What Our Clients are Saying…

"Hiring Nikki as our Doula was the best decision we could have made to assist with the birth of our son! When I was pregnant, I didn’t even know what a Doula was let alone thought she would be someone that would be so imperative before, during and after. We attended some birthing classes and realized that having a Doula would be instrumental in our birth plan. We wanted to deliver naturally in a hospital where they are quick to administering epidurals. I did some research and lined up interviews with some local candidates. Once we met Nikki, we knew we didn’t have to look any further. During our pre-birth meetings, she was very personable, thorough and informative. We would correspond often during the weeks leading up to my labor. We couldn’t have been more relieved to have Nikki to call, when my water broke a week before my due date and I wasn’t contracting. Even thought it was in the middle of the night, she gave us sound advice that helped us make decisions on how to precede. We eventually had to go to the hospital and I was induced, but Nikki was there keeping me moving and comfortable during contractions. During the 18 hours of labor, her knowledge and reassurance guided us through each contraction enabling me to become fully dilated without any drugs. I was so lucky to have my team- my husband and Nikki were amazing! She helped me into different positions to ease the pain and maximize the birthing process and reassured my husband by sharing knowledge and what to expect at every step of the way. Nikki was our advocate at the hospital. The nursing staff and doctors were very happy to have her there. Unfortunately, the rest of my labor didn’t go as planned. After 3.5 hours of pushing, our son wasn’t progressing down into position, so the doctors had to give me a C-section. It was very upsetting, but knowing that we did all that we could do to deliver him naturally gave me peace of mind. Nikki stayed with us every step of the way and met us in the recovery. She helped my son establish a latch, so I was able to breastfeed him soon after delivery. Her support didn’t end there, she reached out to us often to check in on our progress once we returned home and always responded quickly to our questions. We are still in touch today and our son is now 6 months old!"

--Meg D.

"Nikki Graham is awesome!  I thought that doulas were for hippies and being that my husband and I are a professor and a physician, we questioned whether or not we would need a doula.  We met with Nikki and our preconceived notions of what a doula was were completed changed!  We found her to be calming, intelligent and supportive at our interview.  We were impressed that she is not only a doula but a lactation consultant and massage therapist. Nikki was incredible to work with.  We explained that we wanted to have a natural child birth but also wanted the assurance of a modern hospital.  I was two weeks late and needed to be induced.  Nikki supported my husband and I through the whole process -- explaining each step of the labor and telling us our options.  I felt like I was in control of my labor and did not feel pushed around by the hospital staff.  Speaking of the hospital staff, they LOVE Nikki.  She respects the Drs and nurses and doesn't get in their way.  Both my doctor and nurses, said how impressed they were with Nikki!  I labored for 12 hrs with the assistance of Nikki -- drug free;  however, the pain really got to me at 8 cm -- i requested an epidural.  I felt defeated when I got it but it ended up being the best choice -- nikki says sometimes the correctly timed epidural can be the perfect thing.  Nikki helped me push for 2.5 hrs!  After our baby was born, Nikki assured that he correctly latched on. Nikki is the perfect person for this job.  She does what is necessary without getting in the way and provides so much love and support.  My husband and I feel extremely lucky to have had the chance to work with her!  Our son is four months old and she still answers e-mail from us!  She has the perfect combination of skills and the perfect temperament.  It will make your birth experience a truly amazing one!"

--Catherine G.

 

"The birth of my child was not exactly how I had hoped it would be - I was induced, had an epidural, and eventually had a C-section. My initial thoughts on getting a doula was to avoid all of these things. But just because I had all of these interventions did not make Nikki any less valuable than she would be if none of these things happened. There were a lot of setbacks during my labor, and Nikki was in so many ways my rock during this difficult time… She was my voice when I was speechless after Dr. X told me that I was only 3.5 cm dilated, after the doctor working the previous shift said I was between 4 and 5 cm, by asking Dr. X if Dr. Y was a little more generous in her estimates. She helped me when things got a little messy. She reassured me when I had to be put on oxygen because my baby was not tolerating labor well. She also reassured me that there was light at the end of the tunnel after many, many hours in labor. I said to her in the recovery room (which she waited for me to get to, even though she had been at the hospital for almost 24 hours) that I didn't know how I would have been able to do it without her, and that is the honest truth. I was so scared for so many reasons, and Nikki, a person that I had not even met until the day that I went into labor, jumped in and helped me head on. But my accolades don't stop there, because Nikki was again in constant contact with me after birth, and not in an intrusive way. I had trouble breastfeeding and she was there to answer any question I had within hours. The thought and detail she put into her answers and the help that she provided was unbelievable. I seriously don't even know how she was able to take care of everything else that she had to do for herself when she was giving me so much thoughtful attention!Nikki also has a wonderful enthusiasm and genuine kindness that is uplifting to be around. I highly recommend her if you are considering a doula."

