I cannot recommend Mary Skinner enough. She is not just a doula--she is an angel sent from heaven…read moreto make your labor and delivery experience as smooth, supported, and empowering as possible. From the moment we connected, Mary's depth of knowledge, warmth, and intuition put me at ease. She met with my partner and me before delivery, spending hours walking us through what to expect, how to prepare my body, and how my partner could actively support my experience. No question was too small, and she answered my endless stream of inquiries with patience, wisdom, and zero judgment. When it came time to labor, Mary was by my side every step of the way. Even though my birth was not what we planned, Mary advocated for me and created a calm and sacred space with soothing massages, body oils, and sound bowls. When I think back to my labor and birth story, I literally see her face... she practically labored WITH me through her hands on support, coaching, encouragement, guidance, and unwavering empowerment. It carried me through. And her care didn't stop there. Postpartum, Mary showed up at my home with a bundle of thoughtful recovery goodies. She not only provided a healing full-body massage and prepared a soothing sitz bath, but she also cleaned my (very messy) postpartum bathroom--without hesitation or judgment. Her level of care, both physically and emotionally, is unparalleled. Mary was truly a godsend during my first pregnancy, and I will undoubtedly hire her again for every one of my future births! If you're considering working with her, don't walk--RUN to book her. She is simply the best of the best.

Mary is an angel! I loved working with her and the education she provided left me much better…read moreequipped for pregnancy and beyond! My pregnancy didn't go as planned, but she provided me with the support that I needed (ex: sound bath, massage, yoga, birth support etc.) I truly don't know what I would have done without her through this journey. Thanks Mary!

Simply put, Lauren is amazing. Our family is so fortunate to have had her as our postpartum doula…read moreand I cannot express enough gratitude for what she did for our family. Our daughter was born 7 week premature, and once we got her home after her NICU stay, we definitely needed an extra set of hands to help. Lauren offered that help and more. She is supportive, caring, intuitive, well versed in family dynamics, easy to talk to, and an excellent lullaby singer. If you are even just considering hiring a postpartum doula, call Lauren and see how wonderful she is for yourself. When it comes to bringing home a new baby, help from family is amazing, but help from a doula (especially one who does overnights) is truly invaluable.

Lauren is wonderful to work with! She is kind, caring, knowledgeable, and offers strategies that…read morewill actually apply to her client's life and goals. She helped me tremendously in terms of gaining clarity about my life/health/work balance. Lauren is also extremely responsive and very creative in her approaches to helping her clients. She is also super nice and she makes amazing juices, too :-)

If you are looking for relatable, zero judgement, super informed and extremely supportive and…read morehelpful midwives, Maggie and Andrea are it! We were in their care for our first pregnancy and they made us feel so much care and love throughout. I loved having a personal connection with them. We really enjoyed every appointment and I'm really sad we have "graduated" out of care and moving on to our pediatrician/family doctor. A few things that stood out and I particularly appreciated about their practice: 1. Their office is small and cozy and a few minutes from our home. 2. Labs were ran through an in network provider, so I didn't have to pay out of pocket. Even though they are not in-network with anyone. Also results always came back super fast. 3. They have referrals for just about everything related to pregnancy and postpartum and some in-network providers. 4. Most appts are an hour long and they are extremely responsive/communication is always top tear. 5. They are also lactation specialist, so no need to hire someone else if you need help or have questions once baby is born. 6. They are a great balance of holistic/western medicine and have a great relationship with Ventura County Medical if you need to go to the hospital for any reason at any time during your pregnancy, delivery or postpartum. 7. They are super down to earth, funny and relatable! We will def. be reaching out again for future pregnancies! Love them!

Where to begin - these two women came beside me for my redeeming home birth and to say they were a…read moreGodsend is an understatement. After four different births with varying degrees of trauma, uncertainty seemed to pop up every few weeks for me with baby #5, pregnancy #9. Maggie and Andrea put any and all concerns to rest with research backed info and compassion. They prayed with me, held me as I cried, and encouraged me every step of the way. No matter where I was at emotionally, physically or spiritually, they met me there and supported me with such love and care. This is their ministry and it's felt on the receiving end. I love these women after what they helped me through and can't thank them enough. Believe me when I say working with them is an absolute birth dream come true.

