Rebecca

2/23/2021

Hiring Katrina was the best decision I could have made. I was nervous being a first time mother and she supported me throughout my entire journey into motherhood. She gave me the education I needed to make decisions that worked best for me and the experience I wanted. She was amazing during my labor, coming to my house when I needed her and barely left my side the entire day. She is so calm, caring and supportive and was my rock during my labor. She helped guide my husband on how he could support me and he said that he doesn't know what he would have done without her support as we had a long labour. She gave me everything that day that I didn't know I needed and I am so thankful she was part of our journey. I will absolutely ask her to be there for my future births. 

Nicole Brown

8/31/2020

I hired Katrina as soon as I found out I was expecting. I wanted to have a doula right from the start in the event something unexpected would happen with my pregnancy and to have that early support. While my pregnancy was normal physically, I wasn't expecting to be pregnant during a pandemic, where so many things were changing for birthing persons, doula's, and midwives, and new rules came into play. I needed support moreso mentally, constantly feeling I was on this rollercoaster of emotions and uncertainty. But Katrina was there to help me through the ride.

Whenever I had questions or concerns, Katrina was there to help me find the information to make an informed choice. She gave me the space I needed to release my fears, to shake off the stress I carried on my shoulders, to find the courage to get my questions answered, and was willing to support me however way I decided to give birth. I couldn't have done it without Katrina by my side to reassure me during the birth that all was well, and how I was doing a great job and to keep going.

She lent me her strength when I was feeling weak. She had faith in me when at times I lost faith in myself. She knew what I desired with my birth and did everything possible to make sure it happened. She reassured me yet again and took care of me in my early weeks of postpartum, checking in daily and encouraging me in my breastfeeding journey. Katrina is and always will be a huge part of mine and my daughter's birth story. I would definitely hire her for my future pregnancy's, not only because of how amazing she is as a doula, but because she also makes a mean cup of tea. ;)

Dayna Van Buskirk

6/14/2020

I can’t recommend Katrina highly enough. Her unwavering compassion and support helped us endure and embrace our marathon labour. Her value as a doula goes far beyond the pain management, insights and emotional support she provides. She gets in tune with your needs and truly becomes an integral part of your team. Her flexibility, professionalism, and instincts are amazing.

Long before labour, Katrina helped us calibrate our expectations and make a plan with confidence. She was there to support us every step of the way when nothing went according to that plan. She knew when to step in, when we needed time alone, and what role we needed her to play at all times. She was simply there whenever we needed her knowledge, her attentiveness, and her reassuring calm.

What really makes Katrina the best kind of doula is her genuine love for being there. It was evident in her respect for our midwives and health care team, her curiosity to learn at every opportunity, and her dedication making us feel supported and confident.

Angie VB

6/14/2020

Katrina was always a gentle guide throughout my pregnancy, labour and postpartum journey, offering calm support and informative advice. She taught my husband and I the delivery process and pain management techniques. She made my birth story an enjoyable one.

During my excessively long labour she was a shining star to my husband and I; she helped my husband be strong and supportive and helped me remain calm and focused.

Our midwife was even quick to recognize how supportive and in tune Katrina is.

From guided meditation to being my advocate in the delivery room Katrina always had our best interest at heart, and she’ll do the same for you.

Markus

2/10/2020

This review is from a Dad, for the Dads.

I didn't see the need for a doula, but I support my wife and we decided it would be nice to have some coaching and labour support. We had a couple sessions before the birthday and learned some techniques for comfort and how to prepare for the birth and the baby. All good right? Easy stuff. Did we really need this when we've read all the books?

Then the big day happened and it was NOT as expected. Let me preface this by saying Mom and baby were both healthy in the end, but labour ended up taking 57 hours. You read that right. We were expecting maybe half a day at max, not close to 3 days of continuous labour. Without the cedar sisters... I can't even think of how it would have been handled. They were there from the first moment and helped coach and calm my wife. With being sent back home twice, it was heartbreaking to see my wife go through this much pain. Katrina and Kasha were a godsend. Being able to tag team support and take breaks was priceless. Absolutely priceless. And because they were a duo they were able to switch off at the 48 hour mark. Meaning a new fully rested doula was there to help when I was already at my whits end.

The doulas ended up being of more use to me than to my wife. (At least, that's what I think). I might have cracked if I was alone to support during all of that.

Absolutely no regrets, the sisters where remarkable.

It's now 4 months later and our little girl is thriving.

Thank you Cedar Sisters!

Reg Harbeck

1/18/2019

We are so happy to have asked Katrina and Kasia to help with the delivery of our baby. Their attention, expertise and support were invaluable!

Beginning well before the big day they met with us, got to know our location and journey, and were ready to help us when the time came. And what a delivery: 36 hours of exhausting labour later, Katrina was there for over the last 24 straight hours, helping us through the early stages at home, joining us to the hospital, and encouraging and facilitating the entire process in ways that neither of us would have thought of or had the energy to accomplish.

If we have more kids, we certainly will look forward to benefiting from their assistance again, and we enthusiastically recommend them to anyone who is expecting. We are happy to not have any idea what we would have done without her, because she allowed us to focus on what we could do instead.

In addition to the delivery, the consultations and advice such as exercises to deal with pain and fatigue beforehand were very helpful, and the experience of having Katrina there was also like having a caring and able family member present, which was important as our mothers were unable to be there in person.

