Tiffany was a LIFE SAVER!!! She is hands down the best lactation consultant that helped me…read more Previously, I took advice from another LC that resulted in severe pain for 3 weeks. I went to my Obgyn twice to address my pain and they couldn't figure it out. I was so desperate to relieve my pain, my milk supply dropped drastically and I was about to give up on nursing/pumping. I was referred to Tiffany by a friend and she immediately identified the issue. She gave me a detailed specified plan and my symptoms were gone in 3 days. She is seriously the most wonderful, knowledgeable, helpful, responsive, and positive LC. I am so thankful for her help. She saved me. I cannot recommend her enough. Other LCs out there have outdated knowledge or don't care as much as Tiffany. She is truly the BEST in her field.

Tiffany is amazing! She helped me and my baby with our feeding/nursing journey when I felt like no…read moreone was providing any answers and I was so stressed out as a first time mom. As an OT, I sought out Tiffany after learning that she is a lactation consultant and a speech therapist because I wasn't sure if my son was having issues latching and if his mild tongue tie was limiting him from using a bottle when I was preparing to go back to work. She went above and beyond in answering all my questions and concerns, and even took time outside of working hours in sharing her thoughts and suggestions. It was the first time that I felt seen regarding my son's feeling problems and drop in weight. There truly isn't anyone else that can provide a comprehensive service during the first year of a child's feeding/nursing life like Tiffany can. And even though I had to pay out of pocket since my insurance didn't cover her services (which was worth every penny btw), she was able to walk me through the steps to help us transition my son's feeding service to miller's outpatient so I would be in network. I honestly can not rave enough about Tiffany because she truly is great at what she does.

Taba was an amazing doula and care provider for me and my husband during the pregnancy and birth of…read moreour second son. She was so generous with her time and knowledge, answering the phone at basically all hours and providing grounded, thoughtful advice throughout the process. She came over to our house several times and checked in often during my third trimester to make sure I was doing well, which I really appreciated. During the actual delivery she was an angel - she advocated for me with the nurses etc (but never in a demanding way), she absolutely changed my whole birth experience with her expert physical help and emotional support, and she even made the hospital room smell so good that multiple people commented on it :) Taba helped two of my friends give birth and they recommended her to me. I would recommend Taba as a doula to anyone else without hesitation.

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!

You give birth once and unfortunately I had a very bad experience with Lorraine. I would not…read morerecommend it to anyone. She definitely a good marketing person of herself and she did not keep that up during the birth for me. Please think twice before you hire her. I did hire her because she has experience but sometimes it's about the excitement. She is done. She is doing it just for money and she is not even doing it right.

I always thought I would try a natural birth but I really started to do alot of research once I…read morefound out I was pregnant. So many times my friends were going to go "natural" but in the end they would give into the almighty needle. So I did a ton of research and I came to the conclusion that I was going to educate myself as much as I could and that I would hire a doula. My husband was very skeptical... His entire family laughed when I said I was going to try a natural birth. Their exact words "Why would you ever choose that?!!" So I dragged my reluctant husband to our 6 week Hypnobabies course. By the 3rd week he was fully on the natural train! He told me "I really think you can do this!" The class was great and I really loved how we bonded with the other couples!! Lorraine was our doula also and it was a great experience. From our interview to when our sweet baby girl came Lorraine was at our disposal. She kept me calm and focused during my birthing time/labor and at the end I faced some complications... Lorraine gave me the lowdown on what was going on and let me know that it was crunch time! Looking back it really was the perfect pep talk... I pushed the baby out in 3 contractions!! And believe it or not I was up and walking around 30 mins later! My husband looked more jacked up than I did, lol. I had such a positive experience with Lorraine on top of a great birthing experience. I would do everything all over again in a heartbeat!

This review is specific to Bumps amd Bagels event. While the seminar offered useful information, it…read moreseemed to be geared primarily toward first-time moms. After the sessions, participants were grouped by due date, and every mom in my group was a first-time parent. Rather than feeling welcomed, I found myself standing outside the circle while the others talked and shared their experiences. I felt excluded and never truly included in the group discussion, so I left early. During the Q&A, I attempted to ask a question, but the speaker talked over me before I could finish, which made me feel dismissed. Overall, I left feeling that the experience was not very welcoming or inclusive for moms whose experiences differed from the majority of the group. I would recommend that second-time moms interested in New Mom School services skip the Bumps & Bagels event and book directly, keeping in mind you won't receive the $50 discount, or consider seeking group support elsewhere. Alternatively, I encourage New Mom School to consider offering a Bumps & Bagels event specifically for second-time (or experienced) moms. Having a space where parents with similar experiences can connect and share would make an introduction to the program feel much more inclusive and valuable for families beyond their first pregnancy.

