About a year ago, I had no idea what a doula was. When my wife said that she wanted to hire one to…read morehelp during pregnancy and delivery, I instinctively said yes because I'm no fool and a pregnant wife gets what she wants. Later that night, I quietly Googled it... Guys - think personal quarterback mechanics coach. Rebecca was referred to us from a friend who had used her services for her own pregnancy just a few months earlier. My wife scheduled a meeting and Rebecca arrived on-time, very prepared and very knowledgeable. She discussed her methodology and services and answered our questions. She encouraged us to think about it before making a decision about whether or not she was the right doula for us. She was not pushy at all, and never passed judgement on our birth plan. (I was pro-nitrous because I wanted some for myself.) Seriously though, she's so Zen/calm that it's contagious. Because we felt such a strong connection with her, we hired her. Honestly, we probably could have chased after her in the driveway because it didn't take long to know we had found an amazing, caring resource that we NEEDED to help us in our journey. With Rebecca at our side, we always felt prepared. When things came up, we knew we could rely on her to help us with experienced guidance and research. "Let me send you an article on that..." was probably the most common phrase to come out of her mouth. (Mostly because I apparently wasn't doing enough reading/researching on my own.) Even when things veered as far as possible from our birth plan, Rebecca helped us in ways that we never expected, especially in extraordinary ways that were beyond what she was obligated to do. She helped keep us calm and sane in a time when fear could have easily gotten the better of us. I can't imagine the birth of our daughter without Rebecca being there. And if you're reading this review, you are probably searching for a doula to assist with your pregnancy. Congratulations - you found the best.

We had such a wonderful experience with Rebecca. I have a medical background so having a doula…read morethat was well versed in evidence based birthing practices was essential. For every decision that we were going to face in the birth process, Rebecca presented us with all options and research to back them up, letting us decide what was in our best interest. My favorite part of our pre-birth doula visits with Rebecca was the emotional support that she provided. Most often, the visits ended up being a somewhat therapy session around our excitement, anxiety and fears about childbirth. We always left feeling informed and confident. As sometimes happens, our birth plan went in the complete opposite direction as we had expected and having Rebecca guide us through the process kept our (or my) anxiety at ease. She then helped me process my birth experience, something I didn't really realize that I would need. I also had Rebecca process and encapsulate my placenta which I'd highly recommend! I had no idea there were so many ways that placenta capsules could be beneficial in my postpartum journey. One last bonus - Rebecca took some of the most beautiful pictures of our birth day. I hadn't originally wanted any pictures but I'm so happy that I have them now.

Valerie was awsome! Very knowledgable as well as supportive and compassionate attitude for any…read morestyle of birthing a family chooses. (A lot of classes tend towards either pro hospital or pro non-hospital). She shares lots of good information to help families achieve natural birth or the most comfortable experience possible for your situation. The comfort messure practices were amazing... cant wait to keep practicing some of these at home! I highly recomend this class no matter what situation/ birthing choices or prefrences. Thanks Valerie!

From the owner: I am a Certified Childbirth Educator, teaching Birth Boot Camp classes near Salem, Newberg, and…read moreMcMinnville, OR. My childbirth classes are designed to prepare couples for labor, delivery, breastfeeding and newborn care. Class topics include the process of labor and birth, relaxation techniques, comfort measures, labor rehearsal, birth plans, avoiding and coping with pain naturally, navigating interventions, C-sections, and VBAC. It is my privilege to support couples throughout pregnancy, birth and beyond.

My husband and I recently had a baby born at the Bridge Birth Center via a surrogate and we have to…read moresay the team of midwives at the Bridge were terrific. They are highly skilled and knowledgeable, caring and compassionate. Shout out to Lynette and her team of midwives. It was a pleasure working with everyone. The facility itself is very sanitary and tidy, calming and peaceful - just what you would want during labor and when you're cuddling with your newborn after delivery. We would highly recommend the Bridge Birth Center!

Lanette is an amazing birth coach and midwife. She is thorough, educated, and respectful. I…read moreappreciated being educated and then given space to make my own informed decision. I'm so thankful for her and others on my birth team. I can't imagine what this process would have been like with out her!

