Jenny Gillespie Photo

Jenny Gillespie

your doula

Venice, CA Service range 25 miles I live in Venice, but travel North to the San Fernando Valley, and south to Torrance.

http://www.yourdoula.com

Birth Fee

$2500 to $3000

Postpartum Rate

$35 to $45

Birth Fee

$2500 to $3000

Postpartum Rate

$35 to $45


Birth Doula Experience

29 years and 412 births attended

Postpartum Doula Experience

20 years and 67 families served


Birth Doula Certifications

  • DONA International - Certified Birth Doula
  • International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) - Certified Birth Doula

Doula Training

  • DONA International-Approved Workshop, September 2009

Type of practice: Solo practice

Clients per month: 2 to 4 births and 2 to 4 postpartum families

Postpartum limits/restrictions: There are no limits

Attends hospital births? All Hospitals
I attend hospital births in Dutchess, Columbia and Westchester Counties. I will also attend births as far north as Albany, and as far south as Manhattan. I also attend planned cesarean births if the mom is a single mom. I have attended births at Northern Dutchess Hospital, Vassar, Roosevelt Hospital, Einstein Hospital.

Attends birth center births? All Birth Centers

Attends home births? Any Home Birth
I have attended home births.


College Education

BA/BS


Special Services Offered

  • Antepartum doula support
  • Childbirth education services
  • Infant massage education
  • Lactation consultant/counselor services
  • LGBTQIA+ Support
  • Military families support
  • Reduced rates for women considering adoption
  • Satellite doula (for remote and rural clients)
  • Surrogates and intended parents
  • Virtual and remote doula support

Relevant volunteer or advocacy work

I volunteered at a maternity home in Venice, CA from 2005-2013. Most of the women are single, have no partners, and so I am with them when they give birth. I am a certified childbirth educator (ICEA), and teach private childbirth education classes. I am a board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC). I love what I do, and feel very privileged to help moms, couples and families welcome their babies to the world. In California, I have supported women and their partners at UCLA Santa Monica, UCLA Westwood, Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles and Little Company of Mary in Torrance. I relocated to the New York area in 2013 and was there until December 2019, and supported families as well as volunteered at NY Healthy Families of Dutchess County.

Languages Spoken

  • French

Fee Details

I really believe that every woman who wants a doula should have one, so I have a sliding scale if there is a need.

Service Area

Venice, CA Service range 25 miles I live in Venice, but travel North to the San Fernando Valley, and south to Torrance.

Certifications for Jenny Gillespie

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Client Testimonials for Jenny Gillespie

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Mara

2/12/2024

I felt so fortunate to have Jenny at the birth of my second child. She helped me come up with my birth preferences and use them to advocate for myself in a collaborative way with my treatment team. This ultimately allowed me to have a much smoother birth experience than with my first, even when things changed unexpectedly, as they often do in a birth! In general, she is a very pleasant, funny, down to earth individual. Would highly recommend her as a birth doula!

Camilia Chandler

2/7/2024

Jenny was a wonderful Doula and we would highly recommend her. It was invaluable to have her at the birth, but also to prepare and the follow up. I would highlight her gentle and caring approach. She truly cared about us. Her thoughtfulness and encouraging manner, and her extensive knowledge and experience were also highlights. But more then anything, she is now a trusted friend. 

Le

10/4/2023

We are thrilled to share appreciation for the incredible support provided by Jenny during our first pregnancy. Jenny’s extensive knowledge, unwavering guidance, informative insights, and genuine care made a world of difference in our transition to parenthood. Thanks to Jenny’s unique combination of hospital experience and doula support, we gained the confidence we needed, making our pregnancy experience truly memorable. We highly recommend Jenny’s services to anyone seeking exceptional support during this special time in their lives

Susan & Dana

7/10/2023

We are so grateful to have had jenny along with us on our birthing journey. We are first time moms so we were nervous about what to expect during the pregnancy and birth. Jenny came to our house multiple times to go over what to expect at the hospital and helped answer any questions we had prior to the birth.

