Natasha Gross

7/16/2021

Vanessa is AMAZING! From the moment we interviewed her, something just clicked! She's incredibly knowledgeable, patient, positive, and responsive (not to mention hilarious). We always felt like she listened to our needs and wants and was always has great insight about every situation. She's a great communicator and is always prepared. When the big day came and we had to be transferred to a hospital, which was outside of our birth plan, she helped to advocate for us to the hospital staff to keep as much of our birth plan in place as possible. She was our rock when we needed her throughout pregnancy and in the final hours of labor and we know the birthing experience would not have been the same without her. She has been, and continues to be, invaluable to us and we now consider her to be a personal friend. HIGHLY recommend.

Thank you again Vanessa, for all that you've done for us as a family. 

Alisha

5/3/2021

Vanessa was an amazing Doula. We are so glad to have her with us on the day of our son's birth. She met with us before he arrived to go over carseat safety and that was really helpful. She was very knowledgeable, supportive, encouraging and a great presence at the birth. I ended up having to have a C-section after laboring for a while and she stayed with me throughout the whole process. It just felt really good to have someone there with us advocating for what we wanted and supporting me. I loved all the different laboring techniques she brought as well. I also really appreciated the support she provided after the birth. She checked in with me and visited us after the birth and also checked in with me several months later to see how I was doing. She is very caring and supportive! I would highly recommend Vanessa.

Darby

12/28/2020

Vanessa was our Doula for our first child, and we had a very strong desire to have a homebirth - right away Vanessa had helpful tips for us to ensure that we could position ourselves to be able to have that (positions/tips to ensure head-down & most optimal positioning for baby). Vaness was incredibly helpful with carseats and came over to show us how to install the carseat, and made sure that we were comfortable doing so. I will say that she showed us things that the instructions don't necessarily tell you to verify that it is positioned correctly!

Vanessa was great at checking in throughout the pregnancy and leading up until the birth. We had a very fast labor (6.5 hours) and Vanessa was amazing at helping work through contractions while we waited for the midwife team to arrive. Vanessa was great about not only helping me but also helping my husband to help me, she worked seamlessly with our midwife team and especially since we were birthing at home with a small team (as compared to larger hospital teams) it was nice to have an extra pair of knowledgeable hands to help. During the final moments of the birth, Vanessa was even able to capture some photos of the first moments of us with our son.

Even after the birth, Vanessa was helpful with check-ins during the first couple of weeks and helped coach us through troubles with sleep (both our son and us!), sleeping positions, and milk and feeding questions.

We were very fortunate to have Vanessa as our Doula and would absolutely be checking her availability first if/when we are pregnant again!

Devin Sullivan

12/9/2020

I went through my pregnancy and birth of my second son with Vanessa. My goal was a VBAC, and let me say, as a "woman of size," it felt like every doctor I saw was against me and my wishes. After being turned down to do a trial of labor late in the game, I was feeling defeated, ready to give up and schedule a cesarean. It was with Vanessa's unwavering support that I stayed strong and stuck with my plan, even though it meant changing providers again at 34 weeks. She gave me so many tools throughout my pregnancy to increase my comfort and give me peace of mind when things felt scary or confusing. She is compassionate, empathetic and skilled, with a personality that makes you laugh and puts you at ease. My first birth experience was horrible and I went into my second journey with very low expectations. Vanessa armed me with so much information that helped me to advocate for myself, and she consistently exceeded my expectations. It was a professional relationship but I made it through the other side of the experience with a dear friend. 

Azure

12/7/2020

I can say wholeheartedly that Vanessa made my pregnancy, birth and postpartum experience better than I could have imagined. She supported me, and advocated for me in a situation that was completely terrifying to me. My husband agrees that he felt she was vital to his role in my labor as well. She is professional, but also down to earth and honest. Her additional services like car seat instillation, photos, and a birth journal just made her that much better! I would highly recommend her!

