Kind Words

I can’t tell you how incredible it was to have you here yesterday. You helped make what could have been a really scary and overwhelming experience not so scary and even comforting. I knew I was in great hands and felt really cared for, so I can’t thank you enough. - SS

It was my dream birth! possible only because of you.

Truly— you were terrific. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. - QJW and MG

THANK YOU so much for everything yesterday Raychel!! Literally could not have gone through yesterday without your steadying, constant and positive presence. We are so grateful to have had you in our corner. - LK

I've thanked you a lot haha, but I just wanted to say that you really have a gift and thank you for the work that you do it's so important especially in this world of modern medicine. I really don't trust a lot of people easily and I was able to connect with you on short notice because of your calming demeanor, knowledge and authentic care. It was one of the most vulnerable experiences and also one of the best days of my life! So thank you (again). - VG

I just want to say again how absolutely wonderful and essential you were to us having a successful birth of our baby boy. It was a real journey, and we were honored you were with us each step of the way. Your care, patience, and protection was simply awesome! - KP

Raychel was my birth advocate and I am forever grateful because it was truly the best day ever, no doubt because she was there. I believe that everyone should have a doula and I wish they could all have Raychel. -BH

During labor, Raychel was such a calming and solid presence for both of us. Labor is a wild experience, but having Raychel there helped us not feel overwhelmed. That special day wouldn’t have been as special without her. - MF and RH

As I’ve told many people, I really don’t think I would have successfully given birth the way I did if it weren’t for you and your emotional and physical support. I don’t mean to minimize my own efforts, but truly. I’ll never forget you telling me exactly when to press that epidural button so I could stay comfortable, making me feel totally assured in my decision to get the epidural way, way early so I could handle that balloon experience, being there to tell me what was “normal,” and helping me get into all those positions like that throne position, that [we] would have certainly never known about. You validated everything I was saying and created this incredible bridge between me and the medical providers, who I often have trouble communicating with. You gave me just the right amount of information, in an easy-to-understand way, and exactly what I needed in terms of when to weigh in versus when to help me make my own decisions. - NG

My wife and I cannot believe how present and grounded Raychel remained while also being highly aware of what was happening on the monitors and changes with my contractions and the baby’s heart rate. When there were concerning changes in the monitor, Raychel remained calm and informed us what would most likely happen or be suggested as next steps when the nurses and doctors would enter the room, and she was correct every time. Her experience and intuition helped us feel educated, prepared, and more in control of a scary situation. - CC

Looking back, I’m still in awe of how masterful Raychel was at supporting both me and my husband. She anticipated our needs (everything from logistical details my husband was managing to the very physical aspects of labor) and helped me stay fully present and grounded throughout labor and delivery. I can’t imagine going through it without her. - SW

I cannot say thank you enough to Raychel, she was our rock during delivery. We had some unexpected changes to the overall birth plan and she kept me informed about what to expect throughout the process. I felt going into the final weeks of pregnancy I was well informed and calm because of the knowledge and support she gave during our prenatal appointments. When you’re looking for someone to be with you on such an important day you need to feel comfortable and confident about them, she was incredibly supportive which made having her there imperative. I also appreciated the lactation support post delivery and once home. -AL

Raychel's support was wonderful for many reasons but mainly because she was not only available to support me but also my husband. Knowing that she was there to support me as well as him, lessened my anxiety and feelings that he would not have anyone to lean on. Additionally, Raychel was so committed to just being with us and being present. It was so comfortable having her around during delivery/labour that it felt like she was a family member.

Finally, she comes with no judgment which is so important if you have a birth plan that doesn't fall into place as you would have hoped for. No matter what decision I made, her support was unwavering. This was important to me as I was hard on myself that my labor was not going as planned.

My husband and I made a lot of important decisions during my pregnancy and the best one we made was working with Raychel. I would make that decision 100 times over. She will forever have a special place in our hearts. - RS

Hiring Raychel to be the doula for our son’s birth was the best prepartum decision we made. As soon as we met her we could see that she was the right person for us; the kindness shone out of her eyes and she was concerned with finding out what we envisioned our birth to be rather than what her idea of our birth should be. The meetings with her before the birth were great because she gave us strategies for early labor and helped us prepare so we felt less nervous. Knowing that she was going to be there whenever the time came made both me and my husband feel safe, like we were in good hands. He was convinced that he was going to pass out or have a panic attack and I would be alone delivering the baby! Raychel was always available and responsive when I would text with a picture or question about yet another random pregnancy-related concern. Then the actual day came and things didn't really go as we had planned. Thank goodness Raychel was there, because she took a situation that could have been stressful or disappointing and made sure that our son’s entrance into the world was as close to our birth plan as possible. She advocated for me and was a calming and knowledgeable presence in the middle of a medical establishment that wasn’t particularly concerned with our family making a beautiful memory together. She also took some really incredible pictures (with our permission) of my son coming out and the moments immediately following and I couldn’t stop crying when I saw them. We will treasure them forever. -AM

Raychel was the best decision I could have made in preparation for birth and postpartum. Hands down. I was definitely nervous about having my first child and despite taking a birthing ed class and reading up on what to expect, I felt a million times more confident knowing I had her as a support through the whole process. Raychel is supportive, extremely easy, and fun to talk to. She was an informative, steady, and confident advocate during labor and at the hospital through birth -  she helped me understand all that was going on medically and helped with pain relief when I needed it. She was invaluable after my baby was born, too, when she taught me how to breastfeed. In short, she was a wonderful person to have by my side in addition to my husband during the whole process. I'm actually not sure how I could have done it without her there! Not to mention, having her as a resource and lactation consultant after birth has been infinitely more helpful than any internet search or anecdotal advice I received from others!! I could go on, but trust me - she is wonderful and I can't recommend her enough. Thank you, Raychel, for helping make my birth experience (and beyond) a great one. <3 -SS

My husband and I had a wonderful experience with Raychel as our doula. During the prenatal home visits, she provided helpful information on what to expect during labor as well as effective coping strategies for labor pain. Raychel was also knowledgable of local resources from childbirth classes and placental encapsulation to postpartum pelvic therapists. During labor, Raychel helped calm me down during a week of Braxton-Hicks contractions, and knew just where to apply pressure to help relieve my labor pains! She was a strong advocate during our delivery at the hospital, and even snapped photos of our precious first moments with our little one. We're thankful to have had Raychel be a part of our birth story, and would recommend her to other expecting mothers. -FC