We are beyond satisfied, grateful, and fortunate to have had Heather by our side during our first child's birth. She played a key role in us having an uncomplicated pregnancy and labor that allowed both a healthy mom and child. Heather provided plenty of information backed by research, technical material, tools, experience, emotional support, and physical support to me and my husband during my pregnancy, labor, postpartum, and baby care. She guided us along the way with a comprehensive and organized curriculum, plus additional resources that we could follow up on ourselves if we wanted additional support or to further research a topic. She made us aware of the possible options during the decision-making process and allowed us to make our own decisions. Heather is a warm, kind, organized, and professional doula that definitely made us more prepared for this new chapter in our lives. We would highly recommend her if you want to feel more supported, empowered, informed, and calm for a smoother newborn experience. read more

Heather Ward, Birth Doula- BirthLore - Happy parents of a healthy baby - Doulas Near Me

Heather is a gem who I found here on Yelp. She was the first doula I interviewed when I was about 5 months pregnant and once I met with her I immediately knew I didn't need to interview anyone else. Heather is very knowledgable, genuine, and kind. She helped my husband and I ease our worries about what to expect during the whole journey and most of all helped us feel empowered and informed to make the best decisions that were right for us. She has solid resources that really helped us learn so much more about the process of pregnancy and preparing for labor. I also really appreciated her guidance on what to expect when communicating with doctors and how to navigate certain topics in order to make better decisions. I ended up going all the way to 42 weeks and Heather was amazing at helping me take it moment by moment, evaluating as we went along to still make the best decisions that felt right to us. When labor finally got going, she was wonderful at helping me feel more grounded and confident as well as being a valuable teammate with my husband. When I had moments of feeling like I wasn't sure if I could keep going, she knew exactly what I needed to help me find strength again. I was able to deliver my baby naturally the way I had wished for and can't thank her enough for her support. I also can't thank her enough for helping me to avoid an episiotomy from the delivering doctor, she's a rockstar of a doula! I highly recommend Heather, she is definitely the person you want advocating for you and on your team through pregnancy, labor and delivery. read more

Heather Ward, Birth Doula- BirthLore - Doulas Near Me

Heather is truly amazing! Our baby was born 2 weeks ago. We had a successful, unmedicated VBAC (vaginal birth after Cesarean) that we hoped for. I cannot imagine how I would have coped with this pregnancy, labor/delivery without Heather. Having her as our birth doula was one of the best decisions we made. We met Heather in the second trimeter and knew right away she'd be great for us. Even before we hired Heather, she was proactive in asking us insightful questions to understand my situation. Once she got a fair idea, she sent us helpful articles, information and references that we could use. She was very professional yet personal, which made us hire her, and she was gracious enough to accept us. Heather's coursework on pregnancy, labor and deliver, postpartum and child care is based on holistic approach using western medicine along with non-medical interventions, natural techniques and alternative medicine, all supported by rigorous studies. Every time I had a question, she is very quick to respond. All her tips, resources and advice has worked wonders for me from pregnancy, labor/deliver to now postpartum. On Heather's advice, we switched to a medical provider who was more supportive of our VBAC wishes. On the day of birth, Heather was on call with us during early labor which started around 2 am and kept sending us tips to deal with pain and contractions until she could arrive. Upon arrival she provided constant support, massage and a sense of calm/control which helped me progress. When we checked into the hospital, we were pretty far along(9.5 cms) without any pain medication. At the hospital, she was proactive in providing comfort and also advocated different positions for pushing, including the birthing stool that she had brought with her. She was also explaining various steps taken by the nurses and doctors, along with reasons why it might/might not help. Heather helped us through the various decision-making process, making sure that we were informed and comfortable with our choices. As evidence suggests, having a doula reduces medical interventions to a great extent and improves the chances of vaginal birth. Heather is a great doula, and you cannot go wrong by choosing her. read more