Having been a newport NMS alumni for the newborn, infant and rising toddler classes, I was hesitant…read moreto sign up at the new los Al studio for the second time moms class. Since the studio is so close and this was an opportunity to extend my new mom network, I pre-registered for the second time mom class while I was pregnant. I was assigned to a class with Julie as the instructor whom I just adored from the moment I met her. She was such a warm smiling presence to come to for 8 consecutive weeks. The topics spanned different things like pelvic floor, infant PT, 2 different mental health therapists, a parent coach to help with the transition from 1 to 2. We had a small group of 7 moms and were able to meet up a couple times during our class series. I enjoyed my experience at the los Al location and the parking was certainly much less stressful than in newport. Iykyk.

Wanted to provide an additional update since it's been about 3 months. On October 27,2025 I…read morerequested a receipt for the "services" and Marisol agreed. Till this day I have not received any sort of receipt for the "services" provided. Adding to my feelings of being ignored, since she got what she wanted the payment of $2,800 dollars.

This review truly breaks my heart to write. When I get pregnant with my second child and I…read morecontacted Marisol right away to book her as my Doula. I was so excited to finally meet her in person and I signed the contract right away. I immediately sent over my deposit and I requested that she provide me with a receipt for the deposit . The fact that she was initially declining my request for a receipt because she wanted to wait until after the baby was born was probably the first sign that trouble was coming. I went back-and-forth with her and asked to get my receipt for the money that I had already paid so that I could use that receipt for a reimbursement with my flexible spending account. She still refused to give me the receipt so I reached out to my flexible spending company and asked them if I had to wait for the baby to be born in order to be reimbursed and they said no. Finally, Marisol agreed to give me a receipt for my deposit. I found this quite odd since people generally get a receipt when money exchanges hands. My husband and I meet with Marisol around 36 weeks to go over the birth plan. I tell her that my plan is to have her help me labor at home as much as possible since I wanted to reduce the likelihood of medical interventions. I also asked they she capture some photos for us. Marisol explained that we should not contact her right away if labor starts in the middle of the night, only call when ready. She kept stressing this point and even emailed me a document that says to only call when we are ready for her to come. A couple of weeks later I go into labor late one night. My labor progressed quickly and we called Marisol when we wanted her to come over, no answer. I then texted her. A short time later I told her we were headed to the hospital. Labor pains got so intense that I was not able to monitor my phone so my husband and Marisol were texting. Labor pains were so intense so I requested an epidural at the hospital. Once Marisol got this information , she assumed she had more time. I guess she didn't take into account that that epidural was not completed. Long story short, she didn't make her way to the hospital until after the kid was born. Per her contract, she had 90 minutes to get to me. My labor was quick but she had a 3 hour heads up. I was actually disappointed that she came to the hospital because now it feels like a random acquaintance just showed up for one of the biggest days of your life and now you have to entertain them. She stayed with us until we got transferred to our postpartum room. At this point, Marisol was not a part of my birth story at all and I was angry. A couple days later I immediately requested a partial refund. She denied my request saying she was "available." Instead she offered me one additional 3 hour postpartum visit. I didn't accept that and said we could discuss this matter when she did her postpartum visit. During the visit, Marisol said she could tell that I "felt some type of way" and she asked me to share my feelings. I told her I felt cheated, I'm out a lot of money and she didn't have to do anything. It was her choice to not come to me right away, I followed all of her instructions. Marisol then told me she was actually on her way to me but she needed time to shower, clean her doula supplies and pack her doula bag. Once she heard about the epidural, she returned home to pack snacks. This information infuriated me....she missed my birth for this?!?! This is an area where you don't get a do over. I would imagine that with the nature of this job you would always have your supplies clean and ready. She ended up offering me 12 postpartum hours. I told her that was not what I wanted since I didn't want to think of things for her to help me with. In plus, it's easy to get help during the day. I ended up requesting my money back and threatening legal action since she breached her own contract. In the end she agreed to return 1/2 of my money ($1400) and I was able to avoid legal action. (I didn't mind taking legal action, this was an open and shut case according to the guidance I received). I'd say she still came out ahead, $1400 for 2 short visits to my house and a short 45 minute visit to the hospital after my kid was born. I am beyond bummed about this experience. So yes, I still "feel some type of way!" I'm not sure how you could say you were available yet you missed the birth. And I still can't comprehend the rationale. I'm so confused.

