Mathilde Bourgon Photo

Mathilde Bourgon

My French Doula

Lake Forest, CA Service range 25 miles Travel fees might apply.

424-362-4387

http://www.myfrenchdoula.com

Birth Fee

$2800 to $4000

Postpartum Rate

$60 to $80

Birth Fee

$2800 to $4000

Postpartum Rate

$60 to $80


Medicaid and Third Party Insurers

Currently approved to receive payments from the following programs:


Birth Doula Experience

6 years and 80 births attended

Postpartum Doula Experience

12 years and 120 families served


Birth Doula Certifications

  • Hypnobabies - Certified Hypno-Doula

Doula Training

  • DONA International-Approved Workshop, January 2018
  • Hypnobabies, April 2018

Type of practice: Solo practice

Clients per month: 1 to 3 births and 1 to 3 postpartum families

Attends hospital births? All Hospitals

Attends birth center births? All Birth Centers

Attends home births? Any Home Birth


College Education

AA/AS

BA/BS


Special Services Offered

  • Abortion support
  • Antepartum doula support
  • Aromatherapy
  • Baby-led weaning
  • Babywearing education
  • Bereavement doula (pregnancy & infant loss)
  • Childbirth education services
  • Cloth diapering education
  • First Aid and CPR
  • Infant massage education
  • Lactation consultant/counselor services
  • LGBTQIA+ Support
  • Miscarriage support
  • Newborn care specialist
  • Parenting consulting
  • Pelvic floor health education & support
  • Pregnancy, birth and/or newborn photography
  • Satellite doula (for remote and rural clients)
  • Sibling support (for your older children at the birth)
  • Sleep educator
  • Sleep support consulting
  • Surrogates and intended parents
  • TENS units rental
  • Virtual and remote doula support

Languages Spoken

  • English
  • French

Fee Details

--- I AM FULLY COVID VACCINATED --- Birth doula fees : $2800 and up depending on location/photography option. I'd be honored to meet you and be part of your birthing or postpartum journey. Contact me via email hello@myfrenchdoula.com or phone 424-362-4387 to book a complementary meeting at the place of your choice.

Service Area

Lake Forest, CA Service range 25 miles Travel fees might apply.

Certifications for Mathilde Bourgon

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Client Testimonials for Mathilde Bourgon

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Eilla Pradier

9/26/2022

Mathilde is truly such a special doula to treat yourself to on your journey of motherhood! Her passion, knowledge, and self-confidence in you is something I can not vet for enough. When pregnant I was fearful of what to expect in labor and wanted to make sure I would have the support in the delivery process to make the right decisions... Malthide was there throughout my pregnancy bringing my husband and myself so much ease. I love her research based knowledge, genuine care and commitment to having you have the best pregnancy experience. Instead of having a labor filled with a bunch of unknowns and possible outcomes that I didn't desire, I left feeling empowered, loved and thank care of - having Mathilde at my labor was the best decision I could have made, she really made the experience one filled with joy and informs you to make your own decisions based on the labor YOU want! My husband and I love her endlessly - we will be using her for our next baby, no doubt about it!!!

Trisha Tomaszewski

9/10/2022

Words can not express how grateful we are to have had Mathilde be our doula. She was our birth and postpartum doula and our newborn/family photographer. We just loved having her around our family during such a transitional (and emotional) time!

Mathilde always took her time and went above and beyond to guide us both in the birthing and postpartum process. She was easily available, knowledgable, and always kind. I credit my successful breastfeeding experience to her! A safe person I could process becoming a 2nd time mom with. Our life was very chaotic and Mathilde made us all feel calm.

We loved working with her and I tell all my pregnant friends to reach out to her!

Amanda Klein

9/7/2022

Mathilde is absolutely incredible. From pregnancy to birth to postpartum, we could not imagine our experience without her. Mathilde is an expert in childbirth and educated us in how the process would go, what to expect and answered all of our questions. She had great recommendations for the things to get during pregnancy, postpartum and for the baby as well. Our baby ended up coming very early and Mathilde was at the hospital to give us information on how this unexpected delivery would go, as well as supported us through the delivery and helped me in the postpartum room while my husband was in the NICU with our baby. She was integral in my nursing journey, advocating for a pump to be brought to me in the postpartum room and teaching me how to use it - this made a positive impact on my milk supply. Mathilde visited us at home postpartum and helped with everything from cleaning & laundry to feeding the baby - while also making the best omelette I've ever had. Throughout the entire process I felt supported and this was so beneficial for my mental and physical health. If/when I am pregnant again, I will call Mathilde immediately. Highly, highly recommended working with her.

