Felicia OBryan

7/1/2021

We absolutely loved Colleen from the moment we met her. It was important to our family to have a doula who we felt was a friend rather than someone who just kept it strictly professional. She's very down to earth and it's easy to be comfortable with her, which is very important during one of the most vulnerable days of your life. She's perfectly encouraging when you need it most, and calming when you go into fear mode. It was also important to us that we find a doula willing to be a guide for my husband instead of taking over. Colleen did a wonderful job teaching my husband how to help me through my labor and birth, but also made sure he had some time to eat and rest himself. She also took some AMAZING photos that we will forever cherish. We are very thankful for Colleen and would recommend her to anyone ??

Emily

6/16/2021

We were immediately drawn to Colleen because of her commitment to evidence based science, her respect for our doctors and medical team, and her belief and support of the medication free/low intervention birth we were planning.  Our plans derailed-  as they often do - when we found out our girl was breech at 36 weeks. Colleen was one of my first tear filled calls and her support was unwavering.  She reached out to her network for resources and made recommendations to get our girl flipped. When it became apparent a scheduled C-Section was the best and safest move, she again pivoted to support us through that procedure and give us the best possible start to breastfeeding.  Colleen was comfort (and coffee) to my husband while he waited to be called back to the operating room, and was the first face I remember seeing when we got back to our recovery room.  I was extremely ill for hours after coming off of anesthesia, and Colleen was such a beacon in that room.  I don't remember my daughter latching for the first time but I do remember hearing Colleen say "Can I help?" - and I am confident it wouldn't have happened had it not been for her help.  In postpartum, she continued to provide support and comfort to our new family, and I give her all the credit in the world for how wonderful our breastfeeding journey has been. If I had known we were headed toward a schedule C-Section, would I have hired a doula anways? No. Knowing what I know now, would I elect to have Colleen on our team for that birth again? 100 times over. We are so thankful to have found Colleen! 

Rebekah VanSant

8/10/2018

As a former L&D nurse, I have strong convictions about avoiding birth interventions and know I needed a doula- specifically Colleen. Colleen radiates positivity, joy, and love. She is extremely knowledgeable regarding the birth process, and has an innate ability to encourage pregnant women and empower new mothers. At first, my DIY husband did not see the need for a doula. However, it only took one meeting with Colleen for him to decide she was a perfect support for this delivery as well as any future children. As a first-time mom, I felt immense relief knowing I could rest on Colleen’s experience. Towards my due date, I had medical complications leaving me fearful of an induction; Colleen helped discuss my options and alternative strategies. In early labor, Colleen gave me wonderful encouragement and practical suggestions to keep me distracted. She remained in close contact, and when we made the call to go to the hospital, she helped me into a comfortable position for a long drive during transition. She coached me through every contraction so my husband could focus on driving. My short time in the hospital laboring was intense, but I had a perfect support team with my husband and Colleen. Colleen ensured I was as relaxed as possible with her cool wash cloths, her hands holding mine, suggestions for my husband to help comfort me, and her mantras helped me move forward during delivery. She took amazing birth photos I’m so grateful for. In the weeks to follow, Colleen continued to give me wonderful support. I cannot count the number of questions I asked her about breastfeeding, sleep solutions, skin issues, weird looking baby diapers, pumping, milk supply, baby habits, scheduling issues, baby wearing, etc… She joyfully welcomed every question, gave me practical solutions, and left me feeling confident in my abilities as a new mother. Having her sweet presence during my transition to motherhood has been the greatest gift to our family!

Mary Ashburn Pearson

12/16/2017

When I was pregnant with my first child in 2017, a girlfriend I trust recommended that if I do nothing else to prepare for labor, I hire a doula. Her second piece of advice was to be sure you’re comfortable with that person as you’ll be needing her at probably the most vulnerable point in your life. Out of blind trust for my friend I found Brighter Birth and Colleen. From our first meeting I found her to be personable, confident in her knowledge, and trustworthy. When I went into labor, she was there with guidance and encouragement the entire time, from my first text (I think my water just broke!) to my last push (It‘s a boy!) The weeks immediately followI gotta labor were overwhelming and scary for me- and Colleen was there every time I reached out, whether it was with a warm meal, an encouraging text or an in-person breastfeeding tutorial. Nine weeks after my own labor, just like my girlfriend before me, I encourage all expecting mothers to consider investing in a doula and highly recommend Colleen- it will be well worth it!

