References
I’ve had the honor of attending over 1100 births in my fantastic career. I can assure you, it NEVER stops being a miracle!
Hi Felica – it’s been so lovely to work together throughout my pregnancy and our first couple weeks with R.. I’m truly so grateful for your experience and wisdom – from product recommendations (those soaker pads are one of our best purchases!) to how you helped me surrender and reframe my my c section, you’ve been such a source of warmth and support. We hope to keep in touch longer term 💕 you’ll be one of my first calls if/when J. and I decide to expand our family.
Thank you so much, Felicia. I know I have some things to work through, but I’m really proud of us and so thankful for all your support and love for our family. We will truly never be able to express our appreciation and know that you have transformed our lives in ways we will only come to comprehend as time goes on. Thank you for being patient and understanding with me at my most vulnerable. I never felt judged by you in any way, and you allowed me to experience my entire range of thought and emotions in the way I needed. You will forever be an incredibly special person to our family, and I look forward to F. learning about the woman that partnered with her father and me to bring her into the world the best way we could under the circumstances. Thank you for changing our lives for the better, forever.
POSTPARTUM DOULA REFERENCE: Felicia, we can’t thank you enough for your support during S.’s first two months. You’ve helped us feel confident in being good parents and made the transition to being parents much easier. All three of us will miss you so much! We appreciate your empathy and warm words of encouragement. We have so much love for you and what you do.
Felicia was the perfect addition to our birth team. We decided early on that we wanted to have a doula to help advocate for the kind of birth we wanted. When we were introduced to Felicia she was so calm and reassuring, she talked us through her thoughts and approach to birth. What stood out the most in that initial conversation was that she wasn’t going to be judgemental about any of the decisions that we made, she just wanted us to feel confident in the ones that we were making. As we started to get closer to the due date, she became more involved in our lives, talking us through what to pack for the hospital (lots of snacks!) and what an induction looks like. Due to new covid restrictions, it looked like she wasn’t going to be able to be there for the birth, but about 24 hours into the induction, she was able to talk her way in and she got there just in time for the pushing stage of labor. We were so grateful she was able to be there, what we thought would be easy and straightforward, ended up being much longer than expected due to the position of the baby. Felicia was so patient and partnered so well with the nurse, introducing new positions for pushing. My husband and I are certain the birth would not have gone nearly as smoothly without Felicia in the room, supporting us through it all. She stayed with us once the baby arrived and got us settled, made sure that we had some food in our stomachs. She went above and beyond and I couldn’t recommend her highly enough.
Having Felicia as a birth doula was a game changer for us. From preparation to delivery, we felt supported and safe in her experienced hands. Felicia knew our hospital and providers well, so she was able to help us prep in a very concrete way. The day of delivery, she brought a strong sense of calm and confidence in the room, which we strongly appreciated as first time parents! Felicia also helped us postpartum for a few nights. Our baby was safe and happy in her care, which allowed us to recover from birth and catch up on some sleep. Overall, we wholeheartedly recommend Felicia.
I am so grateful for all your support. I had never imagined I could do this with such a long labor. But even with a backup doula your constant support on the phone and valuable insights gave me a path to make it through. I really wish we could meet in person some day! Pam was wonderful. Thanks for picking such good backup support.
Dear Felicia, This is just a small note to capture the immense gratitude and appreciation I feel towards you! From our first phone conversation, you put me at ease with your gentle manner. And your warmth makes you feel like family! Perhaps most importantly, you gave me trust in myself, my body’s ability to birth naturally, my own intuition to navigate decision-making, my common sense to determine what is ‘right’ for me. Your gentle guidance through a long labor made me feel peaceful the entire time! I never wavered in my faith that it was all happening as it should. I also deeply appreciate your BABE class, Wow! Your time and talent transcend your fees.
