Client Experiences. . .

What joy and satisfaction is gained in hearing what my clients have to say about their experiences. I love all my clients so much and thank each and every one of you for giving me the opportunity to support you and share in one of life's most precious moments.

In gratitude & Love

2024

My partner and I had the pleasure of working with Debbie as our birth doula for our first baby. We cannot recommend Debbie enough, and I feel like she was an essential part of my positive birthing experience! Prior to birth, we enjoyed our meetings with Debbie to learn more about the labor and delivery process as well as the newborn period. She also gave us helpful, hands-on tips for laboring at home prior to going to the hospital. On delivery day, Debbie was there to guide us every step of the way from hospital admission to recovery. Her insightful knowledge and experience calmed my nerves, and her recommendations led to a smoother delivery of our baby. During the newborn period, I was lucky to work with Debbie as a postpartum doula for two months. Her gentle spirit and wisdom brought such warmth and peace to an otherwise stressful transition into parenthood. Debbie's warm meals, teas, and labor lemonade were also a special treat! Thank you Debbie! :)

B.S.

2024

Since our first meeting with Debbie, we found her to be a highly experienced and qualified doula, having attended hundreds of births and with extensive training to provide new and expecting parents with education on hypnobirthing, breastfeeding, newborn basics, and the
postpartum period.
An aspect that made Debbie stand out among other doulas was her commitment to learning and to refining her practice with various trainings. This was clearly to stay current with new knowledge and to provide her clients with the most up-to-date care. Debbie brought this
knowledge seamlessly into our prenatal visits and conversations.
An example of her dedication to staying current with best practices is her recent participation in the Body Ready Method training course. Through her learning from this course she was able to share stretches, positions, and exercises I could practice to alleviate pregnancy aches and help with labor, all of which were very simple to incorporate into daily routine and helpful in providing relief. She also mentioned how this course had taught her that a common technique of using
counter pressure on the pelvis during labor could actually inhibit progress if it was done at a particular point of the baby’s positioning. She was humble enough to recognize new research into a common practice and then incorporate it into her personal practice.
Debbie is a confident and experienced hypnodoula who expertly guided us through our Hypnobabies program throughout my pregnancy. We also learned so much from her breastfeeding, newborn, and postpartum classes. With all the questions we had, Debbie
provided us with answers from her experience in the field and that she saw were aligned with research on the topic. She would also send us sources where we could find more information and delve deeper if we wished.
We feel so lucky to have had Debbie as our doula for our son’s birth. Her demeanor and approach have the unique qualities of being professional while at the same time being warm and loving. Her guidance and assurance helped us have an incredible birthing experience at our
birth center. She effortlessly cooperated with the midwives, OBGYN, and my husband to maintain a peaceful and respectful environment throughout the entire labor process. We felt encouraged, supported, and at peace during a period of time that is more known for the stress
and difficulties it brings. We have Debbie to thank for this. Her passion and dedication to this line of work is very clear; it is undeniable she has found her calling.
N.R. / S.R.

