Karen Yi

10/2/2024

Hiring Vickie was the best decision my husband and I made during our pregnancy. She dramatically changed the trajectory of our experience. We had such a positive and joyful pregnancy and labor even though we had some complications along the way. Vickie helped us assemble a strong team of people to support us throughout our pregnancy and having her in our corner helped us feel confident and calm, ready for however our baby decided to make his debut. 

In one of our first calls, Vickie told me very clearly: the care you want is out there -- after I had complained about my awful experience with my OBGYN who had been dismissive of severe pain I had in my first trimester. Vickie recommended another OB who was wonderful and made me feel heard and supported. I don't think I would have had such a postive, unmedicated labor without this crucial change in providers and I'm so grateful Vickie helped us find the care we wanted.

What I love about Vickie is her ability to listen deeply and help you come up with a plan or a way forward that works for you. Her network of professionals and educators is vast and she provided superb recommendations that helped us feel like we had the best team going into labor – our OB, birth class educator, pelvic floor therapist and lactation consultant.

I also appreciated how Vickie always presented us with different options and tools so that we could make the decisions that felt right for us but also so we could have back-up plans in our pocket. One example of this is when Vickie set up a recurring imagery workshop. I wasn’t sure what to expect and even after the workshop, I wasn’t convinced it would be helpful to me during labor. But this ended up being crucial for me to get through transition!

We’re so happy to have found Vickie and will always consider her part of our village, what a privilege it’s been to know her and have her as our doula and friend.

Margaret

8/14/2024

From our first meeting Vickie jumped in to getting to know us as a couple, answer any questions and provide her personal experience both as a doula and a mom. I know I could and still can ask her ANYTHING no matter what. She also always provides context to her answers both verbally and will send articles/research if you would like. She makes it clear that she is there to support YOUR choices while providing her personal experience/expertise. I also really appreciate the weekly postpartum meetups Vickie facilitates on zoom. Getting to connect with other moms during these first 5 months postpartum is so valuable because it helps me feel connected to a village of moms that I wouldn't have otherwise. Vickie is a phenomenal person to have in your corner whether it's in the delivery room or a meetup in the park.

Pyper Coates

4/8/2024

I was so incredibly lucky to have Vicki support me and my family during the birth of our first child. Before the birth, Vicki supported us by educating us on the birthing process and options we could consider, giving room to hear our preferences, and answering all of the many questions we had. As it got closer to delivery, Vicki helped provide hands-on support to guide my partner through different ways he could support my labor to make me more comfortable. When labor began I felt immediately comforted when calling Vicki - she helped guide me through the process, met us at the hospital when it was time to go and stayed to support us throughout the birth and postpartum time. Her calm demeanor, endless supply of answers to our questions, and the way she partnered with by OB to support were truly invaluable. My delivery could not have gone smoother and I have Vicki to thank for that!

Lizzy & Tom Haynsworth

3/25/2024

Vickie was truly a life saver. During my pregnancy, Vickie answered any questions I had - big or small. I am someone who doesn't do well with too much info, and Vickie provided me with just enough to understand and feel confident about the process; she is so knowledgeable about pregnancy/birth. Vickie also provided emotional support that I am forever grateful for- I always felt safe and never judged. I found out at my 36 week appt that I needed to be induced that same day, and Vickie was an amazing advocate from start to finish and beyond. Without Vickie, my husband and I would have felt rushed, pressured, and not known about basic things we could do before starting the birthing process in our surprise circumstance. We both felt so supported and she helped give me the confidence to speak up in a stressful moment. Once I was well underway and Vickie was with us in person, we loved her calm presence and guided meditations. I ended up having a c-section and it was so comforting knowing Vickie was with my husband and baby as I was waking up. I truly cannot say enough positive things about our experience and time with Vickie. 

Kathleen Murphy

2/17/2024

Vickie provided invaluable support throughout the entire process. Pregnant with our first baby, Vickie provided my husband and I the support we wanted (and at times probably didn't even know we wanted!) from prenatal through delivery and into the early weeks of postpartum. Vickie's calm and grounded nature was more than reassuring during my induction and her ability to normalize each step of the process carried me through the 33 hour labor. I'm incredibly thankful that she was a part of my birth experience and know that she was an integral part of me being able to successfully have a vaginal birth. I can't imagine having gone through the experience without her birthing knowledge and wisdom. Vickie was always available to answer questions throughout my pregnancy and I'm forever grateful for all of the pictures and videos she took for us during the birth of our son. I would highly recommend Vickie to anyone considering using a doula! 

Brooke

1/19/2024

Vickie was an invaluable part of my pregnancy experience. She provided support by way of weekly meetings with other parents-to-be, 1:1 conversations and resources to help me navigate. She is an incredible source of knowledge, as well as calming, kind and respectful. She thoughtfully answered every question I had, and even followed up with information to back up her answers. She even helped me through a tough emotional time close to the birth of my son. I would recommend Vickie over and over again.

Haley

1/18/2024

Vickie is wonderful. I was hesitant about working with a doula- I knew I wanted an epidural and the idea of having a stranger in the room helping us was not appealing. We ended up reconsidering because we didn't feel our doctor was communicating effectively. We were primarily interested in someone who would act as our advocate and help us to come to our own decisions on our care without imposing a bias one way or the other.  Vickie was the perfect choice.   My water broke, I immediately had contractions very close together. Thinking I was almost in labor, Vickie came to the hospital right away. She sat with my partner and I for 24 hours and helped me to move around (during one session a nurse came in and said they were great techniques she would use them for future patients), answered questions, and kept us from going crazy just sitting there waiting. Eventually the doctor came in and advised bc it had been 24 hours I should get a c-section. Vickie talked us through every step of making the decision. She asked the doctor all the right questions and while she was pressing her, she did not push us in a specific direction. I ultimately decided to do it, which was my gut reaction, but because of Vickie's expertise, advocacy and support I went in confident about the choice. On top of this, Vickie was so helpful in answering all our questions prior to going into labor, which left us prepared and less anxious going in. Afterwards, she continued to be supportive, answering the million questions about handling a newborn I never even considered.  

I should also add that while Vickie was perfect for what we were looking for I also think a person who wanted something different from the experience could find that too. One of Vicki's greatest strengths is that she listens and doesn't impose a specific path, you really feel like she hears you and you come first.

Vickie is a wonderful choice for a doula, but don't wait she books up fast!

Erika

1/1/2024

I could not imagine having a baby without Vickie. She is a force to be reckoned with and commands the delivery room with such calm care and mother nature power. She is family and always will be! Thank you for everything! 

Andrea

12/15/2023

Vickie provided incredible support throughout my first pregnancy journey and is simply a delight to work with. She is always responsive, offers resources to help guide you towards what you're looking for, and is frankly just helpful. Vickie is kind, empathetic, and an excellent listener. I always felt heard, understood, and respected. Vickie also has a consistent and unwavering positive attitude that makes interacting with her such a pleasure. It's also a bonus that she is a mom of 2 and just "gets it". After my delivery, I especially knew that I made the right choice with Vickie as our Doula because she immedietly helped me get comfortable, asked the right questions, and stood alongside my husband while my son was born offering words of encouragement along the way. Also, Vickie is a community builder and fosters relationships among new and expecting moms through her support group sessions.

Andy & Andrea

12/12/2023

My wife and I had a wonderful experience with Vickie. My wife had attended classes with her and weeks before she gave birth. The classes were informative and helpful. On the day of the my child's birth Vickie came to the hospital early and provided so much support and positivity. It was a pleasure sharing that wonderful day with her. I highly recommend her Doula services

Emily

12/8/2023

As a single mother by choice having a doula was especially important during my pregnancy, birth and postpartum. The moment I got on our initiation call I knew that Vickie and Rachel were different than other doulas I met with. They connected with me and were so warm and compassionate. The support groups Vickie offers are so helpful to help navigate what's been the hugest changes of my life.

Vickie's support during my labor turned what was turning into an overwhelming experience into a magical and empowering one. My sister was beyond grateful for her presence as well. She navigated us through it, and created a space where I could enjoy the birth of my son. For that I will always be so grateful and she holds a very special place in my heart.

We stay in touch post partum, she truly cares about the families she works with. ??

Haylee Jacobs

11/17/2023

When they say no two pregnancies, birth, and babies are the same - we couldn't agree more. The one constant for me & my husband was Vickie! She supported us with two births. 

Vickie is incredibly warm, supportive, and knowledgeable. With our first pregnancy, we needed a lot of education leading into the birth as I had a lot of worry about giving birth. We were able to work through my anxiety and had a beautiful medicated vaginal delivery. 

My experience with my daughter was completely different. I started to feel contractions three days prior to going into labor. Vickie was there for me every step of the way. I was constantly texting her with questions, feeling unsure when everything would advance, and how I would know when I was ready to go to the hospital. Vickie really got to know me so well and every time I texted, she knew that I was too nervous to call her, so she would immediately call me back, no matter what she was doing or what time it was. She was there supporting me every step of the way. I don't know what I would have done without her. I would've unnecessarily rushed to the hospital multiple times.

My delivery was incredibly fast and went from being in bed at home to welcoming my baby at the hospital 1hr and 2 minutes later. As the delivery was so fast, I wasn't able to have an epidural as planned. Vickie got there right at the most important time - right as I was about to start pushing - and when I wanted to give up. I had just told my Dr. to cut me open because I wasn't able to do it. Vickie looked me right in the eyes and said - you've got this. She gave me the support and courage I needed. Post-birth we were in total shock since it happened so quickly. She helped both my husband and I process the birth.

While my husband and I only plan to have two babies, should we have a third, we know that Vickie will be there right by our side. 

