Olivia Fox was my prenatal and birth doula and I highly recommend her! I could not have been…read morehappier and calmer about having her by my side as we navigated a long labor for vaginal delivery. She prepared my partner and I in advance by sharing several useful exercises for when contractions started, as well as basic information which was helpful for decision making during labor. Olivia is kind, friendly, and knowledgeable. We couldn't have asked for more!

Choosing to work with Fox and Cub was the best choice for my pregnancy and postpartum! I moved…read morehalfway through my pregnancy to a new town and needed a new doctor for delivery. Olivia not only helped as my Doula but also helped me find a doctor and a hospital for delivery! Olivia is an amazing doula, working with me prior to the birth; from creating a birthing plan, answering all my random first time mom questions, to identifying what I needed to purchase for postpartum. She met with me at least three times before the birth. She also offered birthing classes and helped me connect with other moms in my community. I had a really long labor and Olivia was there the whole time supporting me with whatever needs I had. My baby had to go to the Nicu for five days and Olivia was supportive and even showed up to the Nicu to help support during one of the most difficult times for me. I'm also so grateful for the two week postpartum support that I received from her. I truly believe that having her help overnight set me up for success and I'm still feeling the impact of the sleep that I got in those first two weeks Finally, Olivia is calm and fierce at the same time, she worked well with the nurses and staff at my hospital while also advocating on my behalf every step of the way. 10/10 would recommend

As we got closer to our due date and reality was sinking in that we were truly going to have a baby…read more(!) my husband and I talked about the idea of having a post-partum doula. We just wanted the peace of mind, especially because we did not have any family around and wanted to make sure we had some support if things were not going well. We found Regula on Yelp and then also found out that she was the post-partum doula for my husband's coworker who LOVED Regula. We engaged Regula to come a 3-4 days a week for the first 6 weeks after having our little one. We were so glad we made the decision to employ Regula. The first 6 weeks are so hard to navigate. Is he eating enough? Is he still hungry, is he sleepy, is it normal he is only sleeping for 20 minutes, should I try and keep him up, should I let him cry a little? So many doubts and questions. It was so wonderful to have Regula around to give that reassurance and confidence. Our son was healthy and happy, we still faced usual challenges. Our son lost a little more weight than the doctors want to see (~12%) so that was a bit stressful. As was my husband getting the flu when Oliver was 2 weeks old. Regula was our rock, personal lactation consultant, and support system. She let us know what was normal and what wasn't, and she put as at so much ease being there for us. She made such a difference to both me and my husband. Regula is also just such a lovely person, with such a calm and warm presence and was so nice to have some socialization during that time without being stressed about having a little one around because that is what she was there for. I personally would recommend everyone use a post-partum Doula (and Regula specifically!) if you've nervous about bringing your newborn home. She made such a big impact on us. She is flexible, will cater to what you need and help any way you best see fit.

Hiring Regula was one of my best life decisions. She came weekday mornings to help my husband and…read moreme adjust to parenthood for a few weeks postpartum. Her calming manner and touch helped ease all of us into my son's first month of life! She reassured me when growth spurts were happening and was invaluable encouragement the first tough weeks of breastfeeding. She was incredibly helpful in keeping our house tidy and baby's room in order, his clothes clean, pumping gear sanitized, and diaper rash at bay ... She set us up with a routine that we are still using and made the first month of insanity somewhat manageable. If you're thinking of having a baby, SERIOUSLY consider a postpartum doula and seriously consider Regula as that doula!

Jackie from Birth Realm is the worst. I tried to book a doula from her on several occasions and she…read morebooked the doula with other people out from under me both times without offering the professional courtesy of letting me know she wasn't holding the doula or that other people could book with her first or even that other people were interested. I had zero idea there was any sense of urgency whatsoever. I was pretty frustrated after the first time but gave it another shot given the good reviews. so then I was on a waiting list for several months and responded immediately to let her know I was interested but I had to wait till I was back in the country to chat with the doula. Again, nothing was said about other people waiting or that there was any urgency. Had I known there was some amount of urgency I would have scrambled to take a call during vacation in Japan. Anyway, I waited until after vacation. IMMEDIATELY after I chatted with the doula I sent Jackie an email to let her know I was interested and to please lock her in. But oh I guess that somehow the doula I just talked to was already booked and she no longer has any available. I have no idea why she even allowed that call to happen if the doula was already booked but she not only disrespected and wasted my time she clearly has no respect for the people who work for her as the doula's time was wasted too. At this point I'm glad it didn't work out as I have no desire to support a business who operates like this. Her prices are like 40-35% higher than everyone else's too but it clearly isn't merited. Pregnancy is already stressful enough, thanks Jackie for making this already hard time significantly worse.

Working with Birth Realm was incredible. We felt such immense support from Jackie and Sondra, and I…read morefelt at ease each night they came to care for our baby. We can't express enough gratitude for all their help!

