Tracy was absolutely wonderfu!! My pregnant daughter and I took her series of prenatal classes virtually. The classes were so helpful!! They covered every aspect of the third trimester, labor, delivery, and even newborn care and breastfeeding. Since I was going to be in the delivery room I wanted to be able to be a real help to my daughter. When the time came to head to the hospital Tracy was available to help and support my daughter with real time suggestions for early labor and beyond. And when there were some complications I knew the questions to ask the doctor and nurses because Tracy had taught me how to seek out the relevant information so that my daughter could make the best decisions for her baby and for herself. Tracy's wealth of experience and knowledge is amazing and was incredibly helpful. Her caring, calm demeanor and thoughtfulness was everything we wanted and more. Tracy truly is the BEST! read more

Please make sure you get Tracy on the day of your delivery... We absolutely loved meeting Tracy for the initial calls. We learned so much and she was so knowledgeable. However, she told us that she wouldn't be able to attend our baby's birth due to COVID concerns and that she has an assistant doula she's very confident in that will be there for the day of. On the day of, the assistant doula showed up and was not helpful at all. This was her 4th time being a doula. I was clearly in so much pain, but she didn't proactively offer me any advice, a new position to try, or anything motivational. The only thing she did was take out essential oils which didn't do anything for me. I honestly feel like I paid thousands of dollars just to have another body in the room. My husband had to proactively ask her, "Hey, her legs are sore, can you help me massage them. Hey, can you call Tracy and ask what else we can do? Hey, are there other positions we should be trying?" read more

We were very disappointed with Tracy Hartley as our doula. She showed up at the birth, and was constantly texting and had the audacity to keep her phone on, beeping every few minutes. She seemed occupied with something else, and disinterested in being there. Although, at first she seemed nice and accommodating, at the actual birth she didn't show support, and we realized that our meetings prior were full of empty promises. What a waste of time and money! The whole things was so awkward and uncomfortable, we would have been better off without her presence! read more

I can't say enough about how valuable it was to have Tracy be part of my pregnancy and birth experience. I'm a planner. I need to know what I'm getting into and all the possible outcomes. Since this was my first pregnancy--uncharted territory for my husband and myself--we wanted a doula to provide education, support, and advocacy. We needed more info than what was provided in the routine OB/GYN appointments. My husband and I were blown away by our initial interview with Tracy and asked her to be our doula on the spot. With each visit, we each felt more empowered and informed about how our delivery could go. We got handouts, watched videos, learned about the equipment used during the birth, and heard the wisdom of someone that had been present at 600+ births! She brought up procedures and "what ifs" for all types of deliveries from at-home vaginal, to inducement, to emergency C-section. Unfortunately, I was forced to completely change my birth plan 8 weeks before my due date. Early on, I was dead set against a C-section and had been all-in on a vaginal birth. But, due to my baby's size, I was put on rest and a surgical birth was strongly recommended. I was devastated. Even though the majority of our work with Tracy was to plan for a vaginal birth, this 180 turn didn't phase Tracy in the least. She was so wonderful, supportive, and flexible; it was exactly what I needed when I felt the rug had been pulled out from under me. Tracy put me at ease by sharing her experience with other clients that had vaginal deliveries where it ended up being a more difficult birth and a longer recovery than if they had surgery. She reinforced that every birth really is unique and there is no "wrong way" to deliver. These were things I needed to hear to manage my anxiety. The day of my surgery I was an anxious mess. It got worse when I got to the hospital--the nurses started running through their checklists at breakneck speed, poking and prodding me without explaining much. Tracy arrived shortly after they started and I felt such relief when she arrived--I immediately started ugly crying. She was my advocate and a go-between with the nurses, giving me a minute to catch my breath and process what was going on. That alone was a huge help, but Tracy stayed throughout the birth and after, calmly walking me and my husband through everything. And, even though I didn't think I'd want pictures--I was a hot mess--Tracy tastefully captured moments I will cherish forever! I thought having a doula for a surgical birth wouldn't be necessary, but having Tracy's support months before, during pre-op, surgery, and after, made a huge difference in decreasing my anxiety and increasing my confidence. Lastly, throughout our time with Tracy, she was very responsive to communications, punctual, and professional. We were clear on fees and services from the beginning and it was worth every penny. We highly recommend Tracy as a doula, you will not be disappointed! read more

