We are incredibly grateful to Gretchen for the support she provided throughout pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. During pregnancy, Gretchen helped us prepare both mentally and physically for labor. She taught us exercises, breathing techniques, and practical ways to think about and manage labor pain. The sessions gave us confidence and helped us feel much more prepared for the birth experience. When labor began, Gretchen was absolutely invaluable. My wife was experiencing very intense contraction pain, but the nurse initially dismissed it as not being active labor and suggested that she simply wasn't handling the pain well. There was even pressure to take fentanyl. When Gretchen arrived, she immediately stepped in, assessed the situation, and suggested having my wife spend time in the shower. She carefully observed her and quickly realized that this was in fact active labor. Based on what she was seeing, she recommended that it was time to get the epidural. When the staff checked, my wife was already 8 cm dilated. The nurse had completely missed how far labor had progressed. Thanks to Gretchen's experience and advocacy, we were able to get the epidural at a good time. During pushing, Gretchen was amazing. She continuously suggested different positions, kept my wife calm and focused, and provided encouragement every step of the way. She also built a wonderful rapport with the nurse who came on shift, and together they worked as a team to help make the delivery as smooth as possible. After our daughter arrived, Gretchen continued to go above and beyond. She captured beautiful photos that we'll treasure forever, helped facilitate skin-to-skin time for both mom and dad, and assisted with latching and the baby's first feeding. Her support didn't stop at the hospital. During her postpartum visit, she checked in on all of us, answered questions, and even sang a sweet lullaby to our baby that we still remember. Looking back, having Gretchen as our doula was one of the best decisions we made. Her knowledge, calm presence, advocacy, and genuine care made a huge difference during one of the most important days of our lives. Thanks to Gretchen, we had a positive and memorable experience welcoming our newborn into the world. read more

Highly recommend Gretchen Retka! Gretchen was a total game-changer for our birth experience. During my pregnancy, she gave me so many great materials and exercises to stay active and prep for labor. The best part? When I was in labor, the baby was in the OP position. Gretchen worked her magic for hours--doing specific massages and position adjustments--and successfully helped the baby rotate to OA. It made the final push and the whole delivery incredibly smooth. We are so grateful for her support; she made all the difference in bringing our baby into the world so safely and smoothly. You're in the best hands with her! read more

I am very happy to recommend Gretchen! After interviewing several doulas, we chose her because she truly supported my vision for my birth without imposing any of her personal beliefs. Gretchen brought a wealth of knowledge and resources that helped my husband and me focus on creating a birth plan we felt confident about. Even though things didn't go exactly as planned (our baby had her own ideas!), Gretchen was there for every step of the journey. During labor, her strong and powerful voice made all the difference--I honestly believe that her guidance is the reason I was able to deliver my daughter so quickly. She not only helped me prepare, but during the birth, hers was the only voice I could hear, grounding me and giving me the strength I needed. Thanks to Gretchen, I achieved my birth goals, and now we have a happy and healthy baby girl. I'm beyond grateful for her support. Do yourself a favor and set up an interview with her--you might connect with her the way we did! read more

We recently used Gretchen as our birth doula. This was our first baby and there was a lot of uncertainty on our side about the process of birth. Hiring Gretchen was the best thing we could have done to support that. She helped me think through what I wanted for my birth, gave us a curriculum to study the different aspects of birth and most importantly, was there at the birth to guide us through it. In advance of the birth, she came to our house to teach us labor comfort measures which ended up being the game changer to help me through my contractions. As labor progressed, she arrived at the hospital and put me in positions and had me do exercises to move labor along - things we would not have known how to do without her there. She was a great advocate for us and our preferences to the hospital staff and really took control of the situation. Just having someone support us through it and normalize what was going on created a calm, positive birth experience for me that I will never forget. Thanks Gretchen for being part of this important life moment for us and to anyone considering hiring her- just do it! read more

I always look forward to getting a massage from Gretchen. She provides a warm positive experience and addresses my troublesome areas well. I then can continue my active lifestyle ! #volleyball #weightlifting read more

Gretchen is amazing!! She heals my body with her amazing massages. Can't wait to come back.

