Throughout my pregnancy I've been wanting to visit a lactation consultant. Unfortunately, when I…read morecontacted my insurance provider a few months ago, there was literally ONE lactation consultant that they would cover. How is it possible in the city of Chicago and it's environs that BCBSIL will provide coverage for a single lactation specialist? Somehow I got a tip about Melissa, for which I'm so thankful. She works with an organization called The Lactation Network and through them I am able to get BCBS to cover appointments with her. She offers prenatal appointments, which is what I particularly wanted though I plan to visit her after birth as well. Luckily, with the Lactation Network, I believe I can visit her six times with insurance coverage. I can sometimes beat myself up about things... and that is why I wanted to see a lactation consultant before breastfeeding. I wanted to know what to expect, and what "normal" looks like for breastfeeding, so that I knew what to look out for and to not feel like a failure. Melissa walked me through what early days of breastfeeding look like. For example, I didn't realize that in the first few days babies only eat about a teaspoon of colostrum per feeding (I know I would have thought this was too little, and a problem on my end!). She also explained that about four ounces per feeding is about all a baby will need at any point, and that they work up to eating that much over the first few weeks of life. She showed me the basics of hand expressing, and gave me supplies to express before I enter the hospital if I'd like to take it with me there just in case there's any difficulties breastfeeding whilst there. We also went over infant hunger cues, which was incredibly helpful, and a couple of good positions for feeding. We discussed options for breast pumps, which was very helpful because I didn't really have any idea what I should be looking for in one and now I think I know which one I'll get. She helped me determine what size flange is going to be best for me (I would have been way off; it's smaller than what usually comes with it and I wouldn't have known the difference). She also explained some of the pros and cons of different bottles and nipples and how the shape and flow of different ones might impact nipple preference. She also shared that the pacifier you choose could impact success in breastfeeding to some extent, as the orthodontic ones that are a bit more flat cause the baby to change the shape and motion of their mouth which can make breastfeeding difficult and painful. Very helpful since I made adjustments to my registry when I got home to account for what I learned. She has lots of props to aid in practice of technique, infant holding, and so on. She also works with a milk bank and can help set you up to donate excess milk or, if you need to purchase, she can do that too. Her office is located in a pretty boring, nondescript building that looks like a banquet hall so don't miss it. Her space is warm and lovely, though! When you enter the parking lot you'll go to the back and enter there rather than from the front, where there's little parking (plenty in back, though). I cannot say enough good things about my experience with Melissa. I left my appointment thinking about how I could become a lactation consultant, which is something I did consider when I was an undergraduate but didn't pursue. But the opportunity to be of help to women who need it is a calling that I'm glad Melissa answered. She has some Saturday appointments as well which I appreciate so much. I would HIGHLY encourage any soon-to-be breast/chestfeeding parent to visit her, even if your insurance won't cover it; having been there, I know now that it would have been worth it paying out of pocket to meet with her because it was so valuable. Prenatal consultation will help give you the confidence you need to do something that no one teaches you, but you're expected to just naturally know how to do. You might be saved from lots of tears, fussy baby, or simply learn things that will make the whole experience of breastfeeding that second-nature thing that so many seem to think it is. #1400

Melissa is so good at what she does! She helped my 7 week old daughter post tongue, buccal, and lip…read moretie release with weekly bodywork. My daughter was so stiff and colicky and she literally helped change my baby into a smiley happy baby. She was a very bright light in a very dark time in my life. I highly recommend her for all feeding issues and bodywork for your little one!

I couldn't say better things about Rebekkah, if I did it would come off like a stalker. I love her,…read moreI have had her for both of my son's births. One with an epidural and one without. Her comfort of knowing what I needed and when I needed it was unmatched. Her knowledge about birth and positioning was amazing. She held what I valued and needed to a standard. And she was the strength I needed to continue on.

I found Rebekkah (supported serenity) through the Birth Center of Chicago's referral list, who…read moreworks in tandem with Amber (Lorelei Lu Doula), and after browsing many doula websites, I knew right away that they were the team I wanted by my side. They supported me through my entire prenatal, birth, and postpartum journey with such steady care.When the Birth Center of Chicago temporarily closed due to a staffing shortage, I had to transfer to Burr Ridge Birth Center (also wonderful!). Amber and Rebekkah ensured the transition was completely seamless, and I still felt fully supported during such a major change at seven months pregnant. Throughout my pregnancy, they offered calm reassurance and evidence-based guidance that truly prepared me for birth. I felt confident, grounded, and ready. Rebekkah attended my birth and later encapsulated my placenta--she even delivered the capsules with homemade cookies. During labor, her clear explanations of what was happening helped me stay present, focused, and connected to what my body was capable of. I'm endlessly grateful that I found them. I cannot recommend this doula team enough!

