Michelle Heavener

8/3/2024

Our family worked with Leslie as our nanny for 5.5 years before they moved on to being a doula. We miss them on a day to day basis, but we’ve luckily found ways for them to still take care of our two kids as the need arises.

Leslie started taking care of our daughter, M, when she was 13 months old. When she was around 2.5 years old, Leslie approached us with consideration and suggested we get M evaluated for autism. They saw signs that were exhibited, and gently brought up the topic multiple times over a few months even when I was initially unsure of the signs. We’re endlessly grateful for Leslie’s approach, which led to an autism diagnosis. If Leslie hadn't approached us, it might have been years until we had that information. Leslie had always been willing to adjust their care based on our daughter's needs: They took initiative in ways play was introduced, and were aware of sensory and social needs. One example was how Leslie created a back strap that was easy to affix onto public swings so our daughter could get used to big-kid swings; It was genius! And so easy to use and carry around. 

Leslie was also on hand while we had our youngest, R. They were on-call while I went into labor, and brought our daughter to the hospital to meet the new member of our family. They were consistently there for the initial days, weeks, and months (and eventually years!): holding R, changing diapers, making me a delicious mousse cake, getting groceries, taking M for walks out of the house, etc. They were extremely helpful in all the ways! 

We’ve always seen Leslie take care of our children like they were their own. Leslie is thoughtful, compassionate, willing to step in and do the work, proactive, flexible and very attentive to our kids needs as well as our own. We cherish Leslie, their work ethic and the goodwill they project towards all members of our family. Ever so grateful to have them in our lives.

Jones Family

8/2/2024

Leslie was a truly wonderful support during our early months with newborn twins at home. One of our daughters spent time in the NICU and the other was small and triple feeding -- but we felt very comfortable leaving the girls in Leslie's care so we could get some much-needed sleep. Leslie ha an obvious gift and intuition for caring for babies, and their experience was immediately clear. Our girls slept better on the nights that Leslie cared for them and we really valued Leslie's tips and support in those early postpartum weeks. We would highly recommend Leslie to any family considering options for doula care. 

Lisa Hodges

7/25/2024

Leslie is an amazing postpartum doula. She took care of me and my newborn son for two months after his birth, seemlessly fitting into our household. She lovingly prepared healthy snacks, held and comforted my son, kept me company as I pumped and so much more. As a first-time mother, her experience with babies was so invaluable. She taught me skills like tying a babywearing wrap and bathing him safely and effectively. She also had a magic touch when it came to swaddling him and comforting him to get him down for naps. In that very vulnerable and trying period, her presence was a reassuring constant. I appreciated that she could come into our home and immediately see what needed to be done, even saving me the mental effort of keeping track of what I might need help with. I would highly recommend Leslie to any lucky families who may work with her in the future!

Michael Greshes

7/20/2024

I don't think it's possible for us to say enough good things about Leslie. We (my wife and I) first met Leslie when we attended their class for first time parents. I can confidently say it was that class that was the primary driver in us being confident parents from the beginning. That comfort with Leslie is what led us to ask specifically for them when we bought the post partum package from Emerald Doulas. It was the right move, as Leslie was incredibly kind and helpful. They taught us so much about caring for our newborn, and was a perfect personality fit for their time with us. If we have another child, I hope we can hire Leslie again the future.