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Testimonials

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“I don’t know what we would have done without Steph! When we first met I told her I was new to the area and unsure about what the best options were for an unmedicated birth. She told me about the birth center and I was able to transfer prenatal care over there.

Then, once I went into labor, the contractions were intense from the beginning. When Steph got to our house, she jumped in right away by rubbing my back and encouraging me. She knew exactly what to do without me needing to tell her. We were not prepared for the baby to come this early, so having Steph there to support me during the labor allowed my husband to pack our bags and get our older child off to school.

About 3 hours into active labor, my water broke and the baby came within about 5 minutes as we were trying to get to the car! To have an accidental home birth could otherwise be a terrifying experience, but Steph was on the phone getting guidance from the midwife and was there to help catch the baby and reassure us everything was OK. Steph’s calm demeanor helped create a very positive birth experience for my husband and me. We made it to the birth center and Steph stayed to help us get settled in. She went above and beyond at every stage and we feel very fortunate to have found her.
-Abigail and Ben”

Student-Testimony

“From the moment I first expressed interest in having Steph as a doula, she was accessible, open, knowledgeable and friendly. She was imperative to the overall health of my pregnancy, supporting me in many issues, especially anxiety. She was a reliable source of information when I had questions, and reassurance when I had concerns or worries.

I cannot praise Steph highly enough. She clearly loves and is exemplary in her job. Always cheerful, even after driving hours to meet with us (did I mention how flexible she is, too?). She was very well-prepared for everything; when my labor began she was already nearby and arrived quickly. She made me, my husband, my mom and my son feel so comfortable and at ease, and she was so calm during labor that it was very nearly a pleasant experience!

She ensured that I moved and changed positions often, as according to my plans. She kept me mobile at home and finally at the hospital, where I was already 8 cm dilated. She didn’t waver, even though it was late at night. She kept cheering me on, kept encouraging me when I said I couldn’t do it. She helped my mom and husband help me, and had a genius suggestion that I squat with a squat bar after my water broke. My baby was born very soon after that, and I couldn’t have been happier, as time spent pushing was drastically reduced.

Overall I would have Steph as a doula again in a heartbeat. She is truly a beautiful soul and a potential blessing to all blossoming families.” Amy Rupp (2015)

“My wife deeply appreciate the caring and personal service that Steph provided for our growing family. I have been through childbirth five times with my wife, two of them home births, and I have seen a range of personalities among the doulas, midwives, nurses, and doctors who have hepled us. Steph is simply extraordinary. She took the time to get to know us, she provided the support we desired, but she also knew when to withdraw into the sidelines and let my wife’s labor take its natural course. As a husband who has completed Bradley training for husband-coached childbirth, I wanted to be as hands on as possible, but the fact of the matter is that one person can only do so much. I would recommend to other husbands that money spent on a doula is well spent, since it always helps to have another set of hands to refill a water bottle or massage a laboring mother’s back or handle any of the thousand other little things that come up along the way. Steph did all of these things and more, always with a sense of calm and gentle encouragement.” Ryan MacPherson (2015)

“Stephanie has been nothing but a joy to work with! My husband and I were very undecided on whether we wanted a doula when we first got pregnant, but I can say with great confidence it was one of the best decisions we made for our birth. Steph was constantly going above and beyond in the care that she provided. I was so blessed with how dedicated she was to our family and our birth wishes. I would highly recommend Stephanie as a doula! Her passion for pregnancy/labor/delivery is evident and radiates from her. She made us feel so supported- she reiterated that she was always a phone call away and made herself so available to us. She would do research on anything that she wasn’t 100% sure of the answer to and I value this trait so much!! She was more than willing to search and dig for an answer to any question we had. She was an incredible doula and I’m thankful for our birthing experience! I couldn’t imagine having gone with a different person.” Steffany Thomas (2015)
“Having my placenta encapsulated was one of the best decisions I made for my pregnancy and birth! I really felt like it helped me with postpartum depression and milk production the most. Stephanie made the whole process really easy and convenient and I couldn’t have been happier in my experience with her. Everything from speedy service so I got my pills quickly after birth to handling finances was a great and effortless experience. I will definitely be using her services again for my next birth!” Savanna Thomas (2015)

Desmond-Anderson-1024x768“We are so happy! Everything went very well with the birth, and we really appreciated having the knowledge from our classes to help us through. Thanks for everything!” DeAnna & Sam (2014)

Dave-and-Baby-579x1024“We can’t thank you enough for all your guidance to get us ready for the big day. Dave was a great coach, the hospital staff worked really well with us (both of our labor nurses had natural births themselves). Eleven hours of labor followed by an hour and 10 minutes of pushing. Everyone was impressed with how we did.” Pam and Dave (2014)

“Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and passion for natural child birth. Adam and I enjoyed your classes and feel as though we have come out of it prepared, confident, and with new friends.” -Brittany and Adam (2012)

To fulfill the childbirth education requirement to become a certified doula through DONA I chose to take the Bradley Method of Childbirth Classes. I was impressed with the level of confidence and knowledge the classes instilled within the expecting mom and dad. I have been a doula to many couples that have taken the Bradley Method and I always say those couples make my job as a doula much easier. The parents are so well informed that we don’t have to spend much time on education. Because of this we are able to get to know each other better and focus our time on other areas to get ready for their birth. I highly recommend the Bradley Method of Childbirth to all expectant parents!
Jennie Schindle, CD(DONA)
Vice President of The Deep Valley Birth Collective