When I found out I was expecting and started meeting with my OB, I hadn’t originally planned to work with a doula. But after a friend recommended Shelia, I decided to explore the possibility of having an additional level of support, and I’m so glad I did. From the start, Shelia brought such a calm and confident presence. She visited us twice before the birth, and I remember feeling instantly more at ease. Her knowledge helped me feel calmer about the whole birth experience as she walked us through how to think about my own birth preferences and decision-making in advance. When my water broke in the middle of the night, undexpectedly 2 weeks before my due date, my husband and I forgot everything we had planned for. Slightly panicked, we called her at midnight, frantic (and a little embarrassed), but she picked up right away and was so kind and reassuring. I never felt uncomfortable reaching out. She talked us through everything with such care and we made a plan for meeting at the hospital later that morning. During labor and delivery, Shelia was the perfect complement to my husband’s support, offering massages and acupressure when I was feeling tense, guiding my breathing through every contraction, and suggesting helpful positions to help my baby move down. When different medical decisions needed to be made, she helped me think through them in a way that made me feel empowered, always honoring my birth preferences. In the final moments before meeting my baby when everything felt so intense and chaotic, I distintcly remember zeroing in and hearing her tell me to “breathe down on your baby, push your baby out” and truly believed that if I just focused and listened to her, I’d meet him soon. Out he came after a few more pushes! I don’t think I would have had the same determination during pushing without her. Shelia was an absolute gift during my birth, and I’m so grateful she was by my side!

I cannot recommend Shelia highly enough. She was an indispensable part of both of my childbirth experiences, nearly 5 years apart, each of which was unmedicated and induced. Shelia’s calm demeanor and reassuring presence inspired a sense of strength and calm that carried me through some of the most uncertain and scary moments of my life.

Before the births, Shelia made herself available to address any concerns or questions I had, helping me feel more prepared and at ease. She is also an excellent source of recommendations – from doctors to birthing classes to guidance on birthing decisions, her suggestions were always excellent.

During labor, Shelia’s support was unwavering. She knew exactly what to say and do to comfort me and guide me through each contraction and decision. She was somehow able to intuit what I needed, guiding me gently toward progress at each step, while always being totally respectful and mindful of my wishes for each birth.

After the births, she continued to be a source of support, checking in on me and offering a listening ear when I needed it most. When I wasn’t sure who would understand, I always knew Sheila would. Her dedication to her clients is truly remarkable, and I am forever grateful for the role she played in bringing my children into the world.

If you are looking for a doula who will be there for you in every sense of the word, Shelia is the one. She is so much more than a doula, she is a steadfast presence who will guide you through one of the most transformative experiences of your life with compassion, wisdom, and unwavering support. I feel so lucky to have worked with her.

I was fortunate to have Shelia as my doula for my first baby, and I cannot express enough gratitude for her exceptional care, resourcefulness, and responsiveness throughout my pregnancy, labor, and postpartum journey.

During my pregnancy, Shelia shared invaluable resources that helped me prepare for the upcoming labor and postpartum period. During labor, she helped me navigate an unmedicated labor, providing effective pain management from early labor to delivery.

In the challenging early postpartum days, Shelia proved to be a lifeline as I faced difficulties with breastfeeding and battled sleep deprivation. As a first-time mom, I encountered unexpected situations that left me uncertain, but Shelia consistently offered timely support and reassurance, making me feel more confident in my new role.

I recommend Shelia to anyone in search of a doula. Her genuine care and expertise made my journey into motherhood significantly smoother and more fulfilling.

I originally hadn’t even thought about finding a doula until a friend mentioned what a great experience she had with Shelia. From my first meeting with Shelia she offered so many resources and information that was very helpful in preparing for my first time giving birth. When the day finally came, Shelia was everything I needed her to be and more. She was so supportive of what I had planned and offered much needed guidance when I was deep in the throws of labor. Shelia also documented the most beautiful birth story and pictures for us to cherish. I can’t imagine what my experience would have been like without her, and I am eternally grateful for Shelia helping us welcome our sweet little girl into this world. 

We used Shelia as our Doula for the birth of our first born, and she was our first call when we found out we were pregnant a second time. Our first delivery was an unmedicated induction which turned into an extremely challenging situation, and Shelia was the calming, loving strength we needed as we navigated some very difficult moments. Our second delivery was a completely different experience, and Shelia was just as significant for us as we had to decide how to set ourselves up for success and square our intentions and expectations with reality. The reason to hire Shelia is her expertise and her nurturing unjudgemental guidance, but as a bonus, she’s a fabulous photographer and has gifted us amazing pictures of the first moments of both of our children’s lives.  If I could gift Shelia to every expectant parent, I would. She’s exactly who you want guiding you as you prepare, by your side as you deliver, and as a sounding board post-partum. I can’t recommend her highly enough!

