Wendy Cervantes

5/22/2018

We are so grateful we found Magali. We searched for a long time for a bilingual doula, and almost gave up. My husband's first language is Spanish, and while he speaks English, it was important for me to have someone who could communicate with him in his native language during delivery. We found Magali during my ninth month and liked her instantly--we realized that even more than someone who was bilingual, we needed someone who would feel like "family" and that is how we felt with Magali--immediately at ease! It turns out our daughter came early, so we didn't make it to our prenatal visit (which was scheduled the day after the delivery), but even without it Magali was amazing through the delivery process. I delivered naturally with no pain medication at all, and I coould not have done it without her. She stayed at my side the entire time, talked me through my contractions, massaged me with oil, and helped me try different positions. She also encouraged me to stick with my birth plan, even despite a few times that I almost changed my mind! She also did a great job of engaging my husband, and she stayed with me until I was transferred to my postpartum room. Following the birth, she followed up with lactation cookies and she wrote a sweet note to our daughter for her to read in the future about the day she entered the world. I would recommend Magali for anyone looking for someone to be that woman ally in their corner on their special day. I would hire her again in a heartbeat. Our family is forever grateful.

Rocio Martinez

5/23/2016

I am thankful to Magali for accompanying and supporting us again during the birth of our second child. Magali along with my husband, midwives and nurses worked tirelessly to give me the much needed strength to help me achieve a natural birth. Magali and I were constantly communicating during my pregnancy and especially from the moment I felt my first contraction to when I was ready to go to the hospital. Once at the hospital, she stayed with me and my husband until I was ready to get transferred to the post-partum room. During my labor, she teamed up with my husband to help me ease the pain during each contraction, employing different pain management techniques, suggesting labor positions, and helping me visualize my end-goal. She brought with her a labor ball, a reboso, aromatherapy, music etc. in case we wanted to make use of that. Her positive attitude, calmness and good energy helped me tremendously to regain faith in the process of natural birth. Magali visited us at home during the post-partum period as well. We spent some time talking about my labor experience, breastfeeding and our general well-being. She even brought us some delicious lactation cookies!

As with the delivery of my first son, Magali's support was truly instrumental to help us achieve natural birth. Therefore, I continue to recommend her services.

Lauren Doamekpor

4/29/2015

After weeks of research and calls with other doulas my husband and I met Magali and liked her instantly. She had a very calm and kind demeanor so we knew she would be an excellent support during the birth of our first child. Magali exceeded our expectations. She checked up on my pregnancy frequently, gave great tips for turning the baby, relieving my back pain etc and gave words of encouragment.

Magali stayed with my husband and I in the hospital for over 18 hours during my labor and delivery. She was an amazing support. She was so attentive, and comforting. She gave me massages to relax me during contractions, constantly encouraged me and my husband. Even when my birth plan changed she was so wonderfully supportive and amazing. Honestly, she made my birth an experience I will never forget. I can't thank her enough!

Bianca Lopez

4/3/2015

My husband and I were so glad to have Magali as our doula, especially because we are first time parents. She shared helpful information about what to expect during childbirth and showed us some exercises that we could practice before and during labor. During the delivery of our baby, Magali was very supportive physically and emotionally, and kept a positive attitude at all times. She ensured that the nonmedical needs written in my birth plan were met by communicating with the maternity care staff. Overall, we were grateful to find a doula that was bilingual-bicultural, that met the needs of my husband and me in terms of language and made us feel comfortable through the childbirth journey.

Danya De Leon

10/17/2014

Magali is first of all a great person, she was an amazing doula that peovided a great service. We were very happy to have found her especially because she is bilingual and we needed someone who could communicate with my parents during my labor.

Magali came over to my house 30 min after we notified her I was in labor, she helped me with different techniques as the labor advanced and she was proactive to suggest different positions while I was going through the contractions. Once at the hospital she was there supporting me and translating for my mom (who doesn't speak English) what the midwives where saying. She supported me with the decisions I took during labor and it was very comforting to have someone knowledgable by my side, especially as this was my first delivery.

