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 create a set of birth preferences and she was always available by phone in case I had questions or concerns. Joanne did a great job of presenting different options without interjecting too much personal bias and was fully supportive of my choices. I ended up needing to be induced and Joanne was absolutely instrumental in helping my labor to move along quickly and allowing me to delay an epidural as much as possible by suggesting different positions/techniques. Overall, Joanne has a great sense of humor and is just a joy to work with. Highly recommended!