It's hard to even imagine our son's birth without Orna by our side. I never imagined what an amazing impact she would have. I had my mind set on having a natural birth but had no idea how tough that would really be. Orna prepared us for birth, gave me confidence during labor and was our calm and steady rock though the process. She helped my husband remain strong too. When I went into labor, our son had moved into the wrong position. Orna's knowledge of spinning babies helped him turn as she helped me use best positions to help him turn. I was so glad how she documented the day for us. I thought I'd want to forget, but now It's magical to revisit the day we met our son! Orna supported us with all our decisions and always was there with the knowledge to share with us. She was our best advocate in the hospital and she even knew the nurse there that assisted that was phenomenal! I can't recommend her enough to any family that will be having a baby! Thank you Orna!!! read more

I was at the end of week 40, and my obgyn wanted to induce. I asked for another week before inducing and reached out to Orna. I hesitated at the beginning since I wasn't sure how would I feel to have someone I bearly know to support me in my most intimate moment. Orna came to my home, and after ten mins I felt as she was part of my family. When she came to my house, we worked on spinning babies exercises, and two days later my contractions started. Four hours after my contractions began my beautiful baby arrived in the world. During my labor, I had only Orna and the hospital staff with me. She gave me all the support I could wish for and even more. More than that she updated my partner every minute with pictures and videos which helped him feel like he was in the delivery room with me. If you are hesitating about taking a dula like I were, I highly recommend Orna! You won't regret it. I am definitely going to reach out to her again in my next pregnancy :-) read more

Orna is formidable. She is a tireless force of strength and calm. She is also a wellspring of ideas, techniques and tools to support mamas through the birth process- from preparation to delivery and recovery. She genuinely cared. We met Orna and were immediately taken by her energy and knowledge, her love of the birth experience and dedication to her craft. She worked well with the hospital staff, a few of whom she knew from previous deliveries, and was skillful and tactful interacting with them to ensure that I kept to my birth preferences during a couple tricky circumstances. This was my first child and I would be grateful to have Orna by my side again. Look no further, you'd be lucky to have her. read more

Orna was a tremendous partner in the birth of our first child. I feel incredibly lucky to have had the chance to work with someone who brings such expertise, pragmatism, and compassion to the task. Throughout our work together, I appreciated Orna's commitment to understanding and centering our perspectives, contributing her own insights and inquiries, and helping us feel confident throughout our planning and decision-making. I'll highlight 3 attributes that made working with Orna so rewarding: 1. Her expertise--Orna has deep first-hand experience, which she combines with learnings she's gathered from her network of other doulas. Working with Orna feels like you have the wisdom of a broad collective on your side. And she knows how to dose out the knowledge in a way that makes it easy to understand and retain.  2. Her warmth--Orna was not prescriptive or judgemental. She didn't make us ever feel like there's a 'correct' or 'virtuous' way to approach the task of labor and birth. The way she communicated, the way she presented information, and the way she solicited our perspectives all made us feel supported, nurtured, and seen.   3. Her flexibility--Orna did an excellent job taking care of us, even when circumstances kept the majority of our interaction on video calls. I was very concerned that COVID would limit the richness of my partnership with my doula, because we'd have to do so much work over video calls. But Orna was able to build trust and connection without in-person or hands-on work. Her command and confidence enable her to be your guide and confidant across any medium. read more

Orna was a godsend for us. She was the doula at the birth of our second son. I gave birth at Kaiser San Leandro. My first birth was very traumatic, and I was terrified going into this second experience. Birth is a wild unpredictable thing - and so much is outside of everyone's control. At my first birth, I felt like I got swept away by everything that happened - having Orna there this time changed the experience completely. Orna was so knowledgeable, warm, encouraging, good with the hospital staff, but protective of me... She was absolutely the right person to have in the room. read more

This is my second time around with Orna - and I couldn't be happier about this decision. My eldest son was born in a C-section, so with my second one - since I really wanted a VBAC (vaginal delivery), we had Orna preparing us and joining us in a beautiful labor that ended up as a real empowering VBAC. So, when I got pregnant with #3 - it was no-brainer that Orna should be there with us. Since we already knew her, the entire preparation process felt very easy and natural - she remembered exactly who we are and what is important for us - and adjusted her sessions to meet those needs. During the labor itself Orna was amazing - she supported me throughout the time I spent home (I had minor contractions for over 12 hours), suggesting strategies on what to do and mainly keeping me calm that there is still time. Then - when she realized that there could be an issue with the positioning of the baby (she is a magician ) - she guided me with a spinning baby exercise that was apparently just right - since 10 minutes later there was such a progress that we hardly made it on time to the hospital (which is 15 minutes away). She was super helpful in helping me to manage the pain on the way to the hospital, and then at the hospital - she was making sure I feel safe and do whatever my body tells me to do - which lead to a birth less than 20 minutes from the moment we've arrived to triage. After birth she helped me to bring the baby for a first successful breastfeeding - which was very important to me. I think what really makes Orna's support outstanding is how she sees you and your specific needs - she knew when I needed space and when encouragement, she guessed what happens in my mind and what will help me to stay calm, and managed to give the right space to my husband. The atmosphere she created was so positive that I believe everyone in the delivery room felt the good energies. I feel so grateful to have Orna in my labor - she is a real magic. read more

