Gail is a wonderful lactation nurse and person!! She has been an amazing resource and listener. I…read morewas 2 weeks postpartum, having so much difficulty with latching and the discomfort/pain which led me to feeling pretty hopeless with breastfeeding. And breastfeeding is one of the most challenging things as a FTM on top of everything else moms have to go through the first few weeks. It really took a toll on me. Once I got to talk to her, she gave me so much helpful advice over the phone and I instantly felt encouraged to keep pushing with breastfeeding and luckily I was able to see her the following day as well. I've seen her for a total of 3 times so far and each session she's helped me gain confidence, taught my husband and I so much, and helped me understand so much. With her careful assessment, we learned our baby had a tongue tie which helped us seek further help because this can cause pain with breastfeeding. Every time after we saw Gail for an appointment, things slowly started to get better with breastfeeding and I'm so happy we found her through my OB's recommendation. I am now 5 weeks postpartum and although it was a difficult journey, breastfeeding is much more enjoyable now. (Started to feel this transition actually after 3 weeks but this can vary for everyone depending on their situation) Thank you so much Gail!!!

Even with resources like KellyMom and LLL that anyone can easily find on the web, Gail provides…read morewhat websites cannot: confidence, sympathy, and assurance that you're not alone. When my daughter was first born, we attended the weekly Mother's Place group at PAMF that Gail hosted. Not only did I love being able to nurse openly while discussing all things breastfeeding, I was also able to use the group's convenient amenities to weigh my daughter and make sure she was gaining in those early months of life. The friends my daughter and I made there eventually became a playgroup. I cherish and miss those days! At 7 months old now, my daughter is starting solids and I'm back to work. Like most back to work moms, I've come crashing into the world of under supply (a huge fall for me, as my primary concern during our early nursing days was chronic OVER supply, to the point of constant leakage). A quick call to Gail's direct line gives me renewed hope and an action plan, every time. Without Gail and Mother's Place, I honestly can't say if I would still be enjoying a wonderful nursing relationship with my daughter today. Support matters, and Gail has been a wonderful and indispensable part of my support system.

Sheridan is the best! She has helped me with both of my sons and I recommend her without…read morehesitation. She has incredible skills and knowledge of breastfeeding and babies. Sheridan has the heart of a teacher and explains things in a way that makes sense. Additionally, she has a huge heart and loads of empathy. I remember the first time I called her was in the evening after I had been discharged from the hospital from giving birth to my first son. My milk had come in and I was painfully engorged but unable to get my son to latch. She returned my call right away, calmed me down and set up an appointment to see me the next morning on short notice. It was such a relief. I call Sheridan my fairy godmother of breast feeding. Call Sheridan for any of your breastfeeding needs. You won't regret it!

This review is long overdue, but I can't recommend Sheridan highly enough! If you are nervous, have…read morequestions, or need help breastfeeding, see Sheridan. If you are waiting for your milk to come in, are worried about your supply, or are keeping an eye on your baby's weight, see Sheridan! A friend recommended taking a breastfeeding class while I was pregnant, and I took Sheridan's class at Women's Care Medical Group. I hadn't realized that I had no idea how nursing worked and what was involved from latching, to pumping equipment, to balms and butters. Her class was super informative and made me feel confident about nursing. Of course, I didn't think I was going to have any issues (just like I thought everything was going to go according to my birth plan!) After our son was born, he lost quite a bit of weight and my milk was late coming in. We were advised to supplement with formula and see a lactation consultant right away. I called Sheridan, but unfortunately she was out of town that weekend and we ended up making an appointment with someone else. We ended up seeing two other lactation consultants, who were great at showing us how to get a good latch and how to pump 8x a day to increase supply, but were not super helpful beyond that. Two and a half months later, at the end of my rope with pumping and ready to give up on nursing altogether, I called Sheridan. She came over the next morning, on Christmas Eve day no less, and within minutes completely put me at ease. She is so good with babies, and with stressed out mamas! She gave me a plan to actually stop pumping and keep nursing. She even let me borrow her scale for a week so I could weigh my baby and make sure he was gaining at a good rate. The follow up care she gives is worth the consultation fee alone. She followed up with us to check in and see how we were doing pretty often. She was totally there for me when I would get stressed out that he wasn't gaining enough weight, talk me through it, and help me troubleshoot where we could make some tweaks if needed. Sheridan is not only an amazing lactation consultant, but she is also definitely someone you want in your support network. She was really there for us when we needed her. Long story short, my son is almost eight months and we're still going strong! I am so proud of both of us for sticking it out, and we owe so much to Sheridan's expert guidance and care. I really don't think we could have done it without her. If you need to see a lactation consultant, I wouldn't look any further. She's the best!

