CLIENT TESTIMONIALS FOR DOULA NATHALIE GROLLEMAN...
Kelsey Davis Nathalie was incredibly helpful for us. I was looking for a better (and faster) birth experience than my first and she definitely helped us prepare for and accomplish that. She came to our home and taught us some spinning babies exercises that helped with positioning and breathing through contractions. I ended up having pre labor pains a few days before active labor hit hard and fast. It was very helpful being able to text someone knowledgeable when we were on limbo. She was IMMEDIATELY helpful at the hospital with her Mary Poppins bag of tricks. Even after the epidural she helped keep my body engaged and the mood calm. The postpartum visit was also very helpful and our pediatrician said that the help with lactation was a great investment. She was also very careful with Covid measures so we didn't feel any risk added with having her in our home or L&D. Highly recommend! Posted-December 2020 Lauren Schuchman Nathalie was my doula for my daughter’s birth at Fair Oaks Hospital with Centreville OBGYN, and the entire time I was in labor, I kept thinking “how did I go through labor with my first kid without Nathalie?!”. She took so much pressure off of my husband and I. She suggested different things to try, assured that I kept moving to progress labor, and addressed every single one of my concerns. At one point, I started feeling contractions in my back and she did some Spinning Babies magic with her Robozo scarf and a few contractions later, the back labor was gone. Nathalie helped me breathe through my painful contractions, and after I got my epidural, kept me shifting positions to keep labor progressing. Even my midwife, OBGYN, and nurses were impressed with her Spinning Babies and doula knowledge! Unfortunately, I needed a C section as the umbilical cord was around my daughters neck and Nathalie accompanied my husband and I in the OR, and at my request, took over 150 photos during my daughter’s birth. These are photos I will cherish forever. Nathalie ensured all of my birth plan requests were met (even skin to skin during surgery!) and she even came to our house a few days after we were discharged from the hospital to see how we were doing and help with breastfeeding. I cannot recommend Nathalie enough; she made my entire pregnancy and birthing experience positive and memorable! Posted-December 2020
Nicolas Lazio My wife and I feel so grateful that Nathalie was able help support during and after the birth of our first child. Luckily, she was able to be there for the birth which I highly recommend. Even though we read a lot about what to do and attended many classes, having someone as experienced, loving and encouraging as her made all the difference. She was able to help us forget that we were in a hospital by setting up aromatherapy, dimmed the lights, and played music to help us relax. Having her there really helped my wife get through a long labor, coaching us along. I don’t think we could have done it, with my wife giving birth naturally, without her. Her postpartum care was also extremely helpful in the following days back from the hospital. Being new parents, again having such an experienced, warm, and thoughtful person be there for us helped us to relax and learn more than all the books we read. She allowed us some time to go to sleep, baked lactation cookies, taught us how to bath him and helped with breast feeding problems. While having family helps too having someone who knows evidence-based practices really set our minds at ease knowing that we are doing the right things for our new baby. Posted- December 2020
Eric Johnson Highly recommend!
Nathalie is a great doula, and an awesome person! Here’s why:
* Dedicated: Throughout our time with Nathalie during COVID-19, even though she could only support us virtually, she made it feel like she was with us every step of the way, sending us information about pregnancy, birth plans (or guides as we call them), laboring, nursing, and more. As my wife’s induction date approached, even though Nathalie was on vacation visiting family, she took the time to keep in touch with us to check in. And as she was flying home from her vacation, she texted and video chatted with us offering helpful tips such as different positions to encourage progression of labor as well as independent advice when we were concerned about some of the procedures such as AROM. Her guidance helped us in our decision-making immensely.
* Caring: Nathalie balanced all of her advice relative to my wife’s unique diagnoses. My wife quickly came to trust Nathalie and see her as a genuine advocate for my wife’s concerns.
* Thoughtful: As part of our contract, Nathalie visited us postpartum about 7 weeks in to see how things were going. The check up was helpful to address some of our concerns about being new parents. Towards the end of her visit, she revealed that she had brought back a small gift for our son from her vacation! I was blown away by the thoughtfulness and desire to bring joy to our family.
I definitely would recommend seeking out Nathalie for her services! She is worth it! Posted-November 2020 Sarah Th. "Hiring Nathalie to be our doula was the best decision we could have made. We were always interested in working with a doula, especially as we hoped to have an unmedicated birth within a hospital. From the first time we spoke with Nathalie, we knew she was the right choice. She was very warm and understood what we were looking for. I really appreciated her history of working within the hospital system as a nurse: this made me feel confident that she could successfully advocate for us without having an antagonistic relationship with the medical staff. Originally we were hoping to have her join us in the hospital, but that was not an option due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she worked very hard to be accessible and support us throughout the process. Due to circumstances outside our control, my partner had to be in a different state during the last 4 months of my pregnancy. Nathalie did a great job of providing me support during that stressful time and helped my partner prepare for the birth from a distance. She provided extensive educational materials and helped us to feel that we were prepared to head into the hospital. And while she could not join in person, we communicated constantly throughout a multi-day labor at home and she helped us work through early labor and decide when to go to the hospital. Once we were in the hospital she supported my partner throughout the delivery and recovery experience. After we were home, she was invaluable as I had many questions about breastfeeding and concerns about my healing. I knew she was always a text or call away, which made me feel supported while I waited for my 6 week appointment. If and when we decide to have another child, booking Nathalie will be one of our first decisions!" Posted-November 2020
Lotte Mousset Nathalie was a great help and support before, during, and after the birth of our daughter. She helped us to achieve our goal "natural unmedicated birth". Nathalie helped us giving the right directions to cope the contractions and to make decisions during the birth. She has a big heart and a warm personality and does everything her power to support you. At 36 weeks we talked through all the preparations for the delivery. She came to our place before going to the hospital and during the birth she worked very hard to support us during the long birth (she stayed with us 16h), she was crucial during the pushing phase. After the birth, she helped us with the first breastfeeding and a couple of days after she came to our house to give us helpful advices to take care well of both mommy and baby. We are very happy and thankful that she was there for us and we would absolutely recommend her to other expecting parents. Posted - October 2020.
