Rebekah Youse

1/2/2024

I hired Lauryn for my first pregnancy from a friend recommendation, and I am so thankful I did! I'm not unfamiliar with what a doula's role is, but I was surprised at all of the ways Lauryn came through for us. Lauryn as a person is genuine, personable, down to earth, and kind. I knew within the first couple minutes of talking with her that I was going to hire her, even though we never met before. Labor and delivery is such an intimate and personal experience, you have to be comfortable with who you choose to be present during it. Lauryn guided me through every phase of my pregnancy leading up to delivery. She gave me all of the tips and advice for how to manage my labor at home, which was a goal of mine to labor at home as long as possible. With her help I was able to get to 5cm before heading to the hospital. While ultimately chose to have an epidural, she helped me get into perfect positions to get my daughter to move down into position. She was my cheerleader and gave my husband the confidence to help me when I needed him. She saw me at my worst and at my best, with the delivery of my daughter. We talked and laughed throughout my labor, and made the room brighter. She continued to follow up with me weeks after my delivery and made sure to check in with breastfeeding and my mental health. I will recommend her to anyone looking for assistance in their pregnancy and will always use her for my future births. I now consider her a friend and am so grateful we found her ??

Emily Quinn

12/31/2023

Having Lauryn at the birth of our son was the best decision we could've made! I knew I wanted an unmedicated, physiological birth with him & throughout my pregnancy my husband and I both felt very supported by her & reassured in our decisions. She's so knowledgeable about all the things you think about when having a baby. During my birth she was such a good advocate for what we wanted & I really appreciated her kind & confident  demeanor when we got to the hospital & were interacting with the staff. She was so helpful at reminding me what my body was made to do & encouraging me throughout the whole experience. 

I loved getting to know her throughout this pregnancy & will definitely be asking her to be our doula again for any more babies. 

Laikyn Pelky

9/12/2023

Lauryn was such an amazing addition to my birthing team, and it genuinely feels like I wouldn't have had such a smooth time laboring without her! When I first got pregnant, I was considering a home birth, but after thinking it over with my husband, we decided that a hospital birth with a doula would be the best option for us. After seeing a mutual friend share her great birthing experience with Lauryn, I set  up a consult to see if we would be a good fit. Lauryn is incredibly kind, knowledgeable, and a very calming presence, and from the get go we knew she would be a huge asset to us during our pregnancy and birth as first time parents. For us, the pre-birthing classes were just as helpful as having her there during labor because it helped us understand what to expect, and the peace of mind of being all on the same page and having her to advocate for us was priceless. When it came time for active labor, Lauryn was right there at the drop of a hat, and her presence brought peace of mind to both me and my husband that everything was going smoothly, and he helped us make the call of when to transition from laboring at home to going to the hospital. She helped me with breathing techniques, focusing, changing positions and endless other *little* things that were really huge. Her presence allowed my husband to focus solely on being with me and supporting me. Lauryn was very professional and worked seamlessly with the hospital staff, and we couldn't have asked for a better experience with a doula! 

Meg

9/6/2023

Lauryn is an amazing doula!  She helped me achieve my goal of an unmedicated labor by applying counter pressure during contractions and suggesting position changes in between contractions.  This allowed my husband to keep the family updated and support me in other ways. It was so helpful (for both of us) to have a professional in the room!  Lauryn is kind and sweet but gets the job done when the time comes!  We found her knowledge very useful during the prenatal and postpartum visits.  She is also very responsive to communication and questions outside of these planned visits.  We highly recommend Lauryn and would certainly use her services again!

Kathryn Bauder

8/22/2023

Lauryn was absolutely amazing. I ended up have a difficult labor and a very traumatic delivery and my husband and I are so so thankful that Lauryn was there for us. From the check ins from 36 weeks on, the support with trying to flip our baby (successfully), actual labor and delivery support, and then her postpartum check ins; everything was great. There were time during my labor that she pushed me exactly like I needed, and others where she just simply provided the comfort of an extra support person. I can’t say enough positive things about Lauryn, and if we ever decide to have a third baby we will definitely be reaching back out.

