I recently had my second baby and unlike my first I wanted to have a lactation consultant home…read morevisit as soon as baby arrived. I have PCOS and had a low supply and tongue tie with my first and wanted to get baby checked out right away so we could do what we needed to help milk production. Rosemary was amazing and came right away and helped me navigate all the things related to breastfeeding and feeding my baby. I felt heard and very well cared for in those beginning days when you are so vulnerable. We had a follow up today and she reassured me that I'm doing everything and heading in the right direction. She was really there to listen to what I had to say and my concerns and gave the advice that I needed to feel confident and keep moving forward. So thankful for Rosemary and Bridgetown baby for the much needed support.

We had such a wonderful experience working with Katrina and Bridgetown baby. Their insurance…read morechecking benefits and automatic, matching with lactation consultant were extremely helpful. We were lucky enough to work with Katrina who from the very first meeting, was incredibly kind, patient, and supportive. She created a comfortable, judgment-free space where I felt heard and understood. What I appreciated most was her collaborative approach. She really took the time to listen to our concerns, answer questions thoroughly, and work together to find solutions that felt right for our family. Her guidance was practical, encouraging, and tailored to our specific situation. I'm truly grateful for her expertise and compassion, and I would highly recommend her to any family looking for knowledgeable and caring lactation support.

This is for Scarlett K. Lynsky from the Portland Doula Collective…read more Scarlett was an integral part of our birth. As first-time parents and having a pregnancy and delivery complicated by several factors, we wanted a doula who would both teach/coach us as well as provide another point of view from what we were hearing from the doctors and specialists. Scarlett took the time to explore with us what we really wanted and were feeling, and always supported our decisions, giving us the confidence to move through the process with peace of mind. During our labor (and ultimately a C-Section) Scarlett provided emotional and physical support without us feeling like there were "too many people in the room." She is very easy and natural to be around and fit in to every situation we encountered in the hospital. Simply put, we don't know what we would have done without Scarlett!

Plz forward "How to protect your family" section as many ppl as possible. Although my child went to…read moreNICU was not her fault, this was preventable by the hospital. With the impact of Labor Land, a nurse during my pushing stage stopped me from trying spinning baby techniques and pointed out that this should have been done much earlier. As soon as Prudence looked down when i looked at her with my Peripheral Vision, I realized that i missed my window of opportunities. Now i am investigating my labor thoroughly w/ my flashbulb memory & research background: I could not forget the moment Prudence "gently" looking into my eyes w/ eye-wide stare & holding her breath refusing my request for pain management when I was under extreme pain. she rejected my request multiple times. One is pain management, second and third spinning baby request. Prudence told me I had a sunnyside up baby and said something that I thought I could do the same, so I was left laying on my back. I missed the window of opportunity during early active labor when my water was still not broke. She claimed that she was taking lots of notes during my delivery, along w/ text msg & prenatal appmts, her job had been fulfilled. I hired her b/c Hospital recommended her but I didn't go with my gut feelings when i sensed something was off prior birth.. My husband and I were so considerate that I asked my husband to give up his couch for her to sleep on so she could help me soon. My husband had to ask for the couch back. She later slept on the chair doing nothing as I was waiting for her to help me with spinning baby technique. Even the lights were flickering RT side of her head (bassinet with monitor). My grandparents just passed away, I think they were trying to help me. She did help me at the end when all the nurses and doctor came into help me push. I complained about Prudence after OP. Despite my refusal, a new nurse forced me to take Tums. During the C-section, I could actually feel the medication in my stomach right before the nausea became overwhelming, the doctor gave me something, and I lost consciousness. My boundaries were ignored by medical staff while my doula coughed, stood by. Hiring her caused more problem than it should for my particular case. I complained to nurses after OP. After a night of "taking notes" & naps? she sighed when I asked for 2nd visualization & I was shaking really bad. she was already standing on my Rt side! (around a nurse visit. This experience has been reported to the hospital formally. She claimed she was happy to provide the notes months before. Recently i gave her 12 hr notice, she never reply my email. The experience left a lasting negative impact on my family. I was so nice to her & gave her extra $200, why she did this to me? It has forced me to question the inherent trustworthiness of 'seniority'. Is this the kind of treatment I got for the next generation? How to Protect Your Family: *Contract: Read your contract! if it is vague and protecting the doula, keep looking. Remember you & your partner can always attend birth classes or online tools, it might be better than hiring an observer or a potential barrier in your private room. Stop yourself when you are in a rush hiring a doula. Also, It is doula's job to mange their career burnout, NOT YOU during labor. Demand Professional Standards: Ensure they are certified and insured. Ask if they accept HSA/Credit Cards--this often indicates a higher level of professional oversight. No SSN to doula. * The "Whiteboard" Strategy: List the doula's duties for each birth stage on the room's whiteboard. Ask nurses to note the doula's activity in the medical record and effectiveness of each stage. * Real-Time Records: Require time-stamped notes to be sent to you before the doula leaves the room. If they use a phone or Google Doc, ask for a screenshot of the "Last Edited" time to ensure the record is contemporaneous. * Escalate Immediately: If the doula/nurses is not performing, do not wait. Ask the nurse supervisor for help or to record the conduct in your medical file.

