Jeni Dorn

9/12/2024

I cannot recommend Nicole highly enough. She has been an unwavering source of support and comfort during two of the most significant moments in my life. When we faced the heartbreak of a stillbirth, Nicole was there with such compassion, sensitivity, and strength. She guided me through the unimaginable with grace, providing emotional and physical support that I so desperately needed. Her presence made a profound difference in our healing process.

When I became pregnant again, we knew we wanted her by my side for the birth of our next child. This time, we experienced the joy of a live birth, and once again, Nicole was incredible, empowering me every step of the way. Her genuine care for my physical and emotional well-being, as well as the health of my baby was clear throughout the entire process.

Having experienced both loss and new life with Nicole by our side, I can truly say she is a remarkable doula who approaches every moment with empathy, knowledge, and unwavering dedication. I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone looking for a caring and skilled doula.

Tricia

9/10/2024

Working with Nicole before, during and after the birth of our daughter was an absolutely wonderful experience. My husband and I both agree she is worth her weight in gold! From the moment we met Nicole, her warmth and expertise put us at ease as first time parents. She was there for us every step of the way - guiding, supporting and empowering me through the labor and delivery process. Her calming presense helped me stay focused and she knew exactly how to advocate for me when I was overwhelmed by all the decisions to be made. Even though I didn't have the entire birth experience I was hoping for she helped my physically and emotionally have the best experience possible. Even our labor and delivery nurses stated she was hands down the best doula they had ever seen working with a family. We would not have experiened such a smooth and meaning birth without Nicole going through the journey with us! She is a miracle worker!

Rachel Finelli

8/20/2024

This was our second birth and first experience with a doula, and Nicole did not disappoint! She is an excellent communicator, very knowledgeable, and very intuitive through the entire process. Upon her arrival to the hospital, she jumped in to help with comfort measures and positioning techniques to help continue labor progress. She was also an incredible support to my husband, offering suggestions for ways he could help provide comfort measures. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for an exceptional doula!

Britta Sortland Ryan

7/26/2024

Let me start by saying that Nicole is a literal angel on earth! I cannot say enough good things about her. She supported my husband and I throughout my pregnancy in more ways that we can say. My husband was very skeptical about the need to bring on a doula, but I'd heard great things about having a doula and Nicole specifically. We connected with her in the early days of my pregnancy and continued to correspond as it progressed. She was a wealth of knowledge for preparing my body for delivery, both mentally and physically. She showed us different stretches, massage techniques, and shared additional resources that we could use. When the time came for me to deliver, she was up with us and on her way to the hospital when we were. I wanted an unmedicated delivery and was able to achieve that with Nicole's help. When I was having back labor, she helped position me and continued to move me to get baby into a more beneficial position. When our son was born not breathing, Nicole stayed with me while my husband followed our son to the NICU (he's fine now!). During the scariest moments of my life, Nicole was there to support me, teach me how to hand express since I couldn't nurse while my son was in the NICU, brought me food, and stayed with me until my mom arrived. She has continued to follow up with us after my delivery and my husband is the first one to say that Nicole changed his mind about having a doula. He felt she was just as much of a gift to him as she was to me. We will be hiring Nicole for all future additions to our family and cannot recommend her enough!

Anna

7/9/2024

Nicole was the reason our firstborn's birth was a positive experience. Her presence in the birth room was calming and motivating. My husband was eager to have her there so that I wouldn't feel like I had to "manage the room"; she took care of facilitating communication and paying attention to details as I focused on giving birth. She kept me so occupied with exercises and changing positions that I didn't even think to ask for painkillers. In the months before the due date, she walked us through need-to-know and nice-to-know information about the birth process and even some details about caring for a newborn child. As the due date passed and there was still no baby, she helped us respond to doctors as they started talking about an induction. Nicole was steady, direct, professional, and knowledgeable about childbirth. We will be sure to have her in the room with us for the births of all our children!

Andrew and Amarachi

7/6/2024

We had a great experience working with Nicole. The best testimonial I can share is not from myself, but is from one of the midwives who told me after Nicole had left "she is a great Doula. Everything she said made sense medically and she brought great energy to the team." I recommend her, and will use her again if given the chance.

Laura Eggen

3/26/2024

When I got pregnant with my son, I knew I wanted to have a doula. I had a doula for the birth of my daughter I and firmly believe in the importance of doula support.  I work in the medical field, so I know the importance, of advocating for yourself, being educated, and being prepared.

I was drawn to Nicole not only because of her background, but because of her warmth, kindness, and confidence. She is an amazing communicator and spent a lot of time before birth helping my husband and I prepare, as well as after birth helping us process the experience. She also made me a complementary postpartum soothing spray which was amazing!

I felt excited to use all of the tricks and tool that Nicole taught us (positions, walking, breath work, etc). I used a variety of exercises during pregnancy to prepare my body. Nicole also supported my hypnobirthing practice.  Little did I know, everything would happen much faster than I anticipated! My son was born less than an hour after getting to the hospital! I had no fear and trusted my body fully. Nicole's presence was strong and she advocated for my comfort both during and after birth. The medical staff at the hospital were great, but they had medical tasks to focus on. Nicole was there to provide extra support. She made sure I was fed, hydrated, warm, and helped initiate breastfeeding. She also supported my husband and birth plan wishes.  

The in-home postpartum visit was also invaluable- resources, rehabilitative exercises, aromatherapy rollers, and so much more. 

I confidently recommend Nicole's doula services no matter how many time you have given birth. This birth and postpartum experience were healing (after a traumatic postpartum with my first child), and I can't thank Nicole enough for being a huge part of my positive experience. 

Your work is SO important Nicole...thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Jenna

10/6/2023

Nicole helped my partner and I feel prepared and equipped for an unmedicated birth, and helped us immensely during and after the actual birth. We learned new things about coping mechanisms, birth prep movement, breathing techniques, advocacy, and breastfeeding (even as a seasoned nursing mother). Our baby ended up needing a post-birth emergency transfer to the NICU, to which I couldn’t go along since I needed to wait to be discharged. Nicole stayed by my side the entire night and morning while my partner was with our baby at the hospital. She went above and beyond to comfort me, advocate for us, and continue caring for us in the weeks following the birth. We can’t recommend her enough.

Kate Anderson

8/30/2023

If you're on the fence about hiring a Doula, then this is the review telling you to do it!

For us, my husband and I were well aware that words of encouragement were not his strong suit and that was the main reason for hiring a Doula and unbeknownst to me there were so many other great benefits of hiring Nicole. The education before birth and just the ability to ask questions was so helpful. My husband and I both agree that having a Doula (or two in my case) was one of the best decisions that we made. As cliché as it sounds, I feel like I barely remember my labor/birth a mere seven months later but from what I do recall, it was such a blessing to have women there helping me with encouraging words, counter pressure, back rubs, encouraging me to stretch/walk the stairs to continue labor progression & cold washcloths on my neck while pushing. Also, the support immediately after birth with breast-feeding as well as months later I felt like I could call or text with any question or concern. I also felt like Nicole genuinely cared about me, the baby, our breast-feeding journey, as well as my healing physically and emotionally with processing the birth. I will forever encourage women to hire a Doula - even if you don't think you need one because I guarantee you will get at least one positive benefit from it, if not several. I 100% will be using Nicole for my next pregnancy/birth whenever that is! (: 

Kelly Danner

6/22/2023

Nicole was such a blessing to have on our team during pregnancy, birth, and post-partum. She is incredibly responsive and gets back to you in no time at all. I never felt like a question I asked was too silly or uninformed ask. She has a wide range of expertise in pregnancy and delivery, providing her support across pre-natal exercises, lactation, newborn sleep, positioning during labor, comfort measures during labor, and more. 

