Aligned and loved!…read more Today I had the honor of receiving a beautiful massage by Raven. I was greeted by her at the front, she allowed me to pick the music (I really am not that picky) but I needed to hear a certain sound, music can either help me release or tense up. She did a somatic release and pressure points exactly where there was tension. I was in pain and she helped me, definitely need to schedule another session. Thank you Raven for making my first experience with you glorious.

First time seeing Raven, and it was amazing. I went for a prenatal massage and it was life…read morechanging. She is very welcoming and the environment is so calming.

I am so incredibly thankful for Haylee and the support she gave me during my birth. She is a…read moreChristian doula, and that made all the difference for me. She prayed with me, encouraged me through every stage of labor, and helped keep my birth centered around Christ. It was the small, intentional things she did that made all the difference. She made me feel safe, calm, and cared for every step of the way. Wherever I went, she made sure the music followed, creating an atmosphere that I could relax in. With a home birth, you really need all the support you can get, and I genuinely could not have done this without Haylee. I highly, highly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula who is both deeply supportive and faith-centered.

Having a doula was by far the best investment I made during my pregnancy. Haylee is truly…read moreincredible. I highly recommend her to all pregnant women--especially first-time moms. She is knowledgeable, comforting, and overall amazing at what she does. She carries such a peaceful, Godly presence, and you can truly feel it in the hospital room. Having her by my side while giving birth to my baby made all the difference. She helped my husband and me get through a very long night with so much encouragement and reassurance--exactly what we needed in those moments. There is honestly so much I could say about her. There wasn't a single thing that turned me off--she was absolutely the best. Even now, she still answers postpartum questions I have to this day. Thank you, Haylee, for turning what felt so scary and overwhelming into something so beautiful and unforgettable.

Emily is the most sincere, kind, and professional child birth educator a woman could ever have. She…read moreis very passionate about what she does and has a ton of experience (not to mention helped others get the experience they need) as a doula. Her class was phenomenal! I have been to multiple child birth classes throughout the area, none of them compare to her course. She took the extra time to practice positions, answer questions, and empower the labor teams. Would take it over and over again and will definitely recommend to friends and family.

Emily is seriously amazing. I had my first child in July and wanted a natural birth. I honestly…read morebelieve I was able to do it because of her. My husband was great :) , but because we had several meetings, discussions, etc about our birth plan with her I felt as prepared as a new mom can be prior to delivering our son. She's incredibly kind and it was also so nice to have someone there, during such an important life stage, that shared our same values. I've recommended her to a friend and will continue to do so! Perhaps I will see her again with baby #2 :)

Nikki is a force to be reckoned with... educated, kind, loving. She will advocate for you, your…read morebirth, your family. Because of her, I can say that I was given the dignity to labor/birth the way I wanted/needed, I can say that I was surrounded with love and LAUGHTER, and I am changed forever by the energy exchange. It is an honor to know Nikki, we love her so much!

When I first met Nikki, I just knew that I had met the doula for me. There were many reasons such…read moreas she changed up the language of labor and birth. She told me that instead of calling it a contraction, that she calls it a wave and instead of transition, transformation. I had never heard some of these terms used in the birth world. I never experienced it with my first birth so it made a huge difference for me. It was like she knew what I wanted and needed before I could put into words. Nikki was all about changing your mindset about how you viewed birth. I also talked to her about my previous birth and that I wanted to try for a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean). It was important that I had a supportive birth team. Once I told her my desire, she was on board and started to encourage me. I remember her telling me that "you're going to get it!". It was moments like this that made the difference and I knew in my heart that she was the doula for me. Guess what? She was right. I got my VBAC! I couldn't have done it without her love and support. She made me feel safe and I had just met her. She just has a calming presence about her that was infectious. It was important for me that my husband and her had a connection. They did. She read him and made a joke with him. She made us both feel comfortable. I have no family here in Bakersfield so hiring a doula was necessary because my husband wanted me to have support in case my mom couldn't make it down in time to watch our son. We shared this at our consultation with Nikki and she said that she would stay with me at the hospital if I was transferred if it ended in a cesarean. Thankfully, none of that happened but it meant the world to me that she offered to be by my side regardless. She even offered some really cool ideas if I did have to have a cesarean. She outdid herself. She exceeded every expectation I had of her. She was there for me when fears started to creep in. She always knew the right thing to say. She truly has a heart and passion for what she does. She does everything in EXCELLENCE!! She became more than just my doula, she became family. So, what are you waiting for? Book your consultation. Hire her as your doula! You will not be disappointed! She will be more than what you thought you needed. She was truly a God send and I am truly thankful for you. I had a redemptive birth and I know that it was because I had THE BEST BIRTH TEAM. Thank you, Nikki! May God continue to Bless you in all you do!