There are not enough words to describe how happy we are with Orna's services. Having Orna as part of our birth support team was one of the best decisions we made. Since our first meeting we were convinced that Orna's calming presence, professional demeanor, and wisdom would help us during this important time. For prep before birth, she always made sure to help us have our own birth experience and be a supportive in our choices. She made sure to inform us (with her wealth of knowledge from a previous 80+ births) and let us come to our own answers and birth plan. We had exercises to help us prep and make things as comfortable as possible. She also has a ton of a ton of great references and resources on her website that we used and had great experiences with. During birth, Orna was a pillar of support from start to end. She was very available and responsive at the early stages of labor, and visited us at home just to check in on us. Luckily, she was able to stay our house just on a gut feeling because that night we went to the hospita at 1 am. She was our advocate at the hospital, helped guide us through many decisions, guide me through different poses to facilitate birth and was there for the entire time. Also, she took notes of the experience and pictures which you don't think about in the moment but are great to have after the fact. We highly recommend Orna - super experienced, down to earth, and has a ton of advice to help with labor and postpartum. read more

We love Orna! She helped us prepare for and bring our dear baby boy into the world through a natural, unmedicated birth even through I had a high-risk pregnancy. What I liked so much about Orna's care is her focus on education and empowerment. She taught us so much about the childbirth process during our prenatal meetings, helping both me and my husband feel confident and prepared. She was there for me at the tail end of my pregnancy when I had to do daily antenatal testing and was stressed about what to do. She gave well researched medical advice, but always with compassion and empathy that made me feel cared for. She also has a great network of other care providers she connected me with for things like acupuncture and acupressure. During my labor, Orna was the most comforting and encouraging presence. She brought so many helpful props into the room, and represented my needs and preferences so well to the nursing staff, who all love working with her. She believed in me, and that helped me believe in myself. My husband also loved her support in helping him feel prepared to care for me, too. Orna is amazing doula! We couldn't recommend highly enough. read more

Orna is so knowledgeable and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to take her class. Both the group and private classes were tremendously helpful and she shared practical tips on how to best prepare for labor. read more

Orna is wonderful. I had a super long labor, but she helped us get there and even managed to power through 22 hours in the hospital. She was excellent in the delivery room and super helpful to the nursing staff as well. Her Spinning Babies training also helped me get the baby moving and probably saved me having to go through interventions at the hospital. Would recommend her in a heartbeat! read more

Orna was extremely reliable and made me feel at home during a very stressful time. Her sessions with me prior to the birth put me at ease and helped prepare me for the big day. On the day of labor, she was extremely involved in our medical decision making, walking us through pros and cons of each option. Just having a third person there was wonderful. And best of all, we were able to look back at the photos she took and cherish the memories of the birth of our first child. read more

I wasn't sure I needed a doula. After working with Orna and her apprentice, Jenny, to deliver our first baby, I know for sure that doulas make all the difference. Their surefooted support allowed us to have a beautiful delivery experience--the kind of experience we dreamed of, even though not everything went according to plan. Before meeting Orna, I waffled for a long time about whether or not to work with a doula. I was planning to deliver in a hospital, after all, and didn't expect any complications. I'm a big reader, so I figured I'd be able to get most of the information I needed from books and blogs. And the hospital I was planning to deliver at said they offered one-to-one nurse support, with a single nurse dedicated to our delivery experience; that kind of dedication was a lot of what I thought a doula was for. My uncertainty was so high that I procrastinated on even seeking out recommendations for doulas to reach out to. In fact, I put off the search for so long that I was worried it was too late. Noticing that I was "worried it was too late" helped me realize that I did want to at least explore the possibility of working with a doula, so I started asking around, and learned about Orna from my acupuncturist. Two months before my delivery date, I wrote to Orna for the first time. She responded quickly, and set up a time to visit our house for a first meeting. From the start, I felt that Orna had our best interests at heart. She shared some information that was new to us: that not every hospital offers nitrous gas as a pain management option, and that many of her clients had found nitrous helpful. The hospital we were planning to deliver at didn't offer nitrous, but another location in the same network did. Orna suggested that we tour both and make a decision based on all of the information available to us. This was just the nudge we needed, and we toured both hospitals later the same week. Seeing both for ourselves made it obvious to us that it was worth switching hospitals, even though my due date was just eight weeks away. Recognizing that Orna's body of knowledge and bold intuition had already served us so well, we decided to sign on with her over all the other doulas we'd considered. Early on, Orna shared with us that she had an apprentice named Jenny; if we were interested, we could meet her and see whether we wanted her to be a part of our experience as well. We agreed, and were struck right away by Jenny's grounded, gentle energy. Immediately after meeting Jenny, we agreed to have her join the team. Fast forward to nearly two weeks after my due date: this baby was just chilling. With Orna's guidance, I'd tried many different evidence-based strategies for encouraging labor, but none had kickstarted the process. The midwives at the hospital recommended we induce, and we agreed. Once we got to the hospital and began the induction process, we faced a hard decision: to break the water, or not? Orna guided us through the decision-making process, helped us advocate for additional time to discuss the options amongst ourselves, and even offered at one point to step out of the room herself so that my husband and I could make the final call ourselves. We decided to go for it on the condition that nitrous be set up in our room preemptively. After my water was broken, labor quickly kicked into high gear, and I was incredibly glad to have the nitrous available: it did wonders for me, completely lifting the sensation of pain without any lasting side-effects. The only challenge was that nitrous left me nauseous in the moment, but that's where Orna stepped in with her bag of resources, swiftly placing a paper towel dabbed with peppermint oil near my nose. In the end, nitrous was the only pain management method I needed. I'm so grateful that Orna's guidance helped us switch to a hospital that offered nitrous, and that her bag of resources helped neutralize the downsides. Soon enough, it was time to push. My husband stood at the head of the bed with me, and Orna and Jenny each held one of my legs up. I feel emotional just remembering what it felt like to be literally supported, in the most fundamental way, by two such loving and powerful women. After our son emerged, Orna helped to place him on my chest. And then, after a few more moments of quietly celebrating with us, Orna and Jenny offered to leave--to give us space to begin our life as a family of three. Reflecting on our journey, I can see that at every turn, Orna was there to support us in bringing our child into the world sweetly, with hope and strength. There were decisions we needed to make, and moments we needed to be completely present for without fussing about what we should be doing instead, and Orna was expert and wise about helping us tell the difference between the two. We feel so lucky that Orna and Jenny became a part of our story. We would work with them again in a heartbeat. read more