During labor, I loved the energy she brought to the delivery room. She was calm and collected, engaged the whole time, and had a great balance of positive energy and mellow vibes. She also supported my partner so that he could be a fantastic birth partner. Together, they helped me have a great hospital birth, induced, with no pain medication. She was also critical in helping me come to terms with having to be induced (after waiting two weeks post due date!). Finally, she did a wonderful job working with the hospital nursing staff, but also pushing back and advocating for my needs and wants. 

Thank you, Nicole, for being a fantastic birth partner. Hopefully we'll see you for baby #2!

CB

6/14/2023

We are so fortunate that Nicole was a part of our first AND second birth stories. This second time around was a bit different as it was a cesarean but I am still so grateful she was there. She was able to walk us through what to expect with this surgery (vs a vaginal birth), helped keep our nerves calm, and was a positive voice through the whole experience. Even though people may think a c-section is easier and a doula is not needed, I wholeheartedly disagree. We felt she was an invaluable part of our team (again)!! Thanks for all you do, Nicole!

Anna

5/4/2023

Nicole was an integral piece to our family's smooth pregnancy and birth. I knew essentially nothing about pregnancy, childbirth, or preparing for twin babies. We had no idea what went into planning for an "ideal" birth or what a doula really did. Nicole guided us through everything we needed to know. She is warm and kind - two attributes were immensely helpful while preparing for such a lifechanging event. Thanks to her care, my pregnancy was cozy and comforting. Every referral for care came with a personal connection - every single provider that she referred me to was phenomenal. I ended up making it all the way to my 38 week (twins) due date for a planned C-section. She helped us advocate for our preferences in the hospital, comforted me during the C-section (which was scarier than I thought it would be), and helped to get my twin boys latched and nursing within minutes after their birth. I can't understate how meaningful all of those things were to us. Her presence at our birth allowed my partner to fully take in the experience of becoming a father for the first time rather than worrying about my needs. We are so grateful to have had Nicole's presence and experience every step of the way. 

Beth Hedlund

3/26/2023

We hired Nicole as our doula to give us the best chance of success with a vaginal birth.  Unfortunately, baby was in the breech position from 28 weeks on and would not flip!  We attempted several Spinning Babies exercises from Nicole, but it wasn't meant to be.  At 36 weeks we had a few desicions to make and Nicole was super helpful to talk through these things with and process it all.  Thankfully we were able to grow baby until 39.5 weeks!  Due to the breech position we scheduled a planned c-section for 2/27.  Prior to the birth, Nicole was super helpful talking through some of our top items like breastfeeding and how the c-section might look.  The mental preparation helped lower my stress level when it came time for baby to be born.  During the c-section, Nicole was able to be in the OR with my husband and I and she was very supportive during the experience.  She provided comfort measures to me and lots of words of affirmation.  She helped me get the care I needed for the surgery!  The delivery went super smooth which was amazing and then we met our baby boy!  Shortly after the delivery Nicole helped me start breastfeeding which was great since we didn't see a lacatation consultant until later.  Nicole had so much knowledge related to child birth but was also knowledgeable about other experts outside her own area like breastfeeding and bodywork.  We found some really great support from her referrals.  It was amazing to have Nicole on our team and we hope to need her services again in the future.

Katie Hommes

12/2/2022

I cannot recommend Nicole as a doula enough! We started our pregnancy journey feeling confident and unsure if we really needed a doula to help us through the birth of our daughter. However, we decided it wouldn’t hurt, and found Nicole. It was one of the best possible things we could have done. Throughout my pregnancy Nicole had a ton of knowledge, recommendations, and referrals for additional support that she shared with us. She got to know us personally and truly cared about the type of birth we envisioned. At the end of my pregnancy, we found out our baby was breech. With a C-section being protocol for this situation, it felt as though my plans for an un-medicated, natural birth were out the window. We made the controversial decision to transfer to a doctor in Wisconsin that was trained in the natural delivery of breech babies. Nicole not only agreed to drive to Wisconsin to support us during the birth, but made me feel extremely confident and proud of my decision. On our daughter’s birthday, she supported us in our home before moving to the hospital. She even turned around to grab our cooler we forgot at our house! Throughout labor and delivery Nicole was such a calm and helpful presence. She supported us physically, mentally, and emotionally. I was able to have the natural birth I envisioned and she was there to make sure I felt safe and confident the entire journey. During all the craziness that is labor, Nicole is definitely a person you want on your team. After baby was here, she shared the beautiful photos she took throughout the day, and a timeline of the events. She continues to check in postpartum and provide many resources to make sure our family is adjusting well. I’m forever thankful for my birth experience and her amazing support!

Amy and Mikey Abts

10/27/2022

Nicole is amazing!!!!  We cannot recommend working with her enough.

Her positivity and personality is infectious, and she's a wealth of knowledge on all aspects of the birthing process.  She set us up for success going into the birth by providing a number of great information resources and hands-on training/stretches.

During the birth itself is when she really shined.  This being our first birth, we didn't know what to expect.  Having Nicole there to guide us every step along the way helped put us at ease and bring a calm serenity to the process.

She led us through a number of positions and exercises during labor that dramatically sped-up the process.  She worked closely with our midwife and nurse to make sure we had everything we needed for a healthy, succesful, and positive birth.

We cannot say enough great things about Nicole.  What an amazing person!!!!  Highly recommend on every level!!!

Jessica Weinberger

10/20/2022

Nicole was an essential part of our birth team. We worked with her for two births and because of her, I was able to have the unmedicated birth experiences that I desired. Her expertise, personable nature and endless toolbox of ideas and resources would benefit any first-time or experienced parent!

Pavlina Rice

10/5/2022

Nicole is a wonderful doula! She has been a tremendous support for us throughout my pregnancy, during birth and afterwards. She ensured our birth preferences were followed and that I got the birth I longed for. Thanks to her and her support I felt empowered during my delivery and feel great about my birth experience.

Cayce Huemiller

8/23/2022

When my wife and I found out we were pregnant we were unsure of many things that would happen in the next 9 months; however, we knew for certain we wanted to have a doula present for the birth. We came across Nicole's card through Twin Cities Birth Center in Saint Paul. Right away it was a great match.
Nicole made herself accessible to us via text and email throughout the pregnancy and helped my wife with her " is this normal " questions :)... When the time came and the contractions began to come closer and closer together, Nicole came over to our house and helped my wife through comfort measures not to mentioned advised on when it was time to head to the birth center. She came with us every step of the way.
Once we arrived at the birth center Nicole worked well with our midwives to provide the best care for my wife throughout her labor and give us options or alternative steps to take when the labor seemed to stall. Ultimately, we had the unmedicated birth experience we had hoped for and Nicole was a huge part of making that happen with her guidance and support. Thank you from all the Huemiller's!!

