I want to share my experience to be able to help future mothers and especially first time mothers…read moreto have the best experience possible wether its for birth or postpartum as mine wasn't what I wish It would have been. I wanted to feel supported and try for a VBAC for my second birth so I decided to work with Andrey for the birth of our daughter. Everything went good at the beginning, we had our in person interview, shortly after that meeting we decided we would be a fit for each other. After that she came over one more time and afterwards she told me she had a family oversees she was working with and would be available via phone/zoom and if needed to she would introduce me to a back up doula incase she wasn't back in time for my birth. The way she introduced us was thru text (no phone call or even an effort to do a zoom call so me and that back up doula could meet each other) no professionalism. My prenatal care was very limited nothing close to what Andrey promotes. Then I asked for a list of what to bring in my birth bag, she said she would send, I had to ask about 4 times until she sent and the reason I didn't get it was because she had sent it to a 'Victoria' how do you forget your clients name especially when you are a part of one of the most vulnerable times in their life. Fast forward to my birth Andrey ended up not being there. I ended up working with the back up doula & my first time meeting her and talking to her was her walking in my room while I laid in my bed clothe-less in pain as I was going thru my contractions (not the most ideal setting to meet someone for the first time who is going to be a part of a raw and emotional intimate time) a few days later Andrey lets me know shes back in LA and is coming to see me & baby to help with postpartum care. Then texts me cancelling because her car is in the shop (She could've taken an Uber) and cannot make it and she can come another day. She comes over a couple days after that for a few hours and tells me she will be back @10am the next day to help us some more. The next morning @9:35am she txts me she cannot make it and isn't available until the following week. I had cancelled help from my sitter to help with my newborn and toddler and my husband had left to work because we had relied on having help from Andrey that morning. At that point I was feeling extremely upset. The care and support I was expecting which Andrey advocates heavily on was nowhere close to what I was given. What was supposed to be a time in my life where I should've been given unwavering love and support turned into a time of grief and sadness for me. I decided to have a conversation with Andrey and let her know how I was feeling and I no longer felt comfortable working together. She apologized and told me I was a client that 'fell thru the cracks.' Simply she overcommitted and I was put in the back burner or was her last option sadly. She offered to bring some postpartum stuff to help with grief and overall just to help me emotionally and would drop it off in the next couple days, she never did. Unfortunately Andrey constantly overpromised and underdelivered.

Absolutely incredible experience with Andrey! From the moment we met her, her calming presence put…read moreus at ease. She brought not only warmth and reassurance but also deep experience and medical knowledge that made us feel completely confident in our birth plan and, most importantly, safe--both for mom and baby. Andrey was the advocate we didn't even realize we needed, always prioritizing our best interests over the hospital's. We genuinely cannot imagine going through the experience without her. If you're considering a doula, stop searching--Andrey is the one. Cannot recommend her highly enough!!!! Thank you Andrey!!!

We took Lia's virtual Bradley method class, and would highly recommend it for any expecting…read moreparents. First off, it can be hard to find time to take a birth class, and Lia chooses convenient times, with multiple options to choose from. It's a very comfortable classroom atmosphere where I felt good to ask any question, or add any comment. Lia keeps it fun and interesting, and is a great teacher. Lia is also available outside of class for questions, and she is super responsive. It shouldn't really matter if a doula has been pregnant herself.... But it was really helpful to hear about her first hand experiences and to know that she has gone through it all before. I just wish we in lived in LA so that we could have Lia as our Doula.

I cannot say enough good things about Lia and her natural birth classes. I did the 12 week in…read moreperson classes with my husband. I really wanted to know everything I possibly could and I was also looking for a little community as I was feeling very alone in those first weeks of pregnancy (and overwhelmed with what I didn't know). AND THESE CLASSES DELIVERED! My husband is also a knowledge seeker so when I told him these were the classes I wanted he was all in. We learned so much. We joke that he didn't just learn about the natural birth process he learned how to be my "daddy doula". We still enjoy talking to people about everything we learned and how to support each other and how to speak to your doctors or the hospital nurses. Even if you aren't considering a natural birth these classes should be taken by everyone expecting a baby. You learn about the body, you learn about the different stages of labor, how to prep your body and your mind. There is even a class on breastfeeding which was invaluable those first 3 days postpartum. Lia is also an amazing teacher. If I have another I would definitely also hire her as my doula. She is a person you want in your corner during birth.

