Christa Joy Kirtland Birth Doula in Branchburg, NJ

My husband and I recently had the pleasure of taking a private birth education class with Christa Joy, and we truly cannot recommend her enough. As first-time parents, we were feeling overwhelmed and nervous going into labor and delivery, but after spending the day with her, we feel so much more confident and prepared. She came to our home and spent the entire day with us (9:00 AM–4:00 PM), making the experience comfortable, personal, and incredibly informative. The class was thoughtfully organized into sections covering the end of pregnancy, labor and delivery, postpartum, and newborn care. Each section came clipped together in a folder containing organized handouts and all of the information we discussed, which will be an invaluable resource as we get closer to meeting our baby. I have already gone through things and noted when and why I may need to refer back to each page. I plan on bringing the folder to the hospital with us incase to help make any decisions necessary. What really set her apart was her teaching style. Rather than simply reading through packets, she incorporated visuals, demonstrations, and hands-on props that made everything much easier to understand and remember. She explained every topic thoroughly while keeping the class engaging and interactive. She spent time teaching us exercises and techniques to help encourage optimal baby positioning before birth, as well as everything I can be doing in these final weeks of pregnancy to prepare my body for labor. She also taught us comfort measures and support techniques my husband and I can use together before active labor begins, helped us understand the signs that it's truly time to head to the hospital, and answered every question we had with patience and reassurance. One of the most valuable parts of the class was her detailed explanation of everything the hospital staff may offer during labor and delivery. She walked us through each intervention, procedure, and option in an unbiased, informative way, explaining why each might be recommended and what the benefits and considerations are. We left feeling empowered to make informed decisions rather than intimidated by the unknown. Most importantly, she helped ease so many of the fears my husband and I had about our first birth experience. I now feel excited instead of anxious going into labor, and my husband feels much more prepared and confident in how he can support me throughout the process. If you're looking for someone who is knowledgeable, organized, compassionate, and genuinely invested in helping you feel prepared for birth and parenthood, I cannot recommend her enough. This class was one of the best investments we've made during my pregnancy.

— Christina Fiorino

I had a wonderful experience with Christa! Her goal is to ensure that her client's wishes are honored while giving birth and that her client remains updated and supported throughout birth. I felt like those goals were definately achieved! Christa is very knowledgeable about the labor and delivery process, as well as about pregnancy, newborns, how to help siblings adjust, etc. She had great tips for helping my initially breech baby flip, as well as what questions to ask my doctor and the different options I had while in the hospital. She even wrote my son's birth story and made us a meal for our one-week postpartum visit. She listened to me and provided suggestions, but ultimately, always honored my choices. She has background training in mental health which was helpful as well. I definately recommend her! I have three kids, and my experiences giving birth while having a doula were markedly better than my experience without.

— Sarah W

I can't recommend this birthing class enough! Christa was so informative and created a class that was very easy to understand. My husband even felt very informed and said it relieved a lot of stress of the unknown he had. Also we were able to have it in the comfort of our home which was an added bonus. Christa has really done a great job creating this class and we both feel very prepared for birth!!

— Kelly Saharic

My husband and I had a wonderful experience taking childbirth classes with Christa. We especially loved learning about laboring positions, pain management techniques, and newborn care. Christa presents the material in a way that is easy to understand and retain, making us feel much more confident and prepared for labor, delivery, and life with a newborn. You can tell that Christa is incredibly passionate about being a doula, and that passion shines through in her teaching style. She created a welcoming environment, kept the classes engaging, and shared practical information that we know we’ll use when our baby arrives. We are so grateful for everything we learned and would highly recommend her classes to any expecting parents! Thank you! 🙏 - Britt & John.

— Britt Goeman

Christa Joy is truly a joy to work with! :) My husband and I took her personalized childbirth education class over the course of 3 different dates. Taking the class in the comfort of our home made it so much more convenient for both of us. She was also extremely flexible with scheduling the classes, which was another huge benefit. Christa Joy is knowledgable, friendly, warm, and engaging. It was so reassuring to hear her perspective as both a mom and doula. I finished the class feeling a lot more confident going into my first birth experience. She also equipped us with a ton of local resources for both the rest of my pregnancy and postpartum period. I can't recommend her enough if you're looking for a childbirth education course!

