As a dad-to-be, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect going into a hypnobirthing class. If I'm being…read morehonest, I was a little skeptical at first--"hypno" anything sounded a bit out there to me. But I signed up to support my wife, and I'm really glad I did. This class completely changed how I see birth and my role in it. Instead of feeling like a bystander, I walked away feeling informed, useful, and actually confident in how I can support my wife during labor. The techniques we learned--breathing, relaxation, visualization--aren't just for moms. I found myself using them too, and they've already helped us both stay calmer leading up to the big day. What stood out most was how much emphasis was placed on teamwork. I learned specific, practical ways to advocate for my wife, help her stay relaxed, and create a positive environment no matter how the birth unfolds. It made me feel like an active participant instead of just "the guy in the room." The instructor, Care, was very knowledgeable, approachable, and never made any question feel silly. She made the classes very comfortable and even pretty funny at times. The class also struck a great balance between education and hands-on practice, so it didn't feel like we were just sitting through lectures. If you're a partner on the fence about taking a hypnobirthing class--do it. Even if you're skeptical like I was, you'll come away with tools, confidence, and a much deeper understanding of what your partner is going through. Honestly, it's one of the best things we've done together to prepare for becoming parents.

I gave birth a couple months ago, and decided to go through Care's Hypnobirthing class, and also…read moreuse her for my placenta encapsulation, and I can't recommend her highly enough! From the very first class, it was clear that Care is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about empowering expectant parents. Her approach to hypnobirthing and breathing techniques was not only informative but also calming and reassuring for both me and my partner. We completed it feeling much more prepared and confident for the birth experience ahead. Care provided a wealth of resources, ensuring we had everything we needed to make informed decisions about our birthing plan. She was always responsive to our questions, both during the classes and even after the birth, which made a world of difference in our journey. It's rare to find someone who continues to support you even after the classes are over. Overall, the entire experience with Care was amazing. Her warmth, expertise, and dedication to her clients truly set her apart. If you're looking for guidance and support in your birth preparation, look no further than Care Messer at the Birth Education Center!

My husband and I decided to take Janine's class due to our holistic approach to birthing and our…read moregoal to best prepare ourselves with pain-coping strategies for a natural birth plan. Not only did Janine optimally prepare us, but we got so much more out of the class than we ever expected. Janine's approach is relatable, compassionate, friendly, kind and incredibly positive. She provided my husband and I space, in an intimate group setting, to have the tough conversations around birthing, our relationship with each other as future parents, and space to create tangible plans for prenatal care, labor and postpartum support. We would not have carved out this time to work through these topics on our own, and have so much appreciation for the tools and revelations Janine was able to help us uncover. My husband and I felt emotionally and physically ready to take on the birthing process, and felt intimately aligned as a partner duo in the process. We were especially grateful for the way Janine shed light on the birthing process due to COVID-19 and the fact that our Doula couldn't join us in the hospital as planned. My husband has such a greater understanding, respect and comfortability with supporting me in the toughest times of delivery because of Janine's curriculum. I highly recommend Janine's Birth From Love course to any conscious parents who are looking for a deeper connection, understanding and confidence in the birthing process, whether you are planning a natural birth or not. We had a smooth labor and delivery and now a happy, healthy baby girl to enjoy!

Janine is absolutely amazing! My husband and I did a private class - Birthing Again at home, which…read morewas so convenient and suitable as we are planning this birth to be at our home so it was a more appropriate comfortable setting for us. She has a ton of insight and recommendations not just about birthing/laboring the baby again, but on other topics such as postpartum plans and managing a healthy communicative relationship with your partner. Initially I thought 6 hours for a class was a bit long but it went by so fast! And we are more than happy we chose her as a guide to preparing us to do this again! Thank you Janine!!

I can not say enough great things about the hynpobirthing class with Care Messer. My partner and I…read moreare first time parents and did not know the first thing about the labor and delivery process. We were very unsure about everything and looking for direction. In class we learned about what the different labor and delivery options are, what to expect from hospitals, and different techniques to use during labor. We now feel we have the tools to better understand the whole process and make the decisions that are right for us and our family. The class addressed all of my questions and I feel like the information was presented in a very unbiased way, not to mention Care is super funny and the time in class flys by! I would recommend this class to all of my friends and family.