2022

We booked a co-doula package with Nakomi Kirby and Debbie Benton. To say that their help was essential for our delivery would be an understatement.
Due to our unique circumstances, we were two months away from our due date and felt very unprepared. Some of the challenges we faced included:
- Inadequate birth classes from Kaiser. Due to COVID, we were given 3 online classes with 50 other parents. Though informative, it was impossible to retain all this information without a 1:1 relationship with the teacher or other parents.
- My wife's work schedule was brutal during the last two trimesters of the pregnancy. This contributed to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion leading up to the due date.
- We were preparing for a last minute move into a new apartment, which ultimately took place 2 days before our due date. The mental, emotional, and physical stress took us to our limit.
Due to the toll our circumstances were taking on us, it occurred to us that we needed additional support. Because of the cost of preparing for a new baby, we were hesitant to hire help. It initially seemed so luxurious but as we got closer to the due date, it became obvious that it was a necessity.
Our knowledge of and experience with doula's was extremely limited but we decided to try our best to find a doula one month before our baby's arrival. By coincidence we ended up getting the support of two!
Due to the last minute nature of our booking, Nakomi worked together with a second doula, Debbie Benton, to support us. Nakomi focused on pre-natal education and post-natal follow up and Debbie was with us in the delivery room and visited us at home after the delivery.
Their individual strengths were perfect for our needs and their teamwork was seamless. These were some of the highlights of our work with them:
- On the due date, the hospital wanted to induce my wife. We were uncomfortable with being medically induced and Nakomi provided an induction massage instead. In addition to helping my wife's body relax, we believe it also gave her body the "nudge" it needed to get started. Within 4-5 hours, labor was underway!
- When my wife was in active labor, our daughter got "stuck" in a position that resulted in near-constant back pain. Debbie guided my wife through various positions, kept her breathing on track, and provided steady and calm support, so my wife could focus.
- As I focused on emotionally supporting my wife, I watched Debbie provide practical support and emotional stability to the room. Our doctors and nurses were uber competent but there's no question that the labor would have been more stressful without the experience and steady support that Debbie provided.
- After 20+ hours of active labor, my wife was exhausted and our baby was "stuck". My wife decided to pivot from our birth plan and to accept the epidural and pitocin. Nakomi and Debbie are natural birth advocates (it's why we chose them) but they had also prepared us for a scenario when medical intervention was appropriate. We just so happened to be in that situation and we were so grateful that we were mentally prepared for this decision.
- After the baby arrived, Nakomi and Debbie knew how to periodically check in while also giving us the space we needed to decompress and adjust to our new normal. Nakomi and Debbie helped us troubleshoot some feeding issues (though we ultimately ended up pumping/bottle feeding our daughter).
Overall, we couldn't be more thankful that Nakomi and Debbie were our doulas in our great time of need. The only thing we would have changed would have been to contact them sooner and enjoy their guidance earlier in our pregnancy journey.
Nakomi and Debbie: thank you from the bottom of our heart!

T.Y. / C.P.

2012

Debi, or Debi the Doula as my family likes to call her, is exceptional. Not only was she incredibly helpful and supportive during labor and delivery, she was also amazing before and after. She came over multiple times for many hours so my husband and I (and our dog) could get to know her before this major event in our lives was about to happen. Debi also helped us postpartum for 2 weeks and that was one of the best decisions we ever made. She was there for us emotionally, physically, and spiritually. She even made us chicken soup! She still comes by months later to see us. She is kind of like the baby whisperer. We Love her. You will too. E.M.

2013

Debbie is the person you want by your side during pregnancy. She is educated, loving, and really put's the pregnant mama's interests above all. During my pregnancy she was available to talk for as long as I needed, some times she just listened as I struggled to figure out what I needed. Other times she offered advice when I asked. I had doctors recommending next steps and I was scared. She came with me when I had to be monitored (even brought lavender oil to calm me), she was there with a hug and a warm smile when I got out. And as far as the birth went, she helped me through contractions, came with us to the hospital and continued to offer support. And post partum, she's been there - even brought me a veggie filled drink to help with recovery. I LOVE Debbie! Yes, she's nice, compassionate, and funny, but more importantly, she's educated and supports the mamas right to choose the birth that's right for her. You will be very blessed to have her by your side! - A.L.

2012

Debi was my doula as well as my childbirth educator. She was amazing in both roles. The class was very informative, and small enough that it was more like a very educational conversation in a comfortable setting. My birth experience was long and complicated, but Debi was always there to offer advice, rub my back, support my husband, and whatever else I needed. Without her, I probably would have ended up with a c-section, but she helped me have the strength to stick through my original plan for a vaginal birth. She had both the knowledge and the gentle manner to communicate effectively with the staff and ensure that my wishes were met as much as possible. - A.K.

2010

Our decision to use a doula with the birth of our daughter was one of the best decisions we ever made and we were so happy that we found Debbie Benton. Debbie was first highly recommended to us by a friend of a friend who had used her services. —and Debbie was the right one for us! Because of my insurance, the rocky start of my pregnancy, and the fact that our hospital and doctor didn’t have the reputation of being real “patient friendly”, we needed a doula that was experienced, understood medical jargon, and knew how to talk to doctors. Debbie was VERY knowledgeable and confident in that area—and most importantly we found her to also be genuinely kind, caring and loving. She was very attentive to our needs, concerns, and questions before, during, and after the birth. She always made herself available to us, and our family was very appreciative to have her around at the hospital to update them on our delivery status. We were extremely impressed with Debbie’s dedication to her profession---she truly treasured being a part of our most important life experience. We felt more confident and at peace--- just knowing we had someone at our side during Eliza’s birth eased our minds and gave us the stress-free natural birth with no complications that we had dreamed of! We would recommend her to anyone! Thank you , Debbie! T.C.