Proud brother
“I cannot express how grateful I am to Kate for her support, calming presence and pain relieving techniques during my labor! We sought a doula for the birth of our second child because we were not sure if my husband would be present at the birth due to military obligations. The birth of my first child was difficult and one of my biggest fears was being alone without my supportive husband during labor. When we met Kate for the first time, she presented as a confident, caring and down-to-earth person that I could rely on to be there for me and help get me through labor. Kate expressed her belief that “no woman should ever be alone” during labor. When the time came for my son to be born, my husband was away but Kate was there and so supportive. She even communicated with my husband during the labor to give him updates on how things were going. Kate was able to come to my house to help me through the early stages of labor and as things progressed, she was there to take me to the hospital and help get me checked in. I experienced an intense, fast labor and her gentle presence and experienced hands helped me with each contraction. Because of her, I was able to give birth to my son unmedicated and it was a beautiful experience. I am forever grateful to Kate and all she has done for me and my family.”
Sound sleeper
“Our family’s experience with Kate is one we shall never forget and will always cherish. Kate steps into your world of having a baby and transforms it into a world of peace love and knowledge. She gave us a gift we will all treasure for a lifetime.
Her support before, during and after was simply amazing. Our teenage daughter gained all the confidence and knowledge she needed to proceed with having her first baby without medication and with the determination to experience everything she could having her precious little baby boy.
Kate never left her side and gave her all the tools and love and patience necessary to see her through the birthing process. She brings with her a natural calming aura wherever she goes and is a true blessing in all aspects.
Kate goes far and above her special calling and her knowledge and ability to share that knowledge is a very special gift. If you want one of the most memorable gifts you could ever have in life we all recommend you call Kate and have her come for an interview. I promise you she will steal your heart and whisk you away to her very special world of “Moms, Birthing, and Babies”.
She was available to us day and night and there was never a question she couldn’t answer for us. She genuinely cares about not only the Mom to be but Mom’s support family and insures we all know how to best support Mom and what to expect during the process from beginning to end and on to a “new beginning” she is a true blessing.
If you want the very best experience in the birthing process and beyond please CALL KATE ......”
Newborn smiles
“Facing my first child and desiring a home birth, I had received recommendations for doulas in my area. I had spoken to one on the phone who did not leave a very good impression. Thankfully my next call was to Kate! My midwife recommended her for childbirth classes. In contacting her I learned she was also a doula. The first time I talked to Kate on the phone I felt immediately at ease. I could hear her passion and love for her work in her voice, and felt connected to her before I met her. After our class I was able to interview with her. She asked me what types of sensory experiences I found comforting in order to help prepare her for my labor. She was professional, personal, and made me feel confident in my desicion to work with her. She was easily available by phone and even came to our house when I had gone through a procedure to help me dilate. A few days later when I was in early labor, she came at 230AM and cared for me though over 12 hours of slow, steady labor. My contractions were 2 minutes apart the entire time and I was exhausted. She never left my side and helped me to rest in between contractions. She communicated with my midwife and ensured their team came at the appropriate time. When the decision was made to speed up my labor she prepared me for what was to come. Thankfully that next phase of labor went quickly, it was extremely difficult and we were all exhausted from being up all night but she continued to comfort me and talk me through the contractions. She cheered me on and helped give me the energy and confidence I needed to push through until the end. My boyfriend and I are both so grateful for her partnership in our birth experience! ”
5 spirited babies + two amazing parents
“Kate Kilroy has been our doula for the births of our last two of five children, and both were home births. The most recent of which was in March of 2017. Kate provides a level of personalization that makes the entire experience calmer. From my perspective, although it wasn’t a long birth, per se, it certainly didn’t seem like an easy birth. As a husband, Kate’s focus on my wife, directly and passively, helped me to be more effective in my role during the births.
Kate’s pre-birth practices will put you at ease with any anxieties you may be feeling, whether the birth is your first or your fifth. She makes herself available to answer questions and concerns, no matter how trivial they may seem. Leading up to the birth, Kate encouraged my wife through texts and short videos that would address a specific feeling or emotional aspect of what she was experiencing. During birth, Kate remains calm and her voice is soothing, mostly for my wife’s emotional resiliency, but it certainly helped from my perspective, too! After birth, Kate’s follow-up with mom and baby and our family truly helped to put a bow on the experience.
