Melissa, I wanted to…read moretake a brief moment and share how wonderful it has been to get to know you and meet you. I will say that I do not believe that Jamie (my wife), or myself would have made it through the birthing process without your class, your coaching and your advice. The experience that we had with Doulananda was one that cannot be fully expressed in words and is worth more than any bank account could hold. In a simple phrase, what Doulananda services provide is: The Piece of Mind for Husband and Wife so that our child could enter Peacefully into this world!! I will be the first to admit that when my wife brought the idea of taking hypnobirthing classes to my attention, I pushed it off and thought it would be a waste of time. My profession has me in the Operating Room and Surgical Suites on a daily basis, with multiple touch points and close relations with OB/ GYN Surgeons. Having close connections and interactions with surgeons, specifically, OB's, I never thought anything different than having our children in hospitals. I figured, since I worked at all of them, I knew enough people and my way around, that it would be a great experience. Reality was it was a completely different story... My Wife and I attended Melissa Johnson's Hypnobirthing class, and this was a huge game changer when it came time to deliver our child. This class brought peace of mind to the birthing process, as well as ensured that we had prepared a plan for our child's birth. Even though we took the class once, we plan on taking it again before the births of our next children. This was an exceptional class with calming and relaxation methods that truly work. I am an extremely busy person, and for Melissa to be able to bring my mind at ease was a huge success and for that I am extremely grateful! Looking back, after our daughter's birth, there are some things we plan to do different for the next child. We are truly blessed with our daughter and we feel that she came into this world as was intended for our paths at that time. However, now knowing what the hospital experience is like, we plan to ensure we have Melissa lined up for our Doula, and are going to try to deliver at a birthing center. These are our plans for now and will post a review after the happenings. In conclusion, if you are thinking about taking a Hypnobirthing Class, I highly encourage it!! I was extremely skeptical at first, but am now so thankful that I took the class with Melissa Johnson. Secondly, from my experience in the hospital situation, we will definitely be hiring a Doula for the next birth. Even with knowing the hospital staff and knowing the ins-and-outs of a hospital, the birth of a child is very special, and having a doula present will allow me the opportunity to just be with my wife, and the doula will be able to handle all of the other challenging questions and happenings. Melissa, thank you for your services and all that you do to educate on how to create a peaceful, memorable and joyous birthing experience! Thank you, John L., BSME

