I meant to write this review a -very- long time ago. Being a parent is no joke. It starts with many unknowns, with excitement and a little bit of fear. Nobody prepares you for what it is going to be, and everyone's experience is different. Most of the time, you may feel you're totally on your own, trying to figure things out together with your partner. When my wife and I discovered we were going to become parents, we decided to schedule a few classes in preparation for the pregnancy and to understand better how to take care of our baby. Most of the classes we took were helpful, but they were missing something. Everything we heard was "scripted," and it almost felt like nobody could give you a real answer (It frankly felt like they couldn't tell much to avoid any possible legal issue). After a few of those classes (Which I still recommend attending, especially the CPR one), my wife and I still had tons of questions and uncertainties. That's when we decided to look for a doula. We met Alex through a referral, and we felt immediately confident that she was going to be the right person to guide us through the process. Before having her becoming our official doula, we met a few times, to understand if she was right for us and if we were right for her. The process is so intimate that it's essential that everyone feels comfortable and completely open. Alex, little by little, gave us a new perspective of the before, during, and after pregnancy. She gave us invaluable tips and suggestions that made a huge difference in the way we approached the whole process. She gave us confidence and clarified all our questions. She listens to your needs, understands your personalities, and tailors your experience for what she thinks is the best for you. It's up to you to open up and tell her what makes you feel comfortable and what not. One common misconception I heard is that all doulas are all following a holistic or religious approach. That's not true with Alex. You tell her what is essential for you, how you would like to experience the pregnancy and she'll do her magic. She was by our side the entire time, before, during, and after our baby was born. Thanks to Alex, my wife spent most of the time during her contractions at home. Yes, Alex fantastically timed everything, which made things way more comfortable for my wife. Once at the hospital, I would have never imagined dancing with my wife during the hours before she delivered, but that happened because Alex recommended us to bring a speaker and play songs that would make us comfortable, and feel like home. Most importantly, my wife achieved an unmedicated vaginal birth, which is precisely what she was hoping for. Unfortunately, after the delivery, there were some unexpected complications. Alex went above and beyond. She was there helping us going through difficult decisions. When things went unexpected, Alex was there in the OR standing by my wife. Luckily, not only did we have Alex, but also a fantastic medical team, and things went fine. We now have a wonderful little girl, and Alex became our babysitter (when she's not supporting other moms and dads). I can't recommend Alex enough; she's a beautiful person. I proudly call her sister. I understand that financially it may not be an option for some families, but if you are lucky to be able to afford this, I wouldn't think twice. She made THE difference. Having said that, her price was way more affordable compared to others. A last and fundamental note I'd like to share is around the role of dads. Let me get this straight: Dad's role is equally important, and you have to be there for mom and baby. There is so much stuff going on emotionally and physically, that if you are not there for them, things can become difficult for everyone. Again, I have to thank my sister Alex for having guided me each step of the way. read more

When planning for the birth of my first child, I knew that I wanted to surround myself with supportive, calming, non-judgmental energy. There is so much out of our control during birth and I wanted to be able to embrace that instead of fear it. Alexandra helped me to feel confident and strong during the whole process. Alexandra provided my partner and I with a non-judgmental space to ask any and all questions we had about the birthing process. With her open and honest character, she made us feel comfortable and free to discuss all our concerns and worries. As first-time parents we had a lot of questions and it was wonderful to work with someone who was so knowledgeable and patient. Due to these conversations I felt like I had the language and strength to make any decision, whichever path my birth took. I cannot express how essential Alexandra was to my labor process. Throughout my entire labor she made me feel confident and supported. I never felt alone or worried, I was free to express any concern I had. She was my champion over a 24-hour labor which included 4 hours of pushing. Her presence and strength provided me with the support I needed to focus on the work I was doing to meet my son. She worked wonderfully with my doctor and the nursing staff. I couldn't have asked for a better guide through my labor process. And I cannot thank her enough for helping me to have a birth experience that I cherish. Note from my Partner: Alexandra was specifically helpful to me as the father-to-be during my wife's labor. We had been up for nearly 36 hours straight, and Alexandra noticed that I wasn't being present enough for my wife. She kindly reminded me of what we talked about and she helped me rally and be there for my wife when she needed me most. Alexandra was also great at deflecting some of the less helpful requests the nursing staff had so we could focus on getting our baby boy born. I couldn't recommend her enough! read more

