We cannot say enough great things about Emerald Doulas! We had a wonderful experience with Melanie and Bridget who both taught us a lot before baby arrived. I rented the TENS unit for labor and it was very helpful for pain control during my induction and the rental process was easy and convenient. Highly recommend Emerald Doulas! read more

My partner and I hired Emerald Doulas to help us find a postpartum doula. Melanie, who runs Emerald Doulas, was fantastic in shepherding us along the process. She got on the phone with me once I requested a consultation and chatted through what kind of support I wanted from a doula, went over what doulas could do to support us, and went over our schedule. She then sent us profiles of doulas who could fit our needs, and I was able to interview the ones I though were the best fit. Our doula, Keya, was fantastic. She had such a calming aura compared to mine and my husband's frenetic panic as new parents. She also would check-in with me before heading over to our apartment to see if we needed any errands run or any products brought to the apartment. I wholly recommend Emerald Doulas and especially getting a postpartum doula--especially if you don't have family in the area! read more

We used Emerald Doulas for the birth of our daughter in 2022 and for postpartum support in 2026. I cannot recommend them more highly! They are professional, caring, and flexible. When we realized we needed some help with our second baby, we were able to get a doula the very next week. We worked with Bridget, who is just spectacular. She held our newborn so we could rest, folded laundry while I was feeding him, and offered calm reassurance. Worth every penny! read more

I had a disappointing experience with Emerald Doulas, specifically with their Childbirth Education Class series. Their strong online presence may contribute to their business success, but based on my experience, I don't feel they offer a higher quality of service compared to other local options. I initially purchased the class series with the intent to hire a birth doula, but when I contacted them in my second trimester, they were fully booked for the rest of the year. Since the classes were non-refundable, I attended the first of three sessions but found it unsatisfactory. One of the issues was their strict mask policy, which felt outdated and unnecessarily rigid given that it's 2024. As someone who's been dealing with shortness of breath during pregnancy, I found the masking policy especially uncomfortable. While I understand the intent to keep participants safe, the policy seemed performative rather than practical. Throughout the class, we were allowed to remove masks to eat, drink, and the instructor even handed out snacks like chocolate. This on-and-off masking undermined any real health benefit, suggesting the policy was more about appearances than actual concern. A more balanced approach, such as encouraging masks rather than enforcing them, would have been reasonable. The class itself was unnecessarily long and could easily have been streamlined. Over the course of three weeks, with each class lasting three hours, the material could have been effectively condensed to half the time. In the first class, for instance, we spent a significant amount of time on activities like "draw how society depicts birth and how that makes you feel." Afterward, we were asked to draw our "ideal birthing experience" and share with the group. These exercises felt more suited to an art therapy session than a childbirth education class. I ultimately decided not to attend the remaining classes with Emerald Doulas and instead attended a 4-hour session with East Raleigh Doula Company (ERDC), which was offered free with their doula services. The ERDC class was concise, practical, and respectful of attendees' time. They provided clear, actionable information to prepare for birth, without any fluff. In summary, if you have plenty of time and money to spare, Emerald Doulas might work for you. However, there are more efficient, affordable options out there. Duke Health, for instance, has free online resources, and ERDC offers better value for those planning to hire a doula. read more

My family had a wonderful experience with Emerald. Our doula, Dena, was incredible and provided advice on breastfeeding, sleeping, and infant care. I really struggled with breastfeeding early on and I likely would have given up without Dena's help. She also cooked delicious meals for us and took care of our baby while we rested. I highly recommend Emerald Doulas (especially Dena)! read more

Hiring a doula from Emerald Doulas was a fantastic decision! After feeling a bit neglected and ignored by busy medical staff during the birth of my first child, I wanted to have someone with me the second time around who could help me navigate what was happening and give my wonderful husband a chance to take a few breaks from attending to me during labor. Melanie and her team are compassionate and highly experienced. It was so reassuring and helpful to have both Melanie and Delmar available for advice or questions at any time during the later part of my pregnancy. Anxious? Back pain? Varicose veins? Baby isn't quite in the right position yet? Not sure if what you're feeling is "normal" ? They have advice and suggestions for all of that and more. I never felt like they contradicted or competed with the medical professionals. When I was 38 weeks pregnant, my husband had to go out of state for a sudden severe family medical emergency and I was alone with my toddler for a week. During this time, it was so reassuring and comforting to me that Melanie and Delmar would be there for me if I went into labor while he was gone. (He made it back in plenty of time since baby decided to wait until almost 42 weeks to make an appearance.) At the birth, Melanie's familiarity with the facility, staff, and various tools was incredibly useful. She knew that the bath took a very very long time to clean and then fill, so she started that for us right away when we got to the room. She asked the midwife for a velcro belly band to help snuggly my pendulous belly and make contractions more effective. I wouldn't have known to ask for that! I didn't know it existed. She took detailed notes during the birth. She ordered food to the room after baby was born. It was a wonderful experience, and I highly recommend Emerald Doulas! read more

