Kaitlyn S

2/3/2020

Even though my spouse is a nurse, so somewhat familiar with medical and sometimes “gross” (bloody and messy) things, I just felt like we needed some support as we prepared for the arrival of our first baby and the first baby in the extended family. Neither of us had friends nearby who we had witnessed in the challenges of late pregnancy through postpartum and thankfully my spouse understood the help that a doula could provide. We met with Amanda and knew at once that she was the perfect blend of professional, medically mindful, and empathetic that we both needed and wanted with us in the process. From helping with pre-labor at home exercises to literally soothingly scratching my back while taking minute long naps between contractions while in labor, Amanda was an amazing addition to our birth story. I know my partner appreciated having less pressure on him during the tense moments of labor and she was able to provide two more hands to support me and him through our daughter’s arrival. Also, Amanda was able to capture the birth with photos using my spouse’s phone - minimally graphic and rather beautiful. It is amazing to have those to look back on, especially since my spouse caught the baby! I am thankful for the work that Amanda did for us before, during, and after Blakelee’s arrival. The postpartum meeting allowed us to relive the experience and reflect on the journey. I highly recommend Amanda’s service and her care. Thank you so much! I am sure baby Blakelee thanks you, too!

Joyce Seto

9/6/2017

Having Amanda by our side during the birth of our second child was a true blessing. After a traumatic birth experience with my son, I became terrified and fearful of the labor and delivery process. When I became pregnant with my daughter, my husband and I decided that we needed to better prepare this time around and I was determined to do everything I could to have a more positive experience.

We were initially on the fence about hiring a doula and wanted to prepare on our own by doing research and taking birthing courses, but soon enough, life got in the way and we realized that we were out of time. My anxiety level grew and that's when we decided to hire Amanda. Although a very late decision at 37 weeks, it was easily one of the best decisions we made during my pregnancy. The knowledge, comfort and emotional support that Amanda provided was invaluable. Her guidance equipped us with the confidence we needed in order to achieve our goal of having a successful VBAC. I truly believe that without her support, we wouldn't have had such an amazing birth experience.

Thank you again, Amanda, for being such a special part of our birth story! <3

Kristen Hayden

7/14/2017

Amanda was wonderful to have by my side during my second pregnancy and labor. Her knowledge of the pregnancy/birth process and understanding of my feelings helped ease my anxiety and without her help, I do believe I wouldn't have had such a beautiful birth experience. Amanda was there for me through it all! I had low platelets and she helped me work through all of the fear and emotions that went along with that, which played a huge part in easing my anxieties. I would recommend Amanda in a heartbeat she is an amazing, kind, and supportive person. 

Michaela DeSoucey

10/26/2016

Amanda was an absolutely fantastic doula for our second son. Our meetings with her were always friendly and very informative. She exudes kindness and sympathizes with fear.  In the labor & delivery room, Amanda was a calming presence for a very fast and intense labor (for an unmedicated, vaginal birth). She showed my husband how to physically help me deal with contractions, showing him just where to apply physical pressure for comfort and helping keeping him calm, as well. I am more than glad that she was in the room with us. I would highly, highly recommend working with Amanda for anyone in the Raleigh/Cary area considering a doula for an upcoming birth!

Brooke Jordan

4/22/2016

I was on the fence about having a doula at the birth of our second child. This is inronic, as I am also a doula and know just how valuable the presence of a doula is during labor and delivery. I found my first birth to be quick and quite tolerable as far as pain goes so I wasn't sure if I really needed the supprort the second time around. However, after thinking about it more I decided that more support would only be a good thing, and after all, I had no idea how this second birth would go. 

From the minute active labor started I realized that this birth was going to be quite different than my first. I had a lot of back labor so the pain was more intense. My contractions were also back to back for a couple hours. The minute Amanda showed up in the room I felt an immediate sense of relief. She provided a calm and steady support, and was able to ancitpate what I might need. Her presence and support brought a peace throughout me and the room. She was with me every step of the way through my labor and delivery. I could not imagine my birth without Amanda there and am so thankful for all her support. I cannot recommend Amadnda enough! 

