We couldn't imagine the experience of our first pregnancy and the birth of our son without the support and guidance of our incredible doula, Abbie! My husband and I were intrigued by the idea of working with a doula early in my pregnancy, but looking back, we had NO idea just how meaningful Abbie's expertise and care would be. With each session, she educated us, encouraged us, gave us incredibly useful tools and resources, and most importantly, empowered us as a couple. We weren't able to follow our birth plan as we had initially hoped due to unexpected circumstances, but Abbie helped us navigate every change with confidence. We felt informed, supported, and at peace amidst all the unanticipated redirection. She played such a meaningful role in making the birth of our son an incredibly positive and empowering experience, and we truly can't imagine having done it without her. read more

Abbie was everything I was looking for in a doula: knowledgeable, responsive, and calm. My birth didn't go quite as planned and Abbie was there to help at every turn. As a first time mom, I was very happy to have a doula and I would recommend Abbie as your doula 100%. read more

Best Doula ever!! Sorry for such a late review... We were due with our second one in November. I contacted Abbie somewhere around July 2021. And she immediately replied back when I told her I really really really want to go for a VBAC after a very traumatic c-section with my first born. Abbie gave me the dates when she can come over to our house and discuss everything about our past birth experiences and future plans for this new birth and baby. VBAC was something I have been dreaming all these years as my c-section recovery was too much for my body and it didn't let me bond with my baby. I told abbie everything and she supported me and my decisions from the first day we met till the day we bid goodbyes to each other. She taught so many ways, exercises and labor positions to cope with everything related to birth especially a VBAC birth. She gave us so many resources about what to expect for our labor, birth, baby and even breastfeeding. The best part was that she was so accommodating and friendly that her presence never felt like a stranger or a new person, but rather it felt like I knew her for so long. We had to change the location of our birth in the last moment after my water broke, because the hospital we chose was over-booked, she never even flinched about that change and went ahead with whatever was needed in that moment because I felt that for her my needs and my mental health and support was most important in that moment. So if you want an experienced, patient, extremely supportive and gentle doula who will listen to you, suggest you what and how you can do things right and who is very resourceful, hire Abbie right away!! read more

Having Abbie's support prenatally, during labor and delivery, as well as after for breastfeeding support was invaluable as a first time mom! Having Abbie present gave my husband a lot of confidence to help me throughout all the contractions, allowed me to have the unmedicated and physiologic delivery that I hoped for, including laboring and delivery on hands and knees in the hospital. It feels like such a gift to say that we had a beautiful labor and delivery experience and I really don't think we could have done it without Abbie! read more

Abbie was everything I hoped a doula was going to be and so, so much more! I would recommend her a million times over. I'll be honest. I didn't know about doulas beforehand and from what I knew, I didn't think it would be all that helpful. After being pregnant for the first time and reading more about what it *actually* means to give birth -- I was anxious (especially when people make it seem so scary) but I knew I wanted to do what I could to have a natural birth. We found Abbie via Renata Provost (https://www.yelp.com/biz/renata-provost-oakland). Renata wasn't available for our delivery date, and though we were initially bummed -- Abbie wasn't nothing short of being *just* as amazing. I'm biased and would say she is probably even more great. :) Abbie has such a wealth of knowledge and experience. All of it seemed to be so natural to her and nothing rehearsed. We had our prenatal appointments and each time she came both me and my husband felt more and more reassured. Having a doula was not just helpful to me, but also for my husband! Our baby came 4 weeks early and it was a huge surprise to us. I called Abbie right away and she always remained calm and confident. She came to Alta Bates Berkeley and knew how to manage things from the start. My water broke and I wasn't getting any contractions yet. I was hoping to avoid being induced as much as I could, and Abbie helped buy us more time with the doctor. Luckily, my contractions came naturally and quite fast! She helped coach me and my husband during the whole process and even gave great feedback to the nurses. We found different methods to "cope" with contractions and she helped relax me once they passed. Changing things up a lot and adjusting it to my needs without asking too many questions (because who can really talk or think too much during that time?) or inflicting her opinion too much. She was the perfect balance! I am proud to say, I was able to have a natural and speedy birth. No epidural, and from contraction to birth was about 5 hours (even our delivery doctor was amazed). I can also proudly say I couldn't have done it without Abbie's guidance, care, and experience. Things don't stop once the baby is born either. Since our son was 4 weeks early, one of the general concerns was that he wouldn't know how to nurse as efficiently. Abbie helped me learn how to position myself better (with pillows, stools, etc) and also how a good latch should look and feel like. She came to visit our place twice postpartum to help with lactation and was always accessible via text or phone call. With her advice and help, I was also able to breastfeed exclusively since the beginning. I really could go on and on about how amazing Abbie is. Me, my husband and our new son are so grateful for her and if I could give her more than 5 stars, I would! read more

