Testimonial for Barbie French, CD(DONA), CPD(RI) from Hazel Scanlon

Testimonial for Barbie French, CD(DONA), CPD(RI)

I am forever thankful that Barbie was a part of the journey that brought Ellie into this world. From the initial phone call (that she so nicely made time for while on vacation in Hawaii??) I knew her support was exactly what my husband and I needed. As a young first time mom, I had a lot of anxiety during pregnancy (especially early on)- but after meeting Barbie, I felt more confident knowing I had her support and wisdom. She has such a warming energy that I always felt comfortable texting or calling her with any questions/ concerns. Barbie would send awesome weekly updates during pregnancy with helpful advice / information about that specific week of gestation or trimester. She also helped us practice spinning babies movements in our bedroom. When I went 9 days overdue, Barbie reassured me that babies are born when they are ready and not when they are "due"! I decided to labor at home for a few hours and Barbie was consistently checking in on us, calling me to listen to contractions, and met us within 15 minutes of us getting to the hospital. Her support during labor was incredible, making sure I advocated for myself and helping me to consider all options for care. As a nurse myself, it can be challenging to be the "patient", and having Barbie there to help communicate my preferences and birth plan was amazing. She even brought little Christmas lights for the room as we had a December baby! She took beautiful pictures of Ellie's first moments in this world that I will always cherish. In the postpartum period, we were beyond lucky to have her cook for us a few times (nutritious soups and salads!) I also joined the Southern RI Parents Circle that Barbie and her partner Haley facilitate; which was such an incredible resource to have during such a vulnerable time (postpartum!) I truly cannot emphasize enough how valuable having a doula is for your pregnancy experience - especially when it's Barbie!! ?? Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!

-Hazel Scanlon

March 17, 2025