We found Jinny through some really good friends that used her for their son's birth and it was the best recommendation they could have ever given us!
From the first moment we met her we felt very comfortable. She is very approachable and warm and she didn't t rush any visits. Instead she took all the necessary time to go through our questions and to prepare our birth plan. We are first time parents and we had ( and still have) a million questions to which she answered in a very clear and very empathetic way.
After labor we felt that we couldn't have done it without her help, and we believe it's true!! We had a delivery the way we wanted and planned and it was thanks to her coaching and support. Without Jinny the experience would have been so different!!!
She made an already very special moment in our lives even more special.
Thank you Jinny!! We love you and we will use you again!!! Hopefully soon!!!
Love,
Ben, Ana and Julian

Posted 4/27/2018

I would most describe Jinny as warm, loving, skillful and strong.  We originally connected with her as our backup doula, and she ended up being with us throughout the midst and end of our birth as she worked in conjunction with our doula and then took over completely. We had a long laboring process, so she was with us from about 6am until 11pm. 

When Jinny arrived at the hospital, I was in the throws of a long and challenging labor. I remember feeling incredibly calm and at peace with her in the room. She was knowledgable about the various positions I needed to be in, worked collaboratively with the hospital staff and my husband, and most of all - I never doubted for a second that she was with me. I will never forget looking into her eyes throughout having strong contractions. She breathed with me, held my gaze, and helped me to stay present so that my body could do its thing. 

We were hoping for an unmedicated birth but ended up with several interventions that were necessary given some unexpected circumstances. Jinny was able to help us enderstand our options with an open attitude geared towards helping us meet the needs of the moment. She didn't come into the process with preconceived notions of what we should or shouldn't do, rather she helped us make the best decisions that we could in order to have a safe and healthy birth, which we did.

She was supportive, loving and strong throughout the whole process. She has a quiet yet fortified and unwaivering strength that I found remarkable during the labor process. She communicated with my family in the waiting room, took pictures of the birth and first moments, came to see me many times after the baby was born, and remains a wonderful person in my life. Not to mention her skills with placenta encapsulation. I highly recommend her as a doula and couldn't be more grateful to her.

Posted 6/26/2017

At 2 months pregnant I attended a Meet the Doulas event, at Birthways in Berkeley, and Jinny was the last doula that I spoke with that night. I felt a connection immediately. Her presence was warm and welcoming - just what you want when you're hiring someone to support you through pregnancy and beyond. She was dressed in purple (my favorite color) from head to toe, had nice and professional flyers detailing her services (doula, placenta encapsulation, lactation cookies, and more), and we all got the chance to sample her delicious lactation cookies!

I was so glad that I hired Jinny early on in my pregnancy. I saw her often and she was always very responsive, via text, phone, or email. Each time we met, she had new insights, resources, and comfort techniques for me. She did a great job of answering questions for my partner and helping him feel comfortable and informed throughout the whole process.

As my homebirth neared, Jinny helped me prepare my birth plan and did a great job of engaging my birth team (mom, partner, and midwife) to make sure everyone was clear on the experience I desired to have. I was in active labor at 2am, laying in my bed as the contractions progressed, focusing on conserving my energy and letting my body do what it was prepared to do. Unaware that Jinny had arrived at my house, I was immediately put at ease when I felt her hand on my back and heard her softly say "you're doing great, mama". Throughout the birth, she did a great job of helping each member of my birth team be useful and she was the perfect assistant to my midwife. I utilized all of her services (birth doula, lactation cookies; placenta capsules, broth, and tincture; placenta prints; and umbilical cord drying/design) and I highly recommend them all! I have friends in other cities who have spent much more on a doula and gotten much less! At 40 years old, I had an amazing first pregnancy and I'm so glad that Jinny Pagle was with me the whole way!

Posted 6/25/2017