Client Testimonials
2nd Time Mom Northeast Seattle-
We had such a great experience with Christian. As soon as I got to the hospital she was right there with a wheel chair. She immediately set my mind at ease just knowing she was there waiting for us. Christian was always very calm and encouraging through labor pains, breathing, receiving the epidural and while pushing. My first birth resulted in a c-section so I was really hoping for a vaginal birth for my second. Having Christian kept my mind off the possibilty of a c-section and helped me to focus on laboring and pushing my baby out. Before pushing I remember Christian suggesting that they clear my bladder out just to give my baby that extra bit of room to come out the birth canal. It is memories I have like this that made hiring Christian entirely worth it. When I was discouraged and thought my baby would not come out she kept gently encouraging me and letting me know that I was definitely progressing. Prior to getting the epidural I spent some time in the bath tub. Christian brought along flameless candles to soften the mood. I loved that little touch. When my baby finally came out Christian took pictures and documented the whole thing. I will cherish that forever. I would absolutely recommend Christian as a doula to anyone.
Posted 1/25/2016
1st Time Mom from North Seattle-
Christian was great! Really had fantastic communication with her. Her calm, assuring, relaxing, and knowledgable attitude really made the difference. Don't know how I or my husband would have gotten through the birth without her.
Posted 1/6/2016
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Second Time Mom from the East Side-
I knew that I would want extra support in labor for my second baby very early in the process. I only had to interview one person, and it was Christian - a perfect fit for our family! I had expected to get support during the days leading up to our due date, possibly helping with our almost 2 year old, and support during labor, but I ended up getting so much more.
I had a much more difficult pregnancy the second time, with having preterm labor at 34 weeks and being required to have limited activity for 3 weeks, and then waiting another 2 weeks until I finally did go into labor! I can't sing praises enough for Christian's dedication to each client. I always felt like I was a priority, even though she was tending to other mamas and families. I was able to text her throughout the emotional process of the months leading up to our birth with my concerns and she always reassured me and supported me how I needed.
On birth day, my water broke almost 24 hours before my baby arrived, with little to no contractions! She was there for my husband and I, providing us space when we needed it, but also giving me the perfect support and encouragment that I needed to finally kick into active labor. Once I was doing the hardest work of my life, she gave me physical, emotional and spiritual support that I didnt even know I needed. She really fit into my birth team perfectly, always letting my husband lead.
Christian was an amazing doula and I highly recommend her to families - whether it is the first addition or subsequent additions!
Posted 12/28/2015
-
1st time Momma from Seattle-
We waited a little late in my pregnancy before deciding to hire a doula but oh my goodness... It was the best decision we made in preparation for our baby boy's birth. We found Christian on DoulaMatch and I knew right away she was a perfect fit for us. For me, the most important thing in a doula was someone with a calming presence and could provide the emotional support both me AND my husband would need. This was our first baby, so we weren't sure what to expect, but with Christian's guidance, we felt very prepared. I had a very long labor (36 hours) but even after reaching 10cm and pushing my hardest for two hours, I ended up needing a cesarean (my baby was posterior). Despite the long, arduous labor, Christian never faltered and remained strong the entire time. She never lost her cool, remained patient through it all, and provided us the support we needed through each phase of labor. Everyone's birth story is different and you can't control anything, and both things could not be more true about my own birth experience. So for me, having Christian there to see us through each unexpected turn was the biggest blessing and you can bet she'll be there for our future baby's birth as well. Thanks for everything, Christian!
Love, C, G, & Baby T
Posted 4/14/2015
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Third time Momma from Seattle-
"I can't express how lucky we consider ourselves to have had Christian at the birth of our third child. My 1st was a c-section that resulted in PTSD, my 2nd was a 56 hour long labor VBAC. I desperately wanted another VBAC, but knew I couldn't face such a long labor again without additional support. Christian was VERY conscious of my anxiety and emotional concerns regarding my first experience, and supported me from our first meeting. Her gentle, respectful way of speaking was something I found very reassuring.
My baby came about a week before due date, on the one weekend we knew Christian would be out of town (of course!). Christian had arranged for and introduced us to a backup doula for just such an event. As it turned out, Christian got back into town just as we were headed to the hospital. Despite surely being exhausted from her trip, Christian headed straight to meet us, even though the backup doula was already with us. We ended up with two amazing doulas at our birth!
Christian had the perfect approach for assisting me in labor: a calm, gentle way of speaking combined with the confidence to jump in and get hands-on without having to be asked. She was attuned to my reactions to everything she tried, which was wonderful as I had a hard time communicating during contractions.
