Tricia Chase Porter

7/10/2023

We welcomed our first child aided by the intuitive and experienced guidance of Michelle. My wife and I struggled for years to get pregnant. We had to fight hard and advocate for ourselves constantly during the fertility process. It was exhausting, vulnerable, and painful. This is the main reason having a doula sounded very appealing to us. We wanted someone who would fiercely advocate for us and our wishes. After our first meeting with Michelle we felt we’d be very safe in her  confident and experienced hands. It also comforted us how well known Michelle was by the nurses and midwives at our birthing center. My birthing team worked seamlessly together. I am incredibly grateful to them for helping me to have such a positive experience. Another aspect we wanted our doula to be able to address was our complicated journey to pregnancy. My wife had originally been the one trying to carry and after years of failed attempts and multiple losses we decided to give her a break. Michelle was understanding of these nuances and the multiple truths of being elated to be pregnant and grieving the loss of what we had originally envisioned for growing our family. She helped both of us to grow and thrive in our new roles. There is so much Michelle brought to the table but something in particular I appreciated about her was her innate ability to know exactly when to step forward with suggestions and/or intervention and when to fade back. Her timing was incredibly helpful throughout what was a long labor that went in fits and starts. I also appreciated Michelle’s intuition about me. She predicted I’d need to be on the move to work thought labor and that I’d love pushing. She was correct and provided the proper support and encouragement I needed to be so successful during labor and pushing. Michelle was an integral part of making an experience I thought I never really wanted (pregnancy/birth) into one of the greatest gifts that I have ever received.

Leah C

3/9/2023

I wanted to add to my previous post, now that I don't have an infant and thus more time and brain :) I had a truly exceptional experience with Michelle. Michelle was my birth midwife and then doula for my second kiddo in the spring of 2020. I had a 3 year old as well and was working like crazy and Michelle really helped me drop into a deeply calm and resourceful place as I prepared to give birth under the extreme uncertainty of the time. Michelle provides this kind of support just by who she is, her energy and being, but also because she's so incredibly knowledgeable and skilled. One of the things I most appreciated about Michelle is she truly supported my goals everywhere  along the journey. She answered questions with digestable, deeply informed information, including trade-offs and different perspectives. But she was also open with what she thought would be best if asked. I felt so empowered through the whole process. Between my two children, and supporting friends, I have worked with a number of doulas, midwives and OBs and Michelle is truly the stand out.

Leah Coldham

5/26/2021

Michelle is absolutely fantastic! You're so lucky if you get to work with her - I recommend her 1000%.

Tara

3/22/2021

Where do I begin? Michelle is the number one reason I had two very successful births. She gave me the knowledge, support and confidence to transition to a home birth at the height of the pandemic for my second birthing experience. She did this is with care, speed and expertise. I have worked in healthcare for over 10 years,  Michelle's vast amount of knowledge coupled with her patient centered care is like no other that I have come in contact with during both of my pregnancies and births. Michelle has a special gift and I would highly recommend her care as a doula and midwife. 

Kylie Feldman

11/2/2020

We were the grateful beneficiaries of the Warm Welcome Birth Services with the birth of our second child. It is with GREAT enthusiasm that I recommend the doula services to any person giving birth! Michelle conducted deeply nurturing, informative and conscientious visits (both in her office and at our home) and was the most incredibly loving, caring, confident expert at our birth!

Her care of us and our family started from the moment we engaged her. She talked us through each step of the process, the potential outcomes, ensured that we were clear on all of the scenarios and knew her back-up folks. She lovingly connected us with additional resources and listened deeply to our ideas, concerns, desires, thoughts and needs.

Her engagement with us, our older kiddo, our home and who we are as people was so deeply soothing and reassuring. She became an absolute member of our family. Our birth was an INCREDIBLE experience. We are so grateful to Michelle!

My only regret about our birth was Michelle was that we didn't get to spend MORE time with her.

Ever Osorio

10/27/2020

Michelle was our doula during our first successful pregnancy. When we met she was warm and understanding, I felt always very comfortable with her. Then the pandemic hit and we kept meeting at Child's Park, also we texted and FaceTimed. Pregnancy is an uncertain time and Michelle help us through with questions that physicians or family and friends are not that good answering since physicians are clinical and acquaintances always have opinions.  In the end I had to be induced and labor never started naturally, though Michelle supported us with materials such as acupuncture techniques to help the process. Her support was very valuable postpartum too, she gave us the hand we needed. We really enjoyed working with her.

Karlie Koprowski

2/11/2015

Having Michelle as my Doula was an experience that I find hard to put into words, saying she is Amazing doesnt seem to cut it. My husband and I both know that we will use Michelle for every birth we have going forward. She made all the difference and helped us both stay relaxed and confident. When I talk to friends that are having babies, the first thing I say is "get a Doula, here is Michelles info".Being a first time mother, I was very scared and she took that fear completely away. Michelle met us at the hospital and stayed with us the whole time, she never left us. She helped me figure out different ways to push and talked me through the times I felt I couldnt continue. When I look back on my birth story Michelle is right at the center and I wouldnt have it any other way. I look forward to having her at my next birth!!!

Anneliese Denny-Eves

3/20/2011

Tanya Lieberman

9/17/2010

Michelle was an indispensable source of support for us prenatally, at our birth, and postpartum.

Michelle was our doula for our second birth. Our first was a difficult experience, ending in a c-section and the hospitalization of our son. We were hoping for a better experience with our daughter, and in particular wanted to try to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean).  With Michelle's help we had a VBAC, and a far more positive experience with our daughter's birth.

Michelle's knowledge, experience, and faith in the natural process of birth made her a great match for us. No matter what question we asked or request we made, she provided the support we needed. She lent us a birth video to share with our son, provided resources to help get our baby in the optimal position, and answered diet questions.  We really looked forward to our prenatal visits with her.

During my labor she was a tremendous support. With her help, I was able to labor at home for quite. Her training as a midwife helped us determine when it was time to go to the hospital. (She even had advice for the long ride: "Don't make any decisions in the car.") Whether she was quietly massaging me, helping me breathe through a contraction, or physically supporting me during the pushing phase, she made me feel safe and supported.  She even took wonderful pictures of the birth and our baby's first hour. In the postpartum period she helped me process the birth experience, and provided information and support for physical recuperation.

We chose Michelle because of her great wealth of knowledge and experience, but also because of her manner. She has a wonderful combination of gentleness and strength. She is calm, patient, and empathetic, and supportive of mothers' choices and goals.

We wholeheartedly recommend Michelle to anyone seeking support from a doula. She's a special person with a real gift to share.