Nicki McVinua

12/11/2024

My husband and I had a wonderful experience working with Anna! Anna was extremely helpful prior, during, and post labor. Our meetings with her before labor helped me to clarify my goals, my birth plan, and the coping strategies I would use as labor progressed. She asked important questions and followed up each meeting with resources pertinent to our conversation. During labor, Anna's calming presence both at home and at the hospital helped me stay centered and confident. Especially when the delivery room got chaotic, Anna helped me focus and reminded me to trust myself. I do not believe I would have been able to reach my goal of a natural birth without any interventions without her. Postpartum, she continued to provide support and resources around breastfeeding and newborn care. My husband also felt very supported by Anna and appreciated her partnership and guidance in decison-making around my labor. She provided him with confidence to be able to best support me. We cannot thank Anna enough for all her support and highly recommend her doula services!

Irina

10/15/2024

Anna is the absolute best! I don't even know where to start. First of all..she has the most serene and peaceful energy which is exactly what you're looking for in your delivery room when you're going through contractions and labor and after when we asked her to spend one overnight with our baby. She had the most gentle touch with everything she did with our newborn. From dressing him to feeding him to putting him to sleep, not one cry!

Next, she truly cares about her clients and their well being! She's super responsive on WhatsApp, sent all the resources we asked her about, so knowledgeable in her profession and all things labor and babies! 

If went husband and I  are lucky enough to have another baby, we will most certainly would love to have Anna as our doula! Highly recommend!

Monika & Ludo

10/10/2024

We can’t express enough how grateful we are to have had Anna as our doula. As first-time parents, we were filled with anticipation and countless questions, but Anna’s presence truly transformed our entire experience. From the very beginning, she was a wealth of knowledge, offering us invaluable resources that we continued to reference throughout the pregnancy.

Even when labor became complicated and we unexpectedly had to have a c-section, Anna was an absolute saving grace for both me and my partner. She was there for us every step of the way, providing emotional and physical support that was simply irreplaceable. Her reassurance and guidance during such a challenging time made us feel empowered, informed and comforted.

Anna provided incredible support not only to me but also to my partner, offering strength and reassurance as he managed his worries about me and the baby. Her attention to both our needs truly made all the difference, and we are forever grateful for her care and compassion.

We highly recommend Anna to any family looking for a doula. Her warmth, expertise, and dedication make her an exceptional support to have during such a transformative experience. We can confidently say that working with Anna was one of the best decisions we made for our journey into parenthood. Thank you, Anna, from the bottom of our hearts!

Paula

4/18/2024

I had amazing birth expierience thanks to Anna,she helped me a lot during pragnency ,labor and delivery  and postpatrum,Thanks to her I didn't took epidural also thanks to her I'm breastfeeding,I highly recommend to hire a doula ,money well spend .My first birth was a nightmare,I wasn't prepared,doctor induced me ,gave me a tons of meds and epidural ,I was in labor for over 20h ,-and I was a mess after ,also couldn't breastfeed coz I got breast infection ,.My second birth I hired Anna ,can't thank her enough,my birth was like in a movie ,that's how I felt ,I went to hospital and had a baby within an hour without any medications ,I felt amazing ,it was beautiful moment,Thank you Anna

Kasia Cheng

12/14/2023

We began working with Anna right from the start of our pregnancy. As first-time parents, we urgently sought guidance through the uncertainties, and Anna proved to be our invaluable support. Words cannot express our gratitude for her incredible empathy, gentleness, attentive listening, and the profound comfort she provided.

Throughout the pregnancy, Anna made multiple in-person visits and conducted Zoom calls, addressing all our questions. We also arranged personalized workshops with her on delivery and newborn care. On the day of delivery, Anna accompanied us from the long journey of contractions to the magical moment of our child's birth. She not only provided hours of soothing massages during contractions but also facilitated communication with the hospital staff.

