Julie Sainati

5/2/2018

If you are a new or expecting parent and are considering hiring help, especially in the first days home with your new baby, you will not be disappointed with the services provided by Chicago Family Doulas. My husband and I welcomed twins in August of 2017. Although I was familiar with caring for infants, brining home two small babies was totally overwhelming. My husband, who had never held a baby, much less changed a diaper before was thrown into the deep end without a life vest. Recovering from birth and learning how to do so many new things (like breastfeeding!) I was barely treading the waters of parenthood next to him. We quickly realized we needed professional help.

Chicago Family Doulas was not the first company from which we sought help. We worked with an individual and another agency and were very disappointed in the quality of care. Based on a recommendation from our Lactation consultant, we reached out to Ana. The speed with which she responded and the amazing doula that was sent our way (Shelley), set the tone for a wonderful experience.

In the following months, we worked with Shelley on a regular basis for overnight and daytime care. Shelley is warm, compassionate, loving to both mothers and babies, and knowledgeable and passionate about newborn care.
It was extremely easy to communicate with both Ana and Shelley. Not only were we were able to quickly schedule services and make payments, but both Anna and Shelley would check in with us regularly to see how we were doing, which made my husband and I feel as if they truly cared!

Having Shelley and Anna’s support those first months home with our twins allowed my husband and I to stop treading the deep waters of uncertainty and feel confident and comfortable caring for our girls.

So, as you undertake the most important job in your life and are seeking warm and loving professional support,I can confidently recommend hiring Chicago Family Doulas.

Beth de la Peña Ritzert

4/22/2018

Highly recommend Adriana Liwsky! My husband & I are very appreciative she was there during the entire labor adn helped us with her expertise!

Travelling Soup For the Soul

2/23/2018

CFD is absolutely wonderful! Our family welcomed our last baby Feb 12th, 2018. I was seeing The Midwives in the same building. I did my homework and interviewed about 5 Doulas and ended up choosing Kelli. My biggest concern was finding a connection that fit for me and my family. Kelli really took the time our initial meeting to get to know me and my family. I had so many questions, but Kelli was so helpful and always was just a text away. When it was labor day, it was about 2am my contractions started, by 4am, me, hubby and our 18 month old were headed to West Suburban Hospital. I sent a text to Kelli. Luckily, she was just a little closer than where she usually is. By 630a I was in the ABC Room and about 15 minutes later Kelli arrived. She was so helpful in helping me work through my contractions and keeping me calm. My husband and daughter were not allowed to meet me upstairs. We were not aware of this when we toured the hospital, and mentioned several times we wanted our children to stay with us. We were told something completely different and I was 39 weeks when they posted the notice.About 835a I was ready to push. My husband ended up missing the birth of our daughter but we were so happy she was born happy and healthy. We really couldn't have done it without Kelli. I was alone and separated from our family, but Kelli is so great and really was my rock through this amazing experience of natural birth.I'm so grateful for the Chicago Family Doulas  Anna is such a wonderful and kind hearted person. She worked a plan out with our family that made it stress free and a easy for us to choose the Doula we wanted without financially stressing. Now that we've been back home Kelli helped me out with a post partum visitt. Saying goodbye to my wonderful Doula was heartbreaking, but Kelli is absolutely wonderful and it will be the story for years I will be telling and raving how I was able to have a natural birth

Andrea Lang

11/5/2017

Working with Chicago Family Doulas was a great experience! I hired Juanita as my labor support doula and she was absolutely wonderful! Her knowledge, guidance, and support were exactly what I was looking for and received throughout the entire process. I had a successful VBAC with no epidural and I could not have done it without her!

During our prenatal meetings, Juanita took the time to truly get to know me and my birth plan goals. She gave me advice and suggestions to help set me up to achieve these goals. She was available by phone, email or text with any questions both before and after delivery.

Once my water broke, she met me at the hospital right away and didn't leave my side until my sweet baby girl was in my arms. She kept me up and active in order to progress labor and had me doing things I would never have thought of, which was so important given the birth of my first child ended in a c-section due to failure to progress. She kept my birth plan goals and wishes in mind during the entire labor and delivery, and she was so supportive and encouraging. The physical support and pain management techniques, the pure knowledge and intuition of what to do next, and the kind reassuring words all played a huge part in my successful VBAC.

Thanks again Juanita and Chicago Family Doulas! Looking forward to working with you again when we are ready for baby #3!

Kelly Murphy

7/23/2017

I made a last minute decision to have a doula, I thought I had left it too late but as Anna reassured me "as long as the baby is still inside you it's never too late!" And she was right, we met with Celena and I immediately knew I wanted her at the birth of my baby. The birth was rather tricky towards the end and Celena held my hand and kissed my face like a mother would with her own child, I remember crying and holding her hand so tightly, I am so glad she was there, I'll never forget that moment. I was so happy to see her the next day when she had encapsulated my placenta, I honestly think it aided in my quick recovery and definitely my mood post partum. As a result of the delivery I needed help around the house postpartum and Anna very quickly arranged for Adriana to come to my rescue - she did the many loads of laundry that a new baby (and a 5 year old!) creates, she cleaned the house and entertained my eldest while I napped with the baby, she even came with me to a midwife appointment and looked after the baby and she gave me a massage too! I will forever be grateful to Anna and her team and how much the helped me, what a wonderful service they provide.

