2009 Recommendations

I'm looking for a doula for the birth of my second son in June. I noticed some of the recommendations on the BPN website are at least several years old. If you've used a doula recently and have had a good experience, I'd appreciate it if you could pass along the name (and contact information). Thanks!

Laurel Coates
Birth Doula
laurel@baydoula.com
http://www.baydoula.com
http://www.eastbaydoulacollective.com
510-816-6780

Treesa attended the birth of our first child in 2006, met with us in our home on numerous occasions prior to the birth, and never left our side during my eighteen hours of labor in the hospital (treesa.meclean@sbcglobal.net). Our son had an extended stay in the hospital and Treesa was there offering support throughout his stay in the NICU and our tumultuous return home. She's got a great sense of humor and was an outstanding support.

As Treesa was unavailable, Betsy was our doula for our second birth, which happened last month (betsy@berkeleydoula.com). She met with us in our home repeatedly before the birth and really understood what we wanted in our second birth and supported us throughout. She was an incredible calming influence, knew right where I needed her hands to be a counter-support and helped us to have exactly the kind of birth we wanted. Afterward, she came to our house for a post-partum visit, giving both the baby and me a wonderful massage. Both ladies are outstanding supports and I recommend both most enthusiastically. Happy Mama

My contractions became unmanageable very quickly after my water broke. Anna responded to my call and came to my house in the middle of the night, without complaint. I went from writhing about on the bed in pain to very calmly breathing through each contraction, thanks to Anna's gentle touch and guidance. (My husband jokingly refers to her as the ''Baby Whisperer''.) When I felt the need to go to the hospital, she was very responsive and encouraged me to trust my instinct. It was there, in the triage room, that we learned the baby was breech. Anna was my rock - she did everything she could to keep me (and my husband) comfortable as I entered the last stages of labor. I went from 7 cm to 10 cm dilation on the triage table, without anesthesia. (The anesthetist was busy with another emergency c-section.) Without Anna, I would have lost it.

She was also a tremendous resource post-op. She stayed with me, comforting me and advocating on my behalf with some difficult medical personnel, while my husband tended to the baby. Her support did not end there. She came to visit us the next day in the hospital and followed up with us at home a few days later.

This review neglects to mention everything Anna did to support me during the pregnancy, and her wealth of knowledge, only because I have already gone on for too long. Let me just say that I cannot imagine birthing a baby without Anna Bahnson at my side. Kimberly

Can anyone recommend a doula who is sensitive to lesbians? Berkeley lesbian

After our first baby's birth, Laila stayed with us while my partner learned to breast feed. For us, it wasn't as simple as the videos had made it appear to be. Laila stayed with us and helped us long after the nurses had left. We laughed together, full of the emotion of it all. We tried again and again until it finally worked and then we celebrated. She also helped my partner to the bathroom and helped her change her icepacks while I was able to hold our new little girl and marvel at her new life. And Laila listened. She listened while we retold the birth story and while we were adjusting to the incredible internal upheaval and reorientation that becoming mothers was for us. She listened, and she affirmed and validated our perceptions and feelings. Her professional background in human development and infant attachment as well as her personal experience being a lesbian mother was invaluable as we navigated those early weeks. Really, I can't recommend her highly enough. Sheri

2008 Recommendations

Hi! I am looking for a doula with a lot of experience who can reassure me labor is proceeding as it should. I am going to give birth either at Kaiser Oakland or Walnut Creek. The recommendations on the website are several years old and not all of them are working as birth doulas anymore. I want a doula that will help me birth naturally, but will know when to advise if medical intervention is needed. Yoga or Jewish background a plus but not necessary. Thanks for the names and contacts for any suggestions. I am due end of October, very beg of Nov 2008. Michelle

In our pre-natal visits she also supported us in exploring our Jewish heritage in relation to choices we have to make as parents. She also has a background in massage therapy, and while I don't think she's a yogi, I do know she has exposure to meditation. In my opinion, unless you're birthing at home, it really doesn't get any better than having Stacia at your side.

Here's her contact info:
Stacia Biltekoff
510-543-8411
staciadoula@yahoo.com
www.birthchoicedoulacollective.com

I am interested in doula recommendations. I am having twins and am pretty comfortable with the idea of using drugs or having a c-section if my doctor thinks it is necessary. I am looking for a doula who would be okay with this, has experience with twin births, can support me (massage would be great) and my husband through this and offers post-partum services. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Sara

