Sarah McHale

12/14/2024

We chose Danae based on her vibe - we felt comfortable with her from our first conversation with her, and that definitely held true throughout our entire time working with her! She helped us feel prepared for whatever the birth of our child may bring, which ended up being helpful when we we changed our birth preferences to align with some late pregnancy complications and then later were faced with a precipitous labor and a rapid delivery. That made us especially grateful that she had coached both the birthing partner and non-birthing partner to cope and support, respectively. We also considered it a small bonus that she would take photos, but we didn't realize how meaningful those would be to us until after the birth. It was so special to have photos of our new family shortly after we returned home from the birth center. She did a beautiful job, capturing the emotions of birth and meeting our baby, and she did so so very tastefully – nothing was showing that we didn't want to be seen. Overall, we would recommend Danae to anyone and are sad to be moving away because we would want to use Danae for future births!

Hailey Bauer

12/4/2024

I recently had the pleasure of working with Danae, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. From the moment we met, her calming presence and extensive knowledge put me at ease. She provided unwavering support throughout my pregnancy, labor, and delivery, always ensuring that my needs and preferences were respected. Her guidance and encouragement were invaluable, making the entire experience more manageable and empowering.

She always answered my late night texts and put my mind at ease when I had concerns. Danae also took amazing pictures and videos of my labor, that I can look back on to remember the moment I welcomed my son into the world.

If you're looking for a compassionate, skilled, and dedicated doula, look no further. She truly made a significant positive impact on my birthing journey.

Whenever I have my next child, I will be using Danae again!

Sammy Huberty

10/28/2024

From the first conversation I had with Danae, I knew she was going to be the best fit for our family. We had interviewed several doulas in search of someone who we felt really comfortable and safe with as we prepared for our first labor. On the phone Danae was calm, kind, and compassionate which felt really authentic and transparent. 

Her pricing felt really fair and she goes above and beyond with her services. The meetings with Danae prior to labor put both myself and my husband at ease and got us really excited for labor. My husband especially felt empowered to support me better and was looking forward to sharing our birth space with Danae. Danae also provided us with ample resources throughout each meeting and even loaned us books to even better support and prepare us. Danae was in constant communication with me and my husband providing us with insights to early labor. During labor she was supportive, encouraging, and compassionate. We are so grateful that she was by our side. 

Danae provided amazing support throughout all stages of labor and even stayed to help us ease into the afterbirth. She helped feed me, got me a bath ready, and provided helpful insights to breastfeeding which has helped me feel really confident postpartum. 

Additionally, Danae has checked in with me multiple times, offered additional support, provided many resources, and has truly continued to care for us as a family postpartum. We are so grateful to have had her and we look forward to future births with her at our side. 

Merryn Skarphol-Pellizzer

9/12/2024

Danae is incredible!

She was instrumental in helping us feel educated and prepared for birth. She explained the physiology behind birth, answered all of our questions, and helped us create a birth plan we were comfortable with, without passing judgment. She was available during pregnancy and helped us process updates from our prenatal appointments. 

Danae was with us at the hospital for the entirety of my labor and stayed with us until we had eaten after birth. She helped me feel seen and validated my feelings about the pitocin drip and cervical checks. She was had a wealth of knowledge when it came to changing labor positions and providing comfort measures to help me stick to my plan of an unmedicated birth. She made sure my husband was fed and hydrated and made sure that he had the tools necessary to be an active participant during labor. She was extremely encouraging but also reminded me that it was okay to change plans if need be. She provided counter pressure the entire time I was pushing which helped me deal with the intensity. I couldn't have done it without her! We will forever be grateful for the role she played in our daughter's birth. 

Phuong Anh

8/16/2024

We cannot recommend Danae highly enough to friends and family who are looking for a birth doula that goes above and beyond to support them throughout their pregnancy and delivery. For us, Danae was an incredible source of knowledge, guidance, and reassurance from the very beginning. She helped us prepare for birth in a way that made us feel confident, heard, and empowered. In the prenatal meetings, she listened to our questions and provided us with unbiased, evidence-based studies to educate and help us prepare our birth plan. More importantly, my husband always felt included in the process.

Thoughout the pregnancy, Danae was always available via email, text, and/or call to answer any of our questions and concerns. The moment we called at 2am when we began active labor, Danae answered the phone immediately and joined us promptly right after. Danae’s presence throughout the labor and delivery process was nothing short of calming and warm. Her expertise in natural pain relief techniques was invaluable. Danae assessed our needs and recommended various pain management methods as labor progressed. In addition, she provided clarification/further explanation when the doctors and nurses suggested certain treatments, ensuring that our birth wishes were respected and that informed decisions were made. Danae also took careful notes of the entire birth process so that we could reflect on them after. The photos that she took right after delivery captured the priceless moments when our little one first entered the world. We will treasure them forever!