Jenny made us feel more comfortable about the process. She is extremely  knowledgeable and thorough when answering questions. She helped my partner feel so comfortable as well and made sure she felt that her experience is as important as mine and provided her support. When the day arrived and the contractions started Jenny was a life saver. She guided us through multiple days of contractions and helped me relieve as much pain as possible. I would not have been able to get through it without her help!When it was time to go to the hospital Jenny drove along with us to the hospital and stayed the entire time. She held my hand at the hospital and was the calming relief and presence in the room during such a time of uncertainty. She went above and beyond to tailor the experience for my needs and kept always asking me what I needed and would anticipate things before I could even think of them. I truly can not imagine doing this without her. We are beyond grateful for her helping bring our little boy into the world and 100% recommend her services! If you are lucky enough to have Jenny as your Doula you will be beyond grateful.

Susan & Dana 

Diana D

4/15/2023

Jenny was an excellent doula. She made herself available to our family by adapting to our schedule, and stayed present and alert throughout the delivery. She is extremely experienced and a great confidant. Having her by my side during the birth of my son definitely made the whole experience more reassuring and enjoyable. I would strongly recommend her to anyone looking for a reliable and valuable resource.

Emily B

1/13/2023

Jenny was an absolute lifesaver when things didn't go as planned during our delivery! Labor was much faster/more precipitous than planned, and Jenny was by our side every step of the way to help us through it. I honestly don't know what I would have done without her there. She was calm, comforting, focused, reliable, and evidence-based. If you are considering a doula, I highly recommend going with Jenny!

Melissa K

9/12/2022

Jenny was highly recommend to us when we were looking for a doula after three miscarriages and needing an extra sensitive soul. That and 30+ years of experience is exactly what we got with Jenny (plus she's a mom, too)! She was such a wonderful support system before, during, and especially after delivery when all the helpful hospital staff is gone and you're worried and full of questions as a first-time parent. Jenny understood exactly what we needed and was kind, caring, knowledgeable, and respectful. I sincerely feel I couldn't have done this without her and would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a skilled and thoughtful doula in the LA area.

Rita Cohen

4/10/2022

Jenny is a fantastic doula and my husband and I cannot recommend her enough!  She is very knowledgeable and has extensive experience, all while being warm and nurturing. I had a long labor (30 hours) and Jenny was by our side coaching me through contractions, providing emotional and physical support (e.g. massage), and advocating on my behalf.  When it was finally time to push I was deliriously exhausted and Jenny's calmness and reassurance helped immensely.  After our daughter's birth, we also hired Jenny as our postpartum doula.  In the hospital I was shown how to breastfeed by the nurses, however when we got home I had a lot of difficulty.  Luckily Jenny is also a lactation consultant so she coached me on proper technique and my breastfeeding issues quickly resolved.  I honestly may have given up on breastfeeding if it wasn't for Jenny.  Overall, Jenny's expertise, responsiveness (she was only a text, call or email away with any question we had), flexibility, and wonderful personality made her the perfect fit for us.  Thank you Jenny, for everything!

Rachel R

11/2/2021

My husband and I were referred to Jenny by friends of ours who raved about her. We weren't sure exactly what a doula does, but we were interested, because they said that Jenny was not only amazing at supporting my pregnant friend, but also amazing at supporting her husband during birth. My husband is a little bit shy and I was worried that he would be a deer in headlights during birth. He has a hard time seeing me in pain, and I also felt like we needed someone to advocate for both of us in the hospital. We met with Jenny, and I immediately felt at ease with her. She is calm, witty, charming, nurturing, experienced, confident and knowledgable - everything you'd want in a doula. We hired her and to our surprise, our baby arrived 4 weeks early! No one expected this to happen, and Jenny was out of town. She drove over 10 hours to get to us, and we are forever grateful, because we could NOT have done this without Jenny. She sent someone in her place while she drove down, and arrived at the hospital as soon as she could. There were all kinds of things the nurses were wanting to give me (medicine-wise) and Jenny helped us take a step back and ask why to certain things. That helped so much because we were then able to ask those questions to the doctor, who listened, and changed the meds/plan...and that helped my labor progress. My husband and I would not have had the courage or even knowledge to say something without Jenny. She helped me through contractions, the epidural, and 4 hours of pushing and I know that my husband felt more confident in that room because she was confident and knew what she was doing. After the baby was born, Jenny came to the house and cooked for us and prepped meals for us (which were delicious!!!). We are so blessed to know her and so fortunate to have her in the room. Jenny-- thank you!!! We adore you!!!

