Doula of Mine

Dana was the doula for our first born in Dec 2012. I was hoping for a natural birth mainly because I didnt like the effects of medication and wanted to try for what could be the safest possible for my daughter. At the same time, I was flexible given things always change.
We had met with two other doulas prior to meeting her. They all have different styles and I would say that we were the most comfortable with Dana. She was down to earth, flexible, not judgmental yet armed with a wealth of knowledge. It helped to know she was on my side and not necessarily pushing any specific agenda rather than to support us. My husband was initially uneasy about having «someone else» at the birth but once she educated us about what her role would be, he felt immediately comfortable.
She met with us for two pre-​natal visits. She talked us through various things, helped me think through many things and they were mostly relaxing and informative. It was fun to have these hour plus long sessions with her preparing for our birth, which is very different from the 10 minute appointments you get with your OB.
When labor began, I timed everything and was certain it was time to go to the hospital. I called Dana and informed her of my plans. She listened to my breathing and expressed that I was not in active labor yet. I was pretty stubborn, still wanted to go, but she told me there was a chance I would be too early and they would ask me to go home. She convinced me that she should come over and access things. She showed up 30 minutes later and one look at me and she knew I wasn’t there yet. I guess timing isn’t everything. She stayed with me through the evening as things progressed and the pain started to get more and more intense. She did some serious hip massage (and taught my husband!) that gave me amazing relief. Everything a contraction came, she worked her magic. That alone, was worth it. Once I felt like this was getting way serious, I wanted to head over to the hospital. She didn’t think I would be beyond 5 cm but I insisted I was and made our way over there. She was right, I was only at 5 cm. I was devastated! We spent the next few hours laboring together. It was soooo intense but she was there to guide us and remind me of all the pain-​relief tactics along the way. So so so key especially when you don’t get a good nurse (I didn’t). I don’t know how I can ever express this but it really doesn’t matter which OB you have and what nurse (luck of the draw), and which hospital you deliver it, but what matters most is you have your partner with you and a good doula behind you. We were successful in delivering our baby naturally, and we have Dana to thank for a big part of that. She’s awesome. I will not hesitate to hire her again in the future. Please feel free to message me if you have any specific questions.

Being pregnant with a 1 year old toddler was a challenge. I didn’t have the time to attend any birthing classes to prepare myself mentally and physically. When I expressed this concern to my ob/​gyn doctor, she recommended a doula/​midwife. She provided me with contact information for four doula’s in the South Bay. I contacted all four via email and was pleased with Dana’s immediate and informative response. Unlike the others, I didn’t feel pressured to pick her. I appreciated her availability, her flexibility and her willingness to help. We initially communicated via email. She answered all my questions thoroughly and put my mind at ease. Then she met with my husband and I three times before the birth of our second child. She had already explained what the meetings were for so I had an idea on what to expect. During our meetings, my toddler interrupted numerous times. I was impressed with Dana’s demeanor which was very calm, kind and patient. I also appreciated the fact that she checked in every once in awhile during my pregnancy just to see how I was doing.
On to my birth plan. I felt strongly about natural birth. I had to be induced during my first pregnancy due to low amniotic fluid (misoprostal, Foley catheter, breaking of my water and finally pitocin) but I managed to give birth without any pain medications. Dana was open to my feedback as she wanted to make sure my personal needs were met. I felt comfortable talking to her and she didn’t make me feel insecure in any way.
When my labor first started I was having very mild contractions. I sent Dana a text message to give her a heads up (I was 2 days past my due date at that point). The next day the contractions were a little stronger and more consistent. Finally that night, we went to the hospital. I waited until the doctor checked me before I called Dana. They confirmed I was dilated 6 cm and I called Dana at ~2:45am. She answered the phone nicely (I felt bad for waking her) and she was at the hospital within 20 minutes! Let me just say, she was awesome. Although we didn’t use any of the toys in her bag (she has a lot of tricks), she helped me tremendously by using pressure techniques and her verbal coaching. She kindly made suggestions and she knew exactly how to «handle» my personality type. She is a real people person with an amazing talent to work with people. :) My baby boy was born at 7:52am and she left the delivery room within minutes to give us privacy and allow us to bond. Thank you Dana for all that you did for us!

Dana was the doula for my daughter’s birth and we thought she was fantastic– extremely helpful and thoughtful. My hope was to have an epidural-​free birth and to that end I was well-​versed in both Bradley and Hypnobabies. Dana learned about both in order to be able to help me better.
Prior to labor, Dana met with us several times to show us techniques and go over our birth plan. Even though I’m a research junkie, she knew additional information I was unaware of that helped smooth the way. When it turned out that I would need prostaglandins to get things going, she was very supportive and encouraging about trying to remain positive and stick with my birth plan in spite of my fear that I would need additional unwanted interventions.
During labor, Dana came up with techniques to help ease the difficulty and encouraged me to keep going. When, toward the end, I couldn’t stick with my plan due to the intensity of labor, she was supportive and nonjudgmental about the change in plan. The last thing you want in labor is to feel like you have to take care of the people taking care of you. Dana’s warm demeanor and calmness allowed me to just focus on myself. Her presence allowed my husband several much-​needed breaks. She truly wanted my husband and I to have the experience we wanted for ourselves, and tried her best to help us have it.
No matter what your birth plan, we strongly recommend you meet with Dana to see if she might be a good fit. We were lucky to have had her help.

If you are looking for a doula who is incredibly knowledgeable, extremely organized, and in love with her chosen profession, Dana is your woman. She comes with all the formal training you will want in your doula, which is very important when you find yourself wanting to turn to her for a second opinion in addition to what doctors and/​or nurses are advising. Dana is amazingly attentive to detail, a trait which serves her AND her clients very well, as it is so easy for expecting moms to forget important details! Finally, Dana is supremely calming and compassionate – an absolute must during the high stress of labor. Dana helped me through my second birth, and I can’t say enough good things about the entire experience. My husband and I looked to Dana for direction and guidance, and she was even able to help us avoid an intervention that the nurses were pushing for so that I could have the completely natural birth I was hoping to have. Dana is a fantastic doula, and I highly recommend her.