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.

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.

Wanted to provide an additional update since it's been about 3 months. On October 27,2025 I…read morerequested a receipt for the "services" and Marisol agreed. Till this day I have not received any sort of receipt for the "services" provided. Adding to my feelings of being ignored, since she got what she wanted the payment of $2,800 dollars.

This review truly breaks my heart to write. When I get pregnant with my second child and I…read morecontacted Marisol right away to book her as my Doula. I was so excited to finally meet her in person and I signed the contract right away. I immediately sent over my deposit and I requested that she provide me with a receipt for the deposit . The fact that she was initially declining my request for a receipt because she wanted to wait until after the baby was born was probably the first sign that trouble was coming. I went back-and-forth with her and asked to get my receipt for the money that I had already paid so that I could use that receipt for a reimbursement with my flexible spending account. She still refused to give me the receipt so I reached out to my flexible spending company and asked them if I had to wait for the baby to be born in order to be reimbursed and they said no. Finally, Marisol agreed to give me a receipt for my deposit. I found this quite odd since people generally get a receipt when money exchanges hands. My husband and I meet with Marisol around 36 weeks to go over the birth plan. I tell her that my plan is to have her help me labor at home as much as possible since I wanted to reduce the likelihood of medical interventions. I also asked they she capture some photos for us. Marisol explained that we should not contact her right away if labor starts in the middle of the night, only call when ready. She kept stressing this point and even emailed me a document that says to only call when we are ready for her to come. A couple of weeks later I go into labor late one night. My labor progressed quickly and we called Marisol when we wanted her to come over, no answer. I then texted her. A short time later I told her we were headed to the hospital. Labor pains got so intense that I was not able to monitor my phone so my husband and Marisol were texting. Labor pains were so intense so I requested an epidural at the hospital. Once Marisol got this information , she assumed she had more time. I guess she didn't take into account that that epidural was not completed. Long story short, she didn't make her way to the hospital until after the kid was born. Per her contract, she had 90 minutes to get to me. My labor was quick but she had a 3 hour heads up. I was actually disappointed that she came to the hospital because now it feels like a random acquaintance just showed up for one of the biggest days of your life and now you have to entertain them. She stayed with us until we got transferred to our postpartum room. At this point, Marisol was not a part of my birth story at all and I was angry. A couple days later I immediately requested a partial refund. She denied my request saying she was "available." Instead she offered me one additional 3 hour postpartum visit. I didn't accept that and said we could discuss this matter when she did her postpartum visit. During the visit, Marisol said she could tell that I "felt some type of way" and she asked me to share my feelings. I told her I felt cheated, I'm out a lot of money and she didn't have to do anything. It was her choice to not come to me right away, I followed all of her instructions. Marisol then told me she was actually on her way to me but she needed time to shower, clean her doula supplies and pack her doula bag. Once she heard about the epidural, she returned home to pack snacks. This information infuriated me....she missed my birth for this?!?! This is an area where you don't get a do over. I would imagine that with the nature of this job you would always have your supplies clean and ready. She ended up offering me 12 postpartum hours. I told her that was not what I wanted since I didn't want to think of things for her to help me with. In plus, it's easy to get help during the day. I ended up requesting my money back and threatening legal action since she breached her own contract. In the end she agreed to return 1/2 of my money ($1400) and I was able to avoid legal action. (I didn't mind taking legal action, this was an open and shut case according to the guidance I received). I'd say she still came out ahead, $1400 for 2 short visits to my house and a short 45 minute visit to the hospital after my kid was born. I am beyond bummed about this experience. So yes, I still "feel some type of way!" I'm not sure how you could say you were available yet you missed the birth. And I still can't comprehend the rationale. I'm so confused.

