Jackeline Castro

10/30/2024

I am incredibly grateful for having had Jena as the doula for my second child's home birth. Her rate was affordable, and included a one on one yoga class. She's very intuitive and spiritual and, being similar, I appreciated those aspects in a doula since I believe birth is a holy experience. With that said, I felt like she very much followed my lead and did not feel she pushed anything (at all!) on me. I also attended a pregnant persons' circle she led at her house where she led a ritual, a meditation, and offered snacks and tea. It was great to commune with other local pregnant persons I would have otherwise not met. I appreciated her committment to our family - in fact, her first visit with us she came right after one of our biggest snow storms. While I am grateful for many aspects of her services that she provided, the most intimately meaningful was the day of the birth and the immediate post partum. The day of the birth, my water had already been broken for over 24 hours and nothing was happening. She came over with the midwife and showed me various movements and poses to do to start labor. They absolutely worked and I went into labor hours later. She was very present during the labor, but in the way I desired, even though that wasn't actively using her for much of it, which to me is a sign of a very good birth supporter because the entire experience is about the birthing parent, not the birth supporter/worker, even if that means they're simply sitting by and holding space. Post partum she made my placenta capsules and made me a beautiful art piece from my placenta. She also made me a foot wash/holy bath mixture + dropped off a yummy, nutrititous meal. 10/10 would recommend! She is sweet, caring, knowledgeable, a space holder, and has the important ability and gift to really support a birthing parent in obtaining the birth experience they want. 

Maeve

10/10/2024

Jena was an essential part of my pregnancy and birth journey. She is meant to be a doula and working with her was easy from the start. She said to me right away "you can do it" when I shared my goals for an unmedicated birth. She answered any and all questions, addressed concerns with an open mind, and communicated without judgment. Her prenatal yoga teaching is a wonderful addition to her work. Jena's experience as a doula is incredibly valuable in creating well rounded birth preferences and teaching labor strategies. She calmed my worries in the final days before birth and helped keep things in perspective. Bringing my son into this world was empowering and intense. She held space during my labor as an advocate who worked smoothly with other members of my birth team, honored my birth preferences, and was a constant source of grounding and reassurance. I think back on my birth experience often. Especially when life with a tiny human hits the inevitable tough spots, I'm reminded of the joy, strength, peace, and euphoria I felt. I recommend Jena highly and without hesitation. 

Elanna Gould

10/4/2024

Jena was an incredible birth doula! From the beginning, Jena helped educate me and my husband on birth and provided great resources for us to learn more. She assisted us throughout the lengthy birth of my first child and helped a LOT with pain management during labor. I would highly recommend Jena! 

Stacey

10/2/2024

Jena was amazing! We did prenatal yoga ??‍?? and she gave me a routine to do while pregnant. It really helped with pain during pregnancy and I think it helped with a shorter labor. During labor Jena was with me the whole time helping me get into positions to help progress labor. I was only in labor 7 hours start to finish. I had an amazing home birth. At the postnatal visit she brought me healing kichari and my placenta art that she made. It was so beautiful. 10/10 recommend Jena if you want to have a natural and intentional pregnancy and birth. 

Megan Fisher

10/2/2024

Jena was absolutely amazing! She did a one on one prenatal session with me which was so relaxing. Anytime I reached out with questions while I was pregnant she was so prompt to answer me and was always so supportive. Then when I was in labor and giving birth she was so calm with her voice, so encouraging, and had so many tools that helped with the labor pains. I'm so glad I hired her as my pool. Even after I gave birth she was still supportive and made sure I had what I needed!

Natalie

8/30/2024

Jena was a wonderful addition to our birth experience. She was so helpful with physical comfort suggestions, emotional support, as well as providing food and nourishment while I was in labor and recovery. Her calm presence helped bring peace to the situation and her ability to jump in and help with whatever was needed was greatly appreciated. Both my partner and I were so glad to have Jena on our team!

Jacquie

11/20/2023

Working with Jena was an extraordinary experience and I genuinely cannot (and don't want to!) imagine what my birth experience would have been like without her support. Jena has a tremendous amount of knowledge, care, and attunement and is an absolute superhuman. She was a source of calm and comfort when things got tense and it was wonderful having Jena as an advocate helping me to navigate intervention decisions. She even documented the precious birth moments by taking photos that I treasure so much. I am extremely grateful for Jena. 

Amanda K

11/15/2023

As a first-time mom, I knew early into my pregnancy I wanted a doula to help navigate the profound changes ahead. Working with Jena has been a blessing through this pivotal chapter of life.

Jena came to me highly recommended by someone I trusted. And for what she offers, her rates are extremely reasonable. She was there through all the various needs and concerns of pregnancy, preparing for and then helping during labor and delivery, and I am continuing to work with her postpartum. She was there for me emotionally when other people could not relate. And physically, her expertise as a yoga teacher helped prepare me for a smooth labor and delivery.

What was most valuable was having someone knowledgeable to discuss plans for my end of pregnancy care, birth plan and plans for early postpartum. Once I reached my due date, my midwife wanted to set a date for an induction. Jena talked me through options and potential risks. She held the vision of my birth plan for me when I got anxious and discouraged, and gave me tips to move forward with the birth I wanted. Ultimately, I had an unmediated birth as I had originally planned. In the delivery room, Jena was there to advocate for what I wanted with the doctors and nurses. She helped with comfort measures during labor and made sure my husband and I got a meal after birth.

