Erik

12/9/2023

Dara was really helpful throughout our journey to parenthood. She was a wealth of knowledge and went above and beyond to help my wife and I with all of our questions and needs. We were on the fence initially about needing a doula and in hindsight it was absolutely the best decision. I cannot recommend Dara more!

Mike Kupferman

10/30/2023

Dara is the most amazing person and doula providing the most amount of assistance, knowledge, and love possible. Her price could be triple and it’d still be a no brainer. As a husband and first time father, Dara was reassuring and helpful in every way possible. From the early visits, to discussing a birthing plan, to literally being on the phone with her as my wife went into labor at home, Dara was there to help every step of the way. If there is ever a question in our home, it’s simply, “why don’t we ask Dara, she’ll know.” She always responds quickly AND always knows what’s best. When we decided to go the route of finding a doula, my wife and I never thought we’d find someone as knowledgeable, helpful, and loving as Dara. I highly recommend Dara’s services as a doula, you will not regret it.

Nicole Young

10/13/2023

We had Dara as our doula for our first pregnancy during the pandemic. While she was unable to support me in the hospital due to pandemic restrictions, she was an incredible resource from the moment we met at 26 weeks. I was planning a birth center birth, and when I had not gone into labor at almost 42 weeks, she was by my side as I pumped and did all the things to try to stimulate labor. I ended up going past 42 weeks and inducing labor in the hospital. Dara was available by phone every step of the way as it was not the environment we had planned for our birth. Not only did she help with my birth journey, while in the hospital she even cared for our dog, walking and feeding her while we were away. It was no question whether Dara was going to be a part of our second pregnancy journey, this time as mother baby wellness support. One of Dara's specialties is in breastfeeding support, and helped me navigate getting my milk supply in with a visit while I was in the hospital, and during my first postpartum journey, she helped alleviate engorged breasts, got me comfortable and able to feed my baby in one visit. She is an incredible resource, but most importantly she is one of the most caring and warm people you will ever meet. You would be lucky to have Dara's support.

Jessica Boynton

7/24/2023

Thank you Dara for helping us out to make educated decisions about our birth. With so much advice coming from everywhere it was so nice to have someone who understands the evidence and studies to talk through next steps. After working with you, we were able to ask the doctors the right questions to be able to make our decisions to the best of our ability. I would highly recommend hiring Dara, she never made us feel rushed with our visit or with our consultation and answered everything we asked. She also recommended our Doula that attended our birth that we wouldn’t have been able to do without.

Jake Stone

7/4/2023

My wife and I were pregnant with our first child when we hired Dara. Before he was even born Dara had already come to our house to help us prepare for a child. Having no idea what to expect, she taught us everything we needed to know. Even now, 6 weeks later, we find ourselves thinking “remember what Dara said about this…” The morning my wife and I decided was the right time to head to the hospital, 7 am Dara was at the door ready to send us off and help us get all the things packed in the car.
When we returned home a few days later, there she was waiting to escort us in the door and get settled in. The first few days getting used to a new baby were pretty rough and I found myself thinking “I can’t wait for Dara to get back so she can tell us what to do.”

Having Dara as our guide was a blessing. Her knowledge of infants and recovering moms was extremely reassuring. And just to have her extra hands around the house to clean dishes and cook food was something I didn’t think we would need until the time came. Having a doula was helpful but Dara made the experience something we won’t soon forget.

Lauren King

7/3/2023

She is known as “Dara the Doula” in San Diego (and beyond) but this name only touches the surface of all that Dara is and offers. I truly can’t imagine my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey without Dara. Dara has become part of our family during the most important season of our life. She is extremely knowledgeable and takes her role very seriously while bringing peace and enjoyment to every interaction. She armors and serves not only the mother and baby, but the mother’s partner so well - she is there for the entire family. It was a joy watching Dara and my husband work together and take care of me when I was recovering after my c-section. There are so many remarkable things about Dara, but one of my favorites is how she always encouraged me to not lead with fear and to lean into my confidence as a mother. My biggest piece of advice to all growing families is to hire Dara… every mother and baby deserves the honor of working with Dara.

Emily LaSpisa

3/16/2023

We hired Dara for prenatal and postpartum care.  Prior to baby’s arrival, she came to our home and provided support guidance on the labor and delivery process as well as some tips for nursing.For postpartum care, Dara provided more detailed support around breast feeding and knowledge of caring for baby those first few weeks after coming home from the hospital.  My husband and I both felt more confident in caring for baby after her visits.  Dara was professional yet warm and caring towards all of us.  She has a passion for this work I’m caring for moms and babies to make those first few weeks a little easier and less stressful.  
I would highly recommend Dara’s services.  She has a great wisdom and lots of experience to share to make the transition to a family happen more smoothly.

Meredith Fashouer

3/10/2023

Dara has been absolutely incredible for our family. She provided us with great resources even before our son was born. The early days of bringing our son home from the hospital were very unsettling but having Dara with us at home helping us settle into our new normal made a huge difference. She is so knowledgable and caring; it has put us at ease. We would not be thriving without her. Best part is she is just a phone call, text or email away if we still have questions. We could not be more thrilled with our experience with her. 

AJ Appleby

3/9/2023

Dara has been the biggest blessing throughout our pregnancy journey. She has been nothing but supportive, helpful and a wonderful resource for all of our questions. She helped us craft our birth preferences and held our hands along the way. Her postpartum care has been so helpful as well as we navigate breastfeeding. I felt so much more capable because of her extensive knowledge on everything. We are so thankful for Dara and all the support she has given our family!

Gillian

2/9/2023

I describe Dara as my postpartum guardian Angel. During the most vulnerable time in my recovery, Dara was there to support my physical and emotional needs. Her kind heart and expansive knowledge for newborn care gave me the confidence to succeed in breastfeeding and caring for a newborn. My husband and I benefitted greatly from her support and can't imagine postpartum life without her. Thank you Dara for everything you have given to our growing family.

Bob S

2/9/2023

Dara has an amazing energy and is extremely knowledgeable in her field. It's clear she is in her line of work for the love and joy of caring for newborns and their parents. It's not always easy but having someone like Dara on your side can make that small difference you need in times of sleep deprivation and emotional roller coaster of going through labor and caring for a newborn. 

Daria

1/25/2023

Dara was such a valuable asset in our postpartum period. She has a positive energy, is encouraging, and kind, and was wonderful to have in our home. She was proactive, identifying ways to pitch in and make our lives easier and just doing them. Her postpartum doula visits allowed us to relax, and have time to rest, shower, etc. we loved having Dara as our family’s postpartum doula

LoraBeth Barr

1/8/2023

My family and I had the good fortune of having Dara's loving support in the birth and the postpartum period of my second child. My birth was fast and intense. When Dara arrived I felt a huge sense of relief. She helped to instruct my husband on how to care for me during my son's whirlwind birth. Her presence at the birth helped to ground me in the moment and helped relieve my anxious mind.

Dara is calm and extremely kind. In postpartum, she was focused on empowering me and truly serving the needs of our growing family. She is incredibly informed about breastfeeding and was able to help me with engorgement, baby's latch and making the experience more enjoyable for me, my baby, and my 3 year old daughter. She encouraged me to lean into all the things I had accomplished and was "doing beautifully", in her words, and gave me tips on things that I needed help with or just wanted to talk through. She did all of this with a loving and non-judgemental presence that continued to put me at ease and make me feel confident as a mother of two.

Throughout my whole experience she made me feel seen, well taken care of and so loved.

Sarah

10/30/2022

We were lucky to have Dara support us for the birth of our second baby. Dara gave us nurturing, knowledgeable and hands on support during my pregnancy, birth and postpartum. She’s the family member that we wish we had! From the time of our first visit, she made us feel so comfortable, like we were already close friends. She makes you feel like she’s truly happy to be there with you, even in your hardest moments.

Ironically, Dara wasn’t there for the actual birth, because I delivered within minutes of getting to the hospital. But she was the first one I called at 2 in the morning, before I even woke my husband, and she thankfully coached me to get going to the hospital. If we hadn’t had her there to coach us, we may have taken our time and had our baby at home or in the car! Because my baby went to the NICU for monitoring, and my husband went with my baby, I would have been alone if it weren’t for Dara. She stayed with me for the couple hours while I waited to be cleared so I could see my son. I can’t express how meaningful this was because I was upset and emotional, wanting to join my baby. Dara dimmed the lights, diffused essential oils and gave me a foot/leg massage to help ease my emotions. I don’t know what I would have done without her.

At our first prenatal home visit, Dara put me on the couch, made me a snack plate and entertained my toddler, all while chatting with me about how breastfeeding and postpartum was going, offering tips and showing me a better nursing position. I was almost in tears because I felt so cared for. She truly is the family member that you wish you had. I would hire her for our next birth in a heartbeat.

Kristin Tuck

8/7/2022

Dara is the calming presence and experienced doula you want by your side. She was our doula for both of our children and while my births were vastly different, they were both so beautiful because I had the support of Dara. My first birth was during the height of COVID when support persons were not allowed in the hospital. Dara stayed on the phone with my husband into the wee hours of the night talking him through how to support me. 

My second birth progressed much quicker than anticipated and I ended up delivering at home. I had what is termed a "physiological birth." Dara went into action, got her gloves on, and caught my baby within a matter of minutes. She made sure the baby and I were healthy and doing what we needed to do (skin-to-skin, first feed) as we waited for the ambulance to arrive. While in labor, Dara provided a calm, sweet, intentional environment that allowed my husband and I to connect on a very deep level and allowed us to have such a special birth with no complications. 

Dara provided exceptional support leading up to my labor and postpartum. She was always available to answer questions, give advice, and set us on the path to a healthy pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum journey. After our second child was born, Dara came to our home to discuss and process the birth with us which was something I found very therapeutic. I loved reliving our birth. She also came a second time to provide an abdominal massage which was not only relaxing but healing. 

Her presence puts me at ease. I knew I was in good hands and I couldn't have asked for better births, which I will fondly look back on for the rest of my life.

Morgan E.

7/15/2022

I recently had Dara's support during my long and hard labor. It has been a month since then and my husband and I both still rave about Dara when we share our birth story to friends/family and say she was an angel sent from above and how there is no way we could have done it without her. She has the most calming, supportive, and nurturing presence which made me feel safe and cared for during my tough labor. Not only was her support critical while I was laboring at home but also she really stepped up at the hospital to advocate for me to the nurses/staff. She just knows exactly what you need and what to do in every moment. We will forever be grateful for Dara. She truly made my birth the best possible experience it could have been. 

Lauren Mewshaw

6/26/2022

Interactions with Dara DeSoto feel like a warm hug. She provided my husband and I with emotional support throughout my pregnancy, from my first trimester through our first weeks at home with our newborn daughter. Dara is not only thoroughly informed on the most up-to-date medical evidence for pregnancy through postpartum (including lactation support), she is also deeply committed to helping mamas and their partners feel respected and cared for.

Dara, during her initial visit to our home, taught my husband and I simple pregnancy exercises we could do daily to help position baby and open up my pelvis. She also connected us with many amazing resources; thanks to her extensive list of local classes and contacts, and I was able to take some helpful infant-safety courses through a local organization and visit a pelvic-floor therapist to help me prepare for labor and postpartum recovery.

Throughout my pregnancy, I had many questions about different tests and procedures. Dara helped me mentally and physically prepare for everything that came up during my pregnancy. She also gave me a thorough understanding of what to expect during my postpartum experience.

Additionally, Dara’s advice was invaluable as I was first coming up with my birth plan. She took my suggestions and drafted a clear and concise plan I could take with me to the hospital. When my birth plan needed to change partway through my labor, Dara supported me through those changes and helped me feel positive about my birth experience even though it didn't go how I initially envisioned.

Dara really came to feel like family over the months we were preparing for our daughter's arrival, and my husband and I feel honored to know her and so grateful that she is a part of our daughter’s birth story.

Erika YB

6/13/2022

There are truly not enough words to explain how incredible Dara is as a doula and how big of an indelible mark she left on me and our new family of three. Dara was a constant pillar of support before, during, and after my pregnancy. From our very first phone call, my husband and I knew that Dara was different. She is incredibly knowledgeable, empathetic, personable, and truly cares about every client she takes on. There was not a single text or call that went unanswered and her advice or suggestions were exactly what I needed, when I needed them. She even helped me navigate switching providers mid-pregnancy. Aside from being an amazing source of information herself, Dara provided us with so many extra resources that helped me form an army of support that I believe all played a part in my amazing delivery. Dara has a gift. We could not have done it without her. We are endlessly grateful and can’t wait to do it all over again.

Lindsay Cavanagh

6/9/2022

It is hard to put into words how invaluable Dara's support was to my entire labor experience. Dara has helped birth both of my daughters into this world and I cannot imagine doing any part of the journey without her. 

She is full of advice and knowledge and resources. With every question, she offers evidence-based solutions and options and is endlessly supportive of any question or concern. 

Dara has a great reputation among medical providers and staff and helped me to feel more confident during my births, as well as helped my husband to support me in the best possible way.

During my first birth, she helped me to have the natural birth I desired, even amongst a difficult clinical environment and helped me navigate to find compatible providers for my second birth. 

I trust her wholeheartedly and credit her for helping me have the most enjoyable, peaceful births possible.

Thank you so much Dara!

Sabrina H

5/7/2022

Dara supported my family and I in the early postpartum days with lactation and general mother and baby wellness. 

even though this was my second baby , I needed support around feeding as mt daughter was unable to properly latch and  transfer milk Dara patiently offered information related to weight gain for babies , how to use a pump. And of course focus on what positions work well for feeding. What I appreciated most about Dara is that she was able to adjust and I for her recommendations to align w my needs and my style. I highly recommend working w Dara if you need a calm, empathetic, and experienced doula on your team!

Frances

4/18/2022

While my pregnancy was wonderful and healthy, it was also frequently wrought with anxiety. I lost my mother just three months before discovering we were pregnant, and I had always envisioned that she would be there by my side, along with my husband, to deliver my first baby. In addition to desiring the type of nurturing and support only a mother can provide, I also wanted to have an unmedicated labor and delivery. 

Enter Dara, who instantly made me feel comforted and supported just after a few video calls. When my husband and I met her in person, we felt reassured and excited to have her by our side as we approached our due date. Dara was always available and easily accessible throughout the pregnancy for questions and provided me with an incredible amount of evidence-based childbirth information to help guide my birth plan and help me feel that much more prepared. And while nothing can truly prepare you for such an intense life event, I went in with much more confidence than I would have had without Dara’s help. 

Once we were finally in active labor and called Dara into the hospital, she jumped right in with getting me moving and changing positions to help labor progress and get the baby in a good position. She also helped my husband support me by gently guiding him and educating him throughout the process. While I ended up getting an epidural close to 9cm, she remained active in positioning my body, keeping me hydrated, and helping both my husband and me get some rest before pushing. 

