Wren

7/25/2024

Heather was an amazing resource throughout pregnancy and postpartum! Her support was incredible and I am so grateful for all the ways she taught me to protect and safely exercise my abdominals and pelvic floor. Her energy is just a ball of sunshine and she is a fantastic person to have in your corner.

I truly couldn't recommend Heather enough!

Sara Leeper

5/17/2024

I don't know if "thank you" will ever adequatly express how grateful we were to have Heather as our Doula during the birth of our first baby. Heather is incredibly warm, friendly and inviting from the moment that you first meet her. She takes the time to get to know you and your stories. Her PT knowledge helped me prep my body to be in the best possible shape prior to delivery (vaginal delivery).

When it came time to give birth, we had to be induced so a lot of our birth plan was no longer relevant, but she helped inform us about all the possible options and the pros/cons to each one. Induction + birth lasted 29 grueling hours, and she was there with us every step of the way. During a very long and painful night and next day, Heather stayed upbeat, positive and was the very person we needed to lean on in some of the most intense and emotional hours of our lives. When it came time to push, baby girl was born in 20 mins and about 5 contractions. I had ONE very minimal tear that didn't even need stitches, and I credit Heather for that! Post partum, she was there checking in on us via text and providing helpful info about what we were experiencing. 

We feel like Heather is forever a part of our lives and certainly part of the journey in terms of the birth of our daughter. We'd like to "reserve" Heather for our second (timing TBD!!). 

Diana Vorobyev

12/14/2023

Heather was our doula for two births, although I wish we met her sooner so that she could have been our doula for all four of them! Heather is attentive and seems to know exactly what to do in all of the right times whether it's during pregnancy, labor or postpartum. She has helped me to stay strong through the toughest times of labor and has helped my husband to be a better support person during labor. Heather is very well educated in all things birth related and even when I had questions that she wasn't sure about she reached out and found answers from other professionals, I really appreciated all of her knowledge and effort. We are truly grateful she came into our life!

Anna S

8/9/2022

We feel very lucky to have found both Ami Rickson and Heather as our birth doulas. From our initial impression, both Ami and Heather were exceptional listeners as we explained what we wanted out of our birth experience. Ami was our initial choice as doula and we had a chance to meet her in person as she explained the typical hospital birthing process as well as some examples of positions that would be comfortable during labor or would help make progress during labor. Unfortunately, Ami fell ill when our labor started, and Heather was her chosen backup.

After a brief FaceTime call to introduce us, we met Heather for the first time in the hospital just as I was entering active labor. Heather continually impressed us with her caring energy throughout the whole process. As she guided us through various birth positions in the bed and shower, she also made a point to check in on my husband’s emotional state as well. Somehow, Heather managed to stay awake all day and all night as she captured copious amounts of notes about every action that took place in the delivery room, including medication doses, positions attempted, doctor’s and nurses comments and advices. She stayed to the very end and helped get the new baby to latch on to my breast right away. All in all, after the entire process she was awake for 36 hrs straight. Both Ami and Heather continued to keep in touch with us after the birth as well, to make sure we were doing ok and to answer those kind of ‘is this normal’ kind of questions postpartum. Overall, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND both Heather and Ami as birth doulas and would certainly use their services again if the situation arises!

Joanna Mosher

7/11/2022

Heather is wonderful! She ended up being my back-up doula when I went into labor and my doula was at another birth. So I didn't meet Heather until I was in active labor. I went into active labor quickly and she arrived right away to the birth center and immediately was by my side helping me through contractions. I felt so supported by her energy and hands-on comfort. My midwives were later surprised to learn she was my back-up and assumed we already knew each other! She has such a positive energy and supportive presence. She was so encouraging and I don't think I could have gotten my unmedicated VBAC without her! She jumped in right away to do whatever was needed and was also very supportive of my husband. She took great notes so I have a record of my labor and came to my postpartum doula visit along with my original doula. She is also very knowledgeable about comfort measures and positioning. I would highly recommend Heather! 

Gemma & Rafi

12/7/2021

We absolutely loved working with Heather. From the first meeting, she provided honesty, information, and encouragement to do things our way. We were supported throughout the entire process. 

As first-timers, we didn't know what to expect. Heather helped us understand pros and cons of the care team we had been working with that helped us ultimately find THE PERFECT approach for our birth. There was never judgement - just straightforward information about how to make the health care and birth system work the best way for us. 

We also loved taking the Evidence Based Birth class with Heather, and participating in yoga classes (prenatal and "baby and me"). She has a bright, fun, positive energy that keeps spirits high and makes stressful moments melt away.  I can't imagine our experience without her (and luckily I won't ever have to). 

Shannon K

9/21/2021

My family and I had the BEST experience with Heather! We had an extremely traumatic birth that resulted in an emergency C-section at 32 weeks. Most people say "you shouldn't need a doula for a c-section." WRONG.  We called heather that morning and told her the birth was happening at 5pm. Being the amazing human she is, she planned to be there hours before 5. When the docs came and said we needed to go hours earlier without warning for emergency, we were pleasantly surprised that Heather was parking! Because it was an emergency Heather and my husband were not able to join me until I was already being operated on but once she was there she helped to remind my husband to help me breathe and stay calm. After the birth my husband had to go with our son to the NICU so Heather was there to hold my hand as I was sewn up and also made sure since I missed out my golden hour that I didn't miss out on hand expression of colostrum post op. She stayed in constant text communication with my husband so I knew what was happening in the NICU. We are SO GRATEFUL for heather and all her post op check ins, she genuinely cares for you and your family!

