We have always had fantastic experiences using nanny services when traveling. Unfortunately, this…read morewas not the case with Sitterwise. It's honestly still upsetting over a week later, so I felt the need to share. We were traveling to Carlsbad for a wedding, and I contacted Sitterwise 5 days before the event to request a sitter for our two boys, ages 3 and 1.5. I filled out our family profile, made the request, and was told I would be matched with a sitter within 24 hours. The next day, about 30 hours later, I hadn't heard back and my request was still showing as "pending." I reached out to them again and soon after was matched with a sitter. I was initially a bit concerned reading the sitter's profile, which only stated her experience as a high school teacher and mother to a grown son, with no reference to taking care of babies and toddlers. The morning of the wedding, I texted our sitter to give her the heads up that our littlest had picked up a cold (no fever, but a cough/runny nose). Later that day, our sitter arrived and we spent about an hour introducing her to our kids, and despite a clingy baby, all seemed great. I prepared a bunch of notes for her on bedtime routines, dinner, etc., and we left. At 6 pm, just as we sat down to dinner at the wedding, I received a text from the sitter saying she needed me to call her. When she answered the phone, she was clearly very distraught. She said our youngest was crying for me and she was having a hard time handling our 3-year-old, who was hitting his brother and laughing, and from what it sounded like, generally acting like a 3-year-old. She said she couldn't complete the job and needed us to come back... A few things that I remember vividly from that call: "I'm really sorry, I'm only used to high school-aged kids" "I think your son and I just don't get along" "I called my husband and he said, 'you're the adult'" "I know I can't hit/spank him but I'm not sure how to get him to behave" Our minds were blown. We of course left the wedding immediately and raced back to the hotel. When we got to the room, the sitter was upset, both of our boys were upset, and she was running around grabbing random items like the couch accent pillows that she had "put on timeout." Hot tip: the kid doesn't care if you put the couch pillow that he threw on timeout... The sitter was crying and I was completely taken aback and just trying to calm her down and get her out of there. She started to say something like "you don't have to pay me" to which I interrupted and said of course we will pay you. I later found out that she took this as me saying we would pay for the FULL night we originally requested that would have ended at 11 pm, and this is what I was charged for when I checked the receipt (Sitterwise did later refund the extra 4.5 hours I was charged). She left, we were unable to attend 90% of the wedding, and the cherry on top was when she accidentally texted me instead of her boss, explaining that she left because the little one was sick...Clearly not being honest about why she was leaving early. Ultimately, I blamed Sitterwise for the awful sitter matching, not the sitter. Our sitter was super sweet, but she was obviously correct when she said she was only used to high school-aged kids, and I should have gone with my gut when I saw that her profile had no mention of caring for young kids. That fact was clear when I heard her through our baby monitor talking to my 3-year-old like he was 15 - repeatedly asking him what was wrong with the baby and why wouldn't he take the bottle, and asking him to help her. Hearing him very clearly confused and not sure what to do was pretty rough on my mama heart. In the past, nannies have come with age-appropriate toys and activities, she came with nothing. In the past, nannies have known how to appropriately handle a toddler outburst, she made it seem like our child was the devil. The first thing our son said to us when we came back to the hotel room was "she doesn't like me." Those words from a tiny 3-year-old should tell you all you need to know. I spoke to Sitterwise a few days after our experience and explained all of this to Stacy. While I appreciate that she refunded the extra hours I was charged, there was really no attempt to make this right, beyond promising a better pairing next time I'm in San Diego. It would have gone a long way for them to admit the sitter matching clearly wasn't right, or maybe waive some or all of their fees. Instead, I was simply told that she was an experienced sitter, that they'd follow up on the issue, and that they were sorry. Toddlers can be real a-holes sometimes, and mine are no exception to this fact. But, they are also well-behaved kids who have NEVER had an issue like this with a caregiver. As someone who spent 15 years as a nanny myself, this was very clearly an issue of a sitter inexperienced with this age group, and a business unwilling to own their mistake.

You have no idea how much I love this awesome company. When I moved to San Diego a few years ago, I…read moregot panicked after realizing most of the dentists here are only open on weekdays. We just moved there and had ZERO friends and our family members live outside the state so basically we knew nobody who could take care of our baby son when I had to go to see the dentist on weekdays. Then I googled if there was any great nanny agency who could send a reliable one time babysitter to our home then found this company. At first, I was so scared of welcoming a total stranger to my home but the first babysitter was nothing but fantastic so I was able to go get a dental treatment I needed. Then i realized... "maybe I should use the company again when I need a date night with my husband" Since then we get babysitters from them all the time, like once a month. So far all the sitters we hired are great and pretty sure they hire only the good ones who passed the strict background check. They charge $30 per hour for 1 or 2 kids so some people might think it costs too much but in my opinion, it's totally worth it.

