We're expecting our first baby in February 2026 and initially felt pretty overwhelmed about where…read moreto start with birth planning. We were even hesitant to take a birth class at all--but we're so grateful we took Lisa Greaves' class. While we're planning a hospital birth, we hope to avoid a C-section if possible, and Lisa's class truly empowered us to feel comfortable and informed about all of our options. We learned about laboring at home longer, pain management strategies both with and without medication, and how to advocate for ourselves throughout the process. By the final session, we felt much more knowledgeable about pre- and postnatal care and genuinely prepared to welcome our baby. We also really appreciated the sense of community and the additional resources the class provides. Can't recommend it enough!

Lisa is a gifted educator on all things childbirth and we're SO happy to have attended her 3 day…read moreintensive in-person classes a few months prior to our due date. I was immediately impressed by Lisa's care and high-touch approach when I saw her thoughtful response to my intake form at the time we registered for the program. And throughout the course, Lisa's wealth of knowledge, passion, and genuine desire to help really carried through. She's also a bright ray of sunshine and we really appreciated her warmth and hospitality in what could feel like a long three day class otherwise. We had snacks and drinks, were able to move around freely, sit on the floor, sit on the yoga ball, there are squatty potties in each bathroom, I mean she literally thought of everything in trying to make this experience as comfortable and smooth for us as possible. With each class, we felt more and more confident and well equipped to welcome our baby and of course the added bonus in this being in-person is that we also loved connecting with other couples that we will continue to stay in touch with. I would highly recommend to any couple who's expecting no matter the kind of birth experience you envision for yourseleves.

Taking the Birth1st Hypnobirthing course with Elizabeth was one of the best decisions I made for my…read morebirth experience! I wanted a natural delivery, but as a first time mom, I was scared! Thanks to the breathing techniques, visualizations, and overall mindset preparation she taught, I was able to have an unmedicated 7-hour labor (most of it at home, arriving to the hospital almost 8cm dilated!!) with no tearing--delivering a healthy 7lb baby girl. Elizabeth's guidance gave me the confidence to trust my body and stay calm through every stage of labor. The tools I learned helped me through my surges, stay as relaxed as possible, and truly embrace the wonder and joy of the birth experience. I'm beyond grateful for this course and would highly recommend it to any expecting mama looking for an empowering, positive birth! Our bodies were made for birth and I am so proud of what I was able to accomplish with Elizabeth's help!

Elizabeth was such a God send for us. First, she is extremely knowledgeable and clearly has the…read morebackground and experience needed to be amazing at her job. Then of course is her heart. She truly cared so much about my husband and I and took the time to walk us through each and every step. We were so nervous being first time parents about the birthing experience and she truly not only prepared us but really put us at ease. When it came time for the actual day of the labor things did not go exactly as planned and Elizabeth was right there for it all! I cannot imagine going through that whole experience without her there. My husband feels the exact same way. She also was so great with the doctors and nurses. She never overstepped but kindly had my back throughout the process. I do believe that should she not have been there, the hospital staff would have pushed me to do things that I didn't want, like a C-section. It took far more time to do a natural birth but with her support I was able to have my daughter vaginally like I very much wanted. If you are considering hiring Elizabeth as your doula, I would definitely do it! She made our pregnancy and birth feel so much safer and she really took care of us every step of the way.

