Birth Doula Testimonials
(Scroll to find testimonials for our other offerings)
“We felt like there was a good connection made between us from the time we met. Laura was always there to answer questions and take calls no matter what we wanted to know. Sometimes we were nervous or uncertain, and quick conversation with her helped bring clarity. She helped us think through things we didn't know we needed to think through. Even though Joey's birth was anything but "normal", Laura was with us the whole way, giving advice and support the whole time that reassured us. The most comforting part of having Laura involved in Joey's birth was that she felt more like a relative than just a doula. We felt more comfortable asking her for guidance than others on our team, and always helped us feel confident that we were making the most informed decisions we could. Going into it, we were unfamiliar with doulas and didn't know if we needed one. Looking back, it was one of the best things about the experience. We would recommend Laura to anyone having a baby, at home or otherwise.”
Beth P.
“Kelsey is nothing short of amazing. I decided to have her as our doula for my third baby because I was concerned my voice wouldn’t be heard during a hospital birth. It was important to me that my birth plan vision was implemented especially since I knew it would be my last pregnancy. She advocated for me during the entire delivery and made sure all my needs and wishes were met. There were a lot of moments when she was the only reason that I felt calm and in control. Having her wealth of knowledge allowed me to trust my body to do the next right thing and remember the strength I had inside me. She was a guiding light for me, someone I trusted and could turn to when things felt especially difficult. I am so thankful she was a part of my beautiful journey of bringing my last baby into the world.”
Kate B.
“We were incredibly fortunate to have Laura by our side the day our daughter was born (but also the months leading up to the birth when we took walks together and asked her a bunch of questions!) We had a homebirth with a midwifery team and Laura complemented this care beautifully. She came over in early labor and helped us navigate the emotions, rhythms, and intensity of the next 30 hours. She made sure we ate nourishing foods, took walks outside, changed laboring positions, and utilized all the techniques for pain control we had talked about but had surely forgotten in the moment. She knew just when and where to offer physical support, pressing on my back during my contractions. Labor is a blur but I remember crying out “back!” during contractions and Laura giving just the right amount of pressure each time to help me through.
She was an excellent advocate and offered so much empathy and compassion to me as a new mother. Any laboring woman and their partner would be so lucky to have Laura by their sides! We can’t recommend her doula services enough.
I really admire Laura as a mother and have been very inspired by the way she and her husband thoughtfully raise their three children. I couldn’t have imagined a better person to be my guide as I entered the new world of motherhood. “
Lauren J.
“As first time parents, having Kelsey support my husband and I before, throughout, and after our birth was instrumental in having a positive birthing experience. Leading up to the birth, Kelsey educated us on the birthing process, helped us create a birthing plan, identified our priorities and fears, and helped us set expectations for after the baby arrived. During the birthing process, Kelsey provided a calming and supportive presence that helped set the tone for the room. She did a great job balancing providing education and support about different birthing positions and medication options, while allowing me to be the primary person to talk to the medical team and make decisions that felt right for me. My husband was feeling nervous about the hospital environment and the birthing process, and Kelsey was able to take the pressure off of him by supporting my needs throughout the birth and giving him practical tasks to feel helpful, all while providing emotional support to both of us. After our baby was born, Kelsey was so helpful in giving tips for breastfeeding and providing us with information on helpful healing products for me and baby products to help us transition home with a newborn. My husband and I both felt so supported throughout the entire process as the care Kelsey provided was individualized to our specific needs. Kelsey made such an impact on our first birth and we will definitely be using her for future births!”
India B.
I’m so glad we asked Laura to assist in Fredrik’s birth! Her calm, grounded demeanor shaped not only the long journey of labor, but also our whole mindset as we moved through late pregnancy. Whenever I was struck by fear (first time mom here!), I could look to Laura and the fear would transform into trust and magic. Laura quietly nurtured the spiritual, internal space necessary for me to engage in the depths of birthing, and I knew without looking that I had but to speak a need and she would be there. And boy were her arms tested by those hours of counter pressure! From education to encouragement, physical presence to personal connection, we felt completely supported and joyful to have Laura as part of our team. We are so grateful she was there to help shape the first moments of our child’s life.
Abigail W.
“I knew early on that Laura was going to be a trusted guide while we navigated this exciting but challenging life event. As the husband and this being our first child, I was naturally nervous and unsure about what to expect during labor and delivery. However, Laura’s calm and reassuring presence helped me to feel more confident and prepared for the journey ahead. She was incredibly knowledgeable and provided us with a wealth of information about the strategies and decisions we were going to need to make, which was invaluable in helping me understand how I could best support my wife.
We felt as prepared as we could be after finalizing our birth plan, well before my wife’s induction. She helped us to prepare for labor and delivery by teaching us techniques to manage pain and stay calm under the building pressure. The labor was 30+ hours but Laura was there for us every step of the way. Throughout the labor process, Laura was a constant source of support and encouragement, helping my wife find comfortable positions, encouraging walks, hydration and reasoning us through each decision as we arrived at each inflection point, like the epidural timing and when we reached a wall during the push.
During labor and delivery, Laura was a true rock for us. She helped my wife to stay focused and calm and provided her with the physical and emotional support she needed to get through each contraction. As the husband, it was so reassuring to have Laura’s experience that I could take cues from, and it allowed me to focus on being present and supportive for my wife.