I am looking for a referral for a Doula that is warm, loves working with people, and can help with anxieties from my first labor & delivery. She needs to have strong/good communication skills and be able to follow through. I am planning on having this next child w/o any drugs. I need someone who can help me stay motivated to have a natural birth. I had a very rough labor with my first, pushed for 4 hours straight, and ended up with the spinal migraine from the epidural. My OB seemed annoyed through the whole labor, which wasn't helpful, and she never came back after I had my little girl to see how we were doing. If she would have come back like she said, she probably would have caught the fact that I had the spinal migraine. Instead I had to spend two painful weeks trying to nurse my baby and figure this out on my own(with the help of a lactation consultant I had called). I had to go back to labor & delivery for a ''blood patch'', they found six hematomas in my spine from where the epidural was administered. I was less than thrilled to have them put another needle in my spine, since my first experience with the anesthesiologist was awful. It's obvious that I have a lot of anxiety and fear due to this experience. So many thanks to those who can take the time to give me some leads on a great Doula! m

I was in labor for 23 hours and Trina was by my side the entire time! My labor started at 10pm. I called Trina and she was at my house within 30 minutes--through the night--through the following day and night at the hospital. She was definitely a calming force. We had great communication and developed a great rhythm. She really read my body signals well and was a tremendous help easing the pain of the contractions.

After a long labor, I ended up having a C-section. Trina continued to be wonderfully supportive and caring throughout the whole procedure. She stayed with me until after my son was born and in the recovery room for several hours. She did not leave the hospital until 3am. She was with me for a total of 28 hours!

Trina helped make the experience so much better. I will always be grateful for her help and support.

I found Trina through a recommendation and she was truly a god send. I highly recommend her.

You can contact Trina Mackie--By Your Side Doula Services trinamackie@hotmail.com 415.630.0173(cell) 510.540.7262 (home) I wish you the best with your second birth. lmco

Hi! I am 35 weeks and looking for a doula of color. It's a little late, but I would like some support for the birth and postpartum. There are some recs on BPN for doulas of color, but they are old. If anyone knows of a good African-American or Latina doula without an agenda, please let me know. Thanks! carmen

I am looking for a doula for my second birth coming this fall at Kaiser Oakland. During my first birth, I was stuck in transition for seven hours (I finally asked for the epidural after six). I believe I got stuck in transition because when I got to the hospital in active labor, I got scared and the pain of the contractions made me alternate between fear and anger. I tensed up and although I was 100% dilated at one point, nothing happened and I was in hell. I almost lost my mind trying to escape from the pain, fear and anger. I am looking for a doula this time who will do more than help me breathe through a contraction, or massage me. She will need to deal with my emotional state first and foremost, to keep me from descending into hell and stalling my labor. And she should have different techniques to help when labor stalls. Do you of anyone who could keep you sane when you were going insane? Thanks for your help! Anon

My husband and I moved to Berkeley a few months ago and are expecting our first child July 6. Our OB practice promises we'll have one of its 16 doctors deliver our baby (yipes!) and we realized that we need a constant to help us through this whole process. In addition, we will probably use an epidural. Does anyone have a Doula they can recommend? Someone who can help with birthing techniques, be there at the delivery, and possibly postpartum nights. Your help is incredibly appreciated. Thank you in advance... Jennifer

Hi, I was wondering if anyone can recommend a doula in the East Bay, in either Oakland or Alameda? My husband and I have begun looking for one, (due the first of August). Any recommendation would be greatly appreciated, thank you! C.C.

Does anyone know a of a great doula - we're in our 40s, and really just need support for the later part of labor - don't require lots of prep and education. Thank you so much for any recommendations !

I am looking for a doula for a May 2008 birth at Alta Bates who is open to medication and intervention. I have a great ob/gyn, Dr. Amy Huibonhoa, who is very supportive of my having a doula. I know that some doulas only want to work with clients who are aiming for medication-free births, so I am looking for recommendations of doulas who specifically are open to clients who may use medication and will be willing to work with me. Does anyone have any recent experience with someone in the Berkeley area? Dana

2007 Recommendations

I was wondering if anyone has a recommendation on doulas in the San Ramon, Castro Valley or the vicinity areas. I had an emergency c-section with my first baby and at this time I would like to find a qualified and sensitive doula for my second baby. Please advice. Vicky

For the birth of our child, we went with our instincts and decided to work with Joan Taylor. Throughout the period leading up to the birth she made herself available to address our concerns and allay our apprehensions. At the birth she was very supportive, providing a much needed and appreciated grounding influence during a very bewildering and trying experience. You go into a birth with some trepidation because anything can happen and no one knows beforehand how it will go down. We didn’t know what was going on and trusted Joan. Though at Alta Bates, I wanted to birth drug free. Unfortunately, it was an induced labor, but if it hadn’t been for Joan’s presence I’m certain I would’ve had an epidural and I did deliver vaginally. Joan made the memory of the birth pleasant. Our baby is seven months old now, but we continue to call on Joan from time to time for advice and she has become a family friend. Siwany, Greg, and Lila

After interviewing about 4 doulas, we decided to hire Joan Taylor. After our first pre-delivery meeting, my gut was telling me that this might not have been a good decision. She insisted that we call her first before calling our doctor, which I found strange. I felt that she was patronizing in her responses to some of my questions. I talked it over with my husband and we decided to stick with her (we had already paid half of the fee). My amniotic fluid started leaking on a Saturday night, but there were no contractions. The next morning I called Joan and she told me to just hang out for the day and see if my contractions would start. I called my Dr. on-call number and the person on call told me I would have to go to the hospital to find out if it was really amniotic fluid. Nobody seemed to be too concerned about me going to the hospital that weekend. My Dr. was away at a conference and I really wanted him to deliver our baby.

