As a new parent, the postpartum period is challenging enough without having to deal with the stress…read moreand disappointment of a difficult agency. While Stork and Sprout does have some excellent doulas on its team who provided great support and coaching, my experience with the agency's leadership was overwhelmingly negative. We had a particularly difficult time with Brittany. She demonstrated a pattern of manipulation, gaslighting, and lying, both to us and, from what I understand, to her own employees. Our contract promised consistent coverage, but the scheduling was erratic and communication was poor. We were left to wonder many nights if we would have support, and for several weeks, we only received 1 to 2 days of support instead of the 6 to 7 we paid for. When we requested a refund for the services not provided, Brittany refused and even fought our bank with out-of-context emails and more lies. She claims she "offered a refund" but is even today refusing to honor it as she says in the response. The lack of professionalism extended to some of the staff as well; one sick doula was sent to our home and intentionally caused our newborn physical pain. Brittany treated us like we were the difficult ones and responded with empathy-less chatGPT emails to manage the situation. We were also led to believe we would have one primary doula with a backup, but over the course of our service, we had seven different doulas come to our home. This complete lack of continuity made an already difficult period even more stressful. Based on my experience, I would advise new parents to skip Stork and Sprout and work directly with an independent doula. You will not only save the 30-40% extra fee the agency charges for scheduling, but you will also avoid the toxic and difficult management. This experience is unacceptable for a service that costs tens of thousands of dollars and demands payment upfront months ahead of providing the service. We were not able to switch easily due to the inflexible Carrot reimbursement process through the employer.

I truly couldn't have accomplished my VBAC goals without the incredible support of the Stork and…read moreSprout birth doula team. From the very first moment I needed them through labor and all the way until I was settled into the maternity floor with my new little boy, they were there every step of the way. Their calm presence, deep knowledge, encouragement, and advocacy made all the difference during such an intense and meaningful experience. I felt supported, empowered, and never alone. I am beyond grateful for their care and dedication and would wholeheartedly recommend Stork and Sprout to anyone preparing for birth--especially those pursuing a VBAC.

TLDR: Liat is incredible. If there's one thing I would recommend to help you through your labor,…read moreit's having her by your side. She was the best decision we could have made. My husband and I went back and forth for months about whether we wanted to include a doula in our birth experience. After a lot of discussion, we decided to hire one for two reasons: first, we wanted someone who could help us advocate for ourselves in the hospital so we could stay as close to our birth plan as possible. Second, we wanted someone who could physically support me throughout labor. Liat is truly one of the most incredible human beings I've ever met. She became such an essential part of my birth experience that, looking back, I genuinely don't think I could have done it without her. To make a very long story short, I chose to be induced at 41 weeks after a lot of pressure and fear mongering from my doctors due to elevated amniotic fluid levels. I labored at the hospital until my contractions reached a certain intensity, and then Liat joined us. The moment she arrived, she jumped right in--rubbing my back, talking me through each contraction, and bringing such a calming presence into the room. For the next seven hours, she coached both my husband and me through contractions that were every 2-3 minutes apart. She constantly adjusted my laboring positions to help my baby descend and was incredibly attentive to the fetal monitor. Anytime my baby's heart rate dipped during a contraction, she immediately repositioned me to help him tolerate labor better. Those seven hours somehow flew by. I labored on the birth ball, in the bed, in the bathroom, and even did lunges at one point! Liat was always thinking one step ahead, using every tool and technique she had to help labor progress naturally. Eventually, I reached a point where I decided to get an epidural. I was exhausted, in pain, and my baby was having a harder time tolerating the contractions, with his heart rate decelerating during each one. After the epidural, my labor was paused to help baby, and I was able to rest for about an hour. When I woke up, the nurses wanted to talk about interventions (even the possibility of a C-section) because my labor "wasn't progressing"--despite the fact that they had just given me medication to stop my contractions. Liat immediately stepped in and advocated for us. She calmly explained that labor couldn't progress without contractions and suggested restarting the Pitocin, giving it time to work, and then reassessing before making any decisions. Sure enough, labor picked back up beautifully. A few hours later, I was fully dilated and effaced, but my baby's station was still a little high. Liat spent what felt like hours gently rocking my hips and helping my baby naturally move farther down into my pelvis until it was finally time to push. She stayed by my side every step of the way until our son was born later that afternoon. If you're on the fence about hiring a doula, I cannot recommend Liat enough. She advocated for me every step of the way, helped me navigate unexpected twists in my labor, and supported both me and my husband physically and emotionally throughout the entire experience. Her knowledge, calm confidence, and compassion made all the difference. A few weeks after our son was born, Liat came to visit us at home, and it honestly felt like having family over. Liat, we are endlessly grateful for everything you did to help bring our son safely into this world. We love you, and we can't wait to have you by our side again when it's time to welcome our next baby. Love, The Zimmerman Family

