Zaya and Charles

8/5/2024

We hired Denise when our little one was about 6 weeks old and what a difference she has made in improving our outlook and experience during a difficult time. My husband and I did not have family support and I was struggling handling baby by myself while my husband was at work. From the first meeting, Denise was so informative, caring and gentle with our baby and with us as well. Not only would she teach us how to care for our baby, she would bring tons of relevent reading material, different baby bottles/nipples when our kid suddenly had a hard time feeding, tummy time toy, and even a life-sized baby doll for us to practice swaddling and baby-wearing. Denise would care for our baby and once he was sleeping, she would wash bottles and pump parts and even did our laundry! Our two kitties also seemed to love her. We already miss her and can't recommend her enough. 

Katherine Moran

5/28/2024

I highly recommend Denise Messick as a post partum doula.  In fact, the only thing I'd change about working with her, is hiring her sooner than I did!  Denise came to my home 2-3 times a week to care for me, my baby, and the rest of my family (a very involved cat and dog!).  While Denise did typical doula duties like washing bottles, laundry, housework, the knowledge and care she provided me as a new Mom and single parent made it a truly wonderful experience.  She helped build my confidence and I learned so much about newborn care.  Her written and verbal communication style was very effective and, when offering suggestions or answering questions, her tone was always supportive and caring.  She did an excellent job recapping her visits and anticipating my needs during time together (given I wasn't getting much sleep in the earlier weeks!).   Additionally, she was accessbile outside her home visits to answer questions.  Denise was also so kind to my pets and treated them as part of the family.  Its only been a few weeks since we stopped working together and we all miss her!  I highly recommend working with Denise to support you during such a special and challenging time. 

Deepthi Devanira

1/6/2024

Denise has been an absolute godsend and the most valuable aspect of her support cannot be overstated. We were initially referred to her by three friends who spoke highly of her and she not only lived up to our expectations but exceeded them in every way. We feel incredibly fortunate to have had her by our side during this crucial period of becoming new parents. During my challenging postpartum recovery, she demonstrated exceptional care and dedication. I faced difficulties with breastfeeding resulting in bruises and discomfort. She not only offered immediate solutions suggesting different breastfeeding techniques to alleviate the pain but also referred me to a lactation consultant for further assistance. In the first few days at home, we were lost on how to care for our newborn. She took the time to educate us on various aspects of newborn care. What truly sets her apart is her genuine compassion and commitment. She not only cared for our baby but also our well-being as a family. She was a pillar of strength fostering a supportive and encouraging environment. Her non-judgmental demeanor and constant reassurance eased the inevitable anxieties of early parenthood. She went above and beyond in practical ways too. From assisting with bath time and helping with household chores to recommending relevant reading material and providing continuous follow-ups. Denise brought unparalleled dedication to her role. We are immensely grateful for the support, guidance, and kindness she has shared with our family.

Katya Nigam

10/20/2023

Denise was a blessing to our family when our daughter was born. We were first time parents and not sure of lot of things. Denise was very caring and patient with us and our child. I was comfortable leaving my daughter with her and knew she is in safe hands. She took care of her with gentle care and love. She also took care of me and my husband and made sure we are fed and our house is running well. I would definitely hire her again if i ever decide to have another kid :)

Scott Novotney

8/2/2023

Denise was amazing! We feel incredibly lucky we found her. She worked with us for three months doing post-oartum support until our baby was 12 weeks old. She taught us so much about our baby and taking care of a newborn, helped with a thousand household chores, and was a great source of emotional support. Most importantly, she was incredible with our baby and was kind, attentive and soothing. We always felt comfortable trusting our baby with Denise when we could get a nap in for ourselves. She was energetic, attuned to our baby, and very knowledgeable. She went the extra mile on numerous occasions, such as figuring out a fragrance sensitivity that Mom had, or working late one evening to help us figure out night time routines. We are sad to stop working with her. She is a next level doula and a kind and loving person. 

Katie Morgan

11/16/2022

Denise was and is an invaluable support to our family during the postpartum phase of both our first and second children. She warm, knowledgeable and so helpful in caring not only for the baby but the whole family, including siblings and parents. She was extremely helpful and knowledgeable around feeding and getting both lactation support for mom and helping navigate formula feeding as well. She goes above and beyond most doulas in help with the essentials of maintaining a home (laundry, cleaning, dishes, pump part and bottle cleaning, etc.) so that the family can focus on their care needs. We truly appreciate her and can't say enough great things about both experiences working with her--we only wish we could have her help for many years to come! 