Anna B

11/14/2018

Katrina helped my husband and I get through the challenges of my child birth. Never once did I want to give up and a big part of it was due to Katrina's strong, yet calming, presence. She helped me cope with induction and back labour and now I am only left with good memories of our little girl's birth. We are so grateful that Katrina was a part of our story.

Maryam Rahnumah

10/25/2018

I had the wonderful experience of having Katrina as my doula for my second pregnancy. My first pregnancy was a very long one. I had read a lot of books, mentally prepared myself but still child birth is never how you expect it. I had my mother and husband by my side, but after 26 hours from start to finish I can see how exhausted both were. I knew with my second pregnancy I needed a different kind of help and support. During my early labour I called Katrina to come over my house and she helped me to stay calm and focused. Right away I felt taken care of. She helped to set the mood in my room and made sure I was hydrated and calm. She used techniques to massage and redirect my pain, her voice was soft and calming. At the hospital her focus was my comfort in every way. I won’t forget how thoughtful she was, in bringing me juice to keep my energy level up after my daughter was  born. After coming home with the baby, Katrina was thoughtful & brought me muffins and a little tree for my baby. She even watched the baby while I took a quick shower. Katrina provided amazing support both before and after my daughters birth. My birth experience the second time around with Katrina was like night and day. Im so happy I hired her as my doula and highly recommend her.

Katelyn V

10/8/2018

We worked with Katrina for the first time during the pregnancy and birth of our second child. I was interested in having a doula this time around because during the birth of our first, I felt alone (even though people were there) overwhelmed, and often out of control during the whole process.

We chose to work with Katrina for several reasons, one of the main ones being her calm presence and the comfortableness she exuded. Katrina was the perfect balance of providing us helpful information and suggesting new things to try, but also listening to what we said and respecting what was important to us.

Katrina was available and supportive to both me and my husband from the minute we hired her, until weeks after baby was here.
During labour, she did little things that were so memorable for me and made this birth experience much much better.
She was present and supportive the whole time during labour, but wasn’t at all over bearing.

I felt that Katrina prioritized my physical comfort and was emotionally supportive and for those reasons I would hire her again in a heartbeat.

As a bonus, I grew up on a tree farm and trees have a special place/meaning in my my life. Katrina not only provided a beautiful tree for our new baby, but also my oldest child as well which was so thoughtful and the perfect keepsake!

Frank Seminara

6/27/2018

Katrina was fantastic!  My wife gave birth earlier than expected and we hadn't had a chance to meet Katrina in person before we hired her.  Best decision we made. This was our first child and we had some anxiety especially because the baby came out early.  Katrina met us at the hospital and brought a calm soothing energy that helped us get through it.  At times the hospital room felt more like a spa and really helped my wife relax which was very important.  We highly recommend Katrina to anyone looking for a great support person during the birthing process!

Nadine Turner

6/21/2018

Katrina was our doula for our second baby, Oliver. I was excited to have her on our team the second time around, we had no idea what we were doing the first time. I felt reassured knowing we'd have someone experienced in the room for any complications. We wanted a hospital birth, but I feel in hospitals that doctors decisions aren't always in the patients best interest, they sometimes seem to be more like whats faster or easier for the medical team. We felt more in control knowing Katrina would be there for us when we were too tired or distracted to make our wishes known. She was also a great supporter pre-birth, always available to answer questions or provide additional info. Oliver decided to come early and very quickly, so we didnt have the chance to have Katrina in the room. But she eased our minds and paved the way for a smooth delivery. Thanks Katrina!

Anne Bullen

4/27/2018

We are so glad that we hired Katrina. Her always calm and gentle demeanor was exactly what we needed. She had lots of helpful ideas and suggestions in the weeks and months before the birth as well. If you are looking for a calm, kind and gentle support person, Katrina would be a great choice.

Jessie Jasra

7/6/2017

Katrina was an incredible part of our birth story! From the moment we met her, she had this very calm energy to her and we knew she would be great during our labor. She arrived right when we asked her to, was supportive right from the get go, making sure I was hydrated, endlessly massaging my head and back, helping me breathe through contractions, and encouraging my husband to help me labor in different positions. My husband agrees that we would have had a completely different experience without her presence, and we are so thankful! After our birth, the doctor commented TWICE on how supportive and great our doula was, and according to the nurses, this doctor has never complemented or paid attention to the role of a doula during any previous births, so it was a tremendous compliment for her work! Highly highly recommend Katrina!

Tanya Woodside

1/28/2017

Katrina was my doula for the birth of my first baby. She was wonderful! She was a calming encouraging force and talked me through each contraction as they became stronger. My goal was to aim for a drug-free labor as long as I could. Having been induced, the contractions became quite painful. With Katrina's love & support, I got all the way to 9 cm without drug intervention. More importantly, when I was simply too exhausted and had reached my pain limit, Katrina supported my decision to get an epidural without any judgment. She was present during every push, keeping me strong & focused when I could feel myself waning. Afterwards, during stitches & cleanup (when everyone was understandably excited to meet/hold baby), Katrina stayed by my side and continued to be attentive to my needs.

Under Katrina's care, I felt confident and supported throughout my entire labor. My husband is especially grateful for her calming presence during the delivery, as birth is an emotionally difficult time for our partners, too. I'm so happy with my decision to have Katrina present at the birth of my beautiful baby girl. I can't imagine going through the process without her and will absolutely ask her to be there for the birth of my next child, too!