Bryan Mikaelian "When we first met Nathalie, we knew she was going to be an invaluable asset. Nathalie was very thorough about what she would provide, both at home and in the hospital, which my wife and I both loved. We are very type A people and it matched up perfectly with our personality. We were also very nervous about the birth of our first child especially with all the scary information out there, both online and from family members or colleagues. Upon signing Nathalie, she provided us an endless supplies of resources and material that eased our minds. At the time of her hire, the COVID-19 pandemic had not impacted Maryland but she was very clear and set expectations about the impact it would have on her services.
COVID-19 did come to Maryland and Nathalie was not able to be at the hospital during labor. On top that, our water broke before any contractions began (2 weeks early) and we were forced to go to the hospital immediately. This prevented Nathalie from being able to come to our house for pre-labor. But that did not stop Nathalie from being there, even though it was virtually. Every step of the way, she used every medium of communication she could to make sure we were doing ok. With FaceTime and Whats app, it felt like Nathalie was right by our side the whole process. Any issue that came up, Nathalie rose to the occasion. She provided up to date videos and articles to help us with positioning. We were both blow away by her professionalism and skills as a remote doula. 36 hours later, we gave birth to healthy baby girl naturally. We both whole-hardly believe that if it wasn't for Nathalie, things would have gone completely different.
After birth, Nathalie provided amazing postpartum care at our house. Without Nathalie, my wife and I have no idea how we would have made it through this. Thank you Nathalie for everything!" Posted - 6/15/2020
Ashley-Kay Basile "My husband and I are so grateful to have benefited from Nathalie's excellent postpartum support and guidance during the first three weeks following our son's birth. As new parents, we were anxious about how we would be able to handle the first few weeks without help from family given COVID. Enter Nathalie, who was a godsend!
My husband and I were immediately put at ease during our first video call with Nathalie when we were exploring postpartum doula options. It was an easy decision to select her as our doula. Even though we hired Nathalie for postpartum services she reached out a few times during my third trimester to check-in and offer tips to both prepare for my son's birth as well as feel prepared for the first few weeks at home, for which I was most grateful. I knew if I had any questions she could be a resource to me even before her services officially started.
Nathalie took not only excellent care of our son, but also of us. She made sure we rested, ate well, and were comfortable. She cooked a few delicious meals for us in bulk. She took care of our son for stretches so that we could nap. And she also was most helpful in providing guidance to me around some aspects of newborn care such as breastfeeding, tips for relieving gas and settling an upset baby, bathing, sleep, etc. She was happy to modify and adjust her support based on whatever we felt we needed help with, stepping in to support some household tasks as well. Nathalie also took precautions due to COVID, always wearing a mask and gloves.
