“I'm so grateful to have had Nathalie as my birthing doula. This was my first pregnancy and Nathalie brought so much positive energy throughout the whole process….
During the time leading up to the birth Nathalie met with my partner and I multiple times at our home; on each visit we discussed a different topic and focused on bodywork. There were always extra bonuses such as freshly squeezed juice, hooking us up with award-winning tacos, bringing a polaroid camera to the birth, etc. I felt very supported both physically and emotionally. Nathalie is a certified lactation educator and shared a slew of knowledge on this subject with us. They even helped us navigate through insurance to get a free pump! Our birth experience was a positive and empowering one. We planned to give an unmedicated birth at a birthing center but knew anything was possible, especially considering my age and other health factors. I'm still surprised that everything went as planned. Nathalie arrived at our home very quickly after letting them know the contractions were close. They rode with us to the birthing center and supported me as I was in labor in the back seat of our car. Their support as we navigated through LA traffic made a world of difference. When we got to the birthing center I was already 6cm dilated and from there on out baby and body were in motion. Labor was intense but Nathalie made sure I stayed hydrated. They knew when to support and when to step back. I'm forever grateful to the midwives, Nathalie and my partner for their work that day. Thank you for believing in me and for showing such care.
- Brenda Contreras
“My time with Nathalie began while I was deep into my third trimester. I knew my little girl was coming soon, and I wanted more information about breastfeeding before the real deal…
I reached out to Nathalie for some tips, resources, and advice and she leaped at the opportunity and offered to coach me through a one-on-one video conference with an organized slideshow. She provided a wealth of information, which helped me feel prepared for breastfeeding. However, nothing truly prepares you like the real thing. I made sure to reach out to Nathalie on the day my milk came in to ensure my baby had a proper latch and suck. We did a quick video chat and things were looking good. Then week two rolled around and I noticed that my baby had a lip tie—something I knew to look for based on Nathalie’s slideshow lesson. Since we don’t live in the same city, I reached out to a local LC for a home visit to confirm the tie and double-check to make sure things were going well. She confirmed the lip tie and tongue and cheek ties as well. This was limiting my daughter’s ability to fully transfer milk. While she wasn’t losing weight and was still filling her diapers, she wasn’t getting enough to gain much weight. We decided to move forward with a procedure to remove the ties that same week. This launched us into using an SNS for feeding and me pumping round the clock, which was taking quite a toll on me—physically and emotionally. Despite my working with another LC, Nathalie continued to check in with me constantly. She always made sure to provide supportive and loving language, which I greatly appreciated during this stressful time. She also gave me plenty of advice to help keep my supply up and keep my nipples from cracking (warm compresses, breast milk expression, Epsom salt soaks, etc.). When I eventually decided to stop using the SNS, which my baby and I hated, and switch to a slow-flow bottle, Nathalie (unlike my local LC) was supportive of that decision. Her support instilled more confidence in my decision-making, which has led me to feel more confident in breastfeeding overall. I am now 8 weeks postpartum, and my daughter is fully recovered from her tie procedure and is gaining weight like a champ. I still need to pump a few times a day to supplement breastfeeding, but we are getting closer to exclusively breastfeeding each day. Nathalie continues to check in on me, and I am endlessly grateful to her for her guidance and support. ” - Cleo Tobbi
“I would recommend anyone to Nathalie. She offered support and guidance…
that I needed through check-ins even after our initial lactation consultation. No matter what point of your breastfeeding journey you are on, Nathalie will be there for you! “ - Christal Jarez
“The journey to motherhood is not always something that’s easy for most. But life gifts you with challenges to let u know how badly you want something and to let you really appreciate the final outcome. …
For me, this challenge has been just trying to get pregnant... I am now 35 and had envisioned my life since I was younger, I would have kids by the time I was 30 just like my mother ... for me growing up in the south even in your 30’s seems later in life ... like your one of those career women ...but as my life unfolded and I found my love ... got the career ... the dogs ... the baby just never came ... after rounds of naturopathic methods, Acupuncture, herbs, yoga, different exercises, a Complete diet change into a vegan ... Still no baby ... Finally, after the first step with Clomid ...and 2 more rounds after that still nothing happened ... I then was recommended to go to SCRC where I met Dr. Alexander and Nathalie... immediately drawn to there kindness I felt comfortable with being so vulnerable around them ... After rounds of IUI’s to no avail, we finally started on the path to IVF ... something I never would have imagined would be what I would do. Well, the first try stuck and I carried the baby to 8mths ... but then again, the unimaginable happened and here I am again trying ... this time because of the closeness I had with Nathalie and her constant care I welcomed her into my home for a more intimate guided journey. This time the prep was not overwhelming because I had already been here before but I wanted to do something differently. Nathalie had been urging me to do a herb bath before I started my cycle and I have to say I was very intrigued ... I am big into the powers of herbs and food because I personally have my own cooking show and well just like to cook and eat. Nathalie always made sure to be conscious of the moon phases and to talk to me about different alternatives to certain medicines I fully trusted her. Also, I had been talking to her on how she is studying to be a doula so I was interested to talk and hang out with her in a new and different setting. When she came over for the herb bath, she brought a beautiful selection of herbs, rose, lavender, and a few more I can't remember now ...we boiled them for about an hour and talked in the meantime. (let's just say the house smelled amazing) ... Next was the bath ... it was about an hour soak ... we lit a candle and i spoke out my intentions ... also, she had me write them down so I could burn them later with the candle ... Nathalie then closed out her visit with a poem and left me to soak as long as I could. Before she left, she offered a womb massage the next few days before I implanted. Of course, I took her up on this... a few days later she came over to give this message I had been hearing lots of good things about I know it's an ancient tradition, but I don't know too much more ... it was a gentle, very comforting, swirling motion on the stomach. I wanted to write this to let everyone know that I have received a positive pregnancy test. I believe all the positive caring and motherly energy that Nathalie shared with me was a big part of this success. I recommend this to anyone who is interested. This is a time to focus on you as a future mother and all of the positive caring moments that you take the time for I believe have a large effect on the outcome.. ”- Raquel Horn Dash
“The journey to my pregnancy wasn’t easy or linear. It had been almost a year of trying to conceive and I was put in touch with Nathalie by my best friend who’d been a doula for……….