What I will remember the most from this entire experience is how Dara seemed to embody my own mother’s energy with her tenderness. It was as if she knew exactly what I needed, when I needed it the most, without me needing to say a word. We delivered our sweet baby boy with Dara by our side and will never forget what a beautiful experience we had together.  

-Frances

Anthony M

4/11/2022

It is hard to put into words how much Dara has blessed us and our family as our doula. She brings an incredible amount of knowledge, preparation, experience, and thoughtfulness to her work. We couldn't imagine going through the pregnancy and birthing experience without her.

She is a patient, responsive, and expert guide for those looking to learn and find birthing resources through their doula. When you ask for her advice, she'll provide you with the latest evidence-based research as well as her own thoughts that are rooted in deep experience in helping families through pregnancies and births. For those who are first-time parents-to-be, we can't emphasize how important it is to have a doula with Dara's level of experience who can be there to tell you when things are normal vs. not in the pregnancy and birthing process. This was a great source of comfort as we navigated the many decisions that are made throughout pregnancy and birth.

Another great part about having Dara as our doula is her outstanding reputation among other healthcare professionals. So many of our midwives at UCSD LOVE Dara and have worked with her many times before, so there is an immediate warmth, peace, and rapport that is felt in the delivery room that comfortingly tells you that this team has worked together before.

Dara brings so much compassion and empathy to her role as doula, and that was so apparent throughout the pregnancy and especially after our baby's birth. Our baby spent 12 days in the NICU after her birth due to unforeseen complications, and Dara was checking in on us frequently, letting us know that she was there for us if we needed anything. She continually told us what an honor it was to walk with us through our birthing journey, and we felt that gratitude and desire to serve every step of the way.

Dara, thank you so much for how well you supported us through our first birthing experience!

Kysa

4/11/2022

Dara has helped me welcome two beautiful boys into this world and I truly can’t imagine going through pregnancy, birth or postpartum without her!

She listens intently to each clients needs and gives the most intentional support and advice.

Throughout both of my pregnancies she reassured me of myself and my goals and helped me reach all my goals for my birth and postpartum journey. Her postpartum lactation support was also incredibly helpful since my breastfeeding experience has been very different with each baby.

At this point I consider Dara family and know that I can reach out to her at any point in my life and she would be there. I feel so lucky to have had her be a part of our biggest moments in life and would recommend her for families of all different needs.

Kjell

3/20/2022

I was visiting my sister in San Diego after she had just had her baby. My sister's birth was traumatic for her and she was uncertain about nursing. After seeing my sister have a physical response while relaying her birth story to me, I knew we had to get someone in the home to help her  process a little more and also help with nursing.

I texted a few doulas, but the only one that messaged back was Dara. And I am so glad she did
Dara brought so much peace to my sisters home. I saw an instant change come over my sister as Dara  was honoring her and giving her time to share her story. She was super knowledgeable, listened  and helped my sister navigate her feelings about her birth. She worked really hard with my sister and baby Willow to get her latch, and taught us all about the Haka. 
I would 100% recommend Dara to everyone. She's on her way to becoming a midwife and I'm so glad she is. 
What a lovely  person. 
Thank you, Dara!

Nina B

2/22/2022

Working with Dara was one of the greatest gifts I could've asked for - if you are looking for someone to support you through your pregnancy and postpartum period who is knowledgeable, compassionate, intuitive and just going to add peace and remove stress, then Dara is your person!

Christina White

9/16/2021

My second pregnancy was fraught with anxiety as a result of my first birth experience.  From the first meeting with Dara, I felt amazingly supported as she allowed me to share the story of my first birth.  We moved on from there with a goal of ensuring a restorative experience for my second birth.  She was supportive throughout the entirety of the pregnancy.  She was amazingly responsive to every email, text, and inquiry.  She provided links and resources to allow me to continue to learn and process the decisions I was making.  At the end of the pregnancy, she supported me daily (multiple times a day) as I held strong in my decision to allow my baby to stay inside as long as she needed (41+6)! The night of my daughter’s birth, Dara’s support was invaluable.  She is the reason we made it to the hospital at the right time.  She is the reason my daughter rotated into the right position during delivery.  Dara’s adjustments of my hips made the pushing process run smoothly.  She seamlessly fit in with the other staff at the hospital and knew exactly when to step in and when to defer to other professionals.  It was the best compliment to my birthing team! If I were to have another child, there would be no one else I would look to for doula support!

Ellen Sieck

8/3/2021

Inviting Dara to be apart of our birth team was our best decision surrounding the birth of our first baby. It is frequently warned that birth rarely goes according to plan and that was 100% the case for my family, yet the only thing that did remain constant was Dara and her never ending support. Dara will transform your birth in a powerful way with her words, touch, and energy. She mothers the mother in ways you didn't know you needed all while protecting your birth space and family throughout the process. I am so grateful for her presence during our journey. If you're on the fence about hiring a doula, run (don't walk) to get on her schedule, you will not regret it! We love you, Dara!

Alexandra Carter

6/29/2021

Dara was an absolute godsend during my pregnancy, birth and postpartum. She was indispensable during the birth of our baby girl--helping me and my husband get through the trials of labor in SO MANY ways--comfort measures, her soothing voice, her powerful Spinning Babies techniques (I think I made her sift my belly for hours--something my husband could only do for a minutes at a time! Her physical endurance is incredible!), and her overall knowledge and experience was so helpful. When we got to the hospital, staff members even knew her already, and I remember the nurse in triage saying "oh I just LOVE Dara!" when I showed up and told her my husband and doula would be waiting to meet me in the delivery room (I had to be separated from them to go into triage due to covid restrictions). It was reassuring that Dara had so much familiarity with the hospital and staff we'd be working with over the hours of birthing time. 
She was a guiding light not only during the birth. Our baby decided to come quite late at 42 weeks, and I was under a lot of pressure to induce, although baby continued to show up healthy during frequent monitoring. Dara imparted so much helpful insight and coaching during those two weeks, which gave me the confidence to follow my intuition. Baby girl showed up all on her own and we had a healthy, complication-free birth. She followed up with us postpartum which was so necessary--we felt like such newbies and Dara helped us feel a bit more grounded, and is always available if we have questions. Hands down, the best decision we made in our pregnancy journey was hiring her. Thank you Dara!

Brooke

6/25/2021

Dara was an absolute lifesaver as a lactation consultant. We had terrible experiences with the consultants at Kaiser. They have a very formulaic system that did not work for us at all. Dara helped us be successful at breastfeeding without pain and answered so many of our questions. She was flexible with our needs and wants and helped us gain confidence. Her positive attitude and kind reassurance were exactly what this stressed out new mama needed! It was worth every penny to have her help!!

Christine Simonian

6/10/2021

I am so thankful for Dara and everything she did for my husband and I. From the beginning she answered every question we had and then some. When I finally went into labor, it didn't go anywhere close to what we had planned. My daughter was not decending and was stuck which made the contractions painful beyond normal expectation. I was given Pitocin to hopefully aid in regulating my contractions which seemed to make everything worse. Dara was there at the hospital supporting me through what was the most traumatic experience I've ever endured. My husband was worried about me and our daughter and afraid of what would happen during this time. Dara was there to offer the support and calmness in the chaos we both needed to not only progress in labor in the most positive way, but to also assure us that whatever we were doing, whatever decisions we made, were not only what we truly wanted, but also were in the best interest of our daughter. I ended up needing a c-section to prevent my daughter's heart rate from dropping too low, and although she wasn't in the OR with us, she was there in our room waiting for us to return. After that, she was with us until we were transferred to our postpartum room. She helped us understand what had happened and how everything had been done, happened in order to protect our daughter. She encouraged me and helped me realize that although we didn't have the birth we had dreamed, I had done everything in my power to keep my daughter safe. She did not let me feel guilty for "not giving my daughter the birth she deserved". She encouraged me and took care of me and my husband throughout this whole event and we are all eternally grateful for her. In the week that followed my delivery, Dara came to our home and continued to support us as we ventured into this new world of parenthood. I look forward to working with her in the future and having her be apart of future pregnancies. Thank you Dara! 

Erin

5/7/2021

I am so, so thankful that I found Joyful Roots Doulas and worked with Dara and Joy for my pregnancy and birth! Dara was my doula, and I worked with Joy for placenta encapsulation/art which I loved and helped me tremendously postpartum. I can’t say enough good things about my experience with Dara. She was there every step of the way during my pregnancy to answer my questions and provide helpful feedback. Not only did she help me with the facts about pregnancy (like can I eat this thing?) she also always said the perfect things I needed to hear on the emotional side. I felt so supported throughout the process. My labor ended up being a big complicated (I had premature rupture of membranes) and Dara calmly helped me navigate the unexpected challenges that came with this. She supported me during a long natural labor at Best Start Birth Center and her support really got me through! She was strong, supportive, knowledgeable, warm, and so caring. I hope to work with her again for my second baby! I love Joyful Roots!

Heidi Wang

11/12/2020

I would highly recommend Joyful Roots Doula (both Joy and Dara) to any pregnant mama out there!

As a first-time mom, I had no idea what to expect from the entire pregnancy and birth experience. Because several of my close friends labored and delivered unmedicated and had positive experiences doing so, I wanted to give it a try too. I knew that having the additional support, care, and knowledge of a doula would be enormously helpful, not only to me, but also to my husband in his effort to support me.

Dara blew my expectations out of the water, especially given the additional challenges that COVID-19 posed (only one support person was allowed at our hospital when we delivered). She was an absolute godsend during my labor and delivery experience; words cannot express how grateful I am for her. Once I went into labor at home, Dara came over and helped me cope with the intensity of my contractions until it was time to go to the hospital. Once we arrived at the hospital, she switched over to virtual support, guiding my husband via FaceTime through different exercises to help cope with the pain and to help position our baby, and encouraging and affirming me along the way. I recall telling my husband multiple times during my labor that Dara was an angel to me. She absolutely was.

Because of Dara, I was able to achieve my goal of an unmedicated labor and delivery, and we gave birth to our beautiful baby boy in September 2020. I could not have done it without her, and I cannot thank her enough. Throughout the entire experience, she was a source of peace, comfort, and warmth. Both in-person at home and virtually at the hospital, Dara provided a calm and nurturing atmosphere for my husband and me as we went through this challenging yet rewarding experience.

Thank you Joy and Dara for supporting me through one of the most difficult yet beautiful experiences of my life!

Melinda Simon

10/3/2020

I bless the day that Dara and Joy came into my life. Seriously. When I first met with them, I sensed a warmth, a joy (of course) and a certain 'good-normal' vibe that I was really wanting in my doula. But these qualities were just the teaser trailer. I can't accurately explain in a Yelp review what a treasure these two women have become to our family. This was my third pregnancy, my second VBAC and I was going med-free for the first time so I had an idea of what I wanted. Or so I thought. When COVID-19 turned all of our plans upside down and doulas got the boot out of hospitals, I was nervous about how much support I could realistically expect. But let me tell you. The Joyful Roots team went A.BOVE.AND.BEYOND. They came up with virtual methods for labor support (which proved really effective), developed enormously rich online pregnancy resources, built a virtual community, invested deeply in partner education and were present in so many ways throughout the entire pregnancy and labor. Ultimately, I was able to have Dara come to my home to accompany me through most of labor and I arrived at the hospital an hour before my son was born (which was perfect). Dara transitioned to virtual support at that point and was immensely helpful as my husband became my primary support. I can say with my whole heart that this birth was deeply beautiful, I was able to achieve all my goals, and a large part of this was Dara's calm, personal presence and the assurance of her expertise. This pandemic has brought a lot of things to light, and I was able to see clearly that Dara and Joy care so sincerely about their clients and that they have the drive to put that care into action. Even when protocols made physical presence impossible, these women pivoted to ensure that their mamas were seen, heard and cared for. Basically, they had their hands tied behind their back and they learned how to cartwheel. This team is seriously beyond.

Hilary Holley

6/13/2020

We hired Joyful Roots in the early part of our pregnancy, pre-COVID, as we wanted a more personal and empathetic support system through pregnancy and birth than we felt we could get just from our medical provider. We are so grateful to both Joy and Dara, who provided this and more. Their client portal was incredibly useful with so many great resources for us to read and learn more about the journey we were on. As first-time parents, it can often feel like there is an overwhelming amount of information and resources available. While a lot changed over the course of our pregnancy due to COVID, Dara and Joy were flexible and remained an unwavering source of support and encouragement, even as services were done virtually. We are so grateful for the noon Zooms that connected us with other expecting families. Even though hospital restrictions prohibited Dara from being with us at the hospital, she did come over to our house to labor there as much as we could before we left for the hospital. She stayed in contact with us through our labor and delivery at the hospital as well as was available for breastfeeding support in the days after birth. Thank you Joy and Dara, we are so grateful to you!

Lindsey Ellison

5/19/2020

Throughout our entire journey with Joyful Roots Doulas, we have felt an immense amount of support and positivity. Even as their services shifted to virtual support, our connection and personalized experience never wavered.  As we prepared for birth, their guidance and experience helped empower us to prepare and create a birth plan that resonated with our family values. As labor and delivery quickly took our plan off course, their expertise and encouragement became even more important in helping us navigate some difficult circumstances and decisions. In postpartum, they helped support us through a significant milk delay and  supplemental feeding so we could reach our breastfeeding goals.  We are beyond grateful for these incredible women!  Their dedication and passion are event in every word, every action!  We would not have had such a positive birth experience without them and highly encourage prospective parents to invite them on their journey with them.

Anya Rubin

5/11/2020

My experience with Dara has been incredible! After a c-section with my first, I decided on the goal of a VBAC for my second. I knew I needed the additional support, education and guidance in that journey. While I didn't get to meet with Dara face to face (due to COVID-19), we had many zoom meetings, phone calls, emails and texts.

When my water broke two weeks early, Dara guided me through an intense 5.5 hour laboring at home before we went to the hospital. Once there, it was a matter of short hours and our baby girl was ready for her appearance! 15 minutes and 5 big pushes she arrived calm and healthy.

I credit the swift labor and delivery to the many exercises and techniques Dara provided me in my pregnancy. The Three Sisters movements (especially the sifting) helped guide our baby down low and get in an optimal position for delivery. The diet and self-care suggestions were important to help calm my body and mind for this challenge.

Her support helped me reach my goal of VBAC and I could not be happier! I highly recommend her services to new and veteran mamas alike. You can always learn something new to help in your journey.

Megan Bandfield

3/4/2020

We found Joy and Dara thru friends who recommended them. We were super hesitant, as two nurses - do we really need "birth support"? We decided to give it a shot and met Dara to hear out what she and Joy had to offer. We fell in love, she immediately made us feel comfortable. We opened up to her like she was a long lost friend and she accepted us and made us feel safe. 

