Ellie Curtis

4/17/2019

We had a wonderful experience with Jocelyn(March 2019). She was exactly what we were looking for in a doula mainly- well educated on the data behind what works and does not. While many things are not proven, she had lots of information and we went into the process with a "Might as well try" attitude. She brought aromatherapy, gave and taught massage, helped make suggestions on how to do labor after my epidural. She was such a great support for our family. Having her made the experience significantly less stressful for our family and we are very grateful for her service. 

Mary Cutler

4/18/2017

Jocelyn stepped in at the last minute, with no notice, as the 2nd back-up to the Douhla that we had originally hired (as our baby was early and our original Douhla was out of town).  She took our call and was there to greet us in the hospital lobby.  We were instantly comfortable with her gentle approach and her wealth of knowledge about the birth process.  As we waited for our surprise C-section she kept us calm and talked us through what we could expect during the procedure.  She helped us to make sure we got all of our questions answered by the medical staff.  She was a reassuring presence (for both of us) in the surreal, terrifying brightness of the operating room.  Jocelyn's soothing presence provided tremendous support and encouragement during a long night of waiting to meet our baby.

Robyn Howisey

10/29/2015

Joceyln and Autumn were amazing! From the initial meeting to the last postnatal visit I felt supported, taken care of, and so grateful to have them as part of our team. Jocelyn was our doula during the birth and was absolutely critical in helping me have a successful unmedicated birth. Her presence was calm and relaxed, but absolutely present, and assertive when she needed to be. She was so helpful in helping my husband help me during the entire process. I also appreciated that she's very knowledgeable about the current research about interventions, alternatives, etc.
A few days after the birth I was having some struggles with breastfeeding. Autumn came to my house the same day, on a Sunday night. During that time our baby ended up having her second full on meltdown for two hours, crying inconsolably. I cannot even tell you how helpful it was to have Autumn there to tell me I was doing a good job, that I was doing it "right" - and that sometimes babies just cry even when you're doing everything you can. She was a lifesaver that night. I would absolutely recommend Ohana - Jocelyn and Autumn as doulas and will definitely use them again in the future with baby #2.

Betsy Hands

6/5/2015

I have no doubt that Jocelyn Alt made my natural childbirth possible.  It is hard to actaully know, but I felt so much more confident when it all started happening because she was there to explain what was hapening and things to consider. She was available in the morning when my water broke.  She calm, knowledgeable, and super thoughtful once we arrived at the hospital and she knew when to give us privacy.

Often you wonder if having a doula will mean that you trade an intimacy with your husband, but she was a support to both of us. My husband was there 110%, but he could not have done it without someone to coach him too!  I loved being able to take walks and have conversations in the early labor and then have someone be able to run out and take care of errands when there was time and I wanted some rest time with my husband. It is remarkable to be able to have some there that has been through so many other births - the nurses and doctors are not (they are in and out). Jocelyn made the whole process feel less intimating and she helped us navigate the tough decisions.  I will be forever grateful to Jocelyn's gift as a suppotive doula and I am now a strong advocate for doula services to any woman.

Ed Essey

5/16/2015

My wife and I highly recommend Ohana Birth and Parenting Service.

We just had our first baby together, and the doulas at Ohana gave us a lot of confidence. Working with Jocelyn and Autumn was a pleasure. They were very attentive, compassionate and engaged the whole time - from the first time we reached out to them, to even now, weeks after the birth of our son.

Before the birth, they were always on top of things, kind, and informative. Helping us to cope with and make decisions that arose from interacting with the in-laws to getting enough sleep. Helping us feel in control.

During the child birth, they were on point to answer questions and there with terrific pain coping skills and mood-calming talents to get through the 40 hours of labor and through to the birth of a wonderful, healthy child. Even helping us navigate and make difficult decisions when we needed to.

After the birth, they have provided photos and continuing support in the early days, including advice on setting up a great pattern for breast-feeding and lactation.

