Ashontae Genac

11/6/2024

My husband and I entered our pregnancy with some core values; that our bodies are dynamic and capable of delivering our baby naturally, that labor is a rite of passage, and though modern medicine is a wonderful safety net, certain mainstream practices of laboring and medicating are not always necessary and can lead to some lasting impacts that are not often discussed.

We found a great values match in Jo Ann and the BodyReady method. Beyond the great physical and mental work we did to prepare, she brought so much wisdom on what to expect and how to prepare and genuinely cared about us and supported us so well throughout the pregnancy. My labor itself ended in an unexpected C-section but the entire experience was very empowering. I was able to labor all night without an epidural and zero medications, and with the support of Jo Ann and my husband I were able able to make the choices that were right for us. Jo Ann worked very well with the hospital staff, was very good at asking them to explain things more thoroughly to us, and guided me through positions with gentle suggestions and continuous encouragement. Her work with us beforehand had helped prepare my husband to be my main supporter during labor, and together we had a truly unifying experience we will never forget. Both our beautiful baby and myself are doing fantastic and I credit much of my rapid recovery and great mental and emotional state currently with the wealth of information and the preparation Jo Ann helped us achieve; We highly recommend Jo Ann for an amazing birth experience.

Haley Jones

9/10/2024

My husband and I had the pleasure of working with Jo Ann as our doula for the birth of our child, and we couldn't be more grateful for her support. Jo Ann was incredibly attentive to both our needs, ensuring that our feelings and opinions were always considered. She prioritized our well-being and the health of our baby above all else.

Prior to delivery, Jo Ann was a valuable resource and encouraged me to "trust my gut" regarding my OBGYN provider, who had not been as receptive as I had hoped. Jo Ann recommended several doctors who she had positive experiences previously, one of which we transferred to at 20 weeks. This was incredibly helpful as our new provider ensured we were informed and comfortable with our entire pregnancy and birthing process, including supporting us in our decision to go 12 days past the estimated due date, and during the birth to reduce the epidural to enable more awareness of contractions.

During the delivery, Jo Ann proved to be an invaluable resource. She not only assisted the nurses with various positions but also provided clear, evidence-based guidance throughout the entire process. Her focus on science and factual information, rather than personal opinions, helped us make informed decisions and feel confident in the care we were receiving. As I had an induction, which was not originally in my birth plan, her support was key in ensuring I felt in control of the process.

Jo Ann truly advocated for us every step of the way, demonstrating a genuine commitment to our best interests. Her presence made a significant difference in our birthing experience, and we wholeheartedly recommend her services to anyone seeking a knowledgeable and compassionate doula.

Melissa Goecks

4/12/2024

I can’t say enough good things about Jo Ann! My husband and I were skeptical about hiring a doula for our first pregnancy. We ended up hiring her for both of our pregnancies because we found it so very valuable the first time. She is incredibly informed, caring, and attentive. She was really there for us during some difficult times in our journey to parenthood. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for some extra support for their pregnancies and labor.  

Pantea Moghimi

3/5/2024

Joann was present for the birth of my second baby, and we absolutely loved our experience with her. Joann's confidence on top of her calm and serene energy made us feel at ease during labor. Joann's extensive expertise was instrumental in me being able to have an unmedicated labor and delivery. Joann started working with us well in advance of my due date. She gave me individualized exercises to do thanks to her Body Ready Method certification. She worked with me and my husband on comfort techniques. She taught us about a variety of techniques to cope with labor pain. She also shared with us an extensive library of reference materials on everything pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. During the last few weeks of pregnancy, she gave me specific exercises to do to get the baby engaged. 
Once I went into labor, my water broke but my contractions would not become regular. The same happened during my first labor. Back then, the doctors recommended I get Pitocin which causes contractions that were very different from natural labor. I ended up getting an epidural against my initial preference. Joann recommended we ask for more natural methods like membrane sweeping and nipple stimulation first. Those worked and I had a fast and easy labor. During labor, she knew very well how to help me get through contractions with massages, affirmations, movements that would move labor along faster, etc. She also helped my husband to support me both physically and emotionally. The coping techniques she had taught me really worked. I could totally get into labor flow thanks to Joann's guidance and support. 
What makes Joann a truly exceptional doula is her genuine care for her clients and also her passion for her craft. Joann is constantly learning new things and honing her skills. She is also very well connected to a network of pregnancy and labor-related support people including lactation consultants if you need recommendations.     

