Shira B.

7/18/2023

We chose Christina to be our doula for the birth of our second child. I didn't get to have a doula at the birth of my first due to hospital rules at the beginning of the pandemic, so I was excited to have a doula at all. But working with Christina ended up being about so much more than just support during birth! I ended up needing quite a bit of support during my last 9 weeks of pregnancy and Christina was absolutely up for the challenge. 

I also had the opportunity to join Christina's Hypnobabies class. I had used Hypnobabies for my first birth, but I did a home study course that time. Taking the hybrid Hypnobabies class with her was a great experience that I would recommend to any prospective doula clients - first, because she teaches it really well, and second, because it's a great way to get extra face time and get to know each other better toward the end of pregnancy.

When I was about 32 weeks along, I learned my baby was breech. I was planning to give birth at a birth center and they are not allowed to support breech births there, so I started to try everything I could to get my baby to turn. Christina was  absolutely along for the journey and helped me navigate a lot of emotions and big decisions that come along with having a breech baby. She also accompanied me to my ECV appointment and helped me use Hypnobabies techniques while the doctor tried to turn my baby. When my ECV was unsuccessful, Christina supported me in my decision to have a vaginal breech birth. Her support during the birth and postpartum was wonderful. She is a kind, genuine, supportive, and generous person and I would highly recommend her as a doula!

Ella Sommer

3/20/2022

Christina was not only such a supportive presence to have during the birth of our second child, but also a wonderful resource during pregnancy and the postpartum period as well. Our son absolutely loved every time she came to visit, and kept asking when she would be coming back! She went above and beyond answering all of our questions, and we so appreciated that she was also our instructor for Hypnobabies. The strategies for having a calmer birth and Christina's knowledge were instrumental in us having the birth experience we wanted. We highly recommend her! 

Emily Wallace

3/5/2022

Christina was recommeded to me personally by a close friend of mine and she was amazing. The resources she gave to my partner and I were invaluable. I felt SO much more prepared for the birth experience and I credit Christina for that. During my daughter's birth, she was a calm and reassuring presence, and the encouragement she gave me was so helpful.   I trusted her and felt very safe in her care.  I was not very familiar with what doulas did prior to my pregnancy and the birth of my daughter, but I will recommend doula services (and specifically Christina!) to any friend or acquaintance who might become pregnant in the future.  I also felt more prepared to breastfeed because of the resources that Christina shared with me.  I'm very grateful to her, and will be definitely keeping her in mind if I decide to have another child in the future. 

Laura J

10/31/2021

Christina was amazing. I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done without her.
From the very beginning she showed genuine interest in me and my birth plan and did everything she could to help my plan come to fruition.  As I got closer to my due date, my bithplan started to change rather drastically due to my baby being breech. Even then, Christina was vigilant in helping me try and find alternative options and providers that would accommodate me.  On top of that, due to my husband getting Covid right before I went into labor and not being able to be with me in the hospital, Christina was my sole support system, and she did not disappoint.  It was a very hard and long labor, but she was there continuing to encourage me, providing counter pressure, seeing my needs and meeting them before I expressed them and suggesting new birthing positions to help with my labor.  In general, she was a continuous bright spot during a really tough day.  Even after birth she reached out regularly to check in and provide any advice or offer help. I couldn’t ask for a better and more supportive doula.
 
Basically, she was worth every penny and then some :)

Treasure S

12/5/2020

Here are a few words to describe Christina: compassionate, informed, open, professional, warm, genuine, delightful, kind.

I am convinced that having her as our doula made all the difference in our amazing birth experience. She assisted with good evidence-based information to help make empowered and informed care choices. Her supportive and compassionate presence during my labor helped me feel safe, strong and confident in the power of my body. With her support, I was able to have a hospital birth that was as close to my original (birth center) birth plan as possible. I know that her support and encouragement were priceless to my husband, as well, and allowed him to calmly and confidently take on the role of birth partner. I additionally appreciated that Christina was supportive of, and knowledgeable about Hypnobabies, which we used to create a comfortable and harmonious birth experience.

Christina’s assistance did not end once our baby was born. In so many helpful and beautiful ways, she reached out beyond the official call of duty and supported our new family through its earliest challenges. With her coaching and cheerleading, I was able to breastfeed my baby after nearly a month of IBCLC appointments, adapted feeding, a tongue-tie revision, a surprise stay at Children’s Hospital, and other obstacles. When I felt like giving up, I leaned on Christina, and her nonjudgmental encouragement strengthened my resolve and, I believe, ultimately contributed to our breastfeeding success. I remain eternally grateful for the highest quality of respect and genuine care we received.