In preparing to have our first child, we had to figure a lot of stuff out for the first time and make a lot of big decisions. Working with Abbie as our Doula proved to be one of the best decisions we made. Throughout the entire process of working with her, Abbie was extremely supportive, knowledgeable, professional, and made us feel comfortable. Our labor ended up being long and stretched across multiple days, with many ups and downs. Abbie didn't miss a beat and was in the trenches with us when we really needed her most. Her continued support after the birth has been really great as well. Being first timers, we have had our fair share of questions and concerns. She has reached out several times to see how things have been going and has truly been a partner to us every step of the way. We would absolutely recommend her to anyone and would happily go to her again for our next baby! read more

Abbie is incredible! We were referred to her by extended family and are so happy we were able to find her. During one of our childbirth prep courses offered through the hospital, a mom said, "Get a doula! Get a doula! Make sure you get a doula!" I'm so glad we did and incredibly grateful that doula was Abbie! She helped us prepare for and deliver our first baby, and she's been a wonderful support system since. Even though we attended online childbirth classes, having her in person to coach us through the details helped us retain the information much more, which in turn helped us feel more prepared and relaxed. She was a huge advocate for me during the labor and delivery process, and such a miracle once the baby came. She helped the baby latch right away and has continued to support our breastfeeding journey every step of the way. I can't recommend her enough - anyone would be incredibly fortunate to have Abbie by their side! We will sing her praises forever. read more

Abbie was amazing for the preparation and birth of my son. The at home prep made me feel ready. I felt safe and like I had the support I really wanted at the hospital. She was an excellent resource and I would definitely hire her again. I had a very long delivery and she took great care to make sure all my needs were met. She helped my husband help me and gave him relief when he needed given I was in active labor for 23 hrs. Abbie is a rockstar read more

We welcomed our first baby with the help, support and guidance of Abbie and her services. I seriously don't think we would have had such a positive experience without her! She was SO knowledgable and understanding and calm!! For first time parents who don't know much of what to expect, Abbie saved us!! I felt like she was our advocate and had our best interest at heart during the birth. We both feel like it was the best money we have spent! Totally worth it! And it was so incredibly helpful to have her to ask questions and advice before, during and after. Abbie made us both feel so good. It was a pleasure to have her be a part of our birthing experience with our son. We highly recommend her!! read more

The following review is from my wife: My husband and I planned on having a natural birth and we felt having a doula would make it more possible. With Abbie, we were able to have a natural birth. One of the most helpful parts about having a doula was having Abbie come by our home while I was laboring. While we were still at home, the labor became very intense with significant back pain (we later found out our daughter was facing backward). Abbie brought a TENS unit, which provided some relief, and also showed my husband massage techniques to reduce my back labor pain. Abbie was calm and caring and her presence reassured my husband that the labor was progressing naturally. She asked timely questions which led my husband and I to decide to go to the hospital. She helped my husband and my parents (who were visiting) out of our home and then shortly met us at the hospital. While in the hospital, she reminded us that I had options in my treatments. Throughout the labor she confirmed that we understood which treatments were being performed and, along with our OB, answered our questions. The nurse we were assigned was new to our hospital; my husband and I felt reassured having Abbie by our sides. Abbie also asked whether or not I wanted my parents present and if I wanted my mom by my side. I greatly appreciated Abbie asking those questions. I would have forgotten to ask my mom to be near me. And Abbie even made my mom feel included by having her feed me ice chips while laboring. The postpartum breastfeeding support was also wonderful! She came by our home and checked my latch and alleviated concerns I had. Abbie also checked in periodically by phone to see how our new family was adjusting. It was very nice having her continued support. We loved working with Abbie and are so grateful she was with us to welcome our daughter. read more

Abbie was our doula for the birth of our daughter in December. As my husband says "That was the best money we've spent!". She's been a very positive and supportive presence before, during, and after (even 5 months after!) the birth of our daughter. Our daughter arrived 3-weeks early, but we had fortunately had at least one session with Abbie where she spent a few hours with us, reviewing our birth plan, and practicing relaxation moves. During labor, Abbie was constantly in touch, very supportive, and present, but never interfered. My husband was able to take a few breaks for meals and heading back to our home to look after our pets, thanks to Abbie. We're really grateful that we met Abbie, that she was part of our birth experience, and highly recommend her doula services!! read more

