We love, love, loved working with Suzanne. We didn't find her until about 36 weeks in or so because…read moreI was so busy with work I didn't even think to work with a doula even though I had the first time around in CA. I found her through a FB page after reaching out to a few other doulas and Suzanne was by far the best match, oozing a warmth and loving nature that resonated with me. Not only is Suzanne an amazing soul but she's also insanely knowledgeable about so many things pre and post partum. She helped me navigate almost too many things to list, a breech baby, switching to a provider that was genuinely supportive of my desire to have a vbac, an ECV (it didn't work the first time with my breech daughter and I'm convince Suzanne guiding me through the breathing was the reason he flipped this time in addition to a great provider! But Suzanne's help made it possible for me to really relax and let my bub move along with the doctor's hands.), an unmedicated VBAC and more. A huge bonus is she somehow also managed to capture pictures during the birth while staying at my side the whole time. If you're looking for a doula team, look no further than Suzanne and her team.

We are so glad to have hired Suzanne to be part of our birth journey. Suzanne came recommended from…read morea friend who also hired her. Suzanne is friendly and shared a wealth of knowledge ahead of the birth that was very helpful. She had my wife start hand expressing breastmilk and trying out the pumps ahead of the birth which really helped with the milk coming in post partum. My wife had a long and complicated labor - 55 hours of total labor including over 4 hours of pushing. Initially we texted Suzanne to let her know about the labor and she checked in with us every couple of hours. As the labor dragged on she asked to come over that's when we really got to see Suzanne's magic and expertise in action. She was really helpful in finding ways to help my wife relieve pain such as using our bathroom and bringing over a TENS device to reduce pain. At the hospital, Suzanne guided us through options that the doctor / nurse presented us and we observed her push back when appropriate. Watching her push back on the medical team was important later in our labor as my wife and I were empowered to push back on the OB when the OB suggested using forceps. We pushed back on the doctor to give us more time. Our labor was taking a long time because baby was nose up and was coming down crooked. Suzanne was key in positioning my wife in an all fours position that rotated the baby nose down so that she could make it further down the birth canal to a point where the OB could use a vacuum assist instead of forceps - a much safer procedure. I truly believe that without Suzanne, my wife would have ended up with a C-section but we were ultimately able to avoid it because of Suzanne's expertise. After the birth, Suzanne's lactation consultation was also very helpful and the photos she captured during labor were magical. Momma and baby are doing great and we are so grateful for Suzanne.

I'm one day shy of my son's first birthday and as I reflect on my pregnancy and birth and…read morepostpartum experience, the role that Lizz and Elliott played continues to be profoundly instrumental in my overwhelmingly positive perinatal journey. I'm a practicing birth doula who met Lizz and Elliott years ago in a professional setting, and knew after watching them first hand that they were the midwives I wanted when it was my turn. They held me through the great mystery of pregnancy and when we learned that my baby was breech and my plan for a homebirth was no longer in the cards, Lizz and Elliott offered me the support I deeply needed to feel confident and at peace moving forward with a sacred planned cesarean birth. I'll never forget our sweet third trimester visits looking at my son on ultrasound and marveling that he loved being head up. This tone of celebration and acceptance of how things were unfolding and my informed decision to belly birth absolutely led to me having an empowered birth experience, free of trauma and regret, full of the oxytocin that good midwifery care facilitates. I continued my follow-up support with them once I returned home from the hospital, something that was important to me when I decided to work with community midwives. I can confidently say that I achieved my goal for my birth which was that no matter how things might unfold I wanted to feel held and cared for medically, emotionally and spiritually by my team. Sharing some sweet film photos that my doula snapped during a prenatal visit with Lizz!

I received the best medical care in my life from Lizz and Elliott and their wonderful student…read moremidwives. They were incredibly knowledgeable, professional, accessible, and thoughtful about every aspect of their practice. I felt seen, heard, respected, informed and utterly well-cared for as someone with a non-traditional family structure and a particular medical background. I would recommend them for anyone, and especially for someone who like myself has had some history of less-than-affirming experiences with medical settings.

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.

Nancy Spencer knows what she's doing and for her to suggest to go on a keto was great advice, of…read morecourse if you go to western medicine nutritionists they are going to say keto is not good and dangerous. Nancy delivered both our girls in 2011 and 2013. If your overweight and she suggested a keto it was for your health and baby to develop healthy not for your feelings to override your emotions cause your feelings got hurt then go where your itching ears want to hear. Thank you Nancy for being the vessel God uses to bring many blessings.