I had the most wonderfully redemptive unmedicated VBAC a few weeks ago, and it is difficult to…read moreoverstate how critical of a role Liat played in making that happen. My first birth had gone much differently than I had hoped (preterm labor that led to immediate C-section due to breech positioning). I had come to terms with that experience, but I was surprised to find in my second pregnancy that it would be difficult to escape those "labels" from my first pregnancy, making it harder to be given a fair shot at having a vaginal birth. Thankfully, I found Liat whose passion for VBACs is infectious and whose no-nonsense approach is grounding. In our conversations before the birth, my husband and I both appreciated the balance of her approach - she strongly believes in the benefits of physiologic birth, but she also recognizes there is a time and place for medical intervention. My primary hope for this birth was that I wouldn't undergo any interventions that I wasn't convinced I needed, and she was a trustworthy sounding board throughout the entire pregnancy and delivery to ensure that was the case. This time around, my baby decided to stay inside long past the due date, so I agreed with my provider that it would be a good idea to induce. This was pretty disappointing for me, but Liat was wonderful at helping me stay in a good headspace in those final days, checking in frequently via texts and calls. When it came time for delivery, she was every bit as exceptional as all her other reviews describe. When she arrived at the hospital, she took one look at me and knew exactly how to change my environment to help me relax. Sure enough, labor accelerated rapidly after she arrived. She massaged my back through every single contraction. She knew exactly what to say to keep my mind present and focused. When she was talking me through my contractions, they were noticeably more efficient. At one point, I almost wanted to give up and she knew exactly how to keep me going. And sooner than I could have dared hope, my baby arrived. I'm pretty sure I professed my love for Liat minutes after giving birth :) And just as she had been for the entire pregnancy and labor, she was a constant comfort and encouragement to us in the minutes, days, and weeks after the delivery as well. Liat takes absolutely no BS, but is also the warmest and most compassionate woman you've ever met. She's exactly who you want at your birth. I know I want her at my next one!

When interviewing doulas, I knew Fabienne was the one based on her gentle confidence and lovely…read morepersonality within minutes of meeting her. And when I asked her why she'd became a doula, her answer that she'd had an exceptional birth experience created a vision in me that I too wanted to experience an exceptional birth......and I knew she'd be a big part of that! My husband and I had taken several birth education classes before we had our first prenatal education meeting with Doula. Within 30 minutes of her practical yet lightheartedly humorous instruction, my husband turned to me and said "I've learned more than from her than in 12 hours of classes"! Fabienne was there through many late night texts over several days during pre-labor (as a first time mom, thinking i was going into labor). And when my water broke, she was there inhumanly fast and made us feel so confident, peaceful and yet in control of our experience. When I look back at my birth, I joke that if I had to choose between the three people in the room (my mom, my husband and Fabienne), I'd choose Fabienne to be there. And it's only partially a joke! She so effortlessly was there as my friend, my advocate, my voice of reason, my coach and the glue that bound the beautiful chaos into the happiest time of my life. And she did it through 26 hours of labor!!! Even after our little one was born, her knowledge was instrumental, from swaddling properly (a newborn is very different than swaddling a doll!), to avoiding wet through diapers to properly wrapping for skin to skin. She was the best part of our birth experience outside of meeting our son and we hope to have the privilege of having her there when we have our next child! I can't recommend her enough.....your child is likely the most monumental thing that will occur in your lifetime. And the situation and people surrounding that will forever be part of the fabric of your memories. Having her knowledge, experience and love as part of that will be such a gift.

