Jana French

9/21/2020

Working with Melissa was a perfect fit for our family!  We hired Melissa for the birth of our second child (born June 2020).  She was an excellent communicator, prompt and had multiple resources to share.  Due to COVID, we ended up switching to a homebirth midwife at 33 weeks; Melissa worked with our new midwife and her team and created an incredibly positive birth experience for myself (and my spouse).  During my labor, Melissa quietly guided us through laboring and employed multiple techniques to help with coping.  She matched the tone of my birthing space and ensured it was exactly how I needed it to be. I think she rubbed my lower back for 2 hours, through every contraction! She was an incredible support to my husband and the rest of our birthing team.  Melissa even grabbed some awesome photos/videos for us (since we couldn't have a birth photographer)!  Postpartum, she visited and checked up on us multiple times. Melissa and her team are the best of the best. I hope you will hire her, as I know she will help make whatever birth plan you have, a success!   

Jenna Dexter

7/15/2020

Melissa was amazing to work with! She was so attentive throughout my pregnancy. She really cares about her clients and I felt so much more at ease having her there for the birth of my daughter. My daughter is now 6 weeks old and Melissa still checks in on us regularly. I will definitely want her there for my next pregnancy. Highly recommend!

Jennifer

7/10/2020

Melissa made a huge, positive impact on our birth experience! She helped prepare us with classes before the big day and was always available for questions. On the day we were induced, she was by our side the entire time. I was in labor for nearly 24 hours and she never left the delivery room. My husband and I couldn’t be more grateful for her experience and knowledge - she made us both feel more comfortable and confident. She seemed to realize I needed something before I did - I would think “I’m getting hot and uncomfortable,” and before I had a chance to vocalize it, she was putting a cold cloth on my neck. Every birthing person needs a Melissa!

Kayla Murlick

3/6/2020

I am so thankful I found Melissa! My first birth ended in a csection due to breech presentation. I knew I was going to try for a vbac my second pregnancy. I heard great things about doulas and I know they decrease the likelihood of csections and decrease chances of PPD etc. I knew I needed someone to advocate for me. I had almost every single odd stacked against me for having a vbac. But I did have my vbac this last Monday! And I know I couldn't have done it without her! She is great in preparing you for your birth,  a great support system during the actual process and has been great post partum so far as well. She is also willing to go to your OB appointments as delivery becomes closer. I highly recommend and would have paid her double ?

Ronza Novelli

2/19/2020

I hired Melissa specifically because she had so many good reviews and that is why I want to help future women looking for a doula by adding my review. If you are looking for a hard working, punctual, down to earth doula- Melissa is the go to! Her personality is so easy to bond with. She makes you feel comfortable. During my labor, she reminded me to accept the contractions instead of straining. Once I did that, my labor progressed so fast. She was there assisting the nurses every step of the way. They were so impressed with her, they asked me where I found her! They said she was very hands on! She stayed up the whole night and kept coming to assist me as I had an epidural and the nurses had to move my position every 15 minutes. I had a complication after my vaginal birth which required surgery. She was very supportive in the aftermath in helping me cope with the outcome. Overall, I was very happy with my birth experience and I highly recommend Melissa's support both pre-, during, and post-birth! 

Ronza Novelli

2/19/2020

I hired Melissa specifically because she had so many good reviews and that is why I want to help future women looking for a doula by adding my review. If you are looking for a hard working, punctual, down to earth doula- Melissa is the go to! Her personality is so easy to bond with. She makes you feel comfortable. During my labor, she reminded me to accept the contractions instead of straining. Once I did that, my labor progressed so fast. She was there assisting the nurses every step of the way. They were so impressed with her, they asked me where I found her! They said she was very hands on! She stayed up the whole night and kept coming to assist me as I had an epidural and the nurses had to move my position every 15 minutes. I had a complication after my vaginal birth which required surgery. She was very supportive in the aftermath in helping me cope with the outcome. Overall, I was very happy with my birth experience and I highly recommend Melissa's support both pre-, during, and post-birth! 