I have been looking forward to writing this review for several months. Working with Heather is one of the best decisions I've ever made and I would recommend her to everyone. At first I thought the role of a doula was to be at the birth and assist the mother through labor and delivery. While labor and delivery are important, Heather's greatest value was supporting me throughout my pregnancy. As first time parents, there were so many things we didn't know and even more that we didn't know to ask. I was so lucky to have Heather by my side while I was pregnant. There are so many nuanced things I learned from her that I didn't get in any of the child prep classes I took. If you are early in your pregnancy, I would strongly recommend hiring Heather as early as possible because she will start adding value right away. Thanks to Heather I ended up having a super easy labor and delivery. Her preparation helped ease all my pre-labor anxiety and allowed me to have a beautiful birth. I cannot overstate the value of walking into the hospital without fear. (Side note: I delivered during Covid, so she was not allowed in the hospital with us). Heather is supportive of all birthing styles and presents information in a way that empowers mothers to decide what is right for them. In addition to labor support, she holds discussion groups, hosts classes and has developed a comprehensive pre-birth curriculum. Congratulations and I hope you have a fantastic delivery! read more

Heather was recommended to us by a friend who believed we would really like her and her approach to birth prep; after interviewing a few doulas, we're so glad we took our friend's advice! Heather offers clients a vast amount of resources to learn from, worksheets to guide birthing parents, monthly meetings to fellowship and discuss pregnancy with other pregnant folks, and a supportive demeanor throughout. Personal meetings with Heather herself are all incredibly nurturing and worthwhile; it was so much more than just preparing for the singular day of birth. If you like structure, organization, helpful to do lists, and curated educational resources, Heather is the doula for you. Heather's poise and intuition in labor cannot be overstated. She's helped with hundreds of births for almost two decades and it's evident. Our birth ended up being a wild ride and accidentally occurred at home instead of at our hospital. Because of the careful preparation Heather offered before our birth, her calming and attentive demeanor, and her exquisite ability to think on her toes and adjust quickly, we were well-prepared to roll with the punches for the wholly unpredictable series of events that ultimately played out for our birthing story. Within an hour, Heather arrived, quickly assessed that we would be having the baby for an unplanned home birth, and calmly directed us what to do, all while making sure to ask for consent and permission. She then helped us navigate EMTs and hospital admittance after the birth. Heather is especially helpful around issues of consent, respect for gender fluidity and familiarity with queerness, and of course client advocacy. She uses research to support her vast resources and also caters her responses to the client, rather than repeating scripts that generalize pregnant people's experience. We are so thankful, and honored, that Heather helped usher our little one into this world! read more

Heather Ward, Birth Doula- BirthLore - Doulas Near Me

I have no words to describe how Awesome Awesome and Awesome Heather is. Without her I wouldn't have been able to go through my labor. I still remember when I first told her that I want an unmediated birth since I want to take it all in.. experience this journey completely - she told me "If that is what you want, I will make sure that happens." Bang on!! I had a less than 4 hours of labor and Heather's techniques , her presence, her words, her attitude were the ones which made my labour something that I will always be happy about. I did it. Thanks to Heather. I love you Heather! read more

We worked with Heather for the birth of my daughter (2nd child) in Dec 2022. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of working with her and felt she helped me to create the birth I was looking for with my 2nd child. From the very first call, before we even decided to work with her, she was attentive, caring, and knowledgeable. She listened to my needs and gently made suggestions to help me achieve the goals I was looking for. I was impressed with every recommendation she suggested and it came together to create my ideal birth and pregnancy. She was wonderful to have as a part of my labor and delivery experience and helped me and my husband feel supported throughout the pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. I would not hesitate to work with her again if we are blessed with more children. read more

Upfront I liked that she provided videos and resources to review and she has a thorough workbook in preparation for the birth. I was also looking for someone who would support my choices, and she understood and accepted my birth plan, including my plan to likely get an epidural. I appreciated the tips for early labor, esp. the use of the yoga ball and the 10s machine. Finally she helped me w positioning during the final pushing which likely led to less tearing. What I didn't like was when I asked her to come to the hospital during labor she resisted, thinking it was too early and I couldn't be that far along. I know my pain tolerance and knew I needed her at that time. She did come once she found out how dilated I was but I wish she had trusted my instincts on it. To her credit, she apologized. But after the apology when I reacted emotionally she suggested I had "baby blues" which seemed dismissive. The other (more minor complaint) is she doesn't send out any reminders for her webinars. I really didn't like that she put that time management burden on her clients, when she was the professional. I don't regret hiring her, mostly because the 10s machine really helped w managing the pain in early labor and the positions she coached me through I think helped reduce tearing. But there were some disappointments along the way. read more