As first time parents going through pregnancy during a pandemic, Tracy was amazing from beginning to end. Despite COVID, she flawlessly navigated our initial interview, prenatal courses, labor and delivery virtually. She was on the phone with us through the wee-hours of the night during labor & delivery to guide us in our decision making while being sure that our birth plan for myself and our baby was followed as best as possible. I would highly recommend her as your doula! read more

We wasted money. Absolutely scam... She asked to pay first over $2,000 and I did, I called her after my wife had contractions for a while but she asked us to stay home still. I still had a sense we should go to hospital and called her doctor and our she said come in just in case. My wife was 8cm dilated. She was sent to labor right away. I called Tracy if she could come help. She said no. I guess she was too sleepy? It was midnight when we called. I had no idea why she didn't come but anyways we sat in the labor room for 6 hours, and had a safe delivery. Honestly we were glad she didn't come. We had a great time by ourselves and it was more intimate. Just needed the refund. She of course refused to refund. It was non sense. She basically did only one phone call and went to bed but still earned over $2,000. And it seems like she charged us extra like twice as long as I read other reviews. Re: Tracy Thank you for sending DM but I prefer not receiving anymore. We moved to NYC, and I remembered your face with the short gray hair but not your name. Posting this review because I came across to the paper you gave to us and had your name on it and I had to look up but I was sure to post this to a right person because your face hasn't changed with the gray short hair. I wouldn't post to a wrong person. And I am sorry that you didn't like this review but just wanted to share our honest experiences. I hope it is ok. read more

Preparing for my first child, I went to Tracy's childbirth class and received the most carining, attentive, comforting, and reassuring guidance I could imagine. Tracy's reputation as the best doula around preceded her, so I knew I was in good hands. But I left the class feeling more confident and prepared than I would've thought possible in a one-day program. She covered everything from preparing for the birth to breastfeeding, diapering, and soothing my little newborn. I can't recommend her highly enough!! read more

My wife and I are expecting our first child and we took tracy's Introductory Class and Virtual Childbirth Preparation Classes. We could not be happier with our choice to take these important classes with her. My wife is really nervous about giving birth and tracy made us feel so well-informed, prepared, and at ease. She did a great job of explaining the medical reason behind every critical area of the experience. She is incredibly knowledgeable, not only about birth, but also about infant care and lactation. She's a wonderful human and we've really enjoyed getting to know her through this process. We took these courses over a few weekends and we were very sad when our last class was over. Take the opportunity to learn from tracy, you won't regret it! read more

I highly recommend having a doula to elevate your birthing experience.Tracy has helped me give birth to 2 children. We LOVE Tracy Hartley from BEST Doula. After interviewing half a dozen doulas, we chose her because of her high level of experience, and calming disposition. She made sure my husband and I received proper birthing education. read more

Hiring Tracy to be my doula for my 2nd pregnancy was the best decision I made. Without her I wouldn't be able to deliver my baby girl naturally. With my 1st pregnancy I didn't have a doula and the whole hospital experience during my labor was very intimidating. I didn't know my options and it was difficult to communicate with the hospital staff with my needs and asked them questions while having contractions. Luckily everything went smoothly. Fast forward to my 2nd pregnancy, I wanted to feel empowered and supported rather than being a puppet and told what to do at the hospital. After interviewing a few doulas I decided to work with Tracy. She is very knowledgble and passionate in her work. She is compassionate and makes me feel very comfortable. At my last trimester we found out my baby girl was breeched. The option given by my OB was pretty much c-section. Tracy immediately referred me to see an awesome prenatal chiropractor to try turning the baby naturally. After trying all natural methods my baby girl was still not budging. But the prenatal chiropractor referred me to an OB who was willing and able to deliver breech babies naturally. Long story short, I switched my OB at 38 weeks, and one day before my due date I delivered a healthy baby girl naturally. Her butt came out first! Tracy was with me by my side through out the most stressful time of my pregnancy as well as the delivery process. Tracy knows the medical staff very well (a huge bonus!) at the hospital where I delivered, which helped tremendously. My husband and I are forever grateful for Tracy, without her we would've been really lost with my baby girl's breech position. I highly highly recommend Tracy, and I am sure with her guidance and mentors, her team of doulas are very awesome to work with as well. read more

