“I felt pampered and well watched over in the hours before and after birth. I believe that divine intervention played a role in Emily being at our birth. She was the missing puzzle piece for us.
Emily’s passion for birth helped me to learn about options outside of the hospital. Through our consultation, she taught me how to advocate for a birthing plan of my choosing for our fifth child. I was able to deliver naturally in a birthing center. I hadn’t realized how empowering and manageable birth can be. Doulas really earn their keep by all the physical exertion they put into helping the laboring mother. Comfort measures are key and she was willing to put in the hard work to help me through each contraction. I appreciated the emotional support and relied heavily on her. I didn’t realize how much I would need her expertise until I began progressing.
Looking back in videos I saw her working quietly behind the scenes helping my husband & daughters know what to do. She knew the signs of when labor was starting to transition and she helped make the call when we needed to leave to the birthing center.
I’d give Emily 5 stars and a giant hug for encouraging & sharing this joyful occasion with us” – KR
“I hired Emily so close to my guess date that I was worried she’d have to turn me down! She gracefully accepted the job and went straight to work in providing me ideas for support and going through them with us. She was so easy to work with and very responsive. Since I went almost two weeks past the guess date, she was checking in on me at just the right times. When I went to the birth center, she was in the car and ready to go when we needed her. She worked so well with my husband to communicate with him when I wasn’t able to and easily integrated into the team at the birth center.
Emily provided just the right level of support for me. I really appreciate the ideas that she brought to the table. After having three other kids, I had thought at the beginning of my pregnancy that a doula may not be needed. As I approached the end, I was so glad I changed my mind. In those rough moments at the end, I needed that extra experience and clear thinking for guidance.
“I highly recommend Emily as a doula!” -CM
“My experience, as the husband, was I didn’t realize how helpful Emily would be. We had been through birth four other times.
When it came down to the day of delivery Emily had an answer for everything we encountered.
She gave helpful tips and tricks along the way. It was comforting to have her there. Emily took all the guesswork and worry out for me that my wife would be as comfortable as possible. She was a complete added value, even post birth she was still taking care of my wife’s needs.
Never in the way, just always finding where she could take care of us. She came prepared to help with kids, too. For me she was helpful in answering questions. She comforted me mentally and emotionally and showed me how to help my wife.” – DR
“The In-home private birth class with Emily was so helpful and informative for both myself and my husband. Even with all the reading and research I had done before, Emily was able to teach me so much about different laboring positions and comfort measures.
She listened to our vision of what we want to experience during birth and gave us the tools to help make that a reality. My husband now feels so prepared to help support me during labor, which was not the case at the start of the class. It was very empowering for both of us and we are so excited to use what we learned to bring our baby earth-side! The two hours spent with Emily were so helpful and we can’t thank her enough for her wisdom!” – EC
“I highly recommend taking this class from Emily. She pampered me with a great hand massage, really listened to my wants and fears, cared about me and my baby, and educated me on many topics. I am now excited for labor. I feel confident in the tools Emily gave me. I feel at peace because I know my body can do what it was made to do. I know that I can have a good experience delivering this baby.
Before class, Emily asked what I wanted to learn and address. She came very prepared. My questions were answered and my fears calmed. I really appreciated having the chance to have a class tailored just to me. I was in a safe place mentally and emotionally with Emily.
I learned that I have options and to speak up about what I want. I never felt pressured. Emily wants me to have the best and have what I want.
What we focused on most, because that’s what I asked for, were positions to help during contractions. She showed my husband what to do and then had him practice on me. There are many that I am definitely going to be using when the time comes. I loved this time with my husband. Emily didn’t replace my husband, she helped strengthen our bond and taught us how to work together.” – SF
“Emily was so amazing to have at the labor and delivery of my fourth baby. She helped provide great pain relieving techniques, encouraged me, reminded me to change positions, kept detailed notes of the timeline of things, took care of getting me anything I needed, and overall helped keep the atmosphere very calm and positive throughout the whole experience. The nurses at the hospital were all talking about how much they loved my doula afterward. Emily was very attentive to what I needed and stepped in to help without me having to even ask. I felt so looked after and taken care of and I believe that played a big role in me being able to concentrate and relax during each contraction. I didn’t have to worry about anything else. She also helped my husband know what he could do to support me through the whole experience and he was way less stressed because of it. I treasure that sacred experience of bringing my baby into the world and I love the notes she took that I can look back on to remember everything. I truly cannot thank Emily enough for the support she gave me and empowering me to have the birth experience I wanted!” -AA
“Emily is a phenomenal doula! I truly owe my incredible birth experience to her.
I have always been fascinated by natural birth, and I wanted to try having an unmedicated birth at least once in my lifetime. I wasn’t sure I would be able to accomplish it, but I was determined to try.
My first pregnancy was high risk, as I was pregnant with twins that shared a placenta, so I had a lot of essential medical interventions with their birth. I was grateful that my twins were delivered safely, but I was disappointed that I did not get to experience their birth the way I had hoped.
