We are incredibly grateful to have had Katie as our doula. She is professional, deeply experienced, compassionate, and exceptionally skilled at working with medical providers while always advocating for her clients. As someone of advanced maternal age with a pregnancy complicated by hypertension, I felt supported and informed every step of the way. Katie was a steady, reassuring presence throughout pregnancy, induction, and birth. She helped us navigate complex medical decisions with clarity and confidence, and her calm advocacy made a meaningful difference in our experience. We felt heard, respected, and empowered throughout the entire process. I cannot recommend her highly enough. read more

Katie is exceptional at her job, and an amazing human being. My wife and I were both very anxious even before we were expecting for the first time. My wife needed someone who could instill calmness, provide information, and accommodate her preferences for labor. I needed someone who could help me be the involved partner i wanted to be through the childbirth process and after. That is why once we found out we were expecting we were looking for a doula to help us sort through the tons of information on preparing for childbirth, childbirth itself and the medical, personal, and other choices associated with it. Katie is an expert's expert, but is able to talk through different topics in a way that helped put us at ease. She's friendly and funny, which helps when she is walking through medical decisions, how to talk to doctors, how to talk to family, considerations and questions we have as first-time parents. She also makes herself available by phone and text when we have questions at random hours with baby. On top of all that, after our baby girl was born, she was able to follow up with us and help teach us a few tricks here and there as well as answer questions we had as things came up. read more

We hired Katie Baxter for postpartum doula help after having our son in late December 2022. Our first child was born in late 2020 in the midst of Covid - and both my labor (failed induction turned unplanned c-section) and postpartum experiences (breastfeeding difficulties, postpartum anxiety, Covid isolation) were pretty traumatic. With our second child, we wanted what we couldn't have with the first - all the help! Honestly, we also just wanted more joy. Our first time around was so hard for reasons that we couldn't control and that were nobody's fault. The second time around, we wanted to enjoy the short time we had with our last newborn. In particular, I wanted to work with Katie because of her knowledge and interest in breastfeeding. My first breastfeeding experience was not successful - for many reasons, including: lack of preparation on my part, likely an undiagnosed tongue tie, low supply, and pretty severe anxiety about how much food my kid was (or wasn't) getting. The second time around, Katie helped us to establish a feeding set up that worked for us - we worked on nursing and pumping at appropriate intervals to increase supply, getting a good latch, and various nursing positions that would help us to be successful. Katie's help allowed me to actually enjoy the feeding journey (there was nothing enjoyable about the first time), control what I could - and then let the rest go. It was a huge improvement! As time went on and we needed less breastfeeding help, it was just such a huge relief to have Katie around to take our son for a few hours and give us a break. We knew he'd eat and sleep well in her care, and we could take a nap! We also often took our older daughter out for some special outings with mom and dad - this helped with the transition from one kid to two tremendously. I can't recommend Katie enough. We trust her completely. She's a calming, knowledgeable, and delightful person to have around in those postpartum days. (I mean....really any day. But especially in those postpartum days. LOL.) I recommend her with absolutely no reservations - she made having a newborn So. Much. Easier. read more

As a new mom, I don't know what I would've done without Katie every step of the way throughout the first few months post partum. From helping me regulate my milk production and how to deal with engorged breasts to anticipating each phase my son was about to experience, she always provided helpful support. I plan on hiring Katie again if I have another baby. She has earned the title as the "Baby Whisperer!" read more

As first-time parents, we were initially overwhelmed by the medicalized and fear-mongering aspects of pregnancy. We knew we wanted a doula to advocate for us and help us navigate this new journey, and Katie knocked it out of the park! From the beginning, she provided a warm presence and instilled us with confidence and information. She took the time to understand our needs and preferences, thoroughly prepared us for what to expect, and equipped us with invaluable tools for labor, delivery, and postpartum care. During labor, Katie's support - both virtually for the first few hours and then in-person at the hospital - bolstered us. She was a very welcome, warm and steady presence in the room and supported me during a three hour pushing session, the longest circuit workout of my life! We also appreciated Katie's postpartum doula services. As we don't have family nearby, having her trustworthy support was a huge relief. She expertly cared for our newborn and guided us through some early day challenges, always prioritizing both my well-being and the baby's. Katie made sure I had granular plans to ensure I got enough rest and helped us attend to our basic needs while we were recovering. Another bonus? Katie is highly respected by other birth professionals. She had a fantastic network of resources and recommendations for any questions or issues that arose, and when we spoke with them they always had glowing reviews of her themselves. We wholeheartedly recommend Katie to anyone seeking a knowledgeable, supportive, and compassionate doula! read more

