After my last review, Jada, the founder of Birth Day Presence, reached out to me for an honest and…read moreopen conversation about what she could do to improve not only my experience but classes there in general. Being a yoga teacher with pre/post natal experience I went into their classes already very knowledgeable so they weren't as informative as I would have liked but I think they are probably life saving for people who don't care to/don't have the time to do their own learning and research. Birth day presence and boober provide not only child birth and newborn care classes, but match clients with (and train) doulas, lactation consultants etc Most importantly though, and I got this sense from the beginning but really felt it after talking to Jada, they genuinely care about providing quality information and services to new families. They also understand that the birthing industry (because it is an industry) is far from perfect and they want to empower families and help them navigate it. I feel very grateful to Jada and Birth Day Presence and although I originally walked away feeling there was more to be desired I now feel like I couldn't recommend them more to anyone seeking childbirth/childcare education or training. Oh, and all their classes are conveniently online now due to covid.

My husband and I purchased weekend intensive childbirth education classes and we attended when I…read morewas 27 weeks pregnant with our first child at Birth Day Presence. We came here with an open mind and hoping to learn the important basics of childbirth. Needless to say, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We didn't feel prepared and we were hoping this class would make us feel more comfortable of what's to come. The classes we chose were on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am until 3:30 pm. Jen Buice was our instructor and she was very informative and knew her stuff. We also got to mingle with other couples who were due at around the same time as us. We got to share our experiences with each other, which I think my husband and I wouldn't have gotten a chance to do otherwise if it wasn't for this class. We watched some childbirth videos, learned about different stages of labor, pain management, labor exercises with and without the ball, a little about lactation, etc. We also went around the room and did some activities so it could be more interactive and social. Bring some snacks because the classes might seem a little long at times! We did get a short lunch break. One slight complaint I have is that I got a little antsy and didn't feel that comfortable with their seating arrangements. I felt a little claustrophobic. Overall, I think we feel better and a little bit more prepared about being parents. I would recommend this class if you have a chance to take it. It's located in a beautiful part of Park Slope in a beautiful brownstone. Price is a little steep at $395 but I think it's worth it. You can't put a price on your future bundle of joy.

It was so wonderful having Rachel as our doula for my daughter's birth. At every turn - prenatal,…read morelabor, immediate postpartum, and even months into postpartum - we have often thought about Rachel as a stable rock that has steadied the often overwhelming waves that come along with bringing a person into the world, especially as first-time parents. Our prenatal appointments were virtual due to Covid, but I was pleasantly surprised at the depth we reached each time and the level of preparedness both my husband and I felt as our daughter's birth neared. Rachel took the time to really listen to our questions and concerns and gave us great prompts to think about surrounding how we were each feeling about the upcoming birth. This allowed us to have conversations we wouldn't have otherwise had and feel aligned and ready to support each other when I did go into labor. During early labor we called Rachel multiple times for her thoughts and encouragement about how things were progressing. I wanted to labor at home for as long as possible and having her to reach out to gave my husband confidence to support me until we were ready to head to the hospital. Rachel met us at our home for the car ride to the hospital and I really can't imagine making it through those 40 minutes without her in the backseat with me helping me move into different positions and providing counterpressure as I was really starting to feel the intensity of my contractions. At the hospital, Rachel made our labor and delivery room dark and put on background music to help keep me calm. I don't even think I was fully aware, but she completely focused the mood of the room and made sure that my comfort and wishes were taken seriously at every turn. This allowed me to continue to labor unmedicated as I had hoped. She was so physically supportive as I wanted to move around the bed and try different positions. But it was her calm, quiet emotional support that amazed me the most. Throughout the rest of my labor and the hour and half that I pushed, my medical team offered various perspectives on how things were progressing and Rachel, without judgment or contradiction, whispered into my ear the physiological perspective and repeatedly made sure that I understood what I was being told and what was happening. She allowed me to feel safe trusting my body and my baby. A last minute complication meant that I needed more attention immediately after my daughter was born than I had anticipated. I was able to do skin to skin for a short time, but quickly needed her to be held by my husband while doctors tended to me. I knew I would need Rachel during labor, but I was so grateful to have her specifically in those moments. She was able to hold my hand and be my comfort while my husband spent his first moments with our daughter. In our immediate days postpartum, Rachel came to our home and helped with everything. She taught me new, more comfortable feeding positions, how to use my pump, and how to take care of my nipples so I could continue to breastfeed. She pet and loved on our sweet dog. She taught us baby burping tricks and gas relief tips. She gave me pelvic floor specialist recommendations and made sure I was aware of my body's healing process. She listened to my husband and I as we asked lots of questions about our new family member and made us feel confident in our new role as parents. I am so grateful that she continued to be a sounding board for breastfeeding questions throughout the first few postpartum months and I credit my ability to continue to breastfeed for my daughter's first year of life (as I had hoped) to her guidance and support. One year later, I look back on my daughter's birth and I am able to see it as such an amazing experience in my life, in large part because of Rachel. I am so thankful for her continued support of our family. I highly recommend Rachel as a birth and postpartum doula - her support is truly life changing.

