Talieah Atoki

3/18/2025

I had the honor of working with Julie during the end of my pregnancy and during labor. She was willing to offer her services to me even though I was at the end of my pregnancy (I was 36 weeks). She sent videos weekly on exercises to do to prepare for labor and even looked up videos specifically for me that helped with my pelvic pain!

I opted to be induced due to health concerns and she was in communication with me the entire time until she arrived at the hospital. She helped me with making an important decision during my labor and I was so thankful to have her insight during that time as I was tired and in pain.

Julie arrived as soon as my midwife broke my water and that’s when things really amped up and I was so grateful that she was there. She helped me get into some positions to help baby come down the birth canal. My labor was completely stalled until then. Less than two hours after my water was broken my body just started pushing! Julie reminded me to breathe my baby out instead of pushing. My baby girl was out in two pushes. My baby’s head was out before any medical staff came into the room! Julie moved fast to get medical staff in the room once she saw my baby’s head was crowning. My husband almost had to deliver our baby! I was able to deliver my baby without any pain medication all thanks to Julie. She kept reminding me to breathe through my contractions and relax my body to let the baby come down and that little reminder helped me so much!

I am so grateful to have had Julie there with me throughout my labor. She was extremely helpful and stayed with me for a while after birth. I would recommend her to any soon to be mom who needs support during labor. You won’t go wrong with having Julie there to support you!

Brittany Smith

3/16/2025

Julie was an absolute blessing to our most recent birth! Her care and attention from our first conversation to even after delivery was unimaginably comforting. 

While this was our 5th birth, it was our first homebirth. I wish I had Julie as a part of all my previous deliveries, too. Her weekly check-ins and exercise suggestions were so beneficial to help me prepare. As my due date approached, her communication grew even more helpful...from sharing positions to optimize my body for upcoming birth to her uplifting encouragement on the harder days, she was the exact support we needed. She even made the time for an in-home visit to help with body positioning and stretching prior to our delivery day. 

On our delivery day, Julie arrived to our home quickly. She was able to assess the stage of my labor and began talking me through the contractions I was having. She prepared a healthy breakfast for me, eagerly asked how else she could help with anything else, and assisted me with getting comfortable while we waited for our midwifery team. During active labor, she provided my body with support through hip squeezes and gentle back rubs which kept me very calm. She reminded me of my breath work, played worship music for me as requested, and read affirmations to me to help my mind stay at ease. She encouraged me to move my body in ways that brought relief and stay comfortably in the position I decided to deliver in. Everything she did brought comfort, and her encouraging words about my actual delivery empowered me.  

I can’t recommend Julie enough to other families looking for a kind hearted support system during their delivery experience. Her knowledge, experience, attentive care, and compassion largely and impactfully contributed to our family’s positive birthing experience.  

Raffaellina merlino

1/28/2025

Where do I begin, 

Julie was sent to us from God! I made a mistake in my previous births where I only asked about how the Doula would assist me during the actual birth ! What I truly needed was a coach to guide me the entire pregnancy. 
I wanted to feel empowered , calm, and in control during my unmedicated, low intervention, birthing center birth.

Julie would send me weekly exercises and she would help me prepare my mind as well as my body! She would send me weekly messages to check in on my well being. She became a friend I knew I could trust in the moments of pregnancy where we begin to feel most vulnerable . 

As this was my 3rd baby, I wish I had had her by my side at my other 2 births ! She stood by me as my advocate In situations that were not a part of the "birth plan" 

I had some sever bleeding and she made sure to keep me thinking positive and advocated to protect me knowing what was best for me and baby! 

She is gifted and adores what she does, she serves with such passion and I cannot imagine having had anyone else by our  side . My husband exact words were " if it weren't for Julie I would have been so scared with the amount of blood loss, she made us feel so comforted in knowing we were going to be fine!"

If your looking for a guide, coach, doula, advocate , friend, support person and authentically beautiful person, I pray Julie is available for your birth! 