Annette will always be close to our hearts of the joyous and warm birth she assisted with our first…read moreson! I only wish we had had her for our daughter too we moved far away. Right from the start she helped to ease any anxieties we had (which were a lot). She was extremely nurturing from the very beginning through the end. She never tried to persuade me into anything. She always listened and gave me wonderful information. In fact, she still asks about our son to this day and we love catching up over lunches when we are back in the city. She helped my husband, through much sweat and sore muscles, massage my back through 5 hours of super intense, level ten contractions. She never left my side or took a break. I ended up having a c-section and she even made that so special! She was quiet, positive and reassuring at ever step. She snapped gorgeous photos and filmed beautiful video throughout (I didn't even know she was doing this). She was there through the entire labor surgery and recovery room (which was about 20 hours), and which was where she taught me, in under a minute, how to breastfeed. She immediately got the baby latched on perfectly, helped me to understand just how to position him, and I never had a problem breastfeeding, nor did our son! In her home visit after the birth, she gave us a beautifully written letter, detailing ever aspect of that day. Our doctor (who was also in credibly amazing) was so impressed with her that he asked for her contact information as well, because through her, he realized her the immense value of having a doula by our sides the whole time.

Annette is one of a kind, and I am so grateful that I had her by my side throughout my pregnancy…read morejourney, and birth of my son. To be very honest...I didn't even know what a doula is or if I needed one. But being a FTM, I had so many questions and worries about giving birth. I started to do research, and was recommended to check out Annette. And I am so glad I did! From the first conversation, I knew I was in the right hands. I am anxious and an over-thinker, but thankfully Annette's expertise and calming nature helped ease all of that. Most importantly, she helped me become informed in all of my options - so I was able to make the best choices for me and my baby throughout the whole experience - especially when dealing with doctors (which can be rather intimidating). Finally, she was also beyond helpful and reassuring to my support person, my mother...as the two of them together helped me welcome my son into this world. Annette takes on many roles while helping - a coach, a best friend, a cheerleader, an educator and many more. My family is forever thankful to her, and highly recommend having her in your corner to anyone on the beautiful, yet sometimes rather wild, pregnancy journey.

I cannot emphasize what a crucial part of my pregnancy and daughter's birth Stephanie was for us…read more Stephanie provided the exact support we needed; from the moment we hired her to the days leading up to my labor to the birth of our daughter to the days after and everything in between. Any question, request, guidance needed - Stephanie was there. She made us feel no shame in asking the smallest questions. She was clear about when something was evidence-based vs her intuition/experience. She never pushed us to do anything and was always supportive of decisions we made. It was important to me and my husband to have a natural birth, which was my main motivation to hire a doula. Truly could not have delivered this baby without Stephanie (I mean, I would have, of course - but likely after much more pain and decisions I would later regret). She was with us on the phone (my husband, mostly) as soon as my water broke and she was with us in person by the time contractions got heavy to get us through the later stages of labor and the pushing/delivery process. Stephanie worked so in sync with the midwife and nurse on my delivery team - it took a village! In addition to Stephanie supporting me, she was also an amazing guide and support to my husband - equipping him with reading materials before delivery and coaching him on best ways to support me throughout labor and delivery. In the days after our baby was born, we talked to Stephanie every day. She visited us to make sure baby was latching properly, showed me some other tips and tricks for feeding, and has continued to provide us with guidance on feeding and pumping and all feeding things! When I become pregnant with baby #2, Stephanie will be among the first to know - could not imagine doing a totally natural birth again without her!

