Kayla Eddy

4/9/2024

Matilda is just the best! She spent time with us before birth, taking careful notes on our goals, preferences and fears for birth. I could tell she kept all of this in mind when I was in labor. Leading up to my labor, she checked in with me and was available if I had any questions.

From the moment she arrived at the hospital, I knew I was in good hands and felt like I had made the right choice of a doula. She was the perfect addition to my birth team, worked wonderfully with my husband and I felt like I had the perfect support duo. Having both her and my husband at my side helped me feel comfortable and supported in the hospital so that I could just focus on being in the labor zone.

She has a wonderful sense of humor and a warm presence while being a strong advocate. My husband and I also believe that she's the strongest woman alive and her hip squeezes are legendary, I was sad when she had to take breaks and I had either my husband or one of the nurses doing hip squeezes, because they were lame in comparison. 

Now that I have taked to many moms about their births, it's clear that Matilda is a special doula, not everyone is as lucky as we were. 

Jess

12/14/2023

I had the pleasure of having Matilda at my first birth. As a single mom, having a responsive and caring doula was key since I had no birth partner. I honestly did not know what to expect but Matilda was amazing: she held my hand and talked to me through the entire birth. She translated medical jargon and helped me understand where I was in the birth process. She advocated for me with my delivery team. Throughout the hours of labor, she was my cheerleader and protector. I cannot recommend her enough.

Kelly

11/23/2023

We couldn't be happier with the support we recieved from Matilda for our birth. I was referred to Matilda by my past doula and I trusted her recommendation - Matilda was so knowledgable and easy to talk to. I was able to see her many times throughout the process, from an initial virtual visit, to an in-person meeting at our home, the birth itself, and a follow up visit again at home. At the birth prep meeting, we spent a lot of time going over my past birth and concerns and feelings about this birth, so she really understood me throughout the process. She also took notes about my preferences to refer to during the birth, but also notes about what was happening during the birth that we could reference later if needed. At the time of my actual birth, she was full of ideas to help get things moving and get baby in a good position. Most of the labor was just troubleshooting and talking through options with her to help me from one decision to the next. She was also just fun and easy to hang out with during the long process of labor. Ultimately I feel so happy with how my birth went (laboring as long as I could and then getting an epidural for the final stretch) - After the birth Matilda encapsulated my placenta and delivered it, and then came over for a follow up to see how breastfeeding and my healing was going. If you are looking for a doula, I can't recommend Matilda more highly!

Bella

11/22/2023

We had a wonderful experience working with Matilda. Throughout all our interactions she was so warm and reassuring. I delivered at a birthing center, and Matilda helped me cope with labor pains at home to labor there as long as possible, and then at the birthing center to assist me through unmedicated labor. She offered suggestions for positions to help my pain and help my baby get into a more optimal position. When my baby was born and needed assistance to breathe initially, she helped me keep calm by reassuring me that he was still getting oxygen through the cord and keeping me updated on how he was doing. After the birth, it was so helpful for me to process the experience by talking with Matilda about everything that happened. I highly recommend Matilda as a doula, and look forward to working with her again in the future if we have another baby!

Frank & Emily

5/21/2023

We are so happy to have found Matilda! After taking a birthing class, we decided we needed a doula. Our friend’s doula had actually recommended Matilda to us, and we are so happy she did! Matilda was quick to respond and was very professional. She came to our house to go over any questions or concerns, and was ‘on-call’ for us a few weeks before our due date. Good thing too! Our water broke at 37weeks 6days. It was at an unexpected time for us, after a long exhausting weekend. Matilda was our first call, she gave us guidance and met us at the hospital later that night at 3am. By 8:40am it was time to push. For extra points, we decided to play on hard-mode without pain medication (ok, we did have some Nitrous). Matilda was invaluable, and was just the person we needed there to help coach us through the contractions. We cant imagine doing it without her!

Nathan & Shelby

4/28/2023

Matilda was amazing through the births of our two children! Her dedication, expertise, and advocacy provided comfort and relieved a lot of stress through this new experience. She went above and beyond our expectations, providing invaluable guidance, always offering helpful suggestions, and ensuring our birth preferences were respected. She was always fun and friendly, making the birth experience more relaxing that anticipated. We highly recommend Matilda and hope to work with her again for our future children!

Jen Hu & Jeff Morrison

11/17/2022

Matilda worked with us for our birth and delivery and we couldn't have been happier with how things went. She was knowledgeable, familiar, kind, calm, friendly, and present the whole journey.