— Maura Van Eck

Christa was such an essential and incredible part of my 2nd pregnancy and birth. First off, while I was pregnant I found out my midwife practice was closing and I had to find a new one towards the end of my second trimester. Christa immediately recommended several different practices and helped me find the incredible team at Saint Peter's midwifery. Christa checked in with me throughout my pregnancy always helping to answer questions and make sure everything was going well. Christa also has such great energy and you can immediately sense her kindness and how much she cares about her clients. It was wonderful having someone like this during my labor and birth. Once I went into labor Christa met us at the birth center (as we decided to head there vs staying home) and even though I was only 3-4cm dilated she recommended several different positions and exercises to help me progress. I went on to have a really quick labor and birth after that and it was magical! Christa was definitely a huge reason for my incredibly positive birth experience. Christa also came to our house for a postpartum visit with tons of resources and recommendations and just a genuine concern for me and my sons well being. If you are looking for an incredible doula to support your pregnancy and birth look no further than Christa!!

— Olivia Moeller

I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t have Christa Joy as my doula! My husband and I hired her because we really wanted her experience and support as we navigated labor for the first time. Her encouraging words, gentle coaching, and hands on assistance guided me during moments I was challenged by the process. She was right by side through it all. Christa Joy is incredibly knowledgeable and she was always offering new positions or ideas to progress labor naturally. She always kept my birth plan in mind so it could go as smoothly as possible. Christa Joy has such a calming and comforting presence that made me feel so taken care of. Additionally, we also took childbirth education classes from her before birth which greatly helped us prepare. If you’re thinking of hiring a doula, Christa Joy is exactly who you’d want!

— Alexa Lewis

Taking childbirth education classes with Christa was one of the best things my husband and I did to prepare for our first birth. Christa is an amazing teacher and the classes are so helpful for understanding what you can expect when it comes to end of pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. There was a lot we learned that we didn’t know. She uses different modalities of teaching to convey various lessons that help relay the information and make it fun in the process. Christa really gets to know you so she can tailor the classes to what you need. She provided us a packet of papers of all the things we learned and I routinely refer back to them for reference. We highly recommend any soon-to-be parents to take her classes. You’ll feel so much more prepared and knowledgable as you get ready to give birth.

— Alexa Lewis

Christa is very knowledgable, warm and patient! We thoroughly enjoyed her Childbirth Education Class and highly recommend her to any expecting parents. Thanks again Christa!

— Emily Gilmore

We are so grateful to have had Christa for our childbirth education class! My last pregnancy ended with a c-section at 29 weeks so we did not have an opportunity to take any classes or even prepare in any real way. This second pregnancy has felt like our first in many ways and Christa has been there every moment. Her childbirth class is really incredible. She was thorough without being overwhelming, knowledgeable while still being completely understandable and relatable, and informed us on a wide range of topics while still personalizing the class for us. She provided us with plenty of written material that included visuals to refer back to so we never felt we had to remember all the information. The class was so organized and flowed smoothly. We really enjoyed the hands on practice to prepare for labor. Most importantly, the material and discussion she presented led to a lot of conversation between my husband and myself about logistics, expectations, and concerns leading into labor and post-partum. We were able to talk with Christa about a lot of these things and continued talking afterwards. The knowledge and expertise she shared with us has truly replaced so much fear, anticipation, and uncertainty we didn’t even realize we had. She will also be our doula and knowing the three of us are on the same page has increased my confidence so much. I have researched and read a lot about labor and birth on my own, but Christa’s knowledge and perspective is invaluable. I can’t recommend her childbirth education highly enough. Having realistic expectations, a fuller understanding of the birth process, and a solid plan in place will do so much for your emotional state in the weeks leading up to birth. We wouldn’t have had that without Christa!