Brekke

4/26/2021

I highly recommend Heather as a doula. She stepped in seamlessly as our back-up doula during labor and delivery since our original doula was already attending another birth. She radiates warmth and has such positive energy. During her time with us at the hospital she took such great care of us and put us at ease. 

Her knowledge and feedback was invaluable as we reviewed the different intervention options the medical staff was providing. When in labor you can't always think for yourself during intense moments and she advocated for us and made sure I understood different options. I was actually able to avoid some unwanted interventions with the information she provided. I am incredibly grateful for this and it allowed me to have my dream labor. It was a relaxed unmedicated birthing experience at the hospital that left me with all the wonderful feel good hormones! Go get yourself a doula!

Tara

3/16/2021

We had an amazing birth experience with Heather by our side, I can't recommend her enough. Whatever your choices or preferences, Heather will support you 1,000% and has the experience and skills to back it up, especially with her background in PT. We had a different doula for our first birth and our experience with Heather was markedly better, she significantly exceeded our expectations. From her positive attitude to hands on approach, you won't be disappointed. 

Rachel Barrett

1/26/2021

From now on I will always recommend having a doula to the pregnant ladies in my life; having Heather's support during pregnancy was a huge blessing! She is well educated, and has such a sweet personality. I think anyone would get along with her! She is incredibly caring, intentional, and thoughtful. Before, during, and after the birth she had everything covered. Whether it was educating me, answering questions, helping me prepare for labor and baby, taking photos during labor, comforting me during labor, or supporting postpartum, Heather was a vital person to have in my team. During labor I knew she was someone I could trust and who I was safe with. Even after birth, she didn't rush to go home. She was by my side for everything, encouraging and supporting me. She was there for it all! Heather is thoroughly supportive, genuine, and shows the utmost kindness at all times. 

Amanda Cortés

1/3/2021

Heather is an incredible doula and EBB instructor. She stepped in as our doula in my last month of pregnancy when our original doula wasn't able to attend our birth. Despite becoming clients of Heather's late into our process, she gave us wonderful care, support and attention. We are so grateful we found our way to her for the birth of our baby. 

Heather was there for us every step of the way before, during and after birth. Her knowledge, skills, experience and intuition made me feel empowered, safe and strong during my labor and birthing time. She made my partner feel included, supported and empowered as well. Her positive, gentle and supportive energy is exactly what we needed to have the birth we wanted, which meant laboring at home with her support and having an unmedicated birth at a birth center, also with her support.

During labor and birth Heather helped us with comfort measures and worked seamlessly with our midwives to help our baby arrive. In the final moments of labor, her encouraging words helped me find the strength I needed to bring my baby into the world. Before and after the birth, she responded to our questions with lighting speed via text and when we needed lactation support, Heather tapped into her community to find us the resources we needed. During postpartum visits, she helped us process our birth experience and showed us helpful tips and tricks for newborn care.

Heather went above and beyond anything we could have asked for. We were lucky to have her as our EBB Instructor and as our doula. We highly recommend Heather for anyone looking to have a positive and empowered labor and birth experience.     

Jenny Hirschey

10/29/2020

Heather is one of the greatest women I have ever met. From just our initial consult of an hour at a coffee shop (pre-Covid) when I was a couple of months pregnant I knew I needed Heather at my birth. She's one of those people who has an energy and spirit you just want to be around.

My husband and I were preparing for the birth our first child. In the time leading up to our birth she gave us so much knowledge and support and never once made us feel overwhelmed or intimidated when we asked questions. 

Half way through my pregnancy Covid came to be. We were uncertain if we'd be able to have Heather at our birth, but she continued to prepare us and guide us through the process in such uncertain and scary times. 

Thankfully, just weeks before the arrival of our baby, our hospital announced that doulas were once again welcome for deliveries. 

I had a long one.. 23+ hours of labor and 4 hours of pushing...without any pain meds. I NEVER could have done it without Heather. I repeat...NEVER could have done it. She was the greatest support and better yet guided my husband to be the best partner as the three of us made the birth of our sweet son happen. 

No matter what type of birth you are invisioning, having Heather By your side is by far the greatest decision you can make. 

And the best part is even after the birth she's there for you! I feel like I could reach out to her at any stage and she'd be there for us to give advice, listen or support us. 

Whitney and Drew

8/4/2020

We have had the privilege of knowing Heather since 2017 when she was the doula for the birth of our son. When we found out we were expecting again, we knew we wanted Heather to be there with us for the birth of our daughter. Aside from our family, Heather was one of the first people we told! Her knowledge, experience, positivity and calming nature helped make each birth experience (while each very different) beautiful and rewarding for both of us.

She is immensely knowledgeable and you could feel the joy she has in sharing her knowledge in each meeting we had with her leading up to and after the births. Even as second-time parents, the information Heather shared helped us feel even more prepared for birth, recovery and our family transitions.

Through both births, she guided us through the myriad of decisions to be made and empowered us to feel safe and confident in those decisions - including switching our provider and birth location during the pandemic.