They work wonderfully as a team, bringing different skills and specialities to all phases of the pregnancy, and we were thrilled with their deeply kind and professional support. They truly helped keep healthy and happy mother and baby foremost… and father was very happy and supported, too.

Amber Kozawick

2/7/2015

Jocelyn, along with one other Doula from Ohana and my midwife and husband, were my birth team for my son's entrance to the world. It would be impossible for me to recount all 42 hours of my labor, but the important points for this review are these:

-Prior to my labor/delivery, I felt 100% supported in my decisions. My favorite part about Ohana in general is that I do not feel they ever try to shove their own ideas down your throat. They are supportive of whatever birthing decisions you feel are best for your family. For instance, I wanted an unmedicated hospital birth, so they did everything possible to help ensure that could happen for me. I know that if I wanted my birth story to look any different, they would have provided the exact same support without judgement
-They were incredible at "reading the room" and being able to tell how much or how little attention I was needing at the moment. There were times where I didn't want anyone touching me, but there was also a stretch of time where my Doula was literally sleeping in my bed with me between contractions
-They let my husband and I make decisions, even the hard ones. They helped me weigh the pros and cons of each decision, but did not attempt to sway me one way or the other. They truly wanted it to be MY story
-They supported my husband. They let him have the glory in the right moments, but also let him step aside when it was just getting to be too much for him and he needed a break
-Their calming presence and support was incredible and I felt as if my sisters and mothers and friends were in the room for me when my son graced us with his presence. I was honored to have them both in the room with me for that incredible moment of my life
-They continued to provide support even after the birth of my son and the bonds that I have formed with our doulas continue even today

I have nothing but the highest praises to sing for the Ohana Doulas.

Chrissy Fernandez

5/22/2014

Let me start off by saying how wonderfully pleased both my husband and I are with the services provided by both Jocelyn, who was our doula, and Giselle, who could have been our doula (they take shifts depending on when your labor starts). We sought a doula who was bilingual (Spanish/English) - to make sure my primarily- Spanish speaking husband would understand everything going on during our labor and delivery. It ended up completely not being an issue, but I am so glad that that led us to Ohana. (For the record, they were the only place I could find in the area that had a Spanish-speaking doula.) Both Jocelyn and Giselle are warm, wonderful and well-informed - and this came across strongly in all of our interactions.During our initial meeting we talked about all our concerns and what kind of birth we wanted. Both Jocelyn and Giselle took the time to get to know us as a couple and really get a feel for the type of support we would need. From that point on, we got an email nearly every week checking in to see how the pregnancy was going.Finally on the big day, Jocelyn was our doula and was such a source of support! She remembered everything we had discussed through our meetings (including the little things I forgot mid-contraction!). She helped me sip water between contractions, provided a lightly scented washcloth when the oxygen mask (that I did not like) smelled too plastic-y, massaged my low back, and helped me get through the toughest part of labor when I thought I couldn't do it. She anticipated our needs before we even knew what they were! With Jocelyn's support, I was able to give birth without an epidural and achieve a drug free hospital birth with minimal interventions. Using Ohana for their doula services was one of the best decisions we made! I could not recommend them more highly.

Iveliz Orellano

1/18/2014

My husband and I were fortunate enough to have Jocelyn attend the birth of our daughter this past December (2013). From the beginning, Jocelyn and Giselle were supportive and sensitive to our needs.

This was my third pregnancy, and my first time having a doula attend the birth. It made a world of difference to have Jocelyn there. Not only was she an extra set of hands during difficult contractions, she was a source of mental and emotional support for myself and my husband. She kept us centered. When I felt like I couldn't do it anymore, she kept me focused on the task at hand by gently reminding me to breath and providing me with some much-needed encouragement. I brought birth affirmations with me and Jocelyn read them to me when I was going through the toughest contractions. Because I'm such an anxious person, it was so important that Jocelyn was able to create such a positive atmosphere and calm mood for my me and my husband. It really set the tone for a positive, healing birth experience.

