Harmony

7/3/2023

April saved my youngest twin daughter's life, leading me to not give up on getting real answers on what could be wrong, when all of the hospital doctors wouldn't believe me that something seemed wrong with her (turned out she had been internally injured by the hospital staff and required emergency surgery or else she would have died within 12 hours). April also supported me through pregnancy, labor, and in postpartum recovery, with organic fruit, drinks, meals, essential oils, relaxing lighting, and encouraged me emotionally, pushing me to stand up for myself and to do what's right for me and my babies.

April offered soothing massages, wellness visits, and postpartum support. She attended my failed 37 week Pitocin induction, and came during my actual spontaneous (thanks to castor oil) labor with identical twins at 41 weeks and a day. She has been an out-of-this-world Doula, truly Amazing, and has been the MVP during my challenging SIUGR HG-ridden twin pregnancy.

After a relaxing birth center birth, I was rightly terrified of birthing in the hospital OR (required for twins in FL), especially being a woman of mixed race (AKA higher mortality rate in US hospitals), and had bad experiences with multiple doctors until finding a great MFM, and April stood by me the entire time, helping to give me the strength and determination to not settle for less than the best, nor to allow the cascade of interventions to begin.

I would hire April over and over, again, 1000x over, and only regret not spending more time with her when she had offered to visit with me during my pregnancy. If you want the BEST and most experienced mama supporter and guide in your hospital, home, or birth center birth, then you have found the perfect doula. I'm so grateful for everything April has done to help me during my twin pregnancy. She is so amazing and cannot ever be thanked enough. She loves what she does and it shows and shines brighter than the sun in July. 

Ashley

2/7/2023

April was truly a blessing during my pregnancy and labor. Her unwavering support and presence during my lengthy labor was a godsend. Not only did she stay awake for hours by my side, pressing my hips to ease the pain of each contraction, but she also made sure I was eating and hydrated so I could stay strong enough to bring my baby into the world. Her guidance and encouragement helped me fulfill my birth plan, and her knowledge and wisdom were invaluable in helping me make informed decisions about my health and my baby's health.

Even in moments of uncertainty and unexpected events during my pregnancy, April's insight and care provided me with the strength I needed to carry on. Her relaxing massages and acupressure skills were also a lifesaver, helping to alleviate my headaches and jaw pain

You may be wondering if you can just research everything and go through this process without a doula. I'm confident in saying you can (and should) do a lot of research, but no amount of studying can replace having April Dawn by your side during the most important moments of your life. The knowledge, compassion, and wisdom she brings with her is invaluable. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula who will be there for them every step of the way.

Amena

3/23/2021

April is an absolute angel. After we were introduced to April by my husband's brother and his wife, we also had her at both of  our births. During our first pregnancy, we found out at 39 weeks that our baby's heart had stopped and still had to go through an induction and delivery process. April was the biggest support and comfort as my husband and I went through the horrible experience. I don't think we would have coped the same way if she wasn't there through the whole process. She pays attention to every detail and need you have without hesitation. When we were blessed with a second daughter, April came to our mind immediately. April is just wonderful.

Megan

1/19/2021

What can I say about April...where do I even start? Education, communication, trust, empowerment. Those are the words that come to mind when I think of April. She was, hands down, worth every penny we decided to spend on her services and I would ask her to be part of my pregnancy and birth experience a million times over. I felt the connection with April instantly when we did a virtual interview. She wanted to know about me, about our family, about what my previous pregnancies looked like and how those births went and, most importantly, she wanted to know my desires for this pregnancy and birth that we chose to hire her for. Then, with all that information, she supported me better than I could have ever asked for with education on every aspect of pregnancy, quick communication, and constant encouragement.

When it came down to baby time I was stuck with contractions 10 minutes apart for almost a full day. She kept her patience through my many phone calls and gave me the tips I needed to get baby positioned better to encourage a more active labor. My water broke and April walked through the door just as I was about to start pushing because she trusted when my husband told her it was that time. The moment she walked through the door I felt a wave of peace and calm wash over me and I knew I could birth my baby even if the midwife didn't make it (she didn't). April encouraged and assured me that I knew how to birth my baby and my baby knew how to be born, and thanks to her 30 years of birth experience, she was able to guide my husband on how to catch her and support me. All of this in a tiny bathroom, AND she even got some amazing photos for us!

