Andrew McGinnis

5/22/2024

Working with Juanita was a beautiful experience. Her wealth of knowledge, intuitive nature, and sensitivity to our needs made her an invaluable presence during our birthing journey. Juanita anticipated our needs, providing comfort and support before we even realized we needed it. Her compassionate and empathetic approach created a safe environment, empowering us throughout the process. By skillfully combining her practice skills, she facilitated a positive outcome, ensuring both my well-being and that of my baby. She also communicated my desires and wishes to the medical staff in a way that ensured that my desires were carried out during labor and birth. I wholeheartedly recommend Juanita to anyone seeking a supportive and empowering birthing experience.

Samantha

5/2/2024

If you’re looking for someone to support you during your pregnancy and birth, I highly recommend Juanita. She’ll be your advocate in whatever way you need her, but also shoot you straight when you need that too!

She’ll get to know you and become more like a friend than a stranger, making it so much easier to put your trust in her during a truly vulnerable time in your life!

Overall my pregnancy was smooth and I didn’t have many things to reach out to her for, but when I did need her she was there! She always responded promptly, always had just the right thing to say, and never hesitated to send up a prayer or two if you ask her to (Even if you don’t ask, she’s still praying for you)!

Let me just say, this wonderful lady is a gift from God, and I’m so thankful we had her in our corner for the birth of our first baby girl!!

If you’re looking for a doula, make sure to give her a call, you won’t be sorry!

Patricia Robinson

4/11/2024

As a first time mom having Juanita by my side was invaluable. She was just amazing and I can honestly say that I would not have been able to have an unmediated birth if it wasn’t for her! When I got to the hospital I was already 8cm dilated and my contractions were so strong that I was asking for an epidural even though I had planned to go unmedicated. Juanita got to the hospital maybe 15min after us and with her help, her comfort measured and especially her helping my husband support me I was able to have the birth I envisioned for myself. My husband 100% agrees that she was such a huge help for him during labor as he wasn’t quite sure what to do but was able to really support me with the help of Juanita.
After birth she even helped me get my baby to latch which I really feel like kickstarted our breastfeeding journey. I’m now almost 2 weeks postpartum and baby girl has no issue with breastfeeding!
And again as a first time mom during my pregnancy just knowing that if I had any concerns I could reach out to Juanita day and night really helped ease my mind!
I’m not sure if we’ll have another baby but if we decide to, Juanita will be one of the first people I will text! I’m so grateful to have had her by my side during this journey but especially during birth!

Evan P

10/14/2023

As a soon-to-be first time Dad who never had pregnancy-care or newborn experience, Juanita made sure to walk me through what to expected and how I can be fully involved before, during, and after labor. I highly recommend Southern Charm services; perfect for first-time parents and for those who want to learn more about your options for childbirth and newborn care.

Jennifer Shankel

2/20/2023

Juanita was the perfect addition to our birth team. She comes packed with so much knowledge that provides comfort and safety during such an emotion packed life event. She is an invaluable resource leading up to birth and afterwards providing classes and tools to help in any scenario. My birth ended up in an emergency c-section and she was calm and walked us through every step. I am so thankful for the chance to advocate for myself and achieve a peaceful birth despite the fact that things didn't go as "planned". She's amazing!

Annie Wilson

1/21/2022

Juanita is the greatest blessing a growing family could hope for.  She does it all – prepartum support, birth/labor, postpartum support, night nannying, infant sleep coaching, and lactation counseling – and she does it flawlessly. I've posted more details below, but the bottom line is that, thanks to Juanita's support and coaching, our high-risk twin daughters (1) were born naturally, without a c-section, (2) have been exclusively breastfed, (3) have slept all the way through the night since they were two months old, and (4) have grown into happy, smiley, healthy little girls.
 
From the moment we interviewed her, my husband and I were blown away by Juanita's expertise, confidence, and sense of humor. Throughout my pregnancy, she provided incredible prepartum support, helped me avoid a C-section, and to have the birth experience I'd always wanted.

