I had such a great experience with Christina. She was easy to work with, very professional, and delivered my encapsulated placenta just a couple of days later. My little goodie bag was so cute and made me feel very special. This was my second pregnancy, but first time taking my placenta; I was surprised at the difference. No baby blues this time, and I really feel so much more balanced. If you're feeling torn, I would definitely do it, one of the best decisions I made this pregnancy was the encapsulate my placenta. read more

Zell Childbirth and Lactation - Placenta capsules - Lactation Services Near Me

It took us longer than expected to get pregnant, and I guess we were so overwhelmed with navigating the pregnancy and preparing for the birth that we were late to the game when it came to hiring a doula. Originally, I had just assumed that I would get an epidural, but after doing more research I wanted to attempt to go as long as possible without one. At around 36 weeks I started my search, and Christine was recommended by one of her colleagues. She met us at our home to make sure it was a good fit, and we gave her a deposit on the spot. Christine was great about helping us write our birth plan, answering questions and checking in to see how I was progressing. I ended up needing an induction, but she helped ease my mind that my doctor was taking the least invasive route possible. I ended up going into labor that way, and Christine met us at Scripps to help me with my labor. She walked the halls with us, talked, encouraged me, eased my fears, rubbed my back and helped suggest different positions to ease my pain. After several hours of intense back contractions that were coming on top of each other I decided I was ready for the epidural. She encouraged me to try to hold out, but was supportive when I told her I couldn't make it the rest of the way like that. She continued to be our support through the night, and twelve hours later our baby boy was born. He had a wrapped cord, and the hospital staff had to rush in to get him breathing and stabilized, and he had to go to NICU. Christine was right there with us, praying for the health and safety of our little miracle. Since I sent my husband to be with our boy, I was even more grateful that I had Christine by my side to comfort me during those scary moments. Since the birth, she has been a valuable source of information on lactation, pediatricians and general baby questions for us as new parents. She is amazing, and I can say that your birth experience can only be improved by having her involved, no matter what your plan. Do yourself a favor, and hire Christine. read more

Zell Childbirth and Lactation - Our beautiful baby boy! - Lactation Services Near Me

I met Christine on Facebook before getting pregnant. I was planning on having a baby but had many questions about doulas and pregnancy. She always replied to my messages really quickly and was always so helpful that I knew I wanted her as a doula. When I got pregnant I didn't even interview other doulas. I had to be induced but I was able to deliver my baby without any pain medication. Christine was by my side during my labor and deliver and she was a great coach to me and my husband. She also offers childbirth and breastfeeding classes and she does placenta encapsulation. read more

Zell Childbirth and Lactation - A great doula, we had a really good experience with her. - Lactation Services Near Me

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"I met Christine through a mutual friend, and from the moment we were introduced, I knew she was the perfect doula match for me. Christine was there for me through around four months of my pregnancy. She kindly and patiently answered all of my questions, no matter how silly I thought they might be. I felt so supported and empowered with her by my side, and I was so relieved to know she would be there for the birth of my baby! The day my son arrived, Christine cheered me on through labor. She was the perfect support through labor because she encouraged me and offered excellent pointers on positions to labor in and ways to breathe. I think it's very easy to feel crowded or pushed while in labor, especially during a hospital labor, but I felt totally safe and protected with Christine and my husband there. I sincerely can't say enough how glad I am to have had Christine there with me- I had the natural birth I wanted, and I didn't have the added pressure of fighting with doctors and nurses in the midst of labor. I wouldn't change a thing. I owe an extremely successful breastfeeding relationship to Christine's guidance in the hospital. I don't think I'll ever be able to thank her enough for her help with that, and for the time she invested in coming to the birth of my son. read more

I have observed both the accelerated childbirth class and the breastfeeding class. Christine is really good about making sure your questions are answered completely. She also has some great visual aids and hands on activities that really help you understand what is being discussed and remember it when you need it. She is extremely helpful and very encouraging! read more

Christine was so great in our class!! I took the accelerated class and left feeling so great about what I learned. As did my husband which was an even bigger plus our classroom was pretty hot but she even offered handheld fans for us to stay cool!! Will definitely be referring her classes and services to others!! read more

Christine did a wonderful job encapsulating my placenta. She came by my home promptly after I gave birth to my daughter to pick up my placenta, and delivered my pills and other items just the day after! My cord keepsakes are beautiful and I can't wait to frame the print she made with my placenta. Thank you, sweet friend! read more

When I was planning my 3rd birth, I made the decision to have an unmedicated natural birth. I knew it wouldn't be easy and I would need help. I started looking for a Doula and found Christine. I immediately knew she was the one for me. I took her Accelerated Childbirthing Class and was extremely pleased with how knowledgeable she was in all areas of birthing from pain management to positioning. When the big day came, she accompanied us from our home to Babies by the Sea Birthing Center where after only a little over 3 hours later our daughter was born. Christine supported us with kind and encouraging words during the labor process. She assisted my husband in getting in a comfortable position to help me through contractions. She brought her own Rebozo (I should have purchased one as this was what helped me stay grounded and in control during my contractions) which my husband had around him to help me steady myself. After the birth she stayed with us to ensure all was well with our new addition and our family. A few days later she made a home visit to check on us and give me lactation tips (which helped since it had been over 5 years since our last child was born). I had my placenta encapsulated (which she did a fantastic job of doing). She also gave me the print of the placenta and cord that represents the "Tree of Life", nipple balm, the dehydrated cord shaped into a heart and a onezie that says, "I Love my Doula". I can't thank her enough for teaching me the breathing and laboring techniques that helped me achieve the natural birth I wanted. She was always professional, courteous, informative, and there anytime I needed her to be. I will always be grateful as she has been a blessing in our lives. Thank you again, Christine!!! read more

