Two things I knew I wanted for the delivery when I found out I was pregnant...I wanted to try for an unmedicated birth and I wanted a Doula to help encourage that and offer moral support. I am forever thankful I found Michelle at Modern Mama Doula Services. She made me feel at ease immediately upon meeting her and it felt so comfortable like I already knew her. Just knowing that I'd have someone with me who had attended around 300 births and was so knowledgeable and truly cared that I had the best birth experience and that my preferences were upheld was invaluable. She helped me find a midwife team that I felt confident in after going thru 2 OBGYNs that I didn't. When I started feeling contractions Michelle was in constant communication with me until coming to be by my side. She breathed every contraction with me, sat with me in the tub, and helped me into body positions to progress the labor. I was in early labor for about 15 hours and was able to do that in the comfort of my home until things stopped progressing and it was time to go to the hospital to see how far I was dilated. While we were getting checked in Michelle was called to another birth that was in active fast labor. She sent her back up, Kelly at Sunshine Doula Services to be with me and she was equally as genuine, experienced, and professional. Kelly was with me thru active labor and into transition and really encouraged me to not get the epidural that I started asking for at 8.5 cm. I am so glad she did. When I started pushing Michelle made it back to my delivery and both her and Kelly stayed til the end, giving me all the positive reinforcement I needed. I ended up pushing for quite awhile as my baby boy was not budging in the birth canal. If I had gotten that epidural I asked for in pure exhaustion I would've had an emergency c-section as I wouldn't have been able to push any harder. My son was safely delivered and I got the unmedicated birth I wanted, Michelle even stayed by my side all thru the lengthy repair they had to do afterward. Both she and Kelly took amazing birth photos that I will treasure forever and was such an added bonus. I had my placenta encapsulated and Michelle had it ready for me the day after I got out of the hospital. She even saved part of the umbilical cord and formed a heart out of it for a special keepsake. I honestly don't know how I would've gotten thru that almost 24 hours of labor without both of them or how women have unmedicated births without Doulas! I will definitely use Michelle again and will recommend her and Kelly to anyone wanting extra support for their birth experience!