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.

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.

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!

I could never thank Jo and Jenna enough for their care, expertise, and wisdom, and for enabling me…read moreto have the home birth of my dreams, and I don't know anyone who is more competent and talented at their work than the Nettle team. They made great recommendations for me when we passed 40 weeks, then 41 weeks, with still no sign of the baby coming. During labor, which was surprising and fast, Jo stayed calm and grounded as she unwrapped the cord around the baby's neck and gave her immediate care she needed to take her first breaths. It might have been a terrifying situation for others, but Jo handled it with unreal expertise. I also had a difficult first few weeks postpartum, and I was deeply held and supported by both Jo and Jenna. I am so grateful that I chose Nettle. I truly believe that my birth experience would have been much worse had I worked with any provider besides Nettle.

Nettle came to us from a trusted recommendation and we have already passed it along to everyone we…read moreknow starting their birthing journey. We are forever grateful for Jo and Jenna's thoughtful and enthusiastic care and support. Every visit, phone call, text, etc was always particular and intimate to our own story while being backed by informed, professional advice and conversation. From billing support to postpartum visits in their new gorgeous office, Nettle made this process easy in a medical landscape that can often be so opaque and overwhelming. As a sporadic doula, I'm lucky enough to have been present at several births and they offer a level of care that I didn't know existed. We were fortunate to have an incredible home birth in our barely one bedroom apartment and throughout felt supported but empowered, nurtured but independent. From the first meeting we knew it was the only way, and they were there for us every step. Both pre and post natal care (not to mention labor and birth support) were approached with attentiveness, warmth, and joyful tenderness. I've carried their philosophy with me into parenthood and find myself asking WW(Jo/Jenna)D for decisions beyond the health of our baby girl and myself. Their sage advice and general outlook on all things birthing and beyond offer a lovely bedrock for this new phase. Briefly, we cannot recommend them highly enough. We love you Jo and Jenna and the whole Nettle crew!

We had such a wonderful experience with this service. The HFA team was incredibly responsive and…read moreproactive in connecting us with those who may be on our night nurse team which allowed for me to chat with each one ahead of time. It was our first time working with a night nurse and the whole experience made us feel at ease and in very good hands. Our night nurse, Janette, was wonderful and made us feel so confident that our newborn was in good hands that we could get some sleep back! Definitely recommend!

Worth EVERY penny we paid, and then some. We had HFA doulas with us starting from the night we…read morebrought each of my children home from the hospital (2021, 2023) until each was about three months old. I literally and metaphorically slept better with the HFA team there. As first-time parents -- it's so comforting to have expertise and support at every moment as you're navigating life as a parent for the first time. When you have no idea what's going on, you're healing and tired and hormonal, your doula is a rock. As second-time parents -- LIFE-SAVING to have someone there to let me sleep as much as possible so that I could be semi-human for my toddler in the morning, and gave my husband and I some much-needed normalcy in the evenings. Everyone I've ever interacted with at HFA (Devon, Sara, Kate, Tiffany, Latoya, Norah, Erika ... the list goes on) was courteous, professional, kind, hyper-responsive and I never had any doubts that we all were in great hands. Give yourself the gift of sleep and peace of mind. I did and would do it again in a heartbeat.

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.

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!

Nubia has been providing exceptional postpartum support since the day I was discharged from the…read morehospital. During the first few days, our baby was crying a lot, but Nubia took care of her with incredible patience and care. Thanks to Nubia's professional advice and guidance, our baby has been improving, especially during the night. We can't imagine how we would have managed without her support. Her assistance has allowed me to sleep and rest much longer. We are extremely grateful for everything she has done for us.

Leigh was an incredible birthing coach for us, and she kept things fun and peppy the whole time…read more We're expecting our first kid, and while we're very comfortable with babies and excited about what's to come, it turned out there was so much we had no idea we didn't know! We're so glad we had these sessions with Leigh because now we have a confidence and awareness about what to expect with the stages of labor, the processes at the hospital (especially how much agency parents have with respect to them), and the first couple of weeks at home. Leigh came highly recommended to us and now we see why. We would enthusiastically recommend her to every family expecting a new addition!

