Doula Jen is amazing!! I'm so grateful we had the opportunity to go through our second pregnancy and childbirth with her by our side. From our first meeting I felt at ease by Jen's calm presence and vast experience as both a doula and a nurse. (Coincidentally we learned Jen was a birth doula twice with our neighbors' kids too, and they assured us of their own positive experience.) My pregnancy took several unexpected twists and turns, and along the way there was no question too big or small for Jen, who'd patiently educate and encourage us to make our own informed decisions. A notable facet of my pregnancy was our baby's breech position the last month and half, when my husband and I decided to try turning him head-down through what felt like every method available. Jen provided vital support in this often stressful last stretch of pregnancy with recommendations, checkins, and referrals within the Golden Gate Doula community who could help (including a wonderful acupuncturist and chiropractor group). We went in twice for external cephalic versions (ECVs)-intensive attempts to turn baby that I felt better prepped for thanks to her guidance. She was even present for one of the procedures, during which I opted in to more intensive options I otherwise would have forgone in hopes of higher chances of success. Ultimately our little guy stayed in breech and we determined a planned C-section was safest. I was super nervous going into the surgery, and Jen helped us stay as grounded as possible by her comfort techniques, encouragement, and doses of humor at just the right moments. Her background as a UCSF pediatric nurse was especially beneficial to us as I gave birth to our son at UCSF Mission Bay, where Jen worked seamlessly with their systems and staff. I can't imagine our baby arriving as smoothly or free of complication as he did without Jen's expertise and magic touch. She's one of a kind, and we absolutely loved working with her!! read more

Jen Darwin is absolutely fabulous!! When putting together a labor and delivery checklist, make sure it includes Jen - she deserves FIVE stars and more for how good she is at her job. The support that she gave to my husband and I during the birth of our second baby DURING COVID is unmatched and I can't thank her enough for the beautifully positive birth experience that we had. During our pregnancy, Jen provided my husband and I with the information that we needed to make informed decisions on where we were going to deliver (we switched from CPMC to UCSF at 37 weeks) and how I was going to manage my gestational diabetes. She put me in contact with other women who had GD, which was extremely helpful to understand how the care was being managed at the hospital with COVID. She also met us in person at our home to help prepare us with techniques and equipment to labor at home. When we arrived at the hospital, Jen met us in the parking lot and escorted us in. If you've ever met Jen, you know that her presence is enough to put you at ease and instantly make you feel comfortable and taken care of. With her background, she is extremely knowledgeable on hospital procedures and decision making and walked us through each step as we were being admitted to the hospital. We ended up delivering in triage because so many babies were being born that night, but we had one of the larger and more spacious rooms all due to Jen and her experience in knowing the hospital layout and in working with the UCSF staff. We also had an unmedicated birth, which would not have been possible had Jen not coached me through each stage and gave me the strength and confidence to keep going. My recovery was quick and easy due in large part to how Jen helped me to prepare before and during labor and delivery. If you are thinking about getting a doula, look no further - get on her schedule before she fills up! read more

I cannot recommend Jennifer enough as a birth doula. From our first meeting, she made my partner and I feel comfortable and supported in our birthing choices. During labor, she was a constant source of encouragement and reassurance. Her knowledge and experience were invaluable in helping us navigate a successful and empowering birth experience. She truly went above and beyond for us and we are forever grateful. 5 stars! read more

My husband and I had such a fantastic experience with Doula Jen during our birth last year. I was in search of a doula last minute in my pregnancy and Doula Jen truly came through for me, despite our rushed timeline. Every interaction, she was calm, nonjudgmental, empathetic, caring, and incredibly generous and honest in sharing her knowledge, and educating me on what to expect and potential risks. I always had a thousand questions for her, and she answered them patiently and thoroughly. I trusted her fully, which is saying a lot for me! With her in my corner, I felt a sense of strength, reassurance, flexibility, and preparation. For someone like me who was a first time mom filled with anxiety about the lack of control of the process and feeling incredibly out of my element, Doula Jen was my highly competent security blanket. Her knowledge, care, and practicality made partnership with her such a fantastic investment. I am grateful for her guidance and wisdom in what was an incredibly difficult time for me. read more

My husband and I are so grateful that the universe led us to work with Jen. From the very beginning to the absolute end, she was 100% responsive, involved, and supportive. She exudes a warmth, humbleness, and professionalism, all of which were not lost on me or CPMC's tough medical staff. :) She was a confidante, a coach, a cheerleader and a personal nurse, all in one, and I can't imagine my birth without her. Being our first baby and wanting a birth with little medical interventions, Jen was a great fit for us, and assured us that if plans do change, she is supportive and her job is to ultimately advocate for our wishes. Her professional nursing background as well as all her doula experience in SF was especially impressive. And of course, when my plans did change and I ended with an epidural, I expressed embarrassment and failure. Jen was there 100%, reminding me that I am choosing the best choice for me and my daughter. Jen held my hand through the entire birth process from start to finish. She went above and beyond and you can tell she truly loves what she does. My husband and I look back on my birth story with such fondness and love, and a massive part of this was because of Jen. She guided and advocated for me during a time where I am not sure I nor my husband would have been able to do so for myself. I only hope that she will be available for my next birth! read more

Jennifer Darwin, Doula - Jen with my daughter, only hours old at this point! - Doulas Near Me - San Francisco, California

