Which Doula for Alta Bates Delivery?

Seeking affordable doula for Alta Bates delivery

March 2013

Hi, My husband and I are looking for an affordable doula who has experience with births at Alta Bates. My due date is mid-April so a doula who is available to take on new clients now is essential. We took a zen birthing class with Betsy Appel and we have a birth plan for a natural child birth. However, given that this is our first child, we'd like a doula to help us in this process and be our advocate in regards to the staff/protocols of the hospital. Thank you

I highly recommend Conny Golhke 527-9757. She is wonderfully supportive, and able to help you get to Alta Bates at a good point of labor. Also, she is very creative and can make you a personal and tasteful DVD of your baby's birth. Been There

I highly recommend Sadie Cooper Bates of Bloom Birth. She was my doula for my first child, I too had the same concerns as you do about hospital birth and Sadie was the calm, nurturing and strong presence I needed. I also loved her partner/backup doula Francine as well. I cannot recommend them both enough!! Happy Mama

Kim Winkleman is a lovely doula in Berkeley With experience at Alta Bates. She can be found on Yelp and at Kim.winkleman [at] gmail.com Anon

I can't even imagine my birthing experience without my doula. She was amazing- stayed with me the whole 40 hours of laboring it took to bring my child into the world. She offers pre-natal yoga, meditation, literature, videos and general support (doctor visits, labor classes companionship, long walks around Lake Merritt). After the birth she did post natal visits and was a sounding board for my post-pardem concerns which, as a new mom, were many. She leans more towards natural birth but is also very open and supportive of the mom-to-be's choices. Because my husband and I are nurses, we were inclined to go the full ''medical'' route. She helped us become informed (we knew very little)and together we created an empowering birth plan. She's worth every cent and more. She's also surprisingly affordable considering how much doulas charge around here. Bonus: she speaks Spanish which was necessary for me (my latino parents needed support while their only daughter gave birth) and, in a pinch, she has watched my little girl while Mommy and Daddy took much needed ''grown up'' time. There are exactly 2 people I trust with my girl in the East Bay- my husband and my doula! Call her- she's worth meeting. Her name is Mariana Reyes and number is (561)762-9455 Jennifer

I recommend Julia MacMillan without reservation. She was an amazing support to my whole family and I couldn't imagine my birth without her. She was not inexpensive but her services were worth every penny. http://midwifejulia.com/ Rachel T

Hi there I would highly recommend Francine Madrid for doula and prenatal massage services. My husband and I had a great experience working with her in November 2012 and we had a natural birth at Kaiser Oakland. Best wishes, Heather

We had a good experience with Stephanie Mackley. She's smart, enthusiastic, and respectful. She did a nice job helping us with decisions as my labor went on (when we were at a crossroads and had to pick between different alternatives, it was really nice talking to her about our options), and she really shone during the very painful active labor period of the birth. She knew just what to do. My husband and I agreed that our labor experience would have been frustrating, scary, and confusing without her. When she was our doula, she was still working on getting officially certified, so she was much more affordable than the others we looked at. Whoever you go with, I think it's important that you feel like you're a good match after the initial meeting. You're going to spend some pretty intense time with this person, and it's important you're very comfortable.

We also met with another doula to see if we liked her. She was friendly and very competent. Stephanie felt better for us, but you could try Shannon Padlog, too. Someone I trust also recommended Jenny Sweicicki at jennyrebeccajsj [at] yahoo.com. - Glad I had a doula

I highly recommend the doula services of Francine Madrid (http://mariposamassageanddoula.com/). Not only was she amazingly supportive at my birth last August, she also gives relaxing prenatal massages that release tension and stress from the body, she led a super informative and emotionally transformative Birthing From Within workshop series, and she processed my placenta into pills and a tincture for me. What I truly appreciate about Francine Madrid is that she supports women and their partners in having an empowering birthing experience by listening, guiding with experience, and honoring the sacredness of this process. I hope you invite her to be apart of your birthing experience because it will truly help! Haleh

I would like to recommend Sadie Cooper (www.bloom-birth.com, 510-219-7696). Sadie is a wonderfully warm, calm, experienced and skillful doula. She clearly loves the birthing process and is dedicated to the art of helping women and their partners navigate all the twists and turns that often come with labor and delivery. Sadie gave my husband and me the courage and energy to get through five days of laboring at home and be fully present at our baby's birth at the hospital. sophy

Doula supportive of an epidural at Alta Bates

Feb 2013

I will be giving birth to my second child in a few months, and we would like to have a doula support us through the process as we did with our first child. Our previous doula is in Sacramento, so I need a recommendation for someone to support a birth at Alta Bates. However, I do plan on having an epidural, so I'm hoping to find someone who is supportive of my husband and me and our decision. We really value the assistance that a doula provides, and we know we wouldn't have managed our last birth experience without our doula's excellent help. Is there someone in the area who can be supportive yet non-judgemental about my decision? Soon-to-be-Mom of 2

I recommend doula Erin Crowe (510) 654-9096 She is amazing and has been a doula for a long time. I had an epidural at Oakland Kaiser. She is also very familiar with Alta Bates. Debbie

