kind words

kind words about mama bird birth services

"In my eagerness to prepare for birth, I must have signed my husband and I up for every class I could find. This ended up being the last class we had scheduled. Leaving after the second night, both my husband and I expressed unprompted to each other how much we were loving the class and how if we could do it all over again, this would be the only class we took! It was warm, informative and the perfect combination of reassuring and realistic. Elizabeth answered every question we had and some we didn't even know we had. This was exactly the class I was looking for and I feel so much calmer and more prepared and ready to go into this new experience. I cannot recommend this class strongly enough!" - Jen W. (Confident & Prepared Birth Class)

This class covered everything we needed to know in order to feel prepared and empowered as we head toward our birth and beyond. My husband and I feel much more confident and calm, with a better understanding of what to expect and what to prepare for. I am less fearful of interventions and complications, and more hopeful that I can have a fulfilling birth experience." - Mirelle O. (Confident & Prepared Birth Class)

"My husband and I were very pleased in our choice to attend this class together. It sparked a really healthy and insightful conversation afterwards that if we hadn't attended this class I don't believe we would have had at all. For that alone (amongst other reasons) I am very grateful to have attended. Obviously, women have given birth without attending classes such as this but when there is a class offered with so much valuable information, insight and healthy discussion for you and your partner to consider I can not see why you wouldn't take the opportunity to attend Elizabeth's class. I think the strongest message learned is that YOU are in control of your birthing experience. this class helps you gain the tools and knowledge to know exactly what it is you need, the questions to ask and the confidence to follow through with your birth plan"
- Caitlin McCullough Hults (Confident & Prepared One-Day Birth Class)

"I really enjoyed this class and felt that it has prepared me not only with knowledge of the upcoming birth and baby care, but also with the confidence that it will all work out. All questions were answered and it was wonderful to have so much time with someone so knowledgeable. Both my husband and myself found it very helpful." - E.C. (Confident & Prepared Birth Class, Postpartum Wellness, Breastfeeding Basics and Newborn Care Class)

"I cannot say enough about Elizabeth's childbirth class! I think it takes a special gift to teach these classes, and to help couples feel prepared for their birth. Elizabeth definitely has this gift. My husband and I took the weekend intensive class [Confident & Prepared Birth + Postpartum Wellness, Breastfeeding & Newborn Care] and it was perfect. There is a lot of information overload when it comes to pregnancy and childbirth, and the this class series was able to cover everything thoroughly but without being overwhelming. I cannot speak more highly of Elizabeth herself. We instantly felt as ease in her presence, and it made the learning so easy. Elizabeth's knowledge of birth is vast and she translates it perfectly to help couples feel empowered and prepared. She is humble and kind. She is optimistic, yet realistic. The class absolutely made a difference for me in having a wonderful birth experience. Take this class! " - Kathryn (Confident & Prepared Birth Class, Postpartum Wellness, Breastfeeding & Newborn Care)

"I definitely enjoyed the hybrid class. My husband did as well. Besides providing flexibility for our schedules, I really enjoyed that the online parts of the course were things that my husband and I carved out special time for at nights. It turned into a nice time for us to get together alone, to learn and prepare for this new adventure, and to reflect on our excitements and apprehensions. That was special time I'll always cherish. I also tend to come up with tons and tons of questions, so the online sections also gave me time to think about questions I wanted to ask during the in-person meeting.

As for our in-person meeting, that was nice to learn some hands-on relaxation/massage techniques and to ask my own personal questions. I really valued Elizabeth's questions to us about what we were excited for and nervous about. I really appreciated the little box of goodies she gave us with the scents and other things we could use at the hospital (including those awesome affirmation statements!).

Overall, the online information and the 1-time class really worked for us. I felt calmer and more prepared for the experience after. Both my husband and I would highly recommend this class."
-Emily G. (Hybrid Online & In-Person Class)

"I like to be well informed when heading into unknown situation, and childbirth is no exception. Elizabeth's class was the perfect balance of useful, applicable knowledge and gentle reassurance to nervous first-time parents. My husband and I are forever grateful for her expertise and guidance and recommend her services to anyone. Not only does she inform, but she also empowers...equally important in my book."
-Kate D. (Confident & Prepared One Day Birth Class)

"My husband and I are so thankful we took Elizabeth's birth class. I went into the class thinking about giving birth as a painful necessity, but now I feel excited to take on the challenge as a natural process. I loved the classes- Elizabeth has a way of making everyone feel comfortable and we came away with a wealth of practical knowledge and strategies. The clear way she described the birth process was very comforting and eased a lot of my concerns. It was so nice to have a safe environment to ask questions. After taking the class, we feel empowered to make informed decisions at the birth. I now know more about what to expect and how to prepare and my husband feels more capable of supporting me." - Gail S. (Confident & Prepared Birth 3 week Class)

I highly recommend Elizabeth for child birth classes. There is so much information to wade through when considering and exploring pregnancy and giving birth. Elizabeth's classes are informative and empowering. She is a skilled listener which is so valuable during this vulnerable and profound journey. We came away from our class feeling heard, valued and better equipped for things to come. Most of all we learned to appreciate all of the amazing ways that my baby and I were already prepared to work together for her arrival.
- Emily S. (Confident & Prepared Birth, 3 week Class)

