Kind Words

One of the best decisions I made as I prepared for my baby's birth was finding Katelyn. I had maybe only recently learned what a doula is and what a doula does but Katelyn surpassed those expectations a million times over!

From the beginning, she was communicative, warm, friendly and someone I knew I could trust in my most vulnerable and most human of states: giving birth! She was also responsive to my emails and leading up to the big day, she was available and kept me feeling sane and not anxious.

I loved the GentleBirth app meditations that we get working with Katelyn and I honestly believe those meditations/affirmations, combined with the nutritional guide and ultimately Katelyn's actual physical presence that day is why I had the positive birth experience I had wanted.

She truly is a non-judgmental, down-to-earth, warm presence that you know you'll want by your side on that important day. I felt so supported and safe when I was in labor and those things are so key for a positive birth experience. 

Even more importantly, she really helped my husband feel supported as well but also know how to support me and the three of us (well, four of us, since our baby is also an active participant in birth!) were a phenomenal team. I am so so grateful that she was a part of this huge moment in me and my husband's life and it was a beautiful start to our new life with our beautiful baby boy.

Katelyn is an incredible person to have in your corner on one of the most important days of your life. Because of her care, education, training and support I felt confident, prepared, and ready to bring my baby into the world. Her bedside manner is fantastic she affirmed my feelings (emotional and physical) throughout my labor and delivery and she helped my spouse to also support me, too. Having a baby is hard work and for a first time mama it was great to feel supported throughout my pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum care. 

Her labor and delivery classes were educational and fun and Katelyn takes great care to also give partners of pregnant mamas the tools they need for support.

I'm a fat woman--Katelyn was a great advocate for me and my health during pregnancy and her team helped bring my little one earthside. I was treated for my health and not as a statistic. Large bodied people are not always given the best care in medicine. Katelyn and her team ensured I was listened to and that my health was the top priority.

Our birth was amazing. I and our little one are happy and healthy and we owe much of that to Katelyn. Should we decide to give this little one a sibling, we'll want Katelyn and her team to support us, again.

We don't have family in the area, and really wanted someone in the delivery room that could help us make informed decisions for our first child. Hiring Katelyn was the best decision we could have made. 

The labor ended up being complicated because my partner's water broke long before she started having contractions. Katelyn was there to advise us on the correct course of action and when to go the hospital.  The hospital was extremely overcrowded so we were lucky to have Katelyn as we rarely had a nurse in the room. She was invaluable in providing a third-party perspective on the benefits and risks for some of the treatments that the medical staff wanted to provide. I am so thankful that she was there to advise us on how to naturally induce labor and make it through the contractions.

My partner wanted to have a natural birth but was also realistic that she might have to get an epidural if the pain was too intense. Katelyn's calming presence, guidance, and motivation resulted in the birth of our healthy son with NO PAIN MEDICATION.

I am glossing over how complicated labor was for us, and all of the little things Katelyn did from start to finish that really helped in every way to avoid further complications.  We would absolutely recommend her; we are so thankful she was there with us. It was by far one of the best decisions we have made.

“When it's comes to pain I have no threshold whatsoever, so when I made the decision to do an all natural, drug free birth it seemed like a slim chance I could actually do it.

My husband and I decided hiring a doula would probably be our best bet. First off, I instantly felt comfortable with Katelyn when I first met her. She is very warm and knowledgeable, which put me and my husband at ease. I was very anxious as I approached my due date because it was my first baby and I had no idea what to expect, so as soon as I had my first contraction I was in contact with her and she was available via text all day long until it was time to head to the hospital.

Once I was in active labor Katelyn was there by my side at 3 am. Because I had Katelyn with me I was able to give birth totally drug free! It was an amazing experience and Katelyn totally exceeded our expectations. There's absolutely no way I could have done it without drugs if she wasn't there. She's absolutely a godsend!!! I will 100% be hiring her again if I have another baby, and I actually look forward to it.

Katelyn also made herself available to us once we were home with our baby postpartum.”

“Katelyn was a fantastic guide to my wife, and to me, both before and during the birth of our daughter. Her knowledge, compassion, intelligence, and strength really helped us welcome our new one into the world.

We worked with her months in advance, scheduling her in advance to be our birthing doula. She works with a broader doula group with whom we met for birthing classes, which were themselves helpful in preparing us for the big day.

On the day-of, Katelyn was immediately at the ready, starting right at 1am. She provided crisp and directed advice as contractions increased and stayed in constant touch while that occurred and we went to the hospital. She joined us there not long after, and immediately offered a calming presence. When the time came to start pushing, she directed my wife (and me) through that with strength and consistency -- this was a most critical time for us as her warmth was ever-present while various medical personnel (who were also excellent, and with whom she interacted well) came and went.

Not to be unstated was her impact on me as well. While the focus was unquestionably on my wife, it was helpful to hear Katelyn explain what was going on, what is expected next, and what best to do at all stages. She was like a highly knowledgeable family member there throughout.”

Katelyn is a wonderful doula and I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula in the Bay Area. 

She gave us wonderful tips and showed us techniques on how to labor at home, while at the hospital she provided excellent support to get me through my natural birth. Also, she did a wonderful job processing my placenta.

