Bad customer service, terrible experience and didn't even make it through the entire process. She…read morewas rude and condescending and refused to talk on the phone and only wanted to text. Never see a professional not want to be able to answer all questions to understand the type of care needed and required and then sends a flyer that shows she does delivery for additional fee yet when I inquired she said only if I spend a extra $200 .. * To your reply; I reached out in Dec and you did the same thing ( not wanting to talk on the phone name only text and sent your flyer ) but after looking at your paid reviews I decided to give you another chance yet you proved me correct. You said you can take us on then after me asking two or three questions you changed your mind when I refused to get the $500 service you suggested instead of the $300 I inquired about. Wha is NOT ok is you lying * Now she updates her replies and again trying to make herself sound better and seem better than the experience she provided! I pray the best for you at the end of the day you were rude , off-putting , and dismissive.

So glad I had Valerie encapsulate my placenta. She was amazing to work with and I really do think…read morethe pills help so much post partum. My hospital didn't want to release the placenta until 24 hours after birth even though they weren't testing it or anything and Valerie helped us talk to the nurses and doctors to sign off on releasing it early. Delivery of the pills afterward was very fast and they delivered it right to my house.

I can't say enough good things about Brittany. She was easily reachable and answered so many of my…read morequestions. She gave me lots of information regarding her specialty and what she had to offer. She came to my home after the birth of my son to grab my placenta and make me a smoothie which was so delicious. She made me capsules, a tincture and a salve. Super impressed and happy with her services. If youre looking for a placenta specialist, Brittany is your girl!

Wonderful experience with Brittany! She answered any question I had and was flexible meeting with…read moremy mom to pick up the placenta and drop off the pills. I'm so glad I chose to encapsulate my placenta after giving birth, I truly believed it helped me through those tough postpartum baby blues! If you are debating on doing it, go for it! You won't regret it!

Miriam is such a bright and beautiful soul. I was searching for. HypnoBirthing class that was…read moreactually in person and met with her virtually one time and was sold. She truly cares about you, your family, and your birthing experience. She is so much more than a doula, she hears and sees you as a pregnant person, building this life and does anything she can to accommodate your needs. The flexibility and openness she offers really sets her apart. I also did bodywork with her while 38 weeks pregnant. We had a ball feeling my contractions and she helped alleviate quite a bit of back pain and some SPD pain. The most relaxing day of my entire pregnancy! Lol. Go see her, she's phenomenal. I only wish I could have hired her as my doula.

I came across Miriam (Lucero Healings) through a twist of fate! I was planning a home birth and had…read moreanother doula that was to attend my birth. However, my doula came down with Covid the day I went into labor. This is where Miriam stepped in! She came highly recommended and was fortunately available to help guide me on such a transforming experience. From the moment she arrived I felt so peaceful. She was very hands on and did not wait for me to request things but instead took initiative which was exactly what I needed, as it was hard to think through those contractions. She was so in tune to my needs from massaging to essential oils to counter pressure ...she did it all! My midwives actually barely made it right as I was pushing but I had no fear. I genuinely felt that Miriam's presence gave me strength and peace ! After the birth she helped clean my home, went into my kitchen to grab me a snack and even held a straw to my lips while nursing...the sweetest moment was when she wrapped my midsection and put socks on my feet in such a humble way. I highly recommend her! Photo by: Karissa M Raya

Are you kidding me????…read more Sarah was in the top three of the best things that happened to us during the birth of our daughter!!! I've told her time and time again she under charges for her services, since she comes to your house more than once, she is there for the birth and does a follow up. She is the reason my wife was able to go through labor drug free and almost pain free (ask my wife she actually says its not that painful) plus she helped our cousin with a natural birth in a hospital too. Sarah is a certified Hypnobirthing doula, I should add which worked really well for us. So if your flavor is a home birth, birth center or hospital birth she is the one to call since she can work in all scenarios and without getting in the way of the Doctors, Nurses or Midwife. She is respectful of your wishes and your birth plan. Everyone should know she works all over the southland so if you are in Pasadena, OC, Westside, you name it she will likely do it. I'll happily call her for the next baby....if the wife lets us have one ;-)

