Anubha

11/28/2020

Mariam is simply wonderful. Before I finalized Mariam as my doula, I had interviewed at least 5-7 doulas prior but none of them worked for me. When I spoke to Mariam, I knew within 15 minutes that she is going to be my dream doula. I am impressed by the way how she introduces so much trust, love affection for her clients. She is an angel and has a very strong work ethic. She was like sister to me through my entire pregnancy and post partum process. She has been there for me for every possible question/help. She would be on top of all my doctor appointments and advise and motivate me on the right things in the perfect manner. She is flexible to the limit that just makes you feel very comfortable. Mariam has been magical for me through my pregnancy, birth experience and postpartum care. I owe her big time. Being a VBAC mom, I was very intimidated but having Mariam on my side, I found each moment to be much more relaxed and informative and each decision through the entire process became much easier. Due to coronavirus time, I had no family member around me except my husband to help me out, but having Mariam around me gave me lot of courage and peace. Her positive attitude is infectious which kept me calm and focused on what I wanted to achieve through my birth experience. Her proactiveness and willingness to help made me feel comfortable. I am extremely grateful for everything that I could achieve through my birth experience and baby care. 

Janelle McNeil-Masuka

8/28/2020

First off Mariam is both an amazing person and doula ! I delivered my first child in August 2020 admits the COVID-19 pandemic and Mariam was and still is a huge support system for me. I relocated to NC in the middle of pregnancy and during my search for a doula I came across Designated Doula. During my first conversation with Mariam she told me about her business, larger doula services in the surrounding area, and educated me on all my options for searching for a doula. I remember her expressing the importance of choosing a doula that I connected with and from that initial conversation I knew she was an extremely genuine person and I wanted to work with her. Before my delivery she was a big support system for me, answering all my questions and concerns about pregnancy and beyond. She also went above and beyond to work around my busy work schedule to do socially distance meet ups in preparation for my birth. I ended up experiencing a longer labor over a few days and Mariam was there for my husband and I answering all of our questions and providing encouragement via texts/calls. I went into active labor in middle of the night and I experienced intense back labor. Mariam came over to our house, helped me cope with my back labor, and rode with us to the hospital! She even assured my concerned husband that was I was experiencing was all normal and we would soon be meeting our baby girl. Mariam stayed throughout my whole labor and delivery and even managed to take amazing keepsake photos of the whole experience. After our baby girl entered into the world Mariam guided us in breastfeeding and made sure we were comfortable before she departed. To top off my wonderful experience I received a heartfelt birth story from Mariam that I will cherish forever. If you are hesitant about choosing Mariam don't be! She made my birth experience magical even during a pandemic!!

Farrell McTeer

7/10/2020

I worked with Mariam for the birth of our second child, a baby girl. I didn’t reach out to Mariam until I was 36 weeks pregnant because I am a procrastinator. And gosh, I wish I had known her longer and earlier in the pregnancy. After our first in-person consult to get to know each other I absolutely loved her. She was so easy to talk to and I was instantly comfortable around her, which was an absolute must for me in the delivery room. She is such a wealth of knowledge and experience. She offered her opinion anytime I asked a question and was generally so available and responsive. My original plan was to meet Mariam at the hospital after I labored at home as long as possible. My labor was fairly quick this second time around, but I didn’t want to believe it was moving so quickly. I am lucky Mariam came to my home to assess and encourage me it was 100% okay to go the hospital after only a few hours of laboring at home. Otherwise, if left up to me I think I would have waited far too late. Her calming presence and techniques took me from being worried to at ease in the hospital. Her being a part of our daughter’s birth made it a happier, even more joyful event tenfold. She truly loves being a doula and her enthusiasm and joy is contagious. I cannot recommend Mariam enough for first-time, second-time, anytime around mamas!

Staci S

5/21/2020

I feel incredibly lucky to have had Mariam as my doula for the birth of my son.  Leading up to his birth, Mariam was always available for meetings, calls and texts and was great about checking in after doctor appointments as I neared my due date. She was always reassuring, informative, and supportive during our check-ins, especially as my birth plan started to change based on the progression of the pregnancy. When the big day came, my plans were completely upended but Mariam remained calm and helped me focus on the new tasks at hand. She stayed with me (unexpectedly) for 30 hours and I truly don’t know what I would have done without her help that first night. I can’t recommend Mariam highly enough for anyone who may be looking for a doula!

Ashley

11/1/2019

Mariam was an absolute blessing for my husband and I with the birth of our first child. We had no idea what to do or expect until we met her! Mariam's infectious smile, energetic personality yet calming presence was just the beginning. She has an amazing way to put you at ease and let you know everything will be okay before, during and after the birthing process. Mariam's passion for what she does is so clearly evident. We will forever be grateful and indebted to her for everything she did in helping us navigate having a baby and our introduction into parenthood!

Maria Requena

10/15/2019

Mariam was amazing to work with! She was with me at my seconds sons birth in July. Having a doula this time around was such a great experience and I would highly recommend her to anyone. Mariam helped me to stay calm, focused, and comfortable. Mariam is very knowledgeable and helped me through contractions using various breathing techniques and positions. Mariam not only helped me but was also a support system for my husband. He also enjoyed having her and thought she was very helpful. Overall, I had a wonderful birth experience and am super thankful to have had Mariam be a part of such an important day! 

Tara Lee

2/26/2019

Mariam was wonderful to have with me as my birth doula.  As a first time mom, I had minimal knowledge of what to actually expect or what it would feel like, so she was incredibly helpful with answering all of my questions anytime leading up to the birth. She was able to guide both my husband and I throughout the entire labor and birth by breathing with us, offering to change positions and techniques, and by utilizing massage to make me more comfortable.  She was very knowledgeable of the options I had during the process and was comfortable with addressing my needs and preferences to the nurses and other hopsital staff as needed.  Mariam also answered any questions I had in the first few weeks after delivery as well, as I was trying to navigate life with a newborn. She made the whole experience seamless, between guiding me through breathing techniques over the phone until we reached the hospital, walking around the campus with us until we could be admitted, and assisting in the labor and delivery room.  I highly recommend Mariam, and plan to have her as our doula again if  we decide to have more children.

Holly S.

2/23/2019

I first met Mariam as a volunteer doula. I requested a doula and Mariam willingly came in on her day off. She stayed with me through my entire 36 hour birth. Mariam was present for the delivery of both of my children, now ages 3 and 1/2 and almost 4 months. My oldest child was not breathing at birth and it was a very scary experience for us all. While my husband stayed with the baby Mariam stayed with me and provided support and a listening ear. My daughter is perfect now and Mariam holds a special place in my heart for all of the support she provided. I knew when I was expecting again that I wanted Mariam to attend the delivery. She again provided support to my husband and I and she never left my side. She knew the support I needed and was so comforting when I was anxious about the arrival of my son. The support that Mariam provided was priceless and I will be forever grateful. In fact, I still keep up with her to this day and she is like a family member. If you have a chance to meet Mariam you will love her empathetic and caring personality.