I took Lia's childbirth class during my first pregnancy in 2023. I live in South Orange County, so…read morethe drive was a bit of a commitment, but it was absolutely worth it. Being in class with other expectant couples created such a supportive environment, and the course was incredibly comprehensive. It gave me the knowledge and confidence to navigate a hospital birth and make informed decisions about the many interventions that are commonly offered. At 38 weeks, my water broke unexpectedly while I was riding a stationary bike. I immediately reached out to Lia for guidance. Since I wasn't experiencing a fever or any signs of infection, she explained that I had options: I could either go to the hospital right away or stay home and wait for labor to begin naturally. She also educated me about the fact that the body continues producing amniotic fluid and that, in some cases, a small rupture in the membranes may even reseal. Knowing that going to the hospital before labor started would likely lead to an induction (which wasn't aligned with my goal of having an unmedicated birth) I chose to stay home and monitor myself. The night before my 39-week OB appointment, I was feeling anxious. I knew that if my provider confirmed my water had broken before labor had started, induction would almost certainly be recommended. I reached out to Lia again, and she suggested trying the Miles Circuit. I followed the stretches that evening, and to my surprise, I went into early labor around 1:00 a.m. Whether it was the Miles Circuit, my body simply being ready, or a combination of both, it gave me the confidence to keep trusting the process. In January 2024, I welcomed a healthy baby girl through the unmedicated birth I had hoped for. While my hospital experience was unfortunately traumatic, the education Lia provided made all the difference. There were many moments when my husband, my doula, and I had to advocate for my birth preferences, and it wasn't always met with respect. Without the knowledge and confidence I gained from Lia's class, I truly believe my birth could have unfolded very differently. I'm now pregnant with my second baby, and one of the first things I did was sign up to retake Lia's class. One of the biggest perks is that once you've taken her course, you can retake it as many times as you'd like for free. Childbirth education isn't something you only benefit from once, and I love having the opportunity to refresh everything I've learned before welcoming another baby. I'm incredibly grateful for everything Lia taught us. Her class empowered me to make informed decisions, advocate for myself, and approach birth with confidence. I wholeheartedly recommend her course to any expecting parents, especially those hoping for an evidence-based, physiologic birth. Even if you have to drive a little farther to attend like I did, it's worth every mile.

We took Lia's virtual Bradley method class, and would highly recommend it for any expecting…read moreparents. First off, it can be hard to find time to take a birth class, and Lia chooses convenient times, with multiple options to choose from. It's a very comfortable classroom atmosphere where I felt good to ask any question, or add any comment. Lia keeps it fun and interesting, and is a great teacher. Lia is also available outside of class for questions, and she is super responsive. It shouldn't really matter if a doula has been pregnant herself.... But it was really helpful to hear about her first hand experiences and to know that she has gone through it all before. I just wish we in lived in LA so that we could have Lia as our Doula.

Going through my first birth experience with Katie as my midwife was truly a gift. Every prenatal…read morevisit was done right in my home -- no stressful drives to the doctor's office, no sitting in waiting rooms. Blood tests, check-ups, and even listening to my baby's heartbeat all happened right on my couch. But the convenience was just the beginning. Katie's care was exceptional in every way a family hopes for when choosing a midwife. She brought a depth of knowledge and clinical skill that made me feel safe and confident from day one -- monitoring both my health and my baby's with precision and explaining everything clearly so I always understood my options. She balanced that expertise with a calm, grounded presence that instantly put me at ease. She answered my million questions with a calm smile (hey, it's my first time!), so when it came time to give birth, I felt informed, supported, and ready. From her gentle hands and confident decision-making to her unwavering emotional support, Katie embodied the perfect mix of professionalism and heart. In week 35, my blood pressure became too high for a home birth, and Katie guided and supported me in the process of reconnecting with my OB's office seamlessly. I experienced a level of continuity of care between homebirth and hospital that I wish every woman could have! After my son was born, Katie went above and beyond to visit us at the hospital as well as follow up visits at home. I cannot recommend her enough. If you're on the fence, choose Katie!

I feel beyond grateful to have had Katie by my side for both of my births. She is everything you…read morecould ever want in a midwife: warm, deeply competent, organized, and so clearly made for this work. From the moment she walks into the room, there's a sense of calm and confidence that fills the space. This is so important, especially when you're pregnant! She has an incredible way of balancing professionalism with genuine care, anticipating what you need before you even realize it, guiding with steady reassurance, and treating each moment with respect and grace. Her presence made both of my birth experiences not only safe and supported, but truly beautiful!! She's a dream to work with: kind, grounded, and always on top of every detail. I trusted her completely, and that trust allowed me to relax and be fully present. There's no doubt she was born to do this work, and I can't imagine my birth stories without her in them. Katie, thank you for everything you've done for me and my family, you are forever part of our story.