After the twins were born, Juanita also provided nighttime postpartum support (including lactation consulting) for the first 3 months of their lives. She used gentle/no-cry sleep training techniques to teach the twins to connect their sleep cycles, and she had them sleeping 6 hour stretches at night within the first 6 weeks.  By 3 months, they were sleeping 10+ hours straight and they've kept it up ever since.  

On top of all this, Juanita found time every night to fold laundry, wash the dishes, organize our toddler's playroom, and complete a bunch of other miscellaneous household tasks.  My husband and I loved waking up every morning to clean, organized house almost as much as we loved waking up to happy, well-rested babies.  

The only downside of hiring Juanita is that you will never want to let her go. To this day, she is the only person my husband and I trust to stay with our kids when we out of town overnight for business conferences or for long weekends.  Our family adores her, and I know that yours will too.  

Amanda Johnson

2/7/2021

Juanita was everything we wanted and more! She was so thorough, detailed & informative throughout the whole process. Her tremendous knowledge brought so much peace, and she was always a call or text away when I had questions or fears. We knew she wouldn’t be able to go in the hospital with us (thanks Alabama) but she was able to meet us in the hospital parking lot and FaceTime throughout my entire labor. (She even caught a few things that the hospital staff forgot about which sped my labor back up when it had stalled). Her words of life & encouragement were exactly what I needed during each contraction! I highly recommend every woman to invest in your birth experience with a doula!

Alyssa

10/12/2020

Juanita was such a valuable part of our birth team. I wasn't sure at first if I wanted to hire a doula, thinking it could interfere with the intimacy between my husband and me during our first birth experience. The exact opposite was true! Juanita empowered us as a couple to help one another and to make informed choices. She made the whole experience so comfortable for us and provided the right amount of guidance and assertive action when needed. I cannot recommend her enough!

Kristen Lyon

8/17/2020

Love love love this Juanita was amazing with us and she really helped me with a false labor and the real thing with twins!! I was adamant that I wouldn’t have a csection just because I was having twins and she helped me reach my vision!! I highly recommend Juanita. She goes above and beyond and brings a sense of peace to the entire experience, worth every penny of the investment! 

Heather Lefor

8/17/2020

SHE IS AWESOME. The best money you will spend. Juanita is knowledgeable, calming and everything a doula should be. Shes amazing and God made her to do this work. It’s breath taking looking back at how amazing and instrumental she was in my late pregnancy and then my daughters birth.

Juanita and I met at Panera 6 weeks prior to my birthing time. She was lovely and compassionate and everything I envisioned to help guide me through my birth. She clicked with my 15 month old and put my mind at ease. I am a naturally high strung person and she was able to help me navigate my anxiety and give me courage to advocate for myself.

My water broke at 209 on a Monday morning. I messaged Juanita letting her know. I showered, did laundry and laid back down. I called her as my contractions started to pick up. I told her to wait on coming but by the sound of my voice and the frequency of my contractions she let me know she’s be over soon. Once she walked in the energy of my house shifted drastically. Night and day energy shift. My friend even commented on it. Everything became calm and quiet and soothingly. We stopped timing contractions. She helped me find comfortable positions for contractions and positions that would quicken labor. She had me get on the toilet and get comfortable. She suggested the tub as my contractions intensified and she also made sure I was eating and drinking. As the sun rose Juanita noticed I was processing quickly and helped me realize it was time to go to the hospital. Once we arrived she helped me advocate for the type of birth I wanted. I was able to get in the shower at the hospital and Juanita helped me calm myself and relax into the contractions. During transition I stood up and screamed and Juanita helped calm me down, bringing me into focus and helped me deliver my baby without fear.

Juanita is amazing.

Lynsey

2/17/2020

I highly recommend Juanita as a birth and postpartum doula. Me being an experienced doula myself, I had very high standards and expectations. I knew exactly what I wanted support wise and I'm so grateful for Juanita and her experience. She was able to support me all throughout my birth and postpartum.

