I cannot say enough about Emilee Benner. Nine months ago, I had never even heard the word "doula" much less knew what it meant. Today, as my wife and I are proud parents of a beautiful three-week-old girl, I couldn't imagine either of us getting through it without her. She was enthusiastic, supportive, nurturing, responsive, and 100 percent committed to shepherding us through the final, difficult months of pregnancy, and beyond. She guided us through a 26-hour labor and was by our side and actively assisting for the last 10 hours. She advised us when to go to the hospital, and was our advocate the entire time we were at the hospital. We wanted a natural birth, and if it wasn't for Emilee we wouldn't have known how to navigate around the hospital's standard operating procedure (IVs, Pitocin, pain medications, epidurals) in order to have the birth that we wanted. For guys who are reading this, the biggest question you will have is "is my wife in labor." Unless you've been through it, you have no idea what a "real" contraction is versus a Braxton-Hicks contraction, especially toward the end when the Braxton-Hicks start coming more often and more intensely. Also, there are other things that can happen toward the end that are a bit scary and even if you've taken all the classes (which we did) you will not know what is normal and what is not. I ended up texting and calling Emilee way more than my wife did, and to her great credit she always responded within minutes. The other big question is "when should we go to the hospital." There is no way that we would have been comfortable doing most of the labor at home if Emilee was not there with us. We would have gone immediately after labor started and our experience would have been much different. But a good doula will "know" when it's time. Emilee also didn't stop helping us after my wife gave birth. She has helped immensely with putting us in touch with milk donors and has checked in on us multiple times. She shows her passion with everything she does. We were lucky to have her. read more

We interviewed more than 10 doulas before meeting Emilee. The moment she walked into our apartment, we knew she was the one. She has a great down-to-earth energy, but is also very frank. She was the only doula who actually asked us more questions than we asked her. She seemed genuinely interested in our birth and we were as excited to work with her as she with us. Emilee is very knowledgeable. I consider myself a bit of a research junky, but I always learn something new after a meeting with Emilee. Her meetings with us before and after the birth were very informative and helpful. During the birth, she followed our lead beautifully and added bits of her own that really made our day run smoothly. From aromatherapy to massage to different positions and breathing, I always felt like Emilee would have 5 more ideas if something wasn't working. In the end I had a very short (10 hour) first labor and I know Emilee was a big part of that. She helped give me the confidence to let my body and my baby do what they needed to do. Thank you Emilee. You're amazing! read more

Unless you are the crocodile hunter, and let's face it, you're not, if you were about to embark on a journey through the deepest, most uncharted part of the amazon, you would bring the best possible guide with you, right? Well, birth is a journey like that, and no matter how many books you've read, classes you've attended, or vision boards you have created, I promise you, you are totally NOT READY. : ) You are going to want a guide. Someone to mentally prepare you beforehand, to hold a nurturing and safe space during, and to support you in creating a graceful reentry back into the world after. And that's why you need Emilee. Not someone like Emilee, but Emilee! There is an African proverb that says, "It takes a village to raise a child." But I would say that also applies to "giving birth" to your child. Bottom line: Do you, AND you baby a huge favor, and make sure Emilee is a part of your village. jeff read more

Emilee is by far the best investment my partner and I made for our birth!!! We were both terribly busy with work throughout my pregnancy and had to take a one day crash course as our birth class. Normally, I would feel ill prepared with such a brief education on childbirth. But our doula, Emilee, provided such a wealth of information that I felt I probably could have faced child birth without a class. She is a true believer in knowledge being power and all the information that she provided for us regarding prenatal care, overall health, relationship preservation, resources, the history of birthing, and my legal rights as a patient, dissolved many of my fears about birth. Her attitude towards birth --how natural & beautiful it is-- was incredibly contagious and was the primary fuel for my confidence. She kept me in check, too. I know myself, and without her I'm certain I would have missed so many deadlines checkpoints throughout my pregnancy. Sometimes you gotta hire someone to be the boss of you. Haha. I really wanted a home birth, but alas, it wasn't in the cards for us. Emilee's support and translation of hospital lingo helped me feel much calmer about our hospital birth. In the end, I had to have a c-section, but because Emilee had prepared us with the necessary knowledge we needed, we were able to communicate our desires and hopes for birth with the hospital and they worked so well with us, doing everything in their power to give us our birth plan. Emilee was by our side the entire way. Keeping us calm and confident about Olivia's birth. I feel that everyone on our birth team facilitated the most graceful meeting possible with our beautiful daughter and I know we could not have done it without her showing us how to lead them. Any expecting mother would benefit from her gifts, but I *STRONGLY* recommend using her as a resource if your are a first time mom. And as early as possible too! Thank you so much for everything, Emilee! We'll never forget what you've done for our family! read more

