Tori is honestly the best guide to healing for moms-to-be! Yoga, reiki healing, yoni steam,…read moremeditations, and just reflecting on where I'm at with Tori is worth every penny. And the goddess garden is every spiritual woman's dream!

Tori supported me and my husband in my VBAC home birth of my second son. When I decided to have a…read morehome birth I knew that I needed a great Support system who had no doubt in my ability to birth my baby. I wanted to feel held and loved through the whole experience. And I definitely accomplished that with my birth team. Tori was incredible and labored with me for hours, she was very hands on and was a vital part in my success. It was so nice to have a postpartum doula too, She cooked me food, oiled up my tired body and brings such a beautiful energy into the house. I still have one more session I'm looking forward to highly recommend

We had a wonderful experience with Nite Owl. Setting up our contract was a smooth experience and…read morethen we had a wonderful time with our Doulas, Vivian and Jolene. They both took wonderful care of our baby and helped our around the house / with laundry. Knowing our baby was in good hands and being able to get some rest did wonders for my postpartum experience. Would highly recommend to anyone

Jolene and Linh are absolute God sends. I truly don't know how I would have survived postpartum…read morewithout them. They instantly felt like family and helped us navigate the biggest shift in our new little life. They are warm, kind, knowledgeable, deeply caring, trustworthy, and I could go on and on. Do not even think about it-- just get on the schedule. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the support and love you've given our family. We love you all!

My therapist at Fundamental Physical Therapy & Pelvic Wellness was wonderful!…read more I was experiencing low back / pelvic pain in pregnancy. She immediately was able to figure out that the pain was coming from my SI joint area and gave me exercises to help stabilize that area. During our appointments she was able to use massage and stretching techniques to help the pain as well as teach me to practice techniques on my own. Would definitely recommend to anyone dealing with pelvic pain in pregnancy.

CAUTION, CAUTION, CAUTION!!!!! YOU MUST READ THIS IF YOUR IN PAIN. Not all Physical Therapists…read moreare created equal!!!! I'm a man who has lived with chronic pain for almost 20 years. That is, until I discovered Debbie Cohen. I'll try to summarize. For many years I've suffered from chronic lower back & "pelvis related" pain. Specifically, the very worse pain would manifest in my rectum, tailbone and buttocks region. This pain was chronic and often unbearable. Regrettably, it had a VERY NEGATIVE impact upon my life. Over the years, I seen numerous Physical Therapists, Urologists, Neurologists, Orthopedics, and Chiropractors, etc. During the process, I endured many different forms of treatment, to include, a wide variety of medications (to include high doses of morphine, etc), Biofeedback, Acupuncture, Bladder Installations, and MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more. I was given many possible diagnoses, to include: Interstitial Cystitis (IC), Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndromes (CPPS), and so forth. Regrettably, despite all the diagnoses and treatments, I continued to suffer. My desperation fueled continued investigation and research until I discovered Debbie Cohen at Fundamental Physical Therapy & Pelvic Wellness. Initially, I was a very skeptical about seeing another Physical Therapist. After all, over the years, I've seen many different Physical Therapists without any real relief. Many Therapists claim that their treatment can include Pelvis related issues. However, I quickly learned that not all Therapists are equal. I did suspect that my pain was somehow related to the Pelvis and I knew that was Debbie's specialty. Thus, I elected to see Debbie for treatment. Bottom Line: Debbie Cohen was a life saver. Her treatment has relieved me of the chronic pain that I suffered for MANY years. It's almost like a miracle to me. Sometimes, I simply can't believe this has actually happened!  Simply put, she is a true professional in every regard. Unlike some Therapists, your never handed off to a helper. Rather, she provides her undivided and focused attention (one on one) to solve the source of the problem. She's a great communicator that takes your problem very seriously. In fact, her personal services far exceed the hourly treatment sessions provided. Debbie has my absolute highest recommendation.