I'm thankful that she was able to help me navigate multiple, really difficult situations. I appreciate how she walked me through things so I could identify what I really wanted and encouraged me to advocate myself and my baby. She reminded me of my options but did not push me or try to make me choose anything based on her personal feelings or beliefs. I appreciate that she was available to support me in a hospital or homebirth environment and fly to me as we dont live in the same state. She always replied and stayed in communication well even though we are in different time zones. It is also great that she could support during birth and postpartum. She was great help to my whole family even helping with my older children. My husband was great support and he felt confident about the birth but was happy to have a her on our team as well. He said he liked that she had a virtual doula support option if he needed it even though he didnt end up needing it.

In addition, as a black woman, I'm grateful Jaunita was sensitive to the difference in care that black women often receive and I'm grateful for her cultural competency. I truly appreciate her patience and her experience.

I would say no matter which path you choose, home or hospital, medicated or unmedicated, Juanita has a rare trait to be able to support all different family choices without judgement. She is definitely worth the investment, an absolutely great doula all the way around. I can not recommend Juanita enough. 

Jesse

2/18/2019

Where to start?  Juanita was a life saver. I've never known anyone to take their job as seriously as she does. Trust me,  you want her there.  Your wife will thank you.  

Erika Michelle Mulgrew

2/11/2019

Juanita was our postpartum doula and was our angel! She was incredibly knowledgeable about infants and had a gentle way of imparting her wisdom to us. She listened with open ears and offered support that was tailored to our routines and rhythms and our parenting style. We cannot recommend her services enough. Her overnight stays helped our son establish a bedtime routine and we as sleep deprived new parents had a chance to recharge. She encouraged us to trust our instincts as parents and was a vital part of my postpartum recovery. We love Juanita!

Melinda Simon

11/3/2018

Juanita Harris was an absolute cornerstone of my healing, empowering VBAC. Juanita was a fantastic resource leading up to the birth, offering information and suggestions, always allowing me to make up my mind and then supporting my decisions. She helped me to process what I needed to in order to be mentally prepared for this birth, taught us great labor techniques, and made both myself and my husband feel prepared and cared for. 

During the actual birth, Juanita was the perfect blend of confident and soothing, giving direction when needed and offering the support I was seeking. Because of her, I felt confident enough to advocate for myself and baby throughout labor. This birth had several complications with the baby's position and we depended on Juanita's incredible skills, deep knowledge and calming support to see us through these and achieve the VBAC I had dreamed of. 

Not only is Juanita a calm, strong, and experienced doula, she brings a lighthearted smile and a delightful sense of humor (when appropriate of course)! This helped me to feel immediately safe, inspired trust and allowed me to be myself before, during and after labor. She truly brings the 'Southern Charm' :) 

KrystalNavy

8/15/2018

Juanita Harris is amazing! I could not have accomplished my drug free induction without her. She is calm and understanding and was able to dispel all of my fears. She took all of my calls and texts at all hours of the day and night throughout my pregnancy (no matter how ridiculous). Juanita is an incredible resource and her knowledge and expertise allowed me to accomplish my birth vision even as a nervous first time mom. I definitely would not want to labor without her! ??

Joe Gabbert

8/13/2018

Juanita is simply amazing - so kind, professional and knowledgeable. We could not be happier with her work with us from our birth to infant care. We highly, highly recommend her!

Lacey Kressin

2/1/2018

Juanita is one of my favorite people on this planet! She was my doula for my two youngest children, and I could never have a baby without her help! I sought out a doula after wanting a more empowering and natural birth experience, and I found Juanita. She is the most knowledgeable and intuitive person, and I clicked with her immediately. She understood exactly what I wanted and did everything she could to help me have the most amazing birth experience. She had so many ways to help me relieve pain, make me comfortable, and to help me think positively about birth. She was available to me when I needed her and provided me with all the information and support I needed. When I ended up with complications and my birth plan changed, she helped talk me through it and gave me many options and suggestions that we could do now that things had changed, and made me feel very comfortable and confident. She also helped my husband understand how to help me in labor, which was extremely helpful. Her amount of knowledge of birth and labor is astounding and she always gave me all my options and stood by whatever I chose to do. She was my advocate, my support, and the person that helped me through the toughest parts of both my labors. I trust Juanita fully, and I completely leaned on her knowledge and incredible capabilities as a doula! Not to mention she is the nicest and most hilarious person and so easy to get along with. I cannot say enough about how great she is, truly, and how much of an amazing doula she is. Because of Juanita, I had two incredibly amazing birth experiences, and I felt I had all the support I could ever need. Every mom would be so lucky to have her as a doula!

