I signed a contract with Nova Birth Services LLC in July of 2025. In order to secure the doula…read morebirth and postpartum overnight services, we paid a 50% deposit on both services totaling $3050. In November, I was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and hospitalized. Due to my condition, I had to deliver my baby early via emergency c-section at just over 31 weeks. My baby is currently in the NICU. I wasn't able to have a prenatal in-home visit due to my hospitalization and was given very short notice of my emergency C-section due to my declining health. After my birth, I was put on magnesium, and my baby was sent to the NICU. My husband and I were both so terrified that the last thing I was thinking about was having my doula attend. I was afraid for me and my baby. I reached out to Shannon after my birth and asked if I could cancel the postpartum doula services because of the new financial strain of NICU costs/my hospitalization. She informed me that if I canceled the postpartum doula services, that both contracts would be void, and all services would be considered rendered. Remember, I did not receive a prenatal visit nor birth services due to my medical condition & hospitalization. The contract I signed stated that if the doula wasn't at your birth, you would be entitled to eight hours of postpartum services. Shannon explained that because I paid a 50% deposit on both services, none of the services were paid in full so I would receive nothing else moving forward. Although we had paid $3050 and the birth doula services were $2100, I would need to pay an additional $900 in order to receive the eight hours of postpartum services. She said I could "take it or leave it" and that she would not move money from one contract to another. I was shocked at her response. There was no solution offered where I could receive any services post-birth for the $3050 we had paid. More money had to be paid. This was literally the worst experience of my entire life, and I received no care or compassion at all from Shannon. She maintained that her responsibility was to her staff/business. During our phone call, I was talking about my hospitalization and she mentioned that all of her clients were hospitalized. I clarified that I wasn't hospitalized because I was giving birth. I was hospitalized due to severe preeclampsia and potential organ failure. Trying to work things out with her made a horrible situation even more stressful and terrible. She refuses to budge and maintains that we will not receive any postpartum services if we don't pay extra. My husband and I feel as though we have paid $3050 and have received nothing. We did not receive a prenatal appointment, doula birth services, or any postpartum care. Please see the last email I received from her.

First -- if you're on the fence about hiring a doula for your first baby, do it. And if you're…read morewondering who to choose, the answer is Shannon. As a first-time dad, I can honestly say Shannon was invaluable -- not just for my wife, but for me too. From the start, she made us feel comfortable, informed, and genuinely prepared for what was ahead. She has this calm, thoughtful, and considerate presence that immediately lowers the temperature in the room. Nothing ever felt rushed or overwhelming because she helped us understand what was happening and what our options were. During labor, Shannon was incredible. She didn't just support my wife -- she supported us as a team. She walked us through next steps, explained the choices being presented, and made sure we felt confident in our decisions. One thing that really stood out to me was how she helped me help my wife. She showed me exercises and techniques I could guide her through to ease labor and keep things progressing. That made me feel involved and useful instead of helpless, which meant a lot. After the birth, Shannon's support didn't stop. She came to our home for a postpartum visit and helped us process the entire experience. She walked us through what to expect physically and emotionally in the days and weeks ahead, what to watch out for, and answered all of our first-time parent questions without judgment. She even helped find us a pump -- such a thoughtful and practical gesture that shows how much she truly cares. Shannon doesn't just provide information -- she provides confidence. As new parents, that's everything. We felt supported, knowledgeable, and empowered every step of the way. We can't recommend her highly enough. If you're considering working with Shannon, you will not regret it.

The womb room is amazing!! They offer so many classes for before baby or after. I took advantage of…read morethe free virtual prenatal yoga classes, pregnancy support group and baby and me yoga. Yoga is so fun to connect with my baby and also other moms. Plus Amanda is a great instructor! Some of their other classes are on the pricey side is the only thing but it's such a great resource for moms! Also their location can be a bit tricky to find but the main door is off Keswick Rd (and is stroller friendly). Walk in past the dress shop and bare to the right. There's a big parking lot in the back.

This review is is for the doula services and support groups (becoming a mom and breastfeeding)…read more I like that the becoming a mom group has a rotation of doulas who lead the group each week. That way you end up inadvertently meeting the different doulas. We went with Cara. She has a ton of experience and super chill vibe. Our hospital was not allowing extra visitors due to COVID so we signed up for a virtual doula service. She met with us a few times before the birth to review questions, birth plan, and provide support. She was also available via email for random questions that came up in between. The day of my labor I reached out to her as needed and she guided me through some of the decisions we had to make. Her support made it so that I could better advocate for myself and my baby during my labor. She was 100% supportive of all my decisions and in the end I ended up having a beautiful and quick birth. I am so happy we got a doula and recommend it to anyone no matter what type of brith you are planning on having. I found the groups to be more helpful towards the beginning of my pregnancy, especially as it was a time that COVID was just ramping up. The only issue is that the people in group vary from week to week. I think it would be nice to be able to connect with the same group from week to week so there is some continuity.