I'm so ready after this! Jana is incredibly knowledgeable and was such a great guide through this…read morenerve-inducing process, full of many twists and turns! The class is fun, engaging and informative. I looked forward to class each week. I've read a handful of books and none of them gave me as much clarity and confidence on how to navigate the birth process as Jana's class did. Can't recommend highly enough!

Jana is the most amazing woman I have ever met. Her classes are so informative and amazing. She…read moreknows her information and she teaches her classes with such passion and love. I would like to address the review that said Jana used a false testimonial. She is the most trustworthy, open, honest, person I know and under no circumstances would she ever do or make anyone feel or write a false testimonial. She has educated and loved hundreds of woman and I have never heard not one complain about her. She has one of the most kind hearts you can imagine. Just trust in your heart and take her class and you will see how kind she is. You will not be disappointed. I have taken her classes. I have done the birthing class and doula training. Jana only has love to give. She's a beautiful soul. Im sure the hundreds of woman will agree. Regarding the dogs she is very aware and asks everyone about the dogs. If it bothers or annoys anyone she handles it. She is not insensitive. Throughout the whole class she is on top of the dogs behavior. The bottom line is if you want to be really informed go to Jana's class because you won't be disappointed. Your birthing experience will be much better in my eyes because you will be so much more informed because of the knowledge that Jana teaches you. Trust your heart not one bad review. Love you Jana. Your the best.

I went to village birth in their bundle it was well worth the money. My husband and I did our birth…read moreeducation classes, newborn essentials, feeding and getting ready for the fourth trimester. Thru their doula match we found an amazing postpartum doula. I also did some of their prenatal circles and will be doing their post partum circle soon. Always a fun mix of women who go there, and I know the business can't control who signs up for classes but I wish more POC women and couples went. My first circle it was very intimidating being the only POC there.

My wife and I attended the childbirth class here, and I definitely recommend this place for anyone…read morelooking to learn more about what to expect from the childbirth process. Brighid was our course instructor, and she was super knowledgable, open and supportive to all types of relationships, birthing plans, and wasn't overly dogmatic by recommending a "one size fits all" approach to this very dynamic process. She was experienced and knowledgeable, answered our questions, gave recommendations, resources, and context, and we could not be happier with the experience. The office was quiet, clean, free from distractions, and the environment was comfortable and inviting. My wife had a few fears/concerns about being a first time mother, but after the class she's feeling much more comfortable now that she's equipped with so much context and information. Overall this was a fantastic experience and anyone who is feeling overwhelmed and is looking for a bit of guidance and support should seek this place out. Thank you Brighid!

I really want to thank Debbie for being so wonderful. She is such a professional in her field, and…read moreso knowledgeable. In the crazy tumultuous times of labor and welcoming a newborn into your life, the last thing you wanna do is an extra task. But Debbie was ON IT. she was so well informed, kind and a great communicator. She worked with us, navigated all the Hospital paperwork, had the dried placenta pills delivered it so promptly!!!! I would wholeheartedly recommend this to all mamas to be. Excellent experience all around! Thank you Debbie and LA Birth Partners!

