Elissa is wonderful! I felt prepared for my birth and she provided me with excellent care both…read moreduring and after labor. She also helped me with issues that came up several months after delivery, such as working with my daughter to learn to bottle feed. She's extremely supportive and made me feel empowered. I highly recommend her!

I was pregnant in my forties and never held a newborn baby. I was terrified of the birthing…read moreprocess and knew I needed support. I interviewed three doulas and immediately knew Elissa was the one. She told me to think things over and get back to her on my decision for a doula, however my mind was really made up on the spot. First of all, she has a calming aura about her that makes you feel calm. She is so sincere and you feel like she is speaking and trying to help you from her heart, no judgment. After talking to her for a short while, I realized this was not just business for her, it is a calling. She listens keenly to you and customizes the process to your need. She was with me every step of the way up to birth and postpartum today. During the birthing process she made all the difference. She was so calming and explained things every step of the way. Postpartum she was always there immediately after and still is today, 6 months later. I can always call her or see her to discuss anything. She even helped us put our baby gear together because we had no clue. When she thought I was staying in the house too much and was afraid to venture out with the baby, she came by to try to get me out and acclimated to my new life. She would always call and to this day I feel so supported by her. Now she is family to my husband and I. Hiring Elissa as your doula is one of the best decision you would have made during your pregnancy and I guarantee you will gain a sincere friend.

I could not recommend Birth You Desire / Ursula / Jenn more. Jenn has been simply the best doula we…read morecould have asked for. During birth, she was able to tell when my husband needed some extra help, asked the hospital staff for what he needed on his behalf when he was not mentally able to, and gave us guidance based off of my preferences and state of mind that led to an incredibly successful birth. Her postpartum care has honestly been the highlight of her services. I did not realize how much help we would need overnight and the help and resources that Jenn provides have been invaluable. Jenn claims she is not magic - but she is. You are in the best hands with Birth You Desire.

I'm located in San Diego and was in need of renting a reliable labor TENS unit. After many…read moreunsuccessful reliable searches online, Birth Your Desires came up and seemed legit and straightforward and it was. She sent me the TENS unit very quickly and included packaging and a return label for easy return after birth.

We cannot say enough wonderful things about DCBD. This was my/our first pregnancy, and we truly…read morefelt supported every step of the way by their team. Especially in those last 1-2 months, we leaned so heavily on the birth doulas and they responded to all of our questions and concerns immediately. We learned the most about how to care for our daughter and what was happening in my body from DCBD. I went into labor and the birth experience feeling ready and excited, and that's because of the experience, information, and kindness that were shared with us ahead of time. The birth - nearly 4 months later, and we are still talking about Camille! We are going to remember her forever - she was such a wonderful presence during my entire labor and after, and we don't know what we would have done without her. She made sure my husband and I knew what was happening, she advocated for us, she ensured I was comfortable (well, as comfortable as you can be in labor), and she really rooted for us the whole time. I felt safe because she was with us. And Ella - we were shocked that someone who didn't *have* to be there, stayed for the entire labor, participated, and stayed after when we were transferred to the postpartum room! She will be (or already is) a phenomenal birth doula. We felt so lucky to have Camille and Ella. Post birth - Lolonyo came to our house the very first night we were back from the hospital, and what a gift she is. She taught us how to soothe a baby, how to change a diaper (I'm sure they showed us in the hospital... but I could not remember haha). We had her for several nights during those first 2 months and we were so, so grateful to wake up the next morning refreshed, rested, and with the knowledge that our daughter had been held in loving arms all night long. She was never judgmental and was always supportive as we navigated breastfeeding, safe cosleeping, and everything else. We also had Joanna for several daytime visits. She always made sure to check in on my mental and physical health, which was so appreciated, and she was so helpful. We always felt like we were able to reset a bit after her visits, because she'd leave behind clean bottles and pump parts and a rested (and sometimes still sleeping) baby, and we would have had time to ourselves to shower and get a little more organized. She made our chaotic lives feel lighter, and we loved her for that. As a DCBD member you'll also have the opportunity to be part of a postpartum circle of other parents going through what you did. Shaleen and Elizabeth gave us space to talk through birth and everything that comes after, while feeling supported and safe. I'm still friends with some of the parents from my circle. In closing - DCBD is worth every single penny. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts!

Rebecca from DC Birth Doulas was absolutely incredible. From the moment we first connected, I…read moreimmediately felt comfortable with her and the entire team. She has such a warm, genuine presence that made it easy to ask questions and talk through everything honestly. She was always responsive and gave thoughtful, real answers that helped me feel informed and confident throughout the process. I was hoping for a VBAC, and with Rebecca's support we were able to have a successful one. She provided amazing support not only for me, but also for my husband. During labor she was calm, encouraging, and incredibly knowledgeable, helping us both feel grounded and supported every step of the way. Having Rebecca there made such a difference in our birth experience. I'm so grateful for her care and for the support of the entire DC Birth Doulas team. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a compassionate, knowledgeable, and truly supportive doula

The womb room is amazing!! They offer so many classes for before baby or after. I took advantage of…read morethe free virtual prenatal yoga classes, pregnancy support group and baby and me yoga. Yoga is so fun to connect with my baby and also other moms. Plus Amanda is a great instructor! Some of their other classes are on the pricey side is the only thing but it's such a great resource for moms! Also their location can be a bit tricky to find but the main door is off Keswick Rd (and is stroller friendly). Walk in past the dress shop and bare to the right. There's a big parking lot in the back.

