Heather van Leeuwen

11/20/2024

Katie was a literal god send. My situation was unique as I was going through a divorce and didn't have the support of a partner during or after birth. Katie welcomed me with zero judgement and made me immediately feel safe. I booked her for birth and postpartum care. During my labor she helped me navigate choices that were true to my soul and my babies. Went with me to my six week postpartum visit and helped with my toddler. Helped keep my home in order and most importantly made sure I was taken care of along with my littles. I truly cannot thank Katie for what she did for me. She's a human with the sweetest soul and energy. She will always have a special place in my heart! 

Megan Hetrick

11/14/2024

Having a birth doula was really important for me, but we wanted to find someone that my husband also clicked with as he would need her support also. When we interviewed Katie, we could tell almost immediately that was her. She is incredibly personable and felt like a friend from the beginning. 

My labor did not start as I hoped it would. There was a lot of anxiety and Katie helped talk us through a plan. When labor really kicked in, it was extremely hard on me. I don't think I looked her in the eye for the first 3-4 hours she was in the room as my pain was very intense and I was going through a lot of pain management, but I felt her presence there and knew she was taking care of us. I wholeheartedly believe that if it wasn't for Katie, then I would have ended up in a c-section. When we found out that I wasn't progressing and my daughter was stuck in the cervix, it was her knowledge and advocation with our delivery team that helped us into next steps. I was able to end with a vaginal birth, but I don't think I would have gotten there if we didn't have Katie in the room with us. 

My husband felt very supported and grateful to have Katie in the room as I was in the amount of discomfort I was in. Our nurses and midwife team were a great support, but if it wasn't for Katie, the level and support that my husband was able to provide to me probably wouldn't have been at the same level. 

We also had Katie work with us in postpartum. She helped us learn so much in the early days of newborn changes and challenges. She was great at providing us positive reinforcement and offering advice, without making us feel like we didn't know what we were doing as new parents. We loved having her a part of this phase in our daughters life. If we decide to have another baby, we will absolutely have Katie as our doula again.

Lindsay

7/2/2024

We had the pleasure of working with Katie for both our birth and postpartum. She saved the day so many times during my labor - from helping me know when to contact my midwife, to guiding my husband how to best help me through contractions, to helping me have the unmedicated labor I wanted with guidance on positions and counter pressure movements. She helped me navigate options when my labor stalled out and I was able to have a vaginal delivery. Postpartum, her wealth of knowledge on tips and tricks were invaluable to me as a first time mom. Katie is really easy to talk to, provides excellent and timely communication before, during, and after birth, and helped keep things light and positive even during challenging moments. Thanks for everything Katie!

J & J

5/29/2024

Our experience with Katie was mixed. As our birth doula, Katie was professional, supportive, forward-thinking, and attentive, capturing unforgettable moments during our baby boy's birth. However, the transition to postpartum care was challenging, eroding our trust. Concerns included her questioning our timing of contractions upon arrival at the hospital. Misalignments in postpartum availability and expectations led us to part ways.

Post-birth, Katie informed us she’d be unavailable for a week due to other commitments, leaving us without anticipated support as first-time parents. She offered text support and an in-person chat about five days into parenthood. But we needed immediate, comprehensive care, and her absence during this critical time was keenly felt, leading us to part ways. During attempts at good-faith communication to address these issues, Katie strictly adhered to contractual terms, overlooking the broader impact on our experience without fully acknowledging her role.

For those considering Katie, we recommend discussing these upfront:

Backups: Despite an early promise for a Zoom call with her backups, it never materialized. Determine if postpartum doula backups are part of the deal. Katie’s schedule couldn't accommodate us until a week after birth, and the lack of a backup network became apparent. Healthcare providers, including our delivery hospital, told us a week-long absence without a backup was alarming and not standard practice.

Timing: Establish a "care availability window” to ensure prompt postpartum support (or backup care).

Hours: We purchased too many hours initially and were unable to recoup losses. Start small and add hours as needed.

Had the transition been smoother, Katie could have been an adequate postpartum doula. Unfortunately, our experience was unnecessarily painful. We hope this helps guide your choices.

