I cannot recommend Windy City Doulas enough! They saved me with my newborn twins and 2 year old. Samantha the owner is fantastic and extremely responsive to last minute requests. We all got hit with a stomach bug and she was able to send a doula over within a couple of hours. In addition to providing excellent overnight and daytime care, the Doulas sleep trained all 3 of my children. They also assisted me with breastfeeding. They are fantastic!!!! read more

Sam is wonderfully knowledgeable and super non- judgmental. I feel educated, supported and excited for my birth thanks to her help!

I wanted to hire a doula because I was a first time mom and had heard so many hospital horror stories from other FTMs. My husband and I met with Samantha during my first trimester and she answered our questions and put us at ease about the whole process. I had a pretty smooth pregnancy up until late in my third trimester. Samantha was there every step of the way including a scheduled (and subsequently cancelled c-section) at 39 weeks. She helped me through 20 hours of unmedicated labor/failed induction that ended in an unscheduled c-section at 41 weeks. My labor didn't go according to plan, but my baby boy and I are both healthy and I am happy with my experience. Samantha was informative and supportive throughout and we are all thankful she was there to advocate and advise. read more

I truly enjoyed working with Samantha and she was a great support to my husband and me during the home/water birth of our baby girl. I appreciated her medical background as an RN and she was able to clearly explain the options I had available to me doing a couple of important decision points during the labor. Samantha remained a calming presence during the toughest times of the natural birth and helped me take one contraction/push at a time to the very end. Samantha was great about checking in with me at regular intervals before and after the birth to make sure I was doing ok and all my questions were being answered. I really appreciated Samantha's support and feel that she was a key piece to the success I've found in my birth story. read more

I originally decided to invest in a Doula because this was my first baby and, quite frankly, I was terrified of the birthing process. I wanted to have a support system to not only make me more comfortable and confident come the big (scary) day, but also to have an advocate representing for me in the hospital .... I've heard too many horror birth stories from friends, co-workers and strangers. Throughout the pregnancy Samantha was great about quickly answering all my random questions. Even more valuable were her recommendations - doctors, pediatrician, prenatal message therapist, classes, and more! Leading up to our due date we started to focus on our birth plan. I always had the mentality I wanted "all the drugs" but surprisingly, after lots of research, I changed my mind a month before my due date and wanted to attempt a natural birth. Samantha was great at letting me lead the way, even when I changed course, but followed close behind with honest insights and encouragement when needed. With a breech baby I underwent an aversion weeks before the birth. (It worked - yay!) It was scary and although Samantha couldn't be there, the guidance and support she provided was impactful. Than came the big day. The labor was quick which was a good thing, but the downside was it was so intense. I never knew pain like that existed and if it wasn't for Sam, there is NO way I could have accomplished a natural birth. Her support, mentally and physically, through the entire labor allowed me to achieve a goal that months ago I never thought possible. Having my own personal advocate with me provided the best experience I could have hoped for - all the while still attending to my husband who was as terrified and confused as I was! She even silently captured some photos of our babe's first minutes in this world - something my husband and I didn't even think about!! Lastly, having a built in lactation consultant is just an extra bonus. Her help around breast feeding at the hospital and via a postpartum session together I believe really helped baby and I master this tricky art quickly. I think a doula would be helpful regardless of your birth plan, but if you are looking to have a natural birth you NEED Samantha in your life :) read more