We were very lucky to have Heather help with the births of our two sons. Our first was at a hospital and the second was at home so we've seen Heather adapt to different situations with grace. In supporting my wife it was incredibly helpful to be able to ask for help or even just follow Heather's cues for what to do. Heather was hyper focused on my wife's needs - so much so that it made me more focused and in the moment. She would provide context whenever we had to made a choice, but she never pushed my wife into a decision. I was going to write a thank you note to Heather but decided to post a review instead. So if you're reading this Heather, THANK YOU!!! read more

Working with Heather was one of the biggest blessings of my pregnancy. I am so glad I found her and cannot imagine my labor going the way it did without her rock solid support and guidance. My husband and I were first time parents and the resources, training and recommendations she gave us truly helped us make informed decisions and not panic when thrown into unexpected twists in the pregnancy. Coming from a culture where we blindly trust our doctors, it was eye opening to know that the safe birth of my child could go according to MY preferences and not medical obligations. All this while still being practical and keeping the safety of the baby at utmost priority. Heather is genuine, kind, considerate and very very good at what she does. What I loved most about her was how organized and methodical she was about every detail from the get go. Just being around her makes you feel reassured and calm which helped so much during labor. Her techniques are personalized to each client based on what they are comfortable with and I found them really effective. HIGHLY recommend her to anyone looking for a positive birth experience. read more

The birth of my baby was very smooth, positive, thoughtful and nice thanks to Heather. She guided me through the whole process before delivery, during delivery and even after it by giving a lot of useful recommendations on how to take care of my baby. My first baby I delivered in another country with a doula and I knew that this time with my second baby I would also hire a doula, because I wanted to deliver naturally and was aware of all the benefits of natural birth for a baby and a woman. With my first baby I had to use epidural, but with my second one I really wanted to deliver without taking any medications. I found Heather through Yelp and chose her after having interviews with a few other people. With Heather during the delivery from start to end I felt supported as she was always near me directing and helping me on the coping tools and techniques which she appropriately suggested at each point based on her huge experience. From time to time I was feeling that I could not do it, but she always knew what to say and do to make me feel comfortable and confident. Thanks to her I delivered my baby absolutely naturally without any interventions and that was such a great moment. Such people as Heather help women to use their hidden resources and I would recommend her without any doubt. read more

Heather came to our home for a 4-hour birth class prior to the birth of our second child. Our goal was to have a VBAC in a hospital and Heather was so helpful it helping us understand how we could boost our chances of a VBAC and manage the pain and medical decision-making of labor and delivery (we did end up having a successful VBAC). Most importantly for me, Heather was supportive of whichever delivery plan I had. She supported my plan for an epidural and did not push any agenda to go all natural or to have a home birth. She was both incredibly knowledgeable and very warm and down-to-earth. I highly recommend her! read more

Heather has a great technique at caring for mothers and getting them to discover and become aware of their comforts and discomforts, strengths and weaknesses, communication styles, both verbal and physical, to streamline the birth experience long before labor begins. Having this understanding laid out prior to the big day makes the unpredictable and sometimes chaotic moments of birth all the more surmountable. She was recommended by a friend who had great experiences having her on board for her two births and we did too. Highly recommended. read more

Heather is just an incredible person! We feel so incredibly lucky that she was available when we were looking for a doula. From the very first conversation, she helped us feel at ease. This was our first baby, so we came knowing nothing. As part of her service, Heather shares in-depth coursework giving parents all the information they need about pregnancy, birth, and baby care. The course is broken into weekly segments, so we got all of the knowledge that we needed, exactly when we needed it during pregnancy. With Heather's guidance, we felt empowered to have the type of birth that we wanted to have. She helped us to feel confident about our decisions, and prepared. On the day of my baby's birth, Heather was incredibly calming, and encouraged me throughout the day. She constantly helped me find new positions to try and she kept me motivated. She was able to see two steps ahead and was able to anticipate what I needed, when I needed it. It was a long, long day, and looking back I'm just so amazed at the endless supply of energy that Heather has! After our baby was born, we made the excellent decision to hire Heather for her postpartum package. She helped get us through the first couple of weeks with gentle care, guidance, and food. read more