Interactions with Dara feel like a warm hug. She provided my husband and I with emotional support…read morethroughout my pregnancy, from my first trimester through our first weeks at home with our newborn daughter. Dara is not only thoroughly informed on the most up-to-date medical evidence for pregnancy through postpartum (including lactation support), she is also deeply committed to helping mamas and their partners feel respected and cared for. Dara, during her initial visit to our home, taught my husband and I three simple pregnancy exercises we could do daily to help position baby and open up my pelvis. She also connected us with many amazing resources; thanks to her extensive list of local classes and contacts, I was able to take some helpful infant-safety courses through a local organization and visit a wonderful pelvic-floor therapist to help me prepare for labor and postpartum recovery. Throughout my pregnancy, I had a lot of questions about different tests and procedures, such as the gestational diabetes test. Dara helped me mentally and physically prepare for every test and procedure that came up during my pregnancy. She also gave me a really thorough understanding of what to expect during my postpartum experience, which my obstetrician and nurses didn't even touch on at all until we were already recovering in the hospital with our newborn. Additionally, Dara's advice and support was really invaluable as I was first coming up with my birth plan and deciding what was important to my husband and I when it came to decisions surrounding labor and delivery. She took my suggestions and drafted a simple and clear birth plan I could take with me to the hospital. She works closely with the doctors, nurses and midwives at the local hospitals and birth centers and was able to help me express my desires for a low-intervention birth in a way that was respectful and to the point. When my birth plan needed to change partway through my labor at the hospital, Dara supported me through those changes and helped me feel positive about my birth experience even though it wasn't how I initially envisioned. Dara really came to feel like family, and my husband and I feel honored to know her and so grateful that she is a part of our daughter's birth story.

Dara is an absolute angel. She's knowledgeable, sweet, helpful, and meets you where you are at. I…read morehad an oversupply and overactive let down AND my baby had a shallow latch. Dara helped with all of these circumstances and made me feel so comfortable. She showed me different feeding positions that specifically would help my baby. My baby is over four months now and he has never had to take any formula Because of her guidance and expertise I am a confident breastfeeding mama ! Thankyou Dara!!

Being a first-time mom I was very anxious about bringing a newborn home, we decided to hire Tamara…read morefor the first two weeks. It turned out to be the best thing we could have done! Not only was she there for the first two weeks to answer questions and give me guidance, but she has been there to help get me through all of the breast-feeding questions that have come up in the last four months. Truly the best money I invested and would recommend Tamara to any of my family and friends.

How Tamara changed our life. . . 05.02.2012 4.41PM was the…read morereason We got a chance to meet Tamara. A Day when our first daughter Adriana was born. The moment I saw my baby's face for the first time I forgot everything, including my name. But the very next thought after my brain came back to reality was: "I am so happy that we decided to hire Tamara to be our doula!" Moving to San Diego in March, on the last month of pregnancy was not the easiest thing to do. On top of it the fact of getting closer to my due date which was April 16th,2014 started to stress me out even more. Zero experience with newborns, we never had little kids in our family, big fear of labor process itself and being an immigrant in this country with no family around were adding up to my anxiety level. I knew that I needed someone's help for me to go through all that. After I personally called through a list of 40 doulas in San Diego, I picked 3 for in person interview. Tamara was one of them. She sounded very confident on the phone and I was very comfortable asking her any questions that I had. After meeting her in person we immediately felt connection with her and knew that she is "The One". We loved the fact that she combines experience of being a Doula for over 10 years, medical background and being a Mom of her own 5 children. Tamara did several prenatal visits every time making sure all my questions were answered. She gave me educational materials to read and was happy to discuss them. She showed me exercises to practice as well as other tips to help me better prepare mentally and physically for the childbirth. She responded to my text messages almost instantly and I always felt as if I had an angel behind my shoulders ready to come any second if I needed so. I delivered my baby at 42 weeks and 1 day via scheduled induction. 2 weeks that I was overdue I was so thankful that I had Tamara by my side. My boyfriend has a traveling job and he was not able to be with me every day. Tamara visited me several times to make sure that I am doing fine, there were times our conversations went far beyond topic of labor and I felt that I am just having a tea with my family member. She has such a great sense of humor and great personality! On the induction day Tamara picked me up at my house at 6 pm. Naturally having a fear of hospitals and doctors I cannot imagine me being there by myself. At 9 pm nurses started me on pitocin. Shortly after contractions started, they were getting stronger and stronger. Tamara was there with me for the whole time helping me to go through each one of them. She quickly figured out what kind of touch or way of holding of my body I needed and was able to do it for me without a word. I was just making a different sounds or a some kind of gestures and Tamara knew what exactly I was asking for. It was amazing! I was so irritated by some nurses that were coming in the room asking me how I was doing in the middle of my contraction when the least thing I wanted was to tell them how I was doing. I was in my space and didn't want anybody disturbing my rhythm. With Tamara though it was completely different. I felt as she was my shadow. She was so silent and respectful to my needs but giving me what I needed. My labor went all night and continued through the next day. At 4 pm we already knew that baby was at risk and we had to go with C-section which was another biggest fear of mine but Tamara helped me to conquer it by sharing her own stories of birth and encouraging that everything will be okay with me. After we had a healthy baby-girl born we already saw what a Wonderful Doula Tamara is. My boyfriend was so happy with our birth experience that he was telling to other guy friends that having a Doula is the best investment you can have. And having Tamara as your doula is The best experience you can have before, through and after your child birth!

