Lydia Cuautle

7/10/2024

I would hire 615 Doula’s again and again! I worked with both Ema and Nicki and they were the support we needed throughout not just labor, but the entire pregnancy. Where I felt overwhelmed with the information floating around the internet about my growing baby and changing body, the two of them grounded and empowered me. While one of the top reasons I hired them was to advocate for me (which they did over and over again!), they also equipped me with the information to advocate for myself, and my husband to advocate on my behalf, and that was a game changer! I truly feel that my first experience with pregnancy and labor was such a positive one because of the support and encouragement from 615 Doulas. From the educational resources and prenatal visits, to Nicki reminding me to breathe through my contractions in the hospital, we would not have had this experience without both of them!

Carolyne B

7/9/2024

The labor and birth process is one of the most vulnerable experiences of my life, and I cannot imagine having made it through without Ema by both my husband's and my sides. After our first meeting, my husband and I looked at each other and said even if we had to labor and birth without her, the expense was worth every penny. Her knowledge about and passion for education around birth, paired with their patience and kindness, made for the most harmonious and empowering intro to labor.

Throughout our entire labor process, Ema was a voice of reason, a calm, an encouragement, and a counselor. She listened to me breathe, counseled my husband, emboldened me to believe in my body's ability, and empathized with me when I was in severe pain. She was funny when I opened that window and sensitive when I needed it; persistent in her calm and persistent in her encouragement. Even now, I can still hear her voice saying to me, "your body is doing exactly what it should be. You are progressing beautifully."

Another piece of Ema's excellence is her advocacy. In our pre-labor meeting, she told Robert that their role was to protect me from all outside stimuli so that I could stay attuned to my body's needs. In real time, that is exactly what she did. She and my husband were a force field around me, asking questions of the medical staff that I was not in a position to ask and always in service of my body and dream labor. When the medical team was urging me to do something at the end of my labor that I was not comfortable with, Ema met their urgency with kind and patient persistence. She held them off and asked questions but maintained a level of patience that I could not have managed myself.

Ema protected my dream birth, empowered my husband, assisted me in listening to the innermost parts of my body, and kindly ushered our precious baby into the world alongside us. She was the crucial piece in helping me realize my dream of an unmedicated birth.

Hailey and Grant

7/7/2024

Ema took time to get to know us as a family so that when we got to L&D she knew how we communicated, Hailey’s hopes and expectations, and how she could best help.

Paige Muirhead

5/20/2024

Ema and Nicki of 615 Doula are the best friends you need for your birth who come with extensive knowledge, confidence, and compassion. I felt immediately welcomed and supported by them both. They have a very structured process for preparing for birth and postpartum but it was also personalized to our situation. Ema was an integral part of our birth story and we couldn't have imagined it without her. She helped my husband feel very prepared to take lead for the big day and postpartum. She welcomed my mom and sister as part of the birth team too. All of this helped me tremendously to focus solely on myself and our baby. Ema gave me so much guidance throughout my pregnancy. She was also a key player at the hospital helping to answer questions and make recommendations with the L&D team. A few things didn't go as I had wished during labor and in our postpartum visit Ema gave me the greatest advice that I still reminisce over to this day.