--MCL

"I cannot say enough wonderful things about Nikki! Having her as my doula was maybe the best thing I did for myself to deal with labor and baby care after my daughter was born. I am a planner, and thought I needed to be  prepared for a long and difficult labor, so I figured a doula would help me since I was hoping to have a natural delivery. I ended up having a fast labor, something I had not at all expected. So instead of having to help me through hours of labor, Nikki helped me through the fear and totally out of control feeling of a baby that was coming much faster than I was prepared for. From start to finish Nikki was a calming and caring presence. After the birth she stayed with me and my daughter and made sure we got off to a good start breastfeeding. That extra confidence I gained in those first precious moments as a new mother, have helped carry me though many of the bumps in the road of being a Mom. Nikki was also a wonderful and often used resource for baby care questions of all kinds even months after her birth. I know that I am a confident mother now because of the wonderful and supportive start I got because Nikki was my doula."

--Annie Y.

 

"I don't even know where to begin in talking about my birth experience and having Nikki as my doula. Nikki is all things I could imagine a doula being and more. She is caring, calm, knowledgeable, funny, and can take the lead when needed. Nikki coached me through the natural birth of my daughter, Raelyn. I now looked back at the time I spent with Nikki very fondly...even the actual giving birth part. Nikki was always available to answer questions or just provide a listening ear. I will never forget the time I spent with Nikki. She encouraged me to try and labor naturally, and in doing so, I found strength I never knew I had. Nikki will always be like a family member. If I do decide to have a third child, I hope she'll once again be by my side in her peaceful, loving way.

--Rachel D.

 

"Choosing the right doula was an important decision in my birthing process. I personally wanted someone who was certified and personable. I wanted someone with a strong, yet calm presence. Nikki fulfilled all the requirements. I had a long labor that began at home, progressed at a birth center, and ended with a non- emergency hospital transfer. Nikki's patience and encouragement were reassuring and comforting. I felt a sense of protection and warmth that made me confident and secure. She is truly a master at her art."

--Anonymous

"I cannot express how grateful I am for Christina who helped me through my labor with my first baby girl born almost 4 weeks ago.  I had a plan for a peaceful, natural birth and wanted to keep calmness in the room and stay focused on my main goal while being present in my mind and body.  Christina helped me remember all of these things and whenever I felt too exhausted, she would say the right words to help bring me back to being present and focused on the end result, my baby!  Christina kept a calm voice and was so helpful through the entire experience.  I felt supported by Well Born Baby Doula team throughout my pregnancy, any questions I had were quickly answered and the information they provided was all very useful! I really feel that I had the perfect birth and I am so lucky... but I must give so much credit to my team of people who helped me through, Christina was amazing and my birth would not have been nearly as peaceful and guided as it was without her. I am so happy that I found Well Born Baby and that she helped me through my wonderful labor experience. I have felt very supported afterwards with her as well and I look forward to going to the mommy mornings that she leads so I can keep in touch! I can't say enough wonderful things about Christina and Well Born Baby, what a fabulous team of women who really care about moms and helping to nurture a beautiful birth experience."
--Melissa T.