Yet, Anna's support extended far beyond that pivotal moment. As a postpartum doula, she continued assisting with the care of our newborn for several months. Her assistance was immeasurable during the postpartum period when sleep was a rare luxury. Most importantly, we entrusted her completely as she cared for our newborn with unwavering calmness, empathy, and serenity.

It has truly been an honor and privilege to work with Anna. Her support was not only physically and mentally indispensable during our pregnancy and postpartum journey but also a profound lesson in parenting with empathy, attentiveness, and tranquility.

Andrei Shutovich

6/27/2023

My wife gave birth in a hospital a few weeks ago, and Ania was our birth doula. Despite long (~26 hours) and intense labor, with lots of unexpected twists, the end result was a healthy baby, plus we managed to avoid a C-section, so my wife's recovery wasn't too bad. In retrospect, we couldn't have achieved that if not for Ania's help and advice.

Before the delivery, we had a few in person meetings with Ania, where she learned our preferences and suggested her approach to preparing for the process, without insisting on us following every detail. We also watched videos of a few births. Thanks to those meetings, we were better prepared for the delivery and post-partum.

During the delivery, we woke Ania up in the middle of the night (as the contractions started at 2 AM), and she joined us in the hospital an hour later. She was with us all the time until we left the delivery room in about 30 hours. She had hardly slept during this time, her attention was always on my wife. She went above and beyond to make her as comfortable as possible. Also, she was focusing on how to make the contractions more effective via different positions, and how to speed up the delivery by various non-medical means.

Ania also consulted us on every decision we took, supported every choice we made, and, at one point, she even defended our interests (although she didn't sign up for this). Her advices were always motivated by the needs of my wife and our baby.

After the birth, she visited us a few times, and was always ready to answer our questions by phone (we called her every time we didn't know what to do). Given that my wife and I have no relatives who live close by, we're very grateful for that help.

I believe that being a doula is not just Ania's job, it is her vocation. Her ability to build trust and to establish a deep and personal connection is extraordinary, and I'm certain she puts her heart and soul in every birth she assists.

Olga Prudka

1/9/2023

First, I would like to express our deep gratitude to Anna. From the moment we met her, we received excellent support in all aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.
Let's start with the fact that Anna listened to us very carefully, and after personal meetings; she understood precisely how we would like to give birth and what kind of help we needed.
She advised us on everything from books that would help in pregnancy and the postpartum period to various lists of questions for doctors and advice from specialists in lactation and acupuncture. She has all the information and contacts to help you during this beautiful time.
This was our first pregnancy, and we were very nervous and afraid. Our family was in Ukraine and could not be with us. At some point, we felt motherly support from Anna, which helped us a lot. She mediated between our desires and the doctors. Everything we discussed with Anna before the birth, how we would like to see our ideal delivery, all was accomplished. We could not expect more support from her in the postpartum period; when we were left alone with the baby, the only person we called for consultation was Anna.
Thank you for your big heart and professionalism. Our family will never forget you. As a future parent, you can not go wrong with Anna. She is a beautiful human being that will give you everything and a little bit more to feel safe.

Jeein Choi Olsen

10/20/2022

I have to say, having Ania as a doula really made my first homebirth experience so wonderful! I didn't think I'd need one and I am so glad I found Ania. She knew exactly what to do at the right times - the massages and the water and all that. She was the perfect support that I needed. She is quiet and kind and intuitive. I don't know how else to explain it but Ania just knew exactly what I needed at the time and I honestly cannot imagine having given birth at home without her. I highly recommend her and if I were to have another homebirth I would definitely call her! 

