Jill was truly incredible throughout my entire journey as my doula-- from pregnancy to labor and…read moreeven into postpartum. She brought such a deep sense of peace, confidence, and calm during a time that can feel so overwhelming. Her steady presence, encouragement, and knowledge made me feel safe, supported, and empowered every step of the way. I genuinely cannot imagine my experience without her by our side. If you're looking for a doula who will advocate for you, nurture you, and bring such grounding energy into your birth space, Jill is the one. And as a huge bonus for military families, she accepts Tricare, which makes her support even more accessible. I'm forever grateful for her.

Amazing doula services and classes. Excellent communication and responsiveness. Allowed me to have…read morea successful vbac:)

In general, I would not recommend this class to expecting parents who are not already affiliated…read morewith the church group that puts it on. The instructors seem very nice and likeable, and I don't mean to attack them personally, but the class is a major time commitment, and I feel compelled to share some of my concerns. First, the positives. The instructors are charismatic, and the pastor who leads it has a wonderful speaking voice. I honestly think she'd be fun to hang out with. The class includes useful instruction regarding techniques for labor, massage, writing a birth plan, etc. A lot of the stuff you're there for is somewhere in the class, so if you are willing to sit through it, you may get a lot of the information you came for in terms of feeling more prepared for your actual birth. Next, my concerns. (1) This class has a moderate to strong ideological tone and slant, especially re vaccines. You might be thinking, "well what did you expect from a free class from a group called Birth Believers?" It was honestly a bit more concerning than I had expected. A recurring theme of the class is: "your doctor is going to tell you X, but you shouldn't trust them, and in fact, you should probably do Y or even Z." The instructors will present this as them just providing you with information, but the presentation is not value neutral. You are meant to come away feeling suspicious of doctors and hospitals and favoring "natural" methods. For instance, they'll show you a 25-30 year old graphic video of how babies are traumatized during hospital births and contrast it with a video of an uncomplicated natural birth. Our experience with this was that it just contributed to our stress. One could say that this class presents a lot of their information using scare tactics and negativity. The most alarming example of this was their section on whether pregnant mothers should receive the COVID vaccine. This came up twice - in the first and fourth sessions. In the first session, the message was essentially, "there's no way to really know whether it's safe." I thought this was beyond the instructor's expertise, but I didn't really have a problem with the way she presented it. But in the fourth session, the pastor brought up the CDC's most recent guidance (that pregnant women should get the COVID vaccine) and although she faithfully conveyed the CDC's recommendation, she immediately undermined it by (in my opinion) grossly misrepresenting the study that underpinned the guidance. Audience members were reacting with outrage toward the CDC based on her representation of the data. This was infuriating and, frankly, irresponsible. It's one thing to say "we don't know," but this time, she may have been presenting data incorrectly and strongly implying that we should draw certain conclusions about the impact of the vaccine on rates of miscarriage and other events. The conclusions she was pointing to were, in my opinion, not at all supported by the data. I say irresponsible because a pastor has positioned themselves in a role of power and trust relative to students and congregants, and I suspect there are people who may not get vaccinated now because their view on vaccines is downstream of their decision to trust this pastor who has no expertise in that area. My broader point is that the instructors have an ideological agenda that goes beyond birthing and it gets in the way of what the class is supposed to be about. (2) This class is very long and does not use time efficiently. There are lots and lots of product recommendations and anecdotes in each session, and I am convinced that each session could have been 1/3 as long if it were tightened up. One of the teachers, who is very nice, told the birth story for each of her six kids. They were all very different, they were all interesting, but they were not useful to tired, working pregnant people on a Monday night at 8:30pm. Conclusion: If you're a secular person planning for a hospital birth, this class is probably not for you. This is a religious organization with an agenda beyond the nuts and bolts of birthing, and your time may be better spent with a paid class put on by the hospital where you're planning to give birth or some other organization in line with your values. If you're a religious person familiar with the ideology of this church, you may feel very comfortable in this space and this class. I would encourage you to consider alternative viewpoints regarding matters that seem beyond the instructors' expertise.

