Doula & Birth Photography Testimonials
I am so grateful to have had Rachel as a resource before, during and after birth for our baby born in March 2019. She had a calming presence that immediately made me feel like she was the doula I would like to assist me. She visited our home before birth to give us resources such as books and exercises for optimal baby positioning. As a first time mom I really appreciated all the information and she answered any questions we had on what to expect.
My husband and I talk all the time about how much she helped us during delivery. My labor was incredibly long and Rachel stayed with us the whole time. She advocated for me and discussed my options with me when things changed course. She was exactly the kind of person I wanted there- assertive, yet gentle and calming.
She also helped us with breastfeeding after we settled back home. I highly recommend her and doula support for all women. - Tiffany O'Donnell, 2019
"Best experience ever !!! Rachel is amazing she helped with my vbac beyond words can describe. If I ever get pregnant again I will be hiring all over again. She’s so sweet and very encouraging idk how I would have done it without her. She helped during labor and delivery beyond expectations. If it wasn’t for her I would have opted for another csection. So thank you Rachel for everything you helped me achieve everything I ever wanted. Me and my family can’t thank you enough we are so grateful for you. it." - Naomi Pena, April, 2019
"Best investment I can remember!! If there is ever a time to spoil and pamper oneself it’s during the beauty and difficultly that is giving birth and labor and delivery. My husband and I decided to research a doula after hearing one too many scary birth stories and wanting more support. What a special time, and apparently a time for people to share their war stories. We were scared.
During my 23 hour start to finish L&D - in a hospital- I felt completely supported, cared for and ready as the day went on. When I had questions she helped me find answers. When I was weak she fed me ice chips - consistently- and organic honey (!!!) to keep me going. When my husband and I forgot the yoga ball at home due to rushing, she had a peanut and bike pump ready in her bag. During painful contractions she supported me like a mamma bear breathing through it and coaching me along. And, when baby was finally here she helped me feed him for the first time and fed me a sandwich because I had no hands to feed myself while holding my new babe.
Rachel also gave my husband much needed breaks to visit the family in the waiting room and grab coffee- she treated him with care, kindness and love as well during our entire process.
The love and support she showed us in the hospital on that fine day gave me a beautiful birth story I am proud to share with my friends, coworkers and family. My birth story is an awesome beautiful one I am so grateful for and Rachel has a lot to do with that. I am so happy to give her this rave review and highly recommend her for anyone seeking a doula.
Postpartum- Rachel checked in, came to the house to help me with some early woes of breastfeeding, helped to figure out a baby carrying gadget and recommended a massage therapist when I inquired. She continues to be a caring resource. I’m thrilled I found Rachel and am happy to refer her to anyone who asks." - Jennifer, February 2019
During my 23 hour start to finish L&D - in a hospital- I felt completely supported, cared for and ready as the day went on. When I had questions she helped me find answers. When I was weak she fed me ice chips - consistently- and organic honey (!!!) to keep me going. When my husband and I forgot the yoga ball at home due to rushing, she had a peanut and bike pump ready in her bag. During painful contractions she supported me like a mamma bear breathing through it and coaching me along. And, when baby was finally here she helped me feed him for the first time and fed me a sandwich because I had no hands to feed myself while holding my new babe.
Rachel also gave my husband much needed breaks to visit the family in the waiting room and grab coffee- she treated him with care, kindness and love as well during our entire process.
The love and support she showed us in the hospital on that fine day gave me a beautiful birth story I am proud to share with my friends, coworkers and family. My birth story is an awesome beautiful one I am so grateful for and Rachel has a lot to do with that. I am so happy to give her this rave review and highly recommend her for anyone seeking a doula.