Words cannot express how lucky we were to have found Danae as our doula. She is not only knowledgeable and experienced but also dedicated to our well-being. We are so grateful for everything she did to make our birth experience as positive and empowering as it was.

Brittny

6/16/2024

Danae was such a wonderful presence during my birth and I am so happy I was able to connect with her and hire her as my doula.  Before my birth she met with my husband and I twice to discuss what to expect during labor and went over my birth preferences with me and explain anything I had questions on.  Danae encouraged me to send her text updates after all of my prenatal appointments to keep her in the loop.  She never made me feel like I was bothering her and encouraged any and all questions. She helped me work through some fears I had about birth and was very supportive of all of my birth preferences.

My labor ended up being very long - a little over 48 hours.  For the first 34 hours I did it all unmedicated.  Danae helped me with dilation exercises, breathing techniques, and helping navigate the decisions I needed to make.  I ended up having to transfer to a hospital and went from my plan of an unmedicated birth center birth to a hospital birth with an epidural.  I was extremely emotional about my transfer, but Danae was a rock for me through deciding to transfer and getting settled in the hospital.  Danae kept all of my support team calm and knew when to take charge, but also when to stay in the background and let my husband or Mom take the lead on supporting me.  As a bonus, Danae took some amazing birth and newborn pictures for me which I will cherish forever.  Danae is a truly amazing doula and I would hire her again in a heartbeat.   

Lisa Bushey

4/7/2024

Danae was incredible! I was so grateful to have her at the birth of our 8th. She provided wonderful care in the weeks leading up to labor and delivery which can be very stressful and a rather anxious time for me. I liked how she suggested checking in after each prenatal appointment with a call or text. I felt that she was very connected and interested in our Baby. I appreciated her birth preferences form. It was thorough and my birth plan was the best I'd ever had. 

Danae was calm and focused in labor and was very in tune with my needs. Frequently, she anticipated my needs. She intentionally found ways to include my husband during labor. Her experience allowed her to give me some perspective on certain things that were happening during labor. 

She was always respectful of my opinions and desires. She was also always good about giving options and suggestions and leaving the decision up to my husband and I. 

Her follow up meeting was a huge gift. The timeline she kept was so therapeutic to walk through with her. The processing of labor helped close loops and set concerns to rest. 

On top of all of this, she is kind and personable  she is easy to get along with and was a treat to have over for the prenatal meetings.

I highly recommend her!

Natalie

3/27/2024

Danae was very attentive to my needs and the needs of our family. She listened in a non-judgmental way to help me create a birth plan, which was able to be carried out successfully. She was a much needed help at the time of my delivery, with her calm and patient demeanor, and intuitiveness to help support contractions and gently nudge us when it was time to go to the birth center. She brought confidence to my time in labor and was there the whole time to support in ways that were so helpful and allowed my husband to have support too. We are thankful for the experience that Danae facilitated for the birth of our first child.

Sadia Svedberg

1/25/2024

Danae was a key support that helped me have an empowered birth experience. I had a hard time explaining to some what a doula does for you. While they're a jack-of-all-trades in many ways, I think most succintly, Danae was there to let my "logic brain" tap-out so that I could tap-in to the physical and primal experience that is labor & delivery. She honored my birth plan by offering the most gentle guidance between contractions. Sometimes that was in the form of reminding my husband and sister to offer water or a snack, other times it was helping me direct my energy more effectively into pushing. Her timeline of our labor & delivery was special to read through at our postpartum debrief, as well, as I truly had no sense of time or space during labor, haha! I highly recommend Danae as a doula and I hope I am privileged to hire her again the next time our family grows.

Jaime DeStefano

12/31/2023

Danae is the greatest part of my birth story because sadly my husband was unable to attend our birth due to Covid. I had a previous unmedicated birth but she was able to provide new and supportive information, all while being the literal rock during my birth. Her calm and present demeanor, kind and supportive words and knowledge truly helped me to bring our second baby into the world in the most beautiful way. I was surrounded by support and felt empowered to believe in my body doing what it knew to do. She even stayed after the birth to be present with me, knew when to provide support and when to allow me to feel my feelings. She braided my hair after getting cleaned up and it truly felt like my sister was there with me, she was THE BEST asset to our birth story even though it didn't look how we pictured it. It was beautiful and special in its own way, thank you Danae for helping me to be a rockstar and for your quality work and care that you provided us!!! 