Doula for Alta Bates birth who can work with hospital staff

Sept 2012

Hello all, We're expecting a baby in March of next year, and are searching for a doula to help during the birth (which will be at Alta Bates). I would love to hear of folks recent doula experiences, both positive and negative. We definitely want someone who will be our advocate and support during the birth, and are hoping to go the drug-free route. We have however heard a couple of negative stories of doulas attempting to override the doctor or midwife, and want to make sure we steer clear of any of that type of drama during the birth. Any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated! Thanks so much

I would definitely check in with Blythe Lee, '3 Daughters Doula.' We haven't delivered yet, but she is incredibly supportive and has a good handle on weighing and balancing one's desire for an intervention-free birth, but also the realities that take place that might lead you and your doctor to decide that you may need an intervention (however small). http://www.3daughtersdoula.com/ She is so sweet and sharp, I can't imagine her ever being the type to try to overrule you and your doctor or midwife. I could see her helping you sort your thoughts as you make a decision, which is exactly what she has done for us when we had to make a decision about testing/monitoring during our own pregnancy. happy with our doula

We had a wonderful experience with our doula, Deanna Jesus. Our daughter was born this past July. We'd been planning a natural birth, but it ended up in an induction and c-section. Deanna was so helpful in the months, weeks, and days leading up to the birth, and on the day of, she was invaluable. I definitely understand your concerns about a doula attempting to 'go against' hospital recommendations. With Deanna we felt confident from the beginning that she didn't have any kind of 'agenda,' except to help us, to the best of her ability, have the kind of birth experience we wanted to have. She's a great team player and got along really well with the hospital staff. She's also incredibly sharp, full of information, very good at explaining things clearly, and she notices everything (she was actually the first one to notice our daughters heart deceleration!). Finally, she's very warm, generous with her time, and has a great sense of humor. I know she's in the process of making a new website, but her facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/BirthingBabies. Feel free to get in touch with me if you have more questions! molly

Grace Bender was my doula and I love her. She was so supportive, worked really well with with me and my husband and our birth team. She's also a massage therapist, a total win in my book! Here is her website: http://bhumibirth.wordpress.com/ She is there to make you and your family feel taken care of and supported. I can't imagine her getting in between you and your other caregivers. L

I just want to say that I had a hospital birth at Alta Bates with the on-call from my OB-Gyn practice, and never once were drugs pushed on me. I refused the IV/monitoring when admitted and they were cool with that. I had considered using a Doula but ended up never getting around to finding one. In the end, my birth was relatively fast (admitted at 6:30 PM, baby in arms by 9:30 PM) so I'm not quite sure they would of done anything! My husband and I did take a hypnobirthing class --- which was as much about learning how to control your birthing circumstances and trust in your instincts as it was about relaxation --- and that helped tremendously in allowing us to stand by our choices and also gave my husband the confidence to be my advocate.

Just wanted to let you know that it is possible to have a natural birth at Alta Bates without a doula. I think that in a longer and more drawn-out birth the right doula could be a tremendous asset, but in my case it was more important that my husband and I educated ourselves regarding the birthing process, decided what we wanted, and were aware of the points at which it is too easy for medical intervention to begin. Good luck in your birth! alta bates mama

I highly recommend Heather Wood (heatherlynwood [at] gmail.com). She was my doula in March and was great at explaining what medicine was needed and what was not. She made sure to allow the hospital staff space to do their work. You would be in great hands. Megan

For a wonderful and drama-free doula I would recommend Stephanie Mackley, ssmackley [at] gmail.com, who was an integral part of my second child's birth. Stephanie is a very good listener, supportive, compassionate, knowledgeable, and has a great sense of humor ... all important doula qualities. While my second was a home birth, I too had a 'pushy' doula for my first birth (at Alta Bates), which made me quite uncomfortable, and the next time I focused on finding support that would guide and comfort me without trying to call the shots. I know Stephanie well and cannot imagine her trying to pursue her own agenda over her client's, and she will work hard to understand how she can best help you. Feel free to contact me for more info, and good luck! megan

I highly recommend my doula, Stephanie Mackley. She is a gentle, affordable, and really caring doula that held my hand through my entire birth process. For my first child I felt really powerless over my birth plan (I had no doula) and knew that for my second child I wanted to feel like I was in control and Steph really made me feel informed and like I had a choice throughout the process. Steph is warm, loving, enthusiastic, compassionate and has a great sense of humor, coupled with maturity and responsibility. She came to our house twice for pre-natal visits and also offered support over email and the phone, and she really addressed my fears with detailed responses. Stephanie's support was a huge contribution to my positive birth experience. She took wonderful pictures of my birth, drafted a detailed birth log, and really was present throughout the birth and helped me navigate some decisions that had to be made on the spot. Stephanie's contact info: 510.717.8784 and ssmackley [at] gmail.com

Hi, Congratulations on your pregnancy! I just gave birth in June and had an amazing doula and I think everyone should hire her. Her name is Michelle Williams (http://www.mamadoulamichelle.com/bio.html -- on yelp, too) and she is also training to be a homebirth midwife so she has a lot of knowledge and experience. This was my second baby so the labor was fast, but I was so relieved to have her there. She knew exactly what was happening without words, kept me calm, kept me moving, and guided me through a perfect birth. I know that if I had hired her for my first birth I would have had a much better experience, but since I cannot go back in time the best I can do is tell everyone I know to use her if they can. She only takes two clients a month which reduces the risk that she will miss your birth. Feel free to contact the moderator for my info if you want to talk more about her, but I think she is incredible. Erica

I'd like to recommend Nelly Haskins. She is warm, friendly, and helped my husband and I through a rough patch with our new baby. She is a postpartum doula but does births as well.  Jess

Recent Recs for Doula at Alta Bates

Nov 2010

Hi, I'm currently scheduled to give birth at Alta Bates, and I was wondering if anyone had any recent recommendations for doulas who routinely work there. I'd especially love a doula who has experience with hypnobirthing or hypnobabies. Thank you!