Sarah is incredible.. My husband and I were referred to her by another doula friend of mine.. We…read morehad interviewed several other doulas but Sarah seemed to fit in with our needs best.. To say I had a difficult pregnancy would be an understatement... We still wanted to have the most natural birth we could and Sarah patiently walked us through all of our questions and concerns. Any time we had a question come up she was right there to walk us through it and if she didn't have an immediate answer she would point us in the right direction. We had an emergency induction and were incredibly scared. Sarah was right there with us every step of the way... This sweet woman slept in her car so she could be there the moment it was go time. There's no doubt in our minds we would have ended up in a C-Section had she not been there in my face keeping me going. She was an amazing support to my husband as well as we were not prepared mentally for what we were going through. After 33 hours of induced labor we still had the natural birth we had so desperately wanted. This woman is a god send. Why doulas arent covered by insurance is beyond me, but our investment in Sarah was worth every penny. Do yourself a favor and hire Sarah, I promise you that you won't regret it.

Danellia was our natural birth educator thru @LaFuente and I highly recommend her class. For those…read moreof you worried about cost, you get a lot of bang for your buck-- she really is providing you 3 services for the price of 1. Here's the breakdown: +Birth Educator She is super knowledgable and passionate. I watched a ton of videos and read a ton of articles, but she helped synthesize the info so it wasn't overwhelming. Her descriptions of the stages of birth gave me a clear roadmap of what to anticipate. She made abstract and complex concepts easy to understand. (Here's looking at you Effacement Balloon exercise) Compared to 3 free Kaiser classes, this HANDS DOWN was more valuable. Those classes were redundant, with little substantive info. One of her 10 min videos on lactation clearly presented info that took more than 2-hours in the Kaiser lactation course. (Read the KP workbook available online to get the essence of the info.) +Pre-game Doula She gave us an outline for a birth plan. She discussed possible interventions and methods to advocate for yourself. If you don't have a doula this is INCREDIBLY helpful. If you do, it is still valuable. I came into my doula sessions more informed, like I had a second opinion, and I could hone in on the areas of specific concern. Plus, I knew what to expect and ask of my doula Stevie Merino @solandrootsdoula (who I love and also recommend btw). So in essence, Danellia optimizes the value of your doula services. Her real world experience with local hospitals let us get into the nitty gritty and ask real specific questions. I used some of her pain management technique (with my doula and partner), an adaptation of her breathing technique, and her ice exercise in the labor room and for the surges (contractions) before hand. +Counselor She was the counselor that we didn't know we would need. I vacillated between being a ball of anxiety, rage, and ease and my partner was real worked up as well (more so during pregnancy, than postpartum). I'll attribute that to not knowing what to expect, internalized pressure, and hormones I figure. But for me Danellia greatest strength was in holding space where you could share your worries and ask ALL your questions and even frustrations. She held it compassionately, non-judgmentally, and normalized what was happening. And unlike another paid program we did, it was beyond mental/logical support, it was that AND she was a settled and calming energy. In summary, just do it. Sign up for her class. Check out @LaFuente. I hear it is available virtually too now. Birth and postpartum is challenging, especially these days. So get all the support you can get! Regardless, may you have a pregnancy and birth filled with ease.