Birth Believers is a group that provides Childbirth Education, Doula Services, and Placenta…read moreEncapsulation. I don't know if you follow me / are friends with me on Yelp, or if you are just happening to see this review through looking up Birth Believers...either way, I want to make this clear: Never, in all of my years yelping, being Yelp Elite, and writing reviews, have I ever felt THIS strongly about a review, and about a recommendation. I 100% recommend this doula service. Every single fiber of my being is me telling you: Hire a doula from Birth Believers. Let's start off with some backstory: When I first became pregnant, one of my friends told that me that her biggest regret was NOT having a doula. I honestly thought she was crazy, or just had an unsupportive partner. "Well," I thought to myself, "MY husband is wonderful, and he will help me. We don't need to pay extra money on top of all these other new kid expenses!" I was just silly. Sigh. As I researched and learned more and more about the birth I wanted to have (medication free, natural, hypnobirthing) I kept seeing a theme--many women in my mom groups had traumatic birth experiences because of the medical professionals and interventions that they were forced to have. So many women in my groups were sharing horror stories, sharing success stories, and giving advice, and a resounding suggestion was--HIRE A DOULA. As I got closer and closer to my due date, I started really wanting a doula. Enter Yelp. Yelp offered us tickets to the Baby Expo, and my husband and I jumped at the chance to go! We wanted to get ideas, get more information, and just be more prepared. As we were walking the stalls of vendors and services, a friendly lady with a black Birth Believers shirt stopped me and asked if I wanted a foot massage. I sat and was quickly introduced to Melani. To make a long story short, we chatted, she massaged, and we really connected. We discussed birth, and what my plans for birth were. She encouraged me to enter the drawing for a free doula, which would be her (Melani), as well as enter the drawing for placenta encapsulation, to be done by Mari. After meeting Melani of Birth Believers, having great discussions, and thinking deeply about what we wanted for the birth of our firstborn, my husband and I decided to start saving up and budgeting to hire her. It is a professional service, so there is a cost to it--but the cost is definitely worthwhile. (We had originally wanted to get a doula and placenta encapsulation, but decided that we couldn't budget for both.) However, the same day that we made our decision, that night I received a text from Melani, informing me that I'd won the Baby Expo doula drawing, and that I'd be receiving doula services from Melani for free! She jumped right in to help me--she also invited me to church, and to meet after. We discussed expectations for the birth, and ways that I could make things smoother for myself (good stretches, nutrition, etc.) Throughout the weeks leading up to my birth, we met multiple times, she came by my house, went walking with me, and was always accessible. If I had a question about doctor's visits, nutrition, or pregnancy pains, she was always a text away. Melani was EXTREMELY accessible, and it made me feel so comforted to have someone I could ask questions to whenever I needed. She helped to review my birth plan, and made sure I knew what to expect in so many different ways. She was always there to give me advice, help, and to calm my fears. During labor, she helped beyond belief. She applied pressure through my contractions (which feels amazing, and is worth hiring her just for that!), talked me through labor, and encouraged me. I was a little worried that having her there would make my husband feel uninvolved, but he 100% was part of the birth process--and he LOVED HER! He agrees that she is worth her weight in gold-he has been telling all of his friends and family how she helped him to feel more comfortable, to know what to do to help me (she taught him hip squeezes and other techniques), and how having her there really made him feel more confident through the birth process, as a first time father. Melani really helped me before birth, through birth, and after. If you are considering doula services through Birth Believers, I STRONGLY recommend that you choose to do it. We also did the Placenta Encapsulation--I will try to update this review later to reflect what I've experienced with my placenta pills, but so far, I'm impressed! I really wish that I'd known these lovely ladies sooner, so I could have attended their free childbirth education classes. I'll definitely go next time we are expecting! If Melani is any indicator, I bet I'd get more out of these classes than the two sets I paid for through Kaiser. In summary, get a doula. Just get a freaking doula! Birth Believers is just awesome!!! I can't recommend them enough!