As others have said, her bedside manner is excellent. She knew how to provide the support I needed when it mattered the most.

My husband said that he didn't realize until after the delivery just how important it was to have Katelyn with us in the delivery room. She gave him the peace of mind he needed to be able to stay focused on giving me emotional support, take a break, or just give a reaffirming nod that everything was going to be okay. Thank you, Katelyn!!!

For my second pregnancy, a VBAC, we had Katelyn as our doula. We can't say one bad word about her and would fully recommend her to anyone. Katelyn feels what is needed in the room, and with us as a couple. She steps in where needed and steps back where needed too. She ended up being with us through a very long and painful labor, that lasted from Saturday night to Monday morning. She was there with us and worked seamlessly with the nurses at Alta Bates. Even when we did not choose a postpartum package, Katelyn was still there in case of questions and remained supportive even months after the birth of our daughter. She helped us in many ways, thank you Katelyn!

“Katelyn is fantastic—we feel so fortunate to have had her by our side as first-time parents. In our pre-pregnancy workshops and check-ins, Katelyn and her team offered judgement-free information and guidance that helped us feel empowered and open to whatever our birth experience would bring. When the day arrived, the warmth and calm that Katelyn brought to the room was palpable. She supported our teamwork as a couple, offered just the right suggestions (and counter pressure!) at just the right time, worked seamlessly with the hospital staff, and somehow took some pretty amazing pictures of the birth while she was at it. Thank you Katelyn for helping us welcome our son into the world!”

“This was our first child and pregnancy in general and the labor was not top of mind for me, which means I knew little to nothing about my 'new' state. Body and mind.

The meetings before were fun, flowing and informational and more importantly in Berkeley - not too spiritual, which was important to us.

Following her guidelines we waited at home during the early labor phase and got to the hospital at the right time (no going back and forth thankfully). Things moved pretty quickly and smoothly until the pushing part.

That's where Katelyn shined.

I was pushing for more than 7 hours in pain, doing what I could to avoid a C-section. Throughout it all - having hospital staff change shifts, new people trying to help in unhelpful ways, the pain was getting stronger, pressure and tension were building up - I had Katelyn like a rock by my side, constantly. Helping me through the counting and breathing, representing me and my needs when I was in no shape to do so. Truly a savior.

At the end, our son was born healthy and strong using a vacuum and we just truly feel blessed for him, obviously, and for having her there with us.”

"There are times when you need more than five stars and this is one of those times! Katelyn is everything you want a doula to be: knowledgeable, caring, calming and just generally an awesome human being. 

She was there with us during our entire pregnancy, from giving me recommendations for inducing labor naturally (they worked!) to a back massage when contractions hit. Working with her with singlehandedly the best decision we've made for our family so far!"

Katelyn is amazing, and I highly recommend working with her!

My water broke early in the morning, she guided me to progress through the 16 hour labor at home. I felt confident, encouraged and empowered. She has the power to make you feel calm and relaxed. And I had my baby in an hour once I got to the delivery room! Even the doctor and nurse were surprised by how fast and smooth my delivery was for a first time mom.

I have heard a few friends whose water broke (also a trickle) and spent long hours at the hospital and ended up being induced. If I didn't have Katelyn as my doula, I wouldn't know what to do when my water broke and will surely go to the hospital. Then I would be stuck in bed and be hooked up to monitors (let me tell you, the triage was very uncomfortable) For sure my labor would have progressed much slower without being able to walk around the block, and the pain would have been a lot more unbearable. And as a result, I would very likely be induced. Luckily it wasn't the case for me.

I can't expect a smoother labor experience. You are the most vulnerable during labor and you need someone you can trust and feel comfortable with to guide you through it. Katelyn was that someone for me!

Thank you so much for helping me have the best birth experience I could have had, and for helping bring our little bundle of joy into the world. It was amazing to have a vaginal birth, something I never thought possible given how all the odds were stacked against me. 

We want to thank Katelyn for all her expertise and birth support. She is awesome!

My wife, mother-in-law, and I couldn't have been more pleased with Katelyn Davis. Our son arrived 2 weeks early and Katelyn was super responsive from the get-go. It was convenient that we already knew Katelyn from the two prior in-person classes (through the doula services).

From recommending a TENS unit in early labor to vocal countdowns during the pushing phase, Katelyn knew when to insert herself effectively. It was also comforting to have someone consistently by our side that helped counterbalance the rotating shifts of labor and delivery nurses. That said, Katelyn was truly an invaluable resource on such a daunting, significant, and joyous day.

My husband and I chose Katelyn as our doula when I became pregnant with my first child. My husband and I both agree it was the best decision! She is incredibly knowledgeable and provides helpful information so you can make the most informed decisions for you and your baby. We are so pleased with our birth experience, thanks in large part to her physical, mental and emotional support. My husband, mom, and labor and delivery nurses ALL commented on how wonderful it was to work with her and they loved the positive energy she brought!

We were told hiring a doula was a smart move. Katelyn came highly recommended. The experience we shared with her was indescribable. After a difficult pregnancy, we reached the induction date with yet more challenges. With Katelyn's expertise and help, these challenges were gone. And before we knew it, our little guy let out his first breath. Thank you sincerely from the bottom of our hearts.