On Monday morning, I called Joan again and she said that maybe now I should call my Dr. When I called the office, they advised me to go to the hospital, since there is a risk of infection if the amniotic fluid leaks for more than 24 hours (I was at 36 hours by then). I called Joan and left her a message at 1 pm that we were heading to the hospital. She didn't call back until 5 pm (yes - she knew I was going to the hospital). At that point, they had decided to induce me. Joan told me that I didn't need to be induced in the evening. She said most women are not induced in the evening. I was literally sitting on the bed, with the nurse getting ready to put the IV in and Joan telling me, they should take it out and that I should go have dinner and rest. I decided to go ahead with the induction, which she was not happy about and made no qualms of letting me know.

She told me to call her in a couple of hours or when the contractions started. I talked to her again at 9 pm and she told me again that they should stop the induction. At 10:30 pm, I called her back and told her all of this wasn't working for me. She wasn't emotionally supporting me, I did not hire her to provide medical advice (I have an awesome Dr. that I trust). I had hired her to provide me support for my labor. I was literally on the verge of firing her right then and there but didn’t since I had not had a single contraction. When I hung up the phone, my water finally broke and my contractions set in within 30 seconds. We called Joan again and she told us to labor for a while.

At 1 am, I was 8 cm dilated and they called Joan and my Dr. She showed up after my Dr. did. She gave us the impression that she really did not want to come to the hospital that night. Now, the one good thing she did is get me in the shower to ease the labor pain. And that I am sad to say was it. After 3 hours of pushing, my Dr. suggested that he should do an episiotomy. Again, Joan objected but at this point, I really didn't care anymore. I had talked this topic through with my Dr. ahead of time and knew that he was someone who believed in letting labor go the natural way as much as possible. After he did the cut, my daughter almost flew out.

All the group pictures in the Labor and Delivery room, Joan is holding my baby. I don’t think she kept me in mind at all. I truly and honestly believe they are people out there who get a high from seeing a baby come into this world. At the post-delivery visit, she told me again that I didn’t need to be induced nor have an episiotomy. In summary, she tried to make me feel bad about my labor and the choices we made. She also didn’t bring any tea or herbs as she had promised, which are supposed to help with milk production. In my sleep-deprived state of mind, I just didn’t have the energy to tell her how I really felt.

So the very long and now short of this is: 1.) If you are going to hire a doula and you are delivering at a hospital, make sure that she is ok with medical intervention. 2.) If your gut is telling you that it might not be a good fit – pull out! My husband did great (we now call him the honorary “doulo”). 3.) There are good doulas out there. Take your time to interview them and don’t pay the fee until you have had at least 2-3 meetings. Joan really charmed us and it turned out to be a terrible fit. She is the one thing that leaves a negative feeling about my delivery in my mind (and the reason it has taken me 9 months to put this in writing). Good Luck with your doula search. anon

after the birth, we didn't hear from her for over 7 weeks. we had established during our prenatal visits that a post partum visit within 1-2 weeks was a part of her service, and it was in her contract that this was the case. when i discussed this with her on the phone, she said she had been waiting for me to call her and that was why she never called us to check in. she said i should have remembered that when she left the hospital after the birth she told me to call. she also asked me how was she supposed to know when i would be discharged from the hospital? i was pretty shocked at her excuses- that she couldn't figure out when i would be discharged from the hospital, that she had expected me to remember anything she told me within the hour after i gave birth, but also at how defensive she was about the feedback i gave her. in fact, all of the feedback that is being posted here, along with additional feedback, was given to joan over the phone by me and she was not receptive to it at all. had she been, i would have appreciated that she took it in and would go on to improve her future practice, and i would not have felt compelled to submit a posting to this newsletter so that others wouldn't have to go through what we did.

Hi. I'm 8 weeks away from giving birth and I am finally in search of a doula. I am somewhat new to the area and will be giving birth at Oakland Kaiser. I would prefer someone who is familiar with the Oakland Kaiser staff & facility as well as someone who is knowledgable in massage. I had horrible back labor with my first child and massage was the only thing that got me through without drugs. I also wanted to know how parents handled the care of their first child while in labor? She's only 3 years old and has never been apart from me for more than 6 hours. Thanks!

