Caitlyn Ware

10/4/2024

Lauren was absolutely INVALUEABLE as a doula! As a first time mom having a doula present for my birth was an absolute must. We met a couple of months before my delivery and she helped with laying loose plans and helping me communicate my wishes for our brith. When it came time to deliver Lauren was there day and night to answer the thousands of questions I had. She helped us create such a magical space and atmosphere, and brought so much light and warmth in the delivery room to which I will forever be thankful for. When my son had some respiratory issues after birth she was there to comfort and walk us through the chaos that was happening. Whether it was braiding my hair, being a sounding board to run information or questions to, or even helping me photograph my birth she was ready and willing to be a part of it all! I want to scream it to the mountains of Southeast AK if your thinking of using Baby Bean Doula for your birth do it!!

Emily Rosenfeld, MD/MPH, FACOG

8/20/2024

As an OB-GYN, I have had the privilege of working alongside many professionals, but few have left as profound an impression as Lauren. Her presence in the delivery room is not just a comfort to the families she supports but a crucial asset to our entire healthcare team.

Lauren possesses an exceptional ability to connect with expecting mothers and their partners, providing them with the emotional and physical support that is so essential during labor and delivery. Her capable demeanor and understanding of the birthing process allow her to guide families through the most challenging moments with grace and empathy. Her calming presence and humor helps to ease the fears and anxieties that naturally arise during childbirth, enabling a more positive and empowering experience for the mother and partner. Her dedication does not end with the birth; she continues to provide support in the postpartum period, which greatly aids in the transition to parenthood.

From a medical perspective, Lauren is an invaluable collaborator. She understands and respects the boundaries of her role while fully supporting the medical team’s efforts to ensure a safe delivery. Her communication skills are exemplary; she keeps the lines of communication open between the patient and the medical team, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. This level of coordination is crucial in maintaining a smooth and efficient delivery process.

Lauren is not just a doula; she is a partner in the birthing process. Her expertise, compassion, and professionalism enhance the care we provide, making her an integral part of our team. I am always reassured when I see her name on the birth plan, knowing that our patients are in the best possible hands.

Shaunna

8/14/2024

I had an overall excellent experience with Lauren from baby bean doula. I found out I was expecting my second baby as we were moving to Alaska and my first was only 10 months old. My first birth experience was a bit traumatic and hard to talk about. Not only did my experience with Lauren exceed my expectations and allow me to actually enjoy my second birth but she also helped me get my voice back and heal from my first birth experience. I tend to experience decision paralysis and knowing I would have Lauren on my side allowing me time to make decisions without pressure was so reassuring. She also knew the hospital and staff so well it felt like I was joining friends to welcome my second son into the world. We also had a very tight budget and Lauren was true to her word in working with us. She truly wants you to be able to have a doula at your birth if you want one. I absolutely recommend Lauren!

Grace Lee

5/2/2024

I wanted a Doula for my first birth experience the moment i found out i was pregnant. I am a first time mom who was considered AMA (iykyk), and I was lost in the never ending fountain of information available online and through people, solicited or otherwise. Enter Lauren. She was highly reccomended by everyone who worked with her as a no nonsense, straightforward, older sister type who would be in your corner throughout this process. She was all this and more. She provided clear information, advocated fiercely, and helped guide me and my husband through the entire pregnancy, birth and beyond. She told the truth and kept things real with me without the doom and gloom or judgment. When I went to get induced two weeks early due to sudden preclampsia and gestational hypertension, she rearranged her whole schedule to come to me no questions. Without her, I don't think my birth would have gone as smooth as it did. I am so grateful she was there for the birth of my baby girl, and she was worth every single penny. If you need a pregnancy friend/sherpa, hire her. You won't regret it.