We decided to hire a doula based on the fact we could not choose or know who our doctor was going to be on the day of delivery. We are from Australia living in LA without any family close by. I wanted a familiar face in the room with me, a motherly type figure, someone who knew my birth plan and knew exactly what I was going through, who could coach me through it. Tracy was all those things and more. All I can say is THANK GOODNESS she was there, the bedside manner of the doctor on duty left a lot to be desired which was exactly what I was afraid of. I didn't have to say a word Tracy knew exactly what I was thinking by the look on my face. She helped me stay focused on the task at hand rather than get upset by the doctor and encouraged me to do it "my way". Tracy's experience and familiarity with the birthing process gave us confidence we were in good hands. It was reassuring knowing she herself had also "been there and done that" and knew exactly what I was going through and feeling. Tracy was a guiding light for me, someone I trusted and could turn to when I found myself freaking out. She was very cool, calm, and collected, breathing and making noise with me (something I was worried about and not comfortable doing but she helped me not feel so embarrassed about it by joining in with me). Tracy does her absolute best to help make you feel comfortable and put you at ease while in the throes of labor. I feel I could not have done it without her encouragement, support, and guidance. Tracy is very down to earth, up front, compassionate, understanding and has a very soothing voice. No question is too big or too small for her. Tracy is also very familiar with most of the hospitals in the area and knows her way around a hospital setting.  Tracy took photos of the birth of our son with a DSLR camera however she was like a fly on the wall and not intrusive or invasive by any means. This was something I didn't think I wanted initially however I am so grateful to have now after the fact (I couldn't imagine my husband being able to do this as he was too busy holding my hand at the time). She also took notes of all the milestones throughout the labor which she then gave to us afterwards.  We really benefited from Tracy's in home prenatal classes too, she offered much more insightful information than the standard videos and classes presented by our health care provider. Tracy shows you and goes over in detail some of the tools and terminology that can be used during delivery, something I feel everyone should be privy to before entering the delivery room. Tracy equips you with the knowledge and know how, so you are somewhat prepared (well as prepared as you can be) and know what to expect on the day. I wouldn't have known what needed to be included in a birth plan or even how to write one if it wasn't for Tracy.  My husband and I are truly grateful and wouldn't have wanted the birth of our son any other way. I was able to have an all natural, unmedicated birth as hoped. We are so glad we chose Tracy and do not regret a single thing, she was everything we hoped for and worth every penny! It's unfortunate we are moving back to Australia as I would love for Tracy to be there for the birth of our second child (whenever that may be). Whatever your reasons are for hiring a doula, it's safe to say you're in good hands with Tracy and her team of doulas. Here is what my husband had to say - "Tracy was amazing (as was Ambrosia the doula in training) and was able to calm Sheena down when she was very worried and afraid. I cannot imagine doing this without her." read more