Postpartum- Rachel checked in, came to the house to help me with some early woes of breastfeeding, helped to figure out a baby carrying gadget and recommended a massage therapist when I inquired. She continues to be a caring resource. I’m thrilled I found Rachel and am happy to refer her to anyone who asks." - Jennifer, February 2019
Amber
AMBER "I had an incredible birth experience that would not have transpired the way it did without the help and support of Rachel! She paid attention to every single detail from start to finish, and did her very best to make my husband and I as comfortable and “sane“ as possible. With Rachel’s calming voice and spirit, she kept me believing I could make it till the end, accomplishing my goal of having an intervention-free waterbirth. My husband and I will be forever grateful for her presence and guidance as a birth doula! If I ever choose to have more children in the future, I would not think twice about hiring her again! Gratefully, Amber and Edelzamir 2019"
Tanja & Jose
TANJA - "RACHEL ROCKS!!!!!!!!! She is kind and gentle, she is great listener, she puts effort in understanding you and your needs as well as your, partner's, and family going ons. She has great knowledge about different valuable techniques that can help you during your pregnancy and especially during birthing. She willingly shares resources so that you can be as informed as you wish or as possible. She is gentle but firmly keeps you on the course of priorities when you want to run through the walls, as I almost did :)(I was banging walls really hard and wasting my energy, until Rachel's soft firm voice brought me back to what's really important: "Breath in and send the energy to your baby, she needs your support to arrive safely." she kept repeating) / Thanks to Rachel's presence I went through birthing with my second child, which is usually shorter but more intense then the first one, successfully and without any medications, as I wanted, vaginally and as naturally as possible. My beautiful little girl was over 9lbs and 20inch long, so you understand that my goal was not easy to achieve. But Rachel was by my side every second of that process. She even stayed until we were safely snuggled together in postpartum units, despite long hours of hard work behind us. Was it easy? No. But with Rachel was easier! Hence, I recommend her everywhere warm-heartedly and confident that she will be the best help you could ever imagine! / The best to you during your pregnancy and birthing! And if you are rethinking, just remember: RACHEL ROCKS!!!! - Tanja 2018"
DAD Butterfield - "Rachel assisted us for Doula services for the birth of our first child in July 2017 in total we had three visits in addition to the initial meet and greet she came to our house for a prenatal visit, was with us the entire day at the hospital for labor and the birth, and came for a postpartum visit as well. During the prenatal visit she brought tons of educational materials for us to borrow and showed us various different positions to help with labor she also enlightened us as to what to expect at the hospital the day of the birth. As the due date approached she was very diligent about letting us know her whereabouts and staying in close touch with us. On the day of the birth she came to the hospital and stayed with us for the entire duration of the day which was about 12 hours. Immediately after the birth she stayed to help with some breastfeeding tips. For the postpartum visit she continued to help with some breastfeeding tips and helped us with any other questions we had about our newborn. You will want to rely on the Hospital physicians and pediatricians for medical advice but there are things that the hospital or doctors won't tell you in terms of coaching. Having a doula is great for those types of situations and support. Although Doula services not covered by insurance it is well worth the cost and Rachel charges a very fair price for what she offers. Dad Butterfield 2018"
DAD Butterfield - "Rachel assisted us for Doula services for the birth of our first child in July 2017 in total we had three visits in addition to the initial meet and greet she came to our house for a prenatal visit, was with us the entire day at the hospital for labor and the birth, and came for a postpartum visit as well. During the prenatal visit she brought tons of educational materials for us to borrow and showed us various different positions to help with labor she also enlightened us as to what to expect at the hospital the day of the birth. As the due date approached she was very diligent about letting us know her whereabouts and staying in close touch with us. On the day of the birth she came to the hospital and stayed with us for the entire duration of the day which was about 12 hours. Immediately after the birth she stayed to help with some breastfeeding tips. For the postpartum visit she continued to help with some breastfeeding tips and helped us with any other questions we had about our newborn. You will want to rely on the Hospital physicians and pediatricians for medical advice but there are things that the hospital or doctors won't tell you in terms of coaching. Having a doula is great for those types of situations and support. Although Doula services not covered by insurance it is well worth the cost and Rachel charges a very fair price for what she offers. Dad Butterfield 2018"
