Here is a message that I wrote to a pregnant mom who asked me about my experience with a doula. I…read morethink it sums up my feelings about Virginia! She is wonderful and her services are priceless. "I was very nervous that I wouldn't feel supported and empowered throughout my pregnancy/labor, so I searched for a doula very early in my pregnancy. I was lucky to really click with the first doula I interviewed. She ended up being such a crucial part of my entire experience! Matt and I were talking earlier about how I wasn't sure what to write to you because I have a difficult time even expressing how amazing and important she is to me. He wanted me to mention to you how much our doula helped him as well. Doulas are definitely more than just a birth coach for the mom! He felt really supported by her as well. I decided that an unmedicated birth was the right choice for me and she did help me accomplish that goal. However, I know she would have been fully supportive either way. I think a good doula should be focused on helping you feel in control of your labor and birth experience, regardless of their personal labor preferences. Our doula really helped us prepare for Madelyn's birth, but was extremely helpful during the labor as well. Matt said that he loved having her their to reassure him if he got nervous. She also helped rub my back when his hands were tired. For me, I loved having a woman there to tell me she understood when I kept saying how hard it was. Our doula was with us at our house and stayed right by my side for the entire labor and recovery. She didn't even leave until after I had showered and settled in the bed to sleep. When our family was focused on snuggling Madelyn, she was helping me with my first trip to the bathroom. I never even thought about that and it's not very fun, so I was grateful for her! Basically, my labor experience was wonderful and life-changing thanks to our doula and Matt. I hope that helped in some way!"

From the owner: Understanding what is happening with your body during pregnancy, labor and birth takes away the…read morefear and gives you power! Taking my Lamaze Healthy Birthing Class gives you that Knowledge. Hiring me as your doula go hand in hand with the classes and provides you and your partner the support you need during labor and birth for you to birth your baby your way - medicated, unmedicated, cesarean, vaginal - as your doula I support you and help you advocate for yourself and your desires.

Emily was my doula for the birth of my second child - she is incredible! I did not have a doula for…read moremy first child, and this experience was so much more positive. Prior to the birth, she met with me and my husband multiple times, and gave us excellent guidance, including how to manage contractions, and understanding what I could say "no" to in the hospital (like having an IV placed at the start of labor). I wanted to avoid and epidural and have fewer interventions during the birth, and thanks in large part to Emily I was able to have the labor that I wanted. Throughout my pregnancy and then postpartum, Emily was communicative and caring. She came to my home after the birth and showed me some additional strategies for breastfeeding, and has checked in on me multiple times just to see how I was doing. If you're looking for a doula who is really knowledgeable and passionate about birth work, don't hesitate to contact her!

The birthing world is filled with so much information for first time parents, but Emily made sure…read morethat we had all the knowledge we will need to have a successful labor and delivery. We did the Hypnobirthing class with Emily, and my husband certainly thought I was crazy for signing us up for 15 hours of training, but we came out of each session with so much information and thought provoking conversations that could help us make well-informed decisions for our upcoming birth. Emily made herself available to us during the class, but also in the weeks following, to act as a support for any other questions that came up. We are so lucky to have found her!

We had such a wonderful experience with this service. The HFA team was incredibly responsive and…read moreproactive in connecting us with those who may be on our night nurse team which allowed for me to chat with each one ahead of time. It was our first time working with a night nurse and the whole experience made us feel at ease and in very good hands. Our night nurse, Janette, was wonderful and made us feel so confident that our newborn was in good hands that we could get some sleep back! Definitely recommend!

I am so glad to have worked with postpartum doulas through Happy Family After. We had peace of mind…read moreworking through this agency, knowing the doulas were vetted. We worked with Janice and Sara who were wonderful! On the admin side, Devon, Sondra, and Sara were all so kind and easy to work with. I was able to use my Carrot benefits with ease.

I cannot say enough about how amazing Kayla was to work with. From the moment we decided that she…read morewould be our doula, she was kind, engaging, empowering, and comforting. She checked in frequently and answered all of my questions. Whenever I needed her, she was prompt to answer and always reminded me that she was there for me. When I went into labor, she was immediately by my side and did not leave until my baby was born and done with her newborn evaluation. I could not even imagine what birth without Kayla there would have been like! She massaged me the entire time, constantly encouraged me, and took care of any little details that came up so I could stay focused. I had an amazing, unmedicated birth and I could not have asked for a better experience! I would recommend Kayla to anyone! She will always be a part of my incredible birth experience and I am so grateful for her.

Jill and her team are nothing short of amazing. Her GentleBirth method really works - I had a 4…read morehour labor just like she said I would if I followed the teachings! She and Jessi supported me before, during and after my (very fast) birth. I felt safe and secure with them by my side throughout my pregnancy, delivery and postpartum period. Jill even attended my sons bris and supported me during that difficult day. Jessi is the reason I continued to exclusively breastfeed my son for almost 5 months. I wanted to give up many times and she encouraged me to stick with it and guided me through the rollercoaster that is breastfeeding. The breastfeeding 101 class, better baby class, belly wrapping instruction and placenta services were great as well. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Jill and Jessi, Shea, Anna and the whole WBC family for making my first pregnancy and birth a wonderful experience.

Cat's birthing class was amazing prep for my husband and I. We love information and having full…read moreunderstanding of what is going on, so feeling very ready to take on any birthing scenario in the hospital was important to us, as we live in a large metropolitan area. This class was informative and Cat is super enthusiastic, engaging, and down to earth, so it was very relatable and easy to take in the very detailed info. Information is all evidence based and designed to be able to participate fully in your own birthing care, advocate for yourself, and have full understanding of the birthing process. My hospital birth ended up needing many medically necessary interventions, and this class empowered us to make confident and fearless decisions for ourselves. Because of what we already knew from this class, we felt very comfortable with our care team and the information exchanges surrounding the events. Without this class, this experience may have been scary and traumatic, but the education we received in preparation made it feel very empowering and seamless. I 100% recommend this class to everyone interested in becoming well educated before their birthing experience.

