Lisa-Marie's class is a wonderful introduction to childbirth, postpartum recovery, and newborn…read morecare. Her passion for teaching and expertise in childbirth are so clearly evident in watching her videos and joining for her Zoom live session. We appreciated the flexibility of the class set up and benefitted from the group discussion portion. I would highly recommend Lisa's class to anyone looking for an engaging and evidence-based childbirth education resource!

Lisa's class was so informative and helpful as we geared up for our first child. The ability to…read morewatch the training videos online was great for our busy schedule, but mixing it with the Zoom allowed us to have that personal touch and time to ask whatever questions we needed. And it's an extra bonus if you're delivering at GW Hospital, where you will likely see her! Couldn't recommend this more for new parents looking to demystify the birth process and get trusted advice.

My husband and I took the Baby Bootcamp class in mid-December. The class was conducted via Zoom and…read morewas well-run, informative and interactive. While we would have loved to have taken it in-person in different circumstances, we appreciated having a safe and virtual option in these strange times. Shoutout to Lillian for the Childbirth portion of the class, who was phenomenal. I hope she's working when we go into labor! I did have a little trouble signing up for the class online, as the registration seemed to be down but I emailed them and Taylor, the Stork intern, got back to me right away and helped us get signed up! I would highly recommend the class to anyone looking to get a comprehensive and interesting childbirth/parenting class.

Instructors: 11/10. Wonderful, knowledgeable, and open to questions. You guys rock!…read moreOn the other hand... this class was held at an empty medical office which wasn't the greatest setup for the PowerPoint presentation. We basically sat in the dark for about three hours - totally not the instructor's fault but it was depressing. Great content but the logistics could use some improvement for this price.

Five stars is just not enough for NYM's birth services! If you are about to give birth, have…read morealready given birth or even thinking about it - Kaila is your GO-TO GAL. She is extremely qualified, kind, inclusive and informative - while also making her content fun and engaging. She also gave me some incredibly helpful tips for babywearing that I really wish I had after my first baby! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

From the owner: Elevate Your Birth Experience with Not Your Mama's Birth Services! Are you ready to embark on a…read morejourney to a truly empowering and personalized birth experience? Look no further! Kaila is here to revolutionize the way you approach childbirth. With evidence based Childbirth Education classes, Birth Plan and Gift Registry consulting, Babywearing education, and more, you will gain knowledge and confidence to tackle labor, delivery, and postpartum in a way that suits you and your baby!

BYD provided me with an exceptional experience placing me with my AMAZING doula Royan. Ursula and I…read moremet on a call and discussed what I wanted Out of a birthing support person as well as some of my past experiences with doulas. One of the key take aways from that call that led to my decision to work with Royan was when Ursula suggested that many people look as certifications, price, and other qualifications when selecting a doula but one key factor they forget is personal comparability. "If your labor goes long, who can you sit with and hold a conversation for at least 1-2 hours?" This piece of advice led us to Royan. Not only did she have vast experience and previous training in various medical professions but during our virtual and in-person visits we chatted like two girlfriends out for a Sunday brunch. During delivery, Royan was detail oriented and super supportive. When my original birth plan changed... I did not feel judged but supported in decisions that were best for my body and baby. She took detailed notes and delivered them to me post delivery. It was an outline of every single thing that happened from the moment I texted to say my contractions started. Now I have memories of my child's birth that would have otherwise been forgotten or distorted based on the emotions and feelings of the day. Royan and BYD were top notch 10/10!!!

I'm located in San Diego and was in need of renting a reliable labor TENS unit. After many…read moreunsuccessful reliable searches online, Birth Your Desires came up and seemed legit and straightforward and it was. She sent me the TENS unit very quickly and included packaging and a return label for easy return after birth.

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.

My husband and I attended the Newborn Care and Infant CPR Class. It was super informative and the…read moreon hands practice and activities were delightful and much appreciated. I am sure our "Nested Grad" is thrilled we learned how to swaddle him appropriately and we were well equipped first time parents. I really appreciate Nidhi (who is my dr and has been for the past 5 years plus) and team and look forward to their services again in the future! Thank you ladies for giving us first time parents the knowledge and practice we so need in those special months leading up to a life changing event!

