We couldn't imagine the experience of our first pregnancy and the birth of our son without the…read moresupport and guidance of our incredible doula, Abbie! My husband and I were intrigued by the idea of working with a doula early in my pregnancy, but looking back, we had NO idea just how meaningful Abbie's expertise and care would be. With each session, she educated us, encouraged us, gave us incredibly useful tools and resources, and most importantly, empowered us as a couple. We weren't able to follow our birth plan as we had initially hoped due to unexpected circumstances, but Abbie helped us navigate every change with confidence. We felt informed, supported, and at peace amidst all the unanticipated redirection. She played such a meaningful role in making the birth of our son an incredibly positive and empowering experience, and we truly can't imagine having done it without her.

Abbie was everything I was looking for in a doula: knowledgeable, responsive, and calm. My birth…read moredidn't go quite as planned and Abbie was there to help at every turn. As a first time mom, I was very happy to have a doula and I would recommend Abbie as your doula 100%.

I chose to hire midwives for a homebirth out of a desire to have a different experience. Being my…read more5th baby, I wanted to experience complete peace and say in how I would labor. Having midwives who cared, who saw me & had my best interest in the process and outcome. My experience with both Angela & Kathryn was truly a pleasant one. I am happy to have found them. Very down to earth mamas themselves. Passionate about what they do to serve women through their whole pregnancy journey. During labor I was able to experience how important it is to have midwifery care. At one point just having Kathryn's presence during those intense contractions was such a relief. To know they were walking this with me. Their knowledge and experience were a tremendous help in my journey. It's definitely at a different level than I've experienced before. Just having any concern be truly heard, the conversations were up-lifting. Never felt rushed or dismissed. I felt safe physically as well. I just loved being taken care of by Angela & Kathryn. My mind set coming in was I wanted to experience a more wholesome if I can say that... a wholesome labor experience. One where my wishes and needs were heard and followed through. Angela & Kathryn were great at giving me my options, letting me know the risks, the pros, the cons, etc. and being knowledgeable and understanding. Oh I want every pregnant mama friend to know they can go through pregnancy & delivery without fear. Whether that's at home or hospital with the right midwives/ doulas with you. That this special time is worth making the choice to hire them. I wish I would have hired them sooner to be able to have them since the beginning of my pregnancy! I love that they continue to invest and keep learning to better serve. They both have something to offer and together they make the perfect duo. ----

I had a terrible experience with my first birth in the hospital with standard care. I wanted to be…read morein the care of someone that aligned with what I wanted and believed in. Angela, was wonderful, warm, welcoming and caring. She encouraged me and gave advice that was so helpful! I wouldn't be where I'm at in my mom journey without her! Every time I met Angela was important to me, it was like meeting with an old friend or sister. I was especially thankful for the advice for the breastfeeding book she recommended-that was life-changing. My time in the hospital visits were stressful and traumatic, so, the hands-on care that was provided was a breath of fresh air. I felt heard and seen. Even when I had to go to the hospital, Angela was an advocate by my side. Her advice and visits during the postpartum phase were wonderful as well. I felt like Angela took the time to care for me AND my baby. With midwifery care, the baby is a patient as well. There is less unnecessary poking and prodding and much more love and attention. With the standard care given by doctors, they are often cold and even demeaning. They look at things backwards and always act as if you or your baby is sick and dying until proven otherwise. I wasn't able to have a home birth, but still had a vbac in the hospital, I didn't give up and I found strength and resilience that I didn't have previously. I was able to really listen to my body and do what I and baby needed.

I took the 3-day birth preparation course with Amelia, and I couldn't be happier with the…read moreexperience! Her energy is truly unmatched. She explained every concept in simple, practical terms and made me feel so genuine cared for and we laughed a lot. While I expected the course to focus primarily on natural birth--and in many ways it did--it was completely free of judgment regarding medical interventions.

