We had an exceptional experience with Bay City Doulas from start to finish. We were fortunate…read moreenough to have Carrot benefits offered through my husband's job and the Bay City team made it very easy for us to utilize the benefits toward their services. Communication was seamless with everyone we interacted with, and we especially loved working with the doulas, Crystal and Shannon! They truly embodied everything you'd hope for in postpartum doulas--attentive, supportive, and genuinely caring toward both mom and baby. Each morning, we received a detailed text summary of our son's night, including feedings, wake-ups, and diaper changes. It was such a thoughtful touch and something we deeply appreciated.

We had an outstanding experience with Bay City Doulas from the very beginning. Even in the early…read moreweeks after we found out we were pregnant, their team offered personal, responsive support and consistently followed up to make sure we were able to access our Carrot reimbursement to cover postpartum doula support. Their kind of proactive administrative help really differentiates them as a company. Postpartum, we have been working with Mo, Heily, and Theresa, and each of them has left our home calmer and better rested than they found it! When our plans suddenly changed due to a brief hospital readmission for me and an unexpected work trip for my husband, Bay City Doulas helped us adjust coverage quickly so we were never left scrambling for support. The daytime hours have been a godsend. Laundry gets done, random piles of kid and baby stuff are organized, the baby is fed and settled, and our older child has even gotten extra attention as he adjusts to being a big brother. He now talks about Theresa by name :) Our overnight doulas, Heily and Mo, have also been fantastic. They are completely independent in making sure they and the baby have everything they need so we can maximize sleep and actually recover. It's clear that Anathea and Cosima are thoughtful in how they select and train their team. We would absolutely choose Bay City Doulas again if we had another child and recommend them to any parent looking for reliable, high-quality postpartum support.

I'm really disappointed with my experience with Susan as a doula. I had high hopes after our…read moreinitial consultation -- she seemed experienced and kind during the first call, and I was looking forward to working with her during my pregnancy. Unfortunately, that positive impression didn't last. After our initial conversation, I never heard from her again. She didn't follow up with the promised contract, invoice, or any additional details about next steps. I tried reaching out multiple times, but she simply didn't respond. This left me feeling uncertain and frankly stressed -- especially since I'm pregnant and looking for consistent, reliable support during such an important time. I ended up finding another doula who was responsive, communicative, and organized -- which really highlighted how unprofessional this experience with Susan was by contrast. I wouldn't recommend her unless she seriously improves her communication and follow-through.

Susan was a last minute support for us and I'm so glad we had her with us for the birth of our…read moredaughter. I won't get into the details as to not traumatize soon to be mothers, but let's just say I went through almost every way to give birth over a matter of several weeks. We started off getting advice on how to help flip our breech baby naturally (and she did flip!) and ended up working with her for not one, but two labor inductions. Anyone I tell my birth story to says that she might have saved my life and I agree completely. She is an advocate for you in the medical system, can speak from experience, and help you be more informed in your choices during stressful moments you weren't expecting. You can feel how much she generally cares about your mental health and the health of your family and I would recommend her in a heartbeat to any soon to be mom.

If you are pregnant and trying to decide where to give birth, I HIGHLY recommend Casa Natal! All of…read morethe midwifes are caring and will sit with you for hour long visits to answer your questions. The center is BEAUTIFUL and also has huge tubs you are actually allowed to birth in, unlike other (all to my knowledge) local hospitals that do not allow water births. The perfect in between if you do not really want to do a home birth but want a home birth-like experience in a very gorgeous and peaceful setting! It is also super close to a hospital should you need it (most people do not) and while not needed was great for my peace of mind. They also have a call line where you can ask questions postpartum that is very helpful. Overall, I had a beautiful birth thanks to them and am very grateful. Birth is something you only do a once or a few times in your life, will remember forever, and I am very glad I got to experience this with the team at Casa Natal.

