Alice Woodman-Russell

“Ellie is an absolute gem. My husband and I first worked with her as a sleep consultant during a brutal 18 month sleep regression for our daughter. Both empathetic and whip-smart, Ellie helped identify specific actions we could take to get sleep back on track. It was so reassuring to make a plan with her and to have real time follow up so that we could course correct and adjust as needed. When we encountered some challenges with the 2 to 1…

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Megan Berger

I felt comfortable with Ellie the moment I met her and it was obvious that she would be an asset. Ellie has such a wealth of knowledge about so many aspects of birthing. She’s truly done her research and is an arsenal of advice and experience. At 35 weeks, I learned that my baby was in transverse position and that I might need a C-section. This wouldn’t have been the end of the world, but I was really freaked out. Ellie was…

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Anuja S.

“The Mary Poppins of Doulas”- Choosing a doula is a very personal and important decision. I had a tough time choosing a doula for the birth of my second child as I wanted someone to truly support my birth and choices. I am evidence-based and need hard facts for my decision-making. From the moment I spoke to Jenny, I felt that she will support my choices and be there for me without judgment.  She embodied the meaning of doula – to support…

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Alexandra T.

For me and my husband, having our first child during the pandemic was a daunting prospect, especially since the rest of our family lives on the west coast.  So we decided to hire a doula to assist us since we couldn’t have either of our mothers support us in the hospital.  It turned out that hiring Jenny was one of the best decisions we could have made as expecting parents!  She was incredibly helpful during the weeks leading up to our daughter’s…

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Jenny T.

Joanne helped me have the strength to bring my son into the world via VBAC. She calmly gave me support, especially at moments when I wasn’t sure if I could do it. She worked great with both my husband and sister who were there to support me as well. Giving us all ideas and suggestions. She also made sure the hospital staff were aware of my wishes, desires, fears, and hopes. Joanne brought a calm and grounding presence to my delivery that…

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Sarah J.

My husband and I are first-time parents and decided to have a doula be part of the birth because we wanted to have the guidance of someone experienced with the process. I was initially a little nervous about having a stranger be such a big part of what is a very personal and intimate experience, but Joanne is such a warm and caring person that I felt completely at ease with her. We met with Joanne twice before the big day to…

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Conor & Robin

We decided to work with Jenny after a great interview- we could tell right away that she was exactly what we were looking for. We were really looking for someone to support us and make us a stronger team, and at the same time be ready and available to address concerns as they came up. Since this was our first child, we were a little bit nervous and Jenny was the perfect match for us, helping to melt away all of our…

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Christina Kennedy

Ellie helped us implement a great sleep plan for our toddler. With a new sibling on the way, we knew we needed to help our toddler overcome early morning wake-ups. Ellie gave us amazing age-appropriate tools to incorporate into our routine. She is knowledgeable about all aspects of baby and toddler sleep with the research to back her suggestions. Can’t recommend Ellie and Joyful Birthing & Beyond enough!

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Jessie S.

I am writing this as my baby sleeps happily in his crib! Ellie was enormously helpful when my partner and I were absolutely DESPERATE for sleep — she gave us practical suggestions to move our baby into healthy sleeping patterns — both at night and for naps. Her advice led us to much improved sleep for our baby — and sanity for his parents! We appreciated her kind, empathetic manner, sense of humor, and straightforward guidance

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Caitlin Haire

We took Ellie’s Hypnobirthing class and worked with her as our doula. As a result, I felt educated, empowered, and in control leading up to, during, and after the birth of my son. I knew early on that I wanted to do Hypnobirthing and to work with a doula – my goal was to enjoy my pregnancy and birth experience. I felt lost and shuffled through the initial prenatal appointments and, combined with an impending cross country move at 20 weeks, confirmed…

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