Joanna Mosher

7/11/2022

Nicole is the best! She was so encouraging throughout my entire pregnancy and gave me tons of great education and information. She is so knowledgeable and experienced and I knew I was in great hands from the beginning. I took a hypnobirthing course and it was great that Nicole is experienced with hypnobirthing so we could be on the same page. Having her on my team gave me the confidence to transfer my care to a birth center. When I went into labor, she was actually at another birth but she has an amazing team of back-up doulas and her back-up arrived quickly at the birth center. I was able to achieve my unmedicated VBAC! Even though Nicole wasn't able to be there at the birth, both her and her back-up doula came to my postpartum visit and it was great to have both of their support. You will be in great hands with Nicole and you also have the peace of mind that any of her back-up doulas will be just as great! Highly recommend Nicole! 

Joanna Mosher

7/8/2022

Nicole is the best! She was so encouraging throughout my entire pregnancy and gave me tons of great education and information. She is so knowledgeable and experienced and I knew I was in great hands from the beginning. Having her on my team gave me the confidence to transfer my care to a birth center. When I went into labor, she was actually at another birth but she has an amazing team of back-up doulas and her back-up arrived quickly at the birth center. I was able to achieve my unmedicated VBAC! Even though Nicole wasn't able to be there at the birth, both her and her back-up doula came to my postpartum visit and it was great to have both of their support. You will be in great hands with Nicole and you also have the peace of mind that any of her back-up doulas will be just as great! Highly recommend Nicole! 

Justina A.

6/28/2022

Having a doula was an amazing part of our pregnancy and birthing experience. Having Nicole as a resource during pregnancy was reassuring and incredibly helpful. During labor Nicole was right where I needed her to be right when I needed her. She advocated for our wishes every step of the way and her overall knowledge put us at ease throughout the birthing process. It was also helpful to process the birth with her after the fact. I don’t think we would have had the experience we did without Nicole being a part of the process. We are very grateful!

Kelly

6/17/2022

When my husband and I were going through the doula interview process, it was very obvious to us that Nicole was the clear choice. During the two prenatal visits we loved learning all the knowledge she had and definitely felt we could reach out to her with any questions we had. I took advantage of all the information and documents she had on hypnobirthing which truly helped during my labor. On the day I went into labor everything went pretty fast and Nicole was great at communicating with my husband for each step of labor since I was concentrating on her hypnobirthing techniques. When we met up with her at the birthing center I knew I was in great hands, Nicole was so supportive and great at communicating with me and the midwives throughout the entire labor and birth. Having her there made me feel a lot more safe and supported, we can't reccomend her enough. 

Brittany White-Her

6/15/2022

I am a first time mom. I hired Nicole because I wanted a natural birth at home but wasn't sure if I would be able to do it. Nicole was encouraging during the whole pregnancy, labor and postpartum. She made herself available for questions at any time. I personally never knew what to ask since it was all new to me. So she gave me tons of articles and videos to look over then I could come back with follow up questions. She came to my house and taught me techniques I would use in labor. Then when the day came she dropped the plans she had with her family on Easter to be by my side. She guided me through the whole labor process. She kept me calm when I started to panic. She helped me get into positions that would help the labor progress faster and easier. She even encouraged my husband to remain calm and go eat something when the labor was lasting a long time. I got the natural birth at home that I wanted thanks to her encouraging words and hands on help with positions. She genuinely cared for my well being and the baby. It was the best decision to have Nicole on my birth team!!! 

Laura and Brian

5/28/2022

Nicole was an incredible help before, during, and after the birth of our first born. We could not recommend her highly enough. Prior to our labor, she met with us several times to prepare us for what to expect. She provided us with lots of great information and taught us techniques to rotate our baby to prepare for birth as well as different positions and techniques to use during pregnancy. She knew more techniques than our midwife and nurses! She was an advocate for our birth plan and provided a calm environment with music and essential oils as she helped us breathe through contractions. She helped Brian to know when it was a good time to take eat/take breaks and she never left Laura alone. After our birth, she followed up with us to make sure that our transition to parenthood was going well. We are so glad we chose Nicole to be our doula and couldn't imagine going through this experience again without her!

Gavin Duecker

3/16/2022

We loved having Nicole as our Doula! The knowledge she shared with us, and her attentiveness to our needs and birth plan made us feel very comfortable and confident going into the birth of our first child. She communicated with us as much as we needed, and provided plenty of additional resources to help us prepare. Her personality was a great match for us, and we really enjoyed spending time with her in our home. The 1:1 coaching made it so that my wife and I were able to act on autopilot once we were actually in the hospital getting ready to deliver. We can't recommend Nicole enough, and are very thanful for her help and support throughout the pregnancy and birth of our son.

Kate Connell

3/6/2022

We are so happy we decided to hire Nicole as our Doula. I think our experience would of been a lot different without her. She is very knowledgeable in all the different labor techniques and birthing process, which she taught us all about in our pre birth visits. She has a unique gift and you can tell she loves what she does! I had some anxiety through my pregnancy and knowing that I had her support was so helpful, especially since this was my first child. She is prompt to responding to you. I had started feeling contractions at 11pm on a Sunday and texted her around 5am on Monday and my contractions were still a little far apart so she came over Monday morning and did a lot of different positions and techniques to help get my contractions closer together and it worked! We then went to hospital around 3pm that day. And we did more positions in the hospital room. Nicole was so helpful by using positive affirmations, advocating for me, giving me massages, using essential oils and being so supportive. I was able to have a natural birth and our baby boy Brooks was born at 12:52am Tuesday morning. All the nursing staff was telling me how good of a Doula she was- they loved her! I can’t think of any other way I would of wanted my birth experience to go. I’m so glad we had her there to support us. The birth was the most challenging but rewarding thing ever, and I’m so happy Nicole was by my side. We won’t hesitate to use her in the future if we have more children.

Angela Simonowicz

10/3/2021

Nicole has been so helpful throughout my entire pregnancy with my twin girls. Leading up to birth so provided us with so much information about the birth process and how to try to flip the babies to be head down. As first time parents, we had no idea the amount of decisions that come with birthing a child, and Nicole helped us to have agency in the decision-making process.

Even though I did not end up being able to have the vaginal birth I wanted, Nicole was there for my C-section every step of the way. It was such an overwhelming experience for me and having her there as a calming and encouragement presence was so helpful. She also helped encourage me to tandem feed my girls right away and they have been excellent feeders since.

After birth, Nicole has helped tremendously. Bringing home infant twins has been really difficult, especially at night, and Nicole has been there with such great advice and encouragement. Literally don’t know what I would do without her!

Carolyn

7/22/2021

Nicole was our birth doula in February for our first child. We could not have asked for a better doula or teammate!! She completed two prenatal meetings with my husband and I to get to know us and understand our wants and needs for the birth. She taught us a lot about what to expect from the process, shared information about hospitals across the Twin Cities and did her best to assist with preparation leading up to the birth. Communication is a huge deal to me and she was always quick to respond to my emails and texts. 

We ended up in the hospital unexpectedly. We talked with her on the phone from the hospital and she gave us information and empowered us to make decisions about things we wouldn't have known we had a choice about. She put the ball back in our court and I will be forever grateful for that. On the day of the birth she was there within an hour of requesting her presence. She brought a calm to the room and instantly made me feel better knowing she was there to support us. She was incredible with informing me of pain relief options along with using hypnobirthing techniques and pressure points to relieve my pain. She also informed my husband of good times to take breaks to eat or relax for a few mins. 

