My wife and I hired Kate to be the doula for the birth of our daughter in March of 2013, and I…read morecannot recommend her enough. We first met with Kate during my wife's second trimester, still unsure if we wanted to hire a doula (and, for my part, unsure of what exactly a doula did!). Our doubts were completely put to rest from the very first meeting. Kate exudes a sense of calm and competence, and answered all of our (probably lame) questions respectfully and intelligently. From the beginning, Kate was most interested in helping us to have the kind of birth experience that we wanted, rather than imposing her views or preferences on us. From our experience, her approach is as hands-off or hands-on as the parents or partners want, though she was constantly supportive and encouraging, and full of resources. We took Kate's Healthy Childbirth classes as well, and I would highly recommend these. Over three weeks, Kate gave us a great sense of what to expect from the birth experience, as well as strategies for coping with unexpected contingencies. By the end, I felt I knew what we could ask of each other and the baby, as well as what to expect from the hospital birth experience. She helped us negotiate the fraught politics of childbirth in a non-judgmental, accepting, and highly-knowedgable way. As we approached the birth, I knew that Kate would be supportive no matter what we decided to do, and prepared to guide us through any crisis. My wife's labor and birth experience were difficult. She labored for over forty hours, and at the end the baby was delivered via emergency C-section. Although because of the surgery Kate wasn't able to be with us during the birth itself, she was a great source of support and calm during the labor and afterward, as my wife recovered from the surgery. It was immensely reassuring to know that we had someone present who could be our advocate, should we need it. Although we never needed Kate to act on our behalf, it was immensely calming to know that she was there, and to trust that our best interests were in good hands. If we have another baby, we will definitely hire Kate again.

I think it's safe to say that I (or my husband) wouldn't have made it through a natural labor…read morewithout Kate's calming presence. If and when baby #2 comes along, I will definitely give Kate a call.

I would give Lee the highest recommendation as a post-partum Doula as she was extremely knowledge…read more My husband and I hired her after the birth of our first child to provide support and guidance on building routines. With her guidance, our daughter was sleeping independently in her crib from 7pm until 4 or 5am about 4-6 weeks after birth and from 7am-7pm by 12 weeks. We accomplished this without any sleep training with Lee's help. The best part about Lee is that she adapts her guidance to the needs of each family and doesn't have a one size fits all approach. She was easily accessible for any follow up questions and is amazing with babies! Lee was a phenomenal resource for our family during our transition into parenthood. I can't recommend her enough. The money spent hiring her was far more valuable than anything else we purchased for our daughter!

We worked with Doulas of Philadelphia for both post-partum and sleep training. Lee and everyone we…read moreinteracted with were amazing and we would highly recommend them for both. A few details: Post-partum: We worked with Lee to craft a personalized post-partum support schedule that helped us transition to being new parents. Our primary doulas were Kate and Beth, both of whom were amazing. They were generally with us 4 nights per week from 9pm-7am. In addition to caring for our baby overnight so we could get some much needed rest, they were a source of knowledge and comfort. We felt our baby was very safe and secure with them and trusted them 100%. We also had a few day time visit where we could ask questions, try out new things like baby wearing, and get out of the house. Sleep training: We decided to sleep train our baby at about 4.5 months. Lee came to our house and stayed for 3 days straight. During that time she coached us (most important part of sleep training is training the parents that everything will be OK!), monitored the baby at night so we could rest, took extensive notes, and left us with a detailed plan of action. We were amazed at house much progress our baby made in those 3 days. He was literally sleeping through the night and falling asleep/putting himself back to sleep with minimal crying. Lee provided a month of ongoing phone, email and text support, where we could ask questions and plan for things like sleeping elsewhere, car rides, disruptions to our schedule, etc. We give Doulas of Philadelphia our strongest endorsement. If you are looking for highly experienced, professional, loving, and kind people to help you transition into parenthood or when you are expanding your family, definitely consider their services.

