I cannot say enough good things about Cheryl. She is incredible and I hope she'll be my doula for all my future births. BACKGROUND on me/us. We decided when the pandemic hit that we wouldn't let it stop us from starting a family. I got pregnant in April of 2020, and in September, we moved from San Francisco to Seattle. Since this was my first, I wasn't sure what I was looking for. I visited Swedish First Hill thinking I might want a hospital birth, and interviewed three midwives and several (six, to be exact) doulas. When I met Cheryl, I knew I had found "the one." She was also the only person I spoke w/ that made me genuinely feel EXCITED about giving birth. PRE. Not only did Cheryl offer to meet me throughout my third trimester to do the stairs or go for walks, but she also hosts weekly prenatal yoga classes (over Zoom), which I'll be honest, were the *only* times I did yoga during my pregnancy. BIRTH. On the birth day, Cheryl was phenomenal. She comforted me not only w/ her words, but also her hands when I was laboring. She rubbed my back or my leg, which I later found out is not the standard for birth doulas, and suggested different positions for me as things progressed. She was so good about feeding me and making sure I was staying hydrated, too. (As an endurance athlete, I know for a fact I would have bonked had she not force fed me a banana, honey, and electrolytes.) She made me feel strong and safe throughout my entire labor. POST. After baby was born, Cheryl took such good care of my partner and me. She fed us, taught us how to swaddle baby, helped me through mastitis, and became someone we consider to be family. She encapsulated my placenta after making placenta art, too. Her intuition about what we needed was so spot on, it truly is a gift. I birthed a 9lb1oz baby w/o drugs or stitches at home, and I thank Cheryl (and my midwives) for that. We adore Cheryl and anyone would be lucky to have her. read more

As a first time mom, I was clueless about the labor and delivery process. As I was exposed to various kinds of births, I came across the idea of having a birth doula to help both my husband and I through the process. Cheryl was everything we had hoped for and more. We connected with her immediately. I would reach out to her regularly during my pregnancy with questions and concerns, and she was very quick to respond and ease my nerves. We took a few prenatal classes with her which helped us understand labor and delivery better. I wanted to make sure my husband and I were also well versed with the possible interventions that could take place at a hospital birth. Cheryl did a great job of teaching us what the alternative options were in case things didn't go as planned. On the day of, Cheryl helped me labor at home and the hospital, which is exactly what I had hoped for. I wanted to labor at home for as long as possible before heading to the hospital, and I felt very secure knowing that Cheryl would know when is the best time. The majority of my labor was pretty intense back labor and Cheryl knew exactly what to do to help me get through the contractions. Our experience with the labor and delivery would never have been the same without Cheryl. I had an amazing experience thanks to her faith and support. After the birth, Cheryl came to our home a few times to check on us and help me breastfeed as well. Being with Cheryl on this journey felt like being with our family! It's been almost a year and a half since our daughters birth and we still keep in touch with her and enjoy speaking to her about parenthood! Cheryl was a Godsend, and we could not have imagined our daughters birth without her! read more

We were so fortunate to have Cheryl's calm guidance and wealth of knowledge for our pregnancy and birth. It isn't always easy to find someone who is a professional and with whom you are comfortable being your most vulnerable and intimate but Cheryl's years of experience help to create a relationship filled with trust and confidence. Cheryl felt like more than a doula. She is now a family friend. You will be blessed to have her guidance. read more

Nesting Instincts - Doula services - Doulas Near Me

I learned about Cheryl from a friend of a friend who, at a birthday party, shared her birth story with me while I was 3 months pregnant. This friend gave birth maybe 7-9 years ago (can't remember how old her daughter is exactly) but she only had wonderful things to say about Cheryl. She's a person of color, as am I, and the fact that she had such a great experience stood out to me since women of color face a lot of challenges and discrimination in medical settings (etc.). Anyways, I decided to reach out to Cheryl and I'm so glad I did! With Cheryl as my Doula I felt comfortable and safe at home during early labor. Cheryl guided me and my husband to help my body move to help the baby along (going up stairs, using the rebozo). I had a fairly fast labor as Cheryl was able to recognize when I/my body wanted to start pushing and she helped ensure we made it to the birth center in time for active labor. She was calm, reassuring, knowledgable. Finally, her visits to my home after giving birth were incredibly helpful. I felt very vulnerable the first few weeks after giving birth and it was so very helpful to have Cheryl to reach out to. I'm so grateful Cheryl does what she does and I'm so glad she was part of our birth experience. Thank you Cheryl! (she was so great she later supported my sister-in-law during her birth to my niece). read more