I was so pleased to have received Danellia's placenta encapsulation service. Danellia is very kind,…read moreprofessional, and knowledgeable. You can hear the passion for her work in the way she speaks about it. She explained everything thoroughly to me as to what her encapsulation service entails and how pick up and drop off would work. When it came to being in labor I didn't have to worry about a thing. Danellia and my birth team were able to communicate with one another to make sure she knew I would be giving birth soon. The day after I gave birth Danellia was able to swiftly pick up my placenta and take it for processing. It was important to me to have a photo of this beautiful organ that my body grew to keep my baby alive all 9 months. Not only did Danellia take a photo, she made sure to make it extra special placing beautiful herbs next to the placenta for the photo. A couple days later my placenta was already encapsulated, made into a tincture, and ready for drop off. So we coordinated a smooth drop off where I received my entire placenta package which included placenta pills, placenta tincture, placenta print, and umbilical cord keepsake. But of course with how caring Danellia is she went a step further and brought along some soup for my husband and I and a traditional Mexican postpartum drink for me called atole. This meant so much to us as we were only 3 days postpartum and had 0 time or energy to cook meals for ourselves. My placenta print came out so beautiful! Im so excited to frame it and hang it in my son's room. The placenta pills have been super helpful in giving me energy, establishing my milk supply, and stabilizing my hormones which in turn stabilizes my mood. In fact my placenta pills gave me so much energy I could only take them earlier in the day. If I waited until the afternoon to take them I would be up late at night! Aside from that I loved the way the package was put together and presented. Danellia gifted me some herbs from her garden and had a card in the bag that explained how to take the placenta pills and tincture. I am 6 weeks postpartum now and can now start taking my tincture which I'm so happy to have! I chose to have a tincture made because it will last forever since it is an alcohol extract. Overall I was so happy I made the decision to have this sacred organ encapsulated by someone who has so much respect for it and for birthing people. The energy that went into my capsules was important which is why I specifically chose Danellia and her grounding, calming, loving energy. Thank you Danellia for supporting me during my postpartum journey.

I used NuHealth Placenta for my placenta encapsulation, and I cannot recommend them enough. From…read morestart to finish, the experience was seamless, professional, and so comforting during such a vulnerable postpartum time. The process at delivery was incredibly quick and easy, which meant so much when everything else felt overwhelming. My placenta pills were delivered straight to my home within 48 hours, and even now, 4 months postpartum, I still have pills left and they continue to check in on me. That level of care truly sets them apart. The pills were amazing from the very beginning, and the ongoing support made me feel so seen and cared for as a mom. I would recommend NuHealth to anyone and everyone considering encapsulation, they are trustworthy, attentive, and genuinely invested in your well-being.

NuHealth Placenta is the way to go! All I can say is WOW what a difference these capsules have made…read morein my postpartum experience as a second time mom. Makes me wish I had known about them for my first postpartum experience. And the keepsakes are beyond gorgeous that will bring memories for a lifetime. Definitely would and have recommended it to all my preggo and new mom friends 10/10. Communication was excellent throughout whole process, and very quickly arrived at hospital to retrieve the placenta. Also loved the quick turn around of the capsules and flavor (strawberry).

Having Jessie as a midwife enabled me to have the most beautiful pregnancy and birth experience. I…read morefeel so grateful that I had the ability to have a home birth because it was a life changing and transformative experience, and that was in no small part due to who Jessie is and how she works. Contrasting from OB care where every appointment is hurried and routine, Jessie invests in you as a person. Appointments are up to one hour and explore all aspects of health: physical, emotional, mental, etc. Jessie has a magical way about her in the way she advises you and listens that's non-judgmental but supportive. I felt so empowered and supported through it all. During the birth, I'll never forget when Jessie looked me in the eye as I neared the end and told me the only way out was through and I took a big breath and powered through. We did a home, water birth and it was the most special experience. I hope more and more women are able to navigate pregnancy and birth with Jessie or midwives like her. And overall I left this experience wiser about my own body and health, prepared to care for our baby, more confident and more.

This review is long over due. First and foremost the quality of care you will receive from Jessie…read moreprenatally and postpartum is like nothing you will ever experience from a traditional OB/ Provider. She is genuinely caring, compassionate, nurturing and responsive. We had a few scares during our pregnancy that of course had to happen later at night and she was quick to answer and respond in a calm but urgent way. The same has been true postpartum. She ALWAYS has you & your babies health and best interests in mind when discussing options and care. She is informative and relays the perfect mix of holistic/ evidence based medicine and western medicine if needed. Once you have a conversation with her you'll understand why she is the best. Jessie, We love you so much and we are so grateful that you were with us every step of the way to bring our baby girl into the world happy and healthy.