Adam Schmehl

8/12/2023

Lauryn was fantastic and I would trust her with any difficult or stressful moment in our lives. My wife went into active labor 6 weeks early and we were scared and confused for every minute of the 59 hours between being admitted to the hospital and when my wife started to push. Lauryn stayed with us, slept with us, and encouraged us through every step of the process. When contractions worsened, Lauryn coached my wife through every breath and kept her calm and relaxed despite her pain. She was a great cheerleader and worked well with the hospital staff, translating things we didn't understand and advocating on our behalf. Lauryn saw us at our most vulnerable and loved on us anyway. Thank you, Lauryn! We owe a debt of gratitude for helping us bring Wesley into this world.

Astrid L. Rosa (Caraballo)

8/12/2023

Wow. Where to even begin? Just because we gave birth in the same delivery room at UPMC Harrisburg was enough to believe God had his hand in this through it all. It was one of those insomnia nights during my pregnancy when I finally found a website through the WTE app that led me to Lauryn's website and filled out her contact me box. Lauryn is a selfless, caring, loving, supportive woman. She helped me through even the most minimal question and has been there and continues to be there for me. My pregnancy, labor, and delivery made Lauryn a part of my and my daughter's life forever simply because it was all so very intimate, and she's more than my doula. She is a friend. God blesses Lauryn, and she is the closest thing on earth to having Jesus next to you. Thank you for giving yourself. I will forever be grateful. 

Lindsay Ditlow

7/27/2023

LOVED having Lauryn with us during our birth experience. I was so anxious about labor/delivery and she was so reassuring and confident that it made me feel confident. I couldn’t pay enough for how she empowered me and made me feel strong, capable, and natural. She supported me in a way that a doctor couldn’t and my husband couldn’t, though she never replaced them or overstepped any boundaries. She just had the presence I needed during pregnancy and delivery.

My husband was so scared that having a doula would take away from his experience/his jobs. Lauryn gave him guidance on how to help so that he didn’t have to question anything. She never got in the way- if anything she stayed in the background most of the time. I don’t remember her coaching me or spending an excessive amount of time with me, I just remember her being there during times when my husband needed a break or when I needed additional support, encouragement, or guidance. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a doula. Her positive attitude, friendly demeanor, and knowledge about birth/motherhood were irreplaceable! 

Katie Kurtz

7/26/2023

As a first time mom, I knew immediately I wanted a doula for support and guidance. I ended up hiring Lauryn, and I'm so glad I did! Labor and delivery has always scared me, and Lauryn made me feel so at ease from the beginning of my pregnancy! By my 3rd trimester I was actually feeling confident and excited! 

My water unexpectedly broke at exactly 37 weeks with no other labor symptoms. I immediately called Lauryn and she provided guidance, tips to get contractions started and a calm voice. After 24 hrs, we went to the hospital. I ended up laboring unmedicated for 36 hours total and Lauryn coached me through every single contraction. Even though my husband was there and very supportive, he needs guidance as well on how to support me. She was a godsend!  My baby was sunny side up, so she also had me moving in all sorts of positions. Even when I didn't want to move, she motivated me to do what I needed to do to get my baby out. 

After 36 hrs my body just wasn't progressing anymore so I ended up going for the epidural because my body just needed rest. I was terrified of getting an epidural, and Lauryn held my hands and kept me calm through the entire process. (Which wasn't bad at all)

4 hrs later, it was time to push. Due to other complications, if I didn't get my baby out in an hour, I would've needed a C-Section. I desperately wanted to avoid that, however along with Lauryn's support, I wasn't scared. So we began pushing. Lauryn and the nurse held my legs in different positions and we got my baby out in about 45 minutes! And no tearing! 