— Cassandra Katz

My husband and I had an amazing experience with Christa Joy’s childbirth education class as we prepared for the birth of our first child. She came to our home for two 3-hour sessions during my third trimester and taught us so much about the birth process—what to expect in labor, how to support natural birth through movement, and what labor and delivery can look like in a hospital setting. Her teaching style was engaging, interactive, and easy to remember (even in the middle of labor!), and the reference materials she provided were incredibly helpful. During labor, my husband and I found ourselves continually referring back to what we learned from Christa Joy. Because of her class, we felt confident, informed, and empowered when discussing options with our medical team. She even followed up after birth to check in and offer lactation consultant recommendations, which we really appreciated. Overall, we had a calm, positive birth experience thanks to the knowledge and confidence we gained from Christa Joy. Highly recommend!

— Katie Yu

My husband and I never really thought about having a doula when we found out we were pregnant. It wasn’t until close friends told us about Christa and how amazing she was and that she made their birth the best experience. So we decided to book her for her birthing classes (which she came prepared with pictures, print outs and demonstrations) when I was shy of 35 weeks pregnant. What was supposed to be just a couple birthing classes and gaining the vast amount of information, expertise and tools Christa has at her disposal, turned into us feeling so comfortable with her that we wanted her to be our doula during labor and birth. And we were so happy that she was able to be there. She played a huge role in getting me up and moving around to try to progress labor and even though my original plans of giving birth naturally didn’t happen she always was supportive and helped my husband and I talk through/make the best decisions for us and our little bundle of joy. She even went so far as to stay with me during the end of my c-section surgery while my husband stayed with our son. Christa regularly checked in on us even after birth and came to our house postpartum with treats and to make sure that we were not only physically all right but also mentally and emotionally well. Having someone that is a constant during this beautiful yet hard time was the most beneficial thing for both myself and my husband. To anyone I know who is pregnant I will always recommend having Christa be a part of their journey. She is truly doing what she was meant to do in this world.

— Stephanie Burgess

I can not imagine either of my pregnancies or births without Christa as our doula. My first son was born premature via C-section. What could have been a traumatic experience felt much calmer because of her presence. She never left my side in recovery and stayed with me until our son was stabilized in the NICU and my husband was able to be with me. Although I didn't have the birth I hoped for, her care and support made all the difference in my experience. For my second pregnancy, I knew I wanted a VBAC. Christa's support and knowledge was invaluable throughout my pregnancy. We never felt alone in making decisions and navigating information we received or found in our own research. As someone who researches birth quite a bit and is in the medical field, it could have been easy to feel we could do it on our own. However, having Christa to talk through options and debrief after appointments made all the difference in our confidence and peace of mind. Throughout labor, I remember looking to Christa and asking "Ok what now?" I had completely faith in her knowledge and skill as she suggested various positions to try to progress labor, supported is emotionally, and reminded me what to ask my provider. I really believe her suggestions led to a quicker, more effective labor than if I had tried to remember what to do on my own. She was a voice of reason and calm when I reached transition and when I felt ready to push but was too afraid to admit it. Her incredible support continued after delivery when I was briefly separated from my son and husband again. Having her with me was so grounding and needed. She stayed with us until we were settled. Debriefing with her after the birth was also such an important part of my journey. Christa brings a non-judgemental, calm, and caring approach to pregnancy, birth, and post-partum. Whatever you hope for in pregnancy and birth, Christa's support and expertise is invaluable and will make a difference in your experience.

— Casey Katz

My husband and I are so unbelievably grateful for Christa's doula services throughout our pregnancy, labor and postpartum. Birth is unpredictable, that was definitely the case for us. However, it was so wonderful despite the many changes having a consistent, friendly, knowledgeable guide we could count on no matter what occurred. Not only is Christa extremely thorough, she had a plethora of print outs, resources and exercises she demonstrated to us, she also exudes warmth. She was more than prepared, and helped us prepare for not only birth but postpartum recovery as well. She did a home visit with us well in advance and made herself available for any questions or concerns we had a long the way. She was instrumental in helping me make the best decisions and supporting my desire for a natural birth when issues arose later in my pregnancy. Despite needing to have a hospital birth with an epidural she coached me through all the movements, breathing practices and meditations we had previously planned to do. My husband really appreciated her encouragement and support during the times I was resting in labor. She documented my labor for me and took amazing photos for us to cherish. Christa's postpartum visit was the cherry on top. She came bearing gifts and sat with me a good while asking me very insightful questions. She went beyond the conventional societal success of having a healthy baby and made sure I felt good about my birth as well. We hope to have Christa as our doula for all our births. We know we will be in very capable, kind hands!

