Gregory Flynn

12/16/2022

Josie and her partner Ginny were the doulas for Vanessa and I with our son, Ezra. We could not have asked for a better pair. Josie was unbelievable through the preparation process, during the north, and recovering. We will always remember her coming into the hospital room and immediately realizing Vanessa and preparing an amazing calming bath. Also, Josie was amazing after birth helping Vanessa with breast feeding. We hope to have another child, and our goal is to make sure Josie is our doula!

Bhakti

12/8/2022

Believe it or not Ginny and Josie were the first Doulas we spoke with and it just felt right in the gut. We decided we didn't need to talk to anyone else and hired them during the call. I was anxious to be a first time mom, doubted my ability to give birth and navigate the intimidating medical system. Josie was our rock in the delivery room. She was so in tune with everything that was happening and was always ahead of what me or my partner needed. I felt seen, advocated for and supported by Josie during a difficult delivery. My partner and I couldn't have done it without her. Thanks to Josie's guidance my baby latched on to me right away. Her home visits after my birth were so well for helping us get through the roller coaster that is week 1. We also had endless support via messaging which was so helpful. I asked a thousand questions. We are so lucky to have had Josie in our life to help with our daughters birth.

Casey

10/20/2022

We had a wonderful experience with Ginny and Josie as our doulas for the birth of our second child. From our very first meeting, they were warm, approachable, validating, empowering, and expert listeners. At first I was a little unsure about the team approach, but now I can’t imagine anything else! Their clients get the benefit of two incredibly thoughtful, knowledgeable, supportive people, and it was comforting to know that one of them (vs. a backup) would very likely be at my birth.

I can’t say enough about how supportive Ginny and Josie were. They were both incredibly responsive by text and phone from the moment we hired them, and also proactively reached out to me to check in, which made all the difference. The prep meetings we had with them were thoughtfully done and really helped us establish a relationship. And having their hands-on support during the immediate postpartum period was essential, despite us being second-time parents. In particular, Josie’s lactation support set my breastfeeding journey on a completely different (and much smoother) path as compared to what I experienced with my first.

My birth was so fast that the baby came before our doula could arrive, but I still consider the support I received from Ginny and Josie to have been essential to my very positive birth experience. They encouraged and supported me through some really unexpected and challenging circumstances in the second half of my pregnancy (personal injury, family health emergencies); empowered me to advocate for myself in ways that supported my birth goals; and helped me work through a difficult postpartum period with a reflux baby. I’m so grateful we found them, and recommend them without hesitation. Thank you, Ginny and Josie!

Kristen Gutierrez

10/5/2022

I know that my baby would have been born without Ginny and Josie's support, but I don't want to imagine what that experience would have been like! From the moment I spoke with them when I was both scared and excited at 11 weeks pregnant, I knew Ginny and Josie were the doulas for me. They helped empower me and my partner with the information we needed to inform our birth preferences, and, when things went "off plan," their support helped me feel held through my labor and delivery. My labor was on the longer side, so I had the unique privilege of having both doulas attend part of my birth. Their energy and steadfast support was invaluable to both me and my partner during this transformative experience. We loved the postpartum support, too. Gratitude doesn't even begin to explain it. Anyone would be lucky to have Ginny and Josie as their allies in the birthing experience.

Meryl

8/26/2022

My midwife suggested Ginny and Josie because she had had great experiences with them at births.

Ginny and Josie were amazing and supportive throughout my pregnancy, labor and the weeks after. Ginny was on-call and so was at my birth, she never left my side throughout my long birth and the complications that followed. She advocated for me throughout and was so kind and caring. Both of these doulas were intelligently informed, supportive, and had so many tools and suggestions whenever issues came up. 

I would highly recommend them to any one looking for a doula and I am a huge advocate of doulas for birth. They work so well together and my husband and I felt confident with them on our team. 

Ania Braszkiewicz

6/28/2022

In the first few minutes of the introduction call, my partner and I knew that this is going to be a great fit for us as both Josie and Ginny made us feel safe, calm, and excited for the journey ahead. During labor and delivery, Josie was with us every step of the way. My early labor was long (18 hours+) and quite painful but Josie was able to provide me with so much relief by walking me through briefing exercises, guiding me through various positions, massaging me, putting pressure on my hips and back, and much more. Josie was also a great advocate and sounding board when talking through our options and interacting with the hospital stuff. Thanks to her being both a “coach” and a “cheerleader” I was able to survive the early labor, get the baby in the perfect position before getting an epidural, and have an uncomplicated delivery. Aside from the hands-on support during labor and delivery, there is just so much value in having both Josie and Ginny as your resource for any questions or concerns during both pregnancy and the “fourth” trimester. They are a wealth of information and have been there for me basically 24/7.

I cannot imagine going through my pregnancy, labor, and post-partum without Josie and Ginny’s support. I would recommend their services to any of my expecting friends and a hope to be able to work with them for my next pregnancy.