As first time parents, we knew what we'd learned in classes and books but there's nothing more reassuring than having someone you know and have rapport with to discuss and make educated, considered decisions with. Matilda was an excellent listener and we never felt pushed into any of the decisions we made. She really brought so much assurance along the way we cant imagine doing it all over again without her.

Tami

10/28/2022

We found using Matilda was everything my partner and I needed while going through labor. She was responsive, knowledgeable, respectful, tactful, and caring. We really loved her from the moment we met her through the whole experience. This was our second child and we had met with Matilda before hand giving her an idea of the kind of support we thought we wanted during our delivery.  She delivered on what we requested and so much more. I was so thankful I could rely on her to always answer a text in the middle of the night and was right there when it was time to head to the birthing center. She met us at our birthing center and immediately helped me breathe and stay calm through my contractions. She used various techniques to encourage me and help me stay calm and as relaxed as possible while I went through the process. She helped me find the right positions and worked with the rest of the birthing team flawlessly. We were very thankful we had her there and would highly recommend her to anyone. ??????

Rachel

1/20/2022

We had an absolutely wonderful experience with Matilda as our birth doula!! She has so much experience - when I got anxious in labor as a first time mom, I knew that I could deeply trust her advice and reassurance.  She has a really calming presence and touch and I really appreciated how she got to know both my partner and I so that she could support us both.  I highly recommend her!!! (out of hospital birth - but we appreciated that if we did have to transfer to a hospital that she has tons of experience with that too/first time parents) 

daniel ozment

3/9/2018

In the weeks since my wife gave birth to our daughter, I have tried to imagine what this experience would have been like had we not had the support of Matilda during the whole experience.  Simply put, I cannot imagine it!  She helped us figure out a birthplan that suited both our ideal birth and what to expect if this ideal birth somehow went a different direction.  In fact, during labor, when we were told that we had some "limitations" as far as how active my wife could be, Matilda was able to help us with what this actually meant and advise us to what we actually could and could not do.  This alone, we firmly believe made for a much better labor experience for both of us.  Going into this, I participated in many birthing classes with my wife, and got a good picture of what I thought was going to be my role as the perfect support for her.  Then it was game time, and I quickly realized that I would need at least two more of myself to fill that support role I had pictured previously in my mind leading up to the birth.  Matilda more than filled in where I could not.  When I could only massage my wife's head and not her back too, Matilda was an extra set of hands to do so.  When I couldn't think of the correct encouraging words to say, because I couldn't imagine what my wife was feeling, Matilda knew exactly what to say and when.  She also reminded us of our birth plan and what parts of it still applied to our current situation throughout the whole process.  In short, Matilda is the best, and when/if we have another child, she will be there again with us!

Danielle Ozment

3/1/2018

Matilda was absolutely fundamental in the birth of our daughter a few weeks ago! We hired a doula for two main reasons: assist me through my goal of having a natural (as possible) labor, and provide my husband with someone to turn to for advice/assistance/recommendations during labor to keep him as helpful and hands-on as possible. Matilda was able to help us meet both these goals. From the beginning she was super helpful in setting up a detailed birthplan with us and was available to talk/meet as many times as we needed outside of our one initial consultation. When our birth plan turned upside down due to some medical complications she worked with us to provide alternatives that would still meet the intentions of our birth goals. During the actual labor Matilda was indispensible in giving me both mental and physical comfort, especially during the most painful periods. I appreciated her constant presence and continuous suggestions of different comfort/relaxation techniques during my labor. Her help also enabled my husband to focus on providing me with continued support throughout our 11 hour labor. Both he and I were so happy with the outcome of the entire experience and we would recommend Matilda to anyone!

Greg Prier

11/14/2017

Matilda is a rock star doula! She provided doula services for our two births. I think of her as our trusted guide throughout the entire process (before birth, in the hospital, and when we are home with the new baby). In my opinion the doctors are there to cover the medical side of the birth and Matilda is there to cover pretty much everything else. She kept my wife calm, helped us understand what the doctors were doing, and gave us valuable advice when needed. We had some complications with the first birth and she provided needed guidance in the delivery room and then helped us talk through the experience after the fact; this really helped us integrate the raw emotions and come to peace with what happened. She is very good at what she does, is entirely in your corner, and puts her entire heart and self into it.

jessica Taylor

10/4/2017

Matilda is the best! My husband and I were so fortunate to have worked with her in bringing my son into the word. She is committed and fully present regardless of how long your labor is. When we reached out to her prior to labor regarding questions etc. she was available and supportive. We will be working with her with future labors going forward, she’s a strong woman inside and out. You would be in good hands working with her.