Wildwood was on a list of recommended doulas from my OB and it was really important to me in…read moreselecting someone to work with that they had worked with our practice and in our delivery hospital before. We interviewed two doulas and I was honestly very torn because I really liked them both for different reasons. Heidi had such a calming presence even through zoom and I knew deep down that would be exactly what I needed. Little did I know at the time my seemingly low risk pregnancy would take some interesting turns. I don't know what I would have done without her constant reassurance. I ended up in the midst of a multiple day induction that picked up incredibly quickly when they broke my water. We had been in communication with Heidi throughout the weeks leading up to my induction and she got to the hospital very quickly when we let her know they had broken my water. Just as i suspected she was the calm in the storm, not just for myself but my husband as well. She took some photos for us of those initial moments together and made sure I got my lusted for post delivery meal before leaving us to get some rest. She stayed in close contact over the next few days while we dealt with a 72 hour hospital stay, a readmittance scare, and struggles with feedings. We had a lovely postpartum visit at our home when things calmed down and it warmed my heart so much to see her hold our son. She advocated for me during labor when I wasn't in the mindset to do so myself and made me feel so supported and safe. I've recommended Heidi and wildwood to everyone I know who has gotten pregnant since my delivery. They are truly such an amazing and supportive group.

We had the privilege to have three different Wildwood Birth doulas: Kim, Zoe, and Kelsey and took…read moreWildwood's birth education course. Kim was our birth doula she supported me in pregnancy, labor, and birth. The birth experience is a very personal thing and we felt incredibly comfortable with her throughout the entire process. I only ever felt supported by Kim and that she had my best interest at heart. My husband had concerns that having a doula would be distracting for him, however looking back he said that that couldn't have been less true he was thankful for Kim and the support he provided for him too. Zoe was our day time postpartum and we were so thankful to have her there in those essential first weeks. Zoe not only took excellent care of our baby, but she checked in on our physical and mental health. She really was making sure everyone was doing well. I felt comfortable asking her all sorts of questions and she showed us how to give our baby their first bath! Kelsey was our night time postpartum doula, it's a strange feeling leaving your baby with someone overnight and you going to sleep, but from the moment I met Kelsey I knew she would look out for my baby and do what's best for him. As a mom who had a journey with breastfeeding, pumping, formula Kelsey was always coming up with a plan for how I could do what I needed to and get the most sleep. My husband and I would always say "Kelsey night!" the day she was coming because we got to sleep and we knew our baby would be taken care of - which is a rare combo in the days of a newborn. As a whole Wildwood Birth Collective was a dream to work with. The birthing course was thorough and informative and communication for all the staff was excellent. I feel that when we joined Wildwood we got not only really great doula support but gained an awesome community. Thank you Wildwood, Kim, Zoe, and Kelsey!

Robyn was our Hypnobabies instructor. We took her class before giving birth to our first child. I…read morestrongly believe it helped me reach my goal of having an unmedicated birth. The childbirth education part of the class was also really beneficial. Since having our daughter, I feel like I've met so many people who don't understand the birthing process. We felt prepared after taking Robyn's class. The Hypnobabies exercises also helped my husband and I connect before having her. Robyn also met with me for a prenatal lactation appointment. I was nervous never having breastfed before. She helped me feel more confident entering a breastfeeding journey that I truly love and value more than I ever thought possible! Furthermore, Robyn has been available to us since giving birth whenever we have questions. You're missing out if you don't use Robyn's services!

My husband and I just finished our Hypnobabies class with Robin, and I was honestly sad to see her…read moredrive away on the evening of the last class! We had such a great time with her (SO many laughs, which is really great for this anxious, first time mama) and she made the class fun and easily digestible. I would highly recommend the course to all expectant parents!

I don't know why it took me so long to write this but I suspect it has something to do with being…read morepreoccupied with a super cute tiny human that now rules my existence. I want to say thank you so much to BFD. This was my first birth, my first experience using a Doula myself, and it saved me so much anxiety and made me feel like I wasn't left to fend for myself. We had Liz H. and she was GREAT. She was everything she said she would be. She was transparent, she was supportive, she was funny and made the stress of DAYS in the hospital 1000% times better. My partner and I will be having her join our adventure of the next baby next year!