My doula was great and I believe she goes to Alta Bates as well! Here is her contact info... Deanna Jesus, CD(DONA), CLE, HBCE Birthing Babies ~ A Celebration of Life, LLC 2415 San Ramon Valley Blvd., #4209 San Ramon, California 94583 Phone: 925-216-7264 Email: DoulaDee [at] BirthingBabies.com
Michelle

Linda Jones-Mixon is a fantastic birth and postpartum doula who has attended countless births at Alta Bates over the years. Linda has 20+ years of experience and attended the birth of our daughter at AB in April 2009. We fully credit her with helping us achieve our goal of having a completely natural childbirth. My impression as soon as we got to the hospital was that she knew all the Labor and Delivery nurses who were around that night and was on extremely good terms with them. When I was in triage, she asked who was on duty and requested a particular nurse whom she knew to be very supportive of natural childbirth (and who turned out to be wonderful). It was so wonderful that Linda and our lead L nurse knew each other and were comfortable working together. It felt like they were our team. It was great.

Linda was also great in terms of knowing how the medical professionals would respond to particular conditions. For instance, at one point during my labor, we were monitoring the fetal heartbeat, and it started to slow down during contractions. Linda was aware that if that happened X number of times in a row, the nurse would have to call in a doctor. Linda very quickly identified that the heartbeat didn't slow down unless I sat down and asked me to stand up. The nurse - who had a trusting, good relationship with Linda - saw what was going on and held off on calling the doctor. The next contraction, everything was fine, and we didn't have to call in the doctor. There were lots of little things like that... I wish I could remember them all. What I do remember is the overriding feeling that Linda is a goddess and there's no way we would have been able to navigate the medicalized birth world without Linda there to guide us. She's on the expensive end for a birth doula but worth every cent. The friend who referred me to Linda also gave birth at AB in 2004, and her story was very similar. Her water broke at 36 weeks, and she had a long, difficult labor. Linda was great at telling her, if abc happens, they will want to do xyz. Or... if you don't push this baby out within the next x hours, they will order a c-section.

In addition to knowing hospital births and the AB staff inside and out, Linda is also just a wonderful, caring person. She was fantastic with postpartum support and gave me truly excellent advice on stuff like breastfeeding and how to get my newborn to sleep in her bed rather than on my body, etc. I can't recommend her highly enough. Here's her contact info:

Linda Jones-Mixon fst6wks [at] aol.com Big Fan of Linda Jones-Mixon

doula for Alta Bates birth

Nov 2009

Hello... I'd like to get recommendations for Bay Area doulas. I am having my baby at Alta Bates in December. Want a doula who is open to all types of childbirth and will provide unconditional support. Prefer someone who can come before, during and after birth. Thanks! - soon-to-be new mommy

I would strongly recommend Laila Ibrahim (eastbaydoula.com) to anyone looking for a doula. She is absolutely amazing and it would be hard to say enough good things about her. Laila was incredibly helpful at both my children's births, and if I were planning to have another, I would hire Laila in a heartbeat. She has an amazing combination of knowledge/skills, the ability to be incredibly supportive/present/reassuring, and the ability to see/plan what is coming up and help both the laboring woman and her partner/support people prepare emotionally and logistically for what may come next and what our options were. It is a true talent. Laila has a calm and caring presence and does not impose her agenda at all. She is such a gift and I wish every laboring woman could have a doula as talented/wonderful as Laila.

Laila is the parent of two children (now teenagers) and has been a parenting consultant for years, and also ran a preschool for 13 years. She has a masters degree is child development (attachment theory) and is incredibly knowledgeable about breastfeeding, infant care, sleep issues/teaching, and so much more.