Danielle Sullivan

1/22/2024

Katie was wonderful to work with! Her experience supporting dozens of births as well as raising her own kids makes her extremely knowledgeable and a comforting presence during labor. She gave great suggestions for ways to ease discomfort and pain. I appreciated her sense of humor during our many hours in the delivery room! Katie is a fantastic advocate and I'd recommend her as a doula to anyone  seeking additional support on their journey.

Daniel Sherman

1/21/2024

We can’t thank Katie enough for all her love, support, and guidance. As first time parents, Katie helped us acclimate to having a newborn and always reassured us that we were doing great with our baby. Katie was very helpful assisting mom during night time feedings and was always attentive to our baby. Our baby loved when Katie came to help, always smiling at her. He knew he was in great hands that loved him. Katie also helped keep our lives running by helping with meal prep and laundry, saving us time during the day. Katie became part of our family and was someone we could talk to about our challenges, laugh with and she’s someone we still keep in touch with.

We highly recommend Katie! We miss her!

Jacqueline J

1/20/2024

Hiring Katie as our doula was the best decision my husband and I made for the birth of our son! From the very start, she made us feel so comfortable and well taken care of. She is super sweet, dependable, and very knowledgeable. In fact, we loved her so much we ended up booking more overnights and day packages with her. Our son loves spending time with her. We would most definitely recommend her if you are looking for an amazing doula. We will hire her again if we are able to have baby number 2! 

Nicole and Butner Brimberry

1/17/2024

Let me start off by saying that my pregnancy journey was rough. The last thing I wanted to do was have an awful birthing experience. I knew I had to find a doula to support my husband and myself because we didn't have any friends or family here after having just moved from another state. I interviewed several doulas and needless to say, Katie was the perfect fit from the beginning. In fact, I knew there was a chance that I might go into labor when she was out of town, but I met her backup and still chose to go with her. Luckily, my daughter ended up coming later and we were able to have Katie there for the ride! Throughout the whole process Katie was there to support us and I really felt like my questions were answered and she was there for us. Katie was the first to let me know (after speaking to an emergency nurse) that I should be going to the hospital because my water broke and it was meconium, while the nurse line told me I was probably okay to stay at home. This was my first baby and I didn't want to take any chances. I'm so thankful she did because I needed to be monitored to make sure her heartbeat was steady. Katie offered all of the birthing positions and walked us through them during the many hours, while I never would've remembered half of them. She made us feel at ease and comfortable the whole time. I can not recommend her enough. All of the reviews she has are very much true. I'm so thankful we found her!

Nora

5/25/2023

Katie was so helpful to us. She was kind and knowledgeable. Shortly after we got to the hospital I was deeply in labor. Katie was able to help direct medical staff on our behalf and showed my partner what to do to support me. You go through all the birth classes but that learning flies right out of your head the moment you're in it. Katie also helped clue us in to what the next steps would be and what our options were in advance. I can't imagine giving birth without someone with that kind of experience and assurance there.

Tobias Ryan

5/4/2023

Greetings, 

For several days after Katie asked for this reference, I wondered how I could describe what she has meant to my family. 

Our baby was born in 2022, and we had limited support. Our birth doula at the time, who was fantastic, told us about postpartum doula care, and we interviewed with Katie. 

From the beginning, it was clear Katie would be a wonderful fit for our family. Her care for families has been both personal and professional for some time, and we were impressed by the training she has completed. Katie never recommended a course of action she would not help us take, or even that she had not used in the past with her own family. Her ideas still come back to me, though it is many months since we saw her last. 

When she was in our home, she was always courteous, helpful, supportive, encouraging, and affirming. She was very gentle with our new baby, and cared for him through long nights when he was having trouble sleeping. When she came to get one of us in the night, she was never intrusive, only a nurturing presence. 