Mandi

1/10/2024

We are so happy to have worked with Jo Ann as our Doula. Jo Ann helped us feel prepared and confident about the choices we made going into the birth and helped us recognize that we have every right to ask for what we want and to really own this experience. I know that her guidance and support leading up the the birth and during influenced the success and ease of the birth of our son. I highly recommend Jo Ann to any birthing couple as Jo Ann is there to support you and your wishes. And especially to those that want a natural birth. Jo Ann came to the hospital with props and guidance to help get in different positions to keep the labor progressing. Her words of encouragement and support for both me and my partner was so helpful. Plus she took photos for us throughout so we'll always be able to look back on this beautiful moment! Jo Ann is a wealth of knowledge and support (and has a well currated resource library to share) - we'll be forever grateful for her!

Lydia

12/29/2023

My partner and I are so grateful for all the support we received from Jo Ann before and after the birth of our first child. I always knew I wanted the support of a doula to ensure I felt advocated for, but I had no idea just how meaningful this experience would be. Jo Ann is exceptionally knowledgeable and well prepared. I learned so much about my body, medical interventions, birthing prep, and post partum care along this journey. My birthing experience had some unexpected twists and turns, but I felt more confident in our medical decisions because of all the steps we took/approaches we tried, as guided by Jo Ann. I was especially grateful to have someone supporting my partner as much as me during this journey, ensuring we were both resting enough. Jo Ann's grounding, nurturing presence could be felt through out my entire laboring journey. I'd highly recommend her services for anyone/family looking for additional support and guidance. 

Annie Stoll

12/17/2023

We had the most wonderful experience working with Jo Ann Bishop. Throughout our pregnancy, labor & delivery, and postpartum experience - Jo Ann has been so supportive and helpful to our family. For those who are unsure of the value a doula can provide, she provided us with so much guidance, education and support on our journey. She is like the fairy godmother of birth that we didn't know we needed! Looking back, we couldn't have done it all without her. 

Early in our journey, Jo Ann’s educational materials and guidance was so helpful in our wish for a natural pregnancy journey. During labor, Jo Ann’s presence was a game changer for our unmedicated birth and she was instrumental in supporting us through a very long labor. Her interaction with the midwifery staff, OB/GYN and nursing team was also amazing - they all complemented one another well. Our team at Aurora said they wished Jo Ann could be present at all of their births! During postpartum, Jo Ann’s check-ins were so welcomed and showed that she doesn't view this process as a transaction, but as a true relationship with parents and their newborns. Jo Ann feels like an extension of our family now!

Jo Ann also has an unmatched referral network to provide extra support if needed - whether you're in need of a chiropractor, PT, acupuncture, lactation support or mental health resources, Jo Ann’s referral network is fantastic. We utilized many of her referrals and are so grateful, as it can be very hard to find support during the craziness of the newborn and postpartum phase. 

You will be in the best hands and receive the best support and care from Jo Ann - we cannot sing her praises enough!

Trish Brauer

11/14/2023

It has been nearly 8 weeks since we brought our baby boy home, and I am still trying to put into words everything that Jo Ann did for our family during our pregnancy and birth journey. We engaged her very early on in my pregnancy (when we were living out of state!), and from the moment we "met" over Zoom, we knew she was going to play a very special role in our lives and in bringing our baby into the world. We found her comforting, extremely knowledgeable and to be someone we could absolutely trust to protect our interests. We ended up switching to a hospital based midwifery practice at Jo Ann's suggestion - which ended up being absolutely amazing. Through several "meetings" and sessions, Jo Ann coached us through making a birth plan and preparing my body for labor through the Body Ready Method. I had a more complicated pregnancy than anticipated, and my exercise ended up being limited to walking and Body Ready Method prep. At the time, it didn't feel like I was really "doing" anything, but once labor started - it was very apparent how wrong I was. My water ended up breaking at 35 1/2 weeks, and after 18 hours, I needed to be induced (complete with pitocin), which was everything I wanted to avoid. Despite not being "on-call" for us for another few weeks, Jo Ann made it a priority to show up and support our family. She coached us through various positions to make labor as "effective" as possible and had SO many comfort measures up her sleeve. Thanks to Jo Ann, we were able to have the unmediated birth that we hoped for, despite all the medically necessary interventions, and welcomed our son into the world 4 short hours after active labor began.  The suggestions Jo Ann made during labor and the work we did together to prepare allowed me to have a dream postpartum experience, and I was able to focus exclusively on caring for our baby. We will forever be greateful to Jo Ann and couldn't recommend her  more highly.  

