As a new parent, the postpartum period is challenging enough without having to deal with the stress…read moreand disappointment of a difficult agency. While Stork and Sprout does have some excellent doulas on its team who provided great support and coaching, my experience with the agency's leadership was overwhelmingly negative. We had a particularly difficult time with Brittany. She demonstrated a pattern of manipulation, gaslighting, and lying, both to us and, from what I understand, to her own employees. Our contract promised consistent coverage, but the scheduling was erratic and communication was poor. We were left to wonder many nights if we would have support, and for several weeks, we only received 1 to 2 days of support instead of the 6 to 7 we paid for. When we requested a refund for the services not provided, Brittany refused and even fought our bank with out-of-context emails and more lies. She claims she "offered a refund" but is even today refusing to honor it as she says in the response. The lack of professionalism extended to some of the staff as well; one sick doula was sent to our home and intentionally caused our newborn physical pain. Brittany treated us like we were the difficult ones and responded with empathy-less chatGPT emails to manage the situation. We were also led to believe we would have one primary doula with a backup, but over the course of our service, we had seven different doulas come to our home. This complete lack of continuity made an already difficult period even more stressful. Based on my experience, I would advise new parents to skip Stork and Sprout and work directly with an independent doula. You will not only save the 30-40% extra fee the agency charges for scheduling, but you will also avoid the toxic and difficult management. This experience is unacceptable for a service that costs tens of thousands of dollars and demands payment upfront months ahead of providing the service. We were not able to switch easily due to the inflexible Carrot reimbursement process through the employer.

I truly couldn't have accomplished my VBAC goals without the incredible support of the Stork and…read moreSprout birth doula team. From the very first moment I needed them through labor and all the way until I was settled into the maternity floor with my new little boy, they were there every step of the way. Their calm presence, deep knowledge, encouragement, and advocacy made all the difference during such an intense and meaningful experience. I felt supported, empowered, and never alone. I am beyond grateful for their care and dedication and would wholeheartedly recommend Stork and Sprout to anyone preparing for birth--especially those pursuing a VBAC.

I cannot recommend Marilou at Doulas by the Bay highly enough. She was our postpartum night doula…read morefor the first few weeks after our son was born, and she was incredible. As new parents, the sleep deprivation is real, but knowing she was there allowed us to finally get the much-needed rest we required to function. Beyond just being a set of expert hands, she became a trusted guide for us and taught us invaluable newborn care tips that we still use daily. We trusted her implicitly with our baby from night one which was critical for us as anxious new parents. Marilou's calm, professional, and warm presence made us feel so at ease during a very vulnerable time. We truly loved our time with her and are so grateful for the care she provided. If you are looking for a doula who is knowledgeable, nurturing, and completely trustworthy, Marilou is amazing!

I reached out to find a birth doula and the initial meeting giving an overview of how they work was…read moreclear and straightforward. Doulas through this company are employees (not independent providers) and they stress that this is really good for always having a backup. We were then matched with 2 doula candidates and the scheduling process was easy and professional. However, we ultimately felt that these candidates were not properly trained or vetted. We never received any materials such as CVs for the doulas. The first doula said right away that she had never been a birth doula before and we would be her first birth. Her only experience was that she had been a night doula before. I was shocked that she had never even shadowed another birth doula as part of her training as a company employee. Bless her heart for being honest, but I did not want to pay to be her guinea pig. After this, I requested an additional candidate, but I was told the other one should be great. The second doula was also not a good fit. She kept emphasizing that at previous births hospital staff did not believe she was a birth doula (and thought she was just a family friend). It became clear why. I asked about her qualifications and she said she's working on her bachelor's degree even though she already has a master's degree. I thought this was strange and asked some follow up questions and ultimately could not determine what degree she had (maybe an associate's degree) or didn't have (definitely did not already have a master's). I also asked some basic medical questions about pain control and epidurals and she was not able to answer them. Ultimately we were able to find a wonderful birth doula through another matching company - experienced and with a real master's degree (in public health).