If you are pregnant, book your class asap! I can't rave enough about their approach to preparing…read morefor birth. My husband had two kids from a previous relationship, but still was able to learn things he hadn't been present for with them. It improved our communication surrounding my pregnancy and birth, even when it took a different turn. We'd made it through four of the five classes when my son decided to he needed to get out at 30 weeks. I had so many tools in my toolbox that I felt prepared, even during the scary prospects of having preeclampsia and a NICU baby. I'm so grateful for Care and her entire team. Such a blessing!!!!

I cannot recommend this practice strongly enough. I worked with Tema and Alix who were both…read moreattentive, hugely knowledgeable, and incredibly supportive. For the difficult and vulnerable experience of pregnancy/birth, it brought me immeasurable comfort to have them by my side throughout my journey. They invest a lot of time in building trust, made space for not only questions but also emotions and mental well-being, and really give their whole selves to supporting mothers. I am so grateful for their support and if I have another baby I will certainly seek it out again.

Very grateful to have them with me. First time doing this and also first one in my family. My…read morepregnancy was very emotional, a lot of tears and I always felt in a safe environment when I was with them. Alix was my main midwife, so cheerful, supportive and looking for the best answer, with best answer no only to my questions but to my health, soul and mind. Can sound very promising and in reality the flow/pregnancy feels simple having their help. I guess is the very experience support that they have. I wish I could express more because words are short for my feeling of gratitude. Much love and best wishes for you. If you are already here...this is your way.

I met Jenn Smith in February 2020 after being referred to her by my chiropractor. After meeting…read moreJenn, I decided to hire her as my doula for my first child's birth in July 2020. In addition to doula services, I also hired Jenn to teach Hypnobirthing classes and to do placenta encapsulation. After sending Jenn my signed contract and her 50% retainer, communication with her started to decrease and become more difficult. I contacted Jenn at 36 weeks to try and set up our prenatal visit and received no response. I reached out again at 37 weeks on June 22nd, and Jenn finally responded and we scheduled our prenatal visit for the following week. The following day I had a placenta abruption and I had to rush to the hospital for an emergency c-section. I contacted Jenn that morning and she was able to go to the hospital and retrieve my placenta in order to do the encapsulation. Due to the emergency c-section, Jenn's contract stated I was owed three sessions of 4 hour postpartum support. We scheduled the visits the following week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday and Jenn stated she would bring my placenta pills with her to the visit. After leaving the hospital, I sent Jenn the remaining 50% of the payment due on our contract to ensure that I paid according to contract terms. On the first day of the postpartum support service, Jenn texted me 45 minutes before she was supposed to arrive to let me know she would be running late due to a family emergency. After not hearing from Jenn for two hours, I decided to cancel the visit for that day. Jenn no showed, no called for the postpartum support services we had scheduled for both Wednesday, July 1st and Friday, July 3rd. My husband and I tried to contact Jenn by phone and email on numerous occasions in regards to postpartum services and receiving my placenta pills with no success. I reached out to my chiropractor who I knew was also using Jenn as a doula to let her know how difficult it had been to contact Jenn and how she still has not provided me any of the services I paid for. My chiropractor reached out to Jenn in an attempt to get my placenta pills from her to give to me. I finally received an email from Jenn on August 5 stating she heard that I was trying to contact her and she didn't know why she had not received any of my emails or phone messages. She stated she still had my pills ready to go and that she still wanted to support me postpartum. I responded to Jenn that same day and to this day I still have not received any response from Jenn. I am now four months postpartum and still have not received my placenta pills or any doula support services from Jenn. She only provided Hypnobirthing classes. I have requested a partial refund per her contract terms of Failure for a Doula to Provide Services and Jenn has not replied to my refund email and denied my payment request on Venmo. For a first time mom, who had a scary birth experience, the last thing I should have to do is try to track down my doula who I entered into a contract with for birth support. Jenn's lack of communication has left a pretty bad impression in regards to the role of a doula. Even though my delivery did not go as planned, I still made sure I lived up to my end of the contract and made sure Jenn was paid the full balance as soon as I left the hospital. I would never recommend Jenn Smith as a doula and I would not trust her with my child.