We would highly recommend Heather for anyone looking for a doula. She truly is the  best.

Jill Rablin

4/16/2020

Our experience with Heather was nothing but positive! From the moment we met her, we knew we wanted to hire her as our doula. She's SO friendly and her positivity is contagious! We could also tell right away how smart and experienced she is - she knows A LOT and always had so much helpful information to share with us. 

We did a few prenatal visits where Heather came over to our house, as well as a few phone calls and several texts leading up to the big day. She is SO responsive, which we always appreciated. She'd check in with my husband and me frequently just to say hi or congratulate us on a milestone during the pregnancy. Thanks to Heather, my husband and I had the information we needed to write our birth preferences for our care team and she alleviated so much anxiety we were feeling as first-time parents!

Unfortunately, the Coronavirus pandemic prevented Heather from attending the birth in person, but she made herself 100% available virtually. She also did a few postnatal visits with us to talk through everything we were experiencing as new parents including breastfeeding, postpartum healing, etc. It was so nice to touch base with her again to ask her tons of questions!

We can't thank Heather enough for her support and highly recommend her!!

Melissa

12/30/2019

I strongly recommend Heather as a doula.  I had a breeched baby and was planning a c-section at 39 weeks.  At 38 weeks, during a regular check-up, I learned the baby had flipped so that I didn't necessarily need surgery (yeah!), but that I had elevated blood pressure.  As a result, I was sent to the hospital immediately and diagnosed with preeclampsia.  Labor was induced medicinally and I was in 4 days of labor with IVs and other unanticipated complications. Heather, partnering with another doula, was present for all the key decisions, active labor, and delivery over the four days, supporting both me and my husband so that we could deliver without surgery.  She was also able to scope questions to help us make informed decisions and reinforce our wishes.  Because my labor was so long, having two doulas partner together meant that one of the doulas was available when needed during the 4 days and no one was overtired and thus unable to support us -- an ideal situation for us.

Additionally, the pre-birth sessions were helpful in clarifying expectations, providing useful exercises to support flipping a breeched baby, and managing labor. Additionally, it was particularly helpful for helping my husband to understand the process and know how to be supportive before, during, and after birth. She was even able to provide resources and answer questions over text.

I would hire Heather, partnering with another doula, again without hesitation. I strongly recommend her for someone who wants a doula who supports evidence-based methods, non-judgmental about the types of decisions made during the labor process, and is a positive presence during the birth process.

Sonja

12/23/2019

I can't say enough amazing things about Heather. She truly made our labor and birth experience so rewarding. We wanted to be active and involved in our labor and birth of our son and we could not feel more so. Heather helped my husband support me in the best possible way and she help support him when he would not have taken care of himself. She had what seems like limitless ideas, resources, and techniques for every birthing scenario - and we truly needed them all. Without her we would have been floundering. Heather gave us confidence and made us feel so safe, informed, and prepared. I had a 38 hour labor and finally delivered a 12 lbs. 6 oz. baby boy via C-section. While we certainly would not have chosen a C-section originally, after knowing his size we know it was for the best. Having Heather there with us throughout the entire process gave us the confidence to know that choosing the C-section after 38 hours of labor was the right choice and that we had done everything we could for a natural labor and delivery. I have no regrets about how everything went and I think we truly owe that to Heather. I would choose her again in a heartbeat. 

Vanessa and Kyle Davis

11/1/2019

Our experience with Heather was amazing! We highly recommend her as a Doula, especially for first-time parents. She made us feel comfortable and confident right away.

Her prenatal visits were so informative. She really took the time to discuss our birth preferences and ensure we were all on the same page. She also gave us several positions and movements to practice at home together that were very helpful in early labor before meeting up with her. After our last prenatal session, we felt confident in our birth plan and prepared for the uncertainty that labor and delivery can bring.

Heather is always learning and growing as a Doula. It was reassuring knowing she is educated in the most up to date techniques and evidence based practices. Her knowledge of the hospitals in the area and midwife/OB groups helped us make an educated change at 28 weeks. That change to a different midwife group and delivery hospital made a huge difference in our overall birth experience.

With Heather as our Doula, we were able to have a successful natural birth with no interventions. Choosing Heather to be a part of our birth was one of the best decisions we made early on in our pregnancy. You will not be disappointed!

Jessica Barman

9/11/2019

We cannot say enough about the support we received from Heather! She is such a positive person, bringing a key essence to our birth team. Heather is clearly passionate about her field and continues to learn more with all of the programs she is apart of, specifically Evidence-Based Birth. She was very knowledgeable when it came to all the questions we had (and we had a lot as first time parents). Her background in physical therapy was reassuring as well as her focus on important strengthening activities before and after birth, specifically prenatal yoga and core and floor classes for postpartum. I owe my successful (no interventions) birth to Heather as she helped guide my partner and I in a way that was as empowering as it was gracious, creating a birth environment that was fearless and even fun at times. We deliverd our beautiful, very big (9lb 11oz, 23") baby in the water - fulfilling a lifelong dream for me. I have and will continue to recommend Heather as a doula and yoga instructor for all birthing people.

