A one-time travel fee of $100 will be applied for clients that live and/or birth outside of a 45 minute travel distance.
"At the beginning of my pregnancy, I knew I wanted a doula on my birth team. Nope, take that back. I needed someone to help me navigate the waters of a hospital birth. Someone to give me ALL the information I needed, to be able to advocate for myself, in order to have the type of birth I wanted. Someone that was highly trained and skilled to be there physically and emotionally to support my husband and I as we became second time parents. And Jillian did exactly that and so much more. Her knowledge and support became invaluable when I had to give up my plan of spontaneous labor, for a medically necessary induction. She relayed all of our options to us, so we could make the best informed decision for our situation. She was there through pregnancy, always willing to talk or answer questions when I needed. She was there the moment labor picked up, stroking my head, reminding me to relax, and to keep the right tone during my contractions. She offered me water, and made sure my husband was supported while he helped me out. And right there at the end, when I felt for sure I could not do it anymore, her firm tone saying that I could, and her looking me straight in the eye, gave me the strength to get to the finish line. I have told her that I could not have done it without her. To which she said I could have. Yeah. I could have chosen to go without her help. Cause you have to give birth no matter what. But I sure would not have wanted to go through it without her. If you are an expecting mama, I could never recommend enough, adding Jillian to your birth team. She is a wealth of knowledge, will teach you how to advocate for yourself, and to support you no matter what type of birth experience you desire. And who doesn't want that type of support at such a special time?"
"Jillian was absolutely amazing. We sought out a doula because we were expecting our first baby and resources were so limited due to Covid. Now I see why having a doula is so important, pandemic or not. She was kind, genuine, knowledgeable and supportive. She educated us on so many things we had no idea about and she prepared us for every scenario the big day could bring. Additionally, she provided my spouse with just as much support as she did me-something that was very important to us. She comes with no judgment and is an incredible advocate for expecting families, before, during, and after labor and delivery. Almost six months later and I can still shoot her a text if I have baby questions! Before I would have never considered having a doula, but after hiring Jillian I don't see why anyone wouldn't want one, especially Jillian. I absolutely highly recommend her!"
"Jillian was absolutely incredible. We had planned a homebirth and those plans were quickly derailed when we had to deliver in the hospital 2 weeks early for safety. Jillian was with us the entire way, helping me decide on induction techniques by explaining what each one meant. She physically helped me through contractions and encouraged me to do things like Spinning Babies, labor in the shower, labor on a birthing ball, all so that I was more comfortable. She was emotionally supportive when we changed our minds about medicated v. unmedicated birth and helped us through the process of getting to the right decision for us. She took pictures for us while we were in labor, and helped make suggestions for the process that allowed us to keep original elements of our original birth plans that we'd lost in the process. And then has supported us postpartum, and has been available for questions the entire way. I couldn't be happier with the experience I had with Jillian, and I know my partner felt so much more capable of supporting me and our baby."
"It was wonderful having Jillian there to guide us through the birth process. Her calming presence put us at ease throughout labor. Jillian was full of ideas to help make the entire labor more comfortable. She went above and beyond, from hospital visits prior, to a NICU visit after, when our baby decided to join us prematurely. I am so grateful she was there for the birth of our son."
"If ever there was a time that I needed support, love, nurturing and to feel some sense of ease it was during that postpartum period after my daughter was born. I was back home after having a baby...this time I had a TODDLER at home too!! I needed so much emotional and physical support and Jill was able to intuitively, gracefully and lovingly provide me and my family with exactly what we needed during that crucial and vulnerable time."
"Jillian is wonderful! As a first time mama, she helped my family and I tremendously. She provided me with the tools I needed to take care of myself and my newborn. Being a first time parent is the best feeling in the world, but can be scary at the same time. Jillian put me at such ease, so I could feel comfortable and confident every step of the way. I cant imagine not having her around for my second baby. I can only hope other families get to have the same experience as I did!"
"Hire Jillian.
She’s truly amazing at what she does has devoted so much time and effort to educating herself so that she can be the best at a job she truly loves.
She was so encouraging and empowering in our prenatal meetings that I decided to try for an unmedicated birth. This was my third delivery. It was absolutely the best decision for myself and I’m so grateful for her knowledge and encouragement.
When I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes, she immediately recommended podcasts and reading material on the subject.
My labor was fast and intense and she was the calm in the storm. She used many strategies to keep me grounded during the most intense experience of my life. Hip squeezes through early labor, peppermint oil to keep me from getting sick, she even brought a portable fan because in our prenatal meetings I had said I get really hot when in labor. Between contractions she used other comfort measures to bring me back to baseline so I could gather myself before the next contraction. She kept myself and my husband from panicking when things really picked up and we needed assertive but calm support in the chaos that was arriving at the hospital almost fully dilated.
When I was pushing my baby out, I don’t remember a whole lot about what was happening around me, but I do remember how Jillian would put her cheek against mine and gently talk me through each contraction. In those moments the rest of the world faded away and it was just me and my people (Jillian and my husband) having a baby. It was like having a big sister in the room with me.
