Oh my gosh, where do I start? Nicole is simply amazing. Amazing human, amazing energy, amazing…read moresupport and amazing educator! My hubby and I learned so much from Nicole and her Bradley method classes. We were so comfortable and at ease in Nicole's presence that we chose (and were fortunate enough that she was available!) to work with her as our Doula for the birth of our first baby in my Hospital delivery just 2 weeks ago. Having Nicole by our side was not only the best decision we made to help ensure we made it through to the end unmedicated, but it also helped both of us stay at ease while navigating different scenarios that played out as my labor progressed. I can't speak enough about having an amazing birth team around during pregnancy, labor and delivery and I will always get to look back on the birth of my daughter as a really beautiful day and event and we have Nicole to thank as a huge part of that. If nothing else, please attend the birth school! My friend and client implored me to and I'll never be able to thank her enough! Now I want to pay that forward to every mama I can! :)

Nicole's passion, empathy, and knowledge are unmatched. My fiancé and I did group classes with our…read morefriends who are also expecting in August. It's safe to say we entered into class feeling anxious and unsure about many different aspects of pregnancy, birth, and labor. After one class with Nicole we felt so heard, seen, and over all more calm. These feelings continued through each class accompanied by well thought-out and communicated curriculum about all things pregnancy/birth/postpartum. My fiancé and I were bummed when our classes were complete because Nicole truly facilitated such a beautiful & safe space for us to be in during a vulnerable time. I cannot recommend her and her services enough.

I found Labor of Love by doing some of my own research online. And thank God I did! My doula,…read moreKaren, was my rock throughout my labor and was 100,000 percent amazing--I'll definitely be working with her for my second! A little backstory: I was overwhelmed and so nervous about finding "the one" person to be a part of the most important event of my life. After doing my research and reading through all these bios, I honestly was left feeling overwhelmed, especially knowing how indecisive I can be. I knew I just had to trust my intuition and my gut on this one! After looking at Karen's bio on their website, I had such a good feeling. Staci (the owner), who was super friendly and professional, helped me get connected with Karen, and I booked an interview right away! Karen was so sweet and asked me about my pregnancy experience so far. We discussed how I wanted my birth to go and any concerns I had. There wasn't any pressure to hire her, and it just felt like she was already invested in me, like I was already family. I even had her video chat with my husband to make sure we both felt comfortable and vibed well together--and we sure did! Overall, Karen ended up being the perfect balance of knowledge, experience, and professionalism. It was the most perfect amount of care I could have asked for. She was also such an advocate for my birth plan to work out. Before, during, and after my labor and birth, she was always naturally in tune with what I needed. She was never overbearing, worked so well with my husband, and gave him space to be a part of my support team as well. I am so grateful to have come across Labor of Love

The business owner is quite the opposite of the type of person any vulnerable new mom should have…read moreto work with. My experience with Labor of Love was almost two years ago now but continues to upset me when thinking back on my experience. We hired Lauren as our doula, who made it clear she expected us to go far past my due date as a first time mom. While it's possible for that to happen, it didn't in my case. At 39 weeks and at 5am while in active labor and getting ready to head to the hospital, she let us know she had Covid. Her backup was Karen, who I wish we hired to begin with as she is far more caring and professional. Though unfortunately our experience still fell short and we ultimately delivered without Karen present. We were left feeling like we invested a lot of emotion and money into this process with ultimately no help. Staci has been incredibly rude to us since then and even revoked our access to watch her training videos, sending me a link to pay her once again when wanting to rewatch for our now second baby on the way. Karen herself even recommended we ask for a partial refund due to our experience, but Staci lacks the professionalism and courtesy to her clients. Truly mindblowing that she revoked access to the training videos after we had already paid for them. I would stay far away and recommend a more experienced and caring doula group.

The Mommy Center has been such a wonderful experience for both me and my daughter. Michelle and her…read moreteam have created such a fun, welcoming, and judgment-free space where moms and their little ones can connect, play, and feel supported. I've taken two of their mommy-and-baby class series, and I loved both of them. Each series includes special touches like each week is a different topica mini photoshoot, a swim party, and so much more, which makes it absolutely worth every penny. Carmen, who helped lead the group, is amazing. She is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and always makes me feel heard. She gives thoughtful advice and truly cares about the moms and babies she works with. You can tell she genuinely loves what she does. I've also attended several music classes with Michelle, and those have been some of my favorites. My daughter absolutely loves music time, and Michelle does such a great job keeping the kids engaged and entertained. We truly love The Mommy Center and are so grateful for everything they offer!!