I had my first child with Nancy! She took such amazing care of me and was able to keep me informed…read moreand calm leading up to the birth. My water broke before my contractions started, I was not dilating and my cervix was not coming forward. If I was in a hospital it would have resulted in a C section but she was able to fix everything naturally. I had the most beautiful birth and was able to give birth to my 8.12 lb baby with no tears. so thankful for Nancy. I appreciate that she gives things to you straight and knows what she is doing!

I truly don't even have the words to express how much my experience working with Rachael meant to…read moreme. From the very beginning, it never felt like I was just another patient on a schedule. She truly cares about you... how you're feeling, what you're going through, and making sure you feel seen every step of the way. After having my first baby in a hospital and walking away with a less-than-pleasant experience, I knew for my second and lastI, wanted something different. I wanted to feel safe, supported, and genuinely cared for. And that's exactly what you get with Rachael. She checked in not just physically, but emotionally. She listened, she reassured me, and she created a space where I felt comfortable, confident, and understood. It felt less like appointments and more like being cared for by someone who truly had my best interest at heart. This wasn't just care..it was compassion, connection, and trust. And I will forever be grateful I made the decision to go this route. Truly five-star care from start to finish.

We ended up with Rachael by accident…read more The week before I was due with our first, the midwife we chose had a serious family emergency out of state and had to leave. Rachael was her backup and we set up an in-person meet 2 days before I was due... we never made it to that appointment. Our first meeting was at my house, when I was halfway through labor, wearing only a bralette. "Hi, I'm Rachael!" She said cheerily. She helped me through what she calls an "amazing first birth". And my husband and I really connected with her. She makes it easy! She handled half my postpartum visits. And we decided that next time we got pregnant - it'd be Rachael again. Fast forward a few years, and I'm pregnant again! Having Rachael the whole way through was amazing! We developed so much more relationship and had time to chat about all the birth things and had an incredible 2hr home-birth! About Rachael: She's incredibly knowledgeable, beyond competent (super on top of everything), genuinely kind and nonjudgmental, incredibly easy to talk to, she has fantastic upbeat energy, all the medical paperwork stuff is made super simple, she looks out for your best, is a great communicator and is somehow available 24/7 because she responded so quickly to my texts. (I don't know how she does it... does she ever sleep!?) She encouraged all my ideas about how I wanted to improve things for my second home-birth. I loved every chat we had - at every meeting we had. She makes you feel good and beyond capable of having the best birth experience you can have and backs your choices 100%. Even when she has concerns, she never talks down to/over you and is happy to explain things. She treats you as an equal, even though she's 100% got the most knowledge and experience in the room. In short, I highly recommend midwifery and home-birth. And Dr. Rachael Cook is an excellent choice! Whether you feel most comfortable in a hospital or at home, whether it's your first baby or you're tenth - she'll advocate for you, care for you, and see you through to the birth experience you want to have.

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.

We felt lucky to have Barbara with us for our second baby in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic…read more Once again, my labor and delivery was a dream experience. With Barbara there, it felt calm and focused. Leading up to labor, I kept Barbara updated with my symptoms and she came by a few times to measure my dilation and give me her experienced perspective each time. On the day my contractions started in earnest, she came over and made the quick decision to head over to the hospital immediately because I was progressing quickly. Thank goodness she did, because our boy arrived just 2 hours after we arrived at the hospital! We are so thankful to have had Barbara with us both times, and I credit her for my positive experience both times. Without her there, I am sure I would have been anxious with endless possibilities of outcomes racing through my mind. She was our sounding board and we fully trusted her to guide us through the experience, which allowed us to enjoy the moment without worries.

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!

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 don't even know where to start with this review - we owe Christine so much. We were so tired of…read morebeing treated like cattle by hospitals, with midwives giving us conflicting information, not listening to us, and leaving us feeling unsafe. So we reached out to Christine and In Tandem for a consultation. I honestly have always been a bit skeptical and afraid of home birth, so I came armed with a lot of questions. But once we talked (virtually) to Christine, we immediately felt compassion and care. She is the perfect guide - never pushing her own agenda, listening, but not afraid to give you her opinion. She backs everything up with science and her experience. Christine put us at ease throughout our pregnancy - That was the exact opposite to what we had experienced at our hospitals. She always listened, and even involved our oldest kiddo during visits. Christine and her team were amazing during our son's birth, we felt so safe and cared for. We had great postpartum care as well, coming to our home and checking on my partner, answering questions, and again, involving our older kiddo. It's been almost two years since, and we still miss Christine!