Renata

8/18/2022

I can't recommend Ania enough as a birthing doula! My husband and I reached out to her just mere days before my 39th week, as I was starting to lose confidence that my medical provider had my best interest at heart.  I ended up being induced a week early due to some health concerns, and Ania was able to provide a lot of reassurance and guidance leading up to the induction and made herself available for any text/calls to calm my nerves.  We didn't have a chance to meet in person given the quick turn of events but I still felt a strong sense of familiarity and comfort with Ania, like she was immediately part of our "team" and was fully respectful of my opinions/preferences.  When she got to the hospital, her presence created an immediate sense of calm and peace for us.  When the labor started to gain speed, she was superb in helping us navigate the various options that were presented to us and how to communicate our preferences (for ex., delayed cord clamping, different birthing positions) to the doctor with confidence and have informed conversations.  Without her, we would have been totally overwhelmed and nervous. Ania comforted me with massage and aromatherapy which made the labor that much nicer.  When it was time to push, she was a rock for me and my husband and coached me on how to push.  Her calm and confident energy was so needed in that moment! She stayed for a couple hours following the delivery and helped me with nursing, even took photos of us with our baby daughter.  

After, she came to our apartment for two follow up visits and provided helpful advice for breastfeeding and eased other new parent concerns. she drew a sitz bath for me with healing herbs, to help with my post partum recovery.  

If you are considering Ania for your doula, I highly recommend it! She is kind, experienced and brings the perfect calm, reassurance and peace to the experience that every birth deserves.

Mary Elizabeth

1/10/2022

Anna was an incredible support to me during my labor, birth, and first weeks with our new baby. However, that is not all she does: two years later, I contacted her to see if she could advise me about what to do to be ready for a second pregnancy. She took the time to talk with me and understand our situation, and did a lot of research to provide me with personalized guidance. She is incredibly caring and a wonderful source of information. I feel really lucky to have her as a resource and support, and would recommend her both for standard birth + postnatal support, and as a resource for breastfeeding and women's fertility.

Milena

4/13/2021

I am a first time mother. My pregnancy and delivery were surprisingly easy; however, the postpartum period turned out to be a real challenge. Ania guided and supported me through this difficult time with much kindness and understanding. She is like a loving mother, caring sister, best friend, and reliable professional, all in one. I strongly recommend Ania's excellent services to every woman on this beautiful yet taxing journey to motherhood.

Rachel

1/28/2020

From first contact, Anna was both professional and warm. Within hours of contacting her, she'd emailed back for a meeting in person. I appreciated this extra effort. Obviously a doula is part of such an intimate moment in one's life, and it is much easier to assess if the chemistry is right in person than over email or phone. Upon meeting, Anna came across as incredibly calm and grounded. In the pre-natal meetings, she took time to get to know my husband, myself, and our couple dynamic. This helped her be part of our birth experience in an organic way. She also tailored information she shared with us to our personalities instead of giving us a "one size fits all" type of experience. Further, she supplemented our birth education classes in two key ways: First, she went through breastfeeding materials prior to birth. I credit early confidence and success with BF with having this knowledge. Second, while not part of our plan, she made sure we were informed about c-sections and recovery. So many of the materials we'd read were anti-c-section to the point of not even addressing the details. As it turned out, I ended up in a true emergency situation late in my labor and had a c-section. Because Anna hadn't let us go into the labor with blinders on about all the possible outcomes, this outcome was far less terrifying than it might have been otherwise.Two additional endorsements: First, the L&D nurse commented to me that Anna was one of the best doulas she had worked with, making particular note of her calmness. Second, my doctor did not want to work with a doula after a previous, very bad experience. After Anna's willingness to meet him prior to the labor and an understanding of her and his role he acquiesced. Anna handled this potentially tense or awkward situation with grace and high emotional intelligence. As a result, none of my doctor's initial skepticism bled into my birth experience. On my follow-up, he was also impressed by Anna as a doula. 