I had my baby girl in June 2021 and I'm so glad I chose Casa Natal (los gatos) for her birth…read more I was with an OB for the first half of my pregnancy and I was able to see the difference in the care provided at Casa Natal versus my OB's office. My OB appointments lasted for only 15 minutes and I didn't feel supported or heard. At Casa Natal, every appointment lasted for an hour, the midwives checked not only for my physical but also my mental health and answered all of my questions. I was able to get acquainted to Melissa, Julia and all the student midwives during my visits. I also took the breastfeeding class that Emily hosted and it was informative and helpful. Coming to the actual birth, it was truly a beautiful experience. I got the exact birth that I had hoped for as a first time parent. I felt supported throughout my labor. Melissa, Tara, and Charlie attended my birth and were the best team I could have asked for apart from my husband. Tara and Charlie guided me with different positions and techniques to help progress with the labor. After about 6 hours of laboring at the birth center, I delivered my baby vaginally, without any interventions and I was back home 4 hours after my baby was born. They also provided me with excellent postpartum care and lactation support. If you're looking for a holistic natural birth experience, look no further. This team is it!

Due to my privileged position, and very personal experience with Silicon Valley doulas, I can tell…read moreyou it has been nothing short of exceptional since their inception. Czarina brings over 20 plus years of experience, extensive training, and a true passion for supporting families through one of life's most meaningful transitions -- welcoming a new baby. Her background covers everything from lactation consulting and sleep training to postpartum depression and psychosis support, patient advocacy, birth preparation, and more. She's worked with over 300 families over her career thus far, providing truly personalized and compassionate care each and every time. Her depth of knowledge about the birth journey, babies, and the postpartum period is remarkable, and she always approaches her work with professionalism, empathy, and a calm confidence and experience. One thing I respect deeply is her clarity and integrity when it comes to her business policies. She has a no-refund policy that's clearly stated in her contract (which is completely legal and standard for her field). The reason is simple and fair, much like many other businesses she reserves specific dates and times for the families she assists and does not take other clients during those scheduled sessions. When someone cancels or tries to back out of a contract she's already set aside that time, so it's clearly ethical that her time and commitment are respected. If you're looking for a highly skilled, knowledgeable, compassionate, empathetic doula who combines unmatched experience, professionalism, and genuine care, Czarina is the person you want by your side through pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

TL;DR: Last-minute cancellations, fell asleep on duty watching our newborn, refused hands-on baby…read morecare, offered useless virtual support, prepaid for 13 nights, and refused refund. We're disputing the charges with our credit card company. Do not recommend. We hired Czarina for evening doula services shortly after welcoming our newborn, hoping for support and rest. Unfortunately, the experience caused us significantly more stress than doing it alone. The most alarming issue was that she repeatedly fell asleep snoring loudly while on duty watching our newborn. This happened on multiple visits. We could see and hear her sleeping, which meant that instead of resting, we stayed awake monitoring her to ensure our baby was safe. When we addressed this directly, her response was shocking: she claimed she was doing it to "train us to be better parents" and get us used to sleeping while the baby sleeps. As exhausted first-time parents, this felt unreassuring and completely unsafe. We hired a night doula to reduce anxiety, not to monitor the caregiver. Beyond the safety issues, basic doula duties were neglected: * Refusal of Care: She was unwilling to help wash the baby and unable to provide clear, hands-on guidance for newborn care. * Household Help: She provided little to no assistance with basic household tasks. * Ineffective Virtual Support: She attempted to substitute some support with "virtual" sessions, which offered zero value to us as parents who needed physical, hands-on help with a newborn during overnight hours. Her reliability was poor, with multiple last-minute cancellations and rescheduling. Most importantly, we prepaid for 13 nights of service. When we terminated the arrangement due to the safety concerns and poor service, she refused to provide a refund for the unused nights. We were forced to escalate this to our credit card company to try and recoup our funds. Czarina was pleasant to speak with initially, but her actions put our peace of mind at risk and violated our trust. If you are looking for reliable, hands-on postpartum care that allows you to rest, I strongly recommend looking elsewhere. Ask specific questions about staying awake during night shifts, hands-on newborn care (including bathing), refund policies, and what "virtual support" entails before hiring.

I cannot recommend Marilou at Doulas by the Bay highly enough. She was our postpartum night doula…read morefor the first few weeks after our son was born, and she was incredible. As new parents, the sleep deprivation is real, but knowing she was there allowed us to finally get the much-needed rest we required to function. Beyond just being a set of expert hands, she became a trusted guide for us and taught us invaluable newborn care tips that we still use daily. We trusted her implicitly with our baby from night one which was critical for us as anxious new parents. Marilou's calm, professional, and warm presence made us feel so at ease during a very vulnerable time. We truly loved our time with her and are so grateful for the care she provided. If you are looking for a doula who is knowledgeable, nurturing, and completely trustworthy, Marilou is amazing!