Greetings, I am in search of a Doula of color in Oakland/Berkeley. Preferably someone that is either on a sliding scale, doing their Doula school so need to do the free service, or will accept Medi-Cal. This is my second child, and I realize now the importance of a Doula. Anyone know of any? Thanks ERicka

My wife and I are looking for a Doula in the Berkeley area for Alta Bates. I noticed that most of the recommendations are a couple years old and was wondering if anyone has any more recent recommendations. Thanks! Desmond

2006 Recommendations

We are giving birth to our first child in February '07 at Cal Pacific Med Center (in SF). We are ideally looking for recommendations or referrals of lower-cost doulas with previous experience working at CPMC through delivery (preferably natural). Many thanks for any suggestions! Elaine

I am looking for an experienced doula to help me deliver twins as naturally las possible in Walnut Creek -- John Muir Medical CEnter. Any recommendations? Also - is it unrealistic to believe that I can deliver twins naturally? My OB isn't too optimistic and I'm barely in my second trimester! Sara

I am looking for a doula in San Francisco. We are planning to deliver at UCSF. At the moment we are just interested in a labor doula, but may decide to use a postpartum one as well. I looked at previous postings, but they all seem to be pretty old. Any suggestions? Mary

Jenny Kepler has an innate gift as a doula. As my doula, she provided me calm, steady support. She came into my birthing room and transformed it from a hospital room into a delicious-smelling place with music and interesting, quiet conversation. When decisions needed to be made, my partner and I had an advocate in Jenny – we felt like a three-person team, which was very empowering. While the Labor & Delivery staff at Kaiser Walnut Creek was excellent, we wanted to make this *our* birth experience, driven by our values. When unfamilar issues came up, Jenny was able to help us make more informed decisions, providing information and drawing from her experience so that our birth experience remained in line with our values and wishes, even though it differed from how we imagined it.

Jenny also unobtrusively massaged me just where I needed it, and showed my partner and I acupressure points to help along my labor. She stayed with us throughout a 43-hour labor, and was a constant source of positive energy – so much so that my partner and I don’t know what we would have done without her! If you are looking for a doula, Jenny Kepler jenny_kepler[at]yahoo.com has my highest recommendation. Robin

I had the most wonderful experience with my doula Anne Delp. She met with me at my house before my due date. She was open to whatever method I wanted to go with.

My intention was to have a natural birth. I'd been taking hypnotherapy classes and she was prepared for how I wanted my birth to go.

My water broke but no contractions came and I was worried the hospital would push lots of pitocin. I called Anne before going to the hospital and shared my fear. She offered that sometimes they can give a small amount of pitocin just to get the contractions started. What a great piece of advice! The nurse at the hospital wanted to start me on heavy pitocin, based on Anne's advice as asked to speak to my doctor and he confirmed I could do just a small amount.

During my contractions, she helped me through several ways to effectively work through painful contractions. She helped me to walk around, sit on the ball, make noises to relieve the stress. My mom and husband were both there. They love me very much but were not equipped with the knowledge she had to help me.

Midway through my heavy contractions, I decided I really couldn't handle the natural birth as much as I'd hoped and asked for an epidural. Anne weighed my original wishes of the natural birth and encouraged me that I was almost there, then she asked my husband how married I was to the natural birth and he told her not to that extent. She easily rolled with the punches and helped me through my delivery after the epidural. My wishes were her objective. On top of it all her rates were very reasonable.

I highly recommend her to anyone considering using a doula. Bonnie

Highest recommendation for Anna Bahnson, a very knowledgeable dula that helped us. We had done an extensive Bradley class and felt pretty informed, but knew we needed someone there with a clear head at the birth, and it made all the difference in feeling comfortable that she was there to help us make decisions, I felt great trust in her and was able to relax. We interviewed a few, and she asked great questions, and was fantastic, pragmatic and great communicator. She worked well with our medical staff, also takes excellent b/w photos. 510-459-7673 Another dula and hypnotherapist I met with for just hypnosis was Betsy Appell. Nice, smart lady and my birth was without drugs and not very painful, so, it worked well for me. Carolyn

I HIGHLY recommend Nicki Bonifilio as a doula. She is DONA- certified, and she is just plain wonderful. Calm, confident, encouraging, knowledgable ... everything you want in a doula. Her website makes it seem like she's a bit new age-y, but she is extremely down-to-earth and very very easy to work with. She is busy, tho and may be booked already. Many people secure doulas months in advance. http://www.unraveling.com/birth.html a very satisfied mom

I would highly like to recommend our postpartum doula who is also a doula, Ann Regan Haynes. If I had met her before we had our doula in place, I would have loved to have her instead of the doula we did have. We were fortunate to have her for our postpartum doula. She was absolutely wonderful supporting us in our transition into a family and made it infinitely more enjoyable. But the reason I feel she would be a great doula as well, and someone like you are describing is because we had extensive conversations regarding my doula experience--my doula was very upset my labor was induced by pitocin and mainly because she felt it would be necessary for me to have pain meds because of the stronger contractions. I told Ann how insulting and angry it made me feel to not have the support of my doula since it was my OB/Gyn who wanted to have me induced. An OB/Gyn who I had seen for fifteen years and really trusted. Ann told me that it sounded like the doula had her own philosophy, but that she should have done what I wanted regardless and not let it intrude upon my labor. I also told Ann of my friend's doula horror story, where her doula actually argued with the doctors and nurses and antagonized her husband--totally stressing out my friend who ended up needing an emergency C-section. Ann said these things should not happen and explained to me that the doula's job is support the mother period. And she said unfortunately she has heard other stories like these. I know she has had numerous experiences being a doula in this area, and I am sure she could provide you with references if you like. You are welcome to contact me: 510-499-9896 or Ann Regan Haynes directly at anndoula@yahoo.com or cell:510-847-9743. Best of luck! Lucie