As first time parents, we were so thankful to have taken Leigh's 5-week childbirth education…read moreseries! We found the course invaluable - Leigh is extremely knowledgeable, engaging, personable, and passionate about all things birth. Her warmth and openness fostered an environment where we felt comfortable asking any question and felt supported with numerous online resources, book recommendations, and community connections. We were also able to connect with other couples expecting around the same time which has been great! Under normal circumstances, we couldn't recommend Leigh's class enough, but with covid-19 and ever-changing hospital policies/ uncertainty, Leigh really went above and beyond to keep us focused on and confident about how to navigate our birth during this stressful time. We were lucky to have completed the class in person but have since engaged with Leigh a few times virtually as well. She has been an incredible resource as we welcomed our baby boy into the world. We highly recommend Leigh!!

I took Maeva's group course leading up to the birth of my first baby and she was an instrumental…read moreresource. Maeva helped me prepare for little things I could do now to help prepare for an easier labor - like certain sitting positions, yoga moves, and meditations - and made me feel strong and ready as the event approached. She was a wealth of knowledge about everything having to do with childbirth and her tips helped insure everything went smoothly when the time arrived. I recommend Maevas course to all my pregnant friends!

Working with Maeva during my pregnancy was the best choice. She taught us hypnobirthing technique,…read moreSpinning Babies, and coping strategies. We were able to go into the birth of our first baby confidently and without fear. Maeva's presence during my labor and delivery was invaluable - I truly feel I couldn't have done it without her physical and emotional support and calming presence. I would hire Maeva over and over again! Highly recommend her!

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.

If I could leave a 0-star review I would. I applied to be a birth doula with this service. I…read morereceived repeated requests to fill out the same video interviews. I should have stopped the process then but alas I persisted in hope this would work out. Then I I have to go through repeated rescheduled onboarding interviews with Jada because she kept having "schedule conflicts" and no respect for my time. When we met it was awkward and the discussion mostly focused on other doulas who don't want to meet with their client until they are way into active labor and then Boober worries about refunds. I do not operate in a way that would entail these risks happening. I spent a lot of time on the application and intake process for boober yet I continued to get leads for potential clients way outside of my geographic area of service. I got clients that were not serious about hiring a doula or I was one of many doulas who would meet with clients. I responded to some potential leads and sometimes wasn't followed up with, other times was matched with clients along with several other doulas or I was sent redundant messages about client requirements which I had already met. As a newer doula (with about a year of experience) I felt I couldn't compete with being matched with clients who were also introduced to several other doulas. I invested a lot of time and effort into my Boober application and profile and saw NO returns for it. I would get no responses, clients would hire other doulas or no doulas or no one from boober would follow up with me for the leads I was actually interested in. At some point I can no longer tolerate such disrespect for my time. While I believe in providing strong customer service our time as birth workers and service providers also needs to be respected and it's just not at Boober. I'm sorry I every signed up for the service. Also there are different commission structures based on race which I'm pretty sure is illegal. I'm all for birth equity but I'm not looking to be disrespected over and over again.

I wish I had a good experience like the reviews, but honestly absolute scam. I inquired about…read moreplacenta encapsulation services. I sent in deposit and kept her in the loop on scheduled c section. i was the one who kept initiating contact for pick up of placenta. she never arranged pick up and I requested a refund of deposit, which I never received. so I got scammed out of $95 because she never answered me after the last texts requesting refund again.

Shantel was a pleasure to work with, and an invaluable part of our child's delivery…read more Her industry knowledge, along with extensive experience put us at ease about the process and the options available to us as first-time parents. We ended up having an unplanned delivery, which couldn't have gone as smoothly as it did without Shantel's support and guidance. She helped bring our daughter into this world, and will always have a special place in our hearts. She was outstanding, and we highly recommend her.