I met Orna on my journey to motherhood, she kindly offered her time facilitating groups for pregnant Israeli women in the city, each meet up she'd share different information and knowledge from her vast experience of working as a doula and a midwife's apprentice. It was only in my second pregnancy that I get to really know her professionally, she was my midwife's apprentice and a great bonus to the entire experience. Orna has this way about her that you can't not feel happy and relaxed when you're close to her. During my birth I didn't end up hiring a doula because I wanted a more intimate affair and there were already quite a few people involved. I'm so grateful to Orna, because when the time came when I really needed a doula's support she stepped up and was everything I needed, she knew what I needed more than I did. It's not in words or in action necessarily but with her hands and her being. If you decide to work with Orna I guarantee you'll be so happy you did so, she's an amazing person to have by your side at this crazy, wonderful, scary, exciting life event. read more

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So you're looking for a doula? It's an important decision that can have a major impact on your birthing experience. After all, you are looking for someone, a stranger, to share and help you shape a major life event but with Orna we found not only what we needed but so much more. Orna supported us through the birth of our son on April 20, 2018. I was aiming for a vaginal, unmedicated birth. I felt confident and prepared thanks to the detailed conversations we had had prior to my labor. Meeting with Orna beforehand was essential in helping my partner and I begin our transition into parenthood. In the end, I ended up having a long, difficult labor- 44 hours of active labor that ended in a rushed c-section. Orna did everything possible to help me attempt to have the labor I had envisioned and she was by my side for a good portion of that 44 hours! She was an immense help in getting me to bridge the gap between my desired birthing experience and the reality. In the end, I felt that I had done my very best and I was proud of all the work we had done as a team. Orna was even sure to set up a reunion meeting with my birth team a few weeks after birth for me and my partner to process the experience. This was instrumental to my postpartum recovery. Her detailed notes of the labor helped me relive the experience and see the amazing strength and courage I had summoned during my labor. I am so grateful. SOME of Orna's Strengths: -Very knowledgeable. Orna has an in-depth understanding of labor and delivery. Orna was able to provide greater context following our conversations with the medical professionals. Her ability to provide pros and cons at every important junction made making an informed decision so much easier. I was continually impressed with the depth of her medical knowledge. -Comforting presence. Being around Orna is truly grounding! -Shows respect and care for all members of your birth team. Orna supported us all. I am so appreciative to her for seeing that my partner felt comfortable taking breaks allowing him to be more present and cope well with a tense experience. -Puts the mother's needs and emotional/physical state front and center. Naturally, at a birth there is a lot going on and at times it's possible to feel adrift. Orna is very aware of where everyone is at and seems to know exactly how to give support in an unobtrusive, open way. What I loved is that she would gently guide the focus back to me, the mother. I felt sheltered and protected but even more so I felt seen. She provided me with the space required to figure out what I needed and wanted. She was sure my voice wasn't lost when it was the right time to ask for what I wanted. This is so important. You may be used to doing this on your own in other settings but given the altered state of labor it was very helpful to have a professional advocate. Ultimately, I may have not had the unmedicated birth I had hoped for but more importantly I did have the emotionally empowering experience I had hoped for. Having Orna as our doula was instrumental in creating an atmosphere where that was not only possible but likely. read more