When my contractions became dysfunctional, stacking on each other with extreme pain and no progress, I opted for an epidural. That didn't diminish my need for a doula. They continued to advocate for me, helped turn me, kept me hydrated and warm enough, helped me through the shakes and nausea of transition.
Simply put, Christian was AMAZING and I couldn't imagine doing it without her. If you have trust issues/emotional concerns/prior birth trauma, I would HIGHLY recommend Christian. She has just that perfect way of supporting you."
Posted 2/28/2015
-
First time Momma from North Seattle -
"My husband and I consider ourselves very lucky to have had Christian as our Doula! As this was our first child, we really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We didn't really know what a Doula was and thought that having a Doula was more trendy than anything else - ha! How wrong we were! We decided to meet with Christian to get a better idea of what the whole "Doula thing" was all about. She was certainly very nice, and knew more about labor and delivery than we did, and neither of us could argue that having her there would be helpful. I can now say with unwavering certainty that we definitely made the right decision, and are incredibly thankful that we had Christian's help for every step of the process! She made us feel so much more at ease about the whole thing - from start to finish. Not only is she friendly, approachable and understanding, but she is also just really "on the ball" so to speak. She was always very intentional about her communication. She checked in with us regularly towards the end of the pregnancy, passed along various resources, asked questions, answered questions, met with us to deal with concerns and make sure we felt prepared, and when I was two weeks late and couldn't sleep because I was worried that my baby was going to grow too large to get out of my body, she was able to set my mind at ease with a late-night email. Then when the baby was finally on his way, she was with us all day and all night, even when nothing was happening. And when everything went exactly NOT how we had planned/hoped, she was there to ask questions and clarify the situation for us and make sure that I was emotionally stable enough to handle all of the changes. She even stayed with us after he was born until things settled down. Christian checked in with us in the days and weeks after delivery and even stopped by to make sure that everything was going well. Giving birth is not an easy thing, but Christian definitely made it a whole lot easier!"
Posted 1/19/2015
-
First time Momma from Seattle-
"We are so thankful to have had Christian attend our birth. Even before labor, she checked in with me at least once a week, sent me info about my current stage of pregnancy, and was extremely encouraging. I was in labor for almost three days, and she supported us the whole time! She came with us to the hospital several times throughout the weekend, came back and forth to our home to help me labor, and even went to the store for us. Christian was extremely encouraging and helped me stay as comfortable as possible during labor. She was a constant voice during labor, reminding me to breathe and direct my energy into helping our baby join the world! Christian also made sure my husband was aware of what was going on throughout labor, and worked with him as a teammate to support me. After spending so many days with us during labor, she even stayed after our daughter was born to make sure we had all the information we needed to get rest, eat, and make sure our baby had a great start to breastfeeding. Several days after the baby was born she came and visited with us at home, brought us a meal, and made sure we were adjusting to life with a newborn. Christian truly has a gift as a doula, and played a huge role in my ability to have a natural childbirth. I could not have done it without her! We will always be thankful she was a part of our birth experience, and highly recommend her to anyone searching for a doula!"
Posted 9/29/2014
-
First time Momma from Seattle-
"We used Christian as our doula for the birth of our first baby. From pregnancy to post birth she was actively involved. She provided education about how to prepare for the day of birth, what to expect during labor, how to manage pain with non-pharmacological interventions, and assisted postpartum with newborn interaction and breastfeeding. In addition, Christian was phenomenal in providing support to my husband during the most intense periods of active labor, which gave him the confidence and motivation to be effective support for me. At 1am, two weeks before my due date, my water broke. Christian was notified and arrived at the midwifery clinic within 30 minutes of our arrival. As soon as she arrived, she began suggesting different positions and pressure points in the early labor period to find what worked best to minimize the pain of the contractions. This helped when I was in active labor to know what worked to best manage each contraction. She also helped by using labor breathing techniques along with me to help through tough contractions. I must add that my birthing plan included the use of fentanyl, a narcotic pain medication. During active labor, the use of fentanyl was contraindicated for the well being of our son. The option for an epidural became unrealistic due to the rapid progression of the contractions. This left us with non-pharmacological interventions to help control the pain during the last 90 minutes of labor. Throughout my labor, Christian communicated professionally with the midwifery staff, and even provided updates to our family in the waiting room. Her ability to remain organized and calm proved to be additionally therapeutic. In total, from arrival to the clinic to post birth, Christian provided over 15 hours of support. Christians’ training and confidence allowed her to perform above and beyond our expectations as an outstanding and personable doula. We would highly recommend her to any pregnant woman for a birth coach!"