I had such a great experience with my newborn here for the mommy and me session. It felt a lot more…read morepersonable compared to other centers that offered these kinds of classes. Prior to class, we had a group WhatsApp which made it so easy to communicate and get introduced to each other. I love that the center organized mommy outings for us, planned family picnics, as well as provided professional photography. I was never stressed out when I was at the center, knowing that there's a diaper station with plenty of diapers in many sizes, formula in case mamas forget to bring sustenance for baby, bottle warmers, and everything we need to feel comfortable. It felt above and beyond. I highly recommend trying one of several classes they offer! I'm excited to continue onto their 4-6 month old sessions and try out the baby music class.

Christy is seriously amazing. Finding the right midwife was really important to me because birth is…read moresuch a personal experience, and I knew I needed someone I felt 100% comfortable with. From the moment we met her, we just knew she was the perfect fit for us. This was our first baby, and she guided us through everything. She answered all of our questions, made us feel so supported, and honestly exceeded every expectation we had. I also really loved that she's the perfect balance of holistic, but will absolutely speak up if something medical is needed. You can tell her top priority is always keeping both mom and baby safe. We also took her Bradley Method class, which was so helpful and made me feel way more prepared and confident going into birth. We learned so much, and I've already been recommending it to everyone. I fully trusted her the entire time, which made such a difference for me going into labor and birth. Throughout my labor, she was there at any time of day to answer my calls and questions, and she always helped me feel calm and educated about what was happening. On the day of the birth, she was calm, confident, and completely in her element. She made the whole experience feel so smooth and magical. I recommend Christy to anyone, and I already know I'll want her as my midwife for all of my future babies

Taking the Bradley Method with Christy was really one of the best decisions my husband and I made…read moreto prepare for birth She's made us feel so much more confident going into doctor's appointments and being able to advocate for the type of birthing experience we're hoping to have. Even going into conversations with other people who have who have gone through pregnancy and birth--the confidence we have speaking about what we want, what we want to avoid, and why has been amazing to share with people who weren't given even the basic information/options by their medical team. Truly couldn't recommend Christy and her approach enough

I happily drive from LA County to Orange County for all my prenatal visits because Lindsey and her…read moreteam are absolutely worth it. She delivered both my second and third daughters, and I truly wouldn't trust anyone else to guide me through a home birth. Every single visit felt so warm, loving, and filled with genuine care -- Lindsey makes you feel like family. One moment I'll never forget is when my second daughter was breech. In just one visit, Lindsey was able to gently turn her from a sideways position to facedown. That kind of skill and confidence gave me so much peace as a mom. My husband and I felt completely safe in her hands, knowing she was fully prepared for any situation. We're beyond grateful to have had Lindsey as our midwife. She and her team supported us every step of the way, and thanks to them, I had beautiful, empowering home birth experiences. If you're looking for a midwife who truly cares and knows her craft, Lindsey is the one.

I don't even know where to begin. I was recommended to Lindsey by a dear friend and I always knew I…read morewanted to do a home birth but the fear that something bad would happen always stood in the way. I researched the heck out of home births and once I decided I wanted to go that route I never looked back. First meeting with Lindsey was magical because she is so charismatic and she really made me feel comfortable around her environment and in my own skin. I have never felt so much love and support during my pregnancy as I did with her! She is an array of information. Any questions I had she answered. Leading up to my birth I made sure I stayed present in the moment and took it one step at a time. As soon as I knew something was happening my husband called Lindsey and she showed up right away letting me go through what I needed to. I can't express how grateful I was for all the love and support that was in that room that early morning. She lifted me up and made me feel so powerful and capable to bring my son into the world naturally. Lindsey is the kind of person you want by your side. Not just for your birth as a loving and caring midwife, but as a friend. She is a rockstar and I was so blessed to have had that experience with her. I would 100 percent do it over again and again.

My wife and I joined the birth class a little late into our pregnancy (end of October 2020 when we…read morewere due mid-December 2020), but Meredith was so accommodating and kind about the situation! Because of the pandemic, Meredith gave us options to come in-person or attend the class virtually, and my wife and I felt comfortable enough to do a hybrid of the two. Meredith was very Covid-conscious and always made us feel safe. After looking up different birthing methods, we thought the best one that suited us was the Bradley Method course. We learned so much from it -- we know so many people who go into giving birth with zero knowledge and even though it's scary, we still felt so prepared. We learned about childbirth itself of course, but also patient advocacy, postpartum care, etc. The best part is that Meredith was still available as a resource and pillar of support when we needed it -- even to this day when our son is 14 months old! I gave birth at a birth center with a midwife but felt wholly prepared if I had to be transferred to a hospital. When it's my wife's turn to carry, we'll be retaking the course so that I can take on the role of the coach like my wife did for me.