Katherine Bonaguidi

11/26/2017

Juanita was the best coach I could've asked for during my birth experience. She was so present and focused on helping me, which was exactly what I told her I was seeking. She helped me manage the process, the pain, and the people involved! She poured water on my back while I labored in the tub, she suggested position changes and helped me accomplish them, she explained what was happening and what was going to happen, she communicated expertly with the hospital staff and my family when I needed her to, she looked me in the eye and talked to me calmly and directly when I needed her guidance. I'm not sure I would've been able to stick with my birth plan if she hadn't literally been by my side throughout the entire journey. I felt totally supported. Your partner/mom/friend/whoever is in the room with you may love you very much, but it's doubtful they have the knowledge and skills that Juanita does to navigate you through this incredible experience.

Ashley Collins

8/22/2017

We are so thankful to have had Juanita's support for the birth of our second son. She was very supportive during my pregnancy and was always available to answer my questions. She prayed for us, encouraged us, and made us aware of resources (from newborn photography to information regarding inductions). During my labor, Juanita was completely focused on what was best for me, offering suggestions to help move the birth along, giving massaging touches that helped me remember to relax my muscles, showing my husband ways he could help me, and working respectfully between us and our hospital staff to help me have the birth I was hoping for. I had a great birth experience and am so appreciative of Juanita and her calm and caring support, which has even continued after my son's birth. Also, she is a package deal as she also did our placenta encapsulation. She delivered it to me, along with a tincture, and included simple, concise instructions on how to use them. Juanita is a great combination of confidence and caring, exactly what you need in situations as intense and intimate as labor!

Kya Barounis

7/22/2017

Juanita is fantastic!!! She is very knowledgeable and supportive. I was comfortable with her immediately and she struck the perfect balance between being encouraging and supportive but not intrusive during my birth. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula!

Jen K

7/20/2017

When we found out we were pregnant with our first, we had a lot of anxiety about pregnancy and the birth process. Someone mentioned "get a doula" and we are so glad we listened. After we had our first meeting with Juanita, we immediately asked for the contract and signed it right away. Instantly, a huge relief came over our bodies as we knew she would be there to help and support us. She was quick to respond to any questions we had. We liked how she came to our house, a month before the due date, to show us how to work together during the contractions. These were so helpful during the actual labor and helped ease the pain!

When the big day came, she was out our home, helping us through the contractions and then came to the hospital as well. During labor, the baby was face up and the doctors wanted to do an evasive procedure, but Juanita asked to try a few things before first. Sure enough, her positions worked and baby's head turned around. We were so grateful! We always looked to her first for advice before any doctor or nurse. We knew she had our best interest at heart!!! She was there through our very LONG labor and we couldn’t have asked for better support. We also had her provide placenta encapsulation for us and it really did make a significant difference in the recovery phase. Juanita shares a very special place in our heart and we highly recommend her! Thank you Juanita!!