The first meeting, Dara came to our house and went over our birth preferences and got to know us a little better. She went over some spinning babies techniques and general birth education. Again, we loved her and felt safe and like she knew what she was talking about. We had planned and hoped for a vaginal birth - and were so excited to have either of them as part of our team. However, at 36w+ we found out our little one was breech. Joy came to our house and worked thru some spinning babies exercises with us to help flip our breech babe. I was emotional and scared, and both Joy and Dara reassured me and my husband that we could still have a beautiful birth. 

Just two weeks later, we were told our rainbow babe needed to be evicted at 38w. Both Joy and Dara were just a text or a phone call away, offering near constant emotional support and education. Joy was able to come to our belly birth, and stayed with us from the moment we asked until we were in recovery from our cesarian.  We were discharged home, and then readmitted with postpartum pre eclampsia. Again - both Joy and Dara came to the rescue. Dara facetimed for lactation support through a scary medication process and encouraged us that the three of us were strong and capable and could get through anything. Hands down, Joy and Dara are worth every penny. They will forever be a blessing and a wonderful memory and part of our son's birth story. We can't wait to have either of them at our next birth. Thank you both for everything you've done for our family!! 

Jamie Schiffer

2/22/2020

I am so thankful for the incredible physical and emotional support that Dara provided me during my birth. Her hands-on support helped me to get baby into better position so that I could have the vaginal birth I had dreamed of. She also provided me with incredible emotional support to get through the most painful parts of labor and supported me in my decision to get an epidural. I'm so thankful for her and I loved my birth! I have recommended her to all my friends and family members who are pregnant and will definitely reach out to her again for my next birth!

Sonia Raheja

2/20/2020

I had an amazing experience with Dara. For the most part of my induction and labor, my husband could not be with me because he had to be with my elder one at home. I thought that would be stressful, but having Dara by my side changed everything. She supported me emotionally as well as physically. She helped me with several exercises during labor that helped me with delivery. The whole process went so smoothly. I would definately recommend her to anyone looking for birth doulas. Thank you Dara!!

Caleb W

12/31/2019

When we started researching doulas we came across Dara’s site and Yelp page. 

We met Joy and Dara for coffee to feel things out. My wife was instantly at ease. She asked every question she could think of. She talked about how she hoped her birth would go, what she knew about herself, and therefore, what she thought she would need in labor. We left the coffee shop conversation telling them that we’d talk about it and get back to them soon. We decided to hire them by the time we walked to our car and by the time we were on the on ramp to go home, we’d emailed them!

Having Dara there was such a relief. During labor my wife felt like things were progressing so fast, so when she arrived we breathed a sigh of relief that she would recognize the mile markers more than we might and she’d tell us when it was time to go. She’s also so incredibly present and calm that having her there was almost pain relief in and of itself. She grounded us.

At the hospital Dara ran the show, she helped my wife and I during the sprint that was our check in and answered questions about our birth plan when the nurses were rapid firing questions at us. She dimmed the lights in the room and kept my wife calm and focused on the work to be done while still handling allllll the things going on around her. It was so amazing.

She cheered my wife on through pushing and held one of her legs the entire time.

And after our beautiful baby girl was born she sat with us and rubbed my wife's legs with essential oils while the nurses finished up their procedural things. She even helped me with my first latch as my daughter started breastfeeding.

When Dara said she was leaving and would let us have some time alone together as a new family of three we was sad to see her go. She was so much apart of the experience and a source of strength and comfort for us.

We cannot recommend her enough!

Jessa

12/30/2019

Dara is absolutely amazing!! I had the most wonderful experience working with her for both birth doula services and postpartum doula care, including breastfeeding support.  She is vastly knowledgeable, incredibly gifted at what she does and she has the most warm and beautiful personalitity.  I cannot recommend her enough!

Maria

12/30/2019

I had an extremely positive experience working with Dara, throughout my pregnancy and especially during labor and delivery. Dara took command of the delivery room by getting me into different positions to help move my baby down the birth canal, making recommendations for keeping my energy up, and providing emotional support. Dara was also helpful to my husband by guiding him on how to support me throughout pregnancy and during labor.

Michelle W

12/3/2019

4 weeks ago
Joy and Dara were an important component of my care team before and after my daughter Taylor's birth. They helped my husband and I with excercises to get my body ready for birth early on, were knowledgeable sound boards for questions whenever my internet research and NP's information weren't making sense, and always provided really practical relevant articles.

They put together a simple and gracious birth preferences sheet, and provided evidence based research to help us make informed decisions for it.

Joy joined me when I went to the hospital after my catheter induction because I was having a hard time coping with the contractions, and partnered with my husband to make me more comfortable and help labor progress. He even got a nap while Joy took over for a bit!

Dara joined us for the pushing phase, and provided great encouragement. She also made me more comfortable from a back spasm that peaked with every contraction so my husband could focus on coaching my pushing. She provided really helpful, simple advice for breastfeeding during the first hour after the birth, and was a calming presence throughout.

Also they both came with great aromatherapy scents that everyone who came in our room complimented :)

LoraBeth Barr

11/24/2019

Joy and Dara are patient, thoughtful, kind, present and genuine. They are not only incredible doulas, they are incredible business women. We felt so taken care of every step of the process from first interview to final text check-ins after our daughter was born. They are extremely knowledgeable about pregnancy and birth and ready and willing to provide evidence based resources to help you along the way. They do not push any preferences or agenda and will encourage you to listen to your intuition and make your own informed decisions. You will not regret hiring Joy and Dara.

Serene

11/21/2019

Dara was indispensable during my labor and delivery, and I could not imagine going through it without her. She arrived within the hour when we called her at 2 am and immediately set me at ease with her calming presence. She dimmed the lights, brought out fake candles, started some aromatherapy, and massaged me. She knew exactly which positions to get into to help the baby get into the best position. She encouraged me the whole time and was very soothing. She noticed little things like giving me lip balm for my chapped lips. She continuously gave me clear fluids so that I stayed hydrated and gave me honey sticks for energy. She also supported my decisions. As a first time mother, she helped me to understand what to expect during labor and delivery. Her presence also helped my mother and husband to focus on supporting me and to rest when needed. Dara also took pictures, which captured moments that I will treasure forever. I highly recommend Dara as a doula.

Alex

11/14/2019

Dara is unbelievably skilled, compassionate and so so supportive. I can say without hesitation that she is THE reason we were able to have a natural, unmedicated childbirth. Without her, we surely would not have had the technique, the coaching, or the confidence to experience our ideal birth. Can not recommend highly enough!

Lindsay

10/17/2019

My husband and I feel so lucky to have worked with Dara. She had such a calm and nurturing way, which we both appreciated. Dara is super knowledgeable about all things prenatal and postpartum, and we loved having her as a resource for us throughout our pregnancy. Dara offered great advice, insight and support, and we feel lucky to have had her as our doula. Dara's expertise in breastfeeding as a lactation consultant comforted us too. We were lucky to have Dara with us following our son's delivery as initiating breastfeeding after our cesearean section was of high importance. She provided a lot of encouragement and advice during that post-delivery time. Furthermore, we were able to follow-up with Dara in the days following with additional questions we had come across. She helped answer those questions and alleviate some of our worries. I would highly recomment Dara to any couple seeking a compassionate, nurturing, knowlegeable and supportive doula throughout their pregnancy!

Michelle A.

10/17/2019

My husband and I hired Dara and Joy as our Doulas several months before our daughter was born. I was nervous to bring someone new into our very special birth preparations, but hiring Dara and Joy was one of the best decisions we made leading up to the birth. If you are able to hire a doula, having Dara and Joy by your side no matter what comes up during pregnancy, the birth itself, or postpartum, is an invaluable resource. 

A few specifics where Dara saved the day: as thoughtful people, we wanted to have a birth plan that truly reflected our wishes but that would also make sense and not offend the team delivering our baby. We were overwhelmed by the process! Dara swooped into our home and took over the birth plan process for us. Her working knowledge of what is standard at hospitals and birth centers across San Diego allowed her to know what to include and what to leave out, because it is already a best practice. That combined with her knowledge of each procedure or decision and her kind and nonjudgmental approach, made her the perfect guide for the process. In addition to being present for our birth, I I felt connected and supported by my doulas after birth. In the first few weeks after birth, breastfeeding was really hard. It was such a blessing to know and love Dara already and be able to invite her into our home for lactation support. 

Before I had a baby, I always thought of doulas as people who supported you during your birth, but Joy and Dara provide so much more than that. They have the capacity and knowledge to support you before, during and after birth, depending on your needs and desires. Birth is so much more than one moment. It's a whole experience. I feel so lucky to have had their support in my birth experience, and I hope to have them by my side again in the future.

Morgan

10/12/2019

It's not possible to praise Dara and her partner Joy enough for how supportive and instrumental they were to our pregnancy and birth experience! From our first encounter, we felt like we connected on such a deeper level with them than with other doulas we met, and it was an easy choice to hire them. They offered so much support throughout my pregnancy, both in the scheduled prenatal visits and when I emailed randomly for input on one thing or another. They offered so many resources to us and they have an amazing online portal that was very well organized and easy to access. Plus their resource recommendations, like books to read and the Spinning Babies videos, were wonderful! They involved my husband every step of the way, teaching him how to assist me with stretches and exercises to promote physiologic birth as well as how to offer support in general, and he loved being so involved.

I had a slightly more medicalized pregnancy, including requiring IVF, closer monitoring, and a hospital delivery due to a coagulation disorder, and I never once felt judged or pressured by Dara or Joy about the fact that I wouldn't have a home or birth center birth or that I needed to be managed by an OB instead of a midwife. In fact, both women were very comfortable and knowledgeable about birth in a medical environment and I felt completely supported by them every step of the way. They truly created a safe space for us to talk about our situation, our fears, and the potential for various interventions like induction (which thankfully didn't happen!). 

Both ladies are super responsive via text and email, although when I began to labor it was Joy who was on call. In the end, I labored for just 11 hours before our baby boy arrived and I think a big part of that was all the preparation we did at the recommendation of Dara and Joy. All in all, they helped make our entire experience so wonderful and I can't recommend them highly enough!

Adele

9/26/2019

My husband and I were blessed to receive excellent, heart-centered care from Dara throughout my pregnancy and birth! She gave us supportive information and respected our choices, and her presence at my birth made me feel respected, supported, and affirmed on so many levels. I would hands down choose her again as my doula!

Liz Wickham

9/8/2019

Dara was the ultimate support team!  She was promptly available to answer any questions throughout my pregnancy.  It was such a comfort to be able to bounce things off of her in addition to my practitioner.  Having Dara on my team removed a huge part of the fear factor going into my first labor.  She provided peace of mind.  

Dara welcomed my husband into the process and saw him as an integral part of my birth journey.  She enabled him with practical tools on how to best support me.  My husband was comforted by the fact that there was someone else besides him to be my advocate at the hospital.  I was thrilled to be able to deliver a healthy baby boy in a hospital, completely unmedicated.

Even now, 7 weeks after my birth, I can text or call with any questions as I transition into motherhood.  I've had multiple phone conversations and text feeds with her about breastfeeding.  If you are on the fence about getting a doula, trust me--Dara is a must!

Heather

8/20/2019

Contacting Dara was our last resort before turning exclusively to using formula. My milk did not come in for weeks after delivery and the hospital lactation consultant told me i needed to use nipple shields.  Our daughter was dropping weight quickly. 
Dara was quick to respond via text and email before coming over for an in home consultation. We have not supplemented with formula since contacting Dara. She gave a me an easy to follow plan that works for our family. I am no longer using nipple shields, we are running out of room in our freezer for our freezer stash and our daughter is thriving little baby rolls and all. 
I cannot recommend Dara enough! 

Nicole Chapparone

8/12/2019

Dara was  a source of so much knowledge and comfort for both my husband and I throughout our pregnancy, labor/delivery, and postpartum. Without Dara during my labor, there’s no way I would have been able to have the birthing experience I did, and avoid a C-section. I am forever grateful. Love this woman.

Stephanie

7/29/2019

My birthing experience was a day I will never, never forget and I cannot say enough wonderful things about the support we received that day from Dara. She truly helped me deliver our baby boy exactly how I envisioned a natural birth for myself. She new exactly what motions and positions to get me in during contractions to help move baby out. I only hope her and Joy are still offering their services when we decide to have another because we would have them again in a heartbeat.

Caroline Pauline Cárdenas

6/18/2019

Dara & Joy are the best Doulas in the world! They work together with the pregnant mama and partner to help develop a birth plan that are based on the pregnant mama and partner's values. Their website portal for their clients are full of incredible resources within the San Diego community for different needs that the pregnant mama might need during pregnancy, preparing for birth, and even postpartum.

Dara was present during our birth experience and she was instrumental in holding sacred space for the arrival of our baby girl and she was a compassionate and loving guide for my husband and I in guiding us to hold this time in our lives as sacred and to move into a loving space with one another. Her maternal love and encouragement made such a positive impact for me as a new mother emerging into the world, allowing me to move intuitively into birthing my baby.

Postpartum, I needed a lot of support. My mother died 18 years ago, and my husband had to be out of town for 3 days just 2 weeks after our baby girl was born. I hired Dara's Postpartum Doula services to be with my baby and I during the day. In that time, she helped us get into a biologic breastfeeding rhythm to foster connection and baby bonding with my baby girl. She also prepared meals for me, did my laundry, watered my plants, swept my floors and held my baby when I needed to shower and needed a nap. She provided compassionate listening to me when I expressed my emotions and held space for me to express tears of joy and of concerns in being a new mother. Joy and Dara's Doula and Postpartum Doula Services has been the best money spent as it has allowed my husband and I to naturally emerge into the mother and father that we have envisioned to be. Joy and Dara provided that sacred and safe space holding with so much patience and compassion, they provided so much education and resources, and they provided a trusting relationship for us to truly feel supported.

Jules

5/15/2019

I am so grateful we found Dara as our lactation consultant. She was recommended by a few friends who used her S.O.S services who told me she was a “lifesaver”. I was very committed to successful breastfeeding from the start of our journey, and Dara ensured that was possible.

We met once before the birth to learn about breastfeeding, practicing techniques to ensure latch and position was effective. She has such a calm and loving energy that instantly makes you feel safe and comfortable.

I ended up having a difficult labor, with an emergency c-section, and felt very anxious to go home and figure out everything on our own. Dara met us when we were home from the hospital and I could have cried when I saw her. It was so amazing to have that support at a time when I felt so vulnerable. She gave us so many helpful tools and techniques to create a happy and comfortable space for our new family of three. She was compassionate and caring and I am so thankful to have had her support. I recommend her to everyone I know!