Erik Stevens

2/26/2024

Lauren was an invaluable resource for us. Her help, knowledge, and support made the birth of our first child something that we can look back on as a tough but beautiful experience. Without her, it would have been much harder on us emotionally.
She:
- Was always available for us- Was caring and supportive
- Was knowledgeable, and she has a great relationship with the staff at Bartlett
- Gave great advice to help us stay in the moment, to get through it one hour at a time, and not get stressed about the bigger picture
- Provided a support system for me (as a husband and soon-to-be father), and even brought me a much needed beer in the middle of a stressful night
- Brought some much needed humor
- Knew when to give us space to rest and have time together during a long labor process
- She advocated for us with providers in tangible ways that made a difference in our birth process and gave us peace of mind
I would highly recommend Lauren to anyone about to have a baby.

Samantha

1/16/2024

We hired Lauren as our doula and added postpartum support, and we are so happy we did. Lauren was always responsive and took so much stress off our shoulders during labor and delivery. This was our first birth and we didn’t know what to expect at the hospital. Lauren walked us through everything, helped me stay calm and focused when I was an absolute mess, and laughed with us all the way through delivery (after the epidural). I couldn’t imagine going through this experience without her and would highly recommend her to anyone and everyone. Thank you, Lauren!

Kim Ramos

10/28/2023

We are so thankful for Lauren! As first time parents, Lauren was incredibly helpful, kind, and hilarious throughout my pregnancy. She was so knowledgeable and I always felt like we could ask her anything. My pregnancy was going great until 37 weeks when low platelets caused us to change from a birth center to hospital birth. We had to pivot so quickly in the last 2 weeks of pregnancy and Lauren was there every step of the way. She validated our feelings and provided a consistent, calm presence while we navigated the unplanned and unknown hospital setting. Lauren guided me through contractions as they intensified and helped me continue on when I thought I couldn't do it anymore. I cannot imagine navigating this pregnancy and birth without her. Every family deserves a doula and I am so grateful that Lauren was part of our birth support team.

Whitney

10/15/2023

We are so grateful for Lauren Heide! Given this was my first pregnancy/birth and I live far away from relatives, I wanted to have additional support. Not only is she a great advocate for the birthing person, but having her on our birth team also took some pressure off of my partner who was navigating this for the first time as well. 

Lauren is extremely supportive, communicative, and knowledgeable. She is a great resource when you're in labor, but she also helped to set me up for success before and after the birth. I was extremely overwhelmed thinking about basic tasks like putting together my breast pump, and organizing my nursery items and she helped with this as well. After our first night home with baby, I found myself texting her with so many more questions about baby and my body. She provided honest and supportive feedback, and it was really comforting to know I had a continuous resource beyond baby's birth. 

Whether this is your first pregnancy, or your fifth, everyone can benefit from having Lauren in their corner! We will always appreciate everything she has done for our growing family.

Kira Roberts

10/4/2023

I cannot recommend Lauren enough! She was an invaluable member to our birth team. We were new to the area and didn't have other outside support, so Lauren was amazing! She checked in with us regularly, helped us decide on our birth preferences, and answered so many questions for us. When I went into labor earlier than expected she dropped everything to be there with us. During the birth she helped us communicate clearly with our providers and truly understand what our options were. She also showed my husband how to help me through contractions, and even ran to the store for more snacks when we didn't bring enough. I can confidently say that I would not have had the water birth of my dreams without Lauren's support.

Postpartum, Lauren supported us with all of the little things that you are unsure about as a first time parent, including breastfeeding, baby's first bath, and using our carrier! She exercised our dog and helped us clean up so that we can get some extra rest. She also connected us with a variety of resources for new parents in town. We miss her so much now that we've "graduated"!!!

Tommy

8/16/2023

This review comes from a fathers side of the birth process.

Admittedly, I was unsure about us hiring a Doula at first, but, after going through the birth process with Tayler my wife and I couldn't be happier.

The aid, assistance, kind supporting words for my wife and I, along with some instruction for me on how to help during/and along the birth process was invaluable.