I am so grateful to have had Rachel in my trusted circle throughout my pregnancy, birth and…read morepostpartum experience. As a second-time mom, I knew I wanted a doula but was looking for someone a bit more hands-on than my first, who really was only there for the birth and not really reachable before or after. After interviewing a few doulas, I was so impressed with Rachel's knowledge and serene demeanor that I booked her and her partner at the time for both birth and postpartum care. As a birth doula, Rachel provided calm and insightful virtual and in-person support to me and my husband. I really appreciated how accessible she was, and the frequent check-ins put us at ease. Throughout my pregnancy, she provided evidence-based resources and thoughtful advice for my 10 million what-if questions about having an unmedicated hospital birth, managing my toddler while having a baby and exclusive breastfeeding. When some early contractions seemed to have stalled out, Rachel popped over to my house to check the baby's alignment and walk me through some exercises that ended up leading to a quick and uncomplicated delivery a few days later. (Note that Rachel's doula partner at the time ended up attending our birth, but we were in frequent contact with Rachel throughout the delivery.) As a postpartum doula, Rachel whipped up veggie broths and sitz bath soaks from her garden, provided guidance to get babywearing and breastfeeding started on the right foot and spent hours playing games with and reading stories to my toddler. She improvised a chamomile bath soak for my baby's first bath, stocked my fridge with turmeric quinoa egg bites and oatmeal balls for healthy breakfasts and stepped in wherever was needed to help me and my new family of four get back on our feet. As I felt stronger, she helped me go on outings to the playground with both kids, taking turns connecting and playing with each of them so I could do the same. Five months later, we are all happy, healthy and thriving - I can't thank Rachel enough for being such a calm, supportive and special presence throughout this journey.

We absolutely loved our classes with Lisa! The class was informative, supportive, and incredibly…read moreempowering. The classes are extremely comprehensive without feeling overwhelming. We came into class feeling excited but very nervous about this next chapter and left feeling so much more confident and prepared for both birth and the newborn stage. We loved Lisa's thoughtful approach - blending evidence-based information with compassionate, personalized support in a way that felt holistic, reassuring, and never fear-based. 10/10 - Highly recommend to any expecting parents looking for a childbirth class that feels both realistic and deeply supportive! Thank you, Lisa!

Lisa is a gifted educator on all things childbirth and we're SO happy to have attended her 3 day…read moreintensive in-person classes a few months prior to our due date. I was immediately impressed by Lisa's care and high-touch approach when I saw her thoughtful response to my intake form at the time we registered for the program. And throughout the course, Lisa's wealth of knowledge, passion, and genuine desire to help really carried through. She's also a bright ray of sunshine and we really appreciated her warmth and hospitality in what could feel like a long three day class otherwise. We had snacks and drinks, were able to move around freely, sit on the floor, sit on the yoga ball, there are squatty potties in each bathroom, I mean she literally thought of everything in trying to make this experience as comfortable and smooth for us as possible. With each class, we felt more and more confident and well equipped to welcome our baby and of course the added bonus in this being in-person is that we also loved connecting with other couples that we will continue to stay in touch with. I would highly recommend to any couple who's expecting no matter the kind of birth experience you envision for yourseleves.

