“Chicago Family Doulas was an essential resource during my first pregnancy. My husband and I wanted to be equipped with as much information and as many tools as possible as new parents, so we utilized several services (a labor doula, prenatal yoga, and classes) offered by Chicago Family Doulas. I can’t speak highly enough of our experiences with Chicago Family Doulas!”

“I was sooo happy with my Doula. There are a ton of others but this group is TOP NOTCH. They made me feel sooo at ease with the entire process. It was such a stress free experience which I would do again and again. Their compassion and dedication is like no other. I highly recommend. Thank you for all you have done for me. Anna, the owner, was amazing to work with. She went above and beyond and meet all my needs.”

“Chicago Family Doulas offered comprehensive phone consultations, a variety of doulas, and wonderful classes to choose from. Amazing support, for mom AND partner. I don’t know how people give birth without doulas and I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“From my first conversation with Anna, Chicago Family Doulas’ owner, I related so easily to her and truly appreciated the resources she shared. Shortly after, a welcome folder arrived (with a handwritten note!!) and she frequently checked in on me as the decision process began. It was obvious to me that Anna is a dedicated business owner, passionate about birth work. I also enjoyed meeting two of her doulas in person: Adriana and Ashley. Both made it easy for me to open up and share my perspectives and anxieties, which meant a lot.”

“For the birth of our second child my husband and I were planning a VBAC. Based on the scary experience of the birth of our first son which resulted in an emergency C-section, we knew we needed calm professional guidance for our second labor. Since we wanted to hire postpartum help as well, Chicago Family Doulas was a perfect choice since they have labor AND postpartum support for as many hours and as long as you need them. We couldn’t have been happier with our doulas! Our labor doula kept us calm and prevented unnecessary freak outs during our labor keeping us focused on THIS birth and not our scary first birth. And our postpartum team was WONDERFUL! They were so great with the baby, and my toddler who still asks about his buddies Alex and Ashley. The owner even set us up with a doula to meet us at the house when bringing our baby home as a last minute request. We 100% recommend them to any family who may need that extra special training support whether you are having multiples, a VBAC, have older kids at home and need to divide your attention, don’t live near extended family, etc. These women are REALLY skilled and can handle it all!”

“I made a last minute decision to have a doula, I thought I had left it too late but as Anna reassured me ‘as long as the baby is still inside you it’s never too late!’ And she was right, we met with Celena and I immediately knew I wanted her at the birth of my baby. The birth was rather tricky towards the end and Celena held my hand and kissed my face like a mother would with her own child, I remember crying and holding her hand so tightly, I am so glad she was there, I’ll never forget that moment.  I was so happy to see her the next day when she had encapsulated my placenta, I honestly think it aided in my quick recovery and definitely my mood postpartum.  As a result of the delivery I needed help around the house postpartum and Anna very quickly arranged for Adriana to come to my rescue – she did the many loads of laundry that a new baby (and a 5 year old!) creates, she cleaned the house and entertained my eldest while I napped with the baby, she even came with me to a midwife appointment and looked after the baby and she gave me a massage too! I will forever be grateful to Anna and her team and how much the helped me, what a wonderful service they provide.”

“5 stars to Chicago Family Doulas! The doulas provided AMAZING support for the birth of my 3 children! With the support of the doulas I was able to enjoy intervention free and relaxed birth experiences with all my kids! I also used them for postpartum care for my youngest 2 children. I felt very comfortable with the doulas in my home and confident with their care for my babies! The owner Anna is very kind and easy to talk with. She seems to only hire the best! I highly recommend this company and all their services!”

“After having an awful (painful and out of control) experience with the birth of my son in 2013, we decided to hire a doula to assist with the birth of our second child. I knew from the moment I met Anna, she was the perfect person for the job. After listening to my story, she first consoled me and made sure I didn’t feel crazy and my fear wasn’t unjustified.  She explained some things I could try differently the second time through.  And most importantly, she armed me with the right questions/thoughts for my next doctor’s appointment.  Although I like my doctor group very much, I didn’t know what to ask or how to talk to them. We came up with a plan and I felt very ready to make sure this birth was exactly what I wanted. Unfortunately, towards the end of my pregnancy, I had some health complications and doctors were strongly suggesting an induction for the safety of my baby. I, of course, contacted Anna right away.  She responded immediately with new suggestions, questions, and things to discuss with my doctor.  The emails, texts, and conversations with Anna kept coming in.  One came at 3am while she was ‘up doing some research.’  She was there for me when I needed her.  At all times. Although it wasn’t the birth I was originally hoping for, Anna made sure I was confident again. And, it was perfect.  Even with an induction the birth of my daughter on August 26th, 2015 was amazing.  Peaceful, calm and most importantly, I felt in complete control the entire time.”