Dear Felicia, Thank you so much for being our doula for O’s birth. All your support and calm presence made me feel at ease. I know that you are the reason I was able to have a natural birth. I can’t even articulate how special that whole birth experience was and I’m so grateful that you were there. It’s something that M. my mom and I will never forget. You are truly an amazing doula and woman. I’m so glad that we met and shared such a powerful, beautiful birth together. I knew that giving birth could be a positive experience and now I know first hand how magical it really is – thanks to you.
Felicia, a year ago tonight you caught Molly!! Thanks! Nice job. We walked thru the whole thing tonight. The crazy rain. Our quick arrival. Your perfectly timed arrival. I told Galen: I stared at your teeth in the final minutes. You kept me on task because “we had worked together before.” My anchor. But your teeth. And don’t push. You’re nuts. But your teeth. And sorry I can’t stop because I’m having a baby. But your teeth. Doc or no doc, here comes baby. Anyone wanna catch for me? Felicia to the rescue!!! You will forever be woven into our girls’ life stories. I love it. I can’t imagine their beginnings without you by my side.
Big hugs on this anniversary of the greatest catch.
Dear Felicia, I honestly feel my labor experience would have been so different if it weren’t for you. You were so integral to the whole process. Although the hospital staff were well trained I didn’t feel much connection and warmth from them. I’m convinced that having guidance from one person who you trust completely is key to a positive labor. Having gone through the process I now understand the importance of this kind of psychological support and encouragement which you gave so meaningfully. Your physical assistance was amazing too and I really felt that you put your mind, body and soul into the whole process and I cannot thank you enough.
Dear Felicia, we can’t thank you enough for all of your guidance, support and knowledge during the prep for and birth of Miss A. You were amazing help and we really enjoyed working with you and getting to know you. It was such an amazing journey and we’re so happy you were there with us along for the ride! 🙂 Although tiring, this is such an amazing and special time. We are really enjoying it and are absolutely smitten with A. She’s a doll! We are already excited for more babies in the near future. You’re amazing at what you do and we just wanted to say thanks agian, keep in touch and we’ll do the same.
Felicia, Thank you so much, there is no way we could have done it without you! It was a magical and intense journey, thank you for being there, guiding us and sharing it with us. Much love.
Dear Felicia, How can I thank you enough? I am honored to work with you in bringing Z. into the world. You’re amazing! I could not have done it without your physical & emotional support. I hope we keep in touch.
Felicia, Thank you so much, there is no way we could have done it without you! It was a magical and intense journey, thank you for being there, guiding us and sharing it with us. Much love.
Personally, you made me forget about home, Germany, and let me be in the place where I was supposed to be, San Francisco and CPMC. Thank you for everything! You made this birth experience so magic and wonderful and bearable and unforgettable and simply amazing. We are convinced it could never have been like that without you! Also, thanks for your kind guidance and reassurance and support during the encouraging conversations before the birth. We enjoyed it so much.
Dear Felicia, it seems silly to send a card as a way of expressing my gratitude and awe at your guidance through my pregnancy, birth and postpartum days. If it were not for you, I am not sure what the experience would have been, but I shudder to even imagine. With you I was able to make it through contraction by contractions. I will always remember the experience as one of determination and focus mostly because tht was the look in your eyes. I am grateful for you pushing me when I needed it and giving in when I needed it. I am grateful for your midnight advice, midnight reassurance. I am lucky to know you and to have shared my birth experience with you. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you.
Dear Felicia, Thank you so much for all of your incredible support during my labor. Without your calmness, advice, knowledge & presence I would have felt so lost and scared. You were able to help me make decisions and ultimately feel like these decisions were the right ones. I am now able to view the birth experience as a long but satisfying one. Your crucial words during the difficult C-Section decision I often repeat to myself still today. Thank you infinitely for your support.
Dear Felicia,
Today is M.’s 3rd birthday, and I am just writing, once again, to thank you for your amazing work with A. and me three years ago. Your presence, skills and compassion are clearly not forgotten. I wake up on my daughter’s birthday and still think of you!! You were a godsend.
