From the dad's view - (note: this was our first baby) Hiring Britney was the best decision we made. Let me explain to the dads out there why this turned out to be so awesome and worth every penny. There is a lot about the whole pregnancy thing that are challenging for dad mostly because you feel a little helpless. I had no idea what to really expect and hadn't even seen a birth before. We took some hypno-birthing classes and those were helpful. I also read a ton of books. One I recommend is Expectant Fathers http://a.co/6av4TBN - it is a book just for expecting dads. From the first meeting we liked Britney because she tells it like it is, asks thoughtful questions and is flexible with her approach. This means you get to direct how you want the brith to go down. She comes and meets with you a couple of times before the baby is born. This is great because you get to ask more questions and dive into what to expect the day of. My wife really really didn't want a c-section and Britney was great about helping us understand how we can best avoid the procedure. She also wanted to avoid an epidural...and she did. Now fast forward to the day of the birth, or in our case the two days :) It is darn near traumatizing to watch your significant other go through child labor. We stayed home as long as we could before heading to the hospital. Britney was texting and calling while we waited, ate, slept, walked, drank water, and chilled for hours while the labor proceeded. It was nice having someone I could reach out to with questions while we were at home because I have no fricken clue what exactly to do during labor. The best way to sum it up is this - Britney is the coach and mentor for the brith. This allows us dads to take on the roll of supporter and comforter. I am so thankful that I didn't need to tell my wife that she "needs to push harder!" because Britney was there to do that. I can only imagine how well that would have gone over with me telling her that after hours of pushing. During labor, neither our OB nor our Midwife made it to the delivery room. Without Britney there we would have been going through this entire thing alone, without anyone we knew or had a relationship with. There is no question that our birth was a thousand times better because Britney was our guide. As a dad she also made my experience better because it gave me a unique chance to be involved in a caring way during the labor. read more

If your a Dad I highly recommend hiring a doula!Imagine yourself being a boxer without a coach- that's Labor Day without a doula! Brit was awesome. She's very loving, caring, listens, and is very calm, and super informative! read more

Words cannot express how grateful our little family is for Britney! When my birth plan didn't go the way I planned and I had to be induced at a hospital (not my first option AT ALL), Britney came over to our house without missing a beat and reassured me everything would be completely fine and that she would be there every step of the way. She went over everything that occurs during an induction in detail and put a lot of my worries aside. Once I was finally in labor she was by my side during the entire process -coaching me, suggesting different positions, swaying my hips through each contraction the list goes on and on! When it was finally time to push she coached me through the "rebozo technique" which literally helped me have an unassisted vaginal birth. I honestly couldn't have pushed my son out without Britney and I am so happy she didn't give up on me during the 3.5 hour pushing stage. She even snapped some very private and special pictures of the first moments of my son being born which still bring tears to my eyes today. Hire Britney - you can't go wrong! read more

Little Bean Doula Services - Thank you Britney!!! - Doulas Near Me

Being our first baby, hubby and I were pretty scared. We had decided in getting a doula and when Britney mentioned in conversation that she is also a Hypnobirth instructor, we bought personal lessons from her as well. (Hypnobirthing was amazing and I wouldn't do it any other way.) Britney was very professional but also a person a felt comfortable with since the beginning. Hubby and I agree, we don't know how we would have done it without her. I labored at Mary Birch. the first thing I need to make clear about this doula is that she will put in the time! In the 26th hour, when everyone including me had taken naps, she was wide awake, energetic despite being tired, and with a very positive attitude. Britney was there when I needed her, with some water, a helpful massage, or for a chat between contractions. She made it easier to get and be comfortable at the hospital since she helped get the things I wanted from the nurses and even pushed for the things they put up resistance to, for example I was able to get in the shower on two occasions. Now I have a beautiful and healthy baby. We are very thankful for the role Britney played in preparing us for birth and during birth itself. read more