Meredith was such an amazing birth coach. Despite the challenges she was presented during COVID,…read moreshe really managed to make the class as informative and personal as possible even though we were virtual. Her knowledge and support was beyond anything I imagined and it really equipped me in preparation for birth, informed consent, breastfeeding and motherhood. I recommend her to anyone looking for a natural holistic birth approach! She was so much more then just a birth coach and I can't thank her enough. She is the best!

Lauren is an exceptional doula and we feel incredibly grateful to have had her as part of our birth…read moreexperience. She is extremely knowledgeable about all things labor and delivery, works seamlessly with the staff at Hoag Newport, and is fantastic at collaborating with the husband (me) both leading up to and during labor and delivery. Lauren even came to our home ahead of time to see our space and provide education, which was such a thoughtful and comforting touch. She truly has a gift for bringing calm, clarity, and confidence to the birth process. She was texting us consistently leading up to going to the hospital, which made us feel deeply supported, cared for, and never alone. We would absolutely recommend Lauren to anyone looking for a doula who is skilled, compassionate, and genuinely invested in your experience.

Lauren is super nice and very attentive throughout the process! The only thing id like to mention…read moreto other mamas, is that she possibly overbooks herself. While in the pushing stage of labor, lauren was texting on her phone and took a phone call (probably another mama in labor). I totally understand there may be other things that need her attention during my 18+ hour labor, but I was disappointed she was preocupied on her phone during the pushing stage. She also video taped my birth, which i specifically told her I do not want. She told me afterwards that my husband told her to last minute, but this seems like a lie to me. I did not want to be filmed below my waist, and when i brought this up to her, she stated " well why dont you just delete the video". She also provided no breastfeeding support despite this being a contractual obligation. I bet other mamas have had a great experience with lauren, and she was an immense help throughout my labor.

I cannot say enough good things about Lia and her natural birth classes. I did the 12 week in…read moreperson classes with my husband. I really wanted to know everything I possibly could and I was also looking for a little community as I was feeling very alone in those first weeks of pregnancy (and overwhelmed with what I didn't know). AND THESE CLASSES DELIVERED! My husband is also a knowledge seeker so when I told him these were the classes I wanted he was all in. We learned so much. We joke that he didn't just learn about the natural birth process he learned how to be my "daddy doula". We still enjoy talking to people about everything we learned and how to support each other and how to speak to your doctors or the hospital nurses. Even if you aren't considering a natural birth these classes should be taken by everyone expecting a baby. You learn about the body, you learn about the different stages of labor, how to prep your body and your mind. There is even a class on breastfeeding which was invaluable those first 3 days postpartum. Lia is also an amazing teacher. If I have another I would definitely also hire her as my doula. She is a person you want in your corner during birth.

Taking Lia's 12 week Bradley Method course was the best decision I made. She was extremely…read moreknowledgable and was well prepared to give us an abundance of information from the different stages of birth to self-advocacy in a hospital setting. We took away so many positive things and I am grateful for her wisdom because I know it has prepared us for any situation that may come our way. Whether you're a first time mother or a 2nd or even 3rd, I believe all parents can benefit from taking this Bradley Method course. We are so grateful for everything you've taught us, Lia.

So grateful that I found this amazing doula team and mama community!…read more Krista Jawin worked closely with my husband and I to prepare us for the birth of our first child. She has truly been the guiding light through our journey into parenthood. We had the amazing, magical, beautiful, empowering home birth that we visualized during our birth education sessions with Krista. We know we would not have had this experience if it were not for her guidance before, during and after the birth of our baby. Thank you Krista for the amazing selfless work you do for mamas, babies, and families!!!!