I am a repeat client of Amy's and I cannot tell you enough of how valuable she is to have in your…read moreback pocket. As a second time mom, I didn't think I would need as much help this time around with Amy. I knew how to get a good latch, how to position my body and the baby, and felt confident that I only needed minimal visits, but baby #2 had other plans in mind. Baby #2 was born at 37wks and while that's considered full term, it's actually on the early side which causes a lot of complications with feeding. My baby had trouble latching and sucking because there wasn't enough time practicing these motor skills in the womb. This resulted in the baby not being able to transfer milk, even though my milk was coming in. Amy confirmed this with her before and after weighing from a 20mins feed. I was so upset and devastated, that we had to move quickly to formula feeding to get the weight up fast because baby #2 had severe jaundice and we were trying to keep from being admitted to the hospital for phototherapy. Unfortunately, we had to be readmitted and Amy coached me through protecting my milk supply, while formula feeding and getting baby's weight up. She also reassured me that this is just a blip in our breastfeeding journey and that we will get back on track when he's healthy and clear of jaundice. I ended up upgrading my package to the Luxe because of how important it was for me to get us back to the basics once baby #2 was in the clear health-wise. I not only was able to protect my milk supply while having to formula feeding for two weeks but I also needed support in making sure once I returned back to work how to maintain a sustainable stash without oversupply, as I did with my first. I am almost 3mo postpartum and baby #2 has a great latch, is thriving in all the drs appointments, and gaining weight beautifully. At my last in home visit Amy walked through our schedule to have a successful stash, pumping schedule, and ready for baby to start daycare and me to return to work. I almost cried when she as leaving because I've appreciated everything that she has done for me and my babies. Words cannot express how much she has meant to me. I am so thankful for her wisdom, support, expertise and care she brings with her to every visit. If you are considering a lactation consultant, get on her books!! She's your go-to-guru.

I had a baby less than two weeks ago, and I can already say that the most important decision I've…read moremade postpartum is hiring Amy. I found her through a friend who had an amazing experience, and I reached out in a panic on a Sunday when my milk came in and I had no idea what to do. Her insanely fast response time was much needed; I found out the next day that our son had lost more than 10% of his birth weight and to say that I was freaking out is an understatement. Amy came that afternoon and I immediately felt like I was in great hands. She taught me how to breastfeed comfortably, got me set up with my pump, did a weight measurement to see how much he was getting with each feed, and also helped get a plan in place to get my son back to his birth weight. After the appointment she has been incredible over text/Voxer and answers questions so quickly. Feeding a baby is so stressful but with Amy's knowledge and confident demeanor, she demystifies it. I immediately signed up for the luxe package and truly wish I did this before I delivered so I would have had a plan in place and didn't have to play catch up. Still I'm so glad that I reached out to Amy and probably would have stopped breastfeeding if I hadn't. She is truly the best and I'm so grateful to have her guidance for one of the most important pieces of my life!

I could not recommend Birth You Desire / Ursula / Jenn more. Jenn has been simply the best doula we…read morecould have asked for. During birth, she was able to tell when my husband needed some extra help, asked the hospital staff for what he needed on his behalf when he was not mentally able to, and gave us guidance based off of my preferences and state of mind that led to an incredibly successful birth. Her postpartum care has honestly been the highlight of her services. I did not realize how much help we would need overnight and the help and resources that Jenn provides have been invaluable. Jenn claims she is not magic - but she is. You are in the best hands with Birth You Desire.

Jenn Carlson is an amazing person and doula who went above and beyond for us during our birth and…read morepostpartum journey. Our baby was born during one of the worst snowstorms in years and she made sure she was prepared and there to support us (even if it meant getting snowed in at the hospital). Without her care and experience we would've had a very different birth that likely would've ended in an emergency c-section. I had a lot of anxiety about giving birth but Jenn helped put me at ease and explained things very well. She is warm and has an evidence based approach to her work. She also looked out for my partner which I really appreciated, ensuring he ate and rested. Afterwards we also used Jenn's overnight doula services to care for our infant and she was just as fantastic with him. Not only did we get a good night's rest when she was here (priceless), we also felt so supported with learning about newborn care and dealing with all of the emotional aspects of becoming parents. Our journey would've been different without her and we will forever be grateful that we had her support.