Blessings to you,
Can I just say that having you by our side when we welcomed our children into this world was the best ‘delivery plan’ I could have ever made. You have found a profession that fits you perfectly. I drew from your strength both times and would fly around the world to be with you if there ever was a third!
Felicia, we keep telling people how wonderful you were for us for our birth. You were truly awesome, and I would have been terrified by the whole experience in lots of ways without you there – especially during the final pushes. I’m pretty darn sure that it would have been a c-section for me if you hadn’t been there coaching me. So, thank you again so much.
Dear Felicia,
A. and I both deeply thank you for the vital and beautiful role you played in my labor & delivery. There is not a time that I think of my birth experience when I do not feel very grateful that we had you by our sides. I can barely remember phoning you to ask you to join us at the hospital but my memory of your arrival is still so visceral. You grabbed my hips and back during a contraction and somehow I immediately felt safer and that things were going to get better. When I was 16 days overdue, you reassured me things were OK. When I had to be induced you reassured me that I could still have a powerful labor. When I was making the decision to get anesthesia you reassured me that it was an OK choice and when I pushed my baby out for 4 hours, you reassured me that I was strong and capable. A. and I were completely in awe of how wonderfully essential you were in these moments and in 24 hours, you not only graced us with your presence, knowledge and support but you created two strong advocates for doulas. In short, you were nothing less than a blessing to us & our baby. When and if I conceive again, you will be second to know. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you so much for your incredible patience, expertise and willingness to work with us to bring W. into the world. We’re so grateful to have found you and to have benefited from your amazing skill and experience. You provided the consistency and balance we wanted and needed as we prepared and entered W.’s birth. Thank you.
Dear Felicia,
It was such a joy, privilege and relief to have you present at the births of both of our daughters. At C.’s difficult birth, you steadied me and kept me going through a very challenging time, encouraging me to believe that is was all going to work as we had hoped, which it did. At M.’s blessedly more easy birth, you calmed me and focused me, helping to direct my energies toward the one powerful outcome. Because you were there, I got to have the births I wanted. Because of this I feel that I was able to fully experience one of the most powerful rites of passage that women have with full awareness. You are gifted as a healer and doula. Wherever life takes you, I know you will carry your qualities of warm-heartedness and compassion and continue to help people for a long time to come. Thank you.
When I found out I was pregnant with my second child, one of the first people I called was Felicia. I simply could not imagine giving birth without her. Felicia’s presence at the birth of my daughter was at once peaceful and strong, quiet and intense, joyous and … fun!
When I think back to the birth, one of the main things I remember is that Felicia was like a knowledge guide through unknown territory. She supported both me and my husband in a manner that was respectful of our wishes while at the same time being very in control of what could have been a situation beyond our control. With Felicia’s help and guidance, we were able to truly experience the birth without ever feeling lost, confused, scared or frustrated. My husband and I both feel very strongly that we would not have had such a positive experience had it not been for Felicia. We had to deviate from our birth plan in a fairly significant way, but because of Felicia, everything still felt right. Felicia had such a wide variety of tips and techniques that I felt almost pampered, if one can use such a word to describe giving birth! At every juncture she calmly described my options in a way that I could understand while in the throes of a contraction. She brought things with her that helped me to feel comfortable and I believe sped my labor along.
Felicia’s training and experience really shine through in her role as a doula. It is quite obvious to me that this is her calling in life. She is an amazing woman. Thank you, Felicia.
