Caren was our instructor for the Birthing with BAM (Bay Area Midwives) course. My husband and I learned a lot during this 5 week program and are super grateful to Caren for putting it all out there for us. We choice not to hire a doula and I believe the course was a main factor in our confidence going into it by ourselves. The class was 3 weeks in person meeting at the Los Gatos El Camino Hospital and 2 online. Caren had extensive information for us on slides and also had many hands on activities to practice laboring techniques and ask questions. The classes had about 5 or 6 couples attending and my only feedback is that it would have been nice for there to be more of an organized chance to interact/get to know them in the first class to connect post pregnancy. read more

Caren is the most amazing Doula and person - we can not say enough good things about her! From preparing us for the birth process, to ensuring we had the right doctor and hospital for the birth we envisioned, she really showed how much she cared about us and our experience from the start. I could not have gotten through pushing that tiny human out of my body without Caren by my side, well okay and my husband, but seriously Caren saved the day! She helped manage my family who all wanted to be in the room (which totally overwhelmed me), showed my husband how to comfort me during the pain, had her Mary Poppins bag of magic, and knew exactly what I needed when I needed it. Not only was she there when I needed her, but she would step back and let my husband and I have our moment when it was going well. During those moments she used the time to capture the most beautiful photos of our birth and put together an amazing video that tells the story of our baby being born. I wish everyone could have Caren by their side when having babies, especially if you want to do it naturally. I could really go on and on about all of the wonderful ways she helped me during one of the most important moments of my life, but truly if you are reading this I hope you get to experience it for yourself. read more

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We instantly felt at ease when we met Caren and knew right away that she would be our doula. She was so sweet and accommodating, approachable and everything we were looking for. Over the next few months we met with her to go over everything, she brought us things that we might need during the birth and showed us things to do to help ease pain during labor. During labor, she helped ease our worries, spoke to the nurses when we had questions and was supportive when I wanted to get an epidural. Her presence was definitely what we needed to get through the labor with peace of mind. read more

I am the father and I wanted to share my testimonial for Caren. I won't write about how comfortable I felt when we first met her and how available she was for my wife before, during and after labor. I want to talk about how I felt to have Caren as our Doula. First of all, I wasn't sure that we needed a Doula. I thought that the midwifes and nurses will be good enough to help us during labor and delivery. I was wrong. They were great, but Caren was awesome! There were times during Labor when I was lost and I didn't know what to do. My wife was in pain and I felt like I couldn't help her. Caren knew exactly what kind of help my wife needed and she helped me help her. When I was too tired and needed a break, Caren was there to replace me - she massaged my wife, encouraged her and gave her the advices she needed to get through the contractions. That doesn't mean she was resting when I didn't need a break. Caren was active all the time! Caren knew everyone at our hospital (El Camino Los Gatos) and that was also very helpful. I didn't have to do anything that wasn't related to helping my wife. We're extremely pleased we chose Caren as our Doula. Eli, Moriah and Lia read more

This review is a bit unconventional, but I wanted to post it nonetheless. I called Caren hoping she was available for my due date, but unfortunately she wasn't. While I was really bummed, that didn't stop her from helping me anyway. I am new to the area and as this is my first pregnancy I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all. When we spoke over the phone, she was kind and offered to reach out to a group of doulas to find out who was available and promptly provided me with the information with a couple days. She didn't have to go out fo her way to help me, as I wouldn't be a client of hers, but it's the kindness and generosity of strangers that gives me hope that my child won't grow up in a completely screwed up world. read more

Caren is a fantastic doula! We worked with her for our first baby birth and wanted to go the all natural route (yes, no epidural). She was there in every step to help us make the decision whenever the hospital wanted to intervene and get me through every "discomfort" that I "might" have. Without her, I didn't think I would get through the "discomfort". We interviewed Caren a little over a month before my expected date. The moment we met her, we knew she was the doula we wanted to work with. So we called and hired her the very next day. She came to our house to meet with my husband and me to get to know us, our birth plan, and provide advices and exercises that we could do to prep for labor. She was great at keeping us in tact and on our feet to make sure we will be ready when the time comes. When I thought I was in labor on a Tuesday night around 11pm, we called Caren to check with her to see if we should go to the hospital. She helped us analyze the contraction time and advice us to check in with our midwife so our midwife will be ready to head to the hospital as well. Caren immediately met us at the hospital's parking lot when we got there. That was midnight. From then on, she was there to walk us through every step of the way. I have to say that my birth was pretty "easy" given that it was my first. I have Caren to thank for that. Hire her if you want a doula who will listen, friendly, trustworthy, open-minded, expert advice, enthusiastic, caring, soothing, and be right there for you when you want a pair of hands to hold on to. Hire her if you want a doula who care about you that will spend her time getting to know you and your partner, your ideal birth plan, and check on you from time to time. Hire her if you want a doula who will provide all that you could ask for as a doula. read more

