I apologize this review is late but please know that Christal was just so amazing it is really hard to put it in words. I wanted to make sure to return to leave a review for her because she is just the most wonderful and supportive person. I want others to know just how amazing she is and how much she really does make all the difference in the preparation and birth process. Becoming a mom was a huge transition for me but having Christal really made a huge difference in my birth experience. As someone who was afraid of childbirth as a young adult prior to pregnancy, I can now look back at my labor fondly and proud of how smooth and well it went and I attribute that to my preparation with Christal and having her warm and gentle support the day of. I began working with Christal in the summer of 2021 and delivered my baby in October 2021. We met with Christal twice prior to delivery and each time she was on time and prepared for the session. She was so great about covering a lot of information but also holding space for my anxious questions as a first time mom. Every time she left I felt so reassured and calmer about delivering my baby. It was also helpful to be able to reach out to her if I had any questions between sessions. She was also helpful with reviewing my birth preferences with me. I felt very prepared going into the birth process which made all the difference. The labor gown she recommended was amazing! When I went into labor I stayed in touch with Christal from home until we met at the hospital. She was aware of the current hospital guidelines and came prepared with her credentials mask and doula magic bag of supplies. Christal was great about setting up the space to feel most relaxing. I really appreciated how she would talk me through the current stage and next stages of labor which helped me to remain calm. Her and my husband worked so well together and she helped with things like offering recommendations on how the pillows might be adjusted to provide some relief or model some soothing massage techniques for my husband to try. I distinctly remember how she indulged my talking to distract myself and held my hand when I was a little scared at one point. I also really appreciated her post birth visit to check on us. It was nice to talk through the birth experience with someone who was there and she answered any questions we had about life with a newborn. I would recommend Christal to any friend or family member. If we do have another child I would 1000% want Christal there with us for the journey! read more

Radiant Heart Doula Services - Christal and our little guy during our post birth session. :) - Doulas Near Me

We reached out to Christal with seemingly very short notice, roughly a month before our due date. I think the whole thing was very serendipitous. From our very first phone conversation we knew Christal was the doula for us. She was so caring and understanding of our short time frame (we were working with someone else but decided to switch) and she had so much knowledge, something a first time parent does not have! She was able to schedule two home visits with us and, like the phone conversation, from the first one she showed us how caring, considerate, knowledgeable and just how down to earth she is. We had ideas of how we wanted our labor and delivery to go and her background in spinning babies, hypnobirthing, and Rebozo were an instant match. She spent time with us to make sure we were calm and collected in our heads and made sure we had some techniques to take with us to the hospital. Well...nothing ever goes to plan does it?! Our L&D was so short and everything happened so fast we didn't have time to even think about what we learned during our two visits with Christal. Thankfully, she was there. I can't even begin to explain how calm she made us feel and how much her pressence in the delivery room meant to us. She held hands right when we felt we needed it the most, she helped guide pushes, and she even took photos and videos (had no idea she was even doing that!!). She was everything we could have hoped for in a doula! Our postpartum visit was no different. She came to our home again and talked to us about the L&D process and gave us some tips and tricks that are indispencable as new parents! We can honestly say that through the whole process Christal felt like a friend that we have know for years and we could not have asked for anyone better! read more

Crystal was my Doula when my son was born August 2018. I seriously can not say enough good things about her! I intervened three other woman and found her to be the best fit for me. She supported me with my decisions on how I wanted labor be for me and helped me navigate through labor without pain medications as I wanted even when doctors pushed for me to get an epidural. My husband and I are so grateful we had Crystal on our team and she will forever be a special person to us. Thank you Crystal!!! read more

Shortly after deciding on hiring a doula, I met with Christal and knew she was a perfect fit for us right away! I had planned on "interviewing" several doulas, but I was sold after hearing her extensive experience, hypnotherapy training, & calming demeanor. Our personalities meshed well which was also an important factor in my decision making. Christal was easy to get ahold of during my pregnancy and came to visit me when I had kidney stones and thought I was going into labor! When the big day finally came, she was a HUGE help with keeping my hubby and myself calm through the entire process. I can't thank her enough for her support and wealth of knowledge that helped me make the best decisions I was faced with. I highly recommend her services and wouldn't change a thing about my special delivery day with her by my side. read more

Crystal was me and my wife's Doula for the birth of our son and the experience could not have been better. To be honest I was on the fence about hiring a Doula in the first place but as my wife really wanted to, what was I going to do, say no? Well I'm really glad we did. Cystal helped my wife get comfortable with birth and gave her the outlook and confidence she needed, and Crystal helped me keep calm during the actual birth itself. I can't imagine trying to go through the birth process, especially for the first time, without her. Crystal was friendly and professional and was truly there for us during the most important events of our lives. Thank you! read more