Abbie was very helpful! She respected my choice of having medication-assisted birth. I was worried that having a doula would mean I would be talked out of getting an epidural. Abbie was nonjudgmental and supportive. I would write a longer review, but I have a newborn to feed! read more

We were so thankful and glad to have had Abbie as our doula for the birth of our first son! Even before we had decided to have Abbie as our doula, she was genuinely helpful to answer any questions we had concerning pregnancy or birth. She holds the delicate balance between being nurturing and personable while still being honest and frank with what is important and necessary. My birth had some unexpected turns, and we are especially thankful that Abbie was there to support me and my husband during the delivery. She helped me and my husband learn what it would be like to truly have my husband as my partner in delivery. It was also great to have a third person there to be completely objective and very informed. Abbie also made sure to take pictures, something my husband probably wouldn't have wanted to juggle in the moment! Abbie is sure to get to know you as a couple, along with your goals and philosophy beforehand so she can fully support you in following through with your desires the best way possible. She is also thorough and thoughtful, being sure to check-in with you throughout the pregnancy and after birth. Having Abbie at our birth was one of the best decisions we made! read more

My husband and I are truly grateful we hired Abbie as our doula. She was professional, attentive and provided us with a wealth of information. Having Abbie as our doula alleviated a lot of the anxiety we'd experience as first time parents. At our first meeting, she asked various questions about us, our level of knowledge about the labor process (which was minimal on our part) and about our birthing plan. She provided us with information to read through and we set up the first session. She was punctual and radiated positive energy. She made my husband and I feel confident in our ability to have a natural birth. We felt prepared for the experience that awaited us. Abbie checked in on us frequently throughout the last trimester of our pregnancy- since we are procrastinators, my husband and I did not hire her until the last trimester. She contacted me via the form of communication that was most comfortable for me to use. She even alerted us to times in which she was attending to other pregnancies but still made herself available for emergency calls. Plus she had a backup doula so we never felt we'd be going at it alone. Abbie was so warm and non-judgmental and explained the pros and cons of having an epidural, breastfeeding, sleeping arrangements, having a birth plan etc. My husband and I learned so much more from her. She clarified information I had read in books and provided additional resources. During our sessions, she had my husband and I practice working as a team to use various relaxation techniques. This came in handy and empowered my husband with an arsenal of tools to assist me through the labor process. Instead of cursing him out-which is something I automatically assumed I was going to do, I looking to him to guide me through my breathing. Also, I felt relieved o have her in the room during the delivery. She even provided us with information on how to soothe a crying infant which we really appreciate. Plus I don't think I would have figured out how to wear a Moby wrap without her. I would definitely been a big nervous wreck without our sessions and without her positive support. Even after the birth of our darling little girl, Abbie continued to provide support. She schedule a postpartum visit to answer further questions. I literally cried once our last session ended. However, Abbie continued to check on us via phone calls and responded quickly when we called her. Giving birth can be daunting. Hiring Abbie was one of the best decision we made. read more

We made a mistake of not hiring a doula on our first child and our birth plan didn't go as expected and it was a really rough experience for both my husband and I as first time parents. I think that I would have had a natural birth then if I had a doula to coach us, especially with having epidural on my system. So, on our second child, we decided to hire one and we're so glad to find an affordable doula. Abbie is wonderful to work with and she gives you all the options and encourage you to try them. When they put me in extended monitoring the day of - they wanted me to get induced since the baby's heart rate had a few drops (from the chart). I was so worried that I did consider it but I'm glad that Abbie was able to bring me back to my senses and just stick with our plan since induction decreases my chance of going for natural birth. When I was in so much pain, she encouraged us to try the shower and that brought some relief and just gave me something else to do while going through contractions. She helped me focus, especially with breathing. It's also assuring to know that my husband is not as stressed out over the whole thing and he was able to do a better job in helping me manage the pain.Overall, I was glad that they're both there and I felt that they made a great team, along with the Kaiser staff we had that day. I had to push for more than 3 hours before our baby came out with vacuum assistance - again, couldn't have done it without everyone's help. The baby won't come out because she was in Right Occiput Transverse position. I'm really thankful that I get to experience natural birth with our daughter. She is such a good baby- latched and breastfed right away and sleeps most of the time. Abbie has been great with checking on our needs and offering support, advise, and resources and answering questions. She have been a big help with helping the baby breastfeed, too. We strongly recommend her services. Thanks, Abbie! read more

You don't have to be a hippie to hire a doula. I am certainly not a hippie but I needed a lot of advices and support while getting ready to deliver my baby girl. Abbie was there every step of the way. She was not judgmental and she respected my choices completely. She was also very caring. After our meetings, she would e-mail me relevant materials and check up on me constantly. I am so glad that she was part of my pregnancy experience read more