We are so grateful to have had Katie Baxter in our corner throughout the process of welcoming our first baby to the family. She is an expert doula and provided invaluable counsel to us during the pregnancy, along with providing great advice about how to set up systems and processes to navigate the postpartum period. She conducts her client sessions in a warm and informative fashion. Having her there during the delivery day was a great relief. And booking her to provide support for us and our new baby on the home front during those first few days and weeks was extremely helpful. We could not recommend Kate Baxter more and give her 5 stars and 2 thumbs up! read more

My husband and I can't recommend Katie enough as a doula! As a first time mom, I had no idea what to expect during birth. In the months leading up to it, Katie educated us on the process and answered all our questions. Day of she was a calming force and her experience shined through as she guided us through a long labor and moved me through various positions to get the baby in the best position. We honestly couldn't have done it without her! You can tell she's well connected in the area as she had various recommendations for local providers. Katie even stopped by our house after a few weeks to check in on us! We are so grateful we found Katie! read more

Katie supported my husband and I extensively for the birth of our first child in September 2022. I cannot say enough about how much she helped our family - both with labor and during the postpartum period. Katie helped us fully prepare for labor - she demystified so much about the experience and armed us with the knowledge to think about our approach. She was incredibly helpful in providing resources and recommendations - from the type of pacifier we might want on hand, to finding an infant CPR class. She was always responsive to my (many many) questions, especially in the weeks leading up to our daughter's birth. Katie has a unique brand of brilliance in which she is able to share her enormous depth of knowledge while empowering you to make the decisions that are right for you and your family. She fully honored my desires for labor and helped me prepare so that they could be a reality. Katie was an incredibly important part of my labor experience and was with us every step of the way. Her presence was a huge comfort to my partner as well - and because of her support, he could truly show up as my partner without fear or anxiety - Katie's presence was calm, comforting, and was a pivotal part in enabling us to have the labor experience we desired. I had no idea the postpartum period, and the adjustment to life as parents, would be so difficult (for me especially). I needed significantly more support than anticipated and Katie wholeheartedly showed up for our family. She helped us navigate feeding challenges, sleep deprivation, and more in the month's following our daughter's birth. I honestly can't imagine going through this process without Katie in our corner and cannot recommend Katie enough for labor and postpartum support. read more

Katie has been has been my birth doula for both my children and my postpartum doula following my second birth, and I am so very grateful for her wisdom, support, and knowledge. Even in May 2020, when she could not be in the hospital with me and my husband, she stayed on FaceTime. As soon as I found out I was pregnant with my second, I knew we had to have Katie there! And in-person this time! With her birth prep sessions, I felt really knowledgeable going into each of my births. When questions arose during each of my pregnancies, I knew I could count on her for information and a supportive space to think about my options. In the vulnerable early days of the pandemic, Katie helped me find ways to ground myself and stay calm for my baby. As a birth doula, Katie comes in with depth of knowledge, but also a willingness to advocate and a support for my partner as well. With my second birth, she helped me make decisions during critical moments and advocated for decisions my partner and I had made beforehand. In my postpartum period with my second, Katie was able to give names of excellent newborn care providers, help establish a positive breastfeeding relationship, and provide someone to just talk with in those early days. Katie believes in my intuition as a mother and research-backed methods. She cares deeply about community and ensured I had other birthing folks to connect with following each of my births. She understands the myriad of feelings that can come during pregnancy and postpartum and creates space for those feelings. She cares about her families and stays in touch and cares about their welfare. I am so grateful to have her on my motherhood journey! read more