Cat's birthing class was amazing prep for my husband and I. We love information and having full…read moreunderstanding of what is going on, so feeling very ready to take on any birthing scenario in the hospital was important to us, as we live in a large metropolitan area. This class was informative and Cat is super enthusiastic, engaging, and down to earth, so it was very relatable and easy to take in the very detailed info. Information is all evidence based and designed to be able to participate fully in your own birthing care, advocate for yourself, and have full understanding of the birthing process. My hospital birth ended up needing many medically necessary interventions, and this class empowered us to make confident and fearless decisions for ourselves. Because of what we already knew from this class, we felt very comfortable with our care team and the information exchanges surrounding the events. Without this class, this experience may have been scary and traumatic, but the education we received in preparation made it feel very empowering and seamless. I 100% recommend this class to everyone interested in becoming well educated before their birthing experience.

My wife and I took Cat's EBB class and it was amazing! We learned a ton and now feel so empowered…read moreheading into our baby's birth. Cat was energizing, engaging, and very informative. We had many friends who took other birth classes with other instructors and none seem to have walked away feeling as calm and prepared as we did after our course with Cat.

I was referred to Nicole from a highly trusted doula, who noted Nicole's expertise in movement and…read moreVBAC. On paper Nicole seemed like a perfect match for my birth goals. After our first intro conversation, I felt confident that Nicole was the right fit to help me prepare for my second birth. Despite the pandemic creating distance, it was easy to communicate with Nicole and regularly connect about any questions, concerns and preparations. My husband and I had zoom sessions with her leading up to the final weeks of pregnancy. She introduced me to Hypnobabies and was an incredibly positive and informative resource as I focused on HB preparation. She answered all questions with evidence based responses and really emphasized the importance of me listening to my own body. I appreciated the birthing rehearsal that we did in my home where she provided us with various strategies which all fit into the HB model. She also generously loaned several materials to practice and use in those final weeks. My husband and I both felt confident about ways to focus on birthing timing. Of note, Nicole has an incredibly soft, mellow yet supportive and informative approach which really promotes relaxation and calm. When the time came, Nicole was just as calming over the phone in the middle of the night and helped guide us in making decisions based on my ability to listen to my body. Due to COVID precautions, she wasn't allowed into our room until my COVID test returned negative and throughout the (more than 2 hour!) wait - she provided perfect support to my husband via text so that he could help me advocate for my preferences to all medical staff. When she was finally allowed in, she quickly adjusted lighting and noise in the room and effectively worked with the medical staff so that she, my husband and I could focus on my birthing time. Her suggestions of movement and positioning were invaluable. She held space for concerns while redirecting my attention to my strength and abilities. She celebrated the birth of my daughter with us and reinforced the truly amazing experience pregnancy, birthing time and birth was! I know that working with Nicole helped me achieve my pregnancy and birthing goals and I highly recommend working with her. It's amazing how she can have such an incredibly powerful impact without taking up much space in the room. I am forever grateful to Nicole!!

Nicole was my postpartum doula for 5 nights after the birth of my first child. She was a tremendous…read moresupport to me, especially in the middle of the night a few nights when I was extremely frustrated with breastfeeding and working through latch issues.  Even though she's not a lactation consultant, Nicole is very knowledgeable in this area and she was was very reassuring, comforting me with technique suggestions and emotional support. My son was also congested one night and was too fussy to sleep laying down, so she held him to sleep so that I could also sleep at the same time - what a gift, especially in those first few nights home from the hospital! Working with Northern Star Doula was well worth every penny. I highly recommend Nicole for postpartum support.

I had never tried distance reiki (or reiki at all) before, and I didn't know what to expect. From…read morethe moment we started the video call, I could tell that this was going to be something special. Shakera's warmth and good energy made me feel comfortable enough to relax and try this new form of healing, and she did a great job at explaining the how the session was going to work. Throughout the process, she was welcoming, kind, and helpful, not to mention extremely intuitive! Her intuition was spot-on, and she created a space for a transformative dialogue that really helped me get in touch with myself and my own spirituality. I felt like I really had a sense of calmness and direction after working with her. I would 100% recommend Shakera's work to anyone who is interested in reiki! I feel honored to have started my spiritual journey with her. 10/10 experience!!

Shakera nannied for my son for about 3 months while he was just under 1-year-old. Since my job was…read morealways a bit all over the place, I worried that finding a care taker would be very difficult. Shakera welcomed my crazy schedule and was always happy to be flexible with whatever last minute changes I had. Not only is she caring and kind, she made me feel at ease leaving my child for the first time in her care. She was also always able to put my fussy child down for a nap in much less time than I ever could! Though our family had to change childcare providers after only working with Shakera for a short amount of time, we hope to maintain a relationship with her and seek her out again in the future for date nights. Please feel free to contact me for more information!