Cheryl was and is an absolute life saver during the prepartum, labor and so far our post partum time. Here's all the ways she gave us peace of mind: She met with us to see if we would be a good fit, but didn't pressure us. She suggested that we also meet with other doulas to ensure that we were a good match. She came over pre-partum, twice, with the intent of answering any questions that we had. There was no time pressure for her to leave or move to the next client. We felt like when she was with us, we were her priority. She was open and honest about herself and her experiences - knowing her background more fully helped us to feel closer to her and more comfortable around her. She completely made herself available for any questions that came up via txt and phone. And believe me, we have a lot of questions. She knew tricks about how to alleviate pain! I can't stress this one enough of course. But in the end, I opted for an epidural, and she supported my decision. She was tireless!!! She came straight from one birth to ours, and then I labored for 38+ hours. She must have been exhausted, but she never seemed distracted and never showed signs of fatigue. My husband commented that he wasn't sure how folks go through the labor process without a doula. He was also very thankful for her presence as he was able to rely on her to help him help me. Overall, Cheryl is an amazing care taker and we'd highly recommend her to anyone read more

Cheryl is amazing- plain and simple. She is so knowledgable, so patient, and such a calming presence in one of the most intense situations a woman will ever find herself in. She takes the time to meet with you multiple times prior to your birth and really gets to know you and your spouse. She has one of those personalities that just brings calm into a room when she arrives. I am so impressed with her expertise and experience and would recommend her to anyone who is considering doula services. Having a doula present at my birth made all of the difference between a c-section and a vaginal delivery. After 49 hours of labor I was exhausted and scared and Cheryl was able to provide that extra support and confidence in me that I needed. She is amazing in a hospital setting as an advocate. I'm really grateful she was present at the birth of my first child and I know my husband feels the same way. read more

Cheryl was our back up doula in case our doula from our first child's birth was tied up. We ended up needing her and she was fantastic from beginning to end. She knows just the right level of support needed from one moment to the next. Cheryl is as experienced as they come and her confidence and comfort level show in a way that helped us all feel so at ease. Her care and attention after the birth and the early weeks with our baby made for a much smoother transition for our family. We feel incredibly lucky that she was at our birth and can't recommend her enough! Sarina Natkin, LICSW Parent Educator and Consultant read more

I'm so glad we found Cheryl! She is the perfect mix of professional skills and personal caring. All doulas love the birthing process, that's a given. But many of them lean on that "I love being a doula!" credential, and not enough on professional training, and modern evidence-based practices (such as... making sure you have a flu shot and TDAP before being around my newborn baby - something several doulas we interviewed refused to do). Cheryl is both professional (with certifications and a high amount of attended births), and INCREDIBLY warm. She put my wife and me at ease, explaining every step of the process, being there for us whenever we needed (and as much as we needed - many doulas stick to a strict schedule of visits), all with a calm demeanor, before, during, and in the follow ups after our daughter's birth. Not a boss, not a follower, but as a partner in the process, looking out for my wife's interests and being there for her. We interviewed a LOT of doulas, and actually found two we liked (before meeting Cheryl), both who ended up being unavailable. In the end, we're glad that happened, because we knew within minutes of meeting Cheryl that she was the one for us. read more

When I met Cheryl, she immediately put me at ease. She was everything I was looking for in a doula - had practiced as a CNM, relies on science-based information and supports YOU in whatever type of birth YOU want. I don't want to share my entire birth story here, but I relied on Cheryl every step of the way and will be forever grateful. She goes above and beyond, doing the work because she loves it. read more

