Kind Words

I highly recommend hiring Christal to be your doula! We had the most amazing experience working with her from start to finish. She is an incredibly kind, patient, open minded, knowledgeable, and compassionate person and these amazing qualities were apparent at each step in this experience. She was so open to my birth preferences and helped me talk through various options in advance given my uncertainty. I ended up with a relatively short but intense unmedicated labor that was tough for me. Christal offered such effective and consistent support and information the whole time, which provided me with so much comfort and encouragement. Her assistance was also highly beneficial to my husband as she helped him navigate how to best support me in her gentle way. We truly cannot imagine having to experience labor and delivery without her! In addition, she was super responsive to our questions via text, phone, and in person from the moment we contacted her. She makes the stressful experience of pregnancy, labor, and delivery so much more manageable (& even enjoyable at times!!). I can’t believe our luck that we found Christal and she was available to work with us - she is truly a gem who will make your birth experience as good as it can be.

Shortly after deciding on hiring a doula, I met with Christal and knew she was a perfect fit for us right away! I had planned on "interviewing" several doulas, but I was sold after hearing her extensive experience, hypnotherapy training, & calming demeanor. Our personalities meshed well which was also an important factor in my decision making. Christal was easy to get a hold of during my pregnancy and came to visit me when I had kidney stones and thought I was going into labor! When the big day finally came, she was a HUGE help with keeping my hubby and myself calm through the entire process. I can't thank her enough for her support and wealth of knowledge that helped me make the best decisions I was faced with. I highly recommend her services and wouldn't change a thing about my special delivery day with her by my side.

We were very happy to have Christal help us during the birth of our daughter. Although we had hoped for a natural childbirth (free of most medical interventions), I ended up having to be induced out of medical necessity.  Despite this unexpected twist, I was able to deliver our daughter without pain medication (i.e. an epidural), which was very important to me.  I was also able to utilize hypno-birthing techniques to make labor much more bearable. Christal proved to be warm, friendly, and flexible during these unexpected circumstances. She was able to provide helpful advice throughout the induction and much-needed support in a rather cold, impersonal hospital setting, working with both me and my partner. Without Christal, the birth of our daughter would have been far more stressful and painful. We highly recommend Christal, especially for first-time mothers and for those delivering in a hospital where the nurses and doctors might be busy with other patients.

Working with Christal was one of the best decisions we made during our pregnancy and labor/delivery journey! My husband and I interviewed a couple of doulas and were impressed with Christal's experience and knowledge. She stood apart from the others in her calm demeanor and warm presence. She was an incredible resource in the weeks leading up to our due date and we enjoyed our initial meetings. She educated us on several types of classes we could take in preparation. We attended a Hypnobirthing class through the Birth Education Center and learned many things we found helpful during labor/delivery. While we had planned an unmedicated delivery, I ended up needing an induction and Christal adjusted to the situation wonderfully. My husband appreciated having her by his side offering advice and much needed breaks. She captured several photos of the birth which we loved seeing the next day. Our post birth meeting was a helpful recap and we will miss seeing her until the next baby!

Christal was AMAZING! Being a first time parent I wanted to have someone at the birth that had seen it all before and would help me stick to my birth plan as much as possible as well as provide emotional support. Christal was my cheerleader, masseuse, therapist, and friend. I had a LONG (read: over 30 hours) labor with lots of twists and turns and she was with me 100% of the way. She provided suggestions for laboring positions and did wonderful massages which helped relax me and help me through contractions. She also provided my husband with support and reassurance throughout the labor. At the end of it all, she even went and got us what, at the time, was the best breakfast of my life! I cannot imagine my birth without her and if we ever plan to have another one, I plan to have her again.

Christal was me and my wife's doula for the birth of our son and the experience could not have been better. To be honest I was on the fence about hiring a doula in the first place but as my wife really wanted to, what was I going to do, say no? Well I'm really glad we did. Christal helped my wife get comfortable with birth and gave her the outlook and confidence she needed, and Christal helped me keep calm during the actual birth itself. I can't imagine trying to go through the birth process, especially for the first time, without her. Christal was friendly and professional and was truly there for us during the most important events of our lives. Thank you!