Alex Butler

1/12/2025

So here's the thing. Julie wasn't my doula. I didn't have one. But it's my biggest regret and after I interviewed her and decided to just go it alone (really only bc my mom did it all natural in a hospital by herself and I thought if my mom did it surely I can do it with an epidural  alone LOL ) Boy was I wrong. Julie checked on me consistently and I wasn't even her client. That shows what kind of person she is. She cared when she didn't even have to. She checked on me even after my son was born and you can't pay for that type of kindness. I ended up with a c section and maybe it would have been that way either way but I can't tell you I didn't have a great experience w the nurses in my hospital and I know she would have made me feel more at ease. Don't make the same mistake I did --you need a doula --it makes all the difference. If only just to have someone there who specifically cares about you. Julie made me feel like she cared and I wasn't even a paying client. That's the type of person you want in the room. ??

Ariel Brigandi

1/11/2025

It's hard to find all the right words to truly express how incredible and integral Julie was to my home birth. I will forever have so much gratitude to this woman for the amazing support she provided me not only during my pregnancy journey, but for my birth as well. We went over my birth plan prior to labor and delivery and when the time came Julie knew exactly how to best support me. She knew all the right words of affirmation to keep me calm and confident. She used counter pressure techniques during contractions, and kept me switching positions to keep my labor moving along. She knew exactly how to involve my husband in the process so he too could also feel confident and connected to me the whole time. When I had to transfer to the hospital after birth due to a retained placenta, Julie never left my side. She advocated for me when we got there and made sure I was able to keep my placenta like I had planned. She soothed me through the procedure and made sure that my husband and baby were able to get to the hospital to be with me. She undoubtedly has a natural gift as a caregiver, and I will recommend her to absolutely anyone I ever come across looking for a doula. I will forever feel bonded to her in a special way. She went above and beyond, and exceeded all my expectations of what birth would look like with a doula. 

Sara WK

12/31/2024

I couldn’t recommend Julie more as a doula! As a first time mom, I sought out a doula to support my partner and I to have a positive, low intervention hospital birth. Julie came highly recommended by a local Philly midwife. Immediately, after taking with multiple doula’s, we felt comfortable with Julie. She is very knowledgeable about the birthing process, often sending evidenced basted articles to help think through challenging decisions like induction options and supportive, checking in weekly sending tidbits like hip opening stretches and perineal massage how to’s. Most importantly she is nonjudgmental - She spent time understanding my partner and my birthing wishes and helped us create a birth plan to guide our experience, but let us know it’s okay to deviate from the birth plan. 

She went above and beyond to message with us, spent extra time with us when we needed extra pre-birth care and actively supported us during early labor at home. We can’t thank her enough for helping create a beautiful and positive  birth story that resulted in the happy and healthy birth of our daughter. 
 

Ally M

12/8/2024

Julie was amazing, an absolute angel and a vital element to the success of our birth. I cannot imagine my labor without her there. From the second she walked into my hospital room she was squeezing my hips which my partner didn’t know how to do yet. It was so relieving and she taught him how to do it. Her touch was perfect. Just the right placement and pressure. She just knows how to support women in pregnancy and in labor in every single aspect - physically, emotionally, mentally, preparing, everything she would say and suggest was just right and always made me feel uplifted and supported, no matter how impatient or discouraged I was feeling at times. She was there every step, from 6am to 4am the next day. For all the ups and downs. Talking through everything. Asking important questions, making sure I was feeling right about things throughout the whole birth process. She took photos for me, notes of what happened and when so I could look back at it all. She helped me into all different positions even with an epidural. She was so helpful and encouraging during pushing cheering me on when I was so tired and hurting. She was by my side every contraction that I needed her. She genuinely cares about her work. I will be forever grateful for her presence at my birth!

Ivana Vukovic

11/10/2024

Julie is a fantastic doula and we were very glad she could be there for our birth. This was our second birth with her as our doula and we would definitely use her again!

Nora

8/14/2024

I could not have had a better birth experience, I felt very supported having Julie at my side. Even over the phone at the begining Julie was able to offer lots of great guidance to keep us laboring at home. I was able to do the birth unmedicated which was something I wanted to do but was pretty unsure if I would be up to it, but with Julie's hands on support in the delivery room I was able to. And all this when she was the back up for my back up! She stepped in at the last minute picking up on all the plans beautifully. And she also provided some helpful advice on lactation over text afterwards. 

Judd Nielsen

6/30/2024

Julie was a rock for my wife during what turned out to be a very challenging birth experience with a lot of unexpected twists and turns. She was relentlessly supportive in her encouragement, steadfast in the face of adversity and an indispensable advocate in difficult situations. She is experienced and knowledgeable but most importantly totally genuine and caring. I would highly recommend her for anyone looking for a doula. 