Sara Momper

4/16/2017

I researched several doulas in the Chicago area and ultimately went with Chicago Family Doulas to support my birth.  From the beginning, I felt like I really connected with Juanita and she was super supportive of my birth plan.  Juanita was absolutely wonderful to work with.  She was always quick to respond to my text messages and emails.  She frequently sent me excellent tips and suggestions on preparing for my labor.  My labor was exhausting (as expected), but I couldn't be happier with the way my labor and delivery turned out.  My husband and I were definitely thankful for Juanita's continuous support during the entire labor process.  She went above and beyond to help me prepare physically, mentally and emotionally.  Thanks to Juanita, I was able to deliver my baby naturally.  Something I know, would not have happened if I didn't have her by my side!

Gina George

4/15/2017

Having Juanita through Chicago Family Doulas was the best decision we made throughout our entire pregnancy. Juanita was so supportive and helpful during my last trimester and was a rockstar at my birth. We were able to go into our birth with a clear understanding of our wishes as well as realistic expectations. I felt empowered to have the kind of birth I wanted and Juanita was there every step of the way with us. I couldn't have don't it without her!

Safa Eshmawy

4/7/2017

The process with Chicago Family Doulas was a breeze from start to finish. The initial call with Anna was so laid back, I felt like we were having a conversation and I wasn't being asked to answer a silly questionnaire. She matched us with Chelsea and we instantly knew she was a perfect fit for our family. The day I went into labor Chelsea was there right when I got admitted and helped me relax and get through my contractions. She was also really great with my mom and husband who were completely lost on what or how to help. I've recommended CDF to my pregnant and non pregnant friends and I will definitely be using CFD again if I decide to have another baby.

Paula DeAnda-Shah

4/5/2017

After our 20-week ultrasound when we learned that our daughter would be born with a cleft lip and palate, we knew we would need support after her birth and explored the option of a post-partum doula. Anna was attentive to our needs and connected us with a doula that had worked with a family that had a baby with a cleft. Juanita came to our house and we immediately felt at ease. She was knowledgeable, thoughtful and a good listener. We weren’t sure if all doulas were like that, so we set up a meeting with a doula that worked for herself and was local. We immediately realized that Juanita had indeed been special and that we felt a connection with her. From the first day we met Juanita, we felt reassured and supported. She genuinely listened to everything I shared and offered a valuable perspective on pregnancy, labor and birth.

Kristen Jepsen

4/4/2017

Anna and Shelley are incredible! Both went above and beyond to help my family and me during my pregnancy, labor, and postpartum period. They were absolute lifesavers. My labor was very difficult and didn't at all turn out how I had planned.  Shelley was there with me the entire time making sure I was ok and helping me stay calm. I can't say enough about Chicago Family Doulas. I will use them again in a heartbeat!

Victoria Kuchta Szczepaniak

8/26/2016

I have only wonderful things to say about Celena and Chicago Family Doulas. I decided quite late in my pregnancy, 7 months along, that I would like the extra support of a trained labor companion. Upon the first meeting with Celena from CFD, I completely felt a sense of relief, as I was getting quite apprehensive about giving birth. Celena is so calming and comforting. She eased all my fears and offered a wealth of knowledge. Prior to D Day, she was immediate in her responses to me via text, answering any questions I had. When the day finally arrived, she came to my home and helped me labor before we went to Hinsdale Hospital. She was AMAZING! Helping me in every way- breathing, massage, water therapy and moving around. She gave me total physical and mental support. She helped me all the way to the finish line, and even stayed after the birth to help with the first latch. She kept in contact with me over the next few days/weeks. She is an herbalist (BONUS!) and she encapsulated my placenta and brought me a healing salve, sitz bath, and red raspberry leaf tea for my post partum visit. If you are unsure if you want your placenta encapsulated, JUST DO IT! It was one of the best decisions I made. I never had even the tiniest twinge of baby blues. I felt amazing, full of energy, and I think it helped my body heal faster. I am able to contact her, even now, if I have questions or issues with anything related to baby, and she gives me tips and advice. I had some nursing trouble, and baby weight gain issues, after being home and she helped me through that. She’s such an amazing source of knowledge and supportive help. I could not imagine how we would have gotten through it all without her! I would absolutely recommend Celena and CFD, and I will be hiring her again for my next pregnancy and birth.

Chicago Family Doulas is a wonderful group to work with.  Very professional and caring.  A+++++

Erin Hennessy

9/16/2015

My husband and I decided to hire a doula less than two weeks before our due date after realizing we needed knowledgeable support to help guide us through the birthing process in order to reduce our stress and get a really positive birth experience. After quite a bit of research we contacted Chicago Family Doulas and met with both Emily and Anna. Their experience and personalities put us right at ease and we knew that they were the right people to work with. Emily was the one who ended up being at our birth and we could not have been happier with her help and guidance. I ended up having an extremely long labor and delivery and Emily never wavered in her commitment to help us though the entire process. She stayed the entire time and provided constant support, reassurance, and techniques to help us through the delivery. My husband and I both agree that we made the right decision in hiring Chicago Family Doulas and would hire Emily again in a heartbeat.