Sarah & Justin

11/14/2023

Rachel and Vickie were an incredible doula team. I decided to work with a doula pretty late in pregnancy (around 35 wks) and they made the process so easy! I experienced an extremely uncomfortable prenatal complication (PUPPPS) and felt so supported and genuinely heard throughout this experience.

Vickie supported me through my unplanned induction where I was in labor for over 36 hrs and pushed for almost 7 hrs!!! I truly cannot put into words how grateful I am for the support and knowledge Vicki provided my husband and I throughout this time. I was able to make educated decisions and avoid a c-section which I know would not have been possible without Vickie. Vickie was also so amazing during our first week as new parents - checking in and supporting us throughout the experience. I truly felt like she was both a baby expert and family member checking in on us. I am SO grateful to have found Rachel and Vickie and I would HIGHLY recommend them to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, empathetic, and experienced doula team. Thank you both so much!!!!

Kristin

11/8/2023

Vickie provided incredible support for my entire birthing experience- from prenatal through the delivery to post partum. I'm not sure there are proper words to express my gratitude, but I am forever thankful for her calmness, reassurance, and rational way of thinking (walking me through the pros and cons of any scenario thrown my way). She provided support beyond just me, and also helped my husband through the delivery experience. During my birth, she was able to give me all her attention- which is something no medical provider can give as they are focused on many other things. The comfort she provided comes from her many years of experience. I would highly recommend Vickie- I called her and my husband the dream team. I could not have done it without them. 

Brian & Michelle

10/30/2023

As anxious new expecting parents, hiring a doula with experience for extra support was crucial for us. During the interview process, Vickie's warm and down to earth personality made it an easy choice! She provided much needed reassurance, guidance, and emotional & mental support throughout the pregnancy, labor & delivery, and postpartum. We found the in person postpartum visit to be especially beneficial; the ability to talk about and unpack the labor & delivery experience with someone who was actually present was more valuable than we could have imagined. She also took photos & videos of the birth that we can look back on for years to come. We are so happy with our experience with Vickie and so grateful that she was our doula. 

Meredith

8/29/2023

Vickie is a truly gifted and incredible doula. I had a tough pregnancy with lots of twists and turns and Vickie was always there with facts, stories, and a listening ear to help me put things in perspective. The community she creates in her prenatal and new parent support groups is so valuable and I truly cannot imagine having gone through this experience without her. I truly cannot recommend her highly enough! 

Jamie

8/9/2023

Vickie taught me the value of having doula support not just for childbirth but as part of the prenatal and postpartum experience. They say it takes a village, and I'm so thankful that Vickie was a major part of mine and still is! My baby was breech so I ended up having a planned C-section, which meant having labor support was no longer part of the equation. But this did not mean that doula support was not still essential to my experience prenatal and postpartum. Vickie came to the hospital to see how I was recovering and to aid in early breastfeeding efforts. She even made multiple visits to our apartment once we came home to continue breastfeeding support, debrief on the birth experience, and show us how to use our baby carriers. 

Before you give birth, Vickie is also there to support you in so many ways, being a kind and supporting person to voice any anxieties to. She is so knowledgeable and has information at the ready for whatever you need, and you can trust her judgment without question. When I was attempting to naturally get my baby to turn so that I could have a vaginal birth, she provided details on different stretches I could do, data-backed information to help me consider more invasive procedures, and even recommended an acupuncturist, led me in visualizations, and more. In the hazy, crazy early postpartum period, she was someone we could ask anything and everything to. She always responded with empathetic, kind, normalizing advice and information. (Sometimes someon telling you "this is normal" is the most important thing when dealing with a newborn!) When friends or co-workers are newly pregnant, my number one recommendation is going to be to get doula support if you can, and no doubt with Vickie! 

Disha Esparza

8/5/2023

This is an honest and heartfelt review of Vickie who was our support person and Doula during my labor on June 26 and our son's birth on June 27. Once Vickie got the call that I was in labor, she was on top of making sure I felt supported and answered any questions along the way. I Labored at home with my husband for six hours. She was on the phone with us periodically and when I felt like I needed her support, she responded "Ill be there in 20 mins". She didn't question whether or not I was in "active" labor or use that as a time to say that I didn't need anybody there, but instead, she dropped everything and immediately came to my side. At home she created a beautiful ambience, applied counterpressure when i needed it and make the judgement call of when to actuallyh leave for the hospital. She held my hand while on the way there and wven got in some photos of a tough but poignant moment. Once we got to NYU, where I ultimately delivered, she advocated for me, asking questions to doctors and nurses when i couldnt and also affirming my preferences to the medical staff when i told them i did or didn't want something. When I ultimately had to make a difficult decision of electing a C-section, Vickie was there to powwow with my husband and I and talk through our decision together. She waited in the recovery room as I was being operated on and afterward she was one of the first faces I would see besides my husband and my baby! She stayed with me to greet the baby and to teach me a few tips on breast-feeding, but also new one to give a space so we can spend time together as a family. All in all she was a great friend, advocate and her knowledge brought this experience together for us. Will never forget her support and now our baby Gavin has her to thank for being so amazing to his mommy and daddy! Thank u so much Vickie!! We love u ?? 

Anna

12/27/2022

Vickie was a wonderful resource during my pregnancy and postpartum. While she wasn't there for the labor, I cannot speak highly enough of her presence during her weekly parent support group. The group was an invaluable resource for logistical questions and emotional support. As the mediator, Vickie had incredible input. I would have felt very lonely and isolated without her weekly support group, and couldn't imagine my pregnancy and postpartum without her guiding presence. Vickie was in touch with what I was going through at every stage. She comes highly recommended. 

Colin Kearns

11/5/2022

My wife and I can't begin to put into words how grateful and appreciative we are for the support Vickie gave us leading up to, during, and after the pregnancy. The support she provided was simply perfect--soothing, empowering, and compassionate. She was there to answer to late-night texts/questions we sent her in times of stress. She right was by our side during labor--to keep us calm and focused and nurtured. And she was there for us postpartum--to help us adjust to our new life as a family of three and to process all that had happened. 

The birth of our son is the most amazing thing that's ever happened to us, and it's impossible for us to imagine the experience without having Vickie right by our side. She's wonderful. 

Julia Thompson

10/29/2022

We had our beautiful baby this past June and have our birth team to thank for giving us the confidence and invaluable support in making our dream homebirth possible. Vickie has a warm and caring presence that we imediately welcomed and were grateful for throughout our pregnancy, birth and early post partum. The support circle she facilitates created a valued sense of community and the support she offered at our birth created grounding and comforting encouragement to "lean in". I was more empowered than I ever imagined possible, and am truly grateful.

Erin & Heather

10/28/2022

Working with Vickie made a profound difference in our preparation for birth, our experience of the birth, and our support we had after our daughter was born. Vickie so wisely created a doula group of expectant parents that meets weekly in which we discussed what we were going through physically/emotionally in pregnancy, and, after giving birth, she has a new parent group that functions in the same way that the expectant group did. This was profound to have this community of folks on the same path — and the weekly check-ins with Vickie and the group were invaluable to us leading up to and following the birth.

Vickie is always available via text/email/phone to talk through anything that comes up during pregnancy. She's such a knowledgable ally. She recommends books, podcasts, articles, practitioners. She is a connector to the resources you might need in any given moment. She makes you feel supported, bolstered by knowledge, and truly heard. She's also so kind.

Vickie was very supportive of the birth we wanted. I began working with one OB practice until it became clear that they were not the kind of practice we wanted to be with. Vickie supported us in recommending and pivoting to a different practice with a doctor who provided us the kind of care we were looking for. 

I simply cannot imagine the experience of giving birth without Vickie. While the hospital, nurses, doctors, and practice at which and with whom we gave birth were fantastic, Vickie was the constant. She was our home base. She was the one who was there for us throughout the experience. Giving birth is the most profound experience of our lives, and I cannot imagine NOT having the support, care, wisdom, and clear vision that Vickie provided to us. She was there with us every step of the way. I also think it's important to mention that we are an LGBTQ couple, and Vickie was incredibly inclusive and thoughtful of our specific experience in her practice with us.

Victoria Curry

10/21/2022

I couldn't have asked for a better experience with Vickie. From the moment we contacted her about being our doula, she was super informative about every aspect of the process from start to finish. She answered every question in detail and helped us make informed decisions throughout. Most importantly (for me), her support during the labor and delivery of my first child was a God send. Everything happened so fast! Once my water broke, contractions started and they were intense. She came right over and helped me get through them. It made a world of difference having her there. She knew exactly what I needed and she listened to my requests and accommodated them. I can't speak highly enough of Vickie, I would recommend her to anyone without hesitation.

Anaïs Angoulvant & Tyler Newshott

10/11/2022

Vickie is absolutely wonderful, and we are so grateful to have had her by our side during this journey! She was extremely responsive from the very start, providing helpful guidance and targeted resources on any questions we had, and creates such a supportive community through her weekly community calls both pre- and post-partum. She goes above and beyond to ensure you go into labor with confidence and that your birth preferences align with the birth you hope to have. Vickie was instrumental in helping me labor at home for as long as possible as I had hoped for (I arrived at the hospital dilated 9 cm!), checking in throughout the day, and providing amazing coping mechanisms to guide me through it. She also helped my partner feel empowered in the support he provided me. She has a caring and calming presence that had a tremendous impact on our experience, especially during difficult moments. We can’t recommend her enough!

Nora

8/24/2022

We had the most amazing experience with Vickie as our doula. During my pregnancy, Vickie not only supported us via pre-natal visits but she was also always available and attentive for the may questions that came up during my pregnancy including back pain and helping me think through whether I wanted to switch providers. During the birth of my son, Vickie was fabulous. She was very present, helped me manage the contractions, supported us in navigating the hospital and each phase of labor / delivery, and brought a truly incredible energy to the experience. We couldn't have done it without her! After birth, Vickie checked in with us often and came for two great post-partum visits. She helped me troubleshoot my breast pump and did demos of various baby carriers / baby wearing, among other things. Not only is Vickie experienced and knowledgable, she is affirming, supportive, and brings a unique and beautiful energy pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. 