Choosing Orna Konig as my birth doula was easily one of the best decisions I made with regard to my daughter's birth. Despite the restriction of receiving her support through FaceTime due to the hospital's COVID policies, I can state without hesitation that it was thanks to Orna that I was still able to have a natural, unmedicated birth. Furthermore, Orna was able to effectively and expertly guide us through the birth process even though my husband and I were unprepared because our baby arrived prematurely. There are very few people who listen as attentively and carefully as Orna does. She is thoughtful and informative, but always checks to make sure that you actually want to hear her perspectives or advice before she offers it. She makes great efforts to get to know her clients and their unique situations, preferences, quirks, and hopes. She then tailors her approach to best meet their individual needs. During our meetings together, I not only felt seen and heard, but also cherished and respected as a new mother-to-be. My husband and I originally planned to have a hospital birth, but with the outbreak of the pandemic, we were anxious about the risks of going to a hospital and decided to do a home birth. It was a choice that I did not come to lightly. My husband was already in favor of the home birth option, but I was initially skeptical. As we tried to figure out how to proceed, Orna patiently and kindly helped me to work through misconceptions I had about home births and made it clear that she would be there for me without judgment regardless of the birth venue I chose. When I finally did decide on a home birth, I did so from a place of confidence, in no small part due to Orna's support. But as it turned out, my water broke when I was 34 weeks pregnant. Because home birth is not a safe option for a premature baby, I had to deliver in a hospital. My husband and I had initially intended to use the final weeks of the pregnancy to better familiarize ourselves with the birth process, practice laboring positions, and finalize our birth plan. Instead, we suddenly found ourselves on the way to the hospital with only vague notions of what lay ahead for us. Fortunately, Orna took charge right away. Even from over FaceTime, she was an immediate source of comfort. She told me that I could still have the birth I had hoped for. She guided me into positions that eased my pain and gave clear instructions to my husband on where to place his hands to help me. She talked me through every surge and made sure that I rested in between them so that I had enough energy to keep on going. Orna even thought of small details that made a significant difference in our experience, such as making sure that we ordered an adequate amount of food from room service before the hospital kitchen closed and suggesting that we put on some background music to help me relax. At one point, a nurse came into the room and demanded that I wear a mask even though I was in labor. She was so insensitive in how she handled the situation that I was reduced to tears. But Orna spoke with the nurse and came up with the solution that the nurse would not remain in the room so that I could labor unhindered by a mask. Orna then helped me to calm down and refocus. A pivotal moment came later on when a resident and a different nurse cornered me when I went to the bathroom. They told me that I was going to be in labor for 20 to 72 more hours. They put a lot of pressure on me to go on to pain medication and convinced me to let them put in the medication order. I had only been in labor for four hours at that point and was already in so much pain that I could not imagine lasting much longer. Furthermore, I was only three centimeters dilated. I told Orna that I wanted an unmedicated birth, but I did not think that I could achieve it. Orna asked me to give her one more hour, after which we could reassess whether I should get an epidural. I had the nurse put the medication order on hold and Orna led me in low humming, different laboring positions, and rest. When I told her that I wished that she could have been there in person to comfort me while my husband applied pressure to my back, she led me through a visualization of her being by my side that was surprisingly effective. By the time the hour was up, I felt enough to tell the nurse to cancel my pain medication order. In the end, my daughter was born 90 minutes after the nurse and resident had given me the 20-72-hour estimate. Orna was with me during those final moments and stayed with me on FaceTime as my daughter took her first breaths and was placed on my chest. Looking back, so much felt out of my control, but with Orna's support, I still had the empowered, natural, and unmedicated birth I had hoped to give my child. Orna is far more than a birth doula. She is a teacher, guide, wisewoman, cheerleader, therapist, and birth champion all encompassed in one extraordinary person. I will always treasure the read more

Look no further! Orna is amazing. Covid 19 started right in the middle of our pregnancy. All of our prenatal classes were cancelled and despite our research and readings, we felt unprepared for our son's birth. We found Orna through a friend and couldn't be happier we did. Orna was able to support us in our process and helped us train through on line meetings and classes. She's extremely knowledgeable and walked us through Spinning Babies, as well as a general preparation for the birth, all while being sympathetic and caring. In this time of great uncertainty, Orna provided us with confidence, expertise, and great calming spirit. read more

We're so thankful for having Orna take part in the birth of our baby girl. Her professionalism, knowledge, positive attitude and calm manners were all we could as for in a doula, and made us feel confident that we have the best support we could ask for - from the first meeting where she talked us through what a birth plan looks like and taught us exercises that could take a bit of the load off, through her availability every time we needed help whether it's giving advice over the phone or coming to meet us, to the long hours of labor both at home and in the hospital. More than a doula, Orna became like family to us. read more

Just a few short months ago, I had zero clue what a doula was and what they even do. Now, after welcoming my first child into the world, I couldn't imagine my wife (and I) giving birth without one, specifically without Orna. Orna was the perfect fit for both my wife and I. She is intelligent, thoughtful, organized, considerate, respectful, strong yet calming, beautiful inside and out and acted as an advocate for us and the type of labor/birth my wife/we wanted to have throughout the entire process. Thank you for helping us "own" the type of birth we wished for. My wife, baby boy and I are so grateful for "Auntie Orna". We miss you! read more

