We cannot say enough wonderful things about DCBD. This was my/our first pregnancy, and we truly…read morefelt supported every step of the way by their team. Especially in those last 1-2 months, we leaned so heavily on the birth doulas and they responded to all of our questions and concerns immediately. We learned the most about how to care for our daughter and what was happening in my body from DCBD. I went into labor and the birth experience feeling ready and excited, and that's because of the experience, information, and kindness that were shared with us ahead of time. The birth - nearly 4 months later, and we are still talking about Camille! We are going to remember her forever - she was such a wonderful presence during my entire labor and after, and we don't know what we would have done without her. She made sure my husband and I knew what was happening, she advocated for us, she ensured I was comfortable (well, as comfortable as you can be in labor), and she really rooted for us the whole time. I felt safe because she was with us. And Ella - we were shocked that someone who didn't *have* to be there, stayed for the entire labor, participated, and stayed after when we were transferred to the postpartum room! She will be (or already is) a phenomenal birth doula. We felt so lucky to have Camille and Ella. Post birth - Lolonyo came to our house the very first night we were back from the hospital, and what a gift she is. She taught us how to soothe a baby, how to change a diaper (I'm sure they showed us in the hospital... but I could not remember haha). We had her for several nights during those first 2 months and we were so, so grateful to wake up the next morning refreshed, rested, and with the knowledge that our daughter had been held in loving arms all night long. She was never judgmental and was always supportive as we navigated breastfeeding, safe cosleeping, and everything else. We also had Joanna for several daytime visits. She always made sure to check in on my mental and physical health, which was so appreciated, and she was so helpful. We always felt like we were able to reset a bit after her visits, because she'd leave behind clean bottles and pump parts and a rested (and sometimes still sleeping) baby, and we would have had time to ourselves to shower and get a little more organized. She made our chaotic lives feel lighter, and we loved her for that. As a DCBD member you'll also have the opportunity to be part of a postpartum circle of other parents going through what you did. Shaleen and Elizabeth gave us space to talk through birth and everything that comes after, while feeling supported and safe. I'm still friends with some of the parents from my circle. In closing - DCBD is worth every single penny. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts!

Rebecca from DC Birth Doulas was absolutely incredible. From the moment we first connected, I…read moreimmediately felt comfortable with her and the entire team. She has such a warm, genuine presence that made it easy to ask questions and talk through everything honestly. She was always responsive and gave thoughtful, real answers that helped me feel informed and confident throughout the process. I was hoping for a VBAC, and with Rebecca's support we were able to have a successful one. She provided amazing support not only for me, but also for my husband. During labor she was calm, encouraging, and incredibly knowledgeable, helping us both feel grounded and supported every step of the way. Having Rebecca there made such a difference in our birth experience. I'm so grateful for her care and for the support of the entire DC Birth Doulas team. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a compassionate, knowledgeable, and truly supportive doula

We were really excited to have Tara shoot our family after the arrival of our second child. We…read morefirst met Tara when she took our holiday photos at a mini shoot and we loved her images, especially how she had captured the spirit of our little boy. The images she got of our family we will treasure forever, once again she has captured a special time with her natural and fun photography - something that is only possible thanks to her calm personality and friendly approach.

My wife and I were blown away by Tara. We literally would not have had a natural birth without her…read more Tara was with us every step of the way and always made her self available. She made us feel like we were a part of her family and always went above and beyond our expectations. Before our special day, Tara provided us with key information to help guide us on the path of a successful birth. My wife and I read 20 plus books before and during our pregnancy. That knowledge did not compare to Tara's extensive knowledge about reproduction, the birthing process, positions, stretches and best practices. During our 24hr extended labor, Tara was by my side coaching my wife and me. She spoke up at very critical moments when my wife and I were at our wit's end encouraging us to keep going letting us know we were almost there when we wanted to quite. She negotiated our options with the doctor, directed the nurses and persuaded my wife to keep going. Tara was my guiding light as we coached my wife through the most magical experience of our life. Our beautiful baby girl is now six months old. She is healthy happy and cheerful. I feel like I owe Tara the world for successfully helping us bring this beautiful baby girl into our lives. I hope Tara is available when we have our next child. There is no person (other then my wife) that I would want by my side during this magical time in our life (sorry mom & dad). Thank you Tara, you were truly amazing! I hope many families get the opportunity to be with you during their special time. You are an amazing person, coach, teacher and fried.

I had a wonderful experience with my daytime doula Iyonna and evening doula Stephenie. Both were…read morevery helpful and knowledgeable which is so important for expectant mothers who need extra help cause newborns require so much and new moms need the time off to relax or just do... anything else. It feels endless and overwhelming at times. And it was wonderful to have the extra pair of hands so that I could sleep at night and take care of errands, get out of the house, grab food, and visit my older daughter in daycare during the day.