Mary Elizabeth and Martin

12/18/2019

We are first time parents. When we began our search for a doula, we were unsure of the role they played in the birthing process. Our experience with Anna showed us that she does everything, and we now can't imagine how one could give birth without the support and encourgement she provided. She walked us through the emotional and psychological journey associated with giving birth, lent us books and videos, sent us information regarding every question we asked, and was there to discuss and listen throughout the pregnancy and post-partum period. There is more: we had a difficult and long labor, and she was there for every contraction, providing support, encouragement and love. She pushed me to try when necessary, let me rest when I needed it, and was always positive, thoughtful and strong. She stayed with me for every part of the labor and delivery, and was there to help with my recovery, breastfeeding, and postpartum feelings after we gave birth. If you are looking for calm, wise and positive support throughout the pregancy, birth, and postpartum, we cannot recommend Anna enough.

Lindsey

12/3/2019

Anna is a rock, a literal pillar of strength (albeit in a small package). She can fit, literally and figuratively, seamlessly into the birthing space.  Her innate knowledge, her intuition and her instincts are spot on.  I was privileged to work alongside her. I was the midwife, she was the doula, and guaranteed this birth would have been much different without her support.  Her ability to squeeze hips and offer encouragement, guidance, and sustenance for hours on end are unparalleled.  Anyone would be lucky to have her on their birth team. We will be referring her for as long as she takes clients (forever please!)

juvie cacatian

11/6/2019

I'm so glad I found Anna. My husband and I decided late in the game (about a month or so out) to get a doula and being our first pregnancy, we really needed someone who is experienced to help us prepare for the delivery. She is very professional, knowledgeable and has a calming personality. Her support in the hospital was incredible and helped us make informed decisions especially since we were really set on minimizing medical interventions. I had to do all my laboring at the hospital due to high blood pressure and fortunately she was by my side and my husband's, guiding us through this new and a bit scary experience. It was a long night but from my the moment she got to the hospital until the baby was in my arms I felt safe and looked after. A big thanks to our doula, Anna!

Corinne

7/16/2019

Anna was such an amazing help during the birth of our first child in June 2019. She had a peaceful, calm, and patient energy during my marathon 35 hour labor during which she stayed with me the entire time without hardly taking a break! My water broke early in the night and I didn't immediately have any contractions so she worked with me all through the night to try to get things jumpstarted. When I had to be induced 14 hours later, she helped us make the most of a situation that was not our ideal scenario and helped me have the beautiful birth that I hoped to have. We seriously could not have done it without her and her reassurance all throughout was a Godsend as it's really hard to make critical decisions in the moment, despite everything you know and have read beforehand. She was also great prior to birth as she met with us twice, gave us lots of resources, and answered all of our questions. After birth, she met with us an additional two times which was great as it was nice to have reassurance that everything I had been wondering or feeling was entirely normal. Her breastfeeding training and experience was also great to draw on as, even though my baby had no problems breastfeeding, it was really nice to have an extra pair of eyes to watch him latch and, again, reassure us that he was doing just fine and everything is ok. 

I can't recommend Anna enough as a doula! She is beyond kind and compassionate and will go above and beyond to help you have the birth experience that you want to have. She is also extremely knowledgeable and well-trained in all things birth and baby so she is an incredible resource to have that I cannot say enough about. I will definitely recommend her to anyone I know who is looking for a doula and will use her again for all of my future births should I still be living in the city! 

Sharon McCay

6/24/2019

Anna came by to help us postpartum when my baby was just a week old. We also have a 3yo, so despite my partner being home, neither of us we're able to do much cooking or cleaning and we we're completely over our heads. Anna's presence was so calming. She gave us the opportunity for my husband to take our older son out and me to still be cared for. She made us soup, cleaned the kitchen, and organized our apartment. But most importantly she sat with me and gave me space to talk about my birth experience and kept me company during a very vulnerable time. I highly recommend Anna, she is truly gifted at what she does. 

Valentina

3/8/2019

Anna was a great help through our birthing experience. My labor was 3 days long and she was an invaluable support. She is very knowledgeable about special pressure points that helped lower the pain.  We are very grateful for our experience working with her. Anna has a great personality and a very natural approach to labor, birth and babies. I wholeheartedly recommend her without reservation. 