Julia Pollak

8/2/2021

We have hired Jenny as our doula for all three of our children's births, and she has provided the most sensible, competent, reassuring, and encouraging support, information, and coaching on all three occasions. I cannot recommend her highly enough. 

Each baby's birth was different, but all three times, Jenny gave me valuable information that helped me evaluate the benefits and downsides of doctors' recommendations, and gave me multiple natural strategies to try first when doctors were suggesting misoprostol, pitocin, amnioinfusions, percocet post-delivery, etc. or even, in one case, talking about progress being "too slow" and possible need for a C-section. Her calm, sensible approach and great kindness and warmth put my husband and me at ease and helped us have fun between contractions, and cope well with contractions, even as they became more intense. I largely credit Jenny with the fact that I had three successful natural births and very easy recoveries with a great deal of fun and laughter along the way--twice only minutes after my doctors were pushing interventions to "speed things along." 

Jenny was totally in tune with what we needed and extremely knowledgable. I wish I could hire her for all of my friends and hope that one day every woman has access to as thoughtful, caring, and expert a doula as Jenny!   

cristina

5/5/2021

Jenny was wonderful to have by my side as I went through the journey of labor & delivery. She brought peace to the room. She advocated on my behalf and I felt safe with her present during delivery. I'm extremely grateful to have had Jenny as my doula. 

 

With love & gratitude,

 

Cristina 

HB

5/4/2021

We knew Jenny was the perfect fit the moment we met her. She is super nice and easy to talk to. Jenny is also extremely knowledgeable and informative of all of the ins and outs of the birthing process and hospital protocols. She helped my husband and I relax during my scheduled c-section by providing constant attention and support. Her post partum visits were also invaluable! She helped me find the right latch for breastfeeding when I was sore. Her presence in the house during her visits was extremely relaxing and helpful to be able to grab a quick shower or a nap. We are so sad that Jenny moved and will not be with us for the birth of our second child. She is very missed!

Michael & Alison

3/7/2021

We had such a great experience with Jenny, from the first introduction via zoom to the birth and the follow up lactation consultation-Jenny was warm, comforting, very knowledgeable and always reassuring us as new parents that we were doing great. We had so many questions and anxiety about the birthing process--Jenny was patient and made us both feel at ease. With every challenge we had, Jenny had an answer and the experience to back it up. (Dad speaking) "I cannot imagine being in the delivery room without her, she really did make the whole experience more relaxing and even fun!" She had all these tools to help mom get through the pain and when the nurses left the room it was Jenny  helping mom push and breath and relax. 10/10 we would recommend her again! 

Kerissa Fuccillo Battle

2/28/2021

We absolutely loved having Jenny as our doula. She was reachable, knowledgeable, and supportive before the birth, and totally present and competent at the actual birth. When the birth center nurse tried to say we came in too late to have the water birth we wanted, she skillfully worked with the midwife on call and helped make it happen in a smooth and non-confrontational way. We had the birth experience of our dreams and feel she was an integral part of that. She was also super supportive after the birth and checked in regularly, helping with nursing and infant care questions. We had worked with a different doula for our first birth, so we have a frame of reference for comparison. She is warm and supportive of spiritual/natural birth, but is also totally practical, non-judgmental and quite funny actually - which is always a plus! We never felt like she had an opinion about how things should be - we always felt completely supported and like she would do everything in her power to help us have the birth experience we set our intentions for. Without hesitation we would choose Jenny again if we had another baby!