Katie added to her own work over time. She helped with meals, dishes, and laundry. Frequently, she started right as she arrived. By week three, I was thinking of Katie as a member of our family. When she left, after dividing her hours with great flexibility to meet our needs, I was speechless. How do you say goodbye to a member of your new family? How do you say thank you to the only other person who has kept your new baby safe through the night? Thankfully, Katie still looks at our family photo/video album, and I imagine her enjoying our baby's changing face.

If you work with Katie, you will be meeting an exceptionally generous person. If I can ever answer questions about Katie's invaluable contribution to our family, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Best Regards, 

Tobias A. Ryan

nicoleplustobias@gmail.com

Kristin Howarth

4/20/2023

Katie was wonderful to work with! We hired Katie as a postpartum doula to help with our 3 month old baby girl. She helped with both days and nights and was wonderful with our daughter. She was thoughtful, caring and gave helpful tips and tricks to help her sleep better throughout the night. I would highly recommend hiring her. 

Nora

1/26/2023

Having Katie support the birth of our baby was such a gift! Her knowledge and calming presence were really reassuring during a vulnerable time. Katie advocated for us to medical staff, talked through medical options with us, and respectfully and confidently supported our decision making. Her knowledge of various positions and use of the peanut ball were especially helpful, since I needed to change positions frequently to keep baby’s heart rate in a safe zone. The tea lights she brought created a wonderful calming environment. Katie was willing to be our Doula on a moments notice (our original Doula was sick the day my water broke and Katie was called as a backup; she met us for the first time in the hospital parking lot very soon after!) and she stayed with us throughout a long labor process. She took amazing photos of our baby’s birth that we’ll treasure forever. I could not be happier with the care and support offered so compassionately by Katie. While we were sad not to have our original Doula, I feel so lucky that we got Katie. I’ll be forever grateful for Katie’s presence during our baby’s birth, and very highly recommend her to others!

Katy

12/10/2022

I interviewed 5 different doulas before choosing Katie, and I was SO happy with my choice to work with her! She is warm, friendly, welcoming, and I love her evidence-based approach. I instantly connected with her over our video consult and initial meetings. My birth experience was long and deeply challenging, but I was consistently amazed by how Katie showed up for me and my partner as things progressed. My partner was originally skeptical about needing a doula, and he told me afterward that Katie didn't replace him at all - just helped him support me in so many additional ways. He loved working with her and having her there to help us make difficult decisions. The two of them together made me feel supported, loved, and deeply cared for during a birth that did not go the way I had intended. I was constantly in awe of the way they used therapeutic methods (massage balls and hip squeezes especially) to alleviate my pain, especially when I was laboring unmedicated. I felt so comfortable around Katie, but I also appreciated her perfect blend of professionalism and friendliness. I would absolutely recommend her to any of my friends or family looking for a doula. I don't think I could have done it without her help! Thank you so much Katie!

Marissa

11/9/2022

We were referred to Katie through a friend who was already working with her and was due with her baby a few weeks ahead of us. Everything my friend mentioned about Katie was wonderful and as soon as I did a consultation with Katie I knew she would be a great asset through the new and exciting experience of birth. Katie helped my husband and I feel at ease by meeting with us and answering all the questions we had. I felt confident that going into my birth experience I would be well cared for and supported. When the day came Katie was immediately responsive and helping me through the initial stages of labor via phone until I asked her to come meet us as labor progressed. From the moment we arrived at the hospital until after the baby was born, Katie was an essential part of our successful delivery. She was so calm and able to help me focus during the incredibly challenging parts of labor. my husband was so grateful to have someone coach him throughout the experience as well. In the days and hours after the birth, the one sentiment we kept repeating to anyone we told our birth story to is that we were so grateful to have our doula Katie there. Thank you for all your care and support Katie! 

Julie C.

11/9/2022

We were fortunate to be matched with Katie as our doula and have her as our postpartum doula. From our initial interview, we could tell that she was someone we could trust to help us through this magical (but challenging) time in our lives. Going through final preparations, getting through labor, and surviving the first few months of our first baby were tough, but we genuinely felt supported by Katie throughout all of it. Leading up to the big day(s), she went over positioning with us and talked us through what to expect. Katie took the guesswork out of creating a birth plan by bringing up factors that we hadn’t even considered despite the books we read about expecting.