Trina and Trevor Anthony

8/29/2019

Partnering with Heather as our doula was, hands down, the best decision we made during our birth process of our first child. My husband and I moved to Minneapolis from out of state for work about 6 months prior to finding out we were expecting and do not have a network of friends or family in the area. We decided to search for a doula to give us some additional support for our first birth experience. Heather provided not only the support we were looking for, but was also instrumental in making our birth experience more positive than I could have ever imagined. She provided incredible education to us pre-birth, ongoing encouragement and a shoulder to lean on during uncertain times, comforting postpartum follow-ups and breastfeeding education, and the absolute best support during labor. Her positive approach is the most impactful part of her work. From the language that she uses, to her extremely positive outlook on birth and life itself, to her holistic methods of preparing for childbirth - her positivity is contagious and had an enormous impact on my birth experience.

Heather was family to us during our childbirth experience. I had the most positive, amazing birth experience and I honestly can't imagine what it would've been like without Heather by my side.

Katrina D.

6/19/2019

I don't even know where to begin with how amazing our experience was with Heather. From the very first meeting, my husband and I felt like we had known Heather for years. Her energetic but calming presence was exactly what we were looking for in a birth doula.

Prior to the birth, Heather provided us with two in-home visits, going over valuable information and resources, discussing our birth options and preferences, and walking us through a variety of positions and comfort measures. These visits were invaluable to us, as they helped build our confidence and preparedness for the medication-free Birth Center birth we had hoped for.

Having Heather on our birth team was by far one of the best decisions we made. She provided us support while also empowering us to be in charge of our birth experience. We had the calm, peaceful, natural birth of our dreams thanks in large part to Heather's gentle, positive spirit and the knowledge and experience she has gained from years in the profession. Heather’s doula practice is informed by her background in yoga and physical therapy, which we found very valuable.

After our son was born, Heather visited us in our home two more times to follow up, provide support for the postpartum time, and go over our birth experience—she took extremely detailed notes about the timeline and captured things I never would have remembered had it not been for her. At 5 weeks postpartum, we continue to stay in touch through her other lines of work as well. I have enjoyed attending Heather’s Prenatal and Baby Yoga classes and look forward to trying out her Core and Floor class to learn more about re-strengthening my pelvic floor.

Heather often signs off her emails with “Peace and Light.” She truly embodies these two qualities. I could go on and on, but will leave it at this: My husband and I can't recommend Heather enough!

Erin Husom

4/18/2019

I would wholeheartedly recommend Heather to anyone. Heather supported my partner and I through our first pregnancy and birth; she provided us with education, support, kindness, understanding, and so much more. The day after my daughter’s birth, I told Heather that her gift to the world is being a doula, and I can't imagine anyone more suited for or passionate about this work.

During pregnancy, I was so comforted by the fact that I could go to her with any questions or concerns at any time. She was always incredibly accessible and responsive. She did a wonderful job helping my partner and I prepare for birth, and she was a great source of comfort and support during labor. And somehow amidst the intimate task of supporting someone through pregnancy and labor, she maintained a high level of professionalism and complete lack of judgement. Heather helped explain our options, but my partner and I made and owned all of the decisions. I cannot emphasize how important this was, as the world of birthing can be so full of ideas around “right” and “wrong” ways to have a baby. I also attended Heather’s prenatal yoga classes, and I was very grateful for this chance got us to get to know one another better before the birth.

During labor I was so thankful to have Heather as an incredibly knowledgeable advocate, dedicated to facilitating the birth experience I desired. She helped me understand what my body was going through, tirelessly helped us weigh options and make decisions, and questioned or pushed back to the providers when necessary. And when all of my birth preferences had to abandoned for the safety of my baby, I was even more thankful to have her there to explain what was going on during the surgical birth that I never imagined having. I was also able to find peace in accepting this outcome because, thanks to Heather, I felt confident we had tried every single thing possible to avoid it.

Carla Hall Willette

4/10/2019

Where to begin with all the many amazing things to say about Heather! From start to finish she was such a joy- helpful and professional, compassionate and nurturing. She was our guide and support during one of the most emotional and magical experiences of life.

I greatly appreciated her clear and thoughtful communication throughout the entire process, from pregnancy through birth, as well as during the fragile days following the birth. Heather was very thorough in the information she provided and in preparing us for the birth in advance, and was with us every step of the way during birth. We were so grateful to have her expertise and extensive birthing knowledge and truly feel she was an essential part of our brithing experience.  

Jackie

3/27/2019

I couldn't imagine my L&D without Heather.

We met with 4 other potential doulas, but from our initial email exchange I had a good feeling about Heather. We were able to schedule our initial meet and greet through an online scheduler (perfect for my Type A self). She was flexible and offered to come to the house since we also had to work around our toddler's schedule. Heather came prepared with notes and information, which was very helpful since this was our first experience hiring a doula. 

Although this was our second birth, Heather's pre-natal visits included great reminders and education of childbirth. We also practiced some techniques and positions that we could (and did) use during labor. During labor, Heather provided a great balance of involving my husband and taking charge as needed. I liked her extensive experience with mamas delivering at Methodist Hospital. She even knew where to find all the paraphernalia in the various triage and delivery rooms as if she worked there. :-) My birth wishes included an epidural-free experience and I would not have been able to do so had it not been for Heather's continuous mental and physical support, breathing reminders, and her knowledge of options.

An extra bonus is that since Heather teaches small classes of prenatal yoga, I was able to get to know her and check in with her a lot before the birth, outside of the 2 prenatal visits. I now take baby yoga and family yoga at her studio with a wonderful community of mamas, many of whom I had gotten to know at prenatal yoga.

