Kristin Koch & Jimmy Gribbin

11/21/2024

We miss having Shawn around already!!

Shawn was our pre and post natal doula who came to our home twice prior to the birth of our baby girl. She answered all our questions and helped us create an in depth birthing plan. She was always available to discuss concerns by phone or email anytime!

My wife wasn't certain if her water had broke and called Shawn who talked her through it. We were staying at a hotel at the time and after speaking with Shawn and our OB decided to try to sleep for a bit since contractions hadn't started immediately after the water breaking. Shawn offered to join us at the hotel, but we opted to instead blow up her phone periodically through the night with "contractions are now 20 minutes apart" "12 minutes apart"....the usual stuff. We ended up meeting at NYU Langone around 6am and Shawn was there to assist the rest the way with lines like, "this is normal" "you're doing great" "that's as good as we could have hoped for"...comforting stuff. She also had a goodie bag of little battery tea candles, fan (that I broke), and an extremely strong comb. Things went great! Shawn grabbed a ton of photos for us and was generally a huge comforting presence. 

The post side of things were great too. We received a ton of nursing techniques, baby wearing practice, and tips for what works better than other things. 

Overall, Shawn was such a nice, patient, and wise presence throughout the entire process. Couldn't recommend more. She enjoys unique seltzer flavors as well, so do you're best to find hidden gems.

Miss ya Shawn!

Bia and Daneel

6/5/2024

From the moment we met Shawn Clancy, we knew we were in exceptional hands. Her warm and empathetic nature immediately put us at ease, making the entire journey of pregnancy and childbirth incredibly reassuring. Shawn's knowledge and expertise were evident from our first few meetings before the birth, where she patiently answered all our questions and provided lots of insights into what to expect. 

Throughout the pregnancy, Shawn was always available and attentive. She provided us with lots of resources, advice, and emotional support whenever we needed it and was just a WhatsApp or call away. Shawn's commitment to our well-being was unwavering, and her calming influence was a constant source of comfort.

During labor and delivery, Shawn was also amazing! Given our unique circumstances, she arrived to the hospital at the perfect time, and her calm demeanor and support navigating contractions were so helpful! She was a steady and reassuring presence, offering practical support and encouragement every step of the way during labor. Shawn's techniques for pain management and relaxation were incredibly effective, making the experience more manageable and even empowering. We couldn't have asked for a better partner during the birth of our baby.

In our postpartum visits, Shawn continued to be an incredible resource and support on lactation and so much more. Her follow-up visits ensured that we were adjusting well to our new roles as parents. She provided practical tips for newborn care, breastfeeding, and self-care, which were invaluable during those early weeks. Shawn's dedication to our family extended beyond the birth, and we are deeply grateful for her ongoing support. We wholeheartedly recommend Shawn Clancy to any expectant parents seeking a compassionate, knowledgeable, and dedicated doula.

Amanda

12/24/2023

Shawn was my doula in Fall 2021 for my first birth. Throughout the preparatory appointments, labor itself, and post natal appointment, Shawn helped my partner and I feel more at ease. We were anxious and had A LOT of questions. We talked through our birth preferences and all the things that were most important to us for my son's birth. Shawn also recommended videos and reading on some topics that were concerning us. My son came pretty early and Shawn joined us while I labored at home during the early stages and helped suggest positions and things to try to help labor progress. My husband and I felt at ease with Shawn throughout the process and we both really appreciated her support in the hospital. My labor didn't go as we'd hoped, and it was a huge help to have Shawn there throughout!! 

Beth Levin

11/27/2023

We worked with Shawn as our birth and postpartum doula in October. She was absolutely fantastic and I can't recommend her enough! She was constantly available for us before the birth, and was super helpful in providing prenatal resources. Shawn came to the birth as soon as we asked and was such a great, calm addition to my birth team. She was super helpful for us during our postpartum visits as well -- Shawn is really fantastic with newborns. Don't hesitate to work with Shawn! She's such a sweet, genuine person and we're grateful we had her on our team!

