Cassi Benavides

1/27/2024

We are first time parents. We had previously booked another doula and things fell through around my 7th month. I was very worried about finding someone else, but as soon as we spoke with Kari I knew she would be a great fit. She has such a calm, supportive, loving & professional demeanor. I really appreciated…well just everything! One thing that stuck out was how organized she was with her communication & emails, which helped me have resources & info at my fingertips when I needed it. She made my husband and I feel so much more confident in our birth journey by providing lots of useful information. I understand a doula can be a big investment, but my husband and I completely believe it’s worth it.

Amanda Wood

10/19/2023

5 stars isn’t nearly enough to give Kari. I truly wouldn’t have made it through my very long labor and delivery without her. The energy Kari exhibits is so motherly and calming and yet strong, supportive and reassuring; something that was very important to me. From the moment I met with her, I knew she would be my birth keeper and the one person I wanted close to me. Being a military spouse has its complications and my husband was not present for my birth or most of my pregnancy and so having Kari to support me made all the difference. Whether that meant house visits, checking in via text or phone calls - she was there for me through it all. From an information stand point, she offered all the tips and tricks to me and advocated for me when I needed it. I truly cannot imagine having gone through my pregnancy without her. Don’t walk, run to her if you’ve been thinking about bringing a doula onboard to your birth team. I will definitely be hiring her back for my 2nd and am really so thankful I was able to share my experience alongside her. I felt seen and supported in the best way possible in her care and I promise you will too!

Jenna

10/19/2023

Kari was the best decision we made surrounding our daughter’s birth and I couldn’t imagine it without her. She was an incredible resource during pregnancy for questions that arose about birth and beyond. I felt that there was so much unknown territory in birth, it was reassuring to know I had an advocate on my side that could help me navigate any surprises that arose and have a positive birth experience. She provided so much emotional support and was one of the biggest reasons I believed in myself and was able to have an unmedicated birth. She was also incredibly helpful to my husband as part of my birth team during labor and delivery. I had some unexpected bleeding after delivery and Kari stuck around for hours past to make sure we were doing okay and even fed me from her own snack bag. She is the most wonderful person and helped us to have the most amazing birth experience. We couldn’t have done it without her and would recommend her to everyone. Love you Kari!

Tori Walsh

5/12/2023

Having Kari as our doula was the absolute best decision my husband and I made! I feel so grateful to have had an empowering and positive labor and birth - and Kari is a big reason for that. She has an incredibly calm presence (as a worrier, I needed that). When I started laboring and contractions had slowed, she knew just what to do to get my labor going (something I wouldn’t have been able to do on my own). She was encouraging every step of the way and talked/breathed me through the contractions. She calmed every worry when they arose through pregnancy, labor and after delivery. 

Knowing we had her as a doula, made my pregnancy more enjoyable and relaxed too! We are forever grateful!

Suse Argollo

4/3/2023

It’s cliche to say, but I honestly have no words to describe what Kari means to me. I hired her in the beginning of my pregnancy after a friend’s recommendation. Throughout the whole pregnancy, Kari was so supportive and helpful. She shared so much knowledge and made me and my husband feel confident and supported. I had a few scares during pregnancy, and Kari was always there. Although knowing I had no control over how baby was going to come to this world, I was preparing to have a natural birth with no intervention at a hospital setting - which I did! :) With Kari’s support, my labor was the most beautiful experience I had in my life. I was able to have the natural birth I dreamed of, as my baby arrived in our arms safely. When I look back, it still brings tears to my eyes when I remember the sensation of pure surrender and love. Kari’s serene presence made me feel safe and honored. She took care of me and reminded me of my own strength. My husband was able to dive into our labor with me because he also felt confident and supported by Kari. She helped us create the scared and safe space we needed and deserved. I love Kari and I feel so blessed she was my doula

Anastassia

3/29/2023

Kari is an amazing doula! She helped us give birth to our second baby girl in November 2022. Kari is an incredibly calm and comforting presence, who genuinely cares about her clients and takes time to get to know each family, their needs, values and desires for their birth. Her approach is incredibly genuine and caring, and she helped us prepare for birth by giving me great tips in advance for stretches, mindful exercises, things to ask my doctor about. On the day of labor, Kari was available and texting with us throughout the day. As things progressed, we asked her to come to the hospital and she was there very quickly. She provided incredible support to me as I was getting ready to push, as well as through the delivery process through gentle and reassuring massage and positioning, affirmations, and a calm and serene sense of being so that I was able to focus and be fully in my body throughout the experience. She stayed with us afterwards for a couple of hours until we were ready to move to our room, and came over to check on us and meet our baby a couple of weeks later. It was such an amazing experience, that I would highly recommend Kari for her birthing doula services. <3

Hattie

3/27/2023

My husband and I absolutely loved working with Kari! Prior to our son's birth, Kari spent time getting to know us, our desires for the birth, and helping us to learn and be informed on the end of pregnancy and birth process! Kari has such a comforting and encouraging personality. Even when we had some questions or were unsure about a portion of  our birth experience she asked great questions to help us process through the best decision for our family! We highly recommend Kari and hope to get to work with her again in the future!