This review is is for the doula services and support groups (becoming a mom and breastfeeding)…read more I like that the becoming a mom group has a rotation of doulas who lead the group each week. That way you end up inadvertently meeting the different doulas. We went with Cara. She has a ton of experience and super chill vibe. Our hospital was not allowing extra visitors due to COVID so we signed up for a virtual doula service. She met with us a few times before the birth to review questions, birth plan, and provide support. She was also available via email for random questions that came up in between. The day of my labor I reached out to her as needed and she guided me through some of the decisions we had to make. Her support made it so that I could better advocate for myself and my baby during my labor. She was 100% supportive of all my decisions and in the end I ended up having a beautiful and quick birth. I am so happy we got a doula and recommend it to anyone no matter what type of brith you are planning on having. I found the groups to be more helpful towards the beginning of my pregnancy, especially as it was a time that COVID was just ramping up. The only issue is that the people in group vary from week to week. I think it would be nice to be able to connect with the same group from week to week so there is some continuity.

We had a great experience! Very early in my pregnancy, I reached out to Nathalie for a doula and…read moregot a response right away. She was very informative and provided my husband and I with answers to all our questions. We were initially connected with a couple different doulas that would be available during my due date and had interviews with them -- we ended up hiring Hannah Wright. From the get-go, Hannah was amazing. She was exactly what we needed. She provided great advice throughout my pregnancy and she especially gave my husband a lot of confidence in being my support person by having her there during the actual labor and birth. She provided excellent support and kept me grounded during the entire process and immediately stepped in and started providing all the tips and tricks in her wheelhouse to help me cope during my fast and intense epidural-free birth. I would certainly recommend her to anyone else. As for the more administrative end of things, we also have no complaints. Communication was excellent, the contract process with was very clear and straightforward, and we found the doula rates very reasonable.

I had a wonderful experience with my daytime doula Iyonna and evening doula Stephenie. Both were…read morevery helpful and knowledgeable which is so important for expectant mothers who need extra help cause newborns require so much and new moms need the time off to relax or just do... anything else. It feels endless and overwhelming at times. And it was wonderful to have the extra pair of hands so that I could sleep at night and take care of errands, get out of the house, grab food, and visit my older daughter in daycare during the day.

Dr. Faust is AMAZING. I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Faust and her team. Dr. Faust's…read morekindness, patience, and expertise is unmatched. I always left feeling much better than when I came in, and I learned SO MUCH from her. Moreover, she takes the time to figure out what is going on with your own lactation experience to make sure she finds a solution. I cannot thank her enough!

Both my husband and I are medical people and we thought having a baby was going to be a piece of…read morecake. Guess what we were so wrong. The early days were rather hard, finding too much information left us overwhelmed. Then our doula recommended baby and me lactation service. It was a great advice as we felt really relived as soon as we met Ann. When it comes to things baby, breastfeeding and adjusting to life with a new baby Ann is as good as it gets. She is absolutely wonderful, she answered most of our anxious, first time parent questions without judgement, and some times repeatedly. She has a great sense of humour, which helps a lot when you are trying to navigate little embarrassing/sensitive questions. If you have any questions about breastfeeding or parenting and looking for a warm, wonderful and evidence based information you are at the right place. We can't recommend her highly enough!

We used Sara as our doula for the birth of our second daughter before she started her own doula…read morecompany, and I would recommend her without any reservation. Sara was sweet, attentive, thoughtful, calm, and she interacted seamlessly with the medical staff. She took wonderful care of my wife during labor, but she also looked out for me and made sure I was rested and nourished so that I could be at my best when the time came. She would have been our first (and only) doula call if we'd had another child. 100 percent she's awesome.

My husband and I hired Sara (Piccioni) as a doula for the recent delivery of my first child. I had…read morea beautiful pregnancy, but as a first time mom at 40 with fibroids and anemia, I was concerned about delivery and potential complications. I kept reading about the better birth outcomes when doulas are present and through some internet research was able to find Sara. From our first conversation, I knew she was the one for my husband and I. She made us feel calm, yet informed and she didn't diminish any of my concerns, but helped me put them into perspective given all of the births she has witnessed. She sent over and provided tons of information to help us feel prepared for whatever was to come. When it came time for the big day, I was being induced and Sara helped me with what to expect. She was there for my husband and I with whenever we needed. Despite my doubts, I ended up delivering vaginally and I really feel that Sara being a part of my team was a key piece (among many) to this. She gave me the confidence that I could do it and talked me through things before and as they were happening. She helped me manage my pain, guided and cheered me on through pushing, and was a huge source of information and comfort to my husband. I would recommend Sara to anyone looking for a doula. She is easy to talk to, knowledgeable without being pushy and is truly an advocate for the parents. My husband and I were so blessed to find her!