I will be FOREVER grateful that my path crossed with April's and wish that every pregnant mama could have her by their side.

Katie

6/12/2020

April is a wonderful doula! I can't recommend her highly enough! She was my doula for both of my babies births. She is extremely knowledge, supportive and caring. Her massages feel incredible and it's so nice to have time getting pampered as a mama. Her nutrition support is without a doubt the reason that I was able to have two beautiful unmedicated births! 

Katy

3/19/2020

April was so wonderful throughout my pregnancy and helped me have my preferred birth experience. She provided me with loads of information and guidance to prepare me for my first birth. I honestly don't think I could have gone through this journey without her knowledge and preparedness the day of. I would definitely recommend April if you are looking for an experienced doula to add to your birth team.

Cassaundra garlanger

10/21/2019

My experience with April has been an amazing journey! I cant express how helpful she has been through out my pregnancy. She has unique techniques that truly work, from different positions to help smooth the ride to affirmations that will push you to keep going. She's your rock during your labor and for me i wouldn't have been able to see my power to give birth with out her. Im a first time mom and scared was a light way of putting how i envisioned my labor in the beginning. But she helped me to see the calm an cooling side of things. You wont regret using as a doula.

Nadia White

1/16/2019

There are absolutely two words that come to mind when describing April Dawn and that is God-sent!!! She was an answered prayer, she’s more than just a doula, she’s an expert in her field, an educator, an encourager, a nutritionist, a holistic healer, an advocate for you to have the birth you want, and did I mention she’s a massage therapist too..Like wow, everything she does she does it well. Throughout our birth process she was a wealth of knowledge in the preparation of bringing our baby into this world as gently as possible. She’s a true educator, ensuring that my husband and I knew the work we’d have to do to achieve the birth we wanted. We focused on nutrition, exercise, chiropractic care and prenatal massages throughout the pregnancy. She was always available answering any question I had. When it came time to my birth I can honestly say that having her there was crucial. I chose to do a home water birth. She did acupressure on me in the heights of my surges, she ensured I was hydrated...literally giving me drinks to sip on during labor, provided encouragement right alongside my husband. My birth went perfect and exactly according to plan and I know that’s because of the tools she equipped us with and her just being there every step of the way!!! I’m so grateful and blessed to have found her.

Daniela Murray

10/11/2018

April Dawn was an amazing doula for me, a first time mom who was having a hospital birth. I'm the type of person who like to know as much as possible, and April's expirience has given her so much knowledge that she shares with her mommies.

The day of my labor was long, and April was with me the minute I needed/wanted her. I couldn't imagine going through pregnancy and labor without her.

claire shehan

3/13/2018

We are so grateful to April! She is incredibly knowledgable and has the heart of a teacher. Our lives have significantly changed since we started working with her. She helped educate us on the right kinds of foods and teas to eat and drink to help prepare my body and baby for birth. She was always accessible and offered great advice for different ailments throughout my pregnancy. She is an excellent massage therapist and significantly helped me during labor with different pressure points and positions. She also supported and encouraged my husband during the entire labor, delivery and after. We really can’t say enough about April. She loves what she does and it shows. We are so grateful to have had her be part of our birth team!

Lindsey Wetteland

3/5/2018

My husband and I came to the conclusion that we needed a doula to help us navigate the many 'birthing decisions' and make sure we had someone experienced with the whole process when the big day came, to help me labor and to support my husband in helping me labor. April has a strong nutritional knowledge and helped ensure my body was getting exactly what it needed when I needed it so that both baby and I were ready for birth and beyond. April definitely came through with nutritional support, in terms of education and actually providing many delicious and high nutrient concoctions to help fuel and keep me going. She provided the best quality ingredients and I believe she must have spent a large portion of her fees on the food alone. Ask about her pudding! It's not all about the food, but in the end-it IS. Both you and baby need the nurturing and energy to get the job done.

April is also very skilled in massage therapy techniques, and made me feel like 'I can keep doing this" in those weeks leading up to labor when most people "just want this over". Though I am unfamiliar with accupressure and theory myself, I believe that the techniques employed were helpful in labor. I am convinced I would have had a c-section if April did not diligently work with me and my midwife team through a very long labor.

