Ilana Seidmann

8/7/2024

I didn't think I had very much new to learn as a third-time mom. Boy, was I wrong! Martha taught me so much: everything from new breastfeeding positions, to the best strategies for "tummy time," to managing sibling relationships, to organizing my kids' stuff, to self-care strategies and encouragement. She's also perfectly happy to hold the baby while you shower or do errands. I was beyond impressed by the breadth and depth of her knowledge about babies and "mom life" in general. I couldn't have gotten through the postpartum period so successfully without her. Do yourself (or your daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughter, friend, etc.) a huge favor and hire Martha as your postpartum doula. You will be calmer, better-rested, and a more confident mom because of her!

Jimin Yoon

4/19/2024

We worked with Martha as our postpartum doula, and she was truly a lifesaver. My husband and I are first-time parents with no family members nearby to help. We were also the first in both of our friend groups to have a child, so we really didn't have anyone to ask for help or advice. Martha visited us twice a week, four hours each visit, and honestly we could not have managed through the newborn stage without her. For example, Martha was incredibly knowledgeable. We had tons of "My baby is doing xyz. Is this normal" type of questions, and knowing that we had someone who could answer those questions at any time brought us a huge peace of mind. But what really makes Martha stand out as a postpartum doula is just how professional she is. She was very non-judgmental, and made sure she respected all kinds of parenting decisions we made. She also has a natural talent for making people around her comfortable, which I believe is important for someone who will be visiting your home and staying with you many hours a day. I personally don't love visitors coming over to our house, but I found myself actually looking forward to Martha's visit, which was very surprising. Overall, working with Martha was the best decision we made for our postpartum period, and we would recommend her to anyone without a single hesitation.

LEK - Cambridge

1/10/2024

I blinked, and the dishes and laundry were clean.  I pulled my daughter in to nurse, and a glass of water and lactation cookies were next to me, reachable from the couch.  When I was ready to take a break to have restful time to myself, Martha had already taken out my daughter's favorite books and toys next to the playmat.  Martha is a wizard!!  If you are seeking an organized, energetic, experienced doula to break through the haze of exhaustion, help your family to cope, and bring joy and a playful, social spirit to your newborn or infant, look no further than Martha.  As a bonus, if you are looking for a listener or advice on a tired or teary day, she has empathy and wisdom to spare in spades from raising her four children and grandchildren.  We used Martha after welcoming our second baby to the family, and still had so much to learn from her.  Hope you can gain as much from working with her as we did!

Lindsey

1/9/2024

Martha is the best of the best. She is caring, professional, knowledgeable, and a great source of support for families with new babies. You can tell that she genuinely loves what she does. She helped me prioritize my recovery after birth by giving me a chance to rest while taking great care of my little one. When she arrived, she’d always ask what I was looking for during our time - sometimes I wanted to get her thoughts on questions related to the baby, sometimes I wanted to get out for fresh air, take a nap, etc. I can’t recommend her enough!

Melissa

1/6/2024

My only regret about having Martha as my postpartum doula was not booking her for MORE time. Martha was a true godsend in the postpartum period. She not only taught me and my husband practical things like how to wash pump parts, but she also taught us how to be parents to our precious baby. She was our baby guru. She also did little things that made such a difference, like filling up our water bottles and bringing me a cupcake on my birthday. I really appreciated having access to her via text when she wasn't physically with us. She is incredibly professional and reliable, warm and personable. After our time together, I felt equipped to care for our baby but sad to say goodbye to Martha. I will be calling her as soon as I find out I am pregnant with my next child. Could not reccommend Martha more highly, in fact I have already referred a friend to her who is very happy as well! 

Daisy

12/30/2023

Martha Widing is more than a doula; she's the ultimate parenting coach and a true gem for first-time parents like us. Martha's calming presence and unparalleled lactation expertise were a game-changer during the crucial early days of parenthood. Her caring, professional approach, coupled with extensive knowledge, transformed our initial breastfeeding struggles into a confident and comfortable experience for both me and our little one.

Beyond her incredible support, Martha went the extra mile by providing us with invaluable resources. From connecting us with a lactation consultant to recommending a physical therapist, Martha ensured we had access to the right professionals when needed. Her insights extended to practical suggestions for baby clothes and products that significantly eased our daily lives.