Jasmine Lee

3/4/2022

I'm a first-time mom, expert worrier, and obsessive researcher with a demanding full-time job. I knew as soon as I found out I was pregnant that I needed an expert coach and mentor to help me prepare for the kind of birth experience I wanted--calm, safe, informed, and with as few interventions as possible. My partner and I found Mathilde in a list of resources for the birth center we began our prenatal care with, and after our first conversation with her, we knew that she was the right fit for us. She had the knowledge and experience we were hoping for, and was very personable and supportive. We hired her right away. As my pregnancy progressed (and got more complicated), she was at our side. Rather than telling us what kind of birth we should have, she asked questions, listened, sent resources, checked in, and gave us exercises to try in preparation for labor and delivery. She helped us navigate the transition from midwife care/birth center to an OB/hospital birth plan (and even helped us find providers that met our needs!). I had contractions for days before I delivered our baby, and she was present via text the entire time, talking me through what was happening and offering strategies for managing my emotional and physical experience. She met us at the hospital and immediately got to work helping me implement my birth plan. Because Mathilde was present, I was able to focus completely on my laboring, and my partner had the support he needed to support me. I felt confident, empowered, and uncharacteristically relaxed the whole time. She followed up with us after the birth, reaching out frequently. She came to our home to talk through the journey and to cook us a delicious and healthy meal during the rough newborn days. I recommend Mathilde to all of our expecting friends. If we were ever to do this again, we'd get on her schedule as soon as we saw the positive test. My only regret is that we didn't hire her for postpartum care, but perhaps it's not too late!

Caitlin Halliday

2/14/2022

Mathilde has been such an incredible blessing to our family during postpartum with my second child. She was our postpartum doula for a couple nights a week for 9 weeks. I was nervous bringing somebody in to help with my newborn but the first day Mathilde showed up she put us at ease and made us so comfortable. She is incredible with our daughter, taught us so many great newborn tips which has allowed me to successfully breastfeed, get more sleep, and be so much less anxious. She doesn’t only focus on the baby but takes such good care of mom as well. Recovering from birth is such a tough time and Mathilde is so caring, kind, and was so encouraging. My husband has commented so many times how this postpartum period has been so much better than it was with our first, and we know that’s all thanks to Mathilde. If you are at all thinking of getting a doula, we couldn’t recommend her more. If we have any more children in the future we will absolutely be choosing her again.

Brandon Wong

2/9/2022

As a CEO, I am notorious for being extremely picky about the people I surround myself with. Our interview processes are lengthy and the acceptance rate is lower than Harvard's.


With that said, Mathilde has surpassed expectations on all fronts.


Prior, during, and after birth, Mathilde provided exceptional service while creating a perfect balance between professionalism and friendship. This is crucial when you're going to be sharing many intimate moments together for a few months.


I could go on and on with examples, but here are a few:


- Pregnancy: She took the time to explain the process to us and even made us do a few exercises. Afterward, I walked away gaining much-needed empathy for my wife. This helped me be better support for her at the hospital.


- Birth: This was @!#$ing intense. Our labor was complicated and long, but Mathilde stayed with us the entire time. Never complaining and always being supportive and helpful. We couldn't have done this without her. Oh, did I mention she's a photographer too and took some incredible photos of us with my camera?!


- Post-Partum: In the three hours she comes over, somehow the dishes are done, food for the week is cooked, our clothes are washed, and our newborn is taken care of. How the heck can anyone be this efficient? Meanwhile, I am working from home and she knows when to start and stop a conversation so I can continue my job.


The only downside to the process is that I won't be able to see her once a week after our engagement is over. She has truly become a great friend and is such a pleasure to be around.


Hire her now before she gets booked up!!!