It's hard to express how much of a life saver Marisa was for our family. Marisa took the time and…read morecare to listen to our family's needs for a nanny and found us a truly perfect match. Marisa is a total professional. Her guidance is especially valuable if you're new parents. If you are looking for high quality Nanny care and guidance, I recommend stopping your search and calling Marisa.

Marisa quickly responded to my inquiry regarding a part-time nanny. She quickly brought me up to…read morespeed on my various options and gave me great insight. I cannot express how thankful I am for her thoughtful advice and willingness to help. She was both warm and professional. I highly recommend speaking with her regarding your childcare needs.

Chelsea and Lauren took me on as a client very late in my pregnancy, but they were always there for…read moresupport, advice, and encouragement. After going through a traumatic birth with my first, their knowledge helped me feel confident in my choices and in what was happening at the hospital during my vbac. Lauren was with me for my birth and she was wonderful in keeping the room calm and peaceful, and was so encouraging the entire time. I really found peace and trust in my entire team because of her advice and support. Another bonus was that she had peppermint to help combat the nausea I had, which was so much better than the citrus scent the hospital had! If it wasn't for Chelsea and Lauren, I really feel I would not have gotten my vbac or at least the wonderful and healing experience that I had with my birth.

I have used Om Mamas for both of my births. With my first we did everything we could to have a…read morenatural delivery but my son was large, 42 weeks, and determined to stay put despite a two day induction. While I was initially devastated at the thought of a C-section Chelsea was there the whole time, helping me ask the right questions of my providers and allowing me to feel heard and part of the decision. When my baby's heartrate started dropping and he was born with severe torticollis it was clear that he was in a very bad position and the surgery prevented what could have been a very serious outcome. With my second I was determined to have a VBAC, but any C-section mama will tell you, this can be an uphill fight when it comes to your provider. Chelsea and Lauren were available to talk after every appointment. I could vent, and ask questions, and figure out exactly how to put myself in the best possible position to have a vaginal delivery. I'm so pleased that I was able to have a VBAC this past April with my second son and I know that a huge part of it came down to the support of my doulas! These women are so dedicated, staying with you for hours and hours, sitting with you on the floor, holding your hand, wiping your sweat, and squeezing your hips. This is the type of support all birth moms deserve!

I solicited Rachel's services for the birth of my second son, Griffin. Upon first meeting her I…read morefelt drawn to her calm demeanor and warm presence. She distributed an educational binder full of materials I found to be more honest and thorough than the information my OB had given me. For example, OB's won't distribute a list of medical interventions you may face during a hospital labor, but Rachel did. It was essential information I wish I was armed with during the hospital delivery of my first son. Emotionally, Rachel was very encouraging when I expressed doubts regarding my ability to tough-out a med-free labor. She helped instill the courage I needed to make the switch from the hospital to my local Birth Center. She helped me believe in myself and saw a strength in me I did not see. Physically, Rachel would have been an enormous help with pain management by providing soothing massage and counter pressure during labor. My labor was mercifully short, however, and I had to rely solely on my husband for pain relief during active labor. He did a great job providing this relief by utilizing the massage and counter pressure techniques that Rachel taught him. Thanks to her guidance, he was able to be an active participant in my labor instead of just a spectator! She was a calming, guiding voice during the pushing stage of my labor and very helpful with my initial breastfeed as well. Rachel will be all the things you need during the emotionally turbelent time of pregnancy and delivery. She will be a supportive friend, a motherly figure, an educator, an advisor, a listening ear, a guiding voice and a soldier ready to fight for you. She's a nurturing old soul with a backbone of steel. A beautiful doula both inside and out. You can't go wrong soliciting her services and I can't recommend her highly enough. I wish I had given myself the gift of a doula through my first labor!