We had an amazing experience with Cheryl. As the father she I found her to be very personable, intuitive and professional. She was able to pick up on my wife's faster-than-normal labor for a first time mother which allowed us to adjust properly while at home. During the birth she was a great help to the midwives and my wife. We'd love to use her again for our #2, whenever thay may happen. read more

I am SO thankful that we found Cheryl. I literally cannot imagine what our birth experience would have been like without her. After perusing tons and tons of doula profiles, we interviewed 4 different doulas and decided that Cheryl was, without a doubt, "the one" for us. She has a wonderfully calm demeanor that made us feel at ease. I was nervous, but much less so because of her. I loved all of her different techniques to deal with the pain (labor tub, TENS unit, rebozo shawl, counter pressure, etc). I also loved that she has LOADS of experience and knowledge!! Day of... Baby was out within 6 hours of labor starting, so it happened very quickly. Contractions came fast and hard, and Cheryl rushed over as soon as possible. It was very, very tough, but all of her pain management techniques really made things much more bearable. I can not imagine laboring without them. I had coupling/tripling contractions (2 or 3 contractions in a row with no break), and Cheryl knew immediately that the baby was probably in a wonky position and what to do to get her in the right position. Most of the laboring was done at home, which was exactly what I wanted. Once we got to the hospital, I was quickly getting overwhelmed (no epidural!) and wasn't sure I could do it anymore, and my husband was looking like he was going to faint. Cheryl noticed and told my husband to go sit down, and gave me the encouragement and directness that was crucial right at that moment. I really don't know what I would have done without her!!! After the birth, Cheryl stayed until the baby latched. Then she went back to our place to tidy things up for when we got home (so great). After we got home from the hospital, she came within the hour to help us settle in, offer some tips/advice and her support. She came over the following week with bagels and took some beautiful pictures of our little one. She's checked in with us every now and then and it's been very comforting to be able to text/call her with any questions or concerns that we've had. Cheryl is a GEM! and anyone would be lucky to have her as their doula!! read more

"Birth ninja". Those are the words a sweet, elderly gentleman at a coffee shop used to describe Cheryl after he inquired how we met. We were outside sipping lattes and eating donuts and he had strolled up to say hello and introduce himself. So yes, birth ninja she is. That and so much more. Meeting Cheryl was a "love at first sight" situation for my husband and I. We had interviewed 5 doulas before meeting Cheryl and were feeling as though no one was the right fit for us. Then in walked Cheryl, and it wasn't long before we knew that she was THE ONE. She immediately put us at ease with her kind smile and warm demeanor. Her knowledge and experience is second to none. I explained to her my hopes (unmedicated, vaginal delivery) and fears (cesarean, being induced) and she addressed every single one with specific examples of how we would work together to achieve my ideal birth. Cheryl's expertise came into play the second she walked into our home the day I went into labor. I was having severe back pain, which signaled that the baby's head was rubbing against my spine. My contractions started out 2 minutes apart with waves of throbbing pain pulsating through my lower back. She knew we had to get the baby's head turned to take relief off my back and ensure I had the energy and willpower to follow-through with the natural birth I had been dreaming of. Between lunging up stairs to widen my pelvis and doing a semi-inversion to get my hips and pelvis higher than my belly, we got the baby's head turned. The back labor stopped, the pressure moved to the front of my body, and contractions slowed to a normal rate. Right out of the gate, she proved how invaluable she was. At the hospital, she was the perfect partner to me, my husband, and the nurses and physician. She even made multiple trips out to the waiting room to update four eager grandparents as to how the baby and I were doing. After our son was born, she was right there to help with breastfeeding and early bonding. She visited us in the hospital the next morning, and then twice once we got home. She helped us perfect the ever-important swaddle and showed me various positions for nursing. My husband and I joked that we needed to check Cheryl's schedule before we got pregnant again, to make sure she'd be there with us to welcome another baby. I couldn't imagine doing it without her. She is one in a million. read more