We hired Orna as a birth doula to assist with our second home birth. Originally, we thought Orna's role would be primarily to serve as a "sibling doula" to be with our first child (who is 3) during the labor and delivery, if my wife had gone into labor during the night and we didn't want to wake our daughter and send her off with her grandmother (which was the plan if labor had started during the day). However, after meeting with Orna, we decided that she would be great to have at the birth, regardless of whether our older daughter needed care. Were we ever right! As it turned out, labor started in the morning on a weekend day and our daughter was safe in her grandmother's care very early on. Orna arrived quickly after we called her and provided amazing labor and post-delivery support. Orna was a completely indispensable member of the birth team. She employed a variety of tricks to help alleviate my wife's labor pain. She worked in a very delicate and unintrusive way that was elegant and effective. Orna's amazing work massaging my wife and applying pressure to her low back during tough contractions meant that I was free to provide moral support, holding my wife's hands, and speaking with her to her face. It was a wonderful contrast to my wife's first delivery, in which I spent the entire 8 hours behind her, pushing on her back and hips for every single contraction! Orna also served as the designated photographer, and she took amazing pictures of the labor and after the birth. It is so nice to have the experience well documented. After the birth, Orna assisted the midwives in a variety of ways: cleaning things up (emptying and disassembling the birth tub, doing laundry, etc.), preparing a delicious meal and cleaning up the kitchen, and making sure my wife was comfortable and had everything she needed. A few days later, Orna came back for a 2-hour post partum visit. She prepared a meal for us, helped my wife with some breastfeeding issues, and watched the baby while we rested. It was a lovely break and we felt so well cared-for. Orna was unbelievably helpful throughout the labor, delivery and post partum period. She is kind and gentle, intuitively understands how she can be most supportive, and has a wonderful positive attitude. We wholeheartedly recommend her! read more

ORNA IS THE DOULA TO HAVE AT YOUR SIDE FOR YOUR BIRTH! Patient, respectful, pragmatic and very knowledgeable! She attends birth at the hospital or at home. She is caring and effective, very helpful at home in the postpartum days. We had a planned homebirth. I felt more secure having Orna around the house already during early labor, even before the midwives came. Present and available, but not intrusive, I knew my husband was not alone and he was fully supported, and that allowed me to be calm and concentrate on the birth. At the birth, Orna also took care of the placenta, that I wanted to save. Orna's help and advice was precious in the days after birth: she would cook delicious and nutritious dishes for mom&dad, put the lundary, fold clothes, clean up dishes, chat and help with the newborn. We cannot thank Orna enough! Every home birth mom should have Orna in the team! read more

Orna is the best doula that I could have asked for! In my attempt at a VBAC she was extremely supportive, optimistic, helpful and full of information and knowledge that greatly helped me in the prenatal period as well as during the labor. When I told her about the prodromal labor I was having she suggested to come over to my house to help with spinning babies positions and many techniques for potentially turning a posterior baby and comfort measures to use. I had my baby at Kaiser Redwood City and when my husband informed her that we were admitted and asked her to come in the morning she called him to assess the situation and quickly realized that I need some assistance sooner than what my husband thought would be necessary. She came over very quickly and we were both were relieved and happy to see her there. She always encouraged me to think about my options and to ask many questions of the birth team in the hospital. I never felt pressured in any way to have any kind of birth. I always felt supported in my desires and decisions. Orna is naturally a excellent doula due to her calm demenor and ability to understand people so well. When contractions became so strong and frequent that I thought I wouldn't be able to handle them any more Orna was there to calm me down, help me with breathing, support me with her words and always was available to offer massage, counter pressure or anything else that I needed. Unfortunetely I was unable to have the VBAC that I hoped for but I feel good about the decisions that I made and how hard I tried and much of that is owed to Orna since I can honestly say that she did everything in her power to help me to have a wonderful birth experience. Another thing that I truely appreciated was that she took very meticulous notes and this really helped me to process the birth post-partum and be able to write my birth story. I am more than happy to speak to anybody considering hiring a doula about my experience so please feel free to contact me! Again, I just want to give a HUGE THANK YOU TO ORNA! She is awesome, truely the best I could have asked for!! read more

Let's not bury the headline: Orna Konig is an absolute treasure of a human being and you should unquestionably do whatever you can to get her for your doula! My partner and I were recently expecting our first child, and we wanted a doula with significant experience, who nonetheless still conveyed a sense of awe around birth--all while retaining a sense of humor. I was also very interested in working with someone knowledgeable about Spinning Babies. That is a tall order, but we knew after meeting with Orna that we'd found a gem. We hesitated because we knew she had travel planned very close to our due date, but in the end we just couldn't pass up the chance she might be able to attend our birth, and Orna worked with us to find a back up doula we felt just as comfortable with. We attended a couple of the group sessions she offers for her clients (very helpful) and had two meetings with her (& our back up) before the birth where she helped us define and articulate the kind of experience we hoped to have and showed me techniques for maximizing the chance the baby would assume an optimal birth position (which she did!). Orna was available to us about any question or concern we had, no matter how small. All of the prep work she did with us meant we were more informed and confident when the time came, and we knew we'd done everything we could to facilitate our baby's arrival into the world. As it turned out, I went into labor a couple of days early, and that meant Orna could not be with us for the birth. Our back up was in contact with her during our labor via phone, though, so we had the benefit of her experience nonetheless. We had latch troubles after coming home from the hospital and Orna (& our back up doula) came to our home to help us on quite short notice. She continued to be available to us about our innumerable questions in the postpartum period, and always radiated kindness and empathy while sharing her expertise and connecting us to other resources. She is a perceptive, sensitive, smart, non-judgmental, funny, open-hearted realist who knows how to engage with and support both the birthing and non-birthing partners. We feel incredibly lucky to have found her--heck, we want to somehow make her a permanent part of our family! read more