Keena fleming

7/22/2022

Vickie was an incredible presence to have in the birthing room with my partner and myself.  She brought understanding to what was happening around me and validity to how I was feeling physically and emotionally. She brought comfort to my husband so that he could focus on comforting me emotionally while she clarified the medical realities happening quickly around us. The services she provides before the pregnancy also made it so that once we were all in the birthing room together, it didn't feel like some stranger in our space. She felt very much part of my team. I'm so glad we decided on a doula for my first pregnancy and so grateful it ended up being Vickie! 

Leah Sandals

7/16/2022

Vickie provided amazing support to our family - we loved getting to know her and found all our interactions with her enjoyable, calming and reassuring as we navigated pregnancy, labor and the newborn stage for the second time. We wholeheartedly recommend her to any family seeking a doula! 

Rosa

7/15/2022

Vickie was an incredible support for my second birth. She helped my family prepare for the huge adjustment of adding a second child, and helped me process some of the difficulties of my first birth and go in with a clean slate. Viclie makes herself available and is there to answer all questions no matter how small. She is extremely knowledgeable and warm and she exudes her love of babies and the birth process. I highly recommend working with her.

Laura Macomber + Chris Mather

6/29/2022

We are so happy we made the choice to work with Vickie during our pre- and post-partum journey. She is not just a warm, calm, and caring presence during an exciting and anxious time, she's also a font of knowledge and answered all of our questions with great attention and patience. During a difficult labor, which included an emergency surgical procedure, Vickie heped make us and our newborn baby feel safe and cared for. During our post-partum visit, she answered dozens of questions and helped assess our co-sleeping arrangement to ensure we would feel confident getting through the night. We love Vickie! We can't imagine having gone through this experience without her, and highly recommend her services.

Anna

6/13/2022

Vickie's kindness, intuition, and insight were key to our second son's birth as being one of the most positive and powerful life experiences, and I will forever be grateful to her for her thoughtful care and guidance.

Lindsay

6/11/2022

Vickie was warm, knowledgeable, and very caring. I felt like I was in excellent hands. I had so many worries and fears leading up to birth and she helped me talk through it with evidence based comfort. I ended up having an unscheduled and urgent ruptured breech c-section, and Vickie was so helpful to guide me through what was happening. She also offered to give extra postpartum sessions since my c-section required less birth support. Vickie's kindness and experience made me feel very comfortable throughout my pregnancy. I'd highly recommend!

Brooke

6/10/2022

Vickie was part of the doula team for my first pregnancy, and was with me during the birth of my second child.  She is a supremely warm, calm, knowledgeable, and supportive presence, and I really could not have imagined making through this intense labor without her.  She is also intensely pasisonate about her work, and her enthusiasm and respect for the process of giving birth is contageous.  

Deborah & Cari Baron-Dter

6/6/2022

As first time mother's we really enjoyed working with Vicki. Due to covid restrictions we only met on zoom but the information garnered during these lessons was absolutely brilliants and spot on. We found her to be extremly knowledgable and experienced with a thoughtful and calm demeanor giving us the clear and useful truth without judgement or fear. We hightly remcommend her, it was so important for us to feel safe and be armed with all the correct information. Vickie was brilliant!

Brittney Fomin

6/6/2022

Where do I begin! Vickie was the best choice for our family, after interviewing nearly 20 doulas in NYC I knew within the first few minutes that I had finally found a good fit. Vickie and Francesca are truly more than doulas, they are building a community to support birthing people and their families. The additional benefits (weekly community meetings for prenatal and postpartum, prenatal yoga, and birthing prep classes) were all so invaluable to me and my familly. Additionally, we purchased the postpartum package which was also very useful and gave us peace of mind. 

Vickie was my birthing doula and my word, what would I have done without her?! I was ultimately not very happy with my midwife experience and during delivery it felt like Vickie was holding the most positive space for me and my partner. She was the most generous (ready and willing to do anything! Blowing up a peanut ball, massaging my legs, grabbing dinner for everyone) she was just phenomenal. My birth was not as straightforward as anyone would have liked, but during a long induction and a failed epidural Vickie was by my side completely. I have flashbacks of her kindness and care and to this day, I am just so grateful she was part of the team that helped deliver our baby safely. I'd also add no matter what your birth plan is, Vickie will be a non-judgemental and supportive part of it (I had assumed if I was planning on an epidural I wouldn't need a doula- so so mistaken!!). 

Anyone would be lucky to have Vickie at their birth, I'm already looking forward to conceiving again and will definitely be a repeat customer. 

Hilary A.

6/6/2022

Vickie was a superb doula and someone I recommend without reservation. She's organized, gentle, a great listener, thoughtful about explaining tricky concepts to new ears, and was the calming force in the room for the entirety of my labor and delivery. I felt prepared for the birth experience after our pre-natal visits, felt her calm assurance during my 24 hours of labor, and benefitted greatly from her follow-up in the weeks post-partum. Vickie understands that giving birth is a complex physical and emotional journey and helped me greatly each step of the way. She's also fun and funny, which helps! We will definitely work with her again if/when we are pregnant again!

Catherine McCarthy

3/14/2022

I worked with Vickie in prenatal consultations, the prenatal support group, a postpartum visit, and most importantly - in labor! Vickie was a knowledeable, calming, and grounding presence throughout my pregnancy, answering questions promptly and providing great guidance. During labor, she was really helpful in offering comforting techniques to ease the pain of contractiosn. When my labor stalled, she suggested a series of movements and positions to facilitate labor, and they totally worked. I recommend Vickie highly! 

Karolina

3/7/2022

Engaging with Vickie to support my family and me throughout my pregnancy was the best decision I could have made. I firmly believe I would not have had as special and confident a pregnancy or labor experience as I did if I had not worked with Vickie. 

During my pregnancy Vickie empathetically supported my family by consistently providing a space for us to vocalize our concerns and hopes. She asked open ended questions to elicit thoughtful responses, provided resources proactively depending on how far along I was as well as reactively when I voiced confusion, and always presented us with the full array of options without pushing any one as "the right choice". This skill she has, of sharing options without pushing you towards one or the other, is honestly what I appreciated the most about her. It gave me confidence in the fact that I was making MY OWN decision once I was well-informed.

During my labor Vickie was essential - I don't know if I could have done it without her. What I appreciated most about having her at the hospital with my partner and I, was her constant advocacy for me. I realized it's easy for the LnD staff to forget that the birthing parent is a person also, in addition to the baby, who needs to be centered throughout - Vickie kept this top of mind. That day is a blur, but I distinctly remember her asking me "do you have any questions" each time a hospital staffer would engage me in a conversation about my care. I wasn't in the right head space to remember I probably did have questions - she reminded me of it and for that I am grateful.

Post partum I am continuing to rely on Vickie's incredible support for all sorts of questions, from "how do I use this baby carrier?" "Is this baby behavior normal?" to "I need help figuring out how to ask my partner for help". She checks in on us regularly to make sure we have everything we need.

I couldn't recommend Vickie more - she's incredible!

Aixa Mastrangelo

2/15/2022

Vickie has been an incredible presence in my family's life. She is one of the most nurturing, loving and supportive women I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. From our consultation to the post-partum visits, everytime I saw her, she radiated such positivity and love which made me feel deeply cared for. All of our visits prior to the birth were friendly, casual, yet thorough. She educated us and listened to all our concerns throughout the pregnancy. I don't think I would have survived my fifty-eight-hour labor without her. My husband was supportive, but she provided a wise and empowering support that was unique to the doula/birther dynamic. She was able to keep me calm (for the most part), grounded, and trusting in my body. Hiring Vickie was one of the best choices I made in my life because I do believe my birth could have gone in a very different direction without her guidance and support. If my birth turned out differently, I might not have had this beautiful relationship to motherhood, my body and my baby today. 

Eran Jones

1/21/2022

Our daughter entered this world extremely early and extremely quickly. So much so that none of our planned support people were present for her birth. Vickie didn't miss a beat and immediately pivoted her support for us into postpartum care and we were so very lucky. She was steady and patient, gently checking in on us while we were navigating the NiCu. Once we were home her visits made a huge impact - especially on our breastfeeding journey. She helped me learn how to nurse sidelying which was the position that was the most succesfull for us and helped to bridge the gap between bottle feeding and exclusively feeding at the breast. She also prepared a meal for us which was delicious and left our kitchen spotless. The parent support group that she facilitates made a big impact even though I was only able to attend a few times. I chose to work with Vickie and her partner because they were so warm and happy when I met them and they definitely brought that energy into our home, we were so grateful.

Haylee Jacobs

1/20/2022

It was such a pleasure and incredible experience working with Vickie and having her as our doula. As a first-time mom/pregnancy, I had a lot of fear around the birth process and wanted to make sure that I was prepared, properly educated, and had a supportive team - and I got just that! I had an incredible birth experience and fully attribute it to the work we did beforehand with Vickie (Vickie was part of a doula team and was not the doula at the birth). No birth goes exactly as planned, but thanks to the private Childbirth Education classes with took with Vickie my husband and I were educated, knowledgeable, and felt comfortable and ready to make decisions as it related to our son's birth. There are so many aspects of the birth process and options for birthing - we would not have understood or known about without Vickie. I often speak with other moms who felt nervous and overwhelmed going into their first birth, but I felt confident and ready thanks to Vickie. In my postpartum, visit Vickie continued to be incredibly helpful and identify that I was using the wrong flange size. I highly recommend Vickie to all of my family and friends! 