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.

We had a great experience! Very early in my pregnancy, I reached out to Nathalie for a doula and…read moregot a response right away. She was very informative and provided my husband and I with answers to all our questions. We were initially connected with a couple different doulas that would be available during my due date and had interviews with them -- we ended up hiring Hannah Wright. From the get-go, Hannah was amazing. She was exactly what we needed. She provided great advice throughout my pregnancy and she especially gave my husband a lot of confidence in being my support person by having her there during the actual labor and birth. She provided excellent support and kept me grounded during the entire process and immediately stepped in and started providing all the tips and tricks in her wheelhouse to help me cope during my fast and intense epidural-free birth. I would certainly recommend her to anyone else. As for the more administrative end of things, we also have no complaints. Communication was excellent, the contract process with was very clear and straightforward, and we found the doula rates very reasonable.

Kerry Reynolds is an amazing Doula. I'm writing this now as the mom of two young kids, so it might…read morebe a little bit scattered, but Kerry was the doula for both births, and I would use her again! For my first birth, I was pretty focused on trying to keep things as natural as possible, but we also wanted someone who would be good with both my husband and myself, and I wanted to be able to have the flexibility to change my mind without any judgment or issues. I do like and respect, doctors, so I also wanted to be able to lean on that sense if I decided to. Kerry was flexible through all of this, but I also never felt like she was being a pushover. She's realistic and pays really close attention to the client she has right in front of her. Kerry immediately put me at ease, telling me that she totally understood if I made certain decisions, and also made it clear that she saw where I was coming from with my initial hopes for my first birth. She explained all kinds of things to me that I didn't understand from any other birth preparation, and she has a really easy-going energy and sense of humor that made her nice company for both of us. My husband even liked her, and he was more skeptical about doulas than I was. Kerry was kind of like the no nonsense, older sister or aunt you really want to have with you when you're getting your baby here. She's straightforward when she needs to be, but she never bosses you around, and she's always right there as her advocate and support system no matter what's going on. In my first birth, I ended up having to get an emergency C-section, but Kerry showed right up as soon as everything was over, having coached my husband through all of the decisions leading up to that point via text, and she immediately got me doing skin to skin with my baby and coached us into what became a very successful breast-feeding year. She also helped us adjust to life with a newborn, helping us take care of our baby for about 11 weeks into his life. With my second, Kerry understood how strongly I felt about wanting to have a VBAC. That kind of birth takes a lot of extra advocacy and knowledge, but Kerry stuck with me throughout all of it. There were some concerns about my son's size, and I was always more concerned about his safety than my ability to have a VBAC, but Kerry was able to hold both of those things and help me stay true to what I wanted every step of the way. Any time I got information, I would talk to her about it, and she helped me figure out next steps and had the best discuss things with my care team. Also, when it came time for my induction, which she never pushed on me but I wanted to have, she spent the last hour or two before I started pushing with me and my husband. She had become like a close member of our family, and it was easy to have her around. She watched the shows we were watching, laughed about the things we were laughing about, and was generally just an easy presence. Also, when I had some pretty strong pain, she was able to work it out through various massage techniques because she knows what she's doing so well. When it came time to push, Kerry taught me exactly what to do, and she stuck with me even when there were moments where we weren't sure the baby would come out that way. Ultimately, I only pushed for 10 minutes, and Kerry was an enormous part of that. She even recorded some of it for me so that I could have it as a memory later. The next day, Kerry came and helped me and my baby get established with breast-feeding properly again, and she has stayed in touch through his first year. She did that with both of our kids, and she'll forever be a big part of our family's story. I cannot recommend Kerry enough to anyone. She is no nonsense, but she's also got a great sense of humor, she knows the client she's working with and tailors her approach to exactly that family. Not just the woman giving birth, but the entire family unit. I could not be more grateful that we found Kerry. Highly recommend her to anyone having any kind of birth. She has incredible knowledge, wisdom, and general sense, and she is exactly the person I would've chosen for this important experience.