We chose Samantha to be our doula for the birth of our daughter in June, 2015. We knew immediately after meeting with her that it would be a great fit. She was well-informed, positive, helpful, down to earth, and open-minded. She answered all of our questions during our initial meeting and was a wealth of information regarding the labor and delivery process. She has a ton of experience as a doula and has a solid nursing medical background, so we felt good about choosing her as our doula. Additionally, she was very familiar with the routine procedures at Prentice Women's Hospital and even knew the OB's of the practice I was with - all of which made us feel completely at ease. Throughout the weeks leading up to labor and during the actual labor process, Samantha made herself available to us and was there to give us guidance and support, and respected our wishes all at the same time. One of my concerns about having a doula was wanting to make sure that she would work well with the labor and delivery staff ...well, rest-assured ... she did GREAT! Samantha has a pleasant and calm demeanor about her - and her knowledge and medical background helped supplement my care with the Prentice staff. In fact, at one point Samantha suggested a position for me to be in during my labor that helped the epidural of my anesthesia become effective again - saving me from enduring lots of unnecessary pain!! Thank you Samantha!! Post-delivery, Samantha would constantly check in to see how we were all doing and made an effort to be available for our post-delivery home visit. If you choose Samantha to be your doula, you will NOT be disappointed! I would be fortunate and blessed to have Samantha as my doula again in the future! read more

Absolutely wonderful! We started using Windy City Doulas when my twins were just over a week old. Debbie Lillig was the doula assigned and it was hard to let her go after 4 months (when I returned to work)! She is just fabulous! So caring, attentive, and knowledgable. Of course, in the beginning you are nervous to leave your babies with a stranger but honestly that lasted one night! I began looking forward to seeing Debbie, to share what the babies were doing, to ask her questions and get her opinion and advice on a variety of topics and then to just get some sleep, knowing that my babies were in great hands. I cannot say enough good things about Debbie, Samantha and Windy City Doulas! read more

If I have another baby, I will hire Samantha in a heartbeat! She was a complete lifesaver for my second baby and me. My little guy was pinching me like a viper while feeding and I could not get him positioned correctly. Samantha came over and made everything right with the world. Having postpartum support was priceless for our breastfeeding relationship. He his a happy little toddler now! Seriously, if you are on the fence about whether to hire a doula, spend the money, you will not regret it! read more

I always imagined that I would give birth naturally in a birthing center, perhaps in a tub, just like my mom did. My anxiety did not allow for this plan, even though Chicagoland has excellent birthing centers. I knew I would end up at Prentice AKA the baby machine! So, I did my research and found Samantha. Samantha was the link between providing the best between both worlds for me. I was able to achieve natural birth at Prentice with no pressure for interventions. I was also able to labor comfortably (and safely) at home so that when I arrived at Prentice it was only a few short hours before my little one arrived. As I mentioned, I have anxiety and I was incredibly nervous throughout my whole pregnancy that I wouldn't be able to step up to the pain of labor and would end up getting a c-section. Samantha did not allow for that to happen. I felt so safe with her by my side. I knew that she was looking out for my baby and for me the whole time. I am amazed that I was able to stay calm in between contractions. The moment Samantha arrived at my house my labor took on a different energy. She took charge and helped me get things moving! Her calmness and her familiarity with this work made it possible for me to let my body do what needed to be done. Samantha's fee is the best money I've ever spent! I still cannot believe that I was able to birth my 9 lb baby girl naturally! I know I could not have done it without Samantha. read more

Our doula, Samantha, was phenomenal. I had my first child at the end of March 2020 - right as things really got scary with the uncertainty around COVID. Samantha made herself available for questions and checking in, providing me resources on exercises and preparations for the labor/delivery. We were lucky that at the last minute our nurse at the hospital said our doula could join us! Samantha came right over and was there every step of the way. She explained things when we weren't sure why certain things were happening. Additionally, after my son was born, she called to check in and helped me talk through various questions about newborn care and nursing. My husband and I honestly couldn't stop talking about how grateful we were that we had a doula and couldn't believe anyone would have a baby without one! If you're considering a doula, absolutely hire someone from Windy City. They're so professional and knowledgeable. read more