Jen

1/5/2022

Vickie was amazing, in all aspects of her support. As a first time pregnant person, I had no idea what to expect and I found the two pre and post visits just as helpful as the birth support. Having someone as knowlegable as Vickie who is available for you 24/7 in the days leading up and after the birth was life changing. There's so much terrible info on the internet and it's so helpful to have someone you can trust answer your questions imediately. She never tells you what to do, but lays out the options so you can make informed decisions that are right for you. I felt so safe with her. It was truly a pleasure and I highly recommend her! 

Rebekah Bassen

12/7/2021

We are so grateful that we decided to hire Vicki to support our son's birth. From prenatal to postpartum, Vicki helped guide us with  incredible amounts of experience and compassion. During our first prenatal meeting, she presented us with questions about our birth preferences that we had not even thought to address. On topics which we were unsure of, she shared links to evidence based articles so we could make our own decisions in our own time.

Vickie is in tune with the New York City birth community and because of this, she was able to give us the heads up about a sudden issue with our planned birthing location. Three days past my due date, she met with us to discuss our options and helped make an overwhelming situation manageable. We were able to pivot at the last minute and still have a birth experience as close to our plans as possible. I am certain our birth story would not have been as positive as it was without the guidance of Vicki and her doula partner Francesca through these last minute changes.

Vickie's support postpartum has been so nurturing. During our home visit, she taught us how to use the wraps we had been given for baby wearing and took the temperature of our general well-being as we adjusted to becoming a family of three.  With her facilitation of a weekly new parent meet-up she has created a circle of support and community by bringing together her clients to share their struggles, victories and the mundane day to day that feels uniquely understood by birthing parents with babies in the same age range. It is obvious that Vickie feels a calling to do this work, something that feels so important in hiring support for such an intimate event. Without question, we would recommend her to someone looking for a doula.

Margaret

11/18/2021

When we first met Vickie and her partner, Francesca, we were immediately put at ease by their warmth and positive energy. As first time parents, we weren't exactly sure what we were looking for in a doula, but could tell right away that Vickie and Francesca were an amazing team and we loved the additional resources they offered--like prenatal yoga and an expecting mothers/partners support group. Vickie ended up being on-call when I was in labor and helped guide me through decisions by phone in the early hours, then in person as labor progressed and eventually resulted in a c-section. From physically supporting me through contractions when my epidural failed to helping me feed my daughter in the recovery room as I emerged from the medicated haze, her presence was such a great comfort! Of course, her support didn't end there. The postpartum follow up visit the morning after we came home from the hospital could not have been more perfectly timed to help us process the last few days and ask all the new parent questions we could think of! Working with Vickie was the best decision and we cannot thank her enough for being there for us during such an important life transition!

Anat

11/17/2021

Vickie Fernandez Wint and Francesca Marini are an amazing doula team and I cannot say enough good things about them. I am a single mother by choice via IVF, and they were very enthusiastic and supportive before, during, and after the birth. Vickie and Francesca are well spoken, incredibly kind, professional, and extremely knowledgeable. They exceeded my expectations, proving to be the exact support I needed during my pregnancy, and especially during the labor and delivery of my miraculous baby girl.  During our prenatal meetings, zoom support group sessions with other expecting mothers, and postpartum visits, I always felt comfortable and valued by Vickie and Francesca. They were always available to answer any and all questions, and put me at such ease that I felt comfortable to talk about anything and everything during my pregnancy, and beyond.

Vickie specifically was the doula on call when I went into labor, and she was phenomenal. She was readily available to help me in any way possible. She was intuitive to my needs and helped keep the atmosphere calm, nurturing and supportive throughout. She later told me it was an honor and privilege to work with me, but the feeling was mutual – one of the best decisions I made during this process was hiring Vickie and Francesca to be my doulas. I cannot recommend them enough.

Caroline G. C. Greenberg

11/1/2021

We are so grateful to Vickie during the pregnancy and after our son was born. At first time parents we were nervous and overwhelmed and every time we met with Vickie our worries were melted away as she guided us calmly through all our questions and fears of the pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. 

After a traumatic c section Vickie literally hands on helped me collect colostrum milk and calmed me through the scariest moment of my life. We were in the safest hands with her. She protected us at the hospital and advocated for us! 100 out of 10 cannot recommend enough! 
Also love the postpartum weekly client meet ups - such a great way to meet new moms!

Jessica S

9/17/2021

Vickie's presence was everything I needed during my daughter's birth. I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for in a doula, but Vickie was calming, compassionate and knowledgeable. She helped my spouse and I navigate hospital bureaucracy, lingo and shift changes during a very long labor in an extremely busy hospital. Just knowing that she was there to support us lowered my stress level 110%. She normalized my experience and made me feel seen and heard. The follow-up after my daughter was born has been equally valuable and so appreciated. Our "formal" postpartum visit was exactly what I needed in the dizzying first few days at home and two months later, Vickie still checks in with us just to see how we're doing. I love Vickie and couldn't recommend her more!

Inga O

9/2/2021

Vickie is an incredible doula who supported my husband and I from early in our second trimester on. I unfortuantely had to switch OBGYN's halfway through my pregrnancy and she was an incredible resource in setting me up with a new practice which turned out to be amazing! I had a knee injury during my pregnancy and she was able to direct me to multiple phsyical therapists who specialize in pregnant patients to resolve my issue. In addition she was an incredible resrouce for childbirth education classes that teach you about the process of birth (not how to be a good patient, like hospital classes). Her one-on-one prenatal support meetings were fantastic in addressing all your concerns throughout pregnancy, physical, emtional, etc. including a very informative session on pain managment and coping techniques which you can practice with your partner in anticipation of your birth. And best of all the post-partum sessions are wonderful for support and advice on how to manage all the post partum woes both physical and mental. I feel like most people/OBGYN's just leave you to your own devices after you give birth, this doula truly cares and her services carry over from prenatal to post-partum with the same level of care and attention. Best of all she was always an email or a text away for any concern and her response time was very quick. I couldn't recommend her more.

Caitlin York

9/1/2021

It would be hard to overstate the positive impact that Vickie had on my pregnancy, my birth experience, and my postpartum health. Hiring Vickie and her doula partner Francesca was the best money my husband and I spent on anything baby related. From the first consultation where I sobbed to Vickie that I wasn't happy with my prenatal care she comforted me, educated me, and empowered me. I ended up switching practices to a midwifery practice recommended by Vickie and Francesca.  That was the first big decision that they guided me through and Vickie approached that and all the other big moments with endless patience. She was there to give me support when I needed a push and give me space when I wasn't ready to address something yet. 

Vickie was at my birth and from the moment my water broke I felt so secure knowing I had her support. While my birth was hard, it was not traumatic and I credit Vickie for that. I got to have the birth I wanted, on my terms, with care providers I trusted and with a doula who had my back (literally and figuratively, she dropped her overnight bag and started doing hip squeezes the second she walked into triage) all because Vickie and Francesca empowered me to make and follow a birth plan I was comfortable with. 

My husband was also so grateful to have Vickie's guidance on how to support me during our daughter's birth. 

We feel so much love for Vickie, who was there at our daughter's birth and who has supported us since then with postpartum visits, texts, friendship and a post natal support group. Hiring Vickie as your doula will be the best decision you make for your family during your pregnancy. 

Gabrielle Brainard

8/13/2021

Vickie and her partner Francesca were our doulas for childbirth education, birth, and postpartum. Vickie's calm, strong, and empathetic presence came through even in our virtual interactions before our daughter's birth. At our birth, she jumped in with hands-on comfort measures through an intense and relatively fast-moving labor while the nurses and doctors were in an out of the room and/or focused on the monitors. I'm sure I couldn't have had an unmedicated birth without her! We're grateful for her support and for the opportunity to get to know her throughout the wild process of becoming parents.

Jess

7/26/2021

My partner and I were so excited to work with Vickie during the pregnancy and birth of our second child. Vickie was awesome at helping us learn to be advocates for ourselves, navigating a sometimes tricky New York City medical system. Her insight into policies as well as skilled ability to reframe situations really made us feel secure and strong. Vickie is incredibly warm and non-judgemental. I really appreciated her quick responses and availability to talk through situations. We learned a lot from her even though this was our second pregnancy and birth. We highly recommend Vickie as a doula!

Elaisha

7/15/2021

If you are looking for a brilliant, supportive, positive and thoughtful doula, you can't go wrong with Vicki. Her upbeat attitude helped me conquer the lowest points of my pregnancy. I completed a four-session course with her about pregnancy, delivery and the post partum period. Even though it was over zoom, it felt like she was right there with me. And it was a lot of fun too! My baby ended up in the NICU, and even though she was exhausted from another birth, she picked up the phone and called me. She reassured me and offered helpful advice while I was at a very emotionally vulnerable place. Vicki believes in community and the power of mothers. She isn't prescriptive in her approach, and instead encourages intuition and self-confidence in the birthing process. Which is important because birth is so unpredictable! I loved working with Vicki and feel lucky to have had her by my side during this massive life change. Highly recommend! 

Anne Weaver

7/4/2021

I can't reccomend Vickie enough! I am a third time mom, but decided to use a doula for this last pregnancy and birth. I'm so glad I did!! She was always there for me and reassuring me as navigating covid and a pandemic was so difficult even as a seasoned parent.

she was patient, kind, and super informative. She took some of the mental load off of me as a parent of small kids and being pregnant. 

I loved her focus on self care, advocating for my needs (which I can put on the back burner), and just sharing her in depth knowledge with me. I especially loved her follow up emails and checklists which were so helpful when I can't remember half the things we discussed with so much going on!

during the birth she was amazing in advocating fir me and just breaking down what was happening. I had never had that experience in the past and frequently was confused or unaware with my other 2 kids.

also, her knowledge on breast feeding was super helpful and reassuring and I loved knowing I could come to her with my feeding pumping and milk supply endless questions.

my only regret is I hired her fir my third child and not my first. She's the    best!!