“My husband and I decided to hire a doula less than two weeks before our due date after realizing we needed knowledgeable support to help guide us through the birthing process. After quite a bit of research we contacted Chicago Family Doulas and met with Emily. Her experience and personality put us right at ease. I ended up having an extremely long labor and delivery and Emily never wavered in her commitment to help us through the entire process. She stayed the entire time and provided constant support, reassurance, and techniques to help us through the delivery. We were very happy with her help and guidance. My husband and I both agree that we made the right decision in hiring Chicago Family Doulas and would hire Emily again in a heartbeat.”

“Anna was a perfect match for us! As this was my first birth I really appreciated her knowledge and encouragement to birth naturally. She really went alongside with what we wanted and was such a source of support I don’t think I could have done it without her. She went above and beyond what she said she was going to do. My birth was much longer than expected and she hung with me the entire time. She is so personable and sweet and not having family nearby made this especially important as she filled the role of mother and a sister at the same time while having experience too! I definitely recommend Anna! My husband and I both loved her!”

“Emily is professional and reliable and was a godsend during my labor.  She came to my apartment at the perfect time, was decisive in telling me when we needed to go to the hospital, and was amazingly helpful riding in the car with us to the hospital (she and I rode in the back seat and she applied pressure to my hips during each contraction).  Once at the hospital she was on her toes the entire time, getting me anything I needed, voicing my needs to hospital staff when I was unable to and helping me through each stage of labor.  I couldn’t have done it without her!  Highly recommend.”

“I used Anna for a twin pregnancy. I wanted to do natural delivery and was in a difficult relationship and felt like I needed some extra support. I found out that I most likely would not be able to deliver naturally, but we still tried to come up with a natural plan hoping that I would be able to. She was very knowledgeable and educated me to help me prepare and make choices in what I wanted with the birth. There was so much I didn’t know and had no idea about! I ended up having a c-section, but she was there by my side the entire time; and I really felt like she was my advocate throughout the process and that is what I needed. I am so happy I had her there and I cannot recommend her enough!”

“My experience with Emily was great. We got such peace of mind knowing that she would be with us for labor and the birth. Having had a scary experience with my first born (c-section), my husband and I wanted to have an advocate for us in the hospital. With number two, I was most worried about the long car ride to the hospital, which had the possibility of being up to an hour and a half if we had to leave during rush hour. We did end up having to leave during rush hour, and Emily came quickly to the house and helped us get in the car. She helped keep me calm in between contractions and helped ease the pain during contractions by pressing on my hips. She offered different positions too, which I wouldn’t have thought of. Overall, I can’t imagine that car ride without her! Once we were at the hospital, Emily was by my side, offering various comfort measures and helping me to breathe through the pain. She did not judge when I decided to get the epidural. Then during the pushing, she cheered me along. I am so happy to have made the decision to have the support and advice of a doula and I highly recommend Emily!”

“I was fortunate to have Anna guide and soothe me through the birth of my second son. When my water broke and I was nervous, she was the first person I called (even before my midwife). Her voice was always calming and she stayed cool and clear-headed in even the most intense moments. During my labor, she intuitively cooled me down with cold compresses. She listened to my body when I couldn’t find the words to say “I need counterpressure on my lower back”. She pressed tirelessly for hours, a job which required major exertion. She was my guide in labor and I can’t imagine having accomplished a natural birth without her. When I doubted myself and my body, she gave me the encouragement to take labor one contraction at a time and breathe right through to the end. Anna has a deep respect for all human beings, and a true awe of the birthing process. She epitomizes selflessness. I hope Anna can share her gifts with other laboring women.”