Working with EmDo was by far the best decision we made in preparing for our little one's arrival. They helped us prepare for labor and parenting (classes) and provided excellent support both during labor and postpartum. Everyone we worked with was knowledgable, kind, and supportive. They have a nonjudgemental approach that instilled confidence in both me and my partner. I highly recommend Emerald Doulas. read more

Working with Emerald Doulas was the BEST investment we made during pregnancy. As first time parents with very little experience with babies, my husband and I were both nervous about birth and taking care of a newborn. We decided to invest in the Emerald package which allowed us to have both birth and postpartum Doulas. We're so grateful we had the opportunity to experience Doula support in both of these phases. Throughout pregnancy we benefitted from the many courses and monthly topics that Emerald Doulas organizes as well as having our birth doulas to get advice from along the way. My parents even took the Grandparents class and enjoyed it too! I was incredibly anxious about birth and having our doulas to chat with (especially in the final days) gave me peace of mind. We worked with Delmar and Meredith (who attended our birth), they are both great resources and lovely to work with. I cannot thank Meredith enough for their calming, assuring, kind, presence at our birth. Having someone experienced in the phases of birth to help us weigh decisions was helpful not just for me, but for my husband as well. He experienced a lot of emotions and anxiety while processing the events of our birth and Meredith was very supportive and helped him through that in the days after. Delmar and Meredith continued to check in on our family and give advice when we needed it. We worked with Dena as our postpartum Doula and I cannot stress enough how wonderful she is and how helpful having this extra help was! Having someone we could pass our baby off to while we get a couple hours of extra sleep was a game changer. As new parents, we also were appreciative of how Dena helped us navigate "scary" first time things with our newborn. Things like cutting her nails, her first bath, how to use a sling carrier were all things Dena walked us through and helped us feel confident in. She even made us lactation cookies and dinner. She was such a blessing to us! I cannot thank Emerald Doulas enough for the support we received from their team during this very exciting, stressful, joyful, and scary time in our lives. They made a big impact in our birth/postpartum experience and I will be forever grateful! They are incredibly professional, kind, trustworthy, and caring individuals and I highly recommend their team! read more

We worked with Emerald Doulas to find some postpartum overnight help shortly after my son was born. We were originally planning on having family come help but they were unable to make it. Melanie was the best and not only offered some great advice and reassurance but was able to help us find a doula last minute. We had the pleasure of working with Bridget and she took amazing care of our newborn! She was also so helpful with any household work needing to be done and was proactive in asking for other ways to help. As first-time parents without any family living in the area I'm so grateful to Emerald Doulas for allowing us to get some rest and a break -- they are amazing! read more

(I am not a professional in any way; just a first time birth partner) We did "Childbirth Education", a whirlwind weekend of a course from 10a-4p. This is an excellent resource that I'd very much recommend. The instructor brings a wealth of knowledge (1 birth/week) and presents real, relevant experience helping birthing people and their partners. We walked away with so many tidbits and refined understanding from the mix of mini-lectures and partner exercises! (much more than Google-ing terms, and reading Reddit anecdotes in our free time) There is a clear bent against hasty, impersonal healthcare providers: - (re: induction) "If they can get it done in 24 hours, why wouldn't they?" - (re: why delayed cord clamping isn't standard of care) "It requires changing their (providers') work habits, shrug" - (re: cervical exam) It doesn't give any definitive information about how your labor is progressing, so just opt out - who has more experience, OB vs midwives? without reservation, midwives My class eventually began to ask questions that made me feel uneasy, - "Can I request to perform a fundal massage on myself?" - "Will they be gentle with C-sections?" which our instructor pushed back against by saying providers are truly looking out for you; providers aren't leaving to get dinner when they walk out of your room, and will likely sleep in an on-call room at the hospital; providers in the Triangle aren't trigger-happy with C-sections. So, VERY FAIR disclaiming but I still walked away with an antagonistic air towards providers, a little more skeptical of most of the people trying to help us deliver our precious baby. As a conscientious rule-follower I'm going to be under more pressure to advocate well while trying to trust our provider. Maybe this pressure helps drive more business? That's the extra skepticism talking now read more