My husband and I were very fortunate to have Katie as a doula during my pregnancy and postpartum journey. She's AMAZING and 1000% essential if you are planning to have kids. I cannot emphasize how much she helped me through unknown and challenging times during my pregnancy and postpartum more than the Obgyn. She was always very responsive and so educational every single time I needed her. There is no way I would have done it without Katie. Postpartum Katie was incredibly knowledgeable and supportive with every aspect. I had a tough time with ppd/ppa and Katie was extremely informed on how to support me in the most vulnerable time of my life. As far as breastfeeding goes it is so hard! I wouldn't have been able to nurse at all without the support of Katie and the network of referrals that she works with. My baby had a tongue tie and she showed us exercises, latching techniques, and helped us with the recovery too, not to mention my emotions through the trying process! Do yourself a favor and book her as soon as you know you're pregnant. It is the best money ever spent! read more

I first learned of Katie Baxter through ICAN when I was researching the possibility of a VBAC for my second delivery. After a preliminary meeting where I was impressed by her experience with VBACs, she let me know that I was a good candidate for one based on my first labor experience that ended in a c-section. In subsequent meetings, she gave me practical advice, hands-on practice with labor positions and Miles Circuit, and provided references for chiropractic care, acupuncture and pelvic floor therapy, all with the goal of giving me the best chance of avoiding a c-section and addressing the issues that led to my first. She also gave me relevant questions to ask practitioners and when their responses were sometimes conflicting, she cited both evidence and anecdotal experience that gave me confidence that a VBAC was possible, without overpromising. It was great to have that sounding board and encouragement when I sometimes doubted if it was worth all the appointments and the unknowns about timing and how baby would come (it was!). Katie was available via text when contractions started two weeks before my due date and when a c-section was scheduled for that day, she planned to be there to support me either way. When that day arrived, I felt defeated (especially after trying everything and being only 1cm dilated the day before the due date) and Katie encouraged me to ask for one last check while they prepped me for the surgery. I was 5cm dilated and got moved right away to labor and delivery! Katie arrived within an hour and had some gentle movements for me to prep for active labor and after that labor happened according to textbook and everything I'd prepped for fell into place. Katie was excellent at guiding both my husband and I so I could get relief throughout labor, either through changing position, getting something light to drink or explanations of what was happening and what was coming next. I felt so well prepared and supported throughout, including her positive phrases that kept me going. Katie also helped with initial latching right after delivery and came to our home for a postpartum visit to revisit the birth story and also check on us and baby postpartum. Recovery has been so much easier than my first but thanks to Katie, I also came to appreciate and be proud of my first delivery too, as the entire process resolved a lot of my lingering questions and the mystery with how we ended up there. I'd highly recommend Katie no matter what type of delivery you're looking for, as she was also nonjudgmental and open to supporting whatever my goals were (including any pain relief I chose--in the end nitrous oxide was very beneficial for me and I can recommend it if your hospital offers it). Thank you Katie! read more

After talking to several doulas, I knew when I talked to Katie that she was "the one" for me and my family. Katie was a direct contributing factor into my ability to have an unmedicated VBAC. From helping to identify a supportive OB/midwife team to helping my partner and I with breathing techniques for early labor (and SO much more in between), Katie was an integral part of my birth team, and remains a strong support system in the 4th trimester/early postpartum. Highly recommend her services! read more

I worked with Katie as a birth doula and for postpartum support. She was nothing short of fantastic. From our first conversation I felt like she "got" me and how I wanted to approach labor and delivery, which made me feel so much more comfortable about the experience. She helped me and my husband get educated and prepare, as well as think through my own preferences around approach to intervention and pain. Once in the hospital, Katie helped me ask the right questions of my providers and advocate for myself. She was perfectly respectful and never created friction with providers, but enabled me to ask for what I needed. Katie helped me cope with the most painful moments--I literally don't know how I would've done it without her. Much as my husband was a great support, having someone constantly in the room who knew how to help me cope made all the difference. I have the luxury of saying that as a result of working with Katie, great doctors, and good luck, I had exactly the birth I hoped for, and above all, a healthy little girl. I am grateful and highly recommend her to other soon-to-be moms! read more

I worked with Katie during both of my pregnancies and births. With my second, she also supported my family postpartum through what was an unexpectedly scary and challenging period. My needs and my families needs were different with my first and second pregnancies/births, and Katie supported us exactly how we needed each time. With my first, she really guided us and helped empower my husband to support me through the birth, reminding him of the comfort measures we'd practiced and teaming with him and with my medical team. With my second, Katie connected us to all of the resources we needed pre and postpartum and helped me problem solve and plan in advance so we could try and avoid some of the challenges I experienced with my first birth. During both births, she was a calming presence who helped me to trust my instincts and provided support and ideas when we needed them. With my second postpartum, she was an incredible source of practical support (postpartum doula services) as well as emotional support as I navigated some very scary postpartum complications that landed me in the ER multiple times. When DC area friends tell me they're pregnant, my #1 piece of advice is to hire Katie. read more

