We hired Jill when I was 20 weeks pregnant. It was our first baby, and for both of us, having a doula was an important part of feeling secure and prepared for the upcoming birth, especially with the unknowns related to COVID and my pre-existing health conditions. I knew I would need support, and I didn’t want the entire weight of that falling on my husband, because this would be his journey as well. We arranged a phone call with Jill, and we knew within 2 minutes that she was the doula we wanted; Jill has a level of enthusiasm and expertise that is unmatched and she clearly loves her job! Throughout my pregnancy, Jill was easily available and supportive, always checking in after doctor appointments, answering all my random questions, and researching or asking other professionals if she didn’t know the answer. She did a great job of connecting with my husband. We got way better childbirth education through Jill than we could have gotten through the hospital, and it was great to have her when in-person childbirth classes were canceled due to COVID. While I’d wanted a natural birth and a chance to labor at home, I ended up having an induction because I went past my due date. Jill was wonderful at supporting me and being flexible as the birth plan ended up changing quite a bit. When my health conditions flared during labor and I needed an epidural, Jill helped me feel good about the decision, even though it wasn’t what I had planned on. She helped me focus on my top goals of feeling safe, cared for, and in control during the birth, whatever else happened—and those goals were met 100%, even when the experience was different than what I’d envisioned. Jill had prepared us well for how to deal with the unexpected that inevitably happens during labor and birth. It was amazing to work with Jill as we brought our daughter into the world. Jill came early to the hospital because it was an aggressive induction and stayed for over 14 hours, positive, energetic, and engaged the whole time; she was a great coach through contractions and pushing, keeping me going when I was exhausted and felt like quitting, and she got some fantastic pictures that I will treasure forever to help me remember those precious moments of meeting my daughter for the first time. I would highly recommend Jill to anyone hoping to have a positive, supported birth experience they can treasure, and I would call her again in a heartbeat with any future pregnancies.
Doula Baby! 