Sweet Words and Testimonials
From Class
"The intersection of intelligence, extremely proficient communication, empathy (incredible awareness of others as individuals) and experience, make her a fantastic guide for any couple preparing to meet their baby. She is inclusive in her topics and presents a range of childbirthing options without judgement, if a leaning towards natural strategies, and one takes away that she has long witnessed women in their "power" via childbirth." Rachel S., San Francisco
"The best part was the beginning of the class, when the instructor asked us to spend 3 minutes each telling our partners why we fell in love with them, what we appreciate about them, and why we think s/he will be a great mom/dad. Given how many "to do" items there are before our baby was born, I thought this was a lovely way to lay the groundwork for the class by having us connect with each other as partners and parents to be." Cali K., San Francisco "The information about the natural birth process and possible induction steps was exactly what we needed, but we especially liked the partner exercises that helped us connect with one another and communicate about our expectations and needs through the labor and birth process." Adrienne, San Francisco "Gents (if any are reading, if not, then tell your husbands ladies), I'll be the first to admit that I was dragged kicking and screaming to that class. Two-days, four hours each session, and over the weekend no less! That said, I can't properly express how well served I was, in retrospect, by having attended. It was relaxed, interesting, and really did provide the two of us with the information we needed in the run up to our son's birth without (and this is key) overwhelming us. I would have been **absolutely** clueless at the hospital had I skipped that one." Wilson R, SF "The class was well paced: she alternated between lectures and partner activities, ranging from massage techniques to labor positions to staring into your partner's eyes and telling him/her how you feel about pregnancy, and the mystery of labor." Nina H., San Francisco "I especially loved and appreciated the focus on the partner and their role, and the focus on the connection between partners. We had already hired a doula, but if we hadn't, we would've definitely wanted Kelly to be part of our team!" Angie Z., San Francisco |
From Professionals
"As my doula, Kelly was my quiet cheerleader and my steady rock during my amazing homebirth. Kelly's faith and confidence in me made me feel completely safe and supported, and helped me to find my own internal strength. Thanks in large part to Kelly's amazing love and support throughout my pregnancy, labor and delivery, I was able to have exactly the birth experience that I had hoped for."
Dr. Rachel Kreps-Falk, Pediatrician "For 0ur birth, our bodies, I find extreme value in the deep understanding of the physiology of birth, the anatomy of the laboring being and the hormones involved to ignite, carry and complete this process. With pure passion and extended experience Kelly speaks of this with authentic devotion. With a blend of understanding ones body, to connecting with ones partner and the incorporation of natural coping/relief skills this course prepares you for your birth day and for the first moments of parenthood. A course I will praise to all!" Sara Swymeler-Glick, Full Spectrum Doula, Midwife Assistant, www.terraandlaluna.com "I'm a birth doula in SF and after hearing one more of my clients rave about their childbirth ed class with Kelly, I figured it was well past time to write a review. I know Kelly personally and think the world of her, but that doesn't automatically warrant a claim that she's good at what she does. But, man; she is!! Time and again I've heard people describe their wonderful experience in her course. One of the things that I hear often is that folks find the idea of an all-day commitment daunting. But I've never heard anyone say that they felt that the time was wasted, and most of them marvel at how fast the class went, how interesting it was and how much useful info they learned. Selfishly, I'm delighted when my clients take this class. With a vast background in the field of birth, Kelly helps birthing people learn so much about the process, without making them feel like they have to have the "right answers", follow a specific plan, or feel judged about any decisions they may make during their birthing experience. She apparently has a way of honestly and clearly presenting information so that folks know what to expect but aren't scared by it. Today my clients told me that they left her course more confident, more informed and more joyful about their upcoming birthday. They were glowing when they recounted their day with Kelly. If you are curious and ready for an informative, entertaining, warmly professional and thorough experience, you will appreciate Kelly." Elizabeth Porter, SF Doula |
From Mamas
"We could not have asked for a better experience with Kelly as our doula. Our circumstances were a little different than most as we transferred to San Francisco from San Diego to have our daughter where there were specialists who could treat her particular condition. I knew I had to have a special sort of person to be our doula since we were not sure if our daughter would survive the birth or first weeks of her life. It was a trying time for both my husband and I and all I can say is that Kelly was absolutely perfect. She was strong and positive, encouraging, but also realistic and pragmatic- I was so comforted to see that she had researched the rare condition we were dealing with even more than some of our best friends had. She educated herself about how things would be for our daughter and knew what questions to ask. She was never prying or too inquisitive, yet she was genuinely interested in what our thoughts and feelings were about our complex situation. She asked all the right questions. If I could find a word that meant support times 1000 mixed with great love and calm guidance, that is how I would describe her presence with us. I know that I was able to have the natural birth I wanted (despite having to be induced) because of her strength and inspiration. She was calm and knew what to do and say at the right moments as well as when to just sit back and let the process take its course. She was respectful with the hospital staff, but not afraid to speak up when things needed to be clarified or disagreed with. When things strayed from the path I wanted my birth to take, she was never judgmental, always encouraged us to move forward from where we were and not look back: this was immensely helpful and satisfying. I’m thankful to say that our daughter did (and is still doing) wonderfully, and I felt that being able to have the birth I wanted contributed greatly to the strength she had to fight her battles in the first part of her life. Kelly gave us advice about breast feeding, sleep, and many other things that new parents wonder about too. Our post-partum meetings were extremely helpful- the support that she offered throughout the birth never wavered and was something that grew into a different kind of support after the birth, but just as valuable and appreciated. We will never forget Kelly. I could not recommend her more highly- she is a bright spirit and beautifully grounded strong woman who knows birth in an intuitive and intimate way.” ~Janet, Mama of Vida Rae |