As a type-A first-time mom who wanted to feel as prepared for birth as possible, I knew I wanted to hire a doula for the birth of my son in August 2023. My husband was initially skeptical, as he has 2 children from a previous relationship so felt like he had been through it all before. But now we both agree that hiring Katie was the best decision! She provided thorough education at multiple points during my pregnancy (which even my husband appreciated as things have changed in the birth world since his last experience with it) and got to know my preferences so she could best support me and my husband. During labor, we texted and spoke on the phone so Katie could advise us on comfort measures while I was laboring at home and kept in close contact when it was time to go to the hospital in the middle of the night. Katie was incredibly helpful at the hospital and kept me moving once I got the epidural, using the peanut ball and different positions to make sure labor kept progressing. She was also just a welcome presence in the room and chatted with me to keep my spirits high. She even educated the nurses and advocated for me on different pushing positions I could do with an epidural. Pushing took a lot longer than I expected but Katie kept encouraging me and reassuring me that I was doing exactly what was needed to meet my son. Once he was born, she helped us initiate breastfeeding, which I definitely feel helped set us up for success in the long run. The check-in we had with her 2 weeks after birth was so helpful to debrief the birth experience and make sure we could mentally process everything that happened and to get hands-on support with breastfeeding. My husband and I both are so grateful for the expertise, education, and support Katie provided throughout our whole experience and would highly recommend her as a birth doula. read more

My husband and I are incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Katie as our doula throughout my pregnancy and the birth of our daughter. She is truly an expert in her industry, and we felt empowered and more at ease in our journey after just our first session with her. Katie equipped us with the information we needed (and wouldn't have known) to not only make us feel prepared, but able to advocate for ourselves throughout delivery and ask the appropriate questions when needed. She was sure to equip us and support us without interfering with our experience/roles. As first time parents, we felt a lot calmer and more comfortable about labor, and knew we could rely on her for specifics that we were otherwise unsure about, like when to go to the hospital and what signs to look for to know if I was actually in active labor. She also provided tools to help cope with contractions and other aspects of the labor process. Katie also has an amazing network of care providers that have been beyond valuable in both pregnancy and postpartum - everything from lactation consultant to physical therapist to pedi dentists. Having a good care team as I have journeyed into motherhood has been crucial to feeling like I'm providing a safe and healthy world for my baby (and myself!). Not only was Katie very responsive, she is also extremely professional while still creating a personal connection that made me feel safe throughout the entire experience. I am 100% certain that the positive experience we had was largely due to our work with her and having her present at our birth. Me and my husband highly recommend Katie to everyone going through this experience for prenatal, birth and/or postpartum. read more

TL;DR: Katie is an amazing prenatal and postpartum doula. If you're considering hiring a doula (and I hope that you do!), you can't possibly find a better person to support you than Katie! Full review: I can honestly say that my labor and postpartum experience would have been profoundly different without Katie. She became our doula when I was 16 weeks along, and from that point (and to this day) she has been an invaluable source of education, support, and encouragement. My way of coping with pre-labor anxiety was to obtain as much information as I possibly could, and Katie is an absolute treasure trove of evidence-based knowledge and experience about pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. She shares her knowledge in a way that is easy to absorb, honest and unbiased, always making it very clear that her first priority is ensuring that her clients feel supported and empowered in whatever options they may choose. During my pregnancy I also focused on getting a lot of body work (PT, massage therapy, chiropractic) - evidently with the hope that it would help me avoid any and all pain on the day:) That's unfortunately not exactly how childbirth works, and my labor went in a completely different direction from our plan. I ended up needing an epidural quite soon after getting to the hospital (not my initial desire, but a genuinely life-saving procedure for me in hindsight), and we were soon faced with a number of other stressful decisions. Without Katie in our corner throughout the whole experience, I truly believe my husband and I would have been completely overwhelmed and paralyzed. Instead, with all of the prep we had done with Katie anticipating various scenarios, and with Katie's expert and warm support in the moment, we were able to navigate the whole insane 48 hour experience as well as I could have possibly hoped. My baby ended up in the NICU for several days immediately after birth, and Katie was a huge source of reassurance and encouragement during that scary time. Once we brought our little girl home, we also asked Katie to come out a few times as a postpartum doula, and it was such a brilliant decision. She helped us navigate those first few days, taught us an absolute TON of useful things (swaddling, burping, breastfeeding, exercises to strengthen the baby's latch, sterilizing bottles and pump parts, and so much more), helped make sure we both got some rest, sleep and food, and provided us with a lot of encouragement and reassurance. Our baby is nearly two months old now, and Katie continues to be our main resource for any and all referrals: lactation consultant, baby chiropractic, pediatric dentist - she knows all the best and most trusted specialists in the DMV. Finally, Katie also runs a fantastic postpartum group for new parents, which I recently joined, and have already found to be a wonderful space to share with other newbies:). Overall, I am so grateful to have found her, and thankful to Katie for being so freaking amazing at what she does! read more