Chaka was everything I had hoped for in a doula. She was so supportive and helped me feel that my…read morevoice was heard by my providers during my pregnancy and birth experience. I had a planned epidural and wondered whether a doula would be worth the cost but it completely was and I would do it all over again. She got my birth moving by turning me back and forth and using the peanut ball, she explained to me everything that was happening (at my request), and made me feel in control which was all that I could hope for as my first birth felt very out of control. I would recommend a doula for every birth and definitely recommend Chaka!

Chaka is beyond knowledgeable for all things from birth to newborns. She is empathetic, helpful and…read morealways available. I cannot recommend her enough to new parents or those experiencing parenthood again. She's the best gift you could gift yourself on this journey!

It has been almost 2 years since I've me Lara Lasky. On summer 2020 as soon as i decided to have a…read morehome birth I was in a search for midwife and doula. As always I listened to my intuition. So first doula I found didn't click, but second one was perfect match for me. Lara was nice, very informative from our first conversation. With her help I found a midwife. I was totally new in homebirthing, very excited aboit my first pregnancy though. Lara gave me lots of information. We had signed contract at our first meeting and it was pure pleasure to deal with her. During my pregnancy we've been since each other for reiki session, for reflexology session that she does. She was always enough, non judgmental, soothing and elencouraging,, positive, fun and very much helpful whenever I had guestion or concern. With my husband we attended her birth class where she explained and showed in details what is going to happen. Even though I was tired to listen, my husband remembered it all. And in time when it's happening mind goes to rest and great spirit works in cooperation with woman's body. It's an epic experience I can say. When time came Lara arrived very quickly in the middle of the night. And then she showed her power, knowledge in action!! She was there for me all the time, somehow she also manged to support my husband in the process. She brought ger own stuff. So there was essential oils to relax me, music to calm us all. She did amazing things with my back, supporting me everywhere, keeping me hydrated. We had moments of laughter. After my son was born I was exhausted and surprisingly for me I had to give birth to placenta. Lara saw me and felt me so good. She was holding my hand and I could lean on her like she was my mother without words she showed me that deep compassion and love in her eyes. I'm beyond grateful for Lara being with at birth of my son. She also helped me with afterbirth time. She did and teach us bending. She took care of my son, so I could sleep, prepared food for me and helped with laundry. I was surprised with how much she could do for a short period of time. Another important thing that we were texting when I was struggling with motherhood first months. And again she was there for me, once she even came late evening, when what I needed was a HUG and little talk, while I was at home by myself with my son and not being able to put him to sleep. Lara is truly a Gift for mothers who needs help with birth and afterbirth. Lots of blessing to her and her family!

Working with Lara was the best decision I made for my delivery. As last minute as I was(SUPER LAST…read moreMINUTE), she made it all work with me. I'm so happy she was there, as soon as she was, I felt more at ease and more comfortable. I turned to her for knowledge and solace. It was my first baby and I had no idea what to expect and my anxiety was through the roof. She was extremely patient with me and was there every step of the way. She made sure to look out for my best interests in labor and delivery, my golden hour with my babe and helped me with latching and breastfeeding. After delivery, she came to check on us and always sent a text every now and again to see how we were and if we needed anything. I've recommended her to family and friends whenever anyone has asked for a doula. And I will continue to recommend her and her business to anyone! Thank you to this wonderful practice!

I can't say enough great things about cloud nine! We worked with the Kelsey/Valerie team and their…read moresupport was unmatched. Valerie came to our house first to talk about physical support and labor prep. She could not have been more kind, understanding and knowledgable about birth prep. Both continued to check in weekly towards the end and we're always willing to answer questions. When it got to be birth day, Kelsey knew exactly when to come before I had to ask and was the best support. She was intuitive, comforting and even in the midst of the unexpected kept things calm and gave me exactly what I needed. I cannot recommend this team enough! They truly care about making sure clients have the birth they desire and are able to support both the birthing person and support person.

