Melanie Gainey

5/21/2022

Anna Sylvester was a sibling doula during the birth of my second child. She took care of my 2.5 year old at our house during the entire labor and birth. My daughter had never been left overnight without my husband and me and I was very nervous that she would be confused or scared without me. She loved hanging out with Anna though and it was such a relief during my pregnancy to know that we had a solid plan for childcare. I had been more nervous about childcare for my toddler than the actual birth! Anna is clearly very good with children and I would highly recommend her services as a sibling doula. My daughter talked about all of the fun things they did after her visit and it was obvious that she really liked spending time with Anna. Communication with Anna was also very good during my pregnancy and leading up to the birth. This is a fantastic option for people like us that don't have family or friends in the area that can drop everything at a moment's notice to do childcare during a birth.

Alayna

8/14/2021

I chose to utilize a doula for my second birth after my first labor and delivery because I felt my husband and I were left to figure it out on our own. That ended in a long induction process and a long delivery. 

For my second, I knew that I wanted to come more prepared and with covid restrictions lessening I thought a doula would be the perfect fit. I met with Anna before choosing to work with her and she was incredibly validating when discussing my previous birth and was able to share resources with me. My husband and I felt that Anna was a great fit for us and she helped walk us through what I would want my labor to look like this time. 

At 38 weeks pregnant, I fell and broke my ankle. Due to the nature of my break and how far along I was, my doctor and I chose to induce me so I was able to get ankle surgical quickly after. Anna was there to work through fears of being induced again and met the challenge of needing an entirely new plan for my labor. Anna supported my husband and I through my entire induction and was a crucial part of making sure I changed positions frequently. Being bed bound due to my foot, Anna made sure I was in positions that helped the baby move down. 

With all circumstances, this was my favorite labor and delivery and I couldn't thank Anna enough for taking out situation and still helping me have the best experience i could. 

Shannon and Cody Maust

2/19/2021

My husband and I worked with Anna as our Doula for our first baby. We knew as soon as our first meeting with Anna was over that we wanted her to guide us on this journey. Anna did an amazing job of validating all of our feelings, which was super important since we were doing all of this for the first time and often had doubts about how we were coping. Anna provided the perfect mix of evidence based information and a listneing ear to help me deal with all of the difficulties of pregnancy. Whether it was depression, anxiety, nausea, sleeplessness, pelvic pain, exhaustion, or any random pregnancy symptom, Anna always provided lots of information that helped us understand what might be happening, how best to deal with it, and when we might expect things to shift. She was always just a text away, answering our messages very quickly and checking in on those conversations once some time had passed to make sure we were satisfied. Working with her in our private classes and appointments was also super insightful but approachable. We had a lot of info to cover in those appointments but we always felt like Anna took her time to explain things in an accessible way and open up the conversation to our questions or concerns. Anna's guidance and care during labor, delivery, and postpartum was completely irreplaceable. Even in the intensity of labor, I recall making a comment that I could not understand how anyone gave birth without a Doula- that's how much of an impact she made on the success of our labor and delivery. She provided perfectly timed support to my husband while physically and emotionally supporting me as well. Anna even took incredible photos of the labor and birth that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. Throughout the labor, delivery, and postpartum time she was present when we needed her and gave us space when we wanted to experience things alone. We cannot imagine doing this without her and would recommend her services wholeheartedly. 

Christina Hoenig

6/22/2020

Anna provided impeccable doula services to us throughout the entire pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum.

We had an early-morning labor and Anna was over at our house immediately. She was very diligent about COVID-19 mitigation so we weren't worried at all about risking exposure with her. She wasn’t allowed to accompany us to the hospital due to the limited number of support persons allowed during delivery, but she was invaluable on the drive to the hospital. Thinking back on what it would have been like without her help laboring at the house and in the car... we don't even want to imagine it. Her calming presence and expertise were indispensable.

Postpartum, the video chats and Anna’s constant availability via text have helped us navigate early parenthood, easing a lot of tension and resolving a lot of conflict about what the best course to take is.

We wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend Anna’s doula services!

Valerie McKeehan

5/15/2020

I am SO grateful for Anna. She has the sweetest, soothing personality that put me right at ease from the moment we met. I was a first time Mom with major anxiety for birth and I just knew I'd be in good hands. My labor was very long and difficult and I can't say enough how happy I was to have Anna's support as a doula. The doula support I received was definitely the difference between an amazing birth experience and one that could have been traumatic. I can't say enough good things.