Gretchen was the perfect choice for a born doula for me and I can confidently say that my vaginal unmedicated birth experience won't have been possible without her support.  During the first consultation call, I appreciated her straightforwardness and her initial questions probed me to think deeper about my "whys" for birth preferences. It was this strong conviction and her relentless effort to try different labor positions that enabled me to have a positive birth experience through a grueling long medically-induced labor (44 hours) without any pain medications. The nurses at Kaiser San Jose had a lot of respect for Gretchen and even quipped that she doubled as a RN for me when all staff were busy that night! Although my baby was OA position for most of  last few weeks, the last cervical check during active labor indicated she had turned OP (posterior). Gretchen tried different positions to help turn the baby to a more optional position despite me being completed drained. This played a huge role in me having a vaginal delivery with minimal tearing and no other interventions. Her candid birth photos and soothing massage during postpartum visit were added bonuses that I appreciated If you are looking for a constant support during labor and help staying focused on your birth preferences through challenges, I highly recommend Gretchen! read more

Gretchen is a wonderful massage therapist. She is very knowledgeable about the body, especially women and their bodies due to her extensive doula work. She is extremely caring, a great listener and her energy work is amazing! Can't recommend her enough! - Christine read more

It was great having Gretchen by my side for the birth of our third daughter. I was able to deliver quickly, unmedicated, and with very minimal tearing (all goals of mine). When labor seemed to be slow-starting, she gave excellent guidance to get things rolling, as well as asked the medical staff the right questions that I would not have thought of while in labor. Postpartum, she informed me of Bengkung belly binding, and encapsulated my placenta (which I feel helped stabilize my hormones). Overall, wonderful experience having Gretchen as my birthing doula! read more

We want to express our deepest gratitude for Gretchen's incredible support during the birth of our sweet daughter Sierra! We really appreciated her pre birth visits and support with body movement and exercises. Her guidance and encouragement during labor helped me through every contraction while on pitocin so much that I was able to get to 5 cm without an epidural. Her reminder that discomfort is progress gave me the strength to stay present with every breath. Gretchen's dedication and compassion leading up to the birth was vital in helping us feel prepared for the big day. Our family is so grateful for her unwavering support during one of the most memorable moments in our lives. Thank you for being our rock and inspiration. read more

Gretchen is super gifted with her ability to lighten up the room & bring more joy through her presence & touch. I find it helpful how she gently guides me to deeply breath right at the perfect moments of release. A+ read more

As a first time mom, I was riddled with a lot of questions and anxiety surrounding my labor and delivery experience. I was really uncertain if I wanted to obtain a doula, and actually decided on this very late in my pregnancy. I read Gretchen's reviews and saw so many positive experiences so I was very glad she was available for my due date! Meeting her during our consultation relieved so many of the worries my husband and I were feeling in the weeks leading to our due date. She really explained everything thoroughly from the beginning, and answered any questions along the way. She was a wonderful addition to our delivery team, supporting my decisions every step of the way. She helped me feel encouraged and supported before, during, and after delivery. Also, she provided an amazing prenatal massage when my body was really aching during the last few weeks of pregnancy. She is gentle and thoughtful with all her services provided :) It was definitely a unique experience for us to obtain a doula and we're grateful to have had Gretchen's support during a special time in our lives. read more

As a second time mom, who did not have a doula the first time around, I really wanted my second labor experience to be a positive one, and one where I could actively have a voice with the hospital care providers. My first labor ended with my daughter in the NICU, and I just didn't know when and how to ask questions to find out what was going on, and I didn't end up getting to hold my daughter until 7 hours after I had her, which I found out later could have been very different if I had just spoken up. So my second time around, I wanted a doula to help support me and my family through the experience. I interviewed several doulas, but I felt the most comfortable and at ease with Gretchen. She gave my family a lot of information up front, which was great for someone like me, who wanted to make this experience different. I was someone who was open to either trying natural birth or having an epidural, and she was great at supporting me whichever direction I wanted to go in and planning for both scenaorios. During labor, she was great at making me smile and laugh through the contraction pain with all sorts of different things from songs to funny pictures. She also had several suggestions and techniques for helping me manage the pain as well. Best of all, she helped me find my voice when I needed to speak to the nurses and doctors and ask questions, and my labor ended with me getting to hold my second daughter right away. I especially appreciated the postpartum visits from Gretchen, where we spoke about healing, and when back over my labor expereince so I could remember it and write it down for my daughter. Bonus - her lactation cookies she made were amazing! I loved how grounded in nature and holistic perspective Gretchen is and that made my experience with her great. read more