Kiara Dipaola

5/22/2024

I cannot recommend Julie enough, she was there every step of the way from the beginning and even postpartum. Any question I had Julie would answer and if she didn't know she would research and send me the information she found. This was my first birth and we will be using her again for the next, my husband felt so at ease just having her there with us. She truly cares about your wellbeing and will go above and beyond for you and your baby. 

Christine Walsh

5/15/2024

Julie was extremely supportive throughout the entire pregnancy and the essential person to make my wish of a natural birth become a reality. During pregnancy, she regularly checked in to make sure I was feeling good or had any concerns. That gave me a chance to get to know her better, feel confident about my pregnancy, and to have choosen her as my doula.
When the big day arrived, I texted her at 4:30 am letting her know my water broke. She quickly responded and guided me on what to do next, making sure I knew she was there for me anytime. I got to the hospital at around 8 am and she was there a few minutes later.

Since the triage room, she coached me with proper breathing, the best positions to manage pain, and affirmations. At all times she easily read my feelings and knew what I needed at the moment. And that's huge! Pregnancy and birth are a rollercoaster of emotions and feelings, having someone who can adjust herself to provide you calm or drive you to get things moving it's what you'll want.

By 8cm things got extremely intense, I was puking and losing my mind asking for an epidural. Julie was incredibly skilled in guiding me through the hardest part of birth (IMO). When the time to push came she said "Gather all your anger and channel it to push your girl out, you got this!". And those words were exactly what I needed to hear for motivation and strength.
My baby girl was in my arms by 1:30 pm and I have a beautiful birth story. I felt supported, strong, empowered, and in peace. I'm happy I can look back at my experience and tear up with joy. I know Julie made all this possible.

Julie, thanks for being part of our story. We love you and are forever grateful to have found you!

Kiara Dipaola

5/15/2024

I cannot recommend Julie enough, she was there every step of the way from the beginning and even postpartum. Any question I had Julie would answer and if she didn't know she would research and send me the information she found. This was my first birth and we will be using her again for the next, my husband felt so at ease just having her there with us. She truly cares about your wellbeing and will go above and beyond for you and your baby. 

Amy Lee-Carpio

3/5/2024

Julie was a back up doula that my doula Jen have introduced. Julie made sure her and I meet over zoom to get to know each other. She was a pleasant to talk to, that I open up on my desire for a Vbac after a cesarean delivery and all the factors from having gestational diabetes in my pregnancy (2nd) and unsupported Obgyn.

My daughter unexpected want to arrive 3 weeks early and my doula was able to engaged Julie on standby. Julie was able to communicate with my husband on my laboring progress which was happening fast. She came when my husband shared my pain tolerance which was at a 5 out of 10 and thank goodness she went to the hospital because I don't think I would have managed a vaginal delivery without her.  When Julie arrived, she was so calm and stood by my side while I labor. The contractions were so intense, but Julie was there to guide me through each contractions. She told me to focus in breathing, breath the baby down to my pelvic, relax my shoulders and to reset/relax after the contractions.  She also suggested listening to music at my choice that calmed me and relax. At one point, I wanted/ needed an epidural and got checked I was at 9.5. Julie was supportive but the anesthesiologist couldn't make in time.  My daughter was coming and Julie help with my emotions and pain at the moment. She was super supportive and guided that made it possible for me (a mama with gestational diabetes) to delivered my daughter via VBAC unmedicated on leap day! I highly recommend Julie! She's made it possible or my successful Vbac! 

Kelsey Patton

2/2/2024

When I found out I was pregnant with my first baby I immediately knew I wanted a doula to make the journey and birth story a wonderful experience so I reached out to Julie. Even from the initial call I knew she was the perfect person to guide me through this pregnancy. She answered all my questions and was always available for my random concerns or when I was in need of a little guidance. Julie is very fact based and will help you with your birth plan by giving you resources to make the decision best for you and your baby. She will talk about all different scenarios to make you feel at ease about the big day. Julie gave different suggestions for birth ball stretches and exercises to do once in the 3rd trimester to prep your body for birth and would check in every week to see how you are doing. I loved that she was so easy to talk to and genuine throughout this pregnancy. I can't give her enough praise and I would highly highly recommend her! Unfortunately, my babygirl decided to come 7 weeks early so I didn't get to have Julie in the delivery room or my original birth plan (ended up being emergency C-section) but she was sooo incredibly supportive once the contractions started coming then after my water broke. She checked in often for updates and/or to explain to me what the doctors were telling me. I can't thank you enough Julie!! There is no one better to support mamas to be ??