Where to even start! I knew that I wanted a non-medicated vaginal birth but was also wanting to have a hospital birth. I learned Christine's name by word of mouth and asked her for an interview. Not only did she have to sell to me, but she had to sell her services to my husband who was very skeptical that he couldn't handle the birth himself. My husband and I agreed that having a doula with us in the delivery room was the best decision. Christine called or texted frequently especially as it got closer to my due date. When my contractions got strong I called her to only have her turn around at 3am to go home because my contractions subsided. 12 hours later I was in true labor and she happily showed up on my doorstep with a birthing ball in tow! I labored at home and then labored for another 6 hours in the hospital. Every step of the way Christine was there to help guide my husband and I into different positions to comfort me. When things got tough, she looked me and my husband in the eye and gave us pep talk after pep talk about how awesome I was doing and how beautiful my daughter was going to be. After the baby was born she stayed until my daughter was ready to eat and helped us learn what a proper latch felt and looked like. I now have been exclusively breastfeeding my daughter for 5 months and have no plans on stopping any time soon! Three days later I asked Christine back over to my house to show me more positions to use for breastfeeding and to gush about our new bundle. Without the help of Christine I doubt that I would have been able to have an unmedicated vaginal birth or successfully breastfeed my daughter. I am so grateful to have met her and looked forward to many more births with her by my side! read more

I observed Christine's Breastfeeding class and was so pleased to see how passionate she is about what she does. She's was extremely educated and took great time to answer all the questions of her students! read more

I took the breast feeding class with Christine. It had so much amazing information and was presented in a way that made it easy to learn and most importantly fun! I really enjoyed the video and visual aids. Christine knows what she is talking about and answered all of my questions with great understanding and patience. I am so thankful to her for giving me all the information. I am no longer stressed about the idea of breastfeeding when my baby boy arrives. Thank you Christine!!! read more

I met Christine when I attended my first La Leche meeting. I was 5 months pregnant and having moved to Oceanside from Germany 6 months previously I was looking to build a network and learn as much about breastfeeding and natural childbirth as possible, as it was clear to me that I wanted to do both. Christine immediately welcomed me into the group and made me feel at home. Seeing as I knew that my husband would be deployed at the time of the birth I was also interested in hiring a doula and after chatting with Christine I felt that she was the right one for me! She also pointed me in the direction of Beach Cities Midwifery, where I ended up delivering, which was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Over the next four months (two of which I was back home in Germany), Christine kept in contact and answered any questions I had. The more I spoke with her, the more certain I was that a natural birth was the right decision for me and that it was an experience to be enjoyed rather than feared. When the day came, labor progressed much faster than anyone anticipated! My waters broke and within 20 minutes I was having contractions every 3-5 minutes. I called Christine and she immediately headed out to meet me at the birth center. An hour later my daughter was born, drug-free and in the birthing tub, just as I wanted. Although the birthing experience was very short, Christine helped me relax and kept me reassured that I was doing a fantastic job and that everything was going great. We had practiced relaxation techniques in our prenatal visits, and even though I didn't have time to put them into use, I was soothed and empowered by her presence and knew she would be supportive of me throughout the whole process. After my baby was born, Christine helped establish breastfeeding. I had taken her breastfeeding class several months before, but it's quite different when you've got an actual baby to feed! She quickly got the hang of it and has been absolutely thriving! Christine happily answers any questions regarding breastfeeding that I've had and any problems that my baby and I have had have been solved. Thanks to her help, we are are a happy, well-fed and well-rested Mom and baby :) I'm also loving my placenta pills! read more

Getting pregnant with my daughter was a challenge I hadn't been prepared to face and required several rounds of fertility treatments. I knew right from the beginning that because I was on so many drugs to get pregnant I didn't want any to deliver her. My husband and I both read several books but as the day got closer I felt like I would still need a little more support in order to have my ideal birth. We were blessed to be able to find Christine. She drove out to us so we could meet and get to know each other. I left the meeting feeling even more confident in my choice. In the weeks leading up to Labor Day Christine was always there to answer questions and never got irritated with my "this might be it" texts. She answered my call at 5 am on a Sunday and came over just to see that I still had a long way to go. She gave me some suggestions on what to do while I stayed at home to wait a little longer. She came back over about 12 hours later and helped husband and me get through the next few hours at home. It was nice for me to have the support but my husband also appreciated the extra set of hands to rub my back, squeeze my hips and just be there with us. I found her support priceless when we arrived at the hospital in what we all thought was transition only to find out I was hardly dilated. They would have let me go if my water hasn't broken. Christine helped walk me through my birth plan when I was ready to get some pain meds. She reminded me of how they might affect my daughter and my birth plan and made suggestions on ways that would help me stick to my plan. In the end I was able to have the birth I had been dreaming of. She was even there to help me latch my daughter for the first time only a few minutes after she was born. Her presence was the calm in the storm and I don't know what I would have done without her. Her experience with lactation education also came in very handy a few days after my daughter was born when we were having some issues latching. We will definitely be using her again when the time comes for baby number 2! read more