I had talked with Emily about my previous birth experience, as well as my hopes for an unmedicated birth for the baby girl I was expecting. I expressed my fears about going into labor and what it would feel like, as it would all be new to me. With the twins, I had to be induced due to one of my babies struggling, and I was required to get an epidural in case they would need to conduct an emergency C-Section to save the struggling baby. I never experienced what going into labor on my own felt like, and I didn’t ever feel the sensation of contractions getting stronger. Even though I had delivered babies before, going into labor naturally and experiencing strong contractions was all new to me. Emily listened intently to my concerns, and we discussed each of my fears. She was so encouraging and helped increase my confidence in my abilities. I loved hearing her own stories about naturally delivering her children, as well as watching her younger siblings being delivered unmedicated. At first, I was afraid that I would disappoint her if I decided I couldn’t tolerate a natural birth, but I discussed those fears with her, and she made sure that I knew my birth would be beautiful and incredible, no matter how my baby was delivered. She was completely supportive of whatever method I chose.
Not only was I going to have the support of Emily during my birth experience, she was available throughout my whole preparatory experience! I could text or call her about any questions or concerns I had, and she helped me go over my birth plan to ensure I had the birth experience I dreamed of. On top of all that, she came into my home to give me personal birth classes! We talked about my expectations during those classes, and she showed me many comfort measures that could help me during labor.
We practiced many of them, and I was able to tell her which ones I preferred. Because of that practice, I felt so much more prepared for going into labor, and I felt confident that I would be able to manage my contractions with her help and the help of my birth team (my husband and my mom). She trained my birth team during those classes as well, so we were all prepared for when the time came. She would check in with me often during the last few weeks of my pregnancy to see how I was doing and to address any concerns I had.
When I went into labor, things progressed far more quickly than I had anticipated. I didn’t have much time to labor at home, as my contractions were close together and getting stronger by the minute. I contacted Emily to let her know I was in labor, and she was ready to go so quickly. My husband and I headed to the hospital only an hour after my contractions started, and Emily planned to meet us there. By the time I was in triage, my contractions were so strong; I almost passed out during one of them. Emily was going to be there any minute, and I was just planning on telling her I didn’t want to do a natural birth anymore. It was too much, too overwhelming. Thankfully, Emily was so ready to help and so encouraging. As I laid on the bed while they monitored my baby and checked to see how far I had progressed, Emily pushed my hips together to provide counter pressure. It helped a bit, but I still didn’t think I could cope through the rest of labor. We were quickly transferred into our labor and delivery room, as I was already dilated to a 6 1/2 and fully effaced.
My midwife arrived as soon as I was in the room, and she stated I was already in transition. I was shocked that it had happened so quickly! Emily was so incredibly prepared. I had no idea what I was doing, and I didn’t know what to do for comfort. All I could do was try to breathe through each contraction, trying not to panic; boy, were those contractions strong! I certainly couldn’t handle them on my own. Each time a contraction started, Emily stepped right in to squeeze my hips to provide that counter pressure; she knew exactly what I needed without me asking for it.
Seriously, she worked miracles. I was amazed by how much Emily’s efforts helped me! I had been so sure that I was going to need an epidural and give up my hopes for a natural birth, but as soon as Emily started helping me and providing that counter pressure, each of my contractions became manageable. Emily encouraged me to get in the tub my midwife prepared, and the water helped as well. I was able to relax, and Emily continued to squeeze my hips. It was incredible how much of a difference such little things could make. My confidence increased with each contraction that Emily helped me through. I started to believe that I could give birth naturally! It was such an empowering thought. I wasn’t sure how long I would be able to last, but I was getting through that part, and that was all that mattered.
My labor continued to quickly progress, and soon it was time to push. I moved from the tub to the bed, with Emily supporting me the whole way. She continued to push my hips during a contraction and rub my back when there was a break. She offered so many encouraging words that gave me strength. Before I knew it, my little girl was born! The sense of accomplishment after giving birth to my sweet baby without any anesthesia was incredible! I felt like I could do anything. I am so grateful for Emily’s support and encouragement. She helped give me the strength I needed to achieve my ideal birth! I owe so much of my amazing experience to her!
Not only did she offer support during my pregnancy and my labor, she also checked up on me during the postpartum period. It was wonderful to have her check up on me. She also provided me with a written timeline of the birth and everything she remembered from the experience. It was fun to read about my birth from her perspective, as well as read some of the details from my birth that I had forgotten. It was such an incredible blessing to have Emily by my side during my birthing experience, and if I went back, I wouldn’t change a thing! If you’re questioning whether or not you need a doula, you will not regret working with Emily! Her assistance and encouragement was essential in me having a positive, successful birth experience. I have so many fond memories of my labor that I wouldn’t have had without her. Thank you, Emily!” – MM
Eden Doula Services 