My partner and I initially chose Cheryl as our Doula because she was knowledgeable, personable and experienced. It was our first time pregnant, so we had nothing to base our decision off of when meeting with doulas. It was the connection we had with Cheryl, the feeling of being in good hands, that set her apart from the rest. During my pregnancy, Cheryl was there to guide me and motivate me. She encouraged me to keep active and healthy, not to stress, and to enjoy the process. Now looking back Cheryl was a godsend. She was with me through the whole process, from pregnancy all the way through to postpartum and showed amazing support to my partner and birth team. She went above and beyond our expectations, my partner was so grateful to have her. Cheryl was absolutely worth it. What can I say, she is amazing at what she does. read more

Cheryl is extremely, knowledgeable, caring, friendly, patient, attentive, enthusiastic, very very very supportive, and very talented. It was a blessing to have her involved in our pre-during-post labor & delivery experience. As first time parents, her knowledge and reassurance made a huge difference and her caring support helped us have a very positive experience when we started out with lots of anxiety. Before arriving at the hospital she helped keep us calm and work through contractions. Her TENS unit (electric pulses that distract the mom) made each contraction easier to manage (although I was skeptical it would really make a difference, it did). She really helped us know when to go to the hospital so we did not spend too much time at the hospital but got there in time for some much needed nausea reducing medication and an epidural. She fit right in with our OBGYN and the nursing team and helped coach the delivery (giving great advice before the pushing began). After we came home she helped answer our brand new questions and made a big difference with breast feeding advice and technique. Before the pregnancy I did not even know that doulas existed and I am not an "eastern/old/alternative" medicine enthusiast (at least not as a complete replacement for research based care). Now I can say that having the additional support and care of a doula is one of the most valuable resources expecting parents can find. read more

Cheryl had the knowledge, the authority, and the nurturing energy to help me and my husband bring our daughter into the world feeling safe and empowered. Without her advocacy, her watchful eye, and her peace, my husband and I avoided being overwhelmed by the hospital system. She continues to be a golden presence in our lives, always available to our questions and concerns as we now navigate parenthood. We love her! read more

Where do I even start? Cheryl is just the best. Birth is truly one of the most private, beautiful, painful, awesome experinces and my two births are tied to closely with my memories of Cheryl. Cheryl helped me have two successful unmedicated vbacs with a doctor who was notorious for not fully supporting unmedicated births and doulas. For my first birth I interviewed 4 doulas before her and they were all wonderful but once I met Cheryl something just clicked. She exudes a quiet confidence that I was drawn to. I knew I didnt want or need a bubbly cheerleader. I needed a super experienced badass that could meet my need for tons of factual information while also knowing when I needed to be told to just be quiet and push.  I think most people who are reluctant to hire a doula are under the impression that they will somehow take away from the experience with your spouse. This could not be further from the truth. Cheryls presense allowed my husband to be fully present in just supporting me vs having to figure out what the heck to do in a brand new situation. My mom and sister were also present for both births and Cheryl fully included them in the process. My husband used a wrap on my hips during each contraction while my sister operated the tens machine and Cheryl applied a warm compress. When I think back on both my births things would have been MUCH different without Cheryl. My son came early at 34 weeks and was mal positioned so my pushing stage was long. They had the c section room ready but Cheryl and the hosptials midwife worked together to move me around and get him to come down. Cheryl is very quiet during most of the birth process. She quietly cues you to move around and change postions and keeps everyone in the room calm. After the birth Cheryl stayed with me to help with breastfeeding and did anyting else myself or family needed. Her after care visits were something I always looked forward to. Both my boys were in the NICU and Cheryl was on of the only people who made sure we talked about my mental state and how I was really doing. I am getting emotional just writing this because she is such a big part of my life in a weird way. I will always be thankful to her for making what could have been bad birth memories really good ones. read more