Leyla Badillo

4/9/2019

I can write a book on how wonderful Dara is. Keeping this to a paragraph is very difficult. In a nutshell, I absolutely, 1000%, recommend Dara. Her depth of knowledge in this field is vast. She will never push her beliefs on you. Instead, she will work with you to make your perfect birth plan. She advocates for your birthplace in the labor / delivery room. My birth did not go how I had imagined it to go. I had to be strapped to a machine for my son’s heartbeat to be monitored. Laboring in bed isn’t ideal. Dara was my voice and advocated for me to be able to get out of bed and labor the way I needed to in the moment. She helped me with exercises to help with labor. Because of her, I was able to take a warm shower with my husband to help sooth contractions. She helped clear my sinuses when I couldn’t breathe. She coached me in my breathing during my time of panic. If it weren’t for her, the nurses would have likely kept me in bed and eventually would have taken me in for a C-section. Instead, I was able to deliver a healthy boy vaginally, just as I had wanted. Hiring Dara was the best decision I had made for going into labor.  I plan to gift my sister with Dara’s expertise and love when she is going into labor. There’s no doubt Dara will be there when I birth my second child. She is amazing. Be careful, she will steal your heart.

Julia Adams

2/19/2019

I could not be more pleased with the post-partum belly binding and massage and in-home breast-feeding support received from Dara! As a first time mom it was an inexplicably daunting feeling to come home from the hospital with an unfamiliar change in my body and the foreign task of breast-feeding my child. Dara made herself quickly available for an in-home appointment the day after we returned home from the hospital. Her encouragement, support and education on proper breast feeding techniques and feeding timing helped me through my first day with engorged breasts and swiftly resolved the problem. The belly massage was both stimulating (to this newly loose belly flesh) and relaxing (to this overwhelmed new mama) and educated me on how to work on my body to return to it’s original state. Dara also offered my husband tips on handling and soothing our baby that he now uses on the regular with success. Our session with Dara brought so much enlightenment and encouragement to us that has the spring board to a successful transition into parenthood with our new son. I would highly recommend this service from Dara!

Parisa Hill

1/28/2019

My husband and I had the pleasure of working with Dara during the course of our pregnancy and three-day long birth in October of 2018. Dara was the top of our list from the start. She was compassionate, personable, warm, loving and organized.

She completely transformed our hospital birthing room into the most peaceful and soothing space- topped with aromatherapy, tiny led lights and candles (many of the docs commented on how calming it felt).

Our labor was long and grueling and Dara was our birthing superwoman! She helped me labor through one of the most grueling 12 hours. She has a (postively) insane amount of energy and mental strength. She was full of alternative coping methods/ideas, a master of distraction and always kept a positive, professional and upbeat demeanor. She worked extremely well with hospital staff and our nurse even commented that she enjoyed working side by side Dara during her shift. Dara not only provided support for me during my birth, but also to my husband offering advice, recommendations, breaks and gave him small tasks to stay busy and also be supportive.

After our birth we consulted both Dara regarding breastfeeding and found her supportive and informative. If we do it all over again we wouldn’t think twice to bring them back on our next journey. If you decide to work with a birth doula we HIGHLY recommend Dara, a true gem!

Taylor Moore

1/13/2019

I am so grateful to have had Dara at my side for the birth of our daughter. She was supportive and encouraging. She worked hard to help me with positioning so that once it came time to push, we only needed to push for five minutes (three pushes total). She has a large number of techniques and resources available during labor and modified her approach rapdily in response to my pain status and progress. Her prematal and post natal support services were also excellent. I highly recommend her!

Jennifer Gerstenzang

12/30/2018

Dara came highly recommended from our Bradley Method Coach, Liza Janda. I have a very low pain tolerance and was very nervous about childbirth, but really wanted to have a natural/unmedicated birth. My husband was incredibly supportive and I knew would be a great coach. We wanted a doula so that we could have extra support for both of us- for my husband in the face of tough questions in a high pressure situation and for me during times when I doubted my ability to have a natural childbirth and push through difficult contractions. We wanted someone with the authority of vast experience to echo my husband’s coaching and my instincts.

The prenatal visits were fantastic and we were walked through fantastic comfort poses to use during childbirth and also poses and exercises to prepare for an easier and stronger birth. She was extremely organized (the client portal and resources are outstanding) and she helped us create a detailed but to the point birth plan. We also were able to ask her questions and update her regarding our OB visits. I was one week overdue when I gave birth and the Dara helped me remember what my options and rights were when the doctor started mentioning induction options and also how to best prepare my body for the non-stress test and amniotic fluid test so the results accurately showed I was healthy (and didn’t inaccurately show a problem where there was none).

In the end, we had the natural birth we wanted and were able to do this because in large part because we had such a wonderful support system! Cannot recommend enough!

johanna neumann

11/29/2018

I highly recommend Dara as both a birth doula and lactation consultant. Her assistance was invaluable at such a vulnerable moment in my life. During my lengthy 30 hour labor, Dara offered insight, knowledge, comfort and helped to relieve my stress. She even showed up the following day in postpartum to see how my husband, baby and I were doing. I really appreciate all that you did for us.

Ann Marie Mantey

11/29/2018

Dara is amazing! The birth of my son was beautiful because of Dara's expertise, warmth, encouragement and presence. As soon as I met her for our initial meeting, I knew that I wanted her to be a part of our birth team. Her warmth and positive energy radiate and both my husband and I felt so comfortable and supported by her. She is a great communicator and helped us prepare for our birth and provided insight when I went passed my expected due date. Her many trainings in Hypnobabies and Spinning Babies helped me to get the baby into an optimal position for birth and there are no words for how integral she was at our birth. We were both so relieved when she arrived at the hospital and gently and confidently guided me into positions to move me through labor. She worked beautifully with the nurses and midwife and created a warm, safe space in the delivery room. Our seasoned midwife was so impressed with Dara, her knowledge and ability to navigate the birth, that she asked for her contact information so that she could refer her to other pregnant mamas. Dara took stunning pictures and videos of the birth and the golden hour that followed and I was delighted when I came across them on my phone a few days later and could process the beauty of his birth through those images. Dara also was an amazing support for breastfeeding and her hands on approach has helped to make breastfeeding my son a success. My husband and I are both health care professionals and we needed Dara to help us navigate the process as first time parents. We feel overwhelmed with gratitude and hope that everyone has a Dara to guide them through the journey of welcoming a baby into the world. She truly is amazing.

Donna Priddie

11/28/2018

Dara is the absolute sweetest, most amazing doula you could ask for. This is my second birth using Dara and she recently joined with Joy to form a partnership. (Joy is equally as amazing!) after using Dara for our first birth there was no way I was doing it the second time without her. She was the second person I told I was pregnant. We stayed in touch throughout the early parts of my pregnancy and then around 25 weeks both Dara and Joy came to our house for a pre meeting. We discussed our birth plan and any concerns and then they showed us some exercises to do to make sure babys position was good!

Once I went into labor I called Joy (it was 4am) and she gave me some suggestions for comfort. Once it was time to go to the hospital it was about 6 AM. Dara met us there. From then on she was with me every step of the way. She massages, offers positions, and helps guide you through the birth process. The nurses even commented on how active and involved she was. She literally was massaging me the entire time. Dara is the real deal and I 100% recommend her. If we have a 3rd, I wouldn’t do it without her!

After baby is born and you return home, Dara visits you for a postnatal appt. she helps with everything from breastfeeding to baby wearing, whatever you need!

Kim Richards

11/14/2018

Not long after conceiving, I realized how little support we were getting from our health provider, so we immediately sought out resources in our community. We knew we were going to have our baby in a hospital, and this being our first child, it was important to us to have consistency of support and education throughout the pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum. Joy and Dara were exactly who we were looking for – kind, compassionate and knowledgeable birth doulas. They were our birth doulas and provided childbirth education classes, so we got to know them really well in preparation for the big day. We felt prepared and ready to move through the process knowing that they’d be there for us every step of the way. Their support and care throughout the labor and delivery was incredible. We couldn’t have had the birth experience we envisioned without them!

Gaby Castañeda

11/8/2018

My partner and I had the fortune of having Dara as our birth doula in September. Before the birth of our little one, we worked with Dara & Joy to put together our birth preferences and learn about the birth process. From the time I met Dara over FaceTime I felt that she was professional, knowledgable, and very serene. She was always available with answers and suggestions to questions we had while pregnant and I felt sure that I had the best team possible for my first birth. Dara was an angel on my baby's birthday. I tell people now that all I did during labor was breathe because Dara coached us through each position change, made sure I was eating & drinking and kept the mood in the hospital room as homey and tranquil as possible. I had the best birth experience one could have in a hospital setting and owe it all to Dara's wonderful doula chops. She is amazing and I am forever grateful.

Lauren Lentz

11/1/2018

Dara is a phenomenal Doula! From the first day we met, I knew she was a wonderful match for me. It’s very obvious (right off the bat) that she comes with a lot of knowledge and experience. She had great suggestions in regards to any question I asked (and I asked many ??), and always eased my worried mind with her positive outlook.

When the actual day to give birth arrived, she went above and beyond. Dara is just the perfect amount of assertive and nurturing and I know it’s just what I needed. She pulled out every comfort measure and made sure I was staying fed and hydrated throughout her time with me. I can say with 100% confidence, that I would have been lost without her support during my birth.

Some may worry that their significant other wouldn’t play as much of a roll while having a doula near by, but I found it to be quite the opposite. Dara encouraged my husband to be involved (and even hands on) where he could and made him feel more confident while in the delivery room. When he had his own set of fears, she allowed him to talk through them and listened with an emphatic ear. He was so glad that she was there for both of us.

The days following my labor, she checked in to make sure my son and I were doing well. She even came and supported me with lactation advice when things got off to a tough start. When I needed further advice in regards to my own recovery, she offered suggestions and reffered me to specialists that I should talk to.  7 weeks later, she still checks in with me here and there to see how we are doing. Dara has a way of always making you feel valued and appreciated.

My hope is that Dara will join me during my next birthing experience, if I should be so lucky to have another.  I have reffered her to many people and will continue to do so. I truly believe she is one of the best in the business!

Angeli Tarsadia Reddy

10/11/2018

Hands down best decision my husband and I made while planning for our birth.

My husband and I knew, after our first meeting with Dara that she was one of those people who had found her true calling in life. Dara is rockstar birth doula and overall amazing person. Not only is she incredibly knowledgeable and intuitive but she has this knack for creating a safe and comfortable space all while being your strongest advocate in the room.

Throughout my pregnancy, labor and now postpartum she has responded promptly to all my emails, calls, and texts. She even had great referrals for additional services like pregnancy massage, acupuncture and a postpartum doula. Additionally, she came to my house for a one-on-one breastfeeding classes after my birth.

My plan was for a natural birth and Dara helped me accomplish that and more. Its hard to put into words how amazing she was in helping us achieve our goals. I felt supported and safe every step of the way. When labor started (at home) Dara coached my husband through the necessary steps and when we got to the hospital, Dara swiftly took over and labor progressed incredibly quickly (4.5 hours from the minute Dara stepped into the room to delivery baby). Dara massaged me thru the contraction pain, recommended positions to help my labor progress, and made sure I stayed hydrated and as comfortable as possible. She also gave me multiple postive affirmations that helped get us to 9.5cm without any medication. When it came time to push, it only lasted for 15 minutes which was definitely a direct correlation to Dara's work.

Overall, Dara provided so much love and care in the process and looking back I am so grateful to have found someone who guided me through this incredible experience.

Frances Ramirez

10/7/2018

I'm still in awe/shock on my recent birthing experience. I'm beyond cloud nine! All thanks to God and my supportive, loving birthing team: my husband and Dara. I'm truly blessed to have been able to have Dara by my side. I honestly believe that if it wasn't for her, I would have ended up with a 3rd c-section. She helped me accomplish a successful VBA2C! It was the most intense and incredible birth journey. I would have never imagined having a 46 hour labor and delivery with my 3rd child. 39 of those hours all natural, as that was the goal. I have never been so vulnerable and tired, which resulted in giving in to an epidural. I know right? So close yet so far. I look back and have no regrets. With Dara by my side, I would do it all over again. Her soothing, calm voice, gentle, comforting touch and knowledge reassured me I can do it. She helped me stay focused during the most difficult moments. If we decide to go for round 4, there's no doubt I'll be calling Dara asap.

Laura Drangmeister

9/12/2018

Vast in her knowledge, intuitive in her wisdom, healing with her touch, fiercely protective of a mother’s birth space, pure love and compassion in her heart, Dara embodies all of these and more. I will be forever grateful for her support on our birthing journey.

My highest hopes were for an unmedicated VBAC with our daughter (our son was breech and required a cesarean birth). From prenatal visits, positioning and preparation tips, to lovely and helpful client ebooks, I felt supported and encouraged each step of the way. And when labor began, progressed more quickly than anyone realized, and we had to deliver in the OR (no other rooms were available), Dara supported me in the most heart-centered, beautiful way I could ever have imagined. My birth experience was healing, full of love, and I have so much gratitude to Dara for guiding me along the way.

Miranda Naylor

9/6/2018

Dara is just the best!! I am so grateful to her for her loving support during my long difficult labor. Nothing went to plan and we ended up having to make some huge changes in our birth plan and go to emergency C-section. my husband and I couldn’t have handled all of this without Dara. She was so sweet and loving yet tough and motivating. Her knowledge and confidence will releave any anxiety. You can fully trust in her. I can’t recommend Dara enough! we love you Dara!

Danielle Nowicki

8/13/2018

With Dara's expertese and guidance, we were able to bring our daughter into the world in the way that we had hoped.

Dara was able to motivate and coach me thru contractions, but was also there to nurture me and be gentle during times when that is what I needed. She is extremely knowledagble about the birth process and getting the baby to move down into the birth canal. With her guidance I was able to release tension and allow my baby to move down in the perfect way.

Our birth experience would have never been the same without Dara as our doula, we are forever grateful for her kindness and expertise!

I would hire Dara again in a heartbeat.

Kara Kempff

7/27/2018

I had the privilege of having Dara as my doula for the pregnancy and birth of my first child. Dara was invaluable throughout my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period. Being a first time mom, I had so many questions ranging from baby products to labor preparation-Dara was always there to advise and give reassurance. Dara makes sure to develop and nourish a relationship with you and your husband/partner leading up to your birth. Dara also met me when I was a few weeks from my due date to go on a walk and spend some time together. I always appreciated how she gave non-biased answers to questions I posed, and received the thoughts and difficult decisions my husband and I were juggling without judgment. She listened with empathy, and gave thoughtful responses, encouraging us to trust our instincts and values. When I went into labor, Dara provided sound emotional support and helpful tips throughout the day. When it came time to meet us at the birth center, she was so fast she beat us there (my labor progressed very quickly so there was no time for her to come to our home). There really aren't adequate words to describe how invaluable she was throughout my labor. I arrived at the birth center in transition and was seriously doubting myself. Dara provided the emotional and spiritual support I so needed, covering me in prayer (we discussed our religious preferences beforehand and shared we were Christian and wanted prayer during our birth). She also provided amazing physical support, giving me fluids and snacks in between contractions, massaging me; placing cold compresses on my head. She anticipated my needs and met them even when I was too exhausted to think of or ask for what I needed. I was able to have the unmedicated water birth I so wanted. She massaged my feet as I rested in bed with my baby, brought us food, and encouraged us. We are forever grateful for Dara! She really is the "human epidural" and I don't plan to give birth again without her!

