I can't recommend Milla and Melinda enough! My husband was skeptical about hiring a doula, but…read moreafter the birth he was the first to say how grateful he was they were there for us and that the investment was so worth it. Their package is outstanding compared to others. Milla was with us for delivery and she was such a calming, supportive presence. She reminded me of my birth plan when I needed it, worked beautifully with the hospital staff, held me through contractions, cheered me on when I felt like giving up, and set boundaries with family when I asked. She just knew what I needed and I felt safe with her. Melinda was equally fantastic. I felt deeply seen by her. She helped me with my anxiety before labor and in postpartum, gave me practical tools (the ice exercise was a game changer), and walked through our house helping us set up baby stations + shared so many helpful tips. Some additional highlights: - Their website has the best list of questions to ask when interviewing doulas. - The prep class with Milla was both super helpful and honestly fun. I truly believe the exercises she taught me made a huge difference in my labor. - Melinda dropping everything to come help us on day 3 postpartum when we texted her in frenzy. Hiring them was hands-down the best decision we made. I'm so happy with how my labor went, and I honestly credit that to this amazing doula team. Overall, the biggest impact they made on me was that they believed in me, and that gave me so much strength. For a first-time mom with higher levels of anxiety, that kind of support was priceless. I honestly wish they could be my team of support forever in motherhood--that's how much I loved them and how much I trust them. And even now, I still bug them from time to time and they always quickly help me out with resources. I am so fortunate to have found them. I am sure you will feel the same way if they become your choice of doulas.

I've been supported through 3 pregnancies and deliveries (2 with midwives at a birth center, 1…read morec-section in hospital) by Melinda Ferguson, and cannot recommend her highly enough for her extensive experience from attending hundreds of births, empathy, responsiveness, and ability to connect me with others in the perinatal community for specific things like birth prep classes, lactation, sleep, etc. As a first-time parent, I especially found Melinda's guidance and presence helpful to calm my anxieties around the process of giving birth, as well as caring for a newborn. So the second time, I wanted to have the same support and was so glad to have her with us even though we'd been through this before once. And although I had expected the third time to be even easier, some complications came up and it was so helpful to be able to consult with Melinda and work through some difficult decisions. She also helped me with processing and accepting the surgical delivery that I had really hoped to avoid.

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

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

I found Meg on a website of doulas that serve Whidbey Island. After reading every website for the…read moredoulas on the list, I bookmarked Meg because I felt she seemed open, warm, accepting, and knowledgeable. I didn't contact her right away because I was only a few months pregnant at the time. Over the following month, I talked with several friends about their birth experience and two told me how much they loved their doula. Turns out those two friends had Meg! Both friends had nothing but amazing things to say about Meg so it felt kismet, and I emailed her right away. Upon meeting her it was clear that I wanted Meg involved in my birth. She was so soothing, respectful, understanding, and personable. Meg helped us prepare for birth and taught us all we needed to know before going into labor. Meg counseled me through decisions I had to make and helped me think through every single option. I appreciated that Meg holds NO judgement about ANY decision. She's on your team. No agenda - She shares the facts and allows you to make the decision. I am so grateful to Meg. My birth ended up taking a tough turn, and I had an emergency c-section under general anesthesia. Meg was there to meet my baby with my partner. She supported him as he worried about me and as he held our newborn for the first time. When I finally got to meet my son, Meg immediately latched him on and listened to me as I sobbed. Meg will always be a special part of our birth story. I wholeheartedly recommend Meg. She is a phenomenal doula.

Giving birth with Meg by my side as our Doula was absolutely amazing. I 100% attribute her and her…read moreskills to me being able to achieve my natural birth goals. I couldnt have done it without her. Her calm energy and knowledge was incredibly reassuring. I also was so impressed with her knowledge and ability to navigate the entire birth, she really is gifted as a Doula. A very special thanks to Meg!

I have had the pleasure to be working with Gabby and Danielle for the last year as I own a nanny…read moreagency and place them as Newborn Care Specialists/ PostPartumn Doulas. I also know them personally and only have glowing things to say about them both. Gabby has cared for my children on numerous occasions and is gentle with them. I give them my absolute highest recommendation!

The Doula's at Blue Cascade are absolutely fantastic!! These girls are incredibly supportive and…read moremake your life so much easier postpartum. The support they give is irreplaceable with meal planning and preparation, child care and they are even their during labor. That's just some of the help support they give. Not to mention they have very calming and comforting personalities. Would absolutely recommend to anyone!!