We had Orna with our birth of our first baby. We interviewed 4 different ones and chose her. She made me so comfortable going through the journey of childbirth and preparing us. She had a great caring and chill vibe. We had a very fast birth but there were little things that she did that I will always remember and she also took a video which was so amazing. She was great about following up and came over a week or so after to check in on us which was really nice. read more

There's nothing I can write to recommended Orna enough..! I cannot imagine what my labor process would look like without her calm, knowledgeable and thoughtful presence. Starting from the communication we had during the pregnancy, Orna was there to support me in every step of the way with helpful tips and information and I am happy with all of the decisions I've made based on our conversations (such as transitioning care and attending a specific birth education class, to name a few). As we got closer to the due date, our preparation meetings were extremely helpful as they covered a lot of technical information but also focused on creating good realistic expectations and clearing any fears or doubts on different scenarios ahead of time. Even though I ended up with a different birth experience than originally planned due to a sudden health concern, I felt safe and reassured knowing Orna is there to support me. At the time of labor Orna was there to greatly support me and my partner both physically and mentally. She supported us in our conversations with the medical staff, provided constant guidance on postures for pain relief and for naturally progressing labor (which helped turn my baby to an optimal posture during constructions), pressed and messaged my back (precisely where it helped!), and encouraged and calmed me (and him!) down with her caring, loving and sensitive presence. I ended up delivering my baby not using pain medication even though I was considered high risk, with constant monitoring and on induction. I have no doubt that I would end up having a C-section if it wasn't for Orna (which I really wanted to avoid). For us Orna exceeded every expectation we had for a doula, and had the perfect combination between being practical and rational but also following an holistic approach and listening to the body. Orna has helped me and my partner have the pregnancy and birth of our first child as a positive and empowering experience, and find our inner powers and strength. She truly cares and bonds with her clients and we are forever grateful to her for everything she's done for the three of us. read more

I can't even start to describe how fortunate I was to have had Orna's support through my pregnancy and delivery. No doubt one of the best decision I've even made. Orna is a one of a kind person, she's thoughtful, patient and just full of kindness. On top of that, she is very professional and her recommendations turned out to prove themselves time after time. I believe that having a doula by your side is more than just support in the labor room, (which is greatly needed and appreciated) - It can improve your medical situation and your immediate and future health, and so easily. To me it was an unforgettable journey and I'm thankful I've had Orna by my side. read more

After our first meeting with Orna my husband and I breathed a sigh of relief as we felt we had found someone we really connected with who could guide us through the pregnancy and birthing experience with so much insight, warmth, care, and expertise. Our work with Orna as our doula helped us feel incredibly prepared and supported- she provided extensive of materials and recommendations for everything from acupuncture to diet to help making decisions about the type of birth we wanted. She was available to answer any questions over email or text and our sessions with her were incredibly helpful and well-thought-out. Our baby was breech until 38 weeks (!) and Orna worked extensively with us using the Spinning Babies technique, as she is a Spinning Babies Instructor. Amazingly, when we went in for the ECV to manually get the baby turned at the hospital we found out that she had turned head down that morning! Orna has an incredible understanding of the science and physiology of pregnancy and labor, but also brings a spiritual and emotional connectedness and grounding that was so appreciated. It was wonderful having her in the room with us during labor- she provided extensive hands-on bodywork support and she worked seamlessly with the midwife and nurse team we had at the hospital- we felt that her presence and warmth in the room were essential to our experience. The baby needed some extra support after being born (she's fine now!) and Orna stayed by my side and helped me understand what was going on and made sure I was cared for while my husband went to the NICU with the baby. Overall, we were so grateful to have Orna on our team and appreciate everything she brought to the experience. Thank you so much, Orna! read more

I am so glad that we decided to work with Orna to prepare for the delivery of our first baby. Since it was COVID time, we weren't sure if working with a doula made sense, but with only one support person available, my husband and I wanted to feel prepared for the labor. We worked with Orna in the last six weeks of my pregnancy to prepare for the delivery. From the moment I first spoke with Orna, I immediately felt at ease. She is warm, thoughtful and intelligent and you can tell that she loves what she does. Orna worked with us on Spinning Babies and also gave us tons of tools and techniques to use while we were going through labor. She did such a great job of preparing my husband to be my support person, that the nurses at the hospital called him my "doula husband!" Thanks to Orna, we felt very prepared on what to expect and how to communicate with the hospital staff. Orna is amazing and we are so glad we had the opportunity to work with her! read more

