My experience with North Florida Women's Care was extremely disappointing and honestly felt more…read morelike pressure than care. At 36 weeks pregnant, I was already being asked repeated of times for cervical checks and told they were "very necessary," when in reality, many women are told these are optional unless there's a clear medical reason. Instead of being given balanced information, I felt like my choices were being dismissed.do your research people care about you and your baby !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What really crossed the line for me was how early and aggressively C-sections were being brought up. At only 36 weeks, I had multiple conversations that felt like they were steering me in that direction without any urgent medical need. That didn't feel like preparation--it felt like unnecessary escalation. I specifically had issues with both Liann Ammar, MD and Karen Harris, MD, MPH. Dr. Harris in particular came across as very pushy about the idea of a C-section before we were even close to that point, which made me extremely uncomfortable. Instead of feeling supported, I felt like I was being managed and directed. Another major problem is the complete lack of consistency. Every single appointment, I saw a different doctor. There was no continuity of care, no real relationship, and no sense that anyone truly understood my pregnancy or preferences. It felt impersonal and disorganized. Between the inconsistency, the pressure around procedures, and what I experienced as a lack of transparency, I made the decision to leave and go elsewhere for my care. This is my personal experience, but I strongly encourage anyone considering this practice to do their own research and advocate for themselves. Don't just accept everything at face value--ask questions about interventions like Pitocin, epidurals, and C-sections so you understand the risks, benefits, and alternatives. For example, Pitocin can intensify contractions significantly, which can make labor feel much more intense than natural progression. Epidurals can be helpful for pain, but they also come with trade-offs that should be clearly explained so you can make an informed choice that's right for you. At the end of the day, you deserve to feel heard, respected, and fully informed during your pregnancy--not pressured or rushed into decisions. Based on my experience, I would not recommend North Florida Women's Care. Then I went to a woman's birthing center in Ocala that doesn't shove epidurals or C-sections or anything of the such in your face and I had my baby there. They did a wonderful job they take care of you like family. I highly recommend them to anybody that's looking for someone that's gonna care for you and your baby that's gonna keep up with you and your I just want the best for you and your New born baby!!!!

A wonderful experience! Dr. Gureasko was incredibly gentle and informative. I had a Paraguard…read morecopper IUD insertion done and it went smoother than I could have imagined. She is clearly very experienced and intentional. All the CWH staff were kind and communicative. Very thankful for our experience!

Hypnobirthing Class:…read more When we were six months pregnant, my husband and I took Doulananda's Hypnobirthing class. There were five (5) two and a half hour courses, each one chock full of information, exercises and advice. As first-time parents, we were very nervous about what was to come, but these courses helped us to feel prepared and ready for childbirth. Melissa's no-nonsense teaching style was refreshing. She presented us with what we needed to know, and how to deal with any bumps in the road. If you desire a natural childbirth, this class will prepare you. If your doctor or hospital isn't on board for a natural birth, Melissa can help guide you on how to deal with this and how to get them on your side. Many of the other couples were as far along as us or further in their pregnancies, but I would suggest taking the class as early as possible to give yourself plenty of time to practice the techniques that you will learn. There are several different meditations that you will be able to use and practice with - allowing yourself time to figure out which works best for you is very handy. Don't worry if you can't take the class until later in your pregnancy though, you can still pick it up! The meditations that we learned were so helpful in keeping me relaxed during childbirth. All of the information we received let both my husband and I feel prepared and knowledgeable of what was going on and what to expect next. The insight we got from the Hyphnobirthing classes was invaluable and empowering. After completing the courses, simply accepting the doctors', nurses' and hospital's expectations for our birth experience according to their timeline and principles was absolutely unacceptable. However, taking their advice into account and considering it in the context of our own expectations and values and conferring with our doula when needed made a world of difference. Now, four months later, we still use the techniques that we learned in class to calm our son when he is cranky. My husband is especially good at it! Doula Services: My husband, Paul and I hired Melissa Johnson to be our doula for the birth of our first child. I wanted to have an unmedicated birth, but I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to do it without the support of someone more experienced. Hiring Melissa was one of the smartest moves we've ever made. Melissa spent 12 hours with us the day our son was born - this after she had just spent the better part of the previous two days assisting with another client's birth. I experienced something called 'back-labor.' Without Melissa's help, I don't know if I could have made it through without giving in to the call for an epidural. She had many techniques for relieving the pressure that I was experiencing, and even showed Paul how to do them so that he could help me, too. Melissa is perceptive and funny; she knows when to step in and when to step back. Before I gave birth, I didn't realize just how physical and arduous the job of a doula could be. If I were Melissa, I think I would've gone home and slept for 24 hours after this particular birth! Paul said that Melissa was incredible - and she was. Playing "the husband" role throughout the whole pregnancy process - up to and including the birth - he easily wins the Best Supporting Actor award. Thanks to the skills and techniques learned in the Hypnobirthing classes, he became part of the process. He wasn't just in the room with me, he was an active participant, following Melissa's lead and taking it when necessary. Before I gave birth, Paul wasn't sure we 'needed' a doula. Afterwards, he was just as thrilled that she was there as I was. As he says, she met and exceeded expectations! Placenta encapsulation: Prior to giving birth, we let the nurses at the hospital know that we would be saving my placenta. After I gave birth to our son, my husband put my placenta into a cooler. January came to visit us at the hospital and picked it up and overnight, she transformed my placenta into a bottle of placenta pills. She brought them back to us at the hospital the next day. Over the next several weeks, I took the placenta pills and really felt like they helped stabilize my moods. When I forgot to take them, I'd get very weepy, and it wouldn't take long for me to realize that I had forgotten to take my last dose. Tapering off them was easy and helped ease the hormonal transition from pregnant to not. Admittedly, the pills didn't taste very good - I'd hold my breath when I took them - but the effects were totally worth it. I totally recommend taking placenta pills. I've seen where some people drink their placenta, but I'm not that hard core. The pills are a nice way to get the effects of eating/drinking your placenta without the 'ick' factor. Just take a deep breath and down the hatch!