We sought Heather's help for our second baby. Even though this was our second pregnancy, we learnt lot of new things from Heather. Our pregnancy was a healthy one, thanks to the food choices we made due to Heather's suggestion. I am a big fan of her systematic approach to the entire process of pregnancy, labor and delivery. She clearly indicates the TODOs for each and every week of the pregnancy. Loved the plethora of information we had access to because of her. During our second prenatal visit, she taught us a variety of pain management techniques and provided us with her doula kit which I would call a treasure. Thanks to her, I was able to cope up without pain medications up-to 7 cm dilation and delivered my son vaginally without any issues. During our labor due to covid restrictions, the hospital did not allow any support person other than the spouse. But that did not stop Heather from participating in our labor experience. She was constantly in touch with my husband giving him directions on how to proceed every few hours. Heather is also very proactive in laying out our options and at the same time is a very good listener. In our post natal visit she taught us very useful baby care tips. We are very happy to have picked her as our Doula. I only wish I had met her sooner for my first pregnancy. She brings a new positive, informative and a warm vibe to the pregnancy and that is exactly what we had wanted. Definitely recommend her to anyone looking to enjoy the process of giving birth. Thank you Heather! read more

I would give her a million stars! We found Heather through a Facebook mommy group,she was highly recommended by another mommy. So happy we found her! After having an awful experience giving birth to my first child. We decided to get a doula for our second child. It was a goal of me to give birth naturally, no drugs, no narcotics, no interventions. I had all of the above and more with my first and had horrible side effects. Heather made my natural birth goal a reality. Her knowledge and passion made my whole experience magical. I could have not done it without her. I felt safe, calm, empowered having her by my side. My husband also felt confident and more relaxed in her presence. I had the birth I dreamed of and felt amazing afterwards. There are no words that could express how grateful we are to had Heather with us. She is an incredible doula and amazing woman. read more

I am extremely grateful to Heather. My wife and I hired Heather to support us during pregnancy and birth. We were immediately impressed with her warmth and deep knowledge. Heather gave us lots of material on childbirth and healthy pregnancy, and was always available to answer questions as they came up. She helped us prepare our birth plan and had a key role in being able to execute it. When the time arrived, Heather came over to our home and supported my wife and me (the birth partner) through early labor. She had tons of coping techniques and tips for partners. When we went to the hospital, Heather was right there helping us in all the important decisions. We had a much better experience overall thanks to her. We also met Heather for two postpartum meetings, in which she gave us valuable information for baby care and recovery. I would strongly recommend Heather to anyone in need of support in childbirth. read more

I can't say enough positive things about Heather! From the very beginning of my pregnancy her support and education was invaluable. Her compassion, kindness, skill, and knowledge are unparalleled and made us feel much more confident as first time parents. Heather was amazing at providing and empowering us with information to make informed decisions not only about pregnancy but also my labor preferences. All thanks to Heather I ended up having an amazingly positive unmedicated birth experience. Her presence at the hospital gave me not only confidence but also sense of calm the entire way through. She somehow made my 24 hour labor pass by quickly. Her support after birth with breastfeeding and baby care was also invaluable. I feel so lucky and grateful to have found her and can not recommend her enough. I love her very dearly and cant stress enough the positive impact she has had on my first childbirth experience. I look forward to having her by my side at all future births :) read more

We were late in our search for a doula and was super lucky to find Heather. Not only does she provide ample resources regarding child birth, infant care and postpartum, she is super supportive of any birth choices we make and helped us make informed decisions. We were extremely glad that she was there for us during the entire process and would not hesitate to ask her to join us if we have a second child! read more

Heather was my doula and supported the birth of my two daughters - my first 8 years ago, and my second two weeks ago. I've always wanted to deliver my babies naturally with as little medical intervention as possible. I was able to achieve this with Heather's emotional support. In the very beginning with my first pregnancy, I knew I wanted to deliver naturally without an epidural given the potential side effects on me and the baby. I've also read that an epidural can prolong labor and make the pushes less effective when you're being directed to push versus allowing your body to do its work. I must say given the intensity of my contractions especially with my first not knowing what to expect, I'd probably have long given in for an epidural, but glad I was able to pull through without one. Heather guided me with pain management techniques that allowed me to cope with the pain effectively. I was also able to push more effectively following her techniques that made labor seemingly easier than what most of my friends experienced. My labor was less than 10 hours with my first born and she was out in 4 pushes. The second time around given the positive experience I had with Heather first time, I was able to deliver my baby naturally and again without an epidural. Laboring time was less than 4 hours and she was out in 6 pushes. I highly recommend Heather if you're looking for a birth advocate to help you achieve your goals in your birth plan. read more