Kate

8/31/2022

Denise was such a big help! Things unfolded very differently than I expected after my child was born -- I ended up needing surgery for an issue unrelated to the birth and that meant it was harder than I hoped for me to handle things on my own. Denise offered tons of practical support each visit, helping me tackle chores and care for the baby. She anticipated needs (both mine and the baby's), proactively looked for areas where she could help, and encouraged me to rest and take care of myself. There were some baby-related tasks that felt overwhelming to me or were difficult for me to complete on my own given my physical limitations (ex: starting a bathtime routine for the baby) -- she jumped right in to help and made it feel more possible for me to do those things independently. After visits, she often followed up with additional information on topics we'd discussed and suggestions she'd made, which was really useful to me as a first-time mom. But the thing that really stands out about Denise is how compassionate and empathetic she was (is!). She truly does bring her heart to this work. She's warm, caring, encouraging, and non-judgmental. It's easy to feel like you're dropping the ball on things when you're taking care of a new baby and you want to do it all. Denise will help you get more things taken care of, and will also help you feel better about yourself and what you're already doing with your kiddo. I was very happy to have worked with her and think you will be, too.

Elaine Markham

8/4/2022

Denise became our doula as my husband was transitioning back to work.  My son and I were struggling - him with feeding issues and me with anxiety.  Denise's warm presence and expertise allowed both of us to relax as we settled into our new routines.  Along the way, Denise offered wonderful recommendations from sleep strategies to books to other professionals to support our family.  The thing that made the biggest difference, though, was that my son LOVES Denise.  He lit up in a smile as soon as she entered the room, and it was so clear to us how much Denise cared about us as a family.  Denise made the rest of my maternity leave so much more enjoyable with her kindness and generous spirit. We will never forget her, and I will recommend her to anyone I know in need of expert support with a joyful and gentle approach.     

Alexsis

2/24/2022

Denise is a wonderful doula and was a blessing to have as a key part of my post partum journey.  She supported me and my preemie twins for several months after they came home from the NICU and I learned so much from her in a short amount of time.  She is well versed in sleep tips, feeding, lactation, and many other topics with twins/babies.  In addition to being a very thoughtful person toward my growth as a post partum mother, Denise was also incredibly loving and wonderful with my babies.  I usually took a nap while she was here and always rested well knowing my babies were in her hands.  After watching her in action I was able to learn some great ways to bottle feed two at a time as well!  One of my babies had a lot of gas issues and Denise taught me tricks about how to ease it and printed out some witching hour go to cheat sheets for soothing tricks.  I was also brought chicken soup, fruit, and chocolates from time to time, such a welcome treat!  Additionally, Denise lent me some baby items such as a swing and bassinet, it was really helpful to not spend the extra money or need to shop and pick them up myself.  

Denise does not use a contract and this worked out really well for my family as I ended up needing a lot more of her support than I originally anticipated.  She was as flexible as she could be with me about adding hours here and there which I really appreciated.  She believes her job is to help you "graduate" and move on when ready, and she really did give me the tools I needed to succeed before her last day with our family.  I was so sad to have her leave and she will always have a special place in our heart.  Thankfully, she has kindly offered to be our doula for life and encouraged me to stay in touch and reach out which I absolutely will.  

Veronica Pomeranz

12/31/2021

We were lucky to find Denise and hire her as our Post Partum Doula because she came with a wealth of knowledge and resources. As a first-time Mom and after having a difficult NICU experience, Denise helped me through so much recovery. She is empathetic and intuitive, and I immediately felt comfortable with her caring for our son and me. In addition, Denise has a true gift as a caretaker and provides so much value by picking up on your needs before you are aware of them. She would always work to help find answers for any questions we had and always made me feel heard. It can be hard during the fourth trimester, but having Denise by our side made it manageable and gave me confidence as a Mother. We learned so much from her, and I am forever grateful for our time together. We will look forward to having her by our side the next time!

Kristina

12/13/2021

My family hired Denise as a postpartum doula after the birth of my second son. Denise was a giving, kind and down-to-earth doula. She cared about our entire family and really helped us transition from a family of 3 to 4. My toddler loved seeing her, and I know my husband appreciated Denise's support around the home. I personally wished I had known her during the postpartum period of my first son too! Hiring a postpartum doula was the best investment for my physical recovery, my family and my emotional and mental health.  The house was always in better shape when she left it, and it was always brighter when she came to it! She was just a dream with our newborn. Thank you, Denise, for helping our family during such a hectic time. 

Natasha Lewandrowski

7/5/2021

Denise is one of the best things that ever happened to my family. She's been our doula twice, and I'd recommend her to anyone who is considering bringing a new baby into their lives. My parents live far away and couldn't visit during the pandemic. Denise was there for us when we needed it most. She helped keep me and my partner sane by doing chores and making sure we ate and slept; she spent time with our older child when he needed to feel special and made sure our pets got attention too. For all of us she was a patient listener, cheerleader, and guide. I cannot say enough good things about how much Denise helped us or adequately describe how grateful we are for her support during that transition. Every family deserves to have someone like Denise to help them when a new baby arrives. She's the best!

Amanda

4/21/2021

We needed help welcoming baby #2 because our family lives across the country and we were in the middle of a global pandemic (Covid). We just didn't think we'd be able to manage it the second time with a "threenager" in the mix. Enter Denise - our wonderful postpartum doula who supported us since our tiny (early term) baby came home from hospital until he was about 3 months old. Denise is very sweet and caring, attentive to the needs of not only baby, but also mom, dad and (on occasion) big brother. She's also delightful to have in the home, as she is a good conversationalist and funny to boot. Always on time and very flexible, Denise supported us through a wide variety of needs, such as baby care (so we could sleep or shower), feeding (organizing lactation support, sanitizing pump parts, etc.), and expertise (how to combat the "witching hour"). I highly recommend Denise as a postpartum doula!