Faith and the NOVA team are truly first rate…read more Expertise is on pace with any doc we spoke to. The guidance and peace of mind was priceless. We cannot recommend them enough. Easily the best money we've spent in regards to the birth process. Joslyn has been a huge help with the baby at night and treats him like her own. She has offered expertise and little hacks here and there that have made a huge difference for us in getting acclimated as new parents (hello pace feeding). we only wish there were more of her! We feel so blessed to have found NOVA and confidently recommend them to anyone, even though we would selfishly like it if we could keep them for ourselves. God Bless!

Wife and I tried to use this service to hire a night nanny. They wouldn't give us a straight answer…read moreabout whether the providers they contract with are vaccinated. Eventually they did tell us that they don't and can't confirm that. The candidates we were connected to seemed great, but the interaction with the agency left a sour taste in our mouths. We felt like we'd be given the runaround whenever we had a hard question for them, which isn't a good way to start off. Leaving this review just so people know the agency believes they can't confirm vaccination status of its providers or require that providers be vaccinated. The founder said very few people get the flu shot anymore - big red flag! Edit: Since leaving this review, the company has contacted us implying that our negative review might come to the attention of our employers. I'm curious to see their response! What an experience. Buyer beware. Edit 2: Their reply here says they never said they'd contact our employers. Here is what they said, verbatim: that we would "receive a public response from us where it's discoverable by your employer and anyone else that may want to help your family in the future." We're smart enough to read the implication.

Doula Nathalie & Associates is an incredibly supportive team. Through the online meetings covering…read morepregnancy-related topics, the childbirth classes, and the rental of a TENS unit, we felt truly supported and confident that we were with the right team. Hannah Wright was our doula, and she was incredible from the very beginning. From our first meeting, I knew she was the right person to support me and my husband during our baby's birth. She was deeply attentive, always helping me understand what I wanted and guiding me with clarity, care, and respect. I learned so much from her, and she was always checking in, offering support, and helping us make informed decisions. I had an induction and spent three days in the hospital before our baby arrived, and Hannah was consistently present, checking on us, bringing food, and being there whenever we needed her. When it was time to give birth, she arrived immediately and never left my side. I am certain that without Hannah, I would not have had the birth experience I wanted. She ensured my wishes were respected and supported me through every up and down with confidence and compassion. Hannah will always be part of our family's story.

I had a wonderful experience with my daytime doula Iyonna and evening doula Stephenie. Both were…read morevery helpful and knowledgeable which is so important for expectant mothers who need extra help cause newborns require so much and new moms need the time off to relax or just do... anything else. It feels endless and overwhelming at times. And it was wonderful to have the extra pair of hands so that I could sleep at night and take care of errands, get out of the house, grab food, and visit my older daughter in daycare during the day.

I would not recommend Family Ways to anyone who needs a doula. I had a contract with them for doula…read moresupport for the birth of my son, which included birth prep, the birth itself, and postpartum support. I had one meeting in person with my doula and a handful of texts and one call with her (almost all of which were initiated by me). I ended up having a precipitous birth and didn't make it to the hospital in time to deliver. I delivered in my bathtub at home just as the paramedics arrived and then was transported to the hospital via ambulance. I was in contact with the doula before this happened and she said she was on the way to the hospital to meet me there. I obviously could not call her as the birth was happening and I was transported to the hospital (I did not even have my phone on me) but my husband called the doula and let her know. When I finally got my phone back, I had a text from her from hours prior saying she was in the area and wanted to know if I still wanted her to come. I thought she had left so I texted back that the baby had arrived and that I wanted to touch base for some postpartum support. She never reached back out to me. So once I was home from the hospital, I emailed with Family Ways to ask about this. It seemed rather unfair to have paid $1,500 and to have not really received any support. I understand that they would not give me a refund, but I asked if they could at least offer some postpartum support, since I had nothing during a rather traumatic birth, and that was included in the contract. They refused any further service and argued that the contract had been fulfilled. I'll let others decide if that sits right wit them, but I was very disappointed by this. I felt abandoned and gaslight after a difficult pregnancy, traumatic delivery, and in the fog of postpartum. It was especially disappointing from a service that is supposedly based on being a support system from pregnant and postpartum people during a very vulnerable time. If you do decide to use Family Ways, I would be very clear before signing any contract what support they will give you, especially if your birth doesn't go as planned.