My husband was very skeptical of hiring a doula, but by the end he agreed it was the best money we spent. As first time parents, I had a solid plan of what I wanted (an unmedicated, natural birth), but sometimes life has other plans. Your pregnancy can change in an instant and I was so grateful to have Samantha there when I needed unbiased advice from someone I could trust so I could make informed decisions about how to proceed next. She knows everything there is to know about birth and can explain your options in clear easy to understand language without any judgement. She's also incredibly available. I would literally text her at 3am with a question wondering if i was going into labor, etc. and she would immediately text me back. As a first time mom, it was so reassuring to have someone available to me 24 hours a day with a deep medical background who I didn't feel like I was bothering with my question, no matter how silly they were. While I had an amazing experience with Samantha, what was unexpected was how much I used her post partum. My son and I struggled with breastfeeding and I had her over many times to help us learn to breastfeed correctly. In addition, we used her as a night nurse several times when we just needed a full night's sleep to stay sane. I also attended her new mom's classes and hired her to simply come over and answer my questions about how to get my son on a sleep schedule, how to deal with his fussiness, etc. She was a huge part of the reason we had a great birth experience and got through the first three months of his life. I cannot thank Samantha enough or recommend her highly enough. If you want someone who will be with you every step of the way, hire Samantha. read more

Samantha is an absolutely amazing doula, resource and night nurse. I was immediately comfortable with her and she was very helpful in preparing me for what to expect during the birthing process. I was extremely grateful to have Samantha when things did not go exactly as planned - at 38W my doctors found that the baby was breech. It was wonderful to have Samantha as a resource to help talk me through the various methods to try to flip him around so that we could do a natural birth, as I had wanted. When all of that did not work, Samantha was very flexible in transferring credit for her doula fee (which we did not need as I had a C-section, although she offered to be there for the surgery if I wanted) to night nursing credit. While I was in the hospital and my baby was having some weight loss issues, Samantha was incredibly responsive - texting with me and offering suggestions to speak with the hospital staff about that I would have never known to ask (i.e. asking for a supplemental nutrition system which allows you to feed formula to the baby in a way that mimics nursing). I felt so happy to have someone who I trusted to ask questions to and who knew what I wanted and gave me the knowledge to advocate for me and my baby in an informed and productive way. As I mentioned, Samantha did night nursing for us for the first four nights back from the hospital and every few nights for the next few weeks. Night nursing is an amazing tool and I recommend to everyone. Those first few nights back from the hospital, having Samantha there to help me was invaluable. From a pure physical recovery perspective, having her there to change the baby and rock him back to sleep let me get precious hours of extra sleep and helped me recover more quickly. Also, being a nurse herself, I was very grateful to have her advice on my recovery more generally (i.e. my pain levels, what was normal, etc.). I think that probably the most valuable part was in setting my baby and me up for success in nursing. Samantha was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable as a lactation expert, and at night with you she has much more time than the consultants at the hospital often do. Also, she taught me how to use and clean my pump, and wrote out a schedule for me for nursing and pumping. I would have never done this on my own (my pump was still in the box!), but I credit her setting us up as the reason I have been able to make it 10 months now nursing, with plenty of stock stashed away. I recommend Samantha to all of my friends and look forward to working with her again for baby #2. read more

I can't imagine my deliveries without Sam! She was there for both of my deliveries and provided the utmost support to me and my husband throughout the entire pregnancy and labor process. For my first born, she provided such helpful tips leading up to the deliver. When I went into labor, she came to my home in the middle of the night to provide care and help progress my labor. She sat with me until it was time to go the hospital, and when we got there, coached me through the labor and delivery process every step of the way (over 12 hours of dedicated time). As a new mom, she also provided a lot of support afterward with breastfeeding and wellness checks at my home. For my 2nd born, I had a grueling 34-hour labor. I labored at home until she recommended we leave. We all thought that since it was my 2nd baby, the progression would be very quick once I reached 7 cm. However, when we got to the hospital at 3:30pm and it wasn't until 5am, the baby came. Sam was with me EVERY step of the way providing endless energy, ideas to get labor to progress and encouragement to help me thru it. And in the end, I was able to have the natural delivery I wanted despite wanting to give up many times. In addition to the 2nd labor and delivery, I also had found out my baby was breech at 32 weeks and Sam was chalk full of knowledge in ways to get my baby to turn on its own and provided names of doctors who would deliver a breech baby. In the end, the baby turned using version technique and I was able to delivery normally. In addition, Sam encapsulated my placenta both times. There is no question I would recommend her and the wonderful services she provides as a doula. I wish all women could have this option for their deliveries! read more

