Jennie & Ted
In preparing for the birth of our first child, we didn't know what to expect but we did know we needed a third party to help us achieve our goal birth. We wanted someone who had been through the process before who could support us, encourage us, and be a positive guide. Choosing Michelle as our doula provided us with that experience and more.
Michelle was cheerful and supportive. She was exactly the calming influence that we needed and wanted! We chose hypnosis birth (Hypnobabies) and Michelle provided expert support both to me as the birthing mother and also to my husband, encouraging him by providing suggestions to support me and increase my comfort. She knew that we wanted the birth to be a happy experience and she did everything she could to make that dream a reality.
Michelle was also knowledgeable. She provided a sounding board for our birth plan and helped us prepare the final plan. The birth rehearsal was informative and helped us with those last minute pre-birth jitters. During the labor, when we ended up deviating from our birth plan, Michelle was helpful in assisting us with sorting out the various options and adjusting our hopes and goals to meet them. She also was helpful in providing suggestions for birthing positions and comfort management that we would have not known without her. In these respects, she was a great complement to the hospital staff and offered more one on one attention than we would have otherwise had access to.
To say Michelle went above and beyond is a gross understatement. Our labor ended up being much longer than expected - 37 hours and 3 hours of pushing!!! - and it was Thanksgiving on top of it all. Michelle never once complained and was attentive, supportive, and just AMAZING through it all! I can honestly say that I would not have achieved my goal of a vaginal delivery without Michelle's unwavering support and strength. There is a calmness in her voice, a peace in her face, and a kindness to her smile that makes her seem like an angel.
We are forever grateful to Michelle for her help in bringing our baby boy into this world. If you're searching for a doula who will be supportive, positive, and knowledgeable - you have found her!
Emily
I am extremely satisfied with Michelle's services. Being a first time mom I didn't quite know what to expect in the delivery room, but having an educated, sweet, cheerful, resourceful doula there made me keep calm, as if I had nothing to worry about. Michelle was there for us from the very start. She helped us with our Birth Plan. She even took time to teach my husband how to apply counter pressure on my back when labor would start (thank you!!). She also taught him to massage the tense areas of my body (double thanks!!!). She came to the delivery room with her doula bag, refreshed and ready for labor. She makes the whole atmosphere in the birthing room extremely pleasant. She is great support for husbands as well! When my husband was tired, Michelle was still by our side; if he needed food or water, she was prepared. And she came to check up on us a couple weeks after our birth, just to make sure everything was going great! My birth would not have been the same if it weren't for Michelle. I recommend Michelle to anyone expecting.
Randy
Michelle is a great helper and supporter of a mom-about-to-be. She is the voice of calm and encouragement and doing-right-now-what's-most-important-to-do-right-now, before and during labor and delivery. What dads can't functionally do, and what doctors don't have time for, she's dedicated 100% to. A little money for a lot of peace.
Casey
Michelle was my Doula for my second pregnancy and she far exceeded my expectations! I called her when my water broke at 11 pm and she was ready immediately complete with scented candles, snacks and massage oils. My labor was about 5 hours and pretty intense but Michelle really helped me relax and remember to breathe instead of tensing up like I had done with our first child. My husband was so proud of me and he was so much more relaxed and confident too. She was there when I needed her most and was like part of our family.
Michelle has the gift of being gentle but strong at the same time. She is flexible and will listen to you. Michelle is supportive of your choices and is a great advocate. (Sometimes nurses and doctors don't listen). She was there for our family every step of the way. I would not hesitate to call her again to be our Doula if we have a third child.
Thank You, Michelle!
Ben & Bonita
Bonita
As a physician who has done obstetrics in the past, I have participated in my fair share of deliveries. However, Michelle taught me so much more through our time working together. From the beginning, she helped me prepare mentally for the delivery, by helping us formulate a birthplan. The latter was very useful for us, with regards to my preferences on the right mood in our delivery room, and as a result, the tone in our delivery room was exactly how I envisioned it - relaxing and cozy. She also helped prepare my husband both before our delivery date, and during the delivery. Together, they helped me through labor using things that helped me relax, such as massages, different laboring positions to help with my pain, breathing and relaxation techniques, etc. Postpartum, Michelle helped us adjust to our new role as parents. She helped me with breastfeeding as well, which was invaluable. Despite my formal training as a physician regarding obstetrical and pediatric care, Michelle is a treasure chest of practical knowledge. She made our delivery and immediate postpartum period an amazing experience. To top it off, she memorialized it by the birth story that she wrote for us afterwards. In my opinion, it is better than the pictures we have of the labor room - it is so touching and worth so much to us. Thank you, Michelle!Ben
Michelle is a fantastic doula. I think Michelle helped me take care of my wife by helping me read her. I like to joke around a lot and she helped me know when it was time to get serious. More importantly though, Michelle is compassionate and a really lovely person. She was supportive, gave us really useful information, and was really accessible. I would recommend her as a doula for anyone. Dana
When Michelle initially brought up the idea of being my doula for Joshua's birth, I thought about it and said, "Okay, but I might just ignore you the whole time." I didn't realize then how important she would be during my labor! She ended up being the perfect "complement" to the other support I had during the labor. My midwife and her assistant were there to safely deliver the baby and monitor my progress. My husband was able to be there to fill out paperwork, fill up the birth tub, and be a comfort to me. Michelle became my "coach" during labor....encouraging me, letting me hold onto her through contractions, guiding me through relaxation techniques, etc. I really depended on her!!
In my other labors, I had depended more on my husband to help me through the pain of labor. However, having Michelle there was great because I think it took some pressure off of my husband. She was more knowledgeable than he is about the phases of labor (for example, when I was puking she encouraged me that that meant I was in "transition" and making progress, whereas my husband wouldn't have known that) and I think that really helped me to keep looking forward. So she was able to guide me along, and my husband was able to encourage me, hold me, and comfort me. I also benefited from two support people (Michelle and my husband), because someone was always there when I needed them.
In this delivery, I was more focused and relaxed then I was during my other labors, and once I was in active labor, I progressed more quickly than in my other labors. Michelle's help, I think, was key in making that happen. She was very much a kind and helpful "servant" (doula means "slave" right?) during labor. I never felt hesitant to ask for her help, whether I needed a drink, snack, massage, verbal guidance, someone to hold onto, etc. She was always quick to respond, and very attentive.
I was so blessed by Joshua's birth. My husband and I were together able to welcome Joshua into this world, I had great medical help from the birth center staff, and my emotional/physical needs during labor were attended to by Michelle. If I ever give birth again, I would definitely want Michelle, or a doula who could equal her, to be there for me!!
