How can I thank you Chris for the sense of confidence you gave us going into the birth of our 2nd…read morechild. Your knowledge base and calm manner was so helpful. You were constantly available to answer questions, make suggestions and just be there with a loving word or touch. You seemed to be ready at any moment to devote all your time and attention to our specific needs. Your positivity and authenticity made a big difference in the challenging moments. You were so attentive to our oldest daughter, respectful of our home environment and helped my husband stay relaxed as well. Chris, you seemed to really understand my preferences and you were so supportive of my decisions. I wish you had been there for my first delivery! You really made a difference this time. I can honestly say I would highly recommend your services to anyone who is expecting, or who has recently given birth. Thank you so much, from the bottom of our grateful hearts! ~Aimee Palmer

From the owner: Childbirth education is focused on the most current, evidence based information so you have the…read moreknowledge and confidence you need as you approach your birth. Classes are offered at a variety of times and formats to fit your needs, including private lessons. Mother's Friend Birthing Services specializes in making the day you have your baby completely amazing. Choose birth doula support and benefit from the use of relaxation, helpful positioning, and emotional and informational support. You will feel empowered and be more satisfied with your birth experience. Postpartum doula services are geared toward making your transition to having a new baby easier and more enjoyable and satisfying. Call today, consultations are always free and no obligation.

Sarah was an absolute asset to my birth experience. This pregnancy was as a surrogate, which…read morerequired me to give birth in a hospital, so I knew I needed a coach and an advocate. My first and only other birth of my daughter, was attended by 2 midwives at home and was the best day of my life. So, I hired Sarah and Charli for their doula services and was comfortable with either attending, just happy I knew them and they understood me and my birth plan. Sarah showed up at our house right when the contractions kicked in. She guided me through them and made the call when it was time to walk to Providence Hospital. Along with my husband riding our cargo bucket bike and 9-year old daughter walking with me, we walked the 1/2 mile to the hospital, stopping every minute or two for me to lean against her and have a contraction. She provided me with shelter and guidance. When we got to the hospital, I was taken up to the birth center and learned I was 5 cm dilated and felt a sense of accomplishment. The final 5 occurred over 3 hours between the tub and the yoga ball in the bathroom. Sarah was my crutch during the hardest ones. My family doctor, who knew my birth plan well, showed up and they, along with the nurses, worked together to let me know it was time to get on the bed and push. I squatted in reverse on the bed, holding tight to the railings. With every push, I could feel baby Penelope make her way through the birth canal, with intense pressure. I asked Sarah to guide me through the ring of fire so I wouldn't tear. We took it slow, allowing the head to crown, stop, head halfway out and back in, stop, head out, stop, shoulder out, stop, arm out, stop and then her body fell gracefully to the bed between my legs. I scooped her up, the nurses helped me untangle from the cord so I could turn around and sit with her. They toweled Penelope off, I scooted over and her new mama came over crying and sat next to me and I got to hand over the most beautiful thing in the world to the person who had wanted her most. I looked up at the room and everyone was smiling and taking in the moment, including Sarah. This was the most magical day of my life. I can't recommend her and Charli enough. Having a doula or midwife is a serious luxury in giving birth and I also attribute my fast recovery (casually walking and biking within a week) to them. I needed no epidural, emergency treatments or stitches.

I've worked alongside Hearth & Home midwifery as a birth photographer, so I've gotten to witness…read moretheir approach to client care from a different perspective and it's hard to put into words the attention and tenderness they give to a laboring woman (so you should definitely look at these pictures!) I had the honor of documenting their work as midwives, their gentle touch, their commitment to asking for consent every time they have to check the heartbeat, their quick thinking in moments of uncertainty, their competency and their overall gentle nature and amazing personalities. It's important to consider all of these things when inviting somebody into your birth space and especially when choosing a provider to help you bring your baby earthside. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anybody considering a homebirth. And I can't wait to work with them again!

I received exceptional customer service from the nice owner/manager of YourWaterBirth.com. She was…read morekind, courteous, professional, and spent about 15-20 minutes on the phone with me answering all the questions I had about birth pools and accessories. She indicated that she's been in this business for over 13 years and this made me feel confident in her knowledge about what kind of pool to purchase, what specific accessories we needed (and what we didn't really need), and other things I asked about. The website is very detailed and I find the Water Birth FAQs and the Birth Pool Comparison chart particularly helpful. I highly recommend checking out their website or calling to chat with the individuals at this great company!