I wanted my placenta encapsulated for the second time. After looking at reviews, I am so happy I switched providers and selected Maura for the service. She was effecient and professional, she responded quickly thru text with answers to any questions. She went above and beyond and helped me by providing breastfeeding resources and referrals. I definitely do notice a difference after taking the pills. My mood is better, especially during the hard first couple of weeks when newborns can seem unsettled during the evenings. read more

Cait Arwen is to be avoided - She did not fulfill the $900 contract signed = did not attend scheduled prebirth meetings and did not show at the hospital until over 12 hours notified. Contract included birth photography and placental encapsulation to occur after birth, and she has still not returned it after for over 4 months. Does Cait have a reason for stealing someone's placenta? What kind of violation is that? Who would rob a family of their birth experience? A baby left to her service - incredibly robbed of dignigty. read more

Samantha is amazing. As a corporate attorney I was skeptical about hiring a doula and night nurse. How wrong I was! Samantha was incredible from before child birth to today, several months later. She is on call around the clock and has an innate ability to put babies to sleep. She was also an invaluable partner for me and my wife during childbirth. I cannot recommend her any higher! Absolutely a lifesaver. read more

We had our first baby at the end of May 2015 and as a first time mom I was skeptical about hiring a doula but having Samantha on my team was THE best decision hands down! Not only was she there to help me plan ahead of time (she is brilliant and brings a thoroughly educated perspective to birth plans) she also addressed anything and everything we were concerned about throughout the pregnancy. Her medical background as well as her extensive doula experience were truly impressive and her support was invaluable throughout labor and delivery. With Samantha by my side, I was able to achieve an intervention-free and drug free natural birth in a very challenging hospital setting (Prentice). She was an incredible asset and her calm assertiveness kept me focused throughout the entire experience. There are just not enough words to express how wonderful this lady is! She truly loves what she does and it shows. Thank you - I'm already looking forward to our next delivery with you! read more

Samantha is fantastic! I can't recommend her highly enough. My desire was to have an unmedicated labor and delivery and to labor at home as long as possible. As everyone tells you, while it's good to think through how you'd like your birth to go, there's really no planning for what might happen during labor and delivery. I was induced at 40+ weeks, which was not in my plan, but Samantha was there to help my husband and I manage it the best that we could and to do so in a way that would still give us a shot at a natural birth. Once labor finally got going at the hospital, Samantha arrived and was just wonderful. She helped me focus on one contraction at a time--particularly when I was seriously doubting my desire for an unmedicated birth--and was extremely helpful with suggestions for laboring positions. In the end, I was able to have the natural birth that I wanted, thanks to Samantha. My husband and I both agree that hiring her was the best money we could spend and if we have another baby, we will most definitely hire her again. Thank you Samantha and Windy City Doulas! read more