My wife and I are first time parents. Like anyone else we were concerned about our birth wishes being reasonably met and having someone who has "done this before" be on our side. Cristal Quick is amazing. She is highly professional and personable. Her rates are far more than fair. She met with us several times before the birth and heroically participated in the 36 hour marathon that was to be our first child's birth. We couldn't be more pleased and hope that this review helps you choose her services. read more

Christal was a perfect match for me and my wife. She was there from start to finish of our son's 20hr labor. But as much as she was there she wasn't. She was there for both me and my wife guiding us thru labor but her method was gentle and suggestive not in your face. It was a pleasure to share the best day of both of our lives with her. read more

We first met Christal when she led the Hypnobirthing class at Best Start birth center. She then gave us the contact info for a doula who we absolutely fell in love with and hired for 'guess date' of Dec 9. Christal would be our backup if our doula could not be there for some reason. Well no one expected me to carry out baby for 42 weeks, but I did and it was an unfortunate time of year for such a thing as the doula we hired had plans to leave town for the holidays (she had let us know ahead of time, but of course we all just laughed-- the baby would no born LONG before that, right???) Christal was also not able to be there for our birth (I finally delivered on xmas eve after 37 hrs of labor), but she and Doula #1 were so generous with their time leading up to and after delivery, and set me up with another backup who was amazing. If you're in need of a doula, I would highly recommend meeting Christal to see if she's a match for your birth! read more

Working with Christal was one of the best decisions we made during our pregnancy and labor/delivery journey! My husband and I interviewed a couple of Doulas and were impressed with Christal's experience and knowledge. She stood apart from the others in her calm demeanor and warm presence. She was an incredible resource in the weeks leading up to our due date and we enjoyed our initial meetings. She educated us on several types of classes we could take in preparation. We attended a Hypnobirthing class through the Birth Education Center and learned many things we found helpful during labor/delivery. While we had planned an unmedicated delivery, I ended up needing an induction and Christal adjusted to the situation wonderfully. My husband appreciated having her by his side offering advice and much needed breaks. She captured several photos of the birth which we loved seeing the next day. Our post birth meeting was a helpful recap and we will miss seeing her until the next baby! read more

Christal was an amazing support during the hospital birth of my son at UCSD Jacobs. I really appreciated the meetings we had before the birth to talk through my anxieties and discuss strategies for managing pain, creating a calming environment, and progressing through labor. Once my labor began (through induction), Christal was nearby at all times, offering advice and words of encouragement. She made me feel empowered, in control, and supported throughout the experience. Even when stressful decisions had to be made, Christal helped to provide space to make choices calmly, with as much information as possible. I highly recommend working with a doula in a hospital environment, and I can't endorse Christal enough - she was our rock! read more

As a single mom to-be, I really just wanted a doula to ensure that I wouldn't have my baby alone in my apartment. When choosing my doula, I met with Christal first and throughout all of my other doula interviews, I kept comparing them all to Christal - that's how I knew she was the one to help me through my birthing experience. I am so pleased that I chose Christal, not just to have a doula like I originally wanted, but to have a super positive support person who was with me all the way. We met a few times before my due/guess date and she was very supportive of my HypnoBirthing birth method and guided me through some of the partner relaxation techniques. I went into labor on my due date and early in the day when I started to feel contractions/waves, Christal responded immediately and was in touch with me all day, and by that evening, she was over at my apartment as I labored at home. Although my labor at the hospital was short (an hour and a half), Christal was on point with fulfilling the HypnoBirthing techniques by having me listen to the affirmations on the way to hospital and doing light touch massage during labor. I know she did a lot of behind-the-scenes work at the hospital to ensure I was taken care of. Not only I am pleased with her services, I am pleased with my birthing experience. I am beyond thankful that I was able to give my daughter a natural birth and was so glad that Christal was there to help me through it. read more

We were very happy to have Christal help us during the birth of our daughter. Although we had hoped our a natural childbirth (free of most medical interventions), I ended up having to be induced out of medical necessity. Despite this unexpected twist, I was able to deliver our daughter without pain medication (i.e. an epidural), which was very important to me. I was also able to utilize hypno-birthing techniques to make labor much more bearable. Christal proved to be warm, friendly, and flexible during these unexpected circumstances. She was able to provide helpful advice throughout the induction and much-needed support in a rather cold, impersonal hospital setting, working with both me and my partner. Without Christal, the birth of our daughter would have been far more stressful and painful. We highly recommend Christal, especially for first-time mothers and for those delivering in a hospital where the nurses and doctors might be busy with other patients. read more