Anna

8/15/2020

Jenny was our doula for the birth of our first son, Oliver, and she made all the difference in our birth experience! We met with Jenny several times before Oliver arrived to get to know each other and review our birth plan. During my long 20-hour labor, she provided essential support to both me and my husband -- without her, I know I wouldn't have been able to stick to my birth plan and have a natural, unmedicated birth. We loved Jenny's calm, grounded manner and deep experience as a doula. I still remember Jenny looking into my eyes during a difficult stage of my labor and getting me through each contraction by breathing together. She also provided postpartum support and helped us get on track with breastfeeding and taking care of our newborn. Thank you, Jenny!!

sophia

2/27/2019

Jenny was incredibly attuned to what I (the birth mother) and my partner needed throughout the course of my labor. To the point that she did things I didn't even know I needed, but that made all the difference in making me as comfortable and energized as possible. For example, when we first arrived in the hospital Jenny immediately asked how I felt about the temperature in my room and adjusted it accordingly. Then she asked if I wanted light spa music and some lavender scent, which was just right and which I never would have thought to ask for. Later, when we got into the room with the hospital's laboring tub, Jenny leapt into action, covering the clinical white light on the wall with her purple scarf to create a more soothing ambience. We spent some time laboring out on the birthing center's porch as well, and Jenny kept a sweet and thoughtful conversation going there as I focused on my breathing. During delivery Jenny asked me what I needed at just the right moments, offered me ice to chew and held my hand. She is also a lactation consultant, so she helped get me started with breastfeeding and then visited me at home for a full consultation when I was engorged. I would recommend Jenny to anyone and would have her as my own doula again without hesitation.

Melanie Guido

1/23/2019

My husband and I were very anxious about finding the right doula for us for our childbrith. The moment we met Jenny, our minds were immediately put to ease as we knew she would be the perfect fit for us. Not only is she incredibly knowledgeable and professional, but she is also very comforting and nonjudgemental. I knew she would support me in whatever kind of birth I hoped to have, and I could trust the information she supplied me with as it was totally unbiased. She is a brillient childbirth and baby care educater, as well as a Certified Lactation Consultant, which was a wonderful bonus. We were able to have private classes with her in our home before delivery, which was great because toward the end of pregnancy I was most comfortable in my own home. We felt so prepared heading into this new journey, and once I sarted breastfeeding I really felt that I had an advantage due to having taken her breastfeeding class. Most importantly, she was an absloute godsend during my labor. It was over 20 hours long and rather challenging, situtations arrose that i did not expect, but Jenny got me through it. She took care of me, my husband and my mother throughout my whole labor and for that we will forever be greatful. She made me feel comforted and supported, and empowered me to achieve the vaginal birth I had hoped for. I do beleive without her I very well would have ended up having a C Section. I felt truly cared about by Jenny before, during and even after the birth of my child. The postpartum period is scary and fragile and just knowing I have her to reach out to helps a great deal. Not only do I highly recommend her as a doula, I would say she is an absolute necessity.

Claire Sagan

1/18/2019

It is hard to convey how important Jenny's support and presence turned out to be, in one of the most traumatic yet beautiful days of my life. Here is my genuine attempt, knowing that the raw experience of labor and the support one gets in such life shattering (and life-making!) circumstances, are beyond what any words might express:

I cared a lot about avoiding any chemical pain relief or pitocin etc, and wanted as natural of a birth as possible. However I was caught off guard when labor hit: I got back-to-back contraction right away, and the continuous surges lasted almost throughout the 15 hours of labor! If Jenny hadn't been by my side, I probably would have caved and begged for an epidural after 2 hours! Instead, she helped me breathe, came up with one idea after another to cope with the pain, and was exactly the vital support I needed, all the way until my little one latched on. Every decision we made (for example the decision to accept an IV of fluid temporarily at one point), was made very calmly and deliberately, thanks to Jenny's advice and experience.

Jenny is very experienced: she's been a doula for many years, and even teaches other doulas. This really shows in how wonderful a resource she is. I should also add that Jenny speaks French like a native: this was important for me as it is my native language, and in the hardest moments of labor it was very comforting to be able to communicate this way.

I am so proud and happy, both for myself and for my baby, that I had a natural birth, and Jenny's comforting words were crucial for this -- thinking back I can still hear her calm, supportive, and energetic voice: "stay with it... breathe..." My husband, too, felt truly included in the process, and we will always be grateful for Jenny's help welcoming our baby into this world.