Kameron Modica

5/23/2017

I hired Juanita after interviewing two other doulas because we simply clicked! I was able to feel as if she was just a shadow in the back of my mind throughout my pregnancy because she only reassured  me of my own feelings and beliefs and truly lead me to experience the type of labor that I wanted. She listened to my concerns and my wants and had supporting positive reinforcement and lead me in the right direction if I had questions and concerns about my pregnancy. I didn't feel pressured ever..I was constantly reminded to check with my midwife if I felt uncomfortable  about anything which let me know she had my baby and I best interest. Fast forward to my labor and Juanita was actually able to encourage my spouse to be involved in labor/delivery and reminded me of my birth plan throughout to ensure I was comfortable and happy. Overall I would not have been successful having my dream birth without her and wish I had her during my first labor ive recommended her so much my midwife wants her business cards! She's a sweet person who genuinely wants the best for momma and baby and was the perfect addition to my birthing supporr team

Rebecca White

5/4/2017

Jaunita was my doula when I had my son about 8 months ago and she was awesome! She was with us ALL day long from home to the hospital, at least 12 hours. I didn't know if my husband would be home when I gave birth so it was comforting knowing I would have someone with me. My husband did end up being home, and my mom and mother in law also were able to be there. Even with all of them there, she was still a big help to me. I had really bad back labor the entire time and she rubbed my back for hours, literally. She is very knowledgeable and listens to your needs and tries to help you keep your birth plan but also goes with the flow if you decide to do things differently as well with no judgement.

Kayla Kaluza

2/13/2017

Thankful, thankful is a short way of putting how I feel about Juanita. She was there from the very beginning. I had a planned pregnancy & I talked to her and she helped me so much before I was even pregnant! Once I became pregnant she helped me through every step of the way & I mean every step! If I ever had any questions, she didn't hesitate to help me. My husband was totally clueless to why I would need a doula but now that I had my baby boy and Juanita was there, there is no way he would have changed anything.

This is how my birth story went, I went into labor around 9pm. I did everything Juanita told me to do, drank lots of water, took a bath, tried to go to sleep & everything led up to me having contractions every minute. I went to the hopsital with a blind fold on that she suggested me to do keep my mind off of things & to block the light and that helped SO much.

Hours passed & I was still in labor & they wouldn't allow me to get out of bed due to my son's heart rate. At 6cm at 7am the next morning, I got my epidural. I was dissapointed in myself because my ultimate goal was to do everything natural, but Juanita assured me that everything was okay and I shouldn't be upset. She made everything so peaceful. They had to give me benedral to stop swolling & they informed me 4 hours later that I was no longer dialting & my son's head was crooked & I would have to get a c-section. BUT, since Juanita was there & had the doula training, she got my body into different postures & she got me to get me on my knees WHILE I WAS ASLEEP ON BENEDRAL AND AN EPIDURAL. Because Juanita was so trained, she got my son's head to move into the right postion and just a little while longer and 5 pushes later. Levi was here. 

Juanita made it where I didn't have a c-section. She helped me so much. I honestly don't know what I would have done without her. Thank you Juanita. We are so thankful for you. 

Aliyah Muhammad

1/30/2017

Juanita was exactly what I was looking for when searching for a Doula!! Being pregnant and in the military away from family and friends can be very challenging. My husband was stationed in another state so I was looking for labor support just in case I went into labor before my husband could be here. When first meeting Juanita she was very honest and knowledgeable about everything we discussed. She was able to reassure me that I was making the right decision when deciding to pick her as my doula. Every question I asked she had an answer and if she didn't she always reached back to me with the answer or someone who would be able to help me. When my husband arrived and we were laboring she helped him get into the swing of things by giving him tips on how to support me through my labor. Love, love, loved my experience with her and would totally recommend her to anyone in the area needing a doula!!

Heather Cummings

11/8/2016

Where do I even begin! Working with Juanita was the best decision I could have made during my pregnancy! Being a military wife, you have to move around to different areas often. My family is 3,000 miles away and my husband was in and out throughout the pregnancy and I was so afraid he would not be here for the birth. I was afraid I would have had to give birth by myself. I found Juanita through mutual friends and on Facebook and we decided to have her as extra support during pregnancy and delivery. She was amazing! Always supportive and never judging my decisions on how to deliver. She kept me calm and collected during delivery and helped me through the tough parts. There were some underlying issues I have personally that made me feel afraid to deliver and Juanita squashed those fears and believed I could do it. My labor didn't quite go as planned but I was okay with that because Juanita was there to help us through. She continued to be there for support after delivery with breast feeding and constant questions. Even though this was my second baby, I felt like a first time mom all over again and second quested myself. Juanita was there for me not only as my doula, but as a fellow military wife who understands the fear of not having family with you during the happiest moment of your life. I highly highly recommend Juanita as a doula!! She truly is amazing!! 