My husband and I contracted with Samantha to provide labor support, postpartum support, and placenta encapsulation. This is a long review so to provide a summary for anyone who doesn't want to read it in its entirety: my husband and I routinely say working with Samantha is the best money we've ever spent on anything. In terms of labor support, Samantha was completely invaluable. She was a source of support towards the end of my pregnancy when I was feeling bombarded by idiot commentary/advice from well-meaning family and friends. As a self described "recovering perfectionist" I was weary of over planning my labor in advance and of creating a narrative about the "perfect" delivery. It was important to me that my delivery team be supportive and non-judgmental. Samantha was a perfect fit and was completely on the same page: not over eager to support interventions but she also saw the value of medical interventions when the occasion called for it. In the end the labor I would have would depend on me and our baby and there was no way to predict what that would look like in advance. I ultimately had a very easy 9.5 hour delivery with zero interventions and no epidural - I'm convinced it was because I was so relaxed and open to all possibilities. When I was in active labor, Samantha applied pressure during contractions that provided so much physical relief. I couldn't believe how effective it was. Her assistance made my contractions so much more manageable. She helped to carve out a role for my husband when he didn't know what to do during labor but wanted a role and to help. She was a source of calm confidence that allowed my husband and I to let go and truly be in the moment. Samantha encapsulated my placenta for me and promptly delivered the pills once I was home. I was so worried about postpartum depression and have fortunately not had any symptoms. I know research is unclear as to whether the pills are truly effective or if there is a placebo effect - but I don't care because either way: they worked. Postpartum care: we had Samantha or one of her doulas provide evening postpartum support three nights a week starting the first night we came home from the hospital. We initially asked for 6 weeks (3 times each week) but extended our contract for PM support and added daytime support when needed several times. My daughter is 14 weeks old and we are still working with Samantha and her team. This was a service my husband insisted on (sleep is very important to him because he doesn't get a lot of it due to his job) but I thought it was really indulgent. I no longer think it's indulgent - every new mom should have night support! Not only did having Samantha's PM support allow me to maximize sleep and feel pretty rested for having a newborn, I was also able to ask Samantha/her doulas any and all questions I had about my daughter's development or any concerns I had about breastfeeding, my postpartum healing, sleep training, etc. She is a wealth of information, a pediatric nurse, baby whisperer, and lactation expert. The same openness we benefitted from in preparing for labor was invaluable as we were navigating sleep philosophies and other major parenting decisions. Additionally, she has been available to answer any and all questions via text at all hours of the day or night. Which has been immensely helpful and given us huge peace of mind when something unknown or unexpected throws us for a loop. We will absolutely work with Samantha and her team again. I've teased my husband that the next time I am pregnant I'm going to tell Samantha first just so we can get on her calendar, to which he responds: "GOOD!" read more

I cannot say enough about Samantha and her doula services. I am a first time mother and started off with a very rocky pregnancy. I was sick for the duration of my pregnancy so was unable to make it to the hospital for labor and delivery classes. We decided to contact Samantha to do a series of classes. We were so impressed by her during our classes that we actually ended up contracting her for full doula services. This was the best decision I could have made! She made me feel completely comfortable and knowledgable going into my delivery. During the delivery, she served as my advocate and partner guiding me through labor with a gentle ease and comfort. My husband and I still talk about how integral Samantha was to my pregnancy and labor. I would highly and whole-heartedly recommend Samantha to anyone looking for a reliable, competent and amazing doula! read more

Sam was our doula for my daughter's birth in 2012. She also did our childbirth education classes which were extraordinarily helpful because I am the type A mom with a zillion questions and my husband has a super weak stomach. Sam easily answered all crazy questions while simultaneously quashing fears. She was a godsend in the delivery room, supporting my decisions to avoid intervention where not medically necessary. We would (and have) recommend her in a heartbeat. read more

I would highly recommend Samantha with Windy City Doulas. We used her expertise for our first child. She really gave us peace of mind during the pregnancy and was quick to respond to our many questions pre and post baby. Our baby was difficult and didn't flip to allow for a natural childbirth however she was great and allowed us to transfer her services to lactation help. Nursing was very stressful and she really made the process easier for myself and baby. We can't thank her enough and hope to use her in the future for a natural child birth. read more

