Kat K

1/22/2024

We’re incredibly grateful to Lisa for her role as our doula, whose caring heart, kind soul, and spirited presence made our birth experience both positive and empowering. Her extensive knowledge, coupled with her support, guidance, and insightful wisdom, were truly invaluable. Lisa’s gentle approach and deep understanding greatly enriched our journey. We can’t thank her enough and sincerely wish that every pregnant woman could have a ‘Lisa’ during their birth. The experience with her is something we will always treasure. Thank you so much for everything.

Caitlyn Moore

6/8/2023

Lisa was my husband and I's Labor Doula for the birth of our first daughter, Sloane.  Because this was my first time giving birth, I wanted to explore all the resources available to me and I found Lisa via DoulaMatch. Lisa is extremely knowledgable, nurturing, supportive and understanding. Upon meeting with her, I felt that she supported all of my hopes and preferences for birth without hesitation or any question; whereas other Doulas I met with tried to push their own agenda or seemed judgemental towards my preferences. It was very important to me that my labor experience be positive and that I would feel empowered to make the right decisions for myself. Lisa was instrumental in making that happen. She supported me during labor, helped with pain management and labor progression techniques.  I couldn't imagine what my labor experience would have been without Lisa. I delivered at Swedish and it was a really nice perk that Lisa knew the facilities and a lot of the staff. Post-birth, Lisa came to our house to discuss post-partum healing and breast feeding. Her expertise and advice has been really helpful for my husband and I as we move into this new phase of life. I can't recommend her services enough and will be referring her to all of my friends! You will be in good hands with Lisa!

Miki D

3/9/2023

We had our first baby on March 1, 2023. We must say Lisa was an absolute Godsend.

At 42, I was considered "advanced maternal age" and had multiple failed IVFs in the past. Even after we finally conceived, it was a constant worry about the unknowns and what-ifs. As first-time parents, my husband and I decided to hire Lisa to guide us through the birthing process. Lisa was there for us every step of the way, responding to our questions promptly and guiding us through the birthing process while being extremely respectful of us. She was pleasant to be around, and we could tell she was experienced and highly knowledgeable as a doula.

Our baby was in the posterior position, aka "sunnyside up," which is known to cause a prolonged, painful birth experience. But thank God for Lisa, a strategic thinker who flipped me from one position to another while in active labor. Lisa used tools like a peanut-shaped yoga ball and rolled-up towels; then, she sat me up for a while. Our baby flipped into the correct position at the very last minute, and our son was born after just 22 minutes of pushing! She made it all seamless, but we knew it was 100% her strategic thinking that made our birthing experience much smoother.

When I said I was a little cold in the delivery room, Lisa made a heat compress and ensured it stayed warm for over 6 hours while I was in active labor. She also made sure I stayed hydrated. These things all sound like such little things, but they all contributed to improving the birthing experience. Thank you, Lisa!

Jeff D.

3/5/2023

My wife and I hired Lisa as a doula for our first baby and she made the whole experience 1000x better.  For the husbands out there who are worried that they won't know what to do when it comes to what to do in the delivery room, Lisa is a Godsend to you and your wife!  She was easy to get ahold of day or night, responsive via phone, text, email and extremely respectful of everyone's boundaries.

She is calm, caring, super friendly and knows how to step in when necessary and step away when necessary.  She was so attentive and helped my wife stay comfortable during her delivery process by flipping her side to side and providing warm compresses.

Prenatal and Postpartum visits she came to our house and discussed processes in a very personal manner, answered all our questions and was genuinely happy to see us happy and healthy after the birth.  She truly loves what she does and it shows.  There are few people who master compassion and competence in this world the way Lisa did with us. 

Thank you Lisa!!!

Carly

12/28/2022

Lisa is an incredible doula & helped my husband and I so much during the recent birth of our daughter. She is extremely knowledgeable and experienced. She came to our home for 2 pre-natal visits and we discussed our birth aspirations, fears & hopes. She also was accessible via text and email with any questions I had both prenatally and postpartum. While I was in labor, she came to our home when we felt we could use the additional help & she recommended a variety of exercises and positions which helped my contractions to get closer together. She was as hands on or hands off as we needed and really knows how to read the room. When it was time, we met again at the birth center. She has a tens unit which I found really helpful in labor and she had the most delicious honey sticks which helped me maintain energy when things grew more intense. She also put my water in front of me between contractions to ensure I was hydrated. She reminded me that I can do hard things throughout my labor. Lisa also took amazing photos for us that we originally did not think we wanted, but are so so special to look back on (she simply took these on our phones so that they could be deleted if we hated them). We highly recommend Lisa- she is an incredible doula & made me feel capable, empowered and strong.

Ziqi

5/4/2022

We had the pleasure of working with Lisa Shire for the delivery of our first child. Lisa has great knowledge of labor preparation and helped us physically and mentally get ready for the moment of labor. . We had the delivery around midnight and Lisa was there the whole time calming and easing our anxiety and it definitely helped with a very smooth delivery. She also provided a lot of experience and knowledge about breastfeeding and postpartum recovery. We cannot recommend Kisa enough as a doula. We will definitely work with her again for our future kids.

Krista Heim

10/26/2021

My birth experience was better than I could have imagined! As a first time mother, there is so much fear and anxiety surrounding labor and delivery. It gave me so much peace of mind to have Lisa by our side through prenatal zoom calls to discuss our labor plan, labor, & delivery. 