I highly recommend hiring Christal to be your Doula! We had the most amazing experience working with her from start to finish. She is an incredibly kind, patient, open minded, knowledgeable, and compassionate person and these amazing qualities were apparent at each step in this experience. She was so open to my birth preferences and helped me talk through various options in advance given my uncertainty. I ended up with a relatively short but intense unmedicated labor that was tough for me. Christal offered such effective and consistent support and information the whole time, which provided me with so much comfort and encouragement. Her assistance was also highly beneficial to my husband as she helped him navigate how to best support me in her gentle way. We truly cannot imagine having to experience labor and delivery without her! In addition, she was super responsive to our questions via text, phone, and in person from the moment we contacted her. She makes the stressful experience of pregnancy, labor, and delivery so much more manageable (& even enjoyable at times!!). I can't believe our luck that we found Christal and she was available to work with us - she is truly a gem who will make your birth experience as good as it can be. read more

Christal was great! I went back and forth on if we should hire a doula or not and am so glad we did! My husband had a high chance of being out of town for work for our first child's due date and so I had my mom there to also be a labor support person. We had all taken the Hypno Birthing classes together so if my husband was gone then my mom could step in. I wanted a natural childbirth and knew that I would need extra support. I met with Christal and to be honest I didn't even interview anyone else since I liked her so much already. She is super mellow, knowledgable and friendly so you feel like you've known her for a while. She is also trained in Hypno Birthing! During my labor it turned out that my husband was out of town and not going to make it. Christal was in constant communication from the first text I sent her indicating I was in labor. We had her meet us at our house but ended up going straight to the hospital and we discovered I was at 6 cm. She was great with lots of massage and hip compresses; very hands on. She brought calming music, electric candles and aromatherapy and the birthing ball. She also made helpful suggestions the whole way through on trying new positions both during labor and while pushing. She also kept me hydrated and supported my mom. Between the two of them I had an awesome team. Oh and my husband was there via Skype as I labored at night. I thought several times throughout my labor that I just wanted to give in to the epidural but her encouraging words kept me at bay from even asking and kept my mind focused and on track. I pulled off the natural delivery and my baby even came on her due date! I know that when we have baby #2 in a couple of years we will be calling her again. I would say we were pretty lucky to find someone that we were so comfortable with during such an intimate time in our lives. Thank you Christal, you're the best!! read more

Christal was the perfect match for me. My circumstances were pretty unique because my husbands was deployed. Cristal was able to balance a professional and personal relationship with me. She did an excellent job of returning phone calls when I needed and I couldn't have asked for more int eh delivery room. She supported my decision to just really "go with the flow". My plan was not to have a serious plan. My labor went very well and I had a successful VBAC-her support of VBAC's was critical to my situation. I needed her experience, strong support and radiant heart with me. Oh and the placenta pills-were awesome! I highly recommend her services. read more

Christal was an amazing doula and i would recommend her to any woman who is in any childbirth situation. My situation was complicated personally and I needed Christal not only for the physical and childbirth support she could provide but also emotionally and she didn't hesitate to say she would give me any support i needed. Knowing that she was going to be present during the birth of my first baby made me relax and feel at peace with a process that i was so nervous about! I was in labor for 40 hours and from the first minute to the last Christal was present either by the phone or in person with me. I found her to be professional, kind, caring, reliable and knowledgable about the process. I completely trusted her and she gave off a great vibe of understanding and comfort. In addition to the emotional support and encouragement, she was helpful with practical things, such as having me use a birthing ball, swaying, massage, changing positions, etc. Even if you have a partner with you, i would highly recommend you choose Christal to compliment your birth experience - she will provide support that cannot be replicated by a friend, partner or loved one. She is also LGBT-friendly and an ally of the community! read more

