Testimonial for Lauren Proano from Priscilla Garcia

Testimonial for Lauren Proano

I'll start by saying, I know it can seem daunting finding a doula that is right for you. I came into my second pregnancy knowing I wanted a natural, unmedicated birth. My midwife, Jessica at Kaiser Irvine shared a doula group with me & I found Lauren. We met around 25 weeks into my pregnancy. She was so warm, kind & real! She came prepared with a birth plan that we went through in detail. From there, we had a couple visits where she came over my home & we inversions to help baby get in a good position- she is a licensed chiropractor so that is such a benefit!
At the end of my pregnancy, I was OVER IT. She would check in sending pics& vids of exercises to help me get things moving. Not knowing I was 6cm when I walked into my final appt, i left & labored at home before we all headed to the hospital. We settled in & did lots of breathing a movement. She set the vibe- Dim lighting, twinkle lights,music, essential oils, etc. I remember there was a point where I was SO tired- laboring for around 5 hours and was stuck at 8cm &baby was transverse. She whispered in my ear, "Priscilla, you can do this!! You can do hard things!" So I kept pushing. When the midwife shared baby was in distress & I would need to have a c- section I was devastated! Lauren was such an advocate for me. Finally, we decided to go through with the C-section. It wasn't ideal but I needed to think about what was best for baby who was born & was a whopping 10 pounds!! Im only 5'2 no wonder she wouldn't come out lol! It was a sweet birth experience, even though it wasn't what I "planned" Lauren helped me see it in a different way.Postpartum, she was there to bring gifts to my toddler and my baby check-in &be the sweetest friend ever! As someone who tried a doula for the first time, it's an incredible experience& I credit that to Lauren. I have no doubt that she will exceed every expectation that you have.

-Priscilla Garcia

December 11, 2025