She was an awesome teammate for us and you cannot go wrong with having her on your team too!! I highly recommend Nicole to any pregnant mamas that I know!!

Jamie

7/14/2021

I highly recommend Nicole as a Doula and someone to have on your birth team. Nicole played a key role in helping my husband and I through the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum stages of our first child. She provided valuable education throughout our journey that give us confidence leading up the the birth. During the actual birth, Nicole knew exactly what to do to provide support for both me and my husband. She helped us have the birth experience we had hoped for. We couldn't have done it without her!

Jennifer Hannes

6/5/2021

Nicole was the absolute best to work with. She is incredibly kind, knowledgeable and patient. While Nicole was great in helping us to prepare for the birth of our first child, she was instrumental in getting through labor and delivery. I couldn't have even imagined how helpful she would be!

Prior to birth, she helped us learn more about each stage of pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum. She provided exercises and tips to navigate through third trimester aches and pains. Nicole listened to our hopes for labor and delivery and partnered with us to build our birth plan. She was knowledgeable about Hypnobirthing and helped us figure out how to incorporate it into our birth plan. With her help, we felt confident and prepared heading into the birth of our first born, even with the ever changing world of COVID-19. 

When labor started she was a calm, steady, reassuring voice. Little did we know that she would be providing support for 27 hours! She helped us stay comfortable at home and rest until it was time to head to the hospital. Nicole suggested different positions and remedies throughout the contractions and helped my husband feel comptent and comfortable providing support for me. She encouraged our plan for a water birth and helped make the hospital room as peaceful and serene as possible. When the time came for us to alter our plan from a water birth to an natural birth with an epidural, she helped us navigate that as well.

With Nicole by our side, we felt like we had a guiding voice and safe space to bring our first born into the world. If we decide to have another baby, I wouldn't think of having anyone else for our doula. 

Ashlee Koll

6/5/2021

I don’t know that I have the words to adequately express just how amazing it was to have Nicole as our doula. My husband and I found Nicole early on in our pregnancy, and from our very first “interview” meeting we knew that she was meant to be at our birth. She has a wealth of knowledge that was so valuable to have as first time parents. What really stood out was her calm, caring, and empowering presence. After each meeting with Nicole I felt confident that I could have the positive, unmedicated birth that I had always dreamed about.

On the day of birth, Nicole helped with positions and techniques that not only provided comfort but helped establish active labor. She was by my side, encouraging me every step of the way that day and knowing she was there helped me feel safe and confident. She also helped to support my husband, reminding him to take breaks to stay hydrated or eat and showing him techniques to aid in my comfort. While other parts of that day may be a bit of a blur, I’ll never forget the feeling of Nicole’s hand on my arm and the joy in her voice as we finally welcomed our baby boy into the world - she genuinely cares about the families she works with and it was such a pleasure to have her on our team and by our side during pregnancy and birth.

Lori and Noah

5/31/2021

We could not have asked for a better experience then we had with Nicole.  She came over for a couple appointments in advanced of baby’s birthday to help with what to expect prenatal, postnatal and on the big day.  From these meetings I was comfortable knowing what I was getting into and felt I had the appropriate tools to have a smooth labor.  Nicole was easily available by phone or email for any questions, comments, concerns through the whole process.  On the day I started to have contractions, I was able to give Nicole a call and had her give me a pep talk on what the day may look like.  Later in the day when my contractions had intensified, she was happy to drop what she was doing to come to my home for support before we headed to the birthing center.  At the birthing center she did amazing in making sure I was as comfortable as possible, suggesting different positions, giving alternatives, and doing different comfort measures for me such as a head massage, music, essential oils and so much more.  She made sure to support my husband as well – letting him have breaks and giving him ways he could comfort me.  Nicole documented the day of for us with taking really great pictures and recording a timeline of the day.

Beyond my happiness of working with Nicole, the midwife and assistant both made comments that Nicole was one of the best doulas they had worked with.  I had a follow up appointment about a week after birth with my midwife and again she commented on Nicole’s abilities and wondered how I had found such an awesome doula.

I would highly recommend having Nicole be a part of your birth story.

Brekke

4/7/2021

I highly recommend Nicole as a doula! This was my second birth, and after my first birth experience I knew I wanted extra support physically, emotionally, and mentally. 

Nicole was wonderful, and right away we felt a connection with her. She is so personable, positive, friendly and has a wealth of invaluable knowledge. She made us feel confident and empowered going into the birthing experience.

Nicole is trained in hypnobirthing which is a tremendous asset as well. I wanted an unmedicated birthing experience at the hospital and the hypnobirthing breathing exercises and mindset resulted in a very manageable, calm, and relaxed birth which left me with all of the feel good hormones for days. 

We had Nicole's back-up doula the day of the birth since she was already attending another labor. This was a seamless process and we were left in excellent hands!  

One of the most valuable things Nicole and her back-up doula provided was being our advocate and assessing the different options the nurses and doctors were providing. They saved me from going down the path of a few interventions that were not necessary and for that I'm incredibly grateful. 

I think everyone going through the birth experience should have a doula, and I'm so glad we had Nicole! 

Alex Theismann

3/10/2021

Nicole was an invaluable asset to our birthing experience. She helped us prepare the best we could and was instrumental in supporting us during labor and birth, bringing tools and knowledge to improve coping during labor. Nicole helped us follow our birth plan when able, as well as adapt and navigate changes that had to be made during labor and birth. She really supported not only me, but also my husband to enhance the experience for both of us. We highly recommend Nicole! 

Ashley Williamson

12/28/2020

We hired Nicole as our doula this past fall for the birth of our first child. From our initial email communication with Nicole up until we met with her for the first time, we knew she was someone we would enjoy working with as she was timely with communication and knowledgeable (and confident) about hypnobirthing and birth in general. During our prenatal meetings, Nicole provided a wealth of information about different things we might experience, decisions we would have to make, and allowed space for in depth discussion around how she could best support us during the birth process.  Our actual birth didn't quite follow our birth plan and Nicole was wonderful and showed nothing but support for us as we went a different route that we felt was better for our family. We planned to birth at a birth center and instead birthed at a nearby hospital. Nicole went with our family and supported us every step of the way at the hospital. She provided guidance and assisted us with asking the right questions of the hospital staff so that our experience was the way we wanted it to be. We couldn't be happier (or more thankful!) that we chose Nicole as our doula.

Nate N

12/4/2020

From the male perspective, I was super against a doula when my wife asked me about it. I told her that this was a moment I wanted between just her and I. She talked to me about the positives and well, of course I gave in to it. After the birth, there's absolutely no way I could've done it without Nicole. I was able to be there for my wife in the emotional way that I wanted, while Nicole was able to do the more technical things that frankly I wasn't 100% sure how to do. We had two pre-birth appointments with her a few hours long where she came to our home, and my wife and I laughed that we learned more than any baby class we took. Nicole was amazing, responsive when my wife or I had questions, and I would recommend her to anyone looking for a doula. 

Jessica

10/21/2020

Nicole is the kind of support person that every couple should have alongside them through labor and delivery and beyond! She unexpectedly subbed for our chosen doula, but she came prepared like we had connected weeks prior! She was committed to understanding our  hopes and meeting our unique needs. As a second time mom, I appreciated her knowledge and warm personality more than ever, knowing that my birth experience was going to be unique from the first. From essential oils to back work to interpreting medical insights from providers, she was invaluable through the entire experience.

