Rebecca Durlin Smith

My wife and I highly recommend Rebecca. This was our first pregnancy and a friend told us the best thing they ever did was hire a doula, so we took their advice and found Rebecca through Unilocal,which really was one of the best decisions we made for the birth of our son.
We chose Rebecca out of all the other doulas because right from the moment we met her, we felt comfortable. For us, that was very important.
My wife’s pregnancy and birth had its own set of complications and once we hired Rebecca, she was available for all the support we needed. She kept an open line of communication, which was especially helpful through some difficult times leading up to delivery. There were never any judgments on our birth plans or on any of our decisions. She 100% supported us and would always answer all of our questions, even emailing us articles regarding any of our concerns.
By the time our delivery came around, we had grown so close to Rebecca, it felt like we had a friend there to support us. She was ready and so prepared when we needed her, that we never felt like we had to ask her to do more for us.
During delivery, Rebecca kept everyone positive and motivated. She also made sure I was taking care of myself properly! i.e. eating and resting when possible. We don’t know how we could have made it through delivery without her support.
Overall, Rebecca is smart, kind, supportive and we felt blessed to have her there for the birth of our son.
There is no question that we will hire Rebecca for the birth of our next child.

I recently had the great pleasure of working with Rebecca during the birth of my daughter. She was a «backup» doula — my original doula was involved in another birth when I went into labor. So, Rebecca came into the situation at a disadvantage, never having met me before. I am so glad it worked out the way it did! She immediately put me and my husband at ease. Her support throughout the birth was constant but never obtrusive. I found her to be very knowledgeable, and she helped me navigate the medical jargon/​process so I could make informed decisions. When my original doula became available midway through the birth, I chose to stay with Rebecca rather than lose her invaluable support midway. I highly recommend her!

I have waited to write this review because I’ve been searching for the words to describe what a wonderful doula Rebecca was for my husband and me. It has now been six weeks since the birth of our daughter and I’ve given up on finding the right words because words really cannot adequately describe the incredible support Rebecca offers her clients.
I will say that I was very anxious about labor and delivery. I wanted to attempt an unmedicated birth and knew that a good doula would help me achieve that goal. Rebecca far exceeded any expectations I had of what a doula does! It’s truly her life calling to serve in this way.
My husband and I interviewed a few doulas. It was crucial to me to work with someone that my husband felt comfortable with because I viewed our doula as a resource for him as much as for me (if not more). Once we met Rebecca we knew we had found someone special.
Rebecca wasn’t just there for us on the big day, but also the weeks leading up to it. Our initial consultation and two in-​home visits never felt rushed. Rebecca is patient, warm, and professional. She was a calming presence during a stressful and uncertain period in our lives.
Rebecca brought the ideal blend of scientific reasoning and emotional support to our experience. When we asked a question, she would give us her take and provide informative articles later that night by email — the articles were always grounded in evidence-​based research, which I really appreciated given that there is so much pregnancy propaganda floating around out there. I never felt a hint of judgment coming from her and she was always clear that it wasn’t about her — she was there to support us.
While I was in labor, Rebecca was amazing. She encouraged my husband to take a break that he desperately needed (he had been awake for almost 24 hours at that point) and stayed with me, getting drenched while I labored in the shower. During the pushing stage, she did lots of little things to help me simultaneously relax and be more efficient. She helped turn an experience that was physically demanding into something magical.
Giving birth is full of very intimate moments. Everyone needs to find the right match for them. But I can’t imagine having anyone else there with us aside from Rebecca. We’re honored that she was one of our baby girl’s very first friends.

I wish there were more than 5 stars to give! Rebecca was born to be a doula! The work she does is so powerful and I can easily say that I would not have had the pregnancy & labor that I dreamed of without her immense support. She helped create a space with me and my husband that allowed for a very organic and spiritual experience to unfold. A very important part of our experience with Rebecca is that we always felt comfortable asking questions and in making our desires known for what type of labor we wanted. Because of her sheer breadth of knowledge on the subjects of pregnancy, natural labor, Bradley method etc. I always felt like I was safe and in good hands. I wasn’t afraid going into labor and so much of that I owe to Rebecca. I knew that she would be there which was very comforting and she had instilled in me the fact that I could do this! Because of our meetings with Rebecca, I went into labor feeling confident and ready to do the work I needed to do to meet my baby. I seriously have never felt more cared for in my life than I did during my labor with Rebecca as our doula. It was amazing how well she read each moment and knew exactly what both my husband and I needed to get through and to help my labor progress. It wasn’t only amazing how she was in taking care of me physically-​massaging me, putting chapstick on my lips, lying cool washcloths on my forehead etc; she knew how to be around me in a way that made me feel safe; she would look into my eyes and hold my gaze and with that powerful, pure, mama energy she eminates, she would propel me forward. It brings tears to my eyes just to think back on it. Never in my life have my husband or I ever known that level of support before. I couldn’t have picked a better person to guide me through the most important moment of my life. We are forever indebted to Rebecca and are ever thankful for her helping to facilitate a beautiful and empowering labor experience.

People come into your life just when you need them. It is the only way I can sum up my relationship with Rebecca. As I was nearing the end of my second trimester I knew two things 1.) I needed support through the rest of my pregnancy to help prepare myself for labor and 2.) I wanted to go into labor feeling strong, knowledgable, and supported in my choices surrounding labor and childbirth.
I decided to start a pre-​natal yoga class at a new yoga studio. Whom should be the teacher of that class? Rebecca! My husband and I had discussed how I could have a strong labor and the idea of a doula had been passed around. As the yoga session ended with Rebecca, I asked her what she thought about a doula. To my delight she told me she was not only a childbirth educator but also a doula. I remember driving home knowing that both of my «needs» were going to be satisfied. I talked about Rebecca to my husband every day for a week, baiting my him to say, «Let’s set up a meeting.» Of course, like clockwork, he mentioned as I went to my second yoga class that I should set up a meeting to see if a doula was the right road for our family.
There are many things I admire Rebecca as someone in the childbirth industry, a woman, a mom, and more. She is always present in the moment, thoughtful in her words and actions, she practices what she teaches (note the teaches and not preaches), respects her clients to the highest regard, is honest, and believes that knowledge should rule decisions. I also want to note that she was not just there to support me. She was there to support our family and included my husband in our journey to becoming parents. She not only made me feel strong during my pregnancy and labor, but did the same for my husband.
We had a wonderful labor experience. Rebecca helped my husband and me become knowledgable about labor ahead of time so that we felt confident in our choices during the birth of our daughter. Every time one of us tells our labor story, we tell about Rebecca. She made labor special and really helped us both stay present in the moment and stay focused on our end goal: a natural childbirth and a heathy child and mom. There