This review is many years forth coming... I cannot recommend or say enough wonderful things about…read moreDacia. She is the sole reason I was able to breast feed my first son through many, many difficulties- bad patch, painful plugged ducts, sore nipples, over supply and big let down. I had already seen FOUR lactation consultants when Dacia arrived at my house, and I was in desperate need of help. She was patient, kind and well informed and helped me through the many, very difficult times. She was readily available by phone or email. Without her help. I definitely would have given up on breastfeeding. While I was pregnant with my second son last year, I reached out to Dacia again because I did not want a repeat of the traumatic breast feeding experience I had with my first. She called me back immediately and spoke to me for a long time (without charge!) and sent me some useful information to prepare for breast feeding. She was available to come to my house, if needed, and even sent me a text when my son was born offering her help. Luckily, my second was a natural at nursing and I did not need her help. However, I was so happy to know she was there if I needed her. If you need a lactation consultant, call Dacia. She will do everything to try and help you through the many possible difficulties of breast feeding. She is such a wonderful person and resource to have by your side!

Dacia is a very sweet person, even though she was on maternity leave herself. She called back and…read moregave a phone consultation with some very important insight into the situation. Her advice put to rest some of the unknown fear of a new born parents. If she can provide such great support and advise over the phone without looking at the setting, I am very confident she can do wonders if she sees in person. Thank you Dacia.

I'm beyond thankful for Viji and her personalized, holistic approach throughout my pregnancy and…read morebirth. From the start, she took the time to understand my unique needs, offering tailored guidance on nutrition, stress management, and natural remedies to reduce inflammation and support healing. She has a deep understanding of how to complement the medical recommendations with natural remedies. She helped me understand why things were happening in my body and what options I had at each stage. She connected the dots between my medical history, daily habits, and birth experience in a way no one else had. I felt prepared for conversations with my care team instead of overwhelmed. She helped me adapt my plan when unexpected challenges came up, like getting covid :(. Her care didn't just help me feel physically strong and balanced during pregnancy--it also minimized risks for both me and my baby. Postpartum, her support continued to make a huge difference in my recovery. If you're looking for a doula who genuinely cares and provides thoughtful, individualized care, I cannot recommend Viji enough! I would also add that this felt less like standard doula care after interviewing several. This is more like having a personal guide through pregnancy, birth, and recovery with takeaways for well beyond the birth and for lifetime.

Viji is truly one of a kind. Every mother deserves someone like her by their side during their…read morebirth journey. After a traumatic first pregnancy and postpartum preeclampsia, I was considered high-risk during my second pregnancy as well. Around 32 weeks, I started seeing elevated blood pressure readings along with severe white coat syndrome. I was anxious and searching for support, and that's when I found Viji. Even before our first consultation, I had a strong feeling that she was God-sent -- a true blessing -- and that feeling only grew stronger with time. Viji stepped in with so much calm, confidence, and care. She took everything upon herself and made sure I was prepared in every possible way -- physically, mentally, and emotionally. She guided me through provider decisions, helped me find the right midwifery care, and thoughtfully connected me with an exceptional midwife, Lin Lee, who aligned perfectly with my needs. Because of Viji's discernment and support in building the right team around me, my entire experience was completely different from my first pregnancy. The birth itself felt smooth and empowering -- no tears, no episiotomy, and my blood pressure remained well controlled throughout. What truly sets Viji apart is how deeply she cares and how holistic her approach is. She took the time to understand my full medical history and personal background, worked to get to the root of my previous complications, and helped me navigate provider complexities with clarity and confidence. She also combined her Jyotish knowledge to help identify the most supportive and auspicious timing for my induction, which brought me an incredible sense of peace and trust going into labor. During labor, Viji was there through it all. She supported me with Ayurvedic care, calming massages, constant reassurance, and gentle guidance. She made sure I was comfortable, grounded, and never felt alone. She even stayed with me through the entire night -- watching over me, advocating for me, and helping me make important decisions when I was exhausted and vulnerable. Because of Viji, my second birth experience became healing, empowering, and beautiful. She didn't just help me prepare for birth -- she helped me heal from my past experience and trust my body again. I will always be grateful for her presence, her wisdom, and the love she brought into one of the most important moments of my life. I thank God every day for leading me to her at exactly the right time.