Where to start? It's been five months since I gave birth to my daughter with Britney by my side. I still love bragging about my amazing birth story and yammering on about how I couldn't have done it without my amazing doula. My husband and I met Britney through our hypnobirthing class, she was the instructor. After the first class I knew I wanted her as our doula but I still went though matching services just to be sure. When I didn't get matched to her I approached her for hire, I had to go with my gut on this one. Britney is the right amount of whatever is needed in the moment. In other words she is very perceptive. Once she took us on, we started meeting a few times before I gave birth. I was quite far along in my pregnancy and I definitely had some doubts about how I was going to approach labor. She really helped me take hold of those fears and usher them out the door. She also helped me find a new obstetrician at 36 weeks along! I felt like I was crazy but she helped me realize it was the right thing to do, since my doctor made me feel so unsure. She helped my husband and I get on the same page with our birth plan and she always had a smart answer for my husband's questions (he can be quite the skeptic) Birth Story: in short, I had a 9 hour all natural birth. 5 of those hours I spent laboring at home, Britney was there for three of those. She followed us to the hospital and helped me through those intense sometimes unbareable moments. She got me through that moment where you want to turn back but can't, and that moment that you want to give up and no one can convince you that you don't want to give up. She was stellar the whole way though. She knew my AMAZING obstetrician Dr Cap and they worked well together. I pushed for about an hour and I got to meet my wonderful "little bean". That perfect moment. About an hour later my husband Britney and I are stuffing our starving faces with PB&Js my husband made per Britney's suggestion before we went to hospital. Good call! None of this touches down on any of the ultra personal moments I had with her. None of this touches down on the incredible strength and sacrifice of self that a person like Britney gives to a laboring mother. After all is said and done I can't believe she does what she does, it's such an incredible job. Very selfless and takes a lot of energy. Picking a doula is a very personal choice. There is a certain sisterhood or motherly feeling a woman probably feels for her doula and not everyone is a good fit for everyone. That being said, I can't imagine having anyone else in the world there help me through that amazing night. It made a tremendous difference in the way I labored, and I know this because it went so perfectly, and that is because I had trust in the process,and trust in my baby, and that was all thanks to Britney's wisdom, love and patience. Forever thank you. read more

Little Bean Doula Services - Doulas Near Me

I was pretty far into my pregnancy when I decided I wanted a doula and I'm so glad I decided to find one! I got in touch with Britney via my doctor and it was the best thing I could've done for my labor. I called her at like 4 in the morning (poor thing lol) to tell her I was feeling some contractions. She was super calm and supportive over the phone and we decided I'd call her when things were moving a tad more. I ended up calling her a few hours later and she came over shortly after. She spent the day massaging me, talking to me, calming me, feeding me, supporting my husband and helping me through every surge. It was a huge plus that she is well versed in hypo birthing which is one of the reasons I chose her. By mid afternoon when I was feeling things weren't progressing as fast as I'd like, she had some techniques up her sleeve to speed things up. And they worked! A few minutes later my water broke and I chose to start heading to the hospital. Once we arrived, things got quite intense for me but there Britney was, supporting me and my husband every step of the way. She even took a few photos of the birth so my husband could stay closer to me. An hour and a half after arriving, baby was in my arms. Both my husband and I have said the day wouldn't have gone nearly as smoothly without her. I'm grateful she was there. OH! And it was her birthday! I felt terrible I called her in to work on her birthday (she never made me feel bad about it at ALL) but now she and my little one share their special day! I highly recommend her and would call her again if I had another baby. read more

We've been fortunate enough to have Britney as our doula for the birth of both of our two children. The fact that we had her back for our second child is pretty much all you need to know. She's an incredible human being, and we cannot imagine a better doula experience. She's so warm, so sweet, so knowledgeable, so funny, such an amazing massage therapist, such a giver. She inspires confidence and trust -- for her, oneself, and the birth process itself. If you looking for a doula, honestly I don't think it gets any better than this. -Ari P.S. Separate from her doula services, my wife and I just had our first massages from Britney and it was literally one of the top 3 (if not THE best) massage I've ever had in my life. read more