Stephanie A.

10/3/2020

Hiring Nicole to support my husband and me during the birth of our first child made such a positive impact on our experience. Before our baby boy's birth, Nicole met with us twice to practice comfort measures, show us positions/movements that would help prepare us for birth, answer our questions, and give us information to help finalize our birth preferences.

The day I went into labor Nicole was quick to answer my very early morning texts, providing reassurance and helpful suggestions. When my husband and I wanted additional support later that morning, she came to our home and was a huge help both with providing me physical and emotional support and with providing my husband time to pack our car, eat, and call our midwife. She came with us to the hospital and was invaluable in helping me have the unmedicated birth we were hoping for. The counter pressure, touch, essential oils, breathing guidance, and calm presence were exactly what I needed. My husband loved that she "took the pressure off him" to know everything about a process he had never been through before. We would both recommend Nicole to anyone giving birth and hope she will be with us again next time!

Stephanie

9/29/2020

We decided to have a doula as part of our birth experience about 3 weeks before my due date. This was pretty last minute and Nicole was able to meet the very next day after I reached out. My husband and I both knew it was a good fit and loved the idea of a doula helping us through the process, even for being our second child. Nicole was extremely flexible and available to meet with us a couple times before my due date. She was knowledgeable and gave several helpful resources for us to review. One of the most valuable things was walking us through our options for our time in the hospital. Many times the nurses/doctors tells you what they think should happen and I never question it. I loved that Nicole made sure we knew there is more than one way to go about the labor experience and that made me confident in expressing to the nurses what I wanted. She was there for us the entire day I was in the hospital, giving advice and came to the hospital when I was about to go into active labor to help through contractions and making sure it was a great ambiance and experience. My husband very much appreciated an expert being there to help guide him through the day as well. Nicole was great and I highly recommend her!

Melissa Noel

9/20/2020

During my birth experience, Nicole was an invaluable coach, mentor, source of information, and comforting friend. After working with her, my husband and I recommend to all of our pregnant friends that they NEED a doula, and Nicole is the best - even the nursing staff at the hospital commented on how talented she is. One nurse asked me, “Where did you find her?!”

She helped me move out of a state of fear and feeling unsure at the start of labor, to confident and calm throughout the rest. She helped us navigate an unexpected situation during our son’s birth when his heart rate unexpectedly dropped, and her experience guided us on deciding next steps. Nicole was a huge help to my husband who didn’t want to leave my side, even to go to the bathroom or get a drink of water, until she arrived. She coached him on how best to help me, and it was a win-win for both of us. Because of her, I got to have the birth experience that I had wanted.

Leading up to the birth, it was empowering to have Nicole answer our questions, as we were first-time parents who had never experienced a birth before. Her resources with Evidence Based Birth gave us extra confidence that not only her experience but also fact-based research guided her advice. I also highly valued her Hypnobirthing training that helped me reframe birth as a positive experience instead of one to be afraid of or unsure about. She took fantastic care of us from the beginning to the end. I will only give birth from now on with Nicole by my side!

Jon & Karisa Demma

4/7/2020

Having Nicole as our Doula was honestly the best decision we ever made. This was our first birth and Nicole was an absolutely invaluable asset to our team. From start to finish she was there to ease any anxieties we had which allowed us to focus soley on bringing our little one safely into the world to join our family. As a new father who is prone to anxiety I cannot tell you what a huge help Nicole was. Even with the unexpected emergency C-Section, Nicole's expertise and reassurance kept the panic at bay. Truly amazing.

If you are questioning hiring a doula I can honestly tell you that you will not regret it with Nicole. Look no further. I think of her as the "swiss army knife" of the birthing process. She comes with so many valuable resources and techniques through every stage of the pregnancy/birth. Whatever you need, even if it is as simple as a reassuring text, she is there for you. 

I will never forget having you as a part of our team Nicole. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!!!

-Jon, Karisa and newly arrived Oak Demma!

Caitlin

11/11/2019

Nicole was an invaluable asset to our team for the birth of our 4th baby. From start to finish she was so helpful to me and my husband. We both commented several times in the days after our baby was born how glad we were that Nicole was there with us throughout the whole process. 

When we initially met with Nicole I loved her warm, energetic yet calm and confident demeanor. She answered all of our questions and we decided to hire her on the spot.  She then met with us in our home for two prenatal appointments. She worked with us to help finialize our birth plan and reviewed different comfort measures for both prenatal discomfort as well as during labor. Nicole was available to us via phone or text whenever we reached out, and she always had helpful suggestions and words of encouragement. 

On the day of my labor, Nicole was in constant contact and helped us navigate through deciding when to leave for the birth center. When we arrived there, Nicole was already there and had helped to prepare a calming birth environment by dimming lights and playing relaxing music. She was so calm and encouraging and also confident in suggesting positional changes and different comfort measures. She worked seemlessly alongside my husband, helping him to support me during labor. This whole process went so smoothly in large part due to Nicole's presence. 

Afterwards, Nicole provided us with pictures she took of the labor and delivery as well as a birth timeline. She was also incredibly helpful in including our three older children once we were ready for them to meet their new brother.

I would highly recommend choosing Nicole to support you during your labor and delivery! 

Anita B

10/29/2019

Hiring Nicole as our doula was one of the best decisions we made.  No matter if it's your first or third child, I strongly recommend a doula and Nicole was fantastic.  Before the birth, she met with us twice and was very accomodating with time and location. It was a great way for us to get to know her and her us. Every time I texted her, she replied very quickly, no matter what time of day it was. 

The day of, she met us at the hospital and was prepared with everything.  Not only did she support me, helping me with different positions and pain relief techniques, she was also very supportive for my husband. She was able to tell when I needed her to be calm and soothing, but also when I needed her to be tough.  It truly is a team effort and she was a perfect fit for us. 

Amanda G.

8/15/2019

Nicole did a great job helping us have a positive natural birthing experience. She worked very hard to make sure we were as positive and comfortable as possible throughout our 20+ hours of labor. She had many kind words of encouragement, worked with us on many techniques and positions, and did a great job guiding us through the proccess. Nicole was an invaluable addition to our birth team and we would highly recommend adding her to your team as well. 

Kayla Hoye

7/22/2019

Hiring Nicole as our Doula was one of the best decisions we ever made. 

Before birth, Nicole met with us twice and was availble for consultation by phone for whatever we needed. During our in home sessions Nicole took a ton of time with us learning our plans and desires for our birthing time. She was incredibly helpful in helping us create a birth plan to express our wishes to our medical staff. As first time parents, she helped educate us on all our options for during our birthing time and had an endless supply of articles ready for whenever we needed them. She also helped me make one of the hardest decisons during my pregnancy, to switch midwife providers late into my third trimester. Nicole helped me advocate for myself when I wasn't feeling supported by my original midwife. 

When it came to our actual birthing time, I can't imagine not having Nicole there. My delivery took a few unexpected turns and Nicole was there to help me navigate each one. During the pushing stage, while my medical providers were focused on running some tests necessary to keep me healthy, Nicole was there as a calm voice, guiding me through the hardest stage exactly as we had prepared (as if nothing abnormal had happened). She spent a ton of time with us that day and even ended up doing two births back to back in order to be there for our delivery. 

We would completely recommend Nicole to anyone considering a doula. 