When I began having children ten years ago, all I wanted was a normal, natural birth. But my first…read morepregnancy was a twin pregnancy, and for medical reasons my twin girls had to be delivered via scheduled c-section. My next three births each came slightly closer to my original wish -- three VBACs -- but each was filled with unintended interventions I never wanted. Even with five beautiful babies I'd always left the hospital disappointed in my birth experiences somehow. When I found out I was pregnant with my sixth child, I decided to be more proactive this time. I was determined to achieve a drug-free birth. I'd heard of Hypnobirthing in passing from an acquaintance and told my husband I was thinking of learning how to use it for the birth of our new baby. I was afraid he would be reluctant; he is a pediatrician and I was afraid he'd think it was too "out there." But he completely encouraged me, telling me there was a lot of medical research that supports the use of hypnosis to reduce the perception of pain. We scheduled private classes with Melissa and both of us loved every one. We already knew a lot about birth, but Melissa's classes really reinforced what I already knew in my heart: I could give birth more comfortably, I could trust my body, and I was more than just a bystander in this process. She also opened our eyes to different ways of doing things in a hospital birth and I left her classes feeling so empowered to have more control over my birthing environment. I loved practicing the Hypnobirthing techniques -- the relaxation practice was like a little gift I could give myself after my other children had gone to bed at night. This labor proved challenging emotionally for me because I had a long prodromal labor that stopped and started over and over for several days. Even though I lived two hours away, Melissa was such a huge support to me over the phone, reassuring me that I was still normal, that all of this was bringing my baby closer to me. Mentally she was a huge boost to me over those days. After having surges every 10 minutes since 5am, around midnight my husband said I'd had some closer together and suggested we go to the hospital. I went but remember thinking it was silly because I wasn't that uncomfortable. Using the techniques we'd learned from Melissa made everything so easy and manageable. When we got to the hospital at 1am, the surges were 5 minutes apart. By 1:30am they were 2 minutes apart. I was still feeling very comfortable. The obstetrician and nurses read my birth plan and were completely supportive. The OB told me it was my show and to let him know when I needed him. Using new labor positions I'd learned from Melissa, coupled with the hypnosis techniques, made everything very manageable for me. In fact I kept waiting for it to get more painful and it never did. I remember thinking that normally I was asking for an epidural right now, and this time I didn't need it at all. We talked and laughed between surges. It was so much more relaxed than my other births. Just after 3:30 told the nurse I was feeling pushy. She checked me and said I still had a ways to go, at 7cm and 80% effaced. She left the room, my waters released, and my husband had to call her right back in -- my baby was born less than 5 minutes after that check, at 3:40am. Melissa's Hypnobirthing class and the techniques we learned in it allowed me to finally have the birth I'd always wanted. It was an extremely quiet and peaceful labor. My husband was more involved during the labor than he ever had been, because Melissa had given him so many specific ways he could help me. Instead of waiting for me to tell him how to help, he knew what to do. It was wonderful. My nurse said I did "amazing" and she could not believe how calm I was. I think back on that day fondly. What an amazing gift Melissa gave to us -- such support, such peace, such empowerment! Her teaching and the Hypnobirthing techniques literally changed our whole perception of birth. We can never thank her enough!

5 stars is not enough for Julianne, I recommend 10/5!…read more Julianne truly is the best person for the job title "doula", I could tell she was qualified from the first day I met her, during one of her birthing classes. What I didn't know is that she would become more like the mother figure I didn't know I needed. I had a complicated and hard pregnancy and she came with the right words and always the right care. She taught me how to grieve the loss of a baby, and how to be in the moment with the blessing of my baby that I did get to bring home! She came to the NICU multiple times after baby was born to bring us food, bind my belly(for comfort after delivery), and she even talked to one of the nurses for me when I didn't have the words to myself! She came to my home after we were discharged from hospital to help with breastfeeding, and emotional support. She is truly like no other- and she even turned my husband into a doula loving guy as well! Not sure if I could deliver another baby without her, she gave support months after we delivered, and connected me with other mamas in the same situation

I truly cannot say enough about our experience with Julianne. From the prenatal period, to labor,…read moreto postpartum Julianne has been such a friend, confidant, support, and absolute top notch professional. To anyone that is debating having a doula, you could not pay enough money in the world for what you will receive from Julianne. She not only made sure I had everything I needed, but also my husband and my son. Our whole pregnancy, labor, and beyond was and continues to be brighter and stronger ever since Julianne walked into our lives.

My husband and I loved having Danielle be a part of our birth experience. We met her through child…read morebirth classes we were taking and loved her outlook on child birth and labor. We asked her to be our Doula, and we are so glad she was with us on the day we met our sweet baby girl. One of the main reasons we love Danielle is her attitude and perspective towards giving birth. She helped us have an amazing natural birth, but she also made sure we were all on the same page with the choices that come up during the process. She wants you to feel comfortable and prepared for wherever the labor process takes you : ) Danielle is very relaxed and matter of fact, which was exactly what I needed to keep me sane. Secondly, her focus is on a team effort. This makes Mom and Dad center of attention and helps us be the best team we can be rather than take the place of Dad. In order to do this she helped my husband understand what I might need and provided advice on how to get through tough points during the day. Obviously it is not all rainbows and sunshine, but when I thought I couldn't make it she helped us problem solve and get through it. Her postpartum visit was so sweet and pre-visits were very helpful. She can come to your house before or meet you at the hospital. I wish all you mamas amazing birth experiences, and if you have any doubts (like ALL first time moms I assume) hopefully Danielle can be there for you too!