"Christina is really great! My husband and are very glad we had her as our birth doula. The birth that she attended was actually our second child. Some things happened with the pregnancy and birth of our first child that made us want to look into some non-traditional options when I got pregnant again. I had high blood pressure near the end and was eventually induced just past my due date. The ob I used decided to break my water but gave me no warning as to how much more intense contractions are after the water has broken and I ended up requesting an epidural. These were all things that I hadn't wanted going into it. For my second pregnancy, we ended up choosing The Birth Center for my prenatal care and were planning on delivering there as well.  We hired Christina as our doula and told her all of our concerns. She assured me that she (and The Birth Center midwives) would work to make sure that I was much more involved in the decision making this time around. As it turned out, some of the same things happend with my second pregnancy that had happened with my first, but the experience was different because Christina made sure that I understood each step of the way what my options were and what the medical reasons were for needing to deliver at the hospital, why it was better to let the midwife break my water rather than increasing my dose of Pitocin until it broke on its own.  With her help I was able to breathe properly through my contractions and relax between them and make it through a very intense labor without an epidural. She also helped me get started with breastfeeding. My husband says it was great not to feel like the entire job of labor coach was on him and to have her there giving him ideas and suggestions of things he could do to be more helpful to me.  Basically, hiring Christina was worth every penny and if we found ourselves expecting again, one of the first calls we would make would be to Christina to see if she was available!"
--Michael & Kassie J.

 
"Christina Duff is a wonderful doula. She is extremely professional and knowledgable, but also sweet, friendly, and incredibly supportive.  

We worked with Christina and Well Born Baby for the birth of our son, in 2011, and again for our second son, in 2013.  She greatly improved my birth experience both times.  

Her calm coaching and guidance during the births helped me to stay focused and I think that it shortened my labor.  She also supported my husband and taught him to apply "counterpressure" during labor which helped immensely in handling labor pain.

She taught me to breastfeed my baby, and was there to support me via phone, email, and home visit with whatever i needed.  Christina is also a mom of 3, and her sharing her experience has taught me a lot as well.

Her fee is very reasonable for the support she and Well Born Baby offer.

Her support really helped me transition into motherhood.

I have and will continue to recommend Christina to my friends and family."

--Briana B.

"My friend gave me Nikki’s contact info as someone who could assist me in finding an affordable student doula (as this was my second birth and I was trying to save money). Nikki was happy to help with the information but she really wasn’t much more expensive than a student and my friend had highly recommended her so I decided to go with Nikki. It was definitely the right decision – Nikki was invaluable to my birth experience. As this was my second birth, I thought it would be much easier but it just turned out to be a lot quicker. I had been texting Nikki that morning, letting her know I thought it was likely the day and once it became apparent it was, my husband called her and she was at our house within 15 minutes. She applied counter-pressure to my back during my contractions (which were coming every 2 minutes at this point) and I basically insisted on this the entire time except for the car ride to the hospital. She was really encouraging during the delivery, despite the fact that I really didn’t want to push, and I trusted her when she helped me understand how and when I needed to push. After birth, she came over to visit and was able to look at my son’s thrush and I also had to her come at a later time to assess his latch and tongue tie. I go to her breastfeeding support group as well – she really is an amazing resource. I think really what it comes down to is how comfortable you feel with this person (as you will be vulnerable and likely pretty naked), how much you trust this person (as she will be helping you assess your situation) and how skilled/knowledgeable you think they are (because that’s why you’re hiring them) and I think Nikki excelled in all three. I will definitely be hiring her for my third."

--Sarah C.

 

"Nikki was an absolute god send during my birth experience!!  It started when I sailed past my due date and was scheduled for induction earlier than I was comfortable with.  One phone call to Nikki (which she answered immediately, no waiting around) and I got the support I needed to cancel the induction.  Flash forward to 41 weeks and 6 days and I was induced. However, I was induced knowing I gave Gus all the time I could and now it was a matter of protecting his health.  I had planned for an unmedicated birth and had a healthy fear of pitocin (Business of Being Born).  Nikki was such a calm presence in the labor and delivery room for both me and my husband, and later our mothers (mine espcially).  She worked right along with the hospital staff and I really felt like I had a whole team supporting me (Nikki, husband, nurses and doctors).  After some intense contractions which Nikki guided us through, by suggesting position changes at just the right time and showing my husband where and how to assist me, it was time to push.

A c-section became necessary and my son nearly aspirated meconium, which meant a trip to the NICU.  While I had the benefit of drugs to take the edge off the enormity of the situation, my husband and our families had Nikki.  She was able to explain what doctors were saying in plain English and to keep them calm while they waited for news.  Each of them has told me how wonderful Nikki was and what a good decision we made in hiring her. 

Now my baby is here and I have called on Nikki as a lactation consultant.  She is an amazing support and it is obvious how much she loves what she does. Nikki has truly found her calling in life and I cannot recommend her enough!!!"