Martha's commitment to lifelong learning shines through in her professional and reassuring approach. She doesn't just meet expectations; she consistently goes above and beyond. We wholeheartedly recommend Martha to friends and would unquestionably hire her again without hesitation.

Lauren

6/22/2023

Martha was such a joy to have around after the birth of our son! We have no family in the area so having an extra pair of (very capable and knowledgeable) hands around and knowing we would have support when we got home from the hospital made the process a lot less daunting! I would recommend Martha to other new parents who want peace of mind knowing there will be someone there to help with both the easy/silly questions (is the diaper on right? how hot should bath water be? what should be in the diaper bag?) as well as the trickier questions (when should I start a bedtime routine? when can you start to "spoil" a child?) Martha also had great recommendations on baby gear!

Anna

6/14/2023

We were lucky to work with Martha for 7 weeks after the birth of our first baby. I wasn't sure exactly what a postpartum doula would do but knew we felt immense confidence and comfort after our first call with Martha and her support was absolutely crucial to helping us find our footing in the first weeks. Martha helped us avoid middle of the night doom googling by being a trusted resource for information on the basics of baby care, health, and safety. She's clear in her role but has a wealth of experience that she is willing to share in a balanced,  informed, nonjudgmental way. When a question needs an answer from a medical professional or other specialist she says so! She was so helpful with nursing and our middle of the night nursing chat sessions/lessons brought me so much comfort. She can help in a thousand different ways and follows the family's lead in how to spend time whether the mom or parents need a break, want to practice giving a bath/using the baby carrier/tummy time exercises, need a diaper bag or nursery consult, or need a pep talk. We wished we had booked more time and we snapped up extra times she made available whenever she could. She always leaves the space tidier and more organized than when she arrives and is so in tune with a mothers needs (rest, food, time with their partner). She was incredibly helpful and supportive but most importantly she gave me the confidence that we could do it and that we were already the best parents for our baby. Thank you, Martha!

Melissa

6/14/2023

Mary Poppins, I mean Martha is truly a gift. We are so lucky have worked with her for postpartum doula support for both my daughter (now 3) and my son (7 weeks). We used her for overnights for 8 weeks and I feel so grateful to have my babies in her care. We learned so much from her and her passion for newborns is contagious. She truly loves the babies she cares for and you can see how gentle and supportive she is with meeting their needs. She helped us get IBCLC support when recognizing early nursing issues that most people would not pick up on. She has a great village of healthcare providers for referrals. She is such a nurturning and mother like role in the early postpartum days.

I recommend her to all my friends and family who have babies. I can't imagine a postpartum world without Martha. Thank you Martha! 

Amy Young

1/6/2023

My best piece of advice as a first-time Mom: hire Martha! I saw a review that called her “part parenting coach, part fairy godmother, and part baby whisperer” — and she is exactly that! It is clear Martha was born to be a doula the first time she sat cross-legged on my bed. She’s so at ease with newborns and with new Moms — she provides a calming presence and lactation expertise to every visit.

I had some trouble early on with breastfeeding, and I was so relieved to get thoughtful advice from Martha. She was so calm and so confident that she would be able to help. She tailored her advice to our little guy, letting us know what our options were (positions, pillows, nipple shields, etc.) and helped us test out a few new techniques. Ultimately she had our son breastfeeding much more easily, in a more comfortable position for me (and all without tons of pillows or elaborate equipment!). She also showed my husband what he could do to improve our son’s latch so that he could eat more easily and so that I was more comfortable (yay!). Martha continued to come help us out with other household tasks to give us a bit of a break — looking after our son, reading to him, taking him for walks, letting me nap, folding laundry — she does it all! Martha is always so open and friendly and so loving to our little boy. She’s a life-long learner, and I admire the open, reassuring and professional manner she takes to her work. We highly recommend her to our friends, and we would hire her again ourselves without a second thought!

Niki Hinkle

12/20/2022

Martha was an absolute godsend! She saw that we were tired and overwhelmed, with no experience, and immediately sent us to bed, then got us up to speed on all of the small systems that make up our new day to day lives. How do we hand this guy to each other? How do we hold him? How should we feed him? Why is he spitting up? How do you breastfeed/make bottles? Martha was our expert Sherpa that gave us our bearings, and the confidence to parent without being in a full panic.