Danielle Krumholz

4/12/2023

Shawn is a wonderful doula. We first met her via videochat at the end of my first trimester and immediately felt like she was knowledgable, warm, and supportive. She helped throughout the pregnancy as we decided to switch from an OB to a midwife practice, answering all of my questions, providing resources, and helping us decide whether or not to proceed with an induction. She also provided great recommendations and resources when baby turned breech late in the third trimester. She was also happy to come to our home which we preferred and was always timely! During labor/delivery, she came as soon as we asked her to and helped keep my partner and me sane and as comfortable as possible throuhgout the birth! She worked incredibly well with our midwife and the hospital's nurses and assisted with breastfeeding as soon as baby was born which was incredibly important. Her postpartum visits were also immensely helpful, talking through all of our questions/concerns and further assisting me with breastfeeding. Throughout the process, Shawn was kind, supportive, and just made us feel more at ease every step of the way. Would highly recommend!

Lauren

2/14/2023

I can't say enough good things about Shawn!  Shawn was with us starting early in my second trimester through the end of my postpartum period.  This was my first baby, so I was incredibly nervous and overwhelmed, but having Shawn as part of our team made it so much more manageable.  I honestly couldn't have done it without her.  Throughout my entire pregnancy, she made herself readily available via text and email to talk me off the ledge, answer ridiculous questions, or just provide support when I needed it.  She was extremely knowledgable, but more than that, she was incredily kind, warm, and empathetic.  She never made me feel crazy and she always came from a place of genuine compassion.  When it came to my labor and delivery experience, again, I don't think I could have done it without her.  When things didn't go as smoothly as planned, she was there to provide her insights and advice based on her years of experience, and again, to help keep me calm.  She helped explain what the doctors were saying, helped us talk through our options, and helped advocate for what we wanted.  She even brought a lavendar diffusor to create a relaxing environment to help me get through the worst of the contractions!  During the postpartum perdiod, Shawn became like part of the family.  She was so incredible with our son, so she made it feel safe to leave him for a bit to do things for myself (like getting to the gym, getting my nails done, etc.).  It made a huge difference being able to have someone I trust so I could carve out some time for myself.  I would recommend Shawn wholeheartedly.  She's the best!

Monica DeWitt

5/30/2022

We began our search looking for less experienced doulas - this was our second birth, and we figured we'd be resourceful and low-touch. In retrospect, we couldn't be happier to have worked with Shawn.

Not only did she guide us through a successful VBAC - it's hard to imagine having delivered without her. She was just phenomenal: as prescriptive as we needed her to be without ever making us feel pressured; always accessible while giving us space when we needed it; relentlessly positive but calming. She was exceptionally knowledgeable but never flaunted it and knew when to defer to providers.

Shawn helped us find a doctor, explained every step of the process, coached us from early labor onward, vigilantly tracked our progress throughout, and made herself as available as we needed afterward. We've encountered few if any caregivers in any capacity who made us feel safer or better cared for than Shawn.

Rose Heinzelman

12/11/2021

We were so lucky to have had Shawn with us throughout our pregnancy journey and transition into parenthood. As first time parents to be, when looking for a doula we did not really know where to start but as soon as we talked to Shawn we felt reassured that we had found someone knowledgeable, caring, and kind. Throughout the entire process, Shawn went above and beyond our expectations. Her prenatal visits were thorough and comprehensive, and along with continuous availability to provide guidance, recommendations, and answer any and all questions via email and text she made us feel very reassured and as prepared as possible leading up to the birth. When I went into labor she came to us as soon as she was needed and was a constant source of calm positivity, unrelenting advocacy, and genuinely great company throughout the more than two full days it took to bring our son into the world. Labor and delivery took many unexpected turns, but Shawn made us feel informed, in control, and completely supported in each decision that was made the entire time. Her postpartum support was also absolutely invaluable, especially her expertise in breastfeeding guidance that helped so much in the first few days. Shawn has a genuine caring and love for her work that shines through in everything she does, and this made her not only an amazing doula but an absolutely vital part of our team. We could not recommend her more.

Colin Bartlett

11/24/2021

Shawn was an absolutely essential part of our birth experience and we cannot imagine having gone through it without her. We enthusiastically recommend Shawn to anyone giving birth.