Gretchen was an absolute pleasure to work with! She is a perfect blend of professional and personal, and our son was her 160th birth as a doula. Her bubbly personality and gentle spirit make her a joy to be around. We really appreciated her pre-birth visits as she got to know us and provided resources to help us make informed decisions. My son was born in the optimal position, and I attribute it to the exercises Gretchen had us doing at home during pregnancy. She is knowledgeable about natural methods for preparing mother and baby for birth, but respects your decisions in whatever route you choose to go with pain medication. My husband and I always felt safe with her to share our intimate thoughts and fears, and she listened and responded with great care and understanding. She gave me advice as I began early labor and kept in close communication. My active labor was a quick 5 hours, and I can't imagine going through that without her support. No matter what was happening, Gretchen was the calm, encouraging guide that I needed as I labored naturally. She was an advocate for me with the hospital staff and a huge support to my husband as he partnered in the process. Having an experienced person who was focused on me was such a comfort. She also surprised us by documenting some special birth moments on her phone. After our son was born, she helped with initial breastfeeding and made sure we got to our recovery room to settle in. She checked on us a week later with a postpartum visit and debriefed the birth with us. It was an overall wonderful partnership, and I consider her a friend now. read more

First-time mama here :) We found Gretchen through a referral and we couldn't be happier. Out of the 3 doulas we interviewed, we picked Gretchen because of her diverse background and PASSION for being a doula. When we originally met Gretchen, I wasn't sure if I wanted to have a "natural birth" because I know I don't handle pain very well :) Gretchen spent a lot of time educating and providing us the necessary resources to help us commit to "Hypnobirthing." Fast forward to the day of my son's arrival - Gretchen was there with us day and night! Not only was she there physically, she gave me all the support I needed mentally and spiritually to push through and have a natural birth. I was very surprised as well as did my family and friends and it was ALL because of Gretchen's support! She was extremely patient and calm throughout the entire process. When things weren't progressing, she helped me get into different positions, used massage techniques, continued to help me focus mentally with different breathing exercises, and constantly reminded me how to reach each milestone throughout the laboring process. I am 100% confident I wouldn't have been able to reach my birthing goals without her. Afterward, Gretchen came over to visit us twice to make sure we were settling in well. She was like an old friend - coming over to give me a PP massage, made lactation cookies, herbal tea, and helped me make my sitz bath for the month. My husband and I are so utterly grateful for her support, love, and spirit. I would HIGHLY recommend her to any first-time moms, my friends, and family in a heartbeat! :) read more

As a first time Mom going through pregnancy and (the part that I was dreading the most) labor, all I could think of leading up to D-Day was having a peaceful and stress-free delivery for our baby. It was that and more. Gretchen was the perfect guide to help my husband and me through this incredible journey. She was everything I was hoping for in a doula and more. She coached us on the anatomical process of labor, what to expect from the hospital, how to keep my state of mind clear and calm during the delivery and what to expect coming home in those first few days. As a self-proclaimed type A individual who wanted nothing more than to do the complete opposite of my natural tendencies during labor, Gretchen was the captain of my support team on the day of. She brought a sense of calmness and confidence to the room that helped my would have been nervous husband and sister to emulate Gretchen's energy. She was by our side at every moment. One of the things I most appreciated was her ability to discern when I needed my space, a boost of confidence, family bonding time or something else. Once our baby was born, she sang him a beautiful Native American birthday song welcoming him to this world. I never thought I would say this because I was so scared going into the labor portion of pregnancy, especially before working with Gretchen...I had an incredibly WONDERFUL birthing experience. Thanks to Gretchen and her innate abilities as a doula, I am excited to have more babies with her by our side. Gretchen not only brings joy, experience, and confidence to the parents, she brings peace, love, and joy to the baby as well. Added bonus...she caught some of the most beautiful and precious moments on camera moments after our son was born. I still look at those pictures to this day with awe and amazement at the euphoria of those first moments of our new family. read more