Kori

12/31/2019

Melissa was a great doula to work with! I hired her to work with me for the birth of my second child. I was recommended her services by my midwife and she did not disappoint! She checked in with me after every OB appointment I had, and offered her support and advice every step of the way. I loved that she offered a first visit to meet with me in the beginning to make sure we clicked well before committing to her services. She made multiple home visits during my pregnancy to not only make sure I was comfortable with her, but to also educate me and get to know more about me and my pregnancy along the way. 
My due date came, and my water broke early in the morning. Even though I was worried she may not answer a call at 4am, she answered right away! I was told by my midwife to go right to the hospital and baby would soon be here! Melissa met me at the hospital and we planned to have her come be by my side once I was triaged- to our surprise baby was breech and they were immediately prepping me for a c section. Although my labor didn't go as expected, she was the perfect person to have by my side. She was with me as soon as I got out of surgery and stayed with me not only to help my husband and I with my baby girl, but also to be by my side emotionally, as she knew a c section was not in my plans. She was very supportive and empathetic as she had experienced c sections before, so she understood I may need extra help doing everyday things once I got home, and even offered to come help me adjust to having two babies at home after just having a c section. I would highly recommend her services for anyone looking for a reliable, supportive doula through any birth experience. 

Missy

12/21/2019

My husband and I decided to hire Melissa for our first birth and we are so glad we did. We live far from family and she was there for me when I had questions or doubts in my pregnancy. We loved the in home visits and classes, we felt so comfortable and prepared with all the information she gave us. My labor and delivery happened so fast and a lot of my birth plan didn’t happen as planned but Melissa was my calm in the storm! She also helped me with breastfeeding and I loved that she came to our home postpartum to make sure I was doing ok. We are so thankful for her and our birthing experience!

Lauren

12/19/2019

I decided to hire Melissa for my second birth after not having the birth experience I wanted with my first. From the beginning, Melissa and I were fully in sync on my birth plan and I felt confident she would be my advocate. I am happy to say that my experience was 100% better the second time around thanks
In large part to Melissa. She was by my side the entire time and helped me stay focused. I went into my labor feeling at ease knowing she would be there and if I have a third, I’ll definitely hire her again!

Meghan

6/17/2019

We wanted a VBAC after two cesareans. I was nervous our doctor wasn't completely on board. Melissa helped us through our feelings about our previous deliveries and prepared us to succeed with our upcoming delivery. When we got to the hospital the doctor on call didn't want to allow us a TOLAC. Melissa convinced them to find a doctor who would and stayed with us the entire time. I can say with 100% confidence we would not have had our successful VBAC without Melissa.

Melissa also helped us know the position of our baby, offered to attend doctor's appointments and ultrasounds. When I had to stay longer in the hospital, Melissa visited often to make sure I was getting the proper care and that I was healing. She was amazing. 

Rochelle Schlaud

11/6/2018

I am so very thankful we had Melissa for the pregnancy and birth of our daughter. Her knowldege and passion for supporting families in pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and adjusting to new family life is evident in every conversation.

For us she provided a private birth class in our home, a few meetings during the pregnancy to get to know us, learn our wishes for the bith and post-partum, and monitor how the pregnancy was going. I checked in after every OB appointment and she continued to echo our wishers and support as time moved closer to our due date.

Our due date came and went with a false start early on. Melissa reminded me what to watch for how to time contractions and what to expect when we went to the hospital. Her knowldege and experience with the care providers and hospital gave us irreplacable insider knowledge during labor and delivery. She advocated for us and pointed out where we could ask questsions and seek alternatives. She supported our birth plan and acknowledged when changes were necessary based on the situation. Labor and delivery did not go entirley as I had hoped due to a difficult care provider, and having Melissa there was another voice and supporter to do as much as we could and make it the best situation possible. The recap meeting after the birth was great to review and process all the events of the pregnancy and the birth.

Having Melissa as part of our birth team greatly reduced my stress when I realized that I did not need to know every possible option or technique to cope with labor, or what may come up as standard practice in a hospital setting. I could rely on her knowledge and experience to guide us and ask questions when the standard response may not be what we needed.

While I will be seeking out a new OB/Midwife for the next pregnancy, I will have Melissa as my doula again.