Caren is the best doula and we couldn't have done it without her. Here's what my wife had to say about her: Caren is awesome! I don't know how I would have gotten through my labor without her. I went into labor 3 weeks early and Caren began advising me over the phone and came out immediately. As this was my first pregnancy, Caren was able to keep me calm and guided me through every step of the way. We wanted a natural delivery with no epidural. My labor wasn't progressing and I was getting exhausted. Nearly 19 hours later, I was about to give up. Caren reminded me of my goal and encouraged me to keep it together for 1 more hour. The nurses told me that it may be another 12 hours before the baby is ready to come out. I trusted Caren and miraculously my labor progressed within the hour to delivery. Everything was so quick and I delivered a healthy baby without any interventions. Thank you Caren ... you're the best! read more

Caren is a great doula! When I got pregnant one of my friends shared with me about what an amazing doula she had and she highly recommended getting one. I have decided to make a list of doulas in my area and interview them with my husband. After we interviewed Caren we didn't see a need to interview the rest of the doulas on my list. We felt like she is very experienced, knowledgeable, sweet and caring. Due to some complications during my pregnancy I got in the hospital way before my due date. I let Caren know about my situation and she came to be with me that day to support me and my husband. On the day of the delivery I sent her a message and she was at the hospital shortly after I got there. She helped me by just being calm and sure of herself. I felt more at ease just by having her by my side. Before she got to the hospital I was updating her about everything that was happening and she was sending me her advice and recommendations which I highly appreciate. Caren offers an amazing service which is photography and video of the birthing process. I'm so glad that I took advantage of it. What a lovely memory! I love sharing pictures and videos with my friends who come to visit us. Most people don't think about hiring a photographer to be present in the delivery room. Caren offers it and it's a beautiful resource. I highly recommend Caren as a doula. You will not regret you hired her. P.S. Highly satisfied customer. read more

I can't begin to express how lucky I feel to have had Caren there to help me and my husband through the birth of our son. This was my first birth and Caren brought a sense of calm and reassurance to entire process. I took birth prep classes, read numerous books, and listened to so many episodes of The Birth Hour. Even with all that preparation nothing was as valuable as having Carens emotional and physical support in the moment. My husband, as supportive as he is, was so concerned with how much pain I was in that he really benefited from having an experienced birth expert guide him on how best to help me and to keep him reassured that things were normal. I'm able to look back on my birth and feel proud and empowered. Thank you Caren! read more

Caren is so amazing! My husband and I were understandably nervous about the birth of our first child and had a hard time deciding whether or not to use a doula. I'm so glad that we chose to hire Caren because if we had not, our birth would have been so different. Caren was an amazing support to both of us throughout my pregnancy. I ended up having a 48+ hour induction and without her in the room, I don't know how my husband and I would have made it though to our baby's birth. Caren is calming, energetic, so wonderful, and really invested in every birth that she attends. Our little family loves her so much and I would recommend her to anyone looking for a doula. read more

We interviewed Caren at the end of October and before we could officially hire her a couple of weeks later, I was in labor 5 weeks early. I called her from the hospital and asked if she would assist. She was at a school function for her kids, but was going to see if she could make it or find a back up doula. She got back to me after she was able to find someone to cover for her and came to the hospital to help me through my labor. This just goes to show just how dedicated she is to her work and (potential) clients. During my labor, she suggested different positions, did counter-pressure massages, helped me get in the shower, and even gave my husband a break to eat something. Her attitude during my labor was helpful: she was very attentive, calm, confident and reassuring. She even was kind enough to take pictures during the delivery which we are so grateful to have and look back on. As a new parent, our postpartum visit was helpful just taking to her and picking her brain about this and that. There was something very reassuring and comforting about the visit. She is genuinely passionate about her job and you can tell just by talking to her. She is extremely helpful and resourceful enough that if she doesn't have an answer for you right away, she will reach out to her community to ensure she does get one for you. She's been great with communication like checking in every once in a while to ensure everything is okay. Caren is an amazing doula and I definitely recommend her. Her services were indispensable and my husband and I are externally grateful to have worked with her. read more

Caren has everything you are looking for in order to have a birth that will include great humor, the assertiveness you need when someone is looking out for your best interests, the tears of joy form a wonderful experience and a smile of knowing you chose the best person for the job. It only takes one meeting with her to feel her good energy and connect with her in order to know this is exactly what you need read more