We first met Shawn via video chat, and instantly felt at ease. She was there for us throughout the entire process. For several months leading up to the birth, she answered numerous questions we had about what to expect. We texted with her and had video chats and got comfortable with the birth and postpartum process. She came to our house to answer intricate questions about setting up our home. It was extraordinarily helpful for us to know someone would be there during and after the birth and her presence contributed to a calm and uneventful pregnancy.

During labor, Shawn was by our side at home and in the hospital for almost 36 hours. She has an incredibly calming presence that helped keep us sane during the chaos of birth. Whenever medical interventions were necessary, she helped us understand what was happening. Her knowledge and experience were apparent at every stage and made a massive difference in our wellbeing. We felt truly fortunate to have an expert guide and advocate for every situation.

Postpartum, Shawn came to our house almost every day to help. She answered all manner of questions about caring for our baby and taught us whatever we needed. She was especially supportive with establishing good breastfeeding practices. It was so helpful to be able to just hand our baby to Shawn and take a nap when we were exhausted. And when stresses were high she was always a calming force, responding with true compassion and patience when we were running on empty.

Shawn is an expert doula and an incredible person. We are extremely lucky to have had her in our lives and hope others have the same opportunity we did.

Warryn Hill

2/29/2020

Shawn was my (fantastic!) doula for my pregnancy in 2019.  She immediately resonated with my husband and I on our first meeting with her simultaneous professionalism and irreverance.  Shawn inspired confidence and trust while facilitating an environment that kept us calm and relaxed.  We really had no idea up front what our "birth preferences" were - we didn't even know what we could have a preference about.  Shawn was a fantastic educator and facilitator as we developed the birth plan.

Labor started at 11pm and Shawn was right there at the hospital.  It was 24 hours of labor so Shawn was the only professional in the room with us for the whole experience.  She was a wonderful friend and advocate through the whole experience.  We even asked her to cut the cord after our daughter was born.  Post-partum she continued to visit and keep in touch, providing help (and much needed sanity and humor) through the first few weeks.

Shawn is an amazing doula and wonderful person.  I recommend her without hesitation!  

Iryna

12/30/2019

My name is Iryna. I was pregnant in 2018 and I decided to find a doula for psychological and physical support during childbirth. I looked through a lot of different websites and interviewed some people, but it didn't work well.
After one week I saw Shawn's profile and I really loved her awesome smile! It was my first impression. After our first meeting I understood, we will cooperate well. And it became truth. I expressed some my desires about a childbirth and Shawn supported me. She taught me a lot of stuff about different positions, breathing and possible options for anesthesia. We created our plan and it worked well.

Shawn is highly knowledgeable and experienced,  she likes people, she knows how to cooperate with different people, she is very compassionate also. Our vision was the same and it was extremely important. Shawn also offers two postpartum visits instead of just one. It is important if you have some sort of postpartum depression.

i would recommend Shawn as a doula and as a great person

Lauren Freeman

11/15/2019

Shawn is an incredible doula. I don't know what we would have done without her. She has a calming demeanor and I instantly felt like she was someone I could rely on. This turned out to be so true! She came to our labor at 1 am on a Thursday night. I had been in pre labor for hours and wasn't sure if she could come to the hospital right away. She stayed in touch with me and my husband and made me feel in control of the situation even when she wasn't there yet. Once I was in labor and she arrived to the hospital she helped me cope with my pain and was incredibly warm and comforting. There were several times during the labor where I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do and she kept me calm and walked me through my options. The best thing about her is that she allows you to make your own choices and doesn't overly influence - so no matter what you choose to do there's low pressure and she is just there to support you. This was empowering. My husband was anxious about labor and he also felt like he was far more calm than he anticipated because she was able to take some of the stress out of the situation and help both of us cope. We were so sad Shawn moved from Seattle because we would have loved to have kept in touch with her! She's an all around good person and the best doula we could have asked for. She even came to the house after and helped me with breast feeding which was a huge help and gave me the strength I needed to keep going and not give up when we were struggling with latching. Highly recommend Shawn for anyone looking for a doula that is authentic, calming and will let you do what is right for you and not let you feel guilty about your personal choices! 

Kristen R.