I want to share my experience to be able to help future mothers and especially first time mothers…read moreto have the best experience possible wether its for birth or postpartum as mine wasn't what I wish It would have been. I wanted to feel supported and try for a VBAC for my second birth so I decided to work with Andrey for the birth of our daughter. Everything went good at the beginning, we had our in person interview, shortly after that meeting we decided we would be a fit for each other. After that she came over one more time and afterwards she told me she had a family oversees she was working with and would be available via phone/zoom and if needed to she would introduce me to a back up doula incase she wasn't back in time for my birth. The way she introduced us was thru text (no phone call or even an effort to do a zoom call so me and that back up doula could meet each other) no professionalism. My prenatal care was very limited nothing close to what Andrey promotes. Then I asked for a list of what to bring in my birth bag, she said she would send, I had to ask about 4 times until she sent and the reason I didn't get it was because she had sent it to a 'Victoria' how do you forget your clients name especially when you are a part of one of the most vulnerable times in their life. Fast forward to my birth Andrey ended up not being there. I ended up working with the back up doula & my first time meeting her and talking to her was her walking in my room while I laid in my bed clothe-less in pain as I was going thru my contractions (not the most ideal setting to meet someone for the first time who is going to be a part of a raw and emotional intimate time) a few days later Andrey lets me know shes back in LA and is coming to see me & baby to help with postpartum care. Then texts me cancelling because her car is in the shop (She could've taken an Uber) and cannot make it and she can come another day. She comes over a couple days after that for a few hours and tells me she will be back @10am the next day to help us some more. The next morning @9:35am she txts me she cannot make it and isn't available until the following week. I had cancelled help from my sitter to help with my newborn and toddler and my husband had left to work because we had relied on having help from Andrey that morning. At that point I was feeling extremely upset. The care and support I was expecting which Andrey advocates heavily on was nowhere close to what I was given. What was supposed to be a time in my life where I should've been given unwavering love and support turned into a time of grief and sadness for me. I decided to have a conversation with Andrey and let her know how I was feeling and I no longer felt comfortable working together. She apologized and told me I was a client that 'fell thru the cracks.' Simply she overcommitted and I was put in the back burner or was her last option sadly. She offered to bring some postpartum stuff to help with grief and overall just to help me emotionally and would drop it off in the next couple days, she never did. Unfortunately Andrey constantly overpromised and underdelivered.

Absolutely incredible experience with Andrey! From the moment we met her, her calming presence put…read moreus at ease. She brought not only warmth and reassurance but also deep experience and medical knowledge that made us feel completely confident in our birth plan and, most importantly, safe--both for mom and baby. Andrey was the advocate we didn't even realize we needed, always prioritizing our best interests over the hospital's. We genuinely cannot imagine going through the experience without her. If you're considering a doula, stop searching--Andrey is the one. Cannot recommend her highly enough!!!! Thank you Andrey!!!

Are you kidding me????…read more Sarah was in the top three of the best things that happened to us during the birth of our daughter!!! I've told her time and time again she under charges for her services, since she comes to your house more than once, she is there for the birth and does a follow up. She is the reason my wife was able to go through labor drug free and almost pain free (ask my wife she actually says its not that painful) plus she helped our cousin with a natural birth in a hospital too. Sarah is a certified Hypnobirthing doula, I should add which worked really well for us. So if your flavor is a home birth, birth center or hospital birth she is the one to call since she can work in all scenarios and without getting in the way of the Doctors, Nurses or Midwife. She is respectful of your wishes and your birth plan. Everyone should know she works all over the southland so if you are in Pasadena, OC, Westside, you name it she will likely do it. I'll happily call her for the next baby....if the wife lets us have one ;-)

Sarah is incredible.. My husband and I were referred to her by another doula friend of mine.. We…read morehad interviewed several other doulas but Sarah seemed to fit in with our needs best.. To say I had a difficult pregnancy would be an understatement... We still wanted to have the most natural birth we could and Sarah patiently walked us through all of our questions and concerns. Any time we had a question come up she was right there to walk us through it and if she didn't have an immediate answer she would point us in the right direction. We had an emergency induction and were incredibly scared. Sarah was right there with us every step of the way... This sweet woman slept in her car so she could be there the moment it was go time. There's no doubt in our minds we would have ended up in a C-Section had she not been there in my face keeping me going. She was an amazing support to my husband as well as we were not prepared mentally for what we were going through. After 33 hours of induced labor we still had the natural birth we had so desperately wanted. This woman is a god send. Why doulas arent covered by insurance is beyond me, but our investment in Sarah was worth every penny. Do yourself a favor and hire Sarah, I promise you that you won't regret it.