I know my wife enjoyed and valued the aid, expertise and knowledge as well, but seriously from the guys side, this is a no brainer.

Tayler is great, she will tell you how to help, she is a neutral party, she can jump in and give you a break, she teaches you things you didn't know you could do (both at the hospital and birthing center), she actively finds way to provide comfort for both the mother and father, and (I think most importantly) provided a calming presence until we needed the pump up that she also provided during birth. Having a person that could truly empathize with my wife during the birth process was phenomenal.

If we have another child, we would for sure be calling on Baby Bean Doula again. Thanks Tayler (and Lauren)!

Amy Dukes

7/25/2023

We are so grateful we had Lauren’s support before, during, and after the birth of our son. It was my first birth, and having Lauren there to guide me through the process relieved a lot of stress and anxiety. Her knowledge of the process and the amenities available to us during the labor were extremely helpful. I was impressed by how well Lauren could read the room and knew when we needed more help, but also when it was a good time to give us space. Time is so bizarre during labor and without her documentation I wouldn’t remember half of it. I’m thankful to be able to look back on the experience to remember things that would’ve been lost otherwise. I would absolutely bring Lauren on board again if I have another pregnancy.

Crystal Cudworth

11/4/2022

Lauren's motto "everyone deserves a doula" is absolutely true. I highly recommend Lauren for her professionalism, compassion, and growing bank of knowledge for pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum. Full of positive energy, it is easy to see that Lauren has a genuine passion for her doula work. My birth experience was greatly enriched by Lauren's support to both my partner and I pre and post birth. She was highly communicative, very fast, and gentle in all interactions. She helped me to prepare for the life changing event of birth and to also process it during the delicate first two weeks of new parenthood. Not uncommon, the birth went not quite as planned. All the better to have Lauren on our team to be present during a time of need when plans quickly changed. I think she is an incredible person who is great at what she does. My highest recommendation to have a doula support your birth experience and to choose Lauren.

Vanessa

8/2/2022

We are so grateful to have had Lauren in our corner before, during and after the birth of our sweet new human!  My partner and I are brand new to the area, and getting to have Lauren by our side was like having a family member/friend in the room with us. Lauren was extremely comforting in times of uncertainty, and most importantly, always made sure our voices were heard. Being able to guide me through my contractions is reason alone why I’d hire her again! If you’re looking for a magical being to help assist you during one of the wildest rides of your life, look no further! We loved her calming demeanor, sense of humor(oh so needed), photographer skills(!), and the scared space she held for us. Lauren, thank you for being the friend I needed in a whole new world xoxo

Vanessa, Jason, and Veda 

Kelly

6/16/2022

Lauren is so attentive, non judgemental, communicative, funny, smart and extremely supportive. Everyone having a baby deserves a doula. I highly recommend Lauren! She was a vital person on our birth team.

Isaac, Selina and Silas

3/4/2022

Lauren is AWESOME! We hired her as our postpartum doula and my only regret is that we didnt book her for our birth as well. She made herself available to us for all types of support (from babies first bath to cesarean after care) and updated us with great information and encouraging words along the way!

Tori

2/15/2022

Asking Lauren to be a part of our birthing experience was one of the few decisions during pregnancy that we never second-guessed. She was able to adapt to our perspective and help us before, during and after the birth as well as document the events during a highly emotional time. We would love to recommend her to anyone looking for a doula in Juneau.

Kate

2/15/2022

We can't recommend Lauren enough! She provided birth and post-partum doula support for our family during the birth of our first babe. Throughout the entire process, Lauren was super receptive to our shifting needs. She fit in seamlessly with our hospital care team and advocated for our birth wishes, while playing a super active role in providing emotional and physical support during labor. Her outgoing nature and positivity made it easy to welcome her into our family and to quickly build trust as we worked with her to prep for the birth. She's also a wealth of information about growing kids, milestones, etc. If you're considering a doula, I highly recommend meeting with her!