Rachel Grothe

11/28/2023

Danae was an absolute pleasure to work with and such an important part of our son's birth. I don't think our labour and delivery would have gone as well as it did if it hadn't been for Danae's calm presence. From initial contact, she was very organized and responsive, providing helpful information and support leading up to the birth. During labour and delivery, Danae was present and supportive. She gave my husband so much guidance and confidence, which helped us both feel calmer and more capable. Her quiet support was constant and encouraging to me. I don't know how she managed to be taking photos, notes, AND be so hands-on supportive during the labour, but she did it all! Postpartum it was great to have those observations and beautiful photos. Danae followed up to review the birth experience with us which really helped us to mentally process what happened. From start to finish Danae was amazing. We would recommend her wholeheartedly to anyone! 

Javi

11/15/2023

Danae is such a calming, yet active, presence. She gives you the space you need, but stays close, ready to hand you the water bottle when you keep forgetting to drink water or the heated blanket to calm your pain. She respects each one of your decisions and preferences, and advocates for you when there's a better way to do things. She knows your preferences, but suggests things you didn't know you needed. She is knowledgeable, thinks quickly, uses the words well -and just the ones that are necessary- and offers her help in every situation. She takes you seriously, yet knows how to joke, and is passionate about the uniqueness of your experience. I can't recommend her more!

Emily Hicke

11/14/2023

We are truly so glad that Danae was our doula. We did not decide until 36 weeks that we wanted to have a doula be a part of our birthing team. During our search for a doula, we knew Danae was the right fit for us-- she was so genuine and passionate about advocating for our birthing preferences. It was so amazing that she was willing to drive out to our house to meet with us prior to our birth and a second time over zoom to further discuss our birth plan. We felt at ease knowing that we had someone in our corner to educate us on the stages of labor and delivery and our options. This allowed us to feel well informed going into our birth. Fast forward to our acutal labor and delivery experince-- Danae was absolutly amazing in action. She was only a text/phone call away when our labor started. She was able to walk us through next steps and then met us at the hosptial when our labor had progressed. I immediately felt at peace once Danae arrived. She made the hosptial room a more relaxing vibe by adding tealight candles, essential oils and brought snacks that she knew a laboring mom would find appetizing. She was very hands on during my contractions, which allowed my husband to be up by my head, giving emotional support throughout labor. After our precious miracle was born, Danae ensured baby had a good latch and that both Mom and Dad had food on the way. To top it off, she also took beautiful pictures that we wll truly cheerish forever. We plan on having more children in our future and can't wait to work with Danae again :-)

Niki and Zach Thayer

11/2/2023

Our experience working with Danae as our doula has been nothing short of amazing! As first time parents, we knew we wanted additional support and guidance throughout the pregnancy and birth.

Our ideal birth plan centered around a birthing center instead of a hospital setting, so it was very comforting to know that we had an advocate and additional support with us through the entire process regardless of where we ended up. 

From phone calls and meetings during pregnancy through postnatal check-ins, we felt very cared for and respected through a number of decisions and situations. 

Danae took the time to get to know us as people, not just our birth plan preferences, which helped tremendously as we navigated prodromal labor into active labor - and knowing the right time to make the move to the birth center from home. 

Her attention to detail and support in labor and through the birth of our child was pivotal in making the experience empowering rather than stressful.

We would work with Danae again in a heartbeat!! 

Megan

10/19/2023

There when we needed her

Danae was a calm, supportive presence from our first meeting onwards. She listened well and took to heart the emotions and memories we'd carried from previous births. When labor came on early (37 weeks) and ramped up quickly, Danae was able to join us at the birth center within an hour. I'd had an unmedicated hospital birth, but back labor with a precipitous birth was challenging (I went from 4 cm to baby in 2.5 hours!). I am so grateful Danae was there to be a constant source of strength and advocacy. Her positivity and ability to anticipate my needs went a long way in helping me relax.

Danae kept her focus on labor progressing and I credit her encouragement of movement and different laboring positions for helping me get through active labor and transition. She sensed when baby boy was coming imminently and got my husband up by the tub's edge to be the one to hold my hand when we welcomed our son into the world. I felt well cared for and supported afterwards. While the midwife and nurse focused on their standard follow-up, Danae warmed up the meal we'd brought, prepped an ice pack maxi pad for me and took some of my favorite pictures of our newborn.

We were blessed to have Danae be part of our birth team. I would recommend her to anyone expecting a baby. Doulas are amazing and Danae has really found her calling.