I have a background in medicine and am comfortable communicating with healthcare providers, but I really needed Katie to get through the exhaustion and stresses of childbirth so I could focus on the right things. She kept an eye out for my husband and advocated for me when I was too tired to do so for myself. She guided my husband on how to best help me and kept me focused during our 2.5 hour delivery. She celebrated in our joy with us when our baby arrived.

As our postpartum doula, she was eager to help and aimed to be productive in the 3-3.5 hour chunks we had with her. On top of checking in on me as a new mom and answering my questions about breastfeeding and baby sleep, she helped with the baby laundry, meal prep, and kitchen cleanup. Most importantly, she was sweet and patient with our daughter (no matter the baby’s mood) as well as with our needy dog. She would take the baby off of our hands and allow us to get a much-needed break.

Katie has a genuine respect for the process of becoming a new parent and a positive attitude that really helped us not only survive these first few months – but allowed us to take part in the joy of having our baby. I would highly recommend working with her and intend to work with her if/when we have another baby.

Erdem E

11/1/2022

We had a great experience with Katie. She was always kind and friendly. She demonstrated a great example of professionalism. We learned a lot from her. Glad that we get the chance to work with her!

Jane Delnicki

10/17/2022

Katie was exactly who we're looking for when we set out to find a sibling doula. We wanted someone who was friendly, warm, comfortable with kids and enjoyed being around them, and who was also a mother herself. She had the most important task of watching our two year old daughter while we at the hospital having our son. Katie went above and beyond for us. She was even able to extend her hours to watch our daughter another day when my birth took a different turn and required an unexpected cesarean.
    We also hired her for postpartum care. She was so attentive and helpful during thus tender phase. She did things around the house without us ever having to ask, such a wonderful thing when you're sleep deprived and need the help but you can't even think to know what you need. By the way, hoping this review makes sense! You're the best, Katie thank you! Thank you for all the mom tips too...I need them! <3

Danielle Noyes

9/24/2022

To say Katie was out postpartum doula feels like an understatement. She was like a doula, mom, and friend all rolled into one. It was a whirlwind at the hospital so I felt like I had no clue what I was doing. Katie taught me about diaper changing, getting my baby dressed, baby wearing, and all the essentials. She also supported me as I navigated postpartum recovery. Katie also did some overnights which, in the throes of sleep deprivation, allowed me to reset and sleep. It was wonderful having someone knowledgeable and loving that I could completely trust with my son. I am so incredibly grateful to her, and I can't recommend her enough! 

Kaci Krause

9/14/2022

Katie is absolutely amazing in so many ways! She helped me feel confident in making decisions and developing a birth plan, providing additional research and resources whenever possible. Throughout my labor and delivery, Katie provided the emotional support and coaching I needed. There is no way I could've had the amazing birth experience I did without Katie's support. She was attentive and helped me find the strength and courage I needed to have an unmedicated birth. It was perfect and I know Katie made a huge difference! I would highly recommend Katie to anyone and will definitely be looking for her support with our future children!

Lam Nguyen

8/31/2022

Katie is an amazing doula! She even came over to our home at 4am to help me with my labor/contractions. Her breathing techniques, calm presence and more made all the difference, and I was able to have the unmedicated/natural birth that I had wanted. Her support, knowledge, and compassion gave me & my husband the confidence we needed. Would definitely recommend Katie to friends and family!

Grace Rigsby

8/5/2022

Katie was our doula for the birth of our second kiddo, and I can't say enough about the wonderful experience it was to work with her. Katie is knowledgeable, easy to get along with, confident, incredibly supportive, and kind. She helped us with a birth plan, gave me stretches and exercises to do, answered questions, checked in, and supported me through labor and delivery as our birth plan had to be tossed and a c-section was needed. She is passionate about her work and excellent at what she does. I highly recommend her as a doula!

Kelsey

7/30/2022

Katie was both our birth and postpartum doula, and we are so grateful we worked with her. She was so wonderful to have at our birth. Her presence was calm, ans she supported me with things I didn't even know to ask for.