Nancy has been with my family twice as our postpartum doula/night nurse, and we feel so incredibly…read morelucky to have found her. She supported our family for 8-9 weeks after the births of our children and truly made those early postpartum weeks feel manageable rather than overwhelming and scary. Nancy has the warmest, most nurturing presence -- she's kind, caring, and incredibly intuitive. She's the kind of person who comes into your home and immediately becomes part of your family. She helped us get both babies on a schedule and guided us through all the uncertainty that comes with those first few weeks. For every question, she had an answer. For every challenge, she had a plan to overcome it. More than anything, Nancy became our village when we didn't have one. Her support meant everything to our family, and we were so grateful to have had her by our side during such an important time. We've joked that we'd have a third child only to have Nancy back with us for another extended period of time. We truly cannot recommend her highly enough! Separately, I experienced Nancy's Mayan postnatal massage and the Closing of the Bones ceremony. As with everything she does, Nancy was so caring and ensured the massage was tailored to my body's specific needs. The Closing of the Bones ceremony helped me feel so centered and calm, like I had put a big, beautiful bow on my pregnancy journey, and was ready to move forward with getting back to my regular self. It was an incredibly special experience that I would recommend to all new moms.

Amazing!!!! If you have the opportunity for Nancy to take care of your new born you are extremely…read morelucky. Nancy is one of the kindest souls and also extremely knowledgeable and experienced at what she does. From night one after returning from the hospital as new parents Nancy was by our side. She guided us through gently, but also setting us up right away with habits that would create a great routine for the whole family. She immediately put our new son at peace and by just five weeks he was doing six hour stretches of sleep on his own. This had everything to do with Nancy, her care and love for our child and the routine she guided us through. She not only took incredible care of our son, but incredible care of me as a new mom. Nancy understands what a vulnerable time this can be and she made sure both me and my partner got the rest and care we needed. Nancy goes above and beyond, she'll stay late, show up early. You can see she puts her whole soul into this work. I was lucky also to receive a closing of the bones ceremony and Mayan massage from Nancy. It will forever be one of the greatest gifts I received. It helped my body, mind and nervous system heal as well as inspire me to fully embrace this new journey of becoming a mom. Nancy, incorporates so much knowledge experience and true grace with everything she does. Again, if you have the opportunity to work with Nancy in any capacity know it will be a true gift for you, your child and your whole family.

After the Long Beach Birthing Center closed unexpectedly, my husband immediately began searching…read moreeverywhere for a midwife who could take over our birth care. From the very beginning, we knew we did not want a hospital birth--both because of the high costs and the increased rate of C-sections. Finding the right midwife felt urgent and incredibly important, especially since this was my first pregnancy. That's when we found Laura. From the first conversation, my husband and Laura connected very well, and after meeting her in person, we knew she was the right choice. Laura made me feel truly welcomed, cared for, heard, and supported--something that meant everything to me as a first-time mom. At every appointment, Laura took the time to explain how our baby was doing, confirmed that she was positioned correctly, and walked us through what to expect at each stage. She guided me on workouts, nutrition, and overall prenatal care, always making sure I felt confident and informed. Anytime I had worries or questions, Laura reassured us that our baby girl was progressing beautifully, which brought us so much peace throughout the pregnancy. When the big day finally arrived, labor began early in the morning but didn't turn active until the following day. At around 3 a.m. in June, our little girl decided it was finally time. Labor was long, but Laura and her team were absolutely incredible. They supported me every step of the way--offering water, snacks, encouragement, and constant reassurance. They regularly checked our baby's heartbeat to ensure she was doing well and never made me feel rushed or pressured. I had planned on a water birth, but my body had other plans--and Laura was so supportive and adaptable, honoring what my body needed in the moment. By morning, our baby girl arrived (quite literally popping out!), and Laura guided me calmly and confidently through delivery. Her presence made me feel relaxed, safe, and completely cared for. Laura and her team handled everything with such professionalism and compassion, allowing me to focus entirely on welcoming my daughter into the world. I also can't say enough great things about her lactation consultant, Chelsea, who was absolutely amazing and so helpful. Laura even recommended our pediatrician and doctor, which made the transition into postpartum care seamless. Because of Laura, I was able to spend extra, uninterrupted time bonding with my baby girl, and that experience is something I will forever cherish. I am beyond grateful that Laura was available when we needed her most. If I am ever pregnant again, there is no question--I would absolutely return to Laura without hesitation. Thank you Laura for all the support you have given us!