I would highly recommend Heather and wish I would have had her with us for our firstborn!

Caitlin Gregg

3/24/2019

My husband and I had the incredible opportunity to work with Heather Struwe as our Doula during our pregnancy and at the birth of our Daughter. Heather is a gifted Doula who exudes passion and compassion for the entire birthing process. Heather was a warm smile and hug as well as a knowledgeable leader and coach throughout our birthing experience. The confidence she brought us when we were anxious and worried about my high risk pregnancy, allowed us to relax and enjoy every moment of the delivery process (even the uncomfortable parts).

The first time we met Heather she greeted us with a smile and open arms. She took the time to teach and guide us through all of the decisions and experiences we would have during labor and delivery. Each time we met with Heather was the same, huge smile and big hugs.

We would highly recommend Heather as a Doula and feel fortunate to have had her by our sides.

Renee

3/2/2019

Heather was simply wonderful to work with during our pregnancy journey.  She is an expert in her field and excuded confidence, warmth and strength to both me as the birthing parent and to my partner throughout our whole pregnancy and delivery.  She provides dedicated, thorough educational sessions leading up to the birth and her support post partum is equally thoughtful and helpful.  She coached us through 27 hours of labor and a safe delivery, supporting us every step of the way.  As an added bonus, Heather also teaches pre-natal yoga which allowed me to work with her more intentionally leading up to the birth.  I highly recommend Heather to any person or couple who is thinking about hiring a doula.  

Lynn C

11/15/2018

1000% would recommend Heather!
Heather was our doula and my prenatal yoga instructor.
This journey into first time parenthood would look completely different without Heather.

Her guidance as a doula gave us the mental preparedness, information we needed, and peace of mind of knowing we could rely on her anytime for answering questions.
Her guidance as a yogi during pregnancy gave me the physical preparedness for opening my body for childbirth, positioning for labor, birth and recovery.

During the birth itself, I was not in a place to answer questions from medical staff; nor to do much other than focus on breath and the moment. All I had the space for was hearing directions. Heather magically had the right things to say. As a coach, a cheerleader, and advocate.

I have put thought into it, and I literally could not have done this without Heather. My partner and I are SO grateful for her.
The whole experience has been more comforting, and went smoother than navigating on our own. We truly owe it to having Heather on our team.

Small words for helping us with the greatest gift in life. Thank you, Heather, for everything you do!

Justine Ahmadvand

10/30/2018

Short story: Heather is AMAZING. Hire her now.

Long story: With my first pregnancy I had every detail planned out and wanted to take an all natural approach. I had a doula hired within the first few months and let’s say nothing went according to planned. My doula didn’t show until after I caved and got the epidural.

Fast forward to my second pregnancy, with an almost two year old in tow, everything went by much faster and I had no time to plan anything. I accepted the fact that I’d probably just go w the flow this time and take the pain meds again or whatever. Needless to say I made it to 3 weeks prior to my due date and something in my head flipped. I decided I needed to once again try to for a natural birth so I set up two interviews with two different doulas. The first was with Heather.

Within seconds of meeting Heather I knew she’d be the one! Heather was so friendly and made my husband and I feel at ease right away. She went through her whole doula process w us and made me feel a natural birth could be possible this time around.

We had two prenatal visits w Heather prior to the birth and she went over everything we could possible need to know including techniques my husband could use before and during labor. We felt she had covered just as much as our 6 week birthing classes did the first pregnancy, if not more in just those two short visits.

My birth was extremely fast this time around (all natural, yay!). So fast that Heather made it just in time for the baby to arrive. Again, not according to planned, but I would hire her on again without question if I have a third child. Without the techniques Heather taught us to use prior to birth we wouldn’t have had the amazing birth experience we did. She is amazing and thorough and likely one of the best out there!

Elizabeth Kratochwill

4/25/2018

I cannot say enough positive things about my experience with Heather.

I first encountered Heather as a prenatal yoga instructor. I was instantly drawn to her calming demeanor and her encyclopedic knowledge of movement & physiology. I knew both of those traits would be valuable in the delivery room.

When my husband met Heather, he was immediately comfortable with her. He appreciated her presence as another level of support, and never felt she was overstepping or overshadowing his role during our son's birth.

During labor and delivery Heather had an endless supply of suggestions for pain management, as well as techniques to ensure labor progressed. With her assistance and encouragement, contractions continued to be manageable...and suddenly it was time to push! I sincerely do not believe I would have been able to have an unmedicated natural delivery without her.

And the relationship did not end just because the baby was born. Since the birth of our son, Heather has continued to make herself accessible for lactation education, postnatal fitness suggestions, and general emotional support. She is ALWAYS available. She responds to text messages within minutes, even in the middle of the night. And she sends milestone text messages, like when my baby turned one month old, to celebrate him and wish us well.

I am so grateful to have found Heather; I love how much of a role she played in my son's birth and my postpartum recovery. If we have more children, I am going to call Heather immediately!

Jenifer Froemming

1/29/2018

I was lucky enough to take a Prenatal yoga class from Heather three years ago.  Her knowledge of the pregnant body and mind made me feel right at home in her weekly class.  In the early part of my first pregnancy, I had never even thought of having a doula but I quickly realized that more than having a doula at my births, it was her that I wanted to be apart of our birth experience.  She gave me comfort in both her knowledge as well as her presence that is in my mind essential.