My husband and I hired Heather in 2016 and again in 2019 for the birth of both of our children. We found Heather through Yelp, and after much research, we interviewed Heather and clicked with her right away. Heather is warm, professional, reliable and responsible. I would always receive prompt responses via email, text or phone call anytime I needed her throughout my pregnancy and after the birth. She has a vast amount of experience and knowledge about pregnancy, birth, healthy eating, pre and post partum care for mom, baby care, breast feeding, milk supply, pumping, etc. We felt very prepared going into the birth. For both labors, Heather was our rock. She empowered us to make educated decisions throughout our time at the hospital. When I labored, she remained calm and provided physical, mental and emotional support. When I felt frustrated (like I'd hit a wall and could not go further), Heather lifted me up and her guidance and strength carried me through. At critical moments (like when the baby was not in the right position but I was in extreme pain), Heather used various techniques (inversions, lunges, etc.) to help the baby descend and progress my labor. She also supported my husband through stressful times so that he could help me through labor. I could not imagine my births without Heather by my side. If you are debating whether or not to get a doula, I would 100% recommend one and I would 1000% recommend Heather. Hiring Heather was the best decision we made - for both births hands down. read more

We hired Heather as a doula relatively early on in my pregnancy, and it was one of the best decisions we've ever made! From the beginning, Heather was highly knowledgeable, supportive of our bumbling birth preferences, and a really reassuring presence throughout the whole pregnancy. She spent lots of time educating us on pregnancy best practices (diet, exercises, etc) and providing us with super useful educational resources, and was always really responsive to my questions via email/text. Where Heather really shines was the birth itself! I had what I overall consider was a smooth and positive birth, and I credit Heather highly for it. Not only was she fantastic from a mental perspective, her practical experience was invaluable (when we learned that my baby was posterior, for example, she was able to correct things with a simple position change!). All in all, I am so glad we hired Heather. I'd highly recommend her to anyone in the Bay Area who's pregnant! read more

We just started Childbirth Prep Classes with Heather. She is so organized and welcoming and really good at balancing class interaction with instruction. I related really well to her theories and examples. It's hard to know what you are getting into without having met her, now that I took the first class, I wish I had signed up for all three of her classes. My husband enjoyed the class too and felt it was really useful. I think her personality and style would appeal to a lot of different types of people. She presents a lot of good information but also seems to apply it realistically. I am so happy that I found her on yelp and was able to get into her classes. The seating is comfortable chairs, you can wear a dress on the first day but comfy clothes afterwards. There is more than one restroom and plenty of parking. For getting there, don't forget the "S" on the address or you will circle Apple for a while before realizing your mistake. read more

We had our first child - born naturally thanks to Heather. She is incredible. The amount of work / determination/patience and resilience required to birth a child naturally is very well understood by Heather and I am glad that she guided us through to the end on the birth of my first child. read more

We found Heather via Yelp and she was our doula as well as our postpartum doula. Throughout my pregnancy, Heather was fantastic at supporting us as first time parents! She's very well organized, on time, and resourceful! She's been a great addition to our support system when our baby girl was born. She taught us about newborn care and we learned so much from her! I'm also very grateful that Heather willing to help me with belly binding as part of my confinement process. Thanks Heather for helping us navigating parenthood! read more