When having a baby, you want to give your child the best. That starts before birth. I decided to…read morehave as natural birth as possible and Katie was always there for me and my husband. She always answered our questions, big or small, and it never mattered the time of day. The childbirth education she provided me was very helpful, too, as this was my first baby. Katie went with me to my prenatal appointments and came to my home when I started contracting. Once at the hospital, Katie was very patient with me and was so loving. I honestly felt like I was her only client. My husband was also so very happy with her, too, as she made him very comfortable and put him at ease. If you're going to use a doula, make Katie your number one choice!!! You won't be sorry and you'll have a better birth experience!!!

From the owner: Baby Bumble Bee offers birth and postpartum doula services, childbirth education, acupressure for…read morepregnancy and birth, and breastfeeding assistance.

My husband and I recently attended Stacie's childbirth education class. As a birth doula myself, I…read moreknow the importance of being educated and informed going into labor. Her class was so helpful for my husband and I to attend together! Especially for him not knowing a lot about birth, he learned so much from Stacie's hands on activities! And he was an even better supporter and birth partner during my labor because of it. Stacie is kind, sincere and very knowledgeable about all things labor and birth! I would highly recommend any expecting parents take her classes!

Stacie's class was hands down the most helpful, all-inclusive resource I had in preparing for the…read morebirth of my daughter. I took the class with my mom and best friend, who were attending the birth as well. It was the best decision I made, since it not only prepared me more for the experience of labor and delivery, it prepared my mom and best friend in such a way that they felt confident and comfortable stepping in to help during labor. Stacie's class gave my mom confidence to be a huge source of physical and emotional support for me, knowing how to encourage me and when to stay quiet. Because of this class, my best friend also now knew what to expect and was able to document the birth and to run and get things as we needed them. The most helpful part of the class for me as a laboring mom was the visuals of dilation and the stages and phases of labor. Visualizing where I was and how far I had left to go kept me encouraged along the way, realizing the longest and perhaps hardest part of labor was "getting that cervix out of the way" and knowing that once that was done, my daughter was not far away. Partly because of Stacie's class, I can say the birth of my daughter was done naturally, and is a beautiful memory I will look back on my entire life. I am incredibly grateful for having taken Stacie's class, and would recommend it to anyone (considering natural birth or not) in a heartbeat. We learned so much, and were ready and prepared for the biggest, most difficult, most rewarding day of my life.

When I got pregnant with my second baby, my doula recommended Justine. She had seen how Justine…read morehandled several tricky birth situations and felt confident that I would be in good hands. It didn't take me long to realize that she was 100% right. Not only is Justine kind and warm, but she continually educates herself with the newest research so that she can best serve the mothers and babies she works with. It was easy to go to appointments and bring my 5 year old son. The care, before and after baby, is next level:) Baby was sunny side up and I got very uncomfortable because her head was on my spine. So at 39 weeks, I asked Justine about natural induction techniques. We did a membrane sweep, then later that same day, I had Accupuncture and acupressure massage. My contractions started almost immediately when I left the appointment. Labor came on hard and fast, very differently than my first baby. At the birth center, Justine gave me the space to listen to my body. However, after a few very intense hours, nothing seemed to be moving the needle. I could feel myself running out of steam. I told her I needed to try something else, so she got me on the peanut ball. That did the trick - baby came out finally. Birth is just intense, in the hospital or out. In my situation, I surely would have had been made to have a c-section at the hospital. Justine's expertise allowed me to have the birth I wanted- and then go home and get in my own bed! I trust her completely and would definitely recommend her to anyone wanting to have an out of hospital birth.

