Allie & Julian

4/13/2024

I can’t even begin to express my deep gratitude to Milla for supporting me and my husband through our birth experience. She was a steady, positive presence every step of the way. I ended up having a very smooth delivery that—to my total surprise—felt peaceful and even blissful. I think a huge factor in this was having Milla to guide me through contractions and expertly manage all of the worries that would have come up (Is what I’m feeling normal? Is it time to go to the hospital?). I can’t recommend her highly enough.

Some specific things that we really appreciated about Milla are:

- She is extremely responsive by text and email and very detail oriented.

- She was very generous with her time. She never made us feel rushed when she met with us in person and answered questions.

- She is calm and patient—exactly who you want by your side in labor.

- She is truly open-minded and non-judgmental about birth choices. This stood out to us after interviewing 4 other doulas and feeling like they each had a little bit of an agenda that they couldn’t help but push.

- Her recommendations feel solid and evidence-based, and she is open to both standard medical practices and more alternative ideas. We trusted her advice because it always felt rational and balanced.

My husband also was very grateful for Milla’s presence. He says that having her there to help make decisions while laboring at home, manage logistics at the hospital, and interact with hospital staff helped him focus on being present with me. Whenever he felt anxious or unsteady, he could turn to Milla for reassurance.

Milla is truly wonderful. She even took some amazing photos of labor and the birth that I didn’t even notice her taking, but am so grateful to have. We feel so lucky to have found her!

Katie

3/18/2024

Milla is a warm, caring soul with a wealth of knowledge.

Because I wanted to do a natural birth and this is our first child, I wanted to hire a doula to help guide myself and my husband through the process. When interviewing with multiple doulas, I felt that Milla was very easy to talk to, confident, and very experienced. With our pre-natal visits, Milla was very thorough in asking us questions about our birth preferences, what we would like to do in certain situations, and providing us some exercises I could do to prepare for birth. She never rushed through the visits, taking the time to answer our questions and getting to know us, and provided plenty of resources for us to learn and prepare. She was also just a text away, so if we had any questions for her or need recommendations, she always had something available for us. I took her recommendation for a pre-natal massage therapist and it was the best decision! What I really appreciate about her is that she never imposed her own preferences or ideals, but let us come to the conclusion of what we think and supported us in any way. 

My birth experience didn't go as planned, as I ended up with a Cesarean delivery. But as I was laboring, Milla worked so well with the nurses to suggest positions I should be put in and explain in simple terms what the doctors or nurses are suggesting for us. When I had to go into the OR for the Cesarean, Milla was still there to help ease my anxiety and support me through the process. She was also really great company to have during the time we waited.

We're so glad that we had Milla available to assist us with our first child and during birth. She is an incredibly valuable resource and highly recommend her if you're looking for a doula!

Heather and Justin CG

12/14/2023

My partner and I had the pleasure of working with Milla in early Dec. 2023 for the birth of our baby girl. We had two prenatal appointments to review our birth plan, to get to know each other and to learn about pregnancy and birth. After we had booked Milla, knowing that she was just a text away, was so comforting. When I had aches & pains, Milla helped me find providers that could help me. Once birth started, Milla was in contact checking in on me and providing me with tools to help labor progress. Once she came to our house, she helped me move through and distract me from my contractions. While my birth plan included a birth center, we did end up having to go to the hospital. Milla was a comfort throughout the process and helped my partner and I navigate through the big changes. She helped advocate for us throughout the hospital stay, always made sure we were comfortable (physically and mentally), helped explain what was happening, and made sure our needs were met. There are so many things that Milla did to help us, that it would take more than 2,000 characters to get through. If you are looking for a Doula that will support you and be your rock, look no further than Milla. 

Katie Keller

7/6/2023

Milla is an exceptional doula. She eased so much anxiety from my first pregnancy for both myself and my husband. Her knowledge, flexibility and judgement-free communication are all the reasons why I wouldn’t hesitate to work with her again. 