The smartest decision I ever made as a new mom was to hire CarolAnn as my postpartum doula…read more Before my son was born, I had absolutely no experience with babies and I had no idea what to expect. My main goal was to find someone who would be my baby Yoda. Someone who could show me everything from how to bathe my son to what to do if he has gas or needs soothing. I interviewed a number of postpartum doulas. The moment my husband and I met CarolAnn we knew she was our Yoda. She goes the extra mile and absolutely cares. Her vast experience is obvious. I'm convinced the tips and tricks she showed me were why my son is such an easy baby. I will be forever be grateful for her guidance.

CarolAnn is the best doula we could have imagined. She is knowledgeable, caring, and very…read morenurturing. We will definitely use her again.

When I found out I was pregnant, many people told me to take labor and breastfeeding classes. After…read moresome research, I found that there weren't any classes locally offered to new moms, other than at Henry Mayo Hospital. And of course, their classes were only offered once a month. Unfortunately, they didn't work with my schedule. My main concern being a new mom was breastfeeding. I went online and tried finding a doula who would offer me a private class. Alas, I found Cali. What immediately impressed me was how quick she responded to my intro email. She was open to come over to my house, teach me the basics about breastfeeding and offer her advice postpartum. Cali was helpful, professional, and caring. Having my first baby with Cali's support made the experience that much better. So glad I found Cali!

When my husband and I found out we were expecting, we immediately started planning the type of…read morebirth we wanted. It wasn't long until we felt very overwhelmed by all the decisions and challenges that faced us. One of our friends recommended that we hire a doula to help us with the process... and so the search began. We met with a few different doulas, however as soon as we met Cali, we knew she was the perfect fit for our growing family. We felt very comfortable with her, she was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions, and her beliefs aligned with ours about the ideal birth. In addition, she offered us private parenting classes since our schedules were always conflicting with the hospital's classes we were interested in taking. In all of our meetings before the birth, Cali came prepared and ready to work. However, I always felt like I was meeting with a good friend. When my water broke 1 month early, Cali dropped everything to be at my side (even though it was her birthday!!) She even came to our house first to help pack for the hospital, keep me calm until my husband got home from work, and even installed our car seat (since we were so unprepared for such an early arrival!) I was a little unsure that I was going to be able to follow the birth plan we had put together, to keep things all natural, with no medical intervention, but with Cali's help, I was! She was calm and encouraging through my entire labor, and provided support for my husband as he coached me through a successful, all natural birth. We could not be more grateful. After the birth, Cali constantly checked in on us, and offered advice and help when we were having some difficulties with breast-feeding during her postpartum visit. We are so thankful that we can look back on our labor in a positive light, and we have Cali to thank for that. I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for a Doula.

I had the most wonderful experience at Pure Births! From the moment I walked in for the info…read moresession and tour I knew I was in the right place and that I would be birthing my baby there. I didn't even felt the need to look into any other birthing center. I transferred my care from an OBGYN to Pure Births a little after I was 20 weeks pregnant and they helped me make sure all the paperwork was completed quickly and smoothly. I felt cared for and supported by everybody at Pure Births through each prenatal and postnatal appointment. I literally cannot imagine how I would have gotten through my pregnancy without them. They listened to my every little worry, reassured me that everything was okay, and encouraged my preference of wholistic care. Pure Births also works with a lactation consultant and a childbirth educator that provide classes at their facility to help you be prepare for when your baby comes - these classes were so informative and they helped me feel lees nervous about becoming a new mom and breastfeeding my baby. I am specially grateful for Angela, she did my intake session and was the midwife on call the day I gave birth, I felt so safe, understood, and cared for with her. You will all forever hold a special place in my heart!

I had the most beautiful experience at Pure Birth. From the prenatal visits, the guidance, the…read moreclasses - to the actual birth of my first child. No words can explain this experience. The midwives were amazing, it was very personal and intimate, I kind of want to get pregnant again just to give birth at the birth center again lol! I am beyond grateful for the team of midwives and the birth center. I'll never forget it! So professional, spiritual, holistic, I wish every momma will get to feel what I felt giving birth there. Truly magical.