My two birth experiences (both of which Heather was my doula) could not have been more different.  The first was one in which I went into labor on my own and gave birth to my oldest son 18 hours later.  Heather was there to be both my advocate in the delivery room as well as my husband and my physical and emotional rock.

My second birth experience was a scheduled c-section, and again, although the needs were different due to the circumstances of a surgical birth she provided us again with both her knowledge to help us prepare for a change in our birth plan as well as emotional support to process this new experience.

We both would say how blessed we are that she has become apart of our lives and if we have any more children, we hope that she will again be apart of that experience as it would not feel complete without her!

Amanda DeAngelo

8/26/2017

I am so glad we found Heather to be our birth doula! We had recently moved from the east coast when I found out I was pregnant with my third child. I had used doulas in the past but was now very far away from them. When I first saw that Heather is a PT I knew she would know how movement affects the body better than anyone as I am also a physical therapist. After meeting with her in person, I knew she was who I wanted to support us as a family through this process in a new place with limited other support. She is so warm, friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. Even though it was our third baby, she spent a lot of time with us during prenatal meetings. She was great with my other two children and was able to keep them involved in the process. She taught my 5 year old ways to help me with back pain. My 3 year old still asks if Heather can come over to exercise. On the day I went into labor, Heather recognized that I was likely in labor before I did. She was great about keeping in touch throughout the day. Thankfully, she met us right aqway at the hospital when we went in. She was the one who realized baby was coming right now before the doctor or the nurses were ready. She stayed for a little while to help us with breastfeeding and then gave us space and time just my husband, the baby, and myself. During our post-natal visits she gave us information on so many things but most especially in reminding me to take it easy. I appreciated everything Heather offered for us before, during, and after the birth of our son. However, she really went above and beyond what was expected of her when at 13 days old I had to rush my newborn to the emergency room while my husband was out of town. She met me at the emergency room and stayed with me through all the procedures until things had settled down and she knew I had another support person on the way. I am forever grateful to Heather and would recommend her to anyone!

Tatiana Giraldo

8/16/2017

I met Heather in the prenatal yoga class. I immediately liked her cheerful and positive personality.
We are so grateful that she was our doula! As first time parents we had nothing but questions, and we didn't know what to expect. Heather was a great childbirth educator, explained to us step by step the delivery process, and informed us about possible outcomes, and choices.
Our delivery wasn't what we had planned... At all! We were hoping for a natural, low intervention birth, but our baby decided to be 11 days late, and one thing lead to the other.
After a routine check up, the midwife decided to start ripening the cervix, and that lead to continuous heart rate monitoring, my water broke, that lead to pitosin, IV, baby stressed out... and then the c-section :/
Heather arrived to the hospital promptly after I started taking the pitosin at 2:00 am, and coached me during my contractions, helped me changing positions, walking, and dealing with the pain. When the midwife began talking about a c-section, Heather "translated" for us what was happening, and helped us to made an informed decision.
Heather's knowledge, and professionalism was invaluable for us in the delivery room, and was enormously helpful. We would recommend her to anyone that is looking for a caring, warm, and professional doula.

With love, Tatiana, Nick and Martina

Erica Gates Routa

8/11/2017

I am beyond thankful for inviting Heather to be a part of our birth experience and cannot say enough good things about her. I did not have a doula for the birth of my first child and although I knew it would be beneficial to have a doula, I was very hesitant to spend the money and worried about finding a good fit. My husband was even more hesitant to hire a doula and he now tells everyone how helpful it was to have Heather with us. Heather supported him throughout the experience as well leaving him more empowered and confident in supportming me.

When we first met with Heather, I was drawn to her medical background and extensive experience as well as her warm personality. She spent a ton of time with my husband and I during our prenatal visits and this in and of itself was invaluable. It was so helpful to practice some techniques, talk through our previous experience and think about possibilities with Heather and as a couple. During my labor, Heather was extremely responsive throughout a long time and helpful in listening to my concerns and being able to talk through options before we went to the hospital. As I was almost rerouted do a different hospital and ended up having a midwife I didn’t like I was also so thankful to have a support person there who I knew and felt comfortable with. When Heather met us at the Hospital I was completely defeated and she instantly stepped in and I felt such relief in that moment. She was extremely hands on in providing comfort measures and encouraging and coaching me throughout the labor process. I trusted her experience which helped her to coach me into trying different positions I was resistant to and encouraged me through difficult times when I wanted to give up. So many things about my labor and postpartum experience have felt more positive and I wholeheartedly feel that is largely due to having the support of Heather. My only regret is not having Heather come to our house earlier in the process.