Beth Dial

8/24/2017

Matilda provided fantastic support during the birth of my second child. My water broke the night before he was born and the next morning, my contractions still hadn't settled into a rhythm. When Matilda arrived at my house, she suggested some positions to realign the baby and encourage contractions. After holding these positions for several minutes, a steady rhythm of contractions began and my son was born a few hours later. Throughout my labor, Matilda was present and attentive, encouraging me to stay hydrated and to keep breathing. Her calming presence was a blessing. She also helped my husband by providing suggestions of ways he could be helpful. I highly recommend Matilda to anyone looking to hire a doula!

Amanda Rich

8/24/2017

Our experience with Matilda was amazing! My husband was sceptical of my desire for a doula at first, however, after the birth of our daughter, he said he couldn't have imagined her not being there. Not only was she supportive and helpful with breathing and pushing, but she was super helpful when my contractions were irregular. If she had not been with me, I probably would have gone to the hospital much earlier. I think that it's because she was with me that I was able to labor at home until I was 8cm dilated. I think that it was because of Matilda's knowledge and support that I was able to have an unmedicated birth.

Jen Plumb Vilardaga

8/24/2017

Matilda was absolutely the best. Upon finding out we were pregnant with twins, we were weorried about overly medicalized birth and prematurity. We chose her over other doulahs who had more twin birth experience because her energy was so positive and helpful that we just knew we needed her working on our team. She was so kind, caring, and had the kind of energy that just made you feel warm and loved. She was obviously in love with babies and moms and families of all kinds, and was just the right amount of serious, practical, and was extremely sensitive and nonjudgmental. When I did go into labor 2 months early and was so sad we'd have to go to the Big Hospital, she was right there with me. She encouraged me to sleep when I could, and did a number of things for me and my husband that have now faded into a warm memory of wonderful, and -- the ultimate amazing thing -- she calmly but firmly asserted herself with the labor team and got permission to be in the O-R with me (standard procedure for twin births, no matter natural or C section at most hospitals). This was a major coup as there were literally 20 people in the operating room and we had been told No Way could anyone other than my husband be in there with me. Rather than feel terrified of the 2 NICU teams, 2 attendings, and several other people milling around for no reasons I could easily discern, she made this experience as calming and sweet as it possibly could be. She stayed at my head during my (mostly) natural birth (in a decidely medical environment), soothing and helping me breathe, allowing my husband to be where he wanted to be - by my side, and helping where he could. She took fantastic photos of my birth, which also allowed my husband to be fully present in the moment. Even though the boys were born early and that was really scary, my birth was literally the LEAST stressful experience of having the kids and I look back fondly on that memory. This was absolutely due to having Matilda by my side.

Christine Linn

8/23/2017

I knew I wanted a doula because I don't live near family and wanted some extra support during labor and delivery. What I got from Matilda was so much more. I am so grateful that I hired her, she made the labor pains so much better with a several different techniques. I ended up transferring to a hospital from my home and my daughter was stuck in my birth canal when I spiked a fever, so we ended up doing a cesarean. I was so distraught but Matilda accompanied me throughout the experience, helping me advocate for myself (remember when that mean anesthesiologist was going to make me choose between you and Mark, Matilda??). My husband and I remember Matilda calling out "It's a girl!" (We asked her to announce the sex - team green!) in the operating room, and it was the best part of the day. She capsulated my placenta, taught me how to pump milk, and helped me with some processing of my birth trauma by sharing some of her own. If we decide to grow our family by another baby, I would hire Matilda back in a heart beat, if she would have us.

Melanie Gerard

8/23/2017

I hired Matilda because I was concerned about my midwife's intentions with my birth after getting to know my midwife better. I wanted to hire a Doula I could count on to keep un-nessacary interventions away from baby and me. Luckily, I found a more suitable midwife in time as well. We hired Matilda again for the pregnancy after this one as well.

I loved Matilda from the moment we met. I felt like my birth was insured from the time we hired her. I could breathe a sigh of relief knowing I had the likes of Matilda on my side. She has a comfting demenor to me as a client, but has a formidable presence to be reckoned with if needed.   I was able to make payments to her prior to birth which was nice. She was on-call via text 24 hours a day. She was very helpful with suggestions for any pregnancy related concern I had. She always arrived swiftly when the time came.

I'm the type of laboring Mom who doesn't want much but peace and quiet in my own home. Matilda was wonderful about seeing this through. She helped me find comtrable positions during contracions, reminded me to breathe, saw to it that I was hydrated and happy. Matilda was capable of  exerting the right pressure  on my hips during contracions just like I wanted. This was a major pain relief during my natural birth. She is experienced and having her around is a lot like a second doctor or midwife.