Amy Sheridan

7/14/2018

Melissa has been an angel that I didn't even know I would come to need as much as i have.  The initial reason we contacted Melissa was because of my anxiety level with childbirth and my strong desire to have a natural birth experience in the hospital setting. She has thorough, knowledgeable and made us feel very comfortable right from the get go. Unfortunately, my baby boy was breech and Melissa became a constant regular at our home trying to assist us in flipping our baby into the right position. Melissa encouraged us to try everything we could possibly do and also was very hands on to help baby to move. By 38 weeks, baby still was breech and Melissa was present at the ECV at the hospital. When thus was unsuccessful, Melissa helped to revamp our birth plan to prepare us for the C-Section. She also attended our doctor visits when needed. Melissa helped to prep my husband in the event that she wouldn't be able to be in the room during the C-Section (which is what happened due to the anesthesiologist not permitting it). My husband was able to advocate for me and know better how to do this because of Melissa. She was a huge cheerleader and helper after the baby came as well with getting him to latch and coming over to our home when I was having difficulty with breastfeeding and the baby blues. Melissa was always willing and able to take my calls and texts whenever I needed her.  Even though our circumstances were not ideal with my pregnancy, I don't think I could have gotten through this without Melissa's support and knowledge.

Rachelle Hall

5/7/2018

Having Melissa on board with us throughout my pregnancy and labor/ delivery was one of the best decisions we made! From the beginning, Melissa was able to answers our questions and calm our (mainly my) concerns. My husband, Brian, and I wanted to have a birthing experience with very few, if any, interventions. We weren’t sure how this would play out in a hospital setting, but Melissa helped us see we could achieve the natural birth that we wanted. During my pregnancy, Melissa helped us figure out baby’s position, create a birth plan, and helped us prepare for labor. When baby decided it was his time to enter the world, Melissa came over to our house and was a huge source of comfort. It was so helpful knowing that she could coach me and give me advice on laboring, when necessary. With this being our first, it was also helpful to have Melissa’s advice on when to transfer to the hospital. We wanted to labor at home as much as possible and having Melissa there gave us the mental comfort that we weren’t waiting too long! At the hospital, Melissa helped us carry out our birth plan and was an advocate for our wishes. During active labor and delivery, having Melissa and Brian as my coaches was very encouraging! We appreciate her for being such a source of support for us as we welcomed to our first baby into this world! You won’t regret having Melissa on your birth team!

Tracey W

2/9/2018

Melissa was great! She played a huge role in my second childs VBAC birth. MY husband was hesitant to try for a VBAC let alone hire a doula as he felt that filled his role. She did a great job explaining what she would do and how we would all be a team which made him feel better about it. She was patient with me as I routinely texted her before going into labor about what my body was doing. I had a scheduled repeat Csection and she consistently showed confidence in me that I would go into labor before that date (which I did) and would be able to have a VBAC. Things progressed much faster than my first child and I had some moments of panic but she helped keep me calm and reassure me throughout the process.

We came up with a birth plan that my providers agreed on as well and she was vital to make sure my wishes were followed while I was in active labor at the hospital, and to provide support for me and my husband. She also did a great job of keeping the doctor, nurses, and husband in check with what they were saying while I was in labor. 

I would recommend and would likely hire her again if we he have another. I think she played a vital role in a successful VBAC birth and a better experience overall.

Lindsay Vanfleteren

1/10/2018

We hired Melissa for the birth of our 2nd son, and I would highly recommend Melissa's doula services! At first we weren't sure if we needed a doula for our 2nd child, but after meeting Melissa we felt it was a great fit and it was one of the best decisions we've made. Melissa was an extremely helpful resource during the entire process; before, during, and after the birth! During active labor she aided in keeping me comfortable and focused on maximizing each contraction. My husband and I couldn't have anticipated a better, all-natural experience in a hospital setting - and Melissa was a big part of making that possible! Melissa is very down to earth, honest, compassionate, knowledgable and hard-working! Again, I highly recommend her as a doula. :)

Kelsey Laskowski

12/21/2017

First of all, I will never not have Melissa when it comes to future pregnancies. She was absolutely amazing and offered the level of support I needed throughout the duration of my pregnancy as I did everything in my power to prepare for a VBAC birth. Not once did she doubt my ability to accomplish this (as many others did!). Her confidence in me only boosted my own, and truly played such an important role in terms of my frame of mind....which is just so so huge and important when it comes to birth! I was almost two weeks overdue and facing a scheduled c-section the following day when my doctor decided to let me go another 5 Days (baby and I were both healthy/no apparent risks). A huge weight was lifted off of me and guess what, active labor began immediately! Melissa was my biggest cheeleader throughout the hours that followed. She encouraged me, supported my every decision, and gave my mind ease when there were moments that I questioned my abilities. I am so proud and happy to say that we DID accomplish our vagininal birth after cesarean!!! I owe so much of that to Melissa and the rest of my team, for being so positive and nurturing. We are so incredibly grateful for this experience with her!