Amy Aries

11/17/2024

Allie is amazing, truly. She was the greatest gift to accompany my first pregnancy and postpartum journey, and we would work with her again in a heartbeat. 

She came recommended by a close friend and from the moment we met her, my husband and I knew she’d be the support system we needed to get through the rollercoaster of pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. She is a wealth of knowledge and brings a calm demeanor that especially for me, was so necessary through the entire process. From day one, she was so quick to reply anytime I had a question, concern or needed to vent; and she was patient when I definitely asked her repeat questions. She made sure we had all the information we needed to prep for birth and postpartum, and helped us navigate through any decisions we had to make without giving her opinion or passing judgement. She was so much more than a source of information too - her positive, warm personality made her instantly feel like a friend. 

While she was so helpful our entire time working with her, she really shined in the days leading up to my due date and then once I was admitted into the hospital. I was terrified for the unknown and she made me feel safer and that everything was going to be ok. 

We worked with her postpartum too and were so inspired by how natural she is with babies. We learned so much from her in a short time, and similar to the birthing process, she made me feel comfortable and confident in this new phase of my life.

Work with Allie...you won't regret it!

Melanie Sarid

9/1/2024

We are incredibly grateful for the exceptional support and care Allie provided throughout my pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum journey. We wholeheartedly would recommend her services to anyone seeking a doula.

Allie was a constant source of comfort, significantly easing my anxiety during the pregnancy. Both my husband and I were deeply impressed by both the breadth and depth of her knowledge on every topic we discussed. She made us feel entirely comfortable bringing our questions and concerns to her. She also always responded promptly and thoroughly with evidence-based information that gave us confidence in our decisions. When she identified that our initial OB practice wasn’t aligned with the type of care we desired, she suggested a switch to a practice better suited to our needs. Following her advice led to an immediate and notable improvement in our experience.

During labor and birth, Allie's calming presence transformed the delivery room into a welcoming environment, allowing me to labor more comfortably. She always seemed to anticipate what would come next and communicated this effectively, giving us the time we needed to make informed decisions.

One of the most striking examples of Allie’s positive impact occurred during our postpartum visit. There, she noticed that I was exhibiting symptoms of postpartum preeclampsia and calmly yet clearly advised that we return to the hospital as a precaution. Her intuition proved exactly right, enabling us to get the necessary care much sooner and allowing the doctors to address a potentially serious condition before it worsened. 

Cecilia Galarraga

8/26/2024

We are so glad & grateful that we had the chance to work with Allie as our birth doula. She came recommended by a friend of a friend who had used her as a postpartum doula. Allie did four sessions with us prior to the birth to help us prepare for delivery, postpartum recovery, and infant feeding, which were immensely helpful and confidence-building. We really appreciated the personalized attention and the chance to get to ask the questions that were important to us. During our homebirth, Allie was a calm and steady presence, and when we had to unexpectedly transfer to the hospital due to medical complications, she jumped right into action with anything that needed doing. I think the cherry on top was Allie's visit with us postpartum, when she brought us some nurturing food and gave us some really helpful tips about using the Haakaa, using the wrap carrier, and infant sleep that helped us with some immediate needs and challenges that we had in our daughter's first week of life. 

What I appreciated throughout working with Allie was that she brought a great depth of knowledge, but also a sense of humor and lightheartedness that I think we really needed. Making and bringing a new person in the world is stressful and difficult and immensely emotional, but having someone who could make us smile and laugh and not take ourselves too seriously was really crucial. We were on the fence about hiring a doula at all, but we were really glad that we did and that Allie was our person!

Celine Held

8/17/2024

Allie was an absolutely integral to the births of my two children. I cannot imagine having given birth without her. Her knowledge, calming presence, honesty, love of moms and babies, kindness ... she's the real deal. She gave me the tools I needed to make informed decisions about my and my babies' health, without ever making me feel inadequate or underpreparped. Both of my births were stress-free, and my babies came into a calming, beautiful environment with Allie holding my hand. She's a true angel among humans. Thank you Allie. 

Rachel Soleil Lerch

8/15/2024

Allie is a golden goddess.

She brought the perfect blend of gentle guidance, experienced expertise, and sturdy support to our every step of our birthing journey.

From the moment she arrived, as sunny-side-up labor pains intensified, Allie sprang into action. Massaging by hand and coaching by heart, Allie reassured us as we journeyed to the hospital. When we landed, she helped us navigate the triage system to get into a room (for an epidural) with swift confidence.

Once settled into our private room, Aliie made it feel like a home; dimming harsh hospital fluorescents in favor of vibey tea lights she hung by hand, vaporous essential oils lending a sense of peace we never expected, but desperately needed.

Allie treated delivery like a full-contact sport; hands-on and deeply focused. She cheered us on and pushed us through as our baby emerged.

In those first critical, terrifying days at home, Allie’s post-partum doula services gave us the confidence and security we needed to settle into our new life. Her home-made lactation-supporting baked goods and delicious soups kept parents and baby fed when they needed it most.

We could have never done it without her.

Hire Allie immediately!