We chose to encapsulate our children's placentas- a service she offers. These caspules were even hand delivered with instructions. About the placenta encapsulation service, I remember that with one of our umbellica cords, she twisted it into the shape of a heart for a keepsake?

I was a very happy client and give Matilda 5/5 glowing stars.

May you have a lovely pregnancy and a beautiful blessed birth. 

Amanda Baker

12/19/2016

Explaining the value of a doula with words is a hard thing to do. It is even harder explaining how amazing Matilda is as a doula because words cannot fully describe how important her presence and skills were at the births of our children. I will attempt to do her justice!

When we got pregnant with my son, I knew I wanted a doula present because I knew that it would take a village to accomplish birth. It gave me peace of mind to have someone present at his birth that could help me navigate a new experience that was sure to be intense. My husband needed convincing that a doula was worth the money when we had so many other bills that were coming up with welcoming a child into the world. Now I can confidently say that we would reccomend a doula to anyone having a baby and that she is worth so much more than the money for her services. Husbands are amazing support but they havent been through birth before and likely haven't seen their partner in intense pain and aren't as educated about how to best support birth and pain management.

Reasons Matilda rocks:

She meets with you in advance and reccomends stretches that you can practice to help move baby into position leading up to birth.

During labor she is a physical support and presses on your hips, back, and wherever you need pain relief.

She practices Rieke, and her warm hands felt like hot stones massaging your back through contractions.

During labor she brings her experience and guidance during any stalling or complications. You always felt one step ahead of the choices that staff would present to you.

During transition she is a mental support helping you breath low, repeat mantras (I CAN do this) and reminding you that your body is working and that you are safe. This is invaluable during birth.

After birth, she is emotional support there to hold baby, guide latching, and support mama. We love Matilda!

Meghan Bush

9/27/2016

My husband and I were so grateful that Matilda Lindén was our doula. When we met her, we knew we'd found the right doula for us! She has a calm and gentle demeanor but is so strong too. We met with Matilda twice before I went into labor, and she asked us thorough questions about ourselves so that she could tailor the way she helped both my husband and me during labor.

During labor, Matilda was incredibly strong. My husband had been supporting me physically for the early part of my labor, but when the going got tough (i.e. when I was in the later stages of active labor), Matilda was able to provide much more physical and emotional support than he could. She came to my rescue often over the course of several hours by providing the best double hip squeeze ever. When my labor stalled out, she could tell the baby needed to be repositioned slightly, so we did some positioning work together through a couple of contractions, after which my active labor progressed very quickly. Every time I veered off course (either by breathing too fast or too slowly through contractions), Matilda was there to gently guide and correct me; she would start breathing in the pattern that would best support my contraction at that time, and I was then able to follow her lead, evening out my own breathing in response to hers. When it was time to push, Matilda provided further guidance, assuring me that I could trust my body and helping me relax when I didn't feel particularly relaxed.

When Matilda came for our postpartum visit, we had a sweet time together, talking about the birth and our experience, and chatting and laughing.

Lauren Glaser

8/24/2016

Matilda has a very special gift.  Labor is so much more intense than I imagined and having Matilda there was invaluable!! There is NO way I would have been able to deliver naturally without Matilda.  She was calming, supportive, intuitive, knowledgable, professional, and caring.  This was our first baby and, as it seems is common, labor did not go as we expected.  Her experience was so imporant for us.  She helped to normalize the expererience and I felt very comfortable in her competent care.  She helped me with pain management and just overall emotional management.  I was feeling so exhausted and was doubting my ability to delivery naturally but she never doubted me once, and I could tell.  After each tough contraction at the end, she would remind me what a good job I was doing, remind me that the annoying medical interventions were for my baby, reminded me of strength I didn't know I had.

Matilda was very helpful during the peak of labor in explaining things to me that the medical staff were suggesting. This was a hazy and intense time oand while I couldn't quite make sense of their suggestions between the medical jargon and just not trusting them, I remember Matilda's soothing voice - repeating what the doctors and residents had said. This helped me make decisions when you really don't want to be thinking about anything at all.

She was completely respectful of my and my husband's wishes throughout labor.  She knew when to step in, when to step back, when to step up. I trusted her. She has a She took the most amazing photos for us right after birth.