I highly recommend Christina’s doula services to any birthing person with the knowledge that her support was instrumental in facilitating a beautiful, joyous, and empowered birth experience for my family. 

Kate Schlagel

11/23/2020

Christina is an amazing doula!

When my husband and I interviewed her, I was impressed by her extensive knowledge and how much information she was willing to share with us -- even before we decided to hire her. I could tell that she was passionate about birth work and truly loved educating others. I also felt a calm confidence about her, which I knew would be exactly what I needed during my labor.

My husband and I dreamt about an unmedicated birth at a birth center and Christina was an essential part of making that dream a complete success. She was there with us every step of the way, offering guidance, support (emotional and phyiscal), and humor. She anticipated our needs beautifully and was a steady source of positivity, calm, and confidence. There were many moments along the way where I doubted myself or when fears overwhelmed me and Christina was always by my side helping me through those fears and cheering me on.

After our son was born, Christina checked in on us almost daily. She helped us discover that our son had tongue and lip ties and provided crucial resources to getting us the help we needed. As new parents, having Christina available to answer questions and offer guidance was beyond helpful. She was a beacon of information and support when we were still getting our bearings.

I am eternally grateful for Christina's presence in our birth story and would hire her again in a heartbeat should we decide to have another child.

Brittany Schwartzwald

8/8/2020

We were blessed to have Christina attend the births of our two children (2017 & 2020). The care she provides during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum is exceptional. She is always willing to go out of her way to answer questions and provide support. I’m 10 days postpartum, and she still texts me daily to see how we are doing. Her calming presence during birth brought me so much peace and I was lucky to have her by my side. My first birth was in the hospital and she helped me achieve a pain medication free birth and was an amazing support person for both me and my husband. She used counter-pressure the entire time to keep me comfortable (over 11 hours). My second birth was an extremely quick home birth, and she arrived when I was in transition. She did an awesome job keeping me calm until my midwives arrived. She used hypnobabies cues and knew exactly what to do until they got there. We laugh because during my first birth, she told me to get on the toilet in transition to relax and help me dilate faster (it worked!). And this time she told me to get off the toilet so my baby wouldn’t be born without my midwives there. We joke that it was two of the most critical pieces of information we have ever received. I can’t recommend Christina enough and can’t imagine giving birth without her support. We are so lucky to have her and feel like she is part of our family!

Nicole Wangler

1/8/2019

Christina was wonderful. She has a very calm and sure presence that really helped me feel confident in myself. She seems to have a great intuition as to exactly what needed to be done to help me during labor - applying pressure in the right spot, getting me moving, making sure I stayed hydrated throughout my labor, and helping to guide my partner as to how best to support me. I was able to achieve my goal of a successful VBAC in the birth tub and am confident that it was in no small part due to Christina's presence and support.

Brittany Buboltz

2/9/2018

This testimonial is long overdue! We hired Christina for our doula after alot of debate over hiring a doula at all. She was the second one we interviewed and were leaning heavily against hiring one until we met her. Then it was a done deal. Christina is extremely knowledgeable about everything pregnancy related and her passion for what she does is so beautiful.

This was our first pregnancy and we are so thankful for the education she provided us. You do not learn much at prenatal OB appointments! After just our interview with her we had learned SO much and we hadn't even hired her yet. Fast forward 2 months postpartum and I had complications, needed surgery, and she still was providing us with support and information we needed to know about surgery meds and breastfeeding.

The main reason we were interested in a doula to begin with was because I wanted an all natural, drug free delivery and was nervous delivering in a hospital. Although my husband was great during labor I don't know if I would have succeeded with my drug free birth without her extra hands, great ideas, and continuous support and encouragement. She made me feel safe in an environment that was new to me and a situation I felt vulnerable in. Her presence alone gave me so much strength. For her I am so grateful. My delivery was quick, without complications, and completely drug free.

Lastly she gave us a gift we will treasure forever. She photographed our delivery and captured the most amazing moments of our lives. Her shots were brilliant and I cry every time I look back at them. I wasn't expecting such amazing pictures at all. I wish they weren't so intimate so I could share them with the world. She claims she's not a professional photographer but her pictures say otherwise!

Christina is so good at what she does. If you're even considering a doula hire Christina. You won't regret it.

Thanks Christina for being a part of the best experience of our lives!

Chelsie Todd

2/8/2018

Of all the decisions we made in preparation for the birth of our daughter, hiring Christina was the best one.  Thanks to her support and knowledge, our labor went as smoothly as one can hope for, and I can look back on our little one's birthday without any remorse or regret.  Additionally her prenatal and postpartum support helped us to adjust to our new roles as parents.  She was able to provide evidence-based recommendations for breastfeeding and pumping, teach us about newborn care and development, and check in on our mental well-being in the critical weeks after birth.  Additionally, our baby was born on a holiday, and she was still there to support us through the whole process.

