birth and postpartum care
“Out of all the decisions we made whilst preparing for a first time birth, choosing Rachel was the most enlightened. As a couple who recently moved to the US with no family nearby, Rachel was the perfect support for us throughout the journey. Offering open communication in a non judgmental manner, she helped me feel at ease and actually excited about the whole experience. As our due date approached, we met for two prenatal sessions and she helped us develop our birth preferences along with insightful advice for both me and my husband – we felt very ready and prepared.
My baby was 11 days overdue and during that time Rachel helped me to stay calm in the midst of all the endless messages asking when is baby coming – I truly needed that. Due to Covid precautions in the hospital, she was not able to join us immediately, but as soon as she did her presence made us feel so calm and relaxed. I loved the way she took control of the hospital room and did everything she could to create the environment I envisioned in my birth plan.
I genuinely believe I couldn’t have delivered my baby boy the way I did without her support. I was so peaceful and whenever I went through a surge, Rachel would massage my back, hips or feet and even guided my husband in ways he could also offer me relief. She was encouraging, super hands on and respectful of my space when needed, yet stern and direct – all at the right times.
To top off the whole experience, I will always remember having the chance to debrief with Rachel in the weeks after my birth. She came over and cooked me a nourishing pot of chicken broth soup and we sat together with my baby boy in my arms and talked through my labor and delivery. I feel fortunate to be able to describe my birth as ‘beautiful’ and thank Rachel for helping me to believe in the power of my own body.”
- Kaley George, Royal Oak, MI
birth and postpartum care
“Rachel was a guiding light for us before, during, and after our birthing experience. She kept my husband and I calm and informed in the hospital setting. She kept me strong during the nine hours of labor I endured without pain relief. I was hell-bent on a completely natural birth, but when medical intervention was necessary she helped me release my attachment and expectations. She explained, in detail, each medical intervention, including why they were necessary, to help us make our best educated decision. Ultimately I required an emergency cesarean section, and again she was a wealth of knowledge, this time to aid in recovery measures. Through breast feeding struggles she supported us with numerous resources to navigate our journey. She validated all my feelings, and helped me process our experience spiritually and emotionally. Birth was hard, and so is the postpartum transition. Rachel was there to remind me how strong I really am. I highly recommend her service. She is educated and full of grace when it comes to the rough stuff. Her confidence, knowledge, and plethora of resources are worth the investment. Working with her was such a blessing!”
- Stephanie, Steven, and Wendell Ricci, Warren, MI
birth and postpartum Care
“While Rachel was working with us, she became family. Her holistic and extensive knowledge of all facets of womanhood, pregnancy, and birth allowed her to support our family in all stages of our birth experience.
The way in which Rachel knows how to navigate the medical system as a birth worker is important and empowering. The education we received as her clients coupled with her energy and presence enabled me to feel safe, supported, and confident that I would be able to have a birth and postpartum experience that was just right for me.
Because we don’t have family near SE Michigan, Rachel went out of her way to care for us before,
during, and after the arrival of Lily Lou. Pelvic Steaming was an incredible gift that greatly enriched my healing process, and her postpartum care is unparalleled. Hiring Rachel was the best gift we gave our family; really a necessity as we can’t imagine having gone through this process without her.”
-Hannah, Jordan, & Lily Lou Andersen, Ferndale, MI
birth and postpartum care
“My husband and I were so happy to have Rachel with us for the birth of our son. She gave me the support and confidence I needed during labor and helped me fulfill my goal of having a natural childbirth. She was excellent at suggesting positions to move my birth along and worked hard to make me as comfortable as possible. Rachel is very knowledgeable of the entire birthing process including the power we have as a patient to control our treatment. I would highly suggest her as a doula and feel so lucky that we found her. Rachel was also my yoga instructor while I was pregnant, which was also a great experience that helped me feel strong, relaxed and prepared. She has a true passion for her work and was a wonderful addition to our birth team. I can not thank her enough for helping us bring our baby into the world in a such a beautiful way.”
- Christina Ross, Ferndale, MI
Birth and Postpartum Care
"After years of fertility treatments it finally happened! I was finally pregnant! I was so excited, afraid, overjoyed and optimistic all at once. The one thing I did know was I wanted the support and guidance of a doula both throughout and after my pregnancy.
Rachel is a true spiritual guardian of birth and was an absolute joy to work with. Having my first child at 46 was very scary. Her guidance leading up to my delivery was very calming. When my doctor scheduled me for an induction, which I did not want because there was no medical cause, Rachel helped me become a better advocate for what I wanted in my birth experience. She is well informed and complimented my family dynamic very well.
During my labor and delivery, Rachel was very flexible and was very responsive to my calls and texts. Having her in the delivery room working together with my obstetrician really enhanced my birthing experience.
After my beautiful baby girl arrived, Rachel cooked the best bone broth I've ever had - twice! She also prepared delicious, healing meals. It was very helpful having fresh meals prepared while I was still recovering from my birth and focusing on baby. Rachel also brought over a steam box and prepared cleansing herbs for my vaginal steams which was extremely healing for the tearing I experienced during my vaginal birth.