--Nicole W.

"Christina Duff gave me the labor and delivery with my second child that I wish I could have had with my first. If only I had known about her back then! I had a challenging delivery with both children, but the difference between the two experiences was night and day thanks to Christina. She was calm when I was terrified, soothing when I was frazzled, confident when I was overwhelmed, and, above all, she just made me feel like I could do it. My goal was to have a natural childbirth and, even though I ended up needing pitocin for a failure to progress, she helped me achieve my goal. I delivered naturally with no epidural, primarily thanks to her strong support.

She has so much experience with labor and delivery; she has seen it all. She understood when I just needed encouragement and when I needed her to take charge. Honestly, she anticipated my every need and was there to meet it. I was able to focus solely on the job of delivering the baby, since she was there to worry about everything else.

If I decide to have a third child, she will absolutely be there right beside me!"
--Susan F.



"Christina was amazing. Working with her was wonderful. I could not have given birth naturally without her help. In my opinion she was invaluable and I would never give birth without her.

It's hard to put into words how wonderful my birth experience was.

My water broke at 11 am and I called Christina right away. She kept me calm and told me what to do. She encouraged me to shower, eat, etc because she said that once I got to the hospital, if my water had broken, they would keep me there no matter what. I was able to keep in contact with her the entire time. She asked me questions to gauge how far along my labor was. She kept asking me if I wanted her to come and join us. On the way to the hospital, I was able to text her the whole time.

I was at the hospital for about an hour before she got there, which was my decision. About 15 minutes before she got there, I felt like I wouldn't be able to handle the pain. Once Christina got to the hospital, it all changed. The way I handled the contractions and the way they felt were completely different and manageable.

Once I got into the L&D room instead of the evaluation unit, I was able to get into the shower. Christina stayed with me the entire time. This was really helpful, because at one point, my husband had to leave the bathroom to sign paperwork. Knowing that there was someone to stay with me made it a lot easier for him. The farther along I got, the more instruction she gave.

Once I was ready to push, my husband and Christina held my hands. She gave me instructions on how to push and even the nurses commented that I wasn't pushing like a first timer. I ended up only pushing for 20 minutes which was amazing. After my son was born and I had time with him, my husband was able to hold our son while Christina helped me deliver the placenta. She then stayed afterwards until my son latched and started feeding.

I am so glad I hired her and I wouldn't change a thing!"

--Molly S. H.

 
"Christina made herself available throughout my pregnancy to answer user questions and concerns about everything from pregnancy symptoms to registry items for my shower. She also provided me with information and resources to help with turning a breech baby mine was) and increase my AF level (mine was low). Ultimately, my baby was stubborn and never flipped, but Christina helped me to prepare a birth plan for a C Section that was as natural and personal as one could be. She helped try for skin to skin in the OR anfm for breast feeding in recovery rather than after the baby's bath and trip to the nursery. We were successful with the latter and the hospital allowed Dad at least to have skin to skin with the baby. Christina calmed my fears about a c section and has been fabulous post partum as a resource for nursing and other baby questions. She's even been helping me find other mommy friends! Christina also led my child birth education class and that was great, preparing us for all potentiainterventions and even pain management techniques through massage. I would absolutely use Christina again as a doula when we try for a VBAC this time around. Great wealth of knowledge, experience, and resources are phenomenal!

--Christina N.

 

"I don't know how we would have gotten through our labor and birth experience without Nikki!  She is the kind of person where, after you interact with her even once, you know you want to be her friend.  She is so welcoming and knowledgeable, I can't imagine any person she couldn't get along with.  Her demeanor is so calming and in times of stress, she is the voice of reason.  From the beginning of our prenatal appointments, to the last post partum appointment, our interactions with Nikki were truly personal and genuine.  She cares about her work and her clients, and it is evident in everything she does.  She takes her time with the appointments and we never felt rushed.  She always responds promptly to emails, texts, and voicemails if you have questions or concerns.   My labor and birth were somewhat complicated...my plans for natural and unmedicated birth ending in a C- Section.  Nikki was there during my 17 hour marathon unmedicated but Pitocin induced labor, and in the final hours when it was determined c section was required...and again to the late hours of the morning to help my little one latch!  She was my sanity and the voice in my head.  WIth Nikki and my husband, I felt I had the best birth advocates on my side!  I felt informed the entire way through the process and truly don't know why anyone would ever not want to use a doula.  Well, not just any doula...Nikki!!"