Hiring a doula is a very personal decision because you are inviting that person into the most intimate moments of your life and you will form a bond with them over that experience, no matter how it goes. April is an intense and directive lady with a lot of spunk and a lot of heart. You don't have to share all the same beliefs about the hows and whys of the world, but you do need to know that you can count on someone to keep their wits about and focus on YOU and baby when the time comes. I don't know HOW or WHY April has the strength and love to do what she does, but I am forever THANKFUL that she was the one there by our side when our son was born!

Leilani Massas

12/11/2017

Working with April was honestly the best decision of my pregnancy. From the very first meeting, she provided me with information and some teas, without having been hired yet. It showed me she cares more for the human than the money. Her breakdown of pricing is easy and direct, and I ended up going with the third (most expensive) option. From the moment she was hired, she always had so much information both at our meetings and just random texts. She handed me papers, studies, videos, podcasts, and catered to what I told her I wanted. My husband was deployed for most of my pregnancy and could only be around once I was actually in labor, so I needed April to be very hands-on, and she was. I went into early labor probably around 2-3 am, she arrived around 8 and didn't stop working until several hours after my baby was born the next day. I delivered naturally and I tell everybody it wouldn't have been possible without her. I could go on for days as I can't gush enough about her but honestly, she's just amazing. Hiring her is one of the best things you can do for you and your baby!

Breanne Cerkiewicz

4/21/2017

At the beginning of my pregancy I was thinking about hiring a doula. I knew that I wanted a natural birth but felt more comfortable delivery in a hospital setting. Needless to say, the pregnancy flew by and still we had no doula. We signed up for a hospital birthing class because that is what soon to be new parents do, right!? After being "schooled" in all the hospital procedures and hearing a lot of information on all of the different pain relieving drugs, I was beginning to regret my decision. Would they be on board with my natural approach? It was during the hospital tour, at the end, that we began talking to April (who was also attending the class as an observer). We discovered that her birthing values and approach were closely aligned with our own and we quickly exchanged numbers and she became my doula during my last trimester (I wish I had her from  beginning)! During our meetings she educated us on a more natural approach and helped us to develop a birthing plan so that we knew exactly what we wanted and could voice that when the time came. I acquired so much knowledge from her in those last couple months! She even shared some DELICIOUS recipes with ingredients and nutrients that help prepare the woman's body for labor! Please ask her about her Chocolate Chia Cashew pudding! When delivery day arrived, April arrived at the hospital even before we did! She was waiting for me as I walked in and immediately began helping me through this process (she even did her best to convince the nurses in triage that I was further along than I appeared to be...they soon discovered I was already 7 cm dilated)! That shows how well she knew me and my body in such a short amount of time! April was amazing throughout the entire process and kept me calm and focused all the way to the end! Thanks to her wealth of knowledge and understanding of the birthomg process I was able to have a smooth, natural delivery and a birth plan that was followed "to a T". Thank you April!

Kate Young

3/16/2017

Working with April Dawn was my first experience with hiring a doula.  I would hire her again in a heartbeat.  Not only was April there for me in the ways I anticipated (emotionally and mentally), she was also there for me in a million ways I didn't expect.  Since she also works as a massage therapist, I received regular massage in my last month of pregnancy and April used massage to help me cope during labor.  She is also very knowledgeable about nutrition and guided me through what to eat while pregnant to ensure my baby was getting proper nutrition and that I was as healthy as I could be during my pregnancy.  Not only did I gain an appropriate amount of weight, but the inflammation that plagues many women in pregnancy was kept to a minimum.  Physically, I was comfortable throughout my entire pregnancy, never reaching the point where I was just "ready to have the baby already".  I believe this was due to the nutritional guidance April provided.  She is also an amazing cook and brought me new things to try every time I saw her.  April also prepared all the food that would nourish the 4 of us (midwife, me, my husband, and herself) during my labor.  I absolutely needed food during what turned into a very long labor.  If April hadn't been there, I suspect that my long labor could have turned into something that needed more medical intervention.  Emotionally and mentally she was a rock for me.  I simply can't explain in a review what the experience meant to me and my husband.  We both feel emotionally connected to April and our midwife for how they cared for us.  I can't speak highly enough of April.  Her bag of tools goes above and beyond what one would expect when hiring a doula and she will do everything she can to help your experience be what you hope for.