Leon & Andrea
LEON - "Rachel is Amazing! My wife and I couldn't be happier that we chose to hire Rachel as our Doula/Photographer. We were skeptical in needing a doula to begin with due to the expense but now we wouldn't do it any other way, thanks to Rachel. As new parents, not only did we need a Doula, we also wanted to hire a photographer to take pictures during our special day. Rachel captured every wonderful moment without any direction from us whatsoever and the quality was amazing! / Our birth plan was based upon Hypno-birthing and Rachel was a perfect fit. Her calm and pleasant style of working is exactly what we needed. Anytime we had questions or needed help with research, she responded within minutes to a day at most. / We highly recommend Rachel Connolly Kwock as a Doula and Photographer. You won't be disappointed! Sincerely, Leon (New father!) 2017"
KRISTIN - "First off - Thank You Rachel! Rachel was our Doula for both the births of our boys. It was still early in Rachel's experience as a Doula. It did not matter she has a natural calmness and intuition that guides her in knowing what her mother's need. After the first child was born my husband said "I know I could never have done it without, Rachel." She was a calm reassurance to my husband and included in him in the birth process. Besides being a wonderful guide in my first moments as a mother she is a great writer. Rachel's essay she wrote about the account of each birth was funny, touching and captured the birth story perfectly. I highly recommend Rachel's Doula services to everyone. By the way my boys are 3 and 4 years old. (My goal of natural child birth was achieved with my second pregnancy.)." - Kristin
KRISTIN - "First off - Thank You Rachel! Rachel was our Doula for both the births of our boys. It was still early in Rachel's experience as a Doula. It did not matter she has a natural calmness and intuition that guides her in knowing what her mother's need. After the first child was born my husband said "I know I could never have done it without, Rachel." She was a calm reassurance to my husband and included in him in the birth process. Besides being a wonderful guide in my first moments as a mother she is a great writer. Rachel's essay she wrote about the account of each birth was funny, touching and captured the birth story perfectly. I highly recommend Rachel's Doula services to everyone. By the way my boys are 3 and 4 years old. (My goal of natural child birth was achieved with my second pregnancy.)." - Kristin
Dwayne & Aquilla
DWAYNE - "Rachel was our birth photographer for our first child and she was nothing short of amazing! Her doula experience gives her the unique ability to anticipate and capture the moments that we now cherish forever. The quality of her photographs are without question and to say we would use her again is an understatement." - Dwayne 2017
AQUILLA - "Rachel was our birth photographer, and we couldn't be happier with our experience with her. She is warm, has calm, positive energy, and is clearly passionate about her work. Rachel went above and beyond her role as a photographer at our homebirth, stepping in when extra hands were helpful. When photographing, Rachel was unobtrusive, yet she captured our most intimate moments wonderfully. The photos are our most precious possessions. They take us back to that magical day every time we look at them. We have Rachel to thank for that and wholeheartedly recommend her!" Aquilla 2017
AQUILLA - "Rachel was our birth photographer, and we couldn't be happier with our experience with her. She is warm, has calm, positive energy, and is clearly passionate about her work. Rachel went above and beyond her role as a photographer at our homebirth, stepping in when extra hands were helpful. When photographing, Rachel was unobtrusive, yet she captured our most intimate moments wonderfully. The photos are our most precious possessions. They take us back to that magical day every time we look at them. We have Rachel to thank for that and wholeheartedly recommend her!" Aquilla 2017
ASHLYN - "Rachel acted as both my photographer and birth doula both before and during my delivery. I cannot say enough good things about her. She was calm, kind, helpful,... and never made me feel uncomfortable. She supported me before the birth and was there whenever I had questions and this eased a lot of my fear. I encourage all women to have this precious moment in our lives captured because we so quickly forget. I'm SO glad I did this and came to know her. Thank you Rachel!" - Ashlyn 2017
Britnee
BRITNEE - "Rachel is ahhhhhmazing! When I was pregnant and researching, I prayed all women could one day be aware of the very diverse birth options available to them. Because of research, a made-up mind, a supportive partner, a team of professionals (midwife and doula), and mostly God, I was able to safely and successfully birth the way I wanted. For me that was a birth that was spiritual, all natural, water labor, no epidural, in a mommy/baby friendly hospital with immediate skin-to-skin contact and feeding. The experience was empowered by my decision and I felt Iike I literally touched God during the process. As a great friend told me while I was in labor, "remember, we women risk our lives to give life." #power. My birthing way may not be for everyone, but at least everyone should know all of their birthing options and CHOOSE their own (unless medically unable). My baby was delivered healthy, wide-eyed and alert, he is still all of those things. I bounced back quickly mentally and health wise, although I am still working on the "snap-back" LOL... crossfit helps. So come learn from my doula and other professionals too! Just wanted to share a piece of my world with you in hopes to encourage other moms to empower themselves and learn of diverse methods and resources available to birth and raise our babies." (from IG post) Britnee 2018
