Mary was my doula for the birth of my daughter and I have nothing but the absolute best to say…read moreabout her. She was absolutely wonderful and went above and beyond for us before, during and after the birth! As a first time mom with limited prior exposure to the medical system, I wanted to be as prepared as possible: My main priority was having step by step guidance and handholding; Anne and Mary overdelivered! Before the birth -- Both Anne and Mary guided me to ensure I was prepared and knew what to expect; they also answered my every question (including things such as looking at my registry plans). Also, and perhaps most importantly, when a complication arose towards the end of my pregnancy, they were able to quickly explain the recommendation we were receiving from the medical team, provided some (spot on) recommendations given their experience, and gave us an overview of what EXACTLY to expect next. During and after the birth - Mary ended up being my doula for the birth. She went out of her way to ensure my birth plan was met as much as possible. This included helping the medical team that was clearly understaffed during COVID, despite being one of the best hospitals. Mary's involvement didn't stop there. She made sure I had the resources I needed to set me up for a successful nursing journey and checked in on us even a few months after the delivery. Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Mary as a doula to my friends and family. Furthermore, the partnership between Anne and Mary is also unique -- They make a terrific team, complementing each other every step of the way. If I could give them 10/5 stars, I would. Thank you again, Mary and Anne!

Anne was our doula for the birth of our first son, Jack, and it's not any exaggeration to say that…read moreshe was nothing short of miraculous. We originally decided to hire a doula to help with pain management upon learning that I may not be able to get an epidural for medical reasons. But after seeing all that she had to offer, we would have been wise to hire her regardless. She was incredibly warm and supportive and non-judgmental. She recognized patterns in how I was laboring that I didn't even recognize, and employed techniques and tools to cope with the contractions that were suited to what I was feeling, what was most comfortable, etc. I don't think I could have gotten through it without her. She is also incredibly knowledgable and accessible. Before labor started, I texted her many times with various non-urgent questions and concerns, and she got back to me almost immediately. Then, once labor started (which was in the middle of the night), she also responded immediately with suggestions and was over in 15 minutes once we told her we wanted her. She is everything you'd want in a doula and more. Perhaps most important is her warmth and genuine sense of empathy. She is so integrated and dedicated throughout the process that she teared up after the baby was born and even during the follow up meeting several days later. She is truly a wonderful person who will give you all her energy--physical and emotional. To find someone like that is rare.

We love Heather and Victoria. We worked with 312Doulas as we prepared for the arrival of our first…read morechild. They were fantastic. We engaged them at about 18/20 weeks in the pregnancy and were able to take advantage of the pregnant person weekly zoom meeting (which provided a wonderful support system through the pregnancy), the birth classes (which were more evidence-based and intimate than what my hospital offered), and they were available for any questions (which gave us another opinion outside of our OB). On the day of our birth, my husband was able to engage with them via text and let them know how things were going. Heather arrived at the hospital and was able to offer comfort measures, support, and coaching that helped both my husband and I feel that we could do THIS! :) In addition, they were able to relieve my husband and let him get some sleep and they got me ice and food, etc. Just so kind. Once I started to push, Heather was there to coach us and encourage us and then take pictures of our new family when our baby girl came. Heather had to leave (they work 12-hour shifts) and Victoria slid in, so quickly I didn't realize it was happening and never felt alone. Victoria then stayed to help us breastfeed and get settled in. After our birth, we had a postpartum call to ask any questions and now participate in the new parents' weekly zoom which already has been super valuable. We'd highly recommend working with 312Doulas.

312 Doulas was recommended by a friend, and I'm so glad I listened! My review focuses on my doula…read more(Marie Weiss) and a course my partner and I took as part of our doula package. I delivered 12/19/21, and our little one is just over 2 weeks old. My doula was supportive, knowledgeable, and responsive. I expected a slow labor (first child) but had the opposite. My water broke around 4pm, and contractions came on quick and strong. All Marie needed to see was a screenshot of the app I was using to time my contractions to say, "time to go to the hospital" (my partner and I would have probably held off--so glad we listened!). I arrived 6cm dilated, and she helped me navigate an unmedicated birth (consistent with my birth plan). She offered excellent labor support (breathing reminders, holding my leg, walking me through decisions) and advocating (e.g., anytime someone walked in the room, she immediately approached them and asked who they were, why they were there, etc.). As part of our package, we took the 6-week Evidenced Based Birth course (founder: Rebecca Dekker; teacher: Heather McCullough), and we both loved it. The course meets weekly for 2 hours to discuss material presented in asynchronous modules. The material is informative, clear, and helped us make many perinatal decisions. There were many topics my partner and I would not have discussed if it wasn't for the course, and they were so important. Thank you so much 312!