Working with Kathy McLean was the best decision we could have made for the birth of our first…read morechild. She's an invaluable resource and provided wisdom, comfort, care, understanding, positivity, and enthusiasm as she guided us through pregnancy, labor, and delivery, and helping us answer postpartum questions. She was key in making a difficult labor and delivery (sunny-side up baby) actually joyful and peaceful. She was an MVP team player -- so much so, that our OB will keep Kathy's info at her office to continue referring to folks! A doula that can be bffs with a doctor is high praise :) We will always highly recommend Kathy to anyone we know! Thank you Kathy!

I took Lori's hypnobirthing class a couple of months before my daughters birth in April, it was…read moresuch a supportive, informative class. I listened to the audio and practiced some of the techniques daily until the birth and absolutely the class and practice helped me be in a confident, calm zone for the majority of my hospital birth. I had a few minor complications that were intense for me but still having that method to utilize was an amazing help even then. I can not recommend the class more highly! I also saw Lori for prenatal massage a number of times and that was also informative, relaxing, supportive to the birth experience. So grateful for her work!

I have been to several massage therapists over the years in and around the Portland Area. Lori is…read moremy favorite. She gives the right amount of pressure, is professional and not too chatty (I like to meditate when I get a massage) and her prenatal massages are wonderful. Plus she accepts insurance at Bloom! Initially, I was going to her to reduce what I thought were tension headaches in the first trimester. I noticed the first two times when I put my head face down on the table the headache would increase. She figured out it was sinus related and recommended sinus flushing. Once I started flushing the sinuses with saline solution, relief took over. In addition, I completed Lori's "Hypnobirthing" class this past November. Our second child is due mid January. I cannot express how grateful I am that she offers this course. There are things I learned that I wish I knew four years ago when I had my first water birth. I feel well-prepared, calm, yet excited, to meet our new "hypno-water birth" baby! UPDATe: Her hypnobirthing class is exceptional. I gave birth to a healthy baby girl who weighed in just under 9 pounds. I was able to labor at home and then drive with my husband to the Alma Waterbirth Center. Birthed my baby in water within 45 minutes of arrival. Little to no pain except during crowning.

Plz forward "How to protect your family" section as many ppl as possible. Although my child went to…read moreNICU was not her fault, this was preventable by the hospital. With the impact of Labor Land, a nurse during my pushing stage stopped me from trying spinning baby techniques and pointed out that this should have been done much earlier. As soon as Prudence looked down when i looked at her with my Peripheral Vision, I realized that i missed my window of opportunities. Now i am investigating my labor thoroughly w/ my flashbulb memory & research background: I could not forget the moment Prudence "gently" looking into my eyes w/ eye-wide stare & holding her breath refusing my request for pain management when I was under extreme pain. she rejected my request multiple times. One is pain management, second and third spinning baby request. Prudence told me I had a sunnyside up baby and said something that I thought I could do the same, so I was left laying on my back. I missed the window of opportunity during early active labor when my water was still not broke. She claimed that she was taking lots of notes during my delivery, along w/ text msg & prenatal appmts, her job had been fulfilled. I hired her b/c Hospital recommended her but I didn't go with my gut feelings when i sensed something was off prior birth.. My husband and I were so considerate that I asked my husband to give up his couch for her to sleep on so she could help me soon. My husband had to ask for the couch back. She later slept on the chair doing nothing as I was waiting for her to help me with spinning baby technique. Even the lights were flickering RT side of her head (bassinet with monitor). My grandparents just passed away, I think they were trying to help me. She did help me at the end when all the nurses and doctor came into help me push. I complained about Prudence after OP. Despite my refusal, a new nurse forced me to take Tums. During the C-section, I could actually feel the medication in my stomach right before the nausea became overwhelming, the doctor gave me something, and I lost consciousness. My boundaries were ignored by medical staff while my doula coughed, stood by. Hiring her caused more problem than it should for my particular case. I complained to nurses after OP. After a night of "taking notes" & naps? she sighed when I asked for 2nd visualization & I was shaking really bad. she was already standing on my Rt side! (around a nurse visit. This experience has been reported to the hospital formally. She claimed she was happy to provide the notes months before. Recently i gave her 12 hr notice, she never reply my email. The experience left a lasting negative impact on my family. I was so nice to her & gave her extra $200, why she did this to me? It has forced me to question the inherent trustworthiness of 'seniority'. Is this the kind of treatment I got for the next generation? How to Protect Your Family: *Contract: Read your contract! if it is vague and protecting the doula, keep looking. Remember you & your partner can always attend birth classes or online tools, it might be better than hiring an observer or a potential barrier in your private room. Stop yourself when you are in a rush hiring a doula. Also, It is doula's job to mange their career burnout, NOT YOU during labor. Demand Professional Standards: Ensure they are certified and insured. Ask if they accept HSA/Credit Cards--this often indicates a higher level of professional oversight. No SSN to doula. * The "Whiteboard" Strategy: List the doula's duties for each birth stage on the room's whiteboard. Ask nurses to note the doula's activity in the medical record and effectiveness of each stage. * Real-Time Records: Require time-stamped notes to be sent to you before the doula leaves the room. If they use a phone or Google Doc, ask for a screenshot of the "Last Edited" time to ensure the record is contemporaneous. * Escalate Immediately: If the doula/nurses is not performing, do not wait. Ask the nurse supervisor for help or to record the conduct in your medical file.