Nicole

11/24/2023

When I found out I was pregnant, the thought of having a doula never crossed my mind. It seemed a little bougie for me, but when my doctor left the practice, I started to think about it. It was the best decision I made. At our first meeting, we went over my birth plan. Julie gave me things to work on at home, but she also came back another time to make sure I knew how to do those exercises. She was always checking in, and she always answered right away when I had questions throughout my pregnancy. When I (finally) went into labor, I was texting Julie in the middle of the night while I left my husband sleep. She came over later in the morning and I labored at home as long as I could. Julie had me doing all kinds on different movements and exercises to naturally progress labor because my plan was to go without an epidural (spoiler:I did not make it ha). My labor at the hospital was longer than I anticipated, and Julie never left my side. When I caved and got the epidural, she continued to help me with body positioning to try to progress labor without drugs. She spent 2 nights in the hospital with us. I finally delivered a baby girl and it was a beautiful moment. But just when Julie probably thought she was home free to go home to her bed my placenta would not deliver. I was rushed to the OR and my husband was left with our baby, terrified and confused. Julie did not leave his side. When I returned to recovery but clearly still having issues, Julie called my parents for my husband and did not leave his side until she met my parents and they basically forced her to go home and get some rest. I was in the hospital for 10 days and Julie was in constant communication with my husband to check on me. When I came home, she was one of the first people I wanted to see. If you're on the fence about hiring Julie, stop thinking and just do it. Not only will Julie make you feel more prepared and relaxed going into labor, but you will come out feeling like she's family. 

Amber

10/28/2023

My mother-in-law suggested we get a doula for the birth of our first child, and we are so glad we did! Julie was very supportive from day one and was always a text or call away if we had any questions or concerns. She didn't try to sway us one way or another about the various options - gave us the facts and let us come to a decision on our own. She explained things in a way that was easy to understand and gave pros and cons for each option. She was very knowledgeable, and we felt much more informed when making decisions and advocating for what we wanted regarding the birth. When the doctor wanted to try various interventions, Julie was helpful in asking for time to discuss things with us, so we could make a decision without pressure. She also asked questions to help us understand how things were going. Once I was in active labor Julie helped me find different positions to get more comfortable and get the baby in a better position. After the baby was born, Julie stayed for an additional couple hours to make sure we were settled. She also made sure to check in several times postpartum to see how everything was going and stopped by the house to followup. My husband and I would highly recommend using Julie if you are looking for a doula to support you throughout your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey! 

Emily Grimley

10/10/2023

Julie played an indispensable role throughout my entire childbirth journey, and I can't express enough gratitude for her unwavering support. From the moment we decided to work with her, Julie became a vital presence in our pregnancy and birth experience.

During labor, Julie was by my side, offering not just physical comfort but also emotional and mental support. Her calming presence and soothing words helped me navigate the challenges of childbirth with confidence and resilience. It was reassuring to know that she was there, guiding me through every contraction, providing comfort measures, and advocating for my birthing preferences.

Julie's expertise didn't go unnoticed by the nurses at the hospital; they fcommented on her extensive knowledge and the positive impact she had on our birthing experience.

But Julie's influence didn't stop with me; she extended her guidance to my husband as well. She ensured that he felt involved and informed, allowing him to actively participate in the birth of our child. Her ability to create a harmonious birthing environment where both of us felt supported was truly remarkable.

In retrospect, I can't imagine going through such a significant life event without Julie. Her expertise, compassion, and dedication were instrumental in making our birth experience not just manageable but beautiful and empowering. My husband won't stop recommending her to everyone he knows because hiring Julie was one of the best decisions we could have made. If you're considering a doula for your birth, I wholeheartedly recommend Julie; she has a special gift for turning the challenging into the memorable, and we will forever cherish the role she played in our child's arrival.