I would absolutely hire Jillian 10 more times."
"Couldn't have managed without Jill! She was a crucial part of our physical, emotional and social transition from one child to two. She covered absolutely all bases. Very highly recommended!"
"If Jillian is available definitely hire her! As a first time father Jillian was there for my wife and I every step of our birth. She provided us with the education and support that best fit our birth plan. She is a true professional. She has excellent compassion and strength. From start to finish my wife labored for 34 hours! Jillian did not once miss a beat. During my wife’s labor we had some complications and our birth did not go as we had planned. Jillian was unbelievable helpful with navigating the decisions we had to make, and being sure the hospital was practicing informed consent. My wife was informed and in control of her birth thanks to Jillian!
Our labor was beautiful and I have never felt closer to my wife after sharing this experience with her. We have a beautiful son, and are unbelievable great full that Jillian shared this life experience with us!!!! It’s difficult to choose someone to share this experience with. Hiring Jillian is hands down one of the best decision we made, I hope you have the pleasure of working with her!"
"I could not have had the birth I wanted without Jillian. This was our first child and we planned to have a home birth. I was so lost and didn’t know what I needed or where to start. Luckily, I stumbled across Jillian and everything fell into place from there. She was so knowledgeable and organized. She presented me with options without making me feel pressured. If I was looking for a service in the area she would give me multiple suggestions. When I was feeling overwhelmed it was such a relief to be able to just text her and get direct answers right away. She was a sounding board and cheerleader throughout the whole pregnancy. It also gave me confidence knowing I would have such a well informed and strong advocate if we ended up needing a hospital transfer.
Despite having a good pregnancy and birth team I was still scared. Then, two weeks before I was due, my midwife and husband both suffered the same broken arm injury (just a crazy coincidence) and it left me feeling sort of hopeless. My water broke on the same day as my husband’s surgery. So with my husband all hopped-up on drugs from his procedure we headed home to have a baby. Jillian was our first call. She stayed with me the entire time from probably 7:30pm till mid day the following day. She was the first one there, and the last one to leave. Since my husband was injured she gave me counter pressure and comfort through every single contraction on her own. I can’t remember a time when she wasn’t by my side. Offering me drinks, food, and calming reassurance. She also helped my husband and went above and beyond to make sure he was cared for as well. I couldn’t fully explain how valuable Jillian is without writing a book. She does all these little things you don’t even know you need, and they make all the difference. I wish I could explain in words just how much her care meant to me. I cannot recommend her enough."
Jillian is one of the most important parts of my birth experience. Throughout my pregnancy she provided me comfort and knowledge for all of the questions we had about pregnancy and child birth. I loved that she approached every topic with fact based knowledge and never tried to sway us with her opinions unless we asked. She always supported and made me feel comfortable with my decisions. During my long and difficult birth journey she was our rock. She supported both my husband and I in making sure we were ok both physically and mentally. Even PP she would drop anything to connect with me when I was feeling overwhelmed or needed to talk through issues that were arising. Jillian is forever in our hearts and whenever we talk about our birth experience she is always brought up. We love her.
Long story short - if you are on the fence I cannot express enough words to encourage you to hire Jillian and have her become a part of your life.
"Jillian is amazing. She provided my husband and I with so much education and wisdom throughout my pregnancy and helped us feel prepared for our first birth. She is supportive, warm, and encouraging and always made sure that I was taking care of myself and baby. She helped us feel educated to make the best decisions for us and our baby and offered such incredible emotional support throughout our birth and after. We highly recommend working with Jillian!"
"For my third pregnancy and birthing experience I decided I wanted to hire a doula for many different reasons. I was so happy to have found Jillian. She really helped make my third birth such a euphoric and pleasant experience. She was available throughout my whole pregnancy to answer any questions that I had and always responded very quickly. She has so much knowledge and it helped me feel empowered to make decisions with certainty. She helped my husband and I figure out what we really wanted this third birthing experience to be and helped facilitate that with her connections in the Wilmington birth community. She was so gentle and encouraging while I was in labor and she made me feel so SAFE and comfortable. I am so thankful for her and her role in the birth of my daughter."
"Jillian is the reason I was able to have a VBA2C, and I wish I had hired her for my first two pregnancies. There are so many things I appreciate about Jillian:
She is knowledgeable and also a student of her craft. Her coaching during pregnancy was well-researched and helped us become better informed. And when things came up during my pregnancy/labor that weren’t familiar to her, she was humble enough to ask questions and passionate enough to want to keep learning.
She is supportive. Without judgement, she rolled with our decision to have a hospital birth, then switch to a home birth, then switch back to a hospital birth out of medical necessity. It always felt like she was in our corner, wanting us to do what felt right for us. She encouraged me to text/call with any comments, updates, and questions throughout my pregnancy, and she was always a good sounding board, information source, or shoulder to cry on.