For context, my husband and I are expecting our first child this fall. This is my first pregnancy…read moreand because of my rare chronic illnesses, I tend to have medical anxiety due to past experiences with healthcare providers not listening to my concerns/needs and facing the repercussions of that. My ideal birth would be an at-home water birth but due to limited physical space and being higher risk, I am planning to have a hospital birth. Even before my pregnancy, I knew that I wanted to do some kind of hypnobirthing practice. There are lots of resources (online articles, books, videos, etc.) these days that go over the medical aspects of labor and birthing as well as physical preparation, but being someone that is anxiety-prone, especially with unfamiliar medical providers/spaces, I knew that my main goal was to get mentally prepared. A class was ideal because I wanted to get actual practice/feedback (rather than just reading about what to do from a book) and also wanted to learn alongside my husband. He will be my sole birth companion and advocate, and I felt that it was important for us to be on the same page in regards to how we would approach stressors and challenges. Admittedly, my husband was a bit skeptical about "hypnobirthing" before our first class. He thought it would have to do with me being under hypnosis in the sense that I would be "controlled" by someone else. He also didn't want me to get scammed lol, since there are sometimes cases of "new age"/"alternative" practices that end up being scams. However, after attending classes and practicing the exercises, we can both confidently say that we are glad to have taken Vivien's class! After we registered, we received a package in the mail with the class materials. There were some aspects of the book (not written by Vivien) that came across to me as a little fear-mongery and against hospital births but Vivien does a wonderful job in her classes at emphasizing the benefits/uses of hypnobirthing for all types of birth experiences, whether you are planning for a home vs. hospital birth, vaginal vs. C-section birth, spontaneous vs. induced birth, etc. And of course, we can always prepare with visions/plans but things can happen; what's most important is that we feel confident and safe regardless of how the labor/birth actually plays out. The concepts can also be used outside of labor/birth. For example, I was recently struggling with side effects from getting my COVID booster recently. I felt miserable and was having difficulty falling asleep. My husband did some of the exercises that we practiced in class (reminders to do calm breathing, doing light tough massage, reading a relaxation script) and it was really helpful. Vivien's classes are a great mix of presentation slides, watching videos, discussions, and hypnobirthing/breathing exercises. The videos in particular were powerful for me. I realized that up until Vivien's classes I had only heard of labor/birthing horror stories from family/friends (and TV shows/movies!), including that of my own birth when my mom was pregnant with me. Vivien's classes were the first time I had seen/heard examples of such calm, peaceful births and I was grateful to see examples of hospital births too. Of course, you could still tell when the person was experiencing discomfort from a surge, but it was a complete 180 from my previous perceptions/mental images of birth where the person is screaming, red/purple in the face, crying, exhausted, and/or barely coherent. The classes also have specific materials/practices for birthing companions too, so your partner/support person can feel involved and be prepared to be your advocate when the time comes. In regards to logistical things, the location is downtown. Parking is in a private lot but Vivien provides validation. Clear directions and parking instructions are texted ahead of time. There is a clean, private bathroom located in the office so no need to worry about bathroom breaks :) I would definitely recommend Vivien's hypnobirthing classes to expecting parents!

Hypnobirthing classes with Vivi were just what I needed and were done so well and professionally…read more I'm about 2 weeks out from delivering my second daughter. I did Hypnobirthing with my first, nearly 9 years ago with no pain medication, but felt I could use a refresher. Vivien gave me one-on-one support outside of class, and during group sessions, asked me about my experiences and let me share knowledge with the group as well. We covered everything a birthing parent and their birthing partner need to know to feel ready, and if this were my first time, I would feel equally prepared. I loved the meditation sessions and have been using them to practice these last few weeks. I'm going into this birth feeling excited and enthusiastic, and with no fear whatsoever. If you would like to learn to trust your body, and have a peaceful birth without pain and fear that's nothing like the movies, Vivi is perfect for you. I will recommend her to every expecting parent I know. Thanks so much, Vivi!