I found Happy Baby when my husband and I were moving to the South Bay from the East coast and I was…read morelooking for prenatal yoga! Fast forward to me now having a 7 month old and Happy Baby is my second home. Prenatal/postnatal classes are great. I did both prenatal boot camp and prenatal yoga but I was a little limited since I had to stop working out. Once I was cleared to work out, I was at some kind of class 4-6 times a week. Being able to bring your baby to class and get to meet other moms is fantastic! The majority of the fitness classes are taught by Lauren, who is an AMAZING teacher. She kicks your butt all while being the most encouraging, empowering teacher ever! Mama classes- I have done the mindful mama class with Khefri and it was such a great resource as a new mom! I also made new mama friends who I have kept in contact with even after our class ended.

TLDR: If you and…read moreyour spouse are lost in the sauce on this whole having a baby business, or if you're like me and just want to be prepared for anything, I highly recommend taking the Prepared Childbirth Series with Patricia. You'll be glad you did. Long version: Having a baby for the first time was definitely daunting for us. There were too many what-ifs and unknowns that made us nervous about the whole birthing process. I'm so glad we decided to take Happy Baby's Prepared Childbirth series with Patricia. It was an informative, fun, and confidence-boosting experience. I actually had to convince my husband to go with me: He walked into the first class saying he's there cause I told him to be there (gotta admire the honesty). After the last class, however, he left saying that he was glad I forced him into taking it. (yay me!) The moment my water broke, I was able to apply things that I learned in class that kept me calm and collected(we even went grocery shopping the next day). We were able to check into the hospital mentally and emotionally prepared, even though labor did not pan out as we had planned. We were well educated so we were able to ask about our options (most of which aren't discussed) and feel confident and comfortable with our decisions. By the time I started active labor, my husband was able to use the skills he learned from class to help me through my contractions, so much so that I was able to deliver without an epidural. The support and encouragement that he displayed throughout the whole process just made me fall even more in love with him (cheesy, I know). I can't thank Happy Baby enough for offering the series and everything we learned. I've been recommending this series to all my family and friends who are pregnant or planning to be since I gave birth. So my fellow Yelper, do not hesitate any longer. Take the class and feel empowered like we did.

We hired Denise to be our birth doula and it was the best decision we made for our pregnancy/birth…read moreexperience. The birth doula service that Denise offers covers everything you need to prepare for birth and the basics on caring for your baby once they arrive. Denise checked in with us regularly throughout the pregnancy, came to our home to do in birth classes, came to our home to put together our birth plan with us, came to our home before birth for baby care basics classes, and came to our home after the birth for two check in visits where she was there to help with whatever you might need help with (for us it was using the breast pump, trimming baby nails, checking baby's latch, and learning baby soothing techniques). And for the birth itself, Denise was an absolute ROCKSTAR. There's no way my husband and I could have achieved the unmedicated hospital birth I wanted without her there. She came to our home to help me through some of my labor there and then followed us to the hospital to get us through the rest of it. My labor was 24 hours in total and Denise was by our side providing support through all of it. And a bonus, Denise is great with dogs. We have two large dogs and one of them does not do well with strangers. Denise was patient with our dog and now both of our dogs loves her. Denise was everything and more in what I wanted with a birth doula and she made me feel confident and supported theoughout the experience. I cannot recommend her enough!

I am so thankful for the invaluable teachings and information I received in the weekend child labor…read moreclass I did with Denise. Wow! So helpful! Such good access to resources! She is so knowledgeable on child birth and completely calmed my nerves and anxiety before the birth of my baby. Life was so busy for me the year I was pregnant with school and work obligations that I had absolutely no time to "prepare" for pregnancy or to read a book. Nevertheless I understood the importance of being equipped with knowledge but never felt I had enough time with my ob doctor in a brief doctors appt on "what to expect when you're expecting". So when I heard about Denise Curtis's labor class on a weekend, I eagerly signed up and so glad I did. The weekend long group class was super helpful, full of a wealth of information, well organized and illustrated, and engaging I continue to use the color printed handouts and resources for information . I highly recommend it to all my pregnant friends and colleagues , especially if you need a concise but comprehensive course on child birth .... Perfect for busy expecting moms who want a crash course on child birth. Highly recommend

We had the most incredible experience with Ashley! She was actually covering for another doula who…read morehad a family emergency when I went into labor, so we met Ashley for the first time at the hospital. Within minutes, we felt completely at ease with her. She immediately connected with both my husband and me, bringing such a calming, grounding presence during an intense and emotional time. She guided me through contractions, helped with different labor positions, and truly walked us through the entire labor. Her reassurance and steady support made such a huge difference, not just physically but emotionally as well. We truly couldn't have asked for better support. If you're considering working with a doula, you will be in amazing hands working with Ashley.