— Samantha T

Hiring Christa as our doula was the best decision we could have made when it came to starting our family. Christa is knowledgeable, genuine, and encouraging. It is abundantly clear that she was born to help mothers, like me, usher our babies into this world with her calming presence. Originally, we considered not hiring a doula to “save money”. That would have been a terrible mistake. Leading up to labor, Christa answered all of my many first-time-mom questions with grace and helpful information. With her experience, she helped us labor at home and know when to leave for the birth center. When labor began, she encouraged and empowered me through my entire 20 hour unmedicated labor. She provided both physical and emotional support during labor, and she empowered my husband to be hands on and do the same. It’s safe to say I wouldn’t have had the birth of my dreams without Christa’s help, and I am so grateful she was the one to help us as we started our little family.

— Noelle Fowler

Christa Joy was an exceptionally kind and knowledgeable doula. Her professionalism and expertise showed right from our first meeting and continued throughout pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum. She was patient and kind to every member of the birth team at the hospital all while advocating for me and holding my hand. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for doula!

— Yssa

I had an amazing experience working with with Christa as my doula. She was incredibly helpful throughout my entire pregnancy, birth, and even into the postpartum period. Anytime I had a question about something birth or pregnancy related I would text Christa, and she would provide me with expert information in an easy to understand way. This prevented me from spending hours online doing my own research and getting bogged down in online forums. If I had to make a decision about something, she would always give me a list of pros and cons. She was able to combine her depth of knowledge with her past experiences as a doula to provide really personalized information. For example, she knew so much about what it was like to deliver at my hospital having attended multiple births there that I felt super prepared going in and therefore, better able to advocate for myself. During my birth, Christa was absolutely the most comforing person in the room. She has a calm, reassuring presence that makes you feel secure and supported. Having her with me during contractions made me feel so much better when I felt overwhelmed during labor. She was also able to make my husband feel better when he didn't know what was happening and provided helpful guidance on how best he could support me. I was initially on the fence about paying for a doula, but hiring Christa was the best decision we made. I fully attribute my positive birth experience to having her there throughout the process. I cannot recommend her enough!

— Colleen

Christa supported my second birth, and the experience was absolutely night and day compared to the first birth. This was the first time I'd worked with a doula, and I so wish I'd known Christa for baby #1. From her initial reply through our postpartum visit, she was 100% attentive, encouraging, and welcoming of our questions. Her gentle advice kept my delivery as low-intervention as possible and was vital for a natural birth. I especially appreciated her collaborative attitude toward the hospital providers! My baby was unexpectedly LGA with shoulder dystocia, and Christa's comfort techniques helped labor move along while preserving my sanity. We are so thankful for her support!

— Hannah

Working with Christa could best be described as an invaluable experience that increased my overall confidence, peace, and knowledge as a first time mom. The birth process really intimidated and scared me but I didn't know where to find a good supppet person. In doing some research and talking to other people in the field, I came across Christa. Christa was there every step of the way through pregnancy, providing support, education, clarity, and advice. Having her to walk me through all the uncertainties and provide a safe space for me was something I didn't know I needed, but am so thankful I received. I know for a fact my labor and birth experience was as smoothe as it was thanks to Christa. I would highly recommend her to anyone wanting a positive and empowering birth experience. Her kindness, care, and passion for what she does were evident and I felt like she was an answer to prayer. I'm so thankful we found her!

— Alexa Fan

I was so lucky to have Christa as a partner in the births of my two sons. Both births were similar in that very little went to plan; I wanted natural, drug-free deliveries, but ended up needing emergency c-sections. Christa was an absolute angel who was by my side, helping me to stay calm, think through options rationally, and make thoughtful decisions. She is a very kind and graceful caregiver who anticipated my needs and helped me to be as comfortable as possible. I would recommend Christa to anyone considering a doula. You will not regret investing in the loving support she provides.

