I am a type A personality. I did all the research, I mentally prepared for an unmedicated birth,…read moreand I thought I did not need a doula. However, at 32 weeks I began to have my doubts - this was my first birth, will I be strong enough? Will my husband and I remember everything we learned? Now began a race against the clock to find a doula. Karlye came recommend to us by another doula, and from our first phone call I knew we were in good hands. Her science based philosophy, empathy and calm demeanor played a huge role in making our birth experience everything we hoped for. Both Karlye and her back up doula, Adrianna attended my birth. I cannot thank them enough. They were there in all the critical moments. They asked the providers questions. They knew exactly what I needed when my contractions got intense. They provided guidance to my husband on how he could support me best. They held my legs when I pushed. All the while reassuring me that I was strong and I was doing a great job birthing my daughter. Having Karlye as our doula was one of THE BEST choices we made. No matter what kind of birth you are planning for, Karlye is a great addition to your support team.

Karlye was my doula for my natural birthing experience. I am not sure that I had any expectations…read moreas this was my first time delivering a baby but she managed to exceed any feelings, thoughts, hopes, and fears that I had. She not only supported me through the most difficult thing that I've ever done in my entire life, but she supported my family in getting me through what was a long 50+ hour labor full of ups, downs, some very intense contractions, no pain medication and emotions. I couldn't imagine going through this without her by my side. She was my rock, my therapist, my cheerleader, and my friend. I am so lucky to have met this incredible women and I don't know that I have admired anyone as much as I do her. Thank you Karlye from the bottom of my heart you are amazing and I will be forever in your debt.

I truly cannot say enough amazing things about Lauren. Going into birth as a first-time mom, I was…read moreabsolutely terrified. From the very beginning, Lauren made me feel safe, supported, and completely cared for. She has such a calming presence, and she gave me the confidence I didn't even know I had. Lauren was with us every step of the way--starting months before I delivered--helping us prepare for labor and delivery with thoughtful education, helpful advice, and so much reassurance. When it came time for labor, she advocated for me in ways I will forever be grateful for. Her expertise not only helped move my labor along more efficiently, but she also helped me manage the discomfort in ways that made such a difference. Both my husband and I felt so thankful she was by our side. Having our first baby felt a lot less overwhelming because Lauren was there guiding and supporting us through it all. She even came to visit after our son was born, which meant so much to us. I genuinely cannot imagine having another baby without her. If you're considering hiring Lauren--do it. I cannot recommend her more highly. She is an incredible doula and an even more incredible person.

We worked with Merrie and could not have been happier with her support. From the very beginning,…read moreshe was incredibly kind, knowledgeable, and attentive. We originally planned to give birth at a birth center, but at 36 weeks our plans had to change due to complications. During what could have been an overwhelming and stressful time, Merrie was an absolute anchor. She was always available by phone or text and took the time to walk us through every option, helping us understand and process what our medical providers were recommending. When our plans shifted suddenly and we felt backed into a corner about what to do next, Merrie helped us calmly and thoughtfully navigate all of our choices so we could choose the path that felt right for us. Merrie's experience truly shows it felt like she had seen it all before and could clearly explain what might happen and what options we would have in each scenario. Her calm, grounding presence made her such a comforting person to have in the birthing room, and I always felt complete trust in her guidance and support. No matter what direction we chose, she was fully there for us. Her support didn't stop at birth. She continued to help us postpartum, offering guidance on babywearing, breastfeeding, and adjusting to life with a newborn. We felt so supported every step of the way. I truly cannot recommend Merrie highly enough. If you are looking for a doula who is compassionate, experienced, steady, and deeply supportive, Merrie is the best.

I knew having a Doula during the birth of my first child was something I really wanted to include…read morein the process but now having experienced it with Liz, I could not imagine going through childbirth with my current or future children without her! Liz gave my husband & I a ton of hands on information & resources to prepare us for the big day. Between her & the midwives at our birth center, I felt completely supported in our pregnancy journey & that I had a knowledgable teammate in our corner. The day of, Liz's presence went above & beyond our expectations. My childbirth experience of course did not go as planned but having Liz made what could've been a disappointing, scary, & chaotic change of plans had it just been my husband & I, into a calm, informed, & positive experience. When we have baby number 2 hopefully 3 years from now, there is no birth plan I create where Liz is not an important component to their labor & delivery.

After a traumatizing previous birth, it was really important to me to have a better birth…read moreexperience. Liz really helped me prepare for having a successful VBAC in so many ways. During the birth she was there for every step. I know my husband felt more confident having her there as well. I truly believe if she wasn't there the medical team would have pushed another c-section on me when things seemed like they were not progressing. But she helped get the VBAC and birth that i wanted. Liz is worth her weight in gold. I really wish I hired her for my first birth.

