Debbie, February 2018, first child"Things with my midwife seemed shaky, and so I thought to get a doula additionally. Kaity came to my rescue with just months to go. From the start, Kaity showered me with care and concern, making sure that I was aware of all my birthing options and not being judgemental about how everything was to go eventually. I had a birth plan in place, and looking back now, the actual birth hit all the targets that mattered to me—no forceps/vacuum, no c-section. I even managed to sneak in a romantic walk along the canal during labour which was a vision I had. I attribute it wholly to having Kaity with me as a part of my birth team, whom with her presence, guided the birth in a direction that concluded happily for me, with zero regrets. It was clear that her priorities were always to support me first, and secondly to also support my husband during the process, which I found very assuring and necessary to us both making our transition into parenthood."
Natasha, February 2019, first child"It meant a lot to us having a Kaity as our Doula at the birth of my son. Having my first pregnancy and labour is a big enough event in itself but with the added pressure of being in a country where I cannot speak the language very well. It was neccessary for the additional support and she made me aware that I had options and could make requests to the hospital throughout my labour.The extra items she brought to hospital were really helpful, my husband and I would never have thought of them! I feel like I could not have gone through what I did without her by my side. I would highly recommend having Kaity as your Doula."
Irina, October 2018, first child"I found Kaity in a FB group and we met in person shortly thereafter. From the first moment of our meeting I liked her attentive ways of listening, suggesting things and simply guiding you through the stages, moments, joys and sorrows of pregnancy. Kaity provided an excellent support to me and my partner—everything you should know and think of while you are pregnant till in the birth room (and even after).My frank breech persisted throughout the pregnancy and my gynecologist insisted on a planned C-section which I was strongly opposed. It was with Kaity that I found support, much needed advice and contacts in the hospitals which dealt with such complications. At the end of the day I decided to fight with the general opinion and wait till the labour comes naturally. It was not an easy time as I was supposed to sign all the necessary docs shifting the responsibility for my life and the life of the child solely onto me. Kaity was always by my side (even when she was not in person - she was only a call away), ready to listen and to act on my behalf and in my best interest. When the day arrived, I felt secure and confident. To make a long story short, I gave birth by a C-section and my child is healthy and happy. Kaity was the best help and support I could have wished for."
Mia, Ani & Mihai, October 2018, first child"Kaity was the perfect doula for us. She has a fantastic personality and radiates good vibes. She made us feel comfortable—as if we had known her for years.She met with us for a couple of prenatal visits and provided us with a ton of information to ease the stress of the unknowns of labor and delivery. What we really appreciated is that she was gave her best to get to know us upfront in order to be able to judge later how we react in difficult situations. She gave us comfort measures to try and told us all about our options at the hospital. She was always available throughout my pregnancy via email, text and phone calls.And I can only say that my labor would have been a truly different experience without her. She was constantly by our side and throughout the chaos in the birthing room Kaity was a calming force for my husband and I. She stayed with us until the very end and she did not go home until she knew everything was fine. It takes a special kind of person to have this calling and I am 100 % certain that Kaity was made for this job. You will not be disappointed if you choose to hire her, and I am grateful to have had her guide me and my husband through this journey.hugs from our little family"
Neida, June 2019, second child"I initially reached out to Kaity as a last minute backup plan, but she quickly became my anchor during the birth of our second son here in Germany. Being expats and having no family or close friends we were in the daunting cycle of not having someone to take care of our 3 year old while I was in labor, after some research I found Kaity via a social media recommendation and I figured if anything fell through with our plan for babysitting then I would at least not be alone during the birth in case my husband had to watch our son. I'm so glad she was able to take my birth on, with such short notice (less than a month). Kaity and I had great chemistry from the first meeting. She is so knowledgeable in her craft, and made me feel at ease with the idea of giving birth in a country where I do not speak the language or know the birth process (for example having midwives deliver rather than a Dr.). During our pre-birth sessions she offered a lot of great insight into the birth process which allowed me to mentally and physically prepare my body beforehand, from "spinning babies" to breathing exercises. Fast forward to the birth day, she was available when I messaged her at 1 in the morning as my water had broken, and true to her word she was at my house within the hour. During the 12 hrs of labor she guided me through different labor positions which helped my birth progress, an indispensable service and I truly believe this is part of why this birth was so much shorter than my first one. Kaity was instrumental in me believing in my body and its ability to bring forth a new life without the aid of pain medication, but she also was very receptive and non judgmental, had I chosen to go forth with the assistance of pain meds. Kaity had so much to offer to our birth experience, from being my unofficial translator with the hospital staff, to providing emotional and physical support during the times when my husband had to step away to take care of our son. She also provided that emotional sounding board after the birth and when we were home. So while she was a backup plan to begin with, if I had to do the birth all over again, she would be someone I would have hired as soon as I found out I was pregnant, she is awesome, caring and again a true master of her craft!"
Lidia, 2018, first child"Ich lernte Kaity über eine Freundin kennen. Damals war mein Sohn ca. 8 Monate alt. Kaity redete mit mir viel über meine traumatische Geburt. Sie erzählte mir zudem vom Red Roses Revolution Day, bei dem man seine Geburtsgeschichte und -gefühle aufschreibt und vor den Kreißsaal niederlegt, damit die Geburten in Kliniken wieder "menschlicher" werden. Sie ermutigte ermutigte mich am Red Roses Revolution Day teilzunehmen und begleitete mich an dem Tag in die Klinik. Ich bin davon überzeugt, dass mir das geholfen hat, meine schwierigen Erfahrungen loszulassen. Dafür bin ich Kaity sehr dankbar."