Crystal Saling

7/31/2014

I can't say enough about Matilda.  After having a less-than-optimal experience with a doula at our first birth, my husband and I were very careful about who we hired for the birth of our second child.  We interviewed 3 doulas and ended up choosing Matilda.  Let me explain how awesome she was.  During my first labor, I had  had excrutiating pain in my hips every contraction and no one seemed to know how to help me.  I was very concerned that this pain would happen again during this second labor and I was right, I started to feel the contractions in my hips, but this time I had a secret weapon, Matilda!  She was able to do hip squeezes correctly so that until transition I could hardly feel any pain in my hips and felt each contraction bear directly down on my cervix.  I truly believe that this was one of the key factors in making this labor as short and awesome as it was since each contraction was doing it's job.  In  addition to this pain relief, Matillda just read me so well.  I must have had   only about 4 contractions duriing transition- not realizing that I was in transition, I asked to go to the tub. The very first contraction I had in the tub, my water finally broke and then within 1 or 2 contractions I was pushing!  I was in disbelief!  Even  though  I didn't  say  anything, Matilda  read my facce and let me know that Yes! I really was pushing and to go with my body.  She also held my head in her hands like a pillow during every contraction in the tub. I was so thrilled with the level of support that I was recieving that between these hard pushing contractions, I literally looked up at her and told her I loved her!  Even my husband (who had been extremely irritated with the doula at our first birth and didn't want to get another one) adimitted that hiring Matilda was worth ever penny.  This birth rocked! Thank you Matilda!

Pamela King

4/22/2014

I was privileged to be at my grandson's birth and saw first hand how Matilda White's knowledge,calm reassuring demeanor and encouraging words created an atmosphere of confidence, love & support for my daughter and her husband. Matilda was excellent!

I heartily recommend Matilda White for expecting mothers in the Seattle area who would like the benefits of collaborating with a knowledgable loving assistant who can guide you and your partner during childbirth.

Mia King Mlekarov

4/21/2014

In planning to give birth for the first time, I aspired to have a natural birth in a hospital setting. To best equip myself up for this, I knew hiring a doula was a smart idea (though some folks close to me thought it was overkill). To match my personality, I wanted a doula that was both physically and mentally strong. Matilda embodies those characteristics fully. In our prenatal meetings, she was warm, direct, and candid, and earned the confidence of both my husband and I. She was caring and thorough without being “touchy-feely,” which fit our communication style perfectly. In describing her birth experiences, I knew that she had seen and could guide us through any possible contingency that might arise.

The day our son was born, Matilda and I kept in touch via text messages throughout the morning and afternoon as I experienced early labor at home. Matilda was really good about checking in but also respecting my space and needs. Around 6PM, my husband and I headed to the hospital, and Matilda met us there. As a first-time mom, we anticipated that we’d all be there into the wee hours for baby to arrive. Little did we know, that baby had another plan. While waiting in triage to be admitted, my contractions sped up considerably. I dilated from 3cm to pushing in less than 2 hours, and at 8:49pm baby was born! Without Matilda swooping into action, I doubt either my husband or I would have been able to maintain our cool during such an intense ramping up of labor! Additionally, Matilda was also able to advocate for me when the medical team was caught off-guard / slightly disbelieving that I was ready to push so quickly.

My birth experience was everything I hoped it would be and that is in big part thanks to Matilda. I would whole-heartedly recommend Matilda to anyone who is looking for a strong, no-nonsense doula.

Kelsey King

7/31/2013

Matilda was exactly what I needed at during labor and birth. My husband and I interviewed at least ten doulas during our search, and it was so evident right upon meeting Matilda that she was the perfect match for us. My husband loved her laid-back, sweet, jovial personality, while I was drawn to her birth wisdom/experience and go-getter attitude.

I had a very long, slow progressing labor that began with two weeks of early labor. She was so supportive during this emotionally draining time. On the days I needed support, she was there, and on the days I just wanted to forget everything that was going on, she was there quietly from a distance. She was very in-tune to my emotions and always had the right support to offer. Once I finally went into active labor, I labored at home for the first 24 hours, but decided I would conserve Matilda's energy and not have her join us until we went into the hospital. She was, however, poised at her phone, checking-in and coaching us as we needed it during this time. She would comment on my groaning that she could hear in the background an assure my husband that things were progressing well! We arrived at the hospital and Matilda was there shortly after. She immediately got me in Miles Circuit positions, which I believe helped my bag of waters to break. She comforted me with encouraging words, she set a pace with her breath for my own breathing, she gave deep massage in the areas that were tense, constantly pushed fluids and the occasional snack toward my mouth (in a firm but gentle way), offered essential oils to breath in, encouraged new labor positions, and backed off when I just needed to be in my own zone. When it came time to push, I got very anxious, and Matilda was the only one with the right words to say. During my three hours of pushing, she supported, took photos and held my leg. She was perfect.

I consider Matilda now a friend and would definitely recommend her as a doula!!