Christal was our doula for the birth or our son in 2013 and again for the birth of our daughter just 23 months later (November 2015). Both times she helped me have the natural childbirth I hoped for and I honestly don’t think I could have done it without her. Christal was amazing throughout the course of my pregnancies and during each labor and delivery. She kept my husband and I calm during an intense, quick moving first labor and as first time parents I think we would have been lost without her. She provided hands on comfort measures for me, suggested different labor positions, and reminded me over and over that my body and my baby were capable of what we were doing and helped me trust in the process and find strength when I needed it the most. She has such an easy going, comforting demeanor to her and just the right balance of being there when you need her without overstepping anyone including my husband, our nurses, midwife, or doctor. A good friend of mine also hired Christal as a doula based on our recommendation and also had an amazing experience. I can’t encourage women and their partners enough to hire a doula in general, and specifically Christal, if they want someone who will inform, empower, support, and encourage them through the hardest, but best, days of their lives.

Christal was the perfect doula for me.  I needed a woman, a friend, a mother and a strong yet gentle support doula for the birth of my daughter.  Christal worked so well with me and the entire birthing team.  She was a real asset.  I have the best memories of my birth because she was there.  We laughed and cried, told stories.  Without my mother here and since my husband was on deployment I knew I needed someone who would respect me as a woman and treat me like a friend in need. Christal did everything I asked for.  I had a successful VBAC.  Christal is a gem.

Christal was our doula for the birth of our son in 2014. We decided to hire a doula late in my pregnancy and Christal jumped right on board and made us feel comfortable. We really wanted a natural birth and we went to hypnobirthing classes and did all we could to be prepared. We are so happy we added Christal to our birth plan. She helped me reduce my pain during labor with different techniques- I can safely say without her I may have had to get an epidural. We selected a great birthing center in San Diego, but we were surprised that the doctor and nurses were not around to help that much during labor. We were so thankful to have Christal with us. She fit in beautifully for the birth experience with me and my family. I would hire her again in a heartbeat for the birth of my future children! I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a better birth experience, she brings passion, professionalism, patience, knowledge, and true love and care!

I used Christal as my doula for my natural birth close to two years ago and I still rave about her whenever I tell the story of my daughter's birth. Christal was so supportive during the 48 hours of my labor. I really appreciated having her there because she really understood the whole process. Without going into detail, her knowledge and advice saved me from laying in a bed for 48 hours. When I did arrive at the hospital, 8 hours prior to my daughter's birth, she made sure that everything went as smoothly as possible. It honestly felt like a spa in my room. Before my labor got intense, she gave me a foot rub, had faux candles, dimmed the lights, had the nurses speak quietly and got me very comfortable. It was really tranquil and serene, just the way I envisioned it. When things started to get intense she worked closely with my husband to make me more comfortable. The two of them got a major workout. I would highly recommend Christal for anyone seeking a natural birth or even just a more comfortable hospital birth, with or without medication. I have to say too, that I interviewed several doulas before going with her. I wasn't really sold on a natural birth, but wanted to give it a try. I had one doula tell me she wouldn't even consider working with me unless I switched hospitals! Another was really inexperienced and just didn't seem like she knew her stuff. So it was such a relief to find Christal, who didn't judge me for my choices and was just committed to making my birth experience exactly what I was hoping it would be. I would highly recommend her.

My husband and I moved from the East Coast to the San Diego area in January, when I was 7 months pregnant. I was pretty overwhelmed between moving to a new area, finding a new Ob/Gyn and preparing for having a new baby! We have no family here, and we wanted some extra support. I really wanted to have a natural birth, and I wasn't confident that I would be able to achieve that on my own. The first time I talked with her on the phone, I could tell we would be a good match. We met up for a meet and greet to discuss the type of support she could provide, and I knew she would be perfect for us! She came to our house to discuss all of the things I had anxieties or questions about, and really put my husband at ease, knowing that someone else with experience would be there for us. I called Christal several times in the weeks leading up to my labor. I had some primordial labor with very strong contractions the whole week before delivery - ugh! She helped to talk me through what this was, which was very comforting since I had never even heard of this condition before. The day my labor kicked into high gear, I called Christal again. She was so calming and very reassuring. She came over to my house and offered great suggestions on things to do during labor which really helped me to breathe through everything and relax. My goal was to labor at home and minimize time at the hospital. We definitely achieved that. I had my son after only 3 hours at the hospital. Christal was there helping to guide us through all of the events of the day, and helping through the hardest part (for me at least) at the hospital. She was an integral part of us achieving a healthy and natural birth with confidence, and we can't thank her enough for all of her support. I feel lucky and blessed to have found a doula as special as Christal to help us through such a special moment in our lives. And I really feel we experienced the exact type of birth that we had envisioned. Thank you Christal!!!

