I didn't even know what a night doula was until I was probably a month or so away from giving birth. I was so incredibly grateful for Helping Hands and Sharon fitting us into their schedule. As a first time mom new to Toronto I had zero support. I was so grateful for Sharon's care of our daughter and guidance for me as a new mother. She showed me how to use my breast pump, ways to help feed a bottle, burping and baby wrapping methods. She made me feel at ease and helped me get some rest in those early nights. Something I didn't think I could do anything about. I highly highly recommend considering a night doula if it's in your budget. It gave us peace of mind and we would definitely hire again for another child. read more

We had a WONDERFUL virtual/in person experience with Kristi and Jabir. Due to the pandemic, when we hired them we went for the virtual package pre and post natal. We had a really informative and helpful one on one zoom call about 1.5 months prior to my due date, but they were answering my questions in our group WhatsApp chat from the moment I signed up! They always responded so promptly, and put our minds at ease. I had a c-section scheduled, but went into labour two days before! So Kristi was able to help guide me through the symptoms and contractions and advise us when we should head to the hospital. After we came home, we utilized them a LOT for all our baby questions from sleep patterns, rashes, breastfeeding, anything! We upgraded to have our lactation specialist come into the home and help us - 100% worth it and we still refer back to what we learned with her. Kristi is well versed in breastfeeding techniques, so helped us keep up with things - and when our baby cried straight for two days, was able to advise us over a call that the baby might still be hungry and need top ups, and solved our crying baby! We used our last session for an in person visit with Kristi, so she could meet our baby (lower risk times) and still she helped us with gas issues/ideas to help baby, etc. I cannot recommend this service enough! I'm a first time Mom, and having them in my corner was the best thing I did for myself and my family. Do not hesitate to hire them - even virtually - because they really do go above and beyond and it's a wonderful experience. read more

When my fiancé and I were pregnant, we were unsure if we wanted to get a doula. It was our first child and we were not sure if this was a service that we needed and if it was worth the money. By the time we decided to take a look and reached out to Helping Hands, I was already 36 weeks in. Right from the get go, Kristi put us at ease and answered all our questions and skepticism. She linked us up with Fiona and Nikole and I must say, this was the best money we spent on the whole pregnancy. Fiona and Nikole were amazingly knowledgeable and helped us gain confidence in the upcoming labour. I decided to go all natural with no pain medicine and to top it off, my baby was backwards. During my labour, Fiona took me and my fiancé through many techniques and positions that naturally turned her around and successfully got us through the whole labour. Without Helping Hands, I can positively say that my labour would not have turned out the same way. The professionalism and knowledge that they have imparted on my fiancé and I was priceless and I highly recommend this company. We love Helping Hands!!! read more

I have never been more thankful for a service in my entire life! I cannot recommend Helping Hands enough! Birth can take unexpected and dramatic turns and you never know how lost you can feel. You have never experienced the meaning of the word "support" until you have had a doula at your birth. While Medical terms are being tossed around leaving you wondering what is going on, having a doula there means you have someone that understands what is happening and is able to explain things to you calmly in words you understand, hold your hand and look you in the eye and whose concern is about you, your emotions and keeping you in the know when everyone else's focus is on what is happening waist down. For a first time mom I had a lot of questions. The 2 prenatal visits were very informative, more so than even my hypnobirthing classes! Jessica and Kristi gave me a true understanding of what my body would be doing during labor and birth. They gave me advice on what to eat, vitamins to take and what positions to practice for optimal baby position and body health! (Some important things that not even my midwife told me!). For my birth, I was so thankful for Jessica. My labour came on quick when I was at home during a snow storm and Jessica, while on her way over, was coaching my husband and myself over the phone telling him what he needed to do (call ambulances midwives, what position to put me in....). My birth at the hospital was quite dramatic and the midwives concerns were more about what was happening waist down with my body and baby...its surprising how many people are around for you birth and yet without Jessica, my husband and I would have felt very alone. Jessica held my hand, explained to me what was happening and kept me focused, balanced and in the present. She was there for me in a way that I never dreamt I would need. Without her I would have felt extremely lost. She helped my baby latch for his first feed within minutes of him being born (as a new mom I had no idea what to do!) And was there to support my husband when I had to be taken to the O.R. For hubby, he didn't have to be nervous and alone with a newborn that he didn't yet know how to care for because our doula was there to support them. When my family was welcomed in to visit, Jessica helped answer their questions (giving hubby a break) and added a calming presence to all the events. In our 2 post pardem visits we took advantage of our doulas as if they were Google and they taught us different baby calming techniques, swaddling, baby massage, how to dress baby, checked to make sure I had a good breast feeding latch...the list goes on. Post pardem I was not prepared for how much my body would ache after giving birth! I was so thankful that Kristi was a registered massage therapist that would do in home visits! I took advantage of her skills on a weekly basis! Having one of these veteran and knowledgable doula's for your pregnancy and birth is an investment in one of the most important events of your life! I never knew how much we would need the services of a doula. We are forever grateful for Jessica and Kristi. Thank you so much!! read more