Ginny and Josie – thank you so much for all you do from the bottom of our hearts. Thanks to your love and passion, May 23 (the day our daughter was born) was absolutely perfect.  

Bree Martzke

6/26/2022

My husband and I chose to work with Josie and Ginny due to their combined experience and wrap-around care model including support before, during, and after the delivery. It was great getting to work with both of them leading up to the birth and benefit from each of their experiences. We felt they gave a balanced perspective on the many choices surrounding childbirth and greatly increased our confidence and peace of mind leading up to the birth as first-time parents. Ginny attended the birth of our daughter. I had an extremely long and difficult labor that necessitated changing many of the things we had planned for, and we were very grateful to have Ginny’s input. Also, Josie’s support with breastfeeding after we returned home was invaluable. I don’t think my breastfeeding journey would be going anywhere near as smoothly without her. Out of all the things we did to prepare for the birth and postpartum, hiring Josie and Ginny was by far the most valuable. We couldn’t recommend them any more highly.

Jess & Sven

6/14/2022

Working with Ginny and Josie was the best decision we made in preparing to have a baby. In our interview I told them I was looking for "an advocate that felt like a sister" - they understood the assignment. When things went a little sideways and our baby wouldn't flip we had to have a planned c-section. Both Ginny and Josie talked us through this big shift, told us what to expect, how to prepare, and most importantly created a new plan for what our birth could look like. On the day of, Ginny held my hand, played music, and helped me to breathe through the process... definitely leaning into the role of sister and advocate when I was freaking out. Afterwards Josie helped us with how to breastfeed, and when and how to pump. Five out of five stars, WOULD/WILL HAVE A BABY WITH THEM AGAIN! Thank you ladies!

Sasha

5/19/2022

I don’t think we could have picked a better team than Josie and her doula partner Ginny for support as we navigated the lead up to birth, birth, and the postpartum period. They both provided such thoughtful questions and ideas during the prenatal visits as we planned what we wanted labor and delivery to look like. Ginny was on call when I went into labor, and was an incredible pillar of support, had such a calming presence, and was a wealth of ideas of helpful things to try. I have no doubt we would have received the same from Josie. Josie’s breastfeeding knowledge and the postpartum shift with Ginny were such welcome bonuses! It was helpful to be able to message, video chat or visit with Josie while establishing a new breastfeeding relationship, and we felt so supported and nourished during the postpartum shift with some rest, a delicious meal, and had the opportunity to process the birth together. I would highly recommend both of them for anyone seeking a doula.

Laura Waltner

1/5/2022

My husband and I had an incredible experience with Josie and her doula partner, Ginny. After meeting with several doulas, we immediately knew we had found our match when we met with them. They have the perfect combination of experience, medical knowledge, warmth, patience, and a sense of humor! I couldn’t have asked for better support as a first-time mother giving birth. Since we had our baby during the height of COVID restrictions, we only had access to online birthing courses. I was feeling nervous about the process until we had our pre-birth meetings with Ginny and Josie. They walked us through the practical side of giving birth, like birthing positions and timing, but also talked in depth about advocacy in the hospital and how we would like to feel during the birthing process.

During labor and delivery, Josie was with us every step of the way and helped me feel confident and prepared for all of the decisions I needed to make during the birthing process. She constantly gave me both physical and emotional support, and gave my husband breaks from being "on" so he was rested for delivery. Josie partnered incredibly well with our labor and delivery nurse and the rest of our care team. Though Josie was with us in the hospital, Ginny was available the whole time to support by phone. I was particularly nervous about breastfeeding as a new mom; Josie helped with the first feeding in the hospital and then came to observe and help with feeding in our home about a week later. I am much more confident with feeding than I ever would have been without her support.

Our son is now 6 weeks old and we still reach out to Ginny and Josie for support when things come up. They were not only an invaluable resource during the birth and immediate postpartum process, but also feel like they will be part of our lives forever; they care for us and our new son in ways I never could have anticipated.

Christina

11/2/2021

TLDR; Calming, Empowering, Supportive, Resource

When I was pregnant, I knew I wanted someone by my side that was knowledgeable, experienced, and could match my energy. To be frank, I needed someone that I would be comfortable being my most vulnerable and not be embarrassed or ashamed no matter what happened, physically or mentally. It was also an extremely weird time, the beginning of the pandemic, with so much uncertainty.

Josie met all of my criteria and more. She was an amazing resource, and was flexible. When I found I wasn't really into the affirmations, it was totally fine and we looked at other methods. I knew I didn't want a cheerleader or "woo girl" as I refer to them as, and Josie was my steady rock. She also balanced supporting and guiding my partner as well, making sure that he felt needed, involved, and confident as he supported me. Whenever we spoke, it always felt like a conversation with an old friend. I didn't feel overwhelmed with information.