She was so helpful to us in preparing for labor, helping us manage labor (decide when to go to the hospital, manage each contraction, push, and then handle the delivery of the placenta and stitches), and then in the postpartum period, helping me learn to breastfeed, answering our million questions, and just providing our whole family with the care we needed. I don't know what we would have done without her. Gogi

I have a recommendation for someone to talk with, and a little advice about choosing. I had a great experience in May with Emily Ross as my doula. She was very supportive and knowledgeable, which was important for me as a first time mom. If you want someone open to all kinds of childbirth, make sure you talk about this when you interview doulas, and go with your gut. Everyone we talked with said they were supportive of all kinds of births, but several gave off a ''judgmental vibe'' when we talked about the possibility of using an epidural. While in the end we decided on and were able to have a drug-free birth, I have no doubt Emily would have been equally supportive had we decided on an epidural. Also make sure you discuss when you want a doula there during your interview. I originally expected to want Emily there from the first contraction on, but didn't end up feeling the need until we were about to go to the hospital. http://www.emilyrossdoula.com/ Feel free to contact me with any questions. jmb

Anne Delp was my doula twice, 2004 and most recently in Aug 2009. She is fabulous and supports you no matter what. She has lots of experience with deliveries at Alta Bates. Here is her info: annedelp [at] earthlink.net or 510-557-8029. http://www.birthchoicedoulacollective.com/doulas.html libby

I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend Linda Jones-Mixon. She works as both a birth and postpartum doula and has 20+ years of experience. She was our doula for a natural childbirth at Alta Bates w/ an OB, and she was simply wonderful. She is calm, down to earth, and very non-judgmental. (i.e., she does not have an agenda and is not going to push you to have a particular kind of birth.) I wasn't looking for someone to pamper me and ''make it all go away'' - I just wanted someone who had been through it a million times and could help me cope with any pain and fear by encouraging me and letting me know whether or not things were normal. Linda was that person. And if you are giving birth at Alta Bates, my impression was that she has excellent relationships with the nurses and staff there. In hindsight, I had the kind of amazing, transformative childbirth experience that a lot of women hope to have, and Linda was instrumental in that. She was also really wonderful postpartum. You get a lot of zany (and useless) newborn-care advice, but Linda's was always sound and sensible, and all of her suggestions WORKED. She is phenomenal. Here's the contact info I have for her... 510-917-2783 510-232-7678 fst6wks [at] aol.com Amy F

I can't recommend Sara Vietti highly enough... she is warm, caring, supportive and will really spend the time getting to know you. She is based in Napa, but made the drive to the East Bay many times for us... and was there the whole time for our birth experience. The most wonderful thing about Sara is that she will really listen to you very deeply and be there for you in a totally non-judgmental way. You kind of have to meet her to know what I am talking about, but she takes nothing personally and is really good at just showing up and being present. I can't think of a more important quality in a doula. Her website is napadoula.com and her phone is 707-326-5505.

I gave birth a month ago and had the fortune of hiring Treesa McClean to be my doula. I simply can't sing her praises enough and express how pivotal she was to my (first) birth experience. Initially, I was a bit skeptical about the need for a doula (thinking it was perhaps unnecessary when an epidural was part of the birth plan) but, in retrospect, I can't imagine the experience without her. Sheb

s calm, practical, and knowledgeable. She knows Alta Bates staff well and was she was the point person in the room during the entire experience. Even the nurses deferring to her clear expertise. I cannot recommend her highly enough. Free to answer any queries about her or the doula experience at Alta Bates. jenniferC

Berkeley doula for Alta Bates birth

May 2007

My wife and I are looking for a Doula in the Berkeley area for Alta Bates. I noticed that most of the recommendations are a couple years old and was wondering if anyone has any more recent recommendations. Thanks! Desmond

Evy Rich was our doula for our baby born 12/1/06. Evy was amazing, supportive, non-intrusive, well informed, extremely open and comforting. We really thought she did a super job. My birth was made much more survivable due to her presence. She is great!!!! Please contact her www.birthdoulaevy.com and tell her that Joanna and Rowan say hello! Joanna

I highly recommend Judy Ballinger she helped us with the births of both our children at Alta Bates. her e-mail: aksharadoula [at] mac.com doula fan

I highly recommend Besty Appell. My daughter was born September 2006. I had an extremely long labor and Betsy played a key role in helping us get through it both at home and at the hospital. She is very knowledgeable about labor and delivery, highly organized and responsive, and has a wonderful, calming presence. Laura

We used Betsy Appell for our birth classes and she was great. We didn't use her doula services but know others who have and they rave about her. If you sign up for her doula services it includes the birth classes as well. she can be reached at http://www.berkeleydoula.com Melissa

I would highly recommend Trina Mackie. I found an immediate connection with her after our first interview. She knew how to ask the right questions and also heard what the expectant mom needed. She scheduled a follow-up meeting close to the birth to make sure we were all still on the same page. We had several telephone updates in the weeks leading up to the birth. My worst fear was starting labor in the middle of the night and having to deal with transporting my 3 year old to a friend's house. When I went into serious labor at 3 a.m., exactly as I feared, she was at my house in less than 30 minutes ready, calm, cheerful. She was the much-needed voice in my ear that helped me navigate a fast labor without falling apart. She addressed the panicked labor room nurses as they tried to push an epidural (I arrived at 7 centimeters and was at 9 about soon after getting into a delivery room!). I feel so lucky that she was by my side. I have no doubt she would have been as calm, resourceful, and ready should my labor have lasted all day and all night. Her email is trinamackie [at] hotmail.com and her number is 510-540-7262. She is also listed on the East Bay Doula Circle List at www.eastbaydoulas.org.
evalune