She was always extremely professional, warm, communicative, and respectful of our needs and preferences. She brought us endless knowledge, useful items that other parents no longer needed, and even cake! Somebody who you not only feel comfortable with for hours in your space, but want to leave your new baby with, is extremely rare. Martha is that person!

Rebecca

8/4/2022

Hi mommies and soon-to-be-mommies, I couldn’t recommend Martha more to become your postpartum doula. As our families live in Europe, we felt a little nervous having no support for our newborn. I couldn’t feel more lucky that I found Martha to join our adventure becoming a family of four. Yes-also mommies need mommies during those early postpartum days - and martha can definitely fill this space with her warm, caring personality. Sometimes you will need sleep, a good conversation or just a honest beloved hug. The saying is ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ and not ‘mommy is on its own for 24/7 until she is exhausted and desperate’ - please respect your mindset and your recovering body and get help for this precious time. Martha definitely needs to be part of that village with all her knowledge about postpartum topics and her love for babies!

Lauren

4/27/2022

Martha spent time with us after my son was born at the end of November.  He was born 3 weeks early, so we started with Martha a few weeks delayed due to her availability- but she did make some time for us to get in a few day sessions after he was born.  We ended up hiring someone else those initial few weeks, and the difference between that person and Martha was astonishing.  Once Martha walked in we knew that we were being taken care of.  I felt such at ease with her watching our son at night, and also how she looked after me.  She would give me some of her tea during my nightly breastfeeding and it was so comforting during my exhaustion and in the cold winter.  I got some of my best sleep with Martha there during our overnights and she taught me SO much during our day time visits.  Hire Martha - you will NOT regret it!! 

Cami

3/24/2022

Martha was referred to us by a friend before we had our first child and we are so grateful! Coming home from the hospital to her help was such a relief. I had a very fast letdown and a gassy baby. She spent a lot of time educating me on nursing positioning and helping find the perfect hold for me any my baby. She also taught us so much on newborn care which built our confidence as new parents. She was supported us over text and long after her visits ended. Her hands on education and deep knowledge base were invaluable and I would highly recommend her to anyone!

Emma Z

2/16/2022

I realize that it may be easy to hyperbolize about something as monumental as parenthood, where the stakes are high and new emotions flood every aspect of life that once required little to no thought, but I genuinely believe that our family would be in a different (worse-off) place had it not been for Martha’s presence during those vulnerable first months of life with our son. 

As first-time-parents and young professionals living half a country away from family, we looked into hiring a postpartum doula for the extra hands. But having now contracted with Martha, even if our families lived nextdoor, we would still hire her. Without Martha’s education, non-judgmental support, and empathy, our first months as parents—and those that followed, even after her contract had ended—would have looked very different. I cannot overstate Martha’s competent and confident approach to supporting parents through decision-making processes. For exmaple, I had long known that I wanted to breastfeed my son, but arrived home from the hospital with traumatized nipples and realized that my baby had a tongue tie. Recognizing that these breastfeeding goals would not be sustainable if things continued apace, she equipped me with the tools to intervene as I saw fit. (Today, I’m still breastfeeding!) She showed us the trailhead, in a way, and then let us decide whether or not to follow the path. Martha is not the type of person to make you feel obliged to do anything you and your family aren’t comfortable with; she instead provides options that allow you to make the best decisions, in light of your desires, limitations, and hopes, and then engages with that decision with genuine respect. 

Martha is at once rock-solid in her competence and profoundly tender in her approach to care. My only hesitation in writing this review is that other folks may then book her faster than us, once baby number two is on the way! 

Christina M

2/15/2022

It is impossible to describe what an incredible blessing Martha was for our family. I cannot recommend her highly enough as a post-partum doula. She is incredibly professional, compassionate, knowledgeable, and nurturing. She goes above and beyond for the babies and families she is caring for and made my post-partum experience infinitely better than with my first child (where I had no professional support post-partum).  As soon as Martha entered our home, she put us at ease, expertly caring for our newborn and instilling us with confidence and new knowledge on caring for a newborn. As a pediatrician, I was incredibly impressed by evidenced-based practice and that she partners with the family to make the post-partum experience one of bonding and healing.

