Testimonial for Emma O'Brien from Libby

Testimonial for Emma O'Brien

We're writing to enthusiastically recommend Emma O'Brien's doula and placental encapsulation services. Her contribution to our birth plan and process was particularly invaluable due to the timing of our son's birth -- he was born on 4/20/20, precisely when COVID was predicted to surge in Massachusetts -- and Emma helped us navigate a late-to-care transition to a home birth midwife after 36 weeks of prenatal care with the midwives at Mount Auburn. Long story short: Emma is super skilled doula who will help make your pregnancy and birth an empowering experience to remember.

From the moment we started working with Emma, she listened thoughtfully, asked thought provoking questions, and provided helpful ways to approach pregnancy and the birth process. When the pandemic ramped up, Emma's extensive experience, community connections and all around resourcefulness became even more evident, as she worked to connect us with several midwives who could help us think through a home birth, provided suggestions for fresh local produce delivery and a summer CSA, and steadfastly offered emotional support and guidance. She also took social distancing and COVID safety precautions incredibly seriously, which was particularly reassuring during the early days of the pandemic when not everyone was doing so.

Despite the challenges that came with being pregnant and delivering during a pandemic, I feel lucky to have had an incredible birth experience. I will be forever grateful to Emma for helping me have a birth that was as close to nature as possible. For any parents who may be navigating a particularly complex pregnancy/pandemic landscape at the moment -- Emma is exactly the kind of person you want supporting you through this time. Even if there are restrictions on her presence during labor and delivery at a hospital, she can be an incredibly useful and reassuring source of love, hope and guidance during this special time in your life.

-Libby

May 31, 2020