You are lucky indeed if you've happened upon Megan Davidson in your doula search…read more Megan has been one of my essential support people throughout my pregnancy, during Naiya's birth and even after in figuring out what it means to be a new mom. As I write this review my baby is 6 months old and I STILL find myself texting Megan "Megan, what about...". And she still texts me back just as fast as she ever has with an informative response that always reflects the latest information on the subject and ultimately helps facilitate my own process of learning and decision making. Megan is the doula who firmly believes that YOU are the most capable person in making the best decisions for yourself and your family. She very seriously believes that her job is to provide you with unbiased information and support during your process in decision making. Megan was that voice during my labor calmly reassuring me that everything was normal and encouraging me to see the humor and even excitement in the moment. She was a rockstar of perseverance, docking as many awake hours during the 60 hour process of labor as my husband. And when we decided that we needed to transfer to a hospital and depart from our plan of a homebirth she got in the car and drove with me to a NJ hospital even though she is Brooklyn based. I can't even begin to say enough amazing things about this amazing woman. From her intellect, humor and supersized heart Megan is an incredible individual and a superbly talented doula. Hiring her as one of our support people was one of the best decisions we made and I already know she'll be one of the first calls placed when baby number 2 rolls around.

Megan Davidson was a life-changing partner in my husband and I's journey during pregnancy and…read morepost-partum. As a 42-year-old woman trying to have her first baby, my husband and I knew we needed support through our journey. My OB/GYN practice, Spring OB/GYN in Soho, has a list of recommended doulas, and we called every single one, including Megan. After speaking with Megan, we knew immediately she was the doula we wanted to work with because of who she is and how she works. She is kind, committed, and warm, while also being clear, transparent, approachable and available. She loves what she does, she cares deeply about her clients, and you see that first hand as she goes above and beyond to support their success. The more we met and spoke with Megan, the more we experienced first-hand how deeply experienced, knowledgeable, and helpful she was. We attended every virtual workshop she offered and both my husband and I found them invaluable in preparing and educating us for the big day. The day I went into labor, (January 12, 2024) we texted with Megan right away and through the entire time leading up to leaving our apartment 18 hours later. When it was time to head to NYU (our hospital), we felt ready because of all her coaching. She offered to meet us at our apartment in Boerum Hill or the hospital, and we opted for the latter. Meghan was there waiting for us when the uber dropped us off and as we walked into the hospital together, we knew we had a true champion on our team. Over the next 24 hours, she supported me, guided me, supported and guided my husband, helped us advocate for ourselves and advocated for us. She was extraordinary. I had gone into the hospital with my birth plan, thanks to Megan, and I really wanted to have a vaginal birth if possible. After nearly 24 hours in labor, I was working towards a deadline. If I didn't hit a progress mark, I would have to have a c-section, but then I went into involuntary labor. We asked for the doctor, and were told that someone else could check-in with us. We knew we wanted to see the OB and Meghan helped get the doctor sent to our room - 16 minutes later we had a beautiful little boy. Not only did Megan get us prepared for a successful labor and delivery, she has been with us ever since. She responded to some frantic questions early in our parenthood, and has always been happy to text or hop on the phone to talk us through any topics or concerns. We hope to have another baby in a year or two, and she will be the first person we call to work with her again. We could not recommend her any more highly. She is the best in her field.

