a really bad sign about what she would be like to work with - labor and delivery is rarely precisely timed and some flexibility is needed. In addition, her email said that she lives in Portola Valley, but we live Berkeley (also where Brilliant Births is located). This also struck me as strange, because it would take 1.5 hours for her to arrive to meet us at the hospital, which is not ideal.

Working with Claudia for the birth of our 2nd child helped us heal from a traumatic first birth…read moreexperience. We went to the hospital feeling more prepared and we were able to work together and have a great birth experience. We will share that forever. Thank you, Claudia!

I highly recommend Claudia floral McCaffrey for Past life and inner child regression therapy…read more During the sessions Claudia was sensitive, courteous and empathetic which not only helped me overcome my challenges but also helped me move forward from the past trauma. This has been the best experience, one usually wouldn't open up easily however her professional approach made me comfortable and I trust her and her techniques completely. If I ever need again, I know I am always going back to Claudia. Can't recommend enough!

Tal is beyond phenomenal, and everything I was looking for (and more) in a prenatal personal…read moretrainer. I would 1000% recommend doing one-on-one training sessions--it's the best money I've ever spent on myself. Thanks to our workouts, I had an incredibly easy delivery and post-partum recovery. Tal radiates positive energy! She kept me smiling, fit, motivated, and--most importantly--SAFE throughout my pregnancy. Her workouts were not only fun but also incorporate many moves that can actually be used during labor. She was always in-tune to my needs and would adapt her routines--even mid-workout--to make sure I was safe and pain-free. I also loved that she emphasized important foundations (e.g. proper breathing technique, connecting breath to core and pelvic floor, safe ways to get in/out of bed, ways to avoid diastasis recti, etc). I continue to use those skills daily. Not only is Tal a mama herself, she has years of experience as a specialized prenatal/post-partum personal trainer. She even stays up-to-date with ACOG recommendations and takes refresher maternal health courses. As a physician, I was impressed with the depth of her knowledge. If you train with her, you get access to her Strong Mama Fitness online for free--another incredible resource. Although she is no longer local in the Bay Area, she is available for 1-on-1 virtual training via Zoom. Our virtual sessions were super convenient, all without sacrificing quality. I can't recommend Tal enough!

I was looking for prenatal exercises during my first trimester and was glad to have found Tal's…read moreexercise program at Strong Mama Fitness. There are various exercises every week that cater to different levels of fitness or how one feels for the day. This is very helpful as I don't have to worry about whether a particular exercise is safe for a certain stage of pregnancy. Tal has been very helpful and knowledgeable, and is available to answer any questions. Love having the convenience of this personal trainer like program from the comforts of home. Highly recommend Strong Mama Fitness!

I realize I never left a review for Leonora. Not trying to gate keep her. She's amazing. I first…read moremet Leonora in 2021 when I was looking for a doula for my 1st pregnancy. She was amazing so much that I got pregnant a second time just so she can be my doula again. Just kidding when we found out we were pregnant with our 2nd baby we just knew we needed her. Postpartum care with my firstborn after my c-section made all the difference. She has such a calm to her when she came over to talk and help us through the 4th trimester. I loved doing bodywork with her during our home visits. Fast forward to my second birth she was instrumental to helping us through the delivery and getting us to the hospital. I can't say enough good things about her. Love her prenatal and postnatal yoga classes. Love her as my doula.

Leonora has provided the most thorough and detailed care for me and my family as a birth and…read morepostpartum doula. I was pregnant with my first child at 16 years old in 2023 and I worried about finding the right doula that wouldn't pass any judgment on me and also be able to help me navigate my way through any hospital staff treating me differently because of my age. Leonora was so great from the start and she was eager to start doula services with me. From the moment we began our sessions she provided me with a loving and calm space for me to prepare my body for childbirth and postpartum, she has such a beautiful and calming energy you can't help but just feel grounded and at peace with her around. Not once did I feel like I was being treated differently because of my situation. She offered me many resources and teaching guides on pregnancy to learn about my bodily functions and how pregnancy all works, which ultimately left me very prepared for what was to come. She helped me form the perfect birth plan for me that included all of my wants for my hospital birth. The actual birth was so amazing, I was blessed to have a room full of women including Leonora supporting me through it and it was an experience I'll never forget. I can't begin to thank Leonora enough for providing me such loving and supportive care. When I had my second baby she offered me pro bono services as I had a much more tight budget and finances were very different than when I had my first child. Again the care was so wonderful and the birth was even better than the first! Can't imagine not having Leonora in our lives now and we will forever go to her when we are seeking birth support. P.S. She takes some pretty rad photos during birth if you ask her to!!

Varuna's prenatal yoga sessions helped me a lot during my third trimester. She worked as a team…read morewith me and the growing little one in being physically and mentally active throughout the sessions and how I need to keep myself focused on the challenges with changes in my body and mind week by week . Highly recommend her. She is a very positive woman helping other women bring little ones into this world.

From the owner: Yoga with V specializes in personalized Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga sessions, offering gentle…read moreguidance and support for expecting and new mothers alike. The traditional Hatha Yoga classes open for all focus on alignment and breath, fostering balance and strength in a nurturing environment. Experience the tranquility of Meditation sessions, open for all, designed to cultivate mindfulness and inner peace. Elevate your practice with our Breathwork workshops, harnessing the power of pranayama for holistic well-being."