Tanja & Jose
TANJA - "As a very strong-headed woman as I was, who believed I can do everything on my own or with very minor help, I first thought that I do not need photographer to document my birthing. One of the main reasons, though, now that I think about it, was that I was very, to the extreme, reserved and protective of my privacy and I thought that photographer would reveal things that I wouldn’t want to get revealed. My pregnancy, however, opened me up, thank God, which is necessary for a birthing woman anyways. So, at the very last moment we decided to meet Rachel and give her a chance.... She was able to shoot some of the most beautiful pictures and help us have memories that we never even dreamed of having! Thank you, Rachel!!!" - Tanja
MIDWIFE DONNA "Yes, Rachel is a fabulous birth photographer fueled by her open, generous, sympathetic and loving energy and heart! What a pleasure it was attending this birth with you!" - Donna Tabas, Midwife
MOLLIE - "Rachel was the best doula experience I could ever imagine! She is the sweetest and most reliable woman around. Anything that she could help with, she was more than happy to. She possessed a wide range of knowledge about any and all questions or concerns I had. Prenatally she provided great help, provided any necessary resources, and had the best advice for everything throughout the remainder of my pregnancy. She really made my birth experience impressively pleasant. She was SO comforting during my labor and delivery which was obviously really important. She seriously went above and beyond. I would recommend her to anyone and everyone in a heartbeat and if another baby comes along at some point she will be the first person I call. I can't thank her enough!!!!! (:" - Mollie
MOLLIE - "Rachel was the best doula experience I could ever imagine! She is the sweetest and most reliable woman around. Anything that she could help with, she was more than happy to. She possessed a wide range of knowledge about any and all questions or concerns I had. Prenatally she provided great help, provided any necessary resources, and had the best advice for everything throughout the remainder of my pregnancy. She really made my birth experience impressively pleasant. She was SO comforting during my labor and delivery which was obviously really important. She seriously went above and beyond. I would recommend her to anyone and everyone in a heartbeat and if another baby comes along at some point she will be the first person I call. I can't thank her enough!!!!! (:" - Mollie
Sara
SARA - "We were very happy that we found Rachel. She made the entire birth experience much easier and pleasant for us. She spent all night long with us in the hospital during labor which I didn't expect, but was very grateful for. We were educated and guided through the entire process with not just what to expect, but techniques to deal with pain, positioning of the baby, and inner strength. She counseled us as first time parents starting from weeks before labor to weeks after. It was the smartest thing we could have done. Her compassionate, patient, and soothing nature helped us greatly to get through the experience with much comfort and happiness. " - Sara
HEATHER - "I just adore Rachel. She was there for me as my doula when I had my first baby and I couldn't be happier that I found her. We knew we wanted to have a doula there with us and it was pretty intimidating choosing one for such a momentous occasion. I sorted through many profiles of wonderful-sounding doulas and I came upon Rachel. We loved her from the instant we met her. I didn't know all the specifics of what to expect, and I even had some misconceptions about doula services. Rachel was nothing short of patient, supportive, and kind beyond imagination. She is incredibly knowledgeable and has so many resources that she educated me with. Even with all my bizarre, off-the-wall questions she humored me and if she didn't know the answer she immediately went to a solid source and got back to me quickly.
It's one thing to read about pregnancy, and the labor and delivery process, and a completely different thing to actually go through it. I had read of so many women with bad birth experiences and I really felt for them, but it also made me nervous about my own. Rachel addressed every single one of my concerns and gave me peace and realistic expectations. She never gives false hope. She has a way of presenting the facts and guiding you into positive thinking despite not knowing exactly what to expect. Let's face it, every woman's both experience is different, so you really cannot know what to expect. That makes a lot of people nervous. If that's you, I HIGHLY recommend not only a doula, but the best: Rachel. She is amazing if you hadn't already gleaned that.