If you're even thinking about hiring a doula, stop debating and call Liz! She is the professional,…read morecompassionate, and knowledgeable presence you didn't know you needed but absolutely do. My husband and I couldn't have asked for a better person to have by our side during our second labor and delivery experience. I was late to the game, deciding to hire Liz toward the end of my second trimester, and she jumped in like we'd been friends for years. She listened to every detail of my first delivery (tears and all) and helped me process my fears about being induced again. Liz didn't just hear me--she held space for my feelings, validated my worries, and helped me shift my mindset in the most empowering way. On the big day, she arrived at the hospital right when my contractions were ramping up. Her calm guidance and confidence in me made the experience transformative. I wanted an unmedicated birth, and thanks to Liz's support, encouragement, and expert coaching through contractions and pushing, that's exactly what I achieved. This delivery was night and day compared to my first--it was redemptive, empowering, and everything I'd hoped for. Even my husband, a man of few words, quickly admitted after our son was born that having Liz there was a game-changer. He felt supported and reassured knowing we had someone on our team who could explain the medical lingo and navigate the process with us. Liz is truly a gem. Her calming demeanor, wealth of knowledge, and radiant smile will carry you through labor and beyond. Whether you're a first-time parent or not, she'll leave you feeling capable, cared for, and encouraged. Do yourself a favor: hire Liz. You'll thank yourself later!

*Disclosure: I am a fair Yelp grader. 3 stars to me means the company/product met my expectations…read more It is rare for me to give 5 stars. 5 stars is given if absolute excellence was shown (product AND customer service) AND continued to receive amazing service. 4 stars is given to a business for those that showed they went out of their way to provide better than adequate (expected) service. 3 stars is they did what the goal was with little to no fuss or foul. 2 stars there were some issues but not a horrible experience. 1 star is rarely given as I do not want to discredit a business for 1 initial instance. I would only give 1 star if I continually receive bad service and have lots of frustration that is not met with sincerity or resolution. I HIGHLY recommend Brittany as a doula! I had hired another doula for my second son's birth and Brittany was my doula's backup person to allow for breaks/etc. At my birth, it was the first time I had met Brittany. At first, I was uneasy because you want your doula there and although I was okay to have my doula switch with her backup - I was at my most vulnerable state. But the thing is, when you meet Brittany - she is the most caring, supportive, loving, kind, and respectful person. I know why my doula chose her to be her backup and I am thankful she was there at my birth. She's just as amazing as my doula. I instantly felt a connection, felt loved and supported and I couldn't imagine my birth with her or my other doula. I was so thankful to have both doulas present during my births. She made it extra special for being there by my side, even though we just met at the hospital. I LOVE Brittany and all of the support she gave me and my doula. Having her by your side is the best decision you can make for you and your baby. She's incredibly intelligent, knowledgable in all things maternal care and she is the absolute sweetest. you will not be disappointed in choosing her. From the bottom of my heart, I am so thankful my doula introduced me to Brittany because she's part of my and my son's story and I will forever be thankful and remember her for being by my side.

Words cannot describe how truly grateful my husband and I were to have Brittany assist us in the…read moredelivery of our baby girl. This was my first child and Brittany supported all of us before, during labor and months after our delivery. To begin with she took the time to truly get to know my husband and I (and even our shy dog). She never made us feel rushed during our appointments and was constantly available to answer questions and concerns. During labor (30 hours) Brittany made the experience truly enjoyable. She gave my husband the guidance and confidence to assist me through labor as a team. Brittany also helped dramatically with pain relief through massage and relaxation techniques. She helped us to make informed decisions throughout what could have seemed like a somewhat complicated labor. Because of Brittany my husband and I worked through labor together and felt very happy with our decisions. Brittany also took some incredible photos during labor that I will cherish forever. After birth she has continued to be a pillar of support for our new family. She continues to check in on me and makes sure that I have everything that I need to be a happy, healthy mama. Moving forward she will be at all of our births, I cannot imagine delivering a baby without her.