Dianeris M. Diaz

12/6/2016

April is an amazing doula!  We recently had our first pregnancy.  My husband and I had very little knowledge of what to expect both physically and emotionally; however, April helped us through the whole process.  She educated us in what to expect during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum.  She responded promptly to all my texts, calls or emails; answering all my questions or concerns, offering advice, encouragement and most important of all, friendship.  I was determined to have an all natural birth with no pain medication and I couldn't have done it without April.  April is the whole package!  She is experienced in acupressure/acupuncture and both as a nutritionist and massage therapist.  Incorporating all her knowledge, experience and wisdom into her relaxation techniques that guided both my husband and I in achieving our ideal labor and delivery.

Im so glad that we chose her to be our doula!

I wholeheartedly recommend April as a doula to anyone looking for a kind, caring and very competent Doula.

Dianeris Diaz

Ditto! - Francis Diaz (Husband) :P

Heather Tomarelli

12/5/2016

My name is Heather. I'm 33 years old and on 11/06/16 I gave birth to my first child. His father and I had been trying to educate ourselves by reading books and researching things on the internet. We attended birthing classes and watched videos of natural births. I thought we had it all figured out and were well prepared. He insisted we get a doula though because he felt that he would be to nervous to assist me. I reluctantly agreed and asked my midwife who she would recommend. Without hesitation she said "April Dawn!" I gave her a call and we chatted for a while about what was important to us as far as how we wanted the labor and delivery to go. She made me feel in that one phone call like we were old friends and she knew exactly how I felt about the importance of having a natural birth. Once we met with her we were instantly comfortable with her and knew she was the doula for us. With her knowledge, wisdom and insight she pointed out that I was exhibiting signs of preeclampsia (swelling in my feet, legs and face) and recommended a special diet. Within 3 days the swelling was gone and I felt like I had energy again! The best part was I knew I was no longer at risk of those things leading to a possible c-section. She also told me what foods would help me have more efficient contractions and dilate better. Once I was in active labor I found myself doubting my ability to continue with a natural birth but her encouragement kept me strong. Her coping techniques kept me focusing on something other than the contractions and visualize being at the end with my baby. Looking back on that day I know she is the reason I was able to make it through and have the birth I wanted to have and can now be proud of myself and say "I did it!" I now know just how strong I am and we owe her a debt of gratitude for helping us welcome our beautiful son into the world. I can say with 100% certainty that when it's time for baby #2 we will be calling on her services again!  :)

Barbara Gritter

12/5/2016

April is clearly in awe of the birthing experience. Despite attending hundreds of births before mine, she still maintined a special sense of wonder and had a deep reverence for the beauty of the natural birth experience-- this truly enhanced our experience and shaped our perspective throughout our whole birth.

The first thing my husband and I spoke about on the way home with our brand new son was how thankful we were for the team of birth professionals who were present. We were both especially thankful for the way they championed the husband/wife team: anytime my husband would step in, they would move aside, but anytime he needed to step away (to eat, use the restroom, etc.), he was able to do so with great confidence knowing I was in the best of hands. There's so many moments I could recount to express April's expertise, energy, encouraging spirit, etc. but I'll share just a few: April's training prior to our birth made us feel comfortable and confident in the experience. I truly believe that one of the reasons we were able to stick to our birth plan was because we were so well prepared. April arrived at our home prior to our birth and supported us as we labored at home. She made sure I was as comfortable as possible, cooked me breakfast, communicated with my midwife, performed accupuncture, and monitored me closely. When it was time to head to the birth center, she helped my husband pack up the car and when we arrived, she unpacked everything for us. I was extremely nauseous for several hours before April arrived-- but thanks to her awareness of the human body, she was able to get the baby in a better position and my nauseau subsided. She cooked lunch for the team and dinner for us after the baby arrived. April was truly a rock during our birth-- because of her we didn't HAVE to think about anything but delivering our beautiful baby in a calm and peacful environment. I'd go on, but I only have limited space. In short: best decision ever!