Posted 6/27/2014
We had such a great experience with Christian. As soon as I got to the hospital she was right there with a wheel chair. She immediately set my mind at ease just knowing she was there waiting for us. Christian was always very calm and encouraging through labor pains, breathing, receiving the epidural and while pushing. My first birth resulted in a c-section so I was really hoping for a vaginal birth for my second. Having Christian kept my mind off the possibilty of a c-section and helped me to focus on laboring and pushing my baby out. Before pushing I remember Christian suggesting that they clear my bladder out just to give my baby that extra bit of room to come out the birth canal. It is memories I have like this that made hiring Christian entirely worth it. When I was discouraged and thought my baby would not come out she kept gently encouraging me and letting me know that I was definitely progressing. Prior to getting the epidural I spent some time in the bath tub. Christian brought along flameless candles to soften the mood. I loved that little touch. When my baby finally came out Christian took pictures and documented the whole thing. I will cherish that forever. I would absolutely recommend Christian as a doula to anyone.
Posted 1/25/2016
1st Time Mom from North Seattle-
Christian was great! Really had fantastic communication with her. Her calm, assuring, relaxing, and knowledgable attitude really made the difference. Don't know how I or my husband would have gotten through the birth without her.
Posted 1/6/2016
-
Second Time Mom from the East Side-
I knew that I would want extra support in labor for my second baby very early in the process. I only had to interview one person, and it was Christian - a perfect fit for our family! I had expected to get support during the days leading up to our due date, possibly helping with our almost 2 year old, and support during labor, but I ended up getting so much more.
I had a much more difficult pregnancy the second time, with having preterm labor at 34 weeks and being required to have limited activity for 3 weeks, and then waiting another 2 weeks until I finally did go into labor! I can't sing praises enough for Christian's dedication to each client. I always felt like I was a priority, even though she was tending to other mamas and families. I was able to text her throughout the emotional process of the months leading up to our birth with my concerns and she always reassured me and supported me how I needed.
On birth day, my water broke almost 24 hours before my baby arrived, with little to no contractions! She was there for my husband and I, providing us space when we needed it, but also giving me the perfect support and encouragment that I needed to finally kick into active labor. Once I was doing the hardest work of my life, she gave me physical, emotional and spiritual support that I didnt even know I needed. She really fit into my birth team perfectly, always letting my husband lead.
Christian was an amazing doula and I highly recommend her to families - whether it is the first addition or subsequent additions!
Posted 12/28/2015
-
1st time Momma from Seattle-
We waited a little late in my pregnancy before deciding to hire a doula but oh my goodness... It was the best decision we made in preparation for our baby boy's birth. We found Christian on DoulaMatch and I knew right away she was a perfect fit for us. For me, the most important thing in a doula was someone with a calming presence and could provide the emotional support both me AND my husband would need. This was our first baby, so we weren't sure what to expect, but with Christian's guidance, we felt very prepared. I had a very long labor (36 hours) but even after reaching 10cm and pushing my hardest for two hours, I ended up needing a cesarean (my baby was posterior). Despite the long, arduous labor, Christian never faltered and remained strong the entire time. She never lost her cool, remained patient through it all, and provided us the support we needed through each phase of labor. Everyone's birth story is different and you can't control anything, and both things could not be more true about my own birth experience. So for me, having Christian there to see us through each unexpected turn was the biggest blessing and you can bet she'll be there for our future baby's birth as well. Thanks for everything, Christian!
Love, C, G, & Baby T
Posted 4/14/2015
-
Third time Momma from Seattle-
"I can't express how lucky we consider ourselves to have had Christian at the birth of our third child. My 1st was a c-section that resulted in PTSD, my 2nd was a 56 hour long labor VBAC. I desperately wanted another VBAC, but knew I couldn't face such a long labor again without additional support. Christian was VERY conscious of my anxiety and emotional concerns regarding my first experience, and supported me from our first meeting. Her gentle, respectful way of speaking was something I found very reassuring.
My baby came about a week before due date, on the one weekend we knew Christian would be out of town (of course!). Christian had arranged for and introduced us to a backup doula for just such an event. As it turned out, Christian got back into town just as we were headed to the hospital. Despite surely being exhausted from her trip, Christian headed straight to meet us, even though the backup doula was already with us. We ended up with two amazing doulas at our birth!
Christian had the perfect approach for assisting me in labor: a calm, gentle way of speaking combined with the confidence to jump in and get hands-on without having to be asked. She was attuned to my reactions to everything she tried, which was wonderful as I had a hard time communicating during contractions.