Laura Pond

11/15/2017

Colleen was our doula for the birth of our son in September 2017.  It had been a long time between births, and my pregnancy before was a c-section.  I was strongly hoping for a v-bac and a natural birth.  My husband and I meet Colleen through our birthing classes.  Colleen's passion for childbirth, her immense knowledge, and her personality were the perfect match for us.  I felt a strong, genuine connection and she was with us for every step of the process, and still is checking in with us.  As much as I felt I "knew" about the birthing process, I also suspected that with the increase in pain and contractions, that that would go out the window.  I felt 100% comfortable trusting in Colleen to guide me through the rest.  She came to our home and labored with us there, and when I felt ready to go to the hospital, she was right there with us.  At the hospital, I would have been lost without her.  My husband was a terrific support, and I needed him as well, but Colleen demystified everything going on, cheered me on, helped me labor (even when I didn't want to; thank you so much, Colleen!) and kept the hospital staff and midwife in-line with our birth preferences.  I feel certain things would not have been as wonderful as they were without her (and the over 12 hours of her life she dedicated to us).  I am still amazed at all she did-- she held the monitor to my stomach for HOURS because it wouldn't stay; she was unfailingly optimistic and supportive of me, and my husband as well.  I know these was the most painful hours of my life, but I thank Colleen for helping to make them the most beautiful.  In the end, was had a successful v-bac, and I helped to pull my son out and place him on my chest.  I am truly grateful to Colleen's strength, caring personality, good humor, and underlying very strong knowlege of the birthing process.

Sarah Leard Graves

11/7/2017

When people ask me why I wanted a doula, I always answer the same way.  I wanted a top notch, "Cadillac"birth experience.  I had never given birth before, so if there was a way for it to be easier, to be more supported, that was the way I wanted to go.  We interviewed Colleen, but I knew beforehand that we would pick her.  She is a friend, and who better to have by your side during a marathon, than a friend to cheer you on.  She understood how monumental this pregnancy was, 11 years in the making afterall.  We picked her because of her joy, the energy she would bring to the experience, and of course she did not disappoint.  Throughout the 9 or should I say 10 month journey, she was there, always being supportive, able to answer our questions, putting us at ease, always giving us the tools to forge our own way through the experience.  And even though I ended up having a C Section, she was there, making it special, setting up the Christmas lights in the room, taking intimate first hour pictures of our son with us, first moments of breastfeeding, capturing our happiness and my exhaustion, in the most beautiful way.  She will always be in our lives, as someone who was there on a most glorious day.  I would recommend her to anyone who wants to feel supported, loved and nurtured during such a special time.

Natalie Meulenberg

11/2/2017

We were so grateful to have Colleen as our doula. She provided valuable information and priceless peace of mind, knowing that we had someone to go through the labor process who would be there for us.

Her friendly and open personality make her presence a joy to be with. After our daughter was born, Colleen came by at just the right time to encourage us through some of the difficulties of transitioning. She once agian gave valuable insight which helped make to process more enjoyable. She was always readily available for any concerns or questions pre and post partum.

Jeffrey Pond

10/23/2017

A Dad's perspective:  With our first pregnancy, we had twin girls.  Well, I was only involved in the very beginning, so I guess this was ultimately LAURA's pregnancy and I was playing a supporting role.  Teagan (the oldest by 2 minutes) was sitting, legs crossed and butt first.  Thus, a natural childbirth was unfortunately out of the question.  The C was a bit of a blur, and our girls spent the first couple of days in the PCN.  Not ideal.  Eight years after the madness of twin girls (and I think it does take eight years mentally), we were ready to expand.  This tme, we set out to arm ourselves with as much knowledge as possible and tap into the wisdom of the greatest minds out there.  And no, we weren't talking about our moms.  My mom especially is decidedly  nutty.  Luckily, we found A Brighter Birth.  Even more luckily (luckilier? luck-like??) we found Colleen Wallace.

