As a dad-to-be, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect going into a hypnobirthing class. If I'm being…read morehonest, I was a little skeptical at first--"hypno" anything sounded a bit out there to me. But I signed up to support my wife, and I'm really glad I did. This class completely changed how I see birth and my role in it. Instead of feeling like a bystander, I walked away feeling informed, useful, and actually confident in how I can support my wife during labor. The techniques we learned--breathing, relaxation, visualization--aren't just for moms. I found myself using them too, and they've already helped us both stay calmer leading up to the big day. What stood out most was how much emphasis was placed on teamwork. I learned specific, practical ways to advocate for my wife, help her stay relaxed, and create a positive environment no matter how the birth unfolds. It made me feel like an active participant instead of just "the guy in the room." The instructor, Care, was very knowledgeable, approachable, and never made any question feel silly. She made the classes very comfortable and even pretty funny at times. The class also struck a great balance between education and hands-on practice, so it didn't feel like we were just sitting through lectures. If you're a partner on the fence about taking a hypnobirthing class--do it. Even if you're skeptical like I was, you'll come away with tools, confidence, and a much deeper understanding of what your partner is going through. Honestly, it's one of the best things we've done together to prepare for becoming parents.

I gave birth a couple months ago, and decided to go through Care's Hypnobirthing class, and also…read moreuse her for my placenta encapsulation, and I can't recommend her highly enough! From the very first class, it was clear that Care is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about empowering expectant parents. Her approach to hypnobirthing and breathing techniques was not only informative but also calming and reassuring for both me and my partner. We completed it feeling much more prepared and confident for the birth experience ahead. Care provided a wealth of resources, ensuring we had everything we needed to make informed decisions about our birthing plan. She was always responsive to our questions, both during the classes and even after the birth, which made a world of difference in our journey. It's rare to find someone who continues to support you even after the classes are over. Overall, the entire experience with Care was amazing. Her warmth, expertise, and dedication to her clients truly set her apart. If you're looking for guidance and support in your birth preparation, look no further than Care Messer at the Birth Education Center!

Although the name "hypnobirthing" conjures up images of David Bowie from Labyrinth performing a…read morefreaky-mystical birth while looking into a crystal ball, I think a more accurate name might be "focusing your energy through breathing and concentration - birthing". My wife and I first met Julie as our hypnobirthing instructor and felt very comfortable with her and decided that she would be a perfect fit as our doula. We were looking for someone who was familiar with natural child birth but wasn't named "Rainbow" and lived in a VW bus. Julie is that perfect mix of knowledge, experience & assertiveness while still having a calming presence. We had a beautiful 100% natural birth and don't think we could have done it without the support of Julie. She exceeded our exceptations in every way. If you are looking to do the whole natural thing you should definitely give her a call.

This review is way over due but I have a 2 month old now so I am making time to express how amazing…read moreJulie is! Thank God for Yelp/Reviews! After reading all the wonderful reviews on Julie, my husband and I decided to hire her. Being first time parents, we knew we needed support and the moment we met Julie, we fell in love with her! Out of all of the Doulas that I reached out to, Julie was the only one who was very responsive, she makes you feel like you are her only client and this is very difficult to do. Julie met with us several times and explained in detail everything we needed to know, her recommendations, for example taking a birthing class was spot on and it really did help us understand the labor process in phases. Julie is extremely knowledgeable, warm, sincere, genuine and very straight forward. I had a hospital birth and she worked very well with the hospital staff, she always made me feel secure and calm. Unfortunately, I had to be induced at 41 wks & 4 days and during my early to mid labor period, Julie made sure I changed positions so that I could handle the surges better, she did an amazing job at helping me through each surge like the experienced professional that she is. After 13 hours on Pitocin, I decided to get an epidural, I was exhausted and soon after that my baby was not responding well to the surges so I had a c-section. We can't thank Julie enough for the tremendous support and beautiful pictures, we could have not done this without her, we absolutely recommend her! Thank you Julie for an amazing experience! We love you!

I decided to pursue a private class in my home to learn the basics of breastfeeding, newborn care,…read moreand preparation for labor, rather than take a series of separate classes at the hospital. The price was comparable to what I would have paid to take the hospital classes and I was able to learn in a setting that was not only more convenient in terms of location and timing, but more comfortable - and comfort is key in the 9th month of pregnancy! This is my first pregnancy and I had a lot of questions, fears and insecurities. Laura started off by sending me a brief questionnaire to get a sense of my expectations for the class. She made sure to customize the curriculum to not only cover the basics but to allay all of my specific concerns and fears. She even helped me assemble my breast pump! - something that was super intimidating with all of its tubes, parts and pieces, and accessories. My favorite part of the class was a relaxation for labor technique that my husband was also able to participate in. Holding an ice cube in your hand for a minute shows you how long a minute really is (contractions last a minute) and you practice techniques to help you get your mind off of the discomfort and pain until the minute passes. It is really difficult! Now maybe my husband will have a better appreciation for the strength of body and mind that is required to endure childbirth. :-) There's a lot of information in the class but it didn't feel like information overload. It was well organized and the professionally done video animations helped convey the specifics of childbirth and c-sections without traumatizing a squeemish husband. Having handouts available to refer back to later made me feel like I didn't have to absorb and retain every piece of information. I highly recommend Laura and her childbirth classes. Her demeanor is so comforting and encouraging! I am feeling optimistic about the remainder of my pregnancy and my birth experience, and confident that I will have a successful breastfeeding experience with my newborn. Thank you, Laura, for helping me get to this point - I am so grateful for all you have done to help me get ready!