Catalina assisted me in my first pregnancy/birth. From day 1, I loved her calm spirit and knew it…read morewould be essential during my home water birth. During the whole pregnancy she always made me feel like I had choice and was not required to do anything I didn't feel comfortable doing. The home water birth went so smoothly and she allowed me to take the reigns and use her for any needed support. She always made me feel comfortable and in control (so important as a FTM) and I would highly recommend her!

Catalina is as good as it gets. She was a part of our birth team as we welcomed our first baby last…read moreOctober. She has an incredible gift to meet you where you're at. Her calming yet strong energy gave me so much ease as I prepared to bring my baby into the world. She created a space that was safe, trusting and perfect for my pregnancy. Then came the birth. She walked me through the most challenging few hours of my life. I can't imagine the experience without her. She will absolutely be present if/when we have another baby. She is a 10!

Hiring Meleah was one of the best decisions we made as first-time parents…read more She was an incredible resource throughout pregnancy, helping us prepare for labor, birth, and life with a newborn. When labor finally arrived, her support was invaluable. She brought a calm, reassuring presence, helped us navigate decisions, and was a tremendous advocate and source of encouragement during a long and emotional experience. Having her with us at the hospital made a world of difference. After our daughter was born, Meleah continued to be an amazing source of knowledge and support. Whether we were struggling with feeding challenges, babywearing (she wrote a book on it!), sleep deprivation, or just trying to figure out what was normal, she always helped us find a path forward and gave us confidence as new parents. Meleah combines deep expertise with genuine compassion, and it's obvious how much she cares about the families she works with. We are incredibly grateful for her guidance and would recommend her without hesitation to any expecting parents.

As a first time mom, I can honestly say that I don't know what I would have done without Meleah! In…read morethe months leading up to my due date, Meleah helped me build my birth plan; she provided reading material that discussed the pros and cons of each decision I needed to make and then went through them with me, answering any questions I had, so I could make informed decisions. She even covered contingencies that I hadn't even considered. She also worked with us on techniques for coping with labor pains and guided us through what to expect once I was in labor. When my induction did not go as planned and I completely lost trust in my doctor (who made some very questionable recommendations), I was SO grateful that I had Meleah by my side every step of the way to make sure I understood my options and help me advocate for myself. She was then with me during my c-section, narrating what was happening and snapping pictures when my son was delivered. Then, when he was taken to the NICU for a brief period after delivery, she stayed with me, keeping me calm and relaying any news from my husband who went with our baby. It was definitely not the birth we had planned, but I feel so fortunate that Meleah was there guiding us through it. She also went above and beyond after the birth and was an immense support to us during our first days home with a newborn. She gave us helpful tips on breastfeeding, swaddling, and baby wearing, and helped us locate additional postpartum support when we found we needed it. She really cares about her clients and is amazing with babies! You can tell that she has found her calling and really enjoys what she does.

Working with Brigette for my birth doula and placenta encapsulation was a great experience…read more Brigette, and Vanessa Norton who she teamed up with last summer, were the doulas for the birth of my daughter this past July. During our pre-birth meetings, Brigette was warm, responsive, and gave my partner and me a sense that she would be a competent, caring, and strong advocate. On the week of my daughter's birth, the City of SF experienced a record birth boom. What this meant for us was that Brigette was in back-to-back births. As soon as I told her my water broke, she arranged for a back-up for us in case the birth in which she was participating didn't finish by the time I was in active labor. It didn't and we went with her back up doula. We stayed in contact throughout the day until I went into active labor. The Universe has a way of giving me what and who I need at the right time, and this was no exception. Even though Brigette had been in 20+ hours of labor and deliveries, she came to my hospital room right after I delivered my daughter. Can you imagine? We hugged and cheered and introduced Brigette to our miracle - it felt as if in a way she'd been there for the birth. Brigette also took my placenta home with her and encapsulated it. Seeing my placenta post-delivery was nauseating, so I was grateful that Brigette was encapsulating it rather than me try to DIY prepare it. The encapsulation process was easy. A couple days later, Brigette came by and visited with us. She gave me the encapsulations and directions on how to use them. Everything was straightforward and simple, which as an exhausted, new mom, was a big help. I highly recommend partnering with Brigette for your birth!