In our prenatal calls with Lisa & Autumn, they both were incredibly attentive and understood my preference for an unmedicated birth & to labor at home as long as possible. They provided me with resources to help acheive my goal! I prepared on my own by educating myself (taking a prenatal class, reading books & blogs, listening to podcasts) and meditating/visualizing a positive birth experience. 

My labor progressed fast & I labored for about 2 hours on my own before Lisa arrived at our home. My husband & I were both relieved as contractions were getting very tough for me. Lisa immediately brought a calming presence and jumped into action. She set up TENS on my back which really helped me as the contractions became more intense. She provided pressure on my shoulders and forehead & helped me move into different positions to help with coping. After laboring for 2 hours with Lisa, she suggested we go to the hospital as my contractions were getting closer together and my groans were sounding rectal (we were getting close).  

My husband & I arrived at the hospital and Lisa met us at triage - everyone sprung into action. A doctor came in and check my cervix - 7cm dialated! From there, everything moved quickly. We moved to the delivery room - Lisa started running the tub immediately and set up battery powered candle lights. The warm water was so soothing and I was able to cope through transition in the tub. My water broke and our baby girl was born one hour later! The doctor's placed her on my chest and I felt like superwoman. 

Lisa is absolutely AMAZING. I can not imagine my birth without her! 

Bianca Popescu

6/6/2021

Lisa Shire was a wonderful doula and I would recommend her to others. Before birth, she was responsive to my questions and sent me helpful resources to prepare for birth. At birth, she helped us maintain a calm atmosphere in the delivery room and her presence and reassurance allowed me to feel more relaxed and confident having an unmedicated birth at the hospital. My favorite part of the birthing experience was when she set up the jacuzzi with fake candles, dark light and encouraged my husband and I to labor alone together with me in the tub. I think that relaxing experience allowed me to dilate faster and prepared me for the next stages of labor. Having Lisa there helped to quell my fears about hospitals and nervousness from my first birth, and I have already started recommending her to friends of mine who are expecting.

Laura Coronel

2/3/2021

We are so happy to have found Lisa! Our family lives abroad and with the pandemic all the possibilities to have  them close to us went away. Having Lisa to support us throughout our first child pregnancy and delivery was the best decision we could have ever made. 

I planned to have a natural birth with the least possible of interventions. However, it turned out that I have a very long and active labor that lasted more than 30 hours! There are so many unexpected things that can happen throughout pregnancy and labor. We are fortunate that Lisa was there to guide us through the process. She helped us feel confident to ask the right questions and made informed decisions.

It all started with an induction at week 41. Since there was no progress after 15 hours of labor my physician suggested an epidural. I had a much needed rest, but at the end my waters had been broken for so long that I had a fever and at risk of a serious infection. From all the possible scenarios, it all ended up well with a c-section and a chubby healthy boy.

Lisa was there by our side all those hours. She brought her expertise to the labor room and provided hands on support. Lisa was very knowledgeable, assertive and compassionate from the very beginning answering all of our questions and offering reliable sources of information to complement the data.

We are grateful for her kindness and support and totally recommend her to be by your side at the most important moment of your life.

Erica Hong

10/13/2020

I highly recommend having Lisa as your doula. As a first time mom, I was very nervous about what to expect, but I couldn't have asked for a more experienced, calm, and reassuring presence (in addition to my husband of course). She worked with me and my husband well before the birth and prepared me for what was to come. I had a 24 hour birth, and Lisa was responsive the entire time. When I finally needed her to come to the hospital, she arrived immediately and helped me cope with the pain via all kinds of techniques, tools, and positions. When it came down to me making tough decisions regarding my labor, Lisa always reassured me and helped me feel at peace with the process. After delivery, she stayed in touch and even met with us to help us through the postpartum stage. I highly recommend working with her!

Julie

4/17/2020

Lisa was an outstanding doula and an invaluable part of our birth experience. She is compassionate, knowledgable, reliable, and extremely skilled at what she does. We always felt she had our best interests in mind and tried to inform us and help us make the best decision rather than lead us in one particular direction or another. We can't imagine going through this experience without her and would recommend her without hesitation to anyone considering a doula. 

Jamie Eang

1/7/2020

There are no words to explain how much Lisa meant to us and still means to us both during our pregnancy, labor, and now postpartum. The amount of weight and stress that she took off of our shoulders is literally immeasurable. We are so grateful to have had full trust and confidence in her ability to guide us based on her loving heart, personal experience, and professional expertise. I understand that things don't always go the way that you planned, but we truly feel blessed that because of her help we couldn't have envisioned our labor and journey anymore perfect. We absolutely would recommend her to anyone and highly suggest having a Doula to everyone! If we weren't moving away, we would absolutely have her as our Doula for our future kiddos as well. Her attention to detail, calming demeanor, continuous support, and confidence is more than we could've ever asked for. We also really appreciated that she put together a narrative based on our birthing journey—what a special keepsake from an objective standpoint. If you choose Lisa, you can't go wrong. 