Hiring Stephanie as our doula was one of the best decisions we made while preparing for the birth…read moreof our first child. When my partner and I started looking into childbirth education, we quickly realized how much we didn't know and how overwhelming it could be to research everything on our own. From our very first meeting with Stephanie, it was clear how knowledgeable she is. She focuses heavily on evidence-based information, which was exactly how we wanted to approach decisions around birth. I became interested in attempting an unmedicated birth, although I was only about 60% confident I could actually do it. Stephanie never doubted me. From that point on, all of our preparation and meetings were geared toward helping me achieve that goal. She was always quick to respond to texts and emails and provided detailed, thoughtful information whenever we had questions. Stephanie also did an incredible job coaching my partner ahead of time so he knew how to support me during labor. In our prep meetings, she walked him through different techniques and ways he could help when things became intense. Because of that preparation, he was able to really play an active role during labor. Even during labor itself, Stephanie continued guiding him on how to support me in ways that were actually helpful in the moment. When things were very intense, she would gently coach him on what to do, whether that was how to help with breathing, positioning, or encouragement. If he wasn't sure whether something he was doing was helping, she gave him feedback and reassurance so he could keep supporting me confidently. That support for both of us made a huge difference. When my labor started, I was able to text Stephanie updates and questions and she was always quick to respond and help ease my worries. At one point she had another client in labor (which we knew was a possibility), but her backup doula came to my house and provided wonderful support until we went to the hospital. Stephanie met us there and immediately helped me focus on breathing and staying calm. The moment I'll always remember most was during the pushing phase. I was exhausted having been awake for nearly 36 hours, but Stephanie's coaching and encouragement made such a difference. Her reminders to breathe for the baby and "blow out the birthday candles for the baby," along with her steady counting and encouragement, helped me push through and ultimately deliver my baby the way I had hoped. One unexpected benefit of working with Stephanie is that she is also a lactation consultant. She helped us prepare for breastfeeding, explained how pumping works, and helped us troubleshoot breastfeeding our baby a few days after coming home. I didn't expect that level of support, but it ended up being incredibly helpful. Stephanie is incredibly knowledgeable and very honest. She gives you the information and may offer a recommendation, but she never pressures you if you decide differently. She's straightforward, fact-driven, and clearly very dedicated to her clients. Working with her truly showed me how valuable doulas can be. Stephanie was wonderful to work with, and I would not want to have another child without her by my side.

My husband and I took a 2 hour private in-home class and it was AMAZING!! Vivian arrived and was…read morewarm, friendly and so easy to talk to right away. I was 37 weeks pregnant with our first child at the time of the appnt and so it was pretty late in my pregnancy to have a birthing class, but I believe it was perfect timing to keep all the info Vivian provided fresh in our minds. Within the 2 hours Vivian touched on EVERYTHING!! From stages of labor, Bradley Method, breastfeeding, vaccinations, postpartum and anything else you may have any questions and concerns about Vivian is a wealth of knowledge!! You can see her passion and sincere care for you as she teaches you and your partner coaching and positioning techniques for labor. I was able to go to my OB/GYN the next day fully knowledgeable and describe with confidence exactly what I wanted in my birth plan. If you are expecting your first child and would like an idea of what labor is all about Vivian is an expert and puts your mind at ease just to know what to expect and how to be as prepared as possible. Thank you Vivian!!

We took a private class with Vivian Cardinale to prepare for the birth of our fist child. Going…read moreinto the class, we had little knowledge about what to expect and a lot of questions. Vivian's patient teaching style and knowledge helped us to learn all we need to prepare for our child and make decisions about the type of birth we wanted to have. She's willing to answer all of our questions, no matter how out there they might seem, and offered support throughout. I highly recommend that if you are looking for a birthing class in general, or a Bradley Method class specifically, you seek out Vivian.

I used Ashe for my first birth in 2024. Emilie was my doula and Milta was her partner. Both of them…read morewere so supportive and patient during my pregnancy - they are knowledgeable and kind, never pushy and always helpful and kept what my partner and I needed at the forefront of all of our interactions. They answered every question and I had lots! Emilie and Milta were very gracious and mindful of supporting my husband, as well. I was grateful for them and their guidance throughout pregnancy, but my labor and delivery is where Emilie's sunshine beamed the strongest. She seemed to know what I needed before I could even ask her, providing physical support and pain management for me at my induction. With her unwavering help, I was able to carry through with my hopes for an unmedicated birth even with an induction and even though I was nervous! She had total faith in me and it made me believe in myself. She checked in on us at home after the baby came, and we also used Ashe's postpartum services to get a few, much-needed, nights of rest (Courtney is amazing!) Ashe does it all and they do it all beautifully. I'm grateful every day for Emilie and her team. I wholeheartedly recommend their amazing care for every step of your journey! We could not have been happier.