We are beyond satisfied, grateful, and fortunate to have had Heather by our side during our first…read morechild's birth. She played a key role in us having an uncomplicated pregnancy and labor that allowed both a healthy mom and child. Heather provided plenty of information backed by research, technical material, tools, experience, emotional support, and physical support to me and my husband during my pregnancy, labor, postpartum, and baby care. She guided us along the way with a comprehensive and organized curriculum, plus additional resources that we could follow up on ourselves if we wanted additional support or to further research a topic. She made us aware of the possible options during the decision-making process and allowed us to make our own decisions. Heather is a warm, kind, organized, and professional doula that definitely made us more prepared for this new chapter in our lives. We would highly recommend her if you want to feel more supported, empowered, informed, and calm for a smoother newborn experience.

Heather is a gem who I found here on Yelp. She was the first doula I interviewed when I was about 5…read moremonths pregnant and once I met with her I immediately knew I didn't need to interview anyone else. Heather is very knowledgable, genuine, and kind. She helped my husband and I ease our worries about what to expect during the whole journey and most of all helped us feel empowered and informed to make the best decisions that were right for us. She has solid resources that really helped us learn so much more about the process of pregnancy and preparing for labor. I also really appreciated her guidance on what to expect when communicating with doctors and how to navigate certain topics in order to make better decisions. I ended up going all the way to 42 weeks and Heather was amazing at helping me take it moment by moment, evaluating as we went along to still make the best decisions that felt right to us. When labor finally got going, she was wonderful at helping me feel more grounded and confident as well as being a valuable teammate with my husband. When I had moments of feeling like I wasn't sure if I could keep going, she knew exactly what I needed to help me find strength again. I was able to deliver my baby naturally the way I had wished for and can't thank her enough for her support. I also can't thank her enough for helping me to avoid an episiotomy from the delivering doctor, she's a rockstar of a doula! I highly recommend Heather, she is definitely the person you want advocating for you and on your team through pregnancy, labor and delivery.

Sarah came to our house today for our first consultation with her and it went great. Our daughter…read moreis 3 weeks old and was having some trouble latching comfortably (for me) despite otherwise doing very well (appropriate weight gain, etc). Sarah had tons of suggestions, which she emailed to us shortly after the visit, and I look forward to trying everything! She was super thorough and really took her time with us (the appt was just under 2 hours) and I feel like she really listened to my concerns and gave great explanations for things. Would definitely recommend her to others!

Thanks to the IBCLCs at Miracle of Nurture I have been able to successfully nurse my two babies. My…read morefirst had a severe tongue tie that made it extremely difficult to latch but hospital lactation missed it. Working with Miracle of Nurture we got prompt treatment and overcame it and enjoyed our nursing relationship until she naturally weaned at 18 months. When my son presented with different nursing and breathing struggles I knew I need to see someone at Miracle of Nuture and have been just as impressed with my care this time around with Sarah and feel hopeful that things will improve quickly!

