Chiara, Wappingers Falls, NY

Danielle was AMAZING! I knew she was going to be the perfect doula the first time I spoke to her on the phone. I didn’t have to ask her any questions, she anticipated me with all the answers I needed. I wanted a doula because I was a ftm and I didn’t want my birth to be traumatic in any way.

I also didn’t want to feel pain. My birth didn’t go as planned but up until I was transferred to the hospital, I had a dream labor thanks to Danielle. She knew exactly what I needed without me saying anything. She showed up with some serious Mary Poppins style cart and she never stopped taking care of me. She knew when it was time to give me a massage or when I needed counter pressure. She knew when I needed to drink, eat, pee, walk, talk (I talked A LOT! And she listened), being encouraged, feeling empowered. She decorated the room with candles and took care of dimming the lights. She took care of my husband when he couldn't take it anymore. She supported me in every decision of mine. She was with me from about 6pm til the next day at 1pm. Never took a break, always trying to find a way to take my pain away. She stayed even when they told me I was going to need a c-section and my hope for a normal vaginal birth vanished. She had somewhere to be in the afternoon and I couldn't believe she was going to go after being up for so many hours! Anyway, I am SO glad she stayed. The hospital environment was so scary to me. It was so good to have her next to me, reminding me to breath every time a contraction kicked in. I didn’t know Danielle before my birth but during my labor it was like I’ve always known her. She made me feel comfortable and she never made me feel like I was too much even when I was screaming my head off or when I was crying like a baby because things were not going the way I wanted them to go. If I have a good memory of my labor and birth it’s because of Danielle. I’ll be eternally grateful to her.