After a traumatic birth experience with my first I was determined to have a different outcome the…read moresecond time around and knew hiring a doula would help me achieve that goal. I truly hit the jackpot when I found Ashley! Both my husband and I instantly bonded with her from the first meeting even though it was through the screen over a zoom call, and each prenatal appt with her only reaffirmed that we had made the right decision. She is down to earth, kind, knowledgeable, and has such a calming presence. Ashley had a family trip planned just before my due date (which we already were aware of before booking her) but she made sure we were comfortable moving forward with her and that we had a back up doula in place. Lo and behold, baby girl decided to arrive a few weeks early and Ashley immediately made herself available and was at our house within 20 min of calling her. We were frantic and it was undoubtedly chaotic not being prepared for such an early delivery, but once Ashley arrived we were immediately put at ease. Throughout labor she was an awesome coach alongside my husband. She motivated me when it felt too tough to continue and she provided suggestions to help progress the labor along. In the end, I was able to get my "redemption birth story" and I owe a lot of that to Ashley. After delivery, she continued to be a huge presence in my postpartum journey despite it being a busy holiday season. She went above and beyond checking in on us and providing helpful tips and resources. If you're considering hiring a doula Ashley is 100% your girl, you won't be disappointed!

You give birth once and unfortunately I had a very bad experience with Lorraine. I would not…read morerecommend it to anyone. She definitely a good marketing person of herself and she did not keep that up during the birth for me. Please think twice before you hire her. I did hire her because she has experience but sometimes it's about the excitement. She is done. She is doing it just for money and she is not even doing it right.

I always thought I would try a natural birth but I really started to do alot of research once I…read morefound out I was pregnant. So many times my friends were going to go "natural" but in the end they would give into the almighty needle. So I did a ton of research and I came to the conclusion that I was going to educate myself as much as I could and that I would hire a doula. My husband was very skeptical... His entire family laughed when I said I was going to try a natural birth. Their exact words "Why would you ever choose that?!!" So I dragged my reluctant husband to our 6 week Hypnobabies course. By the 3rd week he was fully on the natural train! He told me "I really think you can do this!" The class was great and I really loved how we bonded with the other couples!! Lorraine was our doula also and it was a great experience. From our interview to when our sweet baby girl came Lorraine was at our disposal. She kept me calm and focused during my birthing time/labor and at the end I faced some complications... Lorraine gave me the lowdown on what was going on and let me know that it was crunch time! Looking back it really was the perfect pep talk... I pushed the baby out in 3 contractions!! And believe it or not I was up and walking around 30 mins later! My husband looked more jacked up than I did, lol. I had such a positive experience with Lorraine on top of a great birthing experience. I would do everything all over again in a heartbeat!

I took yoga classes with Chelsea and was thrilled to learn that she is also a life coach. I had…read morealready felt such trust and peace around her that I knew she was the perfect person to help me work through some past trauma and help equip me for a happier, healthier and more positive future. It was a life changing decision to work with her. Her guidance has made a significant positive impact on my life. She cares so much and has been an amazing listener, guide and teacher. She has helped me navigate some very difficult life situations both old and new. Her personally tailored coaching has helped me feel more peace, control over anxious situations and has given me tools to work though life's ups and downs. I would not have had the courage to push forward and make life changes without her support, love and encouragement! I am so grateful for her and cannot recommend working with Chelsea more!

Chelsea is the best! I wish I could have her as my prenatal yoga teacher and doula for every…read morepregnancy. She went above in beyond in classes to give us the best information for natural birth and delivery. When she wasn't actually available for my birth, she had many great recommendations. Overall, everything she told me through class and training truly prepared me for a beautiful birth experience. I wish I still lived close by to have her around my next birth. I highly recommend her services!