Ashley

7/18/2019

My husband and I hired Nicole for the birth of our first child Harper, who was born this May, 2019. Being a mother is something I really wanted but had a lot of fear relating to pregnancy and specifically labor which is what led us to hire a doula. Nicole’s attitude and demeanor was so positive and she had so much knowledge to offer that from the moment we first met with her it was not even a question - we wanted her to be a part of our experience. 

I really believe that education on a subject can help reduce fear and Nicole gave such an abundance of that - she also provided a scenario in which I did not have to scour the internet for hours looking for reliable sources and information. For me this also prevented going down the Google wormhole! 

When I was nearing the end of the pregnancy she was so attentive to check in and provide exercises for the discomfort and essential  oils for the anxiety. When my water broke, within 5 minutes contractions were about a minute and a half apart. We weren’t expecting the rush to get to the hospital. And having Nicole there to remind us of what to grab and to help me though each contraction was incredibly helpful. 

At the hospital Nicole was such a support, providing water, cold washcloths, essential oils and massage just to name a few things. 

I had focused so much on labor and delivery that I didn’t think much about postpartum recovery which was so much more difficult than I anticipated. Nicole was an incredible support through this time as well for both me and baby. 

I can’t say enough positive things about having Nicole be a part of our experience. I can’t imagine doing it without her and if we have subsequent pregnancies will absolutely ask her to be a part of it with us. She was an amazing support and made a labor that was really difficult a manageable and a positive experience. 

Marie P.A.

7/17/2019

While looking into whether or not hiring a doula could be helpful to us at a ‘Doula 101’ meeting, Nicole immediately stood out. Among 3 other very experienced doulas, she projected a balance of warmth and competence as she addressed our questions.

As a result, and given our nonexistent birthing experience, we thought she would be a great fit for us. Our introductory 1:1 meeting proved us right, as Nicole took the time to understand our needs and wants and to address all our additional questions, and gave us the space to decide – in other words, she was truly helpful (how you would like customer service to be).

Every interaction afterward was similar, where the discussions were always balanced between her listening and speaking. With her help, we developed a birth plan reflecting our wants, and an action plan to find the care experience we were looking for.

As our March 2019 guess date approached, Nicole’s focused increased – she helped us identify key comfort measures tailored to our needs, and she helped us practice them, because, as you know, practice makes perfect. Needless to say, we felt prepared and confident – ready to bring our baby into the world with lots of love.

When our birthing process began, Nicole, as promised, was available – physically, mentally, and emotionally present. She served as our coach and advocate. When we didn’t know something, we looked to her (literally) and she guided us through it, with the poise and calm that only a passionate professional could provide. As a result, we celebrated our baby’s arrival like the ‘A-team’ we were – the pictures are worth a thousand words.

Overall, our experience with Nicole was excellent – she’s empathetic, caring, knowledgeable, patient, and experienced. Basically, she’s the embodiment of an ideal doula. We highly recommend her.

Mei-Ling Smith

7/16/2019

We were referred to Nicole for her Hypnobirthing experience and training, which was a priority for us. She provided excellent evidence-based and Hypnobirthing resources to us from day one, which helped us prepare as second-time parents. It meant a lot to me that she checked in regularly to see how we were doing and offer support and tips as my pregnancy progressed. I especially appreciated her thoughtful approach to addressing my questions and concerns as we got closer to labor day and also in the postpartum period. Nicole is not only well-versed in all things pregnancy and birth (and Hypnobirthing), she is also well-connected to the Twin Cities birth community and has provided us with awesome referrals as we’ve needed them. She is also extremely reliable, organized, nonjudgmental, and a great communicator, which are extremely important qualities for a doula! We ended up using a back-up doula for day-of birth support due to an unforeseen illness, but Nicole helped facilitate everything and continued to provide us with support throughout the day and into the postpartum period. We are grateful to have had a positive birth experience and attribute so much of this to having worked with Nicole!

Diana G

6/4/2019

As they say, births often don't go as planned and we can testify to that for our recent first baby. My water broke 2.5 weeks early, our baby was breech and our doula was unfortunately ill. Nicole was our doula's back up and we couldn't have been more lucky to have Nicole's support.  She was so warm and reassuring right off the back. I knew we were in great hands with Nicole along with the hospital staff.

Nicole was a wonderful advocate for my husband and myself throughout the delivery process. We greatly benefited from benchmarking her past experiences. She did an amazing job translating questions and needs. I also don't underestimate how nice it was just to have her hold my hand at times.

Our sons now share a birthday so I will always have a great way remember Nicole and how she was such an important part of our birth story.  

Andrea

5/28/2019

As first time parents, my husband and I had no idea what to expect and had a lot of anxiety surrounding the upcoming birth of our daughter. Once we met Nicole, all of that went away. Nicole has an amazing and friendly personality and my husband and I felt comfortable with her right away. During our prenatal visits, she shared so much information with us, practiced techniques with us, explained parts of the birth process and helped us make our birth plan. It was great to talk it through, and Nicole explained to us everything we didn’t understand and answered all of our questions!

On the day of our daughter’s birth, Nicole was absolutely amazing! From the second she arrived at the hospital, she brought a calming presence. She used her aromatherapy, calming music, and comfort techniques to help me through the surges, always encouraging me to breath! She constantly provided suggestions for ways my husband could help me, always making sure he felt included and involved. When my birth took an unexpected turn, I will never be more thankful for Nicole. She helped translate the medical terminology, helped me ask the right questions of the doctor, accompanied my husband and I to the OR and stayed with me while my husband went with our daughter to the NICU. We absolutely made the right decision with hiring Nicole and wouldn’t have made it through the day without her!

Amanda

5/27/2019

Having Nicole part of our second birth story was the best decision we made in so many ways. It allowed us to have the absolute best birth experience we could imagine despite everything not going exactly as we wished (ended up having a needed cesarean section after many hours of pushing). Throughout the whole experience Nicole was there for my birth team (my husband and my mother) and me in every way imaginable. She knew what I needed before even I knew what was needed. Whether it be massages, essential oils, position changes, rotating baby, staying with me in the OR as my husband attended to our baby, or reminding me of my birth wishes Nicole was a wonderful and perfect constant to our day. She brought calmness to an otherwise possibly stressful situation and we can never thank her enough. I would be so happy to give her my recommendation. If we are fortunate enough to have another pregnancy/birth we will gladly be welcoming Nicole back into our birth plan.

Brittany L.

5/22/2019

There are simply no words.  She was amazing. We could not have done it without her. She boosted our confidence, eased our anxiety and made our daughter's birth a positive experience.  She was knowledgeable, kind and genuine.  We felt supported and empowered. She discussed our wishes and concerns and did not judge our choices.  She attended the hospital tour and provided essential insight and answered questions we and others had.  My water broke at 4:50 am at 37 weeks .  I immediately contacted Nicole, and, as expected, she was outstanding.  I was scared and did not want to go to the hospital too early nor too late.  While we labored at home, we used the positions and tips she had shown us and she helped us decide when to leave.  When we arrived at 3:30 pm, she quickly met us there despite a looming blizzard. We delivered our daughter at 6:24 am the next day and Nicole never left our side.  She walked hallways with us, helped with positions, and helped me remember what I wanted.  She physically helped me and gave me the positive reinforcement I needed.  She also helped my husband support me and supported him.  She took notes, photos, and held me steady during the epidural.  I cannot explain how much better I felt with her there.  We had a minor complication and she reassured us and calmed my nerves.  As my husband went dealt with that, she stayed by side. After our baby arrived, Nicole stayed and made sure we were okay.  Despite shift changes, Nicole was the one constant.  Nicole has also been helpful after birth. She made a post-partum visit and we talked about the birth story. I treasured that visit. Her care and concern has been so genuine.  She is truly invested in our daughter and our family.  Nicole is an amazing woman with so much knowledge and compassion.  There are simply not enough words to express our gratitude and love for her.