Margaret Marlatt

1/22/2018

Like many new mothers, I had breasfeeding difficulties but desperately wanted to continue breastfeeding. After moving states with my 2 week old, I contacted Jenny in a panic as my son was not gaining weight well and my milk supply was low. With all honesty, Jenny saved breastfeeding for the two of us. She immediately saw a latch problem, correctly diagnosed a tongue/lip tie, (all of which had been missed by a previous lactation consultant) and taugh me ways to help my son feed with breastmilk and gain weight while we worked on the breasfeeding. I met with Jenny at 3 weeks and by 8 weeks, I was done with the nipple shield, his lip/tongue ties were repaired, he was latching correctly, and finally gaining weight well. My son is now 4 months old, has doubled his birthweight, and I have a freezer full of milk. Given her expertise as a Doula she completely understands the mother's complexities in the postpartum stage and the mother/baby dynamic which adds to her effectiveness. I can not thank her enough. I was ready to throw in the towel with breastfeeding, was emotionally a wreck and she helped me back from a very difficult place. My husband would say to me "what would Jenny say?" when I started to have my doubts. Jenny is a kind, funny, and smart person. I loved working with her and would strongly recommend her to anyone looking for a Doula or LC.

Katie Davis

9/18/2017

My husband and I were referred to Jenny through our hospital/OBGYN practitioner and another Doula, and we are so thankful we were able to use her as our Doula! Our experience with her was amazing - She was extremely knowledgeable, supportive, and easy to work with. As first time parents, we had no clue what we were getting into or how to navigate the delivery, but Jenny made it so much more manageable and less intimidating. She put our nerves at ease from the first time we met her, through the prenatal visits, the labor & delivery, and the postpartum visit. We had a very long, intense, and unexpected labor and delivery, that was quite challenging for everyone involved, and Jenny stuck with us throughout the entire process, guiding us and providing both physical and emotional support. We don't know what we would have done without her! She was honestly our rock, and even after the birth, she was there to check in on us before we were discharged, and provided very useful information in the postpartum home visit regarding lactation consulting, and answering our new parenthood questions. She was always readily available to us, day or night, to answer questions or just talk to someone for support. We would highly recommend Jenny to anyone seeking a highly competent and compassionate Doula and a less stressful delivery!

Dara Greenwood

12/7/2016

I never thought I would use a doula and was pretty cynical about it, but Jenny was a *lifesaver* during my labor and delivery! From helping me with breathing, to using a wooden roller and then warm shower on my back, to generally being calm and supportive (and responding to my needs rather than having her own agenda), she helped the labor process feel manageable and non-traumatic. I'm sure I would have needed an epidural without her help. I would recommend her to anyone even considering a doula. Thank you Jenny!

Sara Franklin

11/30/2016

Chris and I were on the fence about using a doula for the birth of our twins, but once we spoke to Jenny, we knew we'd found a perfect fit. Jenny's knowledge, ease, experience, sense of humor, grit and feist made her a terrific doula. We felt entirely supported in our decisions during my labor, and Jenny was so present throughout the whole long process. In addition, she has been unbelievably supportive since the twins were born and had a rough beginning in the NICU, coming to visit, cooking us a meal and generally treating us as friends rather than clients. I also cannot think of a more experienced and dependable source of information and support for breastfeeding. We're so lucky to have found Jenny, and we hope to count her as a friend for a long time to come!

Julia Pollak

10/21/2015

Jenny was my doula for the birth of my first child 3 years ago, and for the birth of my second child just 2 months ago. She was fantastic and I highly recommend her without any reservation. She is very knowledgeable and experienced, having attended more than 100 births and studied very widely on the topics of pregnancy, birth, and lactation. She is also very kind, helpful, attentive, and supportive--and she's a lot of fun to be around.

Jenny met with me several times during each pregnancy, had me call her as soon as I went into labor, came over as soon as I wanted her to, provided excellent advice and invaluable support during labor and delivery, and visited several times after each birth.

With my first baby, labor began with contractions and my water didn't break, so Jenny suggested I stay home as long as possible. It was great advice, and meant I could get some rest, labor in different positions, get massages from Jenny and my husband, take a shower, etc. It also meant that I could have the natural birth I wanted. We finally went to the hospital 20 hours after my labor began, and my baby was out 3 hours later.

With my second baby, my water broke first, so my doctor wanted me at the hospital right away. She felt things were moving too slowly and kept pushing Pitocin, warning that a C-section might become necessary. My nurse encouraged me to have an epidural. I very much wanted a natural birth, though, and Jenny's support enabled me to stand my ground and assert my preferences. When my cervix was taking a very long time to dilate and I was still at only 3 cms after 20 hours, Jenny suggested a sequence of 3 laboring positions that might help the baby get into a better position. An hour later, I had breathed my baby down and he was out with one push.