Heather Moreno

5/12/2013

Matilda was hands down the best doula we could have asked for. We met with her just once after interviewing her. She asked us some great questions - some that really got us thinking about what we wanted or didn't want for our birthing experience. But, we did keep in contact via text or calls several times prior to giving birth. Matilda was actually out of town the first time I thought I was going into labor. She did an amazing job talking with me on the phone to determine if it was the real deal. We both thought it was so she actually left her vacation and came back to Seattle! Unfortunately, it was not the real deal, and I didn't end up giving birth for another 3 weeks. When the actual day came, again Matilda was truly supportive over text and then by phone. Although our initial plan was to labor at our house first, my contractions came on so suddenly and strong, that we decided to meet at the hospital. She made it to the hospital just moments before we did (whew!) and did an amazing job during the rest of my labor (which ended up being just under 3 hours). She gave great massages - to me and my husband, offered words of encouragement, kept calm and relaxed, ensured me and my husband got the food or water we needed, and offered great laboring position ideas. After the birth, Matilda took some great pictures of an experience we will never forget. We highly recommend Matilda as a birth doula!

Krista Cabe

4/13/2013

 I had heard about the benefits of hiring a doula from my brother and sister-in-law. They raved that having a "supportive third party" at their daughter's water birth made a huge difference. I thought I'd look into it, especially since my husband's job likely would not let him have the time off when I was going into labor. I can tell you that I immediately appreciated Matilda's style when we met for coffee. I could tell right away that she has that unique and special blend of warmth, dependability, sense of humor and strength that I was looking for in labor support. This was my first pregnancy (although not first child), so I had some concerns about the whole birthing process (specifically, the pain part of it). Originally, I was planning on delivering in the hospital and then at about 35 weeks, I had a change of heart and decided that the birth center and water birth was really and truly my hearts desire. I could not have found someone who was more supportive of my decision. As we got closer to my due date, she was checking in with me frequently to see how I was doing, which gave me a lot of encouragement. When I finally went into labor (one week after my official due date), she quickly responded to my text and was right there to support me emotionally and physically.  Through the whole labor, she was right there by my side and knew when to step aside when my husband was able to get to the birthing center. I had a quite pushing phase (my son has a large head!) and Matilda's words of encouragement and hands massage on to alieve back labor definitely helped me to keep going when I felt like giving up. I am proud to say that with her support as well as my husbands and those at the birthing center, I was able to go completely drug free -  which something I was aspiring to do. Thank you Matilida for the wonderful work you do! The passion you have is clearly evident and I so appreciate you being there for our very special day!!

JooAe Choi

7/25/2012

Hiring doula for my first pregnancy was the best decision my husband and I made. I cannot be happier about having Matilda as my doula at my birth. I appreciated so much about her presence, her expertise, and her warm and caring personality throughout my labor. I was really nervous about how to deal with the contraction and labor pains but her calm presence and her pain management suggestions and massages really helped me stay calm and made the pains much much more bearable. She listened and cared every concern and question I had and this assured me I was in good hands. She was so considerate, thoughtful, and loving and I felt perfectly comfortable with her the wholetime and she knew exactly what to tell us at each moment and each stage of the labor. I really could not have given birth the way I did without Matilda's compassion and her most sincere and helpeful support. I also loved her witty sense of humor that helped me stay relaxed and at times even smile and giggle through the labors which worked as a huge breather! I am so confident she can provide the same service with any pregnant woman who comes in contact with her. Matilda is not only a professonal doula but her passion and her heart to help pregnant women seep through her words and actions. Her service is absolutely beyond what you can exchange with $$. I recommend her with no reservations whether you're interested in doula service or not because you will only be so thankful that you did. She will help you "enjoy" your delivery and make it a most memorable one. I can't thank her enough for that.

Izabele Jasutyte

7/16/2012

I chose to give birth at the hospital, but wanted my childbirth to be as natural as possible. Having Matilda there as my doula, I truly think, has made that possible. Matilda has a very gentle, nurturing approach, just what a laboring woman needs during childbirth. She was there not only for me, but for my husband too, who also needed guidance through this unfamiliar experience. She was there as much as we needed her (and we needed her a lot!) in this difficult and miraculous journey of bringing our baby into the world. I managed to deliver my baby without an epidural just like I was determined to do, although I don’t know if I would have been able to do it without Matilda there at my side.