I truly believe the Universe brought her to me and I am very thankful I had her throughout my journey. I highly recommend Rachel and will definitely work with her again with my next pregnancy.”
- Kilolo Krantz, Troy, MI
Birth and Postpartum Care
“In a world that cares about the newborn, Rachel cares about the mother.
After attending a handful of Rachel’s prenatal yoga classes (which are just wonderful for both the body and mind) I brought the idea of a doula up to my husband. He agreed that we needed to do something different for my second pregnancy because he knew how tough the first birth was on me and he didn’t want me to have to go through that again. We also realized that we were going to need more help with a toddler and given that our families do not live very close.We met with Rachel to go over her doula philosophy and what services she offered and as soon as she walked out of the door we both agreed we wanted to have her on the birth team.
The amount of support she offered throughout my pregnancy was wonderful because it was not as easy as the first one. She put me in touch with people who were able to help me ease some of my pain both through massage and chiropractic therapy. The amount of information she provided us was unbelievable and it was nothing that we had learned in the birthing class or through our own research. We felt so empowered with that information as I went through my pregnancy and prepared for the birth. She also was there for me when I kept going into false labor two weeks before my due date and helped me to relax as I went past my due date by over a week.
When I finally did go into labor she helped me get through the first two phases on the phone by keeping in touch to make sure I was okay and she helped me determine when was the right time to go to the hospital. The information she provided to me in the prenatal meetings was invaluable as it helped my husband and me to know what I might or might not need during each stage of labor and how to best manage. Once at the hospital Rachel was a great advocate by aiding in getting what I might need ready (birthing props, lights, the tub, etc.). Since I was in the natural birthing wing there was a big tub for me to labor in and she suggested that I get in with my husband behind me to help me to relax and get through the final phase of labor. With her suggestion I was pushing within 30 minutes and gave birth shortly there after. My second daughter was born with the amniotic sac still intact until her came out (so cool!). The encouragement Rachel, my midwife, the labor nurse, and of course my husband gave me during the birthing process was just incredible and I felt so empowered. Rachel’s knowledge and ability to say the right thing at the right made all of the difference when my second daughter was born.
Rachel cooked us the most wonderful dishes that I still make regularly almost 6 months later. Rachel also introduced me to the wonders of steaming to help in the postpartum recovery. Even though I didn’t have the time to do it as often as I would have liked I know that the times I did do it helped my recovery. When Rachel was over she also helped me to be able to relax and have someone to talk to about what was going on with my body. On the relaxation side she made me the most wonderful healing baths. I desperately needed them not only for a few moments to myself but the baths helped my cracked nipples since my daughter wasn’t latching properly (she was tongue tied and had to have that fixed).I truly could not imagine what my second pregnancy and birth story would have looked like without Rachel. I am so glad that she was part of our team as we welcomed our second daughter into the world. I have gushed about how wonderful Rachel was to everyone who has asked about my birth story both as a doula and my yoga instructor.”
- Meghan Kennedy, Berkely, MI
birth and postpartum care
“When I found out I was pregnant, I knew early on that I wanted to strive for a natural birth. I started researching and practicing prenatal yoga, which is where I met Rachel. Because the thought of giving birth in general - not to mention without any drugs - seemed insane, I was interested in having a doula, and Rachel seemed like the perfect fit. Right from the beginning, she did not disappoint. She shared her knowledge of everything from birth plans to stages of labor to the emotional components accompanying the process. I continued practicing yoga with her weekly which got me through the aches, pains, and anxieties of pregnancy - she's excellent at providing a yoga experience that is both a good physical work out and stretch, and meditative way to connect and bond with your baby. When finally the big day arrived, Rachel met us at the hospital and didn't stop for a beat. I was completely non-verbal, in the most intense pain of my life, and struggling to breathe through contractions while throwing up everywhere. Rachel was totally devoted to helping me meet my baby in the way I had hoped for, and to helping my husband help me get there. Rachel physically climbed into the hospital bed with me and provided counter-pressure on my low back; she put hot and cold compresses where they need to be; she counted my breaths during pushing and offered all the words of encouragement especially when I felt like giving up. She straight-up showered me. The whole experience was 1,000 times more intense in every way than I ever could have imagined, but it would not have been the same without her support. After 8 hours of laboring and 3 hours of pushing, I finally got to meet my sweet, stubborn, screaming baby boy, earth-side; the best, most rewarding moment of my life. With Rachel and my husband by my side, I was able to have the natural, vaginal birth I wanted, and avoid the impending cesarian section that at one point was going to be my fate. Rachel's work didn't stop there. Since baby's arrival, she has come to our house to cook delicious food, walk our dog, draw me a bath, set up vaginal steams, and lead me in relaxing yoga sessions. The postpartum care is crucial in recovering from the trauma that is the birth experience, and I was unable to put forth effort toward self-care without her help. Everything she has done as our doula and friend is appreciated beyond words.