Working with Tabare was one the best decisions we made for this journey…read more Tabare is humble, knowledgeable, and has amazing communication.(We are "i" person ).But beyond that, she's like the "mom" you didn't know you needed--caring, supportive, and with a heart of shining gold. For example , she actually called the numbers from the brochures the hospital gave to us and identified some confusing information. When my wife's water broke at midnight, Tabare responded to our cellphone msg and offered advice.we went to Hoag Irvine at 4 AM, and Tabare was already there waiting for us. While we are waiting In the triage room, she massaged, reassured, and tried different techniques to keep my wife comfortable. Honestly, she was the busiest and most calming person in the room. Tabare is positive, responsive, and down-to-earth. Working with her felt like having the world's best wedding planner--but for your baby's birth. We prepared together, learned together, and teamed up with the midwives for an amazing, joyful experience. As a first-time dad, I can't thank her enough. Now I'm telling every expectant parent: if you can, work with a Doula; If you made the decision, I recommend Tabare. You'll laugh, you'll feel supported, and you'll look back with the joyful and wonderful experience and memories. Ok, let's talk about the cons: 1 The telephone operator - The OCWM 24/7 response line that night was disappointing. The operator didn't seem to care, made several basic mistakes, and wasted a lot of my time. I eventually had to hang up and call another number for help. 2 Nurse issue - We probably came in during the night shift change. While Tabare and I were outside in the lobby doing paperwork to gain access, my wife was in pain and left alone in the triage room with one nurse. Later, my wife told me the nurse was pressuring her to make decisions and struggled with something as basic as a blood draw.(I just cannot believe how amateur it is for a blood draw) Husbands, NEVER leave your wife alone in the hospital!

My experience with Taba was not a planned one. My doula had a personal emergency when I was set for…read moremy induction at 41weeks and I had less than an hour to make a connection over the phone with her for one of the most intimate events of your life that you could have - birth. To say that Taba stepped up to the plate is an understatement. As I was sobbing on the phone full of anxiety trying to impart my entire story to her she ended it with clear direction - "it sounds like I need to be there with you when you go in" - I can't tell you the amount of weight that lifted off my chest when she uttered that sentence to me. My first birth was during the pandemic and resulted in a traumatic emergency c section so my anxiety was through the roof. Taba's sense of humor, confidence, relationship management style, incredible experience/knowledge, and her amazing ability to download my information made me feel so comfortable. She never left my side when I needed her. She supported my partner in helping him understand when he could step in and standing in when he couldn't. Without Taba I wouldn't have felt confident pushing for more options, making it clear what I consented to, etc. this birth was my redemption birth and I owe a lot of it to Taba.

After the Long Beach Birthing Center closed unexpectedly, my husband immediately began searching…read moreeverywhere for a midwife who could take over our birth care. From the very beginning, we knew we did not want a hospital birth--both because of the high costs and the increased rate of C-sections. Finding the right midwife felt urgent and incredibly important, especially since this was my first pregnancy. That's when we found Laura. From the first conversation, my husband and Laura connected very well, and after meeting her in person, we knew she was the right choice. Laura made me feel truly welcomed, cared for, heard, and supported--something that meant everything to me as a first-time mom. At every appointment, Laura took the time to explain how our baby was doing, confirmed that she was positioned correctly, and walked us through what to expect at each stage. She guided me on workouts, nutrition, and overall prenatal care, always making sure I felt confident and informed. Anytime I had worries or questions, Laura reassured us that our baby girl was progressing beautifully, which brought us so much peace throughout the pregnancy. When the big day finally arrived, labor began early in the morning but didn't turn active until the following day. At around 3 a.m. in June, our little girl decided it was finally time. Labor was long, but Laura and her team were absolutely incredible. They supported me every step of the way--offering water, snacks, encouragement, and constant reassurance. They regularly checked our baby's heartbeat to ensure she was doing well and never made me feel rushed or pressured. I had planned on a water birth, but my body had other plans--and Laura was so supportive and adaptable, honoring what my body needed in the moment. By morning, our baby girl arrived (quite literally popping out!), and Laura guided me calmly and confidently through delivery. Her presence made me feel relaxed, safe, and completely cared for. Laura and her team handled everything with such professionalism and compassion, allowing me to focus entirely on welcoming my daughter into the world. I also can't say enough great things about her lactation consultant, Chelsea, who was absolutely amazing and so helpful. Laura even recommended our pediatrician and doctor, which made the transition into postpartum care seamless. Because of Laura, I was able to spend extra, uninterrupted time bonding with my baby girl, and that experience is something I will forever cherish. I am beyond grateful that Laura was available when we needed her most. If I am ever pregnant again, there is no question--I would absolutely return to Laura without hesitation. Thank you Laura for all the support you have given us!

