KIND WORDS FROM CLIENTS
This past year, my husband and I searched for a doula in the final weeks of my first pregnancy because I wanted an unmedicated natural birth. When I met April, I knew that she was the person who I wanted beside me as my doula. April is the whole package- dedicated, knowledgeable, personable, smart, and trustworthy. You can tell that she cares and that comes through in her work.
April came to our place and talked birth plan with us for 2 hours. We walked through every scenario of what could happen during L&D, which was so comforting. I knew that no matter what happened, we would be fully supported by her.
I ended up having a 55 hour labor (yup, 55!) and 50 of those hours were at home! April supported me every step of the way. We texted to update each other on my progress throughout and after about 40 hours of labor, April came over to try to get my labor into a regular pattern, guiding me and my husband through exercises and just being there to listen. Late that night, we were finally heading to the hospital!
We arrived at the hospital and I was 9 cm dilated, so the next 4 hours were pretty intense. April guided us through labor and she knew when to push me to keep going and when to let me take a rest.
Finally, our sweet baby girl arrived! I was in love and in awe of my sweet baby and so overwhelmed by the love and beauty of my experience. I also couldn't believe that I had gotten through that without medication! That is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life and I have April to thank for that. Her faith in me got me through what was seemingly impossible in the moment.
My husband and I will be forever grateful to April for allowing us to have the birth that we envisioned for our first child. That is an experience that you will NEVER forget and I am so happy that I had April by my side. What a beautiful person, both inside and out. Thank you, thank you, thank you, April!
--Megan
Having a doula was very important to me since both my husband and I's family was out of state. I really wanted someone in the room with us that knew what they were doing! However, I had a hard time finding someone that did not push their own beliefs on me about how a birth should happen....till I found April.
April's number one concern was for us to have the birth that we desired and also helped us figure out what that even looked like. April took so much time to make sure she was prepared and knowledgable about the hopsital we were delivering at and I can't think of anyone I would have felt more comfortable with during such a personal and intimate time during our lives.
April went far beyond the call of duty during the birth and literally cradled me in her arms for hours. She never left our side even when the birth resulted in an emergency c-section. I was scared but she coached me through the epidural and kept me calm during the procedure. She even made sure the I had a family centered, gentle c-section that still incorporated a lot of things that were important to me.
I look at the birth of my daughter as such a beautiful experience even though it was difficult and not what we had planned. This is because April was there and kept our focus on the new life we were bringing into the world, no matter how she got here!
--Kelly
When I got pregnant, my husband and I felt lost: there aren't any babies in our extended family, so we didn't know what to expect; and we live more than 3 hrs. driving distance from our parents, so we didn't have any family that we could physically count on to be there in case of an emergency. I knew right away that we would want a doula.
We met April at a doula meet-and-greet at The Natural Baby Co., and her personality really clicked with ours. She was patient with us (since, again, we didn't know anything) and genuinely seemed to connect with the kind of birth we wanted to have. I wanted an unmedicated birth, and more than just supporting this decision, she was open to supporting whatever decisions were right for my family. Her pragmatic approach really helped us to get through gestational diabetes, induction, and an epidural - none of which were on our "birth plan." During pregnancy and labor, unexpected things just happen sometimes, and April helped us to evaluate how that affected what we wanted for our birth and to deal with the emotions that accompany these decisions.
I don't know what this experience would have been like without her. I don't want to know. The reassurance and the guidance that she provided for us during a time when we were so unsure is priceless to me and my husband. I knew that the nurses and doctors were watching the health of the baby, but thanks to April, I felt cared like my husband and I were cared for in the delivery room. I will never be able to express what a relief it was to feel like someone was looking out for us while everyone else focused on the baby. We are so grateful to April and would recommend her to anyone who is looking for a guiding hand. You'll be happy you found her.
--Amanda
April was an amazing doula for my husband and me. She always took the time to make sure all of our questions were answered and was very patient with us being first time parents. I really enjoyed her straight forward approach. When the time came for my birth she was there 100% and one her amazing massage moves helped me hang in through transition to have the natural birth I wanted.
--Anita
We feel so grateful to have found April!! My husband and I had our first baby this past October, and we would have felt lost without April. She is extremely knowledgeable and was able to answer all of our questions and ease us before and during labor. She even held my hand when I was pushing, & helped position me. I was so nervous about being a mom, & she calmed me down & encouraged me. She definitely helped prepare me for motherhood more than anybody! After our baby girl was born, she came over, helped with our daughters first bath, & answered endless questions that we had! We are so thankful for her & if we decide to have another, we definitely wouldn't want to do it without her by our side again!
--Madeline