Milla’s strengths include being incredibly knowledgeable and up to date in her field while having such a kind and caring demeanor. Her biggest strength lies in her communication and flexibility. She was always available to answer any questions I had no matter how random or odd they were. She also offered to be available whenever I had appointments as a resource for making decisions. 

My experience with Milla at each step of pregnancy through postpartum:

Her prenatal visits were fabulous! She helped establish our birth plan and was very very thorough. She also helped show us spinning baby maneuvers to help prepare for birth and to help with pregnancy pains.

During labor I had to make some changes to my plan and she was always there to help me talk through options and offered such great ideas to help cope with contractions.

Postpartum she was very much willing to just chat and process through the birth (because that’s what I felt like I wanted to chat about), but she would be willing to do anything to help assist with postpartum. I always came with all my questions for Milla and she was super knowledgeable every visit no matter the topic-she was very client centered.

One other awesome thing about Milla is she is completely judgement free no matter what type of birth/pregnancy you wish to have. She will layout all the pros and cons and facts and let you make a decision about what’s best for you. But, she will provide her opinion if you ask for it, which I felt was helpful when I struggled forming an idea surrounding certain topics. Overall she exceeded our expectations and would not hesitate to hire her again for my next child! 

Emily Collins

2/19/2023

I never write reviews, but I have to for Milla! My daughter had the absolute best start in life thanks to our incredible birth team. 

The doula we loved working with for my son's birth (my first) moved out of state, but she recommended Milla. I looked her up and after reading her reviews, immediately felt like she was the doula for us, but her availability cut off a couple of days before my due date. I emailed her anyway, because going back to the drawing board to find the right fit felt like a daunting task. She quickly responded with the most accommodating offer: she knew and trusted a new doula-in-training who was happy to provide backup! This was the best of all worlds for us because we knew we would have Milla AND Sara if Milla was still in town, but if I went 10 days past my due date, Sara was ready to step in. We were thrilled Milla had this solution because my husband was the only one I trusted to be with my son during the birth, so having two doulas potentially available to be with me was welcome and appreciated.

With each consecutive surprise in my pregnancy and birth (as there are always surprises!) Milla AND Sara were there with helpful ideas and support. They both felt like friends from the moment I met them, but by the time I was ready to call them for my daughter's birth, I trusted them 1000%. During my daughter's birth, Milla had an idea/helpful reminder whenever I needed it. She gave me the kind of encouragement I needed, and Sara was a comforting presence. When my daughter was born, Milla knew to go get my husband so he could meet her right away! Seamlessly, she took over watching my son downstairs and we got to bond together with our new baby. Sara helped with all the little details (my snack, nursing pillow, etc.) and we felt so well cared for!

I like to do things by myself, but I'm so glad we had Milla AND Sara! Our postpartum visits were so special. The realness! I will always look back fondly.

korsaviktoriia@yahoo.com

10/28/2022

I started planning childbirth a long time ago, a few years before pregnancy, it was then that I heard about doulas, and I definitely decided that I would give birth with them.

  Today, 3 months after giving birth, I am sure that the best idea was to give birth with a doula, and I did it with the best doula, Milla.  I remember that day with great joy and gratitude.  Milla is a professional of the highest level, because she helps to solve any problems, prompts, makes childbirth easier than it could be.  I felt with the best friend who protects my rights and interests.  Childbirth has always been my biggest fear, but thanks to Milla, it has now turned into one of the best moments of my life and now I want to give birth again to experience this beautiful moment.

Jordan Gong

7/16/2022

Milla was the most helpful and supportive doula for our journey. Initially we weren’t sure if we needed to have a doula but as soon as we met Milla, we knew that she was a great fit for us. It felt like we had known her for a long time and we were talking with a friend. As first time parents, she provided a lot of guidance during our prenatal visits using her experiences as both a doula and a mother.

