“I’m so glad Anjela was my doula for the birth of my second baby. I was hoping for a more empowering delivery and faster recovery than with my first birth, and having Anjela’s support helped that happen. She met with me to talk at length about my goals and for us to bond before birth, and once a couple of weeks after the birth, which helped me process my feelings and anxieties. During the labor, she offered massage and gentle coaching, and helped me find comfortable positions. She was unflappable and steady, with a grounded energy, through five hours of “real” labor to delivery. I was happy to have a spouse and parent with me at delivery, but I knew I would need someone to support me who would not be anxious, and who was in a professional capacity. I knew that I would need to be turned inward to focus on delivery, and not distracted by the feelings or reactions of others. Anjela was warm and connected, but professional. I particularly recall her constant support approaching and during transition, when she followed my specific and unusual instructions to repeatedly offer relief to keep me calm during intense contractions in a way that my nurses (though great) would not have had the time to do. I highly recommend meeting Anjela Allyon to learn and sense how she can help you through your birth.” ~Anna
“I had Anjela at two out of my three births and that is because I didn’t know what a doula was for my first. Anjela was there for me and my husband as we prepared for birth; answering any questions we had, and offering great book suggestions. I had an epidural with my first, but with Anjela’s help, my second and third births were natural births. They went much smoother and less complicated. I loved that she was that extra “constant” (my husband being the first). The nurses would come and go, taking vitals and changing shifts; Anjela was there the whole time to make sure everything was going as it should and making sure everyone was on the same page. There were moments when I wanted to give in, tense up and scream, she helped remind me to stay on top of any pain and breathe it out. She was there for both me and my husband. Somehow she knew what I wanted before I knew I wanted it. It made birthing my babies a bit more magical.” ~Selena & Johnathan
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"When we found out about baby #2, we were a little worried because we didn't have the best birthing experience with our first baby. We wanted a doula to help us have more of a voice in the hospital. We didn't know how having a doula would help, but in the end it made the whole birth experience so much better. Anjela helped me see that there were many options for helping my 2nd c-section be more relaxing and a joyful event and to be able to enjoy the experience of my 2nd sons first few days of life. She helped me know what questions to ask the doctors to help me have the experience I wanted. She also sent me articles to show that I could have a good experience with a c-section. She made suggestions that I hadn't heard about before. It was nice to have someone to ask questions to and talk about what fears I had. When it was time for my birth, I was so much more calm knowing that I had another support person there to advocate for me. At the birth, Anjela brought essential oils that helped me and my husband be more relaxed during and after the procedure. She was there to remind us to breath and to help my husband advocate for what I wanted. It was such an amazing experience and I would highly recommend her to help with any type of birthing experience." ~ Melanie & Chris
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"My husband Nick and I moved to the United States from Russia when I was 6-month pregnant with my very first baby. We had neither friends nor relatives in the Unites States. We knew nothing about childbirth, neither did we know about the American healthcare system (which is so different from the one in our home country). When we knew Anjela was a professional doula, we asked her for help. Soon after Anjela agreed to be my doula, she provided me and my husband with all the information we needed. I felt I was not alone which was tremendously important to me. Step by step, she prepared me for childbirth, so that when the day had come, I did not have any unanswered questions. During the long overnight delivery, Anjela was doing small but very important things. She made me eat snacks, so that I had energy for pushing. She soaked my forehead with cool water which gave me a huge physical relief. She quietly talked with me when I wanted to talk, and just stood by my side holding my hand when I craved for silence. She also supported by husband who was with me all that time. She intuitively knew what I wanted and needed. She radiated a tranquil energy, so I knew that everything was going good. Reflecting on that period of time, I realize that inviting Anjela to be my doula was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my entire life." ~Anna & Nick
"Anjela was my doula for the birth of my second child. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about her. We chose her for her kind, friendly demeanor and her ability to be a good listener, as well as her ability to give thoughtful advice and feedback. She met with us twice before our birth and when I went into labor she arrived at the birth center shortly after we did. She was right there the whole time encouraging me and offering pain management techniques. After my son was born, she helped us process what had happened, and she even went out to get us some food! She met with us again after we were back at home, and offered lactation support, as well as a friendly face and listening ear as I navigated my first few days. I would highly recommend Anjela to anyone wanting the support of an experienced, professional doula." ~Andrea
“Including Anjela on our birth team was one of the best decisions that my husband and I made. She is a very capable, kind, and knowledgeable doula, whose expertise would be of benefit to any expectant mother and father. In the weeks leading up to my due date we greatly appreciated Anjela’s expertise and knowledge regarding what situations we would be likely to encounter at the birth of our son. It was so reassuring to be able to discuss our birth plan with her and share what was important to us. When the big day arrived, Anjela again proved how invaluable she is when I went into labor. At the hospital Anjela was calm and confident as she advocated for me, and my wishes regarding my birth plan. I very much appreciated having her there to explain medical jargon in layman’s terms; this helped me to feel more empowered and at ease with what was going on. She was prepared with both physical aids (nutritional sustenance, cold wash cloths) and intellectual ones (labor positions to help me dilate the last centimeter) to offer support and encouragement as I brought my son into the world.” ~Jaime & Mike
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