After the birth, I had some difficulty breastfeeding, and Jocelyn put me in touch with a lactation consultant (available as part of the doula services) that was able to talk to me right away and help me troubleshoot.

I just signed up for the Mom & Baby classes at Ohana and I'm looking forward to working with Jocelyn and her team again!

Tara Lamkin

1/2/2014

If you are reading this, I assume you're (1) thinking about getting a doula (DO IT!) and (2) looking to find which one you feel most comfortable with.

Jocelyn works with a doula partner who you get to meet at the pre-birth visits. (our backup was Giselle) If for some reason Jocelyn is unavailable/not on call when you go into labor, you have already met and have a sense for the "backup" doula. Other doulas promise a "backup", but you don't get to meet this person in advance, which leaves a bit of uncertainty.

I got to know Jocelyn before the birth because she taught our childbirth class at Ohana. My birth turned out to be... not as expected... and she did a wonderful job of helping my husband and I through the surprising turn of events leading to an emergency c-section. I would have been much more frightened and uneasy had Jocelyn not been there with us as a reassuring presence in what felt like a chaotic storm of events! In my 3 hours of labor before the c-section, she helped me through my contractions by massaging my feet. It was the BEST.

(while I was wheeled into the OR, and before my husband could join me, he tells me Jocelyn was very helpful to him as he freeeeeaked out about my impending surgery. He had to clear out our stuff from our regular L&D room and also get scrubs on. But I wasn't there, so, I don't know the details)

In the c-section recovery room, Jocelyn came by for a short check-in visit (she made sure to wait till after the family VIPs had their turn seeing me and meeting the baby) before she left the hospital. She asked if there was anything else I wanted or needed and made it clear that she was around for support via email, phone, text, whatever. There are a lot of feelings about the c-section she helped me process afterwards.

In conclusion: Get a doula! Jocelyn is a great choice!

Erin Pacheco

8/22/2013

Jocelyn is a phenomenal doula! I delivered my firstborn with Jocelyn by my side, and it was an absolutely beautiful experience. I had a water birth without any medication, and our baby girl arrived at a whopping 9 lb 9 oz! I could never have done that without the support of a doula!! Having Jocelyn there meant I didn't have to remember every little thing from our birthing class. It freed me to fully focus on my body and the task at hand, and freed my husband to just be there for me as emotional support.

Jocelyn is a sweetheart. She has a very calming and reassuring presence, and from the moment she showed up, she had this natural ability to put me at ease. She also had a knack for knowing just what I needed and when, without me having to ask -- an awesome trait in a doula. She brought lotion for massaging my feet (a blessed diversion in triage!), and when the really rough contractions hit, she was right in my ear, quietly offering these great directives to help me relax through the pain. Jocelyn also worked really well with the other members of my birth team, intentionally making space for my mom and my husband to feel helpful as well. My mom had never heard of a doula-supported birth before, and now she can't stop raving about it.

I couldn't be happier with my birth experience.  I highly recommend Jocelyn!

Allyson Baisden

5/20/2013

I recently used Ohana's doula services for the birth of my second son. As I was trying to have a VBAC, I decided using a doula would provide some additional support and comfort to a potentially higher stressed labor. I could not have been more pleased with the support I received from Jocelyn and Giselle. They are amazing ladies and I was so glad that they were part of my support team. First, I loved that I got to meet both of them and develop a level of comfort so that whoever was scheduled to be with me during labor, it would not be a surprise. Other doulas we met with had a backup in case your doula was at another labor, but it was never an option for the backup to be a part of the pre-labor visits. I really appreciated this aspect of service from Ohana. I was able to have a successful VBAC, but my labor was incredibly long, over 30 hours. Jocelyn was with my husband and I the entire time. Her calming presence was invaluable. She immediately transformed our labor room into an image that fit with what we had discussed with her prior to my labor. She instinctively sensed when to involve herself, when to encourage my husband, when to give him a break and how to best give us what we needed. I would not have a future birth without Giselle or Jocelyn as part of our team!