PART 2/2 (finishing our review on my husband's account due to character limit):…read more Now for the postpartum care. This is the most unique part of choosing midwifery care and in my opinion, the #1 reason to do so. Whereas in the traditional obstetric model you typically see your provider one time at 6 weeks (often just to make sure you don't have any signs or symptoms of postpartum mood disorder, to discuss birth control, and to clear you for sex and physical activity), Christine sees clients and their new babies about 6 times in the first 6ish weeks after birth. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all postpartum visits have been at home. These visits are about so much more than just you and your baby's physical well-being; they are focused on the entire family, involving older kiddos in the home, and it's evident that Christine genuinely cares about how everyone is adjusting and doing emotionally. For the first two weeks of your baby's life, Christine's license includes the provision of all routine pediatric care, saving you from additional appointments or trips out of the home so you as the birthing person can focus on recovering and celebrating your growing family. Again, the level of attentiveness and family-centered care received is unmatched. After the birth of our first son, I dealt with a resurgence of a lifelong struggle with anxiety related to the transition to parenthood. Until I connected to a community of West Seattle mama friends, I can genuinely say Christine and Taylor were the women who provided me with the most support. After the birth of our second son, I experienced some unexpected postpartum complications that required me to page Christine. I could have easily been sent to the Emergency Department for the symptoms I was experiencing, but Christine took the time to come evaluate me in the comfort of my own home and provide me with additional testing and support. If anything page-worthy arises during your time in care with In Tandem, you will receive a response promptly, and instead of a nurse line as in hospital-based care, you get to talk to your midwife directly. If you are looking for perinatal care that will change your life, look no further than In Tandem. The name of the practice is so fitting as your midwife will walk hand-in-hand with you and your family every step of the way. Pregnant families--run don't walk to In Tandem Midwifery!

Troop saved my life!!! I could not have survived the newborn phase without the help of my doulas…read more They were all so caring, helpful and knowledgeable. Even though it can be tough to be separated from one's newborn baby, I felt so comfortable sleeping while my doula took care of him. Having overnight support allowed me to get the rest I needed to heal and gave me energy to spend time with my toddler during the day. Troop is like family to me! I would recommend them to anyone in need of support.

Pregnant and postpartum moms - DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY…read more We signed up for doulas for 12 weeks while I was pregnant and put down the deposit (roughly $10k). Our needs changed postpartum and when we went to update our timeline we were told that the deposit we put down would not be applied to the updated timeline - basically we were asking for $8k in services and even though we had already paid $10k we were told that we still needed to pay more. They quoted the handbook which was not noted in the contract we signed and we were never told of this "policy" while interviewing or signing the contract. We received the handbook after we had signed the contract. We worked out an agreement after pointing out how ridiculous this was and we felt it was still worth it to move forward as we were hopeful that they would provide the services they promised. Over the course of four visits we had two different doulas. Both were very polite and nice but had totally different levels of care. The first doula set timers on her phone to wake up and check on our daughter as well as wake and bring her to feed so that she didn't go too long without eating. As a mom that is EBF this was immensely helpful and she was great to work with. The second doula was polite but did not take care of our daughter. She slept so deeply that did not wake during my daughter's feeding cues/crying. I awoke to engorged breasts and when I checked the monitor I could see my daughter fussing in her bassinet while the doula slept on. I also saw that she had set the temperature of the room to 74 degrees. For a 6 week old that can't regulate heat this was VERY concerning. I went to wake my husband to figure out how we could change it to a safe temperature and then went downstairs and woke the doula while getting my daughter from the bassinet. My daughter was so overheated that she could barely finish one side even though she regularly finishes both. While I was feeding her, this doula fell asleep again and when I brought my daughter back she did not wake to me entering the room- I changed my daughter's diaper and only after returning with a light on did she wake up. We were scheduled to have her for the next month and my husband and I did not feel comfortable leaving our child in her care again. When I emailed the company to cancel (on a Thursday with our next visit being a Monday), I received an OOO message from Lynette Wilson the Director of Operations. The following day (Friday) I forwarded the message to the scheduling team and did not receive a response. When Lynette returned that following Monday she did not ask why we were suddenly cancelling but did try to tell us that she was going to charge us for not cancelling 24 hours before the shift even though the message was sent several days before. Only after I was able to get Lynette on the phone (you cannot contact anyone in the office directly) did she relent. I also brought up the concerns with the doula - again she did not once ask why. She did not seem to care or bother to offer solutions but rather wanted to end the conversation. We've spent $10k+ for 4 nights. Pregnant and postpartum moms - this company does not care about you or your child. Their team of overnight doulas is sporadic in their level of care and created an unsafe environment for my child. This company only cares about squeezing you for money during one of the most stressful and vulnerable times of your life.