I'm so, so thankful to Alexandra for such a loving, beautiful birth experience. I tear up thinking about the whole process and know that her compassion, understanding and patience made all of the difference. Honestly, I was not convinced I would need a doula, as I planned a hospital birth and planned on using medication. I also thought about the delivery as just a medical event and did not think that I would look back on it with awe and warm feelings. However, I'm so thankful that we had Alexandra leading our "team" and creating such a beautiful experience that I will cherish forever. My husband communicated with Alexandra throughout our early labor at home and she was very reassuring and helpful. However, we then had complications, headed to the hospital earlier than we expected and was admitted before active labor started. Alexandra arrived as soon as we were admitted and stayed with us through the end. She turned the labor and delivery room into a relaxing, quiet, peaceful environment and coached the coaches (my husband and my parents) throughout. It was the hardest thing I have ever done and was more painful than I expected, even with medication. But Alexandra was always positive, encouraging, and made me believe that it was going to be okay. Looking back, it was almost an enjoyable experience. I was surrounded by the most wonderful people and after over 24 hours of labor in the hospital and 7 hours of active pushing, our beautiful little girl was born. I love that Alexandra is part of our daughter's birth story and there is no doubt that we will always want her as part of our future children's births. She allowed us to have the kind of delivery that we wanted and did not push anything on us. She truly met us "where we were" and I'm forever thankful to her. I cannot recommend Alexandra enough. read more

My husband and I worked with Alexandra from GGDA and both agree that having Alexandra with us, not only to prep for first-time labor and birth, but much more critically, at the hospital, made everything so much better. We had two meetings with Alexandra beforehand, where we learned about birth preferences, the different stages of labor, what to expect and comfort measures. These meetings were soo important in understanding what was coming, how we might deal with scenarios that popped up and for my husband, it was great to understand how he could be the most effective at helping me through labor. Nothing about labor went the way we anticipated and Alexandra was amazing for talking us through an early trip to the hospital, laboring at home, a longgg process of dilating and then making some difficult choices after we found that our son's cord was wrapped twice around his neck and we wouldn't be able to have the labor we envisioned. She was instrumental at keeping me calm during and after the c-section when my husband left to be with our baby and stayed with us up until we were taken to our recovery room. This was by no means necessary but she also made the room such a lovely place to be for 38 hours of labor, with twinkly lights, diffusing oils and an overall calm atmosphere. We had expected everything about birth to go one way and when it went completely sideways and we ended up having to do all of the things that were NOT in the birth preference plan we'd envisioned, Alexandra was there to guide us through everything calmly. She was the perfect person to talk us through our options, make sure we felt comfortable and that we had the time to discuss our options, and she interacted so seamlessly with our nurses and doctors. Couldn't possibly recommend her more! read more

Alexandra is a phenomenal birthing doula and my husband and I cannot imagine going through the process of birth without her! We felt an immediate connection with her and I felt it was so important that I have someone who would connect with myself but especially my parter as I knew they would need to work closely while I was a bit out of it in labor. Having the two of them united in goals and in knowing my wishes was crucial to have ahead of time and something I felt confident about going in. Alexandra is so knowledgeable and taught us both a lot and helped us think though various scenarios that helped us first-timers prepare. Her knowledge of different interventions, experience with so many births, and rapport with medical professionals at our hospital were all of great value. It was awesome being able to discuss interventions with her and my husband before accepting them, and she helped us consider many options we had ahead of time which helped us make better decisions throughout. She was so supportive and so present during my labor and she really helped me focus, believe in myself, and stay grounded. Honestly I don't know if I would have been able to stick to my natural birth goals without her support and my husband feels the same! She made me feel powerful, proud, confident, and strong! She helped me welcome and say yes to the power that was bringing our son to us instead of fighting against what my body was doing. She helped me stay calm and confident when I wanted to panic, and created an atmosphere of calm, both with decor and presence! Thank you Alexandra! I learned so much about myself though bringing our son into the world and I am so grateful to have had the perfect guide on that challenging journey! read more

My husband and I did not have a doula with our first birth and decided that if I wanted even the slightest chance at an unmedicated birth the second time around, we should really look into having one. Thank goodness we found Alexandra. My water broke at 8 am with irregular light contractions, and from that moment on we were in constant communication with Alexandra, about how to naturally speed up labor (my wish). Around 4:30 pm, labor became precipitous and we met her at the hospital, a few minutes after arriving there ourselves. Only 14 minutes later, my second daughter was born, on a triage bed, on my hands and knees. In those crazy moments where nothing makes sense, time is distorted, and you are one with your rushes, I felt her calm presence standing by my side, whispering calmly in my ear all the things I needed to hear, encouragement, but also translating the rushed messages of midwives and nurses. Having her on my left, and my husband on the right, made me feel powerful, and reassured. Although the birth went by quickly, I had some significant blood loss that had to be dealt with, and Alexandra was by our side until we all felt the situation was under control, a significant number of hours later. This was a trying time, and we will be forever grateful for her presence, clear headed awareness, and action, that ultimately got the medical team to respond. Thank you Alexandra. read more

Alex is an amazing doula. She was exceptional in what turned out to be "an emergency of emergencies" birth. I won't get into the details of my birth on Yelp, but my labor quickly turned into a life or death situation. Alex was incredibly supportive during the process and kept me and my husband calm through out the process. In fact, Alex might have saved my baby's life because she noticed something wrong that both the doctors and nurses missed.  Alex was invaluable to my husband during my birth. She coached and supported him when I was whisked away to surgery and she was there waiting for me when I came off of anesthesia.  Even though I didn't get to have the labor that I had planned for, I still achieved my goal of having an unmedicated labor- until it was clear that I had to have an emergency c-section due to complications. Thanks to Alex's coaching and guidance, I was able to get to 10 cms without any medication. This is a testament to how supportive Alex was in honoring my birth plan. I would highly recommend Alex to anyone that is looking for a doula. She has amazing energy and is supportive and encouraging. Most importantly, Alex demonstrated that she can navigate the toughest of circumstances with grace and ease. read more