We had the absolute best experience with Cloud Nine Birth Services from the beginning. At first I…read morewas just interested in placenta encapsulation but spoke with Kelsey about doula services as well. When we first became pregnant I was on the fence on if I did or didn't want a doula. After speaking with Kelsey on the phone I knew instantly I wanted to hire them. My team was her and Valerie and they were both there for my husband and I the entire time. Having them there especially during the birth was an incredible experience. Valerie not only helped me have the exact birth that I wanted, she helped guide my husband to give me the support I needed. Dana did the placenta encapsulation and was so wonderful as well.

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.

I knew going into my first pregnancy that I wanted to hire a doula for birth. CFD offers to match…read moreyou with one of their doulas, who will provide prenatal, postnatal and during birth support. I wanted to go with a group like CFD because, in the event that my doula wasn't able to make it to my birth (which can happen with the uncertainty of birth!), they would match me with a backup doula. I was matched with Shelley around 11 weeks, and we initially met on Google meets, then in person at a local coffee shop. Shelley was super personable and a kind and calming presence. I always felt like I could reach out to her via text to discuss how the pregnancy was going. We scheduled another in-person meet up (a birthing class with just my husband and me) closer to when I was due. The birthing class was super helpful, to the extent that my husband, and I didn't feel like we needed a long birthing class offered by the hospital. My water broke at 39w on the dot, and Shelley happened to be at another birth at the time. CFD reached out to us right away via text to work out whether we would like to go with a backup doula. When I decided I did, they sent Rachel over asap with little stress or organizing on my part. Rachel did an excellent job during birth and offered the exact type of support I needed: the ability to talk through options with someone knowledgeable. She stayed with me afterwards through a traumatic hemorrhaging experience when my husband was split between me and our baby. I debriefed with both Rachel (in-person immediately after birth) and Shelley (later via zoom), which helped me process my birth experience. Shelley was so sweet and felt badly about missing my birth (though it was not her fault!) that she offered to come watch our baby for a couple hours so my husband could go on a date night. I would absolutely use CFD again and work with either Shelley or Rachel. Both are wonderful doulas. She even took photos (upon my request) during birth.

Our doula Shelley was a back up for our doula who got sick. We couldn't have asked for a better and…read moremore professional experience from both of our doulas. I did an unmedicated birth, Shelley showed up with a positive attitude after a night of getting induced. She arrived just as the sun was rising and helped me through 7 hours of contractions! I never felt worried or scared, she reassured me that my baby was happy and healthy. She continued to work with me and my husband and helped me take the edge off the pain of the contractions with counter pressure, cold packs and changing positions. She never left my side to even eat or use the bathroom! I will use her for my future deliveries. We really had the best birth experience and I truly think Shelley had a lot to do with it!

Lexi was amazing! I couldn't have asked for anything more! As a first time mom, I was unsure of…read morewhat to expect when giving birth and was feeling anxious. I am so glad I sought out a doula when I did and was able to connect with Lexi! She made me feel so at ease from our first meeting and I honestly can't imagine my birth story without her. She was incredibly supportive and was literally at my side every step of the way making sure my needs were met and my voice was being heard. She not only helped me but my boyfriend as well and I honestly couldn't have asked for anything more. She exceeded our expectations and I will definitely be recommending her. Thank you for being the greatest Lexi!

I could not recommend Lexi more if you are seeking doula services. I had a great connection with…read moreLexi at our first meeting and I immediately felt like she would be a great fit for my husband and I. Lexi's style really appealed to me because she was very interested in understanding our needs and wants during the birth. I appreciated our conversations around identifying what was most important to me during the birth so that in the event things did not go as planned, we would know what those pieces were and she would help us to advocate and protect those things. Lexi was amazing at the birth - she was so supportive and reassuring throughout the process and continued to offer up new ideas, offerings and positions as we moved through the birth process - e.g. do you want to try the peanut ball?, does a massage sound okay right now?, do essential oils sound good? etc. It was so helpful to have her support and my husband who was initially skeptical of having someone else at our birth walked away from the experience and said that he was so glad Lexi was there with us.

100% recommend. All I can say is WOW. This was a service I never knew I wanted or needed so…read moregreatly. Robin was an angel and a confidant. Real and trustworthy. She was there for me, my son, and my husband before, during, and after birth. Having her as part of my birth story will be something I'm forever grateful for and if I'm blessed enough to have another child, I'll want her on my team again. Ps: She offered to snap photos of when I gave birth, capturing moments I would never have had without her. What a gift.

