: Not a nice person. Be sure to check her return policies…read morefor any items you consider purchasing as the belly binder a is ripped up sheet (muslin) that you can purchase at your local Joann's . This is the video I was given for the technique. I can't include it due to Yelp rules, but it is a regular person's YouTube account, not even one of the doulas or Maura. Search Bengkung Belly Binding on YouTube and a ton of videos will come up. The binder did not help me feel held in. I asked for a refund and was told the price was mainly for the doula coming to my house--which was unnecessary because the YouTube video was the guide. After continued times trying to reach a reasonable resolution, Maura told me that I was harassing her. (What the heck weirdo woman?) What doula worth anything speaks to a mom of a 2 week old that way. Beware!!!!!!!!! This doula is unstable and no new mom needs that. Get a Bellefit binder. It helps without dealing with a psycho doula.

Maura was a joy to work with before, during, and after the birth of my little one…read more She obviously approaches her work with a great deal of professionalism that isn't always present in the birthing world. For example, her email communication is clear and prompt, she is obviously very well organized, and she gave me sweet little new-mama-related gifts at our first meeting, as well as after Baby's birth. But all that is not reason enough to hire a doula, right? When I first met Maura, I must confess I was a bit dismayed by her youth. Although I knew she had lots of experience supporting births and more medical training than most doulas, there was a part of me that wanted an older presence on my birth team. Well, thankfully the rational part of me won out over this other, ageist part, because Maura was wonderful and everything we (my husband and I) could have wanted. And I'm sure she's probably not quite as young as she seemed that first day ;) My labor and birth were pretty quick, uncomplicated, and relatively painless. I don't think I actually noticed Maura much during the process. However, when I watched the video of my baby's birth (which Maura was happy to film and photograph for us), I noticed Maura was the one who'd pick up on how I was feeling and cheer me on when I seemed to need it, and my husband and mom (who I wanted hands-on with me) would follow her lead. She just seemed to have this way of fitting in and being exactly what we needed her to be at the time, even though we ourselves didn't know what that was. After Baby's birth, she provided encouraging support and a postpartum visit to see that all was going well for our family. She was pretty awesome answering my questions via text, about all things from newborn poop to homeopathic remedies. I know that she will soon begin to study midwifery, but if you find her still offering doula services, I would highly recommend adding her to your list of doulas to consider.

I am so grateful to have had 312 Doulas be a part of 2 of my 3 births. The knowledge and resources…read morethey possess are priceless. I leaned on them through every step of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. They were a huge asset to our birth team and even helped my husband feel more confident in supporting my labor. We can't say enough good things about them!

We worked with Victoria and Heather as first time parents. We can't imagine our birth without…read morethem--and we don't want to! We started with them around 36 weeks and they immediately provided immense support and great service. (I only wish we found them sooner!) When we first interviewed Victoria to see if we'd like to go with 312Doulas I loved that they utilized the Evidence Based Birth resources, had an educational component built into the price, and saw Victoria as someone that would support the type of birth I wanted with absolutely no agenda, just a depth of experience, knowledge, and care. Immediately after ending the Zoom call we emailed that we'd love to work with her and it was truly the best decision we made around labor/birth. We felt the same way about Heather when meeting with her! Working with them leading up to the birth made my husband and I feel so much more confident and empowered going into such a new and intense experience. We both became much more equipped advocates for ourselves and felt like true partners with the doulas and our medical team instead of just participants in the birth. When it was time to give birth Victoria was an immense physical, mental, and emotional support during labor. One of the nurses recognized Victoria from her + Heather's work with other patients and said they're the best, even adding when fellow nurses want to work with doulas they go with 312Doulas. Heather joined us at the hospital when it was time to push. Heather was an amazing support--suggesting new positions and techniques to help me progress. This was especially important when the doctors started bringing up more intense interventions like forceps, Vaccuum or C-section despite baby and me coping well. Only Heather gave actionable ideas that led to progress. I credit the evidence-based knowledge 312Doulas gave us + Heather's active support with why we were able to have the birth we wanted and everyone stayed safe and healthy. We can't thank them enough and are so grateful for our time together. I could go on and on, but suffice it so say we HIGHLY recommend them to any expecting parents.