11/14/2019

Shawn was dour doula for our first baby born in August 2019 and she was wonderfully supportive of our transition to parenthood at each stage. She prepared us for decisions we may need to make during labor so we had a tentative plan for many situations. This put my mind at ease. Then, when I was worried 5 and 6 days past my due date she patiently listened to me and reassured me about my induction. During labor she was very supportive of both myself and my husband especially when labor handed us another unexpected, slightly scary curveball. I think her presence and support helped me handle the surprises with confidence and ultimately made the experience a very positive one when it potentially may not have been. She worked collaboratively with the hospital staff throughout and was very helpful in establishing breastfeeding just after birth. Shawn was also invaluable to us during the challenging postpartum period. She was available for quick questions and incredibly reassuring during visits. She also had a wealth of tips, tricks, and resources for us so we didn’t need to find them ourselves when we were tired and weary.

Throughout Shawn was exceptionally warm, caring, responsive, and punctual. We are so happy we chose to bring her into our transition to parenthood. After our time with her she felt like a close friend. Shawn seems to genuinely love this work and it shows. We would fully recommend her to anyone looking for a birth or postpartum doula.

ShuShu Pender

11/4/2019

I knew having a doula would make my birth experience more calming and positive but I had no idea how important having a doula would be to my birth experience and Shawn was the most exceptional doula! She is professional, calm, positive, proactive, reassuring and she truly cares about making sure your labor and delivery is the best it can be. I would hire Shawn for our next babe if she stayed in Seattle! (Shawn maybe you’ll have to come back for the next kid ;) ). She is organized, on time, always ready and willing to do whatever needs to be done and we so appreciated that about her because, well, babies aren’t exactly on time or flexible with schedules! If you’re looking for an amazing doula, Shawn is your gal! 

Liz

8/26/2019

Shawn was our doula for our first baby, and I am so happy we had her there! My husband and I interviewed her, and were impressed by her warm and caring personality, and her thoughtful approach for childbirth. We enjoyed meeting with Shawn twice prior to the birth of our daughter - she talked through how she'd work with us and the stages of labor. We felt calm and prepared going into such a big life event. During labor, Shawn was an amazing support to us - she had creative ideas for how to deal with contractions, and was caring and loving as I labored in a hospital birthing tub as well as in my birthing suite. Her support allowed for my husband to rest/take a break, and for me to feel like I had a close friend guiding me through the birthing process. Shawn worked well with the midwife and the 2 nurses, who I think appreciated the extra support and knowledge she brought to the day. After our daughter was born, Shawn was there to help with learning how to breastfeed and capture our first moments as a new family via camera. Since the birth, Shawn has visited us twice and even watched our baby as we went out for dinner - greatly appreciated as new parents! 

I cannot recommend her enough - she is a knowledgeable, loving, and thoughtful woman who can help making your birthing experience as meaningful, empowering and respectful as possible. She's simply the best!

Kristina Mittelbach

4/28/2019

I was so fortunate to have Shawn as my doula. She did an excellent job and I believe it's because of her that my birth experience was so positive and stress free. She was very informative on many things including the birth process, newborn care and lactation issues. I felt important and cared for before, during, and after my birth. Even though I just met Shawn, it felt like I had already known her a long time. She is easy going and down to earth. Most importantly, I knew that I could trust her with helping me make the best decisions for my baby and I. I am very grateful that Shawn Clancy was a major part of my birth experience and I strongly recommend her to others.

Emily Detoro Barbero

2/4/2019

Shawn is such an amazing doula and was integral part of our birth. From our very first meeting, her positive, kind, funny demeanor fit perfectly with what we were hoping to find in a doula. During our visits beforehand she was always knowledgeable and supportive - whether I just needed an ear for listening or was looking for perspective, resources or advice. The day my contractions started we texted and talked continuously and when my contractions stalled she provided helpful tips that got them back on track. She was by my side as soon as my water broke, met us at the hospital and held my hand and counseled my husband through every major contraction and push. We had a seamless natural childbirth and I believe in part that it was due to her calm, skillfull, loving help. After our delivery she chekced in regularly and was there for nursing support, postpartum support or just company on a stroll. We were so lucky to have found Shawn and are fortunate to now call her a dear friend.