I really wanted a great doula for a complicated pregnancy. But Robin slept through my son's birth,…read moreeven after I told her at 5 pm I was checking into the hospital the week of my due date. When I talked to Robin, she said she was at an event and didn't have a car with her so she couldn't leave to come to the hospital at that time, because she was dependant on someone else for a ride. She assured me she would come and said she'd never slept through a birth. She also told me most mothers labor for 12+ hours and not to worry since I wasn't dilated at all. I was given Cervidil. In the middle of the night my son's heart rate started dropping. Cervidil was removed, my son's heart rate stabilized and I was given two options: Do a more controlled C-section or try to labor longer and then likely have an emergency C-section. I tried to get ahold of Robin. She slept through the text and phone call. So I opted to do a more controlled C-section which took a while since I couldn't have an epidural and it took more than 30 minutes for the spinal to take. Robin never showed up to the hospital and it took weeks, months, to get a partial refund. I never got a full refund. She also didn't call a back-up doula. She made a really frustrating situation -- of sleeping through my son's birth -- even worse by having to spent weeks of back and forth emails (and my son was a NICU baby) trying to get some of my money back. More troubling she also sent an NDA to me -- which I didn't sign -- to try and make sure this wasn't disclosed. Accidents happen but the follow-up was more problematic. Yes, her father died in the weeks after my son's birth and that is awful, but sending an NDA to try and cover-up the situation of sleeping through a birth was really awful and weeks of emails to get a partial refund difficult as I was recovering from a difficult pregnancy and delivery was troublesome. This happened in the summer of 2017. It's taken me a long time to process everything. I'm sure most births aren't like this, but other expectant moms need to be aware. I would hate for anyone else to go through something like this.

On March 12, I independently reached out to Lori Beth for lactation help with my newborn. Lori Beth…read morecame recommended to me (as an IBCLC) on a local group. Because I have a spirited toddler, I wanted to work around when he would be at the sitter (on Tuesday 3/19 and Friday 3/22). Lori Beth said she'd see me on the 22nd because she had a commitment on the 19th. I anxiously awaited this appointment: my 2 week old was having increasing issues with nursing. It has been extremely difficult on me, and even moreso as a single parent. By Thursday the 21st, I hadn't heard from Lori Beth about when she'd be coming for the appointment the next day. I emailed her at 7:30am and 9am regarding my availability (starting at 9am, and note I had to pick my toddler up at 1:30pm). I didn't receive a response. By 4:15pm, I finally located her phone number online, as it was not attached to any previous emails where she had me sign up for an online app for Ashland Health. I called, and left a voice message. She FINALLY texted (!) me at 8pm, stating she had been preoccupied by a personal situation: that her sister had "been in labor for the last two days, but no baby yet." She confirmed she'd be at my residence the next day for the appointment but never said what time. Obviously babies are on their own timelines so I didn't press, and figured Lori Beth would reach out after the baby was born. The next day (3/22, the date of the scheduled appointment), I had not heard from Lori Beth by 10:30am. I called Ashland Health EXTREMELY upset. I stated I had not heard from Lori Beth, there's been poor communication with her, and it obviously wasn't working out. I asked them to send someone else to help me. Shortly thereafter, Lori Beth began texting me. She apologized, stating the baby had been born two days ago (?!) and went in the NICU yesterday on the 21st. This story completely contradicted her story from the previous day. Lori Beth STILL did not provide a time when she would come for her appointment: rather, she asked when my baby's next three feedings were scheduled for. If I had that information, I wouldn't need lactation help, as (in addition to several other things) my baby has been eating inconsistently. I told Lori Beth I would find help elsewhere. Additionally, all this time Lori Beth did not reach out to me since she was so "preoccupied," but she was able to respond to a solicitation for services when she was tagged in a birth group on Facebook. Priorities.. I'm appalled that a lactation consultant could be so unprofessional: horrible communication, no call backs, and lying/changing stories about why she didn't communicate.

Hands down, AMAZING. After bottle-feeding for over three weeks, Lori Beth gave me the confidence to…read moretry breastfeeding again. Not only that but she was an encouragement to me and my baby, teaching us both how to bond, interact, and learn from each other! Lori Beth is very mindful about patient education, and is really present throughout each visit, both of which are very important to me and show how thoughtful and attentive she is. In addition to helping with latching, she spent her time at my house answering questions, bonding with baby, showing tips and tricks, and teaching family members how to help me be the best new mom I can be!