Fantastic doula! I credit Barb with my positive unmedicated childbirth experience, from the weeks…read moreleading up to the big day, to the day itself, to afterwards when I was having substantial breastfeeding troubles. She helped remind me of our birth plan every step of the way, and the continuity of her presence was a great service to me while I was in pre-labor and labor in an otherwise unfamiliar place with unfamiliar faces. She is extremely well informed and knows all of the best pre- and post-natal local resources, and her connections and knowledge helped me tremendously. I was getting very impatient in the days past my due date, but her assurances that it was normal for a first time mom to go into labor a week and two days after her due date made me feel better and less inclined to schedule an induction. As it is, my baby came exactly a week and two days after they said she would! Barb visited us a couple times at home and was extremely informative and helpful. She responded with prompt grace to all of my texts and calls. We had been planning to labor at home, but my water broke in the middle of the night with meconium, so I ended up doing all of my labor at the hospital. She came there after I was admitted and sat with me for a few hours to give my husband a chance to go back home and get some rest. The next day when I was in active labor, she came and stayed with us for 12 hours, helping us move into the recovery room and taking pictures for us, etc. Her presence was an implicit reminder of everything we had prepared and she was a grounding force when things didn't go exactly as planned (they never do)! : ) I was in active labor for only 4 hours, including 1 hour of pushing. My baby came out very easily and with no complications, and I'm fairly certain that without Barb's help (and the patience of my midwives), I would have otherwise been induced and ended up with an emergency cesarian. At the post-partum visit, Barb showed us how to give the baby her first bath, and helped us use the moby wrap for the first time. She is a very down to earth person, providing a balance of heartfelt support, stern advocacy, awesome bodywork, and a wonderful sense of humor at just the right time. She is prompt and responsive and a very clear communicator, which was essential during this sensitive and uncertain period in a new family's life. I will absolutely use her for my next birth, and I highly recommend her to anyone!!

Barb was the best decisions we made for our first pregnancy. After months of research and deciding…read morewhat we wanted for our child's birth, Barb spent several sessions with us during the pregnancy dialing in a plan that fit our wishes for labor and delivery. When the time came she was at the hospital exactly when we needed her. The labor was difficult and our baby was not set up great for delivery; Barb helped with positions and techniques that kept things from going bad. We had great midwives, but it was Barb's dedicated attention and experience that really made the difference in the end. It seems you lose all sense of control during labor and delivery, but having Barb there gave us the reassurance and guidance we needed to stay positive and on plan; almost like a guardian angel. Forget the fact that Barb has no reviews yet here on Yelp; it felt like she's been helping deliver babies her whole life. Always near her phone, Barb was there when we needed her. We look forward to working with her again ourselves and will be recommending her to friends and family. Thank you, Barb!

My husband and I both highly recommend Terri. She supported us through the birth of our first…read morechild, and we truly can't imagine going through the experience without her. What started as plans for an unmedicated birth ultimately became an induction followed by an unplanned C-section. Terri was with us every step of the way, helping us stay calm, informed, and grounded throughout the entire process. She was an incredible support not only to me, but also to my husband, and helped us advocate for ourselves and get creative with our medical team around laboring positions and pain management strategies. Even after taking birthing classes and feeling well prepared, we were still extremely grateful to have Terri by our side during labor and delivery. Outside the L&D room one of the best parts of working with her was having someone help us talk through what we hoped for in our birth experience, process what actually happened afterward, and provide us with a written birth story. If we're lucky enough to be expecting again in the future, Terri will absolutely be one of our first calls.

Terri was incredible and my birth experience was wonderful directly because of her involvement. She…read moreis warm, kind, caring, thoughtful, sweet, and funny and having her with me every step of my journey was incredible. She helped me craft my birth plan with zero judgement and then walked with me through a very long, difficult, and decision-heavy labor. Any time a nurse, doctor, or midwife offered suggestions, I cleared the room except for myself, my husband, and Terri and she gave me the information and support I needed to make the best decision for myself and our baby. I truly cannot recommend Terri enough and I want her to be at every single one of my births.

These women are absolutely incredible. I found them in the last month of my pregnancy, and I'm so…read moregrateful I hired them. They offer prenatal visits, birth support, and postpartum visits. I hired them mostly for support during birth, but I ended up having a quick labor and a very challenging postpartum period. They were there for all of it in every way I needed them. Each woman brings a different set of skills to the table, but they all offer exceptional prenatal/labor/postpartum support. If you're considering hiring a doula for your birth, do yourself a favor and allow these women to help make it a beautiful experience.