Emilee was so supportive to my partner and me. She worked beautifully with the hospital staff and helped to give me the confidence to have the birth I wanted. Our prenatal visits were informative and empowering. I have no doubt that Emilee saved me from the c-section my doctor was pushing for by convincing me I could do what my body was designed to do. We cannot recommend her services strongly enough. read more

I made the move, across country, from California to Florida, at 7 months pregnant. I found a doctor, that a friend had recommended to me, and was all set up for a hospital birth. I'm a single mother, and although I attended birthing classes at the hospital, I was scared and alone and not at all feeling prepared for what was to come. Emilee, who I had never met, caught wind of my story and took it upon herself to reach out to me via email. Despite our distance, she quickly became my greatest support & guidance. During our first phone conversation, she asked me what my ideal birth would be like (nobody had ever asked me that). I reluctantly described my dream birth, knowing that I didn't have the money, time or resources to make it possible. Or did I? Emilee immediately began to work her magic and single handedly facilitated the most empowering birth a woman could ask for. At 36 weeks I went from a potential hospital birth with a doctor I had met once, for 5 minutes... to a perfect water birth, at a birthing center, with a loving & supportive midwife team & environment. She believed my dream birth was possible, and she MADE it possible! In a short time she showered me with more knowledge & guidance than I had received throughout my entire pregnancy. Because of Emilee I was empowered, prepared, excited, and most definitely NOT alone! Through her passion for her work as a Doula, my son was brought into this world in the most peaceful and loving way possible. Emilee will always be immensely important & special in mine AND Baby Ayden's life, because of it. I couldn't imagine ever birthing without her! read more

Emilee's support and guidance prior to my son's birth and during the whole birthing process was above and beyond what I would have expected in a doula. She really took the time to help me prepare mentally and physically for the birth in a way that had me feeling totally confident going in. At the hospital, she was a tremendous advocate for my baby and me. She asked the tough questions, followed up on my care and my needs. This allowed my husband to be present for me in a way he would not have been able to otherwise. Her care of me and attention to my concerns and comfort was outstanding. read more

We hired Emilee as our doula because we just really clicked with her personality. She's funny, down-to-earth, enthusiastic and she inspires confidence--I felt sure she would be someone I could relax with and who could coach me through my labor. I was right! A few hours into my contractions, I felt were getting too intense for me to handle, and I just felt out of control--I couldn't "get on top" of the contractions. When Emilee came to the house she first observed me quietly, then in a low key manner made a few suggestions for position and breathing and that really relieved the pain for me. When it came to guiding me through the most difficult moments, everything she said was just what I needed to hear to help me persevere and feel like I could do this. I told my husband, "just listen to Emilee and say what she says!" When we got to the hospital (we were with the UCLA nurse midwife program), she was an essential part of the team, guiding me through contractions and celebrating with us when the baby arrived. She was a great presence--supportive, full of energy, and loving--and she helped create the "team spirit" in the delivery room that was, I believe, essential in allowing me to achieve the no-interventions birth I was hoping for. I'm so glad we hired her. I should also mention that she's very knowledgeable about the whole birth process, so the 2 prenatal sessions with her were extremely informative. In retrospect, I didn't need to take the childbirth education classes I took, I learned enough from those sessions with her. read more

Emilee is the best doula and birth advocate I know. You won't regret hiring her! She is straight forward, honest, kind, supportive and all around awesome. Highest recommendations! read more

I was very nervous and anxious to embark on this adventure. I had so many questions and was not sure if anyone could ease my racing mind. I've met a lot of doulas and no one made me feel more excited and ready for my birth. I'm so happy to have Emilee by my side. I could not have asked for a more thoughtful, caring, thorough, calm, supportive and comforting doula. I highly, highly recommend Emilee! read more

The best decision we made was hiring Emilee as our doula for the birth of our daughter at Sutter Maternity. It was beyond helpful to have her with us during labor. She not only had a plethora of pain relieving techniques for me, such as massage, hip compressions, breathing (just to name a few!), but it was also great for my husband to have some breaks, since we had such a long labor. We interviewed a number of doulas, and the connection we made with Emilee did not compare. She has a very positive demeanor and is very comfortable to talk to. She is very passionate and knowledgeable about her work. She made herself available to us whenever we had questions and she spent a substantial amount of time educating us on the labor and birth process. At the hospital, she was very pro-active, she asked all the right questions to the staff and ensured that the labor process would be as close to our birth plan as possible. She regularly followed up with the staff and was on point when it came to making sure that my needs were met. We cannot say enough great things about working with Emilee. I definitely felt more confident going into labor having her on my birth team. We definitely hope to work with her for our next baby! read more