We had our precious baby at a wonderful hospital that is baby centered. I highly recommend that if you choose the hospital setting, that it be a mom-baby centered one. Everyone was so great and supportive and there was a strong emphasis on breastfeeding and bonding with baby from the very get-go. I had such an amazing Labor & Delivery experience thanks to Rachel and this fantastic hospital staff. I can't imagine doing this without her and I can't even express how deeply thankful and appreciative of her I am. I cannot say enough wonderful things about her, so I truly hope that you get the opportunity to work with her and see for yourself. The only reason I write all of this is because I want you to have the same incredible experience in your own way. Rachel is vital to my positive experience and I couldn't have enjoyed it as deeply as I did without her. She not only prepared me for labor and delivery, carried us through it, but she has been such a pillar of strength for all of us in the postpartum period. My husband and I just love her so much. We want you all to have just as rich of an existing as we did. Rachel is the perfect doula: experienced, prepared, 100% focused on you and ensuring that you get what you want, understanding, and extremely kind and caring. Much love Rachel, you are so gifted and perfect for what you do!" - Heather
It's one thing to read about pregnancy, and the labor and delivery process, and a completely different thing to actually go through it. I had read of so many women with bad birth experiences and I really felt for them, but it also made me nervous about my own. Rachel addressed every single one of my concerns and gave me peace and realistic expectations. She never gives false hope. She has a way of presenting the facts and guiding you into positive thinking despite not knowing exactly what to expect. Let's face it, every woman's both experience is different, so you really cannot know what to expect. That makes a lot of people nervous. If that's you, I HIGHLY recommend not only a doula, but the best: Rachel. She is amazing if you hadn't already gleaned that.
We had our precious baby at a wonderful hospital that is baby centered. I highly recommend that if you choose the hospital setting, that it be a mom-baby centered one. Everyone was so great and supportive and there was a strong emphasis on breastfeeding and bonding with baby from the very get-go. I had such an amazing Labor & Delivery experience thanks to Rachel and this fantastic hospital staff. I can't imagine doing this without her and I can't even express how deeply thankful and appreciative of her I am. I cannot say enough wonderful things about her, so I truly hope that you get the opportunity to work with her and see for yourself. The only reason I write all of this is because I want you to have the same incredible experience in your own way. Rachel is vital to my positive experience and I couldn't have enjoyed it as deeply as I did without her. She not only prepared me for labor and delivery, carried us through it, but she has been such a pillar of strength for all of us in the postpartum period. My husband and I just love her so much. We want you all to have just as rich of an existing as we did. Rachel is the perfect doula: experienced, prepared, 100% focused on you and ensuring that you get what you want, understanding, and extremely kind and caring. Much love Rachel, you are so gifted and perfect for what you do!" - Heather
Family G
FAMILKY G. - "Dear Rachel, Thank you so much for all the help you have given Leejo & I before, during and after the birth of Ariana. We are so grateful to have you working with us to ensure a happy and healthy birth. Your calm demeanor and assistance, at all the right times, were so appreciated. you never made us feel rushed or made us feel like we couldn't ask you anything. You made us feel completely comfortable and we are, as a family, eternally grateful. Love, Family G
Carey
CAREY - "Rachel was incredible to work with. During my pregnancy, she met with us several times and lent us some great books and dvds. She always listened intently and generously to my worries, concerns, fears, and anxieties all without judgment. She truly is an amazing and giving person. I had lots of "early labor," and Rachel counseled me through it all. She did it in the best way, though---never intrusive, but just the right amount of support and care. On the birth day, Rachel was with us from 5am until 11pm. She was terrific at keeping our spirits up and helping me try to cope the best I could with the waves of contractions. We did 9 hours of labor together before I threw in the towel and got the epidural, and even though I'd been vehemently against getting any sort of drugs during the labor, Rachel remained supportive of me and my decision, and we went forward like that had been the plan all along. She helped our nurses when they came in and asked for support. She barely left our sides the entire time. Our son's birthday, which was also her daughter's birthday, was more beautiful because of Rachel's presence. My husband, who had been completely skeptical of getting a doula to work with us at all said it best when he proclaimed during labor, "having Rachel here was the best decision we ever made." Yep, pretty much." - Carey
Courtney