Since you are reading this, I assume you have decided that a doula is a good idea for your birth…read more But if you are unsure, let me help you - the answer is YES. Especially if this is your first baby, after going through it, doing it without a doula is simply unimaginable. More on why below. Boulder and environs are not short on doulas as we learned when we moved here two months ago, seven months pregnant). Boulder Doula's Circle was recommended to us by a friend, but we were hesitant at first - like many health providers, on the "big day" you do not know which of the three doulas you might end up with. What if we had a favorite or were not crazy about one of them? This is intimate family stuff after all. However, after a 1:1 meeting and attending one of their monthly birth circle open houses at the Mamahood, we knew it was not just a case of being the "right fit" for us, but so much more. Suddenly we felt incredibly supported by these three very wise, very experienced, and very fun women. Each brings a unique set of skills to the table that will benefit you, not just on the big day, but throughout your pregnancy. Whether it was herbs, exercises, guiding us to other resources in the community, pre-natal home visits, or post-partum visits, Amanda, Rachel and April gave way more than we ever imagined. We were clueless, but by the time labor arrived we were super-educated, prepared, and confident. And the benefits of their support during labor cannot be overstated. Its difficult to express how grateful we are to these three. Another aspect of the team-doula approach: you can't end up in a situation where your one doula is on vacation or at another birth, leaving you in the lurch. Or, if, heaven-forbid, you have a marathon labor, you can get a hand-off, where one of them will come in as relief. A final thing to add - while we were on board with their approach, we saw other couples who had different ideas of what they wanted (or didn't want) and all three of the doulas were really non-judgmental and supportive. I suppose that in this world thats normal, but there was something genuine about it - its not that they were hiding what they really thought, but that they were truly not judging and wanted to do whats best for their pregnant mamas and their babies. In this incredible, exciting, daunting process of starting a family, I cannot stress how great it was to have these three as counsel. If this sounds too good to be true, message me and Ill be happy to share more details of our experience. Nikko

Stacey is hands down the best! When I decided to hire a doula for my labor and delivery I…read moreinterviewed 5 ladies before I met Stacey. From our first interaction I knew she would be the one by my side during such a special time in my life. Stacey is not only experienced and wise in her practice, but her caring personality shines through every part of her work. She was available to answer any of my questions leading up to the birth, she anticipated every one of my needs during labor, and she made sure me and my son were off to a great start at our post natal apt. I would highly recommend Stacey to any woman wanting an exception experience during their birth. I know I will be calling her for any future kiddos I have!

Stacey is absolutely amazing! I feel so lucky that I found Stacey to be our doula for the delivery…read moreof my first baby. From the minute my husband and I met her we instantly felt comfortable in her presence and we both naturally gravitated towards her, she seemed like someone we would have been friends with for years. Looking back on the entire experience, I know I would not have been able to do it without her. I ended up having a natural birth and Stacey was there to help me through it all. There were several times that I did not believe in myself or think I could do it and Stacey knew exactly what to say and knew exactly what to do to help make me feel mentally strong and physically better. I have told all my friends about Stacey and strongly encourage them to use her when they decide to have a baby. I know for sure my husband and I will be calling on Stacey when we go to have baby number two. Stacey is incredibly knowledgable and so easy to relate to and get along with, I was able to be completely myself with her and was able to talk with her like I'd known her for years. I was so happy to have her by my side when the nurses asked me questions or advised me on things that I wasn't sure about. Knowing Stacey's resume, background and years of experience I knew I could trust in her advise and opinion. I knew she was looking out for what was best for me and that ultimately it was my decision but she was there to help me understand all my options. All in all, my husband and I would have paid five times as much to have Stacey there, she truly was so amazing. Thank you Stacey!

Dr. Kelley at Revelle was so great to work with during my pregnancy and postpartum. She is…read moreincredibly knowledgeable and kind, and I learned a lot from her. I'd never had pelvic floor therapy before coming to Revelle, and I wasn't sure if it would be awkward or uncomfortable but it wasn't at all. Working with Dr. Kelley helped me feel more prepared to give birth for the first time by teaching me different labor positions, breathing techniques, and how to prevent tearing; and I truly believe that all those things positively impacted my birth experience and postpartum recovery.

I had a great experience with Revelle. I worked with Melissa during and after my pregnancy and…read morewould highly recommend her. She was extremely professional, but also very friendly and easy to talk to. She was very thorough when I started to make sure they were providing high quality care and I definitely noticed a difference in my symptoms very quickly. I also believe my delivery and postpartum recovery was easier due to seeing Melissa. I would not hesitate to see Melissa again if the need arises.

I cannot say enough positive things about my experience with Chelsea! I had my baby the same time…read morewe closed on our new house so moving added a whole new level of stress. Chelsea came and helped us take care of our baby so I could shower, unpack my closet, and do whatever random things helped me feel more settled. She is kind, confident, informed and professional and I would recommend her to any new moms looking to catch their breath & feel supported in the new adventure of motherhood.

From the owner: Certified birth doula providing respectful and nonjudgmental labor and delivery support regardless…read moreof how and where you want to birth.

Joyanna captured the birth of my cousin's baby two years ago and we loved those pictures so much we…read moreasked her to be there for the birth of our baby girl in August. She exceeded all our expectations and the pictures turned out so amazing. She went above and beyond to make sure she was there in time and captured each moment perfectly. We will cherish these pictures forever!

We hired Joyanna to be our doula and birth photographer for our second baby born in Nov 2017. She…read morewas recommended by our neighbor, and we are so glad we found her! She has a very calm presence, was completely supportive of our vision for our birth, and took amazing photos of our baby's first moments. A good doula is worth her weight in gold! Highly recommend!