“Not only did Jenn help us adjust, but she also helped us with so much information about the processes and the uniqueness that comes with each birth.”
I had a positive, empowering, and memorable birth experience with Doula Jenn. She was an integral part of our birth process. I look back on our birth experience fondly – especially some little moments of joking or irony. Jenn was our Doula for our first daughter, who was born in 2020 during the pandemic. It wasn’t until almost 34 weeks in pregnancy that I decided to change doctors and hospitals. I was so grateful to be accepted to UCSD Jacob’s Center with the Midwives where an in-person Doula was permitted. My husband and I met with Jenn over Zoom and determined that she was the Doula for us at 35 weeks! We had planned to review my birth plan and things to do in the last month of pregnancy. Much to our surprise, I was diagnosed with pregnancy cholestasis and we were going to be a family of three much sooner than we expected. We met with Jenn on a Friday and went in to be induced on the following Monday. Not only did Jenn help us adjust, but she also helped us with so much information about the processes and the uniqueness that comes with each birth. She was supportive of me and my decisions, but also of helping my husband navigate the emotional roller coaster and staying supportive. After being at the hospital for 3 nights, we finally started to see some contractions. But it wasn’t enough. My water had to be broken, so Jenn talked us through it, but she made it clear at each step that everything was my decision. After that, my back labor accelerated quickly. Jenn was prepared with peppermint oil and a positive, coaching and reassuring attitude to help me work through the challenge. In the end, I succeeded with a natural and un-medicated birth, despite our roller coaster! Best of all, we brought our daughter into the world and she joined our family! Jenn was an important part of our birth experience and we hope that we get to share any future births with her as well!
– Marisa Samoshin
I continue to be so grateful for your excellent support that made Cooper’s birth such a positive and healthy experience for me. From the moment I heard your voice coming into the delivery room, you helped me. Your constant presence and skill encouraged me on, and helped me feel calm, focused, and strong. What an incredible difference having the right support makes, and I’m so very thankful.
– Sarah Dall
“She had amazing suggestions for laboring positions to ease pain and exhaustion and was an incredible advocate for the birth experience my husband and I wanted when it came to communicating with our medical team.”
We would recommend Jenn in a heartbeat. She was with us when we delivered our stillborn baby girl in February 2019 – she helped us through an incredibly dark time not only during the labor and delivery stage, but also afterwards as we were grieving, looking for answers and thinking about another pregnancy. Jenn was one of the first people we told when we were pregnant again and she recently helped us bring our healthy baby boy into the world in January 2020. She had amazing suggestions for laboring positions to ease pain and exhaustion and was an incredible advocate for the birth experience my husband and I wanted when it came to communicating with our medical team. Jenn’s kind, expert and low-key presence helped to make my 30+ hour labor a (mostly) peaceful and comfortable time. Jenn also helped us to manage our visitors, communicating news to family members in the waiting room and allowing my husband and I precious time alone with our baby. She helped us with breastfeeding quickly after delivery which helped us get off to the right start on that front and had helpful tips when she visited us at home a few days after we were discharged. If you are looking for a doula – stop now and call Jenn!
– Kimberly
I used Jenn’s services during my first pregnancy, and it was the best decision I ever made! She was so encouraging, nurturing, and calming during my labor. She also coached me through birthing positions to successfully turn my baby for an easier delivery. Could not have asked for a better experience with Jenn.
– Jessica Cary
“Nowhere in the entire process did we ever feel like she was making decisions for us, but calmly encouraged and guided. She was also responsive and supportive well before and after baby’s actual birth day. ”
I can’t say enough about my positive experience with Jenn. Beyond all of the normal support and encouragement that I have absolutely no doubt she gives every mom and dad-to-be, she literally saved me from having unnecessary medication when an incompetent (or evil) L&D nurse told me I was only 5-6cm dilated when I was actually 9 1/2 cm and my unmedicated body was telling me to push! I wasn’t going to be able to endure the pain, and the struggle of trying not to push when my body wanted to without medication if I was only half way dilated – I was ready to give in and get the epidural. She quietly and professionally encouraged my husband to ask for a second opinion and thank goodness she did! A short time later and with only a few pushes our little boy was born – with no medication.