We used Emerald Doulas (specifically Melanie and Delmar) for the birth of our second child, but wish we had them for our first, too! With a toddler taking a lot of our attention, their text message check-ins and quick, knowledgeable and encouraging responses to questions were invaluable during pregnancy. At the birth, Melanie contributed to our casual but calming environment, coaching my husband in ways to provide support as well as providing good options for comfort and helping with progression with each stage of birth. She also helped provide physical supports and helped us achieve the type of birth we hoped for. She stayed with us until we moved to the mom/baby wing, providing support in those first few hours as well. (As a side note, most of the nurses at Duke Regional seemed to know her and were excited to have her there supporting our birth). I'd describe both doulas as compassionate, knowledgeable, non-judgmental, calm, full of heart, and passionate about their work. Postpartum, the follow up text check-ins were supportive and a good reminder of ensuring I was remembering to eat and drink enough as a new parent of 2 and answering questions about my specific postpartum recovery. We have continued to participate the community they create through attending the New Parent hangouts at their Durham Office. We cannot recommend them enough - worth reaching out to talk to them if you even remotely considering their services. read more

We LOVE Emerald Doulas. Melanie and Vanessa run the administration with love and care. The business structure is one that my partner and I have come to appreciate even more after entering the world of day care. Meeting with Melanie, we felt confident about our Emerald Package. Our zoom meet and greets with our birth doulas, Erika and Allie was a great way to begin our journey. And we are still in contact! We couldn't imagine our birth experience without them. It just so happened that Erika attended our birth in person and Erika is MAGIC! Allie had sent us amazing resources for body positioning but after my epidural (which didn't take on the left side of my body), Erika physically moved me into different positions and I was able to fully numb and progress to 9cm! After our child was born, Erika and Allie supported us and continue to check in. We love them! Sybil and Jenna took care of us postpartum. We so appreciated the gentle yet clear guidance. Sybil came over the day after we returned from the hospital. We were exhausted. By the end of the four hours, our kitchen was spotless, there were fresh blueberry muffins (the BEST snack at 2am between chestfeeds), and I got a hot shower and a NAP! Jenna and Sybil continued with us until the 3 month mark. Jenna would always check in to see if we needed anything before coming over. It's like she knew what we needed before we did! Our child loved both Sybil and Jenna - so happy in their arms. Sybil even came to a horse barn with me so that I could start riding again. Pure gold. Our birth experience and fourth trimester couldn't have been better. We credit Emerald Doulas for the knowledge and love that nourished us. read more

Going into this process, I knew that pregnancy and childbirth were different for everyone. I felt as confident as I could regarding the medical care I was receiving and about the reputation of the hospital where I would deliver. But I knew that there was no guarantee of who would be there once it was time. Given that, I knew I wanted someone who would be beside me and my partner regardless of how my daughter came into this world. What I love about Emerald is that they lead with what your desires are for birthing and they work to help you identify how they can align with you, and not the other way around. You also work with a team of two to ensure that whenever your labor begins, you have one of those two people on call. And if your labor goes really long (like mine did!), you will always have someone to relieve your doula, if needed. Our doula team was there to provide concrete information, resources and general emotional support leading up to and during the labor and birth of our baby. Throughout the course of labor you will meet different doctors and nurses, and there may be hard decisions you have to make. Our doulas were there to help us through that. It's worth mentioning that my partner was initially skeptical at why I wanted to work with a doula. After our daughter was born, he told everyone that he doesn't know what we would've done without them. Emerald was the perfect blend of professional and personal! Your doctor may not see you for a whole six weeks after this incredible, life changing event. But your doula will be in touch to answer questions and meet with you before that. I highly recommend working with Melanie and her team at Emerald! read more

It was so helpful to have support from my doula team (Meredith and Vanessa) throughout my pregnancy. I felt so safe and comfortable reaching out to them with any questions or concerns. They always provided great advice and evidence-based articles in response to my questions, which really helped me to feel empowered throughout my pregnancy. During labor and delivery, Meredith was incredibly supportive and such a great advocate for our care and wellbeing in the hospital. I ended up having an unplanned c-section and my husband was so grateful to have their company and support throughout that process. I cannot recommend Emerald Doulas highly enough! read more