Jane & Anish

7/2/2021

We couldn't have gone through our birth journey without Vickie! She's so knowledgeable and guided us through every step to help us feel empowered to make decisions that were right for us. There were so many things that we didn't know going into it and she went above and beyond to answer any questions and put us at ease. She has such a comforting and encouraging presence that made my labor and birth feel so much more manageable. She made me feel like a super star! We highly recommend Vickie!

Anna

6/1/2021

We started working with Vicki and her partner much later in our pregnancy, and it was fate! She helped us feel confident in our birth knowledge going into labor and reaffirmed/reviewed prepartion with us right when we needed the confidence boost. Her partner was on-call during our birth, but I really appreciated her postnatal visit so much. She came and provided me comfort and support afterwards, listened and validated my feelings and was hands-on to help with breastfeeding and newborn care questions. She's a mom herself, so I really appreciated her perspective. Wish we had reached out earlier in our pregnancy! 

Anne-Sophie

5/29/2021

Vickie is a phenomenal doula and I am forever grateful to have had her by my side for the birth of my first son in April. Vickie & Francesca are a great duo of doulas with calm and nurturing personalities and carry a lot of knowledge to help mamas and mama-to-be navigate pregnancy and post partum life. Both were able to provide useful tips and resources in preparation for the birth without imposing any preference or judgement, no matter the situation.

I had originally planned for a natural delivery and Vickie helped me labor at home for hours before heading to the hospital. By that time, my labor had progressed quite a bit and when I made the decision to get an epidural after all, Vickie was just as supportive of my decision. She was also a great support person to have by my side to guide my husband through counter pressure techniques to help me with labor pain and provide some much deserved breaks for him as well (labor was long!).

I could go on and on as to why Vickie is awesome but in short, if you're looking for a Doula, don't think twice about it! 

Maria and Conor

5/22/2021

My husband and I loved our experience with Vickie (and her doula partner Francesca Marini). They have a holistic approach that goes above and beyond what I have heard other doulas provide. They were generous with their time and with their access during my pregnancy, in the immediate lead-up to birth, and after our son was born.

We highly recommend their childbirth preparation classes, as we learned a ton and drew on those throughout pregnancy and when baby arrived.

Throughout, they offered wise counsel and resources without pushing a decision or point of view on us--this was especially helpful when we were making decisions for our birth preferences as well as when our son was breech and we had to discuss natural methods of turning him, the ECV, and ultimately a planned C-section. When we had to change course and do a C-section, Vickie and Francesca were flexible in terms of how their support for us would change. 

The post-partum support we recieved has been one of the cornerstones of my recovery and setting our family up for success, from feeding and nursing advice, being a sounding board for sleep issues, and being a listening ear and calm presence regarding maternal mental and physical well-being.

Hiring a doula is of course a paid service, but I hope other parents-to-be get to experience the warmth and guidance of these two talented women which totally transcended any commercial exchange.

Brittany E.

4/9/2021

Vickie was highly recommended by a friend of mine, so I hired her as my doula without thinking twice. I had always planned for an unmedicated labor and delivery, so having a doula by my side seemed ideal to coach me through it. Given this was our first pregnancy, my husband and I had a ton of questions and Vickie was so helpful throughout every step of the way.

My daughter, Silvie, was breech throughout the entire pregnancy and Vickie was so supportive through it all. She reviewed exercises I could do to try and flip her and gave me other recommendations and advice. I eventually attempted an ECV to try and flip her and Vickie was very supportive in helping me make that decision. Unfortunately, the ECV was unsuccessful and Silvie would'nt budge, so I had to have a planned C-section at 39 weeks. Vickie helped me come up with a solid plan for the day of my C-section and went over all the evidence-based practices with me, which I found so helpful. Vickie came to visit us in the hospital a few hours after the C-section and assisted with Silvie's first latch. She brought us beautiful flowers, which was so sweet!

Because I never actually labored, Vickie converted all my labor hours to post-partum visits which were wonderful. She visited me every few weeks post-partum to help with breast-feeding, pumping, newborn care, bottles, preparing for my return to work, and pretty much any other questions I had. At our last post-partum visit, I had all the newborn care and breastfeeding/pumping down pat, so Vickie and I just chatted for the visit which was very nice. 

Overall, my husband and I had a great experience with her. I would highly recommend! Vickie is very knowledgeable and super sweet!

Laura S.

4/3/2021

I am so glad that I worked with Vickie during my first pregnancy and birth experience. I met Vickie and her doula partner Francesca when I was 17 weeks pregnant. From weeks 17-40 I attended weekly calls with Vickie's and Francesca's other clients. The calls gave us all a chance to check in with our doulas, get support and advice from them and each other, and participate in guided imagery exercises aimed at getting us ready to give birth calmly and confidently. I cannot express how valuable it was to have this time each week with them and the other women. By the time I was 40 weeks along, I felt so comfortable with Vickie and like I really knew her (despite the fact that all of these weekly calls happened during the Covid pandemic and took place over Zoom!). Vickie did such a wonderful job creating a supportive and non-judgemental space for us. She and Francesca share an on-call list and I knew that either of them could be the person to attend my birth. Although Vickie was not the person on-call to be with me on the day that I went into labor I am sure that if she had been, my birthing experience would have been just as wonderful. I still speak to her regularly and look forward to keeping in touch with her as my husband and I continue to grow our family.  

Samantha B.

3/29/2021

Partnering with Vickie and her partner Francesca Marini was one of the best decisions our family could have made. From the moment we first met them (for the "interview"), there was no doubt that we wanted them to be part of our parenting adventure. Vickie is fun(ny), caring, knowledgeable, and relatable. She loves listening to her clients' stories and experiences and sharing her own – it's so easy to be comfortable and laugh around her (kind of like that friend you love to meet for coffee/drinks!). One of the best parts of our partnership was attending the weekly meetings Vickie & Francesca hold for their pregnant clients. They created a welcoming and trust-filled environment where we could connect and be vulnerable. These meetings were invaluable, especially during this time of isolation, and a fun way to get to know Vickie and for her to get to know more about us and our story. This was so important to me that my baby is 4 months old, and I still join Vickie's new parents’ weekly group meetings (and plan to keep doing so for the foreseeable future!).
 
 
 

Corey

1/27/2021

Working with Vickie was a wonderful experience. She provided my wife and I with information and encouragement at every stage of the pregnancy. We worked with her and her partner Francesca for our first pregnancy and birth and were so pleased with their care. Vickie's nonjudgemental, experienced approach was a relief to have, even into late nights and early mornings. We cannot recommend her and her partner Francesca highly enough. 

Mary Singer

1/19/2021

I am so grateful that we had a couple of online sessions with Vickie before we had our baby. She eased our anxiety about labor and delivery and helped us know exactly what to expect at the hospital. She walked us through some comfort measures and helped us to formulate a game plan. My husband and I felt confident and well-prepared going into the hospital and my delivery couldn’t have gone better. Thank you again, Vickie!

Natasha Brown

1/14/2021

Vicki was amazing! I am grateful for how patient and affirming she was with me and my hubby. I loved that Vicki included my hubby as a shared support in the process. Vicki was at my side and hands on applying counter pressure and reassurance throughout my whole delivery. Vickis professionalism and care for us showed throughout and she always checked in to see how we were doing which was helpful because I often forgot to give updates and preferred to stay to myself. Delivering our twin girls as a high risk pregnancy without an epidural, in 6 hours was made easier with Vicki at our side. 

Aviva & Efraim

1/12/2021

Vickie got us through a 32 hour labor, as thoroughly involved and helpful at hour 32 as she was at the first, if not more so. She was emotionally and physically supportive, came prepared for every eventuality and detail, and was caring beyond our wildest expetations. We cannot imagine having done it without her, or doing it without her in the future.

Joyce Kim

1/9/2021

My labor and delivery experience was everything I had hoped for and it was due to my incredible doula, Vickie.

From the start of my pregnancy, I was determined to have a VBAC and when searching for a doula, I immediately connected with Vickie. The most important thing she said was that she was there to normalize the experience. So many times we don't know what's happening when at the hospital or what situations can occur.  She was there to discuss my options and help me navigate my experience. 

Vickie had been my coach giving me encouragement and being there for every, single, contraction during my 35+ hours long labor.  When I thought I could not do it anymore, her support and care allowed me to get through the rough patches during labor.

I got my VBAC. I am so happy to have been able to experience this and could not imagine having anyone else by my side except Vickie.  I am forever grateful and so so glad I chose Vickie.

Michelle & Derrick

1/7/2021

We had a great experience with Vickie and her partner, Francesca! We knew we wanted to work with a doula since it was our first pregnancy and wanted guidance and support during this experience that was new to both of us. Especially, being pregnant during the pandemic, there were added worries and anxieties, and Vickie was great in helping us remain calm, and prepare us as best as she could given the circumstances. We received support virtually for the prenatal followups and she was always available via text, email, phone for any questions we had. She was happy to answer any questions, no matter how big or small. Vickie also helped us prepare for doctor visits so that we were able to get a sense of how our obs viewpoints lined up with our own. She also made sure that we knew we had full control of our decisions. On the day of our birth, we worked with Francesca-- who is just as wonderful! Vickie continues to be a big part of our pregnancy/postpartum journey as she has been an integral part of helping us navigate the post partum stage. Vickie is compassionate and has a calming demeanor which is very helpful during this exciting, yet stressful time. She clearly has a strong passion for her work as a doula and makes you feel supported through every step. We are lucky to have worked with Vickie and Francesca and are grateful to have them a part of our birth story! 

Matt G.

12/18/2020

We were preparing to have our second child through a home birth.  For our first child, we had attended a birth class series - but much of that had been forgotten by me.