Adrianne Hirsh

7/18/2018

My husband and I have been calling Dara our "birth angel" and hiring her was probably the best decision we made during our planning for our birth. We were hoping to have a Hypnobabies natural birth and we originally found Dara based on her certification as a Hypnodoula. We loved Dara's relaxed, confident attitude and knew that her calm energy would be best for our birth. She was available to us via text and phone call in the days leading up to labor, and she had great referrals for additional services like acupuncture. She even offered to come to my home and give a one-on-one breastfeeding class in lieu of the second in-person meeting. It was so helpful and I think it contributed significantly to my successful breastfeeding relationship with my baby. I ended up being induced and having a very long, complicated labor that ended in an emergency c-section. This was something we were completely unprepared for and I think we would have been totally lost if Dara had not been there. She helped my husband to feel useful and stay calm during some more stressful moments. She brought me comfort through use of aromatherapy and her knowledge of positioning. She was there to massage my feet and hips when things were uncomfortable, and that alone was incredibly reassuring. Birth is an incredibly vulnerable experience, and Dara helped me to feel at ease (even during the pushing stage). She was judgement-free despite the fact that I ended up having many unplanned interventions, uncluding medication for pain management. She just went above and beyond in so many different ways. She stayed through the c-section and was in the recovery room to help facilitate breast feeding. Afterwards, we received many compliments from nurses and our OB on how wonderful she was. Our doctor said, "You guys have a great doula...most of them leave immediately when a c-section is required''. If you are considering hiring Dara, my advice is to DO IT! We are so thankful that we did.

NATALIE SOLINSKY

7/17/2018

What a great pleasure it was to experience one of life's most beautiful and dramatic blessings, the birth of our second sweet daughter. Dara is a very reliable and supportive friend who can be strong when you need her to and is gentle and kind. She is spirtually encouraging and offered emotional support continuously through my whole labor. In labor, we become completely vulnerable and it can be difficult to express or even know what is needed in each moment. I was told by many friends that my second birth would be so much easier, but it was much more trying than my first.

I am so glad we chose Dara as our Doula. Dara knew how to direct my husband and I gently and humbly with much care. She made made me feel like I was doing an incredible job, even though my labor was so intense, and she knew what positions were best to speed up labor and keep me focused. She is steady and brings a calming and secure atmosphere.

My mother, who had eight natural childbirths and also sat through the birth of fifteen of her eighteen grandchildren was also present at the birth. She said that Dara was one of the most caring Doulas she had ever seen. She was greatly impressed by her knowledge and ability to direct in ease, even when I was my most exhausted and feeling my weakest. I thank the Lord for her. She is a treasure and someone I would choose again without a second thought.

Without even saying a word, Dara was my confort and the exact cheerleader my husband and I both needed. We made the best decision by choosing her as our Doula. She can't be everyone's Doula, but your truly blessed if you can get her as your Doula!

Jill Olday

7/17/2018

What a long overdue testimonial. First, Dara, thank you for being there from start to finish - all 64 hours.

To start, Dara met with me and my husband in person to establish a connection. We instantly agreed that we wanted to move forward with Dara as our doula. Once the contract was signed, we scheduled another in person visit to further go over our goals for childbirth, fears, hopes, expectations, etc. What a sense of calm she brought to this first time mama. Once labor began, Dara was there every step of the way by phone and until she arrived at the hospital arming us with information related to our circumstances to make our own decisions about the birth of our son. Once she arrived to the hospital, while I was in a great deal of pain at times, I still noticed and was surprised at how much she fit inside her bag! She got started immediately creating a calming environment, as I desired, with scents, lights, nutrition as I was able to take, bands and movement aids to assist my body in maneuvering. She's really got it down. The doctor and nurses commented that they enjoyed coming in my room because of the atmosphere. She was also really great in communicating with the hospital staff and providing encouragement to my husband and ways for him to help. As for me, she offered kind but firm suggestions on what was productive for my labor, and encouraged me to stay away from what was not. She offered advice on my condition and gave me honest answers in a nurturing, yet professional way. Once baby was finally born, Dara stayed at least an hour and made sure I was recovering well. She reminded me of what a warrior I was and how great I did. What an experience. As a first time mom, I would have probably ended up with a C section without Dara in my corner. Thank you!

Ashley Washburn

7/11/2018

Dara was a fantastic doula. This was our second child and she took the time to discuss my first pregnancy/delivery and address the concerns I had and things I wanted to do differently this time. At our meeting she gave us so many tips and exercises to do to help prepare my body for delivery and she made me feel at ease. She was available for any questions I had towards the end of pregnancy and always had helpful advice.

I went into labor in the middle of the night and she was available and returned all my calls within minutes and gave great guidance on how I was progressing. Upon meeting us at the hospital she stepped right in and immediately got to work helping me get more comfortable and work through contractions. I had a very quick delivery and she was incredibly supportive the entire time. She stayed with us after our son was born until everything was done. I had some post-delivery complications and she never left my side.

After we finally got to recovery our midwife stopped by to see me and made a point to tell me how great Dara was to work with and how we were lucky to have such wonderful support for the delivery of our son. I would recommend Dara to any friends or family looking for a doula.

Hailey Libby

6/4/2018

It is tough to put into words just how amazing Dara is and what an incredible part she played in our journey.  From our prenatal visits to the arrival of our little one and even postpartum, her support, guidance and encouragement were unparalleled.  My husband and I knew we wanted a Doula as we had heard of the positive impact they would have on our birth experience, but we didn't know exactly what that meant.  During our visits, Dara provided amazing, judgement free advice and had answers to all of our questions (and believe me, there were tons). She assisted us in choosing the best birth center for our family and had great feedback on our birth plans. She provided me so much comfort throughout a time that can be so overwhelming.  Our goal was to have an unmedicated birth and she played an integral part in this becoming a reality.  Through our long labor, she provided us with the tools necessary to stay focused and on track whie also making us feel comfortable with everything that was happening and what we still had to expect.  She came prepared and always had such a positive energy. I highly, highly recommend Dara as she will bring a presence to your birth that will make your experience amazing.

Kellie Petrie

5/22/2018

It’s hard to put into words how valuable Dara was to have as my Doula. I interviewed a few doula’s but Dara was the most professional. She is extremely knowledgeable, reliable, & has this strength & warmth to her. I trusted her immediately. Throughout she has responded promptly to all my emails, calls, & text. Knowing she was in my corner supporting me eased my anxiety. I was able to have the natural birth I wanted & I feel it was possible because of her. She encouraged me to labor at home as long as possible & I was able to do so with her suggestions on how to manage the pain. Once at the hospital she knew where to apply pressure to my body to help me get through contractions…the difference was amazing! She suggested what breathe when I was lost, what positions when I grew uncomfortable, but most of all she made me feel safe. I was so close when I got to the hospital that we left our hospital bag in the car. Dara had come prepared with everything I needed. She brought music, essential oils, & honey sticks for energy. She helped my husband who had been worried he wouldn’t be able to be in the room by making suggestions on how he could support me. My husband had been very hesitant about the fact I wanted a doula until the delivery room. Once we got to recovery he said to me that she was incredible & that it was worth every penny having her there. That from him was a HUGE compliment! Once I was home from the hospital Dara came to visit and helped make me feel comfortable w/ a baby in my home by creating a breastfeeding nest, teaching me how to swaddle, & how to use the moby carrier. I can’t say enough how much I appreciated having her help me through this experience. Since then she has checked in and been available to any questions that have come up. She really listened to me & what was important to me for the birth. I am so grateful that I was able to have her as my doula.

Jennifer St. John

5/16/2018

Dara is an actual angel! I cannot stop talking about how wonderful she is (I just gave birth 5 days ago 5/11/2018). I truly believe that without Dara as my birth doula I would not be feeling this good now postpartum, or had such positive memories looking back to my birth experience 5 days ago. This was my second vaginal birth, and with my first (two years ago) i did not have a doula. I had thought that the hospital nurses would guide me through birth and encourage and take care of my needs. That is not the case! Nurses have a lot of technical and medical responsibilities and so what I experienced was a lot of unknown, scared, painful, highly medicated, forceps and so on.So with my next pregnancy I knew I needed more support for myself and my husband to have a better birth (one to be proud of and one to look back on fondly!)

Rigot away I knew Dara was the perfect fit for me because of her sweet, caring, gentle nature.  But also her KNOWLEDGE about the labor and delivery process was so key. She knows all of the right elements/ positions to help you labor, handle contractions, move the baby down and dialate. When Dara arrived at the hospital I was asleep/resting with the start of mild pitocin contractions. She immediately came in the room, and changed the mood. She set up spa like music, lowered the lights, candles, essential oils, and massaged my feet and legs and back for what seemed like hours. She was so in tune with what I was going through at every step of the way. It was tranquil and peaceful. Once my contractions amped up she was right there with me, suggesting and supporting every position, keeping me nourished/hydrated. She was talkative when I felt like talking, she was quiet when I was sleepy. She was STRONG and thoughtful when I was pushing for 3 hours and did everything in her power to keep me comfortable (massage/position changes.) I am forever grateful to Dara for what she did for me and my husband, and my almost 10lb healthy baby!

Lindsay Sharp Cavanagh

5/14/2018

I cannot imagine what pregnancy, my labor, and postpartum would have been like without Dara. She was so great from start to finish. During pregnancy she was a wealth of knowledge and was great at managing all my questions as well as my anxieties. I really felt like I was prepared for everything and I have her to thank for much of that. In terms of my actual labor, she was a lifesaver. I believe my doctors were so impressed with her that they all backed off and she was the only person coaching me and my husband. She made the environment exactly what I wanted, she helped me deal with my back labor, and helped my husband support me in ways that he may not have known otherwise. Most importantly, she spoke to me in a way that made me feel more confident and knew how to get me back on track when I felt like I couldn't do it anymore. I was able to have the natural, unmedicated birth that I had been planning for and I credit her for helping me to get there. I can say it would not have happened without her. In addition, I had a third degree tear that needed to be repaired in the operating room and she helped me to hand express milk before I left as well as helped my husband have the best postnatal time with our new daughter when I was not able to. Finally, when I returned she fed me lunch and really made us feel comfortable. My husband and I both said that Dara was the best decision we made for the birth of our first child and I recommend her without any reservations whatsoever. She is fantastic!

Kristi Alexander

4/4/2018

Dara is truly a gift from God and I will be forever grateful for her role in the birth of my son! She has a very gentle, nurturing spirit that makes you feel comfortable and safe during a vulnerable time. She is also extremely knowledgeable and supportive. Throughout my entire birthing experience, Dara remained by my side, her expertise and my natural instincts working in harmony. She anticipated my every need, helping me remain strong both mentally and physically in my passage to motherhood. Dara had a very calming presence and an amazing ability to refocus me when I felt overpowered by my body; thus, allowing me to regain my composure and confidence. She played a crucial role in my ability to have a natural, unmedicated birth. Whether it was a relaxing massage, recommending a different labor position, kind words of encouragement, or the offering of a small snack and sip of water to nourish my body, she was diligent in supporting me. She never interfered or neglected my husband’s role either. Rather she assisted him in ways to better support me and remain an active participant throughout the process which will be forever memorable to us both. Above all, Dara always remained respectful, compassionate and genuine. She is a true healer and I highly recommend her.

Diana Stillwagen

2/20/2018

I was referred to Dara by a friend who'd hired her as their Doula and had nothing but great things to say. From the moment my husband and I met Dara, we knew she was right for us and for our birth journey. Dara is a beautiful person who radiates kindness, positivity, joy, high energy, and wisdom. She is relatable and authentic - something that sets her apart from the rest. She made our birth experience the ideal that we envisioned while we prepared to welcome our first baby. Throughout my pregnancy Dara was available as a resource, a counselor, and a friend for any questions or concerns I had. She offered exercises and resources that in hindsight were essential to having such a positive experience. Dara met with us four times - the initial free consultation when we first met her, the second time was with my husband and I in our home to discuss birth concerns/fears/plans, the third time was just she and I and it was closer to my due date. We met on the beach and had a lovely walk while we talked about final plans before labor and prepping for baby to come home, and the last time was after our son was born. She came to our home again to check in with us and baby. She offered us essential breastfeeding tips and showed us how to assemble our baby wrap carriers. It was quite an amazing sight to see her meet our baby boy after she'd attended his birth. During labor, Dara never left my side. That in itself was immensley comforting. She advocated for me when the hospital wanted to intervene with methods that weren't part of our birth plan. She used natural calming and pain management techniques. She helped me into positions that I believe set up our baby for the optimal birthing position. I pushed for under an hour and remained intact - no tearing or episiotomy. Dara was my guiding light through it all. My husband and I are grateful she came into our lives to help bring our son's life into this world. She will always have a special place in our family's hearts.

Jamie Smith

2/15/2018

It's hard for me to put into words how much Dara meant to my husband and I during my pregnancy and birth of my son. From the moment I spoke with her on the phone early on, I knew she was extremely knowledgable in her practice as a birth Doula. I was having concerns about things my care provider was telling me and she comforted me right off the bat and made me feel so much better. She educated me which in turn helped me navigate my pregnancy and labor with my doctor the way I wanted. Dara's advice and recommendations are always unbiased and when you ask her about anything, she will always gives a well-educated and easy to understand answer. It helped making the best decisions for myself and my baby so easy!
I experienced an almost 40 hour pre-labor and Dara created a soothing and comforting environment in my home that made each contraction more manageable. She knew all of the best positions to lay in, where to massage me to help ease my discomfort and how to help me move through each pain. She also helped my husband to get involved and help comfort me as well. She was truly an angel! During my actual labor, she coached me (and my husband) through each push and made sure I was comfortable, hydrated and satiated. I can't even begin to imagine what my labor would've been without Dara!!

Lynette Leighton

2/9/2018

My husband and I had an incredible birth assisted by Dara! My husband was deployed through about 8 months of the pregnancy, so having Dara's support was an absolute necessity. She provided me with a wealth of information and resources from the start, and offered objective guidance throughout my pregnancy whenever I provided her with updates or presented her with questions. On the actual day-of, my husband and I put our trust completely in Dara's care, and we are already looking forward to having her attend future births! Dara made sure we were both comfortable and safe throughout L&D, kept us hydrated, helped us make progress during L&D, and continued taking care of us postpartum. I followed through on all of Dara's recommendations prior to and during L&D, and found all of her recommendations to be helpful/valuable in maintaining my and the baby's health. We used Hypnobabies for our birth, and Dara was/is amazing in providing the type of support necessary to maintain the optimal environments at home and in the hospital to maintain focus from start to finish. I also appreciated how attentive she was to my nutrition throughout labor - making sure I was hydrated, and my energy levels were maintained throughout this intense time. After our baby arrived, she needed some minor medical attention; my husband said the decision to leave me and go with the baby was made very easy since he saw Dara by my side and trusted I would be taken care of by her until he could be with me again. Having Dara present eased my husband's nerves during a critical time, and that alone has all the value in the world! My husband was so very well supported by Dara; he loved how active we all were, constantly moving and trying different positions while making great progress. Though I've only experienced one birth (and our first), I have no doubt that Dara is as great as they come! We absolutely love Dara, and are extremely blessed to have her in our lives!