I almost chose not to have a doula to save money. But I'm so glad I hired Jenny in the end. Worth every penny--and more!

Beth Frinak

7/28/2015

In preparation for the arrival of our first child my husband and I faced the task of planning for an unpredictable event. Jenny helped us prepare by giving us the knowledge and support we needed to be flexible and confident. As a labor support doula she integrated seamlessly to assist us while the medical staff provided clinical care. It was a great comfort to have Jenny’s constant presence as the nurses and staff changed shift; and her expertise with comfort measures was particularly helpful during labor. In addition to supporting us during labor and delivery, we took her childbirth preparation, baby care, and breastfeeding classes. Teaching the classes in our home allowed Jenny to tailor the information specifically to us and the configuration of our home. In short, the information she provided allowed us to be adaptable during (a very long) labor, and continues to help us as our son grows and changes. Jenny is an invaluable resource not only due to her expertise and experience, but also her calm demeanor and we highly recommend her as a doula.

Curtis Dozier

3/27/2015

My wife and I were very well-prepared for labor and delivery: we had both read and discussed with each other multiple books about so-called natural childbirth and also many medical conditions and procedures, had taken a birth prep class at our hospital, and had watched videos of positive birth experiences on YouTube. As a husband I felt very well informed about most of what might happen and the decisions I would need to help my wife make on delivery day. But it turns out there’s a lot more to childbirth than knowledge; there is a different kind of confidence that you need, one that comes from having someone present who has experienced hundreds of births and so knows how to handle anything that might come up. And even more, both of you need calmness, which plays such a huge role in letting the mother’s body do what it knows how to do. When my wife was in labor Jenny provided exactly this confidence and calmness, not just for my wife, but for me as support partner as well. This was especially helpful in the hour just before we went to the hospital: Jenny knew just what my wife needed, helped her understand and embrace what she was experiencing, and got us to the hospital at the perfect moment for a successful delivery of a beautiful and healthy baby girl. Post-partum Jenny has been an invaluable resource for practical advice, especially about breast-feeding. I’m so thankful to Jenny not only for the ways she helped my wife but for the way she helped me support my wife at the miracle of our daughter’s birth.

Emily Johnson

3/27/2015

We had a very good experience with Jenny. We interviewed about 5 doulas and liked them all, but Jenny's experience over many years made us confident that she'd seen it all and would be able to help in pretty much any situation. She was also closer to us than others and slightly more affordable. The two pre-labor meetings were very helpful (in addition to the interview, which was a long conversation). She was also very responsive via email or phone when needed-- though we didn't ask her a ton of questions, mainly just reported on my OB appointments and how things were going. We called her in the morning of my labor, and it turned out that she was only with us at the house for about an hour before we decided to go to the hospital- but was helpful. I was in a zone and she mainly let me do my thing, but if I had been having more trouble I think she would have had plenty of suggestions. She followed us to the hospital, and it turned out I was already fully dilated, so I didn't need a lot of support. Jenny worked well with the midwife at the hospital and suggested some different positions. She also took photos of the delivery which was great, since my husband was busy holding my hand and encouraging me. The follow-up meeting was really helpful-- we talked about breastfeeding, the nursery set-up, the bathing set up, etc. Jenny has lots of good suggestions but doesn't push one way of doing things. She also related well to my husband, which was really important. We would use her again.

