Annette's treatment of me felt instinctive and empathic. She anticipated my needs before the birth, through the labor and exceedingly surpassed any and all of my expectations. I felt card for. It was like having the complete support of a close family relative or a sister. Although my labor extended to nearly twenty-four hours, I cannot recall her not being by my side at home, the birth center or when I was transferred to a hospital. Her stamina was awesome, strong, and consistent. The degree to which she was emotionally and physically present went beyond what I could imagine was humanly possible. Even when I was surrounded by nurses and one would think she would fade in the background during the last minutes, she was there holding my hand when I needed it most."
- Dahlia Jarrett
Having been through the birth of my first child with Annette by my side, I have enormous praise for the way she helped me navigate my labor and birth with a caring and confident nature. She was knowledgeable, respectful and proactive, anticipating my needs at every step. I was in the hands of someone who knew what she was doing, which was especially valuable during the hardest moments of my delivery. I felt confident in knowing that Annette was my advocate and that she would make sure I had the birth that I wanted. I couldn't more highly recommend Annette as a doula.
- Anaya & Sal
Where do I begin? Your tremendous experience and obvious knowledge help put me at ease from the start. I knew upon first meeting that you were "it" And then came the real test. You showed up for me in all the ways I needed-providing calm reassurance and great advice. I am beyond thrilled with being a new mom and having you be a part of the experience made it perfect. Than you for all you provided-we are forever grateful to you.
-Kelleigh, Dave and Ruby
In retrospect we both felt luck and grateful to have been put in contact with Annette. Having an experienced doula I felt less pressure regarding being a good support for Elizabeth. As soon as you walked through our door, we knew you were the doula for us. The bright and caring look in your eyes put us at ease. During the labor you were a powerful physical and emotional support. Your coping techniques helped Elizabeth deal with contractions and enabled me to find my own support role. Your subtle inner strength made dealing with every different thing that came up seem accomplishable. You were a calm and reassuring presence throughout that wonderful, scary, incredible day. I don't know what it would have been without you there and I am glad that I didn't have to find out.
-Garrett, Elizabeth & Jonah
We feel very fortunate to have had Annette with us before, during, and after the birth of our son. Not only was she incredible during the labor itself but she was also instrumental in helping us to feel more prepared for the birth during the pre-partum visits by answering all our countless questions and assuaging our fears as first time parents. Annette also helped us with lactation consulting afterwards, answering many questions, and helped to put us on a great path to breast feeding.
Annette impressed us with her extensive technical knowledge of all things birth and baby-related (not to mention having assisted for 1000+ births!). She is a true professional in this field.
During labor, Annette helped us tonavigate a number of tricky situations, which would have surely left us flummoxed. Instead, we felt well prepared to have informed conversations with our doctors and nurses. She helped ensure that we adhered to our birth plan as much as was possible and also made us feel comfortable when we had to deviate. Annette was there with the beginning of each contraction, helping me manage the pain with her great back massage and teaching my husband how to assist – it felt like a natural/manual epidural and truly helped me manage the pain. In one instance, I had a particularly painful exam, which left me emotional and in quite a bit of pain. Annette whipped out an incredibly scented massage oil and performed a leg massage, which helped me relax in the most gentle and incredible way. I may never forget this particular level of care that she provided in that critical time.
We felt like we were in great care with Annette. We would definitely have Annette assist us with a future birth and wholeheartedly recommend Annette as a doula.
- Marina, John, and baby Theo
We knew from our first meeting with you that you would be calm and supportive and a good listener and resourceful, but we never imagined how very vital those skills and qualities would be. Your steadiness during Talia's birth kept the experience calm and beautiful rather than chaotic and frightening. Neither of us felt a moment of panic because we trusted you so much and you never showed anything but confidence and competence. It was a wild ride-literally- and we could not have done it without you.
- Danielle, Alex, Phoebe and Talia
What a wonderful soul. I can not recommend Annette enough if you are considering her services. She's intelligent, warm, highly experienced and very accessible. From my first meeting with Annette, I knew she was the one.
From the onset, I knew I would consider Annette a friend well after our professional relationship ended. I knew I could contact Annette with any question..she made me feel at ease to ask anything and get her helpful advice. Her demeanor instantly put me at ease and I quickly surmised how many births she had attended and I was in good hands.Our daughter's actual birth spanned a few days as I was traveling out of town and not entirely sure when my water broke. But Annette was with me the entire way. She coached me on my patient rights, critical decisions, and the most important delivery. She was the reassuring voice on the other line and the strong, confident coach in person.
I can't fathom a better experience, but because my actual labor progressed so quickly, I only wished I would have had more time with Annette. As it was we spent an amazing and wonderful 2 hours together that I will cherish forever.
I offer my time to any prospective client and invite you to contact me if you'd like to hear more or ask more specific questions. Congratulations to you and your family.
- Kelleigh Dulany