Re: Non New Agey doula for Alta Bates Wanted I highly recommend my doula Chris Gonzales. She was very supportive of me and whatever decisions I wanted to make. I don't know that she has any specific medical training but she has been a doula and a doula educator for a long time. She always used the actual terms for what was happening. No talk of ''vibes''. She helped me to formulate a birth plan before the big day so I had a better idea of what I wanted. She was very helpful and not ''new agey'' at all. I interviewed one doula who went on and on about the ''sisterhood'' of women giving birth and the natural way that women can squat in a field surronded by their mothers and sisters etc. -- Fine for some, but not my cup of tea. As it turned out Chris was not able to be with me for much of my labor and sent her backup -- Felicia Roche who was also excellent and a really great advocate throughout. Good luck with your search.

I am happy to recommend Betsy Appell as a doula. She was at my home birth 6 months ago and I can't imagine enduring the experience without her. Her presence during 8 hours of one minute on one minute off contractions was indispensible. Because of her deep meditation practice she is unflappable and very calming, without dismissing the emotions of the moment. She arrives when you ask with a bag of tricks for a wide variety of situations that can happen. She is the one that showed my husband how to push in my hips in a very specific way, which we used for the rest of the labor, that we would have never figured out on our own. She worked well with the midwives, but was clearly there for me first. The best part was that when my husband had to find or do something for the midwife, he had the peace of mind knowing that Betsy was there with me. I had a very physical labor and needed much more than just emotional support. Betsy and my husband both had sore muscles after the birth as a testament to their dedication in easing my discomfort (and therefore my fear). Even if you are having a home birth, consider having Betsy as your doula. I plan to have her (if she is available) at my future home births. She also teaches hypnobirthing as part of her fee, as well as prenatal yoga at the Y, which allowed me to develop a relationship with her before the birth. Her website is http://berkeleydoula.com/. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions about Betsy. Cynthia

Can anyone tell me about their experience with Virginia Duplessis? We are thinking about hiring her as our doula. This is our first baby, we are delivering at Alta Bates, and I would like to avoid pain medication and uneccesary medical interventions. In terms of our 'dream doula': we want someone who can be a cheerleader for me, help keep my husband calm, explain medical procedures we don't understand, and basically has a positive and energetic personality. Thanks, Excited (& and nervous) mother-to-be

Virginia was everything I needed. She was supportive, centered, focused, positive, quiet, strong, patient, full of tips, I can go on and on. I knew she was there if I needed her. Just as important, my husband knew she was there for him too! And she gave us plenty of private time. She was so focused on me and kept me calm.

Without her, my husband would have never been able to eat lunch when we were laboring at home nor pick me flowers from the garden. He swears that he will never have another baby without her help!

I would not have been able to have a natural birth without her and the midwife, Jeri Zukoski.

I hope you choose to hire her! She's the super doula!

Good luck to you and feel free to contact me. susan

I would just like to wholeheartedly recommend my doula Nicki Bonfilio. Her calm manner helped guide us through 22 extremely long hours of labor. Even though we took birthing classes, I don't think I could have made it without Nicki's guidance, reassurance, and general wonderfulness. She respected our birth plan, made gentle and informed suggestions, and helped us navigate the uncertainty of birth with professionalism and ease. We will definitely ask her to be with us at the birth of our second child! Her phone number is 415.558.8471 beretran

2005 Recommendations

I'm expecting a baby early 2006. This time around, I'm considering hiring a doula. I would love to know if there are any doulas who are also massage therapists, or who use massage during labor. Thanks for any recommendations! expecting

We are giving birth to our first child in February at Cal Pacific Med Center (in SF). We are looking for a doula who can work with us at CPMC through delivery (preferably natural) and possibly post-partum. Many thanks for any suggestions. Lexie

Michelle took a lot of time to talk to us before our birth. We had 2 long prenatal meetings in addition to the initial interview. She was with me for my whole labor (which ended up being about 8 hours) and came for apostnatal visit. She and her backup doula, Kara, also host group prenatal and postpartum meetings once a month where you can meet her other clients, most of whom live in SF.

She is very knowledgeable and also kind and empathetic. I really like her.