My husband Ian and I had a wonderful experience with Fabienne…read more We met Fabienne at a "Meet the Doula" night at Blossom Birth and unanimously agreed that Fabienne would be the best fit for us. Over the course of my pregnancy, she was there every step of the way with her non-judgmental, accepting approach; finding humor, fun, and friendship throughout the process. I would recommend her lovely services to any lady anywhere!

Had a great experience with Hope and Isabel! Made our life a lot easier and brought so much care…read moreand love to our little boy and family! Would certainly recommend them to anyone needing doula support!

Writing as the dad: hiring Mari made all the difference. She helped me understand my role in the…read moreprocess - what to do, when to step in, when to step back - which turned out to be huge during some critical decision moments. I came out of it more connected to my wife and our daughter than I ever expected. Warm, knowledgeable, never pushes an agenda. Highly recommend.

I'm a second-time mom, and I truly thought I knew what to expect before, during, and after…read morebirth--but I couldn't have been more wrong. Working with Caitlin completely transformed my pregnancy and postpartum experience. From day one, Caitlin brought such deep wisdom, calm, and kindness into every interaction. She guided me through breathing techniques, helpful movements for labor, and thoughtful ways to keep my husband involved and confident throughout the birthing process. Her support didn't stop there--her postpartum guidance was invaluable for my healing and for adjusting to life with a newborn (and she even helped us navigate things with our toddler!). What I appreciated most was how collaborative she was. Caitlin never came in with a one-size-fits-all approach; instead, she listened, offered options, and worked with me to figure out exactly what I needed as a mom--and what would help my baby thrive. I cannot recommend Caitlin enough to anyone looking for genuine, knowledgeable, and compassionate support before, during, and after birth. She is truly a gift.

1000/10 would recommend Caitlin's prenatal yoga, birth prep seminar and doula services across the…read moreboard. Caitlin is accessible, intuitive and knowledgeable. I look forward to continuing to work with her and will recommend her to all other expecting parents I know.

We were incredibly lucky to have Thais as our postpartum doula for the first 6 weeks with our first…read morebaby. From the start, she was thoughtful and well prepared. She even came to our home beforehand to review what we had for the baby and helped us identify what we were missing. Thais truly loves babies and her work, and it shows in how gentle, attentive, and calm she is. She also organize our baby items very well, which made daily life much easier. Before her last week, she checked in to make sure I felt confident caring for the baby on my own and taught me essential skills like bathing the baby and using a baby carrier. As a first-time mom, her support made a huge difference. I highly recommend Thais to any new family.

I feel so lucky to have Thais helping me take care of my first newborn baby!…read more She has been so patient, passionate, knowledgeable and really into the details of everything. She also turned my husband and me into parents who are capable of handling different situations! She gave me good guidance on breastfeeding and pumping. And our cat loves her!

