I cannot say enough good things about Cheryl. She is incredible and I hope she'll be my doula for…read moreall my future births. BACKGROUND on me/us. We decided when the pandemic hit that we wouldn't let it stop us from starting a family. I got pregnant in April of 2020, and in September, we moved from San Francisco to Seattle. Since this was my first, I wasn't sure what I was looking for. I visited Swedish First Hill thinking I might want a hospital birth, and interviewed three midwives and several (six, to be exact) doulas. When I met Cheryl, I knew I had found "the one." She was also the only person I spoke w/ that made me genuinely feel EXCITED about giving birth. PRE. Not only did Cheryl offer to meet me throughout my third trimester to do the stairs or go for walks, but she also hosts weekly prenatal yoga classes (over Zoom), which I'll be honest, were the *only* times I did yoga during my pregnancy. BIRTH. On the birth day, Cheryl was phenomenal. She comforted me not only w/ her words, but also her hands when I was laboring. She rubbed my back or my leg, which I later found out is not the standard for birth doulas, and suggested different positions for me as things progressed. She was so good about feeding me and making sure I was staying hydrated, too. (As an endurance athlete, I know for a fact I would have bonked had she not force fed me a banana, honey, and electrolytes.) She made me feel strong and safe throughout my entire labor. POST. After baby was born, Cheryl took such good care of my partner and me. She fed us, taught us how to swaddle baby, helped me through mastitis, and became someone we consider to be family. She encapsulated my placenta after making placenta art, too. Her intuition about what we needed was so spot on, it truly is a gift. I birthed a 9lb1oz baby w/o drugs or stitches at home, and I thank Cheryl (and my midwives) for that. We adore Cheryl and anyone would be lucky to have her.

As a first time mom, I was clueless about the labor and delivery process. As I was exposed to…read morevarious kinds of births, I came across the idea of having a birth doula to help both my husband and I through the process. Cheryl was everything we had hoped for and more. We connected with her immediately. I would reach out to her regularly during my pregnancy with questions and concerns, and she was very quick to respond and ease my nerves. We took a few prenatal classes with her which helped us understand labor and delivery better. I wanted to make sure my husband and I were also well versed with the possible interventions that could take place at a hospital birth. Cheryl did a great job of teaching us what the alternative options were in case things didn't go as planned. On the day of, Cheryl helped me labor at home and the hospital, which is exactly what I had hoped for. I wanted to labor at home for as long as possible before heading to the hospital, and I felt very secure knowing that Cheryl would know when is the best time. The majority of my labor was pretty intense back labor and Cheryl knew exactly what to do to help me get through the contractions. Our experience with the labor and delivery would never have been the same without Cheryl. I had an amazing experience thanks to her faith and support. After the birth, Cheryl came to our home a few times to check on us and help me breastfeed as well. Being with Cheryl on this journey felt like being with our family! It's been almost a year and a half since our daughters birth and we still keep in touch with her and enjoy speaking to her about parenthood! Cheryl was a Godsend, and we could not have imagined our daughters birth without her!

Troop saved my life!!! I could not have survived the newborn phase without the help of my doulas…read more They were all so caring, helpful and knowledgeable. Even though it can be tough to be separated from one's newborn baby, I felt so comfortable sleeping while my doula took care of him. Having overnight support allowed me to get the rest I needed to heal and gave me energy to spend time with my toddler during the day. Troop is like family to me! I would recommend them to anyone in need of support.