Stephanie Gittleman

8/13/2024

I cannot recommend working with Allie for your doula needs enough.  With Allie supporting my husband and I in our first time birth experience, we felt more comfortable, confident, and well-equipped to handle any challenges that came our way.  I appreciated Allie's ability to talk through decision-making like pain management and induction options with openness to our desires but also with strong evidence to support us in making our choices.  Between the pre-birth meetings, having Allie at the hospital, and post-partum sessions, we felt so well-cared for and able to lean on Allie for so many of our needs and questions.  I cannot imagine having the experience without her by our side!  Working with Allie was one of the best decisons we've ever made.  We cannot thank her enough for helping us in one of life's biggest moments! 

Ellen S

8/10/2024

We had the most wonderful experience with Allie! She has such a grounding presence as well as a depth of knowledge that really helped us feel confident and well cared for throughout the birth process.

Allie's process includes prenatal education as well as additional calls and texts whenever we needed them, which we found incredibly helpful to guide us through many issues such as ironing out my birth preferences with my OB, addressing feeding / latch issues post partum, and generally working through our feelings and anxieties around the birth process. Allie is very familiar with Methodist hospital where we gave birth, which helped us have a smoother experience there. She's also well versed in newborn feeding - when we went to see an IBCLC they were very impressed that Allie had already taught us how to do paced bottle feeding. She is also very warm and considerate - she not only helped me, but also looked after my partner to make sure he was fed, rested, and actively included in the process, and she checked in on us several times after we gave birth to see how things were going.

I really can't recommend Allie highly enough. I've already been telling anyone I know who is thinking about having children that they should work with her, and I would very much look forward to working with her again during any future pregnancies.

Karen Bedell

8/8/2024

We were lucky enough to cross paths with Allie by chance after being unable to find a doula for our June delivery date - the universe truly had our backs on this one! We could not have had a better experience working with Allie from start to finish. She generously shared her time and knowledge with us in preparation for the birth of our daughter and she was an absolute force during my labor and delivery, liaising with hospital staff and advocating for our preferences throughout. Her support postpartum has also kept us sane through the intense newborn days!

Allie's sense of humor and personality are truly the cherry on top of her expertise - she's a great human in addition to being a stellar doula. She was always there for questions and never made us feel judged or uncomfortable.

We're eternally grateful for Allie and wouldn't hesitate to recommend her as a doula!

Laura & Mike C

9/18/2023

Allie was a perfect doula from start to finish, and we cannot recommend her enough to anyone who is looking for an extremely knowledgeable and caring doula who will be with you through every step of the process. If you're having trouble deciding, take it from us that Allie is the right and best choice!

It was clear from day one that Allie deeply enjoys her work, is passionate about it, and is so very knowledgeable. We were blown away by the wisdom she shared with us in our very first meet and greet! Through our virtual sessions, Allie really helped to educate us about the ins and outs of pregnancy. Her experience and knowledge base is extremely impressive-such as how she was able to answer any question we had (and we had many!) with so many useful details and explain things in an easy to understand way.

Leading up to the day before giving birth, Allie really helped us as an expert, unbiased voice in terms of when was the best time to go to the hospital, really taking a lot of stress out of the equation. We were faced with some difficult decisions, and Allie helped us think through our options. When we did go to the hospital and Allie arrived to help, it's no exaggeration to say that she was a breath of fresh air. Her positive, upbeat attitude and calming presence made a world of difference and helped to reassure us. She also added some much needed levity to the overall situation, helping us to laugh and relax.

Allie was with us every step of the journey, from the early days when the due date seemed so far away, to the minutes leading up to the actual birth, helping with pushing and positioning. We honestly can't imagine going through the process with anyone else, and wholeheartedly recommend Allie to anyone and everyone looking for a doula in NYC. We are forever grateful for such a positive birth experience, Allie!

Annie Watt

9/4/2023

My husband and I booked Allie after meeting with two other doulas around the 20 week mark of my pregnancy. We connected with her immediately, and we appreciated her humor, her knowledge and expertise, and her patience. We liked that her package included classes to help us learn about not only the labor and delivery process, but also postpartum and newborn care as well. Though the classes are technically group classes, we never had anyone else in our sessions so they really became a place where we could get all our questions answered. She also had unlimited meetings we could schedule at any time, which was very helpful when we had questions or issues concerning our ob/gyn practice.

During the labor, which started very slowly for me, Allie was available on the phone whenever we needed. With her guidance, I labored at home all day before I was finally ready to go the hospital. Once we got to the hospital, everything changed as they often do, but Allie was able to be my staunch advocate and support person when faced with challenging PAs and nurses. Though my birth did not end up matching my plan, Allie was there to help me process the experience and come to terms with everything that happened. 

We also booked Allie for a postpartum session, which happened about two weeks after the birth of my daughter. We mostly just sat and talked, and she was able to show us in person some things we had questions or concerns about. I felt I was able to ask her questions I would have been nervous asking my doctor about, which was so helpful. All in all, my husband and I loved working with Allie and highly recommend her services to anyone looking for a doula! 

Liz Williams

8/6/2023

As first time parents, my partner and I were very overwhelmed with the pregnancy and postpartum experience. Friends had recommended that we hire a doula and we’re so happy we chose Allie to be part of our journey. We learned so much in the months leading up to our son’s birth, which left us feeling very prepared to make our own choices and understand our options. When the birth didn’t go as planned, Allie was by my side cheering me on, keeping me hydrated and making sure I was comfortable. I couldn’t have done it without her. Our baby is now 3 weeks old and we’re all happy, healthy and grateful Allie was there to help shepherd us into this new phase of our life!