Sydney and Pippin were amazing resources. They came in at a critical time at the end of my…read morepregnancy and made me feel like I had known them the whole time. Their support in the last few weeks when new questions came up was invaluable. They shared unbiased resources and helped me to make my own personal decisions and design questions to ask my midwife team. During delivery Pippin was a godsend. She gave my partner the support he needed to feel empowered and breaks to help keep him strong while at the same time not overstepping or interfering. Her presence was so soothing both during and after birth. We feel so lucky to have found Pippin and Sydney. I highly recommend them for any pregnant person looking for labor support!

My gratitude for Third Coast knows no bounds! I loved their three person team approach and felt so…read moresupported by not one but three knowledgeable and kind women. I thought doulas mostly just helped you during your delivery but no, they were with me the WHOLE time. Throughout my entire pregnancy Lauren, Shawna, and Renee were there to answer questions, give me resources, and talk me through my fears and concerns. When my son was born and had to go to the NICU, they stayed in close contact with me the whole time. I never felt like a client but like a friend that they cared for. What a gift. And then when my baby came home (he's doing great!) that's when Lindsay and Jennie, our postpartum doulas came into our lives. Literally how can so many awesome ladies be in one company? It's really hard to hand over your newborn, especially one that's been in the hospital, but I felt so comfortable with them. They cared for him AND for me so well. I don't know what we would have done without them! Third Coast is really like family to me now. I'm so happy to have found them and had them with me on this journey.

: Not a nice person. Be sure to check her return policies…read morefor any items you consider purchasing as the belly binder a is ripped up sheet (muslin) that you can purchase at your local Joann's . This is the video I was given for the technique. I can't include it due to Yelp rules, but it is a regular person's YouTube account, not even one of the doulas or Maura. Search Bengkung Belly Binding on YouTube and a ton of videos will come up. The binder did not help me feel held in. I asked for a refund and was told the price was mainly for the doula coming to my house--which was unnecessary because the YouTube video was the guide. After continued times trying to reach a reasonable resolution, Maura told me that I was harassing her. (What the heck weirdo woman?) What doula worth anything speaks to a mom of a 2 week old that way. Beware!!!!!!!!! This doula is unstable and no new mom needs that. Get a Bellefit binder. It helps without dealing with a psycho doula.

Maura was a joy to work with before, during, and after the birth of my little one…read more She obviously approaches her work with a great deal of professionalism that isn't always present in the birthing world. For example, her email communication is clear and prompt, she is obviously very well organized, and she gave me sweet little new-mama-related gifts at our first meeting, as well as after Baby's birth. But all that is not reason enough to hire a doula, right? When I first met Maura, I must confess I was a bit dismayed by her youth. Although I knew she had lots of experience supporting births and more medical training than most doulas, there was a part of me that wanted an older presence on my birth team. Well, thankfully the rational part of me won out over this other, ageist part, because Maura was wonderful and everything we (my husband and I) could have wanted. And I'm sure she's probably not quite as young as she seemed that first day ;) My labor and birth were pretty quick, uncomplicated, and relatively painless. I don't think I actually noticed Maura much during the process. However, when I watched the video of my baby's birth (which Maura was happy to film and photograph for us), I noticed Maura was the one who'd pick up on how I was feeling and cheer me on when I seemed to need it, and my husband and mom (who I wanted hands-on with me) would follow her lead. She just seemed to have this way of fitting in and being exactly what we needed her to be at the time, even though we ourselves didn't know what that was. After Baby's birth, she provided encouraging support and a postpartum visit to see that all was going well for our family. She was pretty awesome answering my questions via text, about all things from newborn poop to homeopathic remedies. I know that she will soon begin to study midwifery, but if you find her still offering doula services, I would highly recommend adding her to your list of doulas to consider.

Julie's Bradley classes were wonderful. We felt very informed…read more Julie is personable and professional. She is a wonderful person. She was available by telephone to answer my husbands questions throughout the entire birth process. She is by far the most affordable class in the Chicago-land area, and it is so worth it. We will go back for her "refresher" course on child #2 for sure.