COURTNEY - "I gave birth to my first child on December 5 2013 at Morristown Medical Center. I found Rachel on the DONA website and after talking with 2 other doulas, I chose Rachel because I felt most comfortable with her. Me and my husband STILL talk about how we could not have done this without a doula ....and choosing Rachel was the best decision we ever made. Her knowledge of what to expect, her endless options for relaxation techniques and her sweet demeanor and compassion helped us get thru 14 hours of labor. I was really anxious leading up to the birth and had a lot of questions about having a natural birth. Any questions I had, Rachel came to the rescue and was amazing with her follow through. Any time I had a question she always provided information, referrals and resources right away, whether it was sharing internet links, lending books and dvds, or discussing experiences of other births she has attended. Me and my husband were contemplating whether we were going to hire a doula due to affordability but it was worth every penny. Rachel came prepared with her bag of tricks which helped with relaxation and calming techniques during labor. She went over everything with me at our pre birth visit (in Oct) so I would know what to expect and what relaxation options we could use on the day of the birth. She also provided a post birth visit and provided me with my birth story. That whole day was such a blur and she helped me to re-live the entire experience . Having the birth story was such a wonderful part of the doula experience. Giving birth to my son was so beautiful and I am so glad Rachel was there to share this special day with me. I would recommend her to anyone! and I will certainly use her again for our 2nd baby!" - Courtney (1st baby)
Courtney
COURTNEY - "Rachel was my doula at my first birth December 2013 and I couldn't wait to have her there by my side again for my second birth May 2015. During my second birth I arrived at the hospital at 6 cm dilated and everything was progressing very quickly. Contractions were intense and Rachel helped me to remain as calm and comfortable as possible using aromatherapy, the birth ball, tens machine, hip squeezing and massages. Her calming voice and kind demeanor helped me get through a quick and intense labor. I was lucky enough to get a room at Morristown medical center with a whirlpool birthing tub. Coping with contractions while in the tub was unbelievably helpful and relaxing. Rachel stayed by my side to guide me through each contraction and helped me to remain focused. Not only did I cope with the contractions in the tub I actually ended up having a water birth because everything progresses so fast. Although this was not my original plan, it was truly a beautiful experience. Rachel took pictures so I will never forget how incredible this once in a lifetime experience was. I feel so grateful to have such a wonderful team by my side. Rachel m truly has a beautiful soul, this is her calling. I would recommend her to anyone!" - Courtney (2nd baby)
MEGAN - "Rachel is an incredible doula! She recently attended my marathon birth and was by my side throughout the entire experience. During my pregnancy Rachel was supportive with resources, support and care. Once labor began she came to my home and assisted my husband in comfort measures, and came to the hospital after that. She gave me massage, continued to encourage me to hydrate, provided me with encouraging words, and supported my husband as we worked through labor. Rachel is kind, patient, and attends your birth with no agenda other than supporting Mothers and Fathers wishes. I highly recommend Rachel as a doula to support the birth you want!" - Megan
Rachel Jean
RACHEL JEAN = "Thank you so much for all of you support during my pregnancy, labor and delivery. You are a wonderful doula and I am so grateful that you were there with us." - Rachel Jean
MARY (RN) - "I have known and worked with Rachel for several years. She has a calm, quiet demeanor that is comforting to her clients. In the hospital setting, she is professional and constantly present to her laboring clients. She has assisted me as a back-up Douls and I am sure that my clients are in excellent hands. At a recent Post-Partum visit, Rachel was kind and encouraging to a busy new mother. She is active in that Doula Community, expressing her passion for safe, gentle, memorable birth. I look forward to shared births with Rachel in the future. Thank you for the opportunity to offer a testimonial." - Mary Healy RN
NEDA - "Rachel was amazing. I needed a doula literally last minute and under very unorthodox circumstances and she was so understanding. She has such a calm demeanor which is so important to me. Highly recommended !!" - Neda
MARY (RN) - "I have known and worked with Rachel for several years. She has a calm, quiet demeanor that is comforting to her clients. In the hospital setting, she is professional and constantly present to her laboring clients. She has assisted me as a back-up Douls and I am sure that my clients are in excellent hands. At a recent Post-Partum visit, Rachel was kind and encouraging to a busy new mother. She is active in that Doula Community, expressing her passion for safe, gentle, memorable birth. I look forward to shared births with Rachel in the future. Thank you for the opportunity to offer a testimonial." - Mary Healy RN
NEDA - "Rachel was amazing. I needed a doula literally last minute and under very unorthodox circumstances and she was so understanding. She has such a calm demeanor which is so important to me. Highly recommended !!" - Neda