Pregnant and postpartum moms - DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY…read more We signed up for doulas for 12 weeks while I was pregnant and put down the deposit (roughly $10k). Our needs changed postpartum and when we went to update our timeline we were told that the deposit we put down would not be applied to the updated timeline - basically we were asking for $8k in services and even though we had already paid $10k we were told that we still needed to pay more. They quoted the handbook which was not noted in the contract we signed and we were never told of this "policy" while interviewing or signing the contract. We received the handbook after we had signed the contract. We worked out an agreement after pointing out how ridiculous this was and we felt it was still worth it to move forward as we were hopeful that they would provide the services they promised. Over the course of four visits we had two different doulas. Both were very polite and nice but had totally different levels of care. The first doula set timers on her phone to wake up and check on our daughter as well as wake and bring her to feed so that she didn't go too long without eating. As a mom that is EBF this was immensely helpful and she was great to work with. The second doula was polite but did not take care of our daughter. She slept so deeply that did not wake during my daughter's feeding cues/crying. I awoke to engorged breasts and when I checked the monitor I could see my daughter fussing in her bassinet while the doula slept on. I also saw that she had set the temperature of the room to 74 degrees. For a 6 week old that can't regulate heat this was VERY concerning. I went to wake my husband to figure out how we could change it to a safe temperature and then went downstairs and woke the doula while getting my daughter from the bassinet. My daughter was so overheated that she could barely finish one side even though she regularly finishes both. While I was feeding her, this doula fell asleep again and when I brought my daughter back she did not wake to me entering the room- I changed my daughter's diaper and only after returning with a light on did she wake up. We were scheduled to have her for the next month and my husband and I did not feel comfortable leaving our child in her care again. When I emailed the company to cancel (on a Thursday with our next visit being a Monday), I received an OOO message from Lynette Wilson the Director of Operations. The following day (Friday) I forwarded the message to the scheduling team and did not receive a response. When Lynette returned that following Monday she did not ask why we were suddenly cancelling but did try to tell us that she was going to charge us for not cancelling 24 hours before the shift even though the message was sent several days before. Only after I was able to get Lynette on the phone (you cannot contact anyone in the office directly) did she relent. I also brought up the concerns with the doula - again she did not once ask why. She did not seem to care or bother to offer solutions but rather wanted to end the conversation. We've spent $10k+ for 4 nights. Pregnant and postpartum moms - this company does not care about you or your child. Their team of overnight doulas is sporadic in their level of care and created an unsafe environment for my child. This company only cares about squeezing you for money during one of the most stressful and vulnerable times of your life.

We felt lucky to have Barbara with us for our second baby in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic…read more Once again, my labor and delivery was a dream experience. With Barbara there, it felt calm and focused. Leading up to labor, I kept Barbara updated with my symptoms and she came by a few times to measure my dilation and give me her experienced perspective each time. On the day my contractions started in earnest, she came over and made the quick decision to head over to the hospital immediately because I was progressing quickly. Thank goodness she did, because our boy arrived just 2 hours after we arrived at the hospital! We are so thankful to have had Barbara with us both times, and I credit her for my positive experience both times. Without her there, I am sure I would have been anxious with endless possibilities of outcomes racing through my mind. She was our sounding board and we fully trusted her to guide us through the experience, which allowed us to enjoy the moment without worries.

I cannot recommend Barbara enough!!! She was an essential part of my birth team and I'm confident…read morethat I wouldn't have had a successful unmedicated birth without her. From the moment we started working with Barbara, she took the time to truly get to know us, my goals, and concerns regarding labor. She provided thoughtful reassurance and guidance that was clearly backed by years of experience as both a midwife and doula. She never pushed a particular approach but instead empowered me with information and support so I could make the best decisions for myself. During labor, Barbara's presence made a huge difference. Her coaching helped me manage pain and stay focused. Her experience allowed me to try various labor positions that I believe aided to a more efficient birth. She also advocated for me when I was faced with tough decisions, which is already hard enough to navigate when you're in labor! Not only did she support me, but she was also an incredible resource for my husband. She provided him with the confidence and guidance to be a present and helpful partner. We both felt she added so much value to the experience. Another major plus is that Barbara has a strong relationship with the providers at NW Women's Healthcare. They clearly enjoy working with her and respect her. During the labor, I felt that she worked well with Dr Jiao and the nursing staff; it truly felt like a cohesive team that was focused on me having a successful birth. On top of all that, Barbara is just genuinely an awesome person! She is easy to talk to, kind, and calming, yet also fun and engaging. We had many good laughs together. If you're looking for an all around amazing doula who is knowledgeable, supportive, and truly makes a difference, Barbara is the one!