We hired Emilee as our doula after interviewing many others. My husband & I connected with her right away. Not only is Emilee so easy to talk to and has a wealth of labor/birth knowledge, she is truly experienced with every scenario there is, which makes her beyond the perfect person to add to your team, all of which she does in the most loving, caring & compassionate way. Emilee infused our experience with love, support & calm. She made my husband feel comfortable & involved throughout the entire process! Throughout every decision, she educated us & encouraged us to confidently stick to our plan. She is non-judgmental & treated everyone with the utmost respect. She has been an invaluable person in our lives who we are so grateful for. She is like a sister! We have no doubt that having her coach us through our labor & birth has helped to contribute to our son's calm nature. We owe so much to Emilee & can't thank her enough for being such a huge part of our lives! read more

Emilee is extremely passionate about birthing. She's an amazing resource, deeply knowledgeable, and balances a realistic, pragmatic view of some of the more unpleasant truths about childbirth with an infectious optimism in terms of creating space to allow mothers to celebrate birth no matter how baby arrives. I had the same experience with her that another reviewer had in terms of having difficulty getting on top of my contractions while I was still at home, prior to leaving for the hospital. I felt defeated and way past the end of my endurance. As soon as Emilee arrived I felt relief and support; she was able to confidently guide me into a much healthier space with my contractions. This is no small thing, birthing mamas. Anyone planning to birth at Cedars should definitely consider Emilee. She knows the ins and outs of the maternity ward, and has developed great relationships with the nurses. Transitioning to the hospital from home is a disorienting, potentially harrowing experience. Emilee helped us feel safe and protected. Thanks so much Emilee!!!! read more

I hired Emilee when I was just 6 weeks pregnant with my first baby. I knew I wanted her as my doula during my pregnancy and labor. She was helpful, informative and completely supportive of all our decisions. She was constantly available via phone, email and text during my pregnancy and we had many meetings leading up to my birth. About a month or so before delivery, she thoroughly went over our plans in detail. My husband and I felt very confident - or as confident as you can be going into your first birth! - after that meeting. During labor she was so supportive and I felt really taken care of. She brought me things (chapstick, coconut water, cool washcloths, etc...) before I even asked for it! It was the little things that I didn't even know I needed that made me more comfortable during labor. My husband also found her knowledge and services invaluable. She was able to assure him that everything was normal and going well during the whole process. She took photos and a few videos during my labor and delivery and I got those a few days later along with the placenta capsules/tincture. She checked in on us long after my baby girl was born, too! Emilee is so passionate about what she does and she craves knowledge about everything involving birth. Her experience, knowledge and personality is not only a constant comfort, but a necessity during labor and delivery! read more

Emilee is an amazing doula and human. I cannot imagine how my birth would have gone without her by our sides, and cannot imagine any future births without her. My husband and I met with several doulas before deciding to work with Emilee because we both clicked with her personality. Before, during and after our hospital birth, she was informative, professional and incredibly supportive. All of that, and she somehow remained light-hearted and with a sense of humor during my labor, which was a welcome breath of fresh air! Our birth had many complications, due to a variety of factors, and Emilee empowered me with information, peace of mind and perspective throughout. She is extremely passionate and really cares about what she does. She is very connected in the community of birth workers/advocates and hooked me up with an amazing post-partum doula and other resources once we were home. I was so grateful for the quick turnaround of my placenta medicine, too, which she included in her package, and which I believe was essential to my recovery. read more

Hiring Emilee as our doula for the birth of our beautiful daughter was pretty much the best thing we've ever invested in. We decided sort of last minute to bring a doula on board, reaching out to Emilee only a few weeks prior to the delivery. Emily was so knowledgeable about everything from start to finish and supportive in whatever we chose to do. We met with her a few times leading up to the birth and with her created a birth plan, which was incredible to have and all be on the same page. Originally I was just going to go with the flow at the hospital and maybe take the epidural, maybe not. But once I learned more about the pros and cons of it all I went into the hospital with the intention of having a drug-free natural birth. Again, Emilee was fully supportive no matter which direction we chose, ultimately she was there to be our liaison with the hospital. She was amazing at checking in with us along the way pointing out where we could make decisions on what we wanted to do. Emilee was there to support my husband so he could fully support me through the birth, which was invaluable. Emilee kept the energy in the room love filled and calm. She even was my chapstick applier, water/coconut juice bringer and extra photographer! Post birth I was not going to take placenta pills or anything because quite frankly it seemed cannibalistic. But once I learned the benefits, I went for it. Emilee handled all of the creation of the pills even delivering them to us in a cute bottle and instructions. I must admit I now am a believer in placenta medicine. I would without a doubt recommend anyone considering a doula meet with Emilee! Her presence is unparalleled, her knowledge is spot on and her support is unwavering. read more

