Warm Words

 
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“Kirsten was everything I needed in a doula. She led me to help muster up the strength and courage I needed to experience my labor. When I went into labor, I felt very confused about where I was at which was not what I was expecting but once Kirsten came over, she really kicked it into active labor physically and helped guide me emotionally that aided the progress. She and my husband switched off with massaging me, doing counter pressure and supporting my contractions. I felt so supported the entire time. If you are wondering if you really need to hire a doula, my opinion is yes. Having her there to communicate with my midwife, leading me through my contractions at home, and being able to support my spouse as well was invaluable. After birth, she ran out and got us some food. She always knew what we needed next and how to take care of it. Postpartum, she was helpful with breastfeeding and answering all my questions about our newborn. She also took photos throughout the birth that were so beautiful and am so thankful to have. Highly recommend Kirsten!”

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“Wow! Where do I begin? We hired Kirsten during our 1st trimester before the pandemic hit when I was set to deliver at NYU hospital. Then news broke that laboring women can only have one support person in the delivery room. Since that one person was going to be my husband, I could no longer bring Kirsten. As the pandemic worsened and the idea of going to a hospital scared me more than the labor itself, I decided to go a completely different route and opted for a home water birth! Since my entire birth plans changed very late in the game (during my 3rd trimester), I was so grateful to have Kirsten as a supportive doula to give me the peace of mind that I needed leading up to Jonah's birth. She gave me natural ways to prepare my body for labor and I felt confident and ready to go through with a home delivery. She was also very professional and quick to help when it came to communicating with our midwife. During labor, Kirsten was a life-saver as she coached me through the intense contractions, and provided the emotional support that I needed as a first-time mother experiencing the miracle (and pain) of childbirth! I will always remember Kirsten's prayer over me during the final stage of labor as it gave me the burst of supernatural energy to get through the ring of fire. Kirsten's calm presence and meditative energy were invaluable. She provided a lot of follow-up support shortly after Jonah's birth and even came over with a jar of bone broth! It brings me immense joy whenever I reflect on my son's birth and I'm so thankful that I had the opportunity to hire Kirsten as my doula.”

“When I was laboring at home, our doula called to tell us she was at a different birth and wouldn't be able to come. Instead, she said she was going to send her backup doula, Kirsten, who we had never met. Kirsten walked through the door of our home and immediately provided a sense of calm. She took control in a way that was so supportive and my husband and I felt complete confidence in her. She immediately started massaging me and didn't stop for the next 17 hours straight. Any time I felt a pain, she was right there relieving the pressure and providing intense relief. She always knew exactly the spot to get me through each stage of labor. Besides the physical support, I greatly valued her guidance and how she served as a sounding board to make decisions regarding an epidural and other interventions. There's no doubt in my mind that I would hire Kirsten for any subsequent pregnancies. I can't imagine going through labor without her! “

“Meeting Kirsten marked a change in the way I viewed and anticipated birth. Before I met her, I was full of questions, doubt, and nervous anticipation. But after two hours of chatting over coffee, I was not only convinced that I needed a doula but also that Kirsten MUST be my doula. 

She gave me a starting place in so many ways. She was so real and open with her own experiences but always made clear that she would help me do whatever’s best for me.  She helped me think through what I wanted my birth to look like, then she gave me the connections to make that happen. After our first meeting, I was excited about birth for the first time, and that excitement built until the day I delivered in our very tiny East Village apartment. 

My two favorite things about Kirsten: 1) She makes herself right at home. I love the way she walks right in, grabs a pillow, and plops on the couch. Like she’s your best friend. Everything is comfortable, normal. Even when it’s a week postpartum and you’re half naked in your bed. 2) She is a selfless servant who’s not afraid to get her hands dirty. From giving me water in between contractions to getting us a pizza after the baby was born to helping Eden latch to cutting up my placenta in the bathtub. Kirsten was an integral part of my pregnancy and birth, an invaluable resource, and nothing but a blessing to me. “

“We feel so lucky to have had Kirsten as our doula! Her presence throughout my daughter’s birth was calming, reassuring and empowering. She was attentive from the very beginning, offering helpful advice and natural remedies to support my pregnancy and birth. When I went into labor, she was super responsive and seemed to be one step ahead of us at every turn! I especially remember her helping me establish a rhythm through my contractions and calmly calling me back to it whenever things started to feel out of control for me. (I’m sure what she remembers is squeezing my hips for hours on end. It’s amazing how much relief that gave me!) Her knowledge of policies and procedures specific to our hospital was also really helpful and reassuring at various turning points in my pregnancy and labor. Ultimately, I am so grateful to Kirsten for the knowledge, support and specialized care she provided us. I highly recommend her and would definitely want to work with her again if I have another baby!”

“Despite unexpected changes to my birth plan Kirsten kept me strong, confident, and comfortable throughout it all. She was an invaluable support not just to me but to my husband as well. She helped my baby latch onto me as soon as he was born, and she helped me prepare for and stumble through my fourth trimester. Kirsten was always available to me. She was extremely generous with her resources from day one. I simply couldn’t imagine my pregnancy, delivery, or postpartum without her love and care.”

“My husband and I are so grateful we had Kirsten to journey with us through our pregnancy. She offered professional, unbiased wisdom and support from pregnancy to postpartum. Throughout the labor it was invaluable for my husband to have her expertise and encouragement, which allowed them to be a team of support to guide me. That day will always be marked in my mind by her calm confidence and flexibility that allowed us to feel cared for and confident in the face of one of life’s most unpredictable experiences. It is an incredible gift to witness someone doing the thing they’re passionate about and share in it with them.”

“My husband, Will, and I feel so thankful to have had Kirsten as our doula. From the first meeting regarding our pregnancy, we felt so much peace knowing she would journey along the way with us. Every time our brains pinged us another question or anxiety about prenatal care, childbirth, or the earliest days of parenting, she was the source of truth. Mostly, we kept asking, "is this normal?". Whereas Googling only seems to increase anxiety, Kirsten always calmed the pulse. Her calming presence during the delivery was exactly what we needed. She constantly answered questions about what I was feeling, massaged me and gave me so much relief during the whole process. She made the delivery room feel more like a safe space with warmer touches. She stayed up all night with me, remaining alert to my every need and fear. When it came time to push, she was right there in it, squeezing my hand and speaking encouragement into my ear. Added bonus- she captured some beautiful photos of the first seconds of life! Ever since Oliver was born she has continued to be a resource to us and helped us transition into a family of three. From healing, to breastfeeding, to sleep training, I don't think we could have done it without her. I want Kirsten to be my everyday life doula!”

During my pregnancy and labor, Kirsten made me feel safe, heard, powerful, and beautiful. I would text her all the time: random questions, my anxieties about going past my due date, and then at 4am the morning I went into labor, unsure if that was it. I felt so at ease with her around, like I didn’t need to be hyper vigilant about the doctors and nurses - I could just focus on birth!! That whole day, she worked to make sure I was as comfortable as possible and encouraged me when it got rough. I’ll always remember me screaming how much it hurt at the end and her looking me in the eyes and telling me my baby was coming. I’m so so so grateful for Kirsten. Xoxo