We are so grateful for the support Natalie provided to our family. From the first meeting, she…read morebrought a calm, reassuring presence. Through our initial meetings, labor/delivery, and our days after she offered thoughtful advice that focused on determining and achieving our preferences days afterward. During labor, her grounding presence, advocacy, and encouragement made all the difference -- she helped us stay centered, connected, and prepared for every step. After our baby arrived, Natalie continued to be a source of comfort and clarity, offering practical tips and calm support. We really appreciated her help, and we feel lucky to have had her by our side.

My husband and I could not recommend Maine Doulas enough! Natalie was kind, supportive, gave…read morehelpful suggestions and cared for our newborn at night as if she was her own. It's a little daunting handing over your newborn (that you hardly know yourself!) to a stranger, but Natalie made us feel comfortable from the start. Thank you MD for all you did for our little family, we will definitely use them in future!

Jessica is an amazing resource. She really helped the whole family by keeping the house clean and…read morecooking delicious and healthy gluten-free and vegetarian meals and making sure I had snacks throughout the day (before her, it seemed all I could do was eat Luna bars!). She was a huge asset in grocery shopping for us too and even helped battle a random spring invasion of ants at our house - finding non-toxic remedies that worked for the whole family, including our cats. Jessica provided a sympathetic ear and helped me have some non-baby time to do other things around the house; for example, she held my daughter so I could find the time to work on a few volunteer projects that are near to my heart. On top of it all, she paid attention to my two cats, who were feeling a little neglected after the arrival of our daughter. I highly recommend Ballast & Buoy for any new parent, but especially as someone without family in the area and needing dietary accommodations (with an allergy, a meal train wasn't an option for us). She really helped us find our groove with the new baby and gave us the support we needed to get through the worst of the "new-parent" haze.

Jessica helped my husband, newborn, and me immensely during the early weeks of our transition to a…read morefamily of 3. She ran errands, researched breastfeeding pillows, prepared delicious meals, did some light housework (thank goodness she was there to sweep up all of the pet hair that accumulates daily), watched my son so I could take a restorative nap, and most importantly, listened while I cried when sleep deprived and overwhelmed by the experience of parenthood. I could go on and on about how helpful she was, but I'm sure my son will be waking soon to eat so I'll share 2 of the small, yet memorable things she did for me. She checked in on me and sent silly animals gifs that made me smile. She didn't have to do this, but this personal touch helped me get through some of the hardest moments. When she was at my home preparing food, she never had to ask me where to find something. She just found them which left me with three space to focus on breastfeeding or rest. I can't say enough good things about Jessica and the support she provided.

I worked with Katie and Casey from North Light Newborns, throughout my entire fourth trimester,…read moreabout three months. They came twice a week at night and it made an enormous difference for our family. I was genuinely impressed that they showed up consistently during one of Maine's snowiest winters. It was such a cozy feeling to lie in bed listening to the quiet snowfall, knowing I would get a full night of rest and that my baby was in great hands. They handled our exclusively breastfeeding stage and later our pumping and breastfeeding routine without any issue. Every morning they left the room immaculate and all the bottles washed. It was a relief to wake up to a calm, tidy space. They were also incredibly knowledgeable. When I ran into some challenges with sleep training on my own, they shared advice that was genuinely helpful and new to me, even though I had already sleep trained my first child. We did not use support with our first child. That postpartum period was much harder. I remember finishing the fourth trimester feeling like a shell of a human from lack of sleep. This time I had enough energy to work out, eat reasonably healthy meals, and really enjoy bonding with my baby. I would recommend them to anyone.

Exceptional, holistic and compassionate care! As first time parents, Doula Mollie stepped in at the…read moreperfect time to help coach us on daily baby care tasks, provide vital lactation support, household organization, troubleshoot bottle-feeding and soothing techniques, as well as delicious meal and snack prep. Mollie also provided emotional support to me and my husband as we adjusted to life with a newborn. She helped us help each other, find ways to map out our days together to each be able to meet and prioritize our needs- naps, exercise etc. Mollie is very proactive, and helped us to also plan ahead with ongoing meal prep and sleep shaping care plans for the first few months. I can't imagine those first postpartum weeks without her support!