Dakota is amazing. She is the true reason we were able to have the natural child birth with no…read moreepidural in the hospital that I was hoping for. Without her guidance we would have been lost! She helped my partner and I every step of the way through labor. If we have a second child, we will hire her right away!

Dakota was my doula for the birth of my second baby. As as second time mom, I was on the fence…read moreabout hiring a doula since I had already experienced labor.  I am so happy that I chose to have Dakota at my birth! Dakota set a gentle, mellow mood throughout the birth. She used essential oils and music to keep the hospital room as homey and relaxing as possible. She gave gentle coaching as needed, helping me to move through positions and stay calm. She helped my partner to take care of himself, too, which meant that he could be there for me when I needed him.  Dakota was invaluable in helping us meet our goal of a peaceful birth with no medical interventions. Dakota is wonderful when things are going well, but she is also incredible when things go wrong. Towards the end of our birth, my baby's heart rate dropped dramatically.  The OB realized that my placenta was detaching and I needed to push my baby out FAST. Dakota quickly switched modes from gentle to focused coaching -- she helped me to breathe and push efficiently but calmly, and my sweet baby came out safely two contractions later.  Without Dakota's help, I don't know if we would have had as good of an outcome.   Dakota helped us to have a hospital birth that felt like a home birth.  She provided amazing support before, during, and after.  I feel very lucky to have had her help and support.  I can't imagine a better doula.

We took the Childbirth Education class with BABI and it was so much more than we expected. Dakota…read moreis a wealth of knowledge and the class provided so much intel from experience, information we could not have gotten through books alone (I've read a few in prep for childbirth and I learned things that were just completely obsolete in them). Dakota also has knowledge of what to expect at St Charles Birthing Center, so it will support you whether you're home birthing or birthing at the hospital. The class gave us both - birthing mom + partner - practical things to do before, during, and after childbirth, and the class was worth every penny. I loved the mix of Hanai/in person and Zoom, and being able to meet other couples in a similar stage. I'd absolutely recommend any class with BABI to those going through their first pregnancy, and even subsequent births. We feel empowered knowing we have the tools and knowledge to make smart decisions for us and the baby.

I cannot stress how incredible helpful Bend BABI has been in educating us on labor, delivery,…read morebreastfeeding, newborn care and pretty much everything else we had questions on as we enter this brand new chapter in life! Dakota is AMAZING and extremely knowledgeable. She put our minds at ease over all the uncertainties that come with going through labor for the first time and being a first-time parent. If you are having your first child, I HIGHLY recommend this incredible course! 6 classes for a very fair price. Every single topic that you could think of was covered. I feel so much more excited and prepared going into labor and parenthood. Thank you SO much Dakota!!!

Breanna and Christina are both incredibly well versed midwives who are kind, caring, and very…read moreknowledgeable. I really loved their hypnobirthing class and found the classes flew by, even for my attention-challenged partner. Walked away with a plethora of skills and tools to navigate a hospital birth and make it feel more natural and organic. Extremely empowering class. Thank you so much to both of them!

Bre and Christina are both extremely knowledgeable and engaging, and as a second time mama of two,…read morewalked away feeling confident and equipped with practical skills and tools to experience a natural labor in a hospital environment. The skills we learned transcend not only to the labor and birth of our babies, but are helping us mentally and emotionally prepare as we get closer to that day. My husband and I feel we have a good picture of how the experience will be different than our home birth with our first and the options and choices we have. Bre and Christina spoke specifically to our situation and taught us how we can advocate for our specific desires. I have taken other online birth courses, but the hands on partner practice truly is invaluable and a skill not easily taught or learned online birth courses. I highly recommend this class to anyone looking to have a successful unmedicated birth experience.

Jen truly wanted 1 million clinician. We felt truly safe and heard with her my daughter (four weeks…read moreold at the time) absolutely loved her and slept most of the session and seemed very relaxed and happy. Jen is a wealth of knowledge and we were so happy to learn from her.

From the owner: Offering craniosacral therapy for babies and children since 2016. Home visits and Salem office…read morevisits available. Childbirth classes in person in Salem. Placenta encapsulation services!

