Jessica Brandes BSN RN CLD HDHC

11/17/2024

Thank you so much for your kind words as well as letting me be a part of your story. I couldn't help but being a bit disappointed towards the end of reading this testimony. It seems quite unreasonable and unrealistic to expect a human to work over 24 hours as well as without additional compensation. As of now, it is written in my contract that I may leave after 16 hours of continuous labor support with or without a backup, with a backup costing an additional 35$ per hour. I hope this is helpful for you as well as others going forward. As professional doulas we are always learning and growing. Thank you again! 

Brittany

11/14/2024

I looked for a doula late in my pregnancy (3rd tri) and chose Jessica because I believed she'd advocate for me if situations arose during l&d and I didn't know what my options were or needed to be heard. She graciously accepted me despite it being so late, and helped my husband and me create a birth plan according to our hopes and preferences. She checked in regularly through the end of the pregnancy, encouraged/empowered me in my decisions, and provided tips to help baby arrive as due date came and went. Of course baby was on her own timeline, but I appreciated how Jessica provided data and research to inform my decisions. At 41w5d I got my membranes stripped, that evening contractions picked up andI was admitted to the hospital. Jessica met us there. She proceeded to work with me for HOURS, tried everything. While contractions picked up and became constant, dilation progressed very slowly. Around the 24-hour mark at the hospital, after Jessica talked me through/recommended getting Pitocin and an epidural to hopefully move things along, she informed me she'd be leaving.Due to the long labor, she was exhausted and felt she wouldn't be of much use going further, and wanted to return to her family. I was stunned, confused, disappointed. Before she left I quickly tried to ask as many questions as I could think of-how to labor/push with an epidural, what pushing felt like, what to expect (since this was unexpected in so many ways). I also wondered if she'd return or what would happen. She did not return. There was no backup doula either. Ultimately my labor was over 40 hrs, resulted in an unplanned c-section, I hemorrhaged and lost quite a bit of blood. I texted the birth info to Jessica in the days following the birth. It was very strange, and so disappointing how things evolved.She visited that week and spoke openly of what happened, but it's still difficult knowing how things transpired so drastically different from what I'd hoped, including with my doula.

Chelsey M

6/29/2024

Jessica is amazing! We met in person to discuss my pregnancy and birth plan, and she provided great information and answered all my questions. Jessica was very attentive and responsive to questions as my pregnancy neared the end. She was nothing short of amazing during the actual labor and delivery. Jessica was very attentive to my needs and that of my family. She made me feel comfortable and confident in my decisions throughout labor. I would recommend Jessica to anyone who is looking for a doula. Labor and delivery would have been much more difficult without her!

Lexi Hohneke

5/9/2024

Jessica was very supportive throughout my entire pregnancy. I have some trauma regarding my first delivery. She helped me come up with a natural birth plan with the main goal to be healing for both my husband and I. She was available via text after all appointments with any questions I had, she encouraged me to stick to what I wanted and reminded me that I'm the patient and it's my body-- I'm in charge. She was a place for peace of mind and reassurance when I knew I was making the right decisions but I just needed a reminder of it. And at the end of my pregnancy when I made a complete 180 switch and took a completely different birth plan for the safety of my baby and I and my mental health, she was right there with us. I'll be FOREVER grateful I had her on my side. She was also amazing help after delivery with making sure I got the golden hour of skin to skin with my baby and helped initiate breast feeding. She's been very supportive afterwards as well checking in on me frequently. 

Jackie Coffman

4/5/2024

Jessica was with us through the whole pregnancy and such a wealth of information. She made contact and communication effortless. It was nice to feel supported and have an independent third party I could go to with information. Although I changed my birth plan the day of, she was so supportive. Having her there helped keep the show going! I'm so glad she will be here with me a litttle longer to support my breast feeding journey!

Sarah

12/1/2023

I am so thankful I had Jessica by my side for the birth of our first child! I had no idea just how challenging labor and delivery would be and Jessica made the whole process so much smoother - she calmly and confidently guided me through contractions, offered great advice to help ease labor pains, and gave me constant verbal affirmations! I felt so much more confident in my home birth with Jessica there! 
It takes a very special person to be a doula and Jessica is definitely gifted to fill that role. Highly recommend her!! 