Where can I even begin with Sharon Economides? First, I am the husband here writing a review. I am…read morethe family Yelper, but know that my wife is in agreement with 100% of these words. This was our 3rd child, 1st homebirth. Demeanor: She is gentle, wonderful, knowledgeable, ever patient and clearly an expert. You would never decide to have a home birth with someone who isn't a de facto expert, and Sharon certainly is. You can read more about her training and background on their site. Visits: She was available, punctual, friendly, NEVER rushed, so kind. Answered every question, and followed up with anything we needed. She was always available via text, email or phone. Billing: She has a medical biller that is handling EVERYTHING. Love it. Whatever the insurance doesn't cover we pay. Fair enough - and before we did anything, she called and verified the coverage. Preparedness: She had a full on mid-wife as her assistant (Shannon) in delivery for my wife who was also wonderful. She dropped off the birth kit and didn't make us buy a laundry list of items. Most of what she asked us to have was super reasonable and we didn't need to order any "home-birth kits" - she brought it all a week or two before our due date. Chill-factor: 10 of 10: i'll go into it in a second, but Sharon is so "chill" so relaxed, peaceful -Zen even. It matters so much. And for us it definitely mattered. A portion of our birth story. I'll be writing a longer post for my personal blog, but want to share that our birth presented - at the very last minute - breech. It was crazy. We actually had hospital care through around week 30. The baby was perfect, in position, all good. When we switched to Sharon, the baby was still good. We believe that during labor, the baby flipped, all we know is that what seemed like a head ended up being a butt. The birth was so far along, that we decided to just go.... (baby was born about 6 minutes later)... Sharon had been present for a breech birth before so she kept the cool like I have never seen - i on the other hand was quietly losing my mind without my wife noticing. Long story short - perfection. yes folks, we delivered a breach baby, with no tearing, no issues, no complications, naturally, at home. To be clear, had we known this was a breach we would have gone to the hospital, but we didn't - but we are grateful that we had such a professional at our side. It was also key that she had another midwife with her for delivery. So awesome. After Birth: Sharon and Shannon (the other midwife) cleaned up everything, did laundry and stayed for awhile to ensure everything was okay. And it was. Baby latched in minutes, nursed well, pooped, peed, the whole nine. Postnatal visits: Sharon came by almost daily, recorded weight, checked the baby and mama. she kept GREAT records! Our pediatrician was completely impressed at the detail and regularity of visits for the baby. So were we! Bonuses: Sharon brought books over for our kids to prepare them for a home birth - it was awesome! They were so helpful. Details to mention: Sharon considered almost every angle in our birth plan, she was super inclusive of me in the process. She cared COMPLETELY that my wife always felt comfortable. She was never pushy, always calm and supportive. She likes to allow women to birth on their own and gently encourage during the process. She is a "birth-whisperer" - case in point, she barely spoke at times, she would almost communicate with touch and just breathing, helping my wife focus without words at times. In case I didn't say this enough - she was so calm that even when the baby presented breech - not one tone changed. She was the stoic honest person you need by your side. If you are thinking about a home birth just call Sharon, ask her for books and videos to watch. For us we decided on the home birth after 27 or so weeks of hospital care - so it's really never too late to do it. We whole-heartedly recommend Sharon! Pierre & Sonya

Sharon Economides was my Lactation Consultant when my newborn was having trouble latching, due to…read morewhat was assumed to be flat nipples. I had been using a shield recommended to me, but my baby was not putting back on her birth weight. On the first visit, within the first few minutes Sharon was able to get my baby to latch properly without the shield! Just by making a few simple suggestions around my babies position and using a pump to help pull the nipple out a little more, my baby was able to latch and begin to nurse properly. Sharon is not only very knowledgeable in her field, but she has a really good vibe to her, making mama and baby feel comfortable. With her down to earth personality and her calm presence, she is able to communicate the information she needs to relay with great ease. Sharon was also very helpful by phone, text and e-mail and was quick to respond when questions which came up between the few sessions we met. I highly recommend any new mama to Sharon. Nursing is not intuitive and if you are having trouble getting started, you will be happy you contacted Sharon so that you and your baby can begin a nursing rhythm that will bring you both great joy and love.