Vickie was tremendous in teaching us supportive holds and massages during active labor.  We worked on different techniques as Vickie gave tips, asked for feedback from my wife and found alternative holds to provide greater support.  All of this was done effectively over Zoom, as we were in the midst of the Covid pandemic.  The two mid-wives that worked with us shared that during the labor it was evident that my wife and I worked well as a team - I credit much of that to Vickie's thoughtful and supportive teaching.

Joe & Candace

11/27/2020

We had a great experience with Vickie and her business partner Francesca as our doulas. Vickie accompanied us during labor and was such a great support to have. She has a calming and warm presence that helped us to feel at ease. Vickie answered all of our questions and explained in a clear way what was happening during the labor process. She is very knowledgable and helped us to make decisions along the way. We're so happy that Vickie was a part of our birth experience - she made such a difference in making the birth experience sweet and not scary. We are truly grateful. Vickie gets our highest recommendation. 

Alena

11/18/2020

I had a wonderful experience with Vickie. My partner and I hired Vickie (and her doula partner Francesca) in March 2020. We immediately felt a connection to Vickie upon meeting her and it was a very easy decision to work with her. Due to COVID, in-person meetings soon became impossible, and Vickie seamlessly transitioned all services online. I felt so supported throught the next months despite the physical distance. Vickie introduced me to visualization exercises that I found immensely helpful in reducing stress. She was always available to answer any questions I had during the pregnancy - big and small. The pandemic created a lot of anxiety for me about delivering in the hospital, but discussing this with Vickie helped me come up with coping strategies and feel a sense of control. Because of COVID, I was unsure if I would be able to have a doula present in the hospital for delivery. Though this made me sad, Vickie had prepared my partner and I so well, that we knew we would be alright either way (and she would be available for virtual support). As my due date approched, we learned that the hospital would allow a doula. (Vickie’s partner Francesca was on call that day and we had a very positive birthing experience!) Vickie has been extremely helpful to us postpartum as well. Unfortunately I had a health complication a few days after giving birth and I had to go back to the hospital for about 24 hours. Vickie and Francesca were extremely supportive to my partner and I during this stressful time and I was so grateful to have them just a text or call away. Vickie has also run a supportive postpartum group that I’ve been a part of for a few months now and which I look forward to each week. Vickie is friendly, non-judgemental and knowledgeable and her love for doula work is abundantly clear. I highly recommend her! Thank you Vickie!

Shira Lee

11/18/2020

I recently had a breastfeeding consultation with Vickie and not only is she so accessible and warm, she is extremely knowledgeable in this area too. There are so many unknowns when it comes to caring for a baby for the first time and Vickie has always been able to put things in perspective and ease my anxieties. I appreciate that she is extremely non-judgemental and never pushy and always emphasizes the importance of doing what's right for you and your baby (vs what other people might tell you is the "right" or "wrong" way to do things!).   

Michelle

11/16/2020

I could not have asked for a better experience. Vickie’s support was exactly what my husband and I needed. Up to the birth our visits were reassuring and educational. I always left feeling more confident that I could get through the birth. My baby was one week late and I ended up having an induction as my doctor would only let me go past a certain date. Vickie helped me through my decision and gave me the right support to see that it was my choice every step of the way and that I shouldn’t feel any pressure. Even over the phone, she could sense I was in need of guidance. During the birth Vickie was available the entire time and helped to guide me through visuals to help me stay calm. We ended up doing virtual support and could call or text at any moment and she was immediately available. She knew exactly what to suggest to my husband to do and could read the room well, even with support over video. After making it through the forth trimester I now understand how helpful it is to have a doula’s support postpartum. Vickie checked in on us and guided us through what are the most challenging days in the beginning when you can’t make a decision because you are too exhausted. I think what I enjoyed the most from my experience was that she always asked me what was most important to me and that helped shape the outcome or answer to whatever problem we needed to overcome. I also ended up joining Vickie’s New Parent support group not only to meet new moms but also to stay in contact with Vickie because she is such a lovely person to be around. I highly recommend working with her!!! 

Kelly Piccione

11/11/2020

I can't recommend Vickie enough! Vickie played such an important role throughout my preganancy and provided so much positive energy and light. I really enjoyed the thoughful conversations she led us through around what to expect after the arrival of our baby, and helped up think about visitors/boundaries/support. I especially appreciated how comfortable she made my husband feel with asking question...as pregnancy and hiring a Doula were all very new to him. I would go as far to say that Vickie's support and openness helped encourage him to be more invested in the journey, and helped him better understand how important his role was as a support partner. Vickie was always a phone call or text away throughout our entire pregnancy whether it was us trying to find a new provider, work through unplanned complications or answer a number or questions that came up,  she was always happy to help and that continued even after we welcomed our son. What I also appreciated was the community she helped build by connecting new moms. I loved the preganancy support group which always helped ground me, and now  I truly look forward to joining the new moms support call that Vickie hosts on a weekly basis. She has helped provide a safe space where new moms can connect with one another to share struggles and celebrate milestones during a really difficult time.  I couldn't imagine getting through my preganancy without the support of Vickie. She's a wonderful advocate and I can't thank her enough for all the support. 

Jennifer & Zach

10/6/2020

Vickie and Francesca were our doulas for the delivery of our first child in August 2020. It was unclear whether they would be able to physically attend our birth due to covid-19. At first, I was hesitant at the idea of virtual doulas, as I had always wanted in-person support. But I really appreciated Vickie and Francesca's open and honest communication around uncertainty. It was their thoughtful response to my questions and feelings, especially that they helped to work through specific worries around uncertainty, instead of minimizing it, that made my husband and myself want to work with them. This was one of the best, if not best decisions we made during my pregnancy. We are so grateful these two women were our guides. They checked in on us, offered us information we didn't realize we needed, and acted as warm and supportive outlets, for what can often be an exciting but also scary time for new parents. My birth unfortunately did not go as I had envisioned, and while Vickie was an amazing support, helping us to make decisions that honored our values, I came out of birth with a feeling of defeat. Vickie sensed this and helped me to process my birth through a new frame, which allowed me to feel proud and take ownership of what I had achieved. I will be forever grateful for both Vickie and Francesca and I could not recommend them both more. We feel so lucky to have moved through this special stage in our lives with their invaluable guidance and grace. 

Alyssa & Alex

9/29/2020

Vickie is just phenomenal. From talking me through early stages of labor over the phone at five in the morning, to listening and offering affirmation and advice when I was convinced I would never be able to breastfeed, she was a constant gentle, honest voice reminding us that we were doing great while doling out practical advice about preparing for birth, postpartum concerns, and our daughter's feeding and sleeping challenges. She checked in with us regularly during that chaotic newborn time and made herself available by text and video call whenever we needed her. We were so lucky to have Vickie's calm, warm presence as we navigated the chaos of birth and the early newborn days, and I cannot recommend her more! 

Claire H.

9/13/2020

Vickie is an absolute super star. Through all the uncertainties and anxieties of COVID, she was our guiding light offering reassurance and support to make sure we could have as close to our ideal birth experience as possible. We had a long, difficult labor which she was there for every minute of, and we truly don't know how we would have done it without her! She is so central to our son’s birth story that she'll always be known as his honorary "Aunt Vickie."

Chantel & Greg

9/6/2020

Vickie and her partner Francesca are amazing! We had the pleasure of working with them both for our first child. In looking for a doula to work with it was very important to both my husband and myself that they create a safe space for us and help guide us in an unbiased manner. It was also very important that they brought my husband along in this journey. When he first heard that I was interested in a doula, he was worried that he would be left on the sidelines. Vickie and Francesca treated him like a partner and always asked what he needed. This resulted in a wonderful prepartum, birth, and postpartum experience for us as a couple and we are even closer because of it!

What we especially loved about working with Vickie is how she made us feel heard. As first-time parents, we had so many questions along the way both pre and post-baby. During our prepartum and postpartum visits, she answered all of our questions in an expert, unbiased, evidence-based manner which is exactly what we wanted - and needed! 

Our child was born during July 2020 and during our prepartum phase, New York City was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a very scary time as a first-time parent who had been looking forward to in-person doula care at her birth and who also is a huge planner that doesn’t do so well with uncertainty. Vickie and Francesca answered all of our concerns and helped us put a plan in place that we felt comfortable with. They also created a support group with all of the expecting moms which was a safe haven in a troubling time. 

All in all, Vickie has my highest recommendation and I would work with her again in a heartbeat should we ever decide to have more children. She has the warmest soul and helped us feel confident as new expecting and now as new parents. Thank you so much, Vickie! We were truly lucky to have you in our corner.

Chantel & Greg

9/6/2020

Vickie and her partner Francesca are amazing! We had the pleasure of working with them both for our first child. In looking for a doula to work with it was very important to both my husband and myself that they create a safe space for us and help guide us in an unbiased manner. It was also very important that they brought my husband along in this journey. When he first heard that I was interested in a doula, he was worried that he would be left on the sidelines. Vickie and Francesca treated him like a partner and always asked what he needed. This resulted in a wonderful prepartum, birth, and postpartum experience for us as a couple and we are even closer because of it!

What we especially loved about working with Vickie is how she made us feel heard. As first-time parents, we had so many questions along the way both pre and post-baby. During our prepartum and postpartum visits, she answered all of our questions in an expert, unbiased, evidence-based manner which is exactly what we wanted - and needed! 

Our child was born during July 2020 and during our prepartum phase, New York City was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a very scary time as a first-time parent who had been looking forward to in-person doula care at her birth and who also is a huge planner that doesn’t do so well with uncertainty. Vickie and Francesca answered all of our concerns and helped us put a plan in place that we felt comfortable with. They also created a support group with all of the expecting moms which was a safe haven in a troubling time. 