Teri Nava-Anderson was our doula for our July 31st 2009 birth. Our birth was a planned homebirth…read morethat resulted in a transfer to our hospital with our concurrent care obstetrician. When I first found out I was pregnant I knew my outmost goal was to have a labor without the use of narcotics, epidurals or any type of painkillers for the labor. I was very comfortable with the capability of my body and trusted that I could do this with the assistance of a supportive husband, midwife and doula. I found Teri through a wonderful internet site that supports newlyweds and moms-to-be. I inquired more information and was very interested in having a doula for our birth. We meet and immediately felt so comfortable and very secure with her. She understood our wishes and goals and made us feel great about our decisions. It was the best decision we ever made. Teri was very supportive through the ENTIRE labor. She never lessened her enthusiasm to help us. She was always energetic and coherent of what best relaxation techniques suited us, even when we were just plain exhausted. At one point I was in the tub soaking through some tougher contractions. She instructed my husband on how to help me and she stayed a few feet away for the entire time (at least 2 hours!) watching us and making sure if we needed her she was just an arms length away. During pushing I wanted Teri right next to me--on the other side of my husband. I felt that she gave me some great strength through the thickest of contractions. Honestly, I felt that her positive energy is what got me through my long labor. It was her strength and confidence that gave me confidence to do the best I could in my labor. In the end I had to be transferred to my hospital at 10 cm dilated because my baby's head was not coming out, but once in the hospital I delivered the stubborn baby with 2 good pushes. I did not have an epidural or any type of pain suppressants. I did not even think or request any type of pain suppressant the entire time and I feel I owe this all to Teri's great work. She kept me relaxed and confident in the capability of my body and not the pain of labor. I felt so comfortable with Teri. She was soothing, mothering, loving, caring....everything. Her tone of voice was always comforting and loving. My husband was very comfortable with her and we really trusted her. She is a wonderful Doula and we wish her the best in her wonderful service as one. She will definitely be on our call list when we have a second child. We could not have met our wishes and survived the long labor (~50 hours) with no epidural or painkillers. She truly is a wonderful doula and made our birth the most wonderful experience. We recommend her to anyone that is planning to have a natural, unmedicated and painkiller free birth! We love you Teri! The Paoluccio's

I am happy to write a review for Teri and Harmony Doulas…read more Originally I didn't think I would want a doula at all, but my husband kept insisting. I think he was worried about whether he would be able to handle being at the birth and also worried about my stress level and wanting me to have extra support. I was a bit resistant, because I didn't know much about doulas and I was afraid they were all a bunch of hippies that would be judgmental if I decided to get an epidural, because I wasn't sure if I would need anesthesia or not. (It's hard to know if you've never had a baby before.) We met with several different doulas and also considered hiring the person who taught our childbirth classes who also happened to be a doula. In the end, my husband and I both liked Teri and her team the best. It was clear that they were all very experienced and they were very open-minded, while still being research based in terms of their recommendations. The thing that really stood out as well was the fact that Teri discussed upfront how to get reimbursement from an FSA or insurance for their services. I didn't even know that was possible before I met them and, again, it made them seem more experienced. They had also been present at births with my OB/GYN and hospital, which was a plus. I think some women like hiring just one doula so they know for sure who is going to be at the birth, but we liked all the women in Harmony Doula, so I knew I would be happy with whoever was on duty at the time. And actually for me, having 3 doulas was a big plus. I felt better knowing that if one of the doulas was pooped, someone else who was fresh would come in and take over. The other reason I chose a group with 3 doulas was because I wanted to be sure someone would be there who I knew on the big day. No matter how good one doula is, something can always happen, a car accident, a family emergency, so I felt more comfortable knowing there were 3 doulas that would be available. Before the baby was born, they came to our place a few times. Usually two of them came together, but I think once it it was all three. They talked through our birth plan and helped us think of things we hadn't considered. They also showed us prenatal yoga and massage and showed my husband how he could help me do stretches and give me massages. They were also very available whenever I had questions, like on Thanksgiving when I started having lots of Braxton Hicks contractions and worried I was going into early labor. I was pretty terrified about giving birth and they really helped me with my stress and made me feel like I could do it. As I got close to my due date, my doctor told me that they normally induce labor at 41 weeks, which I didn't realize, because I thought 42 weeks was the standard. I really wanted to give the baby time to be "ready" and for labor to start naturally, so I reached out to Teri and she sent me a lot about labor induction and pros and cons of waiting until 42 weeks. On the big day (40 weeks and 6 days), I started having contractions around midnight. I wasn't sure if they were "real" or not, so I waited and called Teri around 2 am. She answered right away and calmly talked me through what was going on. Since my contractions were far apart, she encouraged me to try to sleep. Teri then came over to our place early in the morning and helped me do some exercises to get the baby into the correct position. Then, as fate would have it, I had an OB/GYN appointment scheduled for that day around noon, so we (me, my husband and Teri) all went to the doctor's office together. The doctor checked me and said I was 6 cm dilated and should go to the hospital right away. Another thing I realized after getting to the hospital is that the doctor doesn't show up until the very end and the nurses only come to check on you sporadically, so having Teri there was huge for me, because I knew she was going to be there the whole time. When I was ready to push, the doulas had a shift change and Jennifer arrived, but Teri was excited to see the baby be born, so I actually had two doulas there with me in the end. When it was time to push, they were excellent at helping me figure out different positions to try. When I was very close to getting the baby out, I got a very intense look on my face and my husband actually got a little scared and kept touching my face and telling me to relax and Teri was able to calmly suggest that he go sit in the corner for a minute to calm himself down, which was helpful for me and for him (he made it back before the baby came out). Basically, Teri and her team are awesome and I would highly recommend them to anyone. I was able to have the birth just how I wanted and, of course, the most important thing is that the baby is healthy. I am not sure I could have made it through labor without anesthesia if not for Teri and her team.