Kelsey Figland

11/21/2023

My husband and I could not be any happier with Jessica as our doula. She was an amazing form of support through my pregnancy and my entire labor. She knew exactly how to help me stay in control during my contractions. She provided tools and advice during labor that helped me have an intervention free labor and birth. She knew my birth plan to a T, and advocated for us in so many ways. 

Natasha

10/23/2023

I had the best experience with Jessica. I was told many times a vbac wasn't possible for me as well as told I needed to schedule inductions, c sections ect. Jessica strod by my side and supported my choices. I had a successful vbac at 42 weeks with the support of Jessica.

Jennie

10/19/2023

Jessica was so great to work with. With this being our first pregnancy, we didn't really know what to expect and the doctors wanting to induce me, Jessica was a great to have and help explain things to us. If we didn't have her, I don't think I could've done it without an epidural. It was nice to kind of have a buffer between my husband and I, where he could focus on supporting me. We definitely recommend her and plan on working with her on our future pregnancies!

Olivia David

7/6/2023

My  doula Jessica was very amazing,  she help me through it all N when I needed her to make some decisions with me she was right there helping me ! She has a great personality N she make this birth easy for us ! N we'll be using her again in the future! 

mariya

7/5/2023

I had a traumatic c/s in 2015 and my desire to have a natural unmedicated birth prompted us to find a doula to guide us through VBAC and advocate for us.
We found Jessica and were beyond happy with services she provided.
She supported every decision we have made and even took the time to come out and help 2 days in a row to kick start labor after we ended up in post dates.
The labor did not go according to plan but Jessica was there the whole time.  There was a point where the pain became so debilitating I was ready to quit and have a c section and Jessica said that I can still have my VBAC. We had a successful VBAC shortly after with Jessica's support.  Our main goal was to have a a successful VBAC with a healthy happy baby, and we couldn't be any happier with the results!

Sam Pierce

6/14/2023

Jess was a great addition to our birth team. I had a very fast labor. Jess arrived fast after I called and was very supportive through the pregnancy and delivery. We were supposed to do hypnobabies which didn't happen due to being so fast and I was also supposed to get in the labor tub etc. Despite changes in my birth plan Jess was there as a calming presence and did what I needed her to do the most, hold my hand! I highly reccomend her, especially as a hypnodoula. She encouraged me through pregnancy and guided me through my fast labor. She is very knowledgeable and has an amazing presence. 

Britney

2/16/2023

10/10 recommend! What started as a quick trip in to get checked to see if my water broke ended in an emotional c section that left us extremely grateful for Jessica. Our original birth plan was an unmedicated vaginal birth with no interventions. We talked about how to handle different scenarios incase something came out.
When we found out my water had broke but my body wasn’t dilating we started induction. We weren’t in love with the idea but we also knew it was best. We kept in contact with Jessica & made a plan. When things switched up again Jessica & I revised our plan & she was heading our way to be with us until our son was born. As the induction process took a toll on me, Jessica offered multiples ways to help prepare my body & manage pain. We switched positions, used hip squeezes, massage, walking, swaying & other tools to keep progressing. As contractions were getting much harder to bare l my body still wasn’t dilating. I was emotionally & physically spent. We knew it was a marathon but I didn’t know if I could to keep up my stamina much longer if we kept to the unmedicated plan. When I requested the epidural, my heart had shattered. Jessica was there to help lift me up emotionally & physically..literally, it was a dense epidermal & she had to move me into different positions because I couldn't. She worked with the nurses to position me in bed to encourage my body to dilate.  Eventually we had to stop induction & look at the risks and benefits for both waiting it out & getting a c section. We decided a c section was the best route & once again Jessica didn’t skip a beat. She was there for us mentally & physically. She helped guide us through one of the hardest yet beautiful moments of our lives. If it wasn’t for having Jessica as part of our team, I don’t think we would be able to look back on the birth & find the beauty that still came from it.

Jennifer Rousel

1/24/2023

You need Jessica as your doula ! I couldn't have gotten through active labor without her. Back in September, Jessica was by my side as a single mom and kept me calm emotionally and respected my choices. She suggested many different postion changes that gave me strength to pull through ! Hire her!

Jennifer Roseul

1/24/2023

You need Jessica as your doula ! I couldn't have gotten through active labor without her. Back in September, Jessica was by my side as a single mom and kept me calm emotionally and respected my choices. She suggested many different postion changes that gave me strength to pull through ! Hire her!