If you're debating whether to work with Jen, just do it. When my husband and I were first deciding if we wanted a birth doula, I was neutral and he was completely against it. But Jen's down to earth, knowledgeable, non-judgmental style won us over and four months after the birth of our daughter, we can confidently say that Jen was the best part of our birth experience. Leading up to the birth, Jen's prenatal checkins were far more educational and personalized than the classes we paid hundreds of dollars for through our OB practice, and the classes through her Golden Gate Doula Association were another great resource. Most importantly, she got us in the right mindset - informed and prepared but also open to rolling with any punches.  The real magic started when I went into labor three weeks before my due date and texted Jen in the middle of the night in a panic. She responded immediately, coached us on what to look for and do, and then headed over to our house as soon as we needed extra support. From there she was with us through everything. From the ride to the hospital to the first surreal hours after our daughter's birth, she was a steady, comforting presence and an incredibly effective advocate. There were a few things that could have derailed our entire birth experience, including an on-call OB we didn't connect with and a change in nursing staff literally as I was starting to push. But Jen navigated every hurdle like the birth pro and former L&D nurse she is. Her ability to quickly foster a positive partnership with the rotating cast of hospital staff and to help us make informed real-time decisions was priceless. Long story short, we'll be forever grateful that Jen was by our side the whole way! read more

As a dad-to-be I didn't really understand the need for a doula. It seemed like a bit of a luxury. But, given I wasn't the one who would ultimately have to push a tiny human out of my body, I decided it was best to keep quiet and go along with it. But, as it turns out, the doula is as much for the partner as they are for the woman giving birth. Jen reduced the stress of the whole experience significantly, for my wife and for myself. She was with us for ages - talking to us on the phone when Gem first went into labor and there by her bedside thirty something hours later, well after she'd given birth. Also, her advice early on saved Gemma from going into hospital 6 hours early, which we really, really appreciated later on. (We got to lay in our own bed all night instead of a hospital one, and were therefore less stressed.) Jen's manor is friendly but firm - she's a great advocate for you in the chaotic hospital environment. And, as an ex nurse you really get the sense that she knows her stuff. The other nurses at UCSF all knew her too, which was reassuring. She is not pushing some drug-free agenda, but is happy to support whatever's in your birth plan. I would recommend Jen and Golden Gate doulas wholeheartedly. Thank you Jen! read more

This review is a few months over due, but I am here to say that Jennifer is AMAZING! A god send, and without her, my husband and I wouldn't have been able to bring our son into this world in the way that we did. We booked Jennifer early on, but it only took one meeting with her to know that she HAD to be our doula! A straight shooter, experienced, warm hearted, knowledgeable, organized, and a true professional. I tried keeping an open mind with our birth plan, or birth wishes as I liked to call it, and thankfully and god willing we got our plan. I wanted to labor at home for as long as possible, I wanted to go drug free, and I wanted to mentally be able to get through it all...NONE of this would have been possible without her! She was our voice and our advocate in the hospital, as first time parents, it's a lot to experience and a lot is going on while being in pain and anxious to meet our baby. Pura Vida Doula Services are THE BEST! We even did our infant CPR and baby classes with her, so if you are lucky enough to work with Jennifer and her team, you are a lucky mama! read more

My husband and I initially engaged Jennifer as our doula because we very much wanted a natural birth, with minimal interventions, in a hospital setting. Jen's extensive experience as a labor and delivery nurse (including at UCSF) and as a doula, coupled with her lovely-but-assertive personality, made her an obvious choice for our situation. But then our situation changed, and that's when we found out just how important it is to have a doula like Jen by your side. Long story short, I spent weeks doing everything possible to flip my darling breech daughter, with no avail. Jen was there for us every step of the way, including for hours at the hospital on the day of our (unsuccessful) ECV procedure. As my due date approached, Jen provided just the right kind of support we needed, encouraging me to go with my gut and trust my body and baby in making the final decision about how to proceed. At 39 weeks to the day, and in early labor, I spent 12 hours in the UCSF triage waiting for a cesarean section. Jen stayed at our side that entire long day, gently but firmly advocating for us when needed (e.g. to have various accommodations in the OR for a "family centered" c-section). Thanks to her commitment and the respect she receives from the UCSF staff, we were also able to have her with us in the OR. And while a c-section was not what I had wanted going into this adventure, it was absolutely the right decision in light of what turned out to be a triple nuchal, and our birth experience was beautiful, satisfying, and truly sacred. It was the most joyful experience of my life. Jen does everything possible to meet every couple's needs. For us, that meant providing invaluable emotional support when our birth plan went awry, and also helping us--two people who had never even changed a diaper before last month--prepare for our baby's arrival. I highly recommend Jen, without reservation, to everyone in search of a doula. read more

Jennifer Darwin, Doula - Doulas Near Me - San Francisco, California

We'd give Jennifer Darwin 10 Stars if possible! Working with Jen throughout the pregnancy was good, but the experience of working with her during labor was truly exceptional. We never once doubted that Jen had the skills to help us, especially once the situation became extremely difficult. She has nerves of steel yet she was visibly moved during some moments. Simply stated, at such an important moment in life, you want someone with the experience and knowledge to insure the best possible outcome - Jennifer Darwin is that person. read more