Katie was our postpartum doula with our first daughter and was tremendously helpful in those early, tender days. She helped us navigate a tongue tie, which would have been so much more overwhelming without her experience and many, many referrals. Katie is a wealth of knowledge and clearly loves educating new parents about infant care and helping you build confidence in your skills, your intuition, and connection with your baby. Once we were past treatment for the tongue tie and things settled, it was also so nice to know Katie was there, or coming in just a few days, so that we could get some much needed rest while knowing our daughter or the chores were in her capable hands. Some of my best showers, naps and cups of tea postpartum happened while Katie was with us (no rushing, no anxiety haha). She even tenderly helped me pack up my Christmas decorations in late January when I couldn't bear to look at them anymore but had no energy to do it myself. I highly recommend Katie to any new or repeat parents who want a highly skilled, extra set of hands. read more

If I could give 6 stars, I would. It is hard to put into words how amazing Katie was as both a birth and post partum doula. She was everything I could have wanted and more. As a birth doula she was very keen on ensuring I was completely educated and understood the birthing process and how to advocate for myself. She was always right there to answer any questions and support me along the way both before and during delivery. As a postpartum doula she was again, everything I could have wanted and more. She went above and beyond to meet my needs, which were admittedly a lot due to PPD and PPA. Many times she would see what I needed before I did and was there to help me. She made me feel heard, seen and validated all of the feelings and fears i was experiencing. Logistically, she was super flexible and always jumped in where she could whether it was to take the baby so I could sleep, wash bottles, etc. I would HIGHLY recommend Katie as a birth and postpartum doula. I cried when it was her last day because she meant so much to me. If you are able to book her, you are going to be in good, caring hands. read more

Katie was our birth doula for the birth of our second child.  We had hoped to have an unmedicated birth with our first, had considered a doula, and ultimately decided to do a Bradley course and forgo a doula.  Our first delivery was fine, but I ended up with an epidural.  For the birth of our second child, I was recommitted to an unmedicated birth and decided to try using a doula.  Katie came highly recommended, and after speaking with one of her prior clients, I was sold.  And she totally lived up to the hype.  She is a perfect mix of supportive by not judgmental.  I never felt pressured to do anything.  Towards the end of my pregnancy, I was reaching out to her every day for support as I struggled with whether to be induced or not.  She shared her thoughts, but was understanding and supportive of whatever I wanted to do.  She was always available and encouraging.  During the delivery, it was her voice in my ear keeping me calm and guiding me through it all, making suggestions and supporting my decisions, but never disagreeing with my doctor or causing any confusion or tension.  One hiccup is that our labor and delivery nurse was new to the hospital and had never seen an unmedicated delivery before - I don't know what we would have done without Katie informing her of techniques that just weren't going to work with an unmedicated delivery that would typically be done with epidurals and telling her (very politely) that she needed to ask another nurse for an alternative.  Overall, Katie is such a warm, caring person, but also a force to be reckoned with.  She was a great comfort to me throughout my pregnancy and delivery, and I know she is a significant reason why I was able to deliver our second child without any interventions - it was an absolutely amazing experience, and I feel so much gratitude towards Katie. read more