Testimonials & Stories

Testimonies

"My first pregnancy with our son was a very traumatic experience. I labored for 10 hours and it ended in an emergency C-Section that was not warranted. When we learned that we were pregnant again, we knew we wanted to experience a birth that was positive and we started looking for Doulas. Doulas Vonda and Kiana were highly recommended. We reached out to Doulas Vonda and Kiana and they were very nice and came to our home to explain the whole process after listening to our first birth story. After our consult, we felt even more comfortable seeing how passionate they both were and from there we moved forward. We started out by taking the hypnobirthing classes which was very informative, even for a second time mom. There was information learned that we had no clue about that went far beyond just labor and delivery. I learned to release my fears from past trauma, focus more on my new precious baby boy, maintain positive affirmations, learned that I am in control of my birth plan, and dad learned how to support me in ways that he never thought of and much more. Doula Vonda and Kiana were always available for any questions or concerns whether minor or major. They checked in with us regularly, and attended a few of our appointments. From start to finish, they have been very supportive. I began laboring at home so fast that they had to meet us at the hospital. The whole time, they were both on the phone with my husband and I guiding us through the process and keeping us calm. They were already at the hospital waiting when we arrived and because of their guidance and support, we welcomed our second son via successful VBAC. After the birth, they continued to check in with us for additional questions or concerns we may have had, and in home lactation consultation that helped me tremendously. We even learned new techniques in how to calm our new bundle of joy. They are both knowledgeable and full of resources that aided in finding a prenatal chiropractor, massage therapist, placenta encapsulation. If there were ever a time that we wanted more kids, we would definitely call Doulas Vonda and Kiana. 10/10 highly recommended!!" -Keontae

"We had a wonderful experience with Doulas Vonda and Kiana. We started out by taking the Hypnobirthing classes which were very informative for me as a first time mom. So much information was covered the went beyond the labor and delivery aspect. It increased my confidence about the birthing process and motherhood and empowered us to be in control of our birth plan. Dad was happy there was a focus on how he could be an effective partner in birthing vs a bystander. Based on the classes, we knew we wanted them as our Doulas. They were readily available for questions, checked in with us regularly and attended a couple of appointments. We always felt that we had their support in our decisions without any judgement. They were with us from the start of contractions (at home) until our beautiful girl was born and provided a consistent sense of comfort and reassurance, especially when plans had to be altered. After the birth, they continued to support us with an in home lactation consultation which improved my breastfeeding techniques. They continue to check in and be available for more questions. They are knowledgeable, kind and caring Doulas and we are so happy they were part of our experience. Highly recommend!" -Valerie

"When I found Doula Vonda I was terrified of being pregnant and giving birth. I always have been which is why I knew I’d need extra support on this journey. From the very first phone conversation with Vonda and Kiana I could tell a difference in how I was feeling based on our interaction. After taking the hypnobirthing courses with Vonda, I felt ready to take on my birthing journey and was confident I was going to be supported throughout. Vonda and Kiana taught us how to advocate for ourselves and be confident in expressing our wishes to doctors and hospital staffs which saved me from being induced earlier than I wanted or was ready for. Hypnobirthing changed my life and my mindset and kept me going during one of the most difficult birthing experiences I could have imagined for myself. Vonda and Kiana were there for the entire journey and helped keep my headspace in a safe place as my birthing journey went on. After delivery, and we came home with our baby to be faced with the worst night of our lives, they rushed over the next morning to help us transition to life at home and breastfeeding a newborn. It truly changed the course of our journey at home. After their visit, mom, dad and baby were able to get into a routine that included sleep for everyone (blessings!) I will never stop singing their praises. If you’re thinking about hiring them- just do it." - Megan

"I feel much more prepared after taking this pre-conception course! Kiana is so kind, knowledgeable, and helpful. So many things came up that I wouldn’t have thought to ask. I learned so much from our conversations as well as the course itself. I would recommend this course to anyone thinking about conception as well if already a parent." - Kristin