AS J

8/2/2023

We loved working with Alexandra so much! Her calm and friendly presence was very welcome throughout my pregnancy and delivery and her advice was always spot on. She's extremely knowledgeable and I especially liked her non-judgmental approach on all topics. I recommend her to anyone looking for prenatal or postpartum support. 

Gaby D

8/2/2023

Allie was the best! In the days after my daughter's birth she was at our apartment helping with our laundry list of questions, getting us more comfortable with feeding techniques and aiding in my recovery. She was such a breath of fresh air and approached our questions, concerns and wishes with zero judgement. The thing I loved most about working with Allie was her openness to all feeding styles and her relaxed and calming way of approaching childcare. We felt super comfortable having her around as well.

Additionally, Allie made herself available through text when she wasn't in our home and provided so much comfort with what we were experiencing. She continued to offer support throughout the first 3 months and we are forever grateful to have found her!

Lindsay Ritchings

3/13/2023

We had a great experience with Allie as our pre and post birth doula. While I was pregnant with our son she taught us everything we needed to know aboutlabor, labor positions, taking care of our baby out of the womb and his early needs. She eliminated a lot of the fears I had about labor and being a first time mom. 
When it came to my birthing experience, she heard and understood my preferences and advocated for those preferences. 
I was unable to have the spontaneous labor experience that I hoped for, but Allie quickly pivoted and was able to give me all the information about induction labor, hospital protocols etc so I could make the best decisions for myself and my son in that moment. 
She was very supportive in the hospital and talked through all my thoughts, concerns and doubts with me. 
In the end, we made some decisions that we felt were best for me and my birth experience and the birth of my son was perfect. Having Allie there really helped me. 
After my son was born she stayed in the hospital and helped me with our first latch which was so important and stressful for me. 
We moved to NJ after the birth, but Allie called me, FaceTimed me and checked in on me everyday for weeks after. 

Highly recommend!

Markus and Amanda

2/28/2023

Allie is simply the best. When my wife and I had significant last minute changes to our birthplan due to potential for high risk complications, Allie jumped in with open arms. She was kind, supportive, and a very active participant... exactly what we needed during a significant life event. She brought a calm confidence to every interaction and helped my wife and I instill that same confidence we could bear the challenges ahead. During labor, she listened first, creating space for us to consider the situation and evaluate our options effectively. She offered suggestions and recommendations when appropriate and supported the decisions we needed to make along the way. Neither of us could imagine going through this without her by our side. We would highly recommend Allie to anyone, but in particular those venturing to tackle an unmedicated or low-medication birthing plan. 

Therese

2/17/2023

Allie was a dream to work with, start to finish. She was informative, relaxed and thorough in all our birth prep, highly responsive when I went into labor and most essentially stayed with us and helped us through many many hours of labor and difficult decisions in the hospital. I always felt supported by Allie, never felt like she had an agenda or pushed me to do anything other than what I wanted to do. She was a steadfast and caring presence throughout the birth and for many months afterwards - can't recommend her highly enough!

Greta Ulvad

2/15/2023

Working with Allie in the weeks and months after our son's birth was not only helpful but it made an overwhelming and uncertain time much less so. She was a reliable source of information and instruction for so many things that we were learning as first time parents. The days we had sessions with her were my favorite of the week as she helped us get so much done (including taking care of our needs too) and enjoy the little nuances of baby development that were happening. We also left him with her to have some baby free time together and we were completely relaxed knowing he was in good hands. It was also so helpful to us that she was great with our two dogs (even the skittish one loved her!). Outside of our sessions, I often texted Allie for her opinion on a range of questions and she was always communicative and super thoughtful. Would highly recommend her for services during the post partum period!

Patrycja

2/1/2023

I hired Alexandra for help during my postpartum. Having my first child I wasn't quite sure what I'd need but I knew I might need an extra pair of hands! I am so incredibly happy with my decision!!! I would highly encourage anyone going through childbirth to have help, but having some help with the breadth of knowledge and professionalism that Alexandra brings was icing on the cake. Each visit we ended up covering different topics and task. She was essential in getting my breastfeeding going and understanding the mechanics behind it. So helpful and resourceful in getting household tasks finished and helping me meal prep delicious food! And to top it all off always available to answer questions, even send self recorded videos to help illustrate her point. She was always on time and kept the lines of communication open. Plus you can tell she's just an awesome person you can open up to. She was great with my cats and my baby loved her. In a nutshell, hire her! You won't regret it one bit. 10 out of 5 ?? 

Michelle Legro

1/23/2023

Allie was an essential part of our postpartum experience, and I don't know how we could have gotten through it without her. Her expertise was unmatched, and she had an answer to every one of our questions. We could text her at any time of the day and she would always answer promptly. And I really appreciated her product recommendations, too—it can be hard to navigate the world of baby stuff!

I appreciated how Allie would walk us through the simplest things, like the best way to hold the baby and the best way to give him a bath. She is kind and warm, like a best friend who's here to help you in your hour of need. She helped us with breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and, eventually formula feeding, and she had great techniques to calm and swaddle the baby. She made our postpartum experience stress-free. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a birth doula or postpartum doula.  

