Testimonial for Gretchen Retka

Having Gretchen attend our birth was one of the best decisions my husband and I ever made. The prenatal appointments were invaluable; she is wise beyond her years and has an impressive level of insight and expertise around issues of pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum experience. She is also authentic and compassionate with expectant moms & dads, which makes it easy to discuss fears and concerns as well as hopes and plans for childbirth. Her approach is a mix of modern, evidence-based birth practices and timeless holistic techniques. This was great in my case, as I wanted to experience natural childbirth in a hospital setting but have always been squeamish about hospitals. I did not want my very natural birth process to be treated as strictly medical, and she helped provide a necessary balance. I honestly don't think I could have gone through natural childbirth without her encouragement, unwavering support, and fearlessness. We feel very lucky to have had Gretchen as our brith doula, and now we and our 3-day old daughter are getting to enjoy Gretchen's postpartum visits complete with herbal teas, lactation cookies, sitz bath treatments, and excellent being-with-baby advice. It hasn't been easy, but so worthwhile! I'd recommend Gretchen highly to anyone looking for support during pregnancy and beyond.

-Amy G. Latham

September 11, 2018