Dakota Haines

3/14/2023

Kari was our doula for our home birth with our first baby and we absolutely love her! Both my husband and I clicked with her right away, feeling perfectly comfortable like we’ve known her for years. Kari does a great job of answering all the first-time parent questions and walking you through birth prep and what to expect. With a very fast and intense labor, I don’t know how I would have gotten through it without Kari by my side! She provided so much support and reassurance during an incredibly challenging time. Even after the birth Kari stayed with us to support and help get us everything we needed, going above and beyond! We would highly recommend Kari to anyone looking for the perfect doula and we can’t wait to have her at our next birth. 

Caroline

12/29/2022

Kari was so helpful leading up to my birth and throughout it. She was always available to help when I had questions (or worries). My labor & delivery didn’t go quite as planned but Kari was on call and with us as soon as we needed her! She was awesome in the hospital making sure I was comfortable and helping my husband to help me. And of course she stuck around after to make sure I/we were okay after we had some complications.
Kari as also easy to get along with and we loved her vibe in general. As soon as we had our first phone call we knew she’d be a good match for us! We would definitely use her again if we decide to grow our family more!

Broghan Hirtzel

11/15/2022

My husband and I were privileged enough to have Kari as our doula for the birth of our second son. Welcoming someone into such an intimate space can be scary but I felt very at ease upon meeting with Kari and knew she was who I wanted to help me bring my baby into this world. She helped me immensely throughout a very intense labor to feel calm and supported. My labor did not go as expected- but she helped me navigate it all and helped me to feel confident in my decisions. I would recommend having Kari to any birthing family!

Tanisha De La Torre

11/3/2022

I was referred to Kari from a doula marching service. There was something about the sweetness in her face that drew me in. And when I met her during a video chat I knew that she was my doula. There are not enough words to fully describe everything Kari did for my husband and I. She did so much to prepare us for what to expect during labor and is very knowledgeable. I felt so loved by Kari and it made my fear of labor a lot smoother. She felt like part of the family and I very much appreciated her advice/wisdom when making decisions. Kari has such a calming energy and is like a total mind reader during labor. She knew when to get me water, snacks, cool wet towels, massages and words of encouragement. Kari was also a huge support for my husband and I loved she made sure to include him in everything. He was able to get rest and fuel up because of Kari, so that he could better support me during labor. Kari is a doula you definitely need by your side. I cannot recommend her enough. She is exactly what I needed, especially as a first time mom. We are forever thankful for her. You’re the best Kari!

The Bowen Family

3/15/2022

Hello, first time parents here! When we first learned we were pregnant, our midwife told us that "a doula is worth her weight in gold" and boy did that prove to be true with, Kari! She was such an amazing point of support throughout our whole pregnancy, guiding us through the many questions and concerns that came up along the way but labor and delivery is where she really was a God-send. She helped us to labor at home comfortably as long as we could and gave us a better idea of when to leave for the birthing center. When labor was really progressing, she met back with us at the birthing center and offered me healing touch, pain-relieving postures, as well as soothing and encouraging words of support. On the other end, she gave my husband the confidence he needed to support me throughout the delivery in the most beneficial ways. We really cannot imagine our birthing-experience without Kari being a part of it. Needless to say, she will be one of our first calls when we become pregnant with baby number two, to ensure that we lock down her services! 

We love you, Kari!!! 

The Bowen Family ??

Sylvia Dickens

7/30/2021

I can't even express how grateful I am for meeting Kari Otto and having her as my doula. Kari was very helpful and knowledgeable preparing me, first time mom, for the labor. She provided a lot of great ideas and suggestions on how to breathe, relax and deal with the labor pain.

Kari was present during the labor that lasted more than 24 hrs. She was comforting me by massaging my head, back, feet and using essential oils. Kari was checking if I had enough food (broth, jello) and liquids. She is simply amazing, making me feel like her family member. I'm sure we will stay in touch now and in the future. I would recommend her to anyone who is looking for the best doula in North County. 

John Dickens

7/30/2021

Kari Otto is simply amazing! I really did not know what to expect from a doula and I did not know how critical a role they play in the birthing process. Kari was with my wife and I throughout the entirety of the labor process providing comfort and reassurance to us. After my experience, I truly consider her a family friend and I look forward to maintaining contact with her in the future.