Genevieve

1/13/2023

I joke that I'd take a bullet for Allie but...I'm not really joking. I was severely nauseated through my entire pregnancy and Allie's work with us to prepare for birth and postpartum helped immensely as we navigated a difficult time. My birth experience was overwhelmingly positive, mostly thanks to Allie's support and guidance, working with me, my husband, and the delivery nurse at the hospital to ensure I had what I needed to bring my baby safely into this world. I 100% attribute my empowering birth experience and positive delivery outcome to Allie, and recommend her whenever I can. Postpartum, she was the first person we entrusted to care for our baby while we went out for an anniversary date, and she gave us crucial guidance on baby care. Forever grateful.

Lauren

1/9/2023

My husband and I are so grateful to Allie for her support during the birth of our beautiful daughter. We were so busy with work in the weeks leading up to our due date, and we ultimately felt we needed a trustworthy person to talk to about our questions and concerns, and simply educate us on the things we may not even have thought about in the preparation for labor and birth. We were so grateful Allie was available on what we felt was short notice to hire her services, and she provided so much information and support in so little time. Allie was super accommodating to our schedule: she set aside the time to record her usual zoom informational meetings for us to watch at our leisure; she notified us immediately about availability to meet and greet in person; and she was super flexible with us for additional meetings and general communication. We're endlessly impressed with her wealth of knowledge on the medical system, the ins and outs of labor, and all the unknowns that come with newborn care. And above all, she provides a warm, comforting presence virtually and in person, especially in the moments of chaos through labor. We can't imagine what our experience would have been like without Allie and are so happy to have had her by our side through the biggest day of our lives!

Kate

1/9/2023

Working with Allie was a dream! As a first-time mom, I really wanted guidance and someone I was comfortable being around during the sensitive postpartum period.  Allie was the perfect fit for my family! Even before my baby arrived, Allie was a great resource for any questions and info to prepare for birth and breastfeeding.  After my son was born, Allie's knowledge, assistance and kindness were integral for our family during the first few months.  Whether it was hanging out with my son so that my husband and I could get an hour or two of sleep, helping me identify an oral tie on my son and recommending great providers, babywearing my son and running out to pick up lunch, or helping us navigate witching hour - and so much more - Allie offered invaluable support to us during the postpartum period.  I cannot recommend her as a doula enough - you would be lucky to have Allie join you as you grow your family!

Valerie T

1/9/2023

Allie was our birth and postpartum doula and I highly recommend her! I felt that we had a close long term relationship with Allie through prenatal virtual sessions, in-person birth support, and postpartum visits. She is extremely knowledgable and professional, as evidenced by her informative prenatal sessions. She has a calming presence and flexible approach. For birth support, Allie did everything I would have wanted and more despite the fact that she couldn't be in the OR with us due to an emergency C-section. The postpartum visits were perhaps my favorite. As new parents, the amount of newborn advice was overwhelming at times. Allie helped us connect the dots through our various support providers and offered so many helpful tips that were catered to our child's needs. I can't recommend her enough - she went above and beyond our expectations!

Tiffany Smith

8/19/2022

As soon as we found out that we were expecting twins (with a 2 year old home already) we knew we needed to enlist as much help as possible and as soon as possible! We hired Allie as our post partum doula and she blew us away from day one. Allie is a wealth of knowledge. Her calm and confident presence is contagious and exactly what we needed in the weeks following the birth of our twins. Allie checked in regularly, provided nuggets of advice and recommendations (from the best hands free pump to a baby chiropractor) and ensured our basic needs (often neglected in the haze of caring for newborns) were met at every visit. Perhaps what we appreicated most about Allie's visits was her ability to walk into our home, quickly assess the situation and dive into supporting any and all needs for the day. Sometimes that looked like preparing a meal or snack for me while I pumped, or holding a baby while we napped. Othertimes it looked like keeping my toddler busy while we tended to the babies, washing bottles, or even running to the grocery store for a few fridge essentials. Our transition from a family of 3 to a family of 5 has been successful - Allie's support and wisdon was a huge part of that success. 

Elena Sheppard

8/16/2022

Allie was incredible. She helped pre and post partum as we got situated with our twins. She helped us feel confident caring for them, set up a number of integral systems in our house, and was a calming and insightful addition to our home every time she was there. I would 100% recommend Allie to anyone -- especially parents of multiples. She met the challenge of two babies and made me realize I could do so too. 

Daria

6/20/2022

Allie was an absolute lifesaver. She is supportive of all birth plans, even ones that change at the last minute and is so so incredibly knowledgeable. I went in attempting an unmedicated birth and she worked with me on coping and all of that. After 12 hours of labor at home and 5 hours in triage with almost no progress and zero sleep, I knew the only way through was with an epidural (and a nap). Allie was able to pivot on a dime and was able to explain exactly what we should expect as well as ways to rest with the epidural to encourage progress. She was critical during the active labor phase (7-10 cm), helping me get through the pressure of each contraction and helped my partner know what to do to be supportive. He was able to follow her lead and they were both exactly what I needed them to be. 3 hrs later it was time to push and Allie worked with the nurses and doctors to suggest positions that again would help move things along. Once the baby was born she helped with the first latch and even brought me snacks after an incredible exhausting 36 hours! 

Nicole Strange

2/20/2022

Having Allie support us as our postpartum doula was one of the best decisions we made while welcoming our son Archer into the world. My husband and I, to this day, do not know how we would have done it without her help - notably during the first few weeks when we, as new parents, had no idea what was going on or what was "normal".