I had Betsy Appell as my doula at Alta Bates in January 2007. She was wonderful. My husband didn't know what a doula was when I said I wanted one. He was afraid they would be too hippy dippy and didn't know why I needed one. After meeting Betsy, he changed his mind. She brought so much information and support to us in a caring, non-judgemental way. She was a comfort to me and my husband was very comfortable with her. Betsy was very familiar about the process at Alta Bates, which was such a relief for us as well. We really enjoyed her birthing class which is part of her doula services. At the birth, she actually helped the baby get into a better position with the suggestion of some leg lunges. I think I would have been in labor much longer without that. She is also knowledgeable about meditation, hypnobirthing and yoga besides general baby/birthing info. Her website is www.berkeleydoula.com. She tends to get booked up, so definately contact her. Good luck in your search. Stacey

We would strongly recommend our wonderful Berkeley Doula Betsy Appell. We were quite unsure about whether a doula would be a good thing for us, as we are not new-agey, natural medicine types and we were not dead set against use of pain medication. But the birth our first child was such a scary, over- medicalized affair, that we decided to give Betsy a try for the birth of our second child. Boy what a difference it made. Betsy was totally willing to go along with our wishes, but she gently introduced us to a much more natural perspective on the whole process. In the end, this birth was a beautiful thing (with no medication, incidentally.) Instead of being focused on avoiding emergencies, as we were with our first birth, we spent much of my labor enjoying walks and relaxing. Betsy was also great about keeping my husband at center stage. I was also able to join Betsy's prenatal yoga class at Berkeley YMCA, which ended up being kind of an extra bonus. Now I find myself wishing I could have a doula for other gruelling life experiences (the kindergarten-selection process, helping my aging parents deal with life's end, getting through the week, etc...) Happy Mom in Berkeley

I have to recommend the best Doula! Her name is Wendy Rolan. Her phone number is 510-384-7407. I cannot say enough good things about my experience with having Wendy as my Doula. I do know for a fact that because of Wendy, I was able to have the drug-free, all natural birth I wanted. Wendy was everything I needed during labor and birth: warm, gentle, knowledgeable, calm, understanding, never judging me, always there. Her expertise is invaluable. She was so great during the entire process, has even helped me a lot with post partum/breastfeeding issues. If you want to hear me gush any more about how fabulous she is, feel free to email me. If a positive birthing experience is important to you, hiring Wendy will be the best investment you'll ever make. Elizabeth

After some intense searching for a doula, my husband and I found Betsy Appell, and i can't tell you how happy we were with her. She was a rock for us in so many ways, and if we have another baby and we're in the area we'd would hire her again in a second. When you hire her as your doula she includes a hypno-birthing class to give you lots of good tools to prepare for the birth, a cd with her voice leading you into a relaxed state so that when the time comes you're used to relaxing with her voice, and an incredible binder full of very helpful info. If i had more time i'd sing her praises more- she was definitely one of the most positive things about my daughter's birth! Feel free to contact me with any questions about our experience with Betsy. Larissa

Virginia Duplessis attended both my births at Alta Bates and she's WONDERFUL! With her support, I delivered naturally both times. We chose her out of about 4 doulas my husband and I interviewed. She has everything we were looking for: she is a young mother, calm, experienced, took great when my husband was too involved in the delivery room, is flexible and so on. Just drop her a note to see if she's available around your due date... if so, just meet her once. You'll know when you find the right fit! If you want more details, please contact me. Virginia Duplessis, MSW, CD (DONA) vduplessis [at] erols.com (510) 287-8789
susan

Doulas for delivery at Alta Bates

April 2007

Hi, I'd like to get some recent recommendations for a doula for my friend who is due at the end of May. They have checked the archives for recs, but would like some more recent info. They are thinking of hypnobirthing, but that's not really a necessary pre-req for the doula. They will be using Alta Bates and a doctor (not a midwife). Thanks jeanne

I would like to recommend Deanna Jesus. She helped me greatly with the birth of my son, who is now 2 years old. And she came through on the last minute, too! My original doula had to cancel, so I met her a week before my due date (thinking we had a few days, ha ha). My water broke early the next morning, I called her up, and she met us at Alta Bates. She was wonderful. More info can be found here, including her email and phone number: http://www.doulaworld.com/doula/cfml/profile/profilemember.cfm?email=douladee [at] birthingbabies.com Lori

We used Amanda MacDonald for the birth of our second child. She attended Hypnobirthing classes with us, so she is familiar with it. She was really great both in the visits before the birth - lots of information & not hardline about anything - & also at the hospital during labor. She wasn't touchy-feely, which was what my husband was worried about, but had a very calming, soothing presence. Her contact info is: amanda[at]loveslaborbirthservices.com KB

We had a wonderful doula, Ann Hayman. She helped educate us before the birth and gave crucial support during labor, without being intrusive. 415-826-7121, http://thelotustouch.com/ Sophia

Sept 2004

Haven't seen any recent recommendations on a good Doula in the Berkeley area. We are due in Jan. '05 and are hoping for a drug- free birth at Alta Bates. Does anyone have a good recommendation for someone to mainly help us through labor with trying differnet positions, using various techniques to prevent tearing, etc? Nina