We hired Samantha at Windy City Doulas as our doula for our first pregnancy. As a doula with a nursing degree, she was far more knowledgeable and confident than the other doulas we interviewed. The delivering doctor was so impressed she asked for her card! We delivered at Northwestern. She is very familiar with the hospital and its practices. Her pre-labor sessions were also far more informative than Northwestern's classes. She is very thorough and pushes you to keep asking questions, no matter how "dumb" you may think they sound. I attempted to do a natural birth and about halfway through ended up with an epidural. During the natural labor, she worked with me, getting me into different positions and massaging me to make me more comfortable. During the epidural, she was vocal with the nurses when my needs were not being addressed. All in all, I would not hesitate to recommend Samantha and plan on using her again in the future. read more

We worked with Samantha and Windy City Doulas for the preparation and birth of both of our children. Samantha provided invaluable advice leading up to our deliveries, helped us advocate for ourselves during the delivery, and assisted us post partum with sleeping and placenta encapsulation. What I appreciated most about Samantha is that she clearly explained our options and various approaches, and then supported the (then informed) decision we made. I think some women think if they are planning a birth that is not 100 percent "natural" (whatever that means!) a doula is not for them. In our case, both births involved pitocin and an elected epidural, and Samantha was right by my side and encouraged me to have the birth that was right for me. When we found out we were expecting our second child, my husband almost immediately asked, "We're calling Samantha, right?" Thanks Windy City Doulas for being such an important part of our child's lives! read more

Samantha was amazing. As a first time pregnant woman, I somehow got it into my head that I wanted to try a natural childbirth without an epidural. I read about it and took a short class, but other than that we were relying on Samantha. I didn't know at all what it would feel like or if I could do it, but I was feeling committed and hopeful. Our meetings with Samantha set me at ease as she knew how my hospital worked whereas I didn't have a clue. Knowing what to expect and what little things we could ask for made it much easier on the big day. Even being induced with a pitocin drip a week after our due date due to some issues, we managed a natural childbirth. I can honestly say that my family couldn't have done it without her. It's not that my partner wasn't doing all he could, we just didn't know the tricks or have the experience that Samantha did. She arrived just in time and instilled confidence in me when I was doubting myself. She kept us moving and did what she could to keep my mind off the pain. Our baby is so incredible and sweet, and I am overwhelmed with emotions thinking back to his wonderful birthday. In addition, Samantha always responded helpfully to questions and concerns we had in the first few weeks. If you are considering Samantha, I recommend her 100%. Thank you, Samantha, for helping make all of our birth goals a reality. read more

Samantha was instrumental in the birth of my first child in March 2015. From our very first meeting with her, my husband and I felt comfortable and knew that we would benefit from her vast experience. As a RN, she is very knowledgeable and we learned so much from her before, during and after the birth. She helped me prepare a realistic birth plan and her familiarity with Prentice Women's Hospital and their operations was very helpful for the birthing experience. My baby was posterior for the majority of my long labor, and I could not have survived it without Samantha's help! She was at my side for HOURS, providing counter-pressure to my lower back with each contraction (which is a very physically demanding task!). Her calm demeanor and encouraging words throughout the birth were so helpful for my husband, my mother and myself. I appreciated her follow up after the birth and I even took advantage of her placenta encapsulation services. I highly recommend Samantha and her doula practice. read more

Words will never be able to express how WONDERFUL Samantha was before, during, and after the birth of my first son. We had an unmedicated vaginal delivery planned. Sam met with us before about my expectations and fears and how to prepare. When I went into labor- she was in constant contact with my husband and met at our house to help me labor at home. She was calm, professional, helpful, patient, and understanding. She helped us decide when it was time to go to the hospital. She stayed with us until my son latched after delivery. Even though my labor and delivery was fast and furious, she remained cool and collected and offered much help to my husband and I. She was an even bigger help after delivery with checking in afterwards to help with breastfeeding issues. She is a wealth of knowledge. She helped me plan to pump and continue nursing as I went back to work. I could actually just go on and on about all the wonderful things Sam did for us. She blew our expectations for a doula out of the water. We knew she would help but had no idea how much! We love Sam and already talk about hiring her for our next child. Hiring Sam is a no brainer! She is awesome! read more