Lauren Verica Birth Doula in Portland, OR

As a first time mom, I was searching for someone who could be an advocate for my husband and I. Someone who could guide us through the birthing process and the many decisions that came with it in a moment of high emotion. Lauren was the calming and sound voice of reason and compassion that we needed. In the prenatal period she patiently answered all my questions, and even sent me literature on things we discussed for further research. Together, we built my ideal birth plan, and she created an easy to follow worksheet that I could reference and bring with me to the hospital. When the time finally came, and the birth plan completely derailed, Lauren remained calm and was there every step of the way. During an extremely long and exhausting labor process, Lauren was there providing support through suggestions, positioning, counter pressure, etc. And with every change in the birth plan and decision that came along the way, Lauren helped us understand our options and gave me peace of mind that every decision made was founded in fact and not emotion. From an emotional standpoint, Lauren also kept reminding me that I was one step closer to meeting my baby. This also helped calm my anxious mind as things progressed. After an unexpected C-section, we finally held our baby, and though things did not go as planned, we took solace in knowing that we made the best choices for our family. I cannot thank Lauren enough for the support she provided, and can't imagine how my husband and I would have dealt with the situation without her. If you are a first time mom, or even a second or third, I highly recommend her and her doula services!

— Brandi S.

We hired Lauren to be our doula for the birth of our first child. At the start of my pregnancy I had a clear idea of how I hoped labor would go, but I was less sure I wanted to work with a doula. From our first consultation Lauren made me feel at ease and I left that conversation feeling confident that hiring her would be beneficial for my birth experience. Leading up to delivery she educated and empowered us to prepare for the process, and helped me create a birth plan that worked best for me. During labor Lauren helped in so many ways. She created a calm environment, guided me through different positions, and helped my spouse better support me. I love my birth story and I feel so empowered by the experience, which Lauren absolutely helped with. I would absolutely work with her again. If you’re thinking about getting a doula I strongly recommend Lauren, your birth with be better because of it!

— Lauren E.

Lauren helped us bring our second daughter into this world! What a blessing it was to have her there with us. Her communication and openness helped me feel extremely comfortable with her right from the beginning. Her helping me prepare for my second birth was so important. I was nervous and anxious of the known/unknown. During the birth I was well aware of everything going on! She kept me level headed and had so many ideas on help my labor progress. She helped us stay right on our birth plan, leading to the birth of our daughter. We were so thankful to have Lauren there with us. Her energy was needed and loved. Postpartum meetings were comfortable and needed. Her knowledge has helped me in more ways than one. Thank you so much Lauren. We will call you again when we have our third, she’s such a blessing!

— Megan R.