I moved to Redondo Beach at 30 weeks pregnant, searching for a midwife for a VBAC after two…read moreC-sections. Despite warnings, I hired Laura because she had experienced a VBA2C herself, which made me feel confident in her abilities. I paid $7,000 before 37 weeks, but from the start, red flags appeared. Laura frequently overshared personal issues- venting about her husband mistreating her and why recent clients were transferred to the hospital. She described one transfer as a mother "refusing to get on her hands and knees despite being in pain." It felt like more of her clients were being transferred than successfully giving birth at her center. Additionally, she and her children were constantly sick, making me worry about exposure as a pregnant mom with toddlers. As my due date approached, she had me sign paperwork with business names from other midwives, clearly copied and pasted, which felt sloppy and unprofessional. When my water broke, she gave me swabs that were supposed to turn bright blue if it was amniotic fluid. Even though I knew my water had broken, the test initially didn't change color, so Laura dismissed it, insisting I had urinated on myself. It took days for a proper swab to confirm it, delaying care and increasing my risk of infection. When I expressed concern, she casually asked if I "wanted to go to the hospital," then told me that legally she'd have to transfer me after three days- completely disregarding the fact that I had been telling her about my water breaking all along. At one of my appointments, she introduced another midwife, Amy, which made me uncomfortable because Laura had previously vented to me about how Amy "wouldn't stop touching her" during her own labor despite being asked not to. She even called Amy the B-word and said Amy walked out on her during labor. Knowing this, it felt extremely unprofessional that she brought her in to assist with my care. Later, Laura accused me of avoiding check-ups, which was untrue and upsetting. I lived three minutes from the birthing center and was always willing to come in. Despite her personal struggles, I had even offered to support her. During labor, Laura's birth assistant, Haika, was the only good part of my experience. She was kind, gentle, and truly passionate about birth work. If you're looking for a midwife, I highly recommend skipping Laura and going straight to Haika. When Haika was present, I was progressing well, reaching 7 cm. But when Laura took over so Haika could rest, everything changed. Her cervical exams were painful, rough, and intrusive. Her energy was intimidating, and I stopped progressing. Eventually, I had to transfer to the hospital, and honestly, I was relieved to leave. At the hospital, I received an epidural, which allowed me to relax enough to fully dilate, but during my stay, I was also sexually harassed by a doctor who is now under investigation at Cedars. After birth, I discovered that Laura had taken several photos of my private areas without my consent. I asked her to delete them, and while she agreed, she never did so in front of me. She also failed to complete my postpartum visits, using her constant illnesses as an excuse, but never reached out to reschedule or check on me or my newborn. Seven months later, she sent me a Mother's Day text, but by then, I had nothing more to say--she never followed through on the care I paid for. It took me a year to write this, but it needs to be shared. My experience was the opposite of the glowing reviews I read before hiring her. Every time she gets a negative review, a friend posts a five-star one, but those of us who've actually worked with her know the truth. I've since connected with other former clients who had similar experiences. If you're searching for a midwife, please reconsider working with Laura. This is a warning from one mother to another- there are far better options. ** and just like i said, immediately after Laura gets a negative review, she asks a friend (or it could be her behind a fake profile) to give a 5 star review. She's extremely toxic and if you work with her- you will 100% see how accurate the negative reviews are. Hire at your own risk!

