Testimonial for Melissa F. Haley (they/them)
Honestly, never in my life have I paid for a service of any kind as valuable as Mel’s. To say her rates are worth every penny is an understatement. We retained her as a birth doula and also as a post-partum doula.
For the birth, she was an extremely calming presence for my wife and me (the husband!) during our family’s greatest time of need. And she’s also very knowledgeable about area hospitals. When we wife’s water broke, she told exactly what would happen and ways doctors and nurses would pressure us (i.e., to get a C section). And her predictions were accurate.
One of her other strengths is that she’s a great teacher. Before the birth, she taught us a one-on-one class on caring for a newborn, including skills like baby wearing. That class proved extremely useful in the weeks after the birth. Having never had a child or even younger sibling before, I would’ve been lost at sea without it.
She’s also extremely nurturing. As a post-partum doula, the first thing she did a week or so after the birth was make my wife a cozy peanut stew. She’s a self-starter. So we didn’t even have to stay awake to show her where our kitchen utensils were. While she independently took care of us (and the baby), we just took a much-needed nap after our hospital sleep deprivation.
Highly recommended.
-Milad & Brooke
August 31, 2024
Melissa F. Haley (they/them)
M.Ed., CD, CBE @wyld_garden
Birth Fee: $1900 to $2300
Postpartum Rate: $45