My wife already posted about our experience with Natasha, but I wanted to add my two cents from the…read moreperspective of a husband/support person. We hired Natasha as our doula for the birth of our first child. I was initially skeptical of hiring a doula, because it seemed like an unnecessary expense/fad. However, I could not have been more wrong! My wife and I watched YouTube videos, read about, and talked to others about childbirth and what to expect. Natasha gave us more thorough information than any of those sources, and she walked us through a birth plan. She was very helpful talking about the advantages/disadvantages of all the choices we had to make for the birth. It made our lives so much easier. No amount of talking to people can prepare you for the chaos of childbirth! Having Natasha there with us and knowing our wishes was very reassuring. She was our advocate with the doctors and nurses, and she made sure we got what we planned. Natasha also helped my wife tremendously. Natasha helped mitigate my wife's pain prior to the epidural by using various body positions and breathing techniques. I thought I would be able to help my wife more, but using the one technique we learned prior to delivery was not cutting it. Natasha provided real-time support and adapted her approach based on my wife's needs. In between admittance to the hospital and the actual birth, Natasha was with us the whole time. She was a constant support. That means that I also had time to breath! Having Natasha with us throughout the birth made my wife's life easier, and Natasha made my life easier! I cannot imagine ever going through childbirth without a trustworthy, supportive doula. I am converted! If you are considering a doula, I wholeheartedly recommend Natasha. If you are wondering whether you should hire a doula, you should! (and it should be Natasha)

My husband and I hired Natasha after she was referred to us by a coworker. This was my first…read morepregnancy/labor/delivery and I was initially unsure about whether I even wanted to hire a doula. I questioned whether it was excessive or an unnecessary expense. I also wasn't sure how it would feel to have someone I barely knew be present during some of the most intimate and vulnerable hours of my life. I am now almost 1 month postpartum and looking back I can say without hesitation that hiring Natasha was one of the best decisions I made related to my pregnancy and childbirth. Throughout my pregnancy I felt routinely unsupported by my OBGYN and was often made to feel rushed or that I was asking stupid questions during my OB appointments. Our first meeting with Natasha was such a breath of fresh air! She provided a free consultation so we could get to know her and patiently answered all of our many questions. One of the things that truly separates Natasha from other doulas is her background as both a labor and delivery nurse, a midwife, and a pre/postnatal yoga instructor. This woman has some serious experience with the birthing process! She is chock-full of useful information and was able to explain medical aspects of my pregnancy that my OB never took the time to do. She was incredibly thorough and gave us a useful packet in our first appointment that included information about what to expect during labor/delivery and how to prepare (e.g., what to pack for the big day, how to save time checking in at the hospital, what kind of decisions we may need to make during delivery, etc). She also had such a lovely, laid-back presence that was neither overbearing or too passive. I was sold! My daughter ended up arriving 3.5 weeks early and I was so glad to have Natasha to text that day and ask if the contractions I was experiencing were the real deal. She was able give me some pointers on how to differentiate between early signs of labor and the Braxton Hicks contractions I had been getting fairly frequently at that point. I was so relieved when she arrived at our apartment and helped me find positions and utilize breathing techniques that made my contractions significantly more manageable. I thought I would be able to use my knowledge of paced breathing to successfully manage the pain on my own, but I definitely needed her there! I was in so much pain that I was having trouble thinking straight and when Natasha arrived she just took over and immediately made both my husband and me feel like we had someone there who knew exactly what to do. She also helped us to know when to go to the hospital so that we would be admitted (4cm dilated) rather than told to go back home and was a huge advocate for me once I was checked into labor and delivery. She explained everything that was going on to me (something the doctors/nurses just don't seem to have time to do), was key in getting the anesthesiologist to arrive as quickly as possible for the epidural, and continued to help me with breathing/positions until the meds kicked in and my daughter arrived! She worked seamlessly with the hospital providers and seemed to know when to speak up/ask questions vs. when to just let them do their thing. She was also lovely to have around my family and again seemed to know how to interact with everyone and put people at ease. I did not end up feeling awkward or uncomfortable at all having her present during the delivery process- just grateful for her support, knowledge, and encouragement! After the delivery, Natasha followed up with us to help us give my daughter her first bath, answer many, many breastfeeding questions, and just generally continue to provide wisdom and support. Hiring Natasha was worth every penny and I would hire her again in a heartbeat for future labor/deliveries. If you want a doula who is the whole package (e.g., reliable, a calming presence, insanely knowledgeable on ALL aspects of labor/delivery), then don't hesitate to contact Natasha!