Unfortunately, the doula never showed up to my birth because she had to work. I was in the hospital…read more3 days and she didn't even pop I. For a quick visit. She also never showed up for any postpartum visits, my daughter is now 9yrs old. Guess it's still something that bothers me. The company also never reach out to me about said doula.

Awesome organization that made doula services affordable for the birth of our first child. They…read morereceive lots of applications, so it might take a while for them to match you, but they haven't forgotten about you! They were responsive and friendly when we checked in on our placement a couple of times. This review is for our two doulas, Daisy (reviewed below) and Caley (reviewed at Pure Beginnings Birth, also on yelp). Daisy has a lovely, soothing personality and is an excellent communicator. She arrived at the hospital promptly, about ten minutes after we did. Such relief when she walked in! All in all, she ended up sticking out an overnight, sixteen hour labor with us (midnight to 4PM!). She must have been exhausted, but it didn't show at all. She had to take a brief conference call for work (I believe she has a full time job in addition to volunteering as a doula), but it in no way interfered with our labor and she was super upfront and gave us plenty of notice before hand. She also communicated to us with plenty of notice that our back up doula (Caley - also lovely!) would be relieving her around 4-5PM. From both a practical and emotional standpoint, our doulas' services were the best $200 I've ever spent. Seriously. We live on an extremely limited (student) budget, and paying $200 still hurt, but it was *so* unbelievably worth it and we felt so fortunate that we were able to pay on a sliding scale. Daisy allowed me to focus on being the best support person I could be, rather than trying to juggle multiple roles at once (e.g. support person + pestering the midwife with our questions, asking the nurses for things, figuring out the layout of the L&D floor, finding/getting ice and water, making runs to the cafeteria, etc). Daisy was so supportive and competent, and I felt so grateful that she took care of all the miscellany so that I could be present in the moment (and take a couple quick naps/snack breaks while she filled in as primary support person for my wife).

I don't even know where to begin! I knew this second time around I wanted to do a home birth but I…read morewas naturally scared and wanted to find the right doula for such a big decision. I reached out to many doulas, but when I met with Samantha, I immediately knew I wanted her to be the one to guide me in this beautiful process of bringing my baby earthside. I could tell Samantha was experienced, kind, knowledgeable and she had such a calming and soothing presence. The weeks before giving birth, Samantha was always quick to respond to my questions and eased any concerns . Leading up to my birth, I knew Samantha was going to be reliable and I already felt comfortable with her. The day I went into labor around 4am, she was quick to respond to my call and was able to make it to my home promptly. As soon as she got to my house there was such a calming presence about her that I instantly relaxed and felt so much more at ease. She assisted my husband and the rest of my laboring team in setting up our home for the delivery while helping me labor. I told Sam I wanted my labor to progress quickly, and she listened and delivered! She knew so many exercises and positions to get my baby to descend and guided me every step of the way. Her expertise, her calmness, and reassurance made my laboring so much faster and more manageable. Sam helped me feel safe, calm and supported through the entire process. I also really appreciated that she kept me hydrated, fed and just overall was always checking in on me to make sure I was managing well. After delivery she also kept checking in with me and my husband to see how else she could assist us. She was so wonderful to have around post delivery to make sure I was coping well with the pain as well. She was truly amazing throughout the entire process and so easy to work with. My labor and delivery was a dream thanks to Samantha!

I wish I could give a 6th star. I was nervous to give birth so I opted to get a doula…read more I can't say enough good things about Holly--she was truly a lifesaver during my birth experience. From the start, her calm, grounded energy helped me feel supported and confident, even when things didn't go according to plan. When my labor stalled, Holly guided me through exercises that actually got things moving--my water broke soon after, and she also shared positions that helped my baby flip. Her pain management workshop gave me tools I leaned on hard during some intense moments. And when my epidural failed (twice!), Holly didn't miss a beat. She advocated for me when I was in pain and made sure I felt heard and cared for. I honestly don't know what I would've done without her. She played a huge role in turning what could've been a traumatic experience into something empowering. If you're considering a doula, do yourself a favor and call Holly. She's the real deal.