I cannot recommend Emerald Doulas highly enough! Vanessa and Delmar (Delmar was on duty when I went into labor) were my doulas - they were wonderful to work with. My only regret is that we didn't hire them earlier in my pregnancy so that I could have benefited more from their education and guidance. I would not have gotten through my labor without Delmar. My epidural got clogged and I pushed without pain medication for hours - Delmar's support was what kept me going! read more

We've hired EmDo for 2 births and been thrilled with their services both times. My first birth was a long induction with an epidural, and the second was much faster and unmedicated - two very different birth experiences, and our doulas were extremely helpful and supportive in both. They helped us think through decisions to be made, provided comfort measures, and helped ensure we had calm and positive energy in the birthing space. Our doulas have been amazing sources of advice, support, and knowledge not just during labor but throughout my pregnancies. I'm especially grateful for the photos they took of my births and the opportunity to debrief the birth experiences a few weeks later. Choosing your support team carefully is vital to having a positive pregnancy and birth experience, and I will choose EmDo every time! read more

We had a fabulous experience with Emerald Doulas. We lived in a different state for our first birth and didn't have a doula at all (this was also during the height of the pandemic). Then we moved to North Carolina and had a doula for our second birth. We absolutely wish we had Emerald Doulas for the first birth. It would have made such a hard experience sooooo much better. I decided to hire a doula toward the end of my pregnancy because things got complicated (breech presentation). They were wonderful at helping me walk through how things kept changing week to week. Then when I was past due and on an elective induction waiting list and dealing with prodromal labor for a month, they were right there with me every step of the (very difficult) way. I can't imagine going through all that without them. My only regret is that I didn't sign up at the beginning of my pregnancy because I could have taken advantage of all their community classes and groups and support throughout the whole pregnancy. My husband also wishes we had a doula for the first birth. He felt completely alone and without support for our first birth, which was a stark contrast to how he felt supported for our second. The whole experience was much less scary for him because we had an advocate with us who knew what they were doing and could help us through each decision along the way. If you're on the fence, go and sign up today. You will only regret waiting too long to do it. It is worth every single penny and then some. read more

My first birth with EmDo was so positive I booked them for my second as soon as I found out I was pregnant, long before we even told our families! Melanie and Vanessa were a dream team. They checked in frequently to get to know me and my husband and provide encouragement and resources. My two hospital births were very different- one over 48 hrs with pitocin and an epidural, the other 5hrs, unmedicated. I treasure both as empowering experiences where I felt loved and supported the entire time. In my second birth, I don't know how I would've coped with such an intense, rapid labor without Melanie coaching me through contractions, especially while my husband was tied up madly trying to find someone to watch our toddler last minute! Melanie and Vanessa reviewed my first birth, and preferences for the second, in detail. They tailored their support to my personality and goals. EmDo also rented me a TENS unit, which was crucial for pain management in both labors. Hiring EmDo was easily the best investment we made for both pregnancies! read more

We can not say enough good things about Isabel, Kallyn, Talitha, Vanessa and the entire EmDo family. We had amazing support throughout our pregnancy and during our post-partum w/ both birthing time and post-partum doulas. We loved the support groups and community prenatals and the new parent hang-outs are a great option to connect. We were surrounded with love, kindness, support, resources, connections and knowledge to welcome our sweet little one. Thank you to these incredible humans for the way they support birthing families. read more

I'm so grateful for the support I received through Emerald Doulas. I received a gift card for postpartum support from family members and, after connecting with Melanie, decided to use this gift card for a consultation with Melanie to prepare for my induction and multiple consultations with Paris to discuss breastfeeding. I am so happy I had access to these services! As a first time mom, I didn't/don't know much. Being able to ask all my questions to Melanie and Paris was immensely helpful as I prepared for labor and delivery and began to care for my new baby after birth. Melanie and Paris immediately made me feel comfortable - like we'd known each other for a long time. They asked all the right questions and shared the most helpful information and resources in ways that I could easily digest and apply. I don't know where I'd be without the support I received from both of them. read more

My family had the greatest experience hiring Emerald Doulas for our Post Partum doula. The first phone call I had with Melanie was incredibly insightful and helpful. She answered all of my questions, gave me valuable advice/suggestions, and created a plan for my post partum experience. Our doula, Bahja, was fabulous. She felt like a true friend and took the best care of our son and me. No question was too weird (or even gross) and she taught me a lot about newborn habits, all while making me feel confident and competent. The space to heal, rest, eat, and shower during those first 6 weeks was invaluable and I look forward to hiring EmDo again in the future as my family grows! read more