I sought help from Kelly as a last resort after a month of baby struggling to get back to birth…read moreweight. I was prescribed triple feeding which was totally unsustainable. She helped tremendously and gave us so much confidence as parents. She was so patient and knowledgeable, and professional. We got the latch down and were able to drop the triple feeding routine. Here we are almost a year later still nursing and growing right on track!

Kelly is the best lactation consultant any mama could ask for!!! A week into my breast feeding…read morejourney with my first baby I was ready to give up. (We saw a horrible lactation consultant at Kaiser who made me feel like I was starving my baby and tried to move us to formula immediately.) Thankfully we found Kelly on Yelp and she was able to see us the next day. She listened to my concerns/frustrations with breastfeeding, then watched me nurse my baby and gave such compassionate guidance. She gave me so much confidence!!! Fast forward to today, my baby girl is 9 months old and I am still exclusively breastfeeding!!! Breastfeeding is so much harder than anyone ever told me it was going to be. My recommendation for any first time mama would be to make an appointment with Kelly and get all the support you didn't even know you would need, it makes a world of a difference!

We feel so incredibly lucky to have had Marilou as our postpartum night doula. I ended up needing…read moreto be induced earlier than expected, so we had to arrange support at the very last minute. I was honestly pretty anxious going into it because we didn't have the opportunity to interview or even speak with her beforehand, and we were simply going off her profile that was shared with us. But from the moment she arrived, she immediately put us at ease. She was with us for those first few nights home from the hospital, when I was exhausted, emotional, and very newly postpartum. She had such a warm, gentle, and calming presence, and having her there made those overwhelming first nights feel so much more manageable. She was incredibly sweet and attentive with our baby, but she was equally caring toward me, always checking in and offering thoughtful tips for both newborn care and taking care of myself during recovery. She helped with feeds, baby laundry, and washing and assembling bottles and pump parts, and was always punctual, dependable, and proactive. Most importantly, we felt completely comfortable having her care for our brand new baby during such a vulnerable time. Our only regret is that we didn't find her sooner! Because everything came together so last minute, she was only available to be with us for a few nights, and we absolutely would have loved to have had her for longer. We're so grateful she was there when we needed her and would wholeheartedly recommend her to any family looking for a kind, knowledgeable, and genuinely caring postpartum doula. Thanks Marilou and Doulas by the Bay!

My wife and I had Jordan from Doulas by the Bay help care for our newborn overnight from 11 p.m. to…read more7 a.m., and she quickly earned our trust. Jordan is young, eager, and incredibly attentive. Throughout every overnight shift, she remained awake and alert, always ready when our daughter needed her. Most importantly, she cared for our baby with the same patience and gentleness we would ourselves, which gave us tremendous peace of mind as new parents. Her reliability was equally impressive. She was consistently punctual, arriving between 10:58 and 11:00 p.m., and was always respectful and ready to help. Trusting someone with your newborn is no small thing. Jordan made that trust easy. I would confidently recommend both Jordan and Doulas by the Bay to my closest friends and family, and we'd happily welcome her back into our home. Thank you, Jordan, for taking such wonderful care of our little girl!

Maggie Kler is a phenomenal lactation consultant and postpartum guide, and I recommend her without…read morereservation to anyone navigating breastfeeding, whether things are going smoothly or you're struggling to meet your goals. With my firstborn, I lived in fear for the first month that she wasn't getting enough milk. Maggie helped me measure my current transfer, improve my technique, and understand the bigger picture of my baby's development. And my baby's weight corrected exactly as Maggie predicted! Every visit with Maggie was immensely helpful, regardless if there was a specific problem or a checkin, because she uniquely helped me one connect the dots between my baby's birth, status updates from pediatrician visits, and the round-the-clock grind of newborn feeding. Maggie was such an indispensable part of that experience that I reached out to her again during my second pregnancy. This time, she helped me troubleshoot my second baby's lower appetite and different positioning issues, and reassured me that breastfeeding was working even when my baby simply chose to eat less. Seven months postpartum, her read on the situation has proven completely accurate. Maggie combines deep expertise with a mother's empathy (something well intentioned pediatricians can't always offer!) plus a real understanding of what breastfeeding can and can't control. No one made me feel more supported in the hardest moments of postpartum recovery.