I love Maureen and the team at In One Breath Center! I'm so thankful that I was referred to…read moreMaureen: I was halfway through my first pregnancy and my yoga instructor encouraged me to become educated about labor, birth, and postpartum life. I am SO glad I received that encouragement and Maureen's name from her. I had interviewed a couple doulas who I found on Yelp, but my 3rd call was Maureen and I knew by the end of our first phone conversation that she was the one who would be my teammate and would be there to witness the birth of my first baby! We opted to do a hospital birth (although I loved the idea of a midwifery center or a home birth, my husband's desire was to have our son born in a hospital setting) and I knew that I wanted the wisdom and support of a birth doula to assist my husband and I in making the best decisions possible during the labor & delivery process. My goal was to have a natural birth and I knew that might be challenging in the hospital setting. As a side-note, I had previously thought birth doulas were mainly for people who had extra money laying around - but now I don't know why I had that idea because it's not true in the least bit! We made a point to save where we could so that we could spend some on a doula. Before "The Day" arrived, we met with Maureen in person. She asked great questions about our wishes, fears, uncertainties and she helped us to write a very simple birth plan (or 'birth preferences'- since most of the time things DON'T go exactly as you plan for with birth!). She was in contact with us often in the weeks leading up the my due date, especially because at 34 weeks I needed to go to the hospital Triage due to intense/frequent Braxton Hicks and we also found out that baby was breech and would need to turn - and soon! She and Krista gave me excellent advice that I wouldn't have otherwise received - little suggestions and tricks for taking care of myself at home leading up to my due date. We wanted to keep the baby in the womb until he was closer to (or at) 40 weeks and we were hopeful he would flip around, too! So, Maureen advised me to rest, calm my mind, listen to hypnobirthing mp3s, etc. We kept in touch regularly for the 3-4 weeks before my water broke at 37 weeks + 1 day - baby boy waited until he was considered full-term and then wouldn't wait a day longer! He was placed in my arms 37 hours later! For the actual labor & delivery she met us at Hoag while we were still trying to get labor going (unsuccessfully) and then she supported us as the nurses suggested Pitocin to get things going. PItocin wasn't in our "Plan", but with Maureen's support, my husband and I asked that we start the process very slow & steady... LONG story short, I was able to deliver the baby vaginally without any drugs or intervention with exception of the Pitocin. Thank God we had Maureen - she helped with massaging, bathroom trips, various labor positions, pep talks, and she really supported my husband. I think that's the biggest takeaway- my husband had the confidence to tell the hospital staff our desires (when needed) because Maureen was his teammate when I was out of my usual mind during the labor process. Maureen is sincere, hard-working, loving, and just an all-around JOY to be around. God knew what he was doing when he set us up together. It's been nearly 6 months since my son was born (another pregnancy isn't in our imminent future) and when the time is right I know I will be dialing Maureen as soon as we make plans to have Baby #2. I encourage anyone who read this long-winded review to connect with Maureen before making your final decision if a birth doula is right for you! As my husband has told several other of our expecting couple-friends: "Talk to Maureen (or any doula you're considering), it's the best money we chose to spend during this season!"

Ana is a godsend. When I was planning to have my 5th baby, the one thing I knew for sure is that I…read morewanted to have him at home. I interviewed so many great midwives, but as soon as I met Ana, I knew she was the right fit. She took me on late in my pregnancy (27ish weeks), and onboarding with her was so easy. The care that I received from her was supportive, kind, compassionate and steady. I appreciate how calm and nurturing she is while staying firm in her knowledge of pregnancy, birth, and of a woman's body overall. Her care is holistic and evidence-based, and she makes her clients actual partners in their care. We never did anything that I was uncomfortable with (which is almost unheard of in a hospital birth). When I started to go overdue, she was there to reassure me, and because she genuinely trusts the process of birth, she helped me trust my body as well. I had an absolutely amazing birth experience that my husband and I wouldn't trade for anything. My baby is two now (sorry this is so late!), but I still think of Ana often and so fondly. She became part of our family for the time she was with us and I will always love her for helping me have the birth experience of my dreams (even at 43 years old). Thank you Ana!

Ana is very professional and knowledgeable, yet deeply caring and respectful of your opinions and…read morevalues. Even though this was my third pregnancy, I learned so much about how to care for myself and my baby. I loved that she wasn't pushy, but gave us the facts and let us make our own decisions. We often covered the importance of exercise and nutrition, and I made changes from that, which I believe contributed to a smoother and easier pregnancy than my first two. She also was so calm and professional throughout my labor and delivery. My husband noted how much he appreciated her composure during the most intense moments of my labor. She's the kind of person you'd want by your side when you're not in the right frame of mind. She also collaborated very well with her assistant, respecting her skills and experience during my postpartum assessment. We loved having her as our first midwife and home birth experience and will definitely be reaching out to her again in the future!