I reached out to Brilliant Births to find a birth doula. They offer a matching service and…read moreconnected me to 3 doulas who work independently (not employees of BB). We were really fortunate to find our birth doula (who we love!), but the other 2 candidates were not very impressive. The first doula missed our appointment with no follow-up communication. We were initially confused and thought she was the coordinator for BB, because she only communicated by text. The actual meeting was just by telephone so there was no face-to-face interaction, which felt strange. We could've easily FaceTimed or Zoomed. So communication and reliability were not great. The second doula abruptly canceled our half-hour appointment when we were 10 minutes late for a 30-minute appointment due to my husband wrapping up a Zoom meeting. During our appointment time, she was responding to my emails (in which I apologized for being late), but insisted she could no longer meet with us. I thought this was a really bad sign about what she would be like to work with - labor and delivery is rarely precisely timed and some flexibility is needed. In addition, her email said that she lives in Portola Valley, but we live Berkeley (also where Brilliant Births is located). This also struck me as strange, because it would take 1.5 hours for her to arrive to meet us at the hospital, which is not ideal.

I'm obsessed with Casey! This was my first tarot and birth chart reading, and I learned so much…read more From the moment I walked in, her space felt warm, welcoming, and incredibly cozy. She spent more than three hours with my best friend and me, thoughtfully reading both of our charts and guiding us through a beautiful sound bath experience. Casey has a gift for making you feel seen, understood, and connected to yourself on a deeper level. We left feeling inspired, energized, and excited to continue exploring this work with her. I can't recommend her enough and am already looking forward to booking another session.

I am blown away from her reading. I needed clarity and reminder of my power. Having a tarot session…read morefelt like talking to an old friend who was keeping it real while remaining heart centered at the same time. I appreciate her listening and empathy while also being realistic and grounded. Definitely will recommend

We feel so incredibly lucky to have had Marilou as our postpartum night doula. I ended up needing…read moreto be induced earlier than expected, so we had to arrange support at the very last minute. I was honestly pretty anxious going into it because we didn't have the opportunity to interview or even speak with her beforehand, and we were simply going off her profile that was shared with us. But from the moment she arrived, she immediately put us at ease. She was with us for those first few nights home from the hospital, when I was exhausted, emotional, and very newly postpartum. She had such a warm, gentle, and calming presence, and having her there made those overwhelming first nights feel so much more manageable. She was incredibly sweet and attentive with our baby, but she was equally caring toward me, always checking in and offering thoughtful tips for both newborn care and taking care of myself during recovery. She helped with feeds, baby laundry, and washing and assembling bottles and pump parts, and was always punctual, dependable, and proactive. Most importantly, we felt completely comfortable having her care for our brand new baby during such a vulnerable time. Our only regret is that we didn't find her sooner! Because everything came together so last minute, she was only available to be with us for a few nights, and we absolutely would have loved to have had her for longer. We're so grateful she was there when we needed her and would wholeheartedly recommend her to any family looking for a kind, knowledgeable, and genuinely caring postpartum doula. Thanks Marilou and Doulas by the Bay!

My wife and I had Jordan from Doulas by the Bay help care for our newborn overnight from 11 p.m. to…read more7 a.m., and she quickly earned our trust. Jordan is young, eager, and incredibly attentive. Throughout every overnight shift, she remained awake and alert, always ready when our daughter needed her. Most importantly, she cared for our baby with the same patience and gentleness we would ourselves, which gave us tremendous peace of mind as new parents. Her reliability was equally impressive. She was consistently punctual, arriving between 10:58 and 11:00 p.m., and was always respectful and ready to help. Trusting someone with your newborn is no small thing. Jordan made that trust easy. I would confidently recommend both Jordan and Doulas by the Bay to my closest friends and family, and we'd happily welcome her back into our home. Thank you, Jordan, for taking such wonderful care of our little girl!

Having Nina's support during the first few weeks with a newborn was a huge help…read more Nina helped establish healthy sleep habits for our baby. From the very beginning, she gently taught us how to read our baby's cues so when we did not have nighttime support anymore we felt confident and empowered to care for our baby, rather than feeling dependent on the support (which was something I was nervous about!). Inviting someone into your home during such a personal season is a big deal, but Nina has a calm and loving presence, and we always felt completely comfortable having her around. She became part of the family...even our dog looked forward to her knock on the door! My employer covered postpartum doula services, but even if they hadn't, it would be worth every penny.