We are so very grateful to Melanie, Chelsea, and the rest of EmDo! Leading up to delivery, we went to almost all of the "community prenatal" groups, which we found to be invaluable. Not only were the topics completely on point, but we learned so much from other parent's questions. We also took infant care, pumping, and labor/delivery classes with them. We went to an infant safety class through the hospital and the experience was so uncomfortable. All of the classes and discussions we went to at EmDo were very relaxed and informative, and equipped us well for what was coming. My husband in particular really appreciated the support - it helped to give him more context about what I was going through, and how he could help during pregnancy/delivery/postpartum. We had our first baby via c-section at WakeMed Cary. Even though it ended up being a surgical birth, I was BEYOND relieved to have Melanie there with me. While the rest of the staff bustled around like it was another day at the office, Melanie came with an essential oil diffuser, mood lighting, foot rubs, and smiles!! It put both my husband and I at ease, and rather than feeling anxious we have the most beautiful memories of those moments before Addie was born. Sadly, WM refused to let her come back to the OR with us. They also tried to ask her to leave when we came back with our daughter. Thank goodness she just ignored them - grabbed our camera and got to snapping pictures! I cherish every one of those gorgeous photos of our family's first moments together. We can't recommend Emerald Doulas highly enough! Thanks for being our "Baby SWAT Team"! read more

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I don't know what I would have done without the support from my doula these past few months. I had a postpartum doula and she arrived the day we brought our daughter home. As first time parents, we were a little overwhelmed coming home from the hospital and it was reassuring that our doula was going to get us settled in our home to get through our first day and night. She was flexible with her shifts on a daily/weekly basis and it was easy to communicate with her. We will definetly use Emerald Doulas again as our family grows! We also took Emerald Doulas virtual birthing class, which was very informative for my husband and myself. read more

Emerald Doulas is a gift to the area! Melanie and the entire Emerald Doulas family are the most incredible, warm, and amazing group of people you could ever want involved in your birth. I was pregnant with my first when a friend recommended EmDo. Feeling fairly overwhelmed with birth planning and prep, my partner and I booked an educational childbirth class with Vanessa at about 7 months into our pregnancy. It was fantastic! The weekend session was in person, so we got to experience the space, which was so welcoming. Vanessa was the best - she answered all of our questions (and everyone's!) with care and empathy. We left the weekend feeling way more prepared with an actual birth plan. We had such a good experience that we went ahead and booked a doula for the birth. Melanie took great care to get to know me and my needs before matching us with an amazing pair of doulas - Allie and Nala. We met with them several times before our expected date and they gave us invaluable insight and advice. I felt so comforted going into my birth, which ended up being a planned c-section. Allie and Nala with us every step of the way. I can't recommend EmDo enough!! Don't hesitate to take a class here, work with a doula, and get to know the beautiful community they've cultivated! read more

Could not have had a better experience! We used EmDo for our birth doula, childbirth education and newborn care classes. We also attended their free monthly community meetings. We learned so much, and all of the information was up to date and inclusive. We felt very supported and nurtured. Had a very positive birth experience as well, and know our doula played a tremendous part in the positivity. read more

We decided to hire Emerald Doulas because we wanted a doula in the labor room with us that we felt fit our vibes and that we could build a relationship with leading up to the birth, and we are so glad that we did! We worked with Ally and Nala, both were fantastic! We ended up having Ally in the labor room with us, and she was so supportive and helpful. She was able to know our needs before we knew our needs, and she was able to advocate for us when we weren't. Nala did my placenta encapsulation, and she had great communication and when she was going to be over and getting the process completed. We definitely plan to use Emerald Doulas (and hopefully Ally and Nala) again for our next pregnancy. read more