--Mariana H.

 

"We hired Nikki about 5 weeks before my due date. The doula package she offered included two prenatal visits and 1 postnatal visit. Given the fast approaching due date, she was kind enough to offer 1 prenatal visit for a reduced price. In the end, my baby boy came 3 weeks early, which was a few days before the scheduled prenatal visit.

The day I went into labor Nikki was very responsive by phone and text. At the time, I thought it was prelabor and could last for many days, but I went into early then active labor that same day. My husband called Nikki just before midnight to tell her it was time. She would have driven the hour to our house, but by the time we called her, it made sense just to meet at the Birth Center.
She is such a warm and kind person. Although I had met with her only once, I felt reassured by her presence in the room. I labored at the Birth Center for about 7 hours. And for most of that time, Nikki provided me with the strong pressure massage to my lower back/pelvic area that I badly needed to alleviate some labor pain.

Since I gave birth much earlier than expected, Nikki suggested that we have 2 postnatal visits instead. During these visits, she listened to my concerns just like a close friend would, but then was able to give advice that only a doula and certified lactation consultant could. Also, she offers in-home postnatal massages, and I can attest that they are amazing.

In the weeks after the birth, I have remained in touch with Nikki by e-mail, and she continues to offer words of encouragement and clear-headed advice that I have found invaluable.

In the not-too-distant future, I plan on having a second child and would not hesitate to hire Nikki again.

To summarize, I wholeheartedly recommend her as a doula."

--Diana C.

 

"This birth was everything we wanted because of Nikki.

From the time we first met, we could tell she had a really calming, knowledgeable air about her. She educated us well beforehand, but having gone through birth, I can tell you that a lot of that goes out the window when you're in the middle of it. Which is why her being there was just so wonderful. She reminded us of so many things we'd forgotten, and from start to finish, was the voice of reason and calm. God bless my husband, but there’s no way he could have done the things she knew to do to get me through the pain.

One thing I really like about her is that while she probably favors natural childbirth, she never conveyed any kind of bias against using an epidural. Me...I was open to natural, but wanted to know that I could get an epidural if I needed it. When the time came, I actually labored to 9 cm without an epidural and then got one for the last cm (the pain was just too much). And she made me feel like a champ for having made the decision. I keep hearing her say even now "a well timed epidural can be a wonderful thing".

The hospital staff asked me afterwards where did I find her, because she was just so excellent. She puts the mother first, but knows that in order to do that, she has to work very well with the hospital staff to get the mother what she wants.

And the phone/text/email support! In our postpartum visit, I told Nikki I felt like she was my magic 8-ball...meaning whatever question I asked her, the answer she came back with was either emotionally or factually perfect. She really knows her stuff, can point you to great resources online, etc.

My husband and I heartily recommend her!"

--Anita G.

 

"I remember seeing this quote once and not being entirely sure what to make of it: “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does” – William JamesHaving met the acquaintance of Nikki Graham, and been the recipient of her doula services, it is now clear what the quote means – and Nikki personifies the spirit of that message perfectly. It might seem odd to characterize a doula as being professional given all of the emotional support they offer. And while professionalism may sound too clinical, I intend for its meaning to be the same way that you refer to an artist or an accomplished musician as professional.Never at any moment from the time that we hired her did we at all worry about the support that she was providing, or her availability for our questions. As we progressed through the final weeks of pregnancy, and into the various stages of labor and eventually birth, we felt from the beginning that we could depend on Nikki and that she would be there for us. Nikki was hired for doula services for our first child, Zoe – born March 8th, 2012. It was a long labor that went into the wee hours of the morning, requiring Nikki to be involved for almost 24 hours. At no point did her level of engagement wane, or her level of energy or dedication drop. She helped answer all of the questions that we had throughout the entire process. There really is no sufficient way – for us at least – to put into words how amazing it was to have her there. Perhaps the best endorsement that we can offer is that we plan on retaining Nikki’s services for any future children that we decide to have JWe spent a lot of time doing research, not just on doulas, but on pregnancy and labor as well.  And even after dedicating a tremendous amount of time educating ourselves, the truth of the matter becomes strikingly clear. The birthing process is virtually impossible to ever be fully prepared for. And to that end, hiring Nikki was one of the best decisions that we made in the entire process. Having someone to support you throughout the process, offering helpful information, support and comfort is important. Particularly when that person is invested in you, having no outside agenda other than making sure that you successfully give birth to your child. After all of that preparation, we both found ourselves forgetting a lot of the information that we had researched so thoroughly and having Nikki there to fill in the blanks made the entire experience much more relaxed and therefore successful. We interviewed many doulas, and chose Nikki because she has a wonderful personality that was a perfect fit for us (and the certified massage therapist training didn’t hurt either!). She was very respectful of both of our wishes and each of our roles in the process. We both still felt immensely involved in the labor and delivery process, and neither of us felt at all cheated of the experience – only supported, and amazingly supported at that. The sheer capacity that Nikki demonstrates for providing a wealth of information on a myriad of topics relating to giving birth to and caring for your child is truly astounding. It is dwarfed only by her sincere commitment to ensuring that your questions and concerns are fully addressed. She goes out of her way to ensure that you know you can literally reach out to her at any time – and is genuinely excited to be able to provide you with the knowledge and support that you are seeking. Nikki is truly a credit to her profession, and you would be lucky to have her be part of your family’s birth."