When my contractions became dysfunctional, stacking on each other with extreme pain and no progress, I opted for an epidural. That didn't diminish my need for a doula. They continued to advocate for me, helped turn me, kept me hydrated and warm enough, helped me through the shakes and nausea of transition.
Simply put, Christian was AMAZING and I couldn't imagine doing it without her. If you have trust issues/emotional concerns/prior birth trauma, I would HIGHLY recommend Christian. She has just that perfect way of supporting you."
Posted 2/28/2015
-
First time Momma from North Seattle -
"My husband and I consider ourselves very lucky to have had Christian as our Doula! As this was our first child, we really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We didn't really know what a Doula was and thought that having a Doula was more trendy than anything else - ha! How wrong we were! We decided to meet with Christian to get a better idea of what the whole "Doula thing" was all about. She was certainly very nice, and knew more about labor and delivery than we did, and neither of us could argue that having her there would be helpful. I can now say with unwavering certainty that we definitely made the right decision, and are incredibly thankful that we had Christian's help for every step of the process! She made us feel so much more at ease about the whole thing - from start to finish. Not only is she friendly, approachable and understanding, but she is also just really "on the ball" so to speak. She was always very intentional about her communication. She checked in with us regularly towards the end of the pregnancy, passed along various resources, asked questions, answered questions, met with us to deal with concerns and make sure we felt prepared, and when I was two weeks late and couldn't sleep because I was worried that my baby was going to grow too large to get out of my body, she was able to set my mind at ease with a late-night email. Then when the baby was finally on his way, she was with us all day and all night, even when nothing was happening. And when everything went exactly NOT how we had planned/hoped, she was there to ask questions and clarify the situation for us and make sure that I was emotionally stable enough to handle all of the changes. She even stayed with us after he was born until things settled down. Christian checked in with us in the days and weeks after delivery and even stopped by to make sure that everything was going well. Giving birth is not an easy thing, but Christian definitely made it a whole lot easier!"
Posted 1/19/2015
-
First time Momma from Seattle-
"We are so thankful to have had Christian attend our birth. Even before labor, she checked in with me at least once a week, sent me info about my current stage of pregnancy, and was extremely encouraging. I was in labor for almost three days, and she supported us the whole time! She came with us to the hospital several times throughout the weekend, came back and forth to our home to help me labor, and even went to the store for us. Christian was extremely encouraging and helped me stay as comfortable as possible during labor. She was a constant voice during labor, reminding me to breathe and direct my energy into helping our baby join the world! Christian also made sure my husband was aware of what was going on throughout labor, and worked with him as a teammate to support me. After spending so many days with us during labor, she even stayed after our daughter was born to make sure we had all the information we needed to get rest, eat, and make sure our baby had a great start to breastfeeding. Several days after the baby was born she came and visited with us at home, brought us a meal, and made sure we were adjusting to life with a newborn. Christian truly has a gift as a doula, and played a huge role in my ability to have a natural childbirth. I could not have done it without her! We will always be thankful she was a part of our birth experience, and highly recommend her to anyone searching for a doula!"
Posted 9/29/2014
-
First time Momma from Seattle-
"We used Christian as our doula for the birth of our first baby. From pregnancy to post birth she was actively involved. She provided education about how to prepare for the day of birth, what to expect during labor, how to manage pain with non-pharmacological interventions, and assisted postpartum with newborn interaction and breastfeeding. In addition, Christian was phenomenal in providing support to my husband during the most intense periods of active labor, which gave him the confidence and motivation to be effective support for me. At 1am, two weeks before my due date, my water broke. Christian was notified and arrived at the midwifery clinic within 30 minutes of our arrival. As soon as she arrived, she began suggesting different positions and pressure points in the early labor period to find what worked best to minimize the pain of the contractions. This helped when I was in active labor to know what worked to best manage each contraction. She also helped by using labor breathing techniques along with me to help through tough contractions. I must add that my birthing plan included the use of fentanyl, a narcotic pain medication. During active labor, the use of fentanyl was contraindicated for the well being of our son. The option for an epidural became unrealistic due to the rapid progression of the contractions. This left us with non-pharmacological interventions to help control the pain during the last 90 minutes of labor. Throughout my labor, Christian communicated professionally with the midwifery staff, and even provided updates to our family in the waiting room. Her ability to remain organized and calm proved to be additionally therapeutic. In total, from arrival to the clinic to post birth, Christian provided over 15 hours of support. Christians’ training and confidence allowed her to perform above and beyond our expectations as an outstanding and personable doula. We would highly recommend her to any pregnant woman for a birth coach!"
Posted 6/27/2014