She has a website: http://www.welborndoula.com/ New Mom

I'm considering using Joan Taylor as my doula. Has anyone used her as a doula in the past and what was your experience like? E

I am considering hiring Linda Jean as our doula for the birth of our first child. Does anyone have any expereinces with her and her services? Thank you so much! first time mom

2004 Recommendations

My partner and I are expecting our first child in early January and are looking for a doula. I will be giving birth at Alta Bates in Berkeley and am planning a natural birth, but am open and aware that things might change. We want a doula that is sensative to same sex couples, practical, aware and supportive of both mine and my partners needs. We are on a tight budget. We already have one name on our list, Candace Palmerlee, but are looking for others to interview. Thanks.

She is a lesbian and preferentially serves the LGBT community in the Bay Area. I volunteer with her through a nonprofit and think she's great! I don't know how her fees compare with others, however.

Also try Maia Conception and Midwifery Services http://www.maiamidwifery.com/whoarewe.html They may have other doula references.

I'm a labor and delivery nurse at ABMC, a lesbian, and do labor support. You could ask for me, evening shift, and if I'm working I'd love to be your nurse. I don't want to give out my name on this list, but if you like, post an email address and I'll write you.

Haven't seen any recent recommendations on a good Doula in the Berkeley area. We are due in Jan. '05 and are hoping for a drug- free birth at Alta Bates. Does anyone have a good recommendation for someone to mainly help us through labor with trying differnet positions, using various techniques to prevent tearing, etc? Nina

If you want to meet her and get to know her style, she teaches a free class every Friday morning (9-11:30) at Elephant Pharmacy (which I would also highly recommend--it combines prenatal yoga on a birthing ball taught by a woman named Liv with Lisa's Art of Birthing class). Good luck and healthy birthing! Amy

Judy works for what YOU want, whether it's drug-free or not. She wants your birth experience to be positive. I basically left it to her to follow our birth plan - one she helped us write - (i.e., she reminded the doctors of our wants and needs, even though due to medical complications, some couldn't be fulfilled) so my husband and I could focus on the labor and delivery (we didn't remember ANYTHING from childbirth classes). Judy is very experienced and she is known at Alta Bates. I would definitely hire her again. She can be reached at 510-236-1543. Or you can email me if you have further questions. bradycj

Has anyone had any experience with Chris Gonzalez? Chris is a doula who lives in Hayward. I am also looking for info on Felicia Roche, a doula in Alameda. Thanks!

I'm not a touchy-feely type nor a New Age-y type; Chris meshed perfectly with my more practical outlook. She knew just how to support both me and my husband through a long labor that ultimately ended in a surgical birth when it was discovered that the baby was breech.

We re-hired Chris for my recent second pregnancy with the intention of doing a VBAC. Unfortunately, I ended up having a scheduled section this time around -- my daughter was *also* breech and there were other complications -- so Chris didn't attend the birth, but she was still a big help in the last weeks of my pregnancy as we attempted to turn the baby and as I came to grips with the decision to schedule the surgery.

I recommend her without hesitation. Holly

I highly recommend Felicia Roche. She was with me for the birth of both of my children. She is truly amazing!! If you would like to know more feel free to contact me directly! Jasmin

Hi, I'm expecting my second child in July. In New York City there is a ''volunteer doula service'' where doulas in training assist at births for free or at reduced rates according to their level of experience. It is organized by a doula trainer. Is there anything similar here, and/or do you have any recommendations of individuals to contact? Thanks a lot in advance. Jodi

If you are looking for a doula and/or interested in hypnobirthing, I would highly recommend Betsy Appell, www.sfdoula.com. My husband and I took a ''HypnoBirthing, make your partner your doula'' workshop from her recently. We found her to be extremely knowledgeable, thorough and professional as well as kind, gentle and caring. She also provided a bunch of information for us to take with us. I have heard many good things about Betsy from other people and I believe she is tops in her field. Please feel free to email me with any questions. jeewon

2003 Recommendations

I'm considering using Felicia Roche as my doula. Has anyone used her as a doula in the past and what was your experience like? km

In my case, my contractions came every two minutes from the start and kept at it for over 9 hours. I was also having back labor which I didn't know at the time. By the time my husband called her to come to the hospital I was panicked. I didn't know what was going on and the contractions seemed to be coming too fast and hard too early. From the minute she arrived her knowledgable and calming manner set me at ease and helped me feel back in control. She also helped my husband and sister who assisted in the birth feel and work like as a great team.

I can't say enough about Felicia. If I ever have another child I would want her at my side! Elizabeth

I am giving birth in mid-May at Summit Medical Center, and I am interested in hiring a doula for the birth. I have seen previous recommendations for doula's; however, I am interested in learning about recent experiences (in the past year) with doula's in the area. There have been rave reviews about Makini Duewa, Treesa Mclean, and Christine Gonzalez. Has anyone worked with one or more of the following women: Mariflo Hudson, Meghan Lewis, Alice Elliot, Beth Hammond or Joan Taylor? Is there anyone else I should be considering? Jennifer

My son and his wife are having their first child in late July, at Kaiser in Walnut Creek, and would like to hire a Doula. Recommendations? I've checked the archives, but only saw one in WC, and it was an old post. Susan

I also recommend Deanna Jesus who in addition to being a doula, is a Certified Hypnobirthing practitioner She is my doula and I am due in 2 weeks, I have been doing a combined doula/hypnobirthing series with her.

