So happy I found the village mommy and me classes. Started going when baby boy was around 2ish…read moremonths, helped foster confidence and felt great being surrounded by others in same season! Great opportunity to get connected and work towards building mom community Thank you Elena!!

I just completed the 0-6 month mommy & me classes, and really enjoyed them! They were a highlight…read morefor me each week, especially as a clueless first-time mom with a 2 month old. You can tell how much Elena cares about creating a safe space for moms to connect, share experiences, and learn about various topics (from starting solids, handling sickness & sleep, to infant massages). She's a wonderful moderator, is super sweet and encouraging, and has created an awesome community. The other moms in the group are also very supportive and friendly, and we have continued to plan / meet up after our sessions ended! I highly recommend signing up for this if you're an overwhelmed mom looking for a sense of community and camaraderie!

To say that investing in a doula was a good idea would be the understatement of a lifetime. My wife…read moreand I heard about this magical concept as if it were a fairytale idea out of our reach, a luxury item in no way meant for us. That was until we met Kathryn and One Moon Doula. They showed us how we could achieve the dream goals we had for those first precious weeks while also honoring our modest budget. Not knowing what to expect, as this was our first child, we did understand that having someone with us would change everything. We were quickly linked with a few doula interviews and fell in love with one of them. Our schedules aligned and boy did it ever change our lives. I can't imagine not having our doula there for those critical nights of transitioning into parenthood, while making space for healing and recovery. We both slept more than we ever thought possible, while our son was cared for better than we could have imagined, AND we learned so much to build a foundation of comfort and confidence moving forward. No family member or friend would have been able to step in the same way. If you have nothing else on your registry other than a fund for this...do just that. It will change your whole early parenting experience for the better. Thank you to One Moon Doula and their network of Angels.

Lindsey was a blessing. She was more than I could have asked for. I don't have family nearby to…read morehelp so I looked into doula services. She made me so comfortable with her caring for my newborn, which is very hard to let someone else do. She was very easy to get along with and offered tips and advice that were so helpful to me, even as a second time mom. She made it so I could get good sleep and be ready for the next day with the baby and my oldest, refreshed. Thank you!! I am forever grateful. :)

Melissa is a confident, fun, relatable and down-to-earth educator! As a doula and childbirth…read moreeducator myself, I was looking for a course that would be engaging but also teach my partner and me all that we need to know to have the hypnobabies birth we desire. Melissa is so passionate, and her love for this work shines through in her course! I love that even when we couldn't make a session, Melissa went above and beyond to send us emails with resources and pointers that we would need for that week's class. I'm looking forward to recommending Melissa to expecting families who are also seeking a positive hypnobabies birth!

We had an amazing experience with Melissa at Hypnobabies. She is a great and knowledgeable…read moreinstructor with a great sense of humor and super soothing hypno voice! I was a bit skeptical of hypnosis to begin with, but after my first not so great hospital birth experience, I was willing to try anything. I loved that this class encompassed both the physiological education piece and coping/relaxation techniques. After this experience I truly believe that where the mind leads the body follows. You get out what you put in and I followed the recommended hypnosis track schedule to a tee. It really does get engrained in your subconscious. The little fears and worries I thought might come up in the throes of labor never did. I stayed calm and can say that I enjoyed every moment of my birthing experience this time around. I owe Melissa a huge thank you and I'm so grateful I found this class.

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.

Kiersten Markham is a gem…read more As a man going through all of this, I had my world rocked in the most amazing way. My wife and I took her Conscious Conception for Couples course and honestly at a very deep level we know we are ready to bring a life into this world. From her visualizations to navigating our birth stories with our parents or the homework that kept us in tune and accountable, we not only learned more about ourselves but we were able to heal so many aspects of our lives. Through talking to our parents, it was eye-opening to hear how uninvolved men/dads were with the entire process of conception, pregnancy and birth back then and how this has absolutely affected us today as a society. Or how women were told that our patriarchal healthcare system knows more about their bodies than they do themselves... to have my mom talk about my birth was a massive step on its own but for us to reconcile much of our relationship, well, that speaks for itself. Conception, pregnancy and birth as fundamentally what has been responsible for life on earth for eons of time........ this procreative process does not need more unconscious men trying to control it whether it's husbands or our healthcare system, it needs us to be MORE conscious and yet be a part of creating and holding space for the wonder and awe that it is. Kiersten has changed our lives of not only for ourselves as individuals but as a couple who will now populate our planet with much more conscious beings. We are so blessed and excited :) This might be a weird thing for most guys to consider doing BUT trust the process. Trust Kiersten, her wisdom and her expertise... she has been doing brilliant work with this community for years and she's not just excellent, she has made an indelible imprint on our family for generations......

Kiersten's Conscious Conception course is a must for any couple planning on starting a family. This…read morecourse really dug into our own birth experiences, our parents and even grandparents births and childhoods. Through visualizations, meditations and connecting with our partner with the weekly assignments it not only brought me closer to my partner but it made me feel more connected to our spirit baby. Kiersten is an excellent resource for all things birth all the while being the absolute sweetest person on the planet. She deeply cares for everyone's situations and stories and offers heartfelt guidance and wisdom in creating the conception and birth of your dreams. I feel so grateful to have taken such a spiritual and intimate course. I highly highly recommend it.

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!

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!!!!

San Diego Mommy and Me was an absolutely essential part of my motherhood journey. I found a warm,…read morewelcoming community where I could be vulnerable and real about the changes and challenges of becoming a mom. Reilley, the facilitator, is incredible: compassionate, grounded, and totally gets it. Each week felt like a wellness check-in for my soul--I called it my "weekly therapy." Moms talked, related, laughed, and showed up just as we were, messy buns and all. Many of us would grab coffee after and keep the conversations going. I never felt lonely or isolated like I'd heard so many postpartum moms describe, and that's because of this group. I recommend starting around 3 months--it's such a helpful time for connection and perspective--but sign up when you can. If you're a new mom in San Diego, don't miss this. Make time for yourself--you deserve it!

I found this Mommy & Me class (hosted by Reilley!) incredibly helpful, especially the space it…read moreprovided to process my birth experience. Having the opportunity to connect with other first-time moms who are going through the exact same stage at the same time (with babies approximately the same age) felt so special. Reilley did an excellent job facilitating our weekly discussions and quickly helped foster a trusting environment. It was such a unique and niche experience, and also very eye-opening. The support and shared understanding made the transition into becoming a new mom feel less overwhelming and much more supported.