Nubia rocks! I contacted Nubia about 3 weeks before I gave birth. I was sure it was too late but she assured me that she could still help me and was willing to be flexible. Being that my first birth experience was a c-section, I explained to her how determined I was to have a VBAC. Nubia understood my frustration with my previous birth and encouraged and coached me on how to increase my chances of having a VBAC. She was always available by phone and quickly responded to my concerns and fears concerning my desired VBAC. When I naturally went into labor the day before my due date Nubia guided me through the process and arrived at my home quickly when i requested that she come. She helped me through what I believe was the toughest experience of my life. Nubia was 100% present during my labor and helped me work through the pain and decision making process while in the hospital. At the end of it all my VBAC was a success :-) and my family and I will forever be grateful to Nubia for the important role that she played.
Read MoreMichele is amazing. I've never known anyone who worked with a doula, so I was a unsure what to expect. I had two concerns first, whether I would feel comfortable with a "stranger" sharing the experience with me and my husband, and second, whether a doula would still be useful if my birth didn't go as planned and I ended up being induced, getting an epidural, or even having a c-section. My first concern was not an issue AT ALL. Michele is so warm and supportive that I immediately felt like I had known her for years. I felt like me, my husband, and Michele were all on a team and I was so comfortable with her. She made my husband feel so confident and comfortable as well, so he was able to have a huge role and we are both so happy about that. As I got closer to labor and through the delivery itself I realized how silly my second concern was. I saw that Michele provided support throughout the entire process, rather than just being there to help me reach a goal of having a certain kind of delivery. For example, my baby was breech and Michele gave us tons of information about ways to get her to turn and my options if she didn't (she did). I ended up delivering 10 days late and I was very anxious waiting for the baby to arrive and about the possibility of an induction. Michele gave me information about inductions and the questions I should be asking my doctors. Finally, Michele was in constant contact with us during over 48 hours of labor, and came to my apartment two separate times before we decided it was actually go time. Most importantly, with her support I felt like I was in control of the process. Michele gave us information I needed and was so supportive of each decision I made. Because I felt comfortable and in control the entire labor and delivery I can truly say I had an amazing birth experience.
Read MoreMy wife and I read all the books and took all the classes before the birth of our first child. We felt so prepared--and we were. We even stayed calm through the first few hours of contractions. But I don't know what we would have done without Michele once things got going for real. She arrived at our home in the middle of the night, and within minutes transformed a chaotic scene into a peaceful haven. From our home, to the cab, in various hospital waiting rooms and up through delivery, Michele did a phenomenal job of reading every situation and staying a step ahead of my wife's needs. Most importantly, she was by our side when things took a sudden, unexpected turn (unplanned cesarean). In the dizzying rush to the OR, she told us exactly what to expect. Her calm demeanor and precise information prepared us to take on what could have been a frightening turn of events. Michele is warm, funny, and reassuring. Her wise advice and confidence evince years of experience.
Read MoreWe originally were not planning to work with a doula because I assumed it would only be helpful if I were trying to have a natural birth (with no epidural). But after attending a childbirth class we realized it would be helpful to have someone in the delivery room who was there to support us, since we knew the doctor would not be able to provide the guidance we would need.
After meeting with several highly recommended doulas we decided on Michele, and she turned out to be a perfect fit. Michele was supportive throughout the rest of the pregnancy without ever pushing her ideas or preferences on us. Our daughter was two weeks late, so she helped us balance natural and medical induction options with just waiting it out. And most importantly on the day (days) of labor and delivery she was there cheering us on, providing information and support and a calming presence, and even some comic relief. She helped to remind me of preferences that I forgot about in the heat of the moment, and supported me when my preferences were not possible.
My doctor got caught up in surgery toward the end of my labor/when I started pushing, and I started to get nervous that he wouldn’t be back in time (he was!), but Michele kept me focused, assured me that what my body was experiencing was normal, and helped me to communicate with the hospital staff that it was time to push. She even took amazing photos and videos (with our permission) of the first moments after my daughter arrived. Since our daughter was born, Michele has continued to be helpful and responsive when I’ve had questions about breastfeeding – it really feels like she’s still cheering me on!
We can’t imagine what the experience would have been like without Michele there, and we highly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula (or even those who are not sure whether a doula will be helpful – the answer is yes!)
Read MoreWhat can I say, but thank goodness for Michele. She helped me survive 32 hours of labor and believe it or not there were many moments of laughter. She helped me prepare my body for labor and even put our 3-year-old back to sleep, so my husband and I could have some alone time. She was a champion, a rock and by our side til our little girl was born. She even snapped some pictures and video that we will forever be grateful for. 6 stars to this wonderful lady who truly helped make our birthing experience one of a kind. We could not have done it without her.