Kerry Poole

10/28/2023

Working with Jo Ann Bishop during my second pregnancy was a delight. After a terrible birth experience with my first pregnancy, I knew I wanted to hire a doula for the next one. With her depth of experience working with families and babies, her certification in Body Ready Method, the many connections she has in the pregnancy/birth world and her caring personality, she was just the right person to pair up with for my pregnancy/birth journey. Not only did she help me physically and mentally prepare for the birth, but she introduced me to BRM to help me during the pregnancy too. Another game changer for me was her recommendation to pair up with a doctor she had worked with who would be willing to give me a chance at a vaginal birth after a caesarean birth. After suffering a bladder injury during my caesarean birth, I wanted to avoid surgery if at all possible. JoAnn encouraged me to shoot for a vaginal birth if that's what I wanted, but working with the right doctor was key. I met the doctor she recommended who I ended up switching to half through my pregnancy and guess what, I was able to vaginally deliver my baby! My post birth healing experience was so much easier than it was before. 

I would highly recommend JoAnn to anyone who is looking for an experienced and caring doula, especially if you had a difficult birth experience in the past. She'll be the game changer you need.

Christian Avery and Amanda

10/6/2023

Jo Ann was a fantastic coach every step of the way.  We met regularly. Our relationship began with a review of our histories and birthing goals. This was followed by lots of valuable education, which she supplemented with a notebook of informational sheets and library of online reference materials.  

The actual labor at Froedert didn't go as according to plan (due to something completely out of everyone's control), but she helped keep us focused and calm. Following the delivery, she was available for house calls. She was like a member of our family.

In summary, Jo Ann is a seasoned professional.  We are so glad she was on our side! 

Kelsey

10/1/2023

I started working with Jo Ann this past January, during the first trimester of my first pregnancy. Jo Ann encouraged me to sign up for Body Ready Method, and I began the program right away and stuck with it throughout my entire pregnancy and postpartum.  She also shared a Google drive of pre- and postnatal resources that I continue to reference today.

I can’t understate how valuable Jo Ann’s support and education were in giving my husband and me an empowered pregnancy and delivery. She provided so much information (rather than opinions), and I think this really helped me approach my delivery with curiosity rather than fear. The cherry on top is that my labor was very quick, efficient, and unmedicated.

Jo Ann is great at what she does and enthusiastic about sharing her knowledge. I highly recommend her as a doula.

Laurie and Mark

9/3/2023

If I had to sum it up in one word, I’d say exceptional. Everything about our experience working with Jo Ann was exceptional, from start to finish. I wanted to wait to write this until I was out of the 4th trimester to share about my healing and postpartum experience as well as our birth experience with Jo Ann.

She directed me towards a program called Body Ready Method, and in tandem with working with Jo Ann, I felt like this made preparing for birth (physically) and postpartum so much better! The program gave me so many important tools that I’m positive sped up my recovery after birth.

Jo Ann met with us virtually, and we already could tell how experienced, attentive, and wonderful she was! It was a no-brainer. She also helped us through TONS of birthing resources via her resource library, and helped us prepare for our hopeful unmedicated birth.

Our baby also flipped breech at 37 weeks (!) and Jo Ann was THE best support system, in addition to my partner, in that unexpected situation. She even came over and walked me through some poses and exercises to hopefully flip baby. It worked!!

Then our birth experience with her at the hospital was outstanding. She was calm, collected, and reminded me in the moment of our previous wishes and requests that I couldn’t think of. She advocated for me in every single way. She made my 24-hour labor feel much more bearable!

And in the end, I STRONGLY feel that my recovery was so speedy largely because of her. 3 weeks postpartum I felt almost back to normal (minus being tired with a newborn), and even got back to my hobby of running at 5 weeks postpartum.

So if you’re looking for doula support, seriously, look no further. You’ve found her! Jo Ann is simply the best, and we can’t thank her enough!!

