"I've come to conclusion that I don't think I'm the right Doula for you. I don't think I have…read moreenough experience." - Jes Walsh
What a disappointment to deal with someone so unprofessional. I was looking for an English speaking doula and was contacted by Jes Walsh who offered her services in mid-January. Being an expat in Berlin and unfamiliar with the system here so I knew I could use support at the birth because I've never been through this before. A doula I know from my home country suggested that I enlist a doula for my birth because the support could be useful especially from someone familiar with the birth process and who has trained and attended other births.
Berlin Doula Jes Walsh who works out of Kreuzberg, wasn't available to meet until the end of February and suggested to meet at a cafe. A leading Berlin midwife / hebamme advised me that this was unprofessional location choice because of the personal nature of the conversation we would be having. At the advice of this midwife and from other pregnant mothers, I decided to give her the address to my home and she agreed to meet there. She arrived late without calling.
During our meeting, she faced away from my partner even though she was within a few feet from him. Maybe she is more comfortable around women but it just seemed a bit cold. At the end of our meeting she asked me if I would like to work together, and said she would like to bring me on as a client, would like to meet within a month to go over more details and would like to send a contract over to ensure we would be working together. I looked forward to getting that contract except days passed and I never heard from her.
WHO INITIATES MOVING FORWARD THEN SAYS AND DOES NOTHING?
I reached out to her via email thanking her for meeting me and asking to review her contract. Only when I reached out, did she inform me of her thoughts and her response was odd to say the least. SHE STATED THAT SHE DOESN'T THINK SHE HAS ENOUGH EXPERIENCE. I read her email a few times, because I couldn't believe someone listed their experience online and in person but then CONTRADICTED all that she previously said and wrote about herself.
I wondered why she is advertising herself as a doula offering labor support if she feels this way about herself. I think anyone looking for a doula in Berlin to have labor support, especially with the shortage of midwives / beleghebamme / hebammen should look elsewhere for another english speaking one.
THIS DOULA ADMITTED HER LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND IT SHOULD BE A WARNING TO OTHERS. Shortly after this review went up, an new account was created to write a 5-star review for her. I would be very nervous to hire a doula with a situation like this happening.