It's rare that I'd describe a retail store as "life changing" but this little shop was. In my raw,…read morepostpartum days after an emergency c section and a ten day stay in a hospital, I was breastfeeding and desperate for clothes I didn't feel terrible in and that I could breastfeed easily in. I stopped here and not only did they provide a cozy, private place for me to breastfeed with a helpful Breast Friend pillow, they also had changing tables and a scale for me to use, which brought me peace of mind. Then the nice young lady working there (after giving me space and privacy to nurse) helped me find nursing bras that I love (bravado, sadly being discontinued) and I even found some great nursing shirts that I wear every day. Please support this wonderful women owned shop!

Katrina is the most exceptional PT! She has a deep knowledge of the body, and combines that with a…read morestrong intuitive sense. Plus, she is strong! She's incredibly good at understanding pain and tailoring treatment in a way that is specific and personal. You never feel like you're getting a generic approach; she's paying close attention. What I appreciate most is how she blends solid, evidence-based practice with real intuition. She gets to the root of issues quickly, and I've consistently felt understood and in very capable hands working with her. Katrina is the best at what she does!

As someone who works primarily with patients that are suffering from chronic pain, I am so grateful…read moreto have Katrina as a resource whenever I have a pelvic floor case. I have referred multiple clients to her and have heard nothing but great feedback, from her level of expertise but also her compassion for our patients. Thank you for doing what you do, Katrina. It's much needed!

As a new parent, the postpartum period is challenging enough without having to deal with the stress…read moreand disappointment of a difficult agency. While Stork and Sprout does have some excellent doulas on its team who provided great support and coaching, my experience with the agency's leadership was overwhelmingly negative. We had a particularly difficult time with Brittany. She demonstrated a pattern of manipulation, gaslighting, and lying, both to us and, from what I understand, to her own employees. Our contract promised consistent coverage, but the scheduling was erratic and communication was poor. We were left to wonder many nights if we would have support, and for several weeks, we only received 1 to 2 days of support instead of the 6 to 7 we paid for. When we requested a refund for the services not provided, Brittany refused and even fought our bank with out-of-context emails and more lies. She claims she "offered a refund" but is even today refusing to honor it as she says in the response. The lack of professionalism extended to some of the staff as well; one sick doula was sent to our home and intentionally caused our newborn physical pain. Brittany treated us like we were the difficult ones and responded with empathy-less chatGPT emails to manage the situation. We were also led to believe we would have one primary doula with a backup, but over the course of our service, we had seven different doulas come to our home. This complete lack of continuity made an already difficult period even more stressful. Based on my experience, I would advise new parents to skip Stork and Sprout and work directly with an independent doula. You will not only save the 30-40% extra fee the agency charges for scheduling, but you will also avoid the toxic and difficult management. This experience is unacceptable for a service that costs tens of thousands of dollars and demands payment upfront months ahead of providing the service. We were not able to switch easily due to the inflexible Carrot reimbursement process through the employer.

I truly couldn't have accomplished my VBAC goals without the incredible support of the Stork and…read moreSprout birth doula team. From the very first moment I needed them through labor and all the way until I was settled into the maternity floor with my new little boy, they were there every step of the way. Their calm presence, deep knowledge, encouragement, and advocacy made all the difference during such an intense and meaningful experience. I felt supported, empowered, and never alone. I am beyond grateful for their care and dedication and would wholeheartedly recommend Stork and Sprout to anyone preparing for birth--especially those pursuing a VBAC.

Sarah provided me with compassionate and expert support in my journey feeding my kiddo. I greatly…read moreappreciated her warm, non-judgmental approach and her wise advice. She was able to meet with me on short notice, followed up via text to check in on me after our first appointment, and has fielded several questions via email, even while she was traveling. I am very grateful for her support and would highly recommend her!

At 5 days postpartum, I was feeling incredibly stressed and overwhelmed, but Sarah came to our home…read moreimmediately to help. She spent several hours with my husband and me, teaching us everything from the basics of breastfeeding and milk supply to the specifics of breast anatomy. Her calm demeanor was exactly what we needed; she completely eased my anxiety and gave us the confidence we were lacking. This was truly the most helpful support we've received since coming home from the hospital. If you are looking for an expert who is both knowledgeable and deeply compassionate, look no further.