When Nathalie arrived on her first day she was met with somewhat bewildered and exhausted parents. But when she left 3 weeks later she left a happy and confident set of parents who felt well equipped to care for their newborn on their own. And should we encounter any challenges, I know that Nathalie will always be a helpful resource to us. I highly recommend Nathalie's services and would hire her again in heartbeat!" Posted - 6/15/20
Catherine Nathalie was extraordinary. We were expecting our third child and had everything figured out until the pandemic happened. It caused my husband and I to completely reassess our birthing and postpartum support plans. We were lucky to meet Nathalie who assisted us 5 weeks postpartum. She took great precaution with COVID19 to ensure we felt comfortable being in our home (wore a mask, washed hands constantly, changed clothes when first arrived, etc.). She is warm, conscientious and proactive. Not having had doula support previously with my other children, I honestly didn’t know what I needed, but she did. She also was great about providing me information and educating me about various matters, ie., breastfeeding, lactation support groups, sleep training, etc. She also assisted with introducing our newborn to her older siblings. All three kids adore her. I highly recommend Nathalie for anyone looking for support; I only wished I knew her earlier!! Posted - 6/8/2020
Angie & Robert Nathalie was extremely helpful. The additional challenges due to COVID19 were made easier with Nathalie's in-person and virtual guidance. Post-partum, her assisstance on getting settled was appreciated and certainly helped make our first few weeks more manageable. We would recommend Nathalie for any of our expectant family or friends. posted - 5/31/2020 0
Emily C. As a first time mom, having a doula was extremely important for my birth goal of having a natural vaginal birth. I didn't search long before finding Nathalie. She listened to my plans, provided info, and had a soothing motherly touch to her that was exactly what I needed during this pandemic with my mom not being able to make the birth. She was supportive of me and my decision to get an epidural, even though that wasn't what I had planned, and she still offered virtual support for my husband and I while at the hospital. I couldn't have been in natural labor as long as I did without her. In the end my baby wouldn't move positions, but Nathalie was on face time with us for the last 2 hours before learning I needed an emergency c section. She coached my husband through spinning baby techniques to get my daughter to move. She was a great resource for my husband as he navigated our first labor experience, which was 28 hours total. Nathalie was there for all of it! My husband was so grateful to have her support, and we were able to be the best team we could be as Nathalie virtually coached us through the process. The support Nathalie provided after the birth was truly a blessing, as well. She dropped off food, postpartum resources, and even came over wearing gloves and a mask to help me with breastfeeding and setting up my pump. She also helped my husband with a few things, he learned so much in just a short period of time with Nathalie's help! We debriefed about the birth, which was truly special. I am glad she asked us to share the whole experience as we were able to reflect on the birth of our daughter as husband and wife. Nathalie also made herself available to me anytime, even after providing her complete services. She truly cares about her clients and you will never feel alone with her support. Thank you Nathalie! You truly made my birthing experience better than anything I could have asked or planned for. Posted 4/20/20
Marit Initially my husband and I did not consider a doula, but after several friends highly recommended a doula we decided to meet with Nathalie. Nathalie is very knowledgable and had lots of useful information to share with us. After meeting with Nathalie we decided she would be a great resource to us during the birth of our first child. During the entire pregnancy Nathalie was always available for questions I may have had. She also met with us at our home to go through several useful techniques to use during birth. After meeting with her several times, my husband and I felt ready! Posted 4/20/2020 Breese Doula Nathalie was an incredible resource and support to my husband and me as we prepared for and went through having our first baby. She brings a wealth of holistic expertise and provides a great sense of calm, patience, kindness, unobtrusive support, and a sense of humor. She seeks to understand, address, and advocate for your wants and needs. Prior to labor, Nathalie provided us with many resources, answered our questions, and helped us better understand what to expect and how to prepare, so we felt informed and confident. During labor, she was a quiet, calming, and encouraging force that invaluably helped us navigate and ameliorate an unmedicated labor. She was not only a great support to me, but also to my husband – helping him know what was “normal” and communicating with the nurses so he could focus on me. In addition to all the above, Nathalie was working with us during the heat of the cOVID-19 pandemic and went to great lengths to be careful and isolated so as not to put us at risk. We are so thankful for her support and highly recommend her. Posted 4/3/2020
Abby Having Nathalie as a birth doula was the best decision I ever made! When she arrived, she turned the room into a little sanctuary by using a diffuser and setting up mood lighting. I was able to labor mostly in dim lighting, which is what I wanted. I also wanted an unmedicated birth, and Nathalie definitely helped me achieve that goal. She was by my side the entire time, constantly offering different pain relieving techniques and interfacing with the nurses and other staff members on my behalf. After my son was delivered, she helped him latch for breastfeeding. Nathalie brings a warm, maternal presence and her knowledge about labor/birth, breastfeeding and infant care is unmatched! I highly recommend hiring her for your birth! Posted 3/26/2020
Megan H Nathalie was such a pleasure to work with! This was our first baby and both my husband and I were nervous but Nathalie helped calm a lot of our fears. She met with us first to make sure that we were all comfortable together and then again shortly before the birth to go over what to expect. She also kept in contact with us as my due date got closer (and then went by!). Once we were all at the hospital, she was such a big help when labor really started, including suggesting some different positions that really got things moving forward! My husband doesn't do well with medical things and was a wreck, Nathalie was able to help him feel calmer about what was going on. She also took photographs for us, which were great to have! Nathalie also checked in on us after our son was born, both in person and via text.