Nearing the end and hitting a wall during the pushing process, the doctor determined it was best for us to make a choice between a C-section or try the vacuum (which would end in a C-section if that didn’t work). My wife was exhausted, and I was delirious, but Laura efficiently walked us through the pros and cons of our options which gave us confidence to choose the path that worked best for us.
Our experience with Laura was nothing short of amazing. Laura’s compassionate and knowledgeable approach helped us to feel more confident and capable as new parents. I am so grateful for her presence during this transformative time in our lives. She is an incredible source of support and guidance, and I would highly recommend her to any family looking for a doula who is compassionate, knowledgeable, and truly committed to helping them achieve the birth experience they desire!”
Nathan O.
“As first time parents, we had no idea what to expect during labor and delivery. We had taken the hospital birth classes and spent hours researching different birth and pain management techniques, but we still felt unprepared. Having Laura as our doula helped to put our minds at ease and allowed us to enjoy the time leading up to and during the birth of our daughter.
Laura was with us every step of the way. From the beginning, she listened to our goals for labor and provided resources for us while we were developing a birth plan. She was always available to answer calls and texts, provided me with detailed questions to discuss with my OBGYN, and helped my husband and I develop our birth plan.
Going into the hospital for an induction, we knew that my labor could take a long time. Despite the long hours, Laura stayed with us and worked extremely well with the healthcare providers at the hospital. She walked the halls with us to help progress labor, happily ran to the cafeteria for refreshments to keep my and my husband’s energy up, and reassured us when we weren’t sure what was normal. When my labor stalled, Laura quickly sprung to action and helped me with different positions and movements to safely progress my labor and get to the pushing stage. She also taught my husband different massage techniques and did an excellent job of stepping in when needed while not overshadowing my husband or taking anything away from his role as my primary support person.
When we were faced with the choice of a vacuum assisted delivery or cesarian section, neither of which were part of my birth plan, Laura helped to keep us calm and provided support in choosing what was right for our family while quickly thinking through and identifying all options. This allowed us to confidently move forward and to still have a wonderful birth experience despite the change to our original plan. Laura also managed to capture photos and videos for us immediately after the birth which have become treasured memories.
Even though our birth didn’t go exactly as planned, it was a wonderful experience thanks to Laura’s knowledge and calm positive energy. Laura supported and empowered me, and did the same for my husband. I felt like I had the perfect team by my side and would recommend Laura to anybody!”
Jessica O.
“Laura is such a peaceful and empowering presence in a birth room. She has the intuition and humility to recognize the support needs and meet them, no matter what they are. The energetic power of a doula should never be underestimated. Birth can be an overwhelming physical and emotional experience. Having Laura in the room—a completely calm spirit and fully initiated birthing mother herself—helps you believe in your own power and stay rooted in it when you reach the point that you need it most.”
AmaJean S.
Testimonials for our Other Offerings
"Last winter, Kelsey held a mother blessing for me in anticipation of the arrival of my son. Every aspect of the blessing felt supportive, intentional, and incredibly grounding. Kelsey has such a gift for making others feel at ease, whether they are lifelong friends or meeting for the first time. The blessing was one of the biggest gifts and most special times of my pregnancy because it allowed me to be present with all of my pre-delivery feelings and talk about them with my closest friends. There was space to talk about joys, anxieties, hopes -- everything! This open discussion with the women in my life that I trust the most allowed me to feel validated -- such an important element of the transition into motherhood. I left the blessing feeling grateful, connected, and empowered, and those feelings stayed with me through the delivery process and after. I could not recommend this experience enough!"
Beth C.
"I am so thankful my husband and I did the Navigating Birth Deep Dive with Kelsey! We were on multiple calls with her during which she was incredibly patient, kind, and supportive. She answered all of our questions with very thoughtful and educational answers. My husband is a doctor and he kept talking about how helpful our calls with Kelsey were and how he wished this information was taught to doctors for them to better support their patients. Kelsey was able to make me feel so much less nervous. Things that she shared greatly helped me stay grounded the day of and feel prepared for what was to come. I highly highly recommend having Kelsey's support if you're going through pregnancy and birth!"
Raphi W.
Kelsey held a beautiful Mother Blessing ritual for me before the birth of my first child in 2016. It will forever live in my memory as one of the most loving and supportive experiences of my entire life. Kelsey created a beautiful container for my friends and family to offer me love, words of wisdom, adornment, and validation as I entered this new and anxiety provoking time of my life. During the ritual, everyone created a beautiful wall hanging to leave me with to remind me their love and support. Kelsey designed the whole experience based on my preferences and guest list and took care of everything else! My cup was filled to overflowing and I firmly believe everyone should experience a ritual like this from Kelsey if they get the chance whether for a mother blessing, bridal blessing, birthday, or any rite of passage.
Krystel M.
"I have known Kelsey for over a decade and have participated in a number of blessing rituals that she has facilitated, including my own. She has a sweet, nurturing presence along with a natural ease within transition times that has given me great comfort. She is deeply wise and confident along with being a colorful, playful, and fun person. Kelsey was attuned to my needs and experience during my pregnancy and postpartum experience. She was intuitive about when to check in with me - seeming to know exactly when to offer support and when to listen. A lot of what she has shared with me has turned into little nugget touchstones for me as a mother.”
Whitney O.