"We absolutely loved taking Hypnobirthing with Doula Vonda! Not only did we learn so much, but we are beyond excited AND confident for the birth of our first child. We feel more prepared emotionally and physically and we feel more peaceful and centered as well. Vonda's knowledge and guidance is truly a blessing, as is her kind, calm, and loving demeanor. She is truly a gem! We would recommend her many times over, especially for anyone interested in hypnobirthing." - Kayla

"In our first meeting with Vonda she said to me, “I bring calm to the room”. That phrase stuck out to me because I didn’t think birth could be calm. She could not have been more right. Vonda completely changed my whole perspective on and experience of birth. Taking her hypnobirthing class and having her present during our birth was the best decision we made for our family. Because of her, we were able to have a calm, peaceful, and unmedicated birth. She is warm, caring, and genuine. She was also an amazing advocate for us with the hospital staff and ensured that I was able to have the experience and environment that I wanted. I had a dream labor for my first baby and I could not have done it without her." - Maddy-Grace O

"I hired Doula Vonda to alleviate my fear of natural birth. My birthing experience started with an emergency so could not be calm enough to incorporate all my hypno birthing practices but having Doula Vonda and Doula Kiana made all the difference. They were supportive and directed me to hypno birthing principles whenever I was getting tense with my pain and pushing. Furthermore, during my post partum visits, she helped with breast feeding, changing baby, understanding baby cues etc which helped me feel at ease and helped me feel empowered that I could breastfeed my baby with a few changes to my approach. Doula Vonda is worth every penny and I would hire her again".

"Hi my name is Mishele and I'm a FTM ,I came across the Hypnobirthing book at the beginning of my pregnancy and after I read it I immediately knew that I want to find a practitioner that will help me practice all the relaxation techniques, and help my partner to understand his incredibly important role in this journey .I got a recommendation about Vonda and after talking to her on the phone I felt really confident that I chose her as my practitioner. The classes with her helped me so much to become more confident, relaxed and exited for my upcoming home birth. Thank you so much Vonda for your softness , relaxed spirit and great education that you provided to me and my partner , and thank you for just being you , just an angle from the sky. I will definitely keep in touch and would love to share my birthing experience once I will go through it." -Mishele

"From the moment I got pregnant, I knew I wanted to allow birth to happen as naturally as possible, but also as safely as possible. Being in the medical profession, I was always scared of the idea of a home birth, but wanted my child's entry into the world to be calm and beautiful. I sought out Vonda and knew immediately after having coffee with her that I needed her to be a part of our child's birth story. My biggest qualm was not wanting my husband to feel like he was taking the backseat. Throughout Hypnobirthing classes which Vonda taught in our home, she made sure my husband was educated and involved. When baby was taking his sweet time to get here, Vonda and my husband power walked with me over the Vilano Bridge and back to easy my anxiety and try to get baby positioned for delivery. When I went into labor, my husband was able to seamlessly aid me through several hours of labor at home and then with Vonda's gentle guidance as well, I was able to labor even longer at home. Upon arrival to the hospital, Vonda read my needs and coached me and my husband through the most amazing birth experience. I felt so at ease, yet so empowered, and so did my husband. Without her, I know I would not have been able to confidently labor as long at home. Without her, I know my husband would have felt lost. Instead he was a steady hand, right as we brought our son into the world. I'm so grateful for our entire birth team! Vonda is the best investment we ever made and I am so thankful for her presence during the most meaningful time in our lives" - The Hoosers

"When I went into labor, Vonda arrived at my house promptly and helped my husband and me decide the best time to go to the hospital. She worked with me through contractions, reminding me to breathe and relax, but never in an over-bearing or stressful way.

After the birth of my baby, Vonda stayed in touch and visited when it was convenient in order to answer any questions regarding breast-feeding and postpartum emotions and healing.