Felicia Roche, Certified Doula attended the delivery of my daughter on April 23, 2000. The labor was long – over 24 hours – and could not have been the joyful experience it was without Felicia’s tremendous talent as a doula. Her care of me and my husband was intrinsic to one of the most joyful experiences of my life. She was absolutely key to creating an environment of joy and peace in which I could labor calmly and joyfully as the hours ticked by. Felicia’s insight and experience were invaluable when tough decisions were called for. I am certain that without her support and advice I would have required a c-section. But with her support and care I was able to make decisions clearly and calmly to deal with the reality of the birth process. Felicia’s support was invaluable in helping me feel that my birth process would end with the delivery of a beautiful, healthy child and that the use of the necessary interventions was not in any way a failure on my part.
Additionally, her skilled interaction with the staff at the hospital ensured that they were supportive of my choices. And, since my memory of the labor is admittedly fuzzy in certain areas, Felicia’s journal and pictures of the birth are a treasured private keepsake that provide a clear story of what really happened.
In short, I highly recommend Felicia as a doula. She enabled me to turn what could have been a nightmare labor into a beautiful, spiritual, focused labor that ended in the delivery of my beloved daughter.
I’m incredibly grateful for Felicia and can’t imagine giving birth without her – this is the woman you want by your side when you deliver. Felicia is hyper-professional, warm, empathic and compassionate, respectful and responsive, and truly a master in her craft.
Felicia has attended a truly spectacular number of deliveries (in the thousands!), and brings with her deep experience, which is compounded by her data-driven approach, staying on top of the latest medical findings and research to deliver a hyper-informed (but still deeply empathetic) approach to childbirth. I very much saw this in action across the delivery – throughout, Felicia facilitated interventions that directly led to positive outcomes. For example, when Felicia noticed that the baby’s heart rate was slowing down after pushing on one specific side, she proactively suggested and we tried changing positions, which immediately led to a safer delivery and helped us avoid unnecessary medical interventions. Felicia’s pain management techniques were also comprehensive, creative, tailored and very effective – I’ll never forget the immediate sense of deep relief when she applied pressure to my lower back.
Felicia’s excellent, kind, and focused communication style also helped me manage the challenges of labor so much better – I felt listened to, safe, cared for and supported. Even in the most challenging moments of delivery, I knew I could trust Felicia to help me power through and get the job done, and advocate in my interest: she was right there with me, guiding me through all the way.
Felicia’s style is also collaborative, and gave my partner an opportunity to participate in the delivery. Felicia brings a “family-centric” approach to her care: She did a great job engaging my birth partner in a manner where he was able to help me, in a way exactly tailored to his comfort level. Felicia also did a fantastic job partnering with the medical staff at the hospital: she set a productive and collaborative tone with the nurses, which turned the experience into a very positive “let’s do this!” experience. It even made the final stage of pushing actually fun (!), where I felt we were all working together as a team. It was true privilege to see Felicia’s respectful, warm and deeply empathetic craft in action, and I’m deeply grateful that she was there by my side the whole way – exactly what I’d hoped for in a birthing doula, but so much more.
Dear Doula Felicia,
I’m writing this review with overwhelming gratitude and a heart full of emotions, attempting to express the depth of appreciation my family and I feel towards you. Your unwavering support and guidance during the unmedicated birth and delivery of our precious baby Wesley completed exceeded my expectations of what a Doula could be.
From the moment we met you, there was an instant connection—a sense of trust and reassurance that washed over us like a warm embrace. Your calm demeanor and reassuring words became our lifeline throughout the entire journey, and as we navigated the peaks and valleys of labor, your presence was a beacon of strength and comfort. Your knowledge and expertise were evident in every action you took. Your gentle touch, encouraging words, and intuitive understanding of my needs transformed what could have been a daunting experience into a beautiful and empowering one. Your ability to anticipate my needs, offer guidance, and provide unwavering support to me, Wesley and Owen not only eased our anxieties but also empowered us to embrace the birthing process fully.
As Wesley entered the world, surrounded by love and warmth, your presence made all the difference. Your dedication to ensuring my well-being, both physically and emotionally, was truly remarkable. Your support extended far beyond the delivery room, as you continued to provide guidance and assistance during crucial postpartum moments.