You’ll never meet a more genuine person that Kate. She will be as hands-on or -off as you are comfortable. She listens, reacts, educates (this was our fifth child, and I learned some things I didn’t know!), prepares, and encourages. I would recommend Kate to anyone who desires a doula who will unwaveringly attend to your wife’s needs throughout pregnancy and birth and positively contribute to the beauty and awe of the miracle.”
Moments after delivery
“Jackie and I experienced our first birth with a midwife, as well as a doula. We were a bit apprehensive at first. The underlying stress could have made the birthing experience quite arduous. All of the anxiety and fear of the unknown vanished in the company of our doula, Kate. she kept my wife focused with the mantra “ thats how you get your baby to come to you”. Kate also massaged jackie during contractions to help ease the pain and stay calm. It was wonderful that she detected my willingness to be guided, offering suggestions of things for me to do. when the baby finally came out I had the inclination to give Kate a big hug for helping us deliver safely. We would not have done the birth any other way!”
Tubes can't block these snuggles
“Kate Kilroy was the doula who assisted my wife and I with the birth of our daughter this past August. She met with us for the initial meeting and gave us a no-pressure feeling, even encouraging us to go with a doula we were comfortable with. Kate even set up pre-birthing classes with us at our home in which we discussed everything from personal wishes, medications, how involved we wanted people to be and even after care. Even though we were enrolled in birthing classes for months before labor, Kate’s one on one meeting really helped us feel more comfortable about what to expect, especially since this was our first child. A doula is trusted to answer the phone and be there any time of the day, whether the baby comes at noon or midnight, which is exactly what happened to us. She never left unexpectedly and came ready for the long haul, having a bag with clothes, food, etc. Right away Kate got to work comforting my wife by massaging her back which greatly relieved her contraction pains. She continued this for hours on end whether my wife was sitting, lying down or walking, Kate was there. Her true professionalism shown the best when the true labor began and anyone with or without birthing experience would have been truly impressed with her. Even though we had doctors, nurses, and etc around, none of them really explained things in the layman’s terms that regular people can normally understand, which is another way Kate came into play and was able to assist and simplify. When it came down to the actual birth my wife and I joke about how the doctor wasn’t really needed because of all the work she did. Kate did far more than I ever expected a doula to do and did the work that I thought was the doctor’s job. You can imagine how important it is to pick someone who will become so intimately involved in the most important day of your life, so it’s not a choice to be taken lightly. PS-Much of my testimonial I had to delete because of space.”
Naked babies are best
“For my second birth, I was looking for a doula that better provided what I needed personally from coaching during birth as opposed to my first experience with a doula. My first birth felt very out of control and I did not feel coached in the way I felt I needed and I did not feel as supported as I wanted. So, in my search for a doula for my 2nd birth, I tried to give information as to what I felt I needed the second time around and Kate fulfilled that for me. She took time to ask me questions to get to know what exactly made me feel “coached” and what did not. She got to understand my personality which I felt required a slightly different approach to getting me through contractions compared to the “typical” mother that searches for a doula. In the hospital, she worked very well with the nurse and doctor and assumed whatever role she could to fill a void or help. She didn’t leave until the baby and I were completely taken care of an in a good spot to be left. She also provided placental encapsulation for me and did so very efficiently, delivering it right to my home. I appreciate all her efforts to tailor her work to what I needed and I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula”
“We were on the fence when it came to hiring a doula, did we want to spend the extra money (insurance doesn’t cover them!) Did we want an extra body in the birthing room? So after my midwives really encouraged me to look into one I gathered names and numbers and my first meeting was with Kate. Kate was not only my first but ONLY meeting I had. How can you possibly meet someone and instantly trust them? I have no clue but that’s what happened, I instantly felt a connection with Kate and there was no need to meet with anyone else. Fast forward to delivery day, I called Kate around 6 that morning to let her know something was happening (she wants to know everything! She is more excited about labor than you are I think ;) another thing that makes her amazing). I think we both figured we’d be in for a long day and night because I was pretty relaxed and she just said to get some rest while I still could. About 7 I couldn’t sit or lay down without being so so uncomfortable (I texted kate) and she was at my house in half an hour or so just to check on me. She got here timed my contractions (also helped me manage them better and allowed my husband to get our stuff together) and probably half an hour later I was on my way to our birth center. Once there kate continued with so much support, seriously labor is gross and I had multiple bowl movements throughout (my biggest fear during labor because well... gross!) to make room for baby and she not only encouraged me but rubbed my back while I labored on the toilet and said good job. It made me feel better that she knew it was natural and that in return made me relax and not risk stalling labor with my stress. Did I say she’s amazing? We had our daughter in 7 hours and it wouldn’t have been as quick and amazingly beautiful with Kate as our doula. My husband said he wouldn’t have been able to solely focus on me if we hadn’t had Kate, he didn’t have to worry about coaching me he got to actually enjoy his daughter’s birth?”