Investing in Davinah's support as our postpartum doula was such an important decision for our…read morefamily. The first three months of motherhood were so much more difficult for me than I could have anticipated (even though I did as much preparing for the difficulty as I could have...the sleep deprivation and endless infant screaming still humbled us in a major way)! Having Davinah's presence to look forward to got me through. On multiple evenings when I reached what felt like the end of my capacity to mother, I would remind myself, "Only two more sleeps until Davinah comes.", that thought gave me the hope and energy to keep going. Her presence in our home gave us so much! Never before have I felt hosted in my own space. She was warm and attentive, and did everything from wiping down my kitchen counters to holding my fussy baby to giving me reassuring hugs while I wept on the couch. I felt like I could truly invite her into the mess of my home and emotional state. The postpartum months are uniquely vulnerable, and she was able to listen and respond to our families needs with so much thoughtfulness and depth. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- From my husband : as a new Dad, I didn't expect to need or want support from a postpartum doula but I can't imagine the transition into parenthood without Davinah. She works fluidly, flexibly, and tirelessly. I was so impressed by her ability to intuit our needs and remind us to take good care of ourselves. The mornings of sleeping in while Davinah fed or soothed the baby were magical. When we woke up breakfast was ready! It was such a blessing to have her support.

Davinah - she just breeds joy and empathy with a side of fierceness! I can hear her now saying…read more"that's real" and I learned so much from her about how to be a better listener. Davinah was a voice of reason during our prenatal stages. She helped us prepare for the unknown that was to come as new parents by giving us concrete tasks to plan for and questions to answer for ourselves. I think it really saved us during those first few weeks and months. I ended up having a scheduled c-section so we did not get to experience Davinah's full services in labor, birthing, but she was there with us all along the way as we navigated the hospital, OBs, etc. and showed up for us as a postpartum doula to help with the much needed basic care after friends and family had returned home and husband was back to work. If she does not know the answer to something, she's honest about it and directs you to a wealth of resources in the community. We wholeheartedly recommend Davinah for any expecting parents, whether it's your first time or not! You will feel heard, supported, advocated for, seen, and celebrated.

I found my doula, Shelia Kandeler, via a friend's referral rather than the Swedish Hospital Doula…read moreServices, but the Swedish Hospital Doula program made things incredibly easy administratively. I keep telling people that doulas aren't just for people who want a natural childbirth! It's a huge benefit for any laboring mother-to-be to have an experienced person on hand whose only role is to provide emotional support and comfort. In childbirth classes, Dad is sometimes coached to play that role, but the reality is that a first-time father isn't going to have any better idea what to expect than the mother. Birth plans can easily go awry, and an experienced doula can be a great help in getting the mother back into a a calm emotional state regardless of whether the mother wishes for as little intervention as possible or all the painkillers in the book. The presence of a doula has been shown in studies to reduce the odds of C-Section or instrumental delivery. Both the doulas I've had also provide lactation support after the baby is born. The fact that Swedish respects the role of the doula says volumes about the level of care they provide for expectant parents.

Laurie Levy is the best! We interviewed a couple of doulas who were very good, but we clicked with…read moreLaurie right away and were very excited to partner with her for the birth of our first child. Laurie met with us twice before the birth to go over questions and our thoughts on how we wanted everything to go. When I found our I was going to be induced, I thought I might not need her assistance as much - I was completely wrong! She was the greatest support, especially during the last 4 hours of hard labor. I ended up having complications during the actual birth and I am so glad that Laurie was by my side. The room was chaotic with lots of nurses and doctors and having someone I knew and trusted next to me was a life saver. She kept me calm and focused, and made a scary situation much less so. I'm so thankful we found Laurie through Swedish and hired her as our doula - I highly recommend her!

Hiring Mary as our Doula was one of the best decisions we made, and I truly believe she played a…read morehuge role in helping me achieve my successful VBAC. Her support started long before labor. She met with us several times to help us prepare mentally and physically, walked us through our birth plan, and made sure we understood what to expect. She also helped us prepare our home for postpartum in ways I never would have thought about; helping me set up nursing and changing stations around the house, sharing practical meal ideas, and even helping us put together a special "fun box" to help keep our toddler entertained during the transition. Those little details made such a big difference once we got home. During labor, she was incredible. She stayed with us for over 20 hours, offering constant encouragement, comfort techniques, and reassurance. She helped me stay focused when things got hard and reminded me I was capable when I needed it most. Her calm presence made such a difference for both me and my partner. She doesn't just show up for the birth, she truly invests in the whole family and the whole experience. Because of her, I felt prepared, supported, and empowered every step of the way. If you are hoping for a VBAC or just want someone truly dedicated to supporting you through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, I cannot recommend her enough. We are so grateful she was part of our birth story. We will definitely hire her for our next birth!