My doula Holly Kaddour was amazing!!!! She was refreshing, supportive and always available to help…read moreand answer my questions. She guided me through the stresses of going from natural in a birthing center to transferring to a hospital, she was a rock through my 30 hr labor! I would highly recommend her for any momma looking for a calm, kind and compassionate birth worker.

There is an old review online stating that there is a free consultation before entering Midwives…read moreCooperative. They are under new management and this policy is no longer valid at Midwives Cooperative. That is the first thing all should know before walking in the doors. Once inside the door, my wife was required to pay $500 upfront and to sign multiple papers before she was even seen by a nurse. Part way through the consultation, my wife decided this was not for her. She requested a refund but was flatly refused. Taken aback, she left the office hormonal and dazed. We were advised to put a hold on the check. Following this successful action, a strongly worded letter was sent to us that the complete bill must be paid otherwise we will be reported to a collections agency. It was double-signed by both current owners. Clearly, there was no way we could continue under these unreasonable circumstances and we quickly found another midwife who treated us fairly. Obviously, this is no way to treat a pregnant woman. I would advise, in the strongest possible terms, against signing with Midwives Cooperative, or even from walking inside the doors. Upfront money and multiple required signatures is a red flag for any agency. Sadly, it is too late for us, but I sincerely hope that this warning/posting will help others from making a similar mistake.

From the owner: Midwifery care for birth at home - personal, professional, practical! Homebirth, waterbirth…read more Insurance and Medicaid accepted. 24 hour OB back-up

I highly recommend all mothers-to-be hire Gina as their birth doula! She is absolutely amazing. We…read morehired Gina early on in our pregnancy to ensure we had as much birth education as possible heading into labor & delivery. Gina's postpartum support is also very valuable. I didn't know what to expect or how I would feel postpartum & Gina helped me navigate it. Additionally, Gina provides an abundance of resources during pregnancy & postpartum so they are always available to you.

Being a new mom, I had no idea what I was doing. Gina was able to put all my doubts away. I was…read morestressed about nursing and producing enough when I went back to work. I also had concerns about latching and she was able to show me what a good latch looks like. She suggested a couple tips to keep supply up and I was able to meet my goal and nurse for an entire year. She has been a great help in my random child development questions and how to help practice those milestones. Gina made me feel like a friend compared to a client and I highly recommend her services to any mom to be.

If you're trying to find the right doula in Jax, you can stop now, Courtney is amazing!read more

From the owner: Birth Doula Certified Yoga Instructor…read moreCertified Meditation Instructor Lactation Consultant Childbirth Educator

This was the 1st experience that I ever had using a doula for a birth and I am very very glad that…read moreI did! This was my 3rd child and yet the stress and anxiety that comes over and impending labor and delivery was still there but she helped me talk through the process and talk through what I liked and disliked about my previous births and what I wanted most for this upcoming birth. She had really good questions to help me think and she really helped me go through all of the details of what I hoped for with my birth plan and so she helped me feel more calm than I would have been and it was so so incredibly helpful. When the day of the actual labor came she came in and her presence was so calm and uplifting and excited that I couldn't help but feel more excited and calm myself. As the labor progressed she had really good tips on helping me work through the pain to try to achieve the type of birth that I wanted and she was able to I direct my husband as well to be able to help. I would definitely go with Katrina again because she was just so helpful and kind and happy about everything that I was going through. She had good advice for recovery as well, and was prompt in delivering the encapsulated placenta pills, which she did a great job with! Anyways, I love Katrina! Thank you for a wonderful memorable birth experience!