We were incredibly lucky to have Thais as our postpartum doula for the first 6 weeks with our first…read morebaby. From the start, she was thoughtful and well prepared. She even came to our home beforehand to review what we had for the baby and helped us identify what we were missing. Thais truly loves babies and her work, and it shows in how gentle, attentive, and calm she is. She also organize our baby items very well, which made daily life much easier. Before her last week, she checked in to make sure I felt confident caring for the baby on my own and taught me essential skills like bathing the baby and using a baby carrier. As a first-time mom, her support made a huge difference. I highly recommend Thais to any new family.

I feel so lucky to have Thais helping me take care of my first newborn baby!…read more She has been so patient, passionate, knowledgeable and really into the details of everything. She also turned my husband and me into parents who are capable of handling different situations! She gave me good guidance on breastfeeding and pumping. And our cat loves her!

Michelle was my birth and evening postpartum doula for the birth of my daughter. Her nurturing wise…read morepresence eased both the UCSF L&D staff, my husband and myself during a most fantastic birthing experience. She knew when I may have pushed pain threshold too far and gently reminded me of alternative pain relief. Not to mention she used a technique called Spinning Babies to bring my daughter out of an awkward position. Once home, she kindly showed me changes in breastfeeding positions to diminish pain, cleaned dishes and watched the baby so I could take time alone. She held space for this incredible time and we love her like family.

As a first time Dad I was not the one doing the hard work, but for all the dad's out there, the…read morewhole process is not, I'll just say, the most straight forward for anyone involved. Going into the process there is so much unknown and so much that makes you unsure. The most important person to be comfortable in my situation was my wife. In order for her to be comfortable it was very important for me to be comfortable. I understand that having a doula is not necessary, but it sure did help me and my family. The preparation conversations we had made the experience digestible. The advocate we had in Michelle during the process was incredible. The support we had post-partum was so helpful. Michelle has done this so many times and is so familiar with everything going on. To have her on your team allows for everyone to be present and just helps so much. Technically: She knows her stuff. For instance, Michelle is trained in baby spinning and to the doctor's surprise we avoided a c-section at the final hour. It was nothing short of a miracle. Personally: Michelle is solid, levelheaded, caring, fun, patient, prepared and will advocate for you when you need it. She has a short questionnaire to get on the same page earlier on in the process and she stands by what you discuss. I can't recommend Michelle enough, and if you would like to discuss further please ask Michelle to put us in touch.

Victoria was so helpful and thoughtful during our tough transition to becoming first time parents…read more Due to some minor complications, it was tough for me to move around the first couple of weeks post partum and so Victoria provided some much needed relief to my partner in learning new tasks (reorganizing our changing station to be more efficient, sanitizing pump equipment, baby wearing, etc.) and even household chores like laundry. Victoria also provided really helpful tips and tricks on how to put baby to sleep, support their development during awake times, and just general guidance on what to expect and how to cope. For me, her help during the long night shifts allowed me to get more rest and recover faster. She brought such kindness and warmth to the table in addition to her knowledge and skill, it felt very much like a lifesaver, esp since we do not have a lot of support in the form of family close by (and sometimes family support is actually also not that helpful). Our baby also loved Victoria and was very calm when she was interacting with him (showing us it was possible to have a diaper change without crying haha). We know we can trust Victoria with our newborn and so even went to have lunch without baby while knowing baby was in good hands. We likely would not trust anyone else to take care of baby at this early stage without our close supervision. TL;DR: Highly recommend Victoria who provided invaluable support and guidance during our transition to becoming parents.

Victoria worked for us for several months late last year supporting my wife once our baby girl was…read moreborn. I cannot say enough about how attentive she was to everything. She was always on time and extremely competent caring for our baby and my wife as she recovered. We were very lucky to have her and highly recommend her. The Gilberts

