Testimonial for Dana Gerschel (CD-DONA) from Rochel K.

Testimonial for Dana Gerschel (CD-DONA)

I am beyond grateful that I had Dana at my most recent homebirth! By this fourth pregnancy, I was keenly aware that having a great doula is absolutely essential to a positive birth experience, and Dana gave me every reason to feel confident and excited about her from the very beginning. She was incredibly responsive from the very first contact and listened so attentively as I talked about my needs. I immediately felt at ease with her because of how kind, uplifting, and calm she was. It was a relief heading into the end of my pregnancy with a doula who had gotten to know me so well, would be responsive to my specific needs, and had all of the professional qualifications I was looking for.

I was a week overdue, and Dana was so lovely about checking in with me and unobtrusively letting me know that she was there when I needed her. We called her after 2 a.m. when I went into labor, and she arrived immediately. From all of our conversations, she knew that when I'm in labor, I like complete calm and quiet, so she slipped into the room so quietly, read my labor to determine what would be helpful, and began pain-relieving massage. Her pain management techniques and calm aura were so extremely effective that I was deeply relaxed throughout my labor, and everything went very smoothly and quickly. At times, my midwife moved Dana aside to do something, and the only word I uttered during my labor was "Dana" when a contraction started and all I wanted was for her to come back to me! She was such a comfort, and I was immensely grateful to have her there.

After the birth, Dana was a huge help, making sure I was comfortable, assisting the midwives with various things, and checking in with my family who was there. The next day, she came to check in and brought the most delicious cookies to give me energy and support milk production. I still feel so incredibly lucky that I found Dana. I truly couldn't have asked for more! I cannot recommend her strongly enough!

-Rochel K.

February 17, 2025