Emerson James is now a thriving 3-month old and is a dream come true! We love him with our whole hearts, and we are so glad he's come.”
-Angela Pitts, Ferndale, MI
birth and postpartum care
“Working with Rachel was the best decision we could have made for my pregnancy and the birth of my son Maxwell. She had the knowledge and compassion to guide us through several difficult decisions and anxieties during both pregnancy and birth. She was amazing. When I found out my son was breech, I had the thought that maybe I shouldn’t have a doula since I was likely heading for a C-Section. I couldn’t have been anymore wrong. Rachel guided us both emotionally and academically through many different ways to get baby to flip and finally a version! Her presence in the room during the version and the birth gave my husband and I so much confidence in our plan and care and allowed us to relax and focus on the bringing our son into the world!”
- Deanna Higgins, Berkley, MI
Birth and Postpartum Care
“Our experience with our first child’s birth resulted in quite a bit of anxiety and fear for us, and when we finally became pregnant again I knew I wanted to do anything I could to have a different birth experience. After speaking with fellow moms I decided I wanted to explore the option of hiring a doula. My husband was hesitant at first since we already had one baby and knew relatively what to expect. That being said, to say he was impressed would be an understatement; he even bragged to his mother about how Rachel was worth every penny and he wished we had her with us for our first child’s birth!
Our initial meeting with Rachel took place in our home (pre-covid19) and I felt immediately connected with her. Her warm and relaxed presence mixed with her clear knowledge on all things pregnancy and delivery makes you feel at ease and empowered to make the decisions that are right for you and your family. In our talks before labor she always responded to me promptly and with up to date and easy to digest resources. At one point in my pregnancy I even got in touch with her around 4am faster than I could get in touch with my OB’s office where she was able to give me suggestions for ways to manage severe round ligament pain when I felt like nothing else was working. She was thorough in helping us prepare for labor and got us thinking about a few topics that had slipped our minds. She helped us make decisions without ever pushing us in any direction and maintained her relaxed and professional demeanor no matter how intense I became during and before labor and delivery.
On the day of delivery she helped me with all of the physical, emotional, and mental sides of birthing a child and I couldn’t have asked for a better support person for such a vulnerable time in my life. At one point while pushing what turned out to be an almost 10 pound baby, my OB had asked her if she was familiar with a specific technique to help me and Rachel didn’t miss a beat- during a particularly intense moment where my son ended up stuck from shoulder dystocia, Rachel was able to provide an extra hand in the safe delivery of my child. For that I can’t thank her enough. Apparently she also impressed my OB who ended up asking for her card after delivery to be able to refer her as needed to her other patients!
After we were finally home and meeting with her postpartum, she was again an immense emotional support for me and I greatly appreciate her kind and gentle nature. The fact that she makes an excellent bone broth soup and postpartum bath soak is just icing on the cake! If we have any more children we’ll be calling her up again. I would quickly recommend her to any of my friends- I can’t speak about her highly enough!”
- Sarah J., Birghton, MI
Postpartum care
“I didn’t have a postpartum doula with my first pregnancy, but after having Rachel’s support as a postpartum doula with my second child I can’t imagine ever going back to not having that support! The recovery between my first and second pregnancy were night and day and Rachel played an enormous role in that. Rachel had a warmth and truly helped take care of me, even when I was to busy to care for myself! Rachel made sure I was eating, resting, and offered wonderful emotional support as well. Even just playing with my toddler so I could shower was amazing! She had excellent suggestions, referrals and I never had to say what I needed support on, she just seemed to know! She also had me do a yoni steaming treatment the first several weeks which I am certain helped speed up the recovery time; the amount of swelling reduced, discharge and clotting all were reduced greatly. Rachel is truly a big part of me having an enjoyable postpartum experience and I can’t recommend her enough!”
- Jessica Swanson, Plymouth, MI
Birth and postpartum care
“After having my first baby, I thought I knew all that I needed to have my second. But as every pregnancy is different, I started having all sorts of questions and worries, and was interested in exploring a natural birth this time! I wasn’t super familiar with doulas before I met Rachel, but she was so easy to talk to and immediately gave me so much information I never knew. She ultimately gave me the confidence in going the natural route! Though I have a great husband and support system, having Rachel there in the final hours was so so so key for me. Rachel was there for most of my labor and was able to keep me calm and help me work through contractions at home. Although the baby ultimately came really quickly once we got to the hospital, having Rachel there made it so much easier and less scary for me to stick with my plan to have a natural birth. After the baby came, Rachel was a great resource for all things postpartum: vaginal steaming (so great!!), nutritious meal prep help, emotional support, breastfeeding support, and generally just having a friendly visitor. If you’re on the fence about whether you want a doula, I wouldn’t hesitate to meet with Rachel.”
- Ginny Graves Ong, Bloomfield Hills, MI