Robyn was amazing to work with and I'm so glad I hired her as my doula! I love that's she's so…read moredetailed and gives lots of information prior. It gave me peace of mind and comfort knowing I had her there to support me during the labor and delivery, especially in dealing with unforeseen circumstances and talking with the hospital staff. she also helped me out postpartum which was absolutely amazing. Her calming presence in our home helped me to truly relax and begin my journey recovering and being a new mother. She was so helpful answering our endless questions about the baby, breastfeeding, etc. Hire her it's so worth it!

Hiring Robyn to support and guide me as my doula was the best decision and brought me (and my…read morehusband) so much reassurance, sense of security, and confidence heading into my first pregnancy. The two at-home sessions leading up to my hospital birth were so informative and really made my husband and I feel as prepared as possible to think through lots of different scenarios (and much more informative than any labor course we took!). Robyn is clearly incredibly experienced, professional, and so deeply cares about the mamas and partners she supports. Robyn was always available and on the night I went into labor, she was in constant contact guiding us during the time leading up to our hospital arrival. She was there waiting for us at 1am ready to go - she was so prepared and immediately made me feel at ease for this unknown experience. All of the techniques she offered me, the constant emotional and physical support during labor (she is a talented masseuse!!), and her encouragement and backing of all my birth preferences (including ensuring our gender reveal stayed a surprise until the very end!) made the day such a positive experience. Not to mention, had Robyn not been there, I felt there was a very high likelihood I would have had to have had a cesarean birth due to my extended labor process. Instead, the techniques and positions Robyn worked with the doctors and nurses to offer meant that I got to have the safe and healthy delivery I had hoped for. Robyn also set an incredible vibe (music, candlelight, relaxing aromatherapy, honey sticks for energy!) that made the room feel special instead of cold and sterile. My husband and I both agreed that having Robyn as our doula was one of the best decisions and we have a beautiful, healthy baby girl and only positive memories of the labor experience because she was such an important part of our birthing team. We love you Robyn!!

If you are in the process of finding a doula/midwife, look no further! I could not recommend Chavah…read moreenough. We hired Chavah as our doula, and I l cannot say enough wonderful things about her. She was nothing short of incredible throughout our entire journey during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. From the very beginning, Chavah was so supportive, knowledgeable, and reassuring. No question ever felt too small or silly. She answered everything with such care, patience, and expertise, which gave me and my husband so much peace of mind. Her presence alone was calming and soothing. She advocated for us and even empowered us to advocate for ourselves. Chavah truly cares and is so knowledge and that is exactly who you want supporting you during your pregnancy and birth. My husband and I are beyond grateful for Chavah. Hire her and you will be in the best of hands!

Let me start by saying that Chavah is one of the kindest souls I've ever met! When we first found…read moreout we were pregnant, Chavah was referred to us by a dear friend who used her for her home birth, and was so thrilled with her birth experience. Unfortunately that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, but even though we hadn't formally signed paperwork or "hired" Chavah she still so graciously walked us through the most difficult and painful experience of our life (and I might add that was without even meeting us or receiving a dime from us.) When we were blessed with our rainbow baby, we were not sure we wanted a home birth due to the previous miscarriage anxiety was obviously high. So we started care with a different provider, whom we did not end up being happy with. We switched care to Chavah and that was the absolute best decision we ever made! She honestly saved my pregnancy and allowed me to have the best outcome at my birth. Chavah caught many things the previous provider missed, like low iron and border line GD. She helped educate me to manage the GD with diet and finger pricking and she also helped me raise my iron levels. The educational component that Chavah provides is unlike any other we received and we took many many classes. She is patient, answers all your questions and believe me I have a lot of them, and she just has a way of teaching that makes it enjoyable and easy to remember. When it came time to the birth we were hoping for a home birth, but knew with some of my aliments that a hospital transfer was highly likely. We did decided to transfer to the hospital early in my labor by choice not out of necessity because that just made the most sense for my case. I was in labor at the hospital for almost two days and Chavah was right by my side almost the entire time. She just went home once to get some rest when my Doula came and she knew I had the care I needed. Chavah was soooooo pivotal in my birth, as she saved me from a C-section by petitioned the doctor to allow me more time to dilate. She really impressed me as she stated facts to the doctor showing the doctor that both baby and I were doing perfectly fine and another hour was exactly what my body needed. She also ensured that I got the delayed cord clamping I wanted, even when the doctor tried multiple times to cut it early. Chavah literally held the placenta so that my baby could receive all his blood. Her postpartum care has been just as amazing as all her other care. The amount of times I have called Chavah crying and she has helped me through my struggles as a new mom are countless. She is so encouraging and supportive which is exactly what you need in this fragile postpartum state! Her support through the challenging breastfeeding experience is what has kept me going. And this week alone, she came over and we had a fun baby wearing class! Chavah's heart is so pure and her desire to help not only mamas but families was made so evident to us through our experience with her. When it comes time for out next baby, she will absolutely have to be part of our birth team! I highly recommend her to anyone who is pregnant, she will transform your pregnancy experience and your journey to motherhood.