We had the most magical natural unmedicated birth experience in a hospital and we owe so much of it to Gretchen. Right from our first interaction when we were interviewing birth doulas, we were drawn by her warm nature. Her prenatal visits were extremely helpful be it the exercises she taught us to enable an optimal baby position for birth or her inputs into crafting our birth plan. We would have been lost with the information overload if not for her timely, targeted and super informative educational resources that have been extremely helpful to us as first time parents. She has always been a text or phone call away to address anything we needed. She brought in a sign of relief when she entered the labor room...her calming presence during my final stretch of labor and the positions she guided me through definitely helped me avoid an epidural. The icing on the cake was her singing a lullaby to our little one upon birth, it felt divine. She also captured beautiful moments of our baby's birth that we will cherish forever. I will always remember her positive affirmation 'You are stronger than you think!'. Can't thank you enough Gretchen for being the rockstar that you are and all your support to growing families :) read more

Fantastic Massage Therapist and Doula. Amazing source of wisdom and knowledge, especially around holistic medicine. Gretchen came to my home weekly for massage therapy during my postpartum fourth trimester and during my pregnancy, she's the only person I would trust. read more

Fantastic person and a tremendous masseuse! Gretchen works wonders with her hands, leaving the body feeling invigorated and healed. Whether you have some injuries that need some attention or just need to relax, I highly recommend her massage services. Also, reach out if you are looking at Doula services as she was a great asset in the birth of our second daughter. I recommend her to any future dads or moms out there as she will bring her knowledge and calm demeanor to what can be a stressful time. read more

I love Gretchen and am so happy that I found her to provide support during one the most memorable experiences of my life. I interviewed 8 doulas, and she easily stood out to me. She is gorgeous inside and out and her presence is very pleasant. She has a gentle, calm voice, and I love that she has a holistic and very supportive approach. I didn't feel like she would push strong opinions on me or make me feel judged---and she didn't. I feel she practices what she preaches; self-care, health, community, etc. She teaches yoga, has a passion for birth and families, loves babies, and is a talented musician (she sang some beauftiful songs to our baby). During prenatal visits, Gretchen talked through many things with my husband and me and shared a lot of useful info. She lent me some books. She also practiced some Spinning Babies poses with me, talked about relaxation and pain management techniques, and worked through some things to consider for my birth plan. I was initially terrified of giving birth; I couldn't talk about it without tearing up in fear but working with her really helped me come to a place where I felt very empowered and excited to give birth. My labor and delivery was nothing like we had planned for, but with Gretchen's support, it was still an incredibly joyous and beautiful experience for me that I will treasure forever. People are always shocked when I say my labor was really fun. I can definitely thank Gretchen for that. I appreciate the advocating she did for me at the hospital as well. She made me aware of some things like when they were about to give me medication I would otherwise not have known about. There were so many things that she did that I'm grateful for. Her after care and check-ins with me were also really great. I could say endless good things but I'll just end by saying that I can't recommend her enough. :) read more

Whenever I talk about the birth of my son, people are amazed of how peaceful it was, especially since it was a homebirth. There were a lot of complications when I was pregnant and I was dissatisfied with my original birth team, and at my 8th month of pregnancy, I found Gretchen. She was definitely a God-send, considering that this was my first pregnancy, that my pregnancy experience since then had been terrible; she helped me to refocus in the last month, helped my husband and I mentally and emotionally prepare into our transition of being parents, and was a monumental part in blessing us into becoming a larger family. In the hours of meeting our son, she was there at every step getting myself and my family ready to see my son for the first time. She gave me massages, helped me with my breathing, refocused my husband, directed my mother and father, and sang to ensure that the moment to meet our baby was a meaningful and peaceful experience. After our delivery, she massaged my feet to help with lactation, and the next day, she even brought me some homemade lactation cookies! Having Gretchen as our doula was the best decision I could have ever made. When we decide to expand our family, I know I want Gretchen on board. Love her! read more