My husband and I highly recommend Christal! I don't think we could have picked a better person to be a part of the best day of our lives! From the moment we met Christal, she felt like a friend we had known forever and we both felt very comfortable around her. It was important that both my husband and I felt the same way about the doula we picked, and when we left our interview with her, we knew she was a great match for us, and cancelled our other doula interviews. Christal came to our house a couple times before the birth so we could get to know each other and she taught us some great laboring techniques for when labor started. She also addressed ALL of my fears and answered all of our questions about birth. Given that I had never given birth before, I felt as prepared as I could be knowing we would have Christal's support when the time came. It was my goal to do a natural birth and throughout the labor, Christal was amazing! She knew when it was time to change positions, made so many helpful suggestions, and was great at helping my husband with massage and comforting techniques, that if it were just my husband and I, we wouldn't have known to do. But with that being said, she was so helpful but in a quiet background kind of way. Having her there, I was able to focus solely on the labor and I knew I didn't have to worry about anything else. Having Christal there to help guide my husband, it seemed like he always knew the right thing to do. I felt 100% supported through almost 18 hours of labor and 3.5 hours of pushing. A few weeks after the birth, Christal came by our house to recap the birth and let us talk about how everything went, which was really nice. I would HIGHLY recommend getting a doula if you plan on birthing naturally, and absolutely recommend Christal to be that doula! When we are pregnant with baby #2, she will be one of the first people we call!

Christal was a perfect match for me and my wife. She was there from start to finish of our son's 20hr labor. But as much as she was there she wasn't. She was there for both me and my wife guiding us thru labor but her method was gentle and suggestive not in your face. It was a pleasure to share the best day of both of our lives with her.

Christal was an amazing support during the hospital birth of my son at UCSD Jacobs. I really appreciated the meetings we had before the birth to talk through my anxieties and discuss strategies for managing pain, creating a calming environment, and progressing through labor. Once my labor began (through induction), Christal was nearby at all times, offering advice and words of encouragement. She made me feel empowered, in control, and supported throughout the experience. Even when stressful decisions had to be made, Christal helped to provide space to make choices calmly, with as much information as possible. I highly recommend working with a doula in a hospital environment, and I can't endorse Christal enough - she was our rock!

Christal was great! I went back and forth on if we should hire a doula or not and am so glad we did! My husband had a high chance of being out of town for work for our first child's due date and so I had my mom there to also be a labor support person. We had all taken the Hypnobirthing classes together so if my husband was gone then my mom could step in. I wanted a natural childbirth and knew that I would need extra support. I met with Christal and to be honest I didn't even interview anyone else since I liked her so much already. She is super mellow, knowledgable and friendly so you feel like you've known her for a while. She is also trained in Hypnobirthing! During my labor it turned out that my husband was out of town and not going to make it. Christal was in constant communication from the first text I sent her indicating I was in labor. We had her meet us at our house but ended up going straight to the hospital and we discovered I was at 6 cm. She was great with lots of massage and hip compresses; very hands on. She brought calming music, electric candles and aromatherapy and the birthing ball. She also made helpful suggestions the whole way through on trying new positions both during labor and while pushing. She also kept me hydrated and supported my mom. Between the two of them I had an awesome team. Oh and my husband was there via Skype as I labored at night. I thought several times throughout my labor that I just wanted to give in to the epidural but her encouraging words kept me at bay from even asking and kept my mind focused and on track. I pulled off the natural delivery and my baby even came on her due date! I know that when we have baby #2 in a couple of years we will be calling her again. I would say we were pretty lucky to find someone that we were so comfortable with during such an intimate time in our lives. Thank you Christal, you're the best!!

Christal was an amazing doula and I would recommend her to any woman who is in any childbirth situation. My situation was complicated personally and I needed Christal not only for the physical and childbirth support she could provide but also emotionally and she didn't hesitate to say she would give me any support I needed. Knowing that she was going to be present during the birth of my first baby made me relax and feel at peace with a process that I was so nervous about!  I was in labor for 40 hours and from the first minute to the last Christal was present either by the phone or in person with me. I found her to be professional, kind, caring, reliable and knowledgeable about the process. I completely trusted her and she gave off a great vibe of understanding and comfort. In addition to the emotional support and encouragement, she was helpful with practical things, such as having me use a birthing ball, swaying, massage, changing positions, etc. Even if you have a partner with you, I would highly recommend you choose Christal to compliment your birth experience - she will provide support that cannot be replicated by a friend, partner or loved one. She is also LGBT-friendly and an ally of the community!