Andi Gomoll

8/29/2023

Throughout our pregnancy, Jo Ann was an invaluable source of support and information. Her thorough sessions with us leading up to our son's birth gave us a set of tools to draw upon and instilled confidence. Jo Ann worked hard to understand my partner and I as a couple and guided us through the creation of our birth plan. Though we had a documented plan, we were prepared to make decisions in real time with information as it was presented to us. This realistic approach was important as we faced a birth experience and set of complications that we did not expect.  

My labor was a long one (38 hours), and Jo Ann was present for the majority of it in the hospital. She helped to protect the space in our room and keep it feeling safe and calm. When we had to make hard decisions, she talked through them with us and was wholly supportive. She even came to visit in the days following our son's birth as we navigated a NICU experience -- bringing us snacks and offering words of comfort. We highly recommend Jo Ann's services as a doula. She is an expert, a professional, and a caring and compassionate human. We appreciate her more than we can say! 

Emily

5/8/2023

It is with pleasure that my husband and I recommend the services of Jo Ann Bishop as a birth doula. Because of some stressful past experiences inside the medical care wheelhouse, we knew that we wanted someone to help us navigate the process of being a pregnant person in and outside the hospital setting. From the beginning of our time together Jo Ann was extremely supportive, validating, and resourceful. She attended to our questions with care and consideration and never had a personal agenda for our birthing journey. The prenatal education sessions she conducted were informative and straightforward, and the library of pre and postpartum resources she gave us access to was invaluable. I still reference the library for information that will aid me as a new parent. 

In my 37th week of pregnancy we found out that our baby was in the breech position. We decided to schedule an ECV procedure in my 38th week in hopes of flipping the baby. During the whole week leading up to the procedure at the instruction of Jo Ann, Shawn and I facilitated a regimen of maneuvers to help our baby get in a good position to turn. Because of Jo Ann’s guidance and suggestions, all of the work we did to help loosen up my hips and align the baby paid off and the ECV was successful. Our experience was much less scary and intimidating because of the encouragement and support from Jo Ann, and we are so thankful that our baby got to decide when they wanted to spontaneously be born. 

If you are curious if having a doula is right for you, just know that the support you’ll receive from Jo Ann surpassed any trepidations we had about inviting “a stranger” into our birthing journey. Having a third party was so helpful. Despite the well-meaning suggestions from family and friends, it was a relief to have someone who was outside our personal bubble give objective advice. 

Kate

2/12/2023

We had the immense pleasure of having Jo Ann as our birth doula. We are first time parents and knew we wanted someone who had been through the birth process before to help guide us. We felt prepared knowing all of our options for delivery and informed from our meetings with Jo Ann. We felt we had so many more tools to help with pain management during laboring. During delivery, the guidance and reassurance Jo Ann provided helped us to have a smooth and healthy delivery of our baby. We felt supported and informed every step of our delivery and helped make it such a special event for both of us. We can’t thank Jo Ann enough for everything she helped us with and would highly recommend her services!

Caitlyn Lewis

11/2/2022

Having Jo Ann as our Doula was such an amazing experience, we definitely plan to work with her again in the future! Around 20 weeks my anxiety about giving birth started to set in and a friend recommended her to us. Having her support and guidance helped both my husband and I go from feeling unsure and uniformed about the birth process to feeling empowered and confident! The One Strong Mama course she recommended was a huge help in alleviating the aches and pains of pregnancy and also lended itself to a smoother recovery after a very long and tiring birth process. Her knowledge and information not only helped us to have better conversations with our medical providers, but also better conversations with each other about what we wanted. When things got hard and took unexpected turns, we could easily get ahold of Jo Ann and she was instrumental in helping us navigate the challenges we faced. Her support was invaluable to us and I can't say enough great things about our experience. Not to mention all the postpartum resources she provided to help with any follow up care we were interested in getting. Thank you Jo Ann for all that you do!! 

Taylor Dahlke

10/5/2022

Jo Ann was nothing short of AMAZING. I decided to hire a doula late in my pregnancy (34ish weeks) and I looked into over a dozen doula's and interviewed several. I hadn't felt like I found the 'right fit' until I spoke with Jo Ann. I loved her calm demeanor, constant encouragement and best of all, how empowered she made me feel. She offered an enormous amount of resources, meetings with one another to prepare for my VBAC delivery and everything in between. I felt like I was in control of our birth plan. I never once felt like I was being judged for choosing to do things a certain way. One of my favorite things that Jo Ann told me early on is "it's great to have a birth plan in place but with new information, that plan may change and THAT IS OKAY." This was huge in our personal story because so many 'unexpected's' came up and we just pivoted and kept pressing forward.