The classes were amazing.  The greatest lesson for me:, I knew I would crumble as support  if I didn't have help.  Enter Colleen.  In all sincerity, this was this the 3rd best choice of MY LIFE (marrying Laura #1, having beautiful babies in my life #2).

Colleen's approach was simple.  This is YOUR birth, and I am here to encourage you throughout.  Her knowledge and overall loving/caring demeaner, with her gentle and methodical encouragement (which I know Laura will say she may have done some things she didn't find all that pleasant, but certainly the payoff of having James on the 100% natural tip was worth it all) is something that I will always remember.  We simply could not have one this without her by our side the whole way.  And she was THERE.  Reminding me to eat, stay calm and walking Laura through it all. One of the best HUMANS on the planet - THANK YOU!  Your heart and soul is 100% in this and we love you for it!

Becky Domin

10/22/2017

Going into my first pregnancy, I knew that my goal was to have a natural, low-intervention birth. My partner and I were referred to A Brighter Birth through our midwives - and that's how we met Colleen.

I can't say enough about Colleen. She helped to make me feel strong, comfortable and confident leading up to my due date... and right up to one day before 42 weeks when I finally went into labour!
She was always available if we had any questions or concerns. Having her experience and knowledge on 'our team' really made us feel prepared.

Having her positive presence there at home and in the delivery room with us was incredible.
I was lucky enough to be able to have the birth that I had planned for - but I know that if something would have arose, she would've had our back at the hospital.

She also took pictures that night, and even 8 months later, I can't look at the photos without crying. I'm so glad that we have documentation of our daughter's birth to help me remember things that were a blur that night/morning.

She was with us the whole way (and after!), and I could never thank her enough for being there and helping me through the most tiring, but most amazing day of my life.

Amanda Cruise

10/21/2017

My husband and I weren't going to have a doula for our birth... then we attended birthing class and quickly became overwhelmed! We got a recommendation for Colleen and we are so glad we did. She has such a warm and inviting character that we quickly felt comfortable with her in our initial meetings. Our birth did not go as planned, and instead of going into labor, we ended up going to the ER at 37 weeks due to abdominal pains. At the hospital, we learned that I had suddenly developed HELPP syndrome and that we were immediately going to have an emergency C-section. To make matters worse, with my body in such a compromised state, I needed general anesthesia and my husband wouldn't be allowed in the room. We were shocked, devastated, and scared. My husband called Colleen and she came to the hospital right away to support him while I was in surgery and recovering. With our families living out of town and with my husband being all alone waiting on his wife and unborn child to come out of surgery, having Colleen's support was very comforting to him. I had complications from surgery, needed a second surgery, and spent most of our daughter's first 48 hours out of touch with reality while my husband took the lead with our new daughter. Colleen was such a support to him throughout those days. She came to the hospital several times to check in and help where she could even though our families were in town by that point. She even went to our house for us and packed our hospital bag since we were not prepared to be having a baby the day we did! Now we are several months postpartum and I still am in touch with Colleen and now consider her a friend. I would highly recommend her as a doula! Even if the birth you want ends up being the opposite of what you get, she will remain your advocate and a fabulous support system.

Alex Graves

10/10/2017

We met with our doula Colleen at the outset of our pregnancy and she immediately set a professional and reassuring path. She took the time to get to know us and helped us solve the type of birth we wanted. She catered the process to our personalities and dreams. She also set expectations and kept things real for us all the way being a voice of reason and calm reassurance. Through our time together, Colleen demonstrated to us that she was very present and here for our family. We always felt surrounded by  confidence in our abilities and supported by love. We knew she could be our calm when nothing was calm.