Allie is very knowledgeable, and in addition to her education and training, draws on experience with many families and her doula community to help answer questions and advise on anything from how to put on a baby carrier to the best bottle based on your baby and nipple shape to how to handle a fussy baby who doesn't want to be consoled. She responds quickly if you text her with a question or concern. She always has a positive attitude and is so easygoing. She proactively suggests what she can help with if you're too overwhelmed to even figure out what could be helpful.

Her support to me as a new mom experiencing all the emotions was very patient and understanding. I always felt like I could talk to her without judgement, which was so important.

We would highly recommend her to anyone!

Christina Collins-Berry

2/16/2022

Alexandra was the doula for the recent birth of our first child. When I think about all the things we did to prepare for this pregnancy/labor/delivery, the one thing that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt we did correctly was choosing Allie as our doula. When my husband and I first met her, we were struck by her knowledge and calm demeanor and felt that she would be a good counterbalance to our first time parent jitters and nervousness. Having a baby in the city is hard- at times I felt that there was such a lack of information and communication about so much of the process- and Allie entered our lives at the perfect time. She always told us she was just a text away- and she was! (and continues to be). Whether the question is big or small, she is super patient, responsive, and really puts us at ease. The prenatal sessions were super informative and really beat any class we could have taken.

Most importantly, her presence at the hospital with our delivery made all the difference. I felt like I had someone in my corner- as things were happening, she explained them thoroughly to my husband and me. I think most importantly, she was just such a calming presence in the delivery room, talking me through contractions, the epidural, and the actual delivery. Having her on one side and my husband on the other calmed me in a way I can't explain and really led to a pretty uneventful delivery, as those things go. I highly recommend Allie's serivces- she really was invaluable during my pregnancy and I don't have enough words to express how thankful for her presence I was and continue to be. 

Bonnie

2/10/2022

Allie was amazing every step of the way. Our online sessions prepared us for what to expect throughout the process. She was our first call when our labor plans changed. She kept us calm and focused. She was our advocate in the hospital when things changed quickly (again). She kept me comfortable during labor. She thoughtfully supported both me and my husband. Allie was an integral part of this process and we could not have done this without her!

Bertha

8/11/2021

We had Alexandra support us when we gave birth in July 2021 and she helped us have the birth experience we had hoped for. We only met her in person during the birthing day since all of our prenatal meetings were virtual, but she's great at establishing rapport and making us feel at ease with her presence. It was easy to get in touch and schedule meeting. Her labor, childbirth and breastfeeding education presentations were comprehensive and engaging. During labor she was an excellent coach and gave the right comfort measures at the right time. Her guidance helped make our unmedicated hospital birth a happy occasion. 

Elaine L.

8/1/2021

Alexandra 'Allie' Blanchard is an amazing doula and we recommend her highly to anyone in search of a doula for their birth experience.  We started working with Allie when we were 20 weeks pregnant .  My husband and I felt instantly connected to her - she was warm and friendly and full of knowledge and responded to all of our prenatal, childbirth and postpartum questions with ease and compassion. Her solutions were always evidence based and she always made us feel supported and cared for.  She could always put our anxieties as new parents at rest. Though we prepared for a vaginal birth with prenatal consults/meetings with Allie, my doctor ordered a planned c-section at 38weeks for medical reasons.   Allie switched roles seamlessly, meeting us in the recovery room post cesarean.  She was key in helping me and my husband and our newborn in those difficult hours post-op.  After we returned from the hospital Allie had 3 postpartum visits where she was a huge help bringing us food, allowing us to take naps to catch up on sleep, answering any postpartum questions (particularly helpful with breastfeeding since my milk was delayed due to the cesarean) and checking in on our emotional health as well.  All this to say, Allie is a wonderful doula and person and we are so happy she supported the birth of our son -  easily the most vulnerable and life changing time of our lives! 

Moki Goyal

4/27/2021

Allie was crucial in our labor and delivery process! I found that there is so little information that is provided by doctors and hospitals around the birth process. And often when you're in a hospital setting, we're trained to listen to what the doctor recommends.

Allie provided a completely different paradigm for our labor and delivery:

1. She educated about what was coming, how to prepare and techniques and tricks to make it manageable.

2. She was available via text, phone and in person to provide support and answer all our questions, no matter the time or day. Sometimes we felt bad texting her on weekends or late at night when we were worried, but she always provided a prompt response that alleviated anxiety and provided support and help.

3. At the hospital, she provided a huge support by not only translating their recommendations, but also informing us of other options so we were never left cornered in our decision making.

4. She was NEVER judgey about what we wanted in the birth process and provided support for all our decisions.

Allie provides more than just care and support for the new mom. She also provides an incredible lift for the dads. I can tell you that I was terrified about what my wife was going to go through. Her expertise put me at ease and she walked me through everything in advance . And then, during the labor process, she let me know that "this was normal" or "here's what to expect". I can't say enough about this. This is one of those events in life where we feel pretty useless and helpless as partners. But Allie put me at ease so that I could be helpful to my wife and actualy enjoy the process somewhat.

And now, post partum, she's providing us help with lactation, growth spurts, sleeping issues, Solly wraps, nutrition info, and so much more. She brings helpful warming broths, tasty treats and just makes us feel awesome.

I never thought we'd use a doula. But... mind blown.