Coming off a c-section with our first child just 15 months prior, I was determined to have a VBAC delivery with our second child. At 36 weeks gestation, we learned baby was breech. Two days later, Jo Ann was at my house with my husband and I working on alignment and positioning to help make room for baby to turn on it's own. I am certain that without Jo Ann and her plethora of knowledge, our birth story would have been very different. At 37 weeks gestation, baby had successfully flipped on it's own- hallelujah! We kept pressing forward. At 39 weeks gestation, I tested positive for covid (another devastating road block that Jo Ann was there to help us navigate through). At 39w5d, I began laboring. I delivered a very healthy baby boy weighing in at 8lb 13oz with just 5 minutes of pushing and 4 contractions! I have absolutely no doubt that this was thanks to Jo Ann and the program/s she had me following to prepare for the birth.

We are forever grateful that we had Jo Ann on our team for the delivery of our sweet babe. 

Ashley

9/28/2022

Jo Ann is truly one of a kind! I knew I wanted to work with a doula before I was pregnant, I could have never imagined the difference this would make throughout my pregnancy, labor/delivery and postpartum. She was such a gift in this special time in our lives! She has such a kind, compassionate and loving spirit coupled with extensive knowledge based in science and experience. We don’t know what we don’t know and  having a professional there to equip me, empower me and care for me was priceless in my journey to becoming a mother. In addition to her knowledge and expertise, she also recommended multiple resources that helped in various capacities. I wish all women could have access to such quality support. It has made such a difference for me. She is amazing! 

Rheanna

9/24/2022

Jo Ann provided my husband and me with exceptional care as our doula. She truly cared about us and my delivery preferences to help me achieve the birth I envisioned for my baby. Being our first child, this was new territory for us, but Jo Ann provided my husband and me with the tools and resources needed to educate us. Whenever I had a question or needed additional resources, Jo Ann was right there with evidence-based information or referrals. Her informational packet was super handy during my pregnancy. I stayed committed to following through with her guidance in preparing my body and ended up having the beautiful birth I was working hard for. She was incredibly encouraging and nurturing not only physically but emotionally and spiritually. During postpartum care, she was there checking up on me and again being a fantastic resource when my little one and I needed guidance in breastfeeding. I felt that she was journeying with me and celebrated with me after my baby was born. I'm grateful for her encouragement and education which was instrumental in preparing me for the birth I wanted.

Casey

8/23/2022

My husband and I cannot say enough to properly thank Jo Ann for her guidance and support through my first pregnancy and delivery. She provided us with extensive educational materials and live meetings to prepare and coach us through one of the biggest moments of our lives. She not only helped me prepare physically and mentally for the labor and delivery but helped my husband understand how best to support and what to expect throughout the entire process. Thanks to Jo Ann, my labor and delivery went smoothly and the peace of mind I felt by preparing ahead of time and having her support was invaluable. Jo Ann was available before, during, and post delivery and often checked in to see how we were doing. We are so thankful to have found her and would recommend her services to anyone and everyone who is expecting.

Andrew & Tia Hoerig

11/14/2021

Both my wife and I view education and preparation as extremely important aspects of any process but especially our first baby.  We knew we wanted a in person doula, a knowledgeable support person and someone that would be there to ensure our birth plan was followed by the hosiptal.  In the end we had a virtual doula and many things happened differently than our birth plan.  We can thankfully say our birth experience went well and we welcomed our beautiful healthy daughter.

JoAnn was there for us virtually every step of the way and whenever we needed her she was extremely supportive and helpful.  Being remote it allowed our great relationship teamwork to shine and gave us privacy when needed.  JoAnn has an incredible amount of resources and knowledge to aid in the preparation and birthing process.  She was open-minded, supportive and truly knows her craft.  Thanks again!

Andrea

10/25/2021

I am so grateful to have had Jo Ann’s guidance and support throughout my first pregnancy. I knew I wanted to supplement the guidance and knowledge I’d get from my ob/gyn with that of a doula and Jo Ann was a perfect match for my husband and me. She introduced me to the Spinning Babies movement series which I greatly credit in helping me stay active during my pregnancy and for helping prepare my body for the type of birth I wanted to have. Knowing that my husband and I had Jo Ann just a phone call away throughout my pregnancy and childbirth and in the post partum period gave us both a great sense of relief. She helped us bring our son into the world in an informed, confident manner and I am forever grateful to her.