On a side note, my husband and I don’t do much without a ton of research and so you can imagine it was the same with a doula. Jenn’s was the very first name to cross our path and if we had listened to all the reviews and advice we would have stopped there. But if we had done that, we wouldn’t have fully appreciated how great of a fit for us she was. Other doulas we spoke to had many of their own opinions and pushed us in directions we weren’t interested in. Some of them put doubts, and even fear into us because of the decisions we had already researched and made. Jenn couldn’t have been farther from this. She really let us take the lead and tell her what we hoped our birth experience would be like. She was nothing but encouraging with every decision we made and fair and balanced when we asked her perspective or advice. Nowhere in the entire process did we ever feel like she was making decisions for us, but calmly encouraged and guided. She was also responsive and supportive well before and after baby’s actual birth day. Couldn’t be more grateful that we went with a doula and especially, that we found Jenn!
– Talia Green
These two were the absolute best people I could have had by my side as I gave birth to Teddy. My husband Brian and my doula @doulajennva. I’m very thankful that my labor and delivery went mostly according to plan and that it was a very positive experience for me. I owe that largely to Jenn. She not only provided excellent guidance throughout my pregnancy to help prepare my body for what was ahead, she was so calm and knowledgeable in positioning and supporting me throughout the worst parts of my labor. When I was completely exhausted after 19 hours and not sure I could go on, Jenn was able to reassure me that I’d find the energy to finish this when I needed to. And she was absolutely right. I cannot thank her enough. If you’re pregnant and ever on the fence about hiring a doula – do it.
– Christie R
“At my 6-week postpartum check-up, my doctor mentioned how impressed she was with Jenn, and had received her info to recommend her to other patients. The fact that my doctor remembered Jenn after many weeks, is a true testament that she made a positive impression.”
My husband & I decided we wanted an unconventional birth (by hospital standards), to include an unmedicated birth and the Hypnobabies and Spinning Babies programs. We began our search online looking for a doula with great reviews and the experience we wanted. Jenn was one of the doula’s we reached out to and had an in-person interview with. We immediately liked her personality: she was knowledgeable, informative, friendly, calm, and had the qualifications we were looking for. We decided to interview a few others, but ultimately I asked myself ‘whose skill set and personality would I find most comforting during the most important time of my life?” Jenn became the clear choice. Aside from answering our questions over the course of my pregnancy, she made a house call to check up on me and offer assistance on exercises to help keep me in shape, and gave us advice on how to best construct our birth plan that was to be given to the hospital. When I finally went into labor, Jenn came to the hospital and began her process of easing my pain until my body was ready to push. During my 3 1/2 hours of pushing, Jenn had me try several positions to find the most effective one, and was there teaching the doctor and staff new birthing positions. When there was concern about the length of time it was taking, Jenn advocated for more time & new positions that ultimately lead to me having the vaginal birth I wanted. Jenn was there to take on the burden of advocating my birthing choices for both myself and my baby, so I could focus on maintaining a stress free environment. Without her, I would not have had the experience I wanted. My baby and I were the healthiest we could be because of her. At my 6-week postpartum check-up, my doctor mentioned how impressed she was with Jenn, and had received her info to recommend her to other patients. The fact that my doctor remembered Jenn after many weeks, is a true testament that she made a positive impression.
– Britton Gruenther
“She (Jenn) comforted me and calmed me down, sprinkled some peppermint essential oil in the toilet basin so I could move along with my original intent…”
“Jennifer was ammazzzzing! ”
My husband and I are so grateful. We found her at a “Meet the Doulas” event and for some reason, I just knew she was the doula I wanted. She has positive energy and good vibes radiating from her. She has a great history of experience plus she has children of her own. She knew the ins and outs of the hospital and having her there really took a load off of my husband. In addition, I felt my experience at the hospital was so much better with her there as the staff was much more relaxed. She was an awesome support through my entire labor and delivery and I would highly recommend her. Thanks again, Jennifer!!!
– Kia Kay Lester
“She felt like a steady extension of the family in the chaos of the delivery room.”
Jennifer is a knowledgeable and passionate person, with a medical background, so it’s reassuring that she knows more than just what experience has taught her. She also has a calming personality, which made the height of labor very manageable. My delivery was in a hospital she frequents with clients, so in addition to knowing and having worked with the L&D nurses, she was aware of the flow of events and what exactly was needed and where to get different things. She felt like a steady extension of the family in the chaos of the delivery room.
– Amy Schroeder