Pam is an incredible doula. She is knowledgeable, peaceful, caring, thoughtful, patient, and kind…read more She was the perfect doula for my unmedicated hospital birth. I was nervous about all the potential interventions that would be pushed on me so I needed someone who would help me achieve this goal. She did a phenomenal job supporting and encouraging my wishes. When the hospital pushed for one intervention, she was quick to give me research that helped me make my own decision--which happened to be contrary to the hospital policy. Her presence helped me feel confident about the decisions I made, and without her I would have caved into many things and looked back with regret. Even though the birth didn't go as I hoped-- I was in labor for 3 days and ended up taking the epidural and pitosin, I'm confident that without her I would've ended up getting a c section. Instead, I was able to deliver my baby vaginally which was a huge blessing. She supported me by providing research relevant to the circumstances I faced, teaching my husband and I what exercises we could be doing to help me cope with labor, applying acupressure, and bringing candles and lights to our labor. On top of all the things that she did for us, Pam is a really nice person to get to know. I'm grateful for her, and she holds a special place in my heart. She's probably the best doula in Los Angeles and I'm happy I was able to find a Christian doula.

I am SO thankful that God guided us to Pam! I started looking for a doula in my first trimester,…read morewhen I began considering an unmedicated hospital birth. I was overwhelmed with trying to find the right doula who served our area while dealing with terrible nausea. But when I saw Pam's website, I knew she was the one! As a Christian, having a faith-filled, God-centered birth was very important to me. And Pam definitely brought that (and more) to the table. At around 20 weeks pregnant, I was told I had a complete placenta previa. My dreams of an unmedicated and uncomplicated birth were shattered. But Pam was so encouraging and helped me to stay positive. She even prayed with me over the phone before my follow-up ultrasound. I'm thankful that we started working with Pam earlier in my pregnancy, because she was so helpful throughout it all. She always made herself available for a phone call or any questions I had. She also has so much knowledge and gave me many resources such as books to borrow, websites, and even recommendations for childbirth classes. Now for the birth! Thankfully, my placenta previa resolved, so I planned for an unmedicated hospital birth. Pam met us at the hospital, and her presence was so calming and comforting. She made sure to communicate my wishes to hospital staff and even took precious pictures throughout labor and delivery. After birth, she busted out some delicious home made soup that was much needed. Anyway, I'm just blabbing now. But I would 100% recommend Pam!! Her calm presence and wealth of knowledge and resources made my pregnancy and delivery cherished memories. Thank you, Pam!!

Looma Birth connected us with an amazing night doula. We finally got to sleep during the newborn…read moremonths! Elizabeth took the time to hear our needs and helped make the process of finding the right doula for our family so much easier. Highly recommend Looma Birth!

Wanted to update this after our third class, following empowered hospital labor we took the…read morebreastfeeding and postpartum class led by Brittany and then Emma. I cannot recommend these 3 classes enough, all the instructors were incredibly kind, empathetic and used both data/ research and their own experiences in the classes. It made me feel so much better about the future. I highly recommend these classes - knowledge is power!! You and your partner will feel so much better.

Everyone wants what is best for their baby and nursing is something that most parents desire for…read morehealth and emotional bonding reasons. Sadly, it doesn't always come naturally and learning how to do it can cause a lot of feelings of inadequacy and frustration for a first time mom. After being removed to the hospital from our birthing center and a 37 hour labor, I was exhausted and shaken up to say the least. My experience with the lactation consultant at Hoag did not make this any better, as she told me my baby didn't latch and that I would likely need to use formula. This both scared me and broke my heart. So, my husband started seeking out a lactation consultant on Google and fate led us to Reka - thank God!!!!! Reka was at our home the same day. When we welcomed her in, I felt completely comfortable with her. She was so professional and warm and seemed to be confident that we would be able to get on track with nursing. She was right! Unfortunately, my milk didn't come in fast enough to keep my baby satisfied right away and we had some rough days and nights for the first three days. Reka was by our side every singe step of the way making sure that my baby was fine and that we were doing everything we could to ensure that my milk would come in shortly. Reka went above and beyond for us. When my pump seemed to be spilling milk from the bottom of the flange, Reka sought out new flanges and even borrowed a pump from her friends collection to see if that would help. She got us a bag of lactation tea from an herbalist friend of hers and dropped these things off to our home! She was available by text and was always super responsive when we ran into nursing issues. On day 4, my milk came in. Because Reka had already showed me and my baby how to master positioning and latch, my baby nursed like a pro right away! It honestly felt like we had never had a problem with nursing at all. If you are having any nursing issues at all, Reka is the answer!!! I highly recommend her. She is a true professional who has so much wisdom, love and compassion. Thank you Reka!! I am so grateful that we can have a healthy, breast fed baby!!!

Pretty annoyed that I requested an appt through their website twice. The first one cancelled the…read moreday before & the second request I put in, no one showed up, called to confirm/deny. Waste of time scheduling through their website & awful communication. Don't recommend especially if you are in quick need of help!