Alyssa & Ryan Nessman

4/20/2021

After years of trying, when we finally got the good news of our baby we knew we wanted the experience to be special, full of love and peace. As first time parents, we had many questions and wanted to be prepared and feel confident in the journey and each other. Some of our closest friends had recommended Jo Ann and we're forever grateful to them for doing so. From the very first meeting with Jo Ann we knew we made a fantastic decision to include her in this very special time. Her presence immediately brings a calm, peaceful, and soothing energy. You feel it the moment you connect with her. Jo Ann took the time to get to know us as individuals and as a couple, which helped her guide us in learning, preparing, and feeling confident in the process and each other. 

She was never judgemental and brought forward evidence based information that allowed us to make our own educated decisions about pregnancy, birth, and beyond. Her resources were extremely helpful and not overwhelming. 

When we finally made it to our birth story, Jo Ann was with us every step of the way (spanning two nights!).  She was a resource to Dad as he helped Mom through every surge. Jo Ann was able to jump in and provide suggestions, support, and encouragement. We had wanted a natural birth and when things got hard and we had to make some tough decisions at the very end, it was so comforting knowing we could ask Jo Ann questions to make our final decisions. She prepared us that our plan might need to change, she gave us the information that we needed to make that decision, and supported us when we decided that to give this little girl a chance to be born vaginally, an epidural was the way to go. Her positivity, dedication, and faith in us was everything we needed through those moments. 

If you are looking for a doula, Jo Ann is a fantastic choice. She elevated our experience and if we're blessed with another child, we know we'll be using her again.

Isabelle

4/14/2021

Even before getting pregnant, I knew I would work with a doula to support me in bringing my child into the world as I was familiar with the statistics on improved birth outcomes.  That being said, I had no idea what to expect nor did I anticipate the kind of support I would need.

Working with Jo Ann was so helpful and reassuring both before and after the birth of our son. Leading up to birth, Jo Ann provided education and answers on everything a new parent might need to know. I know that the preparation she gave us set me up for the best delivery possible. I was able to deliver my son without medication and have a hospital birth where our preferences were respected and I attribute this in large part to Jo Ann’s help.

Despite Covid restrictions, Jo Ann was able to provide virtual guidance to my husband so that he could support me during labor - and she stayed up all night to do so!

After our son was born and we were having major challenges with nursing, Jo Ann offered both the helpful guidance and the reassurance and emotional support I needed as a new mom. Jo Ann responded to any concern I had leading up to and after birth at literally a moment’s notice and gave me so much peace of mind.

I would recommend working with Jo Ann to any expectant parents! Regardless of what kind of birth you envision for yourself, Jo Ann offers education, guidance and judgement free support to help you have the birth you want.

Kat

10/22/2020

Hiring Jo Ann as a virtual doula was one of the best decisions my partner and I made during my pregnancy and the birth of our son. As an anxious first time mom who planned to give birth in a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, I knew I wanted as much support as possible. Jo Ann met with my partner and I over video chat to discuss our intentions for the birth and to get to know our unique needs. Even though things progressed quickly and unexpectedly in the hospital and we didn't have the time to connect with Jo Ann during labor, I was particularly appreciative of the preparation, encouragement, resources, tools, and compassionate listening ear (when I was being faced with an unwanted induction), that she provided before, immediately before and after the birth. She never told us what to do, but helped me cultivate and strengthen my autonomy and voice.  I'm convinced that her support enabled us to have a physiological, drug-free birth -- something that I never thought would be possible at the beginning of my pregnancy. Most of all, Jo Ann helped give me (and my partner) confidence when we both had little, then gave us concrete tools like Spinning Babies and a virtual synchronous childbirth class to put us on the path that we wanted. She helped us learn about pregnancy and birth in a way that was tailored to us and stayed present with us, never judging, as our mindset changed throughout the pregnancy from one that prioritized a medical mindset earlier on to more of a physiological birth later on. The day our son was born was the best day of my life and Jo Ann undoubetdly contributed to making that happen in a way that made me proud of myself. She was available for us postpartum to answer any questions and go over any challenges we experienced. Even though her support was entirely virtual, Jo Ann made herself as available as possible, which was more than sufficient for us. I can't recommend her to others enough.    