Even two and a half months later, as the finer details of labor/delivery and the first two weeks postpartum slip away, I feel just as grateful for her support as ever.  If you're considering hiring a doula for your little one's arrival, you should definitely consider Christina!

Stacy Chalupsky

5/24/2017

Christina in one word is amazing!  She is extremely knowledgable and you can tell she really loves what she does.  She met with us three times before our baby came and in those three visits we discussed everything about what to expect before, during and after labor.  We also discussed options for pain managment and she helped us develop a birth plan.  She was so supportive of any choices we made and answered every question we had, and we had a lot!  These pre-delivery sessions alone were well worth hiring her!

When it came time for our baby to arrive, Christina's presence was soothing!  My labor progressed faster then the doctors expected so having that extra someone to stay with my husband and I was crutial.  She and my husband worked together to use massage, breathing techniques, and pressure points to manage my pain.  They then advocated for me when I was ready to use medication for the pain.  At one point during delivery, my husband was feeling in the way, but Christina was there to let him know that his place was right by my side and reassured him that if the nurses needed him to move they would ask.  Her calming nature and support not only to me but to my husband was greatly appreciated!  On top of all the incredible support, Christina also was able to take some amazing picture of our family in the seconds after my son was born! These pictures are priceless and we are so grateful to have them!

Christina also set up two postpartum visits to make sure we were all adjusting well.  Her tea for baths and cool pads were much needed for my healing and smell amazing!

There aren't enough words to express how lucky my husband and I were to find Christina! The experience we had with her before, during and after the birth of our son was beyond anything we could have hoped for.  She is such a gentle, sweet soul and was truly meant to be a doula!  Thank you Christina!

Brittany Schwartzwald

5/2/2017

We are so grateful to have Christina as our doula! Her calming presence and birthing techniques during labor made it a positive experience for both of us. She is extremely knowledgeable and spent several hours with us before labor, educating us on a wide range of topics (birth plan, labor techniques, breastfeeding, postpartum, etc.) We had our baby 3.5 weeks early, so many parts of our original birth plan could not happen, like a water birth. Christina was beyond supportive and helped us adjust our plan. We can honestly say we would not have achieved a natural childbirth without her help and will be forever grateful! The pictures she took during labor were amazing and we will cherish them forever. She even stopped by the night we got home from the hospital and delivered a postpartum bath soak that has been essential for healing. Having her by our side during labor has made her feel like part of our family. We highly recommend her!

Megan Mahlum

1/28/2017

We cannot begin to Thank Christina for all of her amazing work with our family for the birth of our first child in November 2016. Her knowledge, positive attitude and calming presence reassured us that hiring a Doula was an absolute must as part of our Birth plan. Each meeting Christina brought us educational material and helped bring my husband and I closer together in understanding our birth process and making a birth plan that met our needs. I know I can still text/contact Christina with any questions or concerns and she would help in a heartbeat, connecting with me information, people and resources! We cannot more highly recommend Christina to anyone looking for a caring and compassionate birth Doula. Thank you for everything Christina!

Kati G

6/15/2016

Dear Christina,

Thank you so much for being our doula!  You were such a wonderful, supportive addition to our birth team :-). I really appreciate all the emails and extra info you sent my way.  Also the dinner run, bath herbs, and picking up and dropping off the placenta caps. . . A thousand thanks!  You really gave us a positive pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum experience and I cannot thank you enough for that.  It's such an intimate experience and I felt so comfortable with you and cared for!  You are going to continue to be a great doula - what a great fit for your personality.  Not everyone can do a job like that!  Thank you for being a part of my awesome birth story :-).  I just looked at the photos you took . . . Wow, I will treasure those.

Sincerely,

Kati and family

Stacy Gottwaldt

5/7/2016

Christina has been beyond phenomenal in every aspect of being my Doula before, during, and after my delivery.  I trust can't recommend her more!  She has a gentleness and knowledge base, as well as being one of the most sincere and kind-hearted people I've had the pleasure to know.  She was the best blend of by my side, holding my hand, helping me to the bathroom, whatever I needed through to the final push.  Christina was also excellent at going with my personal preferences as I chose but she knows the gamet from natural to beyond.  Chritina cared enough to make me and my healthy baby girl and sent me home with some awesome soothing products.  She is still checking up on me after birth and has done extra visits out of the goodness of her ? heart with my post-partum depression.  I sing Christina's praises and gladly recommend her as your partner in your special journey.  Sincerely, Stacy G.