As first time expecting parents, the multiday course built a solid foundation for us for the birth…read more It was awesome to do the class as a couple, each person in the relationship plays a critical role. The vibe was calm and expert. With decades of collective experience across hundreds of doula's in their network, Cheryl and Khefri taught it and you just felt their commitment to your eventual birthing experience and that this was their passion in life. They are accessible and show up for you like someone who would do this good work for free because they love sharing their superpower for the good of you and your family. And people would and should pay them millions for the service and everlasting memories they empower us to have, truly a unique and life changing experience and partnership. I got a recorded meditation that I literally listened to 100 times everytime I rested or took a bath. Come time for go time, it all fell into place. They instilled in us that we are not sick, or needing external help to give birth - I truly felt that our bodies know what to do, are built to do this, and that it's a natural and easy process - not something to fear, resist, fight, or try to make go away ie the contractions are our bodies doing a job and nothing to be afraid of. In fact, what if we embraced, allowed for, and appreciated the power of the body and our spirits to see this process through? Khefri's newborn class was incredible. We did a one on one. She gave us a literal list with links if needed, of what to buy if you are having a baby lol! What you'll need within the first 2 weeks. She showed us how to swaddle and bathe, hold and care for a newborn. I attended some of Khefri's kundalini yoga sessions for expecting mothers. It was so soothing and power inducing that I ended up playing the playlists during my 6 hours of labor. I was an over 40 first time mother. With Khefri (doula) and LA Birth Partners (class) and Birthfit (fitness) and LA Midwives as my partners - we had a successful and easy home birth as well! Though all the practices we could easily have tried at the hospital. In fact, a few months ago, I assisted my sister in her first birth as well. We did it at the hospital but was able to get contractions started naturally, used calming homeopathics and techniques (like birthplan on the door, don't ask me if I need pain meds I'll tell you, candles, cover bright machinery and lower beeping, etc). We could not have done it without Khefri! Literally, we did our last class from the hospital room. Then after the class ended, Khefri became available by text and phone to help us through the contractions! We had questions about the homeopathics, dosing etc to try to start the contractions naturally. She helped with all of it! I can't thank her enough, she went above and beyond, sharing love and support and expertise even more than any actual family members! You feel like you owe so much to these amazing doula's who believe in and know what's possible with a birthing experience. Even someone like me who'd never even seen a birth before, was able to have a homebirth when our western doctors were more than ready to receive us as geriatric mothers at the hospital. None of it was necessary. And we knew that, because we kept on top of medical visits etc leading up to the big day.

Madalyn was fantastic to work with. Her positive energy, excellent communication, and upbeat…read moreattitude made the experience enjoyable. She explained everything clearly, answered every question with patience, and made the process feel easy and stress free. I highly recommend working with her! She kept it real!

Madalyn was amazing. We're due in a few months and did her birth class at the perfect time. We…read morecouldnt be more grateful that we found her! She has such an amazing amount of understanding and compassion (and charisma!) - and explains everything very clearly of what to expect throughout the final stages of pregnancy, labor, and even early postpartum. She gives great tips along the way and shows you all your options throughout that journey. Love her and couldn't recommend it enough! Even my husband (or as Madalyn calls each partner: coach) also feels confident now as we navigate these precious stages of birth & newborn life. 10/10!

I cannot say enough about Emilee Benner. Nine months ago, I had never even heard the word "doula"…read moremuch less knew what it meant. Today, as my wife and I are proud parents of a beautiful three-week-old girl, I couldn't imagine either of us getting through it without her. She was enthusiastic, supportive, nurturing, responsive, and 100 percent committed to shepherding us through the final, difficult months of pregnancy, and beyond. She guided us through a 26-hour labor and was by our side and actively assisting for the last 10 hours. She advised us when to go to the hospital, and was our advocate the entire time we were at the hospital. We wanted a natural birth, and if it wasn't for Emilee we wouldn't have known how to navigate around the hospital's standard operating procedure (IVs, Pitocin, pain medications, epidurals) in order to have the birth that we wanted. For guys who are reading this, the biggest question you will have is "is my wife in labor." Unless you've been through it, you have no idea what a "real" contraction is versus a Braxton-Hicks contraction, especially toward the end when the Braxton-Hicks start coming more often and more intensely. Also, there are other things that can happen toward the end that are a bit scary and even if you've taken all the classes (which we did) you will not know what is normal and what is not. I ended up texting and calling Emilee way more than my wife did, and to her great credit she always responded within minutes. The other big question is "when should we go to the hospital." There is no way that we would have been comfortable doing most of the labor at home if Emilee was not there with us. We would have gone immediately after labor started and our experience would have been much different. But a good doula will "know" when it's time. Emilee also didn't stop helping us after my wife gave birth. She has helped immensely with putting us in touch with milk donors and has checked in on us multiple times. She shows her passion with everything she does. We were lucky to have her.