--Jessica & John S.

 

"Christina Duff of Well-Born Baby was fantastic. My natural intervention free birth was side-tracked by my 10.6# baby (I couldn't get him out) but I still had an amazing experience. I had a c-section that she explained and advocated for and we went in completely at ease.  Christina was extremely helpful with breast feeding and also took care of my anxious husband thru the whole process. I would highly recommend!!!!"

--Jennifer C.



"Christina was a wonderful, wonderful doula. My husband and I moved to the Philadelphia area four weeks before my daughter was born.  I was nervous having to get a new doctor so late in the game since I had planned to deliver at a birthing center in my previous city and was not able to get into a birthing center at the last minute where I currently live.  Hiring Christina as our doula allowed us to know that we would have a true advocate with us during the entire birth in a hospital setting.  Christina was positive, upbeat, and lowkey the entire few weeks leading up to labor.  She gave me great resources when I was close to two weeks past my due date, including an at-home visit from a wonderful acupuncturist who helped re-kickstart my labor after it stopped.  Christina immediately met me at the hospital when I arrived 5cm dilated.  She walked with me during labor, gave me strategies to help keep my contractions progressing, talked me through each wave of pain when they got stronger, and more.  I went into labor on a Friday night at home, arrived at the hospital Monday morning and unfortunately after my water was accidentally broken my daughter turned to a posterior position and had still not descended by almost the next day even though I was fully dilated.  When the doctors assured me that a c-section was the most important next step, Christina gave me every assurance I needed to feel comfortable with that outcome.  My husband and I had planned for a natural birth but more than anything, wanted a positive experience.  I feel that Christina's support and affirmation helped us keep my daugther's birth a positive experience despite the unplanned surgery.  Christina stayed until I was stitched up and back in my hospital room and her follow-up in the weeks after was essential (including an outing to the playground with our kids!). I would whole-heartedly recommend Christina to anyone." 
--Kaitlin B.



"Christina was an amazing support. We got along right away and enjoyed our sessions prior to the birth as a time to work through any questions we had and concerns about how to make our birth experience as close to what we wanted as possible. I was gestationally diabetic with a big baby and we were not sure whether or not we would end up having access to a natural birth but wanted to try. Christina had a big network of related services to help support us. When labor began I did not worry about making my husband the sole support for my labor journey (something I think is overwhelming for anyone), instead Christina was there to rub my back and suggest alternate positions. When heart rates went a little wild, Christina was a voice of experience next to the monitor to reassure me that everything would be ok. When after 15 hours of natural labor, our experience ended with a c-section we were at peace that we had done everything possible. My dr even let Christina stay in the room to provide much needed support to me after baby and daddy left the room. She made breastfeeding right away seem as easy as falling off a log. Afterward, I loved the new-mom support that wellborn baby connected me to. We plan on trying for a VBAC with our next baby and Christina will definitely be a part of the team. I can not say enough good things about doulas in general and Christina specifically."
--Sarah A.