Amy

11/12/2019

We found Lisa through the Swedish doula program. Before we even chose Lisa as our doula, we actually interviewed 2 other doula and we ended up deciding on her. The main reason was I was touched by what Lisa said about childbirth. I was really worried about pain and the whole labor process, but Lisa reminded me that labor isn't about pain. It's about giving a life to my baby and I was only focusing on the pain and the suffering. She helped us out together a plan to make me feel more comfortable with this uncertainty I had never faced in life. On the day my water broke, I called Lisa immediately and we met at the triage at the hospital. Having her there was a huge help. My hubby and I are so new at this so we didn't know what to expect. Lisa's experience really showed during our stay at the hospital. She read my facial expressions really well. She would ask me if I want something just from the way I react, I didn't have to ask for it. Sometimes when you're preoccupied with something, your communication skills went down. At the end, my whole labor lasted for 21 hrs. I had contractions for a few hours and Lisa guided me through them. I used the bathtub in the hospital to relax, she came with me and poured water on my chest when my contractions start. When I wanted an epidural, she helped me to tell the nurse so I could get it immediately. She didn't impose any of her own opinions on my labor which is what an excellent should be. She even took care of my hubby on when to eat and what to order. She is simply an amazing doula. All the nurses in the hospital also said so. She has a great attitude and very positive and encouraging. This helped me A LOT in calming down and being normal. If you're in need of an experienced doula with an calming presence and kinda feel like a friend to you, Lisa is the right choice. I highly recommend her!

Briana Nasman

1/26/2019

So happy that we hired Lisa. She is a wealth of knowledge, and was fantastic to have around when my birth plan went out the window. I cannot imagine how much more stressful my birth experience would have been for both of us without Lisa. I did end up getting an epidural after 7 hours on pitocin, but I would have caved within an hour if not for her support and pain management techniques. Both my husband and I were so glad we hired her.

Leila Zelnick

10/10/2018

Lisa assisted in the birth of my second son, Ben. Before the birth Lisa (and her doula partner) helped my husband and me articulate what we wanted from this birth experience, even when "what we wanted" was fairly nebulous. She was a calm and encouraging presence throughout my 12-ish hour induced labor. She helped guide us without being pushy, suggesting positions and techniques to help my son descend and increase the intensity of contractions when needed. When contractions became more intense, she was an invaluable guide to me (in terms of physical manipulation and emotional support) and my husband (suggesting ways that he could be helpful when he was at a loss as to what to do) both. With Lisa's help, I was able to have the mostly unmedicated birth that I had only dreamed of. Lisa was similarly helpful to my husband and me after the birth. When we had breastfeeding difficulties, Lisa provided hands on help with latching and positioning, amazing emotional support, and pertinent information on lactation services beyond the scope of our arrangement -- following up many times to see how we were faring throughout the first weeks at home. Any woman would be lucky to have Lisa attend the birth of her child!

Julie Campbell

5/21/2018

From our very first meeting with Lisa, my husband and I agreed that she would be a valuable addition to our birth team. On the evening that I went into labor her presence made such a difference for both my husband and myself.  Once she arrived I was able to cope with the contractions and relax through them more efficiently than I had been.  After spending some time watching my labor pattern she expressed concern that my baby might be posterior.  She was able to direct my husband and I through a series of exercises and together they spent the better part of an hour working on my belly and back to get our little guy flipped.  After that hour my contractions spaced out a bit and became more regular and intense. It was about that time she suggested we start heading to the hospital and one hour after arriving at the hospital our baby boy was born.

As a first time mom, we had mentally prepared ourselves for a full day of laboring so having a quick and intense 9 hour labor was more stressful and a little frightening than I had expected.  We were excited to work with Lisa before I went into labor.  After the experience we had, words cannot express how incredibly thankful we were that she was there with us!!  I know I wouldn't have been able to achieve the unmedicated, intervention-free birth I had hoped for without her assistance.  My husband was so thankful for her reassuring and guiding presence.  He wanted to be very hands-on and she was able to help him know how to best help me.

Even the support she offers postpartum I found to be so valuable.  She spent a few hours with us the day after we came home from the hospital helping with breastfeeding, recounting my birth experience with me, and emphasizing the importance of self-care.  Throughout all of our encounters it is very evident that Lisa truly cares about her clients.

Ben Danziger

5/17/2018

Lisa was an amazing doula and we highly recommend her. Lisa met with us initially to ensure she was the right doula for us, and then had two visits prior to labor. In both visits, she answered many questions and offered a lot of information; she was willing to stay as long as we needed, as opposed to being rigidly tied to a schedule. She helped us craft our birth plan, which sadly, wasn't used as intended due to our situation. We requested her to stop by only after we were at the hospital. She was amazing at the hospital, providing pain relief prior to having the epidural replaced. The entire time, she was a great patient advocate, who really listened to us, and improved care during a very stressful time (30 hours of labor, ending in an unexpected C section). Lisa also came to our home after the baby was born, to help us through the initial troublesome time of adapting to having a newborn. Lisa provided information to us and was always available via email or phone.

In summary, Lisa was worth it. We would have been much more stressed out and frustrated at the hospital if we didn't have Lisa.

Lizzie Rowsey

1/25/2018

From the moment we met Lisa for the interview while selecting a doula, my husband and I both felt very comfortable with her. Subsequent visits in our home to prepare for labor were very helpful and made me feel confident and reassured that I could go through labor with less fear and that my birth plan wishes would be respected. I felt like I had a great support person always on my side advocating for me and willing to try whatever possible to make the birthing experience as comfortable as possible given the circumstances. Lisa was(and still is) very responsive via telephone/text for any questions I may have. I feel like she truley cares about her clients before, during and after birth and wants to make sure they are doing well and is willing to help however she can. She had a great referral resource for me when i was looking for a lactation consultant and because of that, breastfeeding has improved greatly.