Alexandra is the very best! From the minute my husband and I first met with her, we both felt at ease, calm, and listened to. She's caring, non-judgmental, and extremely knowledgeable. We took a birth class, but honestly didn't need to, because two prenatal sessions with Alexandra covered far more than the all day class we took. From the moment labor started, Alexandra was in touch with us and giving us recommendations. When she joined us in our home she brought a calm, reassuring presence and immediately helped me with all of her labor coping techniques. Thoughtful and useful details like peppermint oil in a sick bag so I wouldn't feel nauseous and knowing the right hip hold to help you through a contraction are just some of the examples of the very effective techniques she brings. My husband and I were so so happy to have her at our birth. She is a wonderful advocate, supported all my decisions, was an amazing coach, and made us feel so confident. We also loved her postpartum visit. She helped us talk through and process our birth experience, which was so valuable. I highly recommend Alexandra as a doula and have already referred friends to her. We love her! read more

If I could give this goddess 100 stars, I would. I am BEYOND grateful that this amazing being came into our lives. She is EXACTLY what we were looking for in a doula, in the person who would be present in the most important event of our lives, and is now a life long friend who I adore deeply. The energy Alexandra off is so calming and soothing, which I really needed since I can get anxious at times. She has so much knowledge and explains everything in such detail, that it put our minds at ease. She was so amazing every step of the way. From the early labor texts to her coming over to my apt. during active labor, her loving presence made me feel secure, comfortable, and safe. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect, genuine doula than Alexandra. Having her by my side cheering me on while I delivered my daughter was an unforgettable, precious moment I will hold dear to my heart forever. I am so in love with this amazing beautiful person and still can't believe I was so lucky the universe brought her to us. Because of Alexandra's loving energy, I had the most perfect, beautiful birth that I envisioned. read more

We are so thankful to have had Alexandra be a part of our birth experience. My wife gave birth to our first child 3 weeks ago. It is a completely daunting and intimidating time in our lives, but Alex served as a source of calm, resourcefulness, and compassion throughout the process from beginning to end. The birthing process is kinda crazy, because it is one of the most important times of our lives, but since we were completely unqualified newbies - we were wandering into the wild without a guide. But we met Alexandra and were immediately impressed with her empathy and advocacy. Alexandra visited my wife and me before the due date to share her years of knowledge and managed our expectations for everything from comfort to partner support to collaborating with medical staff. During the actual labor, she provided both of us with relief from pain and/or exhaustion and gave sage advice throughout an entirely stressful time. Needless to say, she guided us through this crazy time and the entire birth and process was a better experience because of her. She has our highest recommendation! read more

Alexandra is a wonderful human being that is totally invested in the well being of her clients (both mama and papa and baby!). We asked for her support for the birth of our first child and am so glad we had her by our side for our prenatal and delivery journey. She was available when needed, has great bed side manners and is very thorough and knowledgeable. Once I went into labor she actively checked in on me and met me at the hospital to help guide me through my many many contractions. I wouldn't have been able to go without an epidural for as long as I did without her by my side. She is equal parts compassionate and empowering, she brought a lot of calm to an otherwise hectic atmosphere. Her presence was crucial and we are so glad she was with us to welcome our baby girl to the world. Thanks A, you rock!! ALSO - my husband highly recommends hiring her for her support and guidance to help make the birth experience more calming (and keep dad involved). read more

We met with a number of doulas, but as soon as we met Alexandra, we knew the search was over the minute she walked through our door. Where to begin...A has the most calm and positive energy, but is also lively and energetic and fully present. She made me feel heard and respected my wishes throughout the process, offering helpful suggestions and hands-on support before and during labor. Even when my daughter's birth didn't unfold the way I had hoped for after 28 hours of difficult labor, she was there every step of the way and provided the physical and emotional support my husband and I needed. She's also excellent at interfacing with hospital staff. All in all, we could not have been in better hands with Alexandra! I would without hesitation work with her again for a future pregnancy and labor. I'm sure no matter what, we will stay in touch -- that's just the kind of person she is! A special soul you would be lucky to work with. read more

It is difficult to pin point the correct place to start my review because it doesn't really feel like a review but more an expression of praise and unbelievable thanks. Words alone cannot reflect how grateful we were to meet Alexandra, and words fall short of describing the incredible impact she had with helping bring our daughter into the world. Alexandra helped foster an environment filled with warmth, peace, and ease in the days and weeks leading up to "the day". As a husband with no experience around the birthing process, Alexandra was the best teammate I could ever imagine and I am forever in her debt. She made my job so much easier and alleviated a lot of anxiety that exists with the delivery of a first child. read more