We cannot say enough wonderful things about DCBD. This was my/our first pregnancy, and we truly…read morefelt supported every step of the way by their team. Especially in those last 1-2 months, we leaned so heavily on the birth doulas and they responded to all of our questions and concerns immediately. We learned the most about how to care for our daughter and what was happening in my body from DCBD. I went into labor and the birth experience feeling ready and excited, and that's because of the experience, information, and kindness that were shared with us ahead of time. The birth - nearly 4 months later, and we are still talking about Camille! We are going to remember her forever - she was such a wonderful presence during my entire labor and after, and we don't know what we would have done without her. She made sure my husband and I knew what was happening, she advocated for us, she ensured I was comfortable (well, as comfortable as you can be in labor), and she really rooted for us the whole time. I felt safe because she was with us. And Ella - we were shocked that someone who didn't *have* to be there, stayed for the entire labor, participated, and stayed after when we were transferred to the postpartum room! She will be (or already is) a phenomenal birth doula. We felt so lucky to have Camille and Ella. Post birth - Lolonyo came to our house the very first night we were back from the hospital, and what a gift she is. She taught us how to soothe a baby, how to change a diaper (I'm sure they showed us in the hospital... but I could not remember haha). We had her for several nights during those first 2 months and we were so, so grateful to wake up the next morning refreshed, rested, and with the knowledge that our daughter had been held in loving arms all night long. She was never judgmental and was always supportive as we navigated breastfeeding, safe cosleeping, and everything else. We also had Joanna for several daytime visits. She always made sure to check in on my mental and physical health, which was so appreciated, and she was so helpful. We always felt like we were able to reset a bit after her visits, because she'd leave behind clean bottles and pump parts and a rested (and sometimes still sleeping) baby, and we would have had time to ourselves to shower and get a little more organized. She made our chaotic lives feel lighter, and we loved her for that. As a DCBD member you'll also have the opportunity to be part of a postpartum circle of other parents going through what you did. Shaleen and Elizabeth gave us space to talk through birth and everything that comes after, while feeling supported and safe. I'm still friends with some of the parents from my circle. In closing - DCBD is worth every single penny. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts!

Rebecca from DC Birth Doulas was absolutely incredible. From the moment we first connected, I…read moreimmediately felt comfortable with her and the entire team. She has such a warm, genuine presence that made it easy to ask questions and talk through everything honestly. She was always responsive and gave thoughtful, real answers that helped me feel informed and confident throughout the process. I was hoping for a VBAC, and with Rebecca's support we were able to have a successful one. She provided amazing support not only for me, but also for my husband. During labor she was calm, encouraging, and incredibly knowledgeable, helping us both feel grounded and supported every step of the way. Having Rebecca there made such a difference in our birth experience. I'm so grateful for her care and for the support of the entire DC Birth Doulas team. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a compassionate, knowledgeable, and truly supportive doula

We were really excited to have Tara shoot our family after the arrival of our second child. We…read morefirst met Tara when she took our holiday photos at a mini shoot and we loved her images, especially how she had captured the spirit of our little boy. The images she got of our family we will treasure forever, once again she has captured a special time with her natural and fun photography - something that is only possible thanks to her calm personality and friendly approach.

My wife and I were blown away by Tara. We literally would not have had a natural birth without her…read more Tara was with us every step of the way and always made her self available. She made us feel like we were a part of her family and always went above and beyond our expectations. Before our special day, Tara provided us with key information to help guide us on the path of a successful birth. My wife and I read 20 plus books before and during our pregnancy. That knowledge did not compare to Tara's extensive knowledge about reproduction, the birthing process, positions, stretches and best practices. During our 24hr extended labor, Tara was by my side coaching my wife and me. She spoke up at very critical moments when my wife and I were at our wit's end encouraging us to keep going letting us know we were almost there when we wanted to quite. She negotiated our options with the doctor, directed the nurses and persuaded my wife to keep going. Tara was my guiding light as we coached my wife through the most magical experience of our life. Our beautiful baby girl is now six months old. She is healthy happy and cheerful. I feel like I owe Tara the world for successfully helping us bring this beautiful baby girl into our lives. I hope Tara is available when we have our next child. There is no person (other then my wife) that I would want by my side during this magical time in our life (sorry mom & dad). Thank you Tara, you were truly amazing! I hope many families get the opportunity to be with you during their special time. You are an amazing person, coach, teacher and fried.