Jena’s thoughtful services extended beyond the birth. She encapsulated my placenta and delivered it along with some additional mementos - a gesture I deeply appreciated. She continues to check on me, providing both support and valuable information as I navigated postpartum life. Throughout the entire process, her approach was completely nonjudgmental. She is very easy to talk to and I felt  comfortable being vulnerable with her. I wholeheartedly recommend Jena; her significant role in this major life transition has been invaluable and overwhelmingly a positive experience.

Maddie King

8/26/2023

Jena was able to get us the birth experience we always wanted, after a very traumatic 1st birth that ended in an emergency C section. I wanted a VBAC more than anything, and when Jena and I met I instantly knew she would help me with the birth experience I wanted. She worked with me throughout the pregnancy and especially in those last couple weeks when it was the hardest. She came over to help me with stretches and different positions. Jena was always available for emotional support when I started to feel defeated, she stayed positive. The calming presence she had at my birth helped me give birth to a 9lb 12oz baby unmedicated, I couldn't have done it without her support.  She made my birth experience something my husband and I will never forget. So much love for this women!

Jeani

8/20/2023

Jena absolutely exceeded my expectations! She was there for me for my entire pregnancy and right there for every step during my labor and even postpartum. She brought a calm, loving presence to my home birth. She came prepared with a tens unit, essential oils, teas and other coping techniques. Jena was able to give me different positions to try during labor and was always there to rub my back and cheer me on. There was a time that I was in bed sleeping in between contractions and without realizing it she was sitting on the floor next to me rubbing my back and controlling the tens unit during each contraction. I never had to ask for her because she was always right there to help me through the contractions. I truly don't know if I would have had the strength to have a home birth without her. She made my dream birth come true and for that I will forever be grateful. I highly recommend Jena to not only help you through birth but give you the birth experience that every woman deserves.

Samantha Coster

6/27/2023

I absolutely loved having Jena by our side theough this process. I wanted to most natural birth I could have and she continually helped reassure me through many of my doubts and concerns. Day of labor I did need a c section and I had her join me in the operating room to aide in communicating my wants and needs as I was a little groggy to do so. She was warm and knowledgeable and really helped ease me through every stage. She also went the extra mile afterwards and made amazing keepsakes with our placenta that I will get to keep and cherish forever. Definitely the way to go if your concidering a Doula! Can't thank her enough or encourage anyone reading this to see if she's right for you! 

alex

5/31/2023

Jena is an incredibly caring doula. She spent as much time as we needed before I gave birth to answer all of our questions, even some we didn't know we had! I loved the various comfort items she brought to the hospital to help set a serene vibe. I loved going to her pre-natal yoga classes on Saturdays in Lakewood, they were amazing. I would recommend Jena to anyone, home or hospital birth!

Vicky

11/14/2022

Having Jena as my doula was so nice! She was supportive and exactly what I needed. Getting her help with the birth plan made me consider all sorts of things I hadn't before.

Her energy was perfect and kept me calm through the final days of my pregnancy. When she arrived for my home birth, I was so happy to see her. Her words of encouragement and suggestions on movements were super helpful. Everything she brought to the table was perfect.

I an so hapoy I was introduced to Jena and will definitely try to keep her in my life. And if there happens to be another pregnancy, she'll definitely be asked to be my doula again.

Hillary

9/12/2022

Jena was an absolute pleasure to work with during my pregnancy, birth and postpartum! Prior to the birth of my baby girl, Jena gave me and my husband helpful tips / resources to prepare for the labor and delivery. She was also readily available via phone or text starting at 38 weeks if we had any questions or concerns and would checkin on a regular basis to see how we were doing. In addition, once I went into labor she provided support helping us figure out when to go to the hospital and how to manage the pain with different comfort measures. When we finally decided to go to the hospital, she met us there and helped us decide if we wanted to stay or go home and continue to labor there since I wasn’t dilated as much as I had hoped and I was trying to have an unmedicated birth. We decided to go home and Jena came with us and provided us continuous support for the next 6+ hours until we decided it was time to go back to the hospital. She then stayed with us at the hospital, continuing to support both my husband and myself with information, suggestions and guidance as well as snacks! She was very knowledgeable on our options and provided unbiased benefits and risks of certain medications, vaccines, treatments, etc. so we could make informed and educated decisions for us and our baby. Our birth plan morphed as we went through the labor/delivery process but she was a great resource to help us navigate the unknown and was non judgmental the entire time making us feel supported and at ease. Jena continued to follow up with us following the birth to see how we all were doing and checked in during a postpartum at home visit as well. Overall, my husband and I were so grateful we hired Jena to help us through this process as we became first time parents as she empowered us to have such a positive experience! 

Lauren

7/31/2022

We are so appreciative that Jena was able to assist us at our daughters birth. She kindly stepped in when our doula was ill. Jena was very kind, compassionate and jumped right in. She supported both myself and my partner , and arrived in the thick of everything when everyone was very tired. She offered supportive measures, and was so gentle while I was very uncomfortable. Wetrusted her input and her professional advice, and felt she had our best interest in mind the whole time. I am so glad that she was able to be there as well for the birth, alongside our doula. It was so special to share the experience with both ladies. I highly reccomend Jena!