Samantha

11/19/2024

We were so fortunate to have the opportunity to secure Tonya - or as we lovingly call her “Mama T” - for baby number two! Just like our first time with Tonya, she was an instant sense of comfort and relief as soon as she walked in the door. She reminded us of all the important stuff that we had forgotten about with our first because it had been almost 2.5 years. For example, wake windows by age, daily routines, feeding styles, soothing methods and the list continues! 

Juggling a toddler and a newborn all while trying to recover physically and mentally postpartum is so difficult and being able to have Tonya’s support and love during that process was truly priceless! 

She is a wealth of knowledge and really helps you find the best approach for your family based on your own schedule, needs and goals. 

For the first 5-6 weeks we really focused on the overnight routine during her visits and once our sweet girl was doing longer stretches of sleep at night, we mixed in a few daytime visits too. It’s so nice that she is so flexible with what works best for you and your family. 

Tonya not only fed us and helped us to meal prep for the week, but she folded endless amounts of laundry and washed dishes, bottles, parts and pump equipment. Taking some of those tasks off your already very busy plate makes it so much more manageable and you are able to focus on other areas that need your attention. 

The saying “it takes a village” really is so true and she was such a huge part of ours. We are forever grateful and appreciative of Mama T. She is truly one of a kind! We know she will be in our lives forever! 

Anonymous

11/18/2024

Ever wish you could have Mary Poppins come stay at your house? Guess what, now you can! Tonya really is the full package when she comes to stay. She folds all the baby laundry, helps with the baby all around the clock and somehow finds time to make the most delicious food. Post partum I found myself too exhausted to make toast let alone a meal, when Tonya came to stay I didn’t have to think about that—she asked me what some of my favorite foods were and bam! They appeared in my fridge overnight! If I could have my way I would have her move in permanently. She is a continual support for us as we journey through our first year of parenting her wisdom and care have continued long after she left our home. She taught so much in such a short amount of time and because of that our now 4 month old baby is able to sleep through the night on her own and take regular naps during the day. I’m forever grateful for her kindness, and I can’t even begin to thank her for all that she does for me and my family. 

Anonymous

11/18/2024

Preparing for my second baby, after a very challenging first postpartum, I knew I wanted to set myself up extra support and guidance that I wish I had previously. Tonya was open to supporting me during a couple day shifts per week, despite it being out of her typical schedule, and boy am I so unbelievably glad she did. Tonya was an absolute godsend, checking in regularly outside of shifts, bringing delicious treats, sending ideas for meal prep and making us lots of yummy food. She was amazing with my two year old (and she still asks about her)! Having Tonya here to troubleshoot sleep issues, give me a break with our newborn so that I could attend to my first baby, and to be a sounding board when I needed it are all things I’m so grateful for. She’s become an amazing friend, and I couldn’t recommend her more!

Anonymous

11/5/2024

We appreciated so very much working with Tonya. First of all, it was wonderful to have somebody who was experienced and calm to help us as this was our first child and although we felt intuitively connected to how we should care for her, having somebody else encourage us and give us tips about sleep (for us and for the baby) in a non-pressurizing way was so helpful in those early weeks. Then there was the very practical matter of Tonya's presence allowing us to get some sleep which was invaluable and very necessary for our healing and good mental health. At the start of our six weeks together I was still getting up once every couple of hours to breast-feed. By the end of the time together our baby had learned how to take a bottle and a pacifier when we felt it was appropriate and we were able to mix and match the right tools – breast, bottle, and different soothing techniques – to meet whatever moment the baby was experiencing. This gave the baby better sleep which in turn gave us better rest. As a mum, I worried that I would not be able to let go enough to benefit from Tonya's help at night time but in the end I was so glad that I did because I can be a better parent when I allow my battery to recharge just a bit and our baby benefited from being cared for by people other than us some of the time – just how it used to be done in past generations before the nuclear family became the norm. Tonya also brought amazing oat treats which was such a kind gesture! She is also friendly, a lovely person to have in your home, and really a true baby whisperer. We will forever be grateful that she was part of the beginning of our family story.

T.L.

10/11/2024

As a first-time mother, I was naturally anxious about the demands of caring for a newborn. From the moment Tonya stepped into our home, I felt a tremendous sense of relief. Her warm and nurturing demeanor instantly put me at ease, which was crucial during those early, stressful weeks. Tonya cared for our newborn with remarkable attentiveness, ensuring all needs were met. Her overnight support was invaluable, allowing me to sleep more soundly and take care of my own well-being. Tonya's support and advice were exceptional. She answered all my questions about breastfeeding, sleep routines, and baby care with extensive knowledge and experience. Beyond her warmth and expertise, Tonya was incredibly professional, punctual, and reliable. Her calming presence made the transition to parenthood significantly smoother. Overall, having Tonya as our postpartum doula was one of the best decisions we made. Her overnight support and compassionate care made a significant difference for our family, and I wholeheartedly recommend her to any parents!

M.R.

6/18/2024

Words cannot express how much of a blessing it was having Tonya around to help us adjust to being new parents. Having your first baby is such a huge transition and I felt like everything I had previously learned about taking care of kids went out the window as soon as they placed our baby on my chest at the hospital. On top of that, my parents were out of the country and I had delivered much earlier than I had anticipated. I was overwhelmed. Tonya stepped in and helped my husband and I on a once a week basis and I can’t tell you how much of a difference that made for us. We built everything around when she was going to be with us because of how helpful she was to have around! It didn’t just feel like she was taking care of our daughter—she was a major support to my husband and I as well! She encouraged us not just with her presence and time but also with her listening ear, understanding, and helpful tips. We’re so grateful for her.