Seth

5/9/2019

My wife and I had Nicole as our doula for our son. He was our first and we really didn't know what to expect at all. I had heard great things about doulas so we started researching and found Nicole, and we are so grateful! From the first time we met, we loved Nicole. She has an amazing personality and made us feel super comfortable from the beginning. My wife is a pretty independent person and wasn't sure about having someone with her during the birthing process but after we met Nicole, she was on board.

When it came time to have our son, neither of us had a clue what was normal or what the process looked like.Nicole helped coach us through everything and really explained everything so we knew what was happening. Not only was she extremely helpful for my wife with showing her numerous techniques and calming her and helping the process be much more relaxing, she also helped me to help my wife and helped assure me everything was progressing the way it was supposed to. 

She was with us every step of the way and always available for questions. I cannot imagine going through that without her. She was amazing and we always tell people to get ahold of Nicole. She is worth her weight in gold, you will not be disappointed!

Kayla Giese

3/19/2019

My husband and I are so happy that we decided to hire Nicole as our doula for the birth of our first child. She provided so much useful information during the prenatal visits beyond anything we learned at our doctor visits. Nicole is especially knowledgeable in aroma therapy, spinning babies, and hypnobirthing techniques, which was so helpful during the birth of my daughter! She really helped us to feel more confident and in control during the final weeks of pregnancy. I was experiencing extremely painful back labor, and Nicole used different comfort measure techniques to help me work through each contraction. Without her, I do not think I would have been able to labor naturally as long as I did.

She was also extremely helpful to my husband and made sure that he was taking care of himself. It really felt like the three of us were a team, especially when it came time to push. Nicole offered great insight during each decision we made, offering the pros and cons for each offered medical intervention. She made us feel like we were in control of our own birth experience. I would recommend Nicole to any expecting mother, whether or not it is her first baby. She is amazing! 

Greta Bjerkness

1/8/2019

Nicole was a great doula for us! She was incredibly friendly, helpful and a very calming influence during the birth of our son.  She made both me and my husband feel better during labor by offering comfort measures and anything else we needed! She was by my side the entire time I needed her.  She helped me get through contractions, administration of the epidural, and pushing with a calming presence that was greatly appreciated.  Her availability both before and after the birth of our son was also great and made me feel more prepared. I highly recommend Nicole as a doula!

CJ Valenti

11/2/2018

Nicole was amazing to have with us through the end of our pregnancy and birth. From the beginning of our relationship, she was very personable and warm. She was knowledgable and full of resources to help us plan our birth values and prepare ahead of time. She checked in with us often and helped us feel as ready as we could be for labor.  On the day of our son's birth, she was with us every step of the way. She was an incredible resource for us in the hospital room- helping us stay calm and relaxed. She was full of encouragement and brought many tools with her- like music, candles and essential oils. Most importantly, she kept us focused so we were able to have a natural childbirth with no pain medication. We could not have done this with her support. Hiring Nicole was the best decision we made.

Peter Smith

10/21/2018

Nicole helped us through long induction. She helped us navigate a number of unexpected decisions, and was there with us through the most important choices we needed to make during the delivery. She is well versed in aroma therapy, spinning babies, hypnobirthing techniques—all of which were incredibly helpful during the birth of our daughter. She is a incredibly warm & caring person, and we simply cannot recommend Nicole enough!

Briana Vanderlinde

7/15/2018

My husband and I were expecting our first child to arrive in late June 2018. I was interested in having a natural childbirth and had learned a little bit about the benefits a doula could offer from coworkers and friends, but for all intensive purposes, we had no idea what we were doing and knew we needed guidance from someone who did.

We met Nicole at the local Caribou for a quick meet and greet and immediately started learning from her. My husband was relieved at the idea of having someone to look to for guidance during the heat of the moment and I felt encouraged that a natural delivery was something I could prepare for and achieve. We said goodbye, got in the car and immediately knew we needed to hire her.

Nicole introduced us to Hypnobirthing, the Minnesota Birth Center and encouraged us to enroll/register even though I was far along at 30 weeks. Nicole's prenatal home visits complemented weeks of Hypnobirthing and Amma classes and helped us form a trusting relationship leading up to the big day.

My labor began several days past our guess date and progressed much quicker than we thought. My husband and Nicole were calling/texting each other and helping me through surges until Nicole arrived at our home and helped me labor before going to the birth center. Both at home and at the birth center, Nicole played my relaxation music, used essential oils and coached me through my breathing and coping mechanisms, which helped everything go according to plan.

In retrospect, Nicole helped us plan the birth we didn't know we wanted. We couldn't imagine our journey without her and recommend her fully.

Alanna Rice

7/14/2018

My husband and I were expecting our first child in July 2018.  We had taken a 6-week birthing class and so intially, I was on the fence about hiring a doula.  It was very important to me to have a natural childbirth if our baby was in position to allow us to do so.  I ultimately decided to hire a doula.  I am so glad I hired a doula and specfically Nicole.  I ended up going into labor much sooner than expected and our little girl was born almost 2 weeks before her "due" date.  I was caught off gurard when my water broke much earlier than we had anticipated.  I contacted Nicole immediately and she helped calm my nerves and walked me through the process.  She explained things in a factual but yet calming way.  I felt confident in the information she was proviiding me over the phone as it was my first time going through this process.  Nicole showed up to the hospital quickly and jumped in to help immediately.  I labored in the tub for a bit and she set up candles and made sure I had my music playing while in the tub.  That helped distract me from the contractions when they started to intenstify.  Throughout my labor, Nicole was rigtht there by my side helping me breath through each contraction.  As the contractions started to become what I felt was unbearable, she was there holding my hand, helping me breath through and encouraging me to utilize different options and comfort measres while I labored.  There were times when I mentioned that I should just get an epidural, when I knew that was not what I wanted, as I wanted to deliver our baby as a waterbirth, and having this wouldn't have allowed me to do so.  In the end, I ended up having the natural childbirth which I was seeking.  I am not sure I would have gotten there without the help of Nicole.  I would reccomend her wholeheartedly to anyone seeking additional support during their labor.

Nicole Santikko

7/8/2018

My husband and I were expecting our first children (twins) in June 2018. Not have gone through the birth process before, I was a bit intimidated that my ideal birth plan wouldn't be able to happen since I was now expecting twins. Since I always wanted a doula, I began my search and found Nicole. She was the the perfect addition to our birth not only because she was caring, supportive and encouraging, but she is also a mother of twins! I was really hoping to avoid pitocin and a c-section during my birth and both wishes came true! When my water broke very eary unexpetantly, we called Nicole right away, and she talked us through what would happen next, what to look for, and when to head to the hospital. When we got to the hospital, she was there in no time. She helped me breath through very strong contractions for hours and encouraged me to keep going without medication. It was a success birth and I was able to deliver both babies vaginally! After the birth, I had some excessive bleeding and Nicole was right by my side to keep me calm while my husband was able to be with the babies. She did a great job of communicating with my husband and he was so thankful to have her there. They made a great team! In addition, to the actual birth, the prenatal conversations beforehand really helped to keep me calm leading up to the big day. During labor and birth, Nicole took incredible photos and videos that I will cherish forever. Thank you Nicole for making our birth experience so positive and memorable!

