Testimonial for Katie Gould
We were fortunate to be matched with Katie as our doula and have her as our postpartum doula. From our initial interview, we could tell that she was someone we could trust to help us through this magical (but challenging) time in our lives. Going through final preparations, getting through labor, and surviving the first few months of our first baby were tough, but we genuinely felt supported by Katie throughout all of it. Leading up to the big day(s), she went over positioning with us and talked us through what to expect. Katie took the guesswork out of creating a birth plan by bringing up factors that we hadn’t even considered despite the books we read about expecting.
I have a background in medicine and am comfortable communicating with healthcare providers, but I really needed Katie to get through the exhaustion and stresses of childbirth so I could focus on the right things. She kept an eye out for my husband and advocated for me when I was too tired to do so for myself. She guided my husband on how to best help me and kept me focused during our 2.5 hour delivery. She celebrated in our joy with us when our baby arrived.
As our postpartum doula, she was eager to help and aimed to be productive in the 3-3.5 hour chunks we had with her. On top of checking in on me as a new mom and answering my questions about breastfeeding and baby sleep, she helped with the baby laundry, meal prep, and kitchen cleanup. Most importantly, she was sweet and patient with our daughter (no matter the baby’s mood) as well as with our needy dog. She would take the baby off of our hands and allow us to get a much-needed break.
Katie has a genuine respect for the process of becoming a new parent and a positive attitude that really helped us not only survive these first few months – but allowed us to take part in the joy of having our baby. I would highly recommend working with her and intend to work with her if/when we have another baby.
-Julie C.
November 09, 2022
Katie Gould
Sweet Beginnings Doula Srvcs & Portland Doula Love
Birth Fee: $1500 to $1800
Postpartum Rate: $45 to $60