We cannot thank you enough for your invaluable contribution to this life-changing event! Your compassion, professionalism, and genuine care have left an indelible mark on our hearts. You are not just a doula but a guardian goddess who guided us through one of the most profound experiences of our lives.
With deepest appreciation and warmest regards,
The S. Family
I am just so so forever grateful for your help to guide me through the most empowering thing I’ve ever done and to feel the entire birth process. I feel so lucky to have had the experience of having exactly the birth that I wanted. The shower you gave me, the massages, telling me to just do 5 more contractions when I thought I couldn’t do it anymore, the amazing photos and priceless videos, the placenta pills… but most importantly the support, confidence, guidance, and love that you gave me to get through each minute and contraction and recovery. I really don’t know how to thank you (which is probably why this is now 6 months late). I am so so thankful to have met you and that you were available for us. You will forever be a part of the two most significant days in my life! The birth of A. and N. … it makes me want to have a third! But I’m scared that I had my ideal birth experience that I don’t want to ruin it!
I hope you’re doing well and I think of you all the time and I’m so sorry it’s taken me forever to write this. I hope you also know how you change women’s lives and give them the most special gift during the most vulnerable time. I’m so so grateful that you are/ were my doula♥️
We just wanted to send our love and appreciation to you during World Doula Week!!! You helped us through some of the hardest times in our lives- but now we have an amazing, smiley, giggly little boy thanks to your help!
We so appreciate everything you did for us- THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! Love, M., C., and H.
Felicia, what an incredible ride it has been! We could not have done this without your amazing coaching skills and your calming spirit. You did an amazing job helping me through labor and to a successful birth of baby B. We are so thankful to have you be a part of our family’s moment. Love, K.
Dear Felicia, thank you so much for your unbelievable support during our labor and delivery process. You are such a pro and we could not have done it without you. You made us both feel so much calmer and that means the world in that situation! We feel so lucky that you came into our lives. Thank you for everything!
Dear Felicia, Thank you so much for your invaluable help throughout my pregnancy, labor and beyond. J. and I agree that we cannot fathom having gone through it all without your guidance and support. We are forever grateful for all you did to help us bring J. into the world safely for both him and me. All our love,
Dear Felicia, we cannot thank you enough for all your dedication and support in bringing baby R. safely into this world! The birth was an absolute success! We feel so very lucky to have partnered with you on this memorable journey. Until baby #2!
Dear Felicia, Thank you so much for all your guidance, support and help through the birthing process – before, during and after. Ari and I were so grateful for all your help and couldn’t imagine not having you there for all the help. Always happy to be a reference and feel fortunate to have met you. Thank you.
Dear Felicia, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! We are so grateful that you were able to support us in the birth of our beautiful G. You were AMAZING! Seriously – thank you for supporting me every step of the way. Your double hip squeeze is PURE MAGIC! Love you!
Thank you so much for all y our incredible support & encouragement in helping us to bring D into this world! We feel so fortunate that we h ad your expertise and calm determination to help us make all the right choices for our birth and really don’t know how we would have done without you throughout the long process! Much Love,
Dear Felicia, I just wanted to write a note to say thank you for everything you did during the birth of our son. i don’t know what we would have done without you – I’m so thankful that we had you there. Both N. and I are incredibly grateful for the knowledge, expertise and calm and peaceful presence you provided.
Thank you for everything! Going into labor was terrifying and painful and awful and did I mention painful? But having you available to drive us to the hospital, demand that we get checked in and then being there by my side as I squeezed that giant baby out of my body was so amazing. I really tell people all the time that if wasn’t for you I’d probably still be trying to get that baby out 🙂
Having you there made it so much easier and I think is what helped my labor progress so rapidly. You were my advocate, friend and coach during the most important hours of my life.
Dear Felicia, How can I thank you enough? I am honored to work with you in bringing Z. into the world. You’re amazing! I could not have done it without your physical & emotional support. I hope we keep in touch.