Nat talked to me over the phone for over an hour about my health history and suggested visiting a fertility clinic. She guided me through the process and the possible options I would be given. I’ll never forget one of the last things she said to me during that call that instantly made me feel lighter and safer. She said, “you have to stop being hard on yourself and believe you are worthy of being a mom because I know you are.” It really changed how I treated myself from that moment forward.
I ended up conceiving naturally shortly after (while going through fertility testing) and since giving birth I’ve run into a whole new set of tribulations. In the first week postpartum I was really struggling with breastfeeding. It was painful and my nipples cracked and bled, and at my baby’s first appointment, I was given formula to supplement with to help my baby get back up to his birth weight. I felt so defeated. I turned to Nat again. We FaceTimed, and she gave me tips on healing my nipples, watched and guided me through latching my baby, and really supported my decision to not supplement and continue trying with just my milk supply. A few days later she came over and assessed my son’s mouth to confirm no lip or tongue ties, watched me latch him again, and taught me how to use a manual pump while I was still healing to ensure my baby got all I was producing and secure my supply.
In the weeks after childbirth, everything is so overwhelming and confusing, and scary that seeing a lactation consultant with my doctor or the hospital felt like just another chore. Not really made it so much easier by offering FaceTime consult and in-home care. I can’t articulate just how much she has helped me and my family through some of my/our most vulnerable times”
-Anna V.
“Haber contado con Nathalie como nuestra doula desde la primera noche que llegamos a casa con nuestra pequeña Cora, fue una gran bendición!”……..
Mi esposo y yo decidimos programar una cesárea con anticipación debido a que yo presentaba placenta baja y diabetes gestacional, entonces llamamos a Nathalie para que nos acompañara desde la primera noche en casa, así como los días posteriores. Nos sentíamos muy nerviosos por ser padres primerizos, así que sabernos de la mano de una experimentada doula para guiarnos en la adaptación de nuestra vida en casa con la bebé fue vital, esencial y nos tranquilizó bastante sólo de saber que no estaríamos solos los próximos 14 días. Había muchas cosas que yo o sabía hacer, desde amamantar, latching, peso y alimentación por fórmula (yo no produzco grandes cantidades de leche) identificar las señales de hambre y satisfacción de la bebé, cambiar pañales y cómo posicionarla, cómo cargarla, usar foulars/rebozos en fin, muchas cosas que por mi inexperiencia me causaban mucha angustia pero con la compañía y ayuda de Nathalie este proceso se convirtió en un bonito y orgánico descubrimiento.
Nathalie es una doula natural, la bebé siempre estuvo tranquila en sus brazos y a su cargo, cada vez que venía a casa a acompañarnos por unas horas, mi ansiedad bajaba y la bebe siempre se tranquilizaba. La energía de Nathalie es impresionante, trasmite paz, conocimiento y sabiduría. Nos ayudó con mantener orden en la cocina y mamilas cuando veía que lo necesitábamos, me compartió de sus ricos caldos que preparaba en su casa y me ayudó con mis medicinas en mi recuperación de la cesárea. Gracias a sus cuidados pude tener el tiempo suficiente para bañarme y comer, entre tomas de alimentación, claro que también con la ayuda de mi esposo que también se hacía cargo de las necesidades y cuidados de la bebé mientras me recuperaba de mi cirugía. Incluso nos ofrecía pasar por algo de comer si lo requeríamos, porque veía que estábamos muy ansiosos con todo lo nuevo que teníamos que hacer en casa, ya que no contamos con nuestra familias en la ciudad y no pudieron acompañarnos porque mi mamá ya no está con nosotros desde el 2020 y mi suegra vive en Alemania.
Saber que contábamos con Nathalie y conocerla semanas antes de mi alumbramiento, fue una garantía al alma y a nuestra tranquilidad que sin duda volveríamos a pedirle que se repitiera en caso de tener un segundo bebé.Me ayudó con mi ansiedad y miedos de la maternidad, siempre dispuesta a responder mis preguntas y dudas, además de que pude hablar español con ella lo cual me hizo sentirme aún más “en casa” con ella.
Con los ojos cerrados le dimos llave de nuestra casa y la volvimos a llamar en distintas ocasiones los meses posteriores al parto (incluso en febrero pasado que nos mudamos de casa) cuando lo necesitábamos, como los últimos días de diciembre y ella no dudó en ayudarnos. Gracias Nathalie por cuidar de mí y querer cuidar y querer tanto a nuestra Cora, no se que hubiéramos hecho si ti! Gracias a ti pude también descansar, dormir y recuperar sueño retrasado, cada vez que llegabas sentía que me volvía el alma al cuerpo. Ver cómo tratabas a mi bebé desde sus primeros días me enseñó mucho también a confiar en mi instinto! - Carolina R.
