Paige

6/20/2020

This review is long overdue (my baby is now 7 months old... oops!) But, better late than never. I can not recommend Jen enough! She was such an amazing part of our birth team. From the first time we met Jen, she made us feel comfortable and at ease. I knew that she would be a strong advocate for me and my wishes. I wanted to have an unmedicated birth and there is no way I would have achieved that without her support. (Note, Jen is super supportive of whatever your birth preferences are!) Also, I LOVED that her package included pre and post visits. She helped us really think through what our birth preferences were and what was important to us as well as provided great education about breastfeeding and even offered spinning babies exercises. Her postpartum visits were a lifesaver when we were struggling with breastfeeding. Our little one had some struggles to gain weight at the beginning and Jen came over several times to help with breastfeeding and offer support and even brought us a scale to borrow to do pre/post feeding weights. Because of how much our entire family loved Jen, I recommend a doula to everyone I know! 

Katherine Felde

5/14/2018

Jen supported me and my husband during the birth of my son in December. I could not recommend her more highly to anyone looking for a doula. The first thing you’ll notice about Jen is her warm, friendly personality. She’s like a fairy godmother, except instead of a wand she carries a TENS unit. Along with her cheery disposition, though, comes a fierce drive to support and advocate for you in every way she can to help you achieve the birth you want.

I had a hospital birth in which I labored for 17 hours before getting an epidural. Before the epidural she pulled out all her bag of tricks—TENS unit, pointy squeeze ball, essential oils, etc. She reminded me how to breathe to manage the contractions better. She was a huge support for my husband. Once I got an epidural Jen continued to prove herself invaluable. I still had significant discomfort, and Jen and my husband traded off helping me to breathe through contractions into the wee hours of the morning. Her expertise in all things birth was so helpful as well. I would express what I was feeling and she knew what was apt to be going on. She was the one who identified that it was likely time for me to push.

I should also add that her prenatal and postpartum visits were perhaps as helpful as the birth itself. It was great to have someone to talk through questions and concerns about the birth beforehand and to discuss issues, particularly those related to breastfeeding, in the days and weeks after the birth. She stayed as long as we needed during these visits (usually 2-3 hours!) and, for one of our postpartum visits, she rearranged her schedule to come over that day after I’d messaged her in desperation. I couldn’t have been more grateful. Also, whether it’s a birthing instructor, acupuncturist, or lactation consultant, she has all sorts of recommendations and contacts should you need them.

In sum, Jen rocks and you should totally hire her as your doula.

Erin Sigel

12/11/2017

From the first time we talked, Jen put me at ease with her warm, outgoing manner. She took the time to listen to me, answer my many questions, and educate me around what to expect for labor and delivery. Jen is a wealth of information- she’s basically a walking encyclopedia of pregnancy and birth. In developing the birth plan, Jen helped me crystallize my ideas around what I needed to have an empowering birth experience. Throughout labor and delivery, Jen was calm and positive. She is a bright and happy person and brings a soothing energy to the room. Her zest for life and passion for her work is clear and I feel extremely lucky that she was my doula.

Liz Elwart

11/27/2017

The birth of our child was a wonderful experience, in no small part because we had Jen as our doula. Over the course of the prepartum visits, the birth, and the postpartum visits, we developed a solid, trusting and fun relationship. She entertained every ridiculous question we had, was a strong advocate at the hospital when I needed one, and proved to be *essential* to our adjustment to parenthood. The advice, encouragement and levity she provided during our postpartum home visits gave us the support and confidence we needed to get through the toughest of times.

For me, one of the worst moments of the entire birth experience came when, after being at the hospital for over an hour barely coping through intense contractions that kept coming harder and faster, I was told I hadn't actually been admitted and would be sent back home because I wasn't dilated enough. I was shocked, terrified, and broke down in panicked tears. Jen took my hands and made me look her straight in the eye as she said, "That is NOT going to happen. This is your room. We're staying." She disappeared into the hallway for a bit (we assumed to chat with hospital staff), and soon after we were informed that I was officially admitted. Thank goodness, because my daughter came hurtling out of me only 5 hours later!

We had been hesitant to hire a doula, wondering if having one present would really make such a difference. In that minute, when I needed support most, she proved she was worth every penny. Jen is reliable, knows her stuff and is easy to talk to. Can't recommend her enough!

Zoe Schagrin

11/8/2017

Jen is INCREDIBLE. We feel so lucky that we had the opportunity to work with her. She helped us wtih our twins after they were born through the first several months. During this time Jen was basically like an amazing aunt or grandma - she pitched in wherever and however. Sometimes she watched the babies while I cooked or ran errands and sometimes we just hung out with both babies. Jen is incredibly easy to be around and adapts to whatever your needs are.  Most importantly, she is gifted with babies and clearly loves them. My babies instantly went to her and she took such incredibly good care of them. I have already recommended Jen to several friends, she is truly a gift for any new mom. I really can't say enough about her.