I was referred to Rachel by my midwife since I had such bad anziety about labor. I was terrified of…read morethe pain as well as getting an epidural or an IV since I don't do well with needles. I'd cry thinking about having to deliver my baby and wasn't enjoying my pregnancy because of my anziety. My husband and I had VERY different views on labor. His answer to everything was. "Get an epidural, you'll be fine." He thought anyone who didn't want an epidural was crazy. He didn't see anything wrong with interventions and thought they were there and you should take full advantage of it. Originally I wasn't against interventions, I was just really scared of them because of the needles. Over the couple months of communicating with Rachel and reading the materials she suggested I decided I wanted to try to have a natural birth. My husband still maintained that his ideal labor would be a scheduled c section. With Rachel's help he finally was on board to give the natural birth a shot, although I'm pretty sure he didn't think it would actually happen. Rachel got through to him about the cycle of epdidural/pitocin and how once you start one intervention it just creates a snowball and odds are, you're getting more. I went into labor and I labored at home and got to the hospital at 10cm! After 2 hours of pushing, my daughter was born without any interventions! Rachel gave us the knowledge/tools to be able to labor at home as long as we did. I believe that made all the difference in being able to have a natural delivery. I would have had a VERY different labor if i wasn't for Rachel. At the hosptial she was great! With Rachel by my side I felt as if i could take on anything during labor. My husband is so happy we hired her. He said if we had another baby we'd do it the same way. She's worth every penny. Her posituve attitude can get you through anything! I think about my labor every day and couldn't be more happy with it!

Emma is an excellent doula. She is young, passionate, caring, devoted, impressively experienced and…read moreresourceful. I took prenatal courses from the hospital, but I still found consultation session with Emma gave me more personalized tips a formal course didn't provide. Emma gave me advise on natural induction, preparing hospital bag, eating, exercises, many of which I never heard from other places. I had questions about my own detailed yoga and walking exercises design from 37 weeks on; news of dilation from 38 weeks check-up; news of 39 weeks ultrasounds , etc, it felt great to know there is a person to talk to anytime whenever I have something comes up. This makes my journey much less lonely! In the postpartum period, I had perineal pain and breastfeeding issues, Emma gave me consultation with tips of increasing milk supply I never knew. Overall I am very glad I had Emma by my side in this lonely journey of childbirth, she gave me so much valuable supports! I definitely recommend Emma.

Emma Yoder is an incredible doula. She is by nature one of the most kind, caring, and compassionate…read morepeople I have met, making you feel as comfortable as possible during all stages of the birth process. During such a vulnerable period, Emma is a continually comforting presence who guides and supports you through any questions and challenges. I could not think of a better person to be my doula, and I would highly recommend her to anyone in need of doula services. She is also very reliable and accommodating to changing schedules, and often available with short notice. Above all, her positive attitude and warm presence have made every interaction with her pleasant and I couldn't recommend her highly enough!

Lacey and KOP doulas were recommended to me by my OB, and I am very grateful that I was connected…read morewith them. I had good feelings from the moment I spoke with Lacey and Jackie. Our first meeting was very educational and helped me navigate what interventions might be offered/suggested, how they could affect labor, and whether or not I would want to avoid or consider them. I went into labor 2.5 weeks early with and my water broke at 4:00 am when my husband was out of town. This is where Lacey and Jackie really came through. They were in touch with me even in the early hours of the morning and offered support until I was ready for in person support. Without going into too much detail, I had a VERY fast labor and I have told many people that I don't think I would have mentally or emotionally gotten through it without Lacey. I tell anyone who will listen to me that they should hire KOP Doulas because they offer support that your OB, Nurse or significant other are unable to offer.

My husband and I reached out to a few doula agencies on May 17th looking of day time and overnight…read morepostpartum support for our family, as we had a new baby on May 15th and quickly realized we needed additional support . Three of the four agencies reached back out same day letting us know they didn't have availability, which we appreciated as it gave us the opportunity to continue our search. King of Prussia Doulas scheduled a consult with us for 2pm on May 22nd which was waited for as we needed support as quickly as possible. We received multiple reminder emails from King of Prussia Doulas in regard to our scheduled appointment throughout the week, including one 30 minutes prior to our appointment. We eagerly waited to connect, as we desperately needed assistance. At 1:51 pm on May 22nd (9 minutes prior to our consult). Amanda from King of Prussia Doulas texted saying she needed to reschedule to the following day, then later the evening sent an email canceling all together. This lack of professionalism cost us days of finding the care and support we needed. If you are looking for support and a very vulnerable time do not trust King of Prussia Doulas to follow through.