Katrina was born to be a doula. She was so hands on before, during, and after the birth of our…read moresecond son. She is knowledgeable on techniques to make labor easier and works with you to find a birth plan that is catered to your needs. When the time comes for baby number three, Katrina will be there!

Faith was such an incredible blessing to our family! She brought calm reassurance and lots of…read moreknowledge to support both myself and my husband through a pretty tough birth. She was able to help me navigate back labor with lots of different techniques. I felt truly respected, heard and cared for from pregnancy all the way to postpartum. She was very responsive and easy to communicate with. One of the most memorable moments for me was that I was completely exhausted after baby arrived and faith helped me to the bathtub and washed my hair for me it was so loving of her, and I needed that nurturing kindness. It takes a village and I'm so grateful she was part of mine in such an important moment of our lives. I can't recommend her enough!!

Absolutely amazing! Friendly and inviting. I've never felt so well cared for by other person. Truly…read morean amazing person!

I had the privilege of attending Natalie's Childbirth education class. My husband and I both found…read moreher course to be comforting and informational. We left feeling so much more at ease. I truly enjoyed how honest, research based, and non biased Natalie's class was. I feel confident that I will be heading in to my upcoming birth being able to make informed, educated and consent based decisions.

I have the good fortune of having Natalie as a personal friend and now, as a doula and birth coach…read more Natalie is passionate, disciplined, attentive, prepared, and incredibly knowledgeable about pregnancy and labor. We all have our very unique birth experiences and stories. In my case, my labor was nearly 100 hrs. Natalie was with me through it all. She came fully prepared to my home and provided personalized attention to ease my discomfort. However, what remains the most pivotal (and difficult for me to share without getting teary-eyed), is the support she provided as a friend and doula during my labor. What will remain vivid for me all the days of my life, is her voice when I pushed "Dig deep, Rachael". I did, and have been blessed with my beautiful son. "Dig deep" is something I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. I cannot express the level of gratitude I have for her support and presence. You likely will find yourself feeling the same way. She has my highest recommendation. #warriorwomen

Rebecca is truly an amazing human being! She will be your biggest advocate. She morphed into just…read morethe support I needed. If you are thinking about a doula, get this doula! Very educated in childbirth along with lactation. Nervous about Childbirth ask her about her hypnobirthing class! She can also show your birth support comfort measures. She does not take away their role. Rebecca simply makes sure you feel you are in control, you called the shots, you feel empowered. You are comfortable. From the moment I met Rebecca I knew she was my doula because she spoke my thoughts word for word. She said, "Birth is intimate and sacred. And it's her job to protect that." Those were my very words about childbirth intimate.

I don't know what we would have done without Rebecca. She held my hand all the way through, and…read morebelieve me, if you wind up in the hospital like I did, you will be infinitely glad she is with you!!! It is so important to have a holistic caregiver by your side, someone who understands birth is a natural process and believes in beautiful positive outcomes. Thank you Rebecca!!!

Amanda is truly a God-send. I can't say enough great things about her and her work! I never planned…read moreon having a doula for my second birth; but my husband was out of town and Amanda was the first person I thought of to call. She drove 45 mins in the middle of the night to get to the hospital. On top of that, she had to wait outside for 3 hours until my Covid test came back - all during that time, she was constantly in contact with me and my mom making sure I was ok. Once she came in, she had everything I never knew I'd even need. She was so calm and comforting and always made me feel like I was in control and reassured me I could have my baby naturally. She brought anything you could want and everything you forgot (she even left me with her phone charger when mine wouldn't work :)) Not only did she help me deliver my baby boy naturally, she cut his cord and followed him into the NICU when I asked her to. She goes above and beyond and truly feels like a family member being there. Personal experience of giving birth is the best experience I'd want a doula to have and trust me, she has that! I can't and would never recommend anyone else!

From the owner: Birth Doula, Labor Doula & Breastfeeding Support. Serving Ocala, FL and Gainesville, FL and…read moresurrounding areas. Ocala doula. Gainesville doula. Accepting new clients!!