By The Moon Doula Services

Fantastic support for both mother and father to achieve a VBAC!!!

With my first child, I had a 42 hour labor that ended in an unplanned Cesarean. The experience left me feeling defeated and full of doubt. I knew when we got pregnant again that I needed my experience to be different. Michelle brings a wealth of experience to the table and provided us with education, coping tools, and resources before we were even into our 3rd trimester. She was a great sounding board for me when I became overwhelmed with pressure from my providers to do things that weren't in my plan. During our birth, Michelle provided amazing support to both my husband and myself. Because Michelle was there to support me, my husband was able to stay nourished and rested so he could be with our daughter when she was unexpectedly taken to the NICU for breathing issues. Without her support, I know our birth would not have gone as smoothly as it did. If you're going for a VBAC or just hoping to achieve your own ideal birth experience - Michelle will provide the the calming support and reassurance you need!

Michelle was absolutely wonderful with our first birth - so much so that we decided to use her for our next two. She has an incredibly calming presence, and is an invaluable advocate throughout the process - both before, during, and after the birth.

Michelle was an incredible resource for my husband and me. When we met her for the first time, her calm demeanor and her positive attitude towards birth made us feel connected and happy to work with her for such an important moment in our lives. She was easily accessible prior to the birth for questions. She was open to the type of labor we wanted and told us she's supported many types of births. It felt good to know that, because you can't always plan for how a birth will unfold. During labor, she was invaluable for us. This was our first delivery, so having her with us at home made us confident we left for the hospital at the right time!

The hip compressions she and my husband did were exactly what I needed to help me have a non-medicated labor and birth (which had been my hope). She and my husband were a good team, and it helped to have her focus and calm when things felt overwhelming. Knowing what was normal and hearing that I could do this might seem small, but when everything is stripped away in labor, it was vital for me to have that to come back to. It let me be in the moment and refocus when things felt overwhelming, especially during transitions. After our daughter arrived, she captured amazing photos of our first moments as a family of 3. She helps us get our daughter into the world healthy and happy. I would highly recommend her!

For the birth of our second child I knew I wanted a doula to support my husband and I. After some research, I found Michelle. We had an informal meeting to get to know each other and I knew she would be great for me - Michelle’s personality just clicked with mine. Michelle provided reading materials regarding pregnancy, labor and delivery, and post baby care. She also came to our home to meet my husband and spend some time understanding how we interact. Near the end of my pregnancy I texted Michelle several times and always received a timely response, even to non urgent items. When I went into labor, Michelle got herself ready quickly to meet us at the hospital. Though I had a very quick and easy delivery, we felt extremely supported by Michelle. The thing I remember most about delivery is her telling me to allow my baby to drop down. Her words were encouraging and calming and I felt I was able to let my body relax to deliver my baby. Michelle also conducted a postpartum visit to check in our baby and our family. The entire experience was exactly what I hoped for. We don’t plan on more children but if things change, I will work with Michelle again. We would highly recommend her to any couple looking to feel empowered and in control of their pregnancy and their labor and delivery experience!!!

We used Michelle's doula services for the births of both of our daughters. She provided strong emotional support as well as guidance on choices we could make during each experience. Her hip massage was invaluable during both natural labors, especially during the transition phases. My wife's first labor was quite fast (at least the part that occurred at the hospital) and while Michelle was only there for a few hours, her expertise and support was worth every penny. She knew when it was time for her to push (even when my wife didn't!) and politely insisted to the midwife that the time had come, even when the midwife was in disbelief. My wife's second labor was slower and having Michelle there for longer really helped get us through the long hours of contractions. Having Michelle attend both births allowed us to truly focus on the incredible experiences as a couple and we felt supported by her every step of the way. She advocated for our birth plans and let us relax and focus on welcoming our children into the world. We also opted to have her provide private birthing classes for us during my wife's first pregnancy. These were conducted in the comfort of our own home and really helped prepare us for the amazing experience we were about to have. We recommend Michelle's services wholeheartedly!