Doula Service Testimonials
Haley
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"We feel so fortunate to have Marina guide us through the birth of our first child. She calmly and confidently carried us through 20+ hours of labor. After being in touch overnight with text messages and phone calls, Marina arrived at our house in the afternoon. Things were intense so she calmly took charge and told us what to do. Her greatest value was her calm and confident presence and her subtle suggestion to not go to the hospital until we were really far along. She would be quietly rubbing my back or calves, pulling up pillows for me to rest by the toilet, and repeating soft affirmation. Just very calming and peaceful, so even if my pain felt intense or my vocalizations loud, it was in the setting of peacefulness. I think birth can be filled with stress and fear so setting a calm tone is really valuable. Also she calmly insisted on changing positions, trying something new, or do something for “just 20 minutes” and then either going back to whatever I had stuck with in the first place or calling the midwife. In doing so, she helped us progress through labor steadily and helped us labor at home for almost the whole time, which was much healthier and more comfy than the hospital. I’d definitely recommend at-home labor to anyone – especially if trying to avoid medical interventions – because it doesn’t feel scary and there’s more room to move. I delivered a healthy baby without pain medications or other interventions, and we give Marina a huge amount of credit for helping us have a healthy, joyful, and empowering birth experience."
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Shannon
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"I had a great experience with Marina as my doula for the birth of my first child. The prenatal meetings we had at our home were incredibly helpful and my husband and I were able to talk through any concerns or questions that we had, which made me feel more confident about my choices and goals going into the birth. During the birth Marina was an incredibly calming presence and provided support and reassurance throughout the whole process. Marina was able to help us obtain the positive birth experience that we had aimed for and we will not hesitate to call her again when we have our second child."
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Colleen
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"Marina was informative and supportive as we prepared for the birth of our boy, but what she did for us during the birth is why I love her. We went to the hospital early because of being nervous first time parents. I also had to be there once my water broke for medical reasons. That meant Marina was with us from the very beginning of almost 30 hours of labor. I had planned on an unmedicated birth and for 20 hours we did everything we could to make that happen. I can't say enough about the positive calm support Marina gave us. When I was experiencing a surge she was right there with positive visualizations and just telling me I could do it. After that amount of time you can imagine I needed that soft calm voice telling me I was doing well. We worked together during the labor to move the baby into a better position for birth that wouldn't have been possible without Marina. Besides the comfort and support she helped us navigate the hospital system and was that extra voice we needed to consider our options. Once unmedicated was no longer an option she was right there supporting the more traditional style birth.
I really can't say enough about the emotional support and knowledge you will gain by having Marina with you during your birth. Both my husband and I talk about how helpful it was for us to have Marina there for all those hours. We had a positive birth experience and definitely having Marina there was a big factor." |
Lee
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"Marina!
I cannot thank you enough for being my doula and helping to usher my first child into this world. She is absolutely beautiful and already has her own personality as well. I do not think my birth would have been nearly as smooth had you not been there. Your words of encouragement, calming techniques, pain management techniques, knowledge, and advice really helped to put my mind at ease. It empowered me push through the pain long enough to get comfortable and see it through to the end. You are an amazing woman, a wonderful person, and I can only hope that your business grows more and more. I will definitely want you for my next one, whenever that may be. With great gratitude, Lee " |
Sofia
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"A friend of mine who had recently given birth to her second child recommended Marina to me and my husband. We looked at dozens of doula profiles and interviewed five; Marina was by far our favorite. She instantly made us feel comfortable and at ease, a feeling that carried through the birth experience and beyond. She was extremely patient with us -- terrified first-time parents -- and was a God-send after the birth when I was struggling with breastfeeding. I highly recommend Marina and won't hesitate to call upon her again should we expand our family."
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Annette
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"We hired Marina for the birth of our second daughter. My first birth was quite traumatizing for me, as I was kind of young and had no idea what to expect. So the second time around I wanted more support and control during labor and decided to hire a doula. Marina was the first and only doula we interviewed as both my husband and I liked her right from the start.
during my labor, which went exactly how I hoped it wouldn't, Marina was a calm presence. She seemed to know when I needed calm support and when I needed someone to literally get in my line of sight to remind me to calm down. Her help in addition to what I got from my husband, got me through 4-5 hours of induced contractions without an epidural. If I ever ended up pregnant again, and still lived in Virginia, I would want Marina to be there for my labor and birth. She has this amazing calm, which just seems to radiate off her. I dare say, Marina is exactly what a doula should be: calm, cool, and collected, even when you feel like everything is falling apart." |
Katie
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"I had a wonderful experience with Marina and would definitely hire her again if we have another baby! She helped me with my second birth. The first time I gave birth I didn't have a doula. Marina was very supportive during labor and remained calm and confident the entire time. She was a good role model for my husband and kept him involved. I never would have made it without an epidural if it wasn't for her support. She made the birth experience far less stressful for both my husband and me. She listened to what I wanted my birth experience to be like and stuck to what we discussed to make it happen. She was also very versatile during the labor process and came up with numerous ways to help me feel better.
Before labor she was also a great resource. She provided all kinds of research and links to things we discussed in meetings. I also had a lot of sciatica/back pain. She gave me tips for easing the pain and showed me soothing positions to make it feel better. Marina is caring, calm and dedicated to listening to your needs/desires for labor." |
Robin
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"My husband and I had a wonderful experience with Marina as our Doula for our natural hospital birth using hypnobirthing techniques. We met with Marina twice prior to the birth and once afterwards. During the pre-birth meetings, we discussed our birth plan, different laboring positions and massage techniques, and our thoughts and the entire process. Marina was available by phone, text, and email throughout the two weeks before and after our due date. She responded immediately with cheerful encouragement no matter whether it was Christmas day or late in the evening. Marina came promptly to the hospital when I went into labor and supported my husband and encouraged me through the night. Marina's presence calmed me and helped me to focus throughout the labor. We would strongly recommend Marina as a doula based on our experience. "
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Tiffany
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"Marina is the best! I had a difficult 22 hour labor, with most of it occupied by horrible back labor. She was high energy the whole time and managed to stay positive even when faced with my deep skepticism that I could actually make it through pushing. She was a huge help to my husband, as well, serving as an excellent accompaniment to his efforts. I generally only wanted him to touch me and she was very conscientious of that and gave him some great ideas for how to get me through each contraction.
Marina also worked very well with the hospital staff, including nurses and the midwives. She quickly learned where everything was and with whom she needed to speak for various things. It was very helpful to have someone who knew the lay of the land, even if it was her first birth there. Marina very clearly loves what she does, as evidenced by her energy and enthusiasm, which was on display not only through labor, but during the prenatal appointments as well. She had some great ideas for things to do during early labor and was great about checking in with me as my due date approached, with suggestions and encouraging words. I have no idea how I would have gotten through that labor without her and cannot recommend her enough. She was a crucial element to me having no regrets over how the labor went." |
Alexandra
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"I found Marina through [Doulamatch.net] and I'm so glad I did. I already had a midwife but I wanted additional support, especially for my boyfriend. Marina did a wonderful job at teaching him relaxation techniques and useful massages. My daughter was born three weeks early and Marina came as soon as she received the call that I was in labor. Although my midwife and her assistant were present at my birth, Marina was next to me the whole time coaching my boyfriend on what to do. She is wise beyond her years and you can tell this is her calling. My midwife was really surprised that it was the first homebirth she had attended because she seemed so experienced. If you are hesitant to spend the money on a [a doula], don' t think twice! The rebozo techniques Marina used were so helpful in easing the pain during labor and the constant support was priceless."
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