Britney brought so many positive elements to our birthing experience, I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a Doula. Her strength, knowledge and good energy helped us achieve the natural birth we had hoped for. Throughout our planning meetings Britney provided us with valuable insight and tangible advice that allowed us to identify our intention and the path to get there. During our birth she was everything that we needed her to be, strong when we needed strong and calm when we needed to calm. She was a Shaman by my side helping me navigate through the physical and mental labyrinth of labor. We are so grateful for everything she contributed to our experience, she will always be a special part of the memory! Melissa, Joshua & Sienna read more

It's been two years since I used Britney's doula service back in San Diego, and I hate to hurt anybody's business. But after speaking with, and getting encouragement from fellow mothers who had great help from doulas, I decided to speak up and provide a reference for expecting parents looking into doulas. Britney was nice overall but what happened on my baby's birthday was that after my husbands' repeated communication with her about my intense contractions over the entire day, she refused to believe that the baby may come any time soon. All she kept telling us was to drink wine or take Benadryl to relax(even though I previously told her that don't react well to alcohol and prefer not to touch it during labor). I ended feeling extremely tired and miserable after taking the Benadryl. Later that night my husband decided to take me to the hospital because I was in so much pain, and when he informed Britney his decision, she told him it's time for her to go to bed and asked him to keep her updated. I am sure she felt experienced and was confident that the baby would not come soon, but the fact was that when we got to the hospital, the doctor found out that I was already 9.5-10 cm dilated, and within less than 1 hour the baby was born. We told Britney the doctor's finding, and she headed over and showed up in my labor room less than 5 minutes before the baby was born. Her presence brought a lot comfort to me even though it was just a few minutes, but I wish she could have listened(to the specific situation of individual expecting mothers instead of readily prescribing some pro-forma response), and been there for me longer when I had the most struggle with labor. read more

Britney was our Doula in 2012 when our daughter was born and I, being a dude, had never even heard of this "doula" voodoo. Thought it was a music genre for all I know! Anyway...she opened our eyes to so many useful options and ideas with regards to our birth plan. She's incredibly well educated in her field and wants YOU to have the best birthing experience YOU want to have. No hidden agendas, just facts, compassion and empathy. Love this girl to pieces! It's a shame I'm not having anymore children because she's a massage therapist too and you know, giving birth is just as hard on the dad as it is on the mom... read more

Britney is an amazing doula and I had the honor of having her at my birth 10-12-19. My homebirth went so well and I truly attribute so much of it to her. As a FTM, the idea of an unmedicated birth scared me but Britney helped to always bring me back to my why. Her birth education classes helped me to ease my fears as she not only brought knowledge and experience but intuitive and compassionate care for my feelings. During the labor is where she truly shared her magic. When Britney arrived the day of and saw me struggling through my contractions she instantly helped me get into a better position and gave me the most amazing massage while reminding me to breathe through each surge. I needed that and it got my oxytocin flowing to put me in a zen state before entering transition. It also helps that Britney is extremely strong and squatted with me and used her hands as counter pressure throughout the labor and I know that hours of that is taxing. But you would never know it as she stayed with me, present and energetic throughout the whole process. She encouraged me the whole way through and that meant everything as I faced my doubts. My husband and I have both remarked several times how important a doula is and how Britney really helped both of us. She is also a baby whisperer and can calm any crying baby with her magic hands. If you are looking for a compassionate and knowledgeable doula- Britney is your woman! read more

Britney was a wonderful, supportive, informative doula who helped make my birth experience exactly what I wanted. She is a loving, confident soul and a joy to be around. I highly recommend her doula services. read more

I was gifted a postnatal massage by Britney (who had been my friend's doula) and it was AMAZING. I am typically very picky about my massages and what areas to focus on, etc, but it's like she could read my mind. She got out every kink and sore spot from new motherhood and I can't speak highly enough about her services. Highly recommend! read more

Much to our dismay, our doula had the flu the night I went into labor. Britney was her backup and came to our rescue...and thank goodness she did! Even having never met Britney, we instantly clicked. Her calm and strength brought so much beautiful energy to our birth. She not only supported me, but also supported my spouse and faded into the background when we were in our "rhythm". She is extremely knowledgeable, and was our voice at times in the hospital, asking questions to ensure that our birth plan was understood and executed by the staff there. Hiring a doula was the absolute best decision I made during my pregnancy and I am so grateful that Britney was the one that will forever be a part of our birth story. read more