In the hours leading up to our son's birth, it was scary, joyful, exhilarating, disorganized and us doing our best to be prepared for the unknown. Thanks to our interactions with Colleen and A Brighter Birth Doula Collective,  we were confident in ourselves to do it, Colleen had our backs too & we knew it. In a day filled with every aspect of the human emotion, it is easy to get distracted and miss the details. Colleen was there. She helped us both recenter and move forward through the birthing process, start to finish. Colleen set the stage for us to welcome our little one, always thinking of the smallest of details in order to center and be calm. Because of her, our welcome was warm, honest and full of love. Colleen's presence and energy  afforded us the ability to concentrate on the emotional details, soak up that irreplaceable first time getting to know our little one & grow as a family. Because Colleen was there we were calm. While we were busy being in love and adoring our new one, Colleen captured those first welcoming moments for us to cherish in photographs. What a simple and special gesture that we will always remember her for. Colleen was such a integral part of our birthing process and she is now part of our special family. We are so fortunate to have Colleen as a resource & supportive family friend. Thank you!

rebekah retallick

10/10/2017

I can't even begin to describe how special Colleen is to us. We knew after meeting her one time in our birthing class that we wanted her to be our doula. She's got a very calming personality which put me at ease during birth. There is absolutely no way I would have been able to go through labor without her.

The morning we went into labor, she met us at the hospital and stayed with us for what turned out to be a very lengthy process. She walked with me up and down the halls for hours and hours and recommended different things for me to try to be more comfortable as well as speed things along. She turned the bathroom into a very calming and intimate space for us by setting up Christmas lights and wash cloths and things that smelled nice. It took a lot of the pressure off my husband so he could just be there for me and hold my hand and not have to "coach" me the whole time.

Colleen is also a birth photographer and we had her take pictures along the way as well. I was so pleased to find someone that could be both a doula and photographer, and the images she captured were absolutely breath taking! I will forever cherish those photos!

Our baby is almost 3 months old and she still stays in contact with us. We've called her for questions we've had and she periodically just calls to check in on us. She's a great postpartum resource for a new mom and dad!

We will definitely be calling her for our future babies! And you should call her too, because you totally need her!

Lauren Licklider

7/15/2017

I put off writing this review for weeks—not just because I have a new baby that requires a lot of my time, but because I honestly couldn’t put together the words that would adequately sum up my experience with Colleen as my doula. I didn’t set out thinking I wanted or needed a doula present during my first birth, but then I met Colleen through my childbirth class, and I knew instantly that she would be the person to guide me through such a transcendent experience.

Colleen is present, practical, nurturing, and supportive. But most of all, she is open, raw, and real, and let me tell you, that’s what you want from a doula. That’s what you need as you give birth to a child and to yourself as a new mother. You need someone who understands the duality that is motherhood: intense vulnerability and astounding strength. Colleen knew exactly when and how to coax both of these emotional states from me before, during, and after my delivery.

With Colleen as my doula, my confidence going into labor and delivery soared—even as most of my birth plan fell apart when I had to be induced due to high blood pressure. Despite the unfortunate turn of events (and the Pitocin), her coaching helped me tap into my own internal strength, and I was able to have a natural, epidural-free delivery anyway. Then came the breastfeeding struggles (about a million times worse than labor and delivery), and she was an ever-present source of comfort who reminded me to follow my gut and intuition.

It’s not that having her as my doula made me confident, it’s that having her as my doula helped me tap into the confidence and intuition that was there all along. She’s probably one of the most important people I will have ever met in my life, and I can’t do enough to thank her for the part she played in my experience becoming a mother.

Rebecca Kurihine

7/4/2017

Picking someone to stand next to you and help guide you through the birth of your child is no easy task. I get it. Choosing Colleen as my doula, however, is one of the easiest (and best) decisions I have ever made. I interviewed several different doulas and never once questioned I made the right decision by selecting Colleen. Colleen was there for me every step of the way to answer questions, reassure me when I felt unsure, and to help guide me through my transition to motherhood.

When my labor didn't go as planned and I had to have an emergency C-section, Colleen never missed a beat and literally did everything she could to make sure my birth plan was closely fulfilled as possible despite the drastic changes that needed to be made for the health of our sweet baby boy. If it wasn’t for Colleen stepping in and asking the surgeons to allow my husband into the operating room for a quick second, I wouldn’t have had the chance to tell him I loved him before being put under anesthesia - a moment I will never forget and will cherish forever.

Colleen has also been an amazing resource postpartum. From assisting with breastfeeding to providing me with a good laugh or kind words of encouragement when that is what I needed most, she has been exceptionally helpful. I highly recommend Colleen! She is my amazing doula who has also become a great friend. There is no question that when baby #2 comes around, I will choose Colleen has my doula!

