Testimonial for Michelle Gabriel-Caldwell
Working with Michelle was the best thing that I did for my pregnancy and being a first-time mom. I knew I always wanted to have a natural approach to my birth because I was born naturally, so that was my goal. Michelle, from the beginning, was very warm, knowledgeable, and that is what my husband and I needed since we knew it would be just the two of us throughout the birth. She also makes sure that you are just as knowledgeable about your rights as new parents and empowers you to advocate for yourself, and she will always be there to support you, which is a blessing.
Michelle leads the childbirth education classes at The Birth Center of New Jersey in Union, NJ, and my husband and I were required to take them, and I'm so glad we did. We got a better understanding of what to expect for a natural birth, what we needed to change during the 3rd trimester, and what to expect after giving birth. Since she was my doula, she was able to tailor what I needed to start doing to prepare for labor early so that when the day came, I would be as prepared as possible.
I was a 42 weeker, and even then, Michelle was with me every step of the way. I had back-labor from 6cm to about 8 cm, and the transition was tough for me. But she was so supportive, reminded me of our teachings in class, and I had my son in a very calm and relaxing environment as planned. She followed up with my husband and me after I gave birth, and we refer to her as our son's "doula mom" because she truly is and will forever be apart of our family and baby's life.
If my husband and I decide to have another baby, Michelle will be the only person we call. Without her, I don't think my pregnancy and birth experience would be as positive and memorable as it was.
-April Copeland
September 27, 2020
Michelle Gabriel-Caldwell
Baby, Please Birth Services Agency
Birth Fee: $2000 to $2700
Postpartum Rate: $35 to $75