I am so glad that Emilie was my doula during my pregnancy and delivery experience. I knew I wanted…read morea natural birth experience, and someone who would champion for my wishes. Emilie did that and much, much more. In the months before delivery, Emilie met with me for pre-natal care, informing me about hospital interventions, medications, and decisions I'd have to make for my child. When contractions begin, Emilie coached me through the contractions and then met us at the hospital. (She was getting ready to meet us at home but my labor was very fast). At the hospital, she helped me settle into a comforting routine. With every contraction, she held my body, coached my breathing and I felt completely in control of my labor and delivery. There was no screaming, or kicking as I imagined there'd be. The nurses even commented that this was the most controlled delivery they'd ever seen -- thanks to Emilie! She kept me hydrated, massaged me, and coached my husband about what he could do. She worked incredibly well with the nurses and doctors. I was so nervous about giving birth but I was fully empowered and in control over my body. I absolutely loved my labor and delivery experience. After giving birth, Emilie visited me twice, bringing sitz baths and talking me through all the issues I was facing during that first month. It's been several months and she still checks in on me. You won't regret going with Emilie!

We weren't initially considering having a doula but when we spoke to our ob/gyn about our desire…read morefor a natural birth he recommended that we look into it and I'm so glad we did. Rosie was such a special part of our birth experience and now I just can't imagine it without her. She met with us in the weeks before to get to know us and to talk about our desires for our birth and techniques we hoped to use during labor and delivery. She was available 24/7 from 37 weeks, kept in touch about my weekly doctor appointments and also sent me links to things she thought I'd be interested in or things that would help me and baby. She met us at the hospital when we asked her to join us. She was such a calm and confident presence during my labor, offering me and my husband support and reassurance. She was polite and courteous towards the staff when requesting that I come off the continuous monitor and move around. We were able to have the natural hospital birth that we hoped for and our happy and healthy baby girl arrived beautifully. Rosie stayed with us to offer help with initiating breastfeeding and then paid us a number of visits at home postpartum to spend time with us, to talk about the birth and to help us in practical ways. She will always have a special place in our hearts and I am delighted to recommend Rosie as a doula!

Excellent person to assist you with giving birth. Helped me through my second birth and he words of…read moreencouragement really helped me get through giving birth the second time after having a c-section the first.

I wanted to respond to the comments Simone left on my last review I wrote two weeks ago:…read more1.) I did not move 1.5-2 hours away from Brooklyn. This is an exaggeration on Simone's part. 2.) my husband never referred her to anyone else. I wonder if Simone is confusing us without another family. 3.) I cannot speak on the extent of the support Simone provided, as I was in labor. She may be accurate in the fact that she engaged my husband in a phone call and some text messages. I do remember speaking to her briefly after giving birth when asking her for a refund, which she is correct in stating that she provided. 4.) if it was impractical for Simone to provide back up support given my location, she should have been upfront about this, which she wasn't when I initially informed her or the move. This would have allowed me to make an informed decision in hiring her. 5.) all of our classes with the exception of 1 were conducted virtually. She is not accurate in stating that they were all in person support. I'd like to make clear that I understand Simone had another commitment and she was unable to be in two places at once. However, I want to emphasize that it was her responsibility as a doula to ensure a contingency plan. It is not my intent to go back and forth with Simone but to provide accurate feedback on my experience in the hope that she does better in the future to improve her service. Wishing Simone and all her present and future clients the best.