My labor ended up lasting around 4 days and Milla visited our house multiple times at any hour that we needed her help, once even at 3am. She guided us through many different spinning babies techniques to help progress labor along and she was very supportive and reassuring to us as we weren’t sure when to go to the hospital and were getting more stressed and exhausted as the days wore on.

During both the labor and birth, she captured so many beautiful moments between my husband and I using her phone.  My husband was also glad to have someone knowledgeable and friendly to keep him company at the hospital and provide guidance. We are so thankful for her joyful presence throughout our journey and know that it was a much better experience with her by our side rather than going through those 4 uncertain days by ourselves.

Laura B

12/26/2021

I met Milla at a difficult time in my pregnancy. I was not excited to have a baby; I was actually dreading becoming a Mom of two. After meeting Milla at the park and chatting for a while as my son played, her joyful spirit caused this storm cloud to burst and I finally allowed myself room to be excited. This joy lasted throughout my pregnancy. (Who you hire for your birth team matters!) Our prenatal visits were like times spent with an old friend and my husband and I looked forward to them.

The day the baby came, my midwife told me he was OP/sunny side up. (He had been this way a month ago but had then moved to a good position) —I was so disappointed and was sure I was in for a long and painful back labor like with my first son.  Milla had a plan though, (!) and led me through a hip dip movement that (through ten contractions) successfully made the baby move, and the baby was not born OP.

With my first pregnancy I had time to read all the books and get mentally ready; with my second I felt unprepared because my pregnancy was spent chasing a toddler. Thankfully, Milla was prepared, and took the pressure off me throughout labor by gently recommending different labor positions.

I had a wonderful birth and wouldn’t have changed a thing. I’m so grateful I had her support and guidance from the moment she was hired. Not only do I have beautiful pictures of my birth to look back on, but a joy-filled and life changing experience to reflect on for years to come.

Val Anderson

11/26/2021

We hired Milla early on in the pregnancy and she was incredibly attentive and knowledgeable from day 1, even being available for random questions months after giving birth. She always guided my husband and I through any hard decision making, giving us some pros/cons but always ensuring we were in charge of making decisions. At the birth itself, she was a rockstar. She made sure our birth plan was followed by the staff, stayed the night of our induction because of the pain of the foley bulb (and good thing too since things went faster than expected), and was at the top of her game the whole night (unlike my husband)! She even cut the cord for our baby girl and will always be a part of our family. If you are wondering if you should hire her, we plan to hire her for any future pregnancies after the great experience working with her the first time.

Sara Payne

2/24/2021

Milla is amazing! My pregnancy and birth experience would not be the same without her. I felt like I had known her forever after meeting her the first time. Before giving birth she provided me with pregnancy support and when it came time to give birth she was there as soon as I needed her. She helped guide not only be but my husband too as we navigate labor. We worked on baby spinning positions and between contractions it felt like I was hanging out with a good friend. She gave me encouragement when I needed it and was a silent support when called for. My labor was long but I had a beautiful labor and birth experience thanks to the support of Milla. As a first time mom I was looking for someone who had experience and Milla is a mom herself and has been a doula for awhile now. I can't say enough wonderful things about her and even after birth she has been so helpful in answering all of my questions and putting my mind at ease. I look forward to working with her again for any future pregnancies.

Oliver

7/7/2019

As a birth partner, I would highly recommend employing Milla Blindauer as your Doula.

I am extremely thankful that she was there to support my wife and I during the birth of our son. This was our first child and the labor was very long and difficult. Milla stayed with us for over 36 hours - from home, to birth center, and finally to hospital. During the early stages she was caring and respectful, sharing a supportive ear to listen through our doubts and concerns. At the birth center her knowledge and experience shined as she guided us through many different active birthing positions and relaxation techniques. At the hospital Mila was our personal advocate, interfacing with the nurses and doctor in a way that built space for us to focus on the labor, and to process the different interventions that became neccessary. She has a lot of strength both mentally and physically, and her support allowed me to conserve my energy - I would not have endured the experience without her. She is hard working and reliable, and I can't imagine a better occupation for a person of her skills and character.