We hired Emilee because she is very charming, and had a lot of information at the initial consultation. However, after the consult post hiring I found that most of the information was repetitive and I could get easily off the internet or flip through an Ina May book. She was personable and available on the phone while my due date approached the few times I had some questions or concerns... We never had the "walk together" or yoga class. In the end, I chose to have an elective c-section after weighing various factors and she was not available because she had to babysit. I just thought that was unprofessional since we hired her to be with us for my delivery even if in the end, it did not turn out as we had planned. She did come by the hospital and picked up placenta to make the pills, and dropped them back off. When I contacted her later on, she said she was hired as a doula to assist in the natural delivery. which i thought to be naive since no one can actually dictate how the baby comes out in the end and you have to go with the flow with whatever happens. It would have been nice to have her there that first or second day when I was recovering in the hospital to help my husband get food as she promised she would do if I had actually gone into labor or sit with me so he could go take a shower. Instead, we barely saw her at any time around my delivery date. We had the wonderful nurses at Good Samaritan who were amazing. I wish I would have asked around more because I had friends who paid the same or less, and had a variety of birthing experiences and no matter how the baby came out their doula had been a 100% positive element. Also, Golden Bridge Yoga prenatal yoga turned out to be a great resource, and some of the instructors are doulas and there is a doula who does weekly walks with any preggar who wants to walk with her around the Silverlake reservoir. Remember charming does not me read more

Emilee was the perfect balance between involved companionship and quiet support during the birth of our son, Rane. She spent some valuable time with me and my husband during pregnancy to ask poignant and thoughtful questions about our vision and intentions for our planned homebirth. Her knowledge and sensitivity provided me with a sense of security that she could help me roll with any challenges that may arise. When I called her with news that my contractions had begun, she made herself completely available without imposing her presence. She was also able to recognize in my voice when I really did need her and came over ready to serve. From the moment she arrived, into the first night of Rane's life, my husband and I felt supported and encouraged by her caring demeanor. Emilee gently reminded me of the intentions and birth vision that we discussed in moments of pain or doubt, and reflected confident and calm strength for me and my husband through our journey. We are ever-grateful for her invaluable role as doula and guide through this uncharted territory as first-time parents. read more

Even though I didn't hire Emilee as my personal doula, she was THE best and most knowledgable advisor! I reached out to her for advice on which hospital to give birth in, which OBGYN to go with, which eventually lead me to decide to get a midwife so that I can get the birth experience I want. I also asked her about medical advice such as when to put an IV if I am diagnosed with GBS, and so many other medical questions and doubts I had. Emilee is so thorough and has a flood of hidden knowledge that every pregnant woman should know before giving birth. She truly cares for you and wants you to have the best birthing experience possible! You can tell the passion that she has. She wants you to feel confident and to have a voice as a woman who is about to give birth. It truly is a comforting and beautiful thing! I HIGHLY recommend Emilee as a doula! You CANNOT go wrong with her. read more

I actually found Emilee through Yelp. I was desperate to find a doula after becoming pregnant and having a worrisome prenatal visit with my then-OB. After that initial visit at the hospital I realized that the medical world can be a hostile place for a pregnant woman. Who knew? What I didn't realize I needed was what I found in Emilee -an advocate. Emily is a very no-nonsense, educated and passionate doula who is up on women's birth rights, hospital protocol, and around in-the-know when it comes to prenatal needs in Los Angeles. She was able to put me in touch with an excellent OB who I loved dearly. I was able to feel educated, empowered and confident going into my birth experience. Had I not had the pleasure of Emilee's prenatal visits and companionship throughout my pregnancy I honestly don't know what would have happened. My husband and I both felt very fortunate to have her by our side. Thank you Emilee for all you do! I highly recommend her services. read more