Maya Anderson

7/16/2012

We hired Matilda, planning on having a midwife assisted home birth. She was incredibly supportive and we immediately felt very comfortable with her. I had been having an easy pregnancy when I was sent to the hospital because of preeclampsia at 34 weeks. Due to some complications with my son because of the preeclampsia, we had to have an emergency cesarian with about 30 minutes notice. It was Matilda's wedding anniversary, but she dropped everything and rushed to the hospital to be with us. She held my hand throughout the surgery, describing what she could see in the reflection of the light over the table since they wouldn't let her or my husband watch. She was clearheaded enough to ask for me to see my placenta, something I wanted to do but would have forgotten about in the moment. She stayed with me as my husband went with our son to the NICU and was able to give me updates on his (healthy!) status while I was in recovery. I honestly don't know what we would have done without her and am so grateful that we had her with us that day. My son's birth was so very different from what we had planned and Matilda was a rock for us throughout. My husband and I were so thankful that he could go with our son and focus on him completely, without worrying about how I was doing because Matilda was able to stay with me. I recommend Matilda with no reservations whatsoever and would absolutely love to have her with me if we have another child.

KC Johnston

4/4/2012

 Matilda was a great doula. She was very professional at our prenatals and she really listened to what I wanted for my birth. I felt very safe and supported going into my birth with Matilda. From the moment she arrived during labor, she was hands-on. She remembered everything I asked for prenatally and worked very hard to help me achieve those things. When my baby was in a funky position and labor was moving slowly, Matilda knew what to do immediately. She was very focused throughout the entire process and I was very glad to have her there. I will definitely call her again if we have another!

Aimee Boursaw

6/26/2011

We hired matilda late in my pregnancy only a few weeks before the due date of my first baby. Neither of us had witnessed a birth and were both nervous. As soon as we met Matilda we felt much less anxious and we hired Matilda on the spot. She had all of the qualities we were looking for---self assured, compassianate, sense of humor, but most important we both felt at ease in her presence. She has a very calming nature. I cannot imagine doing it without her. Every woman owes it to herself to hire doula and if you do I highly recommend Matilda.                            Labor was long and at times discouraging as progress was slow. Matilda helped us through it all --she massaged, used pressure points, lit battery candles, and much more. She was a wonderful calming presence throughout. She stayed with us for about 30 hours. Unfortunately she had to leave us early. She had a very important conflicting engagement -- we discussed it and I knew it was important to her to go and we told her we were ok with her leaving us. She offered to have her backup come but we declined. As much as I wish she had been with us to the end I know it was not a decision made lightly and all of her coaching prior helped us through the last part on our own-- with the help of the midwife and nurse of course. In the end after 48 hours of labor I gave birth to a gorgeous, healthy baby boy. he was placed skin to skin, we bonded, he nursed. we were all happy. I look back on my birth story with pride and satisfaction. I do not believe it would have been the same positive experience without her compassion, encouragement, support and don't forget those wonderful pressure points. Love her. I wouldn't go through the experience again without her. Hire her you, will be so glad you did.

Stephanie Plumb

6/19/2011

 I found Matilda through random chance, after the previous Doula I chose fell through. I am SO glad that this happened! Knowing now just how my birth would unfold, I cannot imagine doing it without her. From the moment I went into labor, Matilda was there on the phone, advising me what to do, and just to let her know when I needed her there and she would be right over. She made me very comfortable to call under any instance. My whole labor lasted 46 hours, with me pushing for 3 1/2, but the little guy just did not want to come out! We transferred to the hospital for a c-section, and Matilda stayed with me the whole time. She was in the operating room holding my hand, reminding us to ask for the placenta to take home, and taking pictures of the three of us when our guy was finally born. Matilda has such a soothing presence that I never felt down for being at the hospital after our much wanted home birth didn't go as planned. She was there until the last minute when our baby was falling asleep after eating, and everyone else had gone home. Matilda was priceless to have at my birth, and I would for sure ask her to be there in any other births I may have in the future!

Katy Schenold

6/15/2011

We were lucky enough to hire Matilda early in our pregnancy so we had a lot of time to get to know her. We instantly felt comfortable with her and that we had made the right decision to hire her. She has all the qualities that you could ask for in a doula. She is compassionate, knowledgeable, sincere, supportive, honest and has a good sense of humor. During pregnancy she was always there to answer our questions and concerns. During our labor and birth she proved indispensable! She was there exactly when we needed her and helped me through the pain with supportive words and back massage and hip squeezes that helped alleviate the pain. She was wonderful at being able to tell what I needed from her and giving it to me. It was her voice that calmed me and reminded me to breathe and drink water when I needed to. She worked wonderfully with my husband, too, including him in everything so he never felt like she was taking over. We made the best decision by hiring her for our birth and should we choose to have another baby we wouldn’t hesitate to hire Matilda again as our doula.