Thank you Milla!

Katherine

7/7/2019

I will never be able to fully express how thankful I am to have had Milla's support during my pregnancy/delivery of my first baby.  Milla helped us craft our perfect birth plan and answered all of our questions as we navigated pregnancy and prepared for labor.  She was encouraging and really boosted our confidence as we neared the due date.  However, Milla really proved herlsef to be invaluable as my due date came and went.  The perfect birth plan was unraveling before our eyes and it became a very emotional, stressful, and scary time.  While Milla could not give me the birth that I dreamed of, she helped me to navigate and feel good about the birth my baby chose for me.  We spent a lot of time together between weeks 40-42 of my pregnancy working through many induction methods which ended in a 48 hour labor filled with deviations from 'the plan'.  Milla was always able to read me and provide just the right type of support - when I was scared she held my hand, when I needed to be distracted she joked with me/lightend the mood, when I needed to cry or vent she let me do so without judgment, when I was exhausted she helped find the strength to push through, when I needed to relax she was a source of tranquility, when I needed encouragement she gave it, and her physcal stregth helped support my body through a very long labor.  And she did all of this while advocating for me constantly and making sure my husband was also rested/supported.  And she did this for 48hours non-stop!   Milla has this inner physical/mental strength and focus that she is able to tap into which is unlike anything I have seen before.  This makes her an absolute asset to any birth team.  I'm not going to lie, things got pretty crazy/stressful at times, but because of her, my husband and I were able to process the events with acceptance and keep our minds calm as we brought our beautiful baby into the world.  

Laura

5/9/2019

I was lucky enough to have Milla present during the birth of my son, Malcolm, on February 21st, 2019. My experience with Milla from the beginning, was extremely comfortable. She answered any and all questions of mine with informed care. I was made aware of what options and ideas she had to help cope with pain so that I could create a list to work from. She was also fabulous at supporting my fiancé in helping me through labor. She also somehow managed to capture photos of some of the best, most intimate moments from my sons birth, and I had no idea. What an amazing surprise that was!! The whole experience was so relaxed and lovely. Milla has been there for me to this day, two months after the birth of my son, for any further questions, or support I may need. I would 100% hire Milla as my Doula for any future births of mine, and will recommend her to any future mamas I know. 

Shauna Dinsart

5/3/2019

Milla was essential in helping me through my pregnancy. She is one of the most supportive and encouraging people, and has a wealth of information about pregnancy, labor, delivery, and babies. I was a very fearful pregnant woman, and I was able to find comfort and ease when I would talk through my fears with her. Whenever a question came up, she would explain things to me in terms that I would understand and was comfortable with (the last part was important, as I had circumstances that kept me from being able to hear certain things about labor and delivery without being overwhelmed with anxiety, and she listened to the things that I was afraid of and modified her language to fit my exact needs).

I live in a different country than Milla, so she wasn’t present for my birth in person, but I spoke with her when I went into labor, during labor, and after delivery, and felt like she was with me, even if she wasn’t physically there. I would recommend her to anyone seeking out a doula, and to those who don’t know that they need one! 

This was (hopefully) not my last pregnancy, and I don't intend on going through a prengancy without her as one of my main support people, as well as the person guiding me through the process of preparing for labor and delivery. 

Leigh

3/9/2019

Milla was a lifesaver!  My daughter was born unexpectedly and very quickly!  Milla was so supportive and helpful for me, especially when my labor kicked up so quickly and my husband barely made it for the birth.  She has great relaxing techniques, was flexible, and most importantly is so caring.  She helped me prepare for the birth and then was right by my side when nothing went as planned.  Her genuine love for being a doula shines through and she helped me in ways I can never express.