During labor I remember her quickly taking notes from time to time, which ended up being for our daughters birth story that Lisa wrote and gave to us, along with a very sweet gift. Given that my labor was very fast and intense, most of it was a blur to me, so I greatly appreciate that she took the time to write all the details down. Having the ability to read a detailed account of the process I went through is very special.

I would without a doubt recommend Lisa to anyone looking for a doula and if we have any other children in the future, I would for sure hire her again.

Thank you, Lisa! You are wonderful and we are so happy that you were apart of bringing our baby into the world!

Anisa Woodall

12/27/2017

When choosing a birth doula, we had initially intended to interview several doulas to make sure we would find the right match, but after meeting with Lisa for the first time, we were confident that she was exactly who we were looking for. Her approach is very open and welcoming. Her energy is very calm and easy-going. We had two 2-3 hour prenatal visits where she spent time getting to know us. She takes great care to truly develop an understanding of what her client's birth preferences are.

I delivered closer to 42 weeks and until then she would check in with me just enough for me to feel supported but not bombarded, always reminding me that she's available for any support I may need. Once I went into labor, she arrived promptly after I asked her to come and, though it was around 3am, she began assisting as soon as she arrived. She has a variety of tools and techniques to help manage the intensity of labor. She had the perfect balance of suggesting a change in positions and providing my husband and I the space to do what felt comfortable and natural.

I really appreciated having a follow-up visit a few days after the birth where we discussed my birth experience, breastfeeding challenges and how to identify postpartum mood disorders. Lisa also provided a typed copy of my birth story from an objective perspective, which was helpful for me to compare my emotional experience to the unbiased "facts".

Lisa is a highly competent and compassionate birth doula who I would recommend without hesitation to a family seeking a well-supported pregnancy and birth.

Tressa Braam

11/16/2017

Beacuse of my health concerns, I was concerned about being able to take care of a newborn on my own. Trying to make sure I had help 100% of the time for the first several months with just my husband and my parents and my in-laws was complicated, so we wanted to make sure we had outside help. We were given Lisa's name by our birth doula, and after meeting her we knew we didn't need to interview anyone else. She was so calm and was clear about supporting whatever our parenting strategy was, with helpful suggestions.

As it turned out, I bounced back from a traumatic birth incredibly well, and our little girl was a mellow and unfussy baby! Much to everyone's relief, I did not need as much help as anticipated. Lisa was incredibly flexible with scheduling, which was wonderful!  We decided that we didn't need her to come until after my husband went back to work. After he did go back, Lisa came in the mornings, Monday through Friday.  This was AMAZING!

What do new moms need the most? Sleep. The only way to get it is to have someone you trust to take care of the baby. Each morning I would get a glorious 2.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep! It made my life so much better. Yes, I appreciated having someone who could help with diaper rash, nursing, postpartum mood disorders, washing bottles and pump parts, even vacuuming. But what I really needed was someone calm, caring, and competent to take the baby so I could sleep. Knowing that I had downtime every morning made the rest of the day easier.

Occasionally I would stay awake when I had something I wanted to talk about, and our converstations were wonderful - we really clicked on both postpartum issues and other life stuff. Sometimes I wished I could stay awake more because I felt so comfortable hanging out and adult conversations are nice - but most of the time sleep won.

I was incredibly lucky to be able to add Lisa as a temporary member of our family! I definitely recommend her!

Melissa Boroughs

6/28/2017

I hired Lisa as my birth doula.  I was pregnant with twin girls and wanted someone who made me feel comfortable and was also comfortable with a loose birth plan as a natural delivery wasn't promised with twins.  We met with Lisa twice before the delivery and she made herself available to us as much as we needed as we got closer.  She recommended different tips to try and stimulate natural labor such as acupuncture, etc. She was encouraging and confident. Lisa was such a gift to me during labor.  Even though I had my husband and sister there to support me, she was truly the only one who could get me to focus and calm down between contractions.  She was creative in her coping techniques and helped me reach my labor goals.  She also gifted us with a story of the labor experience which was great since we didn't remember a lot of it.  She also took amazing photos of the birth experience we will treasure forever! I highly recommend Lisa as a birth doula!

Amber Eide

4/26/2017

We where so happy to have hired Lisa as our doula. She is sweet, caring, professional, , easy to be around which is important during labor. She was a huge help to me after the birth too. She is a a great resource for questions you might have and a great support. The midwives at our birth center where very impressed with her too.

Overall we where very happy with her service that she provided to us. i would reccomend her

Caitlin Thakral

3/3/2017

I am so glad that we chose Lisa as our birth doula. As someone who felt extremely anxious about labor and delivery, I was both certain that I wanted an epidural to manage my pain and a doula to provide emotional support. Lisa was right there with me, from my panicked midday call that my water had broken while home alone to helping me get started breastfeefing with my daughter that night at the hospital. She was calm, patient, and always ready to help in whatever way would best support me or my husband. I arrived at the hospital before feeling any contractions, and Pitocin was immediately suggested as a likely option when I hadn't felt any 2 hours later. Knowing that I wanted to be careful to avoid unnecessary interventions aside from the epidural, Lisa helped me to get moving and suggested that I do the stairs at the hospital to kickstart contractions. It worked, and I am so grateful that I ended up with the spontaneous and quick labor for which I had hoped. Much to the surprise of the hospital staff, my dilation then progressed rapidly, and my daughter was born later than night rather than the next morning. I owe my calm experience to Lisa, who herself admitted that she felt that mine had been one of her most hands-off deliveries. I disagree -- I felt that her support was exactly what I needed. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a caring and supportive doula who takes extra care to get to know her clients so that she can provide them with exactly the kind of support that helps them to labor as they wish.