Lori was an incredible doula. Being our first birth and with no family in the area, we were looking…read morefor some support and guidance through this time. We chose Lori because she seemed pragmatic and had a lot of relevant life experience. As a mother and former school teacher, Lori brings a very grounded yet enthusiastic energy to her work. She is friendly, knowledgeable, and up to date about everything from home births to medical interventions. She is personally familiar with the various medical facilities in the Portland area, and knows how to navigate their systems. As labor progressed at the hospital, Lori provided us with techniques to remain comfortable and to move the labor along naturally. She helped us understand the medical procedures and their implications as they arose. Lori was very realistic, and did not minimize the challenges of birth. She listened to our goals and wishes, and compassionately provided her professional opinion and insight. Her warm, can-do attitude helped us remain confident and empowered throughout the journey. We highly recommend Lori's services! -- Dan & Kathryn

Having Lori with is on this journey was incredible. As first time parents it was important to us…read morethat we had someone by our side who could help us navigate pregnancy, birth and postpartum. I immediately felt at ease with Lori - she offered an non-judgmental but educated approach. When our birth plans hit a snag (breech baby) she not only helped us pivot and prepare for a whole new set of unknowns but she sat with us in the grief that came along with accepting this new journey. I was so grateful to have Lori with us for our ECV and ultimately our c-section. Having her in the OR helped calm both mine and my husbands nerves. We are so grateful for her support throughout the entire process and look forward to working with her again when we decide to try for our second!

When I found out that our insurance was going to cover 70% of doula coverage, we knew we wanted to…read morefind our doula through Doula Love and that was how we met our amazing doula, Patty. I can write a whole essay about how grateful I am for Patty and maybe it's the hormones but reflecting to the day I gave birth to my son and the support I received from Patty makes me want to cry. On the day of my induction, Patty was with another client who was also going through an induction as well (this is a super rare case). Even though I know she was 100% present with her other client, she constantly checked in with me and reminded me I can reach out to her at any point during my induction process if I have questions or need support. She also set up a backup doula for "just in case" if I needed it. I was already laboring for 14 hours when Patty arrived, and she brought so much energy to the room and got me up and moving so I can dilate more. Patty was super supportive of my plans to do a natural birth but when I told her I was too tired and really wanted to sleep, she was fully supportive of my decision to get the epidural. I had Patty in the room with me during the epidural process and she guided me through the whole process and kept me calm. Once I got the epidural, I was able to rest but the whole time, Patty would help position my body differently so I can continue to open. She was by my side the rest of the night as I contract so my husband can also rest. As labor progress, we were told my son's heart rate was dropping when I contract and the word "c-section" was mentioned since I was only at 6cm dilated. I never mentally prepared for this so of course I started to spiral but Patty advocated for me and requested to our OBGYN team to give me more time to see if I can dilate more. Patty continues to position me differently but, in the end, c-section was the only way to ensure my son's safety. We only had a short time from the time I said "yes" to C-Section to going into the OR and the whole time, Patty was next to me, reassuring me, reminding me that no matter what the outcome will be that I get to meet my son very soon. My husband and I are extremely grateful for Patty. We strongly believe our birth story wouldn't have been so positive if it wasn't for Patty's presence, support, and guidance.

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.

I just want to say, Elaine, with Heartstrings Doula service, IS THE ONE YOU WANT BY YOUR SIDE! She…read moremade me feel like family, INSTANTLY! We discussed very intimate things prior to my birth, and she never once judged me, or made me feel uncomfortable. She always spoke with kindness, but also gave her opinion or guidance with honesty and integrity. When the time came for her to be with me at the hospital, she was there, eager to serve me and my needs in the OR room. She captured the most BEAUTIFUL photos of my cesarean birth, and somehow still managed to keep me so lovingly elevated, she didn't take away any moment from me, she actually GAVE me proof in photos and videos, of what the OR staff did with my son, while I was getting sewn up. She stayed with me for a few hours after, to make sure I was comfortable to be there alone, and brought the sweetest gifts to me. When it came time for her service in-home, she walked in like she had lived there for months, and got right to work in areas I had been slacking. Laundry, dishes, food prep, which - speaking of, she brought the tastiest quiche for me! Oh and coffee! She cared for my newborn as if he was her own, and she cared for me too, as if I were her own! Having had no family here to come to the hospital, she filled that void I had, and then some. She is now forever a part of our family, and I'll never forget the service she gave me and my family, when we needed her - and even when we didn't. She was always quick to reply to me, and honestly, I wish I could keep her forever! She is the doula you need, and the doula you'll regret not having!

From the owner: Giving birth is a transforming time in ones life. You deserve to be supported in your choices and…read morehave an experienced birth support person there to guide you through making the decisions that are right for you and your birth experience. We offer personalized birth and postpartum support and childbirth education. We get to know you and what ways we can best support you, emotionally, physically, and with just the right amount of information and education. We have experience with all kinds of births. As a THW registered Doula, we are able to offer services to folks covered by OHP insurance with no out of pocket expenses. Contact us today of a free consultation to learn how we can serve you best.