S.P.

5/21/2024

We started with Tonya when our baby Cam was 4-weeks old and now we only wish we had started with her on day one! She has been such an integral part of our lives the first few months of Cam’s life! We initially thought bringing her on would be to solely help us get some sleep at night, but she provided so much more beyond that!

Her warmth, maternal nature and guidance has been amazing throughout this whole process. As new parents there is nothing more daunting than thinking you’re doing it all wrong and feeling alone. She gave us so much helpful advice and tips and most importantly reassurance and confidence. We can now happily say we have Cam in a much better daytime and nighttime sleep routine. It took some time, sweat and tears but we got there with her help! :)

Nothing about being a new parent is easy and she gave our baby such wonderful care and even us too! Not only did she give our baby the best quality overnight care, but she also gave us some daytime help where she prepped/cooked us fresh and delicious homemade meals, which was truly a life saver! It became very apparent early on that she is very invested in her work with families and does not treat it like just a job. She was always here for us just a text or phone call away. To say she went above and beyond for us is an understatement. 

She is such a kind soul and wealth of knowledge and anyone who has the opportunity to work with her is very lucky! We feel like she has not only become a friend but she also feels like family. We know we will keep in touch with her for many years to come! I definitely plan to lock her down for baby number two in the future. 

E.G.

5/21/2024

We are offering this enthusiastic recommendation for Tonya Tyler and Her Joyful Postpartum Doula Service, LLC.

Tonya provided overnight doula services for our newborn 3 nights/week for her first 6 weeks of life. As first-time parents with no infant experience and no family in our geographic area, we hoped and expected a doula would provide very basic help with sleep – the baby’s and ours – and to keep the baby safe. Tonya far exceeded our expectations.

Tonya was a supporter, educator and reassurer, filled with a breath and depth of knowledge that she seamlessly imparted in the most warm and caring ways. She visited our home and the nursery before our baby’s birth to help us be confident that we had all we needed, and made some suggestions (including the addition of an air conditioning unit) that  proved essential when we brought our baby home. She established and taught us routines – swaddling, sleep timing, sleep cues, a check-and-console process, use of a shusher, pacifier, white noise machine and black out curtains.

She went above and beyond her work hours, staying in touch and doing check-ins with texts and phone calls between her nightly assignments, routinely arriving early, bringing some wonderfully nutritious food for us as new parents, and so successfully taking our sense of being overwhelmed and even intimidated by newborn care and gently and systematically shifting it to a loving confidence.

As she continues to check in and even visit, we are quite sure that she will remain in our and our baby’s life for a very long time to come. We are so very lucky to have connected with Tonya and offer this recommendation to others who would be lucky to have Tonya’s warmth and expertise, as well.

M.D.

5/21/2024

Tonya was absolutely invaluable during our first month at home with our new baby. As first-time parents, both of us really appreciated her practical tips and resources for newborn care (and calming!). Tonya did so much more than enable us to get some sleep during those stressful early nights; she was an incredible source of emotional support during this overwhelming time of transition in our family life. We really can't recommend her services highly enough; you and your little one will be getting the best care available!

L.Z.

5/21/2024

If you’re considering hiring Tonya, don’t hesitate one more second! Having Tonya around during the newborn stage was worth every single penny and more. 

From the first time we met over video chat, Tonya’s kind, positive energy helped me to feel grounded. I immediately felt comfortable around and trusted her, and my instincts were right: she brought so much warmth and love (and delicious food!) into our home when she came to spend the nights with our baby. 

Being able to sleep a little more soundly—and in much longer spurts!—when you have someone around you can trust the way we wholeheartedly trusted Tonya with our baby is tremendous in those early days. 

As a brand new mom, the self-doubt can be overwhelming: am I doing X wrong? Is it okay that my baby is doing Y? Tonya was there to reassure me and help me build (and maintain) my confidence as a mother. She pointed out and complimented things that were going well, and proactively sent helpful resources on a range of topics from how many ounces my baby should be eating to understanding quiet vs. active sleep in newborns.     

Before this, I never really could wrap my head around what a postpartum doula would do to “take care of me”—I am fairly independent and don’t like to ask for help. But I didn’t even have to ask: Tonya figured out ways to lift my spirits, build my confidence, and nourish my soul. There is the old saying “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” While Tonya gave us the gift of peace of mind and rest on the nights she spent with us, I value even more how she guided me as my guardian angel through my transition into motherhood. 

Tonya is truly a treasure! We are forever grateful to her for giving our new little family such a wonderful start together.

G.L.

5/21/2024

We feel super lucky to have been introduced to Tonya during our search for a postpartum doula. Tonya was an incredible resource from the first time we spoke - sending thoughtful check in texts during pregnancy, favorite newborn items to buy, and tons helpful tips and advice. She was helpful and flexible when it came to scheduling and figuring out our game plan and when our first postpartum visit finally arrived, we felt super comfortable. Tonya brought tasty goodies (I still make her lactation energy balls but they aren’t quite as good) and always came with a smile and a much appreciated hug. Her presence during those early weeks was so comforting. We were really able to get some solid stretches of sleep and feel more rested. Tonya was loving, caring and thoughtful with us and our daughter.

O.W.

5/21/2024

Tonya’s support in our baby’s first weeks made a huge difference as we transitioned to being new parents. Her professionalism, punctuality, and regular communication relived a lot of our stress. She was excellent with our son; she got him to burp in seconds, knew exactly how to soothe him, and clearly loved being around him as much as he loved being around her! Most importantly to us, she taught us vital parenting skills including bathing, swaddling, and sleep training. These are the gifts that keep on giving— we still live by her parenting precepts long after she left!