As a first-time mom, I knew I wanted a doula. After the first call I knew Laura was the right fit…read more Her warm demeanor and openness made her feel like a friend right away, and I appreciated how deeply she cared not only about me, but about including and supporting my partner. Laura took the time to come into our home and explain everything in detail, helping us feel informed and comfortable. During the pregnancy, she was always just a text away, especially when I was feeling impatient for the baby to arrive. She was right by my side during the birth of our son, and continued to be a steady source of guidance during the roller coaster of postpartum. We are so grateful to have had Laura as part of this journey and would absolutely choose her again.

I had a bad experience with this Doula when she was based in San Francisco Bay Area. I had a rough…read morepregnancy with complications and early induction and felt like Laura was more concerned with payment than my care. I paid the full amount and eventually opted not to have her attend to the birth after some texts I found insensitive. (I'll never forget the "sorry I triggered you" text.)

I credit Karina with making my birth experience positive, empowering and exciting. My husband and I…read morewanted the experience to be private, just us and our doula. But we were wary of a doula that would overstep or feel intrusive. Karina was absolutely amazing! She was there when I needed her but she would also sit out of the way patiently waiting for those situations. She was never pushy, she would gently guide me with suggestions and we found what worked for me together. She knew just what to do, helping me sit on the ball, massaging my cramping back, offering encouragement at just the right time. My plan of going unmedicated didn't work out, and when I made the decision to get an epidural she asked if I was sure, then supported me through that. Even after getting the epidural she was invaluable. As unexpected events came up she supported me through them. She eased so many of my fears and pain with her calm presence. My labor was very long and difficult. She was right there with me from breaking my water to delivery. My labor was over 24 hours in the hospital. Karina was with us the entire time. She played an invaluable role. It was by far the hardest things I've ever done. I can't imagine having gone through it without Karina. She truly couldn't come more highly recommended, except maybe by my husband. He was on the fence about a doula at first but now he sings their praise and tells everyone they are a necessity. We both recommend Karina to all our friends and coworkers. We can never thank her enough for what she did for us that day!

My wife and I heard nothing but great things from our in-laws about their experiences with their…read moredoula, so we were interested from the beginning of our pregnancy in finding one. We had spoken to one early on, but she was booked by the time we tried to hire her. Luckily for us, she recommended the services of Jordan Allen at Bella Vita Doula. My wife and I were able to take a number of parenting classes through our hospital, but it was all very broad. It was absolutely invaluable having Jordan there to fill in the blanks we had from class, as well as providing a fuller, more comprehensive overview of the basic facts learned in our hospital classes. While our classes provided information about "most babies", Jordan's instruction felt more like we were talking about "our baby". Much of the information we got from other sources -- classes and our OB -- felt very medical, very textbook, and very impersonal. Jordan provided research based, data driven information, which empowered my wife and I to believe in ourselves, not just as individual parents, but as a team, soon to be in charge of a little life. Speaking in my own experience, being a soon-to-be-father can often feel very alienating. Most folks -- family, friends, medical staff -- are rightly preoccupied with the health of Mama and baby, and the journey they're undergoing together. Lots of jokes about "you just helped with the fun part" can make it easy to feel like the non-birthing parent doesn't have a place in this journey, or in labor and delivery. From our first interaction, Jordan made me feel the opposite; that I was in fact one of the most important parts of "the care team", as she put it. I don't think it's an understatement to say that Jordan was one of the bigger parts of my support system during the pregnancy journey. We also had the privilege to have Jordan for two postpartum visits, in which she provided lots of tips and tricks for new parents, and most valuably, how to find further support if needed, be it lactation consultants, parenting resources, and further explanations on the sterilized information we gained from class. Jordan's pricing was very reasonable (I would say she should charge more) and was always available for my wife and I, be it for small questions, or broader conversations about something we had heard from one source or another. By far, the most valuable service Jordan provided was her unflagging certainty in my wife and I that we can do this. Due in no small part to her, we have. You could do no better than Jordan Allen.

I can't thank Jordan enough for her support, positively, and wealth of knowledge about pregnancy,…read morebirth, and postpartum! She really made me feel comfortable through the birthing process and I didn't think that was possible. She is someone you really want on your birth team to empower you through the journey! If you need someone to advocate for you & support you -- she's your girl! :)

Having a homebirth 7 weeks ago with Melissa and Samantha was one of the best decisions I have ever…read moremade. I birthed my first child in a hospital- In short, I didn't like many elements of the hospital experience. From the very first appointment with the midwives, I knew I had made the right decision to go with a homebirth. The attention and person to person caring that I received from these wonderful women was so nurturing and empowering all throughout my pregnancy. It is truly a revelation to be cared for in this way throughout pregnancy/birth/postpartum. You have a TEAM who truly cares about your well-being, who you can text with any little question or concern. I am in my 7th week postpartum and I feel great. I attribute so much of this to the exceptional care I have received over the past 6 weeks! My baby is calm. My body is healed. I don't think this is a coincidence. I am certain it is a result of this beautiful home birth Melissa knows absolutely everything there is to know about pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum care, parenting and pretty much any other topic you want to talk about! She also has a great sense of humor, which can be useful in all of the seriousness that comes with the territory of birth. Samantha is a world class emotional empath. She will ask you the exact right questions to get you talking about your feelings, and will LISTEN closely to everything you have to say which can be enlightening, validating and cathartic. Throughout this whole experience, prenatal appointments, water birth at home, 6 weeks of postpartum care, I have felt SAFE, SEEN, HEARD, EMPOWERED, and CHANGED FOREVER. If you're still not convinced, give these ladies a call yourself. They're the real deal.