I'm a registered nurse, I am familiar with labor and delivery and how the unit and nurses work with patients. I always believe that having a nurse and a doctor on standby is not always enough for the expectant mother, especially if its the first time. Every mother deserves a doula. This was my first pregnancy and I chose Tracy because of her years of experience. Tracy is willing to be interviewed before deciding to work with her. After interviewing her and getting to know her level of expertise I felt confident to hire her. During our long meetings/classes she provided us with many resources: pamphlets, handouts, product samples, and videos. Besides her expertise, her easy going personality made us feel welcomed and comfortable to work with her right away. Our experience with her was remarkable. What I loved the most about her service was that she is always there to answer your calls/texts/emails at any time. This made us feel secure for when "the day" arrived. She also has a back up of doulas, just in case. When my husband and I decided what we wanted in our birth plan, we had so many questions, Tracy was able to guide us by answering all of our questions. I planned to have a natural birth with no pain medication/interventions. During our labor she documented every stage of labor, in addition to taking photographs of the stages with a DSLR camera when my partner and I were caught up "in the moment." This is another incentive because the last thing you want is your partner focusing on taking pictures when you need him to hold your hand or massage you. She also took photos of our beautiful baby girl right when she came out. She payed us a visit at home after the birth and provided additional breastfeeding teaching. I'm thankful I had her by our side. It gave us confidence to fulfill our wishes. And sometimes that's all you really need to have positive experience in labor. read more

tracy quickly became a friend. She listened to us and shaped the experience on our wishes and always made us feel confident and comfortable. Her warmth and kindness helped every step of the way. Her conversation with both my mom and OBGYN were enormously helpful at the same time. We still refer back to advice tracy gave us before my son was born, and already are thinking about baby number two. read more

If you're considering a natural birth, this is the lady to help you do it. Tracy was our doula through the birth of both our children. She enabled me to have the birthing experiences I wanted. Having her there made me feel that much more confident. She used her instincts and experiences to follow my lead, providing the exact support I needed. Every birth should have a doula and if it's Tracy, well then you have the BEST. Jacey read more

Really, if you have never had a baby you don't know that YOU NEED A DOULA! Tracy really is the real deal. You deserve a doula to help you with your pregnancy and have her as an advocate at your birth. Make a call and interview and you will know that she is an expert in her field. She provides personal education and is an incredible resource. Tracy can answer every question that you have and I promise that you will have an amazing birth experience. She really is the Best in doulas. read more

We are so thankful for Tracy. She educated and helped us so much. She trusted our choice and empowered us even if we didn't have the birth we planned at first. She taught us to have no expectations and be present. We love her!! read more

Tracy is awesome and empowered my husband and me to have the birth experiences we wanted. She was part of my son's birth a month ago and part of my daughter's birth three years ago. Although both pregnancies ended in c-sections because of breech presentation, we would hire Tracy again in a heartbeat. Both times, Tracy recommended we try acupuncture, chiropractor, versions, etc. to try and turn our babies and even accompanied us to the ECV at the hospital. Every step of the way, Tracy shared boundless knowledge about the procedures, what we can expect, and what was okay to ask for/demand at the hospital. Needless to say, during the birth of my son a month ago, Tracy empowered us to persistently request skin-to-skin in the operating room. Despite our doctor's hesitation, he reluctantly agreed after Tracy explained that she had witnessed this during other births at other hospitals. Needless to say, this was one of the most memorable experiences of our son's birth and we are so grateful we had Tracy there to make it happen. Aside from this, Tracy was extremely helpful in helping us figure out which hospital procedures to delay or skip altogether and establish breastfeeding. read more

Tracy is a God send , she has helped us delivery 2 babies ( the one recently born on 7/17) without any issues and no epidural needed ! She is phenomenal and made the process comfortable for my wife and myself . We are eternally grateful to Tracy for everything she has done for us. Thank you. read more

Tracy was our doula for the birth our daughter in January. We are so thankful we had her. My labor was looooong - 33 hours. But with the help of Tracy (and her trainee doula Becca) I was able to achieve the unmedicated labor I wanted. Without them I would have gone to the hospital way too early and likely ended up with interventions that I did not want. I was in tub at Cedars for a few hours, and they took turns pouring warm water over my belly. They did this probably hundreds of times. Amazingly helpful. When looking for a doula, experience was really important to us. She has seen it all. What I really liked about her is that she always gave a direct response to our questions, and it was often backed up with a story from her personal experience about how she handled the situation. We found her knowledge and kind personality very helpful and definitely recommend her to anyone who is seeking a natural birth. read more