Annemarie

12/4/2020

This was my second natural birth, but first time hiring a doula, and what a difference it made! Vanessa was the biggest support for both my husband and I, starting from pregnancy all the way through postpartum. She is very knowledgeable with all things pregnancy/birth/postpartum and was able to answer any questions we had. The day I went into labor, Vanessa enabled us to comfortably labor at home longer and advise when to go to the hospital. When labor seemed to be stalling or not picking up, she was extremely helpful in offering exercises and positions try to keep things progressing (which they did!). In contrast to my first birth, my husband was able to step into more of an emotional support role instead of physical (counter pressure/helping me labor) which was so much nicer for both him and I to actually ENJOY the process. I was able to have a natural, intervention free birth and I contribute a large portion of that success to having Vanessa by our side. Couldn't recommend her more!

Matt Olson

11/11/2018

Vanessa was amazing for our family. As a soon to be first time dad you have the mindset that you have everything covered, you have remembered all the important information and you know exactly what to do or say when your wife is in labor. Reality check…. The game is moving faster than you are and you don’t have everything covered and you have forgotten half of the information you have work so hard to remember. Insert an all star Doula AKA Vanessa Flanders. I soon realized she was the coach and I was the player all I needed was the right plays sent over to me and I could execute with precision. For any first time dads to be or maybe dads that have never had the assistance of a Doula it is a the best decision you could ever make. You will thank yourself, the medical staff will thank you and most importantly your wife won’t kill you when she becomes mobile again. Vanessa knows how your wife is feeling, she will coach you though the process so you don’t become “that guy”. Do yourself a favor and add the All-Pro to your team.

Taryn Olson

10/28/2018

Having Vanessa assist with my birth was one of the best decisions my husband and I made. This was our first child and neither of us knew much about what to expect (other than what I had read) and after learning more about the role of a Doula in laboring and childbirth, I knew it was something that was a good fit for us. Vanessa met with us ahead of time to review my birth plan and spent time with us teaching us about the car seat and how baby needs to be positioned and how it needs to be installed properly in the vehicle (she has a car seat safety certification as well!). This was a huge help! During my labor, she was the calmness I needed as I worked through the pain. My "open minded" birth plan ended up being an unmedicated one and Vanessa helped me every step of the way with suggestions on when to change positions, words of encouragement and just being THERE. She was a great help for my husband also and helped him with ways to support me. She also took photos during my labor and was able to capture the first images of our baby girl and my husband and I right after Charlotte was born. I have been singing her praises to everyone since our birth and will most definitely be working with Vanessa again if and when we decide to have a second baby in the future. Thank you Vanessa for being such an amazing part of one of the most significant days of our lives!

Maria Timurshin

11/15/2016

Having Vanessa Flanders by my side while I labored & gave birth was powerful!

She reminded me every step of the way that I was strong, & that my body was made to deliver this baby. Mind you, I had close to 50+ HR labor. Vanessa was there for about 30+. Hrs. With no breaks or lunches.

She never flattered. Her patience, kindness & encouragment was what got me thru my delivery. She made sure that my midwives followed my birth plan, my husband didn't have a meltdown & that I was always number one priority.

If i ever choose to have another baby, I would be grateful to have Vanessa by my side again.

Jessica Ward

11/19/2015

We're so glad Vanessa was our doula! She stayed with us through a 3-day labor (!), and helped my husband and I navigate incredible fatigue, and lots of birth complications by being the voice of reason--and helping us understand our rights and what questions we might ask of our health providers.  She provided resources and ideas every step of the way, and even took photos of our daughter's birth.  She was also very helpful postpartum helping us to find resources for some feeding challenges we were having with our little one.    Bonus--she knows all kinds of things about car-seats and for first-time infant parents (we have older adopted kids),  her infant car seat instruction was super helpful too! Vanessa has been a regular fixture for a couple of months... and we miss her!

Kristina Duffy

11/9/2015

We feel so fortunate to have had Vanessa as our doula for the birth of our first child.  She was extremely knowledgeable and supportive leading up to our daughter's day of birth and throughout her labor and delivery.  Our goal was to have as natural of a birth as possible and with her support, it was an amazing experience that I look back on with positive emotions.  Vanessa is not only professional and well-prepared, she is also a caring and genuine doula who will provide a calming and encouraging presence throughout your labor.