All in all, Vickie has my highest recommendation and I would work with her again in a heartbeat should we ever decide to have more children. She has the warmest soul and helped us feel confident as new expecting and now as new parents. Thank you so much, Vickie! We were truly lucky to have you in our corner.

Sarah + Perry Jenkins

8/30/2020

We cannot say enough good things about Vickie - she is INCREDIBLE! We were so uneducated, scared, and overwhelmed going into the childbirth process (especially given COVID-19) and she did everything possible to put us at ease. We count ourselves extremely lucky for having her guidance and would absolutely recommend her to anyone looking for a doula.

In addition to having the patience of a saint, Vickie's warmth, humor, and compassion shine through the moment you meet her. She is one of those very special people who want the best for others, and you can tell that she is incredibly passionate about her work. Although we weren't able to have her in the delivery room with us, she provided so much relevant info (let's be honest, when you're pregnant all of your fam and friends seem to have an opinion) and made our journey much less overwhelming. 

She is a phenomenal listener, remembers small but important details, and offers a helpful point of view that again, makes everything so much less overwhelming. She heard us out on every question (no matter how ridiculous), was always there when we cried (okay mostly me), and helped us stay focused on what truly mattered - our little peanut, Weston.

Our family will be forever grateful to Vickie - we love her and are so excited to cheer her on in her work helping other families. 

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Vickie! xo

Cate & Bryan

8/27/2020

My husband and I were lucky enough to be referred to Vickie through a close friend. While I am familiar with the hospital setting as a nurse, we sought doula services because it was important to me to have a third party person act as an advocate for our family during our birth experience. Pre COVID, the doulas came to our home for a consultation and we knew their support would be an integral part of our journey. When the pandemic hit our prenatal visits shifted to virtual- I applaud Vickie for her flexibility and ability to provide unwavering support during such an unsure time.

Fortunately I gave birth during July 2020 and Vickie was able to be physically present with us during the delivery. While I was previously terrified of giving birth, because of Vickie- it was the most enjoyable, rewarding and spiritual experience of my life. One of the most incredible techniques Vickie incorporated was guided mediation. Labor is a long process, especially for first time mothers, often with lots of downtime. Instead of spending that downtime on my phone, I was able to deeply relax through meditation I would have not attempted on my own. We had an amazing team of doctors and nurses, however the time they actually spent in the room with us was brief, and once my husband and I had thought of a question to ask- they were gone. Vickie is extremely knowledgeable with the birth process, terminology, and hospital environment and was able to fully answer questions we had which prevented my husband and I from going down the dark hole of googling. My confidence in Vickie enabled me to relax, trust my body and trust the process.

I will forever be grateful to Vickie for providing me with such a positive birth experience. Her postpartum check-ins were a beautiful follow-up to the hospital support we received. I cannot recommend her services enough and will definitely seek her again for future births!

Sarah

8/18/2020

Francesca and Vickie served as our doula partners during my first pregnancy. Our son was born in April, 2020 in New York City. This was a scary time to be pregnant and birth. However, Francesca and Vickie worked together seemlesly and professionally to make us feel very supported in every way possible from traditional advice to navigating the constantly changing hospital policies and deciding what was best for our family during COVID. They were both extremely responsive and supportive during our time working together and bravely adapted their support to a virtual format to make sure we contiued to have support even when they were not allowed to be with us during labor, delivery, and postpartum. 

Vickie's prescence is calm, nonjudgemental, encouraging, caring, and validating. Her advice is grounded in research, best-practice, and experience. Thank you, Vickie! You will forever be a part of our family's story.

Karen Steele

8/15/2020

Vickie is the most amazing doula in the entire world! We feel so incredibly lucky to have found her! Vickie supported my husband and I through the birth of our son at the end of January, 2020. She, and her awesome doula partner Francesca, really took the time to understand our family’s specific needs. My husband has Parkinson’s disease and I wanted to make sure that we would have someone in the room who, in addition to supporting me, could help look after him and support him through this experience. Vickie understood this completely and not only did she help support both of us during my labor, but when it turned out that I needed to have an emergency C-section, she was there to keep my husband informed, and help him remain calm. I can’t fully express just how grateful I am that she was able to be there for him at that important moment, when I couldn’t be.

Meanwhile with me, Vickie was an unbelievable cheerleader, a friend, and an advocate. She supported my desire to watch “The Office” during the early stages of labor, and later when my active labor went on and on and I started to feel like it was a thousand degrees in the room, she kept me cool and helped me to stay relaxed in between pushes. I truly felt supported every step of the way, and I’m so thankful that she was there by my side through all of it! 

After our son was born, Vickie did postpartum visits at our home where she offered breastfeeding advice, new mom support, and even helped us figure out how to take our first walk outside as a new family. Since the pandemic began Vickie has continued to be someone whose wisdom I rely on. I know that I can ask her questions when I need to, and I have loved being a part of her and Francesca’s on-line expectant and new moms’ mediation group. It has been a real lifeline for me during these crazy times. Long story short, we love Vickie and we can’t recommend her highly enough!

Nik Gilmore

8/2/2020

Working with Vickie was the best choice we made during our pregancy/birth journey, and we genuinely cannot imagine having gone through this process without her. Vickie innovatively and seamlessly pivoted her business model from in-person support to virtual support during the Covid19 Pandemic, and despite this challenge, maintained the ability to be immedialtly responsive and emotionally present with us. This was no easy task, given the dozens of questions we threw at her as first time parents, a same-sex couple, and stunned NYC residents in the pandemic hot spot. As the pandemic curve flattened out, Vickie graciously offered in-person support during our birth. Again, Vickie rose to the challenge as we called her at 4am, unexpectedly in the throws of active labor. We didn't have any "early labor" at home, so Vickie helped me (over the phone) convince my wife to get into the car (still cannot thank you enough!!), and supported us both during the drive to the hospital. Due to fibroids, my wife's labor was not what we expected; no relief between contractions, and again, no traditional experience of the early labor stage. Vickie calmly met us at the hospital, and guided us through this completely unexpected birth process like a total pro. 10 hours later, our daughter was born after a complication free labor. My wife is eternally grateful for Vickie's in-person support at the hospital, and for the helpful virtual postpartem support. Throughout the virtual support process, Vickie worked cohesively and seamlessly with her co-doula, Francesca Marini. We absolutely loved working with Vickie, and highly recommend her for anyone  seeking compassionate, competent support. Thank you Vickie!

Alison

7/24/2020

We loved working with Vickie!! She's incredibly knowledgeable, patient and kind. She made the whole pregnancy and birth process more informed and less stressful. The pregnancy resources and calming techniques she provided were all really helpful and appreciated. Vickie was always available and responsive with good advice and suggestions. I highly recommend working with Vickie as your doula! We had a great experience. 

rebecca grussgott

5/5/2020

A week before I was due hospitals restricted doulas from participating in the births. While my husband and I faced significant additional stresses- we continued to feel safe and confident with Vickies support to prepare for and birth in a hospital, and take care of our baby and my body post delivery. We could not have done this without her. Meeting her she felt like family- and working with her solidified that relationship. 

coming home from the hospital was particularly stressful for me. I called Vickie and she walked me through several anxiety reducing techniques that allowed me to calm down and nurse my baby. It was exactly what i needed and I continue to reach out to her today for support when needed. 

Vicki was an incredible Doula. She showed my husband and I how to care for each other, for ourselves, and for our baby.  Anybody would be lucky to have her as their support person. 

Rebecca Pollock

4/3/2020

Vickie was super helpful, warm and generous through all stages of the birth process. She helped us map out a detailed birth plan in our prenatal visit together. Even though she wasn’t able to attend our birth in person due to the Coronavirus, the strategies we discussed beforehand empowered us to ask for more time rather than concede to interventions during labor. As a result of Vickie’s coaching, we had the birth experience we hoped for. She also helped ease our minds after our daughter was born by answering all of our newbie parenting questions. We’re so grateful for her support!

Toviah Narva

3/2/2020

We had a wonderful experience with Vickie. She was thoughtful, kind and knowledgeable throughout our experience. I especially appreciated her calming presence during our post partum visits. I am so glad she was part of our team! 

Caitlin and Rachel

2/19/2020

When I think back to the day and night and day of our baby June’s birth, I feel so incredibly grateful to Vickie. I was induced, so I was stuck in bed and hooked up to things from the start. I think if it had just been my wife Rachel and myself, I would have stayed frozen in bed the entire 26 hours, scared of doing something wrong in the hospital setting. But Vickie was with us for the entire time, and she made the delivery room ours – making the space quiet or dark as necessary, keeping me moving and active despite the wires (which I had told her was my priority), being a source of extreme calm and reassurance during a scary 3am medical moment, and anticipating both of our needs before we even realized them ourselves. Rachel and I had each other, of course, and the nurses and doctors were great, but Vickie filled the birth experience with confidence, good-spirit, and energy – to her, pregnancy and birth are such joyful, meaningful, beautiful parts of life, that she helps you feel that too, even during tough moments. Vickie also approaches pregnancy and birth in a very non-gendered way, which we appreciated.  

Marc Rudolph

2/14/2020

We are so thankful for Vickie's presence as our doula before, during, and after my wife's labor. She was responsive to our needs and incredibly supportive of us in the postpartum period. Before the birth, she took over 2 hours with us to teach us some helpful laboring positions and help us establish a birth plan. During the birth, she kept us energized by asking about the story of how we met and saying that things were progressing nicely toward the end. She encouraged us to ask questions of the doctor and helped us interpret/question some medical directives so that we could stay true to our birth plan. Her knowledge of massage techniques and telltale signs of active labor were particularly helpful toward the end. 

It was so reassuring to see Vickie for the postpartum visits. Having someone who was there with us "in the trenches" of birth was comforting, and she knew exactly what both of us would be feeling in the days and weeks afterward. She did everything from showing us how to use a baby wrap, to holding our baby while we slept and doing our laundry. We are grateful that she was able to share this whole experience with her and highly recommend her to future parents!