Nitasha Rimar

1/24/2018

My review of Dara is based on my perspective as a physician familiar with the medical system, yet needing help to ensure a natural unmedicated birth in a hospital. I feel so blessed to have found Dara and can’t imagine choosing any other doula. She helped arm me with the tools and knowledge to shorten labor and have an easier delivery. She was there by my side in my most difficult moments and I strongly believe it’s because of her I had such a beautiful birth experience! Thank you Dara, will highly recommend you to family, friends and my medical colleagues

Christina Trego

12/15/2017

So glad to have meet Dara! This was my second pregnancy and I had enough negative experiences with my first birth (failed epidurals,  getting induced, pushing laying on my back, migraines, 2 blood patches, etc.) that I knew I wanted things to be different. My husband and I read several books, educated ourselves in the birthing process (even though I am an ED RN.) We read lots of pros to having an unmedicated birth and how we should really find a good doula. Dara was awesome. When she came to visit the first time she was very pleasant, friendly, assertive, and knowledgeable. She is open to many types of births and really made sure that I understood she was only there for me. She was my advocate. She was also there for my husband, who I wanted to be my main supporter.Day of delivery at 40 weeks, Dara was on the phone with us and texting us after my water broke. She gave us encouraging calls and texts and suggested different expercises and ways to get labor started naturally. We called her once at the hospital when contractions started to become strong and regular, she was there in less than 30 min. She came ready! She had a bag full of tools and coaching aids. She was professional with staff and got down on her knees to see how I was. To help labor progess along she had many different techniques to help move our back down and out. Although it was very painful personally she kept me moving onto the next exercise. She kept reasuring me I was doing a great job and also helped my husband to best support me. Towards the end I started to give in ans ask for pain medication but Dara was not deteried. She helped me greatly during the transition phase into pushing and held my hand and rested with me during the contrations and pushing stage. Baby finally came! Dara stayed with us after helping pack our own bags, take picutes, and praying with us upon request. I can say so much more but I am limited on here. We would highly recommend her to any mother to be!

Catherine Hayter

11/25/2017

Our family was so thankful to have found Dara. We chose her based on the many testimonials provided here and, then, our first getting-to-know-each-other meeting. She is warm and kind, but also assertive and confident - - traits that serve her well during delivery. She was very flexible, coming to our home and easy-going with our older two boys. (We had to bring them to our appointments with her!) Overall, she helped me realize my ideal birth. I wanted an all-natural birth and I was a VBAC. I delivered in about six hours of active labor and less than a half hour of pushing. I owe much of the success of this birth to her timely and expertise coaching. She knew how to move the labor along and help it progress (my last labor would not progress and I was in early labor for four days!)and she was by my side as soon as I felt I needed her. My husband worked well with her, too, and she was good at sharing the job of supporting me with him. This was our last birth, and our best one! Thank you, Dara.

Carly Tenery

11/17/2017

Dara was my chosen Doula for my at home water birth. I’m having a hard time expressing not only my gratitude but what and how much she did for me leading up to my birth and the day of. I could not have made it through our special day without her. She came over to the house as soon as I felt that I needed her and was by my side for nearly 24 hours. Not only did she suggest ways to help progress my labor along but she also made me feel comfortable and safe. She is truly an amazing woman and I feel so fortunate to have met her. I can’t wait for my second baby so I can experience this with Dara again. I love her and would highly recommend her to anyone searching for a Doula.

Trisha Andreini Orozco

11/8/2017

Dara is not only an amazing doula but a beautiful soul as well. I was having a hard time finding a doula I connected with after moving here. Luckily a friend of mine recommended Dara and I knew within minutes of meeting her that I wanted her to be my doula. She is so supportive and positive, and the type of person you feel comfortable with immediately. Dara helped me through my pregnancy, always providing great articles and tips for anything I had questions about. She was my support system through labor and helped me achieve the natural birth I wanted. I adore her and highly recommend her to anyone in need of a doula.

Diane Place

11/4/2017

It feels like words will never be enough to communicate how lucky we were to have Dara for the birth of our daughter. From the minute we met Dara I felt at ease with her as if I’d known her forever. Even our toddler leaving after the meeting commented on her being a “nice lady.” The resources Dara provided were excellent as was her ability to work with my personal style and preferences. She was incredibly accomadating and come baby time, she arrived as discussed to help with some of early labor. Dara did a wonderful job of helping both me get through the contractions and allowing my husband to relax and focus on just supporting me instead of worrying about timing or if he might miss something going wrong. I honestly credit being able to birth without an epidural this time to her fantastic skills as a doula. If she is available for your birth I would suggest booking her as quickly as you can.

Elizabeth Brink

10/26/2017

My wife and I (husband writing) interviewed a few doulas, but when we met Dara we knew we found the right one to help bring our beautiful Kaylin into the world. Our spiritual views aligned, but it was her soft, kind-loving heart that really won us over. Her experience was reassuring as well. Up to labor, Dara was always a phone call or text away to help us with any questions/concerns we had. Every conversation, whether it be a phone call or face to face, she was so encouraging. Labor can be unpredictable, and although I felt prepared and somewhat confident from taking the Bradley Method course, Dara was the helping hand and support that both my wife and I needed during labor. Our labor nurse at the hospital said in her 7 yrs of deliveries, Dara was the greatest Doula she has ever worked with. She also stated that our birth was the most inspirational one she has been part of. Looking back, my wife and I feel so blessed to have had Dara as part of our birth team. We weren’t sure what labor/birth was gonna look like, but the experience was so much better with Daras love and support. Thank you Dara!

Elizabeth Brink

10/26/2017

My wife and I (husband writing) interviewed a few doulas, but when we met Dara we knew we found the right one to help bring our beautiful Kaylin into the world. Our spiritual views aligned, but it was her soft, kind-loving heart that really won us over. Her experience was reassuring as well. Up to labor, Dara was always a phone call or text away to help us with any questions/concerns we had. Every conversation, whether it be a phone call or face to face, she was so encouraging. Labor can be unpredictable, and although I felt prepared and somewhat confident from taking the Bradley Method course, Dara was the helping hand and support that both my wife and I needed during labor. Our labor nurse at the hospital said in her 7 yrs of deliveries, Dara was the greatest Doula she has ever worked with. She also stated that our birth was the most inspirational one she has been part of. Looking back, my wife and I feel so blessed to have had Dara as part of our birth team. We weren’t sure what labor/birth was gonna look like, but the experience was so much better with Daras love and support. Thank you Dara!

Katie Green

10/11/2017

My husband and I are forever grateful that we found Dara to support us during the birth of our daughter!  Dara's calm, encouraging and supportive nature were immediately evident upon meeting her.  She is incredibly knowledgabele about pregnancy, birth and postpartum issues.  She was a great resource throughout my pregnancy, offering many great suggestions for staying healthy and active and getting my body ready for a natural, drug free delivery.  She provided continuous support in the week before my daughter's birth, as I went through several days of "false labor".  Once at the hospital, Dara helped create and maintain a calm, peaceful and relaxing environment.  She helped me stay focused and positive and gave my husband lots of ideas for how to best support me.  She was reassuring and informative as labor progressed.  She was friendly and helpful with the nursing staff and several nurses commented on what an incredible doula she was!  They couldn't stop complimenting her! Dara's support did not stop at the hospital- she continued to check in on us in the weeks following birth, making sure we were handling the transition well and offering valuable guidance and resources.  She is amazing!  We are so glad we chose to have Dara be a part of our daughter's birth!  We consider her a dear friend and can't wait to include her in the births of our future children.

Kristin Sandy

9/28/2017

Dara was amazing throughout the entire experience!! From the moment my husband and I met her we knew she was the right fit for us. Dara has a strong motherly presence, and instant calming effect. She is very knowledgeable and we felt like we could completely trust her to guide us through the birthing process. When I started labor we were in phone contact until I felt like things were progresssing and I asked her to come to our house. She started by helping me relax and giving me massages in different positions. Then we went for a little walk, and later she helped my husband and I labor together. When I felt ready to go to the hospital she followed us. Although our birth preferences were originally very natural with no interventions, during labor things changed a lot. Dara helped guide us through each option and decision until we felt ready to make choices. The hospital introduced a lot of obstacles and unfortunately after 48 hours of labor I had to have a Csection, which I really had never imagined could happen. Dara supported me physically, mentally, & emotionally, and my husband and I truly believe we could not have survived the experience without her! She was so great about knowing exactly what I needed, and also helping get my husband involved. She is still supportive postpartum and I feel very lucky to have made this bond with her! We will definitely be calling her again for baby #2!!!

Ginny Quick

9/14/2017

Working with Dara was a true gift. When we first met her, she made us feel safe and confident in the birth we wanted to have. As we went through our pregnancy, she was there checking in every step of the way, providing resources, information and support. Her encouragement kept me going when I had doubts and she really helped me to overcome my fears about labor. We ended up going into labor at 9pm on a Saturday, and Dara insisted that we call her every hour through the night to keep her updated. My contractions were very close together and I was feeling afraid and not sure what to do or when to go the hospital. Dara’s expertise during active labor, helped us to stay at home as long as possible and we really appreciated her for giving us that gift. When it was time to go to the hospital, she didn’t skip a beat, making our room feel comfortable and homey. When the midwife informed us that our son was posterior, Dara knew exactly what exercises to do to get him to turn. These exercises were extremely painful and difficult, but because of the trust we had built throughout my pregnancy, I knew I could follow her voice. One of our biggest accomplishments during labor was successfully flipping our son around to deliver him. When it was time to push, it ended up taking 3 hours, which was more then I thought I would ever be able to do. Dara was right there in my ear telling me “You can do this!” She really provided us the extra love and support we needed. We thank God Dara was there for our first birth and pregnancy journey. We plan on using her for all of our births to come as we grow our family. Thank you Dara.

Whitney Card

9/12/2017

Dara is absolutely amazing. My husband and I could not have asked for a better support and help through the labor of our first child. She is positive, encouraging, and kind, and she KNOWS HER STUFF. The resources and help she provided to me during my pregnancy were every bit as valuable as her support during labor, and I can confidently say that having her as a member of our birth team was a big part of why it ended up being such an amazing experience.

Aside from just being my doula, Dara has become a friend to me and I would absolutely hire her again in a heartbeat.

Danielle Leblang

8/23/2017

We used Dara for the birth of our second child.  I was able to have a natural childbirth with our first child, and I wanted to repeat the experience with our second if possible.  When we met Dara, we immediately clicked with her friendly, calm and genuine personality.  After we hired her, she was always responsive to questions we had and provided tons of valuable resources and articles based on topics we asked her about.  When it came time for the birth, Dara met us at the hospital because labor progressed relatively quickly from when true contractions started.  She immediately jumped into gear at the hospital and seemed to know exactly what I needed in terms of relaxation/pain management techniques throughout the entire labor.  She worked seamlessly with the nurses and doctors (and my husband!) and helped me achieve my goal of a natural childbirth!  We loved Dara and could not be happier with our experience.  She made the entire labor more manageable and was extremely intuitive in knowing what I needed along the way.  We highly recommend Dara for anyone looking for an extremely caring and experienced doula!

Amanda Zintsmaster

8/6/2017

Dara was amazing! I attempted a vbac last month and long story short was unsuccessful and required a repeat c section, but I honestly still can't picture doing it without Dara. She made the space more comfortable while laboring and was an absolute wizard with pain relieving techniquiws. My husband was amazed as well, and very thankful she was there. Dara was the most wonderful support I could have asked for. I was concerned that she might feel negatively about a few of my decisions (ended up asking for episural and giving in to c section after pushing for 3 plus hours) but she was supportive all along the way. It's like she knows when you need encouragement and knows when you need someone to just support you. She is truly gifted and I can't imagine a better doula. We are so thankful for her part in our birth process. I urge anyone looking for a doula to just meet with Dara, you will absolutely be impressed. I believe people who do this kind of work have a true gift for it, and Dara is most certainly one of those people.

Stephanie C. Kaiser

8/1/2017

I had my daughter in May 2017. When I first met with Dara she was warm, caring and knowledgeable. She was very helpful in helping my husband and I prepare of labor and birth. When it was time to have my daughter Dara was with me every step of the way. Dara was so supportive and calm throughout my labor and my husband and I felt completely at ease knowing that she was with us. When I have my next baby I will definitely be calling her again!

Nina Porten

6/5/2017

Let me start by saying that I am sure that my review will not do justice to the support Dara provided as our doula. During my pregnancy, Dara took the time to meet with us and review our birth goals and values. She was very thorough in making sure she conveyed her understanding of what we wanted out of our birth experience. I felt that she really listened and knew intuitively how to respond in a way that made me feel comfortable and able to relax knowing that she was already putting into motion the things we needed to be successful.

When my water began leaking prior to my due date, Dara was able to provide us with helpful information so that we were able to make infomed choices on what actions to take. When I eventually checked into the hospital and was faced with the possibility of an induction, I called Dara. She came immediately and provided calming conversation, massage, aromatherapy, and further guidance on how to move labor forward. Dara was a miracle worker with the nursing staff.  I couldn't believe how well she was able to work with the nurses and how her interactions positively impacted our experience with them.  By morning I was in active labor with her support. From there, she skillfully guided my husband and I through the entire birthing process.  Dara was able to lead us through a completely unmedicated birth as first time parents and help us reach all of our birthing goals.

Postpartum, Dara continuously checked in on us to ensure that things were going well, and we had the resources we needed.  I really appreciated knowing I could reach out to her during such a transitional time.

I can't recommend Dara enough, particularly if you are looking to acheive an unmedicated birth.  Dara's peaceful personality and extensive experience leading the birthing process are a true Gift.  Not only is she a expert doula, Dara is a light to those around her.

Dione M.

4/5/2017

This woman is amazing and I will forever be grateful for the unmedicated birth that she helped me achieve. From the moment I met Dara she was supportive of everything that I wanted for my birth. After having an emergency cesarean for my first, I felt I needed to have an unmedicated VBAC. We had just moved from Colorado to California and I would be giving birth at a military hospital. I knew I needed support from someone who would be involved the whole time.
Throughout the short time that she was with us the care and emotional support that she gave helped me through some difficult moments. The midwife that I had was pressuring me to be induced at 41 weeks. This is what happened with my first. Dara reminded me that I had a choice and to go for what I felt comfortable with. Additionally, my little one was in the OP position. Dara provided several exercises to turn baby. She also provided wonderful referrals to chiropractors and acupuncturists to aid in achieving the relaxation and adjustments to help further the progress. They worked. By my 41 week checkup baby had turned and was in position.
Once labor kicked in her support was unwavering. She came to my house and helped me labor at home till I was ready to go to the hospital. Upon check in I was 5-6 cm. Dara continued her support by keeping me hydrated, reminding me to breath and helped with positions during contractions. Her soft kind words and the relaxed environment she fostered made me comfortable during the labor process. When I felt that I could not handle labor anymore, her techniques had brought baby down far enough to start pushing.