Adrienne Y. Gajownik

1/16/2016

Honestly I was skeptical when we first began talking about hiring a doula. Would I want someone in the room other than my husband to share in such an intimate experience? Now after going through labor and delivery, the answer is a resounding YES.

Amanda was integral to us having the birth experience we wanted. She met with us twice for prenatal appointments, sharing tons of resources and information, and listened to us when we described our preferences and ideal birth plan. I texted her when I was having prelabor symptoms and she put me at ease, telling me that my body was doing what it was made to do in preparation of labor. At the hospital she wanted to make sure I was laboring in a position that would help me rest, since I hadn't slept much in three days. During labor she supported my husband, encouraged me and rubbed my back for over three hours(!). When I started pushing, I got scared and she calmly told me that my daughter would be here soon. With her encouragement and coaching, we had the natural birth we wanted. She is such a positive part of our birth story that we will tell our daughter (and have already shared with others) for years to come.

Amanda also met with us after birth to check in on our daughter, breastfeeding and how we were adjusting to life with a newborn. We cannot sing her praises high enough!

Angela Conley

1/9/2016

Amanda was my doula for the birth of my second child. She was so wonderful to have with us! My labor was horribly painful and even after I requested the epidural it did not fully kick in and I was a complete basket case! But between Amanda and my husband I was able to stay calm and push through. Looking back on my labor experience I can say that it was a much better all around experience than my first labor! Amanda was a wonderful advocate to have during those tough/wonderful moments. Thank you Amanda for your calming presence!! 

Annabel Pickens

1/4/2016

My husbands biggest fear when we booked a Doula was that we would end up needing a C section and it would be a waste of money. 

Well we sure did end up having to have that C section for complications outside of our control, but I can tell you that it was the best money I could have possibly spent and I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a patient, knowledgeable and kind Doula. As a first time mom I found the prospect of birth and everything surrounding it to be daunting. Amanda helped me navigate the various terms and options to help me come up with a birth plan that worked for me. From coping techniques for the contractions I had all through my last trimester to helping me with the list of items to pack and giving me reading materials. The piece of mind she gave me leading up to the birth was invaluable and just knowing she would be there on the day eased my anxiety. She stayed with me until I was wheeled into the OR and was there with me helping me to get her to latch after I got out. One of the many reasons I loved her as my Doula is that she has a researcher mentality and so is well versed in ALL the options rather than pushing her opinion on you she can help you navigate the pro's and cons of all the options available to you so that you can make a decision that works for YOU. Amanda is fantastic and I cannot say enough nice things about her as a person and a Doula. 

Sarah Asby

7/17/2015

Working with Amanda was a fantastic experience. I am a FTM, and though my husband and I thought we were fully prepared for birth, I decided to consult Amanda to see what services a birth doula could offer. I'm so glad I took the time to consult her, because she brought my attention to many aspects of birth and labor that my husband and I hadn't thought of. 

We decided to hire Amanda based on her knowledge and pleasant personality. We are so glad we did. Not only did she provide a soothing presence through my 12 hour unmedicated labor and birth, but she helped my husband help me, and gave him some much needed breaks during the labor.

I highly recommend Amanda as a birth doula, and should I have another baby in the future I plan on hiring her again! The knowledge and comfort she provides is invaluable.

Bliss Alexander-Smith

6/5/2015

My husband and I decided to hire Amanda for the birth of our 2nd child. We met for an interview and instantly felt at ease with her. She made herself available for in-person pre-visits, email/text check-ins and in-person post-visit. The day I went into labor started at 3:30 AM and involved multiple stall outs—not at all what I was expecting. We ended up at the hospital only to be given the option of either having my water be broken in hopes of jump starting labor again or going home. I was a week past due and ready to have that baby. Going home felt like failing. I was pretty close to choosing water breakage to get this show on the road and Amanda urged me to ask questions like what are the chances that that’ll work? If it doesn’t put me into labor then what? How long am I given before they have to induce? Armed with that info we packed up and headed home. I am so thankful for Amanda for gentling reminding me of wish for an unmedicated birth. After another round of close/tense contractions followed by a stall out we were back at the hospital by 6 PM. Something in me wanted me to be as still as possible and I listened and Amanda and husband respected my urge to not move. Comforting touches and massages along with encouraging words were all I needed and Amanda and my husband were awesome. Our daughter was born at 8:30 with 2 pushes and Amanda quickly grabbed my camera and took some amazing shots of us meeting our new little girl. Bonus! I’m grateful for Amanda and her calming and caring presence. It was reassuring to have someone there who was familiar with labor and my needs. When my husband had to fill out paper work or make a snack or bathroom break I has happy to have someone there for me. I highly recommend Amanda Hilderbran.