I definitely could not have labored as well as I did or have had such a positive birth experience if it weren't for Jen. I'm a 2nd time mom & with my first daughter, I fell into the trap of getting an epidural too soon, which stalled my labor; the labor ended up being a 28.5 hour chase of more pitocin, then more epidural, then more pit, more epidural. I was so numb I couldn't feel if I was pushing or not (which ended up being 2.5 hours of "Am I even pushing?? I can't tell!"). I ended up with a max level of pitocin which made the final push much too fast and furious. Jen knew I wanted to avoid that scenario; I had clear goals this time around that Jen listened to, respected and helped me to reach. I wanted to labor until 5-7 cm and then get an epidural; I wanted to avoid pitocin; I wanted to labor at the hospital with my husband and mother for support & I wanted as much natural pain management/assistance as possible before the epidural. I'm a wuss with pain and know it, so it was important that my doula be ok with my wanting an epidural (I found some doulas were turned off by my planning to have medical pain management). Immediately upon interviewing with Jen, I was impressed with her L&D nursing background. Her knowledge of the medical world is unlike other doulas and really was our deciding factor to go with Jen. Although she can not act as "your nurse", she can advocate for you as if she's your personal nurse. No other doula I found has that education or experience. Jen respected my decision to have an induction (via water breaking) and gave me a few tips on how to augment the labor induction process, which proved to be very helpful at keeping my contractions regular. She knew when to pull out her next trick for pain management (whether it be aromatherapy, TENS, or manual compression)-- and yes I was shocked that all these things actually helped me cope with the increasing labor pains. She knew when to get my husband involved and when to step in herself. And man, is she strong! Her strength & endurance were key to dealing with those contractions. She was able to guide me through a labor and delivery that was a tolerable level of pain (which again, I fully admit is a pretty low level tolerance) & still authentic. Although I had an epidural, I felt every push (because Jen monitored how much epidural was given) & I felt that beautiful moment when my darling baby came into the world. It was 9 hours from start to finish, including 40 min of pushing. She also encapsulated my placenta which has been really amazing for my postpartum recovery. And she has a few extra goodies to help new moms during the immediate recovery period, which is just a lovely & thoughtful touch to her already high level services. Couldn't have done it without you Jen. We are ever grateful to you. read more

As a labor and delivery nurse with no children, you're probably wondering what makes me qualified to review a doula. I may not have ever used her services for myself, but Jen is one of the BEST! I see many doulas as an L&D nurse, and I'm literally just here writing her a review because I wish more people would work with her. She gives every patient her all, no matter what. read more

After our baby was born July 9th of 2014 she lost too much weight within the first two weeks after birth. We had to wake up every two hours at night to feed her for weeks and the lack of sleep really got to us after a while. Jennifer came to our rescue when we found her at our pediatricians office working as a nurse and hired her as a night doula. Not only was she highly qualified but we loved her approachable manner and communication style. We never felt uncomfortable letting her into our home late at night and appreciated her flexibility showing up late then leaving so early in the morning. Immediately I could see she had integrity. Jennifer not only worked late but washed bottles, folded baby clothes, and was generous with her knowledge that was so helpful to us as first time parents. Anyone who discovers Jennifer's services should feel fortunate. She is a true professional without charging outrageous rates just because she can with her qualifications. - Michelle and Oscar read more

Where do I begin? Jen is an incredible person and I feel so blessed that she has been part of both of my births. She's incredibly knowledgeable and experienced. But beyond that, she's just a great human being and my husband and I love her. She feels like family. Jen is so supportive of all the choices you will inevitably have to make during your pregnancy and birth journey. You will never feel judged or misguided. She has a spectacular way of telling the truth about things while also encouraging you to choose what is right for you. Some doulas can be pretty dogmatic about how a pregnancy should go or how birth should be, but I never felt that from Jen. She'll arm you with all the info you need and will also give you a hug and some encouragement when you need it the most. She's got the magic touch. I had two beautiful (and very different!) births and Jen was such an integral part of making my experiences so empowering and special. She's a gem and I cannot recommend her enough. read more

I found Jennifer through a wonderful recommendation on Golden Gate Mothers Group and I am thrilled we decided to go with her for the birth of my first baby (a boy!), born in mid December. My partner and I felt very secure in our decision given Jennifer's extensive nursing background, but knew she would not cause any tension amongst the nurses in the hospital because of that. She was very respectful of the nurses roles. Jennifer clearly loves what she does and is extremely knowledgable, thorough and personable. She helped put me at ease as a first time mom. I relied on Jennifer for many of my "birth plan" decisions and was very confident I was in good hands between her and my wonderful partner who could not have survived the long labor without her! She helped me make many decisions in the hospital I wouldn't have wanted to make on my own after so many long hard hours of labor. I was thrilled to meet up with Jennifer recently for the delivery of our son's birth story which she recapped from the moment we called her to let her know I was in labor. This is such a wonderful treasure to have to go back and read and always remember the smooth experience we had together. My partner and I would choose Jennifer again without a doubt! Best, Courtney, Ian and Cannon (3 months) read more

From the birthing mother: Jen is the only reason I could have the unmedicated, no-intervention natural birth I wanted. I was in labor for 24 hours. Throughout, Jen was there for me to coach me on what to do, use acupressure points to reduce my pain, and offer comfort and support. She is extremely knowledgeable on various birth interventions and I felt very comfortable relying on her to tell me when something was necessary. Also, we are a same-sex couple and Jen was perfectly comfortable with that. From the partner: I am so impressed with Jen. She was a labor and delivery nurse for many years before becoming a doula. She's been part of many hundreds of births. I felt very welcome as a partner and included in every activity from the educational classes leading up to the birth to the birth itself. Jen got me actively involved in Larisa's birth process. All three of us were a great team. We would not have made it without Jen. We're so thankful for her wisdom, care, enthusiasm and joy. We recommend her highly. From the baby: Waaaaaaaa! read more