I gave birth to a beautiful little girl at 3:52 in the morning. The birth was a successful unmedicated VBAC and Dara helped me through the whole process step by step. This woman is worth everything when it comes to having the care and support that is needed for birth. I recommend her 100% and with every bit of my heart. She is remarkable.

Carol S. Dawidowicz

3/31/2017

I feel so fortunate to have had Dara's support and caring guidance during my labor with my second child.

From the moment I called her to report labor signs to the moments after birth when she helped calm my shaking legs and celebrate the birth of our son, she was attentive, kind, and extremley helpful.

Dara came to the hospital prepared with things to enhance the environment (lights, aromatherapy) and create a successful labor experience. She knew what tools to suggest to help me manage an unmedicated labor and birth.

I can't say enough positive things about Dara-- she is calm, reassuring, kind and skillful. She helped me attain my goal of a natural and peaceful birth.

I am grateful for her and I know she has helped and will help many other women and their partners.

Tara Lynn

3/6/2017

There probably is not much I can add in my review about Dara, since she is so beloved by everyone who has ever worked with her! She is an incredibly kind hearted, sincere individual with a tremendous love in her heart for people and the work she does.   Dara was my Doula for the birth of my second child at Pomerado Hospital in Poway.  This woman has a tremendous arsenal of techniques and ideas to help throughout the birthing process!  In my case, an induction was required and Dara had a number of tools she used to coach me through every contraction, which I do believe allowed me  progress much quicker than I would have otherwise.   In addition to being very knowledgeable on all facets of childbirth, she has a wonderful way with people and knows how to be very non-intrusive  yet at the same time is a reassuring presence during childbirth and will offer suggestions and gentle direction to keep you focused.   It is rare to find someone who really listens to what you are saying and applies it, but Dara is one such a rare individual. She took to heart everything I talked about in terms of the things that I wanted during my childbirth and How she could support me.  Dara is a delightful, warm personality and was such an incredible support to me and my husband during the birth of our son.  I cannot say enough about her abilities and personality!  Thank you so much Dara, and God bless you for all the wonderful help you give to so many!

Donna Priddie

1/28/2017

Dara was more than i could have ever asked for! She is kind, passionate, and extremely knowledgeable. We met a twice prior to my birth to discuss our wishes for the day and what was important to us. Dara came armed with endless knowledge to help us. We learned about pain med options, what birth was "really" like, and many tips for early labor. This opened my eyes to so many things I didn't know prior to having my first baby. Dara always had my (and the baby)'s best interest at heart and she provided information, but most importantly 110% supported whatever decision my husband and I made.

After my due date, Dara prepared information on induction for me to help me communicate with the doctors. On day 41+4 I went into labor. I called Dara at 3:30am and she was right there with me the rest of the journey. She offered positions and exercises for me to do in this early stage of labor to help me progress & deal with the pain. Once I was ready to go to the hospital 8 hours later I was already 5.5cm dilated! Dara met us there (she will meet u whenever you are ready). Dara massaged me thru the contraction pain, recommended positions to help my labor progress, made sure I stayed hydrated and as comfortable as possible. Thru all the pain and work, she was right there by my side. Baby was positioning perfectly and things were moving! When it came time to push, it only lasted for 45 minutes which I think is a direct coorolation to Dara's work to get that baby ready! We delivered a heathly baby boy at 12:49am!

Dara 100% supported us the entire process. The nurses at Mary birch were in awe of how great Dara was and there was a buzz around the labor and delivery floor of this "amazing doula". We never felt alone. I can't imagine my birth story any other way! Thank you Dara!

Afterwards she comes for a post partum visit to help with breastfeeding and steal some baby snuggles! I would 100% recommend Dara!

Alexandra Weber

11/4/2016

We are so blessed to have found Dara to be our birth doula. With my high blood pressure, an OP baby with lots of subsequent back labor, and other complications, Dara’s role in our delivery was absolutely vital and led to an experience that we wouldn’t have changed for the world. She coached us to try different exercises during contractions to turn the baby that were really difficult, but Dara didn’t let us give up – she pushed us to commit to ten contractions and then take a break. In the end, our efforts paid off - our baby amazingly rotated to the ideal position just before being born. She was a constant source of positive energy and emotional support. I never doubted that she truly cared or meant every encouraging word she said. My husband said that without her he couldn't have done what he did - stay present and active throughout a difficult labor, never losing confidence in his role. Her unfailing ideas and suggestions for him enabled him to fulfill that role to the utmost. I couldn’t agree more with him - we could not have done it without her. Towards the end I was ready to give up – but Dara helped me make it through without any intervention or drugs until we achieved our goal of a completely natural delivery - complications and all! There were so many little things that made her stand out - she came early and set up our room with Christmas lights and a lavender essential oil diffuser, she made sure I was hydrated and well fed - up until spoon-feeding me minutes after the delivery - she even visited us in the hospital after delivery to make sure I was recuperating after some post-delivery complications. Her care and support was felt throughout the entire process. Her expertise as a lactation consultant was also vital during some initial challenges with breastfeeding. That and so many other things make Dara the perfect partner for anyone in their journey towards parenthood. I can’t recommend her enough!

Chariane Forrey

7/29/2016

Dara is an amazing doula and friend.  She met with me twice before my birth, was present for the birth, and then had one postpartum visit. She was almost always instantly available by phone, facebook, and email.  She provided resources for chiropractic care and lactation  consultants and recommended natural remedies to increase my iron levels, herbs to ease other pregnancy discomforts, and stretches to get my baby in the best position for birth.  These are the "checklist" items that Dara does that everyone should look for when searching for a doula.

But Dara provides much more than a "checklist."  She was a constant encourager and a true support person of peace.  Whenever I felt concerned about something my body was doing in late pregnancy, she reminded me gently that "my body was progressing beautifully" and was doing everything it was supposed to do to prepare for birth.  She eased worries by reminding me that my body knew how to give birth and my baby knew when he was ready to come out.  She texted to check in on me about every week in the last month.  When we discussed whether or not I should get an epidural, she honored whatever choice I decided to make.  Dara is one who believes that a mother knows her body best, should feel safe during pregnancy and at peace, and a mother should be empowered to make well-informed choices, whatever that choice may be.  During labor and delivery, she was calm, encouraging, and positive to both me, the hospital staff, and my husband and family.  After delivery, she was soothing and stayed until I was in the recovery room.  She spoke with the hospital staff in a respectful and calm manner but in a way that relayed any of my concerns.  I could not have asked for a better birth experience and doula.

Meredith Chase

6/30/2016

Dara is an incredible doula. We used her for the births of both of our sons (2014; 2016). She is incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and experienced, all while being calm, warm and peaceful.  My first labor experience was a very challenging one--I labored for over two days and ended up having to be on petocin. Dara brought so much support to that birth! My goal was to remain unmedicated through that labor and avoid a C-Section.  With my husband's support and Dara's guidance, I was able to remain unmedicated and deliver my son vaginally! It was a marathon that most likely would have ended in a C-Section if not for Dara.  My second birth was significantly shorter, and with Dara by our sides once again, I delivered my son at home, vaginally and without medication. Dara encouraged us through the whole labor process and provided positions/movement to open my pelvis and also encourage the baby into optimal positions for delivery. My son was a surprise sunny-side-up delivery and the midwife noted that it was likely that the specific movements Dara had us to during labor got my son into the best possible position for delivery and cut pushing time to much shorter than is typical for posterior facing babies. (Thank you, Dara!!!) If you want someone who will work closely with you and your partner to achieve your goals for labor, someone with experience and knowledge to handle even the toughest of labor situations, and someone who will be there to support and encourage not run the show, then Dara is your lady! She will do her best to help you birth the way that you want to birth, and will be respectful, kind, caring and genuine through the whole process. I highly recommend Dara DeSoto!

Jynafer Castillo

5/15/2016

We found Dara via a referral from our midwife Lisa Marie Sanchez of sacredjourneymidwifery   We had reached out to and interviewed a few others before finding her at about 32 weeks.  Luckily we were able to make a connection with her and feel comfortable together right away  because he went into labor early at 37 weeks   We previously weren't 100% convinced  we would need a Doula after all of the education we had;  we ended up being so glad to have Dara with us at 42 hours of labor including 36 at home.  I'm very cerebral  and my husband is very action oriented - Dara  was able to support and guide each of us Along the way.  I absolutely trust her along the way and she helped me to make some key decisions at the hospital. We are very thankful to have had Dara as part of our birth team and intend to have her with us at our next birth.

Emily Outhier

5/4/2016

I fear I can never do enough justice in writing to communicate the influence of Dara through my labor and delivery experience! Weeks after giving birth for the very first time, it's still the influence I can't stop talking about with friends and family. Undoubtedly my experience would have been extremely different without Dara's presence. After intense research, I was hoping for a natural birth in the hospital. Two weeks overdue, and my regular doula unavailable, Dara slipped in to the process with warmth and assurance that astounded me. I can say with confidence that I would have succombed to an epidural without her influence. I was faced with an unsupportive nurse after the shift change who made me feel like natural labor was not attainable. Through Dara's presence, a combination of support, experience, guidance and comfort, I discovered the capabilities I didn't know I had. There was only the moment I was in, and her unbroken eye contact when extra strength was needed. She made the space mine, she kept hospital staff at the distance I needed whenever possible, and her expertise even impressed the same staff. Many of the nurses present inquired about Dara during my recovery period- they had never seen her equal! And even my unsupportive nurse completely changed her tone by the time I delivered, echoing Dara's peaceful support and impressed at the fast progression, unassisted by the standard medical interventions. I always wondered how my tone would be as I focused on the task of labor. Dara means what she says when she speaks of peace. I've never seen labor depicted as peaceful- yet that was precisely my experience. There was so much positive energy in that room! My husband supported me through the entire process, guided by Dara in how to offer the most help. Due to her influence, his apprehensions surrounding watching me endure pain melted away. He was able to be comfortable, assured by Dara that everything was in control, progressing, and positive.

Rana Shbib

3/26/2016

Meeting Dara was a huge blessing in my life. My sister had hired Dara for the birth of her son last year and I just knew when the day would come when I would be pregnant with my second baby, that Dara was going to be a part of it. Fast forward almost a year later I found out the exciting news that we were expecting and I called Dara right away when I was 7 weeks pregnant. We met a few weeks later and she was so positive and encouraging that I can try for a vbac, she believed in me so much and that made all the difference. My whole pregnancy I felt Dara's support, she would check in on me and send me such valuable information through articles. I felt so calm and confident about my upcoming delivery and I really owe most of it to her guidance and support. When I went almost 2 weeks past my due date Dara never failed to keep me going and encourage me that I can do this. When I went into labor on my own finally, I was able to withstand all the pressure waves without any pain meds all because of Dara's support. It was very empowering for me and something I will never forget. Even though, due to circumstances out of anyone's control I had to have a repeat c section, it felt so good to know that I absolutely gave it my all and tried my best because of all the preparation and advice she helped along the way. Right until the very end, when my baby was finally in my arms, Dara was there all along and it made my birth experience such a beautiful one. Dara is gentle, calm, loving and just an incredible person whom I now consider part of our family.

Rana Shbib

3/26/2016

Meeting Dara was a huge blessing in my life. My sister had hired Dara for the birth of her son last year and I just knew when the day would come when I would be pregnant with my second baby, that Dara was going to be a part of it. Fast forward almost a year later I found out the exciting news that we were expecting and I called Dara right away when I was 7 weeks pregnant. We met a few weeks later and she was so positive and encouraging that I can try for a vbac, she believed in me so much and that made all the difference. My whole pregnancy I felt Dara's support, she would check in on me and send me such valuable information through articles. I felt so calm and confident about my upcoming delivery and I really owe most of it to her guidance and support. When I went almost 2 weeks past my due date Dara never failed to keep me going and encourage me that I can do this. When I went into labor on my own finally, I was able to withstand all the pressure waves without any pain meds all because of Dara's support. It was very empowering for me and something I will never forget. Even though, due to circumstances out of anyone's control I had to have a repeat c section, it felt so good to know that I absolutely gave it my all and tried my best because of all the preparation and advice she helped along the way. Right until the very end, when my baby was finally in my arms, Dara was there all along and it made my birth experience such a beautiful one. Dara is gentle, calm, loving and just an incredible person whom I now consider part of our family.

Kayla Younglove

1/20/2016

Our birth experience would have looked and felt much different without Dara. From the time my water broke to delivery was about 20hrs. This was our first baby and we went in wanting a natural birth. Coincidentally, the day our baby girl arrived was supposed to be our first scheduled prenatal visit with Dara. We hadn't even formally exchanged ir contract/payment yet! Reluctantly, I text Dara once labor started to let her know I was 3 weeks early and wondered if she would still be available. Fortunately, she was! We called her to come as I was beginning what I suspect was active labor. She arrived just in time! Her calming touch, reassuring voice and practical advice for helping me manage pain made a huge difference in the outcome of our birth. Of course, I came to that point of not knowing if I could endure the pain and finish what we started naturally, but she knew just what to say and ultimately, we did it! For having not spent much time together prior to our birth, it felt so comfortable having her there. I was nervous to  be so vulnerable, and naked! in front of someone else, but my fears went out the door with her. We chose Dara because  we sensed a motherly wisdom and affection about her. She gave me peace and prayed with us. She is a total professional and her love for what she does is evident.  Im forever grateful for the role she played in our little Isla's birth. I can look back and be proud of our birth because of Dara's help. I would not hesitate to recommend her, as long as its not during  next birth because we will need her! :)

Luisa Testai

10/20/2015

I have the best experience ever with Dara. When I was looking for a doula I felt a conexion and really good feelings with her and I was completly right about it.

I wanted a VBAC and she helped my dream come true. Actually she was essencial to make it happen. I could not have done without her. She took care not just of my but of my entire family. Besides me, my husband, my mom and my mother in law (they came from Brazil to be with us during my son's birth) were in the room and she was very attentious with them. She was "active" but at same time respecting their roles during labor and birth.

Dara didn't let me forget what I was capable of. She helped me with every contraction in my 19 hours labor and also in the breaks between contractions too. She fed me, she kept me hidrated, she kept my energy high, she encourage me to walk and exercise even when i thought i could not do it. I had to take the epidural after 9 hours labor and with her support I found strenght to keep my legs moving enough to exercise with the ball, on all fours in my bed for almost 4 hours. That helped open my cervix and helped with dilation too.