I would recommend Vonda to anyone looking for a doula who feels more like a wise, sweet friend that you’ve known for years." - Carissa Fassnacht

"It was an honor and an absolute pleasure to work with Vonda Bartlett. I truly was blessed that after the Doula Meet and Greet in Growing Families St. Augustine, I had submitted an essay to qualify for a scholarship. At the end of the meet and greet, Vonda calls and tells me that she would love to work with me. I was astonished and overwhelmed, because prior to meeting her, I had read her Bio, Vonda was my number one choice. To have been chosen by her was was incredible.

Since the first day she became my doula, she started sending me Videos and articles about the birthing process and breastfeeding. She began filling my head with so much great information I was soaking it all in. I was glad to learn so much from her and the information she provided beforehand. She gave me her cell phone number to call or text her anytime I had any questions or concerns. She literally was available 24/7.

During the whole process she was so motherly and loving, which was great since my mother who lives in Chicago couldn’t be there at the time of the pregnancy and birth. Vonda made me feel so comfortable and calm throughout the whole process. At the time of the birth, Vonda came to me ASAP and was prepped and ready to go in seconds. She brought such a calmness to me and helped me breath as according to hypnobirthing. She helped me relax and would often remind me to don’t tense up. She also put cold wash cloths on my forehead to cool me down and when It came time to push, she held me up. She did Above and Beyond what I could have ever asked for or imagined. After my birth, she still keeps in touch with me and asks how the baby and I are doing. What an amazing experience it was to have a Doula for the first time, but it was even more wonderful to have Vonda as my Doula. The whole experience was well worth it. Thank you Vonda!" - Brian & Cynthia Wingfield

"Doula Vonda is the kindest, gentlest person I know. This is the perfect career for her! She taught us Hypnobirthing when we had 2 months left before the birth of our 2nd son. She was very caring throughout the entire learning process and made sure we understood all the concepts. It made us so excited and look forward to labor although we never thought we would. After all, who gets excited about something that our society deems as painful? Not only that but with our first son, we had gone the hospital route thinking that we could wing it with natural birth and of course ended up getting painkillers, an epidural and Pitocin. Nobody there knew anything about natural childbirth and I had a lot of fear because I felt helpless. I know now that fear is why I had so much excruciating pain the first time.

This time around having Doula Vonda there with us throughout the entire process made a huge difference in the way things went. Doula Vonda taught us everything that was going to happen and so we knew going into it what to expect. Most importantly, she helped me get past my very real fears of failing in natural childbirth. I can honestly say that this 2nd birth was not a painful experience. I was not afraid this time. I had confidence. I was in the zone and focused. Having Doula Vonda there with her soft, quiet voice and peaceful presence helped me know that I could get through it peacefully. Our son was born within 6 hours of labor. He was even born en caul (in the sac) which shows how calm I was! The methods taught in Hypnobirthing are different from the conventional methods but having experienced both, I can tell you this is a much better way to go! I felt awesome afterwards and said to myself, “Wow! Let’s do that again! That was cool!

We were able to experience the wonderful joy we’d been hoping for! I love telling our birth story because it was just so amazing and joyful- the way it should be when a baby enters the world!" -Liz Murphy

"I can honestly say I don’t know what I would have done without my doula, Vonda. From the moment I found out I was pregnant I knew wanted low intervention birth. I was scared about the birth, this being my first pregnancy, but I decided to educate myself in relaxation techniques and natural methods to make the process as comfortable as possible. I had heard of the Hypnobirthing program before and was all about taking the course taught by Vonda. It was a lot of fun, it really helped to be able to talk through some of my fears and brought up some good questions I wouldn’t have otherwise thought to ask. I also felt it was a great way to connect with my husband as my birthing partner.

My labor began unexpectedly premature at around 36 weeks. The birth itself was fast but beautiful, there wasn‘t time to prepare or gather anything for my birth kit. When she arrived my baby wasn’t screaming like newborns in the movies, just kind of checking me out with wide, bright eyes. I truly believe she was calm because of the Hypnobirthing and the tranquility of the space she was born into. She was so tiny in my hands, barely five pounds, but she was very aware and rosy.