Christina, June 2019, second child"Kaity was my wonderful doula during the pregnancy and birth of my second daughter. After my first natural but panicky birth, I needed someone to keep me grounded and in a confident connection with my body. She was a fantastic companion! Kaity spent a lot of time and effort to bond with us and we practiced relaxing techniques and most importantly talked about my first birth. She is a very caring person and we could really count on her. She ’gets’ what birth is all about for the woman and the couple generally. A week before the birth I was panicky and just a few minutes with her on the phone gave me confidence. This was alone the best support I could hope for. During birth she was the female power I was hoping for … I am really glad we had her with us throughout his journey."
Allie, July 2020, first childI found Kaity in December 2019, soon after becoming pregnant. Since this was my first pregnancy and I am a non-German speaking foreigner, I wanted to make sure I had someone to guide me through pregnancy and birth. Knowing I would have Kaity with me during the birth made me feel much more comfortable, especially since I wasn’t sure if I would be able to find a hebamme/midwife.
Everything changed soon after finding Kaity with the start of Covid-19. When birth courses were cancelled, Kaity offered to do a private course for me and my husband. She came over several times before the birth to provide support, see how we were doing, and provide techniques to prepare us for labor. I think my husband was skeptical of the role of a doula at first, but by the end he definitely appreciated the role Kaity played and felt very comfortable with her. We definitely learned a lot from Kaity throughout the process.
We had our baby in July of 2020—at that time, only fathers were allowed in the hospital so Kaity unfortunately could not attend the birth. However, she had done so much to prepare us that I felt ready for it and wasn’t nervous or anxious. Kaity came over soon after I texted her that my contractions had started—she was there with us at our apartment and on the ride to the hospital—she even “snuck” into the hospital and walked me up to the labor and delivery area while my husband was parking the car, and she stuck around in the waiting area until after the baby was born. I don’t know if it was the birth prep and calming attitude that Kaity brought to my pregnancy and labor or just luck, but I had my baby 3 hours and 3 minutes after my first contraction. Luckily we had a healthy baby and no complications during birth, so we left the hospital the same day the baby was born. It was great to be in the comfort of our own home—especially with not knowing the language and with Covid, the hospital was the last place we wanted to be. But I would not have felt comfortable doing this if I didn’t also have the support of Kaity when we got out of the hospital (in addition to a hebamme). One other thing that I think is important to mention—I did not go into labor with a set plan of medicated versus un-medicated birth. Kaity had taught us about both so I felt comfortable making a game-time decision. Because the baby was born so quickly, I didn’t have an option for medication, but I knew Kaity would be free of judgment regardless of my decision.
Even though Kaity couldn’t be there with us for the labor, she was instrumental in our post-birth care. Because of Covid and because we are expats with no family around, I cannot stress enough how much of a role Kaity played in my emotional well-being after having our baby. She validated my feelings, and also helped me understand how my husband might be feeling.
I would 100% recommend Kaity to anyone—whether you want to have a medicated or un-medicated birth, whether or not you have family around who can help (but especially if you don’t), and even if she is not allowed in the hospital due to Covid restrictions. She helped us prepare so much for the birth and provided much needed post-birth support. I honestly can say that I look back at my birth as a great experience, and I attribute a lot of that to Kaity. I would definitely hire her again if I were to have another baby in Germany.
Valerie, August 2020, first child
I knew that I wanted to have a doula by my side during the labour long before I got pregnant. Coming from a culture where many women experience obstetric violence and generally perceive labour as a traumatic experience, I myself had many fears and concerns. As an expat in Germany, I was looking for an English-speaking doula and found a heartful recommendation for Kaity on Facebook.
While my husband was ready to support me through the entire process, we both had no clue of the matter. Kaity became a friend of our family and we always looked forward to our prenatal appointments.
Kaity was very respectful and clearly explained her role alongside medical professionals while walking me through various procedures and induction methods and sharing some literature so I could learn more.She reassured me, that no matter how I give birth, via C-section or with an epidural, this does not invalidate my experience or make me less of a mother. As a result, I clearly identified my wishes and preferences and shared them with the doctors and midwives.
Thanks to Kaity I describe my labour as a great experience despite giving birth with coronavirus restrictions in place.
My husband never knew what a doula is and why we need one. Now he says that Kaity absolutely has to be there when our second child comes.
Jesse, May 2021, second child
Kaity was my doula in Düsseldorf for the VBAC birth of my second child and she was absolutely incredible—beyond supportive, beyond compassionate, beyond skilled, just beyond in every way. I reached out to her as I neared my due date, feeling increasingly anxious and panicky. The traumatic birth of my first child had ended in an unplanned c-section and left me devastated, confused, ashamed, guilty. I was terrified my second birth would be the same. But Kaity immediately became not only my fiercest advocate for the unmedicated VBAC I desperately needed; she also became my guide in healing the trauma of my first birth. And, with Kaity as my doula, building unparalleled trust, preparing me emotionally and mentally and physically, soothing me through every excruciating contraction, I was able to achieve both. I struggled for months to write this testimonial because I did not have the words to express my gratitude for and awe of Kaity. I still don’t. As a doula—as a person—she is simply that good.