Jennifer Furman

2/7/2020

We are so deeply thankful for the warm and attentive care that Vickie provided us. Not only did Vickie make us feel better about all the things that worried us, she also provided amazing resources for things we hadn't even thought of to help with labor and life with baby. We can't imagine what our birth experience would have been like without Vickie - as the birthing parent, I was  amazed how calm I felt despite the intensity of my labor. I attribute this to Vickie - she helped me to get into a positive, strong headspace with the coping techniques she offered throughout.  In the postnatal visits, Vickie helped us feel less overwhelmed with the perfect balance of answering our many questions and holding our baby while we rested. She continues to be a great source of support and a trusted expert for our family for all things baby. Any family that works with Vickie will be in capable, loving hands and will be lucky to have her. We cannot recommend her highly enough!!

Camille

2/4/2020

When we started working with Vickie and Francesca, we didnt really know what to expect. My wife and I just knew that we would feel more comfortable with someone on our side for this very important moment.

It turned out to be a fantastic experience! From the early meetings, it felt like we clicked right away with both. We really felt they were there to listen to our interrogations, needs. And help us out in the most delicate ways. It all felt very natural.

Vickie didnt end up being our doula, she wasnt on call the night of the birth. But she followed through and insisted on visiting afterward eventhough we already had our only postpartum visit. Her commitment was amazing and that visit ended up feeling like a chat with an old friend, discussing topics beyond immediate birth. Her warm and positive character definetely made a comfortable experience for both of us. 

Vickie is such a fantastic person and an amazing doula, we feel so fortunate to have had her support us and we we cant recommend her enough! We really feel like a special bond had been created with her, by sharing such an important moment in our lives. And we know for sure we will keep in touch with her in the future!

Brooke

1/11/2020

Vickie was part of the doula team I hired, so I met with her before and after the birth.  She was incredibly knowledgeable, supportive, and patient - she listened to all my worries and fears and reassured me that I was normal and doing well.  She even helped me figure out how to use the baby carrier I inherited from a friend! As a mom herself, she's able to offer a very calming perspective.  I highly recommend her. 

Rheana

12/31/2019

I adore Vickie. She has an incredibly warm and calming presence, which put me at ease right away as a first-time mom. My water broke in the middle of the night, well before my due date, so it was unexpected. But when I texted Vickie, she was available right away to answer all my questions and help me figure out what to do. While she didn't attend my birth (unbenownst to me, another one of her clients was going into labor at the same time, so her partner attended my birth), we got to know each other during prenatal and postpartum visits. She taught my husband and me comfort measures and talked us through what to bring to the hospital. After our baby was born, she came over and helped me with breastfeeding and even showed me how to use my pump. She jumped right up to sterilize the parts in my kitchen while I fed my newborn on the couch.

It's easy to see how passionate Vickie is about her work as a doula -- she would often talk excitedly about research she'd read. I'm thrilled that we found her, and think anyone else would be lucky to have her as a doula. We'll never forget her!

Dorte

12/31/2019

We feel so fortunate to have had Vickie support us on the journey of the birth of our son.
Vickie has a warm and caring presence that instantly made us feel comfortable. She helped us explore our options and preferences for birth, listened carefully and provided evidence based input and resources.
Vickie was great at gauging our needs. She knew when to step back and when to be hands on and her presence and support felt natural and very comforting to both of us.
We would highly recommend Vickie as a birth doula.

anna

10/16/2019

Vickie was indespensable to me as my doula and I am so thankful to have had her with me during my pregnancy, labor, and delivery. She was a vital source of emotional stability and knowledge that alleviated so much of the stress and fear I experienced while preparing for the birth of my first child. Vickie was kind and easy to talk to; even if I myself was embarrassed to bring up a question I had, she would always answer it kindly and without judgement. Vickie worked extremely well with the hospital staff, and did so while even defending my descision to having a natural birth while doctors tried to push for inducing my labor. I honestly believe Vickie's presence and skill as a doula made my whole labor experience less stressful and (because of Vickie) one of the most memorable moments that I could have asked for. Without her I would have had to go 18+ hours without eating anything but ice chips! I will forever be grateful for those crackers and cheese Vickie brought me.Then as soon as my contractions became stronger and closer together, Vickie did everything in her power to keep me comfortable and focused. The breathing techniques she showed me worked wonders for getting through each contraction,( and keeping me focused on not getting an eipdural)  as well as the different laboring positions. Finally when I was in active labor, Vickie was right by my side, continously giving me confidence and telling me when to push and when to relax. She helped me not feel discouraged and gave me the confidence to keep pushing! All in all, hiring Vickie as my doula was the best descision I could have made. I would highly recommend Vickie to any expectant mother. She is extremely passionate about what she does, and makes it her goal to support you and your partner through your entire pregnancy, labor, and delivery.  

Ayaka

10/14/2019

As a first-time parents, we were extremely nervous for the arrival of our daughter. We can’t say enough wonderful things about having Vickie as our doula!

In the weeks leading us up to the birth, Vickie helped us prepare with emotional and educational support. She answered all of our many questions and went above and beyond by supplying us with additional resources. Some of the things that were extremely helpful which she covered are laboring and birthing positions, breathing exercises, massages, mantras and breastfeeding. She also helped us develop our birth plan, always reminding us to not be too attached to any one plan because births can take an unexpected route. Our baby came a week and a half late. Every day after the "due date" felt so long! Vickie reminded us that "the baby will come when she is ready!" Our birth did not go as we originally envisioned but the knowledge that Vickie had provided us with empowered us to make the right decisions.

Vickie's s non-judgmental and positive energy was so essential during the most important time in our lives. We could not recommend Vickie more strongly as a doula!

Caroline

10/12/2019

Vicki was an incredible ally during my labor and delivery. From our first conversation, she was approachable, easy to talk with, and had a calming presence. She would offer her knowledge, but never pushed her opinion on us when we had to make a decision about how to proceed with the delivery of our child. She worked well with all of the hospital staff, which was important to us, and was never bossy. Several different nurses later told us that we had a great doula, and I can’t inagine that they would say that if they didn’t mean it. Vickie is a relatively new doula but you’d never know it. We are so thankful we had her by our side! 

Sophie

10/1/2019

Choosing Vickie as our doula was one of the best decisions my wife and I made during our pregnancy and birthing journey. From our initial meeting, Vickie answered our challenging interview questions with profound thoughtfulness, introspection and wisdom. We immediately felt very connected to her, and felt totally comfortable reaching out to her to process our anxiety about the birthing process. Vickie has the capacity to both validate feelings and provide information based in evidence that allowed us to make the right decisions for our family. Vickie was an integral part of my birth process and I can’t imagine having gone through it without her. From being induced to many hours of labor to ultimately having a C-section, Vickie was with us throughout and was an immeasurable source of support for both my wife and I. She was incredibly in tune with our needs and knew when to jump in to give me a massage, when to give words of encourgament, when to distract with a story, and when to step back and let my wife and I be together. There is no ego in her work- she is completely in service of you and your needs during this intensely vulnerable process. She was incredibly helpful in processing decisions in the moment, not telling us what to do but helping us to make the right decision for us. When I ended up having to have an emergency C-section, we were grateful to have her calming and supportive presence both before and after the surgery.

I would recommend Vickie as a doula with absolutely no reservations! I should also note that we highly recommend Vickie to anyone in LGBTQ+ community. She was clearly mindful to use inclusive language in both her forms and in conversation. My wife and I always felt totally comfortable while working with her. 

Donna & Matt

8/30/2019

There are no words to express how grateful I am and always will be for Vickie. She is one of the most genuine, supportive, and gifted people I have ever met. She was born to do the work she does, and it is obvious how much she loves it. Vickie has said multiple times that she was honored to work with my partner and me—but the honor and privilege was all ours.

I was initially unsure if I wanted a doula. I’m a fairly private person, and I had the perhaps misguided notion that only a certain type of person—someone more committed to “all-natural-everything” (?)—would seek out doula services. (I thought natural childbirth seemed ideal, but I also wasn’t opposed to an epidural, for example.) Now that I’ve been through the indescribable process that is childbirth, I cannot imagine her not being there. We had some scary surprises during labor, but Vickie’s incredibly soothing presence, as well as her deep, practical knowledge of birthing techniques, made us feel so, so much better during the wildest twenty-four hours of our lives. I will never forget how Vickie kept leaping up from her tiny stool in the hospital room to hold my hand and count down my breaths.  She was my sounding board as I processed difficult news out loud and my nonstop cheerleader when I could have easily broken down. When she was there to meet our beautiful, healthy, happy son in the delivery room, I felt as though she were his second mother. She just made EVERYTHING better. He came to us, in large part, because of her. 

I now know that the type of birth you want and the kind you end up having can be polar opposites, despite whatever you try to control and decide during pregnancy. But that’s ok—and I feel that way because of Vickie and the confidence and peace she helped instill. 

We love you, Vickie, and we are forever indebted to you.

Sai Saleh

8/2/2019

From the moment I met Vickie, it felt like we’d known each other for years. I found her to be deeply caring and completely nonjudgmental. Nurturing new mothers and helping us navigate these early weeks (months?) is clearly a passion for her. I had a lot of trouble early on with breastfeeding - from sore nipples to blebs to a number of other unnamed pains. I found Vickie to be caring and curious. It never felt like her interest and concern ended when she left me. She would send me articles, check in on me regularly and give me tips well after she had left my place. Her approach is hardly transactional - I feel like we have built a relationship and I look forward to continuing to know her and communicate with her. My breastfeeding woes have thankfully been resolved and feeding my baby is the highlight of my entire day. I’m so thankful for Vickies help and empathy while I was struggling.