I highly recommend hiring a doula and especially Nathalie! I also really liked that she used to be a nurse and was more familiar with the medical side of things. Posted 2/25/2020
Layne & Paul Nathalie was an amazing postpartum doula, bringing cheer, confidence & “hygge” (an air of cozy well-being) to our home in the delicate weeks after our daughter’s birth. We felt honored as she listened to our experiences and appreciated her practical tips & references, all offered diplomatically and lightly. She was the first person we felt comfortable leaving our newborn with. And she cared for us, cleaning and organizing independently and intuitively. Posted 1/23/2020
Jiachen Professional, humble, respect, knowledgeable, passionate, reliable. We appreciate everything Nathalie helped us, and the valuable advice she gave. She is very professional as a postpartum doula, sensitive to what I need, and what our family needs, her caring for my baby is much beyond my expectation. ( I wonder she did better than me). I am glad we had Nathalie, and I know I could get reliable support from her when I need. Posted 12/8/2019
Tatiele Nathalie is a one of a kind person. From our first meeting with her, she made us feel very comfortable and guided us through all the process for the baby delivery. She is a very organized and detail-oriented doula. It's worth mentioning that she was very accommodating to our situation, as well. The fact that she knew most of the hospital staff and had a good relation with everybody there, stood out to us. She always returned our calls promptly and paid attention to everything we wanted to ask or needed her advice on. All we can say is that, if we decide to have a second child, we will DEFINITELY tell Nathalie to be our doula again! That's how professional and trustworthy she is. Posted 11/13/2019
Sarah and Seth We are forever grateful for our experience with Nathalie. We hired her as both a birth doula and a postpartum doula, and we strongly recommend her for both. She was with us through every step of a very long labor and delivery process, and was incredibly helpful throughout. She helped us understand the decisions we needed to make at various stages, and helped us through some exercises and changes of position that proved essential to getting the baby moving and avoiding the need for a c-section. In the immediate aftermath of the birth Nathalie helped guide us as we took our first steps with feeding and caring for the baby, and she also supported us through some scary post-birth complications. Due to those complications, I had a more challenging recovery than most, and Nathalie became an irreplaceable member of our support network -- helping to answer questions we had about our baby's care, giving us breaks to take naps, helping with laundry and food prep, etc. We could not have made it through this period of our life without Nathalie's expertise, her compassion, her encouragement, and her support. We cannot thank her enough. Posted 11/13/2019 Melanie York My husband and I were not convinced we needed a doula until we met Nathalie on a hospital tour. After speaking with her, learning about her background and hearing tips for delivery - we knew she would be the perfect guide for laboring with our first child. Nathalie was well informed, patient with our millions of questions, flexible with scheduling, and absolutely went above and beyond to help our labor and delivery process go as smoothly as possible. She helped my husband by providing tips for how we could best comfort and support me, ensured the hospital staff were providing the best care, and was concerned with me having the best experience possible at all times. We couldn't have done it without Nathalie. She was the best! Posted 11/10/2019
Sean Egan We had boy and girl twins in early 2019. Nathalie met with us at our house before the birth and was a great resource from then on. We had a scheduled caesarean birth with limited access, so we asked Nathalie to support us post-partum. She met us and the babies at the hospital and became a part of our lives. As first-time parents, we needed plenty of guidance and lots of help. Nathalie stepped in making sure Mom and Dad both got rest, food, even baking special breastfeeding cookies for Mom. She covered many overnights for us, giving us some time to rest and recover, particularly when Dad had to return to work and when we were getting ready for a trip. She had so many tips, about baths, baby skin care, baby products like the Baby Katan carrier she loaned us to try out that we liked so much we bought one of our own. We continued to work with Nathalie well beyond our initial plans because she was such a great support to us. We will always remember the difference she made for us as we started parenthood. We cannot recommend her too highly. Posted 11/9/2019
Anna Each birth experience is different and usually involves unexpected decisions and changes along the way. Having Nathalie there as a guide as those changes came up was incredibly helpful to my husband and me. She was a great resource as we made decisions in the final weeks when new questions came up. Her background as a nurse helped us parse through some of the guidance we'd received from our OB team and allowed us to feel better informed when we were faced with decisions about next steps. She was very available throughout the last weeks of pregnancy and served as a positive, encouraging voice as my due date neared. Despite having an unplanned c-section, Nathalie was there to support us and stayed with us to make sure we were settled in the hospital after the birth. Her post-partum visit and information shared also made sure we started our parenting journey on the right foot as well. Posted 10/10/2019
Erin Nathalie was a godsend. It took us a while to find a good match, but Nathalie’s background as a nurse, mother and mature, experienced caregiver was a perfect fit. I ended up having a much more long and difficult labor than I’d been prepared for, ending in the disappointment of a c-section. Nathalie’s support kept me from completely losing it at times - she gave me physical support and comfort, advocated for me with the medical staff, and had as much energy at 4 am as she had at 4 pm. My husband was wonderful too, but he couldn’t help like Nathalie - she was still strong well past when he had mentally lost it. I would absolutely recommend Nathalie. She was worth every penny. Posted 9/4/2019
Sophia Keinath I enjoyed and appreciated Nathalie’s services as my doula. She helped me during my pregnancy with helpful tips and information. She also helped me during my labor to relax and be calm. She helped me move into different positions to make it quicker and less painful. She is knowledgeable about all things pregnancy related and I highly recommend her! Posted 8/22/2019