A

9/8/2020

Denise is hands-down the most amazing postpartum doula you could possibly ask for. She helped me with my daughter from when she was about 3 weeks to 6 months old. From those initial days of learning to nurse, strategies for the witching hours, getting in a snack, nap, or shower when feasible, to later on helping me convince my daughter to nap in her crib several months later, Denise was a font of wisdom, advice, caring, humor, and support. She was uncannily able to both provide as much help and assistance as I needed while also giving me space and time to bond 1-1 with my daughter. She consistently made my daughter smile and laugh and me feel more confident in what I was doing. She was fantastic with my friendly but hyper dog, integrated seamlessly in an extended household with grandparents, was wonderful about COVID safety, and was so good at finding additional resources and suggestions for things I was wondering about with regards to infant concerns and development. I would recommend her support in a heartbeat to anyone with a young baby and only wish she were still helping us ??.

Mary

3/24/2020

Denise has been an absolute life saver! She is always on time and ready to help out. She is kind, caring, and always professional. We have really appreciated having her around. I would highly recommend her for post partum doula services--you won't regret it!

Katie Morgan

10/31/2019

From the first phone conversation to every visit thereafter, Denise has been an invaluable resource to our family after welcoming our first daughter. She puts our minds at ease and has helped us become more confident parents. She also has a knack for helping the family pet(s) acclimate to new members of the family, which has made the transition for our dog much easier. Denise does an excellent job of maximizing every minute she is in our home. She is an awesome listener, takes copious notes, and learns to anticipate our needs. So even on a rough day or morning, she knows exactly how to immediately jump in and help. Denise is an expert at helping support us so we can focus all of our attention on the baby by taking care of all the needed housework, walking the dog, etc. Or when we just need time to ourselves, or want to sleep, shower, etc. she cares for the baby. Denise helps to explain, validate and address areas of challenge such as feeding, sleep, tools/products, behavioral milestones, etc. She also goes above and beyond to tap the community of doulas that she works with and does research to find additional information and resources when needed. We so value her help—she truly has made the adjustment to parenthood a much easier journey.  

Stephanie Sullivan

9/4/2019

Denise is a natural at caring for others. She instantly feels like family. I had a hard time asking for support after my third daughter was born and I’m so glad I reached out to her. She allowed me to focus on my self care while transitioning to a Mom of 3. My older girls loved her positive reinforcement and gentle love and encouragement. She just has this soothing presence and our baby knew she was very well taken care of when she was in Denise’s arms. I will recommend her to anyone looking for postpartum doula care.

Rochelle Robles

9/2/2019

There are so many wonderful things I wish to share about the care Denise provided to my family. First, her natural and beautiful connection with babies and children is clearly evident.  Entrusting the care of any family member, much less a newborn, is so important.  She bonded to our baby immediately and fell right into place with helping our older child as well.  She has an uncanny sense of reading your family knowing what assistance is needed.    

I was never made to feel uncomfortable about any of the common postpartum issues experienced and Denise ensured that I ate, drank, took sitz baths and rested.  She was immensely supportive during the hard times we had with babies Failure to Thrive and intense feeding schedule.  Denise had completed her initial postpartum services with us, but I reached back out and she came without hesitation.  

 I'll never be able to thank her enough for supporting my breastfeeding journey. We had difficulties, I ended up spiraling, feeling as though I had failed and isolated myself in a dark room. Denise provided encouragement and guidance with proper latching and nipple care yet we still had problems. Denise knew just what to do. She encouraged my husband to comfort me, called my Midwife and set out to obtain nipple shields and gel pads. My Midwife determined my baby had a top lip-tie, causing issues with latching and severe discomfort during feedings.  I went from a near postpartum depressive state to relief. Allowing myself and my baby this amazing attachment was the biggest gift.  Denise humbly denies that she did anything more than any other caregiver would, and that we did all of the work. However, what she did was supply affection, knowledge, and security that made my postpartum journey a moment in my life that I will always look back on and feel love for the bond created between my family and this woman.

Natasha Lewandrowski

8/28/2019

I cannot recommend Denise Messick highly enough! She started with us as a postpartum doula, and stayed as our son’s nanny for his first year. During that time, she was kind, thoughtful, and caring towards our whole family, even our roommate and our pets! She went above and beyond on so many occasions, even helping us to navigate the challenges of nanny taxes. She is knowledgeable about so many aspects of child care development, and when she didn’t know something she made a point to learn about it. There are so many stressors and difficulties in adapting to parenthood, but Denise was our partner and guide through it all. She made our lives easier in immeasurable ways, both small and large. Her best and most lasting impact is in how our son has grown and developed in her care. He was always happy to see her and still talks about her often. We still make a point of seeing Denise every few weeks because that relationship is so important to him.