Kayla

10/14/2023

Our experience working with Danae was excellent! She was very communicative and organized. During our meetings together I always felt heard and understood. She has a very caring demeanor and a peaceful and calm presence. 
I am amazed at all she was able to do during my super short labor. She really helped me get through the intense contractions with life-saving hip rubs and squeezes, cold compresses, and a fan. It was incredibly helpful! Right after the baby was born she had a heating pad ready for my abdomen. She thought of all the little and big things. It was really reassuring having her there because I knew she would advocate for me and my wants and needs. My husband felt very supported by her as well. She even captured many beautiful photos that I will treasure forever. The support she gave us was top notch and we are so thankful for Danae! I truly highly recommend her!

Betheny N.

10/13/2023

Danae was a true gift and we are so glad to have found her. Within moments of meeting her, her warmth and compassion were very apparent. She's very knowledgeable, has wonderful resources for each stage and has a calming and reassuring presence. All of this was so valuable to us as first time parents.

My birth plan changed at 36 weeks when we found out my baby was breech and attempts to flip failed. Having Danae on my care team was critical at this point and I don't think I would have handled the change as gracefully without her support, guidance and presence.

Assuming I'm blessed enough to have subsequent pregnancies, I will definitely have Danae on my team.

Casey Boegeman

9/12/2023

We interviewed several Doulas and knew Denae was the perfect fit from the start! She is extremely knowledgeable about birth and post partum and newborn care which made us feel confident we would be supported in each stage of our birth journey. Her calm and reassuring personality really made us feel comfortable and confident through our prep, home birth, and post partum check ins. 

We really felt like Denae took the time to get to know us and our birth preferences and she put together a birth plan for us and our honeymoon birth midwives to use and reference, with backup plans included in case we needed to transfer. We had the home birth of our dreams and Denae was there starting in the morning when we first called for support all through the birth and beyond. She helped provide comfort and support and confidence during labor, helping with positions and helping my husband to support me best, she took beautiful photos that we will forever cherish and look back upon fondly, she was there to make sure I was nourished during and after birth, helped to clean up and start laundry, and helped me get the initial latch correct for feeding on both sides which was soooo helpful when I was so tired. Overall Denae was an incredibly valuable part of our at home birth team and I know it wouldn't have been as positive of an experience without her. 

The post partum check in was super helpful too and full of resources and information for new parents! Her care goes beyond birth and really sets parents and their new baby up for success. I will absolutely hire Denae for future births and would reccomend her to anyone considering a Doula!!! Best money we spent for our birth prep to have a lifetime of a positive memory to look back on! 

Thank you Denae!!

Hannah

7/27/2023

We had a great experience with Danae for the birth of our first child. She is both professional and personable. She has a calm presence and was so encouraging! During labor she did an amazing job of honoring my preferences and anticipating my needs. She went above and beyond just supporting my husband and I during labor by having meetings with us before and after the birth. We appreciated the resources she shared with us and cherish the photos she was able to take for us. Leading up to the birth we felt she was available for us and that we could reach out with questions any time. We would highly recommend Danae as a doula!

Ashley

7/19/2023

Having not had a doula for my first birth, I wholeheartedly say what a difference having a doula makes! I would not have been able to have an unmedicated birth this time around if it hadn't been for Danae. From the initial meeting, she was friendly and informative and made sure we thoroughly understood the purpose of a doula and felt comfortable with her. During labor, she was such a strong support and thought of all the extra things - music, candles, wet towels - and she was the one doing hip squeezes and presses on my back while I labored so much husband could just be by my face and support me there. She was always ready with suggestions if needed and she was a calming voice when I was having contractions. After the birth, she made sure we were all taken care of (including ordering food to eat!) before she left. I honestly would not have had the positive birth experience that I did if it weren't for her! She also came for a follow-up visit a few weeks later and even brought some gifts which was so thoughtful! I would definitely (and already have!) recommend Danae if you're looking for a doula for your next birth!

Bre

7/14/2023

My husband and I were so thankful to have Danae’s support and expertise throughout the entire birthing process. The prenatal meetings were comprehensive, informative, and helped us both feel confident in our birth plan and about the labor and delivery process. Danae took the time to understand our values and preferences and was an invaluable resource as we evaluated various decisions.

When our plans abruptly changed to an induction for medical reasons, Danae helped us evaluate the options available and was wholeheartedly supportive as we made decisions. She helped us advocate for ourselves with the medical staff and consistently reminded us to take the time we needed to discuss our options and make informed decisions. She helped with various positions to help with pain management and to keep labor progressing. Her encouragement and support were a huge reason I was able to have the unmedicated birth I hoped for. And the pictures she took are a quality way for us to cherish a very significant day for our family.