D. Jan Shea

6/14/2017

My husband connected me with Colleen. He knew her through mutual friends. I was already anxious about the unknown and starting to get push back from my medical provider about aspects of my pregnancy. I wanted someone in my corner.

It was her laugh that told me everything I needed. We met for coffee and to get to know each other. Within minutes, she let out this deep laugh that immediately put all my worries to rest. I saw her passion, love and authenticity in that laugh and knew she was my match. We interviewed other doulas in the area, but I was decided on Colleen.

In the last weeks of my pregnancy, I began to have complications with my blood pressure and heart rate. Colleen was a phone call, text, or visit away. She provided us with support, feedback and knowledge as I watched everything shift sideways. During a home visit, I told Colleen I lost my joy surrounding the pregnancy. The medical community’s attitude towards me was breaking me. She shaped joy into my mantra as we headed into the home stretch. I would be remiss if I also did not credit her for being a strong support for my husband. My husband trusted Colleen as much as I and leaned into her for support. She knew when to offer a hug and when to offer tough love to keep him grounded.

Finley’s birth story did not go as I imagined, and I ultimately ending up having a C-section after a failed induction. My husband and Colleen became my anchors during those long days. Colleen provided me with the space to work through the fear/anxiety but remain fixated on the joy of what was ahead. She pushed me when I wanted to give up and provided the buffer to know I had time to make decisions.

Finley is seven months old now. I still consider Colleen one of our greatest allies as we navigate parenthood, postpartum anxiety, breastfeeding and other curveballs heading our way. I am so grateful for all that she has added to our lives.

Elena Mischal

3/30/2017

Wow! A brighter Birth gives light to beautifully conscious birthing in a truly organic way. My experiecne and interaction with everyone there felt so natural. I'm beyond delighted to have joined classes there where I coincidentally was supposed to meet Colleen, but didn't know it right away. Effortlessly, we connected. She's got quite a loving spirit, easy going personality and is great to be around. Not only is she a birth teacher, who taught one of the birth classes I attended, but also is a doula and has certification in encapsulating placenta - which was something I really wanted to have done. She was more than happy to offer her encapulating service and made the process extremely convenient by going out of her way to pick up and deliver for me. She had my placenta capsules ready by the next morning as she intrusted the sooner I can start taking the capsules, the better. It's been a few weeks since I gave birth and I find that the capsules are working in my favor and helping me stay balanced. I'm gracious for Colleen's kindness and thankful that she could extend a loving, helping hand in providing for an excellent placenta encapsulating expeirence. Thank you again and again!

Lance Worley

12/14/2016

Hi, Laurie Lou here. Colleen is amazing and was a fantastic doula. I cannot imagine giving birth naturally without her devoted assistance. I knew natural birth would be hard, but actually going through it was a different story. This was the hardest thing I have ever done, but the most rewarding. Colleen was so immensely helpful and knew exactly what she was doing. Her passion for helping women to give birth natturally is a gift that she puts her all into. She walked with my husband and I through the entire process (he was by my side the entire time and she directed us both what to do for me). All of her knowledge and skill as a doula was necessary for me to get through labor. Colleen not only knew how to lead me through the contractions physically, but she also was an emotional support alongside my husband. She was loving and kind and spoke to me words of encouragment throughout my 12 hour labor. She also helped by giving me suggestions on positions or movements that helped put my baby in a great position and also relieved some of my pain. Colleen was all-around wonderful, and if natural birth is what you desire, Colleen is the doula that I highly recommend!

Lance the husband here - no amount of classes, reading material, or birth planning could have done what Colleen did for us during Luke's birth. Colleen was an absolutely CRUCIAL part of our birth team! Colleen was such an amazing advocate for Laurie Lou and made sure that all of her needs were met during a natural birth. She was fully present during the 12 hours of labor at St. Mary's, built an excellent rapport with the hospital staff so that our desires for a natural birth were met, and did an amazing job naturally managing Laurie Lou's pain. Colleen kept us on track and always made sure Laurie Lou was comfortable. My advice - work with her! She rocks :)