Claire is an amazing woman and puts her heart and soul into her products! From the moment I met…read moreher, I knew she was there to help me any way possible. She was extremely helpful in answering any questions I had about encapsulation and the benefits of placenta consumption. Claire put me at ease when I had questions about safety and the potential risks associated with this process. We discussed options other than encapsulation, including a tincture, a salve, smoothies, and belly binding. Claire was extremely kind, gentle, and supportive of my decision to proceed with all of them sans the binding and helped ensure I was comfortable with the entire process! She followed up with me pre-delivery and then again several times postpartum, ensuring baby and I were doing well. Claire was always available to answer any questions or concerns I had. Every child and pregnancy is different. My first was a breeze, but I struggled more with the second. I can't imagine what it would have been like without Claire and her products this time around. She was instrumental to my joyful postpartum experiences and I would (and have) recommend her to anyone! As a side note - I didn't realize how much consuming my placenta would increase my milk supply. It was so much, that I donated nearly 200 ounces of milk in the first 3 months! Also, since I had such an easy delivery, I didn't need the salve for "down there." Instead, I used it on stretch marks, as a (facial) lotion, and as a diaper rash cream, which worked AMAZINGLY well!

A New Moon did my placenta encapsulation for my second boy in March, and I couldn't have been more…read moreimpressed. Claire was there to take my placenta within an hour of the surprise-month-early birth, and I had pills and a tincture by the following day. The packaging was adorable, the placenta art was colorful and frame-worthy, and best of all, I had no postpartum depression; a huge plus since I had to go home and take care of a 17-month old. I still use the tincture when I feel "the bitch" coming out once a month and it totally helps me get back to my normal self. If I was crazy enough to have a third baby, there would be no question about who I'd use. Oh, and as another plus, she helped fit my Kinderpack so that my newborn could be comfortable enough to sleep while I chased my toddler around. I feel like a pro at this Mom thing now!

I had my second son last year, May 2020, at the beginning of a lot of unknowns during COVID. I had…read morebeen seeing an OB, with plans to have a nature delivery at Pomerado Hospital. In the last 8 weeks of my pregnancy, I contacted San Diego Midwives to see if they'd add me to their care, in order to deliver at a birth center. Fortunately, they were able to accommodate me so late in my pregnancy, and they offered a Covid cash discount because my insurance didn't cover midwifery , and the birthing center wasn't in network with my insurance. They also partnered with a billing service to help me confirm my benefits. Had my insurance covered, they would have worked with me to submit all the required billing information to my insurance for a small fee. They offered majority of my prenatal visits on telehealth , and the appointment I had in office, they clearly took careful precautions to follow Covid safety protocols. I felt like they went to great lengths to make sure I was comfortable with everything (to the extent I could be at 34-40 weeks wearing a mask!). Gerri, Heather and Andrea are a wonderful team. During my delivery at the birth center, they all ended up being there, and they were all so calm , I didn't even realize Gerri had shown up until I was almost pushing. They honored all my birth plans, and made any pre anxiety I had about not delivering at a hospital disappear. The follow up appts at my house were also very attentive and caring. I feel like the post partum care was definitely above and beyond what I received during my first birth, and I really appreciated that , especially since Covid made my post partum experience very different in terms of support. The birth center, A Family Affair, was extremely comfortable, including the bath tub , and the bed where I delivered. We were in and out in 6 hours ! I highly recommend this group of amazing midwives, and the birth center they partner with (or home birth if you choose!).