Danielle Legault

2/4/2017

We were so thankful for Lisa. She was a huge part of making our son's birth such a positive experience. She was a calming presence, incredibly supportive,  and had great suggestions for both my husband and I. She has also continued to be a gift after the birth as well. She's been reassuring and has quickly answered any questions we may have. I would highly recommend her to anyone! Lisa also wrote up our birth story and gave it to us at our postpartum meeting. It is something we are so thankful for and greatly treasure. Word cannot fully express our gratitude and how blessed we were to have her present at our sweet baby's birth.

Jessie Zheng

2/4/2017

It has been one of our wisest choices to decide to work with Lisa for this significant life experience. She was very responsive, attentative, cultural sensitive and caring. As a first time mom, I couldn't help being very nervous and sometimes even paranoid. Yet Lisa has taken every question from me very seriously and given me full support and understanding.  Throughout the delivery process, she provided such wonderful care to me and also support my husband to get involved. We couldn't image how to deal with all the choices without Lisa's help. She never pushed us with a solution, instead she has given us all the necessary information to make a decision we are comfortable with. In the end, we had a good memory to cherish for a life time.

Steve Brown

1/8/2017

My wife and I hired Lisa and her partner, Autumn Duckworth, for the birth of our first baby. We couldn't have been happier with the experience. We had very helpful visits in our home prior to the delivery of our baby, complete with helpful tips, practicing breathing techniques and labor positions, assistance preparing and understanding our birth plan, and more. Once my wife was in the hospital, Lisa's help proved indispensable. Everything from getting food and drinks, assisting with my wife's comfort, even dealing with my non-English-speaking in-laws...no task was too small or menial, and Lisa handled them all with a smile. Since my wife was admitted to the hospital 31 hours before the baby came, Autumn stayed with us basically the first 24 hours of that, and then Lisa took over for the final stretch.  Lisa was super involved with the delivery of our baby.  She worked in partnership with the nurses and doctors in positioning my wife, working with her on her breathing, holding her legs, comforting her, etc.  Maybe I didn't fully understand what role our doula would play in the process beforehand, but I was pleasantly surprised and grateful for all of Lisa's help.

If we have more kids in the future, we'll definitely be looking up Lisa and Autumn again, and would highly recommend them to anyone in the Seattle area looking for professional, friendly, energetic help. These ladies are awesome.

Amy Claflin

10/9/2016

Lisa was an incredibly helpful resource during the birth of our second child.  She brought a sense of calm, a lot of experience, and very useful tips & tricks to our entire eighteen hour labor.  We loved her flexible attitude and how she interacted with our family, the hospital staff, and us.  We would absolutely use her again.  Thanks Lisa for everything you did for us!

Gretchen Maletich

10/4/2016

Where do I even start? I first met Lisa when she came to our house for an interview. She was so relaxed & wonderful with my 2.5 yr old. She easily answered all of my questions & over the coarse of the interview I not only decided that yes I wanted to hire a doula but that I needed to hire Lisa & couldn't imagine feeling more comfortable with anyone else. She was available by text & email for all my questions. She came to our house another time prior to our due date & at that time my partner met her. He loved her as well. Our contact with Lisa increased when I was taken off work at 33 weeks & talk of induction started at 37 weeks. She was an amazing support. We were able to hold off the induction until 39 wks. She met us at the hospital & I wanted to cry when I saw her because I knew everything would be okay. She spent the night with me at the hospital. I felt so much better having her there. It was great to bounce ideas off her & get her opinion in the early stages of labor. It's all kind of a blur but I remember she had me squeeze combs, we used massage, music, essential oils, cool cloths, various positions the TENS unit & the birthing tub. She was in tune to what I needed prior to me even knowing. I would start to think it or barely get the words out & she had already started. The birth of my daughter came quick with only 2 pushes & i was so relieved when they put her on my chest (unlike my first baby who needed resuscitation at birth). Lisa took the most beautiful pictures of my daughter being born & placed on my chest. I was so teary when I saw them because I didn't know that she had gotten them. We had a postpartum visit with Lisa a few days later & she was honestly the only person I wanted to visit. I had some postpartum depression & anxiety in the first couple of months & she was an amazing support. Lisa is a gem & I am forever grateful that she was our doula!

Joy Throndsen

9/24/2016

When I became pregnant with my second child, I was determined to try, to the best of my ability, for a better birth than my first (my first birth was induced at 10 days past due and included two failed epidurals).  For my second birth I wanted to avoid induction, if possible, and try for a natural birth.  Being relaxed is such an important part in working towards your ideal birth plan.  With this in mind, I immediately decided on two things:  I needed a doula! and I wanted to practice Hypno Babies relaxation techniques.