As I look back on my labor and delivery, there's no way I could've done it without Lauryn. Even though my birth didn't go as planned, it was an amazing experience. When I have baby #2, I will definitely hire Lauryn again. If you're looking for a doula who's calm and supportive, but knows how and when to push you, go for Lauryn! 

Lauren

7/26/2023

Lauryn was an absolute gem to work with during my pregnancy and childbirth!  She is a fabulous doula who cares greatly about the work that she does and helping mothers through the entire process.  She was always available for questions and support, and always checked in to see how I was doing!  Because of her, I felt calm going into delivery.  I was able to go to her for advice regarding steps taken during an induction, and knew that Lauryn would help me advocate for what would be best for my birthing situation.  What I also loved was that Lauryn worked seamlessly with the hospital nurses and midwives during my daughter's birth.  Because of her, we also have some priceless photos of our daughter when she was first placed in my arms upon delivery!  Lauryn goes the "extra mile" to help be a support to mothers, and was a pivotal part of helping my daughter's birth go smoothly!  I would recommend her in a heartbeat, and am so grateful for her!

Grace Parrish

6/21/2023

I was not quite sure what to expect when hiring a doula for a scheduled c section and debated whether or not it would be helpful, but I could not have asked for a better experience with Lauryn, and will be using her again for any subsequent births!! She was so encouraging and reassuring leading up to our delivery, which gave me so much peace and confidence going into surgery. She helped us decide on a birth plan that clearly articulated our desires but also remained flexible in case things needed to change, and was present with and comforting to me in the OR when my husband went with baby to the nicu. Postpartum, she has been a wonderful support person checking in on us and answering any questions I have about breastfeeding and adjusting to having a newborn! My husband and I are so thankful for her support and friendship and cannot recommend her more!

Daniela S

6/2/2023

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Lauryn! From the moment I found out I was pregnant I knew I wanted a doula and I found the very best one! Lauryn felt like a life long friend from our very first conversation - she is loving, warming, respectful, and so full of knowledge! Her main priority is to make sure that not only are your questions are answered but that you feel nothing but support every step of your journey - pregnancy, labor & delivery, and postpartum! I could not have done it without her - she made my 32 hour labor experience a very positive and empowering one! I highly highly highly recommend her!

Michaela Delgiorno

6/2/2023

We had a great experience with Lauryn as our doula. She was always there for support from pregnancy to the birth. When there were complications with the birth, she was able to help us make an educated choice on how to proceed. Throughout the entire pregnancy she was available for questions and did not judge us on our decisions. Lauryn was kind, compassionate, knowledgeable, and encouraging. We highly recommend using her as your doula and we definitely will be using her for our second baby when the time comes! 

Nicole Patterson

5/10/2023

I delivered my twins naturally after a long induction and Lauryn was with us every moment! During labor my husband said we could not put a price on her and her service. Just her presence, energy, and advocacy alone is exactly what we needed. The way she advocated for me and helped my husband advocate for me made me feel safe. Lauryn also helped my husband feel calm and showed him how to help me, which in turn, helped me ultimately deliver my babies naturally. We cannot ever thank her enough! 

Jenna Logue

3/23/2023

I am extremely impressed with Lauryn!! I had a completely unmedicated, natural birth at a hospital and that was made possible because of Lauryn. She knew my birth plan in and out which took a lot of stress off of me. Because of Lauryn's incredible support, my husband was able to focus on me instead of trying to juggle everything himself. She is very knowledgeable on positions and counter pressure which helped my labor progress and alleviated the contractions. She also is an amazing advocate. She fights for what you want, not what the hospital is pushing for. She is aware of patient rights and will encourage and educate you to stand up for what you want your birth to look like, even if it isn’t what is the “norm”. I will absolutely be using Lauryn for all my future births and will be recommending her to everyone I know. I cannot imagine labor and delivery without her!