HOLLY - "Rachel Connolly Kwock is a wonderful doula who assisted with the birth of our son almost 2 years ago. I had a previous experience of giving birth to my daughter without the support of a doula, and I was hoping for a different experience when giving birth to my son. Rachel was extremely supportive during the entire process. She was very gentle, but strong, and had an amazing calming presence that helped tremendously during labor. She put together a wonderful birth story for our son, and stopped by our house a few times after our son was born to see how we all were doing. She really cares about her clients and really works as an advocate for women to have the birth experience that they are hoping for. I highly recommend Rachel as a doula. She is amazing!" - Holly
JENNIFER - "Rachel, was so pleasant to work with. She was very caring and attentive to my birth plan and what I wanted to occur during the birth of our child. I remember the entire birth as so beautiful and unlike many of the stories I had been told about childbirth. We were truly blessed to meet Rachel . She was with me and David every step of the way before the birth during and even after the birth she helped to make preparations as to what our wishes would be. Although I was unsure of exactly what her role would be in the birth I am so glad that I decided to have a doula and include Rachel in the special day.. I can not imagine ever laboring without a doula, especially one as attentive as Rachel. My labor was very long and drawn out and she stood with us the entire time helping to calm me throughout. The happiest day of my life was made so much more precious by Rachel and her compassionate skill and grace. I would highly recommend her services to anyone looking for a doula. Thank you Rachel for sharing in the most magical day of my life." - Jennifer
DANIELLE - "My husband and I interviewed several doulas and ultimately chose to work with Rachel because of her calm presence and professionalism. Having never been through childbirth before (this was our first), we had no idea what to expect and of course nothing went as planned. The birth was long and Rachel was with us every step of the way. She helped us through a night at home when contractions started, guided us through the weekend when the contractions never progressed and met us at the hospital when the midwives chose to start pitocin. She helped us to understand our options to get labor going and had many suggestions for things to try. It was clear that she was comfortable working in a hospital setting and maintained her professionalism even as we struggled with the demeanor of one of our midwives. She was able to help my husband navigate the hospital environment and knew how to keep us comfortable. She was constantly working even as labor dragged on, always trying to think of movements or measures of comfort to help as labor progressed. It was clear that she was committed to staying by our sides throughout the entire process. After the birth she stayed to see that we were settled in, had gotten some food to eat and had established breastfeeding. Leading up to the birth we were never quite sure how having a doula to help us would be but we decided to hire one anyway even though our budget was limited. After the birth both my husband and I knew that we were able to make it through because we had the constant support and guidance of Rachel and honestly don't know how we would have made it through without her! We would highly recommend hiring a doula and we highly recommend Rachel!" - Danielle 2018
DANIELLE - "My husband and I interviewed several doulas and ultimately chose to work with Rachel because of her calm presence and professionalism. Having never been through childbirth before (this was our first), we had no idea what to expect and of course nothing went as planned. The birth was long and Rachel was with us every step of the way. She helped us through a night at home when contractions started, guided us through the weekend when the contractions never progressed and met us at the hospital when the midwives chose to start pitocin. She helped us to understand our options to get labor going and had many suggestions for things to try. It was clear that she was comfortable working in a hospital setting and maintained her professionalism even as we struggled with the demeanor of one of our midwives. She was able to help my husband navigate the hospital environment and knew how to keep us comfortable. She was constantly working even as labor dragged on, always trying to think of movements or measures of comfort to help as labor progressed. It was clear that she was committed to staying by our sides throughout the entire process. After the birth she stayed to see that we were settled in, had gotten some food to eat and had established breastfeeding. Leading up to the birth we were never quite sure how having a doula to help us would be but we decided to hire one anyway even though our budget was limited. After the birth both my husband and I knew that we were able to make it through because we had the constant support and guidance of Rachel and honestly don't know how we would have made it through without her! We would highly recommend hiring a doula and we highly recommend Rachel!" - Danielle 2018
Jennifer