Read MoreKaeleigh provided me with much much needed postpartum support after my daughter Mia was born. Not being from NYC all of my and my husband’s family and most of our support network live abroad. We were therefore extremely thankful to have kind and helpful Kaeleigh around for a few hours a day to assist with the baby (our firstborn!), letting me catch up on some sleep, errands and matters around the household. I can recommend her to everyone!!
Read MoreWe were so happy to have Michele on our side throughout my laboring and delivery.
She provided both me and my partner great emotional and physical support through the process, and was able to keep me in the comfort of our own home as long as possible. She also had just the right amount of humor when we needed it. When we returned home with our baby, she provided valuable post-natal advice and breastfeeding tips. We feel lucky to have had her on our team!
We feel so lucky and blessed to have had Naima and Michele work with us for the birth of our lovely baby, V! The prenatal visits from each of the ladies were informative, reassuring and fun.
Our birth was the total opposite of what we planned. We were sent in for an induction following a routine appointment. So our plan of laboring at home (maybe with a walk in the park) and then popping into the birthing center for a few hours at the end was immediately thrown out the window.
Naima was there with us through the ensuing long, long labor, the pushing from all different angles and then the emergency c section 40 hours later. I know that might sound very traumatic
but it was a truly peaceful and beautiful experience. It was hard work (for everyone!) it was stinky and messy but it was always peaceful. Naima was essential in making this experience so special. She helped as we made decisions, advocated for us with the staff and helped us manage emotionally the many different hurdles that appeared in the journey. She provided
excellent physical support whilst I was laboring, massage, pacing the halls, helping me breathe. She provided support to my wife ensuring that she got as much rest as she could during the long process.
It was also amazing to have both Naima and Michele visit us after the birth.
Partner’s view: I loved how Naima was so calm and supportive, but unobtrusive in this very intimate space. It was great to have someone there to help me help Lucy. She was practical and kind. Her Mary Poppins bag of tricks was fantastic, so many helpful bits and bobs that made such a huge difference at different points of the birth process. Both Lucy and I were so so happy to have had Naima with us as we welcomed V to the world.
Michele visited a couple of days after we got home. As well as it being lovely to see her I really valued her assistance showing me how I could help Lucy succeed in breastfeeding.
Read MoreNaima was a wonderful doula. Our baby arrived one month early, so I hadn’t even had a chance
to have my prenatal meetings and I had not even met Naima in person yet. (Michele was the one scheduled to attend my birth, but because of the unexpected early labor, Naima attended instead.) She was a truly calming presence and knew exactly how to help my labor along, which I believe helped me dilate quickly (I got to full dilation in a couple of hours, and no one on the hospital staff could believe I’d progressed from 1 cm to 9.5 cm as quickly as I did). Naima’s massages on my lower back were instrumental in helping me through transition, which was so excruciating. Overall, she helped contribute to a wonderful, though of course challenging, birth experience.
Michele also helped me during a trying episode during my third trimester; her reassuring words and empathy really got me through an awful day of pain. Postpartum, she taught me hand-expression and the side-lying hold which made the night feedings in the early weeks so much easier. Both were always on call with any questions that I had, and I was really grateful for all of their guidance and support.
Read MoreI’m not exaggerating when I say that I think Michele and Naima saved my birth experience. I had a rough pregnancy and began to have concerns about the care I was receiving from my provider. With Michele’s encouragement I made the choice to switch to a
wonderful OBGYN and began to feel more calm about my rocky third trimester, and more in control of the way I was going to give birth. She truly empowered me and felt like a cheerleader in my corner at all times.
I had pre-labor that started and stopped off and on for weeks and she kept me sane through it all, texting me advice, words of encouragement, or even just calling to chat and take my mind off of it. It was like having a friend on-call who always knew exactly what I needed and was prepared to drop anything when the time came, even if it ended up being a false alarm. I never doubted that I could depend on Michele and Naima, and that’s a great feeling to have when you’re nervous and unsure about everything else.
When the time finally came Michele was very sick, but still kept in touch with me as Naima took over. What can I say about Naima? She is such a lovely person, and a very calming, maternal prescence. It felt like having a mother or sister with me, which is what I really needed, as we don’t have any family nearby and it was just me, my husband and my male doctor. I was so happy to have a woman there who understood what I was experiencing and could provide comfort. Naima probably massaged my back for 8 solid hours, stayed calm through my very vocal last hour of birthing a 10lb baby with no medication, an
d made me believe that I could get through it. Looking back on my birth experience, Naima was and always will be a very important part of it.
Michele and Naima both hold a special place in my heart for helping me bring my son into the world, learn how to nurse him, and have my own personal feelings cared for. I think we forget how important that part of it is.
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