Birthing Gently Haverhill, MA 01830

"I had the privilege to work with Lorie Michaels, first to learn spinning babies exercises because I had a chronically breach babe, and then as our doula. Lorie has a wealth of wisdom she brings from her many areas of expertise, and has a grounding energy. We met a few times before the big day(s) and it helped me feel really ready for labor. During the labor itself (I was induced), Lorie struck a great balance of letting me lead while also reminding me of my power and giving me advice when I sought it. She also did some amazing work on my body to get my pelvis and baby’s head correctly positioned so I was able to have the birth I was hoping for! And as a bonus, Lorie documented the birth, so I have precious photos to cherish. After the birth, Lorie processed my placenta into gorgeous packaging and gave me a bonus cream for nursing! We got to meet a final time to process it all. It was really a blessing to have Lorie as part of our journey!!"

"I've had the extreme pleasure of learning and working with Birthing Gently. The passion and heart that staff and volunteers give to support of birthing people is astounding. Their commitment to the community and providing doulas to women who would otherwise birth alone makes me proud to be connected to them as a birth worker."

"Highly recommend Birthing Gently! I used them for my first pregnancy and delivery at Brigham and Women’s and could not have done it with out Mary! Tara was great to work with and had me virtually meet as many doulas as I needed to in order to find a match. Once I chose Mary she brought so much peace of mind to my pregnancy and was a constant presence throughout the pregnancy and labor and delivery experience. Plan to use them again for baby #2!"

"We used Birthing Gently to find our doula and it was one of the best decisions we could have made! Tara and Mary were, and still are, hugely impactful in helping us through a complicated twin birth experience with postpartum challenges. I unequivocally recommend Birthing Gently to anyone expecting new additions to the family!"

"I recently took a Birth Doula Workshop with Tara, Lori, and Erin through Birthing Gently. Not only did they make the material interesting and fun, they made space and time for all of the students to ask questions, share experiences, and interact. Our workshop was richer because the instructors knew how to teach, listen, and care. They came with a wealth of knowledge and experience and I left feeling filled and ready to share what I learned with birthing parents. I highly, highly recommend this training!"