Jenn is absolutely amazing! She was with me for the births of both of my girls, and I truly believe…read moreI couldn't have made it through without her. She has a calm, gentle spirit, a beautiful smile, and an absolute love of all things baby. She also is a hypnobirthing instructor - sign up for the classes!! They are SO worth it!!!!! My two labors/deliveries were very different, so I summed up each one below. **My first labor/delivery experience wasn't quite what I expected. I allowed some medical interventions that seemed to snowball and create a lot of issues with my labor, and each problem created more problems.... Jenn helped me utilize hypnobirthing methods to focus and kept my head in the right place when circumstances made it hard to focus. She helped me deliver my baby safely, and I honestly don't know how I could have made it through it without her. **My second labor/delivery was the polar opposite of my first. I took Jenn's hypnobirthing classes this time, but I was still scared that things would go wrong again (terrified actually). Jenn helped me realize that I could do it and helped me stay true to what I really wanted: No medications/no IV/ as few checks as possible... And I did it! It was incredible, and hard, and amazing and made me want to have 57 more babies! Jenn + hypnobirthing helped keep me focused and in the zone the entire time. I love Jenn, and I will absolutely use her services if my crazy hormones win out and I have 57 more babies

The first time I took Aria's prenatal class, I was taken by her grace, strength and knowledge. I…read morehad full confidence she would be the perfect woman by my side during my birth... In fact, she was more wonderful than I could have ever imagined. She not only prepared and guided us up to the birthing, but she was the perfect "instrument" to the "symphony" of our home birth. Even months later Aria continues to gift us with her support, light and true angelic nature. It has been an honor knowing her and I couldn't imagine a more honorable woman to help born my first son. Kristine Szabo

I took prenatal yoga with Aria for both of my pregnancies and now as my private yoga instructor…read more Can't get enough of her teaching and her light. She is not only knowledgeable about pregnancy, birth, yoga, meditation..., but she is also a very wise person who gives very thoughtful suggestions and genuinely cares about people around her. I was very lucky to have her in my life during my pregnancies and at the birth of my son as my doula. It felt like I had a very gentle guide through the process.

My husband and I had an incredible experience working with our night doula, Jacqui. From the very…read morebeginning, she brought such a calming, warm, and reassuring presence into our home and immediately put us at ease as new parents. She is extremely knowledgeable and experienced, and naturally wonderful with newborns. Not only did our daughter thrive under her care, but my husband and I were finally able to get much needed rest and feel more confident as parents. Jacqui also taught us so much along the way and always made us feel supported, never judged. We are so grateful for her help during those early months and truly cannot recommend her highly enough to any family looking for a compassionate and highly skilled doula.

We had a great experience with our doula, Katie. She was incredibly supportive during those first…read morefew weeks with our newborn and helped us so much. She was kind, caring, and always made us feel supported. She truly felt like the big sister I needed during such an important time. The only downside of my experience was the lactation support. I only attended two sessions because, unfortunately, they were very stressful. During the first visit, the lactation consultant arrived late, seemed rushed, and left me with a few nipple shields that ultimately didn't work well for me. At the end, I didn't end up using them because they weren't helpful. The second session felt very similar. It also felt rushed and stressful, and my baby became stressed as well. Because of those experiences, I decided not to continue with the lactation sessions. Overall, I'm very grateful for Katie's support, and she made a huge positive difference during our postpartum journey.

​I cannot say enough wonderful things about Nova. If you are looking for a postpartum doula who is…read moreprofessional, deeply intuitive, and truly goes above and beyond, look no further. ​It had been 6 years since I last had a newborn, and to be honest, I was feeling incredibly rusty. Nova was an absolute lifesaver in easing me back into the groove of infant care, bringing a sense of calm confidence into our home right when I needed it most. ​While she is fantastic with babies, what truly sets Nova apart is how much she focuses on the entire family unit. She didn't just care for my newborn; she took incredible care of me as a recovering mother. She anticipated my needs before I even knew them--constantly ensuring I stayed hydrated, offering much-needed massages, and knowing exactly the right level of support to offer. She balances warmth with the utmost professionalism. ​On top of that, she was a massive help around the house, seamlessly taking over everyday household tasks so I could actually rest. She also went out of her way to engage and entertain my 6-year-old son, making sure he felt included and special during a time of big transitions. ​Nova doesn't just do a job; she brings peace, order, and genuine care into your home. We are so incredibly grateful for her support!

Nova is such a wonderful human being. I hired her as a postpartum doula last minute. She was so…read morewarm and welcoming from our very first text exchange. When she came to my home she made me feel at ease and is so great with my son. She has a huge heart with good intentions and takes care of the whole family, not just the baby.. I couldn't say enough positive things to share how much of a difference she made to our family.