Allison R. Despite being induced and a 47-hour labor, I had a most beautiful birth experience and credit much of it to Nathalie. Nathalie was a great sounding board, especially during some of the more difficult parts of labor, and empowered me to make the decisions that were right for me. Both during my pregnancy and the initial parts of labor, she was in frequent contact via text and phone. She was very reassuring to both me and my husband. She had tremendous foresight and arrived at the hospital right when I needed her most – despite our telling her not 45 minutes earlier that I still had a long road ahead and to possibly wait to arrive. While in active labor, she made me much more comfortable by moving my body, all while helping to flip my baby (from OP to OA). Nathalie was fantastic with the nurses and doctors. She truly listened to me and my requests. I highly recommend Nathalie and would absolutely ask her to be present should I have another child. Posted 6/27/2019
Amanda I highly recommend Nathalie as a doula. I decided to hire a doula after learning my husband likely would not be able to attend the birth of our first child. During my doula search Nathalie's profile stood out immediately, not just because of the high number of positive ratings, but also because of her background as a nurse. I wanted to be sure the woman I selected respected medicine and the medical community, as I have read horror stories about doulas who disdain doctors and shame women who use medication during childbirth. Happily, I discovered Nathalie is non-judgemental, and is all about respecting the mother and her choices. As promised, Nathalie was very responsive throughout my pregnancy. She checked in with me after doctor's appointments, and was available for video chats as well. When I had medical issues, she provided practical advice in addition to moral support. After I was induced, Nathalie came the next morning and was present for the entire period of my active labor, even though it was her own birthday! I ended up giving birth at 2 AM (after 30 hours), and Nathalie was there providing support and encouragement throughout (and taking wonderful photos!). If I get pregnant again I will definitely be looking to bring Nathalie back! Posted 5/23/2019
Vanessa Nathalie is a fantastic doula!!!She accompanied me and my husband with patience, grace and humour for more than 20 hours of labour. She provided soothing massages, words, attentions. Her presence was reassuring .She helped my husband figure out a way for us to work together, give time for him to rest, support me better. I am convinced my birthing experience would have been more medicated without her. She is careful, informed about the risk/benefit of many procedures. She does not push you towards one way or the other. She really paid attention and did her best to implement my preferences. Being French myself, I loved her gentle Dutch accent and very Cartesian approach. We consider her a friend, a friend of our son. Posted 5/15/2019
Janet Nathalie helped our family immensely as our post partum doula. My son (and I) had a rough first week- I was recovering from a C-section and he had to have his tongue tie clipped and was readmitted to the hospital for jaundice. Nathalie brought calm and support to our home by helping us figure out his feeding cues, bathing tips, and seemingly simple lessons like how to put his sleeves in his outfits without a total meltdown. She baked delicious lactation cookies and supported me in my breast feeding difficulties which ended in exclusive pumping and unlike the lactation consultants I saw at the hospital, she never pushed me or made me feel guilty for not trying harder with breast feeding. Nathalie also helped me by showing me the ins and outs of baby wearing by showing me how to use the wraps I already had and she showed me how to use a wrap that she had. By showing me how to use the wraps, it raised my confidence and i was able to wear my son on my own. Sometimes, our visits were as simple as my taking a much needed nap while Nathalie straightened up and helped with the laundry all while caring for my son. I am so grateful for her expertise and support during what began as a difficult time but because of her support, I am now confident and comfortable with this new role of motherhood! Posted 2/20/2019
Brittany Bayly Nathalie was an absolute dream from the start - she easily convinced my skeptic husband to get on board with the idea of a doula at our first meeting. She has a calm and comforting demeanor combined with the medical knowledge of a nurse, a ton of birth experience and an obvious love of nurturing clients during the birth process. I credit Nathalie for my perfect hospital birth- she encouraged me through obstacles and setbacks. Her warmth and calm created a welcoming and wonderful environment and my husband and I both felt so supported . Her presence alone gave me strength ro stand up for myself and what I wanted for my birth- but I also cant understate how nice it was to have her give voice to my desires and needs while I was in labor lalaland and had no voice. My only regret was not hiring Nathalie to be my post partum doula as well! I just hope she is available to be part of my next birth ( and postpartum) whenever that may be. Posted 2/14/2019
Hiva Nesvaderani Our beautiful baby boy Arya was born November 2019. of course with the great help and guidance from Nathalie. She is the kindest most loving human being. We had only met a couple times and I felt she was instantly part of our family. We found her bio on the web and was so attracted to the fact that she had been around the world and open to all the different cultures we just had to meet her. And of course instantly knew she was the one we were going to chose to help bring our baby into this world. She had guided us and given us all the tools we needed to have our dream natural birth. Unfortunately a natural birth was not In ur cards. I ended up being 2 weeks late and had to be induced at 42 weeks. nathalie Called texted and followed up with us almost everyday leading to our induction day. Giving us hope along the way that he may come out on his own. the day of induction we knew it may be a while before the contractions kicked in. but to our surprise she showed up waited in the lobby letting us know she was here close by in case we needed her guidance. as soon as she came in the room it was like a huge energy shift. She brought Her goody bag of tricks. She immediately helped us go through our birth plan.. Thank goodness for her because my husband and I were so excited we forgot about everything we wanted! Long story short 1 1/5days later at 10pm Via c-section He was born. Thank goodness Nathalie made us acknowledge that portion of our birth plan. We got to see him come out through the drape and get some skin in skin before he was whisked away. Nathalie was one of the first faces I saw when I got out of the surgery room. She told me I did great baby was good and gave me big hug! Everything worked out exactly the way it was meant to. And we were fortunate enough to have a true angel with us along the way!! She still follows up and postpartum gave us so many tips and tricks to help make the first few months comfortable. Thank you Nathalie!! Posted 1/23/2019