All first-time parents owe it to themselves and to their unborn child(ren) to take a Bradley Method…read morecourse from Julie Parache. I can't imagine receiving better instruction or more education per dollar than what you get when you take Julie's class, and we credit her instruction with helping us to avoid a c-section, which we very much wanted to do. We began the class with a little knowledge that we had gleaned from the what-to-expect type of books that we read. We really had no idea what we didn't know at that point... and it was a lot. After taking the class, we left with way more confidence, knowledge, and peace of mind, and we were way better equipped to make informed decisions. Most importantly, we left Julie's class with a clear idea of the many options available during the pregnancy, labor, and delivery, what potential problems were most likely, and the best ways to avoid those problems. And the majority of these are things that your obstetrician most likely will not tell you. You either won't know at all that you have a choice about a certain aspect, treatment, or procedure, or it will be explained to you in terms that make anything but your caregiver's favorite option seem ridiculous. Most frighteningly, many of these choices (or lack of) could have long term effects on your child. Julie has a passion for her work, and it comes through in her instruction. She's friendly, understanding, down to earth, and animated enough not to be boring (but not so much as to be annoying). She is also intelligent, well spoken, and stays up-to-the-minute current on the subjects of pregnancy, labor, and delivery. In short, I recommend Julie's class to anybody wanting to know more about how an embryo in the womb gets to be a baby in the world... and I make this recommendation even though Bradley is typically billed as a "natural childbirth" class. Even if you're planning to be drugged to the furthest limits of human endurance, most of what Julie will teach you applies to all types of births.

If you are debating a doula, debate no more! Hillary Scharmann is exactly what every pregnant mama…read moreand expectant papa need. She'll walk you through the what to expect and prep you for delivery. She'll answer your questions, and if she can't, she'll find someone that can. Her commitment to supporting your family is 100%. We elected to deliver our baby boy in a hospital. While we had several concerns about being in a big medical space, Hillary put us at ease. She listened to all of our concerns. She took note of our fears and comforts. She was honest about the realities of delivery and the time leading up to it. While we feared induction and a long labor, she prepared us for what to advocate for to make it as natural and comfortable as possible (and thank goodness she did). Labor was no piece of cake. It was 36 hours from induction that our little guy arrived. Hillary spent 25 hours of that time with us. She was an advocate for us, asking all the questions we couldn't think to ask. She remembered those things that we said provide comfort to us and transformed the room to make it what we needed. She helped ease the pain with massages and encouraging movement (and that awesome peanut ball). She assisted in delivering the best part of our lives! We couldn't imagine those last 25 hours without her! Her services don't end when your baby arrives. She provides invaluable postpartum support. She is there when you are most vulnerable. She arrives to your house with treats and does your dishes, while she listens to the new parent woes. She makes you feel that you are normal. Normal is something we yearned for for those first six weeks. Birth is an incredible adventure, and no one person should experience it alone. If you are wavering on hiring a doula, do it no longer. Hire one! If you want the best, professional, personable, caring one out there hire Hillary Scharmann at HEART Birth & Baby.

One of the best decisions my husband and I made during pregnancy was to hire Hillary as our doula…read more As this was a first pregnancy and our first child, my husband and I were understandably nervous as to what the birth experience would entail. We wanted to ensure a calm, healthy and intervention-free delivery and Hillary helped us achieve that. The night I went into labor, Hillary arrived at the hospital a few minutes after my husband and I did and sprung into action immediately. She knew I wanted the environment to be calm and she somehow managed to create a spa-like atmosphere in the middle of a hospital. She dimmed the lights, turned on a relaxing playlist, provided aromatherapy, fluids and - most importantly - a heating pad for my aching back. She supported, encouraged and talked us through labor and because of her quick thinking, helped us avoid a C-section. I truly believe I was able to deliver my son the way I wanted because of her ability to work with my midwives. Hillary also provided us with the most precious gift - photos and videos of us meeting our son for the first time. I had no idea she was filming the first moment they laid my son on my chest and discovered it days later at home. I still cry every single time I watch the video. Most importantly, Hillary was a huge support after we took our baby home. I was beginning to show signs of postpartum anxiety and so my husband reached out to Hillary who, in turn, called me right away. She provided me with a lactation consultant (breastfeeding was the source of my anxiety) and a hotline for PPA help. Because of her quick action and support, I was able to very quickly overcome my breastfeeding challenges and my anxiety disappeared days later. If it had not been for her, I feel as though I really would have struggled through those first weeks. I cannot praise or thank Hillary enough for being there for us during this special time. I would wholeheartedly recommend her - I can't imagine delivering any future babies without her by my side.