As for her postpartum work, I wish we could have Katie come by once or twice a week forever! She was incredibly helpful: meal-prepping, cleaning, helping with both our children, and helping with other odds and ends.

Also, she is a persistent one, this one! She managed to get 2 of my favorite Pyrex measuring cups separated (after they were put away hot and stuck together). We had tried everything in the book and almost had to throw them away. Thank goodness she saved them!!

Heather

7/26/2022

In case you don’t have time to read on, here’s the headline: We couldn’t have done it without Katie!

Katie is a kind, supportive, and knowledgeable doula. From the start, she always gave us her full attention and care, often providing us with information we didn't even know we needed. As first time parents, we had lots of uncertainties and questions along the way, and Katie always listened carefully and provided the sort of support that fit our needs. Our goal was to have a unmedicated birth, and without Katie, I truly don’t think it would have been possible. We would never have known about all the ways we could prepare my body ahead of time -- including the best positions to practice weeks before labor. During labor itself, Katie was an absolute master! Labor moved fast for me and felt like a blur, but Katie was a calm and collected expert who suggested new positions and solutions at every step -- whether it was to help move things along or ease the pain (her pelvic squeeze was such a relief!) For me, pushing was incredibly difficult -- I was exhausted both physically and mentally by that time. But Katie was literally at my side (holding my legs), giving me instructions during every contraction – she was exactly the sort of guide I needed. She also helped support and included my partner in everything – labor & delivery was a true team effort, but Katie was our kind and effective Captain! She was not only a reassuring presence but also a constant advocate for me – she always made sure I had what I needed from the healthcare staff. And did I mention that Katie is also a lovely person? – easy to talk to, fun to spend time with, and inspired lots of laughs and smiles! Simply put: we couldn't have done it without Katie! She helped us experience the birth we wanted, and most importantly, to bring into the world our healthy & happy baby. I can’t recommend her enough!

Patrick Compton

7/25/2022

Katie was super helpful for us before, during, and after the birth of our baby boy! She was very insightful given her own experience as a mother, and very supportive of us as new parents! We felt so much more peace throughout this whole experience as a result of being in her  care, knowing that we could contact her anytime as we led up to the week of delivery. She stayed with us in the hospital throughout our long, difficult delivery experience, and her expertise was vital for us mentally and emotionally to move forward through adversity! Thanks so much Katie!

Taylor Bruner

7/25/2022

Katie has been a joy to work with! She is highly communicative, knowledgeable, warm and professional. Katie was flexible and accommodating with the scheduling of our in-person and video meetings, and she was very quick to get the hospital when we asked her to meet us. Having her present in the labor and delivery was a great support to both myself and my husband. She was a great advocate for my care and birth plan, and offered poignant insights in our options when we shifted from our original plan. Following the birth of our son, Katie has consistently checked back on us and offered suggestions to help us work through any new challenges.

I would highly recommended Katie and her services to anyone! She has been a valued asset to us through this process and she is a lovely person to work with!

Tara

6/14/2022

Katie is a phenomenal birth doula. She came in last minute after I realized I needed some serious positive energy around my birth. She provided hands-on massage relief for awful back labor, and kept my energy up when I was getting overwhelmed. I had been so, so afraid of caving and getting an epidural after my friend had a bad experience. I had been so scared of tearing. Katie took away all my fear. My birth didn't go exactly to plan, but it worked out beautifully and I owe that in large part to Latie. She is an actual ray of sunshine! 

Caitlin Harman

5/10/2022

It was such a pleasure to work with Katie before during and after the birth of our first child. Katie made herself readily availalble for consults and check-ins. She was present and enthusiastic throughout our journey together her energy is calming and reassuring . Her emotional and physical support were so valued and it was clear she is highly educated on the childbirth and postparum processes. She stayed throughout the entire birth even though it went much longer than anticipated and she even stayed for awhile afterwards to follow-up and check on our family and it's newest member. I believe Katie  played an integral role in optimizing the birth outcomes. She was prepared and confident which really helped me mentally and physically. She also helped a lot with breastfeeding, pospartum. She offered insight and that made a very postive impact on my breastfeeding experience. I highly recommend Katie to anyone looking for a Doula, she is simply the best. In the words of my husband, "she's awesome". 