Abbie supported my husband and I with our daughters birth. She was always available by text or phone for questions and during some early labor pains she came by to provide support. She truly was a huge support. She is very knowledgeable with managing pain during labor, support regarding different circumstances of the birth process and also provided breastfeeding support during her two postpartum visits. We are so happy that we found her and had her support during our second child's birth! read more

We hired Abbie as our doula for the birth of our son this past September. My husband and I met with half a dozen doulas during our search. Abbie was very professional and made us feel at ease. This was our first child and didn't know what to expect. Abbie has a wealth of knowledge and helped us understand what to expect and how to prepare for labor and delivery. She was also a wonderful advocate for us at the hospital. My husband and I were both overwhelmed when I was in labor. Abbie made sure the hospital staff knew our wants and needs. She really helped me push through the worst part of labor. I don't think we would have had the same birth experience without Abby. read more

Hiring Abbie as our birth doula was one of the best decisions we made throughout our baby journey. From the moment we met her, we could tell she was the type of doula we were looking for - relaxed, knowledgeable, respectful of our decisions and plan, and really just someone that would be almost more like a friend in the delivery room. Prior to the delivery, I had been very focused on finishing things out with my work that I had not dedicated that much time to thinking about the birth experience. When we met Abbie and had our prenatal appointments, we quickly realized there were a lot of things we should think about, but it was so reassuring knowing that Abbie was going to be there to support us. I also had not taken much time to think about breastfeeding and had not thought to take a breastfeeding class prior to childbirth, so her tutorial on the basics of breastfeeding was really helpful. During labor, having a doula enabled my husband and I to focus on getting through it together without having to remember the techniques to do so. We knew that we were in Abbie's very capable hands to support us physically and emotionally. As we progressed, we could check in with her to see what was normal and what wasn't. While I was pushing, she was my main coach, counting and encouraging, allowing my husband to just be there to hold my hand. I am the type of person who appreciates people who are trained experts in their fields, and Abbie respected that I wanted a medical labor and delivery and trusted my OB GYN, and she as a trained expert as a doula helped provide me with comfort and confidence to navigate the experience. She was a steady, calm presence that I could look to for reassurance and guidance throughout the entire experience. I trusted her instincts and that she had my best interests in mind. We had to induce 2 weeks early, but Abbie knew my wishes to labor "naturally" without an epidural for as long as possible and I was able to do so because of her coaching through contractions. When it was starting to get very intense, Abbie suggested I take a shower and that really helps to ease the intensity and relax me to get me through the final stages. After delivery, Abbie checked in with me frequently not only to offer breastfeeding support but just to see how I was doing. I was having challenges with my daughter's latch and an overactive letdown, and Abbie came over to try and coach me through different positions and techniques. She also checked in with me over the phone and via text and always made me feel as though she was available and willing to offer support, She was also very supportive trying to help with questions about sleep training and other "new mom" questions. I am incredibly thankful and grateful to have found Abbie! I would highly recommend her without hesitation! read more

We hired Abbie as our doula with our first child. Abbie was wonderful! We had prenatal visits and a postpartum visit, and she was there for the entire birth. At the prenatal visits, she informed us on pretty much everything we needed to know about birth and after birth. She gave us very useful tools to help through contractions and also helped immensely with breastfeeding! If I could give her 10 stars I would, Abbie was kind, caring and was a wonderful doula. We are so happy with how everything went and of course our newborn baby. And honestly, my husband and I are not sure we could have gone through the process without Abbie. Thank you Abbie for everything! read more

Abbie went above and beyond throughout my pregnancy, birth and postpartum! She is so knowledgable, such a great listener, and truly your advocate during your whole journey. I don't know what I would have done without her - I didn't know I was in labor as I was a little over 4 weeks early and labored through the night. I called her first thing in the morning and the second she heard me speak she told me to go to the hospital. I probably would have given birth to my daughter at home if it wasn't for her. She has been such a support system throughout my journey, and I highly recommend her to anyone wanting to use a doula in the East Bay! read more