Katrina

2/9/2022

Let me just start by saying that as a first time mom, investing in Mathilde for both birth and postpartum doula was by far one of the most important decisions I made as I embarked this truly incredible journey into parenthood. I had a relatively smooth pregnancy, but my labor was long and tough. Reflecting back on my labor, I realized how important Mathilde's support was in helping me get through it all. I am so thankful to have had her during such a challenging time, and to be my support alongside my husband through my first experience with childbirth.

Postpartum is a whirlwind of challenges - most especially for first time moms. Figuring out sleep, breastfeeding, bathing, clothing,  and most importantly, RECOVERY, along with a myriad of things that you need to adjust and figure out was so overwhelming to us first time parents. Mathilde supported us in every aspect of our life as we slowly figured out our new life with our newborn. Mathilde was always thinking one step ahead, making sure that we were well nourished and fed (she is a fantastic cook!), giving us space to process our birth experience, helping brainstorm ways to help settle our newborn for sleep, and teaching us all the normal day-to-day things that go with taking care of a newborn. Now that I'm reaching the end of my last 3 months of PP with her, I've been reflecting on it all and can say that I feel so much more confident in this journey into parenthood - all because of Mathilde. She helped me figure out pumping, breastfeeding issues, sleep (oh, man - this one is important), focusing on my mental health, giving referrals for all types of support - all while reminding me to enjoy every moment of it all since our babies will grow up quicker than we imagine.

Mathilde will always hold a special place in our hearts, as she was such a key person in helping us become the parents we are today.  Your investment in her will be worth every penny.

Ashlee

11/13/2021

Mathilde is an absolute GOD SEND. I don't know what we would have done postpartum without her help and guidance! I gave birth in May 2021, and have been recommending her to everyone ever since. She tidied our house, cooked for us, made sure I was eating regularly, made herbal baths for me, gave me foot massages, let me process the birth experience with her over and over again... and so many other things. She is an incredible postpartum doula. She was also our birth photographer and did an equally fantastic job with our photos. They are breathtakingly beautiful. I'm so glad we found Mathilde, she really made all the difference for us

Julie

10/1/2021

How Can I start? The day I delivered my baby was the most beautiful day in my life and Mathilde played a big role in this. Being French I had never heard about Doula in my life before moving to USA. When my pregnancy started I knew I would not have an epidural during my delivery and I was starting to stress a little bit until someone recommended me Mathilde. I contacted her and she became the most important person during pregnancy, she was my main support and became a real close friend of mine. She was always here during my whole pregnancy, recommend me to use some self-hypnoses to manage my pain during the Big day and be more peaceful and it worked!!! During my labor she was here helping me to manage my contractions. She guided my husband too, it was our first kid and he did not know what to do exactly to help me, she helped him be active and gave me the best support I could have never imagined. Three of us were working as a team to welcome our little Salome the best way possible. Everything went smoothly thanks to the work we had done before and during the day our baby arrived. I had no complications, the pain was not as hard as I imagined and I know if, I did not meet her this would be very different. When I came back home, she was here too... For a few days until my family arrived, she supported us, gave me a lot of tips and helped us for this new life.
If you are looking for a Doula you just found her!! I have no word to describe how amazing she is, she is the best, friendly, understanding, she will always help you with the choices you made to make this day unforgettable and peaceful. I highly recommend her for every pregnant woman, she sill support you and help you before, during and after your pregnancy.

Nancy

10/1/2021

I was 3 months postpartum and looking for help with my newborn.  I found Mathilde's website and decided to reach out to her not knowing if I would receive a response. In less than 24 hours, she replied back and offered the most sincere advice about my situation. Even though I did not personally receive services from Mathilde, she was able to offer compassion and a referral for my needs. She didn't have to do that, especially since we never met in person. But because she did, it tells you a lot about her character.
If I had known about her services previously, I would heavily consider her as my doula.