My wife and I hired Heather as our Doula for the birth of our first child, who was delivered in March. My wife had decided she wanted to attempt a natural birth without pain medication or epidural, so we decided hiring additional help would definitely increase the odds of achieving that outcome. We talked to 5 doulas, interviewed 3, and ultimately decided to move forward with Heather. From the very first meeting/introduction, we knew Heather would be our choice. Her overwhelming warmth, friendliness, confidence, and positive spirit drew us towards her. She was also very accommodating/flexible even in the early conversation stage to changing meeting times and locations as both my wife and I schedules were a bit hectic at the time. Once we decided to move forward with Heather she laid out a clear plan and had started sending us material to review and study. The amount of time any couple invests here is up to them but we spent over 20 hours reviewing materials she sent as well as follow up studies to other original sources she shared. The entire preparation process with Heather put us in such a better frame of mind and comfortability on what to expect as we moved forward. (We also took a handful of classes at Stanford, which we also had to pay for, and they came no where close to as helpful as our prep with Heather). Her pre-labor preparation and time spent with us was extremely valuable. Fast forward to labor: Contractions started fairly separated, and Heather was immediately (as always) accessible and on call. The more intense labor began later that evening and got more intense as the late night/early morning came around. Heather was in contact the entire time and came over to our house to coach us through it. We went to the hospital around 5am and Heather came as well. The overall labor lasted around 30 hours, and Heather was along for the journey every step of the way. My wife was successful in achieving her natural, no pain med, no epidural goal/dream and we could not have done it without the help of Heather. My wife couldn't be happier with her decision, and has such a sense of confidence and accomplishment that makes us both proud. We liken Heather's role in the entire process to that of a quarterback. Throughout the entire labor/birthing process she was managing the positions, strategies, putting everyone in my wife's support group (myself included) to work with different pain management tasks and techniques, helping my wife move and manage the pain as best she could. She was an amazing interface between us and the doctors (who were also amazing - LPCH) as well, helping us make decisions, explaining options, etc... Overall, we can't thank Heather enough. We don't think we could have made it through the entire labor process without pain meds without her, and we're so thankful for the entire experience we had working with her. We'll never forget the birth of our son, and while it was a long 30+ hours, it was the most amazing and rewarding experience of either of our lives, and Heather played a major role in that. Thank you Heather! read more

Heather was our doula for the birth of our son in June. She was and is wonderful!! She was incredibly organized and helpful. I loved that she laid out her terms very clearly on her website and all of her educational materials were very enlightening. I took all the free classes I could from Kaiser and her materials were still very helpful. For the delivery she was calm and confident. The massages, her coaching, and helping my husband be a great support was all very valuable. With her support, I was able to deliver my first child without pain medication. I wouldn't change anything about our experience with her. If you are considering hiring a doula, hire her!! read more

Heather provided a series of two private lessons for us. Of all the things we've spent money on in preparation for birth, Heather's service has by far been our best investment. Her childbirth preparation material really helped us understand what to expect and how to prepare for our upcoming delivery. She was on time, patient, engaging, and to the point. As you consider options for you and your loved one, know that Heather's depth of experience and method of delivery are outstanding! read more

Heather is beyond amazing! Our baby was born one week ago. Without Heather as our doula, I am sure that we would not have been able to have the birth experience we wanted. We were able to have the successful, unmedicated hospital VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) that we had hoped and prayed for. Having Heather as our doula was one of the best decisions, if not THE best decision, my husband and I made for our birth! I have no hesitation highly recommending Heather as a doula. My husband and I met her early in my second trimester and knew right away that she'd be great for us. She is truly an expert in all things related to birth, health, baby, pregnancy, postpartum and much more. Every time I had a question, she was very quick to respond. Heather is professional yet very warm and easy going. All her tips, advice, resources work wonders for me...from the pregnancy through the labor/delivery and now postpartum. I can't imagine how my pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum would have been/would be without her. She has been a true blessing to us and we are ever grateful. When we have our next, God willing, we want Heather to be our doula again... without a doubt. read more

If you are looking for an amazing doula hire Heather! I had a great pregnancy and an even better birth and I owe a big part of that to Heather. My husband and I weren't sure if we were even going to hire a doula but after doing some research we decided it would be a great option. Heather is so calm, friendly and has extensive experience. She gave us so much great information during my pregnancy about having a great pregnancy, labor/delivery and postpartum. My labor ended up being long and heather was there right when I needed her. She helped me through my long labor and my amazing delivery. I really don't think I would of had the same great experience without her. read more

In response to Heather's comments: #2. We did tell this live. Heather visited us ~10 days after the baby was born and gave us a momento with our baby name and birth date. #3. Heather visited our home by herself and said she had taken off for a few days on physio and was doing better now. She collected her equipment and the money. No reference to surgery within those 10 days. #4. Heather did not give us any options on the back up Doula. She said take it or leave it. I am one of those "every single client". #5. I signed up with you because of your star reviews. But you failed me. I would appreciate if you acknowledge that you did fail a few of us in our hour of need. read more