I learned about Caren through my midwives at BAM and am so glad that I took her course Birthing with BAM and had her as my birth doula. The course helped to prepare me for labor and delivery and I learned exercises that I could do to make sure my baby was in the best position possible for a smooth delivery. She helped my husband and I fashion a birth plan and even when things did not go as planned for me (I had wanted to labor at home as long as possible yet when my water broke I did not have contractions and had to be augmented at the hospital) I felt safe in her hands and confident that no matter what she would help us make the best of the experience. She provided tremendous comfort and acted as an advocate for my husband and I when we were in the midst of active labor. I don't think I could have stayed as focused and present if it weren't for Caren's support. If anything as a first time mom during covid my fear was that I would be isolated at the hospital, instead I look back on my labor and delivery with gratitude and pride-I truly felt supported. I also enjoyed the fact that she did a post birth visit with us, it offered my husband and I a chance to reflect on our baby's first moments and gave me extra strength and peace of mind for those first few weeks at home when everything seems overwhelming. Just to have someone help remind you of the strength you had to deliver your baby and help you honor your body was something I treasure. read more

I used Caren as my birth photographer and she was a pleasure to work with. She was always easy to reach by text when we had a few false labor calls. At the hospital she was unobtrusive and captured the love of our family and the success of our birth. Beautiful shots we will treasure forever. Highly recommended! read more

Caren is simply amazing. It only took a couple of minutes for my wife and I to want Caren as our Doula after meeting her. She is full of knowledge and will put your interest first. It was only because of Caren I knew how to comfort my wife while she was in labor. When the big day came, she was nothing short of incredible. During the delivery, she took awesome photos and I would strongly encourage everyone to take advantage of her service. You won't realize how much you will want some professional pictures until it is to late. Caren also took some new born photos and they were simply awesome. I will always remember how reassuring it was to have Caren around on that big day. You can't go wrong with Caren. read more

Caren was incredible! We used Caren as our doula for the birth of our first baby. We weren't sure we wanted a doula, but now we don't know what we would have done without her. She went way out of her way to accommodate us. She even came to my house to help with labor, which was a great thing because my baby was born 1.5 hours after arriving at the hospital. She helped with great techniques for easing the pain and she listened so well. We have wonderful, tactful pictures thanks to Caren and she helped me even after baby was born as I was adjusting to breastfeeding and caring for my little one. I HIGHLY recommend her to anyone :) read more

I found Caren by attending a "Tea with Midwives" at El Camino Hospital in Los Gatos. As she introduced herself to the group, I could immediately see that she would be a great fit for us. She was kind, enthusiastic about birth, and I got this sense of genuineness that I was drawn to. I hesitated to contact her at first because I wasn't sure if I "needed" a doula since I had a midwife. Flash forward to my labor and delivery: I think I might have died without Caren. She was fantastic from the time she walked in my front door until the moment she finally got to go home (after being with me for about 14 straight hours). She always said the right thing at the right time. She made me feel comfortable and secure in a time when all I wanted to do was doubt myself and scream. Caren gave me so many tools to deal with the pain as I worked to have a natural birth. Her greatest tool was her encouraging words. She provided me comfort, reassurance, and what I can only describe as love despite only knowing each other for a short while. I felt empowered and safe. At the hospital, she continued to help me work through contractions. We walked the halls together and she continuously tended to me, bringing me water and snacks. When I reached a breaking point and decided to go ahead with the epidural, Caren gently reminded me of my goal of a natural birth and told me I could do it. I had become panicky and at that point, had my mind set on getting an epidural. Caren commended me for how hard I'd worked and helped relieve me of the guilt I felt about the epidural. It was perfect. I can't imagine feeling better about how things went. When things got a little scary during the delivery, Caren again made me feel empowered, safe, and secure. There is no more important a feeling than that when you are giving birth, especially for the first time. The prenatal and postpartum visits were also wonderful. Caren got along famously with my husband and I and we will hire her again when we have another baby! read more

I cannot speak highly enough of Caren and what a wonderful experience it was having her as our doula. We hired her because we were attracted to her warm personality, her open-mindedness, and her inspiring enthusiasm for being a doula. ("She sure loves birth!" my partner said more than once). Caren was always available for advice, and once she was on call for me, she checked in frequently to see how I was doing physically and emotionally, always offering tips and encouragement, seeming more like a loving, wise old friend than someone we'd hired. It was a wonderful reassurance to have her attention during this time. But it was during my labor and birth when Caren really made an impact on my life that I'll always be grateful for. She knows a lot, but what's so striking are her incredible natural instincts. She just knows what to do when, and she does it with love. My labor in the hospital was long and complicated, lasting 24 hours with a lot of that time spent in major pain due to back labor and a posterior baby. Caren was AMAZING. She arrived at the hospital at 2am just after we called (and stayed until after I gave birth, almost 24 hours later). Immediately she was a huge help, using massage, helping me find more comfortable positions (and positions that might turn the baby), encouraging me to get into the shower when it was time, holding me when I needed it, and helping me to focus on my breathing when things got really challenging. She worked as a team with my partner, including him every step of the way. Caren was essential in making this labor and birth a positive experience for me. She was warm and loving, capable and dedicated, and she also managed to bring humor into the room during the in-between spaces. She was an integral part of my birth support team, which also included my partner and my mom, and I know they're both grateful she was part of the team, too. I couldn't recommend her more highly. read more