I can personally recommend an excellent doula and close personal friend, who has acted as a doula/birth coach for several people in our circle of friends. Linda Grimes can be reached at (510) 658-5317. She is truly wonderful - will help make your birth plan with you. She provided us with a lot of information we didn't even know existed. I'm sure she can provide you with many references in addition to us. The best on your upcoming birth

just wanted to chime in as one more voice praising Treesa McLean, who made my birth experience last year just fantastic. she lives in Hayward but works throughout the East Bay. i wanted a natural childbirth, if possible, and wanted to labor at home as long as possible so i needed someone to help me manage the pain & stay calm, & Treesa was perfect. she's extremely experienced, very calm, has a wry sense of humor, & just made the whole thing seem entirely manageable. knowing that she would tell me if anything unusual came up, i was able to let go & just focus on my contractions. i'm an older mom, so it was really important to me to have someone who had seen it all & would tell me if it was no longer safe to be at home. as it turned out, with her assistance i stayed at home until the very end, then just popped over to the hospital to deliver! after the birth, she helped with nursing issues, sleeping issues, & general words of wisdom. so glad i found her; she's fabulous. hilary

I had a non-medicated birth at Alta Bates with Patty Lipinska in March 2003. Patty lives in Berkeley. She was very helpful in suggesting various positions to facilitate birth and prevent tearing. Good luck! Tonya

I would highly recommend Lisa Moon (lisamoon AT moonmamas.com, cell 435-7643) for your doula services. She was my doula and gave me great support before and after labor. (Unfortunately during labor she was out of town--when I asked her to be my doula she told me well in advance that she would be gone the week of my due date and got back-ups for me). I know she would have been incredible during the birth too. She is highly in favor of home births, but is very supportive of hospital births as well. And she definitely supports medication free births, and the resources to help a woman accomplish that, although she is very open to whatever a particular woman needs for her particular birth.

If you want to meet her and get to know her style, she teaches a free class every Friday morning (9-11:30) at Elephant Pharmacy (which I would also highly recommend--it combines prenatal yoga on a birthing ball taught by a woman named Liv with Lisa's Art of Birthing class). Good luck and healthy birthing! Amy

I highly recommend Judy Ballinger. She is a doula and a post- partum doula, and she also practices acupressure (she's also a registered nurse). She was our doula at Alta Bates in June 2004 for the birth of our first child. I had an emergency pitocin induction due to fetal distress, and she helped me achieve a vaginal delivery...and one using NO drugs. Apparently this was a difficult feat considering what we were up against. I think the medical staff expected my labor would end in a C-section, but with Judy's expertise, it was unnecessary.

Judy works for what YOU want, whether it's drug-free or not. She wants your birth experience to be positive. I basically left it to her to follow our birth plan - one she helped us write - (i.e., she reminded the doctors of our wants and needs, even though due to medical complications, some couldn't be fulfilled) so my husband and I could focus on the labor and delivery (we didn't remember ANYTHING from childbirth classes). Judy is very experienced and she is known at Alta Bates. I would definitely hire her again. She can be reached at 510-236-1543. Or you can email me if you have further questions. bradycj

we had judy ballinger for our first child and have reserved her for number 2 as well - she's great her contact info - aksharadoula AT mac.com 510-846-1193 ilona

I would like to recommend Ann Haynes as a wonderful Doula (both birth and postpartum). She attended the birth of my daughter 3 months ago and helped make it a wonderful experience!! Ann is a very warm, loving person and has a very calm demeanor that is very comforting while in labor. My husband and I met with Ann several times before the birth so she really got to know us. During these meetings, we discussed my expectations for the type of birth I would like. We also discussed different birthing positions and what, in particular, I felt comfortable with. Ann stayed with me throughout the entire labor. My labor was about 14 hours long (5 of which was pushing)and she stayed with me, gave me massages, and encouraged me the whole way through. I cannot say enough good things about her. We have also had the luxury of seeing her in action taking care of the baby. She is even more warm and loving with children. She has a special type of interaction with children and I trust her full heartedly with my kids. If you would like to contact Ann Haynes directly her contact information is: anndoula [at] yahoo.com and 510-847-9743. Feel free to also email me if you would like more information. Anita

I had Ann Haynes as my Childbirth Doula and she also helped us out with post-partum baby care. She is fantastic. I selected her card from the corkboard in Waddle and Swaddle, completely randomly. I couldn't be happier. She is a very gentle soul and listened carefully to every concern. She is primarily responsible for me chosing to have a natural birth (what an experience). I couldn't recommend her more highly. She can be reached at: anndoula AT yahoo.com  Erin

Doula experienced with Alta Bates

September 2003

Hi there, I have looked at recommendations on this site for a doula and found that they are kind of old. Can anyone please recommend a doula in the Berkeley/Oakland area who has experience with Alta Bates births? Budget is a consideration for us, but we really want to find the right person. Thanks for anything - there are so many doulas in the area that a stellar recommendation would really be a huge help. Jenny

We had a baby in April and used Treesa McLean as our doula. She has been reviewed positively on the parents network before.We LOVED her!! During the labor and birth she was an amazing support- very calming and confident with tons of tricks up her sleeve. She was very responsive to my needs, and was directive when appropriate. She enabled my husband to be a support and to also really enjoy the experience rather than worrying about remembering all of the techniques we learned. She was very accessible before and after the birth, answering questions, giving advice and referrals. She also helped immensely with breastfeeding. I can't say enough good things about her. Feel free to email me with further questions about her. martha

I highly recommend Janake Costello (510) 525-1155. She is the best. Chiara

Makini Duewa, the doula that attended my son's birth, was incredible. The moment i saw her i knew she was the right doula for our family! She is a massage therapist, hypnobirthing instructor (though we did not study hypnobirthing) , and a gentle gentle woman.