A Assadi I am so glad i hired a doula, and even more glad I chose To work with Nathalie. Nathalie was so resourceful as well as having an ICU background which made me even more confident in her skills and knowledge. I had went into labor 2 weeks early and at 2am, when i called her to let her know i was at the hospital in labor, she was there within an hour and by my side during labor for 18 hours. When i was admitted into the hospital, the nurses were ok but maybe since it was the nightshift, their energy wasn't the greatest and i felt very uncomfortable. Then Nathalie arrives with oil diffuser, heat pads and the whole energy changed in the room where she asked the nurses for things I would not have known or given the option of by the nurses. Nathalie helped guide me through 4hrs of contractions before i asked for the epidural to help get the baby lower. Ultimately, Nathalie made my birth experience 100 times better and as this was my first baby, a more pleasant experience. I also used Nathalie for postpartum care which again i am glad i did. She showed me all baby basics and had great advice and recommendations for handling a newborn. I am very thankful to have met her and to have worked with her. I highly recommend her and for my next birthing experience, i will definitely plan to use her again. Posted 1/4/2019
Aline Maluhy Be away from your home and your family can be challenging for new moms. Specially in United States, where everything is fast and practical and you can miss the opportunity to be ready physical and emotionally for this important moment of your life. Hiring Nathalie was the best thing for me and my husband. She guaranteed great memories for us and gave us all the support which the hospital, doctor or either nurses couldn’t give us. Her work is exclusive for you and your baby well being, and nonetheless, also a support for the new dad. She helped before the labor, teaching us what to do when the contractions started, during the labor with the best positions for each step of the labor, reducing my pain, guidance for breathing and focus, massage, first breastfeeding and after labor, with baby and mom’s needs. Nathalie is a sensitive and warm human being, experienced, respectfully and a great listener! Thank you for being part of this precious moment of our lives. We will never forget you! Posted 12/15/2018
Bianca Crousillat I am grateful for having met Nathalie and having her onboard as a part of my birth team. I felt rather overwhelmed during my pregnancy – at 32 weeks I had to relocate to the DC area where I did not have a community nor midwife or doctor – and Nathalie proved to be a great asset by providing me with emotional support in the weeks leading up to the birth. She was also helpful by providing information of new mom groups, breastfeeding centers, etc. in the area. Nathalie is personable, empathetic, patient and down to earth. In the midst of the uncertainties facing a soon-to-be new mom, I felt that Nathalie was genuinely interested in my story and was keen to support me in any way possible. She was timely and proactive, always taking the initiative to reach out to me, ask how I was doing, and plan to meet regularly for a coffee or a chat. Perhaps what I appreciated most about Nathalie is that it was clear from the beginning that she would be a true advocate for my rights and decisions throughout the birthing process. She showed no judgement in regard to my ideal birth plan and had a genuine interest in guaranteeing that the experience would be a positive one in which I would feel informed and empowered. Having a background as a nurse in the Netherlands, Nathalie is knowledgeable and well-versed in the environment and language used in a hospital setting. Once at the hospital I appreciated her calm & fact-based approach as new information was presented to us. At the end of the day, my birth ended up being the complete opposite of what I had envisioned, and though it was not my ideal plan, I have the certainty of knowing that I made informed decisions and that they were my own. Nathalie genuinely cares about the rights of mothers-to-be. She is a true advocate and I would highly recommend her. What’s more, her energy seems to be interminable – she’s superhuman! Posted 12/7/2018 Anastasia Sissamis Nathalie is a rockstar! I had done my research and after meeting her, quickly found myself eager to have her help in the delivery room. Boy did my intuition lead me well! During labor, Nathalie helped me lift myself up in painful moments, patiently chatted with me when I needed help making decisions, and guided and cheered me on like no other when it came to pushing. It’s been 5 weeks since delivery, and I’m still thankful for her every day. Especially because she has stayed in touch with me during this ever-changing postpartum period. God bless Nathalie! She is truly amazing! Posted 12/5/2018
Julie Waineo Having Nathalie with us during the birth of our son was fantastic. To say our birth did not go to plan would be an extreme understatement. Nathalie was a calming presence throughout the entire ordeal, carefully and calmly laying out all our options and offering an opinion only when asked for it. She stayed with me when my husband had to go home to take the dog to the kennel and pick up things we had left at home in our haste to get to the hospital. Her experience as an ICU nurse really helped us put medical decisions into perspective and her almost immediate rapport she developed with the nursing staff was so reassuring. It was obvious to the nurses that she knew what she was talking about and exactly how far she could press them for information without being pushy. Nathalie was totally on board with all of my personal decisions about my birth experience and my body and baby. With the help of my husband we worked out a birth plan, and even on though our birth experience ended up looking nothing like our plan, Nathalie rolled with the punches and not only adapted herself, but helped us to adapt as well. Nathalie never expressed any personal opinions about what I wanted for my birth and never once did I feel ashamed or judged for how I wanted my birth experience to go, nor for how it turned out. Most importantly I now have a healthy, thriving son and am healing well from the birth. We are home now and all doing great. Nathalie has been a huge resource for helpful products, articles, and websites for everything from bottle sanitizers to breastfeeding evidence-based research. She is also a wealth of knowledge on breastfeeding tips, postpartum care, and baby "hacks" such as the best way to relieve gas and hiccups. Having Nathalie by our side during simultaneously the best day and the most frightening day of our lives was a comfort and one of the best decisions we could have made. My new family of three thanks her dearly. Posted 11/12/2018