Maria Herzanova

3/3/2011

To have a doula at birth of my baby was a very good decision. To have Matilda as my doula was an even better decision. She was amazing and I have to say without her support we would not have had such a smooth and satisfying experience.
Matilda helped us put together our birth plan. She gave us a lot of great suggestions to include in it that I wasn’t even thinking about.
She was very supportive; having her with us in early stage of labor at home made us not to rush to the hospital too early so we were able to have more relaxing hours of labor in our house.
One of the biggest benefits of having Matilda was that she was very helpful with decreasing the pain and uncomfortablility of the contractions with her various pressures and positions and breathing techniques – especially as my birth was all natural without the use of an epidural or other drugs.
She also made sure that the hospital staff was following our birth plan as we wanted, and after Milena was born, helped to start her feeding as soon as possible.
Matilda also came twice to visit us after the Milena was born. The first time was last minute call since I needed help with breast feeding, which was very nice.
We would recommend Matilda very much to be your doula.
 

Genevieve Maertens-Stokes

12/9/2010

  My husband and I had planned the perfect birth for our first child, Elliott. One of our last decisions (and most beneficial) was to hire Matilda White as our doula. We had no idea how much Matilda would positively affect our labor experience.
From the moment that Matilda responded to our first email, we felt that she was the right fit. She’s the perfect balance of professionalism, humor, compassion, warmth, and knowledge. Prior to Elliott’s birth, she met with us twice, and we went over our birth plan. She also went over what we would want to do in the event that things did not go as planned. Things, did not go as planned.
To make a very long story very short, Matilda assisted us with a 30 hour natural labor that ended in a C-section. She helped us decide when we needed her to meet with us during the labor, provided much needed support physically and emotionally during and between contractions for hours upon hours, helped us come to terms with the c-section that had become necessary, and supported both of us during the actual c-section. Looking back, there is no part of our labor story that we would have wanted to experience without Matilda. She is invaluable.
Matilda is the doula you want to press on your back during contractions, to talk you through the moments you don’t think you can make it past, to stand up for your birth choices, and to not only keep you and your partner from panicking but to keep everyone in good spirits.
Matilda has taught me how priceless doulas are. I cannot imagine having another child without Matilda present. The word doula cannot possibly express all that Matilda White will be for your birth. Whatever fee she charges you, after your labor you will know how you could never pay her for what she’s really worth! Matilda has found her calling and we are all lucky she has.

Dana Keller

11/1/2010

I was fortunate enough to connect with Matilda 6 weeks before I gave birth. Not only is she warm and reassuring, but she is full of good knowledge and information that prepared for what I may expect in the weeks to come. If she had not told me what to look for as detailed signs of early labor, I would not have been prepared for my birth, as my water broke suddenly. I was not mentally prepared to be early with my first child, but after my meetings with Matilda, I knew better than most that I may deliver before my due date. This was based on my discussions with her about what I was feeling physically, how I had progressed after OB visits during my pregnancy, as well as her getting a sense of my birth plan and physical history.

So, when my water broke suddenly, I do not think it was as much of a surprise to her. She was at the hospital to help me within the hour once I called her, and she came prepared! I was so happy to have her there to talk me through that difficult day and a half of labor, and to walk me through the changes and physical preparation to deliver my baby in a calm, caring manner. I am grateful for her in every sense of the word. Even though I have a loving partner, I felt that I was not alone in this new experience with Matilda by my side. She was also a wonderful support person to husband through the long hours in the birth center, helping right along side him while I was in active labor, and being there for us so that he could sit down and catch his breath or eat when he needed to. I learned so much from her in such a short time, I can't imagine having another child without her present.

Danielle Porter

8/25/2010

Gloria Molella

8/25/2010

Sarah Waller

6/10/2010

 Matilda White is a wonderful doula.  My husband and I enjoyed her sense of humor, her calm demeanor, and her willingness to be as present as we desired.  When we needed her, she was there.  When we wanted space/privacy, she was also very respectful of that.  My husband and I had done a lot of preparation on our own to be ready for the labor/birth, and weren't expecting to use a doula.  However, we were very pleased to have Matilda there for labor and delivery.  It was her first birth, but she seemed very experienced and through the entire process.  She's also a great singer, so she sang to my tummy as my husband played the ukulele.  It was a memorable time.  We recommend her!

Richard Park

6/4/2010

We had the pleasure of using Matilda for our birth.  Suffice it to say, Thank Goodness she was there.  My wife's labor went MUCH faster than everyone expected, and Matilda ended up coaching her through the whole process and...  Catching the baby as well!  The baby came so fast our midwife couldn't make it in time, so Matilda communicated with our midwife through speakerphone.  Throughout the whole thing, she was calm and collected.  I - on the other hand - was a wreck.  But Matilda maintained her cool.  I'm very glad that Matilda was our doula.  Our newborn sends his appreciation as well.