Testimonials
My husband and I searched for a long time to find the perfect match for our birth doula and knew immediately Rachel was the right choice. From our first meeting she brought us both so much comfort and guidance and provided us with a wealth of knowledge leading up to and during the birthing process.
Rachel was nonjudgmental and made us feel like we were working with a friend. She was a great resource on how to prepare physically and emotionally and validated all of my anxieties leading up to birth. She was incredibly responsive and great at checking in after prenatal appointments. I was able to ask her any lingering medical questions I had knowing that she would have a thoughtful and informed response.
On the day of delivery Rachel had a calm yet assertive demeanor. She was super collaborative, a great advocate and provided many strategies to help cope with pain before receiving my epidural. When I started to push Rachel's voice guided and supported me the entire time. She helped create the environment to make my birthing experience so positive.
Our postpartum visit was also super valuable. Rachel helped validate any concerns we were having. She was able to provide both a human and medical perspective that put us at ease. We cannot recommend her enough!
Mia S. 10/12/22
I worked with Rachel as my labor and delivery doula, and was immediately struck by her passion for everything related to childbirth - from pregnancy to early postpartum. She was a wonderful source of information as I navigated my pregnancy, especially in the final weeks leading up to my delivery. She utilized all of her resources to answer my questions, including scientific literature and seasoned professionals in the labor and delivery realm, so I felt confident that she was providing sound information and guidance. I valued her input as I navigated cervical ripening and induction treatment options, and felt she always had my best interest in mind. On the day of my delivery, Rachel was a calming and steady presence as my water was broken, I received an epidural, and entered active labor. She was my advocate but also worked with the other healthcare members as a respectful teammate. I pushed for 4 hours and couldn’t have done it without Rachel – she was always by my side and never took a break, helping me focus and make the most of each contraction. I ended up having a C-section and both me and my husband couldn’t have gotten through without her support in the OR. I am certain that we wouldn’t have had a positive labor and delivery process without Rachel’s presence and am grateful to have shared the life-changing experience with her. Any future client or patient of hers is lucky to have her be a part of welcoming their baby into the world!
Clara B. 9/18/22
As a single mom going through my first pregnancy, I wanted to make sure that I had support for my labor and delivery experience. Working with Rachel as my doula helped me to feel really confident and relaxed in the time leading up to my due date. When my water broke in the middle of the night a few weeks early, I felt calm and ready to meet my baby, and Rachel was right there by my side. I am so grateful for the emotional and physical support she provided during labor, as well as helping facilitate communication with my medical team and making sure my choices were clear. I had a very positive labor and delivery experience and am so grateful to have these happy memories of childbirth, and for the early bonding that was possible with my daughter!
Kim S. 6/7/22
Hiring Rachel as a postpartum doula was one of the best investments that I could have made. With a young toddler at home and a high likelihood I would be needing a c-section, I knew I would need all the help I could get. Knowing I would have her there to help during my recovery gave me great peace of mind.
When we met, it felt like talking to a friend. It was nice to get real mom advice. She was so helpful with whatever we needed.
Rachel was always very responsive to emails and texts and is a good communicator. She is punctual and professional. She is covid-conscious.
Rachel helped to make our transition to life with two under two so much easier. Any family would be lucky to have her as their doula. Highly recommend!
Nikki B. 1/12/22
Hiring Rachel as our postpartum doula was one of the best decisions I could have made for my family. I ended up having an emergency c-section and knew I would need all the help I could get during the recovery period, especially since my husband needed to immediately return to work. Rachel went above and beyond in terms of my expectations. She answered all my questions thoroughly and even helped my daughter transition with the newborn. She always respected our needs and requests while also helping us navigate our new family of 4. Words really cannot describe how grateful I was to have Rachel. She was incredibly knowledgeable, caring, and kind. Her energy was infectious, and I really enjoyed her company. Not only is Rachel an amazing postpartum doula, but she was also an amazing friend. Someone that I absolutely needed during those first 6 weeks. Hire Rachel, you will not be disappointed!
Allison D. 12/12/21
Rachel was an absolute lifesaver when my 6 week old had acid reflux. We were having such a hard time finding the right formula that worked for him, and Rachel had so many wonderful suggestions that helped manage the pain and discomfort he was in. Due to his reflux, he had a very hard time napping during the day. Rachel helped my husband and I get him on daytime nap schedule and suggested helpful ideas and tips to get him to sleep for longer stretches. Within a few weeks our baby was feeling and sleeping so much better! Rachel was always on time and ready to help out. If the baby was sleeping when she arrived, she would pick up around the house or empty the dishwasher without being asked. Not only did she physically help me out with the baby and the house, she cared about my well being, how I was doing, what my concerns were, and where I stood emotionally. She was an easy person to talk to and confide in.
I would highly recommend Rachel to anyone considering postpartum support. She was the best decision I could’ve made for the 4th trimester.
Elizabeth R. 11/3/21
Rachel Dunn was a great fit as a postpartum doula for our family after the birth of our second child. While we had hired a birth doula for our older son's birth, working with Rachel was our first experience working with a postpartum doula. I can say it was a very positive experience and we are very thankful for the help she provided us. We would highly recommend her to anyone in search of a doula.
Rachel met all of our postpartum needs. She was communicative and answered all our questions when we were looking for a postpartum doula and throughout her work with us. Rachel was very responsive to emails, text messages and phone calls. She also had a lot of good advice for me and the baby that I found to be insightful and very helpful even as a second time mother.
Upon starting her services she quickly made connections and established rapport with everyone in my family. Rachel and I quickly connected over our prior birthing and postpartum experiences with our first children. We often chatted about other shared life experiences, interests and hobbies during our time together. Rachel also spent the time getting to know my older child and worked to support him as he transitioned from being an only child to having a sibling. Rachel was great with our baby. He really enjoyed the time he spent with her.