— Jessica Fischer

This was my second birth and first time having Christa Joy as our doula. My first birth ended in a csection and I was petrified of having another csection with baby #2 (spoiler alert I had a successful vbac!). Leading up to labor Christa was incredibly supportive and available to check in after each doctors visit towards end of pregnancy. She gave me great questions to think about and ask my practice. For our in person visit it was clear she had given my first birth experience and my vbac goal much thought. We had a clear plan set up for labor and I felt a weight lifted off! Fast forward labor for baby #2 and I was successfully able to vbac! Not only did we have a plan going into labor the best thing Christa did was help me to feel empowered. She reminded me several times this was my birth experience and encouraged me to ask all the questions to my providers leading up to labor and even during labor. I recall asking questions of the providers coming in to check on me and it gave me so much confidence in myself and my birth experience. Christa was such a support during labor - she gave me ice cubes all night, watched the monitors all night, and encouraged different positions within what I was able to do. Baby #2 experience was a complete night and day experience from baby #1 experience and I truly give a lot of credit to Christa for giving me a redemptive birth experience! If I'm crazy enough to have more children Christa will be my doula no questions asked. If you want someone who will listen, offer refreshing perspective, and empower you as a woman than Christa is the doula for you :)

— Stephanie

Christa was extremely helpful throughout my pregnancy, labor, and even into postpartum. She directed me towards several helpful resources where I could educate myself on pregnancy-related topics. This helped me feel more comfortable when making any sort of decision about how I wanted my birth/labor experience. This also gave me more confidence when questions arose in the doctor's office during my check-ups. She also helped prepare me with realistic expectations, while also encouraging me to pursue attainable laboring desires. Because this was my first pregnancy, I had no idea what to expect or what was normal. Christa helped by painting a picture of what my labor experience could and would likely look like. She would often check up on me and it made me feel extremely cared for. She is an easy person to trust and be around, and I knew she prioritized my interests and concerns. She helped me stay focused during labor, and remained professional and personable the entire time. A few words from the father: Anything you could do (looking at fellow fathers) Christa could do better, trust me.

— Ellie Huntington

My husband and I keep saying over and over again, "we could never have done this without Christa." After a c-section with my first baby I knew that I wanted to try for a vaginal birth. Leading up to my labor and delivery, Christa encouraged me to ask my provider questions to ensure that they were supportive of me having a vbac (vaginal birth after cesearean) and after determining that they weren't, she encouraged me to switch providers to someone that was. Since I hadn't even labored with my first born, I was nervous that my body wouldn't be able to handle the pain of delivery but Christa was nothing but supportive, knowledgable and encouraging in all of my doubts (both prior to delivery and during delivery). During my long and exhausting delivery, Christa was my advocate and knowledgable of different laboring positions I could try. As I said before, all of these things are those in which neither my husband or myself would know or think to do without the expertise and knowledge of Christa. We cannot thank her enough for her support, knowledge and encouragement pre, during and post delivery!

— Jaime

Christa Joy was an excellent birth doula and birth educator. She came to our home and spent hours helping us to prepare for the birth of our son. When the day came for his arrival she was 100% available to us via text and phone call (answering immediately) and came over immediately when the time was right. She was very respectful of giving my husband and I space to labor together and stepped in with helpful tips and ideas to guide us through labor and delivery. She was kind, patient and gentle. I am most appreicative of her knowledge base surrounding labor and delivery. She helped us decide when it was the right time to go the hospital and when we arrived I was 8 cm dialted! For that I am very grateful. What I like most about Christa Joy is she has a very relaxed energy about her but I felt complete confidence that if we needed her as a more decisive or loudspoken advocate, she would be that for us.

