Ashley B.
“Eleanor is keenly aware of the disparities in healthcare for Black women and she’s incredibly knowledgeable about the childbirth process. Not only was she a huge support system for me during my pregnancy and delivery, she also supported my husband when he didn’t know what to do. When I was in active labor, she really stepped up. She knew what to do when the discomfort of contractions took over. Eleanor helped me control my breathing, she massaged much of the pain away, and she kept me focused on getting my baby here safely. I stand by Eleanor 100%. She made my birthing process amazing.”
Rhonda S.
“Eleanor is naturally gifted at what she does. During labor she immediately got into a rhythm with me and prevented my pain from sending me into a panic. Her voice was soothing, brought me back from labor land, and grounded me. She is confident and strong and the type of person you want at your side to navigate any type of birth. I felt like she could handle anything. Because I had such a strong support team during my labor I bounced back physically and emotionally very quickly. It wasn't the easiest birth so having Eleanor with me prevented any part of it from traumatizing me. I have such joyful memories of my birth because of her.”
Jasmine W.
“My birth was Empowering, supported, and ideal. Every detail of my birth is what I desired, I never felt overwhelmed only understood and supported, it as truly an empowering experience unlike any other to labor naturally and be in tune with my body. She told me that my contractions are like waves, they will get stronger but will never overtake me or become stronger than me. That metaphor helped so much all the way till the end and it rang in my head the entire birth. She was very understanding, loving, knowledgeable, professional and personable!”
Tyrasia S.
“My birth was Fulfilling, Exciting, and Reaffirming. Because of some of my past struggles, my homebirth confirmed the strength I was looking for in myself. I knew I wanted the full home birthing experience and wanted my environment to reflect that so I hired a doula. My doula aided my husband and was able to speak the words I couldn't to him in order to keep him and I both calm. She is absolutely a breath of fresh air and knew how to meet my needs without saying much at all.”
Melissa W.
“My birth was Supported, surprising, and intense. Although everything happened much faster than anticipated, I felt the full support of Eleanor throughout the process which allowed me to relax into what was happening as much as possible without fearing it. As a first time mom I had no idea how the birth would go and wanted someone on my side who could help me cope in the best ways possible. We left in such a hurry we forgot to grab one of our bags with the baby supplies. Eleanor drove back to our house and grabbed everything we needed after the birth so my husband didn’t have to leave me and the baby. Truly above and beyond and we are so grateful to have had such a wonderful experience with her! Eleanor did everything she could to ease my mind throughout labor and when it came to delivery really helped me keep a level head and made me as comfortable as possible.”
Vickie L
“I was with an OBGYN and transition at 32 weeks to BACBC with this being my first birth, and first out-of-hospital birth, I was fortune to have Eleanor as my doula. I felt so supported with every step when we talked. I was even able to talk to Eleanor about my dad who recently passed a few weeks before I found out I was pregnant. It was a lot for me but she always listened and helped me process through the pain. She also made sure my husband was well supported and given advice for how he can help me.
Once labor started, she came to my home and instantly felt relieved. With every contraction her words helped me so much, she knew what I needed to hear to keep going. After I gave birth I realized she bought me my favorite cake, candles, and a lighter to celebrate my birthday since I had labored the whole day and I swear doing this for me was such an unforgettable moment. I felt so loved and really cared for. Her words of affirmation echoed with me during my first few months as a mother and have made a huge impact on my life. I absolutely love her!!”
Grace Z.
“The birth of my son was really swift. The birthing process was dream-like in the sense that time and space warped and became something else entirely. Time seemed to slow down and speed up at the same time, hours seemed like minutes and some contractions seemed like days. I was always scared of the idea of giving birth. I decided to hire a doula so that I could be informed about the process and realign my fear expectation. I had very specific expectations of what I wanted while giving birth and by hiring a doula I found that I was able to empower myself with knowledge. There are a few memories that stand out, but the most poignant was during labor. Eleanor gave me directives to change positions even if it hurt and was uncomfortable. I remember her saying, "In 30 minutes let's see about changing positions" She knew that I needed to move and change the way I was laboring in order to keep things moving along. Another strong memory I have is walking to labor and delivery from the parking garage. I remember a nurse asking if I was alright and if I needed a wheelchair. Eleanor said "No, she's fine, she's just having a baby.", which gave me the strength and confidence to keep walking even while in active labor. Eleanor has a calm disposition and never made me feel crazy with the many questions that I kept throwing at her. She was very attentive and made me and my birthing experience a priority. I developed some crazy, obsessive anxiety after I gave birth and Eleanor never made me feel weird about asking her some strange questions. She normalized things for me in a way that I wasn't able to do for myself.”
Angel W.
“I think back on my daughter's birthday with a profound sense of grace for us both remaining healthy during a pandemic and her being born unexpectedly at 36 weeks in our home. I had fears during pregnancy and while contractions were painful, I did not feel fear in the moment. I'm grateful for that. I knew what to expect and it helped me to cope. I remember hearing Eleanor say "melt into the bed," and I did just that at the peak of each contraction. I'm surprised and thankful by how well I coped with the 12 hour labor. I knew I wanted my husband's presence and would need his attention and eyes on me. I knew how important it would be to have someone else there to remind me of my strength and how I needed to remain loose and calm. My husband took Hypnobirthing with me and his reminders were helpful. Thanks to having a doula, he was able to just BE with me while Eleanor supported me physically and verbally. Eleanor's words stick out the most to me. The physical support was helpful, no doubt (shout out to that pool noodle!), but I can still hear Eleanor saying "Let it go and melt into the bed" which were the reminders I needed to fully let go and dilate. Also, I appreciated her suggestion to change positions and warning me that I would feel a strong surge since I had been laying down a while. It was helpful to know what I might feel next, plus that next strong surge brought my daughter to crowning! It was also helpful over a week later to text about my baby's umbilical cord. It can be scary to have a precipitous birth and I imagine it's also scary to attend as a doula, however, Eleanor remained a calming presence through an unexpected early and (fairly) fast labor.
On top of her knowledge and skills as a birth doula, I appreciate Eleanor's demeanor and sense of humor. She knows her stuff but she's down to earth and not "preachy." My daughter came so early that we didn't have a ton of time to get to know each other and yet it wasn't necessary. She respected my space, listened to my wishes (when I needed more back support or less back support), and literally had my back as I cradled my daughter on my bathroom floor waiting for the placenta to be birthed. I would absolutely recommend Eleanor as a doula.”
Kaydrian B.
“My birth was Amazing, relaxing, and beautiful. I had a great team and an amazing support system. I was a first time mom that had no idea what I was doing. So I felt that I needed a little extra help. While in early labor I was getting pretty dehydrated and Eleanor continued to remind me to take in fluids. Her voice was so calming and she was so helpful.”
Lacee P.
“My birth was peaceful because my midwives and Doula were so perfect and kept my mind in the right place. Long because it was 19 hours. Treasured because it was exactly what I hoped to experience, all thanks to those two midwives and a very special doula. Eleanor stayed with me throughout the whole process and ended up holding me while I gave birth. I will always be grateful for her presence.”