April Davidson

5/16/2016

Juanita was my doula for my second birth. She was amazing! She was so attentive and full of knowledge. I felt much more prepared for this birth and that was entirely her doing. When I went into labor she was there for me and my husband. She supported every decision and made sure the staff at the hospital knew what I wanted. She never left my side. Even after I came home from the hospital, she has been there for me if I had any questions or concerns. I would recommend her to any mom to be!

Mich Elle

1/21/2016

I had the opportunity to have Juanita be my doula this past November 2015, while my husband was deployed. It was a MUST have! To be honest however, I wish I had her for my first pregnancy even with my husband there, as he did not know what to do! I had a natural birth the first time and knew that second time around I needed someone to be my advocate during the pain and also after giving birth when you are so consumed by your new little one that you find it difficult to voice you desires to the medical team. Because I had Juanita there to coach me through the labor this time, I was able to have a friend take some pictures with Juanita's direction. The photo's really showed a fantastic story of my daughters birth to show my husband. I decided to opt for her post birth services as well due to my situation of being a military family and without my husband and family. She coached me through the after birth contractions which were worse with the second child. She helped bring me my baby and took more photos for me which I would have forgotten about. She also let me sleep!!! I am SO thankful for Juanta. I would recommend she is worth the investment for your birthing experience not matter how you plan to deliver. You will REALLY be thankful you made the decision to have a doula. After this experience, I can say that I do not dread the idea of giving birth again (unlike my first child) should that happen in my future. <3

Tiffany Jolly

1/4/2016

I absolutely love Juanita! She gave me the birthing experience i wanted! At first my boyfriend was wondering why i wanted a doula and as my pregancy progressed he was constantly asking me to text her to see if this or that was "normal". This was my first pregnancy and had no idea what to expect so i was calling and texting her about everything! She encouraged me to research things and we talked about what would be best for me. She told me to envision the labor that i wanted and throughout my pregnancy i maintained that thought. I kept thinking an 8hr start to finish natural labor. Of course that didnt happen but we were pretty darn close. My daughter was almost 2 weeks late and Juanita walked miles with me and helped me to try to get her to come on her own. She eventually did and i was in labor for 26hrs before i went to the hospital. She came over in the middle of the night and watched a comedy show with me because laughing helped me through the contractions. The next day i checked into the hospital at 5:14pm and by 9:40pm by daughter was here! I had the quick natural labor i had envisioned. She took lots of pictures for us because i was so out of it and her dad was focused on us. Even though i dont remember much from my labor she does and we still talk about it. I am so greatful for that. Postnatal i was still checking with her because its just my boyfriend and i living in san diego and this was our first child we had advice coming from everyone "dont hold the baby all the time your going to spoil her", "let her sleep alone", "why breastfeed" and on and on. It was all well intentioned but not what i felt was right with my daughter. Juanita always calmed my nerves with reassurance that everything i was doing (holding, cuddling, nursing on demand ect) was the building the foundation of trust with my daughter letting her know her needs would be met. My daughter is now 4months sleeping through the night and shes super happy. Juanita thank you!

Kelly Griffin

12/31/2015

Juanita was amazing at advocating my wishes to the nursing staff and keeping me calm throughout my labor. While this was my second delivery, it was the first my husband was able to be present for and Juanita helped to explain to him what was going on, how to work with me, and kept the atmosphere pleasant. I had a long labor and slow progression and she stayed positive for us the entire time. Once it was apparent I had to deliver by c section she calmed me down since I was on the verge of freaking out. She stayed until after I woke up in recovery and met my son. My husband and I could not have gotten though this delivery without her knowledge and support. Should we ever have another baby I would not want to deliver without her by my side.