We had a great experience! Very early in my pregnancy, I reached out to Nathalie for a doula and…read moregot a response right away. She was very informative and provided my husband and I with answers to all our questions. We were initially connected with a couple different doulas that would be available during my due date and had interviews with them -- we ended up hiring Hannah Wright. From the get-go, Hannah was amazing. She was exactly what we needed. She provided great advice throughout my pregnancy and she especially gave my husband a lot of confidence in being my support person by having her there during the actual labor and birth. She provided excellent support and kept me grounded during the entire process and immediately stepped in and started providing all the tips and tricks in her wheelhouse to help me cope during my fast and intense epidural-free birth. I would certainly recommend her to anyone else. As for the more administrative end of things, we also have no complaints. Communication was excellent, the contract process with was very clear and straightforward, and we found the doula rates very reasonable.

I am a repeat client of Amy's and I cannot tell you enough of how valuable she is to have in your…read moreback pocket. As a second time mom, I didn't think I would need as much help this time around with Amy. I knew how to get a good latch, how to position my body and the baby, and felt confident that I only needed minimal visits, but baby #2 had other plans in mind. Baby #2 was born at 37wks and while that's considered full term, it's actually on the early side which causes a lot of complications with feeding. My baby had trouble latching and sucking because there wasn't enough time practicing these motor skills in the womb. This resulted in the baby not being able to transfer milk, even though my milk was coming in. Amy confirmed this with her before and after weighing from a 20mins feed. I was so upset and devastated, that we had to move quickly to formula feeding to get the weight up fast because baby #2 had severe jaundice and we were trying to keep from being admitted to the hospital for phototherapy. Unfortunately, we had to be readmitted and Amy coached me through protecting my milk supply, while formula feeding and getting baby's weight up. She also reassured me that this is just a blip in our breastfeeding journey and that we will get back on track when he's healthy and clear of jaundice. I ended up upgrading my package to the Luxe because of how important it was for me to get us back to the basics once baby #2 was in the clear health-wise. I not only was able to protect my milk supply while having to formula feeding for two weeks but I also needed support in making sure once I returned back to work how to maintain a sustainable stash without oversupply, as I did with my first. I am almost 3mo postpartum and baby #2 has a great latch, is thriving in all the drs appointments, and gaining weight beautifully. At my last in home visit Amy walked through our schedule to have a successful stash, pumping schedule, and ready for baby to start daycare and me to return to work. I almost cried when she as leaving because I've appreciated everything that she has done for me and my babies. Words cannot express how much she has meant to me. I am so thankful for her wisdom, support, expertise and care she brings with her to every visit. If you are considering a lactation consultant, get on her books!! She's your go-to-guru.

I had a baby less than two weeks ago, and I can already say that the most important decision I've…read moremade postpartum is hiring Amy. I found her through a friend who had an amazing experience, and I reached out in a panic on a Sunday when my milk came in and I had no idea what to do. Her insanely fast response time was much needed; I found out the next day that our son had lost more than 10% of his birth weight and to say that I was freaking out is an understatement. Amy came that afternoon and I immediately felt like I was in great hands. She taught me how to breastfeed comfortably, got me set up with my pump, did a weight measurement to see how much he was getting with each feed, and also helped get a plan in place to get my son back to his birth weight. After the appointment she has been incredible over text/Voxer and answers questions so quickly. Feeding a baby is so stressful but with Amy's knowledge and confident demeanor, she demystifies it. I immediately signed up for the luxe package and truly wish I did this before I delivered so I would have had a plan in place and didn't have to play catch up. Still I'm so glad that I reached out to Amy and probably would have stopped breastfeeding if I hadn't. She is truly the best and I'm so grateful to have her guidance for one of the most important pieces of my life!

Wife and I tried to use this service to hire a night nanny. They wouldn't give us a straight answer…read moreabout whether the providers they contract with are vaccinated. Eventually they did tell us that they don't and can't confirm that. The candidates we were connected to seemed great, but the interaction with the agency left a sour taste in our mouths. We felt like we'd be given the runaround whenever we had a hard question for them, which isn't a good way to start off. Leaving this review just so people know the agency believes they can't confirm vaccination status of its providers or require that providers be vaccinated. The founder said very few people get the flu shot anymore - big red flag! Edit: Since leaving this review, the company has contacted us implying that our negative review might come to the attention of our employers. I'm curious to see their response! What an experience. Buyer beware. Edit 2: Their reply here says they never said they'd contact our employers. Here is what they said, verbatim: that we would "receive a public response from us where it's discoverable by your employer and anyone else that may want to help your family in the future." We're smart enough to read the implication.