From the owner: Your Water Birth .com sells natural childbirth products and specializes in water birth pools and…read moreaccessories. There is an extensive midwifery directory and midwives can create custom water birth and childbirth kits for their clients. Orders are processed and shipped typically in 1 - 2 business days.

I recently delivered here and will never deliver anywhere else. I had my first daughter at Kadlec…read more(unmedicated) 19mos ago and can say hands down that my experience at the birth center was 1000x better. Prenatal care at CBC: I loved being able to have such well rounded holistic care during my pregnancy,  I transfered my care from APW at 28 wks. I was always greeted by a friendly face, never rushed out and had all of my questions answered. Labs, urine tests and weight were completed just like at APW.  Kristin was always so thorough and at that first visit I was surprised with how much I was asked about things rather than my pregnancy. She always took time to make sure my needs were met. She showed me hip stretches, chatted with me about my PPD history and helped me make a plan for that if it happened again, as well as reviewed my vitamins and nutrition. She really made me feel so supported. After recovering from COVID Kristin and Midwife Jen were quick to get me in for follow up ultrasounds and visits to ensure baby and placenta were healthy. On Call experiences: I used the on call service a couple of times for concerns during my pregnancy and was so pleased that I was able to quickly talk to a Midwife and get the answers I needed instead of having to wait to hear back from an electronic message. L&D: My water broke in the morning and I was swiftly looked at to confirm that it had broken. Contractions hadn't started so I was sent home with instructions for a castor oil cocktail. I got calls from Midwives Kristin and Jen throughout the day to check in on me. Once I felt like it was time to go into the birth center I called Jen the Midwife to let her know I was headed in. We arrived to the door being held open for us and the tub ready to go! (Thank you front desk Jen for saving the day with getting the tub prepped!) The birthing rooms are gorgeous! And I loved having th option to birth in the tub. Everyone was so calm and comforting during my labor and delivery! Midwife Jen was so reassuring and made me feel so comfortable. After delivery baby and I rested in the cozy bed while Jen, Cynthia and the Birth Assistant tended to me and baby. Once we met the criteria we went home (5h later)! Postpartum: The postpartum support alone is one of the reasons why you should deliver here. We were visited by MW Jen the next day and it felt so nice to not have to leave the house. Since my delivery I have had Cynthia come to my home to help with breastfeeding, had multiple phone call check ins and an couple of office visits, I couldn't be happier with the quality of care I have received. And best part was my husband was also supported  unlike our first delivery experience at Kadlec. If I can help it, I don't think I will ever deliver in the hospital again.

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.

Gaby (wife): Mary-Jo…read morewas a crucial part of our birth team. From my prenatals, labor and delivery (most especially), and postpartum, she's brought such peace throughout the whole process. Mary-Jo really understood my husband and I and helped guide us towards the priorities for the kind of birth we really wanted to have. During labor and delivery, wow oh wow, I could NOT have done that without her by my side. All of her encouragement, guidance, empowering and calming words, and comforting actions helped me all throughout early and active labor, and especially the transition phase when I was birthing my baby. She was monumental in this whole process and we wouldn't have had the comforting, safe, secure, and peaceful delivery we had if it wasn't for her. My husband and I are immensely glad we chose her as our doula. It's a decision we will always treasure. Thank God you were our doula, Mary-Jo! Mark (husband): Husbands, get Mary-Jo as your doula for your wife, period. If you want to support your wife 100% emotionally, physically, spiritually, get a doula and make sure to get Mary-Jo. Yes, be there for your wife and serve her with all that you can throughout the pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum. But honestly though, us dudes can only support our wives so much. In my experience, there's a certain point where you've done all that you can, but your wife just needs another woman's support that you just can't provide as a man. That's where Mary-Jo steps in; she'll provide that holistic support for your wife that only a doula can bring. My wife and I had a traumatic experience in our first pregnancy when we tried to do it all on our own without a doula. Now with our second child, we had Mary-Jo and she made a world of a difference bringing such peaceful guidance and security for my wife and I. Bottom line, get Mary-Jo, you and your wife will be so grateful you did. Trust me.

When I first decided I wanted to hire a doula I assumed I would have a hard time finding a doula…read morethat would be on board with our desire to Free Birth. Not only was Mary-Jo so supportive of our choice, she was well educated on free birth and provided us with support and encouragement throughout the end of my pregnancy and offered us so many great resources of information! Mary-Jo was such a light in the stressful last weeks of my pregnancy and offered me so much encouragement. We had a dream free birth at home and couldn't have done it without her support!