Looking for a doula can be a daunting task!  I met with several doula's before deciding on Lisa.  If I can offer any advice, it would be to interview and potentially meet in person with 2-3 doulas before picking one that is right for you.  Complimentary personality is extremelly important.  I have a very 'Type A' personality and after interviewing a few other 'Type A' doulas, I became very stressed - as I realized that in a time of great duress, their personalities might actually make me more stressed.  Choosing Lisa was the best decision I could have made for this birth, she has a peacefulness about her.  But with that being said, she is fiesty when she needs to be!  I felt Lisa wouldn't hesitate to stand-up and support my desires to medical personell if needed.  Lisa, is very skilled at reading her clients and surroundings and acting accordingly.

Throughout your pregnancy and labor, if you are weighing options, Lisa is the type of person who will listen to your history/concerns/desires and work with you to come up with possible solutions for YOU to choose.  I always felt impowered with Lisa close by, both before and during my labor.  I wish a million times over I had Lisa during my first birth.  With her help we had our second child, a healthy baby girl, at 13 days past due and no medical intervention.

Gisselle Ledenev

5/23/2016

Thank you Lisa. I initially hired her as a Doula for a natural birth; unfortunately, due to medically reasons and unforeseen twists and turns with my pregnancy I ended up with a scheduled cesarean (decision was made in week 40 but I know it was a strong possibility during my 2nd trimester). She is warm, understanding, responds promptly to communication (text, emails, and phone calls), and knowledgeable--I had the initial consultation and two meetings with her but ended up not using her the day of my son's birth (had family support and I only wanted family nearby me during a sensitive time) but she made my placenta capsules. She visited the hospital twice to pick up the placenta (NW Hospital has a 24 hour policy) and had a quick turn around. Without me asking, she also took the umbilical cord and shaped it into a heart -- I initially didn't know what to do with it but now I understand it's a keepsake. During one of our meetings, upon request, she also recommended local traditional Malaysian belly binding.

Overall, while my birth didn't go as planned, she understood my situation and was there for me as much and as little as I needed her. I would recommend her to friends.

Valerie Rickman

4/25/2016

Lisa exudes everything you want in a doula. She is caring, compasionate, thoughtful, and knowledgeable and we are so thankful for Lisa's counsel and expertise throughout my pregnancy. We originally hired Lisa in hopes of having a natural vaginal birth, however, when a c-section became our only option due to our baby's breech presentation, Lisa was just as helpful as I know she would have been had a natural childbirth been our ultimate path. It was extraordinarily helpful to have Lisa present during the Version (an attempt to turn the baby). Just as she would during labor, she helped me cope with the discomfort of the procedure.  Though I was scheduled for a c-section, my water broke before the scheduled date and my contractions promply began. Lisa rushed to the hospital and helped us manage my contractions while we waited for an operting room to become availalable for the c-section. After our darling boy was born, Lisa helped with latching and stayed with us through the first successful feeding. I am so thankful to have had Lisa's support through each stage of our pregnancy and would highly recommend her to all soon to be mamas.

jacob

3/29/2016

Lisa was absolutely great during our pregnancy, our birth in the hospital and once home. She has a wonderful complimentary skill-set and was very knowledgeable. Her extensive experience was really valuable to us. She came over in the middle of the night once labor was underway, and was incredibly helpful in managing the pain and nausea before heading to the hospital. She helped turn our daughter from OP to OA at home and in the hospital--which allowed labor to progress much more quickly and successfully than it would likely have otherwise-- and continued providing care and support once in the hospital and after the epidural. She was always incredibly open and supportive of whatever we wanted--as she said numerous times, birth should not be a traumatic experience, and her job is to help make sure of that--and even once we had opted for the epidural, she remained incredibly engaged and proactive. After delivery, she was incredibly helpful with getting breastfeeding going, and stopped by to see us in the hospital the next morning too. Our birth wouldn’t have been the same without her timely advice and experience. We chose Lisa after finding her on doulamatch.net and recommend her highly.

Casey (pediatrician) and Jacob (pediatric nurse).

Natasha Amira

11/8/2015

Some of our friends had recently had a baby, so when we started out hunt for a Doula, their recommendation was one of the first that we contacted. Lisa met us at our home and we immediately were drawn to her and excited to potentially have her share this experience with us. Lisa has a very calm and kind presence that made us feel at ease, we immediately trusted her and felt as though she really knew what she doing and would be a great support for us during the birth of our son.

We had two visits with Lisa prior to giving  birth as well as unlimited access to Lisa for support via email, phone, etc. We felt comfortable asking her questions or an opinion. At no point did Lisa push any of her views on us but simply offered us support with articles and feedback she has seen based on her experience. This left  us feeling like we could make good decisions and eased our minds on things as pregnancy progressed.

The evening we went into labor, Lisa was responsive and quick to be avialable for us in our time of need. When she arrives she was just an extension of us during this time. She helped us remember things on the way to the hospital and made us feel like we were in great hands the entire time with reassurance.

Lisa was there the entire time we were in the hospital and was always there especially if and when my husband needed a break, Lisa was always there! She was so prepared and knew all of the things I didn't even know that I needed. She helped keep me energized and hydrated with broth and water, she was positive, supportive and extremely comforting. We would not have wanted to go through the experience without her by our side!

Lisa stayed with us for a while after our son was born to ensure that we were comfortable and that our son was feeding well. We feel so fortunate to have had the experience to meet Lisa & include her in our birth. We will absolutely be asking Lisa to join us again

Michelle Madrigal

8/4/2015

I have had the opportunity to have Lisa present at both of my births. She was incredibly helpful at both, giving me great advice when it came to relaxing through my contractions and just learning to trust the process.