Danielle and her team made us feel relaxed and confident with the birth of our first child. I would…read morehighly recommend Roots to Nest for all of your childbirth needs. Danielle made it a point to meet with us a couple of times beforehand; spending over 1.5 hours each time, answering all of our questions and explaining what the process could potentially look like. She even made sure we had multiple birth plans so all of our bases were covered. Most importantly though, we felt like we had an invaluable resource during the labor process. From finding the most comfortable position for myself as things progressed, coaching my husband on what was normal (it's all so foreign when it's your first), to what he should say/do to provide the most support was not something we could have done on our own. (Can you really imagine navigating all of that on your own? No thank you.) In the end, my husband and I felt like we were their only clients (not the case, there was another birth the same day/around the same time!). But the love and care showed to us even after our daughter's birth made us realize how authentic Roots to Nest was and is. Do yourself a favor and hire a doula. Hire Roots to Nest!

Ambrosia was my doula for my daughters birth in 2022. And I don't know what I did right in my life…read moreto deserve her but my goodness is she an angel. Ambrosia was a relatively new friend before she became my doula, but as soon as I found out I was pregnant I felt comfortable enough calling her and asking her to meet me and explain what to do next. At the time I had no idea what a doula was, the difference between doctors and midwives, even just what the first steps after finding out you're pregnant are. All I knew was that she was involved in the birth space and that she made me feel comfortable enough to call her and ask her all this stuff. She was so sweet from the beginning, and made me feel truly supported no matter what I decided throughout the whole pregnancy. She even encouraged me to interview other doulas so I felt secure in my decision to hire her. She took time to answer any questions I had throughout the pregnancy, and spent time with my husband educating us on what would happen during labor and birth. She always had a chill, relaxed attitude which saved me because I was stressed about knowing everything and making every single decision. She made me feel like everything was okay at all times. She gave me a lot of peace. I can't express how supported she made me feel in my choices. I was interested in a fully natural, unmedicated birth (that terrified my husband and mom and mother-in-law, everyone really). But she encouraged me to listen to my heart, to really listen to what I wanted, and made me feel like I could do it if I wanted to. And that was hard because I am such a people pleaser. Long story short, I was supposed to get induced (which scared me so much, but again-- she let me know I didn't HAVE to do anything if I didn't want to and if I chose to get induced, I could own that as my choice). I went to the hospital to start the induction and didn't end up needing to because my labor started spontaneously (so that was a little miracle). She was in constant contact with me, checking in on how I was doing, if I was eating/drinking/moving/resting. And then she showed up at the hospital and I swear the energy in the room shifted. She had a lot of experience in the hospital I was giving birth and she walked around like she knew where everything was. She moved me into positions that helped give me comfort that I would have never thought to do on my own. She pulled out a stool for me to sit on from the hospital closet that even the nurses didn't know was there. She helped my husband know exactly what to do (ie "now is a good time to go hold her" versus "maybe let's take a step back and let her be"). I swear she helped preserve our marriage that day because I left thinking my husband was perfectly what I needed during that entire experience. Ambrosia knew my birth preferences and as soon as someone asked something that didn't fit them-- she would look at me to say what I needed-- often a "NO" or "okay" and then she would fully back me up on that. The biggest thing that stands out to me was i felt my body start pushing, I was on my hands and knees on the floor and the nurse wanted to check my dilation and she wanted me to lay down. At that point in my labor I would rather die than lay down. So ambrosia kind of negotiated with the nurse who ended up checking my on my hands and knees on the bed. (SURPRISE I was fully dilated with baby's bead right there and the doctor was at least 15 mins away). Even when everyone started panicking and running around trying to get ready for baby to arrive, she was near my calming me saying it was all going to be okay, that there is an on-call doctor, that everything is happening as it should. Everything happened so fast and the baby arrived quickly. When I was pushing baby out was the only time I got a little scared, and again, Ambrosia was there talking me through it, calming me down, coaching my husband (AND taking videos and pictures). It was such a relief that I had as able to deliver how I wanted -- unmedicated, on my hands and knees (even though the hospital staff did not love that), and all in 6 hours). I could go on and on and on about how incredible Ambrosia was, but then this would be a novel. If you're thinking about hiring her, DO IT. I recommend her to everyone I know. I am going to fly her out to me to be my midwife if I have another baby. She is an angel and she has the most incredible energy and she is so knowledgeable. She gave me such confidence in myself by simply telling me to look within. I love her and I will have such wonderful memories of my first birth largely because of her. Thank you thank you Ambrosia for doing your work and being so good at it. Love you!!