We are immensely grateful for the exceptional support and care provided by Shelia throughout the birthing process. Her extensive knowledge, calming presence, and unwavering support made our labor and delivery experience truly remarkable.

From the moment we met with her on our first call, she demonstrated a profound understanding of the birthing journey, offering invaluable insights that helped us make informed decisions. Her ability to provide reassurance and guidance during moments of uncertainty was truly comforting.

Shelia’s calm demeanor and genuine commitment to our well-being created a positive and empowering atmosphere during labor. She played a pivotal role in making our birth one of the best experiences we’ve ever had as a couple.

We wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking a dedicated and knowledgeable professional to accompany them on their birthing journey. If we decide to expand our family in the future, there’s no doubt that we would choose her again without hesitation.

Thank you for making our birthing experience so memorable and special Shelia. We can’t wait to work with you again 🙂

I can’t say enough great things about Shelia.  I was initially a bit hesitant around getting a doula since I had already decided that I wanted an epidural like perhaps I wasn’t going to benefit from the full range of Shelia’s skills.  However, Shelia reminded me that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to have a baby, and she was there to make my experience the best possible.  Throughout the course of my delivery doctors and nurses came and went, but Shelia was a constant.  She provided helpful guidance, a calming presence, and advocated to make my experience positive and comfortable.  I honestly can’t imagine going through the delivery without her.  I’d strongly recommend Shelia for anyone considering a doula — epidural or not.  She is worth every penny!

I had known even before I got pregnant that I wanted to have a doula at my birth after hearing wonderful things about them from various friends and acquaintances. When we met Shelia I loved the calm presence that she embodied and was extatic to hear she had availabilty for our due date! 

Shelia was available for all the questions that we had before the birth. I had hoped to have an unmedicated, vaginal birth and managed to labour for the entire time and push for 3 hours without even thinking of asking for an epidural thanks to Shelia’s great suggestions for different positions throughout the process. I ended up having a c-section as my daughters head was stuck at a really awkward angle which was preventing her from progressing. I don’t count this as a negative at all – it was amazing having Shelia’s presence by my side in the theatre. Between her and my husband I had a hand to hold pretty much the entire time. After my daughter had been delivered, Shelia stayed with us in the recovery room, helping me with the first feed and making sure my husband and I had eaten. We also had a follow up post-partum visit which allowed us to chat through the birth and get some tips.  

I had a few things I wanted to try and maintain throughout the birth – one was to try and give birth vaginally and unmedicated, a second was to enjoy and embrace the birthing experience and a third was to have a positive birth experience. Even though things didn’t go to plan for me, I had an incredibly positive birth experience and embraced the entire process. I am so thankful that Shelia was by my side, offering moral support and practical advice not just to me, but also to my husband. An added bonus are the photos she took during my labour and in the precious moments afterwards as we were introducing ourselves to our new daughter. 

We worked with Shelia for the birth of our first child, and immediately hired her again when we found out we were pregnant with our second. Once again, her presence and support throughout our entire pregnancy was invaluable.

I had a really challenging pregnancy, and Shelia was supportive and a great resource throughout. But she was especially my hero when my long, non-progressing labor suddenly escalated so quickly that I couldn’t get an epidural as planned.

I went from 6/7 cm to holding my baby in my arms in about an hour. Needless to say it was the most intense hour of my (and my husband’s) life. There were times when I thought there was no way I can get through this. And I was in those times that Shelia was right next to me, coaching me, encouraging me, and helping me through the entire thing.

At one point I was told not to push, which was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. The only way I could do it was bc I had Shelia coaching me through it on how to breathe.

It was a very intense labor, and I don’t think I could’ve done it without her. And this was all on top of a very long, non-progressing labor, in the middle of a huge snowstorm. Shelia was with us at home the entire time. She knew exactly when to give us space, and when to intervene. And we are grateful she made it to our house despite many roads being closed during the biggest snowstorm in Seattle since 1969.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Shelia. If we ever have a third, you’ll be the first person we’ll call.

Shelia was absolutely key to me getting through 16 hours of back labor and ultimately having the unmedicated vaginal birth I wanted. She kept me active, applied magical counter pressure, helped me communicate with triage nurses, and helped me understand what was going on in the room around me. My pushing phase is a blur in my memory, but I clearly remember her repeating the mantra “your body is safe” over and over – she became my tether and my lifeline during that time. I wasn’t planning on having photos of my birth, but Shelia took some for us, and I am so glad she did. Seeing my husband’s joy and my son’s first moments of life melts my heart. I know I would never have had the amazing birth experience that I had without her. Thank you!