So, a few days ago we welcomed our second baby! I had an unmedicated birth this time round, and would not have been able to do it without Jen. Before birth, what helped me the most this time was a goal-setting exercise she did with us, where I picked mantras/motivational statements to remember and hold on to during labor. "Active" labor was 10 hours total and when I needed additional pain management beyond what I could reasonably do at home, Jen came over quickly and basically did acupressure on my hips for the last two hours of labor, including the car ride to the hospital, and while waiting to be admitted. She's also trained to administer the TENS unit (which sends electric pulses to the lower back to reduce pain), which we used. I would say the TENS unit and acupressure relieved about 40% of pain during contractions immediately. Jen's presence and the amazing acupressure techniques made all the difference in the world, and allowed me to work through contraction after contraction. I also relied on Jen to call the hospital to tell them we were on our way, and relied on her to do all the talking when we got to the hospital, which was great because I could barely talk by then! My parents were around when I labored at home, and were very impressed with Jen's experience and abilities. They continue to sing her praises whenever we talk about the birth! Jen, I am so thankful for You and our continued relationship over the years. Thank you for helping us bring our two babies into this world! They were such wonderful beginnings thanks to you!! read more

Jen is an angel and a life saver and I can't imagine what my June 2020 birth at UCSF would have been like without her! We hired Jen (pre-covid) to have extra support during the birth of our second baby boy. After covid hit, my husband and I decided it would be best for him to stay home with our 3 year old while I was in labor and for me to go to the hospital with Jen. Over the months leading up to the birth, Jen worked with me on several birth plans (and contingency plans) to make sure we were prepared for anything that came our way. During these planning sessions Jen provided me with tons of information and guidance on how to prepare for the birth (I was undecided about having a medicated vs. unmedicated birth and Jen was open to either but wanted me to have all the information and resources for both). It turned out that my contractions started at 2:30 am and my baby was born at 3:40 am (just about an hour later). My husband and I made a mad dash to the hospital and arrived just four minutes before the baby was born! While en route I called Jen several times to describe my symptoms. Jen could tell from my symptoms that delivery was imminent, coordinated with the hospital staff while my husband and I drove to the hospital and arranged for me to be whisked up to Labor & Delivery wing and placed on a bed to deliver within 4 minutes of arrival! Jen not only provided peace of mind and support during my entire pregnancy but she also made my delivery and post partum experiences seamless and manageable. I cannot thank Jen enough and couldn't be happier or more impressed with my experience with her. Thank you, Jen!! read more

Jennifer is an incredible Doula. We can't praise her enough. What I love most about her is the initiative she takes to make sure everything is taken care of. We were scheduled to meet on a Saturday morning to discuss her services. On Friday afternoon I texted her to let her know I won't make our appointment. Early labor. Low and behold shortly after I was checked in to the delivery room, Jennifer peeked in and asked if I wanted her to stay. Yes! Yes, we definitely did. It was my first child, I was nervous. Seeing Jen was like a breath of fresh air. Although, we didn't get the chance to do her customary discussion, work on the birth plan together, etc. She was perfect. Jen is a professional. Not only did she know what she was doing, her intuition is incredibly high, she knew what I needed before I did. My delivery went off without hitch. In large part because Jen knew how to keep me calm and focused. Thank goodness she was there. Couldn't imagine giving birth without her by my side. Loved it so much, she'll be by my side again when I give birth to baby #2 in the next few weeks! read more

We feel very fortunate to have had Jennifer as our doula. She was so attentive and caring before, during and after the birth. Jennifer makes sure you completely understand the birthing process and sets you up with a very comprehensive plan. Unlike lots of other doulas we looked in to, she has over 15 years of nursing experience and has delivered hundreds of babies. So we felt completely confident in her if anything didn't go as planned. We did have a couple of obstacles during the birth and because of Jennifer's medical knowledge she was able to understand procedures, and explain things in simple terms to us. She could also clearly relay our birth plan to the doctors and nurses. Jennifer also has a great team, and we were lucky enough to have her partner Ocean with us during the birth. Looking back, we are 100% sure that things would not have gone so smoothly without them. After the birth we had Jennifer night doula for us as well. She and our son Jack became best buds. If we have a number 2, we will definitely give Jennifer a call! read more

Jennifer Darwin, Doula - Jennifer was a wonderful birthing doula, then great night doula for our son :) - Doulas Near Me - San Francisco, California

Jen is the best in the business. You can tell immediately how knowledgeable and strong she is. She was a labor and delivery nurse before she became a Doula, which allows her to really understand what's happening before and during birth and provide you with the right guidance. But what really made her even more amazing was how obvious it was she was invested in our experience when I was in labor. After staying in touch and answering all of my questions throughout pregnancy, when my water broke, she and my husband were in communication immediately. By the time my contractions were getting closer together and I really needed her, she arrived at our house and drove with us to the hospital. I'm not sure how I would have made it to the hospital without her inspiring words and acupressure! Once we got there, you could tell Jen was thinking about our next move the entire time, trying to make my experience as positive as possible. I knew I could trust her sound advice. At one point, I even thought she might cry because she cared so much. Not only that, you get free classes through her Doula Collective throughout your pregnancy! We didn't end up needing to take classes outside of that which saved money. As far as the postpartum doulas, we had help from Heather for a few days our first couple of weeks. She was so great too! She made me feel so taken care of and anticipated my needs. I'm still enjoying the delicious homemade treats she left me on our last day! read more