Laurie Lou & Lance Worley

TARA PETERSON

8/1/2016

The moment Mike & I met Colleen we knew we wanted her as our Doula & that she was a kindred spirit who’d be in our lives forever. Our story is a little different than most. We met Colleen only once before she joined us in the birth of our sweet baby boy, bc I went into labor at 32 weeks. Fortunately, that 1 meeting was all it took to know we wanted her by our side. It was also all she needed in order to get a feel for who we were & for how we wanted to bring our baby into the world, which is pretty awesome. It all happened fast & furiously, but Colleen came to the rescue and was a true godsend. She had a great rapport with the nurses & is well-versed in the birthing process, exactly the person you want with you. Because I was in preterm labor, I couldn’t have a midwife as planned, but I never had to worry about anything bc Colleen jumped right in, making sure all of my wishes were respected. She was there for Mike, giving him moral support & helping to guide him. It was a scary time, but having Colleen as part of our team made it all okay. She took charge in the perfect way possible, so all I had to do was breathe & focus on safely giving birth to our baby. Colleen stayed with us until all hours of the night, offering her love, support, and expertise. She shared her knowledge of breastfeeding, by going above and beyond to show me how to hand express and build up a supply to feed my baby, which is priceless. She was there for us throughout our NICU stay, and still is to this day. She is a beautiful soul, full of great knowledge about pregnancy, birth and beyond. She herself, is an incredible mama of 3, so who else to be your Doula than someone who knows what it’s like firsthand. We are blessed to have had Colleen with us through our unforgettable journey & can’t thank her enough. We have so much love for her and so will anyone who is lucky enough to call her their Doula. ~Tara Stuart

Tara Burns

7/23/2016

Colleen is an amazing and heartfelt person and was instrumental to our wonderful birth experience. As a first time mom, she answered about a billion questions that I had. She was always available for any concerns that I had before labor or afterwards with my newborn. I was able to labor at home throughout the night with confidence because of Colleen’s guidance. When we decided to go to the hospital in the morning, I was fully dilated and ready to push! Due to Colleen’s familiarity with our hospital, she was able to help my husband get me checked in and into a room as I was beyond coherent conversation at that point. Colleen provided me and my husband with constant support and encouragement to help me through my unmedicated labor. Afterwards, we learned that Colleen also reinforced our birth plan to the midwife and nurses and ran interference for us when my mother-in-law tried to make her way into the room. She took the most amazing and tasteful pictures throughout the labor and delivery process that have made me cry every time I have looked at them. After the birth, Colleen was available for any and all baby related questions. Once you get home, and all the family goes away, it can feel like you have been left alone to figure out your changing mom-bod and this tiny little person. Once again, Colleen provided enormous peace of mind and answered questions about nursing, milk, and how my pump works that I never thought I would have.

I don’t think I can describe exactly how instrumental Colleen was in ensuring that we had the birth experience that we were hoping for. She is friendly, caring, and loving and I am so thankful that we had Colleen with us throughout our entire journey.

Jocelyn Kriss

7/21/2016

Colleen is an amaxing doula. I went into the search for a doula only because the midwives at the hospital insisted I have one, and initially I was just looking for someone in my price range, but what I found in Colleen was priceless. She was great to meet with and easy to talk to and super informative on what I needed to prepare myself for. My birth ended up going a little different than planned, but Colleen was prepared to help me no matter how my birth plan changed. She was just exactly what I and my husband needed as far as support and was a pillar to lean on when we were unsure of how to proceed. She was so available to me even after birth, I felt I was a long lost friend rather than a client.

catherine sledd

9/23/2015

Colleen was my doula for my second child.  I didn't use a doula with the first but after having a bad experience with an epidural, I wanted to go the natural route this time.  I cannot say enough good things about COlleen, regardless of what I write, it will not do her justice.  There is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY i could have given birth naturally without her.  She helped me during my pregnancy so much, checking in, answering questions, excercises to prepare for birth, helping with my birth plan, comfort measures during labor, etc.  Then during the birth, she came as soon as i said i needed her and she did EXACTLY what I needed her to do when i needed it done.  It was truly incredible how she was always one step ahead with what I needed, both physically and emotionally.  My husband, who tends to be cheap, said it was the best money we've ever spent and that is HUGE coming from him.  She helped him be part of the birth by giving him tasks that he would have otherwise not known to do.  It was also a huge comfort for me that she knew my birth plan so she could help me stick to it so i could focus on getting through the contractions.  She made my birth exactly what I wanted it to be and a wonderful experience.  I still can't believe how smoothly it went but I know that it was mainly because of Colleen.  In addition to being an amazing doula, she is such a nice and genuine person who I really enjoyed getting to know as a friend.