— Emily Singer

Since this was my first pregnancy, my husband and I had taken a 5-week birth class with other parents-to-be. One of the topics discussed was a doula. I had never heard of that before, so we did some research. I wasn’t sure I wanted a stranger in the delivery room with me during such a personal experience. In hindsight, that was a silly thought. All the nurses and midwife are basically strangers too, so I’m so glad we decided to hire a doula and that we chose Christa. Like most women who probably seek the help from a doula, I wanted a natural pregnancy. I truly believe Christa was a major part of me achieving that goal. She was the expert on helping me work through contractions at home and knowing when it was the right time to head to the hospital to avoid wanting pain medications. Her pain techniques were very helpful with each increasing contraction. Her calm nature to try different things fit very well with my similar way of handling pain and stress. Even in those last few moments before deciding to head to the hospital, she made me feel so calm and in control. I arrived at the hospital fully dilated and less than an hour later my daughter was born. My husband and I know we definitely would have given in sooner and headed to the hospital prematurely. Christa has a list of sayings where you can choose the one that best fits your mindset. I chose the one “each contraction is getting you closer to meeting your new baby” and when asked how I achieved my goal of a natural pregnancy, I just keep going back to that motivational phrase. Each time a contraction came on, I focused on that mindset. I knew it would end and the pain would go away. Continuing to think that was very helpful and our daughter arrived without any interventions. My husband and I are very frugal-minded people, but Christa was worth every penny!

— Megan S

From out very first meeting to my postpartum follow up, I was so pleased wth my choice to hire Christa Joy as my doula. Not only is she knowledgeable and professional, she is kind, warm, and truly comitted to helping you have the best birth experience possible. Over the course of my pregnancy I did everything I could to prepare for a natural, drug free birth, but things didn't quite go to plan. Along with my husband, she helped coach me through contrations, used various soothing techniques, and helped me communicate with my midwife throughout the night. She was up all night with us and went to the hospital with us the next day, which is when things truly got crazy. I labored all day with her and my husband by my side. She was patient, comforting, and supportive. It turned out my baby was facing the wrong way causing intense pain/backlabor. Between the pain and exhaustion, it was difficult for me to think clearly enough to make decisions. She helped me ask the right questions along the way and made sure I had as much information as possible to base decisions on. She also stayed on top of the smaller, yet very important things--reminding me to stay hydrated, bringing me whatever I needed, calling down to the cafeteria to order food, and doing everything in her power to help keep me comfortable. Ultimately, I needed to have an emergency C-section. While she wasn't allowed in the OR, Christa stayed nearby and met us in the recovery room. She was with us for 24 hours, giving us her all, a true advocate. By the end of it all she felt like a friend. Her excellence is fueled by a passion for what she does. She radiates warmth and happiness (her friendly smile is such a comfort) but she is also so sharp and will encourage you to ask questions and not settle for simply accepting whatver a medical professional says. Trust me, you want her on your team!

— Jessica Fischer

Christa was such a blessing and help throughout the pregnancy and birth of our baby girl. Christa was always there to answer any questions we had and if there was something she didn't know she would always research and get back to us with an answer. Had we not had Christa as our doula our birth experience would have been drastically different. I was in early labor for 2 1/2 days over (Christmas Eve and Christmas day), but Christa was there to guide us through and helped us avoid a premature hostpital visit. Once we finally got to the hospital Christa was so helpful with getting us setted in which gave my husband the ability to stay focused on helping me through contractions. My husband said that having Christa there really made a huge difference for him throughout the entire process. Overall I spent 24 hours in active labor at the hospital, and without Christa I am confident I would have ended up needing a cesarean. There were multiple times where we would have followed the doctors advice without knowing our option or that we werre allowed to say no and ask for more time to think about what was best for us. Because we knew our options and were able to articulate our goals to the doctors, they worked with us and gave us more time then the hospital would normally allow. With Christa's help and advise I was blessed to be able to vaginally give birth to my baby girl, and it is one of the best memories of my life. We are so thankful for the help Christa gave and would highly recommend her to anyone going through a pregnancy. She will listen to your goals and ideas and work with you to achieve them.

— Julia Janho

My husband and I just had our first child 7 months ago. You could say we knew very little about labor and delivery. We reached out to Christa Joy who provided us with so much information and helpful resorces. She walked with us through most of our pregnancy and our very long labor. The support she provided was above and beyond what we could have hoped for and was so instrumental in getting us through the labor specifically. When I was tired and discouraged she was right there gently pushing me through. She made me feel comfortable and relaxed, making it easy to invite her along on this very personal journey.

— Brittni Gross