Annie

3/6/2019

An angel descended from heaven! Anna worked with us as a parttime postpartum doula for the two months following the birth of our daughter, and I wish we could have kept her on forever and ever. She helped with all the household chores that come along with a new baby, and offered great advice on products and protocol to help me, as I was recovering from giving birth. She is easy to be around, responsible and reliable. I'd recommend her to anyone looking for a postpartum doula or a birth doula -- I imagine she'd be a very calming, supportive presence during a birth, and can attest to how helpful she is during the crazy period of time when you're settling into new parenthood. 

Annie

3/5/2019

An angel descended from heaven! Anna worked with us as a parttime postpartum doula for the two months following the birth of our daughter, and I wish we could have kept her on forever and ever. She helped with all the household chores that come along with a new baby, and offered great advice on products and protocol to help me, as I was recovering from giving birth. She is easy to be around, responsible and reliable. I'd recommend her to anyone looking for a postpartum doula or a birth doula -- I imagine she'd be a very calming, supportive presence during a birth, and can attest to how helpful she is during the crazy period of time when you're settling into new parenthood. 

Zephyr Teachout

2/3/2019

Anna was amazing, and I would recommend her to anyone.

I called her the day I was due to deliver, having decided at the last minute that I wanted a Doula. She set up a meeting right away, and was calm, direct, helpful, and made me feel two things at once: that I was totally in control, and that I was in great hands with someone with both compassion, wisdom, and openness.

She came with me to the hospital before the birth to meet the practice, and was there throughout the birth when I needed her. She helped me switch hospitals last minute, and then ask the right questions when I was there.

I had wanted a natural birth, but after being two weeks late, I decided to induce; when the induction didn't work after another two days, I decided to have a C section. Anna was there for the hard decisions, really helped me think them through, and made me feel good afterwards, instead of disappointed that the natural birth I had hoped for didn't work.

When I asked her about things she wasn't sure, she immediately followed up with resources and ideas.

I really can't say enough good things. You will be lucky to have her!

M Madina

9/25/2018

I had an amazing birth experience at the hospital with Anna.
She helped me so much throughout my pregnancy till postpartum, her knowledge and passion are priceless.
I watched documentaries and read books she recommended and they were so helpful in my whole journey.
I was looking for the most natural birth without interventions at the hospital and I believe I could achieve it in many ways because of her.
She helped with contraction pain by massaging my lower back constatly, showing me how to breath and relax….it was sooooo helpful i can't even describe it in words.

I truly think I couldn’t get anyone better, her energy as a human being is very positive and sweet her passion to what she does radiates and motivates.
THANK YOU ANNA for being my doula from pregnancy to postpartum :)

Lola Carey

5/22/2018

Are you dreaming about a perfect birth? Well, mine was pretty much amazing and Anna played a huge role in it- before, during, and after my labor.

When I first met Anna I felt instant connection between us, she has that something special- a sparkle, that warmth, a positive aura... or whatever you want to call it. Her gentle and sweet demeanor is what drawn me to her right away. When I was choosing my birth support team, especially my doula I wanted to make sure that she will make me feel comfortable and safe, which she did. In addition to having a great personality Anna is also very knowledgeable in her field. She shared a lot of useful information with me during my pregnancy and helped me and my partner prepare for our birth. She exceeded my expectations during labor- her massages ?? helped me cope with pain during the most painful contractions, her calm but direct words kept me going when I was ready to give up. I couldn’t have done it without her.

Anna’s postpartum training came in very handy when I needed advice regarding breastfeeding. Anna is a big proponent of mother’s care and her postpartum services focus on mothers needs. During her postpartum visits she was willing to help with housework, gave me the best foot massages, even brought a homemade apple sauce filled with some warming spices for me to enjoy. My recovery was much faster than I expected thanks to Anna’s care.