What can I say?? Rachel was so wonderful to work with for my birth. I had a birth plan in mind, and…read moreshe was supportive from the beginning. She is a wealth of information, and was able to educate me on many evidence based birthing practices. I had an unmedicated birth, and was so glad to have Rachel by my side during labor. Note that she will support you in any birth plan or however your labor ends up going. Thankful for Rachel and Family Ways!

We used Sara as our doula for the birth of our second daughter before she started her own doula…read morecompany, and I would recommend her without any reservation. Sara was sweet, attentive, thoughtful, calm, and she interacted seamlessly with the medical staff. She took wonderful care of my wife during labor, but she also looked out for me and made sure I was rested and nourished so that I could be at my best when the time came. She would have been our first (and only) doula call if we'd had another child. 100 percent she's awesome.

My husband and I hired Sara (Piccioni) as a doula for the recent delivery of my first child. I had…read morea beautiful pregnancy, but as a first time mom at 40 with fibroids and anemia, I was concerned about delivery and potential complications. I kept reading about the better birth outcomes when doulas are present and through some internet research was able to find Sara. From our first conversation, I knew she was the one for my husband and I. She made us feel calm, yet informed and she didn't diminish any of my concerns, but helped me put them into perspective given all of the births she has witnessed. She sent over and provided tons of information to help us feel prepared for whatever was to come. When it came time for the big day, I was being induced and Sara helped me with what to expect. She was there for my husband and I with whenever we needed. Despite my doubts, I ended up delivering vaginally and I really feel that Sara being a part of my team was a key piece (among many) to this. She gave me the confidence that I could do it and talked me through things before and as they were happening. She helped me manage my pain, guided and cheered me on through pushing, and was a huge source of information and comfort to my husband. I would recommend Sara to anyone looking for a doula. She is easy to talk to, knowledgeable without being pushy and is truly an advocate for the parents. My husband and I were so blessed to find her!

We took the childbirth education and cpr classes…read more I'd recommend them. One class was held at Nidhi's residence (separate from her home) and another was at an office location in Arlington. The instructors were great. Nidhi is very knowledgeable, friendly, and open. The class sizes were pretty small and you're encouraged to ask lots of questions. There were also snacks and water which are important to me since i was pregnant and didn't want to go 2+ hours not eating/drinking anything. My husband and I brought sandwiches to one class and we were able to eat them during the class (it was around dinner time/6pm) so atmosphere is casual which I appreciate. You get an online resource packet after the class that summarizes everything covered. Should probably look at that again as i am typing this before my gassy, ornery newborn wakes up.

As a first time aunt with no previous experience with infants, I was seeking resources to help me…read morelearn the basics. it was surprisingly difficult to find information that wasn't just about pregnancy and delivery, when I was really looking for things like feeding holding, changing and what to expect in the first few months. Nested's Newborn Care/ Infant CPR Bootcamp absolitely knocked it out of the park. I learned SO MUCH about the stages baby's are going through when they're first born, the routines you're establishing, the techniques you can use to care for them and more. Renie and Migma are so nice, and so clearly so committed to what they do, I felt extremely comfortable and confident under their instruction. The class imparts so much information in a 4-hour course, and the cherry on top is that after completing the in-person and online class imparts now Red Cross certified for both Adult and Infant CPR, and feel confident in both. Even Though I myself am not expecting, I was welcomed and encouraged in my desire to learn. Whether you're an expecting parent or a loved one seeking to prepare to be an involved member of a child's early life, i really can't recommend Nested and specifically the Newborn Care bootcamp highly enough! Absolutely worth the value!

The care here was unremarkable, but I think something sketchy is going on with their referrals. I…read moreneeded a referral to pelvic floor physical therapy, and instead of writing out a normal referral that I could take to any provider, they gave me what was essentially a coupon to one specific practice. I had to ask them for a real referral during my next visit because that practice wasn't covered by my insurance. Then I needed some routine laboratory testing and they sent it to a bizarre lab that my major insurance doesn't cover, instead of the many that it does, without discussing it with me. I ended up with a surprise $300 bill. I'm not going back.

I received the care I needed and desired from the gyn I was seeing. Once I became pregnant I was…read moreswitched to another Dr without warning. It soon became very clear that making sure my physical and emotional comfort were not a priority. As I neared my second trimester I switched to another practice.