Tracy was our doula for the birth of our son this past august and i will always be so grateful to her for everything she did to help us. she is an invaluable resource and really empowered me and my hubby before and during my labor and delivery in the hospital. there are many great things about the services that Tracy offers. for example, she educated me and my hubby on childbirth, breastfeeding, diapering options and more in the couple of meetings we had prior to the birth. this also gave us the opportunity to get to know her, which was great. i was so happy that my hubby got along with her - it was very important to me that they be on the same page so that we were a team. she was with us in the labor and delivery ward in the hospital for the many, many hours it took for our little one to enter this world. she helped explain what the doctors and nurses let us know about our progress along the way in terms we could understand. she is there for you when the hospital staff have to tend to other things. she knows the doctors and nurses already, having attended hundreds of births in the area. but the best thing that i appreciated about Tracy was her open mind. she let us know that she does not judge her clients based on the decisions they make. if you elect to get an epidural, she will support you completely. every once and awhile you make an investment in something and you look back and can say with confidence, and without any regrets, that it was worth every penny. i am so happy that i can say that about Tracy. i would highly recommend her. read more

I had my birth all planned out. Natural. No drugs. It was going to be beautiful and inspiring and belong on Youtube accompanied by a moving soundtrack. And tracy was going to help me with every contraction along the way. So when at our first meeting she ran me through all the possible birth scenarios, reminding me that I am absolutely not in charge, this baby is, and suggested I make birth plan decisions regarding an unexpected C-Section, I said "yeah yeah yeah, thanks, but I won't need to be doing that". Then at 32 weeks, my little man went breech. I tried it all. Spinning babies, moxibustion, hypnotherapy, chiropractic, you name it. I kept the hope all the way to the end. Then I wept. For days. Then I begrudgingly wrote my C-Section birth plan. Here's the thing: had it not been for tracy and the knowledge she imparted on me throughout our prenatals, there were many things I was able to question. I felt empowered knowing that some interventions and treatments were worth exploring, asking about, and even though my "perfect birth experience" was not to be, I could still have some say in how it could play out. So when I had to have my operation a week earlier than anticipated (little man also ran out of fluid, so he really was staying put!) she rushed over to be with me and supported me and all of my fear the way only a true professional knows how. I have had some people ask if I regretted spending the money on a doula since I ended up having a c-section. I tell them that her warm presence and uplifting guidance throughout the whole scary ordeal was worth every penny, and I can't thank her enough!!! read more

We hired Tracy Hartley to be our doula for the birth of our second child. After having a scary emergency C-section with our first child, we wanted someone very experienced to be a resource in guiding us through trying for a VBAC. Tracy absolutely fit that bill. Having attended over 450 births, she has seen it all. She has a very calm and reassuring approach. I had a lot of anxiety about whether a much hoped-for VBAC would be possible and my meetings with Tracy really helped give me the confidence that it would happen for me. During the birth itself, Tracy calmly talked me through everything that was going on and also took great photos. Another thing I liked about Tracy is that she is not the type to second guess your personal choice of physician, the use of pain medication, or anything else. She is well regarded by OBs, midwives and nurses and knows everyone in the birth business. Tracy is also very down to earth, which both my husband and I really liked right off the bat. She will also work with you on her fee if you feel you can't afford her. She is truly passionate about what she does and it shows. read more

Working with tracy was one of the best decisions we made while I was pregnant. My goal was to give birth without an epidural and I achieved that but only because I had the support of an experienced doula to help with pain relief and emotional support. I had an extremely long labor and tracy was by my side the entire time. Her presence gave my husband peace of mind. He was able to take breaks and know I was in good hands. She also worked with him on how to support me. She was familiar with all hospital procedures and helped us navigate the questions and suggestions from the nurses and doctors. This helped us feel empowered. Prior to going into labor we met with tracy three times. She educated us on the birthing process, baby care, showed us videos, provided support throughout the pregnancy and helped us identify how we'd work together as parents to take care of the baby. When I was laboring at home and having physical symptoms (water breaking, mucus plug) she helped us identify what was happening and it really helped calm our nerves. She is truly passionate about her work and really cares about her clients. She has tons of information on all birthing topics and is very connected to excellent resources. A mentee doula also attended our birth and was the perfect match for us. Having both doulas made me feel like I was surrounded by a tribe of strong women. After laboring for over 24 hours our baby boy was born just after 2am. tracy was working the entire time. She took notes and photos and we now have a memory log of the birth. She is truly special and we highly recommend. read more