We had such a wonderful experience working with Abbie. From the first meeting I felt very comfortable with her. This was my second pregnancy. My first was 10 days late and I was induced. I had 2 doses of Fentanyl and then an epidural that worked on only half of me and then wore off at the end. My daughter ended up being 9lbs 7oz. and had shoulder dystocia. A little bit of a scary experience and we wanted to do everything we could to make sure that this labor and delivery went smoother. I knew that she couldn't insure that I would have the unmedicated problem free birth of my dreams but I knew she could help us ask the right questions and be the emotional support I would need even if I ended up with a c-section. I liked the idea of a doula mainly to have that same person with us the entire time I was in labor. We had some great nurses with my first delivery, but it felt like once we got attached to one, there was a shift change. And they really weren't there to help me cope besides offering more medication. We really wanted that familiar face that understood labor and delivery and could coach us through each contraction if need be. She has two small children so has just recently gone through pregnancy and birth herself and really knows what you're going through. She stayed in constant contact with me throughout my pregnancy. She helped me work through any issues or fears I had. She truly cares and does everything she can to help. Abbie is very thorough and responsive. She was going a few hours away for the day a couple of weeks before my due date and she called to give me her husband's cell #, the family member's house number that she was going to be at, and a backup doula's number just in case I went into labor and couldn't reach her on her cell. 3 days past my due date when I thought I might be in labor, she helped me decide when to call Kaiser and head to the hospitaI. I ended up having a much faster labor this time and was able to do it unmedicated. At the end, I panicked and thought I couldn't do it. My husband had been my rock through most of it but at that moment I had Abbie who had done this herself to look at me and say I could do it and I was almost there. She said and did all the right things to get me through it and I feel forever grateful for that. She has a gift and if I were going to have another child my husband and I both agree that we would call her in a heartbeat. I wanted to note like the previous poster did that she is in no way judgmental about your pain management choices. This was my personal choice and she helped me achieve it. We had a detailed discussion beforehand that I wanted her to help me through if I started to doubt myself. We had a code word that I would use if I really wanted to get an epidural and didn't want to be talked out of it. No questions asked. I just wanted that freedom of being able say "I can't do this" without everyone jumping to the epidural option when I knew that's not really what I wanted. From the beginning my OB said I could do an elective c-section because of the shoulder dystocia that had happened with my first and Abbie was completely supportive of whatever I chose to do. read more

People questioned our decision to work with a doula. It's true we could have gotten through the delivery and recovery without a doula....but WHY? Delivering a baby is not something you do every day, and we thought working with a doula would make us feel better prepared and more relaxed in the weeks leading up to the delivery, during delivery, and afterward. That turned out to be true for us. After interviewing several doulas, we decided to work with Abbie. She had attended fewer births than some of the others, but it was clear that she knew what she was doing, and we liked her personality the best. She was prepared and organized during our prenatal visits, and provided far better information than our childbirth classes. Like many births, ours didn't go as exactly as expected, but Abbie took it in stride and helped us do the same. Abbie also stays in contact after delivery during those first few weeks when parents need to feel supported and have someone on hand for questions about feeding, diapering, and calming fussy newborns. read more

When my wife first expressed interest in working with a doula, I was something of a skeptic. In hindsight, the support that Abbie provided before, during, and after the birth of our son was worth it several times over. In our initial meetings with Abbie we set up a birthing plan and gained a better understanding of the entire process. And while knowledge doesn't help with the pain, it sure does reduce the anxiety and stress of going into something as significant and unique as having your first child. Abbie also had insights into regional hospitals and familiarity with many local health care professionals. Her suggestions helped us choose physicians that we've ultimately had great experiences with. When the big day came, having her there as the voice of experience not only helped my wife immensely, but also made my job a lot easier (you can only say "honey you're doing a great job" so many times!) She always made timely suggestions on how we could make my wife more comfortable. When our breathing exercises ceased to be effective, she had a plan B. When plan B ran its course, she had a plan C. Her familiarity with everything that was happening gave us assurance throughout. Simply put, there was no substitute for having someone with Abbie's calm, kind demeanor and experience to help us adhere to our birthing plan when reasonably possible, and consider the best alternatives when circumstances dictated otherwise. It was like having a knowledgeable family friend in the room looking out for our best interests every step of the way. read more

We're so grateful that we could hire Abbie as our doula. When we were doing our doula interviews, she stood out by being both matter-of-fact and a lot of fun. She somehow is able to be totally empathetic and caring while also being super organized and straightforward. We knew she could be a good advocate for us during labor and delivery. I wanted an unmedicated birth, but I also wanted to give myself the option of using medication if I felt like I needed that, and I was a little nervous about what a doula might think of that, but Abbie is really open minded and non-judgmental, and her priority seems to be to support whatever decisions moms make for themselves. We had two very helpful educational sessions before our birth, and she stayed in contact with us quite frequently both before and after our son was born. It was so good to have her there during the birth because my husband could just concentrate on being there for me (and following her suggestions for helping me). Abbie herself also provided a lot of comfort and support during the birth. We'd highly recommend Abbie's services, especially to first-time moms & dads, but really, to anyone who is looking for expertise, advocacy, support, and kindness before, during, and after giving birth. read more