We had an incredible experience with Sally for our son from when he was 1-3 months. She was…read moreconsistently punctual, professional, and incredibly kind. Beyond just helping with night feeds, she took the initiative with bottles and laundry, which was a huge help to our family. We felt completely at ease knowing our little one was in such caring hands. In addition, she helped with sleep training. Additionally, the office staff was a pleasure to work with. They were extremely professional and maintained a quick turnaround time on all our requests and paperwork. We highly recommend this team for anyone looking for top-tier newborn care!

Going into my first pregnancy I knew I needed some extra help in addition to having my husband…read morethere. I was going to deliver at Kaiser and knew I wanted an experienced Doula that could be with me from start to finish. Felissa was just that and more! My husband and I felt very comfortable with Felissa from the first time we met her she's very sweet and motherly but also very motivating which is very comforting when you're in a lot of pain! The warming pad, tens unit and massages she did on my back were amazing during the contractions. She was also very helpful in helping us make decisions during labor and letting us know what the Doctors were doing. This definitely helped us feel a whole lot better during some important decisions. I highly recommend Felissa, she's very knowledgeable in what she does and is a great support to have during the most important thing a woman has to do.

Simply Amazing! Felissa is the perfect 10 "doula" for the birth of our child. We delivered our baby…read morein Kaiser Redwood City and she was extremely phenomenal in guiding us through the labor and birthing process. With her amazing support, we count ourselves fortunate to have a healthy delivery with 100% natural child birth. No IV line, no blood test, No Pitocin, No pain medication, No intervention whatsoever. In the two pre-natal visits, she gave us great tips and demonstrated various exercises such as pelvic rocking, squatting, and Kegel exercises to help prepare the mother physically and emotionally. When my water broke and my labor started (around 12:45 AM) , she picked up her phone instantly offering us guidelines on what to expect and guiding us through the process. She helped us during our 10+ hours labor. We used her TENTS unit for helping to alleviate the pain and many hot water showers sessions. We did a lot of walking, squatting, all-four position and many others to help progress the labor. We read the two books "Ina May Gaskin's guide to Natural Childbirth" and "The Bradley Natural Childbirth". She helped complement our knowledge with practical information from her wealth of experience. We are so lucky to have her as our doula and we are forever grateful for her patience, support, and compassion in helping us deliver our baby healthily and naturally.

I went back and forth on whether to write this review. I am sure Ana intends well, but sadly we did…read morenot feel adequately supported by her as a doula. I felt like I should provide an alternative perspective for people who are reading these reviews and want to be fully informed in their decision on a doula. There were some things we really appreciated and that she did well, like the postpartum massage and the meal she cooked for us. But the birth experience itself fell far, far short of what we were expecting in terms of care-- I'd like to remain anonymous so I will not go into detail. The prenatal sessions just didn't vibe with us-- a lot of lecture, worksheets and homework that often felt overwhelming rather than supportive or client-directed. The postpartum sessions were shorter than promised and without many of the things she had told us she would do. It seems like Ana has supported others really well, but unfortunately that was not the case for us.

Ana was one of our greatest blessings in assisting with my very first birth. She brought wisdom,…read morepeace & support that allowed me to be confident in my birth choices and thereby allowing a beautiful, natural unmedicated birth. Once I became pregnant and knew we would be giving birth in a hospital, I was encouraged to seek out the support of a doula in hopes to have an unmedicated birth. Ana was everything I could have needed & wanted during my birth and even more, she helped me everything from the preparation to the labor to the birth and into postpartum and beyond which allowed me to have such an amazing experience. She came to our home 3 times before the birth, sat with my husband & I, unrushed and talked over ways we could best prepare and gave us resources if we wanted to further our knowledge - which I gladly did! She made herself available by phone and text whenever I called her, including middle of the night questions! It gave me peace of mind to know that she had been through this many times before and always guided me with comfort. During the birth, I honestly looked to her more than my own doctor. While she is not certified to give medical advice, I trusted her experience overseeing many other births and especially that she viewed birth as a *natural process* that women's bodies are designed for. I didn't even realize the transition my body would go through during the birth experience, and I'm so thankful we added a postpartum component to our package. Worth its weight in gold. Ana came to our home 3 more times after giving birth and brought us a nourishing meal each time, talked through any questions, including caring for our little one, yet truly gave me the attention I needed to facilitate my healing and recovery including the BEST massages I have ever had. I don't have enough space to write all the ways Ana made me feel special, cherished and empowered through my entire pregnancy and birth. I am so thankful to have had her wisdom and support and truly don't believe my birth experience would have been half as incredible if it wasn't for her.