Gretchen is over-the-top incredible. I've had a few dramatic births and wanted to find a doula who could help us stay calm and connected. From our prenatal visits, to the nearly 2 weeks post due date, she was a constant source of calm and compassion. She brought great advice and helped me to focus on all of the beautiful aspects of waiting and waiting and then the challenges and joys of labor. She suggested effective ways of relieving pain, useful positions for helping the baby to descend and later pushing. Even when the situation got stressful, she was calm and advocated for me, but never got in the way or challenged the medical team. I can't say enough good things about Gretchen! read more

initially we had hired another doula prior to Gretchen and things did not work out with her, so I interviewed a few more Doula's and didn't quite hit it off with anyone. I was 8 months pregnant and basically gave up about finding a doula becuase of how far along I was. Gretchen was referred to us by a friend of my husband's. From our very first phone conversation I felt at ease (and we hadn't even met yet) Gretchen drove down and met me at a local Starbucks and from the moment we met, I knew she was the Doula for me. She is SO very passionate about her job, and extremely knowledgeable. Being a first time Mom, I wanted someone who I could trust being there with my husband and I in the delivery room. Gretchen was quick to answer any and all of my questions and was there for me via text/ call if I needed support. Gretchen came to my house twice prior to me giving birth to go over my birth plan, spinning babies methods and my wishes. She is very open minded and is all about what the client wants, she gives her best advise to make sure that you make the right decision for YOU! My due date came and went ( I was 12 days late) and Gretchen would text me to check in on me to see how I was doing. At 40 weeks pregnant, I was starting to get antsy and ready to meet my baby. At 41 weeks 5 days I was induced, Gretchen was at the hospital with me the entire time I was in labor and for even a couple hours post labor. I believe she ended up being there for around 15 hours and never once showed signs of exhaustion, stayed totally engaged with me the whole time and did various techniques to help me cope through each contraction. I could not have gotten through labor like I did if it wasn't for Gretchen, I am forever grateful she is part of my birth story. If baby number 2 comes in the future, I already know who I will be calling for doula support :) read more

Holistic Sister - Raw footage Gretchen caught of myself and my husband just minutes after our baby girl was born. - Doulas Near Me

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I gave birth back in August of this year. I found out my husband wouldnt be able to be at the birth of we are both in the military and he was stationed somewhere else and couldnt take leave. my mom and i found gretchen and once we hired her she provided an amazing education on birth and my options. she assisted in making my birth plan and whenever i asked her a question i promptly received a very thorough response. time passed and so did my due date and i didnt schedule an indunction but my water broke. gretchen was reachable this whole time which was amazing. i ended up going to the hospital and getting pitocin because my contractions didnt start. i called gretchen to come when i woke up from napping and my pitocin was at rediculously high level. i was in the most pain i had ever felt in my life and when gretchen arrived ahe instantly took over (being that i was alone). she helped me walk and used anese oil on my lower back until i received the epidural. she LITERALLY held my hand through this experience, one that I will never EVER forget. also, i canNOT forget to mention her lactation cookies. oh my GOSH these were sooo amazing. she came over my home to check up on my baby and i and we took pictures and shared a feq beautiful tears. i could not recommend her service enough to an expecting mother/birthing person. read more

Hiring Gretchen as my doula was 100% the best decision I made during my pregnancy, and my husband agrees. He was skeptical at first, but after seeing how much she cared about me and my birth plan, he was won over and is now recommending her to everyone he meets. During the pregnancy, she met with me twice and gave us invaluable information and resources. We met a third time to go on a walk. During the birth, her guidance helped my husband feel better about the process and enabled him to help me as well. Without her presence at the birth, I think I would have deviated from my birth plan after about ten minutes. She gave me the strength I needed to get through and have a birth experience that was so much better than I ever expected. She stayed with me a while after the birth and helped in any way she could, including spoon feeding me food I didn't even know I needed. She is an expert at anticipating what you need. She stopped by my house two days later and brought me amazing lactation cookies and brewed me herbal tea. She saw I was tense so massaged my neck and shoulders. I've never had another doula, but I'm pretty confident Gretchen is the best, and definitely recommend her to anyone looking for an amazing pregnancy and birth! We love you Gretchen!!!! read more