Erin Surber

8/22/2015

Our whole experience with Colleen was wonderful. She made us feel very comfortable throughout the whole process and provided us with information, techniques, and encouragement. She had several tips for inducing labor, and her guidance helped us avoid induction with Pitocin which was something I really wanted to stay away from.

Throughout my early labor, she kept me calm and helped me to focus my breathing through each contraction. Then, when labor really kicked in and things got hard, she reminded me that “I can do this,” and, again, she helped me focus my breathing and concentration. My labor was relatively short, and Colleen almost had to deliver our baby!

After our sweet boy was born, he was whisked off to the NICU for observation overnight. This was an incredibly hard time for us, and Colleen really, really helped us by equipping us with the right questions to ask. She helped us know what our rights were and how to appropriately and effectively press for information. AND she snapped some pictures of me holding my baby in the NICU, and I will treasure those photos forever.

I would recommend Colleen to any and all of my friends, and we’ll be giving her a call for any of our future pregnancies and births! She’s awesome! :)

Richard Surber

8/17/2015

Colleen was great. She helped my wife Erin and I more than we could know. Throughout the whole process she kept us well informed, and we felt really comfortable to ask any questions we could think of. She met with us multiple times and explained many different exercises, stretches, and birth plans for us to discuss and have the knowledge that we would need.  In the delivery room she was great offering up multiple techniques to Erin to make her as comfortable as possible during birth. After Barrett was born we had a few minor complications that Colleen helped me handle while in NICU. She helped us understand our rights and gave us questions to ask the Dr's and nurses. She stayed with us until we were comfortable and could handle it from that point. She follows up with us still 6 weeks later. She is a great person and friend to have by your side. She'll stand up for you and provide you with whatever is needed.

Bekah O'Dell

7/9/2015

Words cannot describe how wonderful, kind and helpful Colleen was during the birth of our daughter. Before labor started with met with her twice and she was encouraging, supportive and so informative. She found out what we wanted for our birth and worked to make sure that she could help us in any way possible. When my labor started Colleen came over to our house super late in the evening and stayed with us trying to move things along. She was beyond encouraging and had had us try several strategies to help make progress. We went to the hospital together and she knew what to do, where everything was, and explained everything that would happen. It took many hours more of laboring in the hospital and Colleen stayed and helped us through. She explained what would happen, options, and was a voice of reason. She talked me through contractions, reminded me of what to do, helped manage pain, reassured me when I thought I could no longer do it, and truly took care of me (and my husband too). When it came time to push, Colleen was a wonderful cheerleader. She helped us have the natural birth we wanted. After our daughter was born, Colleen stayed with me and made sure I was okay as the baby was checked out. She was clear in telling me what was going on, what would happen and what to expect- it was so helpful and reassuring as a first time mother! Colleen stayed long enough to get us settled in the hospital and continued to check on us during our first weeks with the baby. She offered help with everything- she’s a fountain of information! Colleen even wrote up her version of our birth story for the baby’s book and took wonderful pictures for us. I’ve told everyone I meet what a wonderful help Colleen was during the birth of our daughter and have recommended that they too get Colleen to be their doula should they ever need one! Colleen is warm, caring and well prepared- she’s the absolute best!

Tori Watson

7/4/2015

I cannot say enough good things about Colleen. She was essential to our birth experience, and I cant imagine having gone through it without her. From her positive and upbeat attitude, to her sensitive and encouraging words, to the way she just instinctively knows what to suggest when you're in the middle of labor and have no idea what position to try. She was an incredible support for both me and my husband from start to finish. Our first meeting with her felt like meeting with a friend, and she was so helpful in answering any and all questions or concerns we had, and that willingness continued past the birth as she has been such a helpful and encouraging support for breastfeeding, as well. I feel like she truly goes above and beyond and cares for you and your new, growing family genuinely. I cannot highly recommend her enough. She is a true gem and anyone would be lucky to have her along for their birth experience!