Mary was our birth doula during March 2021. Having Mary as our doula was one of the best decisions…read morewe ever made. She was super friendly, well-informed, talented and made us feel very comfortable to hang out with her. This was my first pregnancy and I was naturally very anxious throughout. We signed up with Mary by week 35 and she was in constant touch with me throughout and answering a lot of questions over text. We also caught up quite a bit over zoom which was super convenient. Mary also got vaccinated for COVID-19 very early on which made me feel extra secure. My pregnancy was a bit adventurous towards the end with everyone having to work around our baby's plans. Long story short, my OB and I thought we were heading towards natural birth, but the baby decided to breech for the second time around the due date and we scheduled a c section. Mary mentally prepped me on what exactly to expect in a c section which really helped me to relax. (FYI- During COVID-19 times, Mary was allowed inside the OT in Swedish first hill along with my husband). 20 mins before the surgery, my doctor found that the baby had flipped to the right position. He immediately suggested inducing and canceled the surgery. Like us, Mary had expected to be with the baby in less than 30 mins. She was so flexible when the plans changed to what we expected to be a long induction. She was with me throughout the process and looked out for me and my husband encouraging us to eat and sleep while things were slow and uneventful early on. As expected, things became very rough even in very early labor (induction plus back labor). Mary roped in my husband and they both helped me quite a bit with different stretches. My husband by himself would not have been able to figure out what would help me during contractions. After my epidural, I was experiencing a lot of violent shaking ( powered by adrenaline after the violent contractions that I was not feeling the pain of), Mary held me tight and I remember that even if the whole part is pretty blurry. We eventually had a C-section after about 15 hours of induction since the baby couldn't tolerate the labor. Mary was as supportive as she could be and she constantly made sure that I was in the driver's seat and was comfortable making the decisions. I just had a post-partum visit where we processed all the detours my birth took and it was nice to hear how it unfolded from her perspective Finally, she took some incredible photos and videos of the labor and inside the OT which are priceless. Again, we are really really glad that we had Mary by our side.

Thank you, Christi, for being the best doula a first time mother could have asked for! I had a lot…read moreof anxiety with my first pregnancy because of gestational diabetes and a baby who was consistently measuring in the 99th percentile. Christi brought me a lot of ease with her vast knowledge of child birth and assured me that I am more than capable of a vaginal delivery. My birth went according to plan and she really gave me the confidence that I can deliver a giant baby. I will remember you for the rest of my life, thank you!!

A friend of mine spoke wonders about having a doula for labor, so between that and my commitment to…read moreself-advocacy, I knew that hiring a labor doula was a non-negotiable for our first child. What I didn't know is how lucky we'd be to find Christi @ Emerald City Doulas! She is the perfect combination of experienced and empathetic, and her calm but direct approach was the perfect fit for my personality as well as my husband's. We loved having our two prenatal sessions and the ability to text Christi with any questions (they were always super responsive), but for us, the real value came during labor and delivery, which was not only traumatic for me but also came with tons of unexpected turns (starting with PROM, which is when water breaks with no contractions). Between the horrible pain and the decisions to break with our birth plan, Christi didn't waver and made sure I was supported and safe throughout. Needless to say, next to my husband, Christi is the person I will most remember as being there for me in the process of having our first child. After our little girl arrived, we worked with Jylane as our postpartum support doula. I can't say enough about her demeanor (our baby is comfortable with her, but so are our two cats, which says a lot!), reliability and kindness--not to mention the lack of judgment, which is critical in a time where you're already hard on yourself. We purchased a combo of overnights and day shifts, and at this point in baby's life, there aren't many other people we'd trust to take care of her for such long periods of time! We are grateful for her role in the early days of parenthood.