Cheryl is such an expert at what she does. She helped us craft our birth plan, prepared us for our new parenthood, and advocated for us in times of need. She is warm, sensitive, pragmatic and fun. Could not imagine a more capable companion for the birth experience! read more

Cheryl is an absolute gem! My husband and I were late in the game in determining whether we would use a doula. However, we were blessed that Cheryl happened to be available to help us with the birth of our first daughter Claire. Cheryl is exactly what we wanted and needed for a doula... someone who truly cares about the parents wishes, provides an honest opinion and multiple views, as well as being a huge support for my husband.... and didn't laugh when we brought in our own rug to the hospital! :) My husband and I were both comfortable immediately with first meeting Cheryl... as if she was a long time friend. I can't wait for Cheryl to help us welcome Claire's sibling into the world (when the time comes). I look forward to sharing more of my next pregnancy with Cheryl, as well as have her get to know Claire for years to come. read more

As a first time parent I knew I wanted a doula and feel very lucky to have found Cheryl. She's incredibly calm, highly experienced, and very knowledgeable. From the first meeting she really listened to me and my husband and took the time to get to know us. She also asked great questions herself, which made us think deeper and better about preparing for the birth. She was very respectful and non-judgemental, but also confident and direct. A great combination. I ended up delivering early when she was unavailable, but because Cheryl previously made sure we'd met and liked our backup doula what could have been a stressful situation went off without a hitch. Her post-delivery care and follow-up was great as well. Definitely money well spent! read more

We are so glad we had Cheryl at our birth. We had a successful VBAC all because she was there. She had believed in me right from the start, even when I had doubts. She gave valuable feedback to my questions. And gave me the support I needed. Without her I'd either end up with a repeat C-section or have the baby in the car. Her experience and confidence helped us make a right decision for our birth. read more

Hiring Cheryl was one of the best decisions I made for the birth of my baby. Her sense of humor, caring nature, knowledge, experience and ability to help in exactly the way I needed when I needed it were extremely helpful. From the times we met during my pregnancy, to the experience at the hospital and afterwards, she shines as a doula. Not only did she help me, but she also helped my husband help me. She has a great bag of tricks and techniques to use to help keep you calm, relaxed and moving through the labor and birth process with ease. She also is great at advocating on your behalf during the decision making process at the hospital. I was two weeks late and had to be induced and she not only pointed me to resources to try to help me go into labor naturally (which unfortunately didn't work for me) but she walked me through the choices I had for the induction once I was at the hospital. She worked well with the nurses and doctors and helped me navigate through each decision I was faced with during induction, providing information on the pros and cons of each choice. She helped me successfully achieve my goals of a having a positive, natural child birth experience. Bottom line, Cheryl is an amazing doula. I would recommend her and in fact, already have several times. read more

I'm her significant other so I'm clearly biased but wow does she go the extra mile for her clients. She cares so much and has so much experience that I can't imagine being in better hands than hers. read more

I cannot speak highly enough of Cheryl Murfin! She was the doula for our first child and we could not have gone through the birthing experience without her. Even my husband, who was not convinced that we needed a doula, agreed that we would not have had the positive experience that we did without her. Not only was Cheryl compassionate and knowledgeable, but she put us at ease and made it feel like we could take on whatever scenario labor and delivery had in store for us. Leading up to the birth, she gave us labor class that provided the tools to feel confident about what we going to be walking into. She was quick to answer all my calls and texts whenever I had a question. Once it came time to have our baby, she was with us at the hospital and advocating on our behalf from start to finish. From whispering to my husband questions he should ask the hospital staff to kicking out administrators that wanted my signature on paperwork in the delivery room, we felt like we had an angel guiding us through the process, easing both of our fears. I had two hours to push the baby out, or they were going to give me a C-section. Cheryl was there holding my arms, coaching me and making sure that after an exhausting labor, I gave it everything I had. Five minutes away from the deadline, we were able to deliver my daughter naturally and avoid the C-section. When I have a second child, I will definitely have Cheryl as my doula again. read more