Martha knew that one of my hopes was to breastfeed our son and she was an invaluable asset. I attribute our success to Martha’s help early in the process. My first son struggled with direct breastfeeding and weight gain, and I needed to pump often and supplement with pumped milk. Martha assured me that we would make sure we were on the right track, and she would direct me to a lactation consultant if needed. She helped me learn new positions to nurse and reassured me about his latch. My son thrived with the help of Martha and the time that she spent with us enabled me to rest, recharge, and recuperate knowing that my son was in her care.  Martha is also non-judgmental; she meets parents at their level and partners with them to make the experience what they want. She supports all different families and their unique goals and comes with an arsenal of skills to do so with ease and expertise. Lastly, Martha is an absolute delight. She was a ray of sunshine in our home and if we are lucky enough to have another baby, she will be the first person we call!!

Emily

2/7/2022

We used Martha a SECOND time for postpartum night help (scroll down to see my prior review) because she is absolutely the best. When you see Martha first meet your baby, you will instantly be put at ease. She is a gentle and nurturing soul who truly enjoys this work from the bottom of her heart. She brings her own experience and expertise to her role, and she enjoys staying up on new trends and data so she can share information and even products with parents. Martha is punctual, communicative, and trustworthy. She is also very popular-so plan ahead and book early! In short, if you have the chance to work with Martha Widing, 10/10 recommend!! 

Duncan K.

9/26/2021

We had Martha for seven weeks after our son arrived and I can’t imagine how it would have been without her help.  Starting the evening we got home from the hospital, she made us feel safe and secure with her warmth, professionalism and expertise.  She offers a perfect balance informed views on early parenting with total flexibility to taper her services to the goals of your family.  Among other things, she helped us with sleep cadence, soothing technique, and even helped us diagnose a milk protein allergy that was causing extreme fussiness early on.  We would have extended our time with Martha if she’d had availability.  She came highly recommended from trusted friends of ours, and we have recommended her to several of our own friends who she has since helped as well.  We continue to keep in touch with her on our son's development and would be lucky to have her help again.

Christine Chartoff

8/16/2021

Martha was an amazing doula and such a blessing to our family. She was the nicest and most caring doula that I could have hoped for. Martha helped care for our baby earlier this year. She was wonderfully professional, but I also found a friend and confidant in her. She was so genuine in her care both with our baby and also with her concern for my well-being. She was able to support me during my lactation issues, as well as offer important input with my diet and my babies feeding schedule. She was able to offer invaluable support and act as a resource for all things baby related! As a first time mother, I was overwhelmed and didn't know what to expect. Martha was able to ease my anxieties and be such a rock for me during her time with our family. She showed me the best care techniques for our baby, including feeding, changing, sleep schedules, and general care.
Martha comes highly recommended and is such a wonderful and genuine person, which translated to her being an amazing doula for our family. Martha is a truly exceptional doula, with a wealth of information. She helped me find my footing in the newness of motherhood. She was supportive and such a big help to me and my husband during a new and exciting time in our lives.  
I would have no hesitation in rehiring Martha whatsoever!

Amanda G.

8/5/2021

We worked with Martha for 8 weeks immediately after the birth of our son. Her support was absolutely invaluable — teaching us how to take care of him, helping to figure out breastfeeding, and making sure we got sleep and took care of ourselves along the way. Martha delights in babies and brings such a warm, calm energy, which is especially needed during the intense early weeks as new parents! She also helped us regularly carve out a few minutes to nurture and prioritize our relationship, which made us better parents and happier people. Hiring Martha was one of the best decisions we made as she helped us start our parenting journey feeling grounded, knowledgeable, relatively rested, and connected to our son and each other. She was truly a godsend!

Liz Bialecki

10/6/2020

I have now worked with Martha twice the first time was two years ago after the birth of my daughter and the second time this summer after the birth of my son! I have struggled with postpartum anxiety and working with Martha has been a blessing and a privilege. She's not only experienced and knowledgeable but extremely kind and caring. I felt taken care of and supported through a difficult time and also completed trusted her with the care of both of my children. I still reach out to Martha as a resource and consider her a necessary part of my family team. I can't more highly recommend her for your postpartum experience, she is a joy and worth every single penny. Please contact me with any questions! 