I will forever be grateful to Emerald Doulas for having such an overwhelming positive pregnancy journey and birth experience. As a black woman, I faced pregnancy and childbirth with equal parts excitement and trepidation. I was afraid of becoming another statistic regarding the dismal maternal health outcomes for women like me. I had heard too many testimonies of traumatic (and even near death) birthing experiences from my friends and family to think that I could be the exception. Having a doula that was sensitive to these feelings and the specific social conditions that cause them was of the utmost importance. I got that in my doulas, Melanie and Vanessa, at EmDo. Even during the height of the pandemic, we were able to establish a close bond through text, zoom, and phone check-ins. In addition, the monthly prenatal meetings were extremely educational and inclusive without being overwhelming. These regular meetings prepared my partner and I for the what was to come while also creating a sense of community with others giving birth in the area. As I got closer to my expected delivery date, I was able to count on their support as I reached every milestone. Sometimes it entailed simply having a sounding board to help think through and prepare for different decisions I had to make with my health care providers. They were able to offer evidence-based information for context as well as offer their experience working with my specific health care providers many times in the past . EmDo Doulas are well known and highly respected by UNC Midwives , so it felt like I had a strong team of different kinds of support that complemented each other. When it came time to deliver my doulas were vital in helping me navigate and cope with my prodromal labor according to my birth preferences. Both my parter and I felt cared for and heard every step of the way... and there were many steps because I labored for four days !! They were a vital source of calm, information, and physical and emotional support during an unfamiliar , medically somewhat rare, and otherwise confusing process. Although my labor was considered "abnormal," being able to lean on Melanie (both literally and figuratively) gave me much needed resources, confidence, and strength to still have the labor and delivery that was right for me. Our positive experience during labor & delivery was key for setting the tone for a great fourth trimester. We continue to believe in ourselves as parents, trust my body and intuition, and also lean on EmDo services and support as needed (like postpartum doulas and support groups). This has been especially important during a pandemic with limited contact with friends and family. Most of all, I'm glad that I can now share a different birth story than the ones I heard. One of care and respect and cultural and emotional sensitivity that is, unfortunately , rare to find. read more

We would highly recommend Emerald Doulas. Our Doulas, Isabel and Vanessa, were extremely helpful throughout our pregnancy and birth process. We are so thankful we had their support. We really appreciated the call and text support with our Doulas throughout the end of the pregnancy - It was so nice to get their feedback on topics we would have Googled otherwise, and surely gotten ourselves worked up over. Vanessa was with us in the hospital for labor and delivery and we were so grateful for her (especially during the craziness of being at a hospital during Covid). Her recommendations during active labor were very helpful and having the extra pair of hands to help wipe sweat/prompt you with water/squeeze hands/hold legs was amazing. We found the Emerald Doula webinar topics (online due to Covid) beneficial. A personal favorite was "how to build a birth plan" - we then reviewed our draft with our Doulas later on. Co-owner Melanie was very helpful and communicative throughout the process. If you are thinking about a Doula, especially for your first pregnancy like we did, I would say go for it! read more

For our second child my wife wanted to make a change from our initial doula. She heard about an open house at Emerald Doulas and on a rainy Saturday we walked into their facility and into a pair of "forever doulas". After discussing our needs and thoughts and our interests in a set of doulas we settled on Melanie and Kallyn. Two amazing, caring and supportive women. They were proactive in communication, always attentive and insightful. Up to, just before and during the birth they were there every step of the way. Melanie was the birth doula as she was on call the day we went into labor and she did everything we needed and more. She was a coach, cheerleader, confidant and project manager. She did things my wife and I had no idea we needed and supported us in ways we didn't know we needed the support. Not only were these two amazing women there for us before and during the birth they were there after and remain there for us even two months after our little girl came into this world. While this started out as a service related business arrangement I can say these women are important parts of our lives. I'd go so far as to call them friends. If you are in the process of looking for doulas, just go ahead and stop now, call this group up and make your selection. read more

We worked with EmDo for pre birth classes, birth support, and postpartum support (we were clueless, and nervous!), and can recommend them highly! In particular, Logan was amazing with helping us adjust to life at home with our first baby, especially after he had some medical issues that sent us back to the hospital almost immediately after we got home. Melanie was also really great with providing flexibility and support after both of our birth doulas had COVID exposure scares. Thank you all for what you do! read more

Melanie helped bring our baby Heir into the world. She and Isabel were available throughout the pregnancy to answer questions via text, check-in via Zoom, and educate via classes. I remember hearing many things about pregnancy and birth. Melanie, Isabel, and the other doulas clarified so much. When it was time to deliver, Melanie helped us honor our birth plan while making some tough decisions. She even tidied up our room at the end so we could focus on our new baby. I do not want to imagine what the experience would have been like without Melanie's expertise, nurturing, and encouragement. It is hard to innumerate the countless large and small ways they were helpful to our journey. I strongly recommend Emerald Doulas to anyone seeking support. read more

We are so grateful for Emerald Doulas. We began with an initial call with Melanie to discuss our needs and hopes for our birthing experience and were matched with Isabel and Vanessa as our doula team. They were incredibly supportive and responsive throughout the pregnancy, labor & delivery, and postpartum. We felt immediately comfortable asking any and all questions that we had, and they provided great advice and resources to help us prepare and make informed decisions. Isabel was such a calming and steady support during the birth of our child, both for myself and my husband. She anticipated our needs and helped to make our birthing time a truly enjoyable experience. Beyond the invaluable information that Emerald Doulas has provided to us that helped us feel ready to welcome our baby into the world, we felt cared for like family. We can't recommend them highly enough. read more