She went on the Alta Bates tour with me and helped me prepare emotionally for the birth. My husband also clicked with her. She was here at my home for almost seven hours helping me labor, equipped with aromatherapy and a fan to help me during intense hot/ cold flashes. Her hands seemed to always be the right temperature.

She accompanied us to Alta Bates where she was our advocate. She was tough skinned but sensitive to my needs. We had the birth we dreamed of, and when our son was born and i found myself ravenously hungry, Makini had remembered some seaweed rice cakes!

There is no end to the praise my husband and i have for Makini. She visited my home after the birth and one year later, we still call each other. When our next birth is nigh, we will seek out Makini again. She was such a support to us. Though I barely knew her at the time, she helped me through my greatest trial & accomplishment and i consider her a dear friend.

Good luck finding the perfect doula- you won't regret it. You can call Makini at (510) 625 1395 . If you want to hear more about my experience with her you can email me. karl

Treesa McLean is a wonderfully gifted and knowledgable doula who lives in Hayward but travels up. We had our baby at Alta Bates and she was always available when we needed her, so her comute was not an issue. I was so happy with all she had to offer, all through the prep, the labor and she was even an amazing breast feeding consultant. I don't still have her number, but you can call information for her in Hayward. Good luck Irene

We had Carol Shattuck-Rice at both our births, and she is wonderful. She has a gentle manner, but beneath that is a very experienced, determined person who is strong without being at all abrasive. Plus she knows Alta Bates maternity very well. Her number is 510-527-7210. Good luck! Dana

Without hesitation, I recommend you contact Beth Hammond. She assisted the delivery of my first two children at Alta Bates and I will use her for my third child due in November. I am very happy to describe my experience for you and give you my reasons for recommending Beth. Email me directly and we can exchange phone numbers. Jody

My husband & I LOVED our doula, Chris Gonzales. She was knowledgeable, respectful, funny, generous, gentle & kind. She has attended over 75 births. She is also a Bradley instructor & doula trainer & has birthed 6 kids of her own. She did a great job balancing my needs, my husbands needs, working with our midwife & Alta Bates staff. She lives in Hayward, but does many births at AB & we live in El Cerrito & it was no problem. Her contacnt info is: 510 881-5410 r6ids at prodigy.net
virginia

Ladi Dell'aira was our doula for the birth of our son at Alta Bates last year. She was wonderful in so many ways - the doctor even thanked her - and I highly recommend her as a doula and her prenatal massage services too! http://www.ladidell.com/doula.html Marshall's mom

We used Carol Shattuck-Rice in October 2000 and loved her. She's very down to earth and helpful without pushing her own personal philosophies on childbirth. We had 2 visits with her before the birth, reviewing labor techniques and our needs for the birth. When the 'big day' arrived, she was so tremendously helpful and made our experience that much more special. Our daughter was sent to the neonatal ICU right after birth and Carol stayed with us until we were settled and knew how our daughter was doing (everything was fine and we have a happy, healthy girl). She also made a home visit about a week after the birth and showed us baby massage. I couldn't recommend her more highly. At that time she charged $ 600.00 for everything (I think there were additional charges if the labor was more than 24 hours). Also, when we saw Carol, she was only taking a very limited number of clients so she might already be booked. Her number is 510-527-7210. Best of luck to you. - Rachael

Treesa McLean was our doula for the birth of both my girls. Her number is 510-581-1013. Both my husband and I had such a good experience with her the first time (a tough birth too) that we hired her again the second time around. She's very knowledgeable, supportive of YOUR needs, and doesn't have any agenda except to help you have as easy and good experience as possible. She also has great resources--knows so much about nursing and other baby-related things. Anyway, we love her and have recommended her to others who also had a great experience. good luck! Leslie

My doula, Treesa McLean, was fabulous during the birth of my 2nd child. She was my birthing class teacher from Birthways. I don't know if I could have sustained the courage to go through my birth without her presence/coaching. Her fees are based upon a sliding scale - you pay what you can afford. She's very open and easy going about what you want/desire/imagine about your birth. What I really liked about her:
* Experienced and well liked(doctors and nurses alike) at Alta Bates Medical Center.
* A good easy going personality with a GREAT sense of humor (which I think any mother needs while giving birth!).
* Lots of helpful information and techniques to ease the pain of contractions.
* Very mindful of what you want (e.g. drugs, no drugs etc.)
* Really helps you stay focused through contractions
* Advocates for you while in triage and in the delivery room.
* Very knowledgable about hospital practices and procedures.
* Always positive and upbeat.