Faith and the NOVA team are truly first rate…read more Expertise is on pace with any doc we spoke to. The guidance and peace of mind was priceless. We cannot recommend them enough. Easily the best money we've spent in regards to the birth process. Joslyn has been a huge help with the baby at night and treats him like her own. She has offered expertise and little hacks here and there that have made a huge difference for us in getting acclimated as new parents (hello pace feeding). we only wish there were more of her! We feel so blessed to have found NOVA and confidently recommend them to anyone, even though we would selfishly like it if we could keep them for ourselves. God Bless!

Had a wonderful experience with Becca/Rebekah. She provided us with an introduction to parenthood…read moreincluding diapering, sleep habits, and answered our million questions. We felt incredibly supported.

Having a baby is one of the most rewarding yet terrifying things you can experience in life. If…read moreyou're a parent you already know how the hospital just sends you on your way after a few days in recovery with no instruction manual or help desk number. Luckily my wife did some research and convinced me to hire doulas. We had the pleasure of working with Betsy and her team of doulas who consistently perform magic to soothe and care for our baby. Simultaneously, they teach us parenting techniques, act as our therapist, and most importantly allow us to catch up on sleep. They truly provide care to the whole family. It's also a lot better than having in laws come "help". I definitely recommend Metropolitan Doulas. It has 100% helped me enjoy being a new dad with their help to reduce the fear and anxiety of being a new parent.

We used Sara as our doula for the birth of our second daughter before she started her own doula…read morecompany, and I would recommend her without any reservation. Sara was sweet, attentive, thoughtful, calm, and she interacted seamlessly with the medical staff. She took wonderful care of my wife during labor, but she also looked out for me and made sure I was rested and nourished so that I could be at my best when the time came. She would have been our first (and only) doula call if we'd had another child. 100 percent she's awesome.

My husband and I hired Sara (Piccioni) as a doula for the recent delivery of my first child. I had…read morea beautiful pregnancy, but as a first time mom at 40 with fibroids and anemia, I was concerned about delivery and potential complications. I kept reading about the better birth outcomes when doulas are present and through some internet research was able to find Sara. From our first conversation, I knew she was the one for my husband and I. She made us feel calm, yet informed and she didn't diminish any of my concerns, but helped me put them into perspective given all of the births she has witnessed. She sent over and provided tons of information to help us feel prepared for whatever was to come. When it came time for the big day, I was being induced and Sara helped me with what to expect. She was there for my husband and I with whenever we needed. Despite my doubts, I ended up delivering vaginally and I really feel that Sara being a part of my team was a key piece (among many) to this. She gave me the confidence that I could do it and talked me through things before and as they were happening. She helped me manage my pain, guided and cheered me on through pushing, and was a huge source of information and comfort to my husband. I would recommend Sara to anyone looking for a doula. She is easy to talk to, knowledgeable without being pushy and is truly an advocate for the parents. My husband and I were so blessed to find her!

The womb room is amazing!! They offer so many classes for before baby or after. I took advantage of…read morethe free virtual prenatal yoga classes, pregnancy support group and baby and me yoga. Yoga is so fun to connect with my baby and also other moms. Plus Amanda is a great instructor! Some of their other classes are on the pricey side is the only thing but it's such a great resource for moms! Also their location can be a bit tricky to find but the main door is off Keswick Rd (and is stroller friendly). Walk in past the dress shop and bare to the right. There's a big parking lot in the back.

This review is is for the doula services and support groups (becoming a mom and breastfeeding)…read more I like that the becoming a mom group has a rotation of doulas who lead the group each week. That way you end up inadvertently meeting the different doulas. We went with Cara. She has a ton of experience and super chill vibe. Our hospital was not allowing extra visitors due to COVID so we signed up for a virtual doula service. She met with us a few times before the birth to review questions, birth plan, and provide support. She was also available via email for random questions that came up in between. The day of my labor I reached out to her as needed and she guided me through some of the decisions we had to make. Her support made it so that I could better advocate for myself and my baby during my labor. She was 100% supportive of all my decisions and in the end I ended up having a beautiful and quick birth. I am so happy we got a doula and recommend it to anyone no matter what type of brith you are planning on having. I found the groups to be more helpful towards the beginning of my pregnancy, especially as it was a time that COVID was just ramping up. The only issue is that the people in group vary from week to week. I think it would be nice to be able to connect with the same group from week to week so there is some continuity.