I feel so fortunate to have met Orna as a person and a Dula! Our childbirth would not have been so great without her. she made our wishes possible, always very professional and correct but also kind and warm, somehow Orna knows how and when to make you feel strong and calm again when in need for a loving touch without saying anything. I'll never want to have to do that again without her :) read more

Orna is simply the BEST! We hired her for the birth of our daughter (our first) in August 2018. I can't imagine going through my labor without her there by our side every step of the way. From the moment that we met Orna in our initial doula interviews, we knew she was our doula. Her calm demeanor, warmth, clear communication and great approach to supporting her clients is amazing. We weren't sure initially that we would get a doula but now that I have been through the labor and delivery, I can't imagine doing that without a doula, especially Orna. She is a wonderful person and very good at what she does. She has clearly found her calling. She brings all of her experience plus bases the information that she shares on solid research, which I really appreciated. The two pre-natal visits were so helpful and informative and I felt like her approach was very personable and patient while still covering a lot of ground. She answered all of our questions and was able to also cover all of what she wanted to cover in each session. She took extra time with us when needed and we never felt rushed. It was such a great way for us to all get on the same page, for my husband and I to learn as much as we needed to about the labor/delivery as well as have an opportunity to connect with Orna and feel a real personal connection to this person that was going to be with us for one of the most intimate and special experiences of our lives. During my pregnancy I was having issues with a bruised pelvis injury and as we got closer to my due date, I started to get more and more nervous about how this would make my delivery more challenging. I emailed Orna to express this and she responded right away with a text message asking if she could call me. We chatted for a bit about my concerns and she asked if she could come over in the next day to go over some things that could help my pelvis and also relieve my mental stress. I felt so supported. Her visit was tremendously helpful in relieving my anxieties, feeling like I had a solid team between her and my husband and no matter what, it was all going to be ok. On the actual delivery day, I had labored for 10hrs at home at night before we asked Orna to join us. She came over and she helped me take the labor to the next level and really progress things, by letting go of the fears and tension that I was holding onto. I think that if it hadn't been for her, I would still be in labor! In all seriousness, I do think that my labor would have been twice as long, at least, if she hadn't helped me progress things. We arrived at the hospital early in the morning and I was able to deliver my baby naturally within a short time afterwards without any interventions (which is what I had wanted). In one of our prenatal visits she had taught me how to make low gutteral sounds to help open up my cervix and to help with pushing the baby out. At the time when she taught me these, I didn't think much of them as I didn't feel anything of course, but in the delivery, it was amazing how powerful it was to use these sounds to help push. After everything was over, I felt so elated to have my daughter but also so empowered by the experience of what I had been able to do. Orna helped me channel the inner strength that I needed to successfully deliver my daughter in the way that I wanted to and she helped in a way that made me feel strong. I can't recommend Orna enough!!! She is everything a doula should be and more. She should have 10 stars! read more

I was lucky to work with Orna and I can't recommend her enough. When I started thinking about the birth experience I wanted, I wasn't sure if and why I needed a doula, but knowing that I wanted some kind of support I talked with 8 doulas, met with 4 of them, and ended up choosing Orna. Today, I definitely see the added value of having Orna as my doula. The preparation process with Orna made the difference for me. She made me feel confident so I knew what I was getting into. In her very professional, personable, and most importantly - nonjudgmental approach, she was able to get to know me and my husband, help us deal with all of our worries/fears/uncertainties, teach us some important breathing techniques, introduce us to great materials and create our birth plan. Orna is super knowledgable, she is very thorough, and she was able to answer every question we had, or even answer the questions we didn't know we had. She was available for us any time we needed her, even after our son's birth. The support I got from Orna and the confidence she gave me made my birth experience amazing. I'm so happy I got to have her as my doula and I'm sure you'll be happy as well. read more

Orna was the perfect fit for us. Having her with us during labor and birth made it a much easier and positive experience. We planned a natural birth at UCSF mission bay and Orna helped us plan it well. Although it was not our first child birth, she gave us a lot of usefully instructions and tips both for our preparation and for birth. During our pretty long birth process Orna was with us 100% of the time, helping in all sorts of ways, calming and directing. Always in the perfect balance between saying what she believes in and our thoughts and needs. We are SO glad we chose Orna as our doula and highly recommend her. She's an awesome person and great in what she does. read more

I can not speak highly enough of Orna. She has a natural ability to make you feel safe and nurtured. Orna was my doula from about 20 weeks onwards. We had several visits throughout my pregnancy with my husband involved too. She built a strong foundation of trust with us both and took the time to really find out what was important to us in bringing our child into the world and how we would achieve this with loving support. Orna was the first person we called when we needed someone at home with us when I went into labor. She knew exactly what was needed and when. The most powerful and memorable support Orna gave me during the labor was to kneel down with me and join me in making the noises I was making! It made me feel secure and relaxed. She gives everything to you when you need it the most. We are very privileged to have Orna in our lives in this special way. read more