My family worked with Emerald Doulas, specifically Melanie and Vanessa, for the birth of our first child. I cannot say enough good things about them. Melanie and Vanessa were both incredibly knowledgeable, compassionate, and responsive. They supported us from early prenatal appointments to birth to navigating sleep challenges with our newborn, making our transition into parenthood gentler than it would have otherwise been. They were also consummately queer and trans friendly and helped us feel safe and affirmed. Melanie attended our birth, and her presence was such an important factor in making it the exact experience we were hoping for, even as events didn't unfold as we had predicted. She was a great support, advocate, and calming presence. Her knowledge of the birth process, as well as of the specific providers and hospital where we labored, were indispensable. Working with EmDo also provided wrap-around support and community that was a dream, especially for new parents. We love and appreciate Melanie and Vanessa, and we enthusiastically recommend EmDo! We're profoundly grateful for the role the lovely folks there played in helping to welcome our baby into the world. read more

Loved the experience with my postpartum doulas, Cherise and Jenna. This place was so great and made my transition home with my baby much easier. Everyone is so friendly and professional. Thank you so much! read more

We had such an amazing experience with Melanie and Kallyn from Emerald Doulas. It is difficult to put it all into words. As a first time parent, I had no idea what to expect when it came to delivering my daughter, and had a lot of anxiety about this. Melanie and Kallyn were the answer to all of my worries. They were there for us from day one. They gave me a space to talk about my worries. We also attended the EmDo community meetings and childbirth class, which provided us with a wealth of evidence-based information (which can be exhausting to sort through on your own) and helped prepare us for any possible outcome. Once our daughter decided to make her entrance, Kallyn showed up to our hospital room with string lights, a diffuser, mood music, and a wise recommendation to shower and eat some dinner before everything got rolling. It made such a difference. She was there with me through every difficult contraction, applying counterpressure and reminding me to change positions. I don't think that I stayed in the same position for more than 30 minutes at a time. She was there for my husband, reminding him to eat and drink and giving him much needed breaks. She helped us understand everything that was happening and served as our sounding board when it came time to make decisions. It was so comforting to hear her cheering us both on and normalizing our experience throughout the labor. We never felt alone. When our daughter was born, Kallyn was crying right along with us. And after returning home, amidst the happy and extremely exhausting blur of adjusting to becoming parents, she and Melanie were in contact with us on a daily basis, checking in on us and seeing if we needed any additional support. We are still in touch with them to this day. I never thought that giving birth would be one of the most positive and empowering experiences of my life, but it truly was. We can't give enough thanks to the support from Kallyn, Melanie, and the EmDo community, and couldn't recommend them more highly! read more

My number one recommendation for friends expecting in the Triangle area is to work with the team at Emerald Doulas. Melanie and the team have supported my family through two births now, and I can't imagine going through pregnancy/birth/postpartum without them by our side. Melanie and Vanessa were my birth doulas this time, with Melanie supporting the birth itself. Melanie was such a calming presence in the birth, actively helping me through contractions, talking through my feelings and fears during the birth, supporting me through natural labor, and assisting with breastfeeding after my son was born. There are so many things that I think we assume the hospital staff would do that Melanie took on -- I truly can't imagine what it would have been like without her there. We also worked with Whit and Tali from the sibling doula team. They were fantastic. We ended up having family in town and we didn't call Whit and Tali to help with our older child, but they were super helpful leading up to the birth and also after the birth providing resources and insights to help us assist our daughter transitioning to her new role as big sister. The whole team provided really excellent emotional support throughout my pregnancy and weighed in with helpful information leading up to the birth, as well as after. I am a huge fan or Emerald Doulas and would recommend working with them to anyone. read more

Everything about our experience with emerald doulas was great. I had an incredibly hard birth - not at all the birth that I had pictured or planned, and yet it was okay. My doula Lauren supported me throughout and every time we had a hard choice to make, she supported us in taking the time and space to thoughtfully make it. She was there just as much for my partner as for me. Their follow up and contact post birth has also been immensely helpful and supportive. read more