My wife Gwen wrote this review but it speaks to how we both felt!…read more I can't imagine not having Brigette at my (first) birth and postpartum - throughout the process she was a breath of fresh air and allowed me to stay calm and even maintain my sense of humor when things got tough. I joke with her that I can't wait to get pregnant again so she can support me for round two - although I'm going to give my body some buffer time ;) haha. I planned a homebirth, but hired Brigette because I knew she'd be an incredible advocate for me whether I gave birth at home or had to transfer to hospital. She was recommended by our midwife Kara Englebrecht, and I was so grateful that Kara pointed us to her. From our first meeting Brigette was down to earth with a warm and openhearted energy. She made me feel calm and confident - helped me feel empowered about the fact that I was the one giving birth and she was there to support and guide as needed. During my labor she was extremely intuitive. She was great at providing counter pressure on my hips during labor sensations and read my body for what I needed. Most of the time what I needed was to bury my head in her neck during contractions so I could breath through them - she felt like a sister to me, which is incredible when I step back and think that we hadn't spent *that* much time together - but it speaks to how quickly I grew to trust her. When I was pushing, I was concentrating on her bangs, blowing air towards them to focus and she read my mind and made sure to stay close so I could continue to focus that way (strange I know, but it helped, and best part was I didn't have to ask/tell her to stay still - she just knew what to do!). She also encapsulated my placenta and supported our family postpartum. She showed me how to be an excellent burper, and helped me spread my momma wings with little tips and tricks to grow my confidence. I'm *so* glad we got to continue working with her as our postpartum doula - she was so helpful and efficient it was almost difficult for me and my husband to think up additional to-do tasks. But mostly, she was a warm familiar face that helped me exhale and feel at ease in those challenging first couple of weeks. I'd recommend her 100x over, can't imagine it any other way. FYI: I was able to use my FSA health savings account to use pre-tax dollars to pay for her birth doula services. It's an eligible expense ("Birth Coach"), I had my OB fill out a short form (Letter of Medical Necessity) that I got from the FSA website, and attached it to the reimbursement request. I think hiring a doula is worth every penny, but helpful tip to get a "discount" by using pre-tax dollars!

Linda helped us care for our newborn baby in the first few months after she was born. She's the…read morekind of person that put this neurotic first time mom at complete ease. When she first scooped up our daughter she immediately started talking to her, singing to her, playing with her and reading her stories. So many other care providers work hard to just keep a baby quiet but Linda works hard to make sure that your child is happy and constantly learning and growing. We were very sad to hear that she was leaving Austin. She left enormous shoes for us to fill.

Don't let Linda's bubbly personality make you think that she will be too much energy for you during…read morelabor. Linda is calm and quiet and encouraging and tuned in when she is working. She gets in the zone and knows exactly what you will need as a laboring mom. She will be present and responsive to your needs but not overbearing or taking center stage. She knows how to support the laboring mom and at the same time support those around you and teach your loved ones how to help you. Linda was my birth doula in July 2013 for the homebirth of my first baby. I don't know what I would've done without her. Even though I had midwives at home and my husband, the care she provided was essential. My husband is sensitive to my needs and caring but Linda was able to show my husband how to help me and support me more specifically. She did not steal the show, but was just present enough during the whole thing. I see pictures of my labor now and see Linda as an integral part of the process, even holding me up at times, yet she was never too much, never bossy, and was in fact a very calming presence. Linda has not given birth to a baby herself, but I see that as a strength to her work as a Doula. She doesn't have preconceived ideas about how your birth should go. She doesn't have her own experience to compare to yours. She has been to many births and knows the process well. She is very experienced and knowledgeable and when she assists birthing moms in the hospital the nurses and doctors trust her and love her help. She has a lot of helpful things to try to comfort and assist you during labor. She can use massage, essential oils, a labor ball, and many helpful position suggestions. There's this idea that in the hospital the nurses will be coaching and helping you through labor every step of the way...and there's this idea that at home, your midwives will be coaching you along. And while this is true to a small extent, it's not like the olden days and nurses and midwives aren't by your side like they used to be. Linda fills that role, though. She is the one who will hold your hand, massage your back, help you to focus your breath, encourage you, tell you that what you're going through is normal, and convince you that you are strong and that your body can do it! She's the one you want by your side even if you already have a wonderful support team of family, friends, and partner. I didn't know what to expect in giving birth for the first time and I wasn't sure if I really needed Linda, but now that I've gone through it, I would NEVER chose to give birth without her. She checks in frequently as you near your due date, she gives the best (and least intimidating) childbirth education ever, and after giving birth she gives excellent follow up care. She helped me to feel confident as a new mom, she assisted and supported me in breastfeeding. She's very knowledgeable in lactation support. And most of all, she helped me to feel like I could do this. I don't know of anyone who has used her services and ever regretted it. You want this girl!

I cannot recommend born wild enough- Sophia Lea Carissa and Eva are all amazing people and helped…read moreme have the birth I always dreamed of. They were there for me for all the highs and lows of pregnancy and postpartum and truly support all your desires and choices you make. Now I'm almost 4 months postpartum and I know if I needed them they are only a phone call away. They were always going above and beyond to be there for our family and we cannot thank them enough for being there for us not only during the moments of the birth of our beautiful daughter but also the whole pregnancy and postpartum. Don't hesitate to call them if you want to feel loved and supported in your birth!

My husband and I loved working with Sophia. From the beginning, she helped us feel at ease and…read morealways had the most helpful stories/ information we needed to make important decisions. I appreciated Sophia's more "hands-off" approach and that she helped me feel empowered to listen to my own body and intuition. We felt extremely comfortable and safe having our baby at home and will miss seeing her so frequently!