Rachel was very adaptable and flexible to what our needs were. We started off each visit checking in with each other and going through schedules and tasks that could be completed during her time with us. She was always willing to support us in whatever we needed help with. I ended up returning to work from my maternity leave sooner than I anticipated and Rachel was there to support our family through that transition. It takes a village to raise a child and we are grateful that Rachel has been part of ours!
Michelle G. 7/19/21
Hiring Rachel was one of the best decisions I made for my first pregnancy and birth! Living away from family and friends, I instantly knew that I wanted to hire a doula, and immediately connected with Rachel's supportive nature and pragmatic approach to the whole experience.
Our interests and values aligned, and she knew just exactly how to support us. I can't speak enough to the common sense approach to everything she did or said and the education behind it. I always felt like we were learning from Rachel and that we were in control of what is, in all reality, an out-of-control situation. While my OB had the medical side of things covered, I was so grateful to be able to text or call Rachel about any questions or concerns I had throughout my pregnancy – she was always very responsive and provided so much assurance with her wisdom and guidance. Having her to call in the highly stressful times as we got closer to my due date was invaluable.
On the day of Owen's birth, Rachel was incredible. She remained calm, positively energized, and present the whole time. Throughout my entire labor, she was my voice of reason and common sense when there was so much 'newness' going on around my husband and me. She was my advocate for any questions and decisions that came up with the medical team so I could focus on my baby's delivery. When things became incredibly difficult or painful for me, she quickly provided pain management options aligned with my natural birth preferences and positive words of affirmation.
My husband was also so grateful to work with Rachel. We both agree that having a doula with you during pregnancy and delivery means you have that extra and essential layer of support, emotionally and physically- not just for mom and baby, but for dad too!
Once our little Owen had finally arrived, we realized that we had done everything right for him – starting with asking Rachel to be our doula.
Robie H. 6/12/21
Hiring Rachel Dunn to be my doula was absolutely one of the best decisions I made for the recent birth of my baby. She provided excellent support, care, knowledge, and was very responsive. Rachel is very professional and extremely thoughtful. My husband appreciated that she was keen on learning and staying current in the field. If Rachel didn’t know the answer to a question we had regarding childbirth, she didn’t hesitate to find it out! Her work exceeded our expectations.
Having been through some challenging experiences herself, Rachel was very compassionate and worked hard to help me prevent problems with the birth. She noticed something potentially concerning and encouraged me to inquire about it with the doctor, which I did, and got more monitoring. I ended up having a smooth birth, and I attribute much of it to Rachel’s continual support before and during the birth. She was always there for me when I needed it and had great advice at every turn. If you’re looking for a terrific doula, choose Rachel! I am forever grateful that I did.
Sigrid L. 5/26/21
Rachel has been with us since our son Ethan was 4 weeks old and I’m immensely grateful for the kindness and support she’s given us. Asking for help with someone unknown felt foreign but when I think of our time spent together, she feels like family coming to help out. She was so quick to learn what we needed and it felt easy within the first week of having her join us. I wanted help around the house and also someone that I felt comfortable being myself around and my kids for an extended period of time and she treats us as friends.
Rachel has a very warm and genuine personality. She was extremely helpful along this journey as I was exhausted and could hardly form sentences most days. She anticipated our needs by the second visit and immediately gravitated towards tasks that help me get through my day and bring me joy, like making sure she left me with a clean and organized house. Being a mom of three, I’m constantly learning and growing through parenting and there are days where I felt like I had no clue what was needed, but she was right there, helping me and giving me information and suggestions in a non-judgemental or forceful manner. She would help around the house with washing baby bottles, pump parts and with doing laundry and folding clothes, handling our dishes, organizing areas of our space that needed a good edit, refreshing the house, prepping veggies and meals, and helping me switch between needs of all three children with as much ease as that sounds.
Hiring reliable support with Rachel was a game changer. She is an excellent postpartum doula and has so much valuable information and knowledge, being a Mom of two and navigating their development. Above all else, she listened to what we wanted and heard my struggles without fixing or casting judgment. My husband and I truly believe that having her support has made all the difference in our ability to parent and provide for our family in a successful way.
Meg B. 4/14/21
I'm in my first pregnancy and due with twins. I was honestly on the fence about getting a doula at all -- I just wasn't sure what to expect -- but I've really enjoyed working with Rachel. She is extremely responsive and reliable, and always responds to my questions both quickly and with a lot of depth. She is compassionate and understanding and has always been accepting of my birth preferences.
Rachel has answered lots of my questions both from experience and from knowledge (including tapping into her network). Sometimes these are questions related to the medical options available at birth; other times they have been logistical (what do I pack in the hospital bag? what do I need for postpartum?); and other times they've been even broader, beyond what a birth doula per se is likely expected to answer (how do I think about finding a nanny?). I've really appreciated her help and insights across all these topics, and in pure Rachel form, she shares her knowledge with compassion, and without any judgment or any agenda.
During COVID, Rachel has gone out of her way to make me comfortable, including driving to meet for a socially distanced walk and doing everything possible (including offering to be virtually available or meeting me at my house during early labor) when the hospitals are not allowing additional support persons. It is not an ideal situation for anyone but I appreciate her flexibility, creativity, and willingness to do what is possible.
As an additional source of recommendation, my partner has commented on how comfortable I am talking to Rachel about anything, and how she can keep me engaged for long periods. I agree!: I always intend to respect her time but we do often end up chatting for a while, and she has always been available and open to our needs.
I would wholeheartedly recommend anyone looking for a doula to reach out to Rachel! She is insightful, helpful, reliable, and compassionate.