We hired Jennifer as both our birth doula and night doula and she has been an absolute godsend - we have a perfect baby girl and couldn't have done it without her! She is an encyclopedia of delivery and baby knowledge and has a calm, capable, confident demeanor that lets you relax and focus on the experience knowing that she will take care of everything. With Jennifer you'll get exactly the help you need with regard to your birth plan and without any attitude or agenda. read more

Jen is awesome! Hiring Jen as our doula was one of the best decisions my husband and I made. As soon as we met her, we knew that she'd be a great fit for us. I was really set on having a natural, unmedicated birth, and given Jen's extensive knowledge, experience, familiarity with the UCSF staff, and her assertive, yet warm personality, we knew that she'd be able to help us succeed. It was also obvious that Jen really loves her job and loves babies, so that was a plus. Toward the end of my labor, my contractions were intense, and Jen's amazing acupressure skills really helped me get through them. I don't know what I would have done without her. I'd definitely hire Jen again! read more

Jen is an amazing doula and was with us every step of the way when we gave birth to our son! She is everything you could possibly want in a support system during such a major life event as childbirth: experienced, knowledgable, encouraging, caring and supportive. Jen is truly in a league of her own and I cannot say enough good things about her. My wife and I could also not imagine delivering our son without her, and highly recommend her services for anyone looking for a great doula to have by their side during the delivery of their child! read more

I have to admit that I was pretty neutral on the idea of a doula, and only looked into it once my friend recommended a doula when she gave birth. I recently gave birth and truly couldn't imagine giving birth without Jen by my side. As a first time mom, navigating labor and delivery was a very scary and overwhelming experience and Jen was there to guide my husband and I both before and during labor and delivery. Jen has a very calming presence and made sure our birthing wishes were met without being invasive with the hospital nurses - a task that I'm sure is difficult to do, especially at a large hospital like CPMC. I highly recommend Jen - our birthing experience wouldn't be the same without her! read more

I've started, stopped and started again writing a review for Jen - each time overcome with emotion. My intention was for a natural birth. 2 weeks over due, and counting ... that story shifted a bit. Our birth story had a little bit of everything: post date delivery, hospital change (from St. Luke's with a 41+3 induction policy to UCSF), never going into active labor, etc. While this isn't the story I imagined for our son's birth - it's absolutely the reason why a doula like Jen is critical. Having a doula to guide through a natural birth per your plan is one aspect of services, but when everything seems like it's going wrong, it was her experience and sage advice that helped us get through. She was our advocate throughout - helping to ultimately ensure that, even when faced with a c-section, we enjoyed the birth of our son the way that we hoped. I consider Jen a part of our family - and I can only hope she's available should we decide to expand our brood. We also took her Newborn Care and CPR classes. I can't recommend them highly enough. Please message me if you have any additional questions - I'm always happy to provide additional detail. Choosing a doula isn't easy, but Jen makes it so. read more

Jennifer Darwin, Doula - Doulas Near Me - San Francisco, California

I'm not even sure where to begin! TL, DR: Jen is INCREDIBLE, and do yourself a favor and use her as your doula!!! I would give her 10 stars if I could! She helped me avoid a c-section and was an amazing advocate for me in the hospital. I am currently 6 weeks postpartum after a really challenging delivery. Last June, after learning I was pregnant with my first, I was lucky enough to be able to get on Jen's list for doula services - contact her early! Prenatally, Jen has free classes once a month that you can attend if you work with her as your doula. My pregnancy was an interesting one - I thought I would have an early baby, but he ended up being 9 days late. During the ups and downs, Jen was always available for me to ask questions. My husband and I also worked with her to take a newborn class. She came to our house to do the class and her prices were super reasonable. And SO much better than dealing with a hospital class. Part of her doula package is 2 prenatal sessions. The first session, we met at her house for about 3 hours and the second session, she came to our house to make sure we were ready for baby to arrive (we combined this with our newborn prep class). When I was late, Jen answered all my questions about scheduling an induction and gave me some tips to help get labor started. Fast forward to my labor. Thankfully, my water broke spontaneously in Jane Austin's yoga class (ha!). I finished out the class and called Jen. As I'm GBS positive, I wasn't able to labor at home. Jen had me stop by her house after my yoga class to test for amniotic fluid as she lives about 5 minutes from my house, and of course it was positive! Per her recommendation, I went home, ate some lunch, took a nap, went for a walk and tried to get labor moving; we went to UCSF at about 6pm. Jen even called triage for me, so I didn't have to. We met Jen at triage, and were finally admitted at about 9pm. I was shown to my L&D room and Jen went home at about 10pm to get some sleep. As a side note, if you are considering hospitals in the Bay Area, hands down, GO TO UCSF. I would have absolutely had a c-section if I was at any other hospital and if I didn't have the support of Jen and my husband. That night, I labored in the tub and the contractions started getting intense around 5am. My husband called Jen and she was back at UCSF supporting me by 6am. Things get a bit blurry, but as my labor progressed, it became apparent that my baby was in the absolute worst possible position to delivery vaginally and naturally. Jen and my husband did all the tricks that Jen had up her sleeve to get him to turn to be in the optimal position for birth. As labor progressed, my contractions became more and more intense. Jen's acupressure technique is the only thing that saved me at that time in avoiding an epidural. I have no problems with epidurals, but I'm really squeamish about needles (I'm a nurse myself, but hate needles!). Between Jen and my husband, I was able to withstand the contractions with acupressure until I was about 6cm dilated. At about that time, I started using nitrous and it was amazing! It took some getting used to, and has side effects (dry mouth, nausea), but nitrous and acupressure allowed me to labor unmedicated. Around this time as well, my care team began to get concerned about the position of my baby. Again, it's pretty blurry, by my care team tried to help my baby turn. This was not pleasant, and without Jen I just wouldn't have been able to navigate any of this - especially in labor. At about 8cm, my incredible midwife stretched my cervix to 10cm as my cervix was starting to swell. Just FYI, no other hospital in SF would do this! I then started pushing and Jen had all the best positions for pushing and was very intuitive about how I should push. Unfortunately for me, I pushed for a really long time (5.5 hours) and was finally given the option by my attending physician to either have a c-section or a vacuum assisted birth. I wanted to delivery vaginally, so we went for the vacuum assisted birth but it had to be in OR in case of an emergency. On my third attempt, he was born! The delivery was really tough on my baby, and the pediatricians had to give him some help to breathe. Jen stayed by my side the whole time and updated me on how he was doing - which was amazing as I couldn't see anything. After getting back to our L&D room from OR, Jen stayed with us until we were transferred to our antenatal room. She helped me with my baby's first latch, and helped me to the bathroom (no easy feat). Overall, Jen is an incredible doula who will be your best advocate in the hospital and will also help you make tough decisions if you have to (hopefully not!). If we decide for a second kiddo, I will contact Jen the second I know I'm pregnant and hopefully have her for my doula again! One of the best decisions I made in my pregnancy - asking Jen to be my doula! THANK YOU JEN!!! read more