Deanna's Phone 925-216-7264 douladee AT birthingbabies.com

Also check out the BIRTH AND BABY FAIR AT NURTURE CENTER IN Lafayette ON JUNE 29TH.

You can meet doulas there I am sure. Check out nurturecenter.com for more details Teresa

Does anyone know of any midwives of Color [especially African or African American] in the Bay Area??? I'm looking for someone for my second homebirth. anon

I'm considering hiring Constance Williams as my doula. I've seen one nice recommendation for her on the site but wondered if more of you out there have had good (or bad) experiences with her. Thanks. monica

My husband and I don't have a lot of money - so instead of hiring someone, I asked my oldest friend and another good friend who had gone through labor before to assist my primary birthing coach. Then I was lucky enough to have my mom present as well. All three women were incredibly supportive and provided me with the nurturing and advocacy I needed and the rest my husband needed so he could be ''present'' when I really needed him. we called them at three in the morning and they came over and stayed with us until well after I delivered that afternoon. plus, they continue to present in my life weeks afterwards and will always be aunties for my son. So if you can't afford a doula, don't feel like your birth experience will be any less significant. That's just my two cents. Jen

I wonder if you've talked to many other midwives in your search for someone you're comfortable with. I recommend Lindy Johnson highly (my midwife, Robin Hale, used to work with Lindy). I was looking for a midwife who would support my goals for a non- interventive, personal and powerful birth experience; but also someone who could discuss the pros and cons of any medical procedure and give me some balanced advice. If that's what you want, too, please be sure that Constance can see both sides!! My experience (though it's been 4 years ago!) is that she can't. Christina

Any recommendations for doulas who can coach me with a hypnobirthing birth? The Hypnobirthing courses helped tremendously with the birth of my first child, but I think I could really benfit from a doula this next time. Natasha

Recommendations from 2002 and Earlier

I'm looking for a doula or *some one* who does self-hypnosis training for labor. Does any one know of anybody here in the bay area? Alesia

I read the recommendations for labor doulas on the Berkeley Parents Network, and most of them either said or implied that the doula helped them avoid drugs during labor. I want to have a good birth experience, and for me this is likely to involve an epidural. I am looking for a doula who would not just tolerate but would support my choice to use pain-control technology--I know this goes against the philosophy of many doulas, but I'm hoping there will be some who share my attitude. Skill at massage would be a big plus; another plus would be someone who also works as a post-partum doula (though I am open to hiring a separate person for that function). Nomi

Natual Resources in San Francisco's Noe Valley, on Castro by 24th Street, has a binder of local doulas. We'll be using Summer Andreason (my due date is Feb. 4). She is a massage therapist and a doula with plenty of experience, and I feel very comfortable with her. I'll send her number to you directly.

I would like to recommend the doula who assited in the birth of my daughter in April. Her name is Linda Almond-Nichols. Her number is 925-228-8712. She was recommended to me by Janaki Costello and has had 20 years of experience. My husband and I both felt she did a wonderful job and felt very relaxed with her.. Linda is very warm, supportive, calm and easy going. She really helped facilitate ways for my husband to support me and participate in my labor, she advocated for us with the staff in a non-dogmatic way, and let me make the choices I wanted about my birth without pressure. Amzel

We would have recommended Janaki - we took her birthing class and found it to be very enjoyable and educational. We would have been interested in using her Doula services too, but she was not taking clients when Charlotte was due. Her partner Carol Shattuck-Rice is also a Doula and we have heard good things about her. We know Carol and used her services as a Post-partum Doula and she was very helpful.

I know this isn't the birthing part you were probably thinking of hearing about, but this post-partum help is equally crucial since sometimes things don't go perfectly during delivery and afterward. It's really important to have someone such as Janaki to lean on. She was the essence of capableness and optimism, her credentials which would see you well through any part of the process!

I liked Janaki so much and felt so soothed by her that my husband and I decided that if we ever had another baby, we would call her right away to hire her as our doula.
Lynn (2/00)

Janaki was our Doula for the birth of our daughter in 1995. She is is a Certified Doula, Childbirth Educator, and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.

Regarding the request for a doula recommendation: I HIGHLY recommend Janaki Costello. She can be reached at home (510-525-1155). I cannot praise her highly enough. She was invaluable to my husband and I during both the birth process, and later giving practical advice and much encouragement regarding nursing. Janaki is both highly skilled and very caring and accepting. Good luck!