Hannah Mckenzie

5/12/2015

Vanessa was my doula for my first baby. The attention that she showed us before, during, and after we had our baby, went above and beyond our expectations. Before our baby was born she came to our house twice to talk about what to expect, any fears I had, and to walk us through how she Will help us during the labor process. She was always very quick to respond to any questions I had at any time of the day. When labor hit, she was right there supporting both my husband and I. With each contraction she reminded me to relax my shoulders and she would rub my back and encourage me. My labor only lasted 4 hours and I believe a lot of that had to do with her. I will definitely hire her for my next baby!

Andrea McFadden

3/25/2015

Vanessa was recommended to me by a friend who was currently using Vanessa as her doula. We got to meet with Vanessa a few times before the birth and she was always very friendly and helpful. She was also always available to answer questions and discuss things that were going on with the pregnancy. She also helped with some carseat safety and baby wearing information. I had a goal to have a completely natural unmedicated birth and she was so helpful in helping me to accomplish that. One of the most beneficial things that Vanessa did was to help my husband be involved/know how to be involved through the labor and delivery. She was such an important part of my labor and I would definetely use her again!

Alia Noel

3/24/2015

Vanessa was absolutely amazing before and during my labor and birth. She helped with lots of questions I had while I was pregnant and provided a lot of information and resources. I have had three kids and this was my first natural birth. The most important part to me (and they were all important), was the help she provided with breastfeeding immediately after delivery. My labor was fast and furious so I was a little overwhelmed and shaky. Without Vanessa there, I never would have successfully breastfed right after baby's birth. She pretty much facilitated the entire thing for me. I am forever grateful for such a wonderful experience.

Vanessa Keenan

3/13/2015

My third child, & I finally got the birth experience I have always wanted. Thanks to vanessa and her expertise I was able to deliver my beautiful baby opal naturally and felt empowered and informed to make decisions to prevent interventions. It was awesome to have some one to text/email/call to get a second opinion before going to my midwife. Vanessa also helped guide my husbad on how to support me during delivery, which gave him confidence to participate and be involved.

I  would consider this birth to be a healing birth, it helped me overcome several internal battles i was living with after a tramatic experiene with my first followed by a cesarian for my second.

Sarah Eide

6/29/2014

Vanessa was Amazing! I honestly cannot even begin to say how much of a difference it made with this delivery compared to my first. My first was not a very happy experience which lead me to search for a doula in the first place. The first time we met with Vanessa she helped us choose our hospital and my midwife. She also gave us tons of information that I would have never had known about. Every time she met with us was a great experience and we learned so much about birth, babies and what we wanted. The day of my delivery she was at my house very quickly to help with early labor. Told us when to go to the hospital and followed us there. My goal going into this delivery was to go as long as I could without an epidural and I actually didn't even end up getting one at all and I KNOW I could have never been able to do that without her. She was completely supportive either way if I wanted one or not but she made it so much easier to get through it for me without having one. Because of that my Recovery was amazing. I was up and walking around right after birth and got to enjoy special moments with my daughter that I had missed out on last time with my son because I was stuck in bed because of the epidural. Vanessa was the perfect amount of help and support for my husband and I and made our birthing experience so much better than it would have been without her. I didn't even have to give our hospital our birth plan and everything was done the way we hoped for because she was there looking out for us. She also took pictures during and after birth and captured incredible moments that I would have never remembered along with keeping a timeline of everything so we would have that to remember everything later. I would tell anyone that asked to definetly use a doula weather its your first child or not and would with 110 percent confidence recommend Vanessa to all my friends and family. She went so above and beyond then just any support person! Thanks again Vanessa!

Mindy Olesen Tanner

6/2/2014

Having a bad experience with my first child I decided to try somthing defferent with my second by having a doula.  Im so glad I did.  Vanessa was wonderful in the delivery room, she used pressure points on my back durring contractions and was able to talk me through  breathing while i was holding my breath.  Durring delivery she held my legs when I couldn't and encouraged me to be strong.  The best thing was that she advicated for me to breast feed after delevery when i was to tired to do it myself.  Vanessa is very well prepared to make deleviery a smooth process.  I just wish she was there for my first one.  Thank you Vanessa.