Amy is truly fantastic at what she does! My entire birth experience would not have been what it was…read morewithout her by our side. Prior to giving birth, Amy had so many helpful tools to get us mentally prepared for birth. She encouraged my husband and I to think about our goals within our relationship post baby. She also referred us to incredible outside resources as we needed them- like a birth education class, and Webster-specialized chiropractic care when my baby was transverse, for example. While she was an incredible asset prior to when we had our baby, it was during labor that Amy exceeded every expectation, hope, and desire we had going in. She was so calm, supportive and compassionate throughout the entire experience. From suggesting utilizing the bathtub to a birthing ball, Amy made sure my comfort was top notch throughout labor. My husband and I both agree that Amy was by far our best decision in hiring. We absolutely needed her support. The midwives I worked with were in and out throughout their shifts, and Amy was a constant. She was always by my side, guiding me through each breath. She even was several steps ahead, telling me what to expect and prepare for. This was huge for me as a first time mom as delivering at a hospital there are tons of people coming in and checking on you. Amy just has so much knowledge and experience with this. It shows. And her passion for childbirth is so beautiful. She made me see the beauty in the whole experience before I went through it. And postpartum- she checked on me, and came and brought me food around 5 weeks. It was so refreshing to see her again and talk to her about how I was feeling. I can't recommend Amy enough. She is truly wonderful at what she does. We are so happy to have connected with her!

Hire this woman…read more Amy is exceptionally bright, experienced, compassionate, reliable, and adept at offering gentle support and guidance through your pregnancy and labor. She helped me work through my fears about pregnancy and delivery and was a constant source of comfort and support through my difficult and prolonged labor. She supported my choices without judgment and provided invaluable feedback when it was sought. Honestly, I don't know how my partner and I could have gotten through labor and delivery without her. I should add that both my partner and I are highly neurotic, and Amy's patience with us and our endless questions and nervousness seemed to know no bounds. I am so grateful for her support through such a beautiful, frightening, and, ultimately, empowering experience. If you are looking for a Doula, look no further.

My family recently reached out to Lactation Partners seeking urgent breastfeeding support for our…read morenewborn twins during a difficult postpartum moment. We live on the South Side of Chicago, near South loop and were hoping to schedule a consultation. The response we received stated that they "do not travel to our location in any case" and that their schedule was booked for the next two weeks. While I understand providers have service limits and busy schedules, the wording felt abrupt and lacking empathy given the circumstances. It was also confusing because Yelp's service map suggests coverage across Chicago, which gave us the impression South Side families were included. "South Chicago" is a large and diverse part of the city with many middle-class families simply looking for postpartum support. I'm sharing this so other South Side parents know this provider may not service this area when urgently searching for help. I hope the practice considers clarifying their service area and responding to families with more compassion during vulnerable moments.

If I could give Lactation Partners and Joan Kessler 10/10 stars, I would!!!…read more There are so many aspects of postpartum that are new, overwhelming and intense, all at the same time. Joan is an incredible expert in her field, kind, precise, beyond helpful and the ultimate professional. From the moment she walked in to our home, she swiftly addressed our concerns/hurdles and assessed the situation with swift precision and a targeted plan, allowing us to support our baby in the best and most immediate way possible. She continued to follow up with detailed phone conversations and tips to support our family and came for a follow up visit to ensure we were on the right track. I feel very lucky and grateful to have had the chance to work with Joan - she is truly a phenomenal resource who cares, is dedicated to those the works with and really knows her stuff in and out. :)

Working with Stephanie was one of the best decisions I made during my pregnancy. I took her…read moreprenatal class weekly, as well as her hypnobirthing course to help prepare me for labor and delivery. I am someone who has always held the deepest fear of giving birth. I was terrified of the pain. Working with Stephanie helped me to completely flip the narrative in my mind. By the time we were finished I felt confident, strong, and eager to birth my son. She helped me to feel so empowered and taught me tools that led to me deeply trusting myself and my body. I am so grateful for her. I am now taking postnatal yoga with her to help nourish and heal my body postpartum. I trust Stephanie and I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking support on their birth journey.

Working with Steph was one of the biggest factors that led to my confidence, strength, and trust in…read moremy body and my partners support during pregnancy and labor. I was able to have the birth I wanted! Steph was gentle with educating us through hypnobirthing material and her yoga knowledge- she helped us determine what we wanted and truly feel our ability to envision and advocate for our needs and options. I felt so connected to my body and my partner during labor. There was certainly pain and some fear but it was expected, I could validate it. We had tools prepared and ready for all that came with labor. Steph is so dynamic in her approach to pre and post natal health, I continue to use our work together in my postpartum.

I went to a Weavespa class tonight and had such a blast! Natalie is so wonderful. She was so…read morepatient trying to teach us all, but her instructions were so easy to follow. The class was $30 for 2 hours and you get to come with with a one of a kind piece. Mine ended up being the length of a table runner and the colors turned out great She has a huge selection of yarn, and offers more detailed classes also. After trying it out I think I might sign up for a 4 week class. Definitely shoutout to Natalie with any questions this is her passion and it radiates from her. I also say I'm not very creative, but after completely my project I feel crafter than ever!!

Best place in Chicago (and maybe the world) to learn weaving! Natalie is not only an accomplished…read moreartist but she's an amazing teacher and human. I highly recommend this school!