Heather is so wonderful and easy to work with. We were able to get my baby from waking every…read more20-30min crying for his pacifier, to sleeping through the night without needing our help to resettle all by week 12 and right before an international trip thanks to her! I don't think we could've traveled so peacefully without her help teaching our son independent sleep. She was also so patient with my countless questions. As someone who suffers with PPA, I was texting her all day and night.... But she was kind and always answered happily. She'll always be my go-to from now on for any sleep issues or future babies!

Heather has been a lifesaver! Heather has been working with my preemie twins the last couple of…read moremonths and I can't believe the progress they have made with her expertise and help. My twins have different needs due to size differences and Heather has expertly managed sleep training plans tailored to each baby. My son is sleeping through the night and daughter is almost there! Couldn't recommend Heather enough and investing in gentle sleep training is my number one recommendation for fellow new parents.

Annika was an absolute godsend during those early newborn days and an incredible support as a…read morefirst-time mom. She came highly recommended by a friend and completely lived up to the recommendation. Every night, she arrived on time with a smile and was immediately ready to help with the baby. She did an amazing job protecting my sleep while also making sure my baby's needs were always met with so much care and attention. What really stood out was how knowledgeable and up-to-date she is on the latest research and evidence-based newborn care recommendations. I felt completely safe, supported, and at ease knowing my baby was in such capable hands throughout the night. If you are looking for a reliable, compassionate, and experienced night doula, I cannot recommend Annika enough. She made such a huge difference for our family during a very special -- and exhausting -- time.

We cannot recommend Annika highly enough. She was warm, completely consistent, and totally…read moreprofessional--every single night. There was never a moment of doubt that our child was in good hands. We truly cannot imagine navigating that season without her.

Dorinda is truly amazing! My husband was traveling out of town and I desperately needed night…read moresupport with our 3 month old so that I could be ready for our toddler in the morning. From the moment we FaceTimed her for a consult, she immediately offered a sense of comfort and support. She was so sweet and pretty quickly learned our son's needs. She provided super helpful tips which have now changed our nights. And, she was thoughtful to check in with me during the day even after caring for our son all night. Thank you, Dorinda!

I found Dorinda through her glowing reviews here on Yelp, which we found to be very accurate from…read morestart to finish of our time together. Dorinda came to our home before the birth to talk in depth and was very tuned into my pregnancy experience; she provided a lot of supportive words/sent me funny memes and videos during the last dragging weeks of pregnancy. She also sent baby resources like a list of recommended items - this consultation would be especially useful for first time parents. Once we were home from the hospital, Dorinda came over the first night and provided a burst of energy and positivity. She sat next to my bed as I fed our new (second) baby and helped me stay awake and make sure she was getting a proper, full feed. We talked everything from birth care to postpartum recovery to current events and family chat (she's a mom and parents her 2 kids in San Diego, so she's been there too!). For subsequent visits we figured out ways to maximize my healing and sleep once I could pump and Dorinda could give a bottle. It's been a game changer for recovery and mental health, especially juggling a toddler, newborn, high energy dog, busy lives and jobs during the day. During my first postpartum I struggled with baby blues, isolation, and extreme exhaustion symptoms but have had none of that this time around and am so grateful. Why we clicked with Dorinda - she's smart, caring, attuned to the whole family's needs, is a strong communicator, and fits into systems we already have developed. She cares about evidence-based parenting and safe sleep. But is just like having a friend around in your home. Highly recommend!

If you are thinking about reaching out to Aly at New Wave consider this your sign to DO IT…read moreIMMEDIATELY! It will be the best decision you make for yourself and your new family. From the earliest days of postpartum, Aly met me with kindness, calm, and such deep knowledge that I instantly felt supported and safe. She gently taught me the intricacies of breastfeeding and lactation, helped me understand my newborn in ways that felt empowering instead of overwhelming, and somehow always knew what I needed before I even had to ask. She cared for my baby overnight on several occasions so I could actually rest, but we spent a lot of our time together during the day when she cooked meals, helped keep my space together, and made those foggy early weeks feel manageable and human. But what makes Aly so special is that she never just cared for my son--she cared for me. She encouraged me to take showers, watched the baby while I squeezed in a workout once the time felt right for my body, and slowly helped guide me back to feeling like myself again. Her support was lighthearted and warm, yet deeply grounding. She brought peace into our home during such a tender, vulnerable season, and I will forever be grateful for the way she showed up for our family. Aly is a gift, and anyone lucky enough to have her as their doula is truly in the best hands.