They hybrid course fit in our schedules perfectly. While trying to balance work, a move and preparing for a baby it was overwhelming to try to figure out how to go to a weekly class in the suburbs. Elizabeth's hybrid course gave us everything we needed, and we felt comfortable and ready when our baby decided to come a week early!
-Allison N. (Hybrid Online & In-person Class)

doula testimonials

"We feel incredibly lucky to have had Elizabeth as our doula for the birth of our first child: we would probably admit that we made the decision to work with her without fully understanding just how important she would be in the birth process - before, during and after labor and delivery. From the start, she focused on understanding us - as individuals and as a couple - to determine how she could best work to support us; she was very successful in tailoring her support to who we are and what we needed. Both before and after the birth, she was a fantastic source of support and information. During the birth itself, her presence and engagement really felt transformative. Without ever being obtrusive, she provided guidance and support that made the birth experience much more positive. She made me as a mother feel that I was actively managing the process of giving birth, rather than just enduring it or coping with it, and my partner found her advice, support and guidance invaluable. We are so happy that we had the chance to have Elizabeth as our doula, and would recommend her wholeheartedly to any prospective parents." -Caroline P.

"I cannot say enough about the magnificence of Elizabeth's support during my 17 hour labor with my son. She was upbeat but calm, firm but loving and companionable when I needed it and faded into the background when I needed. She seemed to be perfectly attuned to my needs, coaching me to keep my vocalizations low, providing hours of grueling counterpressure that I needed for each and every contraction ( I had some pretty righteous back labor), and doing things like at one point asking me to tell the story of my engagement ring when I needed some distraction between contractions. She even packed snacks and music! I will be forever grateful to her for getting me through the Final Centimeter of transition when I was hanging at the very edge of my physical capabilities: she kept up the counter pressure and told me I was stronger than the contractions. I didn't believe her at first. But her saying it made me see that it was true. She even provided a reassuring presence to my husband. Her follow up visit helped me to see my labor as a strengthening experience for me as an individual and for my new family as whole. Plus she gave me a heads up about keeping an eye out for intrusive thoughts post-partum, which I had never heard of before. I actually wound up being diagnosed with postpartum OCD and the conversation we had about intrusive thoughts was crucial to my starting on the path towards healing. She is quite simply spectacular." - Kate M.

"When my wife heard me suggest we think about a doula, I think she thought I'd lost it. But, she humored me and the more we learned about doulas, the more excited we were about the idea. After interviewing several of them and then thinking about it for a week, we hired Elizabeth. She provided us with great advice and materials in the months leading up to the due date. Our son decided to arrive in the middle of the night during an ice storm but Elizabeth was there for us. Her calming, supporting, and caring presence were a true blessing for my wife and me. Having Elizabeth involved was a great experience and we were so glad to have her on our team. We're certain we would have had a MUCH more medically-involved birth if not for her help beforehand and during the process. We recommend doulas, in general, and Elizabeth, specifically, without reservation!!" - Clifford H.

"Elizabeth Varaso is a remarkable woman and a gifted doula. She was my doula for the birth of my second child, whom I had in the hospital with no pain medication, no epidural. I had my first child with a midwife in my home, and while I would have liked to repeat the experience, complications early in my pregnancy dicated for us that the best choice this time would be a hospital setting. Elizabeth was very sensitive to my views about childbirth, and encouraged me to pursue the experience that I wanted - including supporting and encouraging my commitment to forgoing pain medication/epidural and to breastfeeding even when it became very difficult. She did such a wonderful job of being present for support at just the level I wanted it. She had helpful suggestions when labor became difficult. Elizabeth was a calm voice in the chaos of childbirth. She stroked my hair to relax me when I felt like I couldn't keep going. She encouraged me that the baby was very close when I wavered about an epidural (which I did ask for - but there wasn't time for it, just as Elizabeth predicted). She suggested I tap my fingers and focus on that tapping as I waited out longer and stronger contractions right at the end. I needed to be cheered on in pushing and she was right there - a strong, familiar ally helping me believe in myself when doubt was starting to take over. I'm actually tearing up remembering the experience. She took the first photos of my newborn baby - something I wouldn't have even thought to want - and I treasure those pictures. I can't put into words how highly I recommend her. Elizabeth has three children of her own, and lives out her life as a mentor. She is truly a mother of mothers, and a person of great compassion and integrity." - Kara G.

"My wife and I delivered at a birth center. Elizabeth was awesome. I was extremely prepared (classes and books) by the birth center but even then I was still really grateful. Elizabeth helped us process a couple false alarms (it being our first we werent sure what it would be like when it got going). When it was finally go time she was quick to get there and arrived only a few minutes after we did. She was wonderful though. She reminded me of helpful things to do and kept me focused on helping my wife cope and fluourish with each contraction. My wife found it supremely helpful to have lots of counter pressure on her hips and back and Elizabeth applied it in the exact right way. I found it difficult to apply it correctly but she did it for a very long time. Elizabeth was eager to jump in and help anyway we needed. She let me get some bathroom breaks and made sure Lindsay and I both were hydrated. Women out there, Trust me she made my wife's labor quicker, more relaxed, and less intense. Birth partners out there, Doulas make sense. They are trained and experienced in assisting laboring women. Their goal is to take care of your wife when we are larglely in over our heads. Elizabeth embodied this perfectly. She helped seem like a rock star to my wife. Elizabeth was awesome and she will always have a place in our hearts. If your looking for a doula stop. You found her in Elizabeth." - Matthew I.