Brittney C. Icouldn't be more happy to write this review. Hiring Nathalie was probably the single best thing I could have done to help prepare for my labor and delivery experience. I didn't even consider hiring a doula until about week 36-37 of pregnancy. One day I just started freaking out about a 7+ pound baby coming out of my vagina.Then I started googling reputable doulas in the area. I found the serivces of Nathalie and immediately scheduled a consultation. I had very little time to make a decision about whether to use a doula or not. I had very little expecations and no idea about the cost.However, after meeting Nathalie, we hit it off right away. I knew she was someone I needed by my side at the hospital. She said some key words that reassured me that this was the right decision. She explained a birth plan and how to develop one. She also showed us illustrations of different positions to use while laboring at home as well as at the hospital. After the initial consultation, we made the decision to hire Nathalie. We could tell she had more to offer and would be a great asset to us first time parents. I also loved that she is a registered nurse. Invaluable knowledge and experience! I was able to text her at any time with questions about what I was going through and experiencing before labor. Once the contractions started, Nathalie LITERALLY met us at the hospital at the exact same time we arrived. That was very comforting. She was able to anticipate my needs before I EVEN KNEW what I needed or wanted. She was not only my advocate at the hospital to execute my birth plan, she also helped my partner participate and feel involved. We were both scared but Nathalie was a vital coach from beginning to end. When it came time to push, she was the only person I focused in on with all the family and medical professionals in the room. I could keep going on but I'm limited to 2000 words. IN short, you won't regret making Nathalie apart of your birth team. Posted 10/13/2018
Alexis Hurter Nathalie has been amazing to work with. She’s gone above and beyond in providing care and allaying my anxiety. She met with me and was always available via text or phone. Even though we ended up having a scheduled c section, I am so glad to have had Nathalie every step of the way. She provided advice in the hospital in regards to breast-feeding and newborn care. I also used Nathalie‘s services for postpartum care. She was amazing in taking care of my baby and I totally trusted her. I highly recommend her!! Posted 11/7/2018
Jen Leach I'm so very thankful we decided to go with a doula, and specifically, with Nathalie. Our first visit with Nathalie, which for us was to decide if we were going to use a doula in the first place - was such a great experience. She explained how her services work and answered all of our questions (and we had a lot). Basically, as soon as she left we decided we wanted her to be part of our birth experience. From that point on Nathalie would check in every few days to see how we were doing, if we had any questions -- specifically, did I have any questions, and usually sent along little articles to read. When my water broke (we were already at the hospital), I called Nathalie in a panic, because the contractions were getting strong, and she said she was coming right over. She was a godsend from that point on. During the labor she supported me through every contraction with breathing and keeping me focused. I feel like without Nathalie, the labor might have lasted significantly longer, but, with her guidance - of when to change position, or add the 'peanut' yoga ball, it went pretty well. Nathalie also took pictures after the birth that were something we would never have had without her. Both my wife and myself would highly recommend Nathalie as your doula. Posted 10/1/2018
Liesje Klomp After giving birth to my third child, I was very fortunate to be able to count on our postpartum doula Nathalie Grolleman. Nathalie came into our family with the interest of my baby girl and me first, but if we were taken care off she was keen to either help with our family household or entertain my other two children.Nathalie made sure I drank enough water, ate enough fruits and got sleep when I needed it (sometimes when I at first thought I did not). She took care of my daughter while I was sleeping or when I was taking a shower. She gave me advise on breast feeding, swaddling etc. Nathalie also tried to involve my baby girls siblings if possible. For example, she gave a sponge bath to my baby girl with my older daughter. They both enjoyed this experience a lot. In short, having Nathalie as a postpartum doula made me enjoy my first week as a mother of three to the fullest. Moreover, I was able to recover quickly. I can highly recommend Nathalie Grolleman to other mothers (to be). Posted 9/3/2018
Stephanie Inwald We found Nathalie through By Your Side Birh Services. She was the doula on call at the time of my labor starting and we couldn’t be more pleased with having her as our doula. Our first meeting was when we were already at the hospital and, despite not having met prior to being at the hospital, we felt instantly comfortable with her. From the very beginning, she provided us with a sense of calm and was sensitive to both my husband’s and my needs and emotions througout the experience. She was so easy to talk to and she has a warmth about her that made us feel at ease. She offered suggestions for various techniques for pain control (e.g. counter pressure, positions, breathing strategies, etc.) and was very helpful and supportive in the decisions we had to make. She was with us for +24 hours during labor and was by my side the whole time. Just after the birth, she taught me how to get a good latch to breastfeed for the very first time. Since the birth, she has checked in with us and has been very responsive to text messages and phone calls and we had a very helpful postpartum visit soon after our daughter‘s birth. She has sent useful articles and videos and continues to be available for questions. Nathalie is a very loving doula and it is clear how passionate she is about what she does. We feel very happy and lucky that she was part of our labor and birth experience. Thank you! Steph and Ben Posted 8/26/2018