1000% recommend!!! Ambrosia is amazing!! She was so kind, informative and helpful! She made me feel…read moreso comfortable with my placenta encapsulation experience. She even made us a little heart with the umbilical cord and a placenta print. Truly went above and beyond! We are very blessed to have found her. I wish I would've contacted her sooner and knew all the other services she provided.

Stacey is hands down the best! When I decided to hire a doula for my labor and delivery I…read moreinterviewed 5 ladies before I met Stacey. From our first interaction I knew she would be the one by my side during such a special time in my life. Stacey is not only experienced and wise in her practice, but her caring personality shines through every part of her work. She was available to answer any of my questions leading up to the birth, she anticipated every one of my needs during labor, and she made sure me and my son were off to a great start at our post natal apt. I would highly recommend Stacey to any woman wanting an exception experience during their birth. I know I will be calling her for any future kiddos I have!

Stacey is absolutely amazing! I feel so lucky that I found Stacey to be our doula for the delivery…read moreof my first baby. From the minute my husband and I met her we instantly felt comfortable in her presence and we both naturally gravitated towards her, she seemed like someone we would have been friends with for years. Looking back on the entire experience, I know I would not have been able to do it without her. I ended up having a natural birth and Stacey was there to help me through it all. There were several times that I did not believe in myself or think I could do it and Stacey knew exactly what to say and knew exactly what to do to help make me feel mentally strong and physically better. I have told all my friends about Stacey and strongly encourage them to use her when they decide to have a baby. I know for sure my husband and I will be calling on Stacey when we go to have baby number two. Stacey is incredibly knowledgable and so easy to relate to and get along with, I was able to be completely myself with her and was able to talk with her like I'd known her for years. I was so happy to have her by my side when the nurses asked me questions or advised me on things that I wasn't sure about. Knowing Stacey's resume, background and years of experience I knew I could trust in her advise and opinion. I knew she was looking out for what was best for me and that ultimately it was my decision but she was there to help me understand all my options. All in all, my husband and I would have paid five times as much to have Stacey there, she truly was so amazing. Thank you Stacey!

5 stars are not enough.....BEST MONEY EVER SPENT!!! I am so so grateful for my decision to hire…read moreAshley as my doula. She was so patient, kind, calm, and truly has a passion for what she does. Throughout the pregnancy, she was very good about checking in, seeing if I needed help with anything, and providing a wonderful binder with tons of helpful resources for pregnancy, labor, breastfeeding, and surviving the first few weeks with the baby. During my labor (20 plus hours), she helped advocate for me, give me options, and was unbelievably patient. After my baby came out and needed to go to NICU with my husband, I was very emotionally overwhelmed and alone.... without even a question she stuck by my side and helped calm me down. She was with us for probably 24 hours during my labor and was so patient and calm the entire time. After my labor, I had difficulty with breastfeeding, and out of panic reached out to her asking for help after a particularly rough night. I had tried to google and research things on my own but was so overwhelmed with conflicting information. Ashley kept it simple, straightforward, and again met me and my panic with patience and helpful advice. I truly don't know how I would have gotten through my pregnancy, labor, and postpartum experience without her.