 

"I decided to get a doula when I realized that I had to deliver in a hospital setting rather than a birth center as I had originally planned.  Because I wanted to give birth without medications and because this was our first child, I thought it made sense to find someone to support and advocate for my husband and I during labor and delivery.  Nikki was recommended by a friend and from the moment I met her, I was completely at ease.  Nikki is warm and generous with her time and her advice.  She provided excellent and timely advice via email or text whenever I asked for it before and after delivery.  During delivery, she was a tremendous resource for my husband and for myself.  Nikki talked me through the toughest parts of my labor and encouraged me to move around to help labor progress, even when I didn't think I had it in me to do so.  She was also a strong support for my husband, sharing with him her techniques to alleviate pain during my contractions.  Finally during pushing stage, Nikki worked seamlessly with the doctor and the nurses to deliver the baby.  Afterwards several nurses told us that Nikki was the best doula they had ever worked with!  Thanks to her, I was able to deliver a beautiful baby without any meds.  She is a fabulous doula and I would recommend her to anyone seeking a caring advocate and support during the birthing process."

--Rosa M.

 

"When we began thinking about the birth experience we desired for the birth of our son, having a doula was not in the picture. As our pregnancy progressed, we were encouraged to explore using a doula as support and were referred to Nikki by a friend. It was the best thing that ever happened to us. Being young and naive about the birthing process, Nikki was a calming and supportive friend before, during, and after our son's birth. What would have been a traumatic event became one of strength and love as Nikki gently helped us through the difficult times (induction, pitocin, epidural) and celebrated with us during times of joy (the birth and beyond). Nikki's expertise as a mother, lactation consultant, massage therapist, doula, etc is unsurpassed. You cannot go wrong with Nikki Graham!!!"

--Greg & Lindsey S.

 

"My husband and I first called Nikki when our son was 5 days old and had gone almost 12 hours without being able to breastfeed.  It was a Saturday and Nikki dropped what she was doing and spent the entire evening with us, even waiting with us between feedings.  Nikki gave us the tools to help our son learn to breastfeed.  Rather than physically getting my son to latch, she observed my technique and coached me, allowing me to get him to latch on my own.  This method helped build my confidence in my own ability up make breastfeeding work after she was gone and consequently the feedings were less stressful.  At 16 days old, our son was nursing like a champ.  Nikki's help and support was invaluable.  Even between visits, she would respond to our texts messages within minutes.  Nikki helped me through a very stressful time and she will always hold a special place in my heart!"

--Katie R.

"Having Christina / Well Born Baby as our Doula was one of the best decisions I made during my pregnancy. Our son is 4 months old and my husband still raves about how amazing Christina was and how we have to have her for baby #2. Christina was calm, prepared, knowledgeable and most importantly, supportive throughout my pregnancy and labor. She was there to answer any questions I had and made me feel prepared for child birth.

Christina was AMAZING with pain management! She knew exactly what to do to naturally ease a lot of my labor pain. She also showed my husband how to best help and support me. She was always one step ahead and seemed to know just what I needed. At the same time, she was not overbearing at all - Christina was very respectful of the fact that giving birth is a very intimate time.

Throughout the ~17 hours she was with us she never seemed to get tired! To sum it up, we would have been lost without her! Christina was an essential component to our birth experience and I am SO thankful for everything that she did for us."

--Erica S.


"My husband and I were both so grateful to have Christina's support leading up to and during the birth of our daughter. My husband was initially wary of having a doula, but as soon as we met with Christina, he started to shift his opinion, and he was so glad to have her there supporting us both. "I could not have talked you through that in the way that she did," was one of the things he told me. Having both of them there with me gave me the comfort that I needed to focus on the work of birthing my daughter. I also think that having Christina there allowed my husband to experience the birth of our daughter more fully. It was a beautiful and empowering experience, and I thank Christina for helping to make it so."

--Xandra O.