I gave birth to my daughter back in January. Being this was our first baby, my husband and I wanted to hire a doula to help us navigate through the birthing process. We interviewed a couple of doulas and immediately clicked with Jen and her extensive knowledge and nursing background in labor and delivery was what we were looking for. After 32 hours of labor, we were so happy we hired Jen. After the delivery we don't know how anyone can go through birth without having a doula. It's the best support you can have to guide you through the pain of labor and understanding all the medical protocols. And most importantly, having a doula really helped my husband just be there for me to hold my hand and being my rock instead of running around wondering what to do. It also helped that we had some great nurses at CPMC as well. I would highly recommend Jen to anyone looking to hire a doula. She is awesome! Not only did she stay by my side throughout the labor, she also was kind enough to check in on and feed our cats. Having her there made this journey so much less stressful! read more

There are many reviews here which talk about how hard it is to write a review of Jen; I agree. Jen is a fountain of knowledge, a houseful of joy, a great coach...the words go on and on. We were lucky enough to hire Jen about three months before our baby girl was due to be born. Tip: start earlier than we did. I was impressed from the beginning - I'm more of a get-all-of-the-knowledge-and-figure-it-out kind of guy, and Jen has pretty much all of the knowledge. She's a former L&D nurse, so knows the ropes medically. She's also warm, thoughtful, and a great listener and explainer. Jen went over and above for us. Our baby was breech - Jen came with us to Kaiser for the procedure to turn the baby around, worked with the medical staff while there, and stuck around with us for six hours afterwards as they monitored the baby and dealt with several emergencies on the floor. Having her there was a great comfort. We ended up being induced at 40+2 days, and our first call between a check-in appointment and the hospital was to Jen. I cannot state enough how comforting it was to have her on the phone, and with us when we went in. We weren't sure what to expect, and Jen was there for us, letting us know what was going on and what was likely to happen through the induction process. Oh, right. The induction process. We were at the hospital for 37 hours from the first induction through the birth at 1:30 in the morning. Jen was there to handle things so I could run outside and get breaths of fresh air, or takeout from non-hospital places. She was there with coffee on the second day at six in the morning, when they started my wife on pitocin. She was there for us when the pitocin went overboard and my wife's contractions were coming strong every minute. She was our advocate, coach, meditation guide, break-giver, talker-downer, and friend. Jen is the best. Five stars ain't enough. read more

Jen was everything we could have asked for in a doula and more. We didn't originally consider hiring a doula, and now we cannot imagine what we would have done without her. Jen provided incredible support throughout the birthing process, without judgement or agenda other than for us to have the best experience we could. With experience as a labor and delivery nurse, Jen knew what was going on at the hospital, which was so valuable as the doctors/nurses don't always have time to tell you everything in the moment. Jen anticipated our needs every step of the way (somehow she had everything in her pack, including Tums for when I had some acid reflux while pushing, honey sticks to give me some energy during my long labor, etc). She provided emotional and physical support throughout the experience, which did not always go as planned. I highly recommend Jen to be, as she says, forever your doula! read more

Jennifer Darwin, Doula - Jen looks like this after working for 48 hours straight :) - Doulas Near Me - San Francisco, California

Having someone in your home taking care of your baby is a very specialized job. Jen is clearly VERY experienced and confident in her work with families. We felt immediately at ease with her in our home taking care of our precious baby. Such a calming presence and so thoughtful, kind, and detail oriented. Thank you, Jen! The families that get to work with you are so lucky. read more