We had an outstanding experience with DOULAS by the BAY. They matched us with Mary Ann Cherie…read moreWolowski, who was with our family for the first eight weeks after our baby was born. She started right on the day after delivery while we were still at the hospital. This was incredibly helpful because it allowed my partner to focus on caring for our toddler while I recovered from my C-section and bonded with our newborn. Mary Ann was exceptional in every aspect of newborn and postpartum care. With her background as RN and an experienced nanny, she confidently took charge from day one. She handled everything--from swaddling and keeping the baby on a feeding schedule to making sure I stayed on track with pumping. She always had my pump parts cleaned, sterilized, and ready to use, which made those early weeks so much easier. She also gave me invaluable breastfeeding support. Thanks to her guidance, I established a full milk supply within just three days of my C-section, and I'm still successfully breastfeeding. She also referred us to an amazing lactation consultant who was an absolute game changer. Mary Ann was meticulous about everything baby-related and followed best practices in every detail. Her logging and tracking were incredibly thorough, giving us complete peace of mind. She was professional, respectful, organized, and kept everything spotless. The greatest gift she gave our family was rest. There were moments when it almost felt unreal how much recovery time my partner and I were able to get because we trusted her completely. She would even bring me a glass of iced water wherever I was--a small act of kindness that made a huge difference in my recovery. Because she took care of so much, I was able to focus on postpartum healing and even carve out time for simple self-care, like getting a haircut. Although her primary responsibility was caring for our newborn, she also formed a wonderful bond with our toddler and always made him feel included. She consistently went above and beyond by helping keep our home clean, making countless trips up and down the stairs without ever complaining, and never leaving before everything was tidied up--even if it meant staying a little past the end of her shift. We're incredibly grateful to Doulas by the Bay for matching us with someone who fit our family so perfectly. The agency made the process smooth, and Mary Ann exceeded every expectation we had. We wholeheartedly recommend Doulas by the Bay to any family looking for expert postpartum support. They gave us the gift of rest, confidence, and a much smoother transition into life as a family of four.

I reached out to find a birth doula and the initial meeting giving an overview of how they work was…read moreclear and straightforward. Doulas through this company are employees (not independent providers) and they stress that this is really good for always having a backup. We were then matched with 2 doula candidates and the scheduling process was easy and professional. However, we ultimately felt that these candidates were not properly trained or vetted. We never received any materials such as CVs for the doulas. The first doula said right away that she had never been a birth doula before and we would be her first birth. Her only experience was that she had been a night doula before. I was shocked that she had never even shadowed another birth doula as part of her training as a company employee. Bless her heart for being honest, but I did not want to pay to be her guinea pig. After this, I requested an additional candidate, but I was told the other one should be great. The second doula was also not a good fit. She kept emphasizing that at previous births hospital staff did not believe she was a birth doula (and thought she was just a family friend). It became clear why. I asked about her qualifications and she said she's working on her bachelor's degree even though she already has a master's degree. I thought this was strange and asked some follow up questions and ultimately could not determine what degree she had (maybe an associate's degree) or didn't have (definitely did not already have a master's). I also asked some basic medical questions about pain control and epidurals and she was not able to answer them. Ultimately we were able to find a wonderful birth doula through another matching company - experienced and with a real master's degree (in public health).

I found Lauren through the Evidence Based Birth website. I was so grateful to have a doula who was…read moreup to date on the research and would help support us in pushing against some unnecessary hospital conventions while still being generally pro-medicine. Lauren was very responsive and helpful throughout our pregnancy. We had great prenatal visits and texted and emailed about some concerns that arose. Lauren always replied promptly with great insight and calm. She was just the same way on the day I gave birth. I texted her early in the day that I was feeling contractions but I thought they might be Braxton Hicks. She suggested I focus on other things and time again in a few hours. Later that night it became clear I was going into labor. I waited a bit too long before asking Lauren to come - I had just started to feel the urge to push when she arrived. But I knew I was in safe hands. She drove me to the hospital while my husband grabbed our bag. Along the way she bent over so I could lean on her through the contractions. I gave birth to our beautiful baby girl 40 minutes after we arrived at the hospital. Lauren cooled my face with a cold towel and massaged me through the contractions. She also took lovely photos just after the birth. An hour later, I turned up my husband and said, "I could do that again." It was no doubt thanks in part to Lauren's emotional and physical support. She stayed another 2-3 hours after the birth as well to make sure we were all settled. Lauren has also been helping a new doula Emily train. Emily attended our birth as well and it was helpful to have her extra set of hands!