We hired Heather as a Postpartum doula to help us navigate our first child as we had no help at the time. Heather was absolutely wonderful, she helped us learn everything about how to handle our daughter, gave us a whole lot of confidence as first time parents and helped us navigate a tough initial few days as she had jaundice and was losing weight. It was really nice having Heather's expertise in those times and I would totally recommend her. She also helped us out with household chores while we managed some sleep as she watched the baby. Would highly recommend her if you're thinking of getting a postpartum doula, she also does offer services as a birth doula. read more

Heather, and her childbirth prep class, are amazing! We're so grateful we found her. I came across her website while looking for non-hospital based classes, and was immediately impressed with how information rich her site is. I have to say I was skeptical when I saw that she had all 5-star Yelp reviews because I'd never before seen a business with ALL 5-star reviews, but after taking her class, I can totally understand why. Heather is a really effective instructor with a deep knowledge of the info she's covering. While we're aiming for a natural labor, I wanted to learn about what the common medical options might be in case those come up, and really appreciated that Heather offered well-rounded info. As first time parents-to-be, we felt like we got a solid overview of: --the labor process from beginning to end --a wide array of techniques we can use to support a natural labor --an assortment of medical interventions and when they might be useful --questions to ask your doctor/hospital/other members of your care team Also, her class is an amazing value. Here's the cost breakdown of the other childbirth prep classes we looked into (as of Feb 2014) along with Heather's: --El Camino Hospital in Mountain View; $145 for 4 hours of instruction = roughly $36/hour --Blossom Birth in Palo Alto; $295 for 12 hours = $25/hour --Lucille Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford; $190 for 8 hours = $24/hour --Heather's class; $200 for 13.5 hours = $15/hour Her class really gave us the foundation to learn more about the things that we felt were most important in the months following the class. Our baby has yet to arrive, but I really feel like what we learned in her class will be instrumental when labor starts. Beyond all that, we found Heather to be warm, patient, and extremely generous with her time. We had planned to hire her for some private consulting as well but ran out of time before our due date--though we'll definitely call on her if we need help in the future. Many thanks, Heather! read more

Heather was invaluable to have before, during, and after the birth of our daughter. I got referred to Heather and I'm certain she is the reason my labor went as smooth as it did. She really knows her stuff and gets to the key points right away so no wasting time or beating about the bush. We also really like her science based/backed knowledge, so I can trust that whatever she suggested is proven to work. She is also super experienced and will teach you so you can make your own informed decisions which she will help to advocate. She is firm but not pushy. This was my first baby and I was very much wanting a vaginal delivery, she helped to make sure I don't go to the hospital too early and she has techniques to move my labor along. I also have a history of passing out from pain, so was really scared it might happen during contractions. She helped me with multiple pain management techniques. Also really appreciate her awareness, care, and speaking up for me when I was too focused on labor. For example, I hadn't peed even after two bags of IV so she noticed and alerted the nurses that this was a risk. I wouldn't even have noticed this is it wasn't for Heather. This was very important since the uterus sits on the bladder so a full bladder can get in the way of baby moving down. After birth, she gave me many crucial tips. She helped me clear a plugged duct within a day. And continue to give me tips and advice. I cannot imagine having gone through labor without her and cannot imagine my next birth without her either. She has a lot of tricks in her bag and they work! read more

We took childbirth preparation series with Heather as well as Baby Prep class at Blossom Birth with Heather and they were both outstanding. I learn much better in a class environment rather than doing research on my own and Heather is wonderful. Not only she provides comprehensive information during the class but he also has enormous amount of information available on her website that you can refer to after the class. I went into the childbirth prep series with minimal knowledge of what is going to happen and being pretty freaked out by the idea of labor to be honest but now I am actually looking forward to it! I have friends who had completely different experiences with childbirth classes and left scared rather than excited about giving birth, so I couldn't be happier. Heather's approach is very informative and empowering - if you believe that women are meant to give birth, she is the right instructor for you. I had a similar experience with baby prep - after 4 hours packed with information I feel that I know the basics. Still a lot to figure out about specific types of blankets, etc but I'm pretty sure I'd manage if I were to bring a baby home tomorrow. My husband, who tends to be skeptical about advanced preparation for something "this natural" also thoroughly enjoyed both classes and now he just cannot wait to practice his new baby care skills on the actual baby. read more