Ragini

4/27/2021

I never thought about getting a doula until after we experienced several miscarriages. The experience with the medical system was really difficult during that time and I wanted to have more support when we finally had a viable pregnancy. Allie was so patient and kind through our journey. She provided so much emotional support, calmed us whenever there were complications, and educated us on what was coming next. Her knowledge and experience was so helpful and really made us feel more confident in becoming parents and being able to give birth safely and actually enjoyably. With her help and guidance, I was able to reframe my previously traumatic experiences and have a beautiful birth. She never made us feel pressure to choose a certain path, which really made me so comfortable. Friends who had doulas before had said they felt pressure to have a medication free birth and Allie never did that. She took so much time to understand what we felt comfortable with and actually made us take the time to think about what we wanted. I truly feel because Allie encouraged that reflection that we were able to surrender to the process and have faith that we had the knowledge and tools to tackle whatever came our way throughout the pregnancy and birth. Having her didn't mean that we didn't have bumps along the way, but we were much more prepared to handle them. She worked extremely well with all of the other practitioners involved in my pregnancy and birth, and I never felt I had to referee between people. I really cannot recommend Allie enough!

Lea Lasman

4/22/2021

Allie was sensational, knowledgeable, helpful and thoughtful. We had an extraordinary experience with a newborn baby, navigating latch issues, and newborn care-Allie was a steadfast doula that was able-bodied and kind. Our experience exceeded the expectations for postpartum care by far. Allie was heaven-sent! 

Kristin

1/30/2021

We hired Allie as a postpartum doula. As first time parents with no family nearby or close friends who are fellow parents, she was a lifesaver. She is so easy to talk with - compassionate, comforting and welcoming, and always checking in on baby, mom, and dad. Her depth of knowledge is astounding - any new concern we had, she was able to speak at length about, and always had resources (either a book to borrow or site to check out) for us to learn even more. She knows about so many different medical and parenting approaches and can talk you through pros/cons of anything to help you decide what's best for your family. She was available for any and all questions at all times, and whenever things got really tough (like nursing challenges) she was so supportive & always able to offer a new approach to get through it. As our newborn was growing and changing rapidly over two months, she always told us exactly what was ahead, how to handle it, and what we can do to help him. She's also an excellent cook & super helpful around the apartment :)

If we have a second child, we are absolutely calling her again - and highly recommending her to others.

Katherine

1/26/2021

From our initial "Meet and Greet", I knew Alexandra was going to be the best doula for myself and my family – and I was right!

Her comforting techniques were welcome in the delivery room and I felt very supported but not overwhelmed by having another person there. My water broke at home in the evening and she started coaching me over the phone that night.  She met me at the hospital the next day for my induction and staid through the delivery. She had a lot of good techniques to help move thing along and even expediate the process when it needed it. I was thankful that I was able to deliver vaginally with no complications – and even managed to do it without an epidural! Alexandra is not only very knowledgeable in her line of work, but she has a calming presence and is a pleasure to talk to -  which is a necessary asset to have in the delivery room!  

We also signed up for her Postpartum doula services which proved invaluable. Due to the pandemic our family was not able to travel to help and her visits got us through those early days and helped bring our home under control. We always discussed the goals for each visit and she jumped in wherever needed. In addition to our newborn daughter we have a toddler and she was fantastic at balancing what I needed and playing with our son. He absolutely adored her!

She is very open and non-judgmental – and provided a lot of good advice during our visits and support in between visits as well. As a bonus, she is an excellent cook and often brought us something tasty and nourishing. Additionally she takes all necessary safety precautions during the pandemic and we felt very safe having her at the hospital and in our home.

I would highly recommend Alexandra for both birth and postpartum doula services. She would be a welcome addition to any family and our family will always be grateful for her.

Alie

11/25/2020

We are so glad we worked with Allie for the birth of our son! Especially during the craziness of 2020, it was so nice to have a consistent, calming presence preparing us and helping us through his birth. She was always available to answer questions outside of our prenatal sessions and I really feel we learned more about what to expect from her than from doctor appointments. She really helped keep me calm during labor and explained what was happening when the doctors and nurses would use a lot of medical jargon that sounded alarming (but wasn't!). You're left alone through a lot of labor and we were grateful she was there to make sure we were doing ok and that both me and my husband were staying hydrated and having snacks. I also appreciated that she had no judgment about my choice to get an epidural, as a number of other doulas I'd inteviewed were.

While she couldn't visit once we were back home, she was readily available to hop on FaceTime and answer texts as we navigated trying to breastfeed. If you have any anxiety around pregnancy and childbirth, I strongly recommend working with her! 

Betsy

10/2/2020

As a newly minted first time mom, I cannot sing Allie's praises ENOUGH!

I lined up a birth doula very early in my pregnancy, and decided around 6 months that engaging with a postpartum doula was very likely a good idea. Allie was so warm and competent from our initial doula interview on video chat, that I immediately felt comfortable hiring her. She was around for any and all questions I had leading up to birth.

To be perfectly honest, as a naive and never before mom, I had thought to myself, "what could I possibly need a postpartum doula for beyond those standard initial first 4 visits?". After a few days home from the hospital, I quickly realized that hiring Allie was the BEST decision I ever made-- both in terms of my physical and mental health.