My husband and I feel beyond fortunate to have taken the birthing class taught by Cheryl. Cheryl is a gifted teacher, a warm and loving spirit, and has so much knowledge and experience. After a full day of interactive learning, we both left feeling excited and empowered, and are very much looking forward to the birth of our first baby in March. The class was informative, welcoming, non-judgemental, and turned out to be a very special day we will treasure! read more

Cheryl was an amazing doula! My partner and I loved her. She went out of her way to support me emotionally in preparation for our second after our first was born premature due to complications. I felt like Cheryl really believed in me and her experience really helped me feel confident when I panicked a bit during birth. Cheryl has such a big heart and it helped cheer me up after birth during postpartum visits. She was professional and straight to the point. I keep in touch with her even now when I get stuck with baby related questions! read more

Late in my pregnancy we decided we needed a doula to help us in having a positive birthing experience. We interviewed a few doulas, with Cheryl being the last one we met. Our immediate impression was that of calm, non-judgement, and extensive knowledge. We consider it one of the best decisions we ever made, and one of the greatest experiences of our life, having Cheryl support us in giving birth to our first child. As a first time mother I had many concerns, and Cheryl was able to reassure us, educate us, and focus on what we could do to help facilitate the best case scenario. During the birthing process she was unobtrusive yet tremendously supportive. She immediately established a rapport with hospital staff and their help allowed us to follow our birth plan and achieve an unmedicated vaginal birth. We, I, don't believe I could have survived the experience nearly as gracefully without her. We recommend her 110% to everyone we know, and believe that she is the best asset a family could have going into labor, before, during, and in the post partum phase. Thank-you Cheryl, for being in our lives... read more

Cheryl is a wonderful doula! She is very knowledgable about pregnancy, labor and delivery. I had complete confidence in myself during my labor and delivery and I felt very supported by Cheryl's presence. Cheryl will teach you and the hospital staff that pregnancy is not a sickness. She will be a strong advocate for you and encourage you to question hospital protocol, however, she is very subtle about doing so. Cheryl is so busy spreading love to Mama's and babies all around the city that it is sometimes difficult to schedule. After my daughter was born, Cheryl and her photography partner came to my apartment and took amazing black and white photos of our family that we will treasure forever. I think that it would be a good idea for Nesting Instincts to continue offering services to low income women on a sliding scale. It would be a shame for women not to be able to utilize her stellar services because of lack of funds. Cheryl ROCKS! read more

Cheryl and Sindea are a really strong team - they were both attentive before, during, and after the birth of my first child. They together and separately met with me a few times before I went into labour - they brought a wealth of experience and empathy, and also listened very carefully as I outlined my ideal birthing experience. Ultimately, I was presented with some realities that made it difficult for me to follow my birth plan, but Cheryl (who was with me at the birth) was supportive all the way, and was a significant part of why I ended up not feeling disappointed with myself when things turned out differently than I'd hoped. My husband was also happy to have her with us in the delivery room - Cheryl stepped in with the calming and breathing exercises and allowed my husband to be a part of the day without feeling that he had to remember everything from our birthing classes. He was also happy to have someone there who was supporting him as well. All in all, you can't go wrong with these ladies and having Cheryl as a doula made me feel as though I had a strong advocate in the room when I was at my most vulnerable. read more

Cheryl was our doula for my first baby and will be there for our second birth this November. She was wonderful throughout my pregnancy and of course during our birth. She took the time to get to know my husband and me and was very knowledgeable about everything--i felt comfortable asking her the same questions I had for my midwife in many cases. I had a very long labor, 50 hours, and Cheryl only took one small nap during the entire time that we remember. I really don't know if i would have been able to achieve a vaginal birth after days in labor without her support. She brought us food, refilled the birthing tub when the water got too cold over and over again, and helped explain the situation to us when things got a little more intense after we got to the hospital. She was invaluable to not only me but my husband--who was supported by her in the process as much as i was. She even took pictures of all three of us seconds after our daughter was out. She really is an amazing doula and I would recommend her to anyone. read more