I just had a baby at Bakersfield Birth Center with Justine (and her assistant Bri) and had the most…read morewonderful experience! I want to start by saying that Justine is highly gifted at what she does and puts her heart and soul into her work. It's very obvious that it's much more than work to her, midwifery is her calling and passion. Justine came highly recommended to me by many friends and acquaintances in my community who had wonderful experiences with her also. My first baby was born in a hospital and I had a less-than-ideal experience. When I got pregnant with my second baby, I knew I wanted to go a more natural route. From the moment I met Justine at my first prenatal care appointment, she was kind, professional and knowledgeable. She always answered all my questions with patience and care. Unlike my OB in my first pregnancy, Justine cared deeply about my nutrition, supplement intake, blood sugar levels, etc. My prenatal care was specialized to me. I (and my baby) wasn't just a number to her, she cared for us and our well-being throughout my pregnancy. My prenatal appointments were done in the comfort of my home and my toddler was always welcome to be there when I didn't have a babysitter. When I went into labor, I called Justine at 5am and she answered immediately. She was calm but attentive. We met at the birth center a few hours later. Her birth center is AMAZING! It is beautiful and has the most inviting atmosphere. Laboring at the birth center was such a more pleasant experience than laboring in the hospital. At the hospital with my first birth I was hooked up to an IV, fetal monitoring system, blood pressure cuff, etc. the entire time. I was restricted from moving around, eating and drinking, even without an epidural. At the birth center, I was free to move around, eat, drink, listen to music, get in and out of the shower/ tub. Justine monitored the baby intermittently as needed. My husband was comfortable and free to support me without judgement of what that looked like for us. This freedom made my contractions so much more manageable. Justine and her assistant/ student Bri were kind, helpful and patient the entire time. They are so selfless. They cleaned up after me, got me whatever I wanted/ needed, supported me through contractions, and encouraged me to listen to my body and do what my instincts led me to do. When it was time to deliver, Justine allowed me to do what felt right instead of telling me to push in a certain position at a certain time like the hospital did. My daughter had shoulder dystocia and got stuck at the shoulders (which also happened at the hospital with my first son). The doctor who delivered my son took extreme, invasive measures to get him out, which caused me extreme trauma and pain postpartum. Unlike that doctor, when Justine saw that I needed assistance getting my daughter out, she simply had me change positions and she used her experience and skill to help me deliver my baby, leaving me without even a tear. After my daughter was born, she spent 2 hours breastfeeding and doing skin to skin with me. My husband and I marveled at the gift of our new baby girl, and Justine and Bri joined in in giving their compliments of her cuteness! Then Bri performed her newborn exam while my husband and I ate some lunch. We went over postpartum care for me and the baby. Then I took a shower and we were on our way home a few hours after our daughter was born. We didn't even have to be away from our son overnight, whereas we were forced to stay in the hospital 3 days when he was born (even though he had no complications). Justine came to our house the day after the birth for my first postpartum appointment to check on me and the baby. Justine is highly skilled in what she does, but also passionate and caring about her patients. If you are considering a midwife for your birth, I highly recommend Justine and the Bakersfield Birth Center! P.S. Justine and Bri took the most beautiful, special pictures for us throughout my labor and birth.

This pregnancy was my first and I found out quickly I had very little education on pregnancy or…read morelabor. Yes, there are books and resources but trying to force myself to utilize those while dealing with pregnancy fatigue, working a full job, etc. It's a lot. My husband and I decided to go the route of a midwife/birthing center birth. Additionally, we hired an AMAZING doula, Bre Striff owner of Wild Heart Births , for both pregnancy/labor and postpartum support. The classes she provided were EXTREMELY beneficial in both the pregnancy and labor, especially the information pertaining to hormones and positioning of baby (at least for us). My birthing team was very hands on, especially Bre. She had me changing positions often to ensure baby was getting into position and to relieve discomfort I was feeling. By 5AM, we were at 4-1-1 and contacted our midwife; it was going to take her about 2 hours to get to us. At 7AM, we were in the birthing center and measuring at 3cm. As discouraging as this was (labor hurts. Period.) Bre ensured we stayed positive and kept changing positions to encourage our bebe to continue to get engaged and drop. By 8:45, I was starting to bear down. My midwife checked me and said baby was coming soon. I used the peanut ball and physical support from my birthing team, pushed 3 times and baby was out at 9:44. I had two minor tears that didn't not require stitches. The recovery process has been a lot faster than I thought it would be. Still not 100% and of course sleep deprived while we figure out how to be parents but the support we have from our family and the postpartum care I am receiving from Bre has made the transition so much easier than I anticipated. Although there were a few hiccups in our plans, the most important part was that our little girl and I made it through this birth healthy. Bre was the main reason we got from 3cm to birth in 2 1/2 hours. i recognize not everyone has this option and this option might not work for everyone but I highly highly recommend Bre and her services - I trust her completely.

Because of Bre at Wild Heart Births, I was able to have my dream labor and delivery, with maximum…read moresupport and fears crushed. After having a successful V-BAC, which I wasn't sure I could do, I am now convinced anyone can do this with the help of a Doula, and the type of unlimited and unwavering support that Bre offered me. I would highly recommend her services, especially as someone who was skeptical that Doula services were going to add to my pregnancy and postpartum experience in the exceptional way that they have. 10/10.