We're delighted to recommend Fernanda Mafra as a postpartum doula for any family who's considering…read morethe extra help. Choosing Fernanda to help overnight with our first baby was the best decision we made, and looking back, we truly don't think we could've done it without her. We even interviewed 5 other doulas and Fernanda clearly stood out because of her professional, calm, and knowledgeable demeanor. Leading up to the birth, she checked in weekly and sent across helpful resources so that I could mentally and physically prepare for the birth and we could prepare the nursery with all the essentials. When our baby arrived a whole month early and I texted Fernanda from the hospital, she immediately and kindly arranged for an amazing backup doula to help us during those weeks - she didn't need to do this, but this is a perfect example of how Fernanda goes above and beyond to care for her families. Fernanda always arrived early each night, checked in on us and the baby to see how our day had been, and shared suggestions that helped us establish a routine in the first month that most families only dream of in the first year. The uniquely helpful thing about Fernanda is that she happily collaborated with us on every topic (feeding, swaddling, pacifiers, etc.), so it felt like a true partnership and we never felt judged as first time parents. We learned so much from her that we could've never learned from books or other resources. She was a wise angel when I was stressed about breastfeeding and helped suggest a pumping schedule to increase my milk supply, and also created a weaning plan for me when I was done. Her communication is impeccable and she wrote detailed notes each day to summarize the night for us so we could stay informed. You can tell that she genuinely cares about her families, and even by the end of our short time with Fernanda, our son was sleeping from 8pm to 6am with a single dream feed! She even gave us a documented transition plan to help us continue the sleep conditioning in a gradual, soothing way. In short, no matter how our day had gone, I'd always feel relaxed and happy when Fernanda would arrive, knowing that our baby was in great hands. We cannot say enough good things about Fernanda and will definitely hire her again for our second baby!

I can't say enough good things about Fernanda. She was exactly what our family needed after…read morebringing home baby #2. From the very first night, she brought a calm, confident presence into our home--and it was immediately clear just how much she knows- she understood him. She moved with such assurance and gentleness, reading his cues, getting him into a healthy sleep routine, and helping him settle in ways that made us feel completely at ease. What stood out most, though, was how gracefully she adapted to our family's dynamic. She offered thoughtful updates each morning, checked in on how I was doing, and was a constant, nonjudgmental sounding board as I processed everything from feeding choices to sibling transitions. Even when I didn't feel sure of myself, she never pushed--she just provided insight and space, and always supported whatever direction I chose. She showed up early every single shift, organized and prepared, which meant the world during those chaotic early weeks. She even helped with the nitty-gritty details like invoices and documentation for our employer benefit reimbursement--something that felt completely overwhelming in my foggy postpartum state. This was our second child, and I went in thinking I wouldn't need much help. I was wrong. I learned so much more this time--things I wish I'd known the first time around--and Fernanda was at the center of that. She also helped guide us through toddler regression and the emotional shifts that came with our older child adjusting to a new sibling which I hadn't expected. Fernanda is warm, professional, deeply experienced, and just a truly special human to have by your side during such a tender time. We're so grateful we found her.

I found Lauren through the Evidence Based Birth website. I was so grateful to have a doula who was…read moreup 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!

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

We absolutely loved having Amy's help during my postpartum period. She was so reliable, helpful,…read moreknowledgeable, and a pro. We trusted her wholeheartedly to care for our little newborn. She also was a calming presence that put us at ease from night 1. We appreciated everything she taught us and for the extra sleep she allowed us to get that first month!

We are so lucky to have found Amy to help us with newborn care. From the moment she walked into…read moreour home, she brought with her a calm, grounding presence that made us feel instantly at ease and felt she was trustworthy. Her deep knowledge, gentle guidance, and intuitive understanding of both baby and parent needs were truly invaluable. She was also a wonderful listener, never imposing but always offering thoughtful suggestions and advice that helped us build confidence as new parents. Her ability to soothe and care for our baby was nothing short of magical...our baby loved Amy! Whether it was helping us navigate feeding routines, gassy issues, sleep, or simply reassuring us when we needed it most, she was consistently supportive, respectful, and nurturing. Thanks to her expertise, I was able to find a baby carrier that my baby loved & test out all the different pacifiers she brought with her. We still have her baby-shusher that we use today. Thanks to her, we felt empowered, rested, and much more prepared to care for our little one. We truly can't imagine those early weeks without her, and we recommend her wholeheartedly to any new family seeking compassionate and skilled postpartum care.