As a doula myself, I had a strong gut feeling when it came time for my own pregnancy and birth that I wanted Rachel on our team. Even already knowing that Rachel was an amazing birthworker, she blew us away with her wisdom, advocacy, and steadfast care. She took the time to know us well and work through our family's birth preferences, shared recommendations for local acupuncturists and body workers, responded to any and all queries so quickly, and made sure we were equipped to advocate for ourselves when it came time to birth. When the hospital we had planned to birth at was on divert last minute, Rachel was a grounding presence and a very welcome familiar face throughout some unexpected twists and turns. In reflecting on our birth, we tell everybody that Rachel was a critical player in our positive birth experience, as she led the way in guiding us through an intense labor and helping baby move into a better position to make his grand entrance - my husband and I both believe things would have gone very differently had we not had Rachel by our sides. After birth, we struggled with initiating breastfeeding and Rachel sprung into action to connect us with a local lactation counselor, donor milk, and generally provided such compassionate reassurances. She's become a friend and the kind of person every single birthing person and family should have in their corner as they navigate these transformative experiences. Cannot recommend Rachel enough!
— Hannah Sackett
I've been thinking about this review for a long time because honestly I'm not sure how to put into words how wonderful it was to have Rachel as our doula. During my pregnancy she was a wealth of knowledge--connecting me with others like a perinatal chiropractor and providing evidence-based answers to any questions I had. In a whirlwind weekend of an ECV and (semi) planned c-section Rachel rearranged her own schedule to support us through it all. She was a calming presence and our best advocate. Her help in advocating for what felt best has forever changed my birth story for the better. Since the birth of our son, Rachel has been a friend who listens and truly understands. I can't think back to my little one's birth and my postpartum without thinking of Rachel's compassionate support. I will certainly be reaching back out to Rachel if baby #2 is in the cards for us!
— Madelyn
Rachel was so kind, comforting, and thorough. She really made my husband and I feel safe and informed throughout the entire process, advocated on my behalf as needed, and ultimately helped me achieve my birth goals. There is no doubt that having her as part of my support team is why I ended up with the positive, empowering experience I wanted. I can’t thank her enough for taking care of us in all the best ways during a very vulnerable time!
— Alyssa Sandholm
Rachel was everything we were hoping for and more for in a doula for our twin birth! Amazingly kind and knowledgeable and open to whatever WE wanted. She gave us lots of good info and she made us feel prepared and confident.
— Abbey Nielsen
Rachel is a wonderful doula! I’m a midwife and have had the opportunity to work alongside Rachel in both birth center and homebirth settings. She is a wealth of information and an incredible advocate for her clients. One of her greatest strengths is helping families navigate decisions in order to preserve their autonomy and individual birth preferences. She is warm and comforting and has a great sense of humor. In addition to being a great birth doula she is a great sibling doula. She does a great job of supporting children in the birth space helping to ensure they are comfortable and included in the experience. The twin cities birth community is so lucky to have her!
— Solstice Midwifery
Rachel is fabulous! She was our doula twice and we are so grateful to have had her there with us. Her kind and calm presence helped during my birth journey to alleviate anxiety and physical pain.
— Christie Abraham
We are so grateful to Rachel for the expertise, encouragement, and support she provided for us before, during, and after the birth of our daughter. She was an integral part of our home birth team, and her calm confidence was a source of comfort and strength during the intensity of labor.
— Zac Barnes
Rachel was so helpful and offered a ton of information and support to me and my family. Going into labor, I felt very comfortable knowing what we had learned from Rachel, as well as knowing she was there to help advocate for our family's birthing choices. During labor, she made a lot of helpful suggestions on positioning, breathing and used many words of encouragement. Rachel also made sure to check in with both me and my husband to see if we had questions about anything that was going on during delivery and to make sure we didn't need anything. After birth, Rachel checked in often and made sure that we felt comfortable with baby at home. I would highly recommend Rachel to anyone seeking a doula. I belive it made our birthing experience a lot more relaxed and comfortable.
— Kaitlyn Swanson