Working with Julia has been a God-sent gift. After having my first home birth 2.5 years ago, I…read moreplanned to do it again, although I was not expecting all the challenges that life would present right before the birth. In an extremely unfortunate event, my brother and sister-in-law, who were supposed to have their first baby right around my due date, suddenly lost their child during birth. I was in absolute shock and deep grief, and I was contemplating whether a home birth was the safest option for me. I found Julia, and she held my hand through every moment of fear and self-doubt throughout my prenatal care. She showed me what heartfelt understanding can look like while still not losing sight of what she knew I was capable of. I knew in my bones that a home birth was what I desired, but having this happen so close to me shook my confidence and sparked so much fear in me. During my birth, Julia held my hand every step of the way. She was proactive in her approach, giving me positions to hold that resulted in direct progression of labor, all while being very attuned to me and the baby throughout the process. I went from having a 38-hour labor with my first child to a 14-hour labor with my second, with only 4 hours of active labor. I honestly can't recommend her enough!!! Julia carries a deep understanding and love of midwifery care and her expertise are showcased in her level of care and knowledge. I had the most beautiful birth and felt so supported thanks to her guidance and heartfelt diligent care.

Julia was our midwife for both of our children - our daughter's birth at SCV Birth Center and our…read moreson's home birth and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. She is so calm, kind, and supportive, and she made both my husband and me feel completely comfortable and cared for every step of the way. Julia's gentle presence and expertise brought such peace and confidence to both of our births. We would choose her again and again - she's truly a blessing to the families she supports! We miss her dearly!

Just want to keep this short and to the point. We had a newborn that needed a heart transplant and…read morewere not able to communicate and attend immediately; however, I have made numerous attempts to try and get our placenta. My wife has gone through some serious of emotional hardships and we have heard the benefits of this service. I like to know where is our placenta. Secondly, it would mean a lot to get a response.

At thirty-five weeks pregnant with my firstborn, I knew I wanted a med-free birth in a hospital but…read morewas worried that unnecessary interventions might take place, so we decided to hire a doula for additional labor/hospital birth support. I found Renea online & met with her a few days later in our home. I knew by the end of our meeting that she was who I wanted beside me as I labored and gave birth. On the day I went into labor we were in constant communication via text. Once active labor began she came over to my home (with all of her essential oils!) and worked through the contractions with me. She was a strong supporter for me during this intense time! She came with us to the hospital and was right by my side as I delivered my son. We hired her again for our second-born son's delivery and she was with me, again, during active labor and at the hospital. We also saw her for a postpartum visit after each delivery. It's been 2 years since we first hired her and we are still friends. I text her randomly with a question and she is quick to reply! I've said this before and i'll say it again--i wouldn't want to birth my babies without Renea by my side!

Ana Paula is a wealth of knowledge and compassion. She's a beautiful mix of warm and calming with a…read morefun energy and the utmost professionalism.

Normally I'd be very reluctant to be apart of a non in person training. ANA is truly a gem. Some…read morepeople give you feelings of love within. Some people give you a genuine feel like whatever they say they mean and that is exactly what I feel with Ana Paula Markel. I spent 3 days with not only fellow woman who share the similar passions and career goals but also a leader and guide. I've been working as a doula for a year now and really trying to find a place to call home for guidance and connections and I truly have found it. I feel motivated and filled with such gratitude to have been apart of this experience. I feel more than well informed and ready to further my mission.

Had such a wonderful time at the Looma Birth open house! Elizabeth was so warm and welcoming, and…read moreit was really special getting to reconnect with her in this new space. The space itself is absolutely adorable--calm, inviting, and thoughtfully put together. Everyone we met was friendly and kind, which made the whole experience even better. It's clear this is a really supportive and nurturing environment for families. Absolutely will be referring our clients here :)

Wanted to update this after our third class, following empowered hospital labor we took the…read morebreastfeeding and postpartum class led by Brittany and then Emma. I cannot recommend these 3 classes enough, all the instructors were incredibly kind, empathetic and used both data/ research and their own experiences in the classes. It made me feel so much better about the future. I highly recommend these classes - knowledge is power!! You and your partner will feel so much better.