Melissa and Samantha were the best midwives I could have ever asked for. They gave me the best…read morehomebirth experience and were so professional and efficient the day my baby was born. They were so welcoming and comforting during our prenatal visits. They have a wealth of knowledge about babies, birthing, breastfeeding, and natural methods of care for our family. The postpartum visits at home were also amazing and made it easier on me as a new mama. I love these women so much! If you are looking for trustworthy midwives to help facilitate a safe homebirth, look no further! Thank you, Meadowsweet Midwifery, for everything you have done for my family!

Becca was an absolutely amazing Doula! We had such a better experience thanks to her! We had a 36…read morehour labor and about every complication you could get and she stayed by our side the whole way through. I would recommend her 20 times out of 10. Thanks again Becca

I am a type A personality. I did all the research, I mentally prepared for an unmedicated birth,…read moreand I thought I did not need a doula. However, at 32 weeks I began to have my doubts - this was my first birth, will I be strong enough? Will my husband and I remember everything we learned? Now began a race against the clock to find a doula. Karlye came recommend to us by another doula, and from our first phone call I knew we were in good hands. Her science based philosophy, empathy and calm demeanor played a huge role in making our birth experience everything we hoped for. Both Karlye and her back up doula, Adrianna attended my birth. I cannot thank them enough. They were there in all the critical moments. They asked the providers questions. They knew exactly what I needed when my contractions got intense. They provided guidance to my husband on how he could support me best. They held my legs when I pushed. All the while reassuring me that I was strong and I was doing a great job birthing my daughter. Having Karlye as our doula was one of THE BEST choices we made. No matter what kind of birth you are planning for, Karlye is a great addition to your support team.

Karlye was my doula for my natural birthing experience. I am not sure that I had any expectations…read moreas this was my first time delivering a baby but she managed to exceed any feelings, thoughts, hopes, and fears that I had. She not only supported me through the most difficult thing that I've ever done in my entire life, but she supported my family in getting me through what was a long 50+ hour labor full of ups, downs, some very intense contractions, no pain medication and emotions. I couldn't imagine going through this without her by my side. She was my rock, my therapist, my cheerleader, and my friend. I am so lucky to have met this incredible women and I don't know that I have admired anyone as much as I do her. Thank you Karlye from the bottom of my heart you are amazing and I will be forever in your debt.

I've had the privilege of getting prenatal care and using the Certified Nurses Midwives to give…read morebirth to 2 of my children. The whole staff has been helpful in setting up my appointments, checking me in, and getting all my measurements before seeing the midwives. I've always been proactive with my care and if I had any questions, they were all answered and I always felt they really cared about my well being and my baby's well being. Also, the staff and midwives always made sure that my kiddos (if they had to come along with me to my appointments, that they were treated well also. When it came me being in labor and delivering, move over doctors and nurses... the Midwives came out like a boss and seriously they knew what's up. They truly respected what you wanted and what your birth plan states. They are that third voice (2nd being my hubby, of course) encouraging you and helping you get that baby out! The first time I was so ready for the epidural, but upon finding out I was already 8cm dilated, no need for an epi! That baby came right out. The second baby was more labor intensive, and I'm not kidding when I say that I was ready to be cut open because I was just so tired. Once again, the Midwives came to the rescue, let us know what our options were and they did what they had to do. I gave birth to my 9 pound baby without a c-section, and I am so grateful for that!!! There is no doubt that my family has been blessed with the Midwives at St Joe's. If you are a Mother-to-be or are expecting another child... This is definitely where you want to go!

I had a phenomenal experience doing prenatal care and birth with the midwives. They were all super…read moresupportive and were so amazing about giving me the birth experience I wanted. I got the impression that they would be supportive (and were) about whatever safe choices I made with my birth, and they made me feel completely safe and supported the whole time. The midwives were available and present intermittently throughout the birth, and were obviously invested in my birth. The first on-call midwife insisted on finding out about the outcome after she had to leave, and the midwife who delivered me was super excited to see my baby and I for my six week postpartum appointment. I cannot recommend this practice enough.

I cannot recommend Lauren enough! As a first-time mom, I was terrified of giving birth, but from…read morethe moment we started working with her, she made me feel safe, prepared, and confident. She spent months helping us prepare for labor and delivery, providing valuable education and support every step of the way. During labor, Lauren was an incredible advocate and used her expertise to help move my labor along while managing my discomfort. Both my husband and I were so grateful to have her by our side. Her calm presence made all the difference, and she even checked in after our son was born. I truly can't imagine having another baby without Lauren. She was an invaluable part of our birth experience, and I am so thankful we had her with us.

I am so glad I was able to have Lauren's support during my pregnancy and first birth. She provided…read moresuch useful information and perspective, and having her there with us at the hospital was incredibly reassuring. She made sure I was aware of different options and was heard in making my own choices, and helped my husband know how he could best support through the process as well. Lauren also helped capture the moment with photos of one of the biggest days of our life. I would not hesitate to recommend Lauren, Tammy and Misty for the doula services and pregnancy/postpartum support.