Specifically, I faced some pretty big challenges successfully breastfeeding-- horrible engorgement once my milk came in, followed by bleeding and scabbed nipples because the baby couldn't latch well. If I hadn't had Allie to walk me through a strategy for getting my boobs back into a reasonable state, I probably would have ended up giving up on breastfeeding, and needing acute medical attention for the engorgement. Instead, by 3.5 weeks in, I had settled into a sustainable feeding rhythm with my baby (and am still going strong at 6 weeks as I write this!). To get there, Allie identified a couple other problems that were impacting my baby's ability to feed-- a food intolerance AND lip and tongue ties. Much as I like my pediatrician, these were factors that the doctor 100% missed. 

In addition to the vast knowledge Allie brings to her work, she's just an incredibly warm and delightful person to be around and I would see her every day if I could :) Hiring her is the #1 recommendation I'll make to any of my friends who have babies from here on out.

Rachel Harris

9/22/2020

I had such a wonderful experience with Allie as my doula! My husband and I were both grateful to have her support through my pregnancy and the birth of my first child. Allie is very knowledgeable and was supportive and adaptable when I faced unexpected complications during my third trimester. Her hands on support while I was in labor was such a big contribution to my overall positive birth experience. And she was a huge help postpartum as well - she very generously fielded our nervous new parent questions and taught us how to swaddle our baby like pros! I would highly recommend working with Allie. 

Juliana

9/2/2020

We worked with Alexandra during my pregnancy with my son in 2018/2019. The sessions leading up to the birth were informative and helpful, and she was able to work with our schedules (my husband was completing his medical residency and had almost no flexibility) in ways that other birth or labor classes could not. Our birth experience ended with a stalled labor and a c-section, but Alexandra was with us every step of the way. She made magazine and food runs or stayed with me if my husband had to step away, so I was never alone during my labor. She helped me cope with pitocin contractions (ouch!), and allowed me to delay an epidural for much longer than I would have been able to without her support. When we were moved from our labor room to the OR, she collected all of our belongings and moved them to the recovery area, so my husband could stay with me. Her post-partum support and the resources she provided for breastfeeding were also excellent. 

Alexandra has a calm and easygoing demeanor, will provide you with useful resources and hands-on and informative teaching, and meets your needs at every stage of pregnancy, labor and delivery, and post-partum. I can't recommend her highly enough.

Yoe V.

7/7/2020

We knew becoming a family of 3 would be a life-changing event and wanted to work with someone who could hold space for us while at the same time empower and guide us through this new chapter of our lives. Enter Allie, who truly has a gift as a birth doula. One of Allie's greatest strengths is creating a space that allows you to feel comfortable, this was evident from our very first meeting with her. Allie is down to earth and my husband immediately liked her "chilled vibe." We value Allie for her ability to make our experience personal and feel she cared about us and placed emphasis on things that were important to us. She also demonstrated cultural sensitivity in working with us. My husband truly appreciates Allie for her confidence, knowledge and immediately trusted her to help us navigate laboring at home. Allie quickly became an essential person who made up part of my support team. I cannot emphasize the deep appreciation I have for everything she did for me - from using humor, encouraging words, guiding me through breathing techniques, to flat out hugging me tight in the car. I love how she seamlessly kept me focused and calm to ensuring we head out to the birthing center with my husband - without skipping a beat.

Allie has truly made my birthing experience memorable and would love to work with her again (perhaps for baby #2!). For those pregnant people who are on the fence about hiring a doula, take a chance and schedule a meeting with Allie. You, too, will see her passion, committment, knowledge, resourcefulness and presence she brings to her work. Muchas gracias Allie!

Miriam Parker

5/11/2020

Thank goodness for Allie! Allie got me through the early days of motherhood both mentally and physically. Our almost-daily Facetime calls in the first few weeks helped me with everything I could have possibly imagined from breast feeding to the emotional recovery of having a baby. While of course it would have been great to have her here in person, I honestly feel that the regular connection via Facetime was even more valuable. I could really focus on the questions I wanted to ask her without being distracted and was able to implement her advice in real time. Allie is extremely patient, knowledgeable and kind. I feel so lucky to know her and have her be part of my postpartum experience.

Amanda

3/18/2020

Towards the end of my pregnancy, I was debating whether having a doula was something I wanted. I was always going to have a hospital birth, but after doing some research I knew I wanted to have as few interventions as possible. My husband and I ultimately decided having a doula would only positively impact our birth experience. Needless to say, I’m so glad we were connected with Allie. She’s professional, knowledgeable, easy to talk to, and down to earth. She gave me the support I didn’t even know I needed before, during, and after the birth of my son. After our first prenatal visit, I knew we had made a good choice - Allie  helped us develop a birth plan and gave us so many strategies and helpful tips to prepare for birth. She really put my mind at ease. She was always and continues to be just a text or phone call away. She was the first person I reached out to when I went into labor and I’ve contacted her several times postpartum with questions about the baby, breastfeeding, and my own recovery. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without her. I would recommend Allie to all of my friends and family. She’s the best!