Emily Macia

9/6/2020

You will be lucky if you get the opportunity to work with Martha Widing! If you are considering hiring Martha, my main piece of advice is to hire her for as long as you can, and for as often as you can afford. Martha supported my husband and I with our first child. We originally planned to work with her for 3 nights a week for 4 weeks and immediately extended our contract to include 2 additional days per week and additional weeks. Martha’s support was invaluable as we navigated our journey as parents. Martha met us when we arrived home from the hospital and brought immediate calm and warmth. She supported us emotionally (there are so many feelings in parenthood!), coached my breastfeeding, helped us get sleep, patiently taught us to care for our daughter, and built our confidence as parents. Martha brings a wealth of knowledge and resources, and has the flexibility to support your family in the ways that you want and need to be supported. We also did a pre-birth class with Martha that was incredibly helpful. It prepared us to be advocates for our baby in the hospital and navigate decisions related to her care with more certainty. Similar to my “hire her for as much as you can afford advice,” I would strongly encourage you to schedule at least 2-3 pre-birth sessions. My husband and I didn’t fully appreciate how helpful our class with Martha was until we were IN the hospital and found ourselves saying “oh, this is what Martha was talking about.” We also did a birthing class through our hospital, however, looking back, I wish we had taken advantage of additional sessions with Martha to better prepare. We will forever be grateful to Martha and hope we get the opportunity to work with her again in the future.

Rebecca

7/30/2020

Martha Widing was a huge asset and I am so thankful to have worked with her. We used Martha for pre-birth classes and as a post-partum doula (primarily at night).  She was an invaluable resource.  Martha was a wealth of knowledge and either knew the answer to every question we had, or was able to refer us to a top notch expert.  Martha was also so so sweet with our daughter and we felt 100% secure with trusting her with our daughters care.  She’s honesty such a treasure.

Emily

10/11/2019

I have only positive things to say about Martha, who has helped us as a postpartum doula.

In terms of her character, Martha has a reassuring and confident aura about her. She listens to her clients, gives advice or shares resources when asked, and draws from years of experience raising her own children and working as a doula.

In her role as our doula, Martha has been punctual, professional, and dependable. She values our rest as much as the baby’s, and the nights she is with us are as rejuvenating as possible. When she is not soothing, changing, or bringing us the baby, she is tidying up the house or even cooking for us, which makes the next morning that much easier.

In sum, I have always felt incredibly comfortable leaving my son in her hands. She is a caring and very warm soul who goes above and beyond because she loves what she does. Thanks for everything!

Ellie Drawas

7/28/2019

With the birth of our first baby, I had no idea what a post-partum doula could do for me. Nobody I knew had ever worked with one, and I figured the help of family and friends would be enough. I am so, SO glad we made the decision to get support, and beyond lucky to have found Martha!

Martha is the whole package – kind and supportive, super hard working and extremely knowledgeable about babies, childcare, parenting, and any relevant topic in between – from breastfeeding, to mental health to postpartum exercise,

In addition to completely taking care of me – preparing delicious food, doing laundry, making sure I was hydrated and giving me precious time to sleep and shower, Martha didn’t just help care for my newborn, she taught me invaluable skills of how to take care of my baby as a (pretty clueless) first time mom: How to breastfeed, how to decipher her cries and understand her needs, and how to deal with the multitude of unexpected issues that I wasn’t even aware could affect new moms and their babies.

Her guidance, encouragement, and wisdom increased my confidence in my ability to take care of a newborn baby and removed much of the anxiety of becoming a first-time parent, which allowed me to focus on enjoying this special time with my daughter.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Martha. She sets the bar really high and is more than just a doula – she is a trusted advisor and now, a dear friend. Looking back, I cannot imagine how we would have gotten through the first few days, weeks and months without her. In fact, now at 4+ months postpartum and being back at work for over a month, I still cannot “let go” of Martha and continue to seek her help with our family on a weekly basis.