Having Rachel as our doula was not only fundamental to the well-being of our pregnancy but also an…read moreincredible gift we will always cherish. From the start, Rachel's demeanor aligned perfectly with ours. She was very knowledgeable, informative, and easy to talk to. As the carrying parent, I had many questions that Rachel was able to explain in detail thanks to her years of experience in the field and her ability to navigate the different settings in which a person can labor, including the birth center of our choice. Knowing she would be there to help us make important decisions and advocate on our behalf was priceless. From our first meeting, still over Zoom, I greatly appreciated her approach and how caring she was without being overbearing. When I was searching for someone to support us, it was important to me that the person had experience, understood my needs and concerns, and wasn't solely focused on taking pictures. Rachel checked all of those marks. Although she wasn't focused on photography only, her passion for the entire journey of life--from pregnancy to postpartum and beyond--can be seen through her amazing pictures as well. Her ability to capture special moments is truly incredible and artistic. Lastly, knowing that she is a professional who values and advocates for the rights of all people is the cherry on top. When I share our experience with friends, they all say: "I wish I had a doula like yours." We definitely recommend her for anyone hopping on this wild journey called parenthood.

After becoming pregnant I knew I wanted to hire a birth doula, as a death doula myself I understand…read morethe importance of having someone guide you through a transformative experience that I knew would hold many emotions. Once we met Rachel it was immediately clear we were a match, it felt like she had been in our lives forever. Rachel's extensive knowledge and thorough guidance ensured that we were well-informed about our choices at each phase of the birthing process, which brought us immense comfort and confidence. We had planned for an out-of-hospital birth but at the end of the pregnancy had to urgently schedule a C-section and Rachel was by our side the entire time, helping us navigate every decision with clarity and care. She prepared us for exactly what we could expect, slowed us down when fear was starting to take over, advocated for me in the hospital (immediate skin-to-skin with baby, supporting my husband as the nurses cared for baby, latching as quickly as possible, etc.), and ensured that either she or my husband held my hand the entire time. Beyond just her knowledge, she provided a safe space where we could express our fears openly and encouraged acknowledging all the emotions that come with becoming new parents. She did a beautiful job honoring my grief, grief in becoming a mom and the change of identity, grief in having to change our birth plan late in the pregnancy, and grief that I wouldn't have my mom with me. Rachel's soft energy and loving presence was a true anchor for us during this transformative time and when I think about the birthing experience I know it was a positive one because of Rachel. We will forever cherish the photos she took, as they capture so much of the emotion and love.

I found Meg on a website of doulas that serve Whidbey Island. After reading every website for the…read moredoulas on the list, I bookmarked Meg because I felt she seemed open, warm, accepting, and knowledgeable. I didn't contact her right away because I was only a few months pregnant at the time. Over the following month, I talked with several friends about their birth experience and two told me how much they loved their doula. Turns out those two friends had Meg! Both friends had nothing but amazing things to say about Meg so it felt kismet, and I emailed her right away. Upon meeting her it was clear that I wanted Meg involved in my birth. She was so soothing, respectful, understanding, and personable. Meg helped us prepare for birth and taught us all we needed to know before going into labor. Meg counseled me through decisions I had to make and helped me think through every single option. I appreciated that Meg holds NO judgement about ANY decision. She's on your team. No agenda - She shares the facts and allows you to make the decision. I am so grateful to Meg. My birth ended up taking a tough turn, and I had an emergency c-section under general anesthesia. Meg was there to meet my baby with my partner. She supported him as he worried about me and as he held our newborn for the first time. When I finally got to meet my son, Meg immediately latched him on and listened to me as I sobbed. Meg will always be a special part of our birth story. I wholeheartedly recommend Meg. She is a phenomenal doula.

Giving birth with Meg by my side as our Doula was absolutely amazing. I 100% attribute her and her…read moreskills to me being able to achieve my natural birth goals. I couldnt have done it without her. Her calm energy and knowledge was incredibly reassuring. I also was so impressed with her knowledge and ability to navigate the entire birth, she really is gifted as a Doula. A very special thanks to Meg!