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Heather as a birth doula. Heather attended the recent birth of our first child. As first-time parents, we benefited tremendously from Heather's training and recommendations before the birth. She assisted us in exploring our beliefs and elicited our preferences, then supported us in putting together a birth plan. Considering the current Covid-19 pandemic, it was really important for us to labor at home as long as safely possible before going to the hospital. Heather's timing was perfect and our daughter was born healthy less than 2 hours later. Although she was unable to attend in person at the hospital due to Covid-19 restrictions, she did everything possible to be present via phone and advocate for our birth plan preferences with my healthcare team. Without her help and guidance, we wouldn't have had the confidence to labor at home as long as we did and may not have had the beautiful birth experience we had. read more

Originally, I had planned to take a birthing class through the hospital. But later on I learned from talking to doula's that those courses aren't even allowed to talk about certain topics (perhaps the hospital has liability issues or something). One doula highly recommended Heather's class instead. We took her birthing class and had such a great time that we signed up for her breastfeeding and baby care class. I highly recommend her classes since they are informative and very comprehensive. Especially if you are interested in having a natural birth, she can provide you with some great perspective from her experience as a doula. Not only that, but Heather makes time to answer all your questions with her wealth of knowledge. Even after the classes, I would email her about questions and she always responded promptly. Her website is also a great resource for anyone who just wants to get more information on various topics. read more

My hubby and I took Heather 's childbirth prep course which was great. Lots of information, plus she makes it interesting with hands on techniques and practice. My favorite part was the actual practice sessions where our partners were made to massage us, rub our backs and necks, and look lovingly into our eyes! Heather has such a calm, caring presence about her; she gives you lots of tips and up-to-date statistics. She really knows her stuff, but at the same time seems very open to learning new things. I highly recommend her childbirth prep series. read more

My husband and I had our first child in June, and we hired Heather in March to help coach us through pregnancy, labor & delivery, and the first weeks postpartum. She was wonderful every step of the way, and we can't imagine having gone through it without her. During our prenatal meetings, Heather focused on (1) educating us and equipping us with tons of great resources and knowledge, and (2) getting to know us and understanding our preferences. We learned about how to have a healthy pregnancy (diet, exercise, mindfulness, etc.), and we also learned a ton about the birthing process, which helped us better know what to expect. She took the time to deeply understand our preferences not only logistically (what interventions am I ok with) but also on a personal level (what kinds of things comfort and relax me). I had a really long, tough labor (nearly 60 hours!), and Heather was absolutely invaluable during that time. As things started to intensify, Heather joined us in our home, and this is where her years of experience really came into play. She guided us through different exercises and pain coping techniques, and I could feel that things really started to progress during that time. When we checked into the hospital we were pretty far along, but, unbeknownst to us at the time, we would still have many more hours of laboring ahead of us. There were moments of serious doubt and frustration from me, but Heather was incredibly comforting, and I loved how she teamed up with my husband, who she knew would be the best person to console me and lift my spirits. There were a couple of difficult decisions that we had to make (e.g. artificially breaking my bag of waters, which I hadn't planned on). Heather was so real and honest, and she helped walk us through that decision-making process, making sure that we were informed and comfortable with our choices. In the weeks after the birth, Heather came by our house to check on us and the baby a few times. It's clear that she cares deeply about her clients and setting them on the right track. She asked about my physical recovery and mental health, and she gave me good resources. She also sat through a nursing session, giving me some valuable tips to improve the latch. I had nipple pain/soreness in the first week, but after her improvements, it completely went away! Long story short - hire Heather, it was the best decision we made. read more

We took all the classes from Heather (birthing class, childcare, breastfeeding) and they were all great. In particular, the birthing class is a must and very useful to help prepare for labor. Being a first time mom, delivering a child was a scary thought especially since we wanted to do it as naturally as possible. Heather's birthing class was all about getting ready and being prepared on what to expect!! We enjoyed the class so much that we were lucky enough to get her as our doula. As a doula, she is very knowledgeable and resourceful. She provides you with facts and researches on just about anything and everything you may have questions on. Most importantly, she does not force her opinions and respects decisions that you make and help you to carry them through. I definitely would not have been able to deliver our baby naturally without her support!! I would not hesitate to use her again when we have our 2nd baby... read more