I gave birth to my son last year in May. Although it was originally planned to be in a birth center, I was transferred to the hospital due to failure to progress. At the hospital I was able to get the epidural and relax. Lisa was very reassuring and supported me through this entire process. During this labor with my son, I ended up spiking a fever twice. Lisa was very quick to grab ice cold rags and place them all over my back, chest, and forward to bring the initial fever down, allowing me to labor just a little longer before I had to go in for a cesarean. Lisa was able to be in the OR with my husband and I. This was incredibly comforting for me.

When I found out that I was pregnant back in October of last year, just 5.5 months post-partum with my son, I knew I wanted Lisa to be at the birth of my second baby. This time I was going to be attempting a VBAC and knew I wanted her by my side with how comfortable and supportive she was through the birth of my son. . Lisa offered great advice and support for helping prepare for my VBAC. As the days were getting near, I really started to doubt my abilities to have a VBAC and she was amazing by offering links for birth affirmations and mantras. The labor and birth of my daughter was much different than my son's. It progressed very quickly and I believe it was due to a tension releasing mouth peice that Lisa offered me to use. It helped me cope through the pain all the while letting me relax all the tension in my body. I ended up getting my all-natural, unmedicated VBAC and I honestly know think it would have happened without the support Lisa and my family provided. I highly recommend taking her on as your doula.

Rachel Smith

7/15/2015

Lisa was incredible. Her support was exactly what I needed to have the natural birth experience I wanted. She was at the same time constantly present, positive, and supportive and yet never intrusive or detracting from the surreal experience of giving birth. I wouldn't give birth without her again!

Grace OBrien

12/9/2014

Hiring Lisa was one of the best decisions I made to prepare for natural childbirth! My labor was longer than expected and she stuck by my side the entire time.  My husband and I would have been at a loss without her. I'd hire her again in a heartbeat!

Elisha Sheth

8/28/2014

Lisa is an amazing Doula! Prior to the birth of our son Sahir, Lisa met with us several times at our home so that we could get to know each other better. She provided us with tons of really great information and resources to assist us with our birth plan. We loved her mild and kind nature - she gave us all the information and tools to create a birth plan that met our needs (birth without an epidural) and was also flexible in the event that things did not go as planned. Lisa strongly recommended that we find a code word (our code word was giraffe) which I would use in the event that I absolutely needed an epidural.

My water broke in the middle of the night and shortly thereafter my contractions were strong and close together. Lisa came to our house at 2:30am ready to help me and my husband with the labor. I had a 22 hour labor (back labor as the baby was sunny side up) and she was a tremendous help. She worked with me incessantly to help get the baby in the right position. I was on my hands and knees, on an exercise ball, in the tub - Lisa even used a shimmying technique to help him turn.

There were many times that I felt that I could not go on any longer and could not stand the pain any more but Lisa and my husband were there to support me and were constantly reassuring me that I can do it and that I was in fact already doing it. After all our hard work, the baby finally turned and I was able to give birth to our son. Thanks to Lisa and to my husband I was able to do it all without an epidural!

3 Days after the baby was born, Lisa came to visit us at home to see how we were doing. She helped me with breastfeeding and just took time to sit with me and talk to me about the baby and also about how I was feeling.

Lisa - we can't thank you enough for all your help with the birth of our son! We would not have had the same experience without you.

Karee Ball

4/14/2014

Working with Lisa was outstanding.  Although this was our third birth and knew what to except, I had hopes to go as long as I could without pain meds.  Lisa was there each step of the way: Meeting with us twice to plan how we wanted the birth to take place, providing information on what to expect with the birth - being that our middle child was born 8 years previous and helping to organize a birth plan.  The night I went into labor Lisa was available right away though we asked her to hold off until we were admited.  During labor she was amazing in helping me work on my breathing, and keeping me distracted.  At 9CM I opted for an epidiral for pushing and never felt pressured to alter that descision, which I greatly appreciated.  Lisa was also great helping my husband be the support that I needed during my 9 hour labor.

After our son was born, Lisa came by 3 days later to see how we were doing.  She was able to help with my breastfeeding questions along with give suggestions on lactation consultents.

If we have another child we will make sure that Lisa is there for the ride! Outstanding support and very down to earth doula!

--Karee and Alex 2014

Rose Bud

4/7/2014

My husband and I immediately felt comfortable with Lisa, and we are so glad that we had her with us through a new and very personal time. We hired Lisa before we had fully decided if we wanted to do a certain style of labor prep. We later decided to do the Hypnobirthing books and classes. Lisa was familiar with Hypnobirthing but it was not her speciality. Not knowing if this would make a difference we continued to have her as a doula and found it really didn't matter as my husband was trained in the hypnobirthing and Lisa was there supporting him and me through whatever we needed during labor at home and at the hospital. Lisa is extrememly dediicated coming to the hospital on multiple trips and staying over night with us even knowing her own children were sick at home. Lisa was positive, full of great ideas and a delight to be around. I would recomend her to my best friends and family and I am so happy to have shared such a special time with such a generous doula.