Nina was truly such a gift to our family during a very important and challenging time. After our…read moredaughter was born, Nina stayed with us for about 12 weeks, and we honestly don't know how we would have gotten through those first few months without her. She was incredibly kind, patient, flexible, and accommodating from day one. She was amazing with our daughter and equally wonderful with our son. Bringing home a second baby and figuring out how to balance the needs of two children was a huge adjustment for our family, and Nina made the transition feel so much more manageable. She consistently went above and beyond to make sure everyone in our family was comfortable and cared for. We always felt completely comfortable trusting her with our children, and she brought such a calm, reassuring presence into our home. Beyond everything she did for the kids, Nina was an incredible source of support for us as parents. Those early weeks and months can be overwhelming, and having someone as caring, dependable, and thoughtful as Nina made such a difference. We are so grateful for the time she spent with our family and for everything she did for us. Nina became a very special part of our lives, and we would wholeheartedly recommend her to any family. She is truly exceptional!

We loved working with Ashley! She was so crucial in getting us, and especially me as a first time…read moremom, through the first six weeks postpartum. While we had contracted with her part-time for four weeks, we increased our number of sessions and length of time because she was such a lifeline. Ashley is incredibly trustworthy and diligent, with very high EQ and empathy. Adjusting to a newborn was very difficult for me, and she was there as a source of knowledge and a confidante, providing both emotional support and problem-solving on the many feeding issues I experienced. In addition to supporting me as a new mom, Ashley helped us learn the basics of newborn care -- how to bottle feed, change a diaper, give a bath, set up changing stations around the home. She helped us organize the nursery and find efficient ways to get things done. We were also quite careful with COVID and Ashley was especially cautious and respectful to ensure everyone's safety. I felt 100% confident in entrusting her with our newborn, and wholly supported as a new mom too. I'd recommend Ashley to anyone searching for a postpartum doula.

Ashley was a total lifesaver! We worked with her after having our second daughter two nights a week…read more+ 1 day and having her around was incredibly helpful and comforting. She was with us on our first night home from the hospital and I will never forget meeting her IRL for the first time that night... I was feeling very overwhelmed and hormonal and the second she arrived she gave me a hug as the tears streamed down my face. Her energy was so calming and supportive, I instantly felt better knowing she was there to help us. We looked forward to seeing Ashely each night she came and felt 100% comfortable having our tiny baby in her care. She was incredibly resourceful and texted us regularly to check-in. It was so nice to have her help on the day shifts as well - she would make sure I was well fed, and she confidently helped us navigate our baby's bottle refusal issues. My 3 year old daughter LOVED Ashley right away, and this is a kid who does not take to new people very well at all. Ashley has a very special spirit and I highly recommend hiring her as your postpartum doula. I would hire her again in a heart beat!

Janet L. was incredibly warm, kind, and compassionate when she helped us over the first couple of…read moremonths of our daughter's life! She blended into our new family seamlessly and was so helpful as we got used to life as a family of three. My husband had some tricky tech requests and she was super willing to work with us to get all the systems set up. She was beyond accomodating and was able to either wake me right before a feed or just handle the night feeds with pumped milk, depending on the night/timing. She was wonderful and helped us so much - would recommend her to anyone looking for a night doula!

We had two amazing doulas for our second daughter, both covered through my Carrot benefit at work,…read moreRhona at night and Julie during the day. Rhona was our overnight doula for both of our girls, and honestly I don't know how I would've gotten through those first months without her. With my first, she helped me figure out breastfeeding, kept me going on the hard nights, and taught me how to pump so I could actually get some sleep. With our second we had jaundice and an unplanned trip back to the hospital and Rhona was such a calm, steady presence for me while I got through it. Rhona is just so good at what she does, and clearly cares a lot about the families she works with. Julie was equally wonderful during the day. She's sincere, honest, and has this calming way about her. She normalized so much of what I was feeling and hyped me up until I actually felt ready to handle life with two kids. Genuinely fun to have around too, even on the rough days. We're so grateful for both of them and would recommend them without hesitation.