Adi Michlitch

3/21/2018

I had a doula for my first pregnancy and was able to have the birth I wanted - no medications, natural delivery. My second pregnancy was very different as I had twins and the lower one was breech. I sought out Nicole specifically because she has her own twins and her knowledge of resources in the Twin Cities has been invaluable. I am so grateful that I hired Nicole. I was initially disappointed when my OB kept encouraging a c-section (and it ended up being needed) and thought that a doula would be unnecessary but I was wrong. Nicole was present and checked in a regular basis throughout my pregnancy. She encouraged me to be assertive with the doctors, listened to my concerns and helped me to adjust to changing plans. I am grateful that they allowed Nicole into the OR with me while preparing for the procedure as she was the calm, supportive presence that both my husband and I needed during that time. Throughout the hustle and bustle of the c-section, one strong memory I have is Nicole calmly bent over near my face, telling me what was going on, checking in with how I was doing and helping to calm my fears. She stayed with me during post-op while I had one son and my husband was with our other son. I would highly recommend Nicole to anyone who is pregnant as she helped me to have the best birth experience I could even if it did not go as I had initially thought.

Cathy Hilary

1/29/2018

We are so grateful we had Nicole with us as we navigated our birth story! We had a few scares throughout our pregnancy and she was able to help calm our fears and talk us through all that we were experiencing.  She was able to provide us with so many helpful resources!  As a new mother I was concerned with how my husband would be supported during our birth story and she was able to fully support us both in our unique journey.  We ended up having some difficulties throughout my 36 hours of labor - my body was unable to birth the baby naturally as we had planned and Nicole stood by our side and helped us advocate for ourselves while she supported us in the necessary changes for the health of our baby.  We needed an emergency c-section and she communicated with us and stood by our side through it all.  We are so grateful she was with us as we felt more support from her than anyone we encountered at the hospital.  She was definitely the help we needed when we weren't getting the time/attention from the hospital staff and after the scary ordeal of an emergency c-section she stood by our side and helped reassure us through the changes that we had not planned for.  Her follow-up with us was also so helpful - she provided us so many post partum resources that we have been able to utilize in our adjustment to parenthood!  We would strongly recommend her services to any parents looking to provide the best care and support for their birth stories!

Kierra Koke

1/1/2018

My husband and I really enjoyed working with Nicole and we are so glad she was apart of our sons birth day. She made a great impact on the day and was a great support to both me through labor and delivery as well as being there to support and encouragement my husband through the experience. My husband shared he doesn't think he could have done it with out Nicole being there and was so glad to have her help. Having her support, encouragement and knowledge helped us get through labor and delivery. Her support before, during and after helped us to prepare for the arrival of our son. She reminded us of our birth plan during labor and helped us to process afterword. We would recommend Nicole to anyone in search of a doula!

Candice Krmpotich

11/21/2017

My experience with Nicole as my Doula was a wonderful one. From the very beginning she was warm, friendly, and supportive. She held my toddler when she was curious about her, came to my house for meetings, and was even flexible with payment options for us. This was baby #4 and even though I was not a first time mom she still brought a fresh approach to me, specifically some hypnobirth techniques and encouragement to Remember to practice prior to the baby’s arrival. She had a wealth of resources on evidence based birth to help with our division making and birth plan And was always available via email, text or call should I need her.   When it was time to have baby she met us at the hospital and stayed with me and my husband through every stage of labor. She was a calming presence and utilzed mainly massage, essential oil, hypnobirth affirmations and other calming techniques to support my decision for unmedicated birth. After our baby was born she went above and beyond by providing our family with a meal both in and out of the hospital. Her love for our whole family was felt and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I consider Nicole a friend now and I’m so grateful for the support she provided both prior to, during and after the birth of my baby.  I’m writing this review while more than one of my children fuss, so if it’s disjointed I apologize. I offer the highest recommendation for Nicole to anyone looking for doula services.

Jennifer Bergstedt

9/17/2017

Our experience with Nicole was amazing! She was very instrumental in providing the support we needed for the arrival of our son. She went far above and beyond with helping both of us, and greatly exceeded our expectations! Prior to giving birth, Nicole spent time with us, asked great questions, was sensitive, and offered a lot of comfort options to use during labor & delivery. Furthermore, she offered many resources that were available to us after the birth. During labor and delivery she was an incredible team member who was able to fit right in with the hospital staff. Looking back on our experience we can't imagine why anyone with the means wouldn't utilize a doula. We HIGHLY recommend Nicole's services.

kaitlin astleford

7/16/2017

My husband and I decided to hire a doula because this was our first pregnancy and we didn’t know what to expect out of labor and delivery. The most important aspect for choosing the right doula for us was someone who knew a lot about different coping mechanisms for pain since the goal was to delivery without medication. I was extremely pleased when we decided to hire Nicole because she had all the tools to make labor more comfortable. She came over to our house and even demonstrated a few different options like aromatherapy, massage, and hypnobirthing. During labor I got to use all the strategies that we had put in place earlier. When I did need to take a break and thought I needed medication she was there to ask about all of my options and explain to my husband and I what it meant for us. She was great at reminding me to breathe through the contractions and giving my husband direction, support and a break when needed. I did end up getting an epidural in order to rest but before I committed to it she was there to ask if it was what I really wanted because it was not a part of my birth plan. She was then my advocate speaking with our medical team and asking questions to make sure I was getting exactly what I wanted.  I ended up having an unforeseen complication of a retained placenta after my son was born. Nicole stayed with us the whole time to make sure I was okay and again to be the support person that my husband needed. When they allowed people to see me after I became stable it was my husband, my mother and Nicole who were there to greet me. It meant the world to us that she stayed. I remember thinking during labor that we could not have done this without her and her support. Our experience would have been completely different and I would not have felt as confident without her. I felt like my comfort and needs were her number one priority and I really felt like I could lean on her during the whole process even during my weakest moments.

Kelly Johnson

5/15/2017

My husband and I hired Nicole for the birth of our third baby, as I had been experiencing the pregnancy differently than my first two and felt that it would be good to have some additional support. From the beginning, Nicole was responsive, positive, and easy to communicate with.

As my due date approached, and then subsequently passed, Nicole remained supportive as we communicated on a regular basis. When my baby finally decided to make an entrance, Nicole arrived at the hospital shortly after we did. It was a good thing, because my labor was fast and intense. Throughout, Nicole was prepared with tools and tricks we had discussed in our pre-birth meetings. Not only did she support me, but she helped support my husband so that he could be the birthing partner that I needed him to be. There were numerous times throughout the labor, and after, that I remember thinking that I could not have done it without Nicole.

What I appreciated the most about Nicole was her positivity, her responsiveness to my questions/concerns/needs, and how easy it was to communicate with her. When I first thought of hiring Nicole for the birth of our third child, I felt a little silly, as I had not hired a doula for either of my previous births. I do not regret for one second having Nicole’s support and I believe her presence helped make my daughter’s birth story just how I envisioned it to be!

Kristie Hondl

3/22/2017