From the owner: Finding your stride as a parent can be challenging. My goal is to be there to support you and your…read morefamily on this incredible journey in the ways YOU find important. You don't have to go at it alone, and you don't have to sacrifice what's important to you. I'm here to foster a parental intuition in you so that when it's time for us to part ways, you are confident and ready to face parenting head-on. I offer evidence-based, non-judgmental support to help inform, heal and thrive. From birth and beyond, I'm here for you.

I'm a first time mama and after my son was born I was really struggling with processing the birth…read moreexperience and finding a new routine. Being a new mom can be so lonely. I am SO grateful for Mamas & Co for providing us new moms with a safe and friendly space to just be new moms. Together, with the group, we have worked through tough births, challenges of feeding and sleeping and schedules and traveling and everything! It is truly a wonderful place to find a new community. I cannot recommend this place enough!

From the owner: A new, unique community-driven space for all things mama, mamas-to-be, and aspiring mamas. Birth…read morePrep, Prenatal and parenting classes unlike any in the Northern Colorado area. Pre-pregnancy, Prenatal, New Mom Groups, Toddler Groups, Events and more.

Service: Labor and Birth Doula Context: Father, 2nd Child,…read more1st at-home birth Despite our preparations, our first birth taught us that we can always know, prepare, and expect more. We met Julie in our doula interviews early in our preparations, and with our first home-birth, we knew we needed someone with the knowledge to build our trust, the confidence to direct when needed, and the serenity to alleviate our anxieties. Julie brought every one of those to the table, and more! During our first birth, I couldn't help but feel like a third-wheel, understanding key parts of the birth, but serving mostly as an observer, with the occasional comforting words. In preparation for our 2nd, Julie offered both live Q&As, and preparatory, informative, and engaging classes, which helped prepare not only my wife, but myself in both what to expect and how to engage with each part of the birth. Rather than only observing, or waiting for direction, I became an active participant, predicting and understanding my wife's needs, while also being able to adapt as needed. As labor's frequently do, ours started late in the night, and with a quick call, Julie assessed the situation and determined to come over to help, even in the early stages. As a doula, she helped guide us into active labor, recognizing when we hit hurdles, and confidently and calmly discussed alternative positions and practices. Serving not only as doula, she frequently provided updates that would help our midwife determine how far along we were, and stayed by Laura's side through delivery! In the interest of time, I'll end with an appreciation of Julie's ability to frequently bridge the gap when all the participants became a little too single-minded; Julie would swoop in, suggesting breaks, and even cooking up some delicious meals! Even afterwards, Julie visited and brought a smorgasbord of home-cooked foods, taking the weight off of running a household, and letting my wife, my children, and myself, take time to simply be with each other. Thank you so much, Julie, for not only being what my wife needed, but helping me to be the same! P.S. For the Mother's perspective, Laura's review should post soon!

I'm so happy awakening mother is now on yelp! I met Julie at her Aquarian circle. I was pleased to…read moreget to know her and learned that she was a doula, I was researching to find one since I was recently pregnant. The more I got to know her, the more I felt she was perfect for me during this birth journey of mine! She is kind, patient, smart, nurturing, thoughtful, and so much more! She has deepened my knowledge of kundalini yoga, meditating and chanting. I feel so fortunate to have found Julie, she is truly an angel. I recommend her to everyone who is pregnant or wants to get pregnant. I am so happy that she has added hypnobabies to her doula services, I find it to be quite helpful. I want to scream from the mountain top to spread the word of what a gift Julie is, but in the same breath I want to keep her all to myself, she's that wonderful! If you're looking for any of the aforementioned services, look no more, Julie is the one!

My husband and I took Amanda's hypnobirthing class and are so glad we did! First of all, it's so…read moremuch more than just hypnobirthing. We learned so much about the birthing process as a whole and left feeling informed, empowered and ready for birth. Amanda is someone who very obviously loves her job and it shows in the enthusiasm she brings to each class and the personal connections she makes with everyone she works with. She takes time to answer any and all questions which made for a very comfortable and welcoming class environment. We loved every minute of this class and would highly recommend it to anyone seeking a natural or low intervention birth.