I moved to Redondo Beach at 30 weeks pregnant, searching for a midwife for a VBAC after two…read moreC-sections. Despite warnings, I hired Laura because she had experienced a VBA2C herself, which made me feel confident in her abilities. I paid $7,000 before 37 weeks, but from the start, red flags appeared. Laura frequently overshared personal issues- venting about her husband mistreating her and why recent clients were transferred to the hospital. She described one transfer as a mother "refusing to get on her hands and knees despite being in pain." It felt like more of her clients were being transferred than successfully giving birth at her center. Additionally, she and her children were constantly sick, making me worry about exposure as a pregnant mom with toddlers. As my due date approached, she had me sign paperwork with business names from other midwives, clearly copied and pasted, which felt sloppy and unprofessional. When my water broke, she gave me swabs that were supposed to turn bright blue if it was amniotic fluid. Even though I knew my water had broken, the test initially didn't change color, so Laura dismissed it, insisting I had urinated on myself. It took days for a proper swab to confirm it, delaying care and increasing my risk of infection. When I expressed concern, she casually asked if I "wanted to go to the hospital," then told me that legally she'd have to transfer me after three days- completely disregarding the fact that I had been telling her about my water breaking all along. At one of my appointments, she introduced another midwife, Amy, which made me uncomfortable because Laura had previously vented to me about how Amy "wouldn't stop touching her" during her own labor despite being asked not to. She even called Amy the B-word and said Amy walked out on her during labor. Knowing this, it felt extremely unprofessional that she brought her in to assist with my care. Later, Laura accused me of avoiding check-ups, which was untrue and upsetting. I lived three minutes from the birthing center and was always willing to come in. Despite her personal struggles, I had even offered to support her. During labor, Laura's birth assistant, Haika, was the only good part of my experience. She was kind, gentle, and truly passionate about birth work. If you're looking for a midwife, I highly recommend skipping Laura and going straight to Haika. When Haika was present, I was progressing well, reaching 7 cm. But when Laura took over so Haika could rest, everything changed. Her cervical exams were painful, rough, and intrusive. Her energy was intimidating, and I stopped progressing. Eventually, I had to transfer to the hospital, and honestly, I was relieved to leave. At the hospital, I received an epidural, which allowed me to relax enough to fully dilate, but during my stay, I was also sexually harassed by a doctor who is now under investigation at Cedars. After birth, I discovered that Laura had taken several photos of my private areas without my consent. I asked her to delete them, and while she agreed, she never did so in front of me. She also failed to complete my postpartum visits, using her constant illnesses as an excuse, but never reached out to reschedule or check on me or my newborn. Seven months later, she sent me a Mother's Day text, but by then, I had nothing more to say--she never followed through on the care I paid for. It took me a year to write this, but it needs to be shared. My experience was the opposite of the glowing reviews I read before hiring her. Every time she gets a negative review, a friend posts a five-star one, but those of us who've actually worked with her know the truth. I've since connected with other former clients who had similar experiences. If you're searching for a midwife, please reconsider working with Laura. This is a warning from one mother to another- there are far better options. ** and just like i said, immediately after Laura gets a negative review, she asks a friend (or it could be her behind a fake profile) to give a 5 star review. She's extremely toxic and if you work with her- you will 100% see how accurate the negative reviews are. Hire at your own risk!

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.