I would recommend Magali to any pregnant women who are looking for someone who can support them during labor.

Thanks,

Danya

Stephanie Martinez

3/27/2014

Magali Barbaran was present at the birth of my first daughter.  We were grateful to have her, given that we had just met her a few days before I went into labor.  We were able to call her while I was on my way to the hospital and she met us there within an hours time.

Since this was my first birth experience, my husband and I did not know what to expect but Magali was a calming and confident pressence.  She was able to give my husband suggestions on how to support me and they worked as a team to help me through labor.  I was able to get through labor without any interventions and was glad to be fully present for the birth of my first daughter.

Magali is supportive, understanding, and caring.  I am sure any woman wanting the pressence of a doula would be grateful to her.

Rocio Martinez

3/17/2014

Magali was such a tremendous help during the delivery of our Son. She is very knowledgeable, kind, and professional. We met a couple of times before Jacob’s due date to answer any questions we had about the pregnancy, the childbirth process, the pro’s and con’s of a natural birth or a C-section, and what to expect during postpartum. She always followed up after our meetings by providing online resources on pain management techniques and labor positions to help us on achieving a natural birth. Also, she guided us on what situations to consider when creating our birth plan. The day I went into labor, we kept in touch throughout the whole day and once the midwives gave us the green light to go to the hospital, Magali met us there and she coached us all the way through. She teamed up with my husband and my mother to help me ease the pain of the contractions by massaging and putting pressure in my back, my feet etc. She was truly wonderful and took really good care of us, from making sure I was comfortable with the music that was playing to comforting me and looking out for our best interest by helping us to understand medical terms and procedures that were difficult to understand since English is not our first language. In sum, we were and we still are really glad to have met Magali and having counted with her support during the delivery of our son. My husband, who was very skeptical of the role and the need of a doula, felt very grateful to Magali and agrees that we could not have made a better decision. Magali has becomed our friend and a part of the most important moment of our lives. We had a great experience with Magali and we highly recommend her.

mariely lopez-santana

3/17/2014

Magali was our back up doula, and we could not be happier with her performance and support.  I was in labor for 44 hours (all natural) and Magali was with us for about 35 hours.  She came home to help me and then she was at the hospital for a full night and full day.  She was very kind and supportive and helped me stayed calm.  She used multiple techniques to help me relax (back pressure, massages). I could have not made it without her.  My husband is her number one fan as she supported him throughout the process.  I cannot say enough about Magali-- she is great.

Aubrey Van Kirk Villalobos

3/4/2014

Magali is wonderful. A midwife in the GW Medical Faculty Associates in Washington, DC recommended her to us when we were looking for a bilingual Spanish/English doula. From the first time we met, she put us at ease. She is warm, calming, and reassuring. We were first time parents and Magali provided resources about natural birth, meditation, visualization in labor, and helped us clarify our preference for pain management and develop a birth plan. She also shared some beautiful poems and affirmations about motherhood and fatherhood with us. We were in touch throughout the pregnancy and she was always encouraging about drinking enough water, being active, and checking in on my progress.

In my specific case, labor came on quickly and I was already 8 cm by the time we went to the hospital. Magali arrived shortly after we called and was very supportive throughout the pushing part of labor. She held my hand, encouraged me, wiped my forehead with a cool washcloth, and massaged my back to ease the pain. Fortunately for me labor was so quick we did not have to use any of the strategies we planned on for helping things progress, but I know Magali came well prepared and would have been very helpful. Looking back, I am so glad she was there not only to support me, but to support my husband as well! She stayed until we were all comfortably moved into our postpartum recovery room.

About a week after the birth, Magali came to visit us at home and checked on breastfeeding progress and my healing. I was having trouble with nursing at the beginning and she offered some suggestions to help get us going in the right direction. Our daughter is now 11.5 months old, was exclusively breastfed for 6 months and is still nursing 2-4 times per day. She is happy and healthy and I thank Magali in part for helping me have the all natural birth I wanted.