This was our first pregnancy and we wanted to leave the option open for a natural birth so someone referred us to hypnobirthing through the birth education center. We found Britney through the centers doula match after interviewing 3 other doulas. We clicked with her immediately: she's no fuss, tells it like it is, knowledgeable, straightforward and totally cool. She also is super open to helping develop your birth plan whatever that might be including an epidural if that's what is important to you. No judgements whatsoever, just gives you resources to help you make your decisions. We took the hypnobirthing class that she teaches through the center and prepared per her instructions as much as possible. I'm super happy to say that we were able to deliver our baby boy mostly natural (I needed pitocin) because of the specific preparation and the guidance Britney gave during pregnancy and a 42 hour long labor. She coached us during the toughest moments and advocated for our plan every step of the way. We had an amazing experience with her and recommend her to anyone who wants an amazingly smart and thoughtful birth educator and coach. read more

I can't say enough wonderful things about this human being, she brought so much intuition, positive, calm energy and birth knowledge to my home birth. She was present and reliable through my pregnancy and I never felt unsure of our decision to include her. I am forever grateful I connected with her, I knew from the minute we met we were a great match, and that she would be the right choice to accompany me and family on this incredibly personal and momentous journey. She supported not just me, but my husband and our 3 year old son as we brought our new family member into the world. Thank you Britney, you were an integral part of our birth experience! read more

If you are on the fence about getting a doula - go for it. If your doula is anything like Britney it's sooooo worth it! We called Britney to come when active labor got going. By the time she showed up my husband and I's pain management strategies were already breaking down and things were still ramping up. As amazing and supportive as my husband was you can only hear the same type of encouragement for so long before you start tuning it out! Britney had so many tricks to both minimize the pain and keep me distracted. The positioning, making good use of the bed, ball, and other tools in the room. Plus the advice on how to push (hold it instead of several separate pushes I had been doing) was invaluable and hadn't come up in our birth class. She was a key part in making through the birth unmedicated. As far as the support before the main event and in early labor Britney was super helpful there too. We ended up at the hospital during early labor due to concerns about the baby's heart rate. Britney was available by phone to help us process this development and understand our options. We pushed back in inducing and figured out that there was an error in our record. Once the hospital staff has the right info they calmed down. Having Britney to provide a second opinion was invaluable. read more

I cannot say enough great things about how amazing Britney is! She exceeded expectations in every way. She helped me feel at ease about the birth process and helped me to feel confident that I could have the birth I envisioned and wanted to have. I had an incredibly long labor and Britney endured many many hours in the hospital with myself and my husband. There was a moment where the baby's heartbeat was dropping, and nurses and doctors started rushing in. Britney calmly talked to me during the whole thing and kept me focused, peaceful and at ease. She is such a gem and will be such a great member to add to your birth team; I guarantee it! read more

My goal was to have an unmedicated childbirth and thanks to Britney, that's exactly what happened. She is very informative and provided me with lots of articles, printouts, videos to watch, class suggestions, etc to help prepare me for the big day. When that morning came, the support she provided to me and my fiancé was priceless. I had a very quick labor and delivery but having her expertise and guidance during the labor process at home made all the difference. She came prepared with essential oils, different positions to help me and the baby be not only comfortable but in the optimal position to birth. Her confidence and knowledge really helped my partner and i, as this was our first rodeo. By the time i got to the hospital, i delivered my baby within 20 minutes with Britney reminding me how to breathe as well as coaching me with the midwife and medical staff. She provided great recommendations to other services i was interested in and was available to meet/Text when necessary. I highly recommend her services... she is worth every dollar and then some! read more

Britney was an essential part of bringing my two babies into the world. With my first born, Britney came to our home for five weeks to help prepare me via hypnobirthing. Her calm presence, coupled with frank honesty, was exactly what I needed to be able to bring Hadley into the world confidently! She was the first text I sent when my water broke and she made sure I was comfortable every step of the way! She checked in on us after birth and came to meet sweet Hadley girl. Because of my phenomenal hypnobirthing experience with her, I knew I needed her to play a bigger role in the birth of my son, 17 months later. She came over multiple times to make sure I was comfortable with labor, make a game plan, review hypnobirthing, and work through any anxiety I was feeling. I kid you not: you want her on your team. As soon as I headed into the hospital, she was on the phone with me and reviewing our plan. She met us there with perfect timing. I cannot recommend her enough. read more