Mitchell Carlson

6/14/2020

Doula support from a husband’s perspective “the short of it”: 

If you had no formal training and had to coach the Super Bowl in nine months you would hire the best coach with multiple Super Bowl titles to get you up to speed. That is what it’s like having Jo Ann’s support as a husband/partner through pregnancy, labor, and delivery (which, let’s be honest guys, we know nothing about, and it’s the last thing you want to be bragging to be an expert at...). She is extremely dedicated, knowledgeable, and caring about her craft and her clients which makes her the best choice. Guys, hiring a doula doesn’t get you off the hook for doing the work but you will have someone to support you as well with ideas and guidance as you do the work. Your wife is birthing your child, the least you could do is help in whatever way she needs during the process. Jo Ann will give you the tools necessary to do this through practice and repetition prior to labor and delivery.

We hired Jo Ann at 38 weeks knowing we wanted someone knowledgeable who could continuously support us with the goal of a VBAC through preparation, labor, and delivery. The way hospitals, OB’s, and nurses are set up there is very little coaching or support during the labor and even delivery until your wife/parter is ready to push. Then the whole team comes rushing in ready to catch the baby. Having a doula (especially Jo Ann) to support us through the whole process (even virtually) helped ensure a more positive outcome not only in physical health for mom and baby but in mental and emotional health as well. This is something every woman should strive for and be able to achieve. Being that JoAnn now has virtual options (thanks to the pandemic) no matter where you are located, she is able to support you, so give her a call and see if she is the right fit for you.

Rachel

6/11/2020

Through Jo Ann’s support I was able to achieve my dream childbirth experience of an unmedicated VBAC! She helped educate my husband and I so we could make informed decisions with our provider to achieve the VBAC that I had yearned for. She held active sessions during my pregnancy so we could practice positions to help me during labor. Although 100% virtual, we felt her connection throughout my pregnancy and encouragement helped build my confidence through labor and delivery of our son. I viewed the virtual service offering as a perk so that it could be my husband and I at the hospital laboring - just the two of us - and we could call Jo Ann whenever we needed assistance; as it turned out, my labor progressed quickly and Jo Ann was engaged with us on FaceTime from 10:30AM at the start of early labor through the delivery of my son at 6PM. Without her support and encouragement, my husband and I would have been in the hospital room trying different positions without any knowledge of how to work through the progressing labor. Through Jo Ann’s guidance, coaching and working with my provider and husband to help me labor and deliver my son, I would highly recommend her to anyone bringing their baby into the world!

Lindsay

4/6/2020

Jo Ann's support and guidance throughout pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum were truly invaluable. She was an endless wealth of knowledge and resources to prepare us for the entire journey and to help us make informed decisions for our own personal birth plan.
We know that her guidance on how to physically prepare for labor and delivery helped greatly during our baby's birth. Her coaching my husband to be an excellent support during the labor and delivery.
Jo Ann remained fully available virtually during the Covid 19 epidemic and supported us virtually during labor, delivery and postpartum due to the need for social distancing. The quality of her support both in person and virtually was fantastic. We would highly recommend Jo Ann to any expectant parent.

Dana Smith

12/10/2019

Jo Ann served as our family’s postpartum doula after the birth of our daughter. Both my partner and I found her support to be invaluable. We benefitted greatly from her comforting demeanor, active listening skills, and flexibility. Jo Ann helped us learn many parenting skills including breastfeeding, baby wearing, cloth diapering, and soothing our new baby. She also connected us to community resources and additional information. Most importantly, Jo Ann provided emotional support as we bonded with our baby and became a family of three. I highly recommend her services! 

Shannah Imbruglia

11/5/2019

From the very first time meeting Jo Ann, I knew that her support is exactly what I wanted during my labor. This was my first pregnancy and my husband and I were looking for someone to guide us throughout the labor process and answer questions. Jo Ann provided us with so much information that we felt extremely confident throughout the entire pregnancy, labor and postpartum. During the labor, she guided my husband and my family throughout each moment in how they could help, she clarified what doctors were talking about and helped me make the best decisions for myself and the baby when things go tough. Her warmth and kindness gave the exact comfort we needed.