Sara R Nathalie was a life-saver for me during my first two weeks postpartum. She is so kind and professional and was a great help in terms of both physical and emotional support. Nathalie helped me a lot with breastfeeding during the first few days home, and was also a great help with my 4year old when I was with the baby or getting some rest. She prepared wonderful, healthy food, helped with laundry, tidying up and knew exactly which things to ask me about and which things to just do and find on her own, which was extremely helpful since as a new mom you don’t really have time to hershow someone where everything is in your cabinets etc. Also, because she has a nursing background I felt especially comfortable leaving my baby with her while I rested. Nathalie was also helpful to me before I had my son, as he was almost a week late and had been in breach position up until just before my due date. She was able to provide me information and resources and would check up on me regularly. I highly recommend Nathalie’s postpartum doula services - she is kind, compassionate, capable, experienced and a calming presence. Thanks Nathalie! Posted 7/9/2018
lydia chung I hired Nathalie as a birth doula for my second pregnancy and she was amazing. She was readily available throughout my pregnancy in answering questions and concerns via text, emails, and phone. She joined me for my birth in the hospital and stayed after to ensure that I was fully comfortable to bond with my baby and it also allowed my husband to go home to care for our other child. Nathalie's maternal and medical experience helped me during the first weeks postpartum with advice and support. She also served as a great resource in helping me get over the initial hurdles of breastfeeding. "It takes a village..." and I certainly feel that my experience with Nathalie and her guidance has made my pregnancy and recovery a memorable one. Posted 6/27/2018
Wendi Moy Akin Nathalie was a true asset to myself and my husband throughout our pregnancy and labor/delivery experience. From the moment we met her, we knew we’d be in good hands given her amazing ability to provide both comfort and informed medical information. Her strong but calming presence was especially helpful during the delivery process, which took place over the course of a few days and unexpectedly ended up requiring me to have a C-section. From breathing and positioning, to massage and foot rubs, to simply standing vigil so my husband and I could get a few moments of needed rest, Nathalie always seemed to know what role to play and when to play it. She has that unique - and hard to find - ability to be an informed adviser, strong-but-never-pushy advocate and wonderful listener. She let my husband and I lead, as we wanted, but knew exactly when to step in and support. And, her guidance was not limited to the hospital. From the initial home consultation, to the postpartum visit, we could not have imagined going through this experience without her. Posted 6/17/2018 Isabel Tecu We had a wonderful experience with Nathalie. Our birth went very smoothly but it was still very reassuring to have her there. She is very personable, warm, and calm. I especially appreciated that she involved my husband a lot, and that she was very open to our ideas and suggestions. She was also very helpful in thinking through the medical decisions. She also took a lot of time for us before and after and was a great resource for our questions. I highly recommend her! Posted 6/11/2018
Catie Beard My husband and I loved working with Nathalie. Her experience as a doula and as a Labor and Delivery (L&D) nurse in the Netherlands first attracted us to reach out to Nathalie. We had a great initial conversation about our desire for an unmedicated birth and Nathalie's philosophy in helping us to achieve our birth goals, whatever they may be. Once we signed on with Nathalie, she was wonderful in checking in on mom and baby prior to delivery as well as after delivery. She even went above and beyond to speak with a lactation consultant friend of hers to provide additional postpartum support due to mom's low milk supply. During the delivery, Nathalie provided mom with wonderful physical and emotional support and gave excellent guidance to dad on how he could help and support (we are first time parents). She asked the right questions to help ease contractions and made sure the nurses were aware of our birth plan early on in the process. Her positive support and guidance for both mom and dad was a huge factor in achieving an unmedicated birth. After the birth, both the doctor and the L&D nurse commented to myself and my husband on Nathalie's excellent work as a doula. They were very impressed with her support, knowledge, techniques, and advocacy. We cannot thank Nathalie enough for helping bring our daughter into the world and highly recommend her to any inquiring parents! Posted 5/14/2018
Noor Hendrix When I was about 5 months pregnant, I met Nathalie and she explained to me the work Doulas do. Initially, my husband and I only opted into the postpartum care, however after meeting with Nathalie a few times, we realized that having a Doula present for the birth itself would also be of great value. Nathalie had lots of information for us and she coached us through breathing techniques and laboring positions. After meeting with her, we felt like we were ready for the birth! Of course, things didn't go as expected :) I had hoped to give birth naturally but things progressed very slowly in the beginning and I eventually had to be induced. Up until that point Nathalie was extremely helpful in dealing with the contractions, showing me how to breathe and massaging my back. She also involved my husband in the process, so it was a great team effort. Later on she was a great mental support in the decision to get an epidural and she gave me lots of reassurance and confidence. It turned out to be a great decision, as I was getting exhausted and instead now was able to take a nap. After my nap I was fully dilated and ready to push! Our little girl came out less than 2 hours later. Nathalie made me feel calm and confident in all decisions made and is a great listener. I really look back at the birth as a beautiful and empowering experience! She then came to our house for postpartum care for 5 days. I just remember coming home from the hospital initially and feeling so overwhelmed and not knowing what to do with my baby! Nathalie's help around the house and with the baby was incredibly helpful. It was such a stress relief knowing that all I needed to worry about was feeding my girl and getting my rest. Every morning I would discuss with her how the night went and she gave lots of tips on how to handle the next night. In all, I quickly felt much less stressed and overwhelmed and was able to start enjoying new mom life much faster! Posted 2/20/2018