I didn't hire Britney until I was about 36 weeks pregnant, and I am SO. GLAD. I. DID. I signed up for a Yelp account just so I could leave her a review. I was trying for a VBAC - my first baby was a planned c-section so I had never experienced labor, and I wanted someone there with me and my husband who would keep us calm and coach us through it. I wasn't committed to a home birth or a natural birth, but still wanted a doula so I could stay home as long as possible and maybe even savor the process. I ended up having another c-section after 27 hours of labor, and Britney was there for almost all of them. She laid in bed with me moving my hips through contractions, she rubbed my shoulders and got me things to eat, she helped distract me and taught me how to breathe and relax through contractions. All the nurses on the floor liked coming into my room because she made it smell like lavender. I wished I could have a doula all the time, not just during labor. She never showed any judgment about my choices or tried to push me one way or another. As soon as I knew I would have to have another c-section she grabbed my hands and told me, "babies choose how they want to come into the world. Your daughter is just choosing another way. Think of how exciting it is that you're about to meet your daughter." She sent me into the operating room with a cloth sprinkled with peppermint oil to help me with the nausea, and showed the nurses a pressure point that would help with shaking afterwards. She finally went home to sleep for a few hours and came back the next morning with tea and pastries for me. Britney made me feel spoiled and special, and kept my husband involved the whole time. The birth didn't go the way I wanted, but she helped me process that and still see the beauty in my daughter's birth. I was happy to see her again a week later at home, where she brought my daughter a hat she'd knitted. She is warm and selfless and fun and made the whole experience so much better than it would have been otherwise. If I have a third I will definitely be hiring her again! read more

Britney was my doula 5/2015. She was prompt, professional and pleasant to be around. She intuitively knew what I needed for my entire labor. This was my third baby and she was the perfect team mate for me and my husband. I made it through a 36 hour induction without any pain medication. I had my professional camera in the room and asked that when my husband was doing pain relief measure that she would take some photos on auto. She took an incredible photo of my daughter being born into my hands. Something I will cherish my whole life. My favorite memory of her was when I was so exhausted that I crawled into bed which made the contractions much more intense. She asked if she could lay by me and we spooned on my hospital bed as she rocked my hips with each contraction. I was so relaxing and soothing that I fell asleep for hours only slightly waking with each contraction. My husband was able to get some sleep too. That has NEVER happened with any of my labors. I truly felt like she was a soul sister carrying me through the night. My husband and I woke up with energy to continue on for several hours until my daughter was born. I don't think anyone should labor without a doula. Britney is an excellent choice. read more

Britney is beyond amazing!! I couldn't recommend her highly enough. I honestly don't think I could have been successful with my VBAC had it not been for her encouragement and support throughout my pregnancy and especially during my labor and delivery. She knew just how to encourage and motivate me. Her hands were magical during labor as they eased my tension and melted away my pain. She is a truly gifted masseuse! Britney helped me stay focused and helped me to be my own advocate at the hospital. She kept me so calm and focused during my 41 hours of labor. She's a rockstar!! read more

Britney has the kind of confident yet calm energy that my husband and I were seeking in a doula. We were so grateful for the thoughtful time she spent with us prior to labor, and she showed up at the Birth Center right when we needed her! My husband talks about how when he wasn't sure what to do next, Britney walked through the door and was instantly by my side, rubbing my back, with a cool towel and affirming words. Throughout the labor and delivery, she was diligent about making sure I was staying hydrated and eating snacks early on. She often knew what I needed before I did! When I was really in the thick of it, Britney reminded me several times that I have options and I get to choose where I want to labor and give birth (in the tub, on the bed, on the toilet...). She helped keep me steady, gave my little family time after the birth, and left when she felt it was appropriate and we were in a good place. I would definitely hire her again! read more