Having a baby is one of the most rewarding yet terrifying things you can experience in life. If…read moreyou're a parent you already know how the hospital just sends you on your way after a few days in recovery with no instruction manual or help desk number. Luckily my wife did some research and convinced me to hire doulas. We had the pleasure of working with Betsy and her team of doulas who consistently perform magic to soothe and care for our baby. Simultaneously, they teach us parenting techniques, act as our therapist, and most importantly allow us to catch up on sleep. They truly provide care to the whole family. It's also a lot better than having in laws come "help". I definitely recommend Metropolitan Doulas. It has 100% helped me enjoy being a new dad with their help to reduce the fear and anxiety of being a new parent.

Had a wonderful experience with Becca/Rebekah. She provided us with an introduction to parenthood…read moreincluding diapering, sleep habits, and answered our million questions. We felt incredibly supported.

Best money we have ever spent :)…read more The day that I delivered our baby boy Andrew was one of the best days of my life. A bit of background - Once my husband and I found out we were pregnant I instantly started searching for various birthing classes that would help us prepare for the birth of our first child. My goal was to deliver our baby without using medication/epidural in the process. Not to mention I wanted to soak up as much information as possible to help us through this amazing journey that we were embarking upon. I stumbled across information about the Bradley Method classes on a FB comment reply. It was through the Bradley Method class that we met Rachel. She was our instructor throughout the 12-week series of classes. We learned so much while in the class and also realized that we would also benefit from having a doula. We felt that we had established a rapport with Rachel and she was obviously very knowledgeable with ample experience helping women through medication-free deliveries. It's because of Rachel that we were able to have the birth experience that we wanted. It was such an incredible experience thanks to her coaching us through the process. She knew what to do and when to help delivery along and there wasn't a moment that I didn't feel fully supported and secure. She didn't let me give up and I felt empowered to be able to birth our child naturally. We are so grateful to her for our the incredible experience that we had and would encourage anyone seeking to have a natural childbirth to reach out to her for her support as a doula. We are so glad that we did!!!

I would not recommend Family Ways to anyone who needs a doula. I had a contract with them for doula…read moresupport for the birth of my son, which included birth prep, the birth itself, and postpartum support. I had one meeting in person with my doula and a handful of texts and one call with her (almost all of which were initiated by me). I ended up having a precipitous birth and didn't make it to the hospital in time to deliver. I delivered in my bathtub at home just as the paramedics arrived and then was transported to the hospital via ambulance. I was in contact with the doula before this happened and she said she was on the way to the hospital to meet me there. I obviously could not call her as the birth was happening and I was transported to the hospital (I did not even have my phone on me) but my husband called the doula and let her know. When I finally got my phone back, I had a text from her from hours prior saying she was in the area and wanted to know if I still wanted her to come. I thought she had left so I texted back that the baby had arrived and that I wanted to touch base for some postpartum support. She never reached back out to me. So once I was home from the hospital, I emailed with Family Ways to ask about this. It seemed rather unfair to have paid $1,500 and to have not really received any support. I understand that they would not give me a refund, but I asked if they could at least offer some postpartum support, since I had nothing during a rather traumatic birth, and that was included in the contract. They refused any further service and argued that the contract had been fulfilled. I'll let others decide if that sits right wit them, but I was very disappointed by this. I felt abandoned and gaslight after a difficult pregnancy, traumatic delivery, and in the fog of postpartum. It was especially disappointing from a service that is supposedly based on being a support system from pregnant and postpartum people during a very vulnerable time. If you do decide to use Family Ways, I would be very clear before signing any contract what support they will give you, especially if your birth doesn't go as planned.

I love M.A.M.A.S.! Although my baby came 6 weeks early and I ended up having to have him at the…read morehospital, the MAMAS team was amazing through it all. They gave me sound advice, they helped me be prepared for certain situations that they knew would come up in the hospital, they called ahead and made sure I would be transferred under a midwife at the hospital (they are good friends with a few which made me feel that much more comfortable), and they were available and checked in on me every step of the way, including the 5 days our baby had to stay in the NICU. Mairi and Emily come with such a wealth and depth of knowledge with years of experience that you can't help but feel safe and watched over under their care. They are well organized with a plan for every possible situation and the community groups that they place you in with other mom's delivering around the same time as you are invaluable to the process. This was my first child, and I will absolutely use their midwifery services again for any children that may come in the future. I highly recommend them for home births and any woman's care. Thank you ladies! You are the best!

The midwives at M.A.M.A.S. are absolutely wonderful! They not only are qualified medical…read moreprofessionals, but amazing companions and confidants in the journey to welcoming a baby. Prenatal appointments are thorough and not rushed, and care is all encompassing beyond just the growing baby. Postnatal care is frequent and truly feels like care, rather than a checklist. Beyond their care alone, the midwives create a beautiful community not only during the prenatal period but long after. We love each of the midwives and feel so lucky to know them and been under their care. I'd recommend the M.A.M.A.S. care team to anyone looking for compassionate, evidence based care, whether for home birth or well women's care.