Midwest Doulas

We hired Justine rather late in the game, close to my third trimester of pregnancy, and my only regret is that we didn’t link up with the team sooner. We originally started out with a midwifery group at a hospital, but halfway through my pregnancy, we decided to pivot and try for a homebirth. Though I felt resolve in this decision, as a first timer, I still had a ton of fear. During our initial consultation, I was immediately drawn to Justine‘s sense of confidence. I worried about the potential for a hospital transfer due to some severe anxiety experienced in hospital settings, but this fear essentially melted away after meeting with Justine- not because she promised us a home birth, but because I knew that in the event of a hospital transfer, Justine would be the absolute best advocate. I loved how she spoke of the respect she had for clinicians in the hospital, but also how she was clearly unafraid to go up against power structures that exist in healthcare. We were blessed with an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery, so our home birth dreams came true, but I do credit a lot of this to Justine‘s intuition during my labor. There were a couple instances of things that could have stalled my labor, but I followed Justine‘s suggestions in different movements and breathwork, and her intuitions were spot on. It was amazing to see how seamlessly she worked with my midwife, almost seeming completely indistinguishable from the medical care team, yet also maintaining such an incredible bedside manner with me. She had 100% belief in me and my baby in a way that transferred to my own mindset. I am so grateful for the continuous support after our baby arrived- the team at Midwest Doulas continues to be a solid support for our family, remaining accessible for questions and crises of confidence. If I have any more babies, I am absolutely certain they will be born in the presence of Midwest Doulas.

Working with Justine and team at Midwest Doulas was by far the best decision we made in this pregnancy journey. As first-time parents, there was so much we weren’t aware of throughout the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey. The team at Midwest Doulas provided both my fiancé and I with support and education we needed, which empowered us to have a birth that reflected our values and goals. If you are looking to develop a values-driven birth plan, build confidence in yourself and your body through the process, and have a cheerleader and listening ear through all stages, you MUST hire this team! We’ll be back!

TL;DR: We were unsure about hiring a doula, but Justine completely changed our minds. Despite a high-risk pregnancy, she supported us from day one, reassured my skeptical husband, and helped me have a fast, completely unmedicated birth. Her calm, steady presence made it the most magical delivery experience—we’re so glad we chose her. —— If you’re on the fence about hiring a doula like we were—don’t be, especially if you’re considering Justine and her team. We brought Justine on for our second pregnancy because I was high-risk, on Lovenox, and managing gestational diabetes, and going unmedicated felt like the right path for us. With my first pregnancy, I had zero complications and opted for an epidural, so my husband was a major skeptic about needing a doula this time—especially since my first delivery went so smoothly. But the truth is, my husband is a very logical person, and I knew he wouldn’t be able to give me the emotional support I’d need during labor. After meeting Justine on a video call, everything clicked. From the very beginning she was supportive, encouraging, and genuinely believed I could have the unmedicated birth I wanted—something no other doula had ever told us. She also reassured my husband that her support wasn’t just for me, but for him too. When the big day came, I delivered our baby girl in under an hour, completely unmedicated just as we planned. There were definitely moments when I wanted to give up, but Justine’s calm presence and grounding voice guided me through every wave. It turned into the most magical birth experience I’ve ever had, and I still can’t believe I did it. Hiring her was one of the best decisions we made!

Justine was recommended to my wife and me by our midwife and we are so grateful. We had interviewed a few doulas before we met Justine and were about to give up the search as we just couldn't find the right fit, but we immediately clicked with Justine. Justine was so attentive to my needs and cared deeply about my history and my preferences for birth, which was to receive needed medical and pain interventions and to have the least trauma possible, even if that meant surgical birth. When the time came, I underwent a 2 day induction that was very challenging for me. Justine was available by phone for emotional support and to help make decisions, even in the middle of the night. She came to see me once my epidural was placed and brought broths for me to drink, then came back a little bit before active labor. Justine was so hands on and coached me in how to push and when to change into different positions. When things became complex, Justine took charge of the room and spoke directly with all parties involved about my options, then talked with me and my partner about every possibility and the pros and cons. She was so supportive and empowering and I honestly think that my birth would have been traumatic without her intervention and care. Justine came to our home after the birth for a post partum debrief and that brought me so much peace and reassurance. She also took beautiful photos during my birth that I will treasure forever. I would recommend her to any birthing person, and if I ever give birth again, I would hire her in a heartbeat. Thank you so much Justine, you made my baby's entry into the world so beautiful and I am so so grateful you were a part of our family's story! Hire her!

Justine and her team were wonderful to work with and made our delivery a very pleasant experience. We were initially unsure about having a Doula but having experienced a birth with the help of a doula changed my perspective. Justine and team were very knowledgeable and helped prepare for our second child very well. Having a doula changed the confidence level and added a level of support at the back of my mind and also someone we could lean in to make sure I was making a knowledgeable decision during the delivery. We were able to have a normal birth without the use of epidural as Justine gave my wife a lot of support and pain relief exercises that made sure my wife was able to cope very well. We are happy we went with Midwest Doulas. We highly recommend hiring a doula as this changes the experience. Thank you very much Justine and team, we are very happy with the entire experience!

I’m so glad and grateful that I was able to work with the team at Midwest Doulas. They helped me to feel completely supported during my pregnancy. I appreciated that Midwest Doulas was supportive of a hospital birth. Justine attended my birth. My plan was to have an unmedicated vaginal birth, and I did! My husband and I were so grateful for Justine. She guided me through different positions to progress my labor, she showed my husband techniques for rubbing my back and supporting me during contractions, and she just knew where to be and what to do from moment to moment. I felt completely comfortable with her in the room and she worked very well with the team of nurses there. 10/10 if I have another baby I would hire Justine. My husband and I both have said that we don’t know what we would’ve done without her. Thank you Justine for supporting me through labor, reminding me that I was safe during each intense contraction. You saw in me my strength and power and you truly helped me see it in myself. I had the birth that I wanted, and you helped me do that.

Hayley: When choosing a doula I knew I wanted a team that had extensive experience and would guide my husband and me during the birth of our first child while also respecting the decisions we’d made with our providers. As soon as I met Justine I knew she was the only person I wanted supporting me. Justine made me feel incredibly heard, safe and understood from the first time we met. The birth plan we created together was exactly what I wanted and Justine walked us both through every aspect in detail to make sure we understood our options. When I went into labor Justine was with us every step of the way. From our home, to triage, to labor and delivery. When it came time to deliver my son, Justine coached me through so well that my doctors and nurses were asking for her information after in order to recommend her to their patients. There were several points during my labor where I didn’t think I could keep going for various reasons. Justine calmly coached me through each hurdle with the perfect balance of matter of factness, tenderness and joy. She made me feel like superwoman. I couldn’t recommend her enough. John: Justine and her team at Midwest Doulas were incredibly helpful guiding my wife and me through our first pregnancy. There is so much to learn and so many decisions to be made during pregnancy that it can feel overwhelming at times. Having Justine as a resource was truly invaluable. Justine knew us and she knew our values, allowing her to provide tailored advice throughout. This helped put us at ease and feel that we had a trusted resource for all of our questions and concerns. When our delivery day arrived, Justine’s immense knowledge and experience really shined. Justine talked to us over the phone, came to our home, and was with us every step of the way through delivery. My wife is incredibly strong, but in moments of heightened stress Justine seemed to know exactly what to say and how to say it - being supportive and reassuring at times, and assertive and direct at other times. I wasn’t initially sure if we needed a doula and I didn’t know exactly what role one would play throughout our pregnancy, but I am so thankful that we hired Justine and her team.