I'm a first-time mom, delivered my son about a month ago, and hiring Nubia was one of the best…read moredecisions I ever made and I would do it again without question. She was exactly what I needed during my pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. She is both knowledgeable and experienced, equal parts IQ and EQ, such that I felt supported in every way in each stage. On the IQ side, she was able to provide guidance/support on nutrition, supplements, physical activity, and mental preparation during pregnancy; pain management, labor progression, and intervention options during labor; and breastfeeding and mental health support postpartum. Really anything I had questions about or needed advice on, I turned to Nubia for guidance, and she never disappointed. On the EQ side, Nubia immediately felt like family when we met and she continues to feel like family. We always felt very comfortable with her, and she with us. Throughout my labor, she was both gentle and assertive, getting me to do things I wasn't exactly excited about doing but would ultimately prove helpful in moving things along (eg using the peanut ball, standing through contractions, and repeatedly taking the stairs when my labor stalled). I labored for 40+ hours and Nubia was with us for 30+ of them. Though we were aiming for a home birth, we ended up making a non-emergency transfer to the hospital around the 40-hour mark and Nubia didn't hesitate to say she would be joining us. At the hospital, Nubia knew exactly how to navigate the hospital setting, work with our midwife and L&D nurse, and help us advocate for the birth preferences we'd chosen in the event of a hospital birth. She also captured beautifully intimate moments on camera for us (with our consent of course) that we will cherish forever. All in all, I plan on being a repeat customer (God willing) and I would highly recommend her.

Nubia brings all the warm, encouraging, supportive vibes that truly helped make my birth experience…read moreas positive as it was. Having birthed my first at an incredible birthing center in another state, I was nervous about birthing in a hospital setting knowing I'd want to go the unmedicated route. Nubia's presence and support were nothing short of deeply empowering - for both me and my partner. She is a real gem. Get her on your birthing team if you can!

We had the most pleasant experience with our doula, Rebecca, and felt compelled to share it…read more As first-time parents during the harsh circumstances of the Covid-19 shutdown, we were plagued with questions and paralyzed with anxiety. How could we manage to do this, unplanned, during a period of national quarantine? The prospects were daunting, but we had those worries melt away with Rebecca's calm and practical, take-it-easy style. Her energy helped soothe ours ... and we found her breadth of knowledge to stretch the vast corners of newborn care. We found Rebecca to be thoughtful, careful, attentive ... and always readily available. Rebecca was an integral part of our birth plan and we were more relaxed first-time parents for having worked with her. She laid out a clear and concise action plan that worked wonders from the beginning. She is a pleasure to work with. I now understand why she came so highly recommended to us.

I couldn't have asked for a better care team with Rebecca and Jasmine! they are an incredible team…read moreand extremely experienced. Each interaction with them from the consultation. to the post partum visits was respectful, encouraging, and very informational. I felt empowered through my entire birth experience. We delivered at a hospital and it was invaluable to have Rebecca with us to navigate that system and ensure that our birth preferences were followed as best as possible. My partner has said multiple times that having our doulas there to support is was transformational and we would not want to have done it without it them! I highly recommend their services and am so thankful for all they provided us and our family :)

I love Boober! So happy my pediatrician recommended it to me! Just a genius service!…read more Julie was absolutely amazing!!! I would recommend her to anyone who needs lactation support. She was super professional and very personable! I learned so much in 2 hours and now am successfully pumping on my own within hours of her leaving. I would definitely work with her again!

I am a black man in an interracial marriage. Yesterday, my wife and I went to the Prospect Heights…read moreTribeca Pediatrics in Brooklyn, NY, for the Infant CPR and safety. As the only black man and the only interracial couple in the class, I believe Geoff Gohacki gave me disparate treatment. My wife could not do the CPR on the floor because her belly made her uncomfortable to do so. The instructor told her to do CPR on the chair. I decided to be next to her because she is my wife, and I did not want her to be alone and feel inadequate. The instructor told me to get on the floor because my wife is pregnant, and I am not pregnant. That was very insensitive, rude, and uncalled for. I don't care if you were joking. You cannot make that kind of statement. My wife and I are adults and are not in high school or the military. I always tell people that my wife and I are pregnant. We are pregnant because we are doing this together. Lastly, if my wife and I are paying for the class, we don't have to look at how other people are doing it so that we can do the CPR. We could have stayed home and watched everything on YouTube. I was doing the infant CPR. I was not doing the chest compressions up to the instructor's standards. Instead of redirecting me, the instructor told me to look at the other people in the class. So you don't have a mouth to speak or are impatient to give me feedback on what I am doing wrong. My wife and I are not here to look at other people. After we left the class and walked toward our apartment, my wife started to cry about the unfortunate treatment this instructor put me through. It was distress we didn't deserve. Therefore, I would not recommend this instructor to a black man in an interracial couple.