We interviewed more than 10 doulas before meeting Emilee. The moment she walked into our apartment,…read morewe knew she was the one. She has a great down-to-earth energy, but is also very frank. She was the only doula who actually asked us more questions than we asked her. She seemed genuinely interested in our birth and we were as excited to work with her as she with us. Emilee is very knowledgeable. I consider myself a bit of a research junky, but I always learn something new after a meeting with Emilee. Her meetings with us before and after the birth were very informative and helpful. During the birth, she followed our lead beautifully and added bits of her own that really made our day run smoothly. From aromatherapy to massage to different positions and breathing, I always felt like Emilee would have 5 more ideas if something wasn't working. In the end I had a very short (10 hour) first labor and I know Emilee was a big part of that. She helped give me the confidence to let my body and my baby do what they needed to do. Thank you Emilee. You're amazing!

Sherry is a ROCKSTAR! My postpartum recovery was hard and my husband and I decided we needed extra…read morehelp last minute and thankfully Sherry had availability. She was so sweet, caring, and kind to our family. We truly looked forward to anytime we had with her! She is a great listener and has a ton of great advice. Her calm and nurturing presence was such a blessing and our baby absolutely adored her. Sherry made such a great impact on my postpartum journey and showed me various tools to continue my healing. I am very grateful for her and highly recommend working with her.

Sherry was a life saver. My wife had a hard recovery post…read morepregnancy. Sherry came in as an expert and helped provide space for my wife to recover. we worked with sherry for several months and she was always a bright light in our home

I have been to Sparrow's Nest 4 times now in the last 9 months and think that it is such a magical…read moreplace! I have been for both prenatal and postpartum massages. While it is quite pricey, I trust the staff and believe that they provide a very high quality of care. I have even benefited from some stretches and exercises that I was shown to do at home to help with some postpartum shoulder pain from breastfeeding! Emi and Jess were both wonderful!

Save your money and go to a prenatal chiropractor or physical therapist instead. I've found those…read moreto be genuinely far more effective for real pregnancy-related aches and pains. I paid over $300 for a prenatal massage here and left feeling frustrated and completely unsatisfied. I came in specifically for lower back pain relief, and despite asking the therapist at least four times to use more pressure, the massage stayed extremely light the entire time. I've had many massages, including prenatal ones, so I know my expectations are reasonable. What made it worse was how my requests were handled. At one point the therapist told me that "if you haven't had a massage in a while your nerves might be asleep," which felt dismissive and didn't really make sense. She then said she would "just press and hold in places" rather than actually massage. That's not what I paid for, especially at this price point. It was clear she was inexperienced, and while everyone starts somewhere, a specialized prenatal setting with premium pricing isn't the place for that learning curve. When I followed up afterward, I was quickly passed off to a business manager via text with very little acknowledgment of my concerns. Their own receptionist had already admitted the therapist was new and less experienced, so the lack of follow-through felt tone-deaf. The owner did eventually offer a full refund, but the way it was handled felt even more dismissive, basically making it clear I wasn't welcome back. Overall this experience was overpriced, underwhelming, and poorly handled from start to finish. I would not return.

Ana Paula is a wealth of knowledge and compassion. She's a beautiful mix of warm and calming with a…read morefun energy and the utmost professionalism.

Normally I'd be very reluctant to be apart of a non in person training. ANA is truly a gem. Some…read morepeople give you feelings of love within. Some people give you a genuine feel like whatever they say they mean and that is exactly what I feel with Ana Paula Markel. I spent 3 days with not only fellow woman who share the similar passions and career goals but also a leader and guide. I've been working as a doula for a year now and really trying to find a place to call home for guidance and connections and I truly have found it. I feel motivated and filled with such gratitude to have been apart of this experience. I feel more than well informed and ready to further my mission.