Claire Halpert

4/21/2017

We feel so glad and lucky to have had Heather as our doula for the birth of our first child.  She is one of the most energetic people we've ever met, but also projects a soothing calm, which was exactly what we needed from the moment we first met her, through our prenatal vists, labor, and after.  It's very clear from how Heather runs her practice that she is fully invested in her clients feeling as safe, supported, and settled as possible throughout the whole journey of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.  She spent hours with us during her two prenatal visits which I think were huge for establishing rapport and trust between the three of us before labor.  During labor, I can't imagine what we would've done without her.  My contractions were hard and close together for nearly 20 hours and a number of things did not go entirely according to our hopes. Having her knowledge and calm and another pair of hands as I labored at home before we went in to the hospital was crucial -- and having her there to help navigate the hospital environment was essential.  There is so much to process and many decisions to make and Heather was great about helping us to interpret what was going on, making sure we had space to decide things when possible, and being a knowledgable ear to help us work though decisions (especially important since for much of the time things were too intense for me and so it was great for my husband to have someone to bounce things off). After labor, Heather does two home visits, which were also much needed -- it was especially great to have her visit a couple days after we got home just to help us settle in and process, and to keep the line of communication open with her.  She's remained a very caring presence, checking in and making it clear that she wants to hear from us, throughout the postpartum period. And her baby yoga classes are wonderful -- the best new mother support group I've found!

Kelli Moerke

3/19/2017

A Father’s Perspective:

I imagine that there are a lot of soon-to-be fathers out there that are sitting in the same shoes that I was. I was a first time father with little knowledge of pregnancy, labor, or delivery. My wife approached me because she was interested in hiring a doula and I said, “A Do-What? My wife explained to me what a doula is and I was skeptical. It was clear to me that my wife was nervous about her pregnancy and I could tell that hiring a doula would put her at ease, so I agreed that hiring a doula was a good decision.

We interviewed multiple doulas and hired Heather Struwe. Heather has an infectious personality and was clearly an experienced doula. However, the thing that I was most drawn to was the fact that Heather is very well educated and has a medical background. For me, Heather’s education and training made her resume stand out.

Heather came to our home for educational and planning sessions prior to my wife’s delivery. I found these meetings to be absolutely essential and a vital aspect to our successful delivery. Heather was very organized with these sessions, with about half of the time dedicated to educating us and the other half was devoted to labor and delivery planning.

Labor and delivery is where Heather really shined and became an unbelievable partner for me as the husband/father. My wife labored for over twelve hours and Heather was incredible the whole time. She has a bottomless bag of tricks for labor comfort measures, positions, etc. I truly believe that Heather’s expertise contributed to the success of my wife’s labor and delivery. During labor, Heather became a teammate for me. She supported me, so I could support my wife. She challenged us to remember our plan despite adversity.

In conclusion, Heather’s doula services far surpassed my expectations. I can’t imagine going through this process without Heather.

Aaron Moerke

Angela LaVelle

3/10/2017

I don't even know where to start! I searched several people to be a part of the most incredible experience in our lifetime. When I came across Heather's profile I knew she was the person that we'd work with. From our initial visit (not a handshake but a hug) to postpartum, Heather has been a source of comfort. We had 2 initial visits with her. She meditated with us, showed us various excercises, helped my husband learn various tools to be supportive, and explained the prenatal, delivery, and postnatal expectations. She let us talk to her about what our expectations were with our birth story and she helped us write it. She didn't put any pressure on us with any of the choices we made on what we wanted to do. She helped educate us on some of the choices and really got into helping us understand the benefits of the various choices. When we went into labor we contacted her and she responded immediately. She showed up at the hospital with coffee and a smile in letting us know that she was there for us, which she was every step of the way. While laboring she kept me calm and educated. She supported me and stayed positive when I was not! She gave me massages, used essential oils, did hip squeezes, meditated with me, kept me moving around, kept me hydrated, and talked to me the entire time to keep me motivated. Because of her guidance and pre-education there were no surprises. Heather stayed with us to help with breastfeeding and we met again for a postnatal visit. At that time she presented a transcript of our initial call to let her know my water broke to when our daughter was born...this alone is priceless. I couldn't have pushed through it all without her and being that she was such an integral part of the process you can't help but feel connected to her. We absolutely adore her and feel so blessed that she came into our lives.

Holly Golightly

3/7/2017

We recommend Heather 100%! I can't imagine how things would have gone without her. We will be forever indebted and hope to keep her in our lives as she was such an important and significant part of bringing our baby into the world. In our pre-birth meetings, she walked us through many scenarios and what we can expect at the hospital since that was our plan and she had so much experience with those. She listened carefully to all of my MANY questions and gave us very complete answers. She has some good exercises that helped us come up with a Birth Wish List. We practiced relaxation and labor techniques so that we would be ready and comfortable using them. She gave us some good exercises and advice for baby positioning and starting labor. Our birth was nearly 36 hours and she was with us the whole time. She was such a positive and calming presence and kept our team all hydrated, comforted and motivated. She guided us with all of the many decisions and we felt that we were well informed. She made sure that the laboring environment was as we wished. We had hoped for a medication and intervention free labor and we were mostly able to do that. She was a strong advocate for us with the hospital staff to make sure that our wishes were considered as much as possible. I did wind up with a c-section. We really wanted to go through the labor process and she helped us accomplish that. She was even in the OR with us and helped update my family. The next day, she made sure that we were getting good care and that breastfeeding was coming along. In her post natal visits to our home, she made sure that we were all recovering and that breastfeeding was going well. She continues to be a resource for questions via text, e-mail and phone. Heather made us feel at ease and more confident going into this adventure. Plus, her sense of humor is most welcomed! She has such a calming and warm presence that it just felt right for her to be a part of this momentous event.