Emily Pratt

3/5/2014

I am a first time mom and I cannot express how thankful I am that I had Vanessa as my doula. I had never heard of a doula until she was recommended to me by a family friend. After our first meeting I knew that she was going to be a huge help and a much needed resource. She listened to how I would like my ideal birth to go and she did everything she could to help me achieve that. Vanessa was so knowledgable about the birth process anod helped me with all of the details I hadn't even begun to think about and consider. Better yet she sent me information so I could research and read up on specific topics I had questions on as well as talking to me about her own personal knowledge on the subjects. She was always there to answer any and all questions I had, and I had a lot. When I was in early labor she helped me through over the phone so I could stay home as long as possible. She met us at the hospital and didnt leave my side until after we were all settled in with baby. She helped me so much dealing with the lovely pains of labor and the back labor I was dealing with as well. She not only was a great help to myself, but also Johnny and helping him help me through labor and the birth of our amazing little girl. The doctor and nurses were so impressed with how helpful she was they asked for her name and cards so they could refer her themselves to other mothers looking for a doula. I cannot imagine going through this process without her help and support of not only myself but Johnny as well. we are so thankful and blessed to have had her be a part of this whole process!

Lynn Babbitt Pratt

3/5/2014

Vanessa is my daughter Emily's doula and amazing to say the least. Emily is a young first time mom and was pretty nervous about the whole birth process. Vanessa put her mind at ease and became a wonderful person to go to to ask questions and make her feel informed and safe during her pregnancy. Vanessa has a very calm and warm prensence which worked very well for Emily. Vanessa was very informed and game Emily and John alot of information to read to help decide teh best process for her delivery. She was available for Emily as she went into labor and helped her get through the beginning stages so Emily was able to stay at home for alot of it. Having someone to talk was wonderful. Vanessa met us at the hospital and was there from beginning to end. We were all very thankful to her and all her wonderful help. The nurses and doctor werevery impressed and said she was one of the best doulas they have worked with. The labor went very well and I believe Vanessa was the difference between a possilbe C section and the fact Emily was able to have her baby with very limited medical intervention. Vanessa helped with nursing as soon as the baby was born and worked with her and Emily to make sure all was going well. After two weeks the baby is still doing great with nursing. She has been a great recourse for Emily as a new mom. I would highly reccomend Vanessa to anyone. As the mom of the mom to be it was so nice and comforting to know my daughter was taken care of and her and her baby were in loving hands.

Alecia-Senaca Hector

10/8/2013

This is my second child and I never had a doula before.  When I first met Vanessa, she impressed me with just our first meeting. She was very knowledgeable about the duties and techniques of a doula. I was very pleased with what she had to offer.

We met twice before my daughter was born. She came with info and practice techniques for me and by husband. We came up with my birthing plan. She was very receptive to my needs, desires, and fears.

The day of my daughter's birth. It was a scheduled induction and Vanessa was there the every step of the way. She was 100% dedicated even though I urged her to take breaks! She made it very clear that she was here for me and to help me through this. My goal was to get to 5cm or 7cm natural and then then get an epidural as I was too afraid of going the full nine without any medication. And Low and behold I actually ended up having a natural birth. Vanessa was so helpful I know 100% I could not have done a natural labor without her and my husband. She kept me moving and encouraged me. She took pictures of my new family and stayed until we were ready to me moved to the post/recovery room.

She visited me 1 week after the baby was born. She gave me my birthing story and a very special handmade gift for my daughter. She gave me a verbal of her overall view of how everything went. It was bittersweet visit. Happy I wasnt pregnant anymore but sad as I wont see her anymore.

I HIGHLY recommend Vanessa. She is excellent and very capable of being your Doula. I am a tough critic and I have absolutley nothing to say but postive things of her behalf.

Vanessa thank you again for being my Doula!!

Alecia D.H.

Victoria Pinick

9/20/2013

Vanessa was the best thing that happened to me during my pregnancy and delivery.  She was so supportive and took into consideration my feelings and emotions every step of the way.  When it came to the delivery she never left my side.  She was incredibly knowledgable in helping with the pain and relaxation during my delivery, and made me feel very comfartable and confident with what was going on.  I would reccomend Vanessa as a Doula to anyone who I knew that was having a baby, no matter what their birth plan was.  And she would be the first person I called if our family was ever expecting again.  I truly, could not thank her enough.