Finally a girl!
“Kate Kilroy is an absolutely amazing Doula. She has been with me for both of my births, which were very different. My first birth was an induction with an epidural and my second was a very quick all natural birth. In both situations she was supportive, encouraging, and always my advocate. She is a chameleon adapting to any and every situation. She is very respectful and adaptive to the atmosphere you want to have in your birthing room and does whatever she can to maintain it. She would always listen and move with me encouraging me to listen to my body and move around as I felt I needed to. She helped me into whatever position I wanted to be in. While everyone preoccupied with the baby after the birth, I was Kate’s number one priority making sure I got food and water and helped me get cleaned up. She was always able to remain calm and I never sensed any stress from her. She was very holistic in her practice taking care of me physically, mentally, spiritually, socially, and emotionally. I am a Registered Nurse and I very impressed in how well how well she knows and understands all the anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. She works very well with medical staff fully understanding her boundaries as Doula and can understand and speak in medical jargon. She is also knows the appropriate times to advocate for patients to maintain their natural child births. I could not imagine going through child birth without Kate by my side. She is truly a gift to anyone woman who has the chance to have her with them before, during, and after child birth”
Love at first sight
“There isn’t a word or a phrase that I could use to describe how thankful I was to have Kate and the birth of my second child. Having my first son almost 9 years ago, I knew that was an experience I NEVER wanted to repeat. From an epidural gone wrong, forced to be on bed rest the first week of my sons life and being thrown into post-partum depression, I was so nervous on how this delivery was going to go. I found myself talking with Kate, after giving her all the fears I had going into this, she promised me this delivery would not be like the previous at all, and it was a promise she followed through with. My water broke at 1:30 in the morning the night of April Fools....I didn’t even hesitate to call Kate first to let her know what had happened. She met me at my midwifes and sat by my spouse and I as I got checked. We still had a ways to go, But she just curled up on the couch and rested with us in case any thing was needed. by 7 am I decided i was starving, So My husband and I headed up to Denny’s!! ( Love not being at the hospital!) Kate let me know she was going to go home shower and come right back. As soon as the Midwife had helped progress my labor, things started going really fast. This wasn’t what I was expecting at all. Remember, With my first I was tied up in a hospital bed, With a crooked epidural and whatever else going into my viens, this time, I felt everything! With the constant support of my husband and Kate, I handled each contraction, one at a time. There wasn’t a moment that I needed kate that she wasn’t there. She helped me in the shower, out of the shower, in the bed off the bed. Whatever I needed, she was there. My son is now 3 weeks old, I breastfeed like a champ, am happier than ever, and if not for her support alongside my husband, I dont think I would have been able to be that strong.I can confidently say that no matter how many more babies I am blessed to have, She will be at all of them. We love you!”