I sent an inquiry about availability and setting up a consultation for being my birth doula BUT…read moreShe's not accepting clients right now due to being a recent mom. I appreciated her prompt response to inform me.

Hiring Karina was the best decision I made for my postpartum experience. After the birth of my…read morefirst child, she was by my side for 11 weeks -- and I truly could not have navigated that season without her. As a doula, nurse, and lactation consultant, Karina brings a rare depth of knowledge that immediately put me at ease as a first-time parent. But beyond her credentials, she is one of the warmest, most trustworthy people I've ever met -- someone who blended into our home like a member of the family from day one. I looked forward to seeing her every single day. She guided me through so many firsts: bathing, vaccine reactions, pumping, introducing a bottle, sleep shaping, and more. She cleaned bottles and pump parts, did the baby's laundry, and even made nourishing oatmeal for me -- the kind of thoughtful care that made an enormous difference in those early weeks. With my spouse frequently working long hours and overnight shifts, I leaned on Karina heavily -- not just for the baby, but for my own wellbeing as I found my footing in this new chapter. I quickly felt confident leaving her alone with my newborn, which meant I could finally rest and recover the way I needed to. I am immensely grateful for her and recommend her without hesitation.

We hired Karina as postpartum night doula. Her responsibility included taking care of the baby…read moreindependently in the night, coaching parents, offering breastfeeding advice and sleep shaping the baby. We had a wonderful experience with Karina. She connected with our baby instantly and knew exactly how to care for her. Thanks to her guidance, our baby was stretching up to 10 hours at night by the end of 10 weeks! She also went above and beyond, helping with things I didn't even ask for, like cleaning the sterilizer and prepping new baby gear. Her care, expertise, and thoughtfulness made a world of difference. Highly recommend!

I would not have survived my 43 hr natural labor without Lucia. It was a marathon for both of us!…read more I suffered through prodromal labor (Irregular contractions) for about 16 hrs, with contractions that were anywhere from 3-15 minutes apart that never became consistent. Two nights in a row, Lucia stayed with me to offer support with a TENS unit, a Rebozo scarf around my hips, getting me into the tub and encouraging me to walk and climb stairs to help active labor get kick started. She also had me do some exercises to help turn the baby to the right position. She suspected that my unusual labor might be due to a posterior baby. We even made an emergency visit to the chiropractor to get my hips adjusted (was not bad at all, chiropractor had to pause between contractions). It was not too much longer after that when active labor finally started! She was able to keep me home laboring until I was nearly 7cm dilated by the time we got to the hospital, minimizing the chances of interventions. At the hospital, Lucia pulled out her bag of tricks for active labor - non-flame candles around the room, lavender scent, citrus aromatherapy oils, walking the halls, suggesting positions for labor, etc. She also took pictures throughout my labor, which I really appreciated afterwards. When it came time to push, she suggested a tug of war method that, combined with the OB's pushing suggestion, really helped to speed up the pushing part (I was still having slow contractions!). When the baby's head was finally out, she cried. She told me she cries at every birth - and that's how I really know she really loves what she does (in addition to not sleeping for 48 hrs through my weird labor!). We both agreed it was a birth to remember! And, I could not have done it without Lucia's support.

Lucia is an excellent doula! She was so supportive and caring and an excellent pregnancy and…read morepostpartum resource for my husband and I. Active labor and transition can be a mentally, emotionally and physically challenging experience, and I'm so glad that we had Lucia's expertise to help me stick to my goal of natural childbirth. My husband was grateful for the extra support and knowledge she brought during that long night. After our beautiful son was born, Lucia paid us a postpartum visit to check up on us. I really appreciated being able to reflect and process the childbirth experience. We wholeheartedly recommend Lucia's doula services to any bay area expecting moms out there!