I can't say enough wonderful things about Kiersten. She has a servant's heart, a passion for women…read moreand families, and the giftings of so many needed services during the postpartum period. She was so kind and a resource of knowledge to me during my postpartum period. She will be a blessing to all families who invest in themselves by hiring Kiersten.

From the owner: Placenta Encapsulation. Lactation Services. Childbirth Education. Postpartum Doula Serving the…read moreNorth Shore of Oahu, Honolulu, Waikiki, Kapolei, Ewa Beach, Mililani, Wahiawa, Waianae, Kailua, Kaneohe, Queens Medical Center, Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children, Birth Center at Castle Madical Center, Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center, Tripler Army Medical Center & More. Placenta Encapsulation, Lactation Support, Meal Preparation, Belly Binding and Natural Infant Care.

Aloha, let me introduce you to Brianna who has been my postpartum doula since my first child was…read moreborn. I met her for the first time just before I delivered. My husband and I just moved from Colorado at the time. So we didn't have family or friends in Hawaii that can help us after I delivered. So I was a bit nervous about our new life. But ever since I met Brianna for the first time, she has helped, advised and guided me when I needed her. So acctually it was nothing to worry about. She is very kind, knowledgeable, patient, calm, flexible and hard working. My English is not perfect since I'm originally from Japan, but she is very perceptive about the moods of others, so I'm very comfortable with her. That's why I would also recommend her to moms who are from foreign countries. Oh, and she is a yoga teacher too. So sometimes I could get a private yoga lesson in our house. After yoga I got some massages from her. It was so good! She always took great care of our house, child (like her child) and also our dog! So I really appreciate her. Thank you so much, Brianna!!

At first the thought of having a stranger in my room during one of the most intimate and painful…read moretimes in a woman's life seemed odd. The first time my husband and I met her she was so calming, yet eager to get to know us and find out our ideal birth experience. By the time we left our first meeting she no longer felt like a stranger, and I knew that she was the perfect fit for us. She truly loves her job and it shows. In the following weeks she answered all my silly questions about pregnancy, birth and everything in between. She even made the hour drive to my house to show my husband and I some amazing labor positions to use before going to the hospital. When I finally went into active labor I had no idea what I was in for but she was right there with her positive reinforcement and calming attitude to help  relax not only me but my terrified husband. Together as a team, we labored over 24 hours. She did not leave my side once. With essential oils diffusing in the corner Brianna helped me change positions, did counter pressure for hours, made sure I was eating and drinking and  being the most effect during my labor.  My birth did not go exactly how I planned it, but Brianna helped us make informed decisions on our options and helped me be emotionally okay with was happening.  When I finally gave birth to my baby girl she even snapped a few quick keepsake photos. Brianna has kept in touch since birth to make sure everything is still going smoothly. She even did my placenta encapsulation. I highly recommend hiring Brianna. She will do everything she can to make your birth experience the best it can be. Her amazing attitude and wealth of knowledge make her a great asset to your pregnancy, birth and post postpartum experience.

Being a new mom is always scary. Wow. You leave the hospital with a little human being that you are…read morenow the lifeline for. There was a period in time with my son Ryder that I was worried my supply wasn't enough and I was lacking some serious confidence in my abilities to give my son the nourishment he needed. I finally decided to seek help. Jodie was able to help me see through the fog and give me the encouragement and support that I needed to be able to continue breastfeeding my son. To this day, I will not forget the panic I had coming into her office and sigh of relief and new found confidence I gained when walking out her office door. Thanks for everything and helping mamas in need!

From the owner: I’m Jodie Dresel Lactation Consultant, International Board Certified and Registered nurse. I have…read moreover 18 years of experience working with moms and babies. I have many years of experience teaching childbirth education. I’m a prenatal and yoga teacher. I specialize in complex to simple lactation concerns, inducing lactation, sucking skills, oral restrictions and body tension.