I had an incredible experience with Jennifer. This was my third baby, and in my other two I had gone the usual route of hospital and epidurals. With my second birth I felt really disconnected from the experience and I knew I didn't want that again. Jen helped me have the birth experience I really longed for. After managing contractions on my own previously (my husband was supportive but unable to really help me) I was amazed by what it difference the pain management was with Jen's help. She was so knowledgable, and even just her ability to use pressure points in massage relieved me immensely. Her confidence and knowledge allowed me to labor at home much longer than I would have on my own. I would have been too afraid and would have gone to the hospital sooner than I really wanted to. She helped me find positions to hold that helped speed up the contractions. Having her by my side was such a gift to me and my husband. Here are a few more things we loved about her: 1) She cheered me on when I wasn't sure I would make it. And she gave my husband cues for how to help me push to the finish line. 2) She is KIND to the nursing staff. I always feared that a doula would barge in and make the nursing staff uncomfortable. She is amazingly able to advocate on the mother's behalf without alienating the nurses, who are just doing their jobs. 3) She knows what she's doing. Jen was a labor/delivery nurse before she became a doula. She is open to medical intervention when it's needed, but highly values a woman's ability to give birth naturally without intervention. 4) She's wise. I knew that my baby would most likely have Down syndrome and I knew that I didn't want the nurses whispering about my son or giving me pitiful looks. Jen helped me draft a letter that explained to the nursing staff how excited we were about our son. She handed it out as soon as we came to the hospital. (I didn't even notice because I was in labor.) And I never once experienced any of the "I'm sorrys" or sad looks that I feared. We were able to celebrate our baby, instead of needing to explain ourselves. I was so grateful she was able to help me think through what I really needed in that situation. 5) Jen loves all the babies she delivers and has continued to be part of our son's life. I couldn't recommend her more! read more

My husband and I used Jennifer and Heather for postpartum support (mainly for help during the night!) They were both AMAZING... friendly, trustworthy, and very supportive. I always felt 100% comfortable around them. We were able to "sleep easy" when they were there (which was much needed!!) Heather accompanied us to a destination wedding and watched our 2 month daughter for 48 hours. Her level of care and gentleness was the absolute best. I can't recommend Pura Vida Doula Services enough to any soon-to-be or new parents. read more

Jen is super woman. My husband and I couldn't imagine going through the birth of our first child without her by our side. From the very first meeting, Jen demonstrated her knowledge, compassion and complete understanding of the labor and delivery process. I interviewed over half a dozen doulas and no one made me feel as comfortable and confident as Jen. To top it off, she is a former labor & delivery nurse, so she also understands everything from a medical perspective and has existing relationships with nurses and physicians at many of the local hospitals. My labor was a marathon and Jen was by my side the whole time. Her incredible acupressure techniques allowed me to labor at home, in comfort, until I was ready to go to the hospital. At the hospital she was our consummate advocate, describing all of our options and helping us feel confident in the decisions we were making. We were so happy with the experience that we are working with her again for baby number two. We couldn't recommend Jen more highly. read more

Deciding to work with Jen as our doula was the best decision in our entire all-natural and no meds birth and labor experience. She is seriously the cream of the crop of all doulas. I don't think words can even describe how thankful we are to Jen for everything she did for us! First of all, her experience as an L&D nurse (and being part of over 1000 births) is obviously so valuable. From the very first meeting with her, my husband and I can can tell how extremely caring and knowledgeable she is. Through our meetings, emails and prep classes, she prepared us SO much for labor, that the triage doctor was impressed with how much we already knew going into labor! She gave me the confidence to believe in myself, that I could have the natural birth I wanted, so I went into labor fully mentally prepared. She helped with natural labor induction tips that worked and sent me right into labor the next day. She recommended UCSF Mission Bay, which we are SO thankful we chose - a brand new facility, top notch staff and midwives that really respect natural labor wishes. Last but not least, they have labor tubs!...which made a huge difference as I transitioned during labor to the pushing stage. She represented our interests in the delivery room when we were incapable of thinking clearly. It was very evident that she was well respected by the staff, as many of the nurses/docs/midwives had worked with her before. Jen made sure to honor our birth plan and make sure the staff did as well, dealing with the staff firmly but kindly. She and her assistant doula Kathryn stuck by our side with every single contraction, with a lot of different pain management techniques and emotional support, and I could not have done it without them, a smooth 12-hour labor and delivery. My husband also echoes all of my feelings, and tells people how grateful he is for Jen to have been there, how she prepared us so well, and how it was very much worth the investment. He could provide emotional support but we really counted on Jen to guide us through the whole end to end process. It didn't stop in the delivery room. Jen visited us for a very long postpartum visit to answer any questions we had, helped with lactation guidance, and even later helped with tips on dealing with our colicky newborn that worked. Thanks so much Jen for all your advice, support and love! read more

Doula Jen is amazing. We hired her as a post-partum doula to support us in caring for our newborn son. She is great with babies (and dogs -- she is the only pp doula I interviewed that my dog didn't bark at!). Her experience as a labor and delivery and pediatric nurse makes her extremely well qualified. Our son loved spending time with her and I loved getting a break/opportunity to catch up on some sleep while she was watching him. I highly recommend Jen. read more