We hired Tracy for the birth of our daughter because we wanted to have as natural and intervention free birth as possible. We were impressed that her services included a ton of education before we even made it to the delivery room. She was so thorough that we really didn't need a birthing class! While I ended up getting an epidural Tracy was supportive in that decision and helped to make our birth experience special. I'd recommend Tracy to anyone! read more

I simply could not have gone through my labor and delivery without tracy by my side, hand on my back, guiding my husband with her wisdom and experience on how he could work together to best care for me. Her attitude was remarkable through the grueling labor and her endurance spectacular. read more

Tracy prepared me so well that I felt calm and confident going into my birth, even though it happened sooner than I expected. She made me feel safe and empowered during my birth and proud after. I really can't recommend her enough. read more

A very warm and professional doula. We learned a lot! Although we ended up going into labor before we could have made her our doula, we would definitely choose her for our next child! read more

When we decided that having a doula present at our daughters hospital birth was the way we wanted to go we looked into it for a while. Once we met Tracy we knew we had the right person on board. She was kind and direct and provided us with everything we needed to know about a hospital birth. Believe me - there is no way any obgyn has the time to sit down and explain all the scenarios and answer all of your questions the way Tracy can. She brought out all sorts of hospital equipment and told us what they were and what they did. We loved this! We went in with a fuller understanding and the ability to recognize the terms and gadgets that tend to fly around quickly when you want to make important decisions. Also - I was in prodromel labor for over 10 days. Tracy guided me through that time and spared us so much anxiety. The night I went into full labor was thrilling and relaxing (!) in that prodromal labor was finally over and Tracy was meeting us at the hospital. She worked with me as I did my hypnobirthing exercises all through the night and she reassured me when pitocin was needed to get me to dilate the last couple of centimeters. Our daughter joined us just a couple hours later and the photos Tracy took of her first few minutes are absolutely incredible! I must mention that my mom lives across the country and could not be with me for the birth. I knew I would miss having a loving and mothering figure near me during that time. Tracy filled in for my mom fantastically. I would not trade my birthing experience with her for anything. She's a wonder of wisdom, energy, and kindness and she knows when to step up to help and when to back away during such an intensely intimate time. read more

I hired Tracy Hartley to be my doula for my son's birth in June 2009. I can honestly say that it was a huge mistake. She provided good education at our 2 scheduled meetings before the actual birth (both about 1 hour long), but for my actual labor she was barely there at all. I went into labor around 10pm in the evening, and I waited to call her until the next morning around 8am. She told me that she would come over later. I called her again at noon and again at 4pm by when my contractions were very strong and painful and close together. She never came to my house at all. I received all of my labor support from friends and family members for many long hours of labor. At 8pm, I finally decided to head out for the hospital, and she had still never arrived. She met me and my family at the hospital, where it was decided, 45 minutes after we arrived, that I would have a C-section. I was extremely tired and disheartened at that point. Tracy asked me if I wanted her to wait through the surgery. I said yes, and looking back now, that was a terrible decision, since she refused to give me any level of refund whatsoever since she sat in the waiting room during the surgery. My mother said she made phone calls and did her own business during that entire time. After the surgery, she basically said good luck and nice to know you and was out the door. I paid her over $1000 for these "services". Later I asked her if she would refund at least some of my money, since she did nothing at my actual birth. I mean nothing. She never came to my house during my labor. She said that because she had waited in the waiting room at the hospital that she would not refund me anything. I wish that I had taken her to small claims court after this experience, but it would have meant dragging my infant son all over town, and at the time I was so humiliated and discouraged that I just dropped it. When I look back at all the things I could have paid for, for my child with that money, I am heartsick. It was a complete and utter rip-off and I consider her to be a very dishonest individual. If I could save even one person from having to go through this experience, then writing this review is worth it. It still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. There are a lot of good and honest doula's out there who will charge you a fraction of the price that she charges and give you excellent care. But my experience with her was very negative. read more