Very kind, chill and knowledgeable instructor! Was a perfect place to get BLS certified.read more

I switched to Boulder Nurse Midwives after becoming aggravated with the OB practice I was seeing at…read morethe time. I had an all natural birth with my first son, so I figured why not give it a shot w/ midwives? I was anxious about switching to something unknown to me, but from the very first visit I felt welcomed and at ease. I knew immediately that I would switch. I love all the midwives here, every single one of them. They always made me feel very welcome and calm. They were always reassuring and helpful with answering all of my questions and worries. When I was full term and got closer to 40 weeks I requested cervix checks, which they don't normally do, (and I agree they don't tell you much- but I was curious!), and they didn't question me about it or make me think I should do otherwise, just agreed to do them for me. They also discussed the use of Vit K after delivery, and the eye ointment- asking me how I wanted to handle it rather than telling me how it would be done. (We skipped the ointment, no issues). I went into labor very early in the morning and labored in the tub with Shaunti by my side, and then when shifts changed, Angela was there with me. They let me do my own thing, and when my contractions completely went away after hours of active labor and 2 CM dilation later, I was given choices for what I wanted to do. Instead of feeling any pressure to augment or take steps to make labor start again, it was left totally up to me. We decided my mind was a little stressed out and I was over-thinking everything, and wanted to go home to try to relax a bit and see if labor picked back up again. My water broke the very next morning after a night of on and off contractions, and I was greeted again by Shaunti. I was straight into transition with constant no-break contractions and everyone was very reassuring to me and helpful. I was ready to push within about an hour or maybe less of arriving, and I was allowed to do so without any annoying counting or direction. Shaunti suggested a way that might be quicker so I followed her direction and everyone was amazing. Every time my eyes searched the room for help I was greeted with her looking back into mine, reassuring me that I could do it. My son ended up being very big for my frame (9.7, my first son was 6.13), and his shoulder got stuck. We dealt with a shoulder dystocia for 2 minutes, which was very, very scary for all of us but she handled it wonderfully and called for back-up as soon as she felt that it was needed. I was crying and got a huge hug afterward and lots of help and kind words from everyone. I just finished my 6 week postpartum visit, and she was there for me once again, reassuring me as I talked to her about PPD. I just can't recommend Boulder Nurse Midwives enough. No regrets whatsoever about switching to them halfway through my pregnancy. I am so thankful for the love and support I have gotten from them all.

My first daughter was delivered by an OB and although I delivered her naturally, with my second…read moredaughter, I was determined to have a different experience. I chose Boulder Nurse Midwives and couldn't be happier with the care I received from beginning to end. The midwives are all friendly, knowledgeable, caring, and excellent listeners. Each visit, I felt like the midwives took as much time as I needed to provide my care and answer my questions. Although I saw four different midwives over the course of my pregnancy, the care was comprehensive and consistent. My file was always complete and the midwife came into my appointment prepared and attentive; we didn't have to spend time reviewing information that I had already shared. I felt cared for by and completely trusted each of the midwives; in the end, it would not have mattered to me who delivered me. The midwives were also very reassuring and supportive. My daughter was large and I was two weeks late, but there was no pressure for me to induce early or to consider intervention due to her size. If anything, the midwives were far more relaxed than I was! During my delivery, my midwife worked with me and let me take the lead in terms of how my delivery progressed. She provided support and suggestions but allowed me to express what I needed. When my labor stopped progressing, she gave excellent help to move things along, and when I decided I needed medication to take the edge off of the pain, it was given to me without judgment. My after care was also excellent. The midwife focused on my recovery and spent plenty of time with me reviewing how I was adjusting both physically and emotionally to my new arrival. I would recommend Boulder Nurse Midwives to anyone looking for a more holistic birth experience who still want the protection of a hospital delivery.