Its hard for me to find the words to explain how valuable Jen was to our birth experience. To start with, we picked her because we were looking for someone with clinical experience and who would get along with the hospital team (i work at the hospital we delivered at) and Jen fit the bill perfectly. We met with many doulas that had strong preferences on how their clients delivered and pre-conceived notions about the hospital staff, which almost made us not get a doula. Jen was open and supportive of whatever birth plan i wanted (and subsequently changing it as circumstances changed). We met with Jen a couple times before the big day. When I went into labor she showed up at 10pm at night and stayed with us for the next 30 hours until my baby was out and both me and him were safe and sound. Her assistance while i labored at home was so important as she helped quell my fears as well as provided acupressure to dull the pain. She also helped us know when it was time to go to the hospital and how to help the labor progress. When we got to the hospital I had several unexpected complication. Jen helped us understand our options including the possible next steps and time frames we could expect things to happen. She knew most of the staff at the hospital and worked really well with them. Another unexpected benefit was how much she helped my husband. She showed him how to help and be a huge support to me as well as provide him support when the doctors got really worried about me. When the doctors finally decided I needed an emergency c-section Jen supported me and their decision and was waiting for me in the recovery room. When me and the baby were finally safe, she went home to get some rest and it felt like someone took away one of our appendages. She came back to visit us at the hospital as well as at home. We also used her night nurse services when my husband had to do his first business trip after the baby was born. I can't imagine the whole experience without her. Even as a healthcare professional myself, being the patient is a whole different experience and Jen made a difficult delivery so much easier- she is a part of our family now. read more

NOTE- I signed up for yelp just so I can write a review for Jen-she is just that wonderful! Oh my goodness-I don't know where to start to describe the angel on earth that is Jen. I gave birth to a beautiful boy Oliver with her help. My story is unique because I think I hired her several weeks before my due date! Book her in much more advance! One of her previous clients at our local farmer's market bumped gently into my belly and we started to chat up a storm. She raved about Jen and her partners as night doulas and wished she used Jen also for birth. My husband was sold on the idea of a birth doula from that moment (I think he was hiding his nervousness about the labor before this! lol). We got super lucky and Jen took us on. She was informative and so helpful from the very first phone call to even now! She is seriously like the best friend plus the expert all rolled into one. I was in pro-dromal labor for almost 48 hours and I couldn't have made it without her. She allowed me to labor mostly at home. During labor, I was never more thankful to have Jen by my side. Her experience as a labor and delivery nurse was amazing. If it wasn't for her, I know 100% I would have had a c-section. Heather, one of her night doula was training to be a birth doula was there also and they together supported me ( and my nervous husband and my way too nervous mother!!!) Thank God Oliver came out naturally and our world has wonderfully changed after that. My advice for night doula- DO IT! We were in desperate mode as first time parents and known to be non-functional without sleep, used Jen's wonderful night doula services for 3 months 7 nights a week! It was so valuable that we felt it was worth it! Ruth and Heather were my two main night doulas and they were fantastic. Jen doesn't stop her involvement with you after the services are done, but continues to do these get together brunches/picnics to help you connect with other moms. She also leads CPR classes too! If you are thinking of doula services, just stop your search and contact Jen. Seriously. You wont' regret it. She has seen so much in her experience and when that time comes, there is no shyness and she makes you feel so comfortable and taken care of. The birth of your child is so major so having the best person who is trained and have a wonderful heart there to support you is a blessing. THANK YOU JEN FOR ALL YOU DID (AND DO) FOR MY FAMILY!!! XOXO read more

This review is way overdue. I can't image our son's first year of life without Jennifer. She was my birth doula and then our night doula for the first few months. We were impressed with her from the start, grew to rely on her presence and guidance, and absolutely love having our son spend time with her. From the first time we met Jennifer, I was impressed with her knowledgeable and professionalism, but the most important factor for me was how open minded, easy going, and non-judgmental she was. I knew that I wanted a natural birth and a birth doula to help me through it, but a few doulas whom we had previously met seemed neurotic about natural births, as in, they'll totally judge you if you want an epidural. Jennifer was the total opposite. During labor and delivery, her calming presence and experience were crucial. It was awesome to have someone there who had my back, who knew what I wanted and whose opinion I trusted. If you're not sure that you want a doula, consider this: it's a crap shoot who you'll get at the hospital. Our second shift nurse was overbearing, pushy, and kind of rude to my husband. Better to choose someone whom you feel comfortable with, understand your goals, and most importantly, trust. If Jennifer hadn't been there, I'm positive I would have gone for the epidural when I was close to being fully dilated. The nurse made it seem like I had a long way to go and the worst pain was ahead of me. The epidural probably would have prolonged labor by several hours and I likely would have needed an emergency c-section. Jennifer knew this, helped me through the last few minutes, and I ended up pushing for 15. I'm so thankful she was there. read more

A husband's review: Honestly, we couldn't love Jen more. Without getting into the gory details, the birth...it didn't go well. And without Jen there, it would have been a lot worse. And I don't say that lightly. People think Doulas are only for the the woman, but I actually think she does more for the husband. She told me how to be supportive, how to be helpful, how to reduce my wife's pain, all while making sure I knew exactly what was going on and what to expect next (she used to be a Labor and Delivery Nurse). And after who knows how many hours and when I needed a power nap, she stepped in and let me get some much needed sleep so I wouldn't be a waste of space. She was with us literally every second of a 25-30 hour birth. And when that baby finally came out, she was the first person (other than my wife and I obviously) who I wanted to hold the baby. It's crazy to think that someone we didn't know before a month or so before the birth became so close in such a short amount of time. A few of my friends, who weren't even going to use a Doula, hired Jen for their upcoming birth. Because I sat them down and told them that she is so amazing, she's necessary. Okay, I'm rambling, I'll wrap it up. Long story short, and I can't stress this enough, Jen is the best. read more