Marina Igla

3/14/2015

Lucky i am to meet Amanda and have her as my doula. from the first meeting she gave me the feeling of great support, that i can not just rely on her, but to relax and believe that everything will go well and nothing to be worried about. During each our pre-labor meeting she shared lot's of useful information, suggested books and classes, which were extremely helpful for getting ready to the day X aand the upcoming change of my life. when my baby decided to get out it was 4 in the morning and i called Amanda at 6 am. She imidiately got ready and came to the hospital to support me. She knew what to do to help me go through pain And i ended up having delivery without any pain killers!!! Looking back i imaging that day and only beautiful pleasant pictures come to my mind. Amanda isn't just a person who is doing her job, but very warm hearted friend, who is there for you! i strongly recommend everyone to work with Amanda and enjoy the most important event in your life!

Vladimer Shore

3/10/2015

On February 10th, Amanda helped me and my family welcome our new baby boy to the world. At 40, and as a first time mom, I was concerned about so many things with my pregnancy and delivery that finding Amanda was a welcomed blessing. During our pre delivery visits, Amanda answered all of my questions, no matter how crazy they were. She listened to all of my concerns and gave me great feedback after my last few doctors appointments. 

As the two weeks before my due date started and Amanda went on call for my delivery, we were in contact about anything that was going on. We didn't have long to wait as I delivered 9 days early! Amanda was with me in no time, meeting me in the triage room at the hospital at 2AM. She was wide awake and ready to support us through to the evening when our little guy finally arrived. Amanda was so amazing, a calming force in the room. When things were difficult, Amanda was able to get me to focus and back on track as well as getting dad to refocus and calmed down. After I delivered she kept an eye on us all, stepping back so we could enjoy this special moment, and after everything had calmed down, she gave us our congratulations and said goodnight to us. After coming home she checked in with us several times, giving us contact information for support groups and individuals that could help with my postpartum needs. Once I was feeling up to it, we had our post visit, it was great to review what delivery was like with someone that had a cool head in the delivery room. 

i would definitely tell everyone to have a doula, and would recommend Amanda to anyone. If I am lucky enough to have another, I will be contacting Amanda again! Thank you Amanda!

Amy Mathieu Ludwig

11/16/2014

Amanda was our doula for the birth of my third child in October of 2014. Going into my third birth I had many expectations and goals for labor. My first birth was an induction and I also received an epidural. While everything turned out well, the experience was not ideal. This lead me to make some changes the next time around. My second birth was quick (4 hours) and I had a natural, unmedicated birth with the help of a midwife. Going into my third labor I wished to go natural again. As a third time mom, having been through this before, I wondered if I needed a doula. As my pregnancy progressed, I felt a disconnect from my Obgyn practice. I decided to contact a Doula, Amanda. Does a third time mom need Doula for labor support? Yes, labor is labor no matter how many times you have done it!

When first meeting with Amanda I was impressed with her professionalism and intelligence. She was also so kind, warm, and easy to talk too. I knew she was the perfect fit. As my due date approached and passed, Amanda remained supportive and encouraging as we waited for labor to start. When I finally did go into labor 10 days late, Amanda arrived at my house prepared with a bag of tricks. She immediately got started with helping me manage my contractions. When we transitioned to the hospital she was my “constant” keeping me focused as my husband parked the car, I was checked in, and got settled into the room. As labor progressed Amanda and my husband worked wonderfully as a team supporting and encouraging me. She was able to help ease my pain through massage and pressure techniques. After about ten hours of labor, I successfully had an unmedicated natural birth. I am very grateful to Amanda for her support and feel it was essential to the birth of my daughter!