I'm so lucky that I had Ariana with me for the birth of my first child! My husband and I interviewed several doulas and chose Ariana because she was so easy to talk to, had a very calm presence, and had attended births at our local hospital in Santa Cruz. The in-person meetings and text/phone exchanges that we had prior to birth were a good opportunity for us to discuss my birth preferences and concerns. When labor started, Ariana checked in with my husband and I by phone several times and later helped us judge when it was time to go to the hospital. She was there to support me in the waiting room while my husband was stuck filling out paperwork at the front desk (I honestly don't know how I would have gotten through that period of time without her). Once we were in the delivery room she was a fierce defender of my birth preferences in a way that my husband and I, as first-time parents in an unfamiliar situation, could not possibly have been on our own. Right after the birth (which had some unexpected complications), Ariana was there to offer the calm reassurance that I really needed, and that I generally did not get from the hospital staff. She even fed me my first post-birth meal when I couldn't feed myself! Overall Ariana did an amazing job of making me feel cared for before, during, and after my birth experience and I can't recommend her enough!
-Becky Jensen
December 11, 2022
Birth/Postpartum Doula & Postpartum Chef
Birth Fee: $2500 to $3000
Postpartum Rate: $50 to $75