Where do I begin... I guess from the beginning. I interviewed a few diff. doulas before I met with Cheryl and none of them seemed quite right. After my husband and I met with Cheryl we knew we found the perfect match for us. Cheryl is sweet but not overly so that you feel like you will get a toothache, to the point, extremely well educated, and just plain knows what she is doing. She has a great sense of humor and in this very intimate and very real moment in your life that is a huge blessing. She not only explained what would happen day of in clear detail, but also helped us to understand what was happening in my body, and what we would need after the birth both physically and mentally. She helped me prepare for the birth, was invaluable during the birth for both me and my husband, and was incredibly supportive after the birth. I truly feel like she tailor makes her services for what you will specifically need from her. Cheryl has quickly become a dear friend and I would highly recommend her services without hesitation or second thought. read more

This review is LONG overdue. With this being my first yelp review I hope I can accurately describe my experience with Cheryl. To start, I'm what you would consider to be high maintenance and had difficult long labor for my home birth. I wasn't supposed to ever meet Cheryl. She was my doula's back up. My doula was at another birth when my labor started picking up. She notified Cheryl and Cheryl got in touch with me right away offering to come down and be there with me. I was reluctant and wanted to wait for my doula because we had already established rapport with each other. She completely understood but kept checking in with me. Later the decision was made and she came right over. Everything changed. Cheryl was amazing. She was so steadfast, caring, and patient. Being high maintenance and difficult, I didn't surrender to the process till the very end. I got the "hospital card" thrown at me (which I needed ;) but she didn't care, she was there with me going through it all no matter how long it took. She didn't care that she never saw my face before or that she never had a conversation with me. She went above and beyond. It really showed her true character and passion for this process. I recently went to my midwife's annual picnic and my midwife and her assistants still can't say enough about how great she was at my daughters birth. You forget most of the details during labor (God and nature's way of wanting us to have more children :) but one thing I will never forget was Cheryl holding my hand during my last few pushes. I looked up at her and saw her true empathy for me knowing exactly what I was going through. Not everyone has that gift. It was the most surreal, amazing and difficult experience I've had and wouldn't change a thing!!! Cheryl was an intergal part of that. You'll want her to be by your side for the incredible experience of child birth. read more

We loved Cheryl so much that we hired her again for our second child's birth. We interviewed a number of doulas, and Cheryl was the only one that I felt the most comfortable with. She is a great listener and really made me feel that she was there to fully support me and any decisions we made. During the pregnancy, I relied on her to answer questions that I had - often times I would contact the doctor as well but Cheryl always got back to me first, day or night. During labor, my husband really appreciated her presence and her coaching him in how to properly help me. She also helped us understand our options when medical decisions needed to be made. She worked really well with the nurses which I greatly appreciated. Post-birth, she helped me work out breastfeeding and other post-partum issues I dealt with. It was great having someone come to my home during those occasions. I honestly don't know what I would have done without Cheryl (both times). If I ever have a third, we'll probably contact her first before even telling our family....j/k...kinda ;) read more

We weren't sure if we were going to have a doula or not, so we talked to a few who just didn't seem to be the right fit, but once we met Cheryl, we knew immediately that we wanted her there to support us through the birth. It was the best decision we could have made! She met with us twice before I went into labor and explained everything in detail including how labor would progress and how she would help both of us through the process. She really put our minds at ease and reduced our anxiety about labor. Once I started having contractions, she came over and helped me labor at home for as long as I could - this support was invaluable. At the hospital, not only did she continue to help me manage through the contractions, but we really felt like we had an advocate who was looking out for me - there was so much going on, it was great to know she was there and had my best interests in mind. She has so much experience, we felt like she would know how to handle anything that happened, and that really let me relax (as much as you can in childbirth :-) She has such a wonderful calm and caring energy while being a total professional. She checked in on us a couple of times once we were home, and was available via phone/text for all my questions in those first few crazy days. I can't express how wonderful it was to have her there through everything - I would absolutely recommend her to anyone! read more