Alexis Tylor

10/16/2013

This was my second pregnancy and I knew as soon as I got the positive test that I wanted a Doula. I spent the first few months scouring profiles and trying to make a decision. My little girl is now 2 weeks old and I'm SO happy that I found Lisa - she was everything I'd hoped for and more.

From our initial meeting I knew that she was someone that I'd feel comfortable having present for my birth and she had the knowledge and experience that I felt she'd provide the type of support I needed. Our prenatal appointments were great - she obviously took the time to get to know us, get to know what I wanted and even what our concerns or fears were in relation to the pregnancy, labor, delivery and even after. She provided a lot of fantastic recommendations and tons of good information that I loved having access to.

She not only provided information about labor and delivery but also helped with concerns I had about breastfeeding and provided wonderful suggestions.

When D-Day arrived she was readily available and even though I headed to the hospital earlier than I'd planned she was right there and supportive from the start. She was a fantastic advocate and worked so hard to get me the birth we both knew I wanted. While things didn't turn out exactly as I'd planned, I still walked away from this birth feeling empowered and healed from my previous birth. She was a key support and I know it wouldn't have been the same without her.

I don't know if this is my last pregnancy or not, but if we are blessed again down the road I wouldn't hesitate to call on Lisa again. I really can't even begin to thank her enough for being part of this experience.

Collyn Dixon

8/2/2013

Lisa was absolutely instrumental in the birth of my baby girl. I don't know what we would have done without her! Lisa was the first doula we interviewed and right away we knew we wanted her to be our doula. She was extremely competent and knowledgeable regarding our many questions, and we loved her realxed, easy going personality. Even though we hadn't officially signed up with Lisa yet, she was so nice to answer my many emailed questions as well. I always felt in touch with her throughout the six months of my pregnancy. When I went into labor, Lisa came immediately and was calm, cool, and collected (unlike myself!). She was the glue that held the labor experience together to make sure it was the home birth we had envisoned. Lisa guided my husband in how to help me cope, and stepped in when I wanted her to. She was very respectful of our bonding time together and our birth plan/vision. After our little miracle arrived Lisa was wonderful in making sure the house was tidied up and that we were all fed. She also followed up with us the next day, as well as three days later. I still know I can contact Lisa anytime with my many new questions regarding these precious newborn moments. I highly recommend Lisa for any type of birth you are planning. You will not only get an amazing doula during the most important moment of your life, but you will also gain a friend.

Nicholas Kropp

6/26/2013

I couldn't imagine our birth experience without Lisa. She was unbelievably understanding and helpful throughout the entire process. Before going into labor, Lisa came over to help us formulate a birth plan and answer any questions or concerns that we had for the big upcoming event. She helped us create a birth plan that was customized to our personal preferences, and genuinely supported our decisions. When the big day finally came, my girlfriends water broke at around 11:30 PM, and Lisa responded right away by coming over immediately. She was with us for the whole 20 hour process. During this time, she helped in many facets of the labor and delivery process, whether suggesting or implementing coping methods, giving reassurance, keeping us informed on all our options, or making sure that we were using our down time to rest and eat. Her involvement was invaluable. In addition, she also took detailed notes and pictures for us so that we could vividly remember everything. Not to mention handling the placenta encapsulation for us post-partum. Lisa provides a very personal experience. I highly recommend using her services to anyone who is planning on bringing their own bundle of joy into this world.

Lindsay Parkhurst

6/26/2013

Lisa is a wonderful, caring and compassionate woman and I don't know that I would have made it through my labor and delivery without her. To make a long story short, my labor did not go well. Lisa did everything she could to keep up my spirits and make me as comfortable as is possible when you're in labor. When we had to deviate from my original birth plan, Lisa was very supportive and did her best to make me feel like I was making the best decision. I plan on working with Lisa again when we decide to take the plunge into another pregnancy.

Heidi Carson

4/22/2013

My experience with Lisa could not have been better.  I had questioned the need for a doula but after hearing from friends who had given birth naturally, I realized that doulas are a sort of natural pain reliever.  I felt comfortable with Lisa from our first meeting.  She has a natural way about her that I imagine anyone could relate to.  During my labor, she managed to be there for my every need and yet not feel intrusive in any way.  The moment she arrived at my house (home birth) I felt much more confident in what was happening.  She was calm, reassuring and sympathetic.  I credit much of my successful home birth to her presence.  She was also a fantastic support in the weeks after my baby was born, providing breastfeeding support and resources.  While Lisa is my first and only experience with a doula, I can say with certainty that I will not be giving birth without one in the future and if I'm lucky, it will be her again!

Anna Drury

2/8/2013

I have known Lisa since we were girls swimming together in the summers. When I learned she was getting certified to be a doula, I knew it was meant to be. Lisa met with my (anxious) husband and I several times before the birth to go over details. It was amazing how at ease she was and how she made us feel so comfortable. Lisa offered her services day or night, whenever we needed her. She had so much advice and amazing tips for us parents-to-be. I cannot imagine my birth experience without her having been there. She made natural labor so much better and offered some amazing tips and tricks for easing the pain. I would recommend Lisa to be a doula for anyone! She is kind, easy going, non-judgemental, and has such an amazing passion for birth and all that surrounds it. Lisa also met up with us postpartum and made sure we were cozy with our new little one and has contacted me several times since our son was born to see how we were all doing. All of this out of the kindness of her heart. She was such an amazing person to have around before, during and after the birth of our son. I would highly recommend her to anyone I know!