Lisa has helped me tremendously. She provides relevant info to the specific problem. She helped…read moreme write a birthplan, which Kaiser sort of followed. Breastfeeding was a disaster, from my low milk supply, baby being tongue tied, mastitis, the wrong size flanges for the breast pump that Kaiser gave me. Lisa helped me with homeopathic remedies, support, and information about medications that others have found useful (she does not prescribe or give specific medication dosing advice for prescribed medications). I don't know that I will be able to breastfeed, but it isn't for lack of trying, and Lisa made me feel better, that I have done everything humanly possible and if I can't it's not because I didn't give it my all. I highly recommend using her service. She is responsive, kind, reassuring, and just a lovely person who wants you and your baby to be healthy and strong. She loves babies and respects mamas. What could be better?

If you are wanting to hire a doula or have extra support, definitely hire Lisa. When my husband…read moreand I found out we were pregnant, I knew I wanted to have a doula assist with the birth. I also knew that I wanted to have a natural birth and that doulas could be a great assistance in reaching this goal. I spent a lot of time emailing doulas, a lot of them. Lisa was only one of a couple I heard back from. She responded promptly and was willing to work around our busy/late night schedule to set up an interview. Once we interviewed, I knew that I wanted to hire her. My husband was more apprehensive and had difficulty spending the money when he felt he would be helpful and not need a doula. However, he knew how much it meant to me and went with it. Throughout the pregnancy, we received so much useful information from Lisa. Any questions I had, she was always available to answer them. Towards the end of my pregnancy I had high blood pressure and my doctor wanted to induce me because of concerns regarding my blood pressure. I knew that it would be very difficult to have a natural birth with being induced but felt confident that given the support, I would be able to do it. I ended up having three different types of inducement measures, cervidil, a balloon, and pitocin. My labor was incredibly difficult, with a recommendation of an epidural discussed twice and a c-section discussed once. Lisa saved me from having to have any of this done. She suggested two specific positions to utilize while having contractions that are never done in hospitals. My doctor worked with Lisa and was willing to have Lisa try them with me. These positions saved me from having a c-section and made my goal of having a natural birth possible. She was not only available and there for me during my pregnancy and labor & delivery but afterwards as well. I have asked so many questions regarding breastfeeding and other things and she has always been available for me. She responds promptly to me and is constantly checking in on me (my baby was born 8 days ago). I cannot say enough positive things about Lisa. Hire her as your doula, it will be the best decision you can make. Following the delivery, my somewhat skeptical husband prior to labor and delivery said that it was worth all of the money we spent. He said hiring Lisa was one of the best decisions we made during this process. That, to me, says it all. Hire Lisa.

Deanna was not my doula; but I wanted a consultation with her to possibly become my doula. Her CV…read moreappeared impressive, an educator and DONA certified, which is why I emailed via Yelp and her website to set a consultation up....never received a reply. Ended up going with someone who was prompt and responsive. Expected more from a veteran doula.

When my husband and I were preparing for our first baby to be born, I knew I wanted to hire a doula…read morebecause I wanted to give birth naturally with no epidural or any other pain medications. We did our research and chose three doula services that we were interested in. After having multiple phone and in person meetings with all three, I knew Deanna was the right one for me. Meeting Deanna for the first time is like meeting a friend you haven't seen in a long time. She definitely gives you a sense of comfort. She's also very knowledgable and answered all of my husband's and I's questions we had about my pregnancy and prepared us for what to expect during labor and delivery. When that day finally came (about 2.5 weeks earlier than expected) Deanna and my husband were on it. Both of them worked so hard to make me feel comfortable. Deanna definitely helped my husband be more hands on during my labor which took over 24 hours. As much as I wanted to give birth vaginally, I eventually had to get a c-section after pushing for 6 hours and trying all the possible birthing positions Deanna recommended. I was also prepared going in to the operating room as Deanna also educated us about what would happen if I was to get a c-section. Deanna was by my side the whole time up until I had the c-section. When the nurses where not available Deanna was moving the bed to get me to a comfortable position and also helping me get to the bathroom. So if you're looking for a knowledgable doula with lots of experience and is hands on, I would definitely recommend Deanna.