Lesley

3/9/2019

Martha came to help us when we were in a very tough place postpartum.  My baby was about six weeks old, I was struggling with post partum depression, not feeling well and my husband was sick.  She just jumped right in and supported us how we needed. — which meant practical help around the house,  help caring for our baby so I could rest and support for me both emotionally and practically.   She helped us both during the day and overnight.  She was wonderful and nurturing with my baby girl and I felt very comfortable with her in Martha’s care while I napped or took a shower.  Martha ended up helping us for about a month and half, and I really don’t know how we would have gotten through it without her support!  I would absolutely recommend Martha for someone looking for postpartum support.

Ilana Seidmann

12/1/2018

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Martha. She happily and without asking does anything and everything you would need as a new mom- holding the baby while you take a nap, preparing a delicious lunch, getting the baby to stop crying, laundry, dishes, toy pick-up; not to mention, general advice about mother's wellness, getting the baby to sleep, breastfeeding, swaddling, bath time, even dealing with issues such as helping you find a nanny and what to do with your older child's art projects. She gives fantastic advice on baby products that have proven helpful, and she will accompany you to the doctor's office/grocery store/drugstore so that you don't have to worry about the baby during an appointment or errand. She has also been helpful in allowing my husband and I to spend time together without the baby. She is always cheerful and happy and eager to help you, and she will offer judgment-free advice and gentle suggestions that will allow you to be be your best self. She is a true newborn expert and remarkable at getting baby to calm down and to go to sleep! My life as a mom of "2 under 2" would have been vastly more difficult without her-- I don't even want to imagine it! If you are remotely considering getting a postpartum doula, I would advise calling Martha and not looking back- I promise you will be thankful!

Kerianne Panos

7/1/2018

Three weeks after my son was born, I fel that I really needed extra help and support.  I wasn't sure what I needed, so I started looking online and found Martha's website.  From the moment I heard her voice, I knew that she was the right person to help me through the first few weeks of motherhood.  Her kindness, compassion and many years of experience both as a doula and a mother immediately put me at ease.  From the first day I met her, she provided me with great tips on how to better interact with my son, and most importantly, helped me through the first few weeks of breastfeeding when things weren't going well.  She was a reassuring and kind presence whenever she was with us and she guided both of us through a few very rocky and challenging weeks.

Three months later, my son is thriving and I'm really enjoying motherhood.  As I prepare to go back to work, I'm confident in my abilities as a mother, thanks in large part to the support and advice from Martha.  Having someone be available by text or phone at anytime relieved my fears and gave me the knowledge I needed to take of my son.  She took time outside of our regular meetings to answer my questions, and when I was going through my most difficult period, she was there for me whenever I needed her.  Both my son and I will really miss seeing Martha every week, but I know she'll always be around if I have any questions or need parenting advice.  She's a wonderful person and truly a gift for moms and families!

Lily Altstein

6/29/2018

Martha helped me overnight with my third baby. She is a wonderful, caring person. I relaxed from the moment I saw her because I knew that my baby and I were in experienced, gentle and calm hands. Martha has so much experience with mothers and babies, and she is very much dedicated to her clients success -- not just to get babies sleeping well but also to care for mom, dad, other siblings, the home, etc. She is an extremely hardworking and trustworthy person. I would be happy to speak directly with any families considering working with Martha.

kruti thakkar

6/23/2018

Martha was a godsend for us! I was in a pinch after an unexpected postpartum complication. I was bedridden and in an absolute moment of desperation went online to find help. I cold called another Doula who refered Martha. I spoke to her that same night and felt an instant connection. I so looked forward to her coming over to help the next day. The first thing I felt when I met her was - She is compassionate, organized and someone who I could trust my baby with. Those were very important components. My husband also felt extremely comfortable with her. Martha helped us with me, baby, Laundry, organizing our home and our somewhat disoriented life and most of all emotional support for me. She really felt like a friend i could talk to as I lay in bed from these complications.

I would recommend Martha many times over to anyone who is thinking of getting a Doula. More than anything else, you want to be able to trust the person entering your life and home and helping take care of your baby and we felt that instantly with her! I am more than happy to refer Martha to anyone who is considering getting her help.