Please think twice before choosing Heather LeMaster as your provider…read more I wish I had listened to my intuition sooner and not ignored the many red flags I encountered throughout my care. I'm writing this review for anyone considering her as their midwife -- I encourage you to truly, deeply reconsider whether she is the right fit for you. From early on, I felt invalidated and dismissed. I had chronically low blood sugar throughout my entire pregnancy, and rather than receiving the support and care I needed, Heather denied my symptoms and was dismissive of my concerns. Instead of offering evidence-based guidance, I was shamed -- for eating fruit, for eating carbs -- at a time (first trimester) when I was sick and just trying to get through each day. Her constant warnings about delivering a "sugar baby" felt more like threats than medical advice, adding to my stress and confusion. I consulted the rest of my care team, including my PCP, and Heather heavily criticized that decision, routinely telling me that they did not know what they were talking about. She also claims to practice spinning babies, but none of what we did during my pregnancy aligned with the true Spinning Babies exercises and practices that my Doula had me practicing. It was frustrating, as I initially sought out a Spinning Babies provider. In addition to that, the one time I used the 24-hour help line, no one responded to me for over 16 hours. In her practice, she relied far too heavily on forms and checklists in an online portal, and rarely showed the kind of human care and emotional support that is absolutely essential in midwifery. When things got scary and I truly needed her -- emotionally and physically -- she simply was not there in the ways that mattered most. We ended up having to transfer to a hospital instead of our planned home birth, and despite it being in the contract, Heather did not transfer with us and was not involved in the birth at all. She sent a pathetic text message after hearing from her assistant encapsulating the placenta that the birth had happened. Looking back, I realize that, despite Heather always making me feel as if it was my direct fault when something went wrong, what actually went wrong with my birth wasn't about my body or my baby -- it was about my decision to stay with a provider who made me feel unheard, unsupported, and often blamed. That choice is something I now deeply regret. One of the most hurtful moments came in early postpartum (2 weeks), when she tried to go behind my back and privately consult my husband in an attempt to pressure me into medication -- after I had explicitly told her that I was not interested. She also pressured me to start it ASAP, as it can take a month to "kick in" and I "obviously needed it." Since my experience, I've met several others in the industry who shared similar concerns about her care. Many of them were just as confused as I was by the glowing reviews she has received, given the inconsistency in her approach and lack of real support. This further confirms my decision to speak out, as I hope others will be more cautious when choosing their provider. This review isn't written lightly -- my birth was over 8 months ago. It's written from a place of hoping that someone else who feels any of those early twinges of doubt listens to themselves and chooses a care provider who will honor them, respect them, and hold space for the incredibly vulnerable journey of birth.

Kathleen was an incredible support during an incredibly difficult time. She was compassionate,…read morecalm, attentive, and deeply respectful throughout the entire process. She brought a sense of peace and reassurance when we needed it most, while also being practical and thoughtful about the many details that come with end-of-life care. She went above and beyond what we expected! I would wholeheartedly recommend Kathleen to anyone looking for compassionate, professional support during the end-of-life process.

After a loss, many people surround you in the first few days, but as life moves on, you're often…read moreleft to grieve quietly. The Everafter Collective, through the compassionate support of Kathleen, gave me strength and tools to continue the grieving process. Her guidance helped me fill the empty spaces with the memories of my dad. I'm deeply grateful to The Everafter Collective for creating a space where loss and self-care coexist as part of a new normal. I highly recommend their meaningful work