I used Christal as my doula for my natural birth close to two years ago and I still rave about her whenever I tell the story of my daughter's birth. Christal was so supportive during the 48 hours of my labor. I really appreciated having her there because she really understood the whole process. Without going into detail, her knowledge and advice saved me from laying in a bed for 48 hours. When I did arrive at the hospital, 8 hours prior to my daughter's birth, she made sure that everything went as smoothly as possible. It honestly felt like a spa in my room. Before my labor got intense, she gave me a foot rub, had faux candles, dimmed the lights, had the nurses speak quietly and got me very comfortable. It was really tranquil and serene, just the way I envisioned it. When things started to get intense she worked closely with my husband to make me more comfortable. The two of them got a major workout. I would highly recommend Christal for anyone seeking a natural birth or even just a more comfortable hospital birth, with or without medication. I have to say too, that I interviewed several doulas before going with her. I wasn't really sold on a natural birth, but wanted to give it a try. I had one doula tell me she wouldn't even consider working with me unless I switched hospitals! Another was really inexperienced and just didn't seem like she knew her stuff. So it was such a relief to find Christal, who didn't judge me for my choices and was just committed to making my birth experience exactly what I was hoping it would be. I would highly recommend her. read more

Christal was our doula for the birth or our son in 2013 and again for the birth of our daughter just 23 months later (November 2015). Both times she helped me have the natural childbirth I hoped for and I honestly don't think I could have done it without her. Christal was amazing throughtout the course of my pregnancies and during each labor and delivery. She kept my husband and I calm during an intense, quick moving first labor and as first time parents I think we would have been lost without her. She provided hands on comfort measures for me, suggested different labor positions, and reminded me over and over that my body and my baby were capable of what we were doing and helped me trust in the process and find strength when I needed it the most. She has such an easy going, comforting demeanor to her and just the right balance of being there when you need her without overstepping anyone including my husband, our nurses, midwife, or doctor. A good friend of mine also hired Christal as a doula based on our recommendation and also had an amazing experience. I can't encourage women and their partners enough to hire a doula in general, and specifically Christal, if they want someone who will inform, empower, support, and encourage them through the hardest, but best, days of their lives. read more

My husband and I moved from the East Coast to the San Diego area in January, when I was 7 months pregnant. I was pretty overwhelmed between moving to a new area, finding a new Ob/Gyn and preparing for having a new baby! We have no family here, and we wanted some extra support. I really wanted to have a natural birth, and I wasn't confident that I would be able to achieve that on my own. So I began asking around for Doula recommendations, and stumbled upon Christal Quick through a recommendation of another yogi at a pre-natal yoga class. The first time I talked with her on the phone, I could tell we would be a good match. We met up for a meet and greet to discuss the type of support she could provide, and I knew she would be perfect for us! Also, this was very last minute - I think I contacted her in February and my baby was due in March. Luckily she had a last minute opening, I think because of an early delivery of another couple - wow I felt lucky!! She came to our house to discuss all of the things I had anxieties or questions about, and really put my husband at ease, knowing that someone else with experience would be there for us. As a side, my husband and I also attended a Birthing from Within series, which we found very helpful in preparation for a natural birth. Also I chose Dr. Capetanakis as an ob/gyn, who is very supportive of natural childbirth. I called Christal several times in the weeks leading up to my labor. I had some primordial labor contractions, which essentially meant that I had contractions for a few weeks leading up to my delivery, with very strong contractions the whole week before delivery - ugh! She helped to talk me through what this was, which was very comforting since I had never even heard of this condition before. The day my labor kicked into high gear, I called Christal again. She was so calming and very reassuring. She came over to my house and offered great suggestions on things to do during labor - we chilled out and made our house into a zen den :), walked on the beach, rested a bit at home etc. (and the awesome heating pad she brought - it's the little things that help the most sometimes!!) All of this really helped me to breathe through everything and relax. My goal was to labor at home and minimize labor in the hospital, and we definitely achieved that. I had my son after only 3 hours at Scripps Encinitas hospital. Christal was there helping to guide us through all of the events of the day, and helping through the hardest part (for me at least) at the hospital. She was an integral part of us achieving a healthy and natural birth with confidence, and we can't thank her enough for all of her support. I feel lucky and blessed to have found a Doula as special as Christal to help us through such a special moment in our lives. And I really feel we experienced the exact type of birth that we had envisioned. Thank you Christal!!! read more

Christal was our doula for the birth of our son in 2014. We decided to hire a doula late in my pregnancy and Christal jumped right on board and made us feel comfortable. We really wanted a natural birth and we went to hypnobirthing classes and did all we could to be prepared. We are so happy we added Christal to our birth plan. She helped me reduce my pain during labor with different techniques- I can safely say without her I may have had to get an epidural. We selected a great birthing center in San Diego, but we were surprised that the doctor and nurses were not around to help that much during labor. We were so thankful to have Christal with us. She fit in beautifully for the birth experience with me and my family. I would hire her again in a heartbeat for the birth of my future children! I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a better birth experience, she brings passion, professionalism, patience, knowledge, and true love and care :) read more