Rachel Root

3/4/2017

My partner and I did not have a doula for the birth of our first child. The result was a healthy baby but a stressful birth experience that resulted in a severe perineal tear. It wasn’t until we were pregnant with our second child that I realized I needed a different birth support plan.

I initially felt drawn to Heather’s positive energy and life experiences (e.g., mother, physical therapist, yoga instructor, lactation consultant, etc.). My partner and I were struck by her warm, friendly, non-judgemental approach, passion for education, and ability to make us feel like someone was really listening and cared. It was an easy, natural fit.

Heather helped us to work through the emotions of our first birth and prepare for our second birth by meeting with us and walking us through a number of thought-provoking, meditative, and physically active exercises. Even though we had taken a birth preparation class with our first child, we didn’t feel as prepared as we did after a couple meetings with Heather. When I went into labor, she was there as soon as we needed her. She kept us calm, focused, relaxed, and feeling encouraged. Heather also helped to ensure we were supported in the postpartum period by visiting us multiple times and helping us to process our birth experience. While we were once again blessed with a healthy child, this time I couldn’t have imagined a more beautiful, empowering birth experience (not to mention an easier, less traumatic physical recovery).

I don’t have the words to express the deep gratitude my partner and I feel for Heather’s entrance into our lives and the guidance she provided. My only regret is that we didn’t find her sooner! She is truly a gift!

Susan Jensch

11/10/2016

I originally got to know Heather by attending her prenatal yoga classes. After learning about the many benefits of having constant support throughout the birth process I decided I wanted to have a doula present at my labor. My husband and I were already signed up to attend her Childbirth Couples workshop, and after meeting her he instantly knew why I wanted that support person to be Heather.

During our sessions to create a birth plan it became clear Heather was there to support both of us, not just me, during labor. Any hesitation my husband had about losing his place in the delivery room vanished as they high-fived over comfort techniques and became a team.

Soon enough the day came. I looked at my husband and gave the instruction to "CALL HEATHER!" Once she arrived in the delivery room my entire mood shifted and the panic I had been feeling went away. My labor didn't start the way I wanted and I didn't have the chance to labor at home. Heather made sure everything was as serene and home-like as possible while guiding me through labor. Looking back, I know I wouldn't have been calm or able to focus without her working her magic. She instinctively did things I wouldn't have thought to ask for and my husband wouldn't have had a clue about. It was like she was setting the stage for a play, masterfully creating a background perfect for bringing our daughter into the world.

My birth experience was extremely positive and I was able to incorporate many aspects of our birth letter into labor. Heather was instrumental to that experience.

Now anytime we have a friend or family member who announces they are pregnant, the first piece of advice my husband gives is, "Hire a doula." I wholeheartedly agree. And if you live in Minneapolis, you should definitely hire Heather.

Lucy Torre

10/10/2016

We worked with Heather for the preparation and births of both of our sweet kiddos, and I can't say enough good things about working with her.  Positive energy is Heather in a nutshell.  In the preparation, she armed us with lots of great information and definitely helped us get our head in the game (since you never can be truly 'prepared' for such a life changing event).  It was comforting to know she had such great experience with body mechanics/movement give her work was a physical therapist, yoga instructor and doula.  I was hoping to have unmedicated births with both kids, and was able to do so in large part to the hours of coaching, positioning, massage, movement and support that Heather and my husband provided (with her help).  My husband was a little unsure about using a doula before we got into this, but he also had a great experience with Heather - he was definitely a key part of the proess, and appreciated having someone there who had more perspective on what was going on.  She did a lot in the pre-coaching to arm him with positioning and information on how to help me during labor as well.  She worked very seamlessly with the labor and delivery team at the hospital, and which made me feel very secure as I labored and prepared for delivery.  For the second birth, we certainly had a lot more confidence going into it, but no two births are ever the same and again we were very grateful to have her support.  After the births, she met with us twice more, which was incredibly helpful for me as I was still working through nursing issues and baby blues.  She followed up with me via text often as well, and was always willing to give advice (or a cheer!) throughout.  Both babies and I joined Heather for her postnatal baby bonding classes (highly recommended as well), and it was so fun to see her again and show off the fruits of our labor ;)

Amber Adrian

10/8/2016

Heather was an amazing support for both my husband and me before, during, and after the birth of our little girl. I have thought to myself so many times "I don't know what we would have done without Heather." Obviously we'd have gotten through, but it would have been such a different experience. I feel I can't appropriately express how deeply her support and encouragement impacted us. From texting with her before labor started stressed about a looming induction, to actual labor where she was both wise and helpful in 5 million different ways, to post-labor visits where she encouraged me when I was struggling with breastfeeding - I truly am so grateful for the person that she is and the amazing work she did. The birth of your first baby is a crazy, life-changing event, and she helped make sure it wasn't scary but rather empowering and beautiful. My husband was skeptical about hiring a doula, but he's a huge doula advocate now! HEATHER ROCKS. The end.

Maya Page

6/28/2016

Heather is an exceptional blend of strength, kindness, softness, and compassion. She's a trained physical therapist, yoga teacher, and doula. She's a mom of three too. That is a very appealing blend of skills for the big event and all the work preparing for it. She believes firmly in meeting the needs and style of the clients she is serving. She educates you but never pushes a philosophy.  She helped birth my spectacular child and for that I am forever grateful.