Lucie Demarchelier

6/29/2021

If you're looking for a Doula, look no further, you found the best one with Mathilde.
I got pregnant during COVID and needed support. Doctors appointments were short, I was far from family and friends, and needed someone I could turn to to ask questions and get ready for birth. I interviewed a few Doulas and decided to go with Mathilde. Her calm demeanor, extreme professionalism and comforting skills made the difference. Mathilde is an evidence based doula. You can ask her anything, she will either have the answer or look into it for you. Unfortunately due to COVID restrictions, she couldn't be with me for the birth but was available on the phone during the whole process, helping me to advocate for myself and making decisions that were right for my baby and I. She also provided ressources when needed after the birth, such as lactation consultant contact and so on.
We loved her so much that we also hired her as a post partum Doula. And let me tell you, she was absolutely the best at it! Mathilde takes initiatives, she helps with house shores without you needing to ask for it, cooks for you (and she is excellent at it!) and gives you invaluable support. She succeeds perfectly in giving you enough space and yet be very present. Every time she left our house we felt like a big load of worries and chores was off our shoulders.
It's still a mystery for us how someone can achieve so much work in a few hours of time, while still being calm and nurturing. My husband gave her the nickname of " Magic Mathilde ".
We could not recommend her enough, she is simply the best person we've ever hired at any job given. Thank you Mathilde!

Alex

3/16/2020

Working with Mathilde was such a blessing. She asks the right questions, challenges you without judgment to think about what you would not have normally thought about. She was able to accompany us during the entire process and provided extremely valuable information from getting the hospital bags ready, to which bottles to buy to very technical and personal birth related questions. In the few instances she didn't have an answer to our particular questions she came back a few days later with extensive research, which we really appreciated. She is kind, compassionate, has a good sense of humor and is very patient. Highly recommend working with her.

Ryan

3/16/2020

Mathilde has been such an incredible help during our pregnancy journey. She came to our home multiple times before the delivery to coach us on everything we needed to prepare for the babies. She was also present during the delivery which was amazing and has been following up since. It was such a comfort knowing we had someone who was kind, knowledgable and understanding of our needs as expectant parents. I would highly recommend her!

Bridgette Trovato

3/3/2020

"Mathilde is worth her weight in gold.  I was extremely anxious during pregnancy and had many fears about birth.  I desperately needed a professional to "hold my hand" throughout the journey.  Mathilde was able to put my fears to rest.  She is an invaluable resource and knows just about everything in the realms of pregnancy and birth.  And if she doesn't know, she goes the extra mile and invests a lot of time on your behalf, to find out the latest research.  

Not only warm and caring, she is unbiased in her advice.  She is highly professional, thorough and organized.  There is no detail or concern that she did not address.  Her temperament and demeanor is exactly what's required in the delivery room.  I had a 40 hour labor and she was a godsend; helped me through contractions, made sure I had enough liquids and gave me massages so my husband could rest.  If you have a hospital birth (we delivered at St John's in Santa Monica) you cannot rely on the rotating nursing staff to be compassionate and listen to you as they are focused on following protocol.  Mathilde will be your advocate and will tend to your needs, like a dear friend.  She will support you and do what it takes to make your delivery experience incredible, just as you and your partner envisioned. 

Mathilde is also a seriously good photographer and will take photos of your birth if you wish.  I am SO glad she captured those tender moments for us to cherish forever.  Icing on the cake!  She is the real deal and I cannot recommend her enough!   
Thank you Mathilde!"

 

Coco

3/1/2020

We hired Mathilde for the birth of our second child,
we found her very available (before and after the birth), very kind and supportive. She came several times, and was very flexible with her schedule. Also, she was really with us when she was at our place (dedicated and not looking at the clock).
With Mathilde, it was easier to get back to the pregnancy and birthing mindset, and to mentally project ourselves to having a second child. We are french speaking and were looking for somebody with experience with American healthcare for birthing (not only because it is in English, but also because just so different from anywhere else in the world)

For the birth, our child arrived very fast, and we synchronized all together so that we met at the hospital. Mathilde presence during the birth was a valuable asset as I felt supported, especially as the birth was fully natural and the medical staff was a bit overwhelming.

We really want to thanks Mathilde for her help, and we hope to stay in touch. We highly recommend her as we were very happy to have Mathilde with us.

Emilie

2/28/2020

This is a review for Mathilde as a postpartum doula. She is amazing!

My husband and I were completely overwhelmed the first week after we brought our baby home. We were not getting any sleep because we had to wake her every two to three hours to attempt to breastfeed, finger feed, and then pump. This all took so long that - by the time we were done - we had barely any time before we needed to start over again.