I was only able to spend a few hours precious hours with my daughter right after the birth before she was transferred to the NICU. Vonda stayed by my side during the admission, and good thing too because I think I was in shock. Helpless can only begin to describe how I felt, I thought I would break her by just touching her little hand once she was hooked up with wires and tubes coming from everywhere. Through the next 21 days in the NICU Vonda remained a constant source of encouragement, knowledge and strength. She went above and beyond to help me and my family through a very difficult start for our baby. And she has been an integral part my daughter blossoming into the wonderful little person she is today." - Chantal Hendershot

"Vonda is an absolutly wonderful Doula, and someone you will want to have as part of your birthing team. She assited me with my 6th delivery – and the first that I have had a doula at. I was acting as a surrogate mother to a couple expecting their first child, and my own husband was unable to attend the birth.

Vonda helped not just me but my intended mother get through this delivery. Whereas I was comfortable with my part in the whole scenario, I was unable to walk my intended mother through the emotional and exterior process of the birth…while I was giving birth. Vonda stepped in to provide comfort for me and answers for the baby’s mother.

We made a great team!

I will be forever grateful to the kind, caring, and compasionate assistance Vonda provided, and hope to be using her services again soon." - Rayven Perkins

"I always knew I wanted a doula, Hospitals can be a scary place and having someone with the inside scoop seemed to only make sense when giving birth. I instantly felt like Vonda might know what the hell is going on in a state of chaos. We were 4 days late and went in for a NST and baby was doing fine. Vonda told me to sugar up for it so baby would be a jumping bean, so we passed with flying colors! At around 1:30am I started having contractions. After 10 consecutive ones I decided to call Vonda. She must keep her phone glued to herself in the middle of the night because she responded right away, a very important thing you want in a doula! She ended up coming around 2:30am. I was able to labor at home as long as possible. That’s one of the best things about Vonda, she gave us this freedom to be comfortable and trust my body that we would not have had if she weren’t there. We went to the hospital around 6:30am. I labored for 22 hours and because of Vonda I honestly can’t say I wanted pain medicine at any point. I took Hypno-birthing with Vonda and it really did the trick. Also understanding exactly what your body is doing really seems to help in giving into the contraction and let it wave over you. My “pain medicine” was a pelvic pressure that Vonda and my husband would do in the midst of a contraction. The minute they lifted my pelvis I was relieved, so having two people to trade on and off was a very important thing. The baby was born at 11:37 that night. Don’t get me wrong it was hard, but you just keep taking one contraction after another getting you closer to the end result. I could not believe I had no inductions or drugs, which was by far the hardest thing I have ever done! Thank god for my amazing husband and doula Vonda who worked really hard helping me through this birth. In the end we were tired but it was all so worth it. He is so beautiful and a breastfeeding, alert little champ!" - Alissa

"I met with several doulas before deciding on Vonda, This was my third pregnancy and I needed someone calm, strong and wise. Vonda was exactly that person. She was with me at nearly every prenatal appointment. She took the time to get to know me and my family.

With Vonda’s support I was able to have the natural, drug-free birth I had wanted with my first two.  Vonda was in fact so caring and supportive during my hospital stay that the doctor thought she was family. Vonda turned out to be the perfect doula for me. I was very lucky to have found her." - Madiha Beg

 
“I am so glad that I took this course from you Kiana! You presented the information in such an organized and easy to digest manner. I am finishing this course with so many tools to give my kids their best chance physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It was also a ton of fun.” -Chelsea Ribbink

"Aren and I had our intro session for this course tonight. Kiana is so knowledgeable and fun to talk with! I am excited to be working with Kiana and gaining the tools to give my kiddos their best start” -Chelsea Ribbink.

“I LOVED your energy workshop. The energy exercise at the end is awesome”

“Hi Kiana, the info in your course is great, I did a few little adjustments to my routine already”