Dear Felicia, we are so grateful to you for the incredibly important part you played in our children’s births. Although both births were more ‘adventurous’ than we expected, we feel so good about the experience due to your constant support, encouragement and guidance. Over the past three years we gained two beautiful, healthy children and a dear friendship with you that we cherish. Thank you for all that you have done for our family.
Felicia, thank you so much for being our delightful doula! The birth of Z. was full of light and magic (dim lights and candelas 🙂 My journey through labor land was a real joyous and positive trip and your support and energy helped so much to get us through! I cannot thank you enough for being so present and encouraging me to stay focused. Your guidance was so special. Love always,
F. and I can not express our gratitude to you enough. We continue to look at our labor experience with pride and happiness. Not just because we welcomed Nico into our lives, but because we felt such calm joy, and confident strength throughout the day due to your support. It seems rare to find other mothers who beam when asked “how was labor”, and yet I feel lucky that my answer is always “it was AMAZING”. Your strength, confidence, physical support, and emotional coaching helped guarantee that one of the most monumental moments of our lives was an awesomely positive one. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It never would have played out as it did without your presence. Of this, we are sure. You will be the first call we make as soon as we decide to have another baby…we couldn’t imagine the birthing process without you by our sides.
My husband and I used Felicia for all three of our births and she worked wonderfully with the hospital staff as well as with both my husband and me. She was fantastic and empowered me to have natural childbirth. My husband and I feel it was worth every dime.
Felicia, how does one say thank you for such an amazing experience? You are a very special and unique person. I feel so lucky to have found you. Thank you for all your guidance and support for sharing this miraculous moment with us. With love and affection..
Dear Felicia, a huge thank you for your support before and during B.’s birth. Your warmth, caring and knowhow made the experience a better one. We felt at ease with you immediately and that feeling carried through the birth. We would advocate a doula and certainly recommend you anytime! Thank you again for helping enrich this experience.
I finally have a free (quiet) moment to let you know how amazing you were for our delivery. You helped me navigate through the most amazing, intense, painful experience of my life with your calm presence, soothing voice and amazingly compassionate, centered, beautiful brown eyes. I thank you from the bottom of my heart! You made my family feel comfortable as well and for that I am also grateful. You are a true, rare gift and I feel blessed that we could share our birthing experience with you by our sides. Thank you again.
Dear Felicia,
I have been meaning to write to you for a long time to thank you for the gift you made us to guide us through this most unique and beautiful experience of birth. You helped us believe in birth, in her perfection and made me understand and feel for these unforgettable hours that we belong to nature and that surrendering to her made the impossible happen. I still can’t believe that I went through all this. I think you carried us when we were doubting, you never doubted. I am so grateful for this. For M. too, it must have been so beautiful to come to us in that soft and trusting environment, with only love and patience waiting for him. He is giving us a lot of joy and I wish you the best in your life as a mother and as a doula.
Felicia, what can I say…you will be in my heart forever. You have such a special gift. I am so very glad you shared it with us. You made the birth of our daughter such a wonderful experience. My husband, my mom and myself cannot say enough about you. We are all now true believers in the doula. You have found your calling in life! Even though the actual birth did not turn out how we expected, you made me feel the experience of childbirth. I will always remember that special time. Thank you so much for being a part of the best day of our lives.
Dearest Felicia,
Aviv and I have decided that your hourly rate completely undercuts the love and talent that you bring to your work. I will always remember the support I felt when you compressed my hips for pain relief and for the way you skillfully helped the hospital staff manage time. We will always hold you close to our hearts as the person who helped bring a healthy, beautiful baby into the world!
Much love,
Felicia, the love you emanate and share with others has touched my life. Thank you for being such a good person. The world needs many, many people like you. Thank you for helping me tap into and remember a beautiful, powerful part of myself that still leaves me in awe.