We worked with Emilee in 2012/2013 as we prepared for the birth of our daughter and the positive impact she had in our life is still evident all these years later. I desired a doula in order to be fully equipped for trying for an unmedicated VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). The moment I met Emilee I felt at ease with her. She asked me a lot of questions and I appreciated how interested she was in what my plan was and why I desired the birth I did. We hired her very early in my pregnancy and she was in touch and helpful the entire time. Emilee would send me articles and references for topics I had only briefly mentioned, which only solidified the feeling that she was truly attentive to MY birth. My daughter was born 6 days past her anticipated arrival time and I dealt with several weeks of prodromal labor. Throughout that whole period Emilee was supportive and reassuring. She offered me tips for rest, comfort and labor progression and was only ever a text message away. When my water did break she helped us remember our plan to labor at home as long as possible, which I did. Actually, I labored at lunch and at the beach and through a movie and dinner before my husband and I went to the hospital. Emilee had equipped and empowered us so well that we did not end up calling her in until the next morning. She arrived with renewed energy and breakfast for my husband. She was a calm and steady force, backing up my husband and supporting me physically and emotionally through another day of labor. My daughter was born that afternoon, with my husband and Emilee by my side. It was the most healing and empowering moment of my life to date and I am certain that Emilee's support helped me achieve it. Emilee also encapsulated my placenta and had the pills back to me within a day. My daughter was spending some time in the NICU and Emilee knew I needed the pills and extra support ASAP. She sat with me and we reveled in my birth together. I had no doubt that it was an important experience to her also, and that is the beauty of having a doula who cares so deeply for her clients. As a result of the care, support, and professionalism Emilee exhibited I also chose to become a doula. If I can someday live up to her model of supporting families I will feel quite accomplished. If you are searching for a doula look no further. Emilee is as good as it gets! read more

Emilee was very informative and honest with myself and my husband. She helped us help ourselves in areas where we needed just the right amount of confidence and push. I believe having her as our doula was the right ingredient for an amazing, beautiful and absolutely natural hospital childbirth. I would recommend her to anyone interested in having a doula at their birth. read more

Emilee allowed us to feel secure with our birth plan, before meeting her We didn't even know what a birth plan was . We were very clear about the questions being asked of us when we got to the hospital and what our answers would be. Nothing can completely prepare you for childbirth but we felt confident with her by our side. To this day I look back on our birth with our baby, Savannah and feel so much joy, there are no regrets and we have a happy baby girl who loves life. Emily respected our decisions and informed us on all the options. I would recommend her to anyone I know who chooses to have a Doula. In retrospect I realize how important it is to have this advocate on your side. read more

Emilee served as doula at our home birth for our first child. We decided to find a doula at the very last moment, and Emilee was able to jump on board just 5 weeks before our "due date". Funny enough, I had a vision of the doula I was looking for: matronly, mother of 10 etc etc. Emilee walked in the door young, hip and not given birth herself (yet) and she blew all our silly expectations away. As soon as we met her, we knew she was exactly what we needed! Prior to the big night, Emilee made great efforts to meet with us frequently in the short period of time we had so that we could form a strong bond. She made us feel at such ease being honest about our needs, and easily introduced new ideas and information as well. On the night of our birth, we were surprised to find things moving more quickly than expected. Our midwife suggested we call Emilee early in labor at what was about 11pm. I was self conscious about the idea of calling our doula in the middle of the night at only 2 cm on a first birth (I mean come on - we could be DAYS away!) But the truth was that I while I was early on, progressing just fine, and managing the pain, I was feeling anxious and nervous because the contractions were already very frequent and very strong. Emilee sensed the urgency and my need for her and she was there within 30 minutes. The moment she arrived I felt protected and supported, and I really think that is when my labor took off. Emilee has a great deal of skill and experience when it comes to massage, and to this day I am disappointed that I didn't get to reap those benefits during labor (turns out I was one of those women that couldn't bare to be touched while laboring - bummer!) but Emilee still found ways to support and keep me safe during what was a powerful and incredible labor and a long pushing phase. Furthermore, I really appreciated that Emilee took the time to (at our request) keep our families riveted with the details of the labor via text, welcome them warmly when it came time for them to arrive and educate them about what to do. They felt a part of the whole experience, but my husband and I never needed to break our concentration on our birth and our baby! (Also, I was unsure if I wanted video footage of the birth, and asked Emilee to use her judgement when the moment came. Emilee intuited beautifully, and as a result we have a few minutes of precious birth video that we dearly cherish.) Most importantly, Emilee was a major part of the team who provided our daughter with a safe and peaceful entry into the world, and me with the most powerful experience of my life thus far. Thank you Emilee! read more