From the owner: Birth and breastfeeding classes, doula servicesread more

My husband and I decided to take Janine's class due to our holistic approach to birthing and our…read moregoal to best prepare ourselves with pain-coping strategies for a natural birth plan. Not only did Janine optimally prepare us, but we got so much more out of the class than we ever expected. Janine's approach is relatable, compassionate, friendly, kind and incredibly positive. She provided my husband and I space, in an intimate group setting, to have the tough conversations around birthing, our relationship with each other as future parents, and space to create tangible plans for prenatal care, labor and postpartum support. We would not have carved out this time to work through these topics on our own, and have so much appreciation for the tools and revelations Janine was able to help us uncover. My husband and I felt emotionally and physically ready to take on the birthing process, and felt intimately aligned as a partner duo in the process. We were especially grateful for the way Janine shed light on the birthing process due to COVID-19 and the fact that our Doula couldn't join us in the hospital as planned. My husband has such a greater understanding, respect and comfortability with supporting me in the toughest times of delivery because of Janine's curriculum. I highly recommend Janine's Birth From Love course to any conscious parents who are looking for a deeper connection, understanding and confidence in the birthing process, whether you are planning a natural birth or not. We had a smooth labor and delivery and now a happy, healthy baby girl to enjoy!

Janine is absolutely amazing! My husband and I did a private class - Birthing Again at home, which…read morewas so convenient and suitable as we are planning this birth to be at our home so it was a more appropriate comfortable setting for us. She has a ton of insight and recommendations not just about birthing/laboring the baby again, but on other topics such as postpartum plans and managing a healthy communicative relationship with your partner. Initially I thought 6 hours for a class was a bit long but it went by so fast! And we are more than happy we chose her as a guide to preparing us to do this again! Thank you Janine!!

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.

Such a huge help!!! Jackai and Steven are true experts in this field. They balance gentleness, your…read morehopes/preferences for your birth and help guide you all from a medically grounded place. They helped me to be emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually ready for the birth of my son. And even when our birth did not go according to plan they were quick to help me readjust and educate me/prep me for a planned c-section. They have a very personal and educational approach which gave me so much peace. They also put an huge emphasis on both partners readiness - getting us ready to handle different situations as a team. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Well worth the investment!

My husband and I truly cannot recommend Jackai and Steven highly enough. They were incredible…read morecoaches: helpful, informative, and empowering. When it came time to make medical decisions during labor, we knew we were informed and able to make the best choices for our baby - without confusion or fear. That sense of clarity was essential to our positive birth experience. The online videos were interesting, well-organized, and high quality. We met regularly with Jackai and Steven on Zoom throughout our third trimester. Their guidance didn't stop after birth; they continued to check in and offer support, which meant so much to us. They are a lovely couple with four kind, beautiful children, and their experience and warmth shine through in everything they do. We left the course not only feeling prepared for birth, but also confident that the knowledge and connection we gained will help us for years to come as we continue to grow our family. Highly, highly recommend!

I can not say enough great things about the hynpobirthing class with Care Messer. My partner and I…read moreare first time parents and did not know the first thing about the labor and delivery process. We were very unsure about everything and looking for direction. In class we learned about what the different labor and delivery options are, what to expect from hospitals, and different techniques to use during labor. We now feel we have the tools to better understand the whole process and make the decisions that are right for us and our family. The class addressed all of my questions and I feel like the information was presented in a very unbiased way, not to mention Care is super funny and the time in class flys by! I would recommend this class to all of my friends and family.

If you are pregnant, book your class asap! I can't rave enough about their approach to preparing…read morefor birth. My husband had two kids from a previous relationship, but still was able to learn things he hadn't been present for with them. It improved our communication surrounding my pregnancy and birth, even when it took a different turn. We'd made it through four of the five classes when my son decided to he needed to get out at 30 weeks. I had so many tools in my toolbox that I felt prepared, even during the scary prospects of having preeclampsia and a NICU baby. I'm so grateful for Care and her entire team. Such a blessing!!!!

Sumer and Hugo's birthing class was exactly what my husband and I were looking for in a class. It…read morehelped us prepare as first time parents and made us excited about labor and birth. My husband was able to learn from Hugo, an experienced dad, on the ways that he could be involved and how to best support me during pregnancy, labor and postpartum. This class gave us the confidence about the birthing process and all the options for any decisions we needed to make during labor and birth. Sumer's prenatal yoga classes were amazing. I felt much less stressed and more relaxed after each class. I learned different poses and breathing exercises I was able to use during labor that helped with the position of the baby and the pain! I had a great labor and birthing experience thanks to everything we learned from Sumer and Hugo and all the support and guidance they provided. Sumer was always checking in on me and we even came by postpartum to her breastfeeding support class and she helped me so much with my breastfeeding journey. My husband and I highly recommend this class and can't thank Sumer and Hugo enough for everything!

We are preparing for our baby boy to arrive in July, and we just completed the 4-week birthing…read moreclass with Sumer and her husband, Hugo. They are truly amazing, and we loved their class. It was informative, intimate, empowering, and helpful. It left us feeling more prepared for the birth of our first child. My partner loved having Hugo there. Hugo brought tremendous value to him from a male's perspective, and my boyfriend could relate to Hugo and his suggestions for supporting me during my pregnancy and birth. I highly recommend Sumer and Hugo's class. The value was great for the price we paid. We are also returning soon for their "Bringing Baby Home Class"!