Gwynne Breidenstein

11/8/2017

Jen made the difference between being scared out of my mind about giving birth for the first time and feeling confident. The way she approached asking questions made me stop and really think about times of stress. Her questions made my husband point out a few things that I hadn't realized or considered myself. I was still nervous and a bit scared but those feelings were manageable. I had done weightlifting in the past and talking with Jen gave me the mindset of "breath through the rep, don't think about the next set" as odd as that may seem. I wasn't panicking as each contraction hit. I was focused on her voice and breathing through the moment as contractions hit, then focusing on relaxing as they eased. She made sure I knew my husband was near as that kept me calm. Her gentle encouragement was exactly what I needed and that low level of stress was incredible to feel in the moment. She took something unknown that I'd heard horror stories about and framed it in a context I could wrap my mind around. I can't recommend her highly enough.

Sarah Castle

7/10/2017

Working with Jen has been a gift! The pre-partum sessions with her helped us prepare for labor, birth, breastfeeding, parenthood and more. When we had unexpected twists with our birth, Jen was calm, supportive, and the rock we needed to manage through the changes. Following birth, Jen helped us build confidence as new parents with our first child and was an excellent coach. Best of all, we laughed, joked, and smiled with Jen all the way through. She became one of the family.

Marika VanderSmith

6/11/2017

Jen was fantastic! From the moment she met with my husband and I, we were at ease with her knowledge and confidence. We were first time parents and a little nervous about what the day of delievery was going to look like. We met with her two times before the birth and established a birth plan. Jen covered all the bases with things we should consider, things we hadn't even thoguht of yet! When i started having contractions, we reached out to Jen and talked about next steps, she was available and provided reassurances and guidance for the 2 days of pre-labor. When my contractions were closer together, Jen came to our home. Jen provided pain relieft with her TENS machine, which was awesome during contractions, she sat with me as my husband got everything packed and ready to go to the hospital. Jen rode with us to the hospital and was with us until we moved to our post partam room. She was a calm and a steady voice throughout my labor. When i started to experience pain and wanted to explore pain options, she was able to talk with me about my birth plan so that we could come up with comfortable pain management. She provided options with no judgement and just clear facts. It helped me to make a decision that worked best for me. She provided support to not only myself but my husband as well. I can't imagine having delievered my baby girl without Jen.

I highly recommend Jen, she was made for this work!

Annie Kuthart

5/25/2017

We were matched with Jen based on our request for a size friendly doula with a sense of humor.  She met with us before my due date and educated us on what to expect from her, as well as different techniques she uses to provide support auring labor. She also took (amazing) photos immediately after our daughter was born, capturing moments we can look back on that would have otherwise been gone forever.

Jen came to the hospital with her “bag of tricks” and knowledge of how to support both my husband and I during labor. She lead us through silly walks down the hall, held my hand while I threw up, and urged me to moan it out during contractions. She spoke with my excited (and anxious) mother-in-law and ensured that my husband got breaks and ate.

Towards the end of labor the baby’s heart rate monitor stopped picking up her heartbeat, which resulted in lots of stress and anxiety from hospital staff. Jen kept my husband and I calm and focused on the task at hand -- birthing our beautiful daughter. Instead of getting caught up in the frantic energy of the room I was able to ignore much of what was happening around me because of Jen’s calming words and affirmations.

I know we could have birthed our daughter without Jen there, but it would have been a much different experience, one that would have been more stressful, bewildering, as well as emotionally and physically draining.

Postpartum care has been instrumental in gaining confidence as a new parent. She visited days after our daughter’s birth, encouraging us as she checked on breastfeeding and our emotional well-being. She has been super at responding to my random questions via text (Is this amount of spit-up normal? What is this discharge coming out of her? Am I diapering her correctly?) No question has been too small or weird for her to answer. Jen has been a wonderful support as we navigate the transition from a family of two to a family of three.

Maren Goodwin

5/24/2017

Jen was wonderful to work with. From our first meeting, I knew she was the right doula for us. She was able to put both me and my husband at ease with her knowledge, experience, and good sense of humor.

Jen met with us before the birth to go over a whole host of topics to make sure that we were well informed and prepared for labor and delivery. We ended up having to have an induction and Jen did research for us on the various methods and met with me again to go over any questions I had before the induction.

During the actual labor and delivery, Jen was priceless. She brought so many tools for helping me cope with the labor pain and was with me every step of the way.  She also made sure that my husband had time to eat and rest so that he could better support me.

Jen clearly loves what she does and puts her whole heart into it. I  highly recommend her services. Everyone should be as fortunate as me to have Jen as their doula!

Clarissa Ma

3/24/2017

Jen provided invaluable postpartum doula care for my family after we welcomed our third child. It was a huge relief to have someone who could understand the chaos and the lack of sleeplessness we were experiencing. She allowed me to get rest by caring for all the children so I could squeeze in a nap or run an errand, accompanied me to appointments, and helped me brainstorm solutions for trying to improve my little guy's sleep. I am grateful to have had her services during the challenging transitional time in our family!