You are welcome to call me if you need further info on Treesa. I highly recommend her! Maya

Aimee Tom was my doula last month for the birth of my second child, and she is truly stellar. We have continued to have her work for us as a post-partum doula and I am even more impressed with her. She's very knowledgable, (about birth, parenting, babies,etc) experienced and competent and I immediately felt comfortable with her. I delivered at Alta Bates and she obviously is very comfortable working there. I'd be glad to give you more info. Aimee can be reached at 827-8551. Deborah

I didn't respond the first time i saw this post because I thought there would be tons of duplicate posts. We had Linda Jones-Mixon from Waddle and Swaddle as our Doula. She was awesome and I can't recommend her enough. She is however not cheap but worth every penny. She has tons of experience and a calm laid back manner that is so very comforting. She has a great sense of humor and we found her very comfortable to be around. We wanted to stay home as long as possible and she was able to let us know when it was really time to go to the hospital. She came to our house when we needed her and was a great support after our baby was born. I can't recommend her more highly. Good luck- We also interviewed 3 or 4 Doulas before settling on Linda. Shop around and find someone that you and your partner are both comfortable and at ease with. marion

Samantha Armer is a doula in the east bay, and I certainly wish that I had met her *before* I gave birth, as I'd love to ''redo'' my birth with her in attendance! She is a wonderful, caring, spunky, imaginative, healing person. She does pre- and post-partum work as well as birth support. I recommend her most highly. (She is also a terrific and flexible cook.) samthedoula at att.net is her email address. Good luck with your search. Jennie

We had a baby 5 days ago, and we had an incredible doula by our side. Her name is Mariflorence Hudson, and she's an experienced doula and a Midwife in training. We knew we wanted to get a doula from the start, but it took us awhile to find the right fit. I wanted to be present and involved in the birth (I'm the father), we wanted to have the experience of someone who had given birth and who wasn't a medical professional (mainly so that we could navigate the choices and issues we might face with layman's terms), and I wanted someone who could coach me on what I could do to comfort and support my wife as she went through labor.

We interviewed several doulas in the months before our due date, and we met an interesting array, from those who focused exclusively on the mom (even though we had stated that we wanted someone who would be active in helping me get and stay involved), to those who were overbearingly ''new-agey,'' and those who had no sense of humor (levity being important to us). We began to despair that we'd find a fit with someone, or find someone who wasn't pushing a given agenda.

We met Mariflo, and cancelled our other interviews immediately after. Her practical, warm professionalism and extensive knowledge set us at ease, and she immediately addressed our concerns and questions with great answers. She has a very open approach that's all about getting to know what's most important to her clients so that she can provide the best information and support to suit their needs and goals.

Looking back, the most important thing she did for us was to nurture our confidence, and help us understand our options so that we could make choices that we could feel happy about. As first-time parents we entered the realm of labor and delivery with no small amount of trepidation, but Mariflo helped reinforce - and supplemented - what we were learning about the process and ourselves and then guided us as we applied that knowledge and confidence through the actual labor and delivery.

Our goal was to have as natural a birth as possible, with minimal interventions and no pain medication. Mariflo helped us work through the details of what our ideal birth would be like, and how we would handle issues if and when they arose. Despite the stress of being overdue and having the threat of being induced only days away we had a smooth, uncomplicated delivery, and we credit Mariflo for no small part of that.

We were also able to stay at home for a large part of our labor, and we felt comfortable with Mariflo's experience and support in letting us know when we should change positions, take a walk, and eventually head to the hospital. That part was very comforting, experiencing early and early active labor where we feel the most comfortable (home). We delivered our baby at Summit, in Oakland.

Mariflo Hudson is based in Berkeley. Her phone number is 510 717 0714, and her email is mariflo_martin at hotmail.com.

A couple of other hints we could pass along:
- talk with your OB, and gauge his or her comfort with doulas.
- interview many doulas, you'll know when you find the right fit.

If you want to ask any questions, please feel free to send an email or give us a call (we may not answer, but we'll call you back, new baby and all). t. jay , jennifer and olivia

I had a terrific doula, Mariflo Hudson. I was really unsure as to whether I wanted or needed a doula, but I am so glad she was there. She was able to explain things, answer questions, offer so many helpful/comforting suggestions and take some of the pressure off my husband. He really didn't think we needed another person in the room during the birth, but I think in the end we were both so thankful for Mariflo's support. She was warm, easy to talk with and I believe really made a differance. I would be happy to talk with you in person and answer any specific questions. Mariflo can be reached at 510-644-9258 or mariflo_martin at hotmail.com. brett

Doula for Alta Bates delivery

July 2003

We are in search of a doula, preferrably in the East Bay. We plan to deliver at Alta Bates. Any recommendations for one in particular? I have been to the archives but would appreciate any recent comments. Thanks for your help.

We had a baby in April and used Treesa McLean as our doula. She has been reviewed positively on the parents network before.We LOVED her!! During the labor and birth she was an amazing support- very calming and confident with tons of tricks up her sleeve. She was very responsive to my needs, and was directive when appropriate. She enabled my husband to be a support and to also really enjoy the experience rather than worrying about remembering all of the techniques we learned. She was very accessible before and after the birth, answering questions, giving advice and referrals. She also helped immensely with breastfeeding. I can't say enough good things about her. Feel free to email me with further questions about her. martha

I'd like to respond to several requests for recommendations. A wonderful Bay Area doula we used is Lior Mayer, listed in the 925 area code, in Alamo