My birth experience was an absolute dream! I knew I wanted a natural birth, so I interviewed a…read morehandful of midwifes around San Diego county. I highly recommend Mother to Mother! With an entire hour of face time at each prenatal appointment, my questions were always thoroughly answered. I rotated appointments with all the midwifes and loved them all! These ladies really make sure that you and your baby are supported physically AND emotionally. Of course, family and friends thought I was a bit crazy to opt for a home birth. They warned me that "the first baby is the hardest" to birth and that I would need an epidural. I am SO glad that I went with my gut instead! I felt amazingly comfortable giving birth in my own space. Everything went smoothly and I felt safe and supported by my midwives the entire time. It was wonderful to be able to snuggle up to my baby immediately and not worry about traveling anywhere. The midwives even came to my home a few additional times after the birth to check on baby and me. Administratively, the team is organized and has a spectacular office manager who is always quick to answer my emails. She took care of billing my insurance, so I didn't have to deal with any paperwork! How we bring our babies into this world matters. If you are looking for a smart, experienced, loving team, I highly recommend Mother to Mother. My baby is now 6 weeks old and I am happy to report that we are both doing fantastic!

I don't even know where to start... maybe I'll start by saying that The midwives and staff and…read moreMother to Mother midwifery have gone above and beyond all expectations for me as a pregnant woman, during my birth and as a new mother. After watching the business of being born- and my mom telling me her horror story of my birth in the hospital- I began researching my options for a home birth. I decided to do a home birth after meeting with Brooke and Sunshine. Lovely, absolutely lovely people. The whole staff, just so beautiful and kind. Yes, I was worried I would be loud at home while I labored... but the facts are: 1. you labor at home for the most part if you have planned hospital birth anyway and 2. after your baby is born you're going to rethink exactly what it was you ever 'worried' about. During your pregnancy you'll have regular checkups, there is an emergency line to call (which I had to use because of some worrisome braxton hicks, and they were very quick to respond), you can go get a sonogram at a cute little place they'll refer you to, they do all of your blood tests there (Brooke is a certified nurse midwife), any questions at all they answer and even have books they loan you and they also have mixers which are really great to meet new or soon to be moms. They were also really sensitive to my requests to alter the language they used. For example, I wanted to use the word surges instead of contractions. Which seems like such a silly thing in retrospect, but it just goes to show how kind and sensitive these women were to my wants and needs as a patient. My birth was 9.5 hours and I had a 6.5 pound baby. No tears, yippee!!! So.... this was a relatively easy first birth. It was incredibly painful (I'll spare you the details) but I was surrounded by women that I love and trust and that made a HUGE difference. It was exactly what I wanted and had envisioned. The midwives come to check up on you and your baby at your home a couple times, then you take your baby to a pediatrician. It's so wonderful to just stay at home with your baby and not have to worry about getting out of the car to get to the hospital. But in hindsight... I wish I would have hired a postpartum doula. To have somebody there with you to help with the transition, breastfeeding and just to have somebody knowledgeable about newborns can really alleviate a lot of stress and fear. It's like, one day you're a free woman- then the next it's baby, baby, baby... 24/7! About 8 months after my baby was born- I started getting bouts of depression. I asked the midwives about it and they were incredibly helpful. I attended one of their mixers, met some moms and got some information on Postpartum Depression. I was even offered a follow up appointment to talk to Brooke. Midwives are not therapists, or psychologists... but they KNOW and they have TONS of experience with moms. That one meeting with Brooke has helped me receive more clarity and insight into my situation than anything else. You hire these midwives to help you birth your baby. But what you also get is peace of mind, lifelong friends, a loving community and the support you will need as a new mom.

Courtney is the most amazing midwife! I truly couldn't have asked for a more perfect match for my…read morehome birth. She has a kind, patient, and calming soul that brought peace to my heart and mind each and every time that I saw her. From the hour long prenatal appointments, to the calming presence at my birth, she really blew us away with her care. During my delivery, our baby was found to have shoulder dystocia. Although a scary event, Courtney remained calm and used her knowledge, expertise, and care to manipulate the situation and deliver my little girl safe and sound. She made my entire postpartum experience so enjoyable and special for my family and I. She even took the time to teach my older daughter all about the placenta. I highly recommend her to anyone considering a home birth. We will definitely be using her again if we have another little angel in the future. Thank you so much, Courtney!!

Courtney changed my life and opened my eyes to what birth can really be! A powerful and life…read morechanging/transformative experience and I will forever be grateful to her. Her wisdom, patience, and love for what she does shines through and is inspiring. My care under Courtney was exceptional. She was my midwife, doula, managed my placenta and even became a friend I couldn't be happier with my birth experience