I'm so grateful I had Scarlett by my side not only during my labor and delivery but during the…read moreprenatal and postpartum periods. Scarlett is a trusted advocate who from the beginning provided the perfect balance of warmth and professionalism. I sought out an unmedicated birth and Scarlett's support during the process was unmatched. She knew exactly where to be, guided me through my labor and advocated for me when I was in the thick of it. I truly believe her expertise in massage and spinning babies techniques helped put me into active labor and get me through to the transition phase in only 5 hours. Postpartum, Scarlett was such an asset whether it was debriefing my experience, providing references, or offering guidance on breastfeeding. I couldn't recommend Scarlett more!

Getting baby pics done. Sorry I don't have more info. My wife set this up. They are associated…read morewith mother me doulas and dallas birth center..getting some good pics done.

Absolutely love MothetMe Doulas! I took the birth classes and decided to hired a doula for my…read morefirst child because I was scared and nervous and knew my support system would need help too! IT WAS THE BEST INVESTMENT EVER! Our doula was 100% supportive and non-judgment with every choice made! She helped me labor at home (i had my baby within an hour of getting to the hospital !) and also through postpartum and breastfeeding. I truly would not have been able to do any of it without her knowledge, expertise and encouragement! We were truly blessed to find MotherMe Doulas! The whole team is incredible, supportive, caring and so professional. Highly recommend any and all of their Doulas, their birth, labor, breastfeeding class along with the fitness class (helps get your body ready for labor)

I can't recommend Mindful Therapy PNW enough! After years of struggling to find a good therapist, I…read morefinally feel like I'm in the right place. My therapist is still in graduate school, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but they're honestly amazing--super skilled, kind, and really easy to talk to. You'd never guess they're still in training because they seem so experienced. Before coming here, I had some bad experiences with other therapists--canceling sessions all the time and even one who just straight-up didn't show up. It was super frustrating and made me feel like my time didn't matter. That's never been an issue here. My therapist is reliable, consistent, and always makes me feel like a priority. The clinic is also just a really welcoming and comfortable place. You can tell they care about what they're doing, and it shows in the quality of the people. If you're looking for good therapy that's affordable and dependable, this is definitely the place to go! Also for me the office has a great feel, the energy is just magic.

I thought I was set up for couple's counseling with Jesse Zook Mann, but he cancelled a phone time…read morewith me, saying he needed to speak with his supervisor first. Then I got an email saying they have decided that Jesse, who is not fully accredited yet, was not, at this stage, ready to take us on. He did not respond to my email asking him why. (I should add that I looked this agency up for reviews by its employees and it did not have good scores.)