First off I would just like to say that if you are checking out this page and CHB doesn't have a…read moreton of reviews yet it's because I liked the weekend intensive course so much that I asked Samantha to create a Yelp account for CHB. They have been around for many years (since 2011) and are very experienced. My only "negative" feedback is that when I was looking for a Childbirth Intensive class to do I wasn't able to see any reviews on Yelp for peace of mind :) That said, pregnancy is stressful business, especially for first time parents. What to expect as we get closer to the end of the pregnancy? What's up with this or that weird thing your body and baby are doing? The stressful anticipation of the big day. How are we going to do all of this together? And not to mention the overriding sense of "oh shit when this is all done it's just going to be starting".... So professional help is very welcome and NEEDED. The Childbirth Weekend Intensive with Samantha was beyond professional. It was clear that she and Melissa, who was assisting her, were doulas and educators because they are very passionate about helping women and couples have a positive and meaningful birth experience. When I originally imagined the weekend intensive course I imagined two packed and stressful days spent just jamming information into our minds, but what I experienced was the absolute opposite. The pace of the course was perfect and didn't feel overwhelming as the term "intensive" would suggest. Asking questions at any point about anything was encouraged. The other couples at the course were hugely beneficial to the overall experience since we all brought different types of questions to the table. We all learned a lot about the biology of birth, strategies for managing paying, strategies for having a good experience at the hospital, and really we received a solid foundation for coping with everything that we had ahead of us. At the end of the weekend we did not feel overwhelmed but rather empowered. I would also like to stress that I think it's unusual to interact with someone teaching a course that seems to care so much about your experience and your outcomes. Samantha's empathy and caring really stood out for me and she was also very knowledgeable and able to competently answer all of our questions (even the weird over technical ones). So THANK YOU CHB and Samantha for getting us emotionally and intellectually prepared for the big day and beyond!

From the owner: Carriage House Birth trains top notch birth and postpartum doulas world wide and provides doula…read moreservices and childbirth education to families in LA, NYC and growing with our holistic approach to pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care. We are honored to have served over 1500+ families in New York and Los Angeles since 2011.

I just want to start by saying, while I feel the intentions of this organization means well from my…read moreexperience, they lack customer service and professionalism. Please note this is my second pregnancy. With my first pregnancy I had a doula as well. She was very attentive, super supportive and very knowledgeable. I choose to go with Ancient song this time around because as much as I loved my first doula, she was/is very $$$$$. With Ancient Song, lets just say you will get what you pay for. They seem to be understaffed. I was assigned 3 potential doula matches. They sent me one that lived too far from me and two others that communicated with me via text and then when I replied with questions, I never heard from them again. I never received a doula match. I called this organization numerous times regarding this and I haven't received a call back from them yet. So disappointing and they were actually causing me more stress, so as much as I wanted a doula for this pregnancy/birth because of Ancient Song, its seems I will not have one.

This is an Amazing place to find a doula! I overheard a woman in my orientation at the Brooklyn…read moreBirthing Center speaking with her doula, and had been looking for one at the time! I was not working at the time but needed the emotional, and mental support of being a first time Mom. I went in for an interview and within a week I was paired with my God sent Doula Sky! She is the reason I made it through my delivery and I will cherish her for a lifetime. They also referred me to the Family Nursing Partnership Please Program and received my in home nurse Maria for the next 2 years. My fiancé and I attended Chanel's Child Birth Education class, not only did we sincerely enjoy it watching my fiancé understand the anatomy, of the female body and child birth was quite pleasurable. I am VERY THANKFUL for Ancient Song.