There are not enough words to describe the empowering experience we had with Orna and what she has become to us and our little prince. Orna is a nice, super friendly, calming, genuine and loving human being, always with a smile on her face. These are just a few of the qualities that makes her an AMAZING doula. Orna is a great combination of a highly professional, knowledgeable and experienced doula with an amazing emotional intelligence. The preparation sessions helped us form our birth plan (before we had no clue about what we want), gave us great birth exercises that eventually helped naturally expedite the contractions and gave us a lot of tools to prepare my mind and body for the birth day. Orna took the time in each pre-session to get to know me and my needs and it was well noticed during labor. During the birth Orna knew exactly what to offer and do in order to ease the pain, keep me motivated and energized and most importantly (to me) super calm. We came to the hospital at 10:30pm and after only 5 hours I gave birth to my beautiful son Daniel. It was an amazing natural, no medicated birth, and I can say with confidence it is all due to the support and guidance of Orna. Thank you Orna we love you! read more

My review for Orna is 2.5 years overdue. I literally recite my amazing birth story on a regular basis. Orna is the most calming doula/woman. She is exactly who you want in the birth room with you. I was very specific with what I "wanted" and of course you can never be so specific about anything, especially birth. I really wanted a drug free birth with my second child. Orna helped make this "Want" a reality. I only mentioned once to her that I thought I could not continue on. Instead of telling me that I could, or reminding me that I did not want medication...she cleverly said, "okay, let's change position and see how you feel after a few more contractions." My daughter was born exactly two minutes after she said that! read more

Orna is an incredible doula who supported me and my husband for the birth of our second child. I appreciated our sessions before the birth, the way that she checked in regularly leading up to the birth, and of course her support when I actually went into labor. She encouraged me to be myself, reminding me before and throughout labor to do what came naturally to me. She gave several concrete suggestions during labor that helped with pain management and with feeling connected to myself and my baby. With her support, I was able to have an amazing natural labor at UCSF. Can't recommend Orna enough! read more

We were very lucky to have Orna as our doula. She has this amazing ability to see what you need, when you need it, and offer just that. My birth wasn't short nor easy, and Orna was there throughout the process, guiding, supporting, listening and caring. When I needed a rest she was there to enable that, when I needed a push she was there to pick me up. The prep work she did with us empowered us both and created the best support team I could hope for. I don't know what we would do without her. read more

I am so happy to have been able to have Orna support me during my birth. She was a calming force throughout the experience and helped me feel more comfortable and safe during my labor. She made sure I was aware of all of the potential repercussions of each decision. She worked well with the nurses and doctors in the hospital and my husband. Mostly, she made me feel safe and secure and that everything would be ok during scary moments. I hope to work with her again! read more

If you are looking for an amazing Doula, look no further! Orna is the best gift you can give yourself for your pregnancy, delivery and postpartum! This was my first pregnancy and I've heard from friends that delivering a baby is the most painful thing my body will ever experience. I was looking for a doula that could help me communicate with the medical staff in the hospital during this tremendous pain. For context, I had recently gone through a medical surgery and had a lot of physical pain. I wasn't sure if I could handle such huge pain again. Then Orna came along. With a lot of sense and sensibility, she walked my husband (who was skeptical at first) and I through the process of delivery, taught us a little bit of anatomy, and helped me cope with my fear of going through pain again. She gave us many tips for before, during and after the delivery, taught me useful exercise, provided me all sorts of things that would help me throughout the early delivery stage (TENS kit, etc.), recommended me my lovely OBGYN who was absolutely amazing (and saved me from choosing a doctor who wasn't right for me), helped us choose a prenatal class, etc. When my contractions began, Orna guided me with lots of patience, met us in the hospital and helped me walk in while my husband was parking the car, signed us up at the entrance of the hospital, and much more. Since I delivered 2 weeks before my expected date, she also helped with the music playlist for my delivery and even took care of my placental encapsulation. She held my leg throughout delivery, asked the Dr. all the right questions and maintained a great atmosphere and environment which had a great impact on all of us (my husband, the doctor who delivered me and myself). I had the BEST delivery experience, and it's all thanks to Orna, our guardian angel, who was thoughtful enough to document this experience for us! After I delivered my baby, Orna came over with a cute present for our little one. Until now our friendship continues, as she keeps recommending us nannies, etc. I can not express how amazing Orna is - trust me on this one, once you work with her once you will want to work with her forever. Thanks, Orna, for everything that you did (and keep doing) for us. We couldn't have asked for a better Doula. Much love! Xoxo read more

Orna is a fantastic doula! I feel so lucky that I found her and got to work with her and I can't recommend her more highly. I liked her presence a lot and felt like she would be a good fit for me the first time I met her, but - at her encouragement - took a long time to select a doula and interviewed several. I definitely made the right choice. Our preparatory sessions were so helpful and Orna took care to make sure I had thought through my birth preferences and understood the different scenarios and decisions I might need to make. She also gave me some great suggestions for various ways to prep for labor. In labor, she was incredible. I didn't have an epidural so my labor was very physical and she was working hard to help me through my contractions: letting me push against her, spraying water on my back, suggesting different positions and pain management techniques. She never flinched or failed to offer words of support even when I was swearing and growling. Having her by my side helped me feel strong and confident through labor and helped me have a labor that I look back on and feel really good about. She also took some great photos and videos! read more