The best investment we've ever made as a family was in Emerald Doulas. 2+ years ago, I met Ashley in a women's entrepreneurship group and heard her describe the kind of business she wanted to create. She had a vision to create, along with her business partners, Melanie and Suzanne, what she described as "...a safe haven for new families. That they would find connections to each other over a shared journey of learning how to be parents. That they could come, just as they are, at whatever stage they were in, and know that they could share their experience, their fears and joys, honestly and without fear of judgement. That they might hear others say, "Oh yea, me too". Most important, we hoped EmDo might be a small part of preventing families from falling off and into the "Postpartum Cliff" of isolation." It took us a long while to get pregnant, and when I did, Ashley was one of the first people I told. I remember feeling so honored that she not only remembered me, but remembered what a long journey it had been to create this kid and her genuine excitement for us. After learning more about the business she, Melanie, and Suzanne had created, I knew I wanted to be a client. We took full advantage of everything EmDo has to offer - taking M.k.'s childbirth ed class, Victoria's newborn care and infant feeing class, Ashley's rebozo workshop, and attended community prenatal meetings to build up our peer support and learn from other parents. One of the things I love most about the EmDo courses is how rooted in data and research the curriculum is. If the team offers an opinion, they'll tell you that it's just that, allowing you to make the choices that are best for your family. The entire team was so present for us throughout my pregnancy - always quick to reply to a nervous or celebratory text, email, or Facebook message. Kallyn ended up being the doula present for our birth, and she was an absolute perfect combination of comfort, knowledge, and total belief in my body and my ability to have the birth I wanted. It's one of the reasons I believed in myself so fiercely through a really intense and fast labor. Since our son arrived, we've attended the new parent hangouts every Wednesday, and have built a kickass community of other parents who are going through similar things. That group is the least judgy, most accepting and supportive group of which I've ever been a part. Wednesdays are sacred for me now - a day on which nothing else can be scheduled between 11 and 1. The doula team is also so excited to see all of their babies every week. It's adorable to see them giddy over the families they helped create. My wife and I absolutely would have survived my pregnancy, birth, and first six weeks postpartum without the EmDo team. However, thanks to them, we're thriving. read more

I had the birth experience I dreamed about and it would not have been possible without the support of my birth doula, Ashley Collins. My husband was initially skeptical about my desire to have a doula but he will be the first to say that we couldn't have done it without Ashley. I had an unmedicated natural birth and Ashley's soothing presence and advice helped me stick to my birth plan. She had a whole toolkit of pain relief and comfort measures and my husband felt supported in his role as my birth partner. It felt like having a close friend with us and I am so glad to have had her present at the birth of our daughter. My memories of labor/delivery are somewhat dream-like but I can remember distinct moments where Ashley's words made all the difference in helping me cope. We also felt calm and prepared thanks to the support we received in the months before delivery from the entire EmDo team. We attended the monthly prenatal community meetings where we learned about optimal baby positioning/spinning babies (which we successfully did in early labor), comfort techniques, etc. We also did childbirth ed with MK Vance, which was a comprehensive childbirth ed course and integral to our labor/delivery prep. We appreciated her science-based approach. Finally, Victoria's lactation support services have made feeding challenges less overwhelming - her goals-based approach makes us feel less anxious and able to enjoy our baby more. read more

Vanessa and Melanie are my heroes. They both helped **immensely** with the birth of my second child. I was turned away from the hospital (Big Duke) twice. Well, officially the first visit I could stay or go but the second visit was a for sure leave. I was not happy about this or the thought of potentially multiple days of no sleep (the contractions were too strong to sleep through and the people at Big Duke said it could be days before my child was born). After coming home (around 9pm), I filled out a form online and Melanie called me back within ten minutes, Vanessa was at my house within an hour, and the baby was born within an hour and a half. Probably not the recommended way of using a birth doula (i.e., not hiring a doula until 3 hours before your child is born). Vanessa made me feel so comfortable, and I think that was all I needed in order to feel safe delivering my baby. The whole experience really put into perspective the power of the mind/body. I used other resources provided by Emerald Doulas after having my first child: new parent's hangout, various post child classes, and postpartum doula. Each resource has been very helpful. In particular, Suzanne (postpartum doula) is amazing and gave me so much more confidence caring for the baby. She organized baby's drawers (taught me Marie Kondo-like organizing tips in 2016), helped out with miscellaneous house tasks, and provided oh so many tips for helping care for baby -- setting up a breastfeeding station, getting baby down for nap by resting my hands on baby's chest, discussed baby-friendly activities in the area, etc.). I could go on and on.... Love the doulas and all they provide to the community. read more