This review is for Sheryl, who came to my home as a postpartum doula…read more What a disappointing experience! This was my second time having a doula and Sheryl was a last-minute fill in. When we talked on the phone, I explained that my baby was a preemie with high needs that was to eat on a set schedule, and the first doula had success carrying her around in a sling as my baby needed that constant human contact. Sheryl arrived and said she would not be carrying my baby, that my baby needed to learn to sleep a certain way, so she took my baby's cradle from my bedroom (I'm a single mom in a small apartment) and put it in the living room. Well, being suddenly in a new environment and alone upset my baby so I listened to my baby crying much of the night and Sheryl walking to/from the kitchen and living room to tend to her (my bedroom is between the two). When I couldn't sleep and came into the living room, Sheryl seemed exasperated that my baby needed to be held so much. Sheryl also took liberties with my baby's feeding schedule -- set by a nutritionist because my baby was not gaining weight properly. Needless to say, my baby and I didn't get much rest and I felt bad for my baby for the care she received. To pay a small fortune ($230) for this type of service is frustrating, and when I brought this to Sheryl's attention, she dismissed my concerns, saying this is "typical for a fill in doula". Overall, Sheryl showed no interest in the needs of my child nor me so I do not recommend Family Doula Tree.

Can't say enough about this wonderful service of encouragement and support! I purchased a package…read morefor my nephew and his fiancee' as their first child was born. Our Family Tree Doula has been amazing, and given this sweet young family an extra boost of confidence and peace as they begin their journey as a family. From help with the birth plan, to lactation guidance, and any other information they have needed help with, this has been a wonderful resource. A Big Thank you to Family Tree Doula Service! Linda, Eagle Creek, OR

From start to finish, the entire Portland Doula Love experience was exactly what I needed to feel…read moresupported! We were matched with the lovely, Patty Spravale, as our doula. I couldn't imagine our birth without her!!!

We are beyond grateful for Doula Love's matching service and for pairing us with our incredible…read moredoula, Nomarie. We were a little on the fence about hiring a doula since this was our second baby, but we really wanted that holistic, nurturing care that a hospital alone can't always provide -- and Nomarie was exactly what we'd hoped for. I'm not what you'd call a "country granola" type of mom -- I went into this birth fully planning on (and very much wanting!) all the pain relief and medical support. But there's still such an important place for a doula in that environment. Nomarie helped bring warmth, connection, and a truly holistic touch to what could have otherwise felt like a very clinical experience. From the very first meeting, she made us feel comfortable, supported, and truly heard. She took the time to understand our hopes for the birth and was such a calming, confident presence every step of the way. When labor began, Nomarie was our angel -- grounding us through every contraction, guiding my partner on how to support me, and helping us navigate all the twists and turns that came our way. Even when things got complicated after our baby was born, she never left our side. Her steady reassurance and calm energy made us feel safe and less scared during a really overwhelming moment. Looking back, I honestly can't imagine our birth experience without her. She helped us feel empowered and cared for in one of the most intense and beautiful moments of our lives. I would recommend Doula Love and Nomarie a thousand times over -- they gave us the support we didn't even know we needed.

Andaluz created such an incredibly beautiful experience for me, my husband, and our beautiful baby…read moreboy. Carrie, Amber, and Megan (Midwives) were so caring and respectful. Each of them have their own ways of expressing compassion. Everyone working here also created a safe and comfortable space! I had a beautiful water birth that had its ups and downs but Carrie was really honest and helped me through a lot of it! She was the midwife at my birth and her guidance was the extra push (no pun intended) that i needed to deliver baby! If you are searching for a safe and comfortable place to give birth, Andaluz is the perfect place to do that!! They also provide a handful of classes to support soon to be parents and the have great community resources too! Not to mention Wildflower Lactation that shares a space here.

DO NOT GO TO ANDALUZ. If you are told it will be easy to get a refund for your insurance if you pay…read moreup front -- DO NOT BELIEVE THEM. IT'S A SCAM. My son is turning one in a week and Toni Suski in the billing department has not been one ounce of help. She kept saying we're working on it and neither she or the director of revenue for their parent company, Matt, are available via phone. There is no phone number to call for their parent company. Last we got an email from Matt a month ago that he was going to send our check. It hasn't arrived and he stopped replying to our emails. We liked the midwives and staff and were sad to do this but we are now reporting Andaluz to our insurance company so no else is out thousands of dollars with no one to call.