I cannot recommend Barbara enough!!! She was an essential part of my birth team and I'm confident…read morethat I wouldn't have had a successful unmedicated birth without her. From the moment we started working with Barbara, she took the time to truly get to know us, my goals, and concerns regarding labor. She provided thoughtful reassurance and guidance that was clearly backed by years of experience as both a midwife and doula. She never pushed a particular approach but instead empowered me with information and support so I could make the best decisions for myself. During labor, Barbara's presence made a huge difference. Her coaching helped me manage pain and stay focused. Her experience allowed me to try various labor positions that I believe aided to a more efficient birth. She also advocated for me when I was faced with tough decisions, which is already hard enough to navigate when you're in labor! Not only did she support me, but she was also an incredible resource for my husband. She provided him with the confidence and guidance to be a present and helpful partner. We both felt she added so much value to the experience. Another major plus is that Barbara has a strong relationship with the providers at NW Women's Healthcare. They clearly enjoy working with her and respect her. During the labor, I felt that she worked well with Dr Jiao and the nursing staff; it truly felt like a cohesive team that was focused on me having a successful birth. On top of all that, Barbara is just genuinely an awesome person! She is easy to talk to, kind, and calming, yet also fun and engaging. We had many good laughs together. If you're looking for an all around amazing doula who is knowledgeable, supportive, and truly makes a difference, Barbara is the one!

Barbara is absolutely amazing, I cannot speak more highly of her. Her vast experience as a doula…read moreand previous medical training really come through. She removed all stress from the early labor stages by providing guidance and options, and then helped me through an unmedicated birth with firm but empathetic and useful guidance. She knew exactly what I needed at different times and her cool and collected demeanor helped keep me calm and in the moment. I don't know if I could have done it without her help. I highly recommend Barbara if you're looking for a doula in Seattle.

Hiring Mary as our Doula was one of the best decisions we made, and I truly believe she played a…read morehuge role in helping me achieve my successful VBAC. Her support started long before labor. She met with us several times to help us prepare mentally and physically, walked us through our birth plan, and made sure we understood what to expect. She also helped us prepare our home for postpartum in ways I never would have thought about; helping me set up nursing and changing stations around the house, sharing practical meal ideas, and even helping us put together a special "fun box" to help keep our toddler entertained during the transition. Those little details made such a big difference once we got home. During labor, she was incredible. She stayed with us for over 20 hours, offering constant encouragement, comfort techniques, and reassurance. She helped me stay focused when things got hard and reminded me I was capable when I needed it most. Her calm presence made such a difference for both me and my partner. She doesn't just show up for the birth, she truly invests in the whole family and the whole experience. Because of her, I felt prepared, supported, and empowered every step of the way. If you are hoping for a VBAC or just want someone truly dedicated to supporting you through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, I cannot recommend her enough. We are so grateful she was part of our birth story. We will definitely hire her for our next birth!

Mary was our birth doula during March 2021. Having Mary as our doula was one of the best decisions…read morewe ever made. She was super friendly, well-informed, talented and made us feel very comfortable to hang out with her. This was my first pregnancy and I was naturally very anxious throughout. We signed up with Mary by week 35 and she was in constant touch with me throughout and answering a lot of questions over text. We also caught up quite a bit over zoom which was super convenient. Mary also got vaccinated for COVID-19 very early on which made me feel extra secure. My pregnancy was a bit adventurous towards the end with everyone having to work around our baby's plans. Long story short, my OB and I thought we were heading towards natural birth, but the baby decided to breech for the second time around the due date and we scheduled a c section. Mary mentally prepped me on what exactly to expect in a c section which really helped me to relax. (FYI- During COVID-19 times, Mary was allowed inside the OT in Swedish first hill along with my husband). 20 mins before the surgery, my doctor found that the baby had flipped to the right position. He immediately suggested inducing and canceled the surgery. Like us, Mary had expected to be with the baby in less than 30 mins. She was so flexible when the plans changed to what we expected to be a long induction. She was with me throughout the process and looked out for me and my husband encouraging us to eat and sleep while things were slow and uneventful early on. As expected, things became very rough even in very early labor (induction plus back labor). Mary roped in my husband and they both helped me quite a bit with different stretches. My husband by himself would not have been able to figure out what would help me during contractions. After my epidural, I was experiencing a lot of violent shaking ( powered by adrenaline after the violent contractions that I was not feeling the pain of), Mary held me tight and I remember that even if the whole part is pretty blurry. We eventually had a C-section after about 15 hours of induction since the baby couldn't tolerate the labor. Mary was as supportive as she could be and she constantly made sure that I was in the driver's seat and was comfortable making the decisions. I just had a post-partum visit where we processed all the detours my birth took and it was nice to hear how it unfolded from her perspective Finally, she took some incredible photos and videos of the labor and inside the OT which are priceless. Again, we are really really glad that we had Mary by our side.

After my first birth (which was in a birthing center where I felt pretty anonymous) I was searching…read morefor a more intimate experience. Anna, Amy and Siri were all incredible and felt like family almost immediately. They were so attentive to my husband, my toddler and me. The quality of care was incredible. Every midwife was super knowledgeable, and I cannot recommend them enough! I had a redemptive homebirth and I wouldn't change a thing. What a beautiful organization!