Lexie Brewster

2/11/2023

Lauryn was absolutely incredible my entire pregnancy and birth experience. I texted her FREQUENTLY with questions and she always knew how to help and also reassure me. I also would not have gotten through my natural birth without her. She was calm and had incredible pain management techniques. The best we could've asked for, truly!!! If you want a supportive, friendly, amazing doula, Lauryn is your girl! So so grateful. 

Stephanie Rohrbaugh

12/13/2022

I made the decision to include Lauryn in my birth team halfway through my pregnancy. I had gone back and forth about having a doula, but after talking to her, I knew it was the right choice. After our first consult, I felt like I could finally let out a huge sigh of relief, knowing that we had a plan about advocacy and the birthing experience along with plan b and c, just in case. It helped knowing that I didn't need to remember all of my preferences or what to do during labor because there would be someone beside me who knows my birth plan inside and out. I knew that my husband would also be able to focus on supporting me 100% because we knew Lauryn had everything under control. Lauryn was a wonderful support during the weeks leading up to delivery as I dealt with frequent prodromal labor in helping me decide what to do at home. When my labor very quickly progressed, I felt confident in trusting my body to do what it should because of all of Lauryn's support and education throughout. It has also been wonderful having support and check ins from Lauryn the few weeks after delivery as well. 10/10 recommend!

Lori Martino

11/25/2022

We had a great experience with Lauryn as our doula! Leading up to the birth, she checked in on me and was available for any questions I may have. Since this was our first child, I didn't necessarily know what to expect with the end of pregnancy and labor, but Lauryn was a great resource! 

During my labor, she was available at all hours for questions and continually checked in on how I was progressing at home. I had a long labor and at times felt like it was stalling. She offered suggestions for how to position my body to get baby in a better position and hopefully speed up labor. Once at the hospital, she was super helpful with counter pressure and giving suggestions for how to move to continue dilating. She was incredibly supportive when I decided to deviate from my ideal birth plan. She was encouraging, positive, and uplifting. I had an incredibly peaceful birth experience and I attribute much of the experience to having her as a support for myself and husband. 

Brooke Plasterer

11/23/2022

Lauryn was an amazing support during labor and an advocate for me at the hospital. I’m so glad she was there. While much of it seems like such a blur now, I remember Lauryn reminding me to breathe and relax my shoulders. Her counter pressure worked well for me too. 

When I hemorrhaged after the birth, Lauryn held my hand the whole time while my husband held our baby, and provided reassurance during a very scary experience! I will forever be grateful to her for her support before, during, and after labor. Thank you, Lauryn!! 

Carly W

11/15/2022

Lauryn is the best and an amazing advocate. Before, during, and after my birth she spent much time getting to know my needs/wants and personalizing her care accordingly. I felt so safe, at peace, affirmed, and seen throughout the entire process. I cannot recommend her enough! 

Missy Hall

11/15/2022

Lauryn worked with my daughter throughout her pregnancy, and I had the pleasure of meeting her and spending about 20 hours with her during my daughters very long and grueling labor. To say that Lauryn was amazing is an understatement. Her natural ability to connect immediately with people and coach not just the laboring patient but those supporting her is truly something beautiful to witness, and I was lucky enough to be part of it. I can honestly say that my daughters pregnancy and labor experience would have been so much more stressful and scary were it not for Lauryn's expertise, soothing nature, and ability to connect. I know it is obvious that my daughter benefited greatly from having her as her Doula, but I hope she knows how much I've benefited as well. Again, I truly can't sing her praises enough!

Lauren Bixler

9/27/2022

Having Lauryn as my doula was such a gift to our whole family. This was our 7th birth (3rd unmedicated homebirth), and I had the least amount of discomfort and pain during this labor! She provided hands on support with counter pressure during contractions, massage, labor position suggestions, and emotional support too. Our baby was born at 11lb 12oz (by far our largest baby), and labor was 4 hours. I couldn't believe that this had been my most comfortable birth. Wish I would've gotten a doula sooner with my previous labors!