I am a true believer of postpartum doula care after working with Aly and her team! As a first time…read moreparent, I was really nervous about raising a baby and the toll postpartum takes on a new mom. The care I received from Aly's team made a HUGE difference in my experience. We worked with Aly, Naomi, Ledale, and Tori - who provided night support for 6 weeks. I couldn't recommend them enough. Everyone was focused on both newborn education and the mental/physical wellbeing of parents. It was so nice to have someone to talk to about my baby - what her personality is like, care goals to work on, and just providing humor to the whole experience. Naomi, our primary doula, went above and beyond at this and I was sad to see her go after our 6 weeks was up. I wish everyone could have this type of support postpartum because it made the newborn trenches so much better.

Kiersten Markham is a gem…read more As a man going through all of this, I had my world rocked in the most amazing way. My wife and I took her Conscious Conception for Couples course and honestly at a very deep level we know we are ready to bring a life into this world. From her visualizations to navigating our birth stories with our parents or the homework that kept us in tune and accountable, we not only learned more about ourselves but we were able to heal so many aspects of our lives. Through talking to our parents, it was eye-opening to hear how uninvolved men/dads were with the entire process of conception, pregnancy and birth back then and how this has absolutely affected us today as a society. Or how women were told that our patriarchal healthcare system knows more about their bodies than they do themselves... to have my mom talk about my birth was a massive step on its own but for us to reconcile much of our relationship, well, that speaks for itself. Conception, pregnancy and birth as fundamentally what has been responsible for life on earth for eons of time........ this procreative process does not need more unconscious men trying to control it whether it's husbands or our healthcare system, it needs us to be MORE conscious and yet be a part of creating and holding space for the wonder and awe that it is. Kiersten has changed our lives of not only for ourselves as individuals but as a couple who will now populate our planet with much more conscious beings. We are so blessed and excited :) This might be a weird thing for most guys to consider doing BUT trust the process. Trust Kiersten, her wisdom and her expertise... she has been doing brilliant work with this community for years and she's not just excellent, she has made an indelible imprint on our family for generations......

Kiersten's Conscious Conception course is a must for any couple planning on starting a family. This…read morecourse really dug into our own birth experiences, our parents and even grandparents births and childhoods. Through visualizations, meditations and connecting with our partner with the weekly assignments it not only brought me closer to my partner but it made me feel more connected to our spirit baby. Kiersten is an excellent resource for all things birth all the while being the absolute sweetest person on the planet. She deeply cares for everyone's situations and stories and offers heartfelt guidance and wisdom in creating the conception and birth of your dreams. I feel so grateful to have taken such a spiritual and intimate course. I highly highly recommend it.

We had the pleasure of having Jenn of Goodnight Bloom as our night time doula for our first and…read moresecond sons, and we couldn't be more grateful for her support of our growing family in the most tender times. Each night she was with us, Jenn brought a calming, nurturing presence, allowing us to get much-needed rest while knowing our baby was in the best hands. She is incredibly knowledgeable about both infant and postpartum care, and I appreciated her gentle guidance and unwavering support of our entire family in those very early days. We always woke up to a well-fed, content baby and felt genuinely cared for ourselves. After caring for each of our newborns, Jenn will always be considered family. It's obvious she loves what she does, and she is one of the best in the business. We wholeheartedly give her five stars and recommend her to any new parents needing peace of mind and restful nights!

I couldn't recommend Jenn and the Dreamland Doulas team as a postpartum night doulas more! Jenn and…read moreDorinda supported us as first-time parents from January to May 2022. Not only were they each knowledgeable and loving when caring for our newborn son, they both provided something I didn't know I needed as a first-time mother: support, encouragement, empathy, and friendship! Both Jenn and Dorinda listened when I had questions or concerns, shared their own experiences and expertise, sent me helpful resources, and were great cheerleaders for me in my new role as a mom. My husband and I joke that they taught us how to be parents--they truly became part of our family! Jenn and Dorinda each had a magic touch with our baby. They attended to his every need throughout the night, and even played with him when he woke in the morning so we could have a little extra morning time to ourselves. He always looked comfortable and happy in their care! They recorded every diaper change, wake up, feeding, etc. meticulously in a helpful app so we could pick up right where they left off. I strongly recommend hiring this team as your postpartum doulas. We are so grateful for their support, and we know we'll come right back when our family grows again.