when looking for a doula i thought i wanted something different then what tracy was, i thought i wanted more of a massage therapist then a coach, i chose tracy because my husband trusted her from the first time we met her and i wanted my husband to be most comfortable with her since she would be at our birth and he needed to feel like he had a team along with me to support through this birth experience as i dont think he really understood what was to be expected of him and his husbandly duties.. what i didnt know is tracy turned out to be the MOST WONDERFUL DOULA!! my birth was unlike many other i had a planned homebirth ( my first child) but what i didnt plan on was having a unassisted homebirth where the baby came not only 2 days early but only a hour of labor.so during all those painful contraction tracy was there with her voice and warm comforting hands helping me and guiding me through all the pain.and when the babies head was crowing it was her who got me whatever i needed to ease the burning sensation i still to this day remember yelling tracy find me oil now HELP and she did quickly. she also during all this she also managed to take beautiful photographs of the birth (without her they wouldnt be any as my husband was frozen in shock)even though we had not planned on her doing this we wanted a professional photographer whom we had already hired but since the baby came so quickly .tracy and my husband were the only one present at the birth. so lets recap she came early in the morning and talked me through contractions as she drove to me, which was comforting as i think my husband was in the kitchen making coffee( its was like 5am), she came quickly after we called pasadena to hollywood hills, she came prepared and wrote down all my birth notes for me, how many pushes contractions timing etc, she called the doctors/midwife for me and spoke to her for me. she helped my body, my hair(when i was puking) she massaged my back when i asked , she stayed by my side through all the pain back and forth through the shower,bathtub to the bed in the bedroom, she kept me sane when i was BEGGING for it to be over and CRYING to her that i was in so much pain. SHE KEPT ME GROUNDED AND focused ON MY BABY AND ME she took photographs brought me ice,drinks foods... she did everything a woman could want or even ask for in a doula. they say dont judge a book by it's cover and if your seeking a woman who will stand by your side through the birth not because shes simply paid to be there but she cares about you and your experience then please go with TRACY. email me if you have more questions about her at ashstives@yahoo.com read more

Tracy was great as our doula. Not only was she there for us right away at the triage room and all through labor and delivery (along with her great doula-in-training, Micky), she gave me and my husband amazingly helpful information during our pre-visits that helped prepare us for labor, delivery and even the first weeks home with our baby. This information also helped me to add important items to my birth plan that I hadn't thought of or even known. Being well-informed helped to give me the confidence to know that I didn't need to ask for the epidural right off the bat and empowered me during the entire process. During labor, she helped me get through a lot of the pain with encouragement, massage, and even reminders to empty my bladder. Even after getting the epidural, Tracy and Micky were there to help explain what to expect and what stage I was going through. Tracy was my advocate and supporter. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula - especially if it's your first baby. read more

We recently used Tracy Hartley of BEST Doula for our pregnancy and were SUPREMELY disappointed with her. We found out we were having an emergency C-section 6 weeks early and called Tracy to come to the hospital. She said she didn't think she could make it in traffic (on a Saturday, during the holidays... from Pasadena to Beverly Hills). But far more upsetting was the fact that Tracy NEVER called, emailed, or texted after that phone call to see how the surgery went! We are still baffled by her inexcusable behavior, and to put an exclamation point on the experience, we emailed her 10 days later to tell her how we felt and she responded with a defensive, insulting email suggesting that we were "blaming her" for the fact things did not go as we planned. Aargh! Do yourself a favor and find a different doula... unless you are looking for an unreliable, uncaring, and unprofessional person at your side on such an important day. Oh, and despite missing our birth and never checking in to see how mom and baby were doing after, she pocketed the $950 deposit for doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Classy. read more