A friend referred me to Vida Doula -- she said she couldn't imagine Stephanie not being at my…read morebirth. And my friend was right. Stephanie brought warmth, humor, professionalism, sacred wisdom, and buckets of love to her role. Not to mention the amazing smell of pozole cooking in the kitchen while I labored in the living room! That was a life-saver for a few days postpartum. We need more doulas like Stephanie in this city! I would recommend her to anyone, especially someone craving a crunchy, earthy, beautiful presence at this important moment.

Vida Doula Services not only caters to a holistic and inclusive experience, but Stephanie's range…read moreof experience, skills, and honoring traditions that are NOT the case in a hospital setting. Having a Doula that is also bilingual AND using a harm reduction is pretty much as good as it gets. Even if you're ensure about what direction you're leading towards in terms of delivery and prenatal care - just speaking to Stephanie about the concerns and variety of options feels really reassuring. I highly recommend Vida Doula, if this is a route you are considering.

Tori was my doula when i had my baby in 2024 and she was amazing! My labor was pretty fast and she…read morestill managed to get there before the my baby came. I had a water home birth and couldn't ask for a better doula to assist me and calm my mom and boyfriend down through my birthing experience.

Tori was my doula during my first pregnancy and postpartum journey. She was a great support with…read moreany questions I had in mind and was able to provide me with some helpful resources as well. During my birth of my daughter, she was ready to advocate for me and made me feel comfortable. During my postpartum Tori helped around the house and with any needs that my baby needed. She also helped when I was having trouble latching my daughter during breastfeeding. Tori is super sweet and great at communicating! Tori is also someone who I was able to rely on which was a plus for me! Overall my experience with her was great :) I definitely recommend Tori as your doula.

Leah Lemelin helped me trust my body more, feel calmer, and more present with what I was…read moreexperiencing. I felt more in command and confident throughout. I thought I wanted a doula just for the day of delivery but what I found was that the work we did together before delivery is what altered the whole experience. It was deeply supportive and prepared me in a way I didn't even know I needed or was possible. So, even if you are an experienced mom, you are having a traditional medical birth, having Leah as your doula will deepen your experience and give it back to you as truly yours in a profound way. I can't thank her enough for walking with me through it and guiding me into myself so I could remember my own agency and power and strength in it all.

Mary has been our lactation consultant for 1 year. She had been part of my support network since we…read moresaw her during an at-home visit when my daughter was 1 month old. I'd count her as one of the women that I've most leaned on as a first-time mother. She is a walking book of knowledge on everything child related. She is kind and passionate and always available. I'm not sure where we'd be without her. We are so grateful to have her in our lives.

When I was on the Bowmanville Garden Walk last year, before I even got pregnant, I noticed Family…read morePicnic in the neighborhood as I was walking around. I made note of it in hopes that I'd successfully achieve a pregnancy and might check out the programs here, and once I was pregnant signed up for their mailing list. They offer a variety of services from doula and lactation support, childbirth and early childhood classes, to various parent & baby groups. I was here because I attended a music program for babies that was held here and hosted by a partner organization. The space is really lovely and welcoming to parents and children; there are gathering spaces, chairs, pillows, and whatnot. You'll need to take your shoes off when you enter so don't wear lace up thigh high boots! There are great east facing windows that let in enough light that I think when I was here we didn't even have the lights on. I'd like to attend a group that they have here (and as of September 2023 they have a check-in offer for just that, so I hope to use it soon!). The other two parent/baby groups at the music class we went to have been in attendance here because they knew one another, and it would be great to have a community closer to my neighborhood. Parking is ample--it's not a permit zone on Damen itself, though I'm not sure about the side streets. I'd encourage any new parent to see what they have to offer.

My husband and I recently took the 5 week labor class, a breastfeeding class, and a new parent…read moreclass, and it was a wonderful experience all around. The owners/class facilitators are so welcoming and kind, and we learned so much as soon to be first time parents. I really liked the small group feel and that there was no judgment, they really encourage everyone to make choices that work best for them and their baby. It is also very affordable compared to some other classes I looked at. I would highly recommend all of the classes, especially the 5 week series, to any new parents in Chicagoland that want to understand the labor and delivery process better and learn about all the potential choices you'll be making together,