She asks good questions. I had a complicated hospital labor, and we had to keep making decisions as the labor progressed and changed. Every time the doctors would talk to us and give their recommendations, I was so relieved Jillian was there. She would ask questions I wouldn’t think/know to ask, she would buy us time to digest all of the information being thrown at us, she would translate the medical-speak and remember details we forgot. This allowed me to mostly focus on being in labor and my husband to focus on supporting me. She felt like our guardian angel!
She is strong and capable. I’m tall, and I appreciated knowing that Jillian could physically support me through labor. And she did things that my husband couldn’t, even if he’d read all the books. Things like applying different pressure during different contractions/stages, or massaging a certain spot on my forehead while I was getting stitches. These things take practice, and I could feel Jillian’s experience through her hands.
She truly cares. She got to know us; she kept tabs on us; she celebrated the good things and helped me process and grieve the hard things.
I could go on! My husband has said many times since our daughter’s birth that he doesn’t want to know how the labor and delivery would have gone without Jillian. She helped us make the best of a difficult situation and have a birth experience as close to the one we wanted, under the circumstances. We feel so indebted to and grateful for her."
"Before I even became pregnant, I knew I would want a doula to support me through labor. I am SO happy I found Jillian! She didn’t just support me through labor, but pre- and postpartum as well.
From the first prenatal meeting, she was so informative and helpful. She outlined all of our options on everything from the environment in our L&D room to pain relief to procedures after baby is born. I had so many questions and she was able to answer them all or point me in the direction of credible articles.
I had decided I wanted an unmedicated birth and I even asked Jillian to “proofread” my Birth Plan to make sure my wants and needs were clear. She gave me feedback and never tried to push one thing or another - my plan was my own and she supported me 100%!
I unfortunately had to be induced at 34 weeks due to medical reasons, and I called Jillian on the way to the hospital. She was there almost immediately! She sat with me as I cried and she kept me calm. She reminded me of all my options and gave me pointers on what to ask the doctors. After the 3rd day of induced labor I had to make the incredibly hard decision to have a cesarean. The doctors kept trying to talk me into proceeding with the induction, and if Jillian wasn’t there, I don’t think I would’ve had the guts to stand up for myself and tell them what I wanted.
Unfortunately it was against hospital policy for a doula to be in the OR, but she waited with my boyfriend and kept him calm while I was prepped for surgery, and she met us the second we came out of the OR. We were in the hospital for a total of 6 days and she was available day or night, in person or via phone, whenever we needed her.
My sweet boy is 12 weeks old and Jillian still checks in and is willing to answer any questions we have! She is truly a God send. My labor experience was not what I had planned, but Jillian never missed a beat and I honestly don’t know how my boyfriend and I could have gotten through it without her!
If you are looking for doula support, look no further - she is the best of the best!"
"Jillian is phenomenal. She has tools for every experience you have in pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. She sees and speaks to your soul in a way that only someone with her level of involvement in birth work could. You deserve to have a doula that is calm and capable, and that’s exactly who Jillian is. She will be your advocate in ways you didn’t know you needed. She is an amazing human and an amazing birth worker. My experience would have been a fraction of what it was without her being present and holding space for my partner, my baby and me. <3"
"I don’t even know where to begin!!!!! Jillian is one of the most amazing human beings I have ever met and while I had no problems with my doctors, I relied on her more than I did them because of how knowledgeable she is in her field. She is so calming and absolutely amazing in advocating for you whether you are doing an at home birth or hospital! This was my second baby and I had a home birth with the first one so doing a hospital birth was something totally new and I had no idea what to expect but Jillian made sure I understood everything and knew exactly what to expect from start to finish. I am now 3 months PP and still talk to her because I just simply miss her presence! She is AMAZING at her job and if you’re looking for a doula, look no further because she will completely surpass your expectations and make sure you are more than taken care of! Not to mention she offers postpartum photography and they are the MOST special photos ever and are a MUST!!!"
"Reading others reviews just made me tear up, Jillian is just the best. I knew I wanted a doula for my first birth. I found Jillian by a Google search for doulas in Wilmington. I liked that Jillian was private and not through a company. I decided to meet her in person. Within 5 minutes I knew I would be hiring her. Jillian has a very calm demeanor and takes this job very seriously. Of course she shared excitement, but she also wanted to help prepare me, as much as one could “prepare” for child birth! Jillian is a reliable communicator, she’s educated on what she does but encourages you to do your research, too. When the big day comes, she is dedicated to you and works tirelessly, as I came to see once my big day arrived. Even after birth, Jillian continued to check in, which I so appreciated. My husband and I agree and tell everyone that we are so grateful to have Jillian be our support person for our first birth. I would definitely hire her again for my next birth!"
"Today is the one year birthday of our daughter and this review is long overdue. Jillian was an integral part of our birth experience - and will always feel like part of our family. She supported us every step of our long 2 day labor journey, and was there to help us understand, evaluate, and support one another every step of the process! I would strongly recommend everyone consider her to help make your birth experience go smoothly!"