Carolina is the BEST EVER!! Extremely grateful to her for giving me support during postpartum. We (…read moreme and my baby ) go to her mommy and baby yoga and we love it. Even though my baby is crawling now, Carolina encourages us to attend her sessions. She is extremely attentive to both mine and my baby's needs. My little one loves her and feels extremely calm in her sessions. Her wisdom and advice has helped me recover from postpartum issues. She's prompt to respond to questions and has high quality resources to offer. Highly recommend. Grateful to her for everything she has been doing for us.

This would have been 5 stars based on the breastfeeding class I attended. I was reluctant to even…read morego to any breastfeeding class because it was important to me to not be attached to the idea of breastfeeding, and I was worried I'd be beaten over the head with how important it is and set myself up for mom guilt if it didn't work out. Quite the contrary, the speaker was really approachable and practical. She talked through just about every scenario and offered a really great mindset - feed as much breastmilk as you can whenever you can, and it's totally OK to make up the difference with formula. Unfortunately, the baby care class dropped this down to 4 stars. It was borderline a waste of time. The instructor was scattered and not very helpful. Lots of tech challenges. Not much help in the way of answering questions or providing practical advice. Very limited hands on practice. I went with a friend because my husband was out of town and I was almost embarrassed that she wasted time in that class with me.

Having Byanca by my side during childbirth and the months prior was a godsend so thankful for her…read moredivine wisdom and guidance. She is devoted to her position and appreciates the woman's journey into mother hood. She treats every person with respect and works with their preferences in such a graceful ways I truly love and admire you Byanca and will always refer you to anyone looking for a birth worker. 5/5 highly recommend this sacred service and the powerful woman behind it!

Byanca is such an amazing Doula, teacher + herbalist. She's been Doula-ing me through such an…read moreimportant time and transition in my life. She has a heart of gold. Her presence is calming and grounded. She is my go to Doula in San Jose. Her teachings of the body and especially the womb are so helpful. Can't wait to hire her again.

I'm a competitive power lifter and I injuired my wrist. My surgeon strongly recommended Hands On…read moreCare as being one of the best hand/wrist specialists in the area. Everyone I encountered at the office was kind, warm, professional, and experienced. However, this review is for Jamie as she was my primary therapist. I'm so grateful I found her! After my first session, I saw immediate results! Every visit we'd try some new things to build on the previous week, I was 100% back to normal in a month. Her caring, well-balanced approach to therapy was exactly what I needed. Be patient with their office, they're very busy. It may take a few weeks to get the appointment, but it's absolutely worth it. While I hope to not need therapy again, I'd definitely come back here and wouldn't go anywhere else. Thank you, Jamie! Thank you, Hands On Care!

In-Network Status Not Honored / Intentional Overbilling I…read moream writing this to warn other parents--particularly those with HSA plans--about the billing practices at Hands On Care (Saba Kamal). Despite being listed as an in-network provider, this office overcharged my client by more than $600+ beyond the insurance-contracted rate. When the EOBs (Explanation of Benefits) confirmed the overpayment, the office refused to issue a refund. Most telling was the provider's own admission; when questioned about the overcharge, she stated: 'I cannot make money with the rates that Anthem allows me to charge. I would have to bill you for two visits.' This is a clear 'bait and switch' tactic. A provider cannot agree to in-network status to attract patients and then unilaterally decide to charge more than the contracted rate because they find it more profitable. We escalated this to the insurance carrier and filed a formal grievance. The insurance company ruled in our favor, yet Hands On Care still refuses to return the client's money. It is highly unethical to take advantage of parents trying to care for their children. Furthermore, the care plan was underwhelming, and my client eventually sought treatment elsewhere. Do not trust this office to honor their in-network obligations