Been waiting for this my whole life
“Kate came recommended to me by a couple of friends who had great birth experiences due to her calm nature. I knew I wanted someone knowledgeable who would be able to reassure both my husband and me, and that’s definitely what we got with Kate. I mostly wanted to have a doula present during the birth of my son in order to take the pressure off my husband. Kate did much more than that. We met several times leading up to the birth to talk about my birth plan and expectations. She helped me understand the birthing process and trust my body. I truly believe that without her guidance and care, I would not have been able to give birth to my son naturally and without medication. I am so grateful for her caring and calm demeanor, as well as her wealth of knowledge. I will certainly be hiring Kate again when we have another child!”
VBAC like a boss!
“Kate was amazing at coaching me throughout labor. She knew exactly what I
needed to hear when I needed to hear it! She honored all of my wishes of how I
wanted my birth to go. This was a successful vbac for me after a c-section with
my first pregnancy. I think having Kate as my doula this time around was part of
what made that possible. She encouraged me to keep moving throughout my
labor, and I feel like that was what really helped me have a quick labor this time
with hardly any complications. I highly recommend kate to any mom going
through the labor and delivery process— she was such a blessing to my
husband and I.
She encouraged movement when I would forget to keep moving and also had a
gentle way of reminding me how to breathe during the more difficult
contractions. I love that she read the Bible verses that I had brought- that was
really helpful. The support she gave was highly effective for my personality. She
was able to give me the support I needed without having to do a lot of talkingto
me that means that she is very perceptive and could tell what I needed in the
moment without having to say anything. With kate and my husband, I could not
have asked for a better birth team!
She is amazing at helping a woman cope with the pain of a natural childbirth.
There are so many things that happen so quickly, and Kate was right there to
help through all of it. She also made me feel all pretty(doing my hair, lotion, etc)
after giving birth when family came in. I really appreciated that personal touch.”
Partners cannot be replaced
“Kate was my doula for my first baby. I had high hopes of an unmediated, natural birth. However, when my baby girl arrived weeks too early with an unaccepted water breaking. Kate helped keep my partner stay calm and process our new reality as we began an unexpected journey into labor. She educated us on options as the variables continued to change and helped us figure out what choice was best for us when we were overwhelmed with all the information. She translated all the complicated, unfamiliar jargon into language that had us both feeling empowered instead of like the victims. We had a very different birth experience than I anticipated. There was some grieving that so many elements felt out of our control and hyper medicalized however, because of Kate’s constant reminders, encouragement, validating, and support our overall experience is remembered knowing that we made the absolute best choices possible for our baby and birth story even if it was not our ideal. She never left our side except to network with our family (at our request) keeping them updated. I really didn’t know how valuable a non-medical member of my care team would be. Her collaborative skills shifted our perspective from the stress of choosing responsible options based on very limited understanding to having a safe place to to share the weight of our values and choice who was able to affirm and celebrate with us. We would strongly recommend Kate.”
“Right from the getgo we felt that Kate would be a good fit for us. We value knowledge and information as well as skill and experience. Kate was able to bring all those to the table which helped us make decisions from an informed position. Our first birth was without a doula and was rather traumatic. This time around we had her support both in preparation and in the course of the delivery. This birth wasn’t without it’s own set of challenges however, but through each step we felt confident and reassured that we made the right decisions at the right times due to the knowledge that Kate brought. Our daughter was large (8lbs 7oz) and I am a little on the petite size so she was not about to fit through my pelvis. Labor stalled despite everything that we tried. We opted for a C-section for the health of the baby and we are glad we did. Her head was still coned even though she hadn’t really entered my birth canal. To proceed further via a vaginal delivery would have proven dangerous to all and ultimately would likely have resulted in an emergency C-section vs. an unplanned. The experience would have been much worse.
Many people are unsure about the whole birthing process and in the heat of the moment we have to make decisions about what to do to overcome a particular challenge which leaves us second guessing ourselves after the fact. “Did I make the right choice? Did I do what was ‘best’?” Having Kate there for our birth helped to take away those feelings. We know we made the right choices. We know we did everything we could to follow what we envisioned for our birth.
In closing, we all have these perfect birth plans we want to follow and for some they go right as planned. For many however, we find that mother nature didn’t get the memo and has her own plans. For those moments when its all you can do just to get through the next contraction, you need someone like Kate help guide you through to the end.”