Deborah Hathaway

3/22/2017

I worked with Jen as my postpartum doula after the birth of my daughter.  On the first day, I was a complete mess and Jen walked in and immediately calmed my nerves. My daughter was having problems sleeping and although it took time for her to "get organized," Jen was a great resource and listening ear as I navigated the challenges of being alone with our daughter after my husband went back to work.

She validated my concerns, helped me stay positive and provided resources to help me continue to learn and grow with our daughter.  After a few weeks, with her help, I felt secure enough to manage the day on my own, which felt like a huge accomplishment! I am very grateful for her support and guidance as I found myself as a mama! Jen is lovely!

Natasha Bauch

3/13/2017

We contacted Jen to partner with us for our first baby. Jen was energetic, personable and clearly very committed to providing the best experience possible for her families. What we loved the most was her approach of helping us to undertsand and perpare for the experience of birth both as a couple but also as individuals. Asking questions and setting expectations for what both mom and dad were looking to bring and take away from the experience. Our birth did not go as smoothly as hoped and was both long and physically demanding on Jen. The whole time Jen remained supportive bringing both a sense of calm and motivation to keep going when we were all very tired. Jen was not only there for the birth but also made great effort to visit with my husband and I before the visit to establish a good working relationship as well as after to ensure we were not overwhelmed with our new roles as mom and dad.

Randi M.

3/2/2017

Lisa Blonder Ohlenkamp

12/4/2016

We chose to hire Jen as our doula because of her passion for her work, her diverse personal experiences with birth (and raising three children), and her confidence, warmth, and positive energy. She was by my side throughout a marathon labor and delivery, offering suggestions, techniques, and physical and emotional support. She made sure I stayed hydrated and that I understood the medical options when things began to deviate from my birth plan. I definitely think I was able to remain calmer and more confident during the birthing process than I would have been without Jen's support, and I wholeheartedly recommend her to others. Thanks, Jen!

Lindsey Wickman

11/11/2016

Jen was simply fantastic during the birth of our second child. I was expecting a quick labor like I had with my first child, and after a few hours we all realized that would not be the case. Jen was by my side the entire time helping to make the experience as pleasant as possible. She has many different tools and tricks to help make everyone more comfortable. Her encouragement and dedication allowed me to have the birth experience that I wanted.  Jen is incredibly calm, compassionate, organized, and detail oriented. I couldn't imagine my birth experience without her. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her to anyone.

Marika VanderSmith

9/4/2016

Jen was amazing! We had two visits with her prior to the birth of our daughter, during those visits she helped us to come up with our birth plan as well as address any concerns/fears and questions we had. When I started to have contractions, I contacted Jen and she was available and encouraged us to rest and start to prepare to head to the hospital. Later on Jen reached out to check in and see how things were going and then came over. She helped us remain calm and even helped with getting some food and packing for the hospital. Once we arrived at the hospital, Jen was calm and helped to explain things as they were happening. Once the contractions started to get very intense, she helped to explain options and helped us to stay on track with our birth plan. Her calm and positive energy was so helpful for us as we were new to the experience. She helped my husband to stay calm as well as helping him to keep me comfortable with massage. She stayed with us throughout the birth and until we were moving to our post partum room.

Jen was amazing and I can't imagine our birth experience without her!

Caitlin Stairs

8/30/2016

Jen made the process of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum all a lot easier to deal with! Having her by my side made me more confident and feel like I could take on the challenges that were ahead of me. Before meeting Jen I was a nervious wreck wondering how woman get through giving birth without knowing how it was all going to happen. She was incredibly organized, kind, and knowledgable. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a compassionate doula that will be there for you every step of the way. You will hire a doula and end up with a great friend!

Heather Guzha

7/27/2016

Jen's role was essential to making the experience I had in the hospital--unlike any other. (I have two other children) She was by my side the whole time and had a bag of tricks that kept coming out to help me during the whole labor.  From massaging my feet to suggesting differing positions--to making sure I understood what doctors were saying, I felt like Jen was on my team and incredibly blessed to have her.  Apart from having Jen as a friend beforehand I felt like that didn't matter, she makes you feel at ease and completely comfortable to be who you are.  If you have the opportunity to have Jen on your team, I wouldn't even blink before I would say her name as someone who would be an incredible asset.

Kelly Allison

7/10/2016

I'd like to begin this testimonial by expressing that I would not have had the exceptional birth experience that I did without the love and support of my doula, Jen Hamilton. Together we were able to draft a birth plan that fit my needs and create a plan for helping me to successfully achieve the unmedicated hospital birth that I so wanted. Jen approaches her role as a doula in a parent-centered and collaborative manner. Not only did she support me and my husband in our birth experience, she also supported our family unit in a systemic and holistic manner both during pregnancy and during the early postpartum weeks. Jen has been a gentle, competent and professional support throughout this entire process and I am forever grateful for her role in the birth of our son.