 

"Nikki was, and is absolutely AMAZING.  I had my heart set on a natural, medication-free childbirth. Unfortunately, my body had other plans.  The doctors said it was in my best interest to be induced at 39 weeks due to consistent high blood pressure.  When I asked what would happen if I waited to see if I'd go into labor on my own, they said there was a chance the placenta could seperate from the uterus which would result in a lack of oxygen to the fetus.  I wasn't taking that chance, so there went my natural childbirth.  I was induced with pitocin at 3pm on a Monday.  I was experiencing full-on induced labor without an epidural (I was determined to make it as natural as possible - but after 32 hours and only dilating 3cm I wound up needing both an epidural and a c-section).  Nikki was there with me the whole time to help explain to me what was going on.  For example, I didn't know that shaking uncontrollably was part of labor.  If Nikki hadn't been there to tell me right away, I would've freaked out.  Nurses breeze in and out of your room because they have other patients.  With Nikki, you're her only patient.  She knows when to talk to calm you down, she is an amazing resource of information, and also, she knows when to be quiet.  I needed complete silence with my contractions and I didn't need to tell her that, she just knew.  She helped guide my husband with massage and stayed with me when I sent my husband to get my waterice:)  LOVE her.  I've been breastfeeding my son and Nikki has been such an amazing support. I didn't realize how many questions come along with nursing until I actually started doing it.  Oliver is four and a half months old and I STILL contact her for advice and to ask questions, because there's always something new with nursing.  To be candid, sometimes I trust her more than my pediatrician! I'd recommend her over and over."

--Dana B.

 

I really don't have the words to describe how wonderful Nikki is and how strongly I would suggest her services.  My son was born in September 2011 after a very long labor.  Nikki was with my husband and I every step of the way.  She was amazing.  So supportive, caring, and willing to do exactly what we needed of her.  I ended up having a c-section but was able to come to terms with not having a natural, drug-free birth because I know with Nikki's help I did everything I could.  I don't have any regrets or bad feelings about my birth experience.  If Nikki had not been there I do not think I could say the same thing.

Afterwards when we were reliving my labor and our son's birth, my husband said that Nikki worked as hard as I did and never stopped not even for a minute.  My husband and my Mom even took a few breaks but not Nikki.  I lost count how many times after the birth that my husband said "call or text Nikki".  She was our go-to reference for any and all things breastfeeding. 

All I can say is if you are thinking of hiring Nikki, do it.  It is one decision you will never regret!"

--Kestra K.

 

"Nikki was an indispensable part of giving birth to my son. She was calm and supportive throughout the entire process. Without her, I'm not sure I could've managed a natural childbirth. She encouraged me, helped reassure me throughout my labor, and provided indispensable breastfeeding guidance in the moments after my baby was born. She also generously talked with me afterward about how the birth went and helped me learn how to best care for myself and my son in the postpartum period. Both my husband and I were incredibly grateful for her presence, and have recommended her wholeheartedly to our friends."

--First-time mother, Swarthmore, PA

 

"We used Nikki as our doula for the birth of both of our children (Feb '09, and April '11). I also took advantage of her pre-natal and post-partum services (specifically massage!), and her lactation consultation. Words cannot describe how pleased both my husband and I were with our experience with Nikki. In regards to her participation in our births, she knew exactly when to step in and help (either with encouraging words, massage, ressurance, etc.), and when to hold back and defer to us (or the midwife.)

Nikki's ability to strike that challenging balance of warm and comforting, yet strong and reassuring is unmatched. She's the type of person who you meet and you feel like you've known your entire life. She's professional, yet personable. She's incredibly organized, knowledgable, compassionate, and dedicated.

After the birth of our first child, my husband said to me, "There's no way we will have a second baby unless we can gurantee that Nikki will be there during your labor." (And, of course, she was:)

In regards to her pre-natal and post-partum massages, there are no words to explain how much they helped me. During my first pregnancy, in particular, I had a tremendous amount of lower back pain, and her massages made the pain far more manageable. And, the post-partum massages were a huge treat, as I was one tired Mama, and it was wonderful to get some "me" time.

I highly recommend Nikki Graham's services, and cannot say enough good things about her!"

--Julia Bergson-Shilcock

 

"I'm not sure what we would have done had we not worked with Nikki in the first few weeks after our son was born. I had so many fears about how to care for him, and I had so many questions and no one else to ask. She made a very challenging time of our life much less stressful - she let us enjoy it. She was willing and able to help with anything we asked, from helping us learn how to operate all our babygear, to helping us solve feeding and sleeping issues, and allowing us get some much needed rest. We felt so lucky to have found her. Those first few weeks would have been much more difficult without her care and support! I would highly recommend her to anyone having a baby"

--Jen Van Allen Bryn Mawr, PA