Chris Crowley

6/26/2015

Colleen may be relatively new to the profession, but you wouldn't know that by her care for us.

Her prep work with us was relaxed, fun but still professional, and she gave us lots of things to think about. On the big day(s) she was amazing. She helped us make the difficult decision to go home, after our first visit to the hospital. She suggested the only position that brought Kim any rest after 20+ hours. Her knowledge of anatomy and how to relieve pressure brought Kim relief, especially through intense hip pain (and taught me to try to do the same. I gotta say, Colleen is much stronger than her skinny frame would appear, with arms of steel, I got a workout trying to do what she did).

She was great for me as well. She subbed in and she and Kim's mother sent me to bed for a few hours Monday night. She then shocked me out of my 1am stupor with a shout of "CHRIS! We're leaving NOW! WHATEVER ISN'T PACKED STAYS HERE!" For some reason after being told it was time to drive Kim to the hospital my first reaction was to grab my bedside bag, then brush my teeth (very thankful Iris didn't eat the toothpasted toothbrush I dropped on the stairs while flying down).  She saw us safely to the hospital, checked in and made sure we were cared for, then later drove in rush hour traffic to be back just in time for the big moment. Then took many wonderful pictures and even got Erica in the right spot for her first meal.

Plus Colleen is a VCU Alumni :)

I started this process thinking that a doula would be unnecessary, what can she do that an attentive husband can't? Well, maybe if Kim had one of those Hollywood labors, but Erica is a good bit more stubborn than that (I know, shocker), and I will be forever grateful for her support.

If any of you are thinking of bringing a new life into this world, get in touch with Colleen.

Tracee Carter

6/3/2015

Doulas really do make a difference! Let me start by saying I never thought I would ever give birth naturally, but after my experience with my first child I decided I wanted to try. I attempted without a doula, but ended up getting an "emergency" c-section with my second. The third time around I was determined to VBAC naturally. After some research, I realized I would need assistance and decided to find a doula. Colleen has such a warm and loving aura about her. She's funny with a great personality too. Radiant. We clicked right away! Her kind and encouraging words empowred me and strengthened my confidence necessary for a successful delivery. During labor, I felt like my best friend was by my side. Supportive and reassuring, she knew just what I wanted, needed and expected, and made sure everything was just so. Especially in the hospital, where she was my backnone and my mouthpiece, brave and bold enough to speak up on my behalf no matter how it made her look to the staff. She anticipated my needs and went above and beyond to make sure I had the experience I'd envisioned. I could not have asked for a better doula and I truly believe I could not have done it without Collleen!

Crystal Barrett

4/15/2015

It is said that you get exactly who you need at your baby’s birth. For our family this was certainly true. We were so fortunate to find Colleen & from the moment we met her we knew our search was over. Colleen is a truly amazing woman – warm, caring, passionate about her work as a doula & loving & attentive to the families that she serves. She met with us twice before our delivery & brought a bag full of wonderful & helpful books, resources & herbal teas. She took the time to provide us with important information about the entire labor & delivery process, give us tips, pointers & reminders, all while being supportive & gentle. We felt very secure in her care & knew we would be in good hands when the time came. Colleen showed up immediately when called & stayed with us all throughout the labor. She brought the exact energy & love we needed to get through, coaching, supporting, cheering, massaging & kept me in the right frame of mind. She was proactive offering gentle guidance to ease my pain & provide comfort while communicating expertly with my husband, nurses & midwife. She knew exactly what I needed & continually checked in to ensure I was getting it. She worked so beautifully with everyone else around us that they also listened to & respected her. After a perfect delivery she helped welcome our baby with a song. She made sure baby was healthy & nursing, that I had a good meal, & that we were all given the time & space to rest & bond as a family. Afterward she continued to check in on us, brought us a delicious home cooked meal & assisted with nursing, pumping advice & baby-wearing techniques. I continually texted her questions to which she provided evidence based responses & her personal experiences. Colleen is a wonderful person who has forever earned a place in our family’s hearts! We highly recommend her for anyone looking for a doula.