Inga V

3/6/2020

Allie helped me out mostly over 10 visits in Dec '19 and Jan '20. From her first visit one week postpartum to her last nine weeks later, her help was indespensable. She was a calm, comforting, knowledgeable presence. She took care of me by running a few errands, accompanying me to a doctor's visit, cooking, helping me with postpartum exercises, giving me a massage, allowing me to shower and nap. She took care of the baby by wearing him, feeding him, and helping him poo with an abdominal massage. She took care of my older child by playing with him, giving him lunch, putting him down for a nap, and even picking him up from school once. He instantly took to her, and she was great about lessening his jealousy. She was reliable, positive, and just nice to be around. I would highly recommend her, 100%

Joni Meyers

2/23/2020

I cannot express enough how wonderful it waes having Allie with us leading up to our birth, during and after. She was supportive, kind and has a positive energy that makes everyone feel at ease.  Giving birth is such an intimate process and Allie was able to be with us and supportive, while not being invasive it still felt like very private and intimate experience. Allie supported both my husband and myself and intuitively knew what we needed.  She was such a great resource, and was great at post partum support as well. I cannot recommend her more highly!

Dean M

2/23/2020

Allie was absolutely wonderful. She is incredibly knoweldgeable and easygoing. We met with her before birth, but the most value was at our delivery. As first time parents, we had no idea what to expect. At delivery, while doctors and nurses come by every so often, it was so heplful having Allie with us the entire time - letting us know what was going on, advocating for our best interests, and helping with different comforting techniques for my wife. The information assymetry is astounding and overwhelming, and there is so much value in having someone knowlegdegable about the process there with you, keeping a level head, comforting and encouraging us.

I was not quite sure the value of having a Doula, but after the experience I feel it was one of the best decisions we made, and Allie was key to making it such a great experience. 

We have already told all our friends about Allie and we would use her again in a heartbeat!

Emi and Allen

2/18/2020

Allie has a positive, upbeat, helpful and professional attitude. She was fully engaged at pre birthing meetings and more importantly during labor and birth. She made us feel comfortable right away and was supportive throughout the birthing process. I would definitely recommend her!

Samantha F.

11/22/2019

Allie holds space for you, makes you feel at peace and allows you to navigate your preparation, birth and postpartum time in a way that feels natural and empowered. She was instrumental in helping us navigate hospital settings, make informed decisions and always recognizing the needs of both myself and partner. She frequently steps in, offers a hand or provides a much needed coping tool so seamlessly, that you may wonder how it happened. Through her encouragement and openess, I was able to trust my body and manage my pain through deep vocalization and ultimately had an unmedicated birth. I know that wouldn’t have been possible without her there. By knowing the stages of labor and what to look for, her ability to advocate for us in the hospital was essential. When things progressed quickly, she knew what questions to ask me and what to say to the hospital staff to get them to listen - resulting in more empowered care for myself and my baby.

During our postpartum visit, Allie was essential again by helping us navigate some tricky healing challenges. She provided information and guidance right within our home, while encouraging us through this delicate time. I’m so grateful we found Allie - both my husband and I truly can’t imagine our birth story without her now!

Camille Lannan

11/1/2019

Alexandra is an amazing doula! I just had my first child and she made my birth experience so much easier and more comfortable. I can't imagine what I would have done without her! She's always calm and nurturing and knew exactly what to do when we did not. The before and after visits were also so incredibly valuable. Thank you so much for your help!!!

Jayne

10/20/2019

I can wholeheartedly recommend Alexandra as a doula. To give you background on how she came to be my own doula. I didn’t choose her. The doula that I hired picked her as her backup. And it just so happened when I went into labor my original doula was at another birth. So Allie was who showed up for me.

Labor is a funny time to make someone’s acquaintance. But she is confident, grounded and smart and I naturally felt like I was in good hands immediately.

My labor was long (understatement). She ended up being with us for over 2 days straight. She was there through 40+ hours of home birth, a drive to the hospital, several more hours of labor at the hospital and through, what ultimately became, the cesarean birth of my son. It was long and difficult and Allie never flinched, yawned or hesitated to offer her support.

She came in as a total stranger and left a part of our family. We see her for a standing babysitting date every week and I’m so happy that my son has her influence and energy in his life.

I am also happy to have her in my life.  She is an amazing woman and unwavering in her commitment to provide support to other women.

Amber

10/9/2019

I absolutely loved working with Allie! She is so professional, knowledgeable, and warm. During the prenatal visits she helped me confirm what I wanted to aim for with my birth plan and was completely nonjudgmental about my choices. She was able to cite the latest research best practices for labor, delivery, and the immediate postpartum period, which really impressed me since I’m big on evidence-based practices in general. She also taught us some great comfort techniques to use during labor which helped tremendously. She was very easy to get in touch with during my pregnancy to answer any questions I had and was so encouraging and supportive when I went past my due date.

When baby finally decided to arrive, Allie was able to help me advocate for what interventions I did and didn’t want. I was in labor for about 36 hours (22 of those hours were while I was in the hospital), and she was with us for easily 28 hours. That entire time she had amazing energy! She spent hours squeezing my hips during contractions and holding up my legs while I was pushing, rubbing my back when my husband needed a break, sneaking me some food to keep my energy up, and overall just cheering me on. I felt so empowered with Allie there. She also took great photos during the process so I could witness the moment when I met my daughter. Allie continues to check in with me weeks after the delivery to see how I’m doing, which has been really amazing since this newborn period can be rough and somewhat lonely.

I could probably go on and on about Allie, but the bottom line is that you will be in amazing hands with her. She’s young, but has such a strength and calm energy about her, you can tell that this is her passion. I definitely plan on hiring her again when we decide to have a second child.