My wife and I took Cat's EBB class and it was amazing! We learned a ton and now feel so empowered…read moreheading into our baby's birth. Cat was energizing, engaging, and very informative. We had many friends who took other birth classes with other instructors and none seem to have walked away feeling as calm and prepared as we did after our course with Cat.

Actually Jessica responded and I just saw this. Please read her comments carefully…read more 1) why in the world would I tell you I am in an Airbnb . This is a house I own and was looking for prior to Covid. Can show you prove if that. The other houses I did not win and closed bids. Etc. if you had asked I can provide you with information on where I lived and that it has never been an Airbnb...it's a small 1960s home nobody would pay to live in lol ....but it's got a great location and eventually it will be renovated .... 2) I was very clear that just because I have a NY plate or license does not mean I have been to NY and I too don't want to get sick. 3) I actually can provide you a copy of my deed should you asked but I don't travel with it. 4) however listen to her lack of trust. That only shows she sees the world as US vs THEM. That's what the person running the business is telling you. Not trusting me because of NY plates but I have a deed and can prove residency and that nobody else has rented this place . Look at all the details she asked me to try to prove me wrong and deny me service. Downgrading to 1. She has a communication problem. Lacks the patience to be the person running a business but maybe it's great doing the work. Choose your battles.

Being a FTM I knew I needed support and guidance to ease my anxiety of the "what if" moments. We…read moreare all told what pregnancy and birth "should be", but what most don't know is that we are in control of how the birth of our babies can go. Hiring Jess was the best decision we made. She educated us and empowered us in more ways than one. I learned so much from her and she helped me during the hard moments. When we hired her we knew what a doula was at least we thought we did. She is more than a doula she turns into your biggest cheerleader and advocate. She is by your side thru everything. Oh, and the perk of the prenatal massages are amazing! You feel rejuvenated and refreshed after those. If you are on the fence of hiring a doula.. do yourself a favor and just do it! You will not regret it!

I have used Om Mamas for both of my births. With my first we did everything we could to have a…read morenatural delivery but my son was large, 42 weeks, and determined to stay put despite a two day induction. While I was initially devastated at the thought of a C-section Chelsea was there the whole time, helping me ask the right questions of my providers and allowing me to feel heard and part of the decision. When my baby's heartrate started dropping and he was born with severe torticollis it was clear that he was in a very bad position and the surgery prevented what could have been a very serious outcome. With my second I was determined to have a VBAC, but any C-section mama will tell you, this can be an uphill fight when it comes to your provider. Chelsea and Lauren were available to talk after every appointment. I could vent, and ask questions, and figure out exactly how to put myself in the best possible position to have a vaginal delivery. I'm so pleased that I was able to have a VBAC this past April with my second son and I know that a huge part of it came down to the support of my doulas! These women are so dedicated, staying with you for hours and hours, sitting with you on the floor, holding your hand, wiping your sweat, and squeezing your hips. This is the type of support all birth moms deserve!

Great experience working with Elizabeth for her natural birthing class. Everything was explained…read morewell and gave great insight into the process and expectations of having a natural unmedicated birth.

the receptionist in the matronly center was very rude and unfriendly not helpful not go backread more

We had an exceptional birth experience for our second child at Our Birthing Center. The design,…read moredécor, and amazing staff create a tranquil, secure environment. At our first visit, I knew I wanted my child to be born in this peaceful place - it had none of the sterile, mechanical & "busy" feeling of the hospital where our first child was born. The orientation class held by Beth Ann was very informative, and created a sense of familiarity, especially when we ended up having Beth Ann as our nurse. I was well into active labor when we arrived at the birth center, but as soon as I walked into the birthing suite, I felt a complete sense of security & confidence. We immediately got into the shower for hydrotherapy while Beth Ann prepared the bathtub. The room & bathroom were impeccably clean, and somehow everything we needed was concealed but close at hand - from a birthing ball to towels to a puke bag from the dresser drawer! The best part of the experience for us was the intimacy - my spouse, doula, nurse, and midwife were right there, focusing only on caring for me. There was no in & out of nurses, or additional personnel in the room. I felt completely safe and protected, even through the intensity of the delivery. My daughter was born in the birthing tub and I was the one to pull her out of the water and into my arms. Once she was born, everything was so relaxed and we could truly enjoy those first few moments. Beth Ann & our birthing team took such wonderful care of me after the birth, ensuring that my husband knew exactly how to care for me & my daughter at home. We left the birth center about 4 hrs after the birth and it was so comforting to sleep in our own bed that night! My recovery was much quicker than with my first birth, and I contribute that in part to the unmedicated, gentle waterbirth I was able to achieve at Our Birthing Center. Knowing now the extraordinary level of care, encouragement, and medical expertise available at the birthing center, I wouldn't give birth any other way!

My wife and I had our baby with Judy and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. Highly…read morerecommend

Best choice you can ever make. I am so glad I found her and called her first. I felt an instant…read moreconnection and knew this is who I wanted to stay with. She truly cares about both mom and baby. She supports you both physically and emotionally and puts your health first. Due to having twins I have to do a hospital birth which I wasn't expecting but I know it's for their safety which is more important. I would be an emotional wreck if it wasn't for knowing i have her by my side. Almost forgot to mention she's 30 minutes away from me and I'm more than happy to drive every minute of it because she's worth it. If you have insurance they should cover midwives as well.