How our doulas helped us: During pregnancy. I pride myself on being a research queen--I have a doctoral degree (an academic degree, like Ross Gellar) and love to read and learn about new things. However, being pregnant was unlike anything I could have prepared for. The physical and emotional changes mixed with the "am I doing this right?" and "should I be doing this?" were a lot to handle. My doulas took all of that stress away. As soon as we hired them, they offered us a private chat group where we could ask any question that we could possibly think of. It took so much weight off of our shoulders--with one quick line of text that was easier than a Google search, we would get a thoughtful, well-researched response. We felt like our doulas knew everything. They were fair, unbiased, to-the-point and kind, always. They also came for two in-person prenatal sessions. They told us exactly what to expect during labour and after. During labour. When I started having contractions, it was incredibly overwhelming. I texted the doulas at 3:30am and got an immediate response from the doula who was on-call. She recommended labouring positions to try, breathing exercises, and helped me de-stress when I needed it the most. I laboured at home as long as I could, with her support, and then she met us at the hospital. My birth experience was very long and intense. I was in labour for 28 hours pushing for over 5.5 hours of that. I asked a lot of questions during that time: "Should I have an epidural? Can I try gas? Why isn't it working? I feel pressure-- is this normal? It feels like my pelvis is exploding. I can't pee--why can't I pee?" My doula was magnificent. She told me that she had attended over 500 births and had seen it all. She was the little angel on my shoulder who gently explained everything that was happening at every stage. She also guided my husband through the process and made him more helpful than he might have been otherwise (if he hadn't been coached on what to do). When the nurse/doctor asked me a question that I couldn't answer, we discussed the options so that I could make an educated decision. She was calm the whole time. The nurses and my OB-GYN seemed to really like her too. They welcomed her presence, and she seemed to round out the team. As they were popping in and out of my room, she was constant. She also communicated to my family and kept them informed during slow points. Nearing the end of delivery, there were some complications. Our nurse ended up delivering my son while my doula was beside me, whispering in my ear. "Everything is okay, you are doing great. Keep going. You can do this." This was extremely different than the rest of the high-stress noises in the room ("PUSH! PUSH!"). One of the clearest memories I have of the end of labour is squeezing her hand while he came out, and when he was rushed to the NICU (along with hubby) she stayed with me. I had always wanted that moment from the movies where mom and son do skin-to-skin, and she knew that because of our previous discussions about my birth expectations. She told me not to worry, that everything was okay and that he was where he needed to be. She had read my mind and made a very intense moment calm. Post-partum. "Great! We have a baby! Now what?" Similar to the help I received during pregnancy, the doulas were there for me after. I asked for help with feeding, sleep (both mine and his), and at one point needed to send them some pretty nasty pictures of a healing penis after a circumcision (yep... thanks for that!). We had them visit the house twice, where they showed us things that we never would have figured out otherwise (like the "hair dryer" trick that calmed Jackson during diaper changes). Our baby (now four months old) is happy and healthy. Mom and dad are happy and healthy. Moreover, we feel supported, loved, cared for, and knowledgeable, thanks to our staff at Helping Hands Doula. I wish that everyone could have access to their own little birthing angel. If you can hire them, you should. I promise you that it will be one of the best decisions you've ever made. P.S. This was an atypical case, but shout-out to my doula who also held a leg for all 5.5 hours of pushing. Just saying. read more

My husband and I have both agreed hiring Kristi and Jessica was the best money we have ever spent! They were absolutely fantastic! Incredibly supportive, always available for questions and advice. During the birth Jessica was a rock star. Her unwavering support and assistance for both myself and my husband was invaluable. My husband likes to tell everyone how awesome our Doulas were. Jessica really helped him help me during the birth and made is such a positive experience for him. When our son was a few days old he experienced some calorie deprivation as he couldn't figure out how to nurse. Being new parents we didn't identify this right away, we just knew something was wrong. Kristi helped us right away and made the trip out to Oshawa to help us out and show us how to cup and spoon feed him to get some calories in him. She was truly a lifesaver! We were so distraught and unsure of ourselves and she was so calm and confident, it really helped us calm down. Hiring Helping Hands Doula was hands down the BEST decision we ever made. read more