SIMONE WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! If we have another child, we're calling her immediately to get on…read moreher calendar! We hired Simone within weeks of our delivery date. We'd already taken a bunch of classes, however we wanted someone with experience to be in the room for delivery to advocate for our birth plan wishes and guide us. We met Simone through Zoom for her to learn about not only our pregnancy journey, but us as a family and first-time parents. She helped with stretches, food/drink suggestions to encourage labor to start, natural pain remedies, breathing techniques and a realistic expectation of what delivery would be like for a high-risk "mature" mom at Weill-Cornell. I was in labor for several days and Simone helped us through all of it. It meant a lot that when we didn't understand medical terminology she would explain it to us, remind us of our wishes, and helped keep us calm throughout the entire process. I also love that she took candid pictures (at our request) of the birthing experience.  Simone is incredibly professional, polite to hospital staff, but firm when she needed to be if someone wasn't listening or honoring our wishes. Having an advocate in the delivery room helped bring me peace. When it came time to push, she held my hand, looked me in the eye and encouraged me to listen to my body. She helped guide me to welcome our daughter into the world and that's priceless. Simone also did a home visit after to check on breastfeeding and help with all of our follow-up questions. I've texted her several times after as well for advice from everything to nursing to sleeping. Your money will be well spent with Simone. Its an investment where she is fully present and helpful beyond belief! I feel like I have a family friend for life and am honored she helped ease the transition from a couple to a family of three!

One year ago, on this exact day I gave birth to my son (first child). Today on his first birthday I…read morecan't just help thinking of Myla as she played such an essential role on my son's birth. I was lucky to have a smooth pregnancy over the course of the nine months and had a very clear idea about my birth preferences. However, I was concerned about the strict protocol of the main hospitals of New York City. My husband and I are both Italian and birthing process in Italy is different than here. So, we started looking into doulas and interviewed quite a few of them. Myla was the one who impressed us the most. With her calm and peaceful manners but also her deep knowledge on anything related to birth, we both felt she was the right doula to assist us. Myla was really crucial in giving birth of my baby. I had a natural birth and my son weighted 11lb 10oz: a shocking news for everyone especially since I was able to deliver him naturally and with no C section. Having a natural birth was my main wish but I am aware I wouldn't been able to accomplish that without Myla's support. She helped with breathing, soothing massage and expert touch to get my baby in a lower position. My husband was engaged all the time and the three of us literally 'worked' as a team over the long hours of labor and then pushing. Myla reminded us to take our time before rushing into any decision and we truly felt reassured with her on our side. I remember one of the most experienced nurses praising on Myla as she pointed out how lucky we were on having such a knowledgable and passionate doula assisting us (and I guess she had seen quite a few over the years). And yes, we truly felt blessed in having Myla on our side. The process was painful, I won't lie, but without Myla I would not have been able to deliver my baby without a C section. I'm glad I was able to safely accomplish my wish. After my son was born Myla took the time to make sure my baby latched and she even took so many pictures of the three of us during those first moments as we wished to have a memory of those. We could count on Myla even after the birth experience, as we met her again a few days after leaving the hospital to provide guidance and helpful advice with our newborn. "Grazie Myla!" - You were a precious gift to our family.

Having a doula during the birthing process was integral to making the day of my son's birth as…read moresmooth as possible, and Myla exemplifies this. Myla was an incredibly kind, supportive guide through my pregnancy process. She helped me cut through the noise of opinions and blogs and provided the resources to know what and how to talk to my birth team (doctor, hospital, partner, etc). Pregnancy can be a roller coaster of emotions and even fears and Myla helped navigate what questions we would potentially want to ask and how to ask those questions to empower ourselves to make the right decisions. My confidence when it came time to enter into the actual birth I can absolutely attribute to Myla. During my birth itself, Myla was there to help me have a positive experience. Whether it was soothing massage to ease labor pains at home, or just reminding me in the hospital to ask for time to think about choices that I needed to make, her focus and incredible knowledge and many years of birth experience made everything easier. I felt confident that I was making the right choices because Myla was there with me. After the birth Myla continued to be a crucial resource. She is a lactation consultant and guided me in the breastfeeding process. In the hospital she got my supply started and helped me navigate challenges that continued once I was home Myla's full continuity of care from pregnancy to newborn is invaluable. I experienced curve balls throughout the entire time and was able to navigate everything and ultimately have a successful confident experience thanks to Myla.