Gretchen Retka, Birth Doula in San Jose, CA

Gretchen Retka Birth Doula in San Jose, CA

5.0 1 review 15 years of experience
Responds within a day
$4,100 flat rate · Birth Doula package

About Gretchen

Parents: please share your EDD & contact info in the message body 🙏🏾 Birth doula of 13 years. This is my calling in life to be of service to labor/birth. I’m very grateful to have this as my service in this lifetime and believe every new life is a gift to be honored with care, love and respect for the process. Trained in techniques that encourage optimal fetal positioning by finding balance in the body (more comfort during pregnancy as well as labor/birth) optimal positioning helps labor be more comfortable, increasing odds of a efficient and smoother vaginal birth. I share these techniques with my clients in the third trimester to decrease the use of interventions & prevent trauma. Also practicing placenta encapsulation and massage therapy at Full Moon Birth & Family Wellness Center.

Find Gretchen online holistic-sister.com

Birth Doula packages and pricing

Birth Doula

3 prenatal visits On call status 38 weeks onward 24/7 In person labor/birth support (patient advocacy, therapeutic care, partner/family support and guidance to support Mom, information, support in understanding options & support in creating clear communication with medical staff by way of verbally & written birth plans, encouragement and celebration of new life by your side) Postpartum follow up visit.

$4,100 USD · Flat rate

What to expect

Birth doula support including 3 prenatal visits, 24/7 on call status beginning at 38 weeks, labor & birth support in person or virtually for clients outside of Bay Area, CA. Follow up postpartum visit. Massage therapy: Practicing in Santa Cruz, CA at Full Moon Birth and Family Wellness Center www.holistic-sister.com for details Placenta Encapsulation TCM

Reviews for Gretchen Retka

5.0 1 review
5.0

We had the most magical natural unmedicated birth experience in a hospital and we owe so much of it to Gretchen. Right from our first interaction when we were interviewing birth doulas, we were drawn by her warm nature. Her prenatal visits were extremely helpful be it the exercises she taught us to enable an optimal baby position for birth or her inputs into crafting our birth plan. We would have been lost with the information overload if not for her timely, targeted and super informative educational resources that have been extremely helpful to us as first time parents. She has always been a text or phone call away to address anything we needed. She brought in a sign of relief when she entered the labor room...her calming presence during my final stretch of labor and the positions she guided me through definitely helped me avoid an epidural. The icing on the cake was her singing a lullaby to our little one upon birth, it felt divine. She also captured beautiful moments of our baby's birth that we will cherish forever. I will always remember her positive affirmation 'You are stronger than you think!'. Can't thank you enough Gretchen for being the rockstar that you are and all your support to growing families :)

— Gita Sowmya P.

Ready to talk with Gretchen?

Free to send. Gretchen usually responds within a day.

Certifications, training, and specialties

Certification and training

  • ToLabor (2012)

Education

  • Bachelors in Fine Arts (2010)

Memberships and affiliations

  • Santa Cruz Birth Network, ToLabor, Blossom birth and family
  • Body Ready Method Certified Professional

Languages

  • English

Credentials

BA CMT CD

Specialties

Acupressure During Labor Belly Binding Birth Doula Birth Support Breastfeeding Support Building Healthy Communication Health Coach Healthy Eating Home Birth Hormone Imbalances Infant Care Keeping Fit Labor Doula Massage Massage Therapist Maternity Photography Mindfulness Natural Birth Natural Childbirth Newborn Care Pain Management Placenta Encapsulation Positive Thinking Postnatal Yoga Postpartum Care Premature Infants Prenatal Care Prenatal Yoga Prental Massage Practitioner Pre/Post Natal Pain and Weakness Preventative Care Relaxation Techniques Safety Self-Actualization Self-Compassion Self-Esteem Self-Integration Sexual Health Somatic Techniques Spirituality Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Vaginal Steam Water birth Yoga

Frequently asked questions

How much does Gretchen charge?

Gretchen's Birth Doula package is $4,100 USD, flat rate.

Service area

Gretchen is based in San Jose, California.

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$4,100 · flat rate
Responds within a day