“Niko made me feel comfortable from our first meeting, and her passion for her work shone. She was knowledgeable about the induction process and breastfeeding, which were two important areas I wanted support. Her resource packet was incredibly helpful. She’s super organized and helped us prioritize our birth goals in a way that made things less overwhelming. I knew she had my back. 

It was so comforting to know that whatever happened in the hospital, Niko’s support would help us adapt and move forward with our goals intact. It was clear that Niko is a knowledgeable, compassionate badass we could trust!

Niko showed up within an hour of our middle of the night call, and when she arrived I was very much in active labor. She knew just where to push on my body when I was experiencing severe contractions, and helped lead my husband, who was sick with the flu, and needed a guiding person so he could effectively support me. Niko took off some of the burden of responsibility off of him. She was fully present and knew exactly where to fit in while I was very in my body, and the room was intermittently chaotic. 

Niko’s affirmations during the pushing stage are the only words I really remember hearing. Her words of "you're safe" during the pushing stage made me feel safe to do so. I trusted Niko more than some of the medical providers! I also really appreciated the special photos and birth video she captured. My husband has been sharing our birth video to anyone that is willing to watch 😂. It makes me cry every time and I'm so grateful for it!

Niko was my rock in lactation support when I was feeling like I was in crisis. Her tips on how to get sleep while nursing and pumping on-demand were THE BEST and I shared them with other people in my pregnancy group. She also did a good job aggressively telling me to rest. I needed that. 

She validated all of my experiences, reassuring me of what was normal vs what was not normal postpartum. I felt like I was under prepared for the craziness of postpartum, physical recovery, breastfeeding issues, and Niko really helped me feel less like a freak.

I loved going through our birth details together at a postpartum visit. I had such an empowering birth experience, and I am grateful for Niko’s documentation of the facts because a lot of it was a blur! It was really special to recount with her, so I could tell my story better.

I felt safe with Niko from the beginning. She helped us feel empowered in a highly medical setting by sharing her knowledge and encouraging us to ask the right questions. She helped me feel like the badass I was during/after birth! Women are so cool.

Niko is the best and we will recommend her to everyone!”

-Dre & Jake, Oakland

“Niko has a calming presence. That is of the essence for the birthing person! She was able to pull me out of anxious thoughts during the birthing process. During our prenatal visits and phone calls, Niko was able to answer all of our questions and alleviate our concerns by providing science-backed resources for us to go through and make informed decisions. I found Niko to be empathetic and knowledgeable in addition to being a really good listener! Her availability a few weeks before due date (being on-call) for any questions that arose or talk through fears before birth made me feel truly supported!

During labor, Niko made sure to remind me of my birth plan and advocated for my preferences. She reminded me of my mantras and was a source of support when my husband stepped out when he knew he, understandably, felt squeamish. She took photos like I wanted and noted down timestamps at eventful points during birth. It was truly a pleasure to have Niko be a part of bringing our son, Bodhi, into the world. 

Looking back at our birth experience, we really valued Niko’s calming presence, her in-depth knowledge of all things related to birth, her openness to my preferences deviating from my original birth plan and all around positive and supportive energy! We are definitely bringing her on our journey for baby #2!” -

-Shreya & Ben, Oakland

“The information Niko gave me ended up being key to my labor. She taught me the Miles Circuit, different yoga poses, and not being afraid of being vocal throughout. I think she specifically used the  word “primal” which was absolutely true. These were major tools for me.

During labor, Niko was the first to arrive. I was about 10 hours in. She read the room well and helped coax me back into a centered, focused state of mind. Niko gave me hip squeezes, and I genuinely don’t know how I would have done it without that. They were consistent and a huge huge relief.

She also made sure I continued to drink and take nourishment. I needed that nudging. She gave me a lemon ginger tea at every opportunity and that kept me going.

Niko really attended to my needs, and to things I didn’t know I needed. I am so so thankful for the home birth of my baby girl.

During postpartum, Niko was thoughtful and gentle with checking in to see how I was doing. She visited and brought her warmth and wisdom. Niko is an invaluable part of the birthwork community and I feel lucky she was present at our birth”

-Sylvie, Berkeley

“Niko took the time to learn about my birth history which was a crucial step in understanding my intentions for my 2nd birth. I feel like she really took the time to listen to me and create a birth plan that felt right.

Niko was also professional, welcoming, thoughtful and understanding through the whole planning process. She understood my busy schedule with a toddler, and kept that always in mind which I appreciated and made things feel seamless.

During my birth there were so many challenges and changes. My induction took longer than expected and she showed patience and understanding the whole time. She advocated for my needs with the medical staff and also reminded me of my birth plan and what I envisioned.

Niko was very educated and experienced and it showed during the entire time we worked together”

- Abby & Nick C, San Leandro

“From the moment I met Niko, I could tell she was knowledgeable, confident and kind. She supported me through every aspect of my pregnancy and birth. As a person that loves information, she provided me with a baseline education, as well as additional resources based on my specific needs.

Once in labor, together Niko and my husband made the perfect duo to get me through my labor. I truly felt I had the perfect team by my side and could not be more grateful for her incredible and irreplaceable doula-ing. She came alongside me and not only supported and empowered me, but she did the same for my husband as he was by my side.

I truly believe that having Niko by my side made my birth such a different experience had she not been there. She was reassuring and grounded us every step of the way. She acted as the intermediary between us and the hospital staff when decisions were needed which allowed my husband and I to feel confident in our decisions and bond without being overwhelmed. Niko truly feels like family and we genuinely recommend Niko to anyone who is expecting”

- Lauren & Stu, San Francisco

“From the moment we met Niko, she was extremely kind, supportive and validating to our story. At every pre and postnatal meeting, Niko proved to be fully present in the way she held space for us. Although my labor was short and fast, Niko was committed and involved where she could be. We appreciated her encouragement to remain hydrated and fueled throughout my labor and immediately after delivery. She ensured we were fed post birth and was a great asset to our home birth team with clean up, support for me and baby, and making sure we had everything we needed. We especially appreciated our postpartum meeting where we spent time with Niko recapping and processing our beautiful birth story and experience. Thank you Niko!”

-Meghan & Jason, San Francisco

“We were very happy with and grateful for the support and guidance Niko provided us! At 36 weeks our baby was breech and we worked with Niko to try safe exercises to encourage rotation. After a failed version attempt, Niko helped us rebound and replan for a second version/possible cesarean with Kaiser. I (mama) was very emotional after the failed version and prospect of doing a c-section. Niko helped us reformulate our birth plan and still find ways to make the birth experience our own. The only bummer was not having access to Niko while in the OR! She has a very calming and encouraging demeanor!”

-Josie & Chris, Richmond

“My husband and I felt comfortable with Niko during the entire duration of our time together. Since the first time we spoke via Zoom, we knew she was going to be our doula for our first child. Niko gave us a lot of information, giving us more confidence in our journey during her visits to our home. We felt more at ease that we had her advocating for us at the hospital. She prepared my husband for the birth by letting him know what was going to happen in the operating room so that there were no surprises. Niko met us before my C-section surgery and stayed with us until we were safely in the postpartum room. I appreciated Niko's professionalism during the entire process. She was very comfortable talking to the hospital staff to make sure they knew my birth plan and that we were all on the same page. Her knowledge regarding labor and delivery, breastfeeding, and postpartum care is impressive. I would recommend Niko to my friends and family. I do not think I would feel comfortable not having a doula for future pregnancies. I felt supported and felt safer-which is priceless.”

-Diana & Kenny, Walnut Creek