I have had the most wonderful opportunity to be with these amazing ladies on my journey for the…read morebirth of my son! This was my first pregnancy, although being nervous and feeling unprepared to start this new life, they eased any concerns or fears especially after some complications here and there! I had the privilege of having midwives (and in training) Amy, Cori, Jessica, and Anna at my son's birth and felt extremely loved and cared for the entire time. Could not recommend any more!

Having Rachel as our doula was not only fundamental to the well-being of our pregnancy but also an…read moreincredible gift we will always cherish. From the start, Rachel's demeanor aligned perfectly with ours. She was very knowledgeable, informative, and easy to talk to. As the carrying parent, I had many questions that Rachel was able to explain in detail thanks to her years of experience in the field and her ability to navigate the different settings in which a person can labor, including the birth center of our choice. Knowing she would be there to help us make important decisions and advocate on our behalf was priceless. From our first meeting, still over Zoom, I greatly appreciated her approach and how caring she was without being overbearing. When I was searching for someone to support us, it was important to me that the person had experience, understood my needs and concerns, and wasn't solely focused on taking pictures. Rachel checked all of those marks. Although she wasn't focused on photography only, her passion for the entire journey of life--from pregnancy to postpartum and beyond--can be seen through her amazing pictures as well. Her ability to capture special moments is truly incredible and artistic. Lastly, knowing that she is a professional who values and advocates for the rights of all people is the cherry on top. When I share our experience with friends, they all say: "I wish I had a doula like yours." We definitely recommend her for anyone hopping on this wild journey called parenthood.

After becoming pregnant I knew I wanted to hire a birth doula, as a death doula myself I understand…read morethe importance of having someone guide you through a transformative experience that I knew would hold many emotions. Once we met Rachel it was immediately clear we were a match, it felt like she had been in our lives forever. Rachel's extensive knowledge and thorough guidance ensured that we were well-informed about our choices at each phase of the birthing process, which brought us immense comfort and confidence. We had planned for an out-of-hospital birth but at the end of the pregnancy had to urgently schedule a C-section and Rachel was by our side the entire time, helping us navigate every decision with clarity and care. She prepared us for exactly what we could expect, slowed us down when fear was starting to take over, advocated for me in the hospital (immediate skin-to-skin with baby, supporting my husband as the nurses cared for baby, latching as quickly as possible, etc.), and ensured that either she or my husband held my hand the entire time. Beyond just her knowledge, she provided a safe space where we could express our fears openly and encouraged acknowledging all the emotions that come with becoming new parents. She did a beautiful job honoring my grief, grief in becoming a mom and the change of identity, grief in having to change our birth plan late in the pregnancy, and grief that I wouldn't have my mom with me. Rachel's soft energy and loving presence was a true anchor for us during this transformative time and when I think about the birthing experience I know it was a positive one because of Rachel. We will forever cherish the photos she took, as they capture so much of the emotion and love.

Investing in Davinah's support as our postpartum doula was such an important decision for our…read morefamily. The first three months of motherhood were so much more difficult for me than I could have anticipated (even though I did as much preparing for the difficulty as I could have...the sleep deprivation and endless infant screaming still humbled us in a major way)! Having Davinah's presence to look forward to got me through. On multiple evenings when I reached what felt like the end of my capacity to mother, I would remind myself, "Only two more sleeps until Davinah comes.", that thought gave me the hope and energy to keep going. Her presence in our home gave us so much! Never before have I felt hosted in my own space. She was warm and attentive, and did everything from wiping down my kitchen counters to holding my fussy baby to giving me reassuring hugs while I wept on the couch. I felt like I could truly invite her into the mess of my home and emotional state. The postpartum months are uniquely vulnerable, and she was able to listen and respond to our families needs with so much thoughtfulness and depth. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- From my husband : as a new Dad, I didn't expect to need or want support from a postpartum doula but I can't imagine the transition into parenthood without Davinah. She works fluidly, flexibly, and tirelessly. I was so impressed by her ability to intuit our needs and remind us to take good care of ourselves. The mornings of sleeping in while Davinah fed or soothed the baby were magical. When we woke up breakfast was ready! It was such a blessing to have her support.

Davinah - she just breeds joy and empathy with a side of fierceness! I can hear her now saying…read more"that's real" and I learned so much from her about how to be a better listener. Davinah was a voice of reason during our prenatal stages. She helped us prepare for the unknown that was to come as new parents by giving us concrete tasks to plan for and questions to answer for ourselves. I think it really saved us during those first few weeks and months. I ended up having a scheduled c-section so we did not get to experience Davinah's full services in labor, birthing, but she was there with us all along the way as we navigated the hospital, OBs, etc. and showed up for us as a postpartum doula to help with the much needed basic care after friends and family had returned home and husband was back to work. If she does not know the answer to something, she's honest about it and directs you to a wealth of resources in the community. We wholeheartedly recommend Davinah for any expecting parents, whether it's your first time or not! You will feel heard, supported, advocated for, seen, and celebrated.