I cannot reccomend our doula highly enough. I also cannot reccomend simply having a doula highly enough. Our doula was Janaki Costello (525-1155). She will meet with you 3 or 4 times before the labor, comes and helps during the labor, stays afterwards, is a certified lactation consultant, won't leave until you have had a good latch-on, and comes to your house a couple of times in the next few days (after the milk has come in) to make sure everything is OK.

I am not kidding, when she talked to me during the contractions, they hurt less. She is a wonderful, caring person. She will take care of you, tell your partner that all of that groaning and screaming is normal, and stay with YOU even after your partner is mesmerized by the new baby but you still need someone to hold your hand. She totally follows your lead, but will also talk and ask questions of the hosptial staff for you.

Other benefits of hiring Janaki: Her back up is equally wonderful (Carol Shattuck-Rice) in case Janki is sick or something. and best of all, after the birth she wrote up the whole story of the day based on notes she took when I wasn't looking.

She really made our birth experience great.

Laura Beth

We used a wonderful doula named Meghan Lewis. She came recommended to me by a friend who had worked with Meghan several months before me. Meghan is also a certified massage therapist, so a prenatal or postpartum massage is part of the deal. She was the right mix of crunchy/pragmatic for us, as she helped us get through a painful labor (I was stuck at 8 cm for 7 hours) without any medication. She was a great presence in the labor/delivery room; supported both me and my husband; and got along with the nurses very well. She also took lots of pictures during the whole time, which was a great memento to have afterwards. She charged us $775 back in April. Her number is 510-433-7402. Good luck! Teresa

I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again: Get a doula! Labors with doulas, I'm told, are statistically 1/2 as long as labors without! Certainly that was true for me (my 1st--and so far only--labor was 9 hours, about 1/2 the national average, but evidently the average for those with doulas in attendence--I'm sorry but I don't have the reference for this figure).

As to specific doulas, I really enjoyed working with Carol Shattuck-Rice. She's located in the Berkeley area, and knows the procedures and staff of Alta Bates very well. She's warm and caring, has had kids of her own, and has attended over 40 births (perhaps more than 50 by now). She knows some homeopathic and natural remedies to try for various circumstances, and to top it all off, she's a great photographer, if you want that (I have some wonderful photos of the actual birth--but she won't do it if you don't want it). Her phone number is 527-7210.

Good luck!
Dawn

We have a 38 hour newborn girl.

Our experience with Alice Elliot as a doula was nothing short of phenomenally great.

Between Alice and Lindy Johnson, CNM, and the staff of Alta-Bates we had a once in a lifetime amazingly great first time birth experience.

I hope this doesn't seem too vague or ambivalent. Jerry ( Sept 16, 1997)

My wife and I had a terrific experience giving birth at Summit Hospital with a Doula. Her name is Linda Jones Mixon. She is patient, caring, wonderful and her communication style is friendly and to the point. We just think she is great. We still see her from time to time and our daughter Charlotte -- whom she helped to deliver just adores seeing her. Besides being a Doula, Linda owns and operates a baby store in Berkely called Pickles and Ice Cream on N. Shattuck at Virginia st.

You can reach Linda at: 510-540-7210 or 510-232-7678. When you call her -- if you call her -- you can certainly say you were referred by Adam and Melissa. Good luck, Adam

Linda came over at 10 a.m. and supported us through early labor, then recommended when we ought to go the hospital. When we arrived, all labor-and-delivery rooms *and* triage were full, but the nurses knew her well and trusted her when she said I really needed a room asap. She was right on the money; when they got me in I was already 9+ cm! Things got kind of hung up from then on, but she remained cool and collected throughout -- a great sounding board and support for my husband, while I was off in my own little world. She stayed through till it was all over -- 2 a.m. Though we had a difficult labor and delivery, we felt the whole experience was very positive thanks to Linda's assistance and support for all of our decisions, and her reassurance that we were in charge of those decisions and shouldn't feel rushed by the medical staff. Her 10+ years of experience attending hundreds of births showed in her unflappability throughout, as well as her pragmatic philosophy of attending the birth with "just her hands," no bag of tricks necessary.

Funny -- as we look back through the photos, there's Linda, with her sunglasses perched on her head through the whole thing.

This was four months ago -- she charges in the upper end of the $500-1000 range that others have mentioned for doula services.

I HIGHLY recommend Linda Jones-Mixon as a doula. "The First Six Weeks" She was our saviour; what more can be said! I used her for post-partum care, but know of others who used her during the birth.

I have recommended her to 5 or 6 others. All have used her and adored her as well.

I highly recommend Jeanne Racik as a Labor Support/Postpartum Doula. She assisted me at the birth of my daughter and Jeanne was very caring. She was willing to let me create the birth that worked for me and my family without putting any judgements on my choices. She also helped after the birth and it was beautiful to see her ease with my newborn. You can call Jeanne at 510-594-4363 or contact me for more high praise:)! (Mar 2001)