We appreciated the care and kindness she extended during the postpartum period as well. She was consistent with texts, emails, resources, and visits to support all three of our physical and emotional well-being.

We would wholeheartedly recommend Danae to anyone looking for doula support through their labor and delivery.

Elizabeth Baker

6/29/2023

I met Danae through the birth center I was getting my prenatal care through as well as planning to give birth at. We met pretty late into my pregnancy & she was so quick to meet and get to know me and my partner. We had our first meeting about a week after I first emailed her & it was so educational as well as full of support. She took a genuine interest in us & our lives & our baby. I was in labor for almost four days & Danae was checking in every couple of hours as well as waiting for my call that whole time. Unfortunately, my labor became unsafe to keep going naturally & I had to be induced at a hospital. My labor was very long & extremely draining but she was the best support system I could've asked for. She did things during my contractions that she knew I needed but couldn't ask for at that time. She documented every part of my labor & I was so grateful for it, it was such an amazing thing to look back on. There were a couple missteps on the hospital's end & she was delagating for me the entire time when I couldn't. While I was pushing I forgot everything that I had learned & had done throughout my labor to cope. Danae stepped up and talked me through breathing my baby out, exactly how I wanted to. I made a couple changes to my birth plan along the way & she stuck with me & supported me through them all. Afterwards, she was a huge advocate for me since I was still in shock and made sure all of my desires for afterbirth were met as well. Danae took photos througout my entire labor which is so amazing to have those. We had a postpartum meeting where we went over my entire labor, everything you could think of. Adding Danae to my birth team was the best decision I could've made. I cannot imagine going through the labor I had, or any labor, without her. Danae is an amazing person & an even better doula & I am so incredibly grateful to her. You won't find a better doula.

Mary & Camron Jones

3/27/2023

We cannot say enough how wonderful it was having Danae with us throughout our birthing process.  This was our first child and Danae was able to guide us through the stages of pregnancy, delivery and postpartum.  It was particularly nice for us as she recently gave birth at the same birthing center as we were using! 

Danae made us feel comfortable immediately as she is very easy to talk with and knowledgeable about the birthing process and provides techniques to manage the process.  She answered all of our questions and provided us with information on things we did not even think of!  

The birthday went great with help from Danae.  Our water broke and Danae answered immediately (even in the middle of the night!) to guide us through the beginning of our labor.  Danae was quick to supply her assistance in person with a visit to our home where she guided us through early contractions.  She was instrumental when it came to active labor, as she communicated with our birth center and took control of the situation to get us to our birth center in time.  Her ability to calm my nerves during the active labor contractions with her supportive positivity made me feel like I could do this!  Her guidance through breathing techniques and laboring positions was great!  She took great care of us, ensuring we were hydrated, fed and comfortable. 

Danae captured the moment beautifully.  We have many beautiful family photos and a detailed timeline to encapsulate our baby’s birth-day!  Danae was extremely discrete when taking pictures as we didn’t even realize she captured so many beautiful moments!  

The postpartum meetings, texts and calls were also tremendously helpful as she guided us through the caring process for newborns.  Her expertise in breast feeding, bathing, diaper duties and general overall care was extremely beneficial.    

Laurie S

1/28/2023

I feel so blessed that we had Danae as our doula. Throughout my entire pregnancy Danae went above and beyond for me. This was my second pregnancy cause I had a traumatic experience with my first and I wanted a better birthing experience. Danae educated me and helped me understand and decide what I wanted for a birth plan. She helped me feel confident and strong going into birth and also prepared us with some amazing pain coping techniques that really came in handy at home and at the hospital. She always answered any questions I had and would follow up with us after my appointments. Danae made sure we were on the same page, really taking the time to understand and listen to what we wanted/needed.
When we were all at the hospital she knew exactly what I needed, she encouraged and empowered me, knew how to calm and relax me, and help ease my pain. We were so lucky to have found her for our birth journey, before, during and afterwards.  After giving birth and being home, she checked in with us to see how things were going and to go over what happened. She even typed out our timeline which was so nice! Everything happens so quickly sometimes you don't even remember, so that was a nice keepsake. It's the little things you don't even think about, and she was just prepared with this and everything else! She has a bubbly, fun, loving personality that makes you feel like you've known her forever. I needed someone like that since I wanted to feel comfortable and it be like having a friend in the room to help guide and support me through all of the joy and pain of labor and delivery. She's truly amazing! I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula.