Testimonial for Melissa F. Haley (they/them)
From the beginning, Mel put my husband and me at ease. They have a warm, intuitive attitude and so much knowledge that they are ready to share. (They're also a wonderful writer; I recommend checking out the blog on their website, which accurately captures their warmth and wisdom.) I legitimately enjoyed our pre-birth sessions. They helped us practice birth techniques and took the time to ask us questions about EVERYTHING. And we had fun talking!
I of course planned to have an easy birth with no curveballs, but two days before my due date, my care team determined that an induction was in my baby's best interest. I had wanted to move around during labor, so I was hoping to avoid an epidural. Since induction can interfere with the hormonal ebbs and flows that make spontaneous labor less painful, without an epidural, I needed a lot of support from the people around me.
Mel came in clutch. They stayed in contact with me throughout the early hours of the induction, encouraging me to ask questions of my care team and rest when I could, and showed up in person when the painful contractions started. They were prepared with everything.I didn't know I needed, from honey sticks to disposable toothbrushes, but I'll always be most grateful for how they handled my transition (right before I started pushing). I was feeling hopeless, but Mel gracefully talked me through my options and helped me communicate my needs. With their help, I was reinvigorated and ready to push, and met my daughter only an hour later.
The tl;dr is that a good care team can keep a hard birth experience from being traumatic, and an amazing doula can make a hard birth experience feel triumphant. Mel is truly, truly amazing at what they do, and I cannot imagine my daughter's birth without them.
-Ramona R
May 28, 2026
Melissa F. Haley (they/them)
M.Ed., CD, CBE @wyld_garden
Birth Fee: $1900 to $2300
Postpartum Rate: $45