Mathilde helped us get our sanity back as a nighttime doula. She finger fed the baby all night and brought me the pumping materials in bed when needed. So my husband got to sleep through the night and I only had to wake 20 minutes to pump. Mathilde also did housework and cooked.

In addition to all of this, Mathilde gave us valuable advice and a full report on how the night with the baby went.

We have since hired Mathilde several more times - even after we no longer needed to pump and finger feed - when we felt like we needed to catch up on some sleep and get help.

The first night we hired Mathilde, I told my husband how strange it felt to leave our baby in the hands of a stranger. But it was the best decision - and she is now a trusted go-to.

Keegan

2/28/2020

I feel like Mary Poppins came to my home the day Mathilde started... I was in a deep conversation w/ my 11 day old baby's doctor & Mathilde took one look at the situation, went straight into my ( messy) kitchen & started cleaning & cooking up a storm!... I had yummy food for the next few days when I was traveling back & forth to Dr.s appt... She knows what you need before you can even figure it out... She is also very respectful of everyone & everything in your home... She turned my upside down home, right side up again & also gave the most nurturing loving care to me!... She massaged my very swollen legs, kept me hydrated, gave great nursing tips & also comforted me when (always) times were emotionally tough... She even put my still boxed stroller together while I was busy nursing, a total bonus!... She always keeps herself busy making your disorganized, organized again after a baby... This is my 1st review I have ever written & I could say so much more...Basically, she was a life saver for me!

Keegan

2/28/2020

I feel like Mary Poppins came to my home the day Mathilde started... I was in a deep conversation w/ my 11 day old baby's doctor & Mathilde took one look at the situation, went straight into my ( messy) kitchen & started cleaning & cooking up a storm!... I had yummy food for the next few days when I was traveling back & forth to Dr.s appt... She knows what you need before you can even figure it out... She is also very respectful of everyone & everything in your home... She turned my upside down home, right side up again & also gave the most nurturing loving care to me!... She massaged my very swollen legs, kept me hydrated, gave great nursing tips & also comforted me when (always) times were emotionally tough... She even put my still boxed stroller together while I was busy nursing, a total bonus!... She always keeps herself busy making your disorganized, organized again after a baby... This is my 1st review I have ever written & I could say so much more...Basically, she was a life saver for me!

Rezal

2/27/2020

Where do I even start? Mathilde is a wonderful doula! The minute my husband and I met with her we hit it off and I knew she was the right one for us. We had so much fun getting to know her and introducing her to our families and sharing our cultures. She is so knowledgeable and it put my fears and anxiety to rest as we prepared for the big day. Then once the day arrived she was a grounding presence and was able to seamlessly slip in and out wherever she was needed. My mom and she often teamed up and it was so helpful having the extra support. Even after the birth Mathilde was right there helping take down our birthing tub and getting the nursery back in order.
I'll never forget when the first doula I called told me I should keep looking around to make sure I find the right one since my doula would become like a sister to me. At the time I thought this statement was hyperbole, but honestly, after going through the process, I am so grateful I kept looking and found Mathilde! She is a wonderful friend and I am so grateful for all of her help and support!

Adeline Ott

2/27/2020

I can't say enough good things about Mathilde. She has been an incredible help for my wife and I during the pregnancy and when our little girl was born. 
She listened to our concerns regarding any aspect of the pregnancy, and was very reassuring. Good for first timers like us :-) 
She came home regularly to talk with us and prepare us for the big day, giving advices based on scientific studies which was a huge plus, and she was also aware of the latest pain management techniques.
When we called her for the actual birth, she was there in less than 20 min!! She came with us to the hospital and helped my wife with all kind of different techniques to ease the pain, most of them quite efficient, and she was able to delay the epidural.  She was very supportive with me as well, guiding me through all the little things I could do to help my wife, which I really appreciated .
When our baby was born, she came home several times and gave us so many advices that helped with breastfeeding and bonding with our daughter. 
I was quite skeptical about hiring a doula, but I have to say I am really impressed and for sure we will hire her again when the time comes ( not now though !!!! Haha!)

Birth Availability for Mathilde Bourgon

= Available. Calendar last updated: 03-19-2023

Postpartum Availability for Mathilde Bourgon

= Available. Calendar last updated: 03-19-2023