My family said she was my guardian angel and I have to agree! I got my so dreamed VBAC with a 9.9lb and 22 inches baby. Dara is now part of my lifetime history and I thank her forever for this.

Even the nurses from Hoag told me they had never seen any doula like Dara. They wanted to thank her for everything she'd done for me and for them.

I already recomended Dara for two other friends. I don't know how many more kids I'm still gonna have but I'm sure I want her always by my side!!!

Eternal gratitude for her!

Louise Chang

9/24/2015

Dara was our doula for the birth of our second daughter, and we couldn't have been more happy with our decision. She was kind, loving and supportive throughout the whole process, beginning with several home visits before the big day. Mommy had some larger health issues and we had to switch from a planned birth at a birthing center to a high risk birth at a hospital, and Dara was there every step of the way -- emotionally and physically. She even brought by a delicious and healthy dinner for us one evening, which was completely unexpected but entirely welcomed.

On the day of the birth, I texted her throughout what I now know was active labor (oops) until it was too much for me to communicate any longer, although I did let her know that we were on our way to the hospital. Dara drove all the way from San Diego to be at my side when I gave birth to our daughter. I could feel my body relax when I heard her whispering in my ear all the love and kindness she had to offer. She was there and held my hand as the doctor physically removed my retained placenta from my body (painful), and she was there to give my husband orange juice as he almost passed out from the strain and stress of the day (sorry honey!). She rubbed my back for what seemed like forever and helped us transfer into our shared recovery room, and I think also to our private room, and she was back to visit me in the hospital before I was discharged.

If anyone is considering a doula for birth (which I highly recommend), I would definitely recommend Dara for a doula. This will be our last child, but if I had to do it again, I would ask Dara to be our doula. She is more than wonderful, incredible, amazing, loving and supportive. She is an incredible person to have in your life -- we are still in touch, and I am sure we will be for years to come.

xoxoxo

Mrunalini Joshi

9/11/2015

My husband and I welcomed our baby boy in June 2015. It was an experience we will never forget as first time parents. It's every couple's hope to have the most natural, safe, and promising childbirth experience and having a doula by your side enriches this experience altogether! We feel so blessed to have had Dara as our doula. She is a powerhouse of knowledge and catered to all my concerns through my pregnancy and delivery. She is respectful of your birth plan and will go the extra mile to make sure you have the most amazing birth experience.  Her positivity is contagious and her encouragement helped me stay confident and focused throughout my labor. Dara has a calming presence which is exactly what I needed as I transitioned through labor. She stayed with us through my entire labor and delivery (even took a selfie with our baby boy right after he was born!) making me feel at home at the hospital setting. She suggested different positions to speed labor and aid dilation. My baby was head down but was in a slightly tilted position. Dara suggested different positions using a bean ball and several hip extension techniques to help the baby get into the right position. She coached my husband to assist me through these simple yet effective exercises, which was great. She tirelessly worked with us through the night providing physical and emotional comfort. She gave us valuable information during labor that helped us make the right choices and kept our spirits uplifted. The hospital staff applauded her efforts and recognized her as the best doula that they had ever worked with. She is truly the best! They say childbirth is one of the most important event in one’s life but at the same time the most uncertain, filled with unforeseeable changes. Dara was our only constant during this beautiful, unforgettable event of our lives. We are extremely thankful for her support and look forward to teaming up with her for baby #2!

Jacqueline Blankenship

8/21/2015

Dara was such a gift from God to us for our labor and birth experience of our second daughter! During the weeks leading up to birth, Dara was a consistent source of encouragement, reassurance, and wisdom. On the day of labor, Dara met us at our birth center as soon as we got there and was so helpful, attentive, and encouraging throughout the night. She intuitively knew what was needed to help me feel relaxed and stayed right by my side the entire time. She empowered my husband by showing him how to be most helpful and taught us different positions to encourage labor to progress. Dara gave me constant physical support amd comfort through counter pressure, massage, essential oils, and keeping me well hydrated and fed. Her gentle, knowing, and maternal touch was so comforting! I couldn't imagine our birth experience without Dara... She really helped guide us through the process and brought such a sense of joy and peace to the experience. We are so thankful for her!!! -Jackie and Craig Blankenship

Jessica Denbo

7/3/2015

Dara was the best doula we could possibly have had. She has a calming and supportive presence and when we met her we were comfortable with her immediately. She went above and beyond; not only was she an incredibly skilled and attentive doula during our labor, she was also one of the greatest sources of strength and support to our family throughout our time in the NICU following the birth of our daughter. We gave birth at home but unexpectedly had to transfer to the hospital immediately after birth, and our baby was in the NICU for 16 days. Dara came with us to the hospital the night our baby was born, as well as several other times while we were there. She also came to visit us once we were home from the hospital. She was so supportive throughout our time in the NICU, praying with us and helping us to process the experience.

Dara was incredibly intuitive, attentive, and nurturing throughout my entire labor. She came to our house in the middle of the night, as soon as I went into labor. She helped me with laboring positions, used rebozo techniques, provided aromatherapy in order to make me as comfortable as possible, and she constantly made sure I was hydrated and nourished. She took care of everything so that my husband could be by my side the entire time, and she worked wonderfully with my husband, mother, and midwife. Dara provided a sense of calmness throughout the process and her encouragement helped me to feel confident in my ability to labor.

Dara is one of the kindest and most caring people I have ever known. Not only was she an amazing doula, she has also become a wonderful friend. We are so thankful to her and are so blessed to have her in our lives.

Melissa Weaver

6/28/2015

My husband and I can't say enough good about Dara. She is warm, gentle, and intuitive and tirelessly served me in my 56 hour labor. She gave us valuable information through both my pregnancy and labor. She had a way to comfort and help me every step of the way, suggesting an acupuncturist to speed my labor and help my nausea, and various positions that helped me break my water and dialate further. Her suggestions regarding medical interventions most likely kept me from getting a c-section, which was a huge goal of mine. The love and service she showed me is something my husband and I will never forget. My labor was difficult, with nearly constant nausea and vomiting, and even when the nurse seemed unsure, Dara did not hesitate to care for me and put me at ease when I was completely vulnerable and overwhelmed. By the time our son arrived I can honestly say Dara felt like family. Her sweet spirit and example of service is unforgettable and I know she will bless any family she is a doula for.

tania shbib

5/6/2015

Dara was an excellent doula. She was kind, compassionate and knowledgable. She is open and accepting of all birth plans and really works with you to achieve your plan without placing too much pressure on you if you decide to deviate from it. She was the best addition to my birthing experience and it would not have been the same without her. Excellent doula!

sarah lubna neyaz

5/2/2015

Dara radiates positivity, warmth and kindness. She is someone who you instantly feel comfortable with and is a source of strength and comfort...She made me feel not only comfortable and calm during my first pregnancy and birth experience, but helped with pain management, created a peaceful environment in a hospital setting, even fed me, supported me mentally, physically and emotionally and my husband as well. I can’t imagine what my pregnancy, labor and delivery would have been like without her! Not only did she support us during labor she often sent helpful notes and articles my way during pregnancy and also postpartum, she is always a phone call/text/email away. During the time of labor she used aromatherapy, massages, several different positions, rebozo techniques, positivity & encouragement, hot pads, cool rags - you name it, her bag of tricks, soothing words and calming presence were plentiful and tremendously helpful! We were able to have such a positive and beautiful experience during it all and we owe it to Dara. She supported all my decisions and encouraged me 100% of the way, not only that but made me feel empowered as well. My husband and I are so grateful and lucky to have found her as our doula and highly recommend her - we cannot thank her enough! She’s amazing!!!

Noah Asher Golden

4/23/2015

Dara gives 100% of herself. She has an amazing warmth and a strong presence. She is giving and generous with her time and energy. We had a very long labor and Dara was available to support us every step of the way. She is kind and completely dedicated to helping support the labor and birth process. She has an array of varied tools and skills including aromatherapy, hands-on techniques, position and activity recommendations, verbal encouragement, and nutritional support. She also developed an amazing rapport with not only me but my husband as well, who felt extremely grateful for her skill and expertise. She really goes above and beyond, helping to create the most healthy and supportive environment possible. We strongly recommend Dara. She is a wonderful, giving, enthusiastic, positive and mature person and an overall wonderful doula.

Carolina Guajardo

3/11/2015

Dara was our Doula for the birth of our son in Dec 2014. Dara was very kind when we first met her and was very warm when meeting with us before the birth. She was always available to answer questions (we didn't have very many before the birth).

On the day of our son's birth, Dara responded to all our messages and calls promptly and arrived to our house when we needed her.

Once she arrived at the house around 4 pm, she created an atmosphere that was calming and supportive of active labor (e.g. aromatherapy, light changes, water/coconut water, straw for the water-which made a huge difference on my drinking!). She let my husband rest for a bit which was what we needed at that moment, and she was actively trying to get myself comfortable. She changed the mood from anxiety/excitement to calm excitement that was  what I needed to make the labor progress. She helped me feel comfortable physically by using massages and suggesting different positions. She was suggesting things in a calm non-invasive way that was very nice. She also kept my mind busy by talking to me but also let me focus on my labor.

Once we got to the hospital, she created the same calm atmosphere in the labor room and was available for us the entire time we were there. She put the same aromatherapy that she used in the house (even the doctor was impressed). She did massages and suggested new possitions when our baby decided to get stuck and not to drop. She also answered our questions when the doctor suggested more invasive approach. Our son had to be born via C-section, but Dara was with us and supproted us morally until he was born the next day, and she continued to stay until my husband came out from the OR about 1.5 hours after birth. Not a minute before.

She supported us after and responded questions we had, and gave us a beautiful birth story written for my son.

We recommend Dara for her kindness and warm approach to labor

Sarah Robblee

2/17/2015

As my husband Benjamin posted about our experience with Dara, she was amazing. My labor ended up being a long 62 hours and throughout all of it, Dara supported, advised, and encouraged us in the most helpful ways possible. She was up all night with us at the birthing center through the most painful part of labor and then came with us when I was transferred to the hospital. At the hospital, the nurses put me on Pitocin, and after hours on Pitocin, with the possibility of a necessary C-section looming, the nurses encouraged me to get an epidural. This was not part of our birth plan, but nothing else had been either, and Dara offered advice and encouragement when we asked for it and was very supportive in all the decisions we had to make.

In addition to the emotional support, Dara provided physical and spiritual support as well. Her essential oils helped relieve some of my nausea, her massages definitely decreased the amount of pain I was having, and her suggested positions for sitting and lying down were relieving as well. Dara also took the time to pray with us. Not knowing that we are Christians, she asked if we'd like her to pray for us, and we were very thankful for her support in this way. Her faith was incredibly encouraging and uplifting.

In the middle of it all and looking back on it now, I'm not sure how I would have done it without her. She and my husband worked very well together, especially for her having never met our family before. The day after our sweet daughter was born, Dara came and visited us in the hospital, despite her busy schedule. For our future births, whether at home or in a hospital, we'll definitely want to be working with Dara again. She was an incredible blessing and she's a true gem.

kallie dovel

1/29/2015

My husband and I were so grateful for Dara DeSoto to be apart of our birthing process. Our daughter's birth did not go according to plan from the very beginning; but Dara was there with us to help us make knowledgeable decisions that would align with our birth plan even through the obsticles. Dara created a peaceful and calm environment by providing essential oils and music. She continually massaged and encouraged me to use different positions to help the birth progress. Dara and my husband were a complete team, she would encourage him on what to do and take over when he got tired. This allowed for my husband and I to connect on a level we could not have without her. For that reason it was the most beautiful event of my life. The love that Dara showed to our family was beyond anything I could have asked for. She was present physically and emotionally in every moment and was constantly supporting us in prayer, something that was really important to us. I will be calling her for every birth we have; there is no way I would do it without her support and guidance.

Benjamin Robblee

1/21/2015

Our baby came unexpectedly 4 weeks early while we were still trying to find a doula. Our midwife called Dara several hours after my wife went into labor. Dara dropped everything she had going and was to the birthing center in less than an hour of receiving the call. We had never met Dara before she came to help us with the delivery but during the time she spent with us she won our hearts completely. Dara tirelessly encouraged my wife, tactfully coached and encouraged me, and helped us figure out how to handle a stressful transition to a hospital when a transfer from the birthing center became necessary. Throughout the entire labor Dara's knowledge, care, encouragement, and tireless coaching was a blessing we could not have dreamed of. I highly recommend Dara to anyone looking for a doula. My wife and I will go to no one else for our future deliveries!

Charles Lee

1/9/2015

My wife Sandra was diagnosed with ALS(Lou Gehrig's Disease) in October of 2010, she passed away in June 2013. She had progressively gotten worse throughout her struggle with the disease, and eventually became homebound the latter two years. We have three young boys aged 7,5, and 3 and I work fulltime at Seacoast Grace Church in Cypress, CA. During those two years, Dara DeSoto was part of our incredible volunteer caregiving team made up of our church congregation members. She was a vital part of that caregiving team, and came to our house 1-2 times a week. Her punctuality, caring, and service were second to none. She is extremely capable of childcare for all ages, boy or girl; as well as house upkeeping(cleaning, laundry, cooking). Whenever she was there, our house was always kept in order and the boys and Sandra were well taken care of. Dara also watched and cared over Sandra during her battle with the disease. She is one of the most reliable and trustowrthy people I know of. I would recommend her to anyone or any family in a heartbeat.

Sincerely yours,

Charles Lee

Lishawn Lalonde

1/6/2015

Dara has an amazing way of making you feel comfortable in the most difficult or painful times . She has great wisdom on natural remedies and easily walks you thru how to use and do these techniques that seem to come so natural as she guides you thru :) I am amazed on how she just walks in and knows your needs without you asking her !! There were times when I was in so much pain or discomfort I did not have the strength or know what I needed but she did it was such a comfort !! I'm so thankful and appreciate when people know there gifts and can use them in such an amazing way to help others !! I hope anyone who needs comfort and guidance before or after birth has the amazing oppurtunity to have Dara the Doula on there side !!  A greatful patient , Lishawn Lalonde

Jenny McGee

1/6/2015

Dara Desoto was a tremendous support and comfort during and after my pregnancies. She offered very practical and easy solutions which taught me how to breast-feed, ways to hold my colicy baby and strategies to care for myself. I was clueless with what to do with certain things like when my breasts painfully engorged with milk. Also, my son was very colicky and she was able to offer advice and her expertise on how to handle the crazy stags in our lives. Dara is a person of integrity, strength, faith and wisdom. I would recommend her expertise, experience and accompaniment to anyone.

Lisa Smith

1/6/2015

When it comes to her clients, Dara is in it for the long haul.  She is comitted to their well being, both, physically and emotionally.  Her concern is not just for the mother but the entire family unit.  Dara is capable in every way and can be trusted to keep her client's and client's family's best interest front and center even when it comes at a cost to herself.