Words can't describe the vibes & energys that was on our birth room ..my wife was having her birth…read moreexperience to the fullest and exactly like her birth plan and all of that couldn't happened without Cynthia's services Cynthia is well educated in all of birth world and know everything about woman's needs in this precious time of newborn coming to the world she made our birth room look like a yoga class in a spa and our minds clear of fear allso as a husband i felt much more confident and secure to have a professional educated and highly sensitive doola that listen to my wife's needs ( and allso giving me my sleep time :) .. me and my wife moved into California not long time ago and our families are over seas it was so important to us to have a natural birth experience she was giving birth in a hospital and we were afraid to deal with medical intervention i really believe and know that we couldn't do that without Cynthia's help Thank you Cynthia for giving us the opportunity to have an amazing experience of life

From the owner: The Birth Whisperer, Cynthia Marie, PhD, has a passion for the birth process and wants to support…read moreevery woman in having the birth they choose with as few interventions as possible. She encourages each client's partner to be involved as little or as much as they are comfortable with. She offers doula and lactation support during conception, prenatal, birth, and postpartum She supports all births including Natural/Non-Medicated/Minimal Interventions, VBAC, C-Section, Home Birth, Water Birth, HypnoBirth, and Birth Center. She offers special sessions in Couple’s Birth Preparation, Childbirth Eduaction, Child Development, Reiki Energy Healing, The Fourth Trimester, The First Forty Days, Attachment Parenting, Safe Bedsharing, and Effective Child Discipline. Clients may attend sessions with a partner or solo. Birth the way you choose... Get attached to your birth plan... Happy mama, happy baby, happy family.

Where do I start, Kristen is hands down one of the best hypnotherapist I've worked with. I came to…read moreher a little over a year ago and I was able to work through so many fears and anxieties that I suffered with. Whether from personal issues to even figuring out my fertility issues. Kristen really gave great advice, was so understanding and supportive through this process. I can happily share that I am currently 6 months pregnant again with a baby girl due in the fall. It's a miracle and I can't begin to express how amazing this work we did together really made a dream come true for me and my family. It takes time and patience, but having someone as special as Kristen on your team can really help you through any challenges or situations you maybe facing in any part of life. I would highly recommend her to anyone that wants to unlock the doors that could lead you on your path to success,purpose, and ultimately bring you the healing you could ever hope for. I am forever grateful, Thank you!

I first crossed paths with Kristen during my 200 hour yoga teacher training at InnerPowerYoga. She…read morewas the class meditation teacher and I remember being completely in awe of her grace, compassion, wisdom, awareness, and experience! She just gets "it". She is a true healer, and a teacher. Fast forward 5 years later, I started having a really tough time in my young adult life and looked to her again for some support and realignment. Kristen has been an absolute gift in helping me back to my true, authentic, light being self. I truly believe some teachers come into your life for a reason - whether that is to share, grow or learn. We are all in this journey together. Thank YOU, Kristen for the beautiful work that you do! You have helped me realign and transcend my awareness and the way I live life on a daily basis.