Eric Foster

8/24/2023

After having three children without a doula, my wife and I saught ought Julie after having a bad birthing experience with our third child.

She provided ample support and resources before going into labor. Mom definitely seemed more prepared and confident then ever before.

During labor Julie was absolutely incredibly. She was a great coach and support, but most importantly for us, Julie was an incredible advocate. Mom's labor accelerated so quickly that when the baby was ready to go, Julie went and had to find a doctor and staff to deliver. While delivering Julie advocated for mom ensuring that she was able to push in the position that was safe and most comfortable for mom.

We could not recommend Julie more!

If there are any dads or future dads reading this, I'd highly recommend Julie. She was incredibly supportive and naturally found ways to include me in the process so I felt more supportive for my wife.

Newar & Waseem

12/11/2022

If you're considering Julie, just hire her! Don't hesitate! You'll be supported.

We love Julie and her presence with us and her support made a huge difference. Julie was very clear from the beginning about her experience and what she can offer and she stood by every word she gave.

We interviewed a bunch of doulas and once we talked to her we imminently knew that we want her.

She was very professional and always answered our calls and messages. She communicated very clearly and showed emotional support for both of us.

We'll not hesitate to hire her a second time (if we're still in the area, you know).

Lauren Ambrico

11/30/2022

Julie was my doula with my 3rd and 4th deliveries. This last delivery, which was my 4th, was my first delivery at home. I am grateful that Julie was there to tend to my needs and I was able to have a drug free delivery without any interventions. Julie came and visited me throughout my pregnancy. Checked in on me very often. Sat down with me and went over my birth plan thoroughly with me. Julie made sure my plans were met. No interventions, delayed placenta delivery and cord cutting, immediate skin to skin and breastfeeding. She was a wonderful advocate for me. She helped me through weeks of prodromal labor, including one very convincing false alarm instance. Julie also helped get my posterior baby into the correct position by not only suggesting special exercises, but coming over and walking me through them all and helping to relieve my tension with massage. I truly believe all her efforts helped get baby into the position he needed to be in to move past prodromal labor and have a smooth and healthy homebirth. She even stayed for hours after delivery to make sure baby and I were ok. She also visited me postpartum and checked in on me. I highly recommend Julie  if you are searching for a doula. She is a true blessing!

Ivana

11/19/2022

Julie was absolutely awesome help throughout and after my pregnancy! We are away from our families and Julie was such a calm presence offering much needed support! She is very down-to-earth, knowledgeable, kind, gentle and considerate! I really appreciated that she told us about things the way they were, she coached& encouraged me to advocate for myself AND advocated for me herself! I actually ended up having a c-section but it would have been much harder without Julie! She also helped us out after our baby was born.We are very appreciative of everything she has done for us! I hope you are lucky enough to be in her care! 

Christine Goodstein

10/14/2022

Julie was my life saver during labor! She is kind, patient, and observant.  She did an excellent job of explaining my options and coordinating my care to medical staff.  She ensured I was comfortable throughout everything.  She helped me change positions periodically and coached me through pushing.  When my labor stopped progressing, she came with me to c-section and helped guide me through a very tough decision.  Highly recommend, 10 stars, wouldn't have another without her! 

Ivana Vukovic

4/21/2022

Julie was a fantastic doula for our first childbirth experience.  She came to our house twice before the due date to go over our birth plan and was able to answer all our questions related to the birth experience.  During labor, she advocated for me at times where I would have struggled to tell the doctors what I wanted.  She was helpful to my husband as well.  We are very glad we had her there, and we would choose her again for our next baby!

Lauren Ambrico

1/28/2022

Julie was my doula with my 3rd delivery. This was my first delivery using a doula. I am grateful that Julie was there to tend to my needs and I was able to have a drug free delivery without any interventions. I was able to labor at home for 12 hours before needing to go to the hospital. I got to the hospital with my family and Julie by my side less than a half hour before delivery. Julie made sure my plans were met. No IV, squat bar, delayed placenta delivery and cord cutting for nearly an hour, immediate skin to skin and breastfeeding. She was a wonderful advocate for me and even stayed into the wee hours of the morning to make sure babyand I were ok. I highly recommend Julie. I'm currently expecting my 4th baby, and just hired her again! Looking forward to an amazing homebirth with the support of Julie as my doula. She is a true blessing!