Meagan Midwin

8/11/2014

I cannot say enough good things about Jenny Gillespie.  My husband and I both decided to use a doula for my childbirth because I really wanted additional support during the delivery process.  I interviewed several doulas and found Jenny to be the best fit for us.  I did not feel any pressure from Jenny to have my birth plan any specific way and I found her to be very comforting to both my husband and I.  We also decided to do our childbrith, baby care and lactation classes through Jenny and I was blown away at the amount of knowledge she gave to each aspect of delivery, breastfeeding, baby care, etc. Jenny also took the time to understand and focus on the relationship between my husband and I.  During childbirth my son started going into distress and I was extremely nervous.  The staff at the hospital was not helpful in explaining what was going on and they wanted me to make certain decisions that I was not sure about.  Jenny helped explain exactly what was going on and served as a great advocate for me.  Jenny also helped me calm down and remain calm during the rest of my labor.  In the end I had a good experience with my sons birth and I attribute that all to Jenny.  After my son was born, he had some trouble latching on correctly, I had oversupply of milk and overactive let down.  Jenny helped trouble shoot all of these issues and provided a good base for my son and I to have a healthy and positive breastfeeding relationship.  Without Jenny's lactations support I do not know if I would have continued to breastfeed.  Jenny far exceeded my expectations in a doula and I will continue to use her in the future for any children we have.

Kristin Owens

8/2/2014

Dear Jenny,

Caleb and I just want to let you know how wonderful it was to have you as our birth Doula for our baby girl's big day! You were such an invaluable part of the whole experience, that I just can't imagine how that night would have gone without having you there. I personally can't express enough how happy I am to have had you by my side.
You made such a big difference in making my experience through labor such a positive one. I think I got as close to my birth plan as possible, and a huge part of that was having you there to keep me focused and breathing- something that sounds easy, but isn't! You really are a calming spirit to have around, and you seemed to be totally in your element through the whole labor and birth process. Never once did I ever think that you weren't right there with me, and that's not easy- considering what an emotionally and mentally exhausting thing labor can be (not just for the mother, but the people around her). I know my husband as well was happy to have you there with us. I know he felt much better that there was someone else with us who knew what was going on at every step of the way and had the experience of how to help me through it all.
Without you I don't think I would've tried as hard to catch my baby, or understood as fast how to "push"- glad it only took a half hour! You were also invaluable in helping me to latch my baby on in that first hour.
You have always been generous with your time before and after the delivery as well; and it has been so wonderful to have someone to contact these first couple of weeks whenever the need arises.
I know that if we were to have another baby, I would want you there by my side again! I'm so happy with our little girl that it is hard for me to think that far in the future right now, but that is how strongly I feel about how great of a Doula you are!

With much love and a lifetime of appreciation,

Kristin

Karen T

7/27/2014

We decided very late in my pregnancy to hire a doula (two weeks from my due date!), and completely lucked out in finding Jenny. We had been on the fence about hiring a doula because we are pretty private people and were not sure we’d be comfortable with someone along for the journey with us. Jenny met with us right away and immediately put us both at ease with her warmth and humor. She made a point to understand our boundaries – what makes me comfortable, what makes me agitated – and was always respectful of that. She made sure we knew it was about our comfort level, not hers, and said we could kick her out of the room at any time if we wanted some privacy. Well, we never kicked her out of the room! We took such comfort that she was there with us that we wouldn’t have had it any other way.


Jenny was always just a phone call away when we needed her – for advice, questions, and, finally, for when our son was on his way. With Jenny in our corner, we always felt like we had a great source of experience, knowledge and wisdom on our side, and that was enormously reassuring and helpful for us as first time parents-to-be. She made us both feel like we could handle anything unexpected that may come our way during the delivery, and took a lot of anxiety out of the entire experience. During my labor and delivery, she always seemed to find a way to make me feel a little less uncomfortable, a little more relaxed. I always felt encouraged and empowered to go just a bit further than I thought I could, and I was so grateful for that support. She provided a continuum of care and support before, during and after the arrival of our son that truly made the journey a whole lot smoother.

Thank you, Jenny!

Laura J Santana

7/24/2014

i had the most amazing birthing experience with Jenny she was our doula, and she made the experience really positive. I was really nervous about having my baby, and the love, support and relaxation she provided really helped a lot....I would gladly recommend Jenny to anyone who needs a doula!

Laura Santana & Brant Phalen

Florentine Mssupanova Gage

1/18/2014

My experience with my doula jenny was wonderful! I was so relieve to see her when I was in labor.even though it was a short labor jenny  was soo helpful  especially for a drug free labor.my husband and I thank her sooooo much for being by our sides .

Birth Availability for Jenny Gillespie

= Available. Calendar last updated: 02-07-2024

Postpartum Availability for Jenny Gillespie

= Available. Calendar last updated: 02-07-2024