Abby Cryan

5/7/2022

We had an incredible experience with Katie. As a first time mom, I was very anxious about giving birth. Katie immediately made me feel comfortable and I was able to open up to her about my fears and preferences from the beginning. She really took the time to get to know me and my husband before labor. When there was a complication during the pregnancy, Katie sent me a lot of information and kind words that were a real comfort to me. During my early labor, Katie was easily available and talked me through comfort measures and when to go to the hospital. She was incredibly supportive while I labored at the hospital. She was also so encouraging to my husband and helped him with assisting me during the labor. At the hospital, nurses were in and out of the room but Katie was always there to help us with comfort and decision making. It truely made a world of difference in the labor and birth experience. After our son was born, Katie checked in and gave us advice that really helped ease us into our new role as parents. We could not recommend Katie more and hope we are able to have Katie as our doula if we have another child in the future. 

Lillian Lauer

4/1/2022

Wow, where do I begin praising Katie for her amazing sibling support for our son?! It was an easy decision to pick her as our sibling support doula because she is very professional, reliable and passionate about her work. Her personality is warm, friendly, energetic, charismatic and fun - I knew immediately that we could trust her.

We hired her to be on call to come over and care for our toddler for when I went into labor with our second baby, since we do not have any immediate family nearby and needed to have someone on call for the middle of the night. We met her in advance of my last month of pregnancy; she got to know our house, our son and his daily schedule.

On the big day, she arrived promptly and came over when we left for the hospital, and she spent the night at our house.  Katie did an absolutely amazing job following our son's schedule and instructions for his meals, activities and bedtime routine. He was so comfortable with her and had so much fun while we were away - it gave us such peace of mind!!! 

She is also a wonderful birth and postpartum doula and very passionate about her work, so I highly recommend working with her!

Tim Sheils

2/10/2022

Katie was absolutely wonderful and helped out when we were at the end of our ropes with our second child. Running on little sleep, several nights in a row, really affects your judgement and mood. When Katie stepped in to allow us to get some much needed sleep, it was a Godsend! We felt very comfortable with her right away and she has a calm confident presence.  In the morning, she recapped how the night went and gave us tips on what seemed to help comfort our son Finn. Worth every dollar spent and that is saying a lot, as I'm a penny pincher... A good night sleep puts you back in the right state of mind. Cheers to you Katie and thank you so much for the help you provided our family!

Shea Long

2/8/2022

Working with Katie was such a pleasure. She is so easy going and yet professional in her demeanor. We had set up interviews with more then one doula trying to find a good match, and we knew within minutes of jumping on Skype with her that she was the one. We are still so pleased with our decision. Having her there as an extra set of hands and source of support was one of the best decisions we made in regards to our birth plan. We’d highly recommend Katie.

Lauren Weinhandl

12/5/2021

We hired Katie to be our postpartum doula for our second baby, and I'm so glad we did. I'd had a traumatic postpartum experience with my first, and I wanted my 2nd time around to be anything but.
  I'd initially hired her because she has 4 children of her own, and I knew her personal experience was exactly what I needed. I'd expressed to her my breastfeeding goals, and my concerns with becoming a second time mom.  She pushed me to reach my breastfeeding goals, and was even able to offer help for our toddler.
  She helped with dishes, laundry, and even made sure I was eating enough! She also really became part of our family, in those 6 weeks we had her, and I still contact her for support on various topics. One of the things I appreciate the most about Katie is her very practical approach to caring for babies.  She never made me feel intimidated by all her experience. 
She is also extremely personable, and relatable! 10/10 I would hire her again, if I were to ever had another child.

Andre Pinto

12/3/2021

Katie has provided post-partum care for baby Grace in her first weeks. Both my partner and I found Katie to be a life saver! She was always super professional and caring for the tree of us. We could not recommend her highly enough.