I attribute my extremely positive birthing experience to Josie and the work she put in to prepare my partner and I. Thank you!

Kim Y

8/31/2021

Josie was an integral part of my prep, labor, and birth experience. She's not only extremely knowledgeable but also warm and caring. My labor and birth was definitely not straighforward, so having Josie there to help as I navigated every decision and phase of labor was beyond helpful. Being able to know that there was always someone who not only was there to care for me, but also knew me and my preferences beforehand made this birth experience easier and a positive one.

Even during COVID, we were able to make a strong personal connection with her while also feeling cared for through the precautions taken for our sessions (Zoom or masked outdoors). This was my second birth and I was attempting a VBAC. With her positive energy and guidance, I felt like I was well-equipped for what turned out to be a long and unpredictable labor and birth. She stuck with me and my husband throughout all of the twists and turns of our journey and although I had a repeat C-section, I felt like I had an empowering experience; and because of her constant reminders on when to rest, I had more energy immediately after delivery and therefore an easier recovery than my first C-section. I have so much respect for Josie and the work they do. I highly recommend hiring Josie as your doula!

Claire S.

1/4/2021

I will wholeheartedly recommend Josie as a doula and lactation consultant to any pregnant person or new parent, and will most definitely work with her again when I have more children. Her pre-birth support helped us feel as prepared as first-time parents can be, while her day-of support helped us feel in control even when things didn't go according to plan. As she coached me through contractions, I felt a sense of profound understanding from Josie that I didn't get from anyone else in the room. It was easy to see that `she was in her element.

All that said, it was her continuous post-partum support that I'm most grateful for. Each time I was on the brink of feeling adrift, she gave me a lifeline that got me through those early breastfeeding challenges by sending me links to how-to resources, checking in on me regularly, and video chatting to troubleshoot specific issues.

On top of all that, Josie has a positive energy and lighthearted spirit that makes you feel at ease the moment you meet her. Josie's unwavering encouragement from first contact through the few weeks post birth set her apart from the crowd. 

Tara Vitale

11/30/2020

Josie was such a gift to have as a doula! We could not have imagined going through our first pregnancy (especially during CoVID) without her. Josie was consistently in contact with us and made sure to tailor her services to our needs. We were looking for someone who viewed my husband and I as a team for the delivery and Josie did just that!
 
Due to CoVID we never meet Josie in person before the delivery, but she made sure to establish a great connection with us via zoom. It was amazing how comfortable it was to transition from never meeting her in person to having her physically there for such an important moment. I credit this to her reaching out so much to us throughout the pregnancy and the work she put into building a great connection with us.
 
Additionally, Josie was very good at making us feel comfortable with her during CoVID. Josie was extra vigilant with wearing masks, getting tested for CoVID, and communicating her exposure risks with us. It was very comforting to know our doula was on the same page about CoVID and taking many of the same steps that we were.
 
During labor Josie was able to support my husband and coach him on how to best support me. Our delivery changed rapidly from a natural labor to epidural to c-section and Josie was able to provide information and support throughout.  I would highly recommend Josie for anyone looking for an energetic and supportive doula!

Nicole Smolich

8/16/2020

Josie was beyond anything I expected. We had meetings a few times prior to my birth - she spent time to get to know me and my expectations for my delivery. This was my first time giving birth and having Josie as my doula helped a lot with my anxiety of the unknown- she also provided me with a lot of information and had an answer to every question. Going into all this initially I was very scared and anxious  of the whole delivery process and after meeting with Josie and discussing everything - it didnt seem so scary!

When the actual delivery time came - Josie stayed with me the entire time I was admitted to the hospital. She helped me throughout all of my contractions and had me breathe through all them. Having her help me with this made it seem like the contractions weren't so bad! I still decided to move forward with the epidural - when the epidural kicked in - my entire left leg went completely numb and this was a bit uncomfortable for me. Josie massaged my leg the entire night up until it was ready for me to give birth. She is absolutely the best doula anyone could ever ask for.

Josie has been very caring, supportive, and knowledgable. I would highly reccomend her for your doula needs! 

Katie Gabbard

5/4/2020

Josie was absolutely phenomenal. She made me feel so comfortable, and truly cared for with every need! She was my number one contact when I had my 1st born. She was always a call, text, or even a FaceTime away. There's times where I'd call her at 2:00am and felt bad for waking her! She assured me that she loved to be there for me 24/7 and not to be embarrassed if I needed to call her in the middle of the night. I'm confident she would make any mother feel safe in her care as she truly saved me multiple times in my discomfort. Any question I had, she knew the answer. Now that she's given me so much knowledge, I'm a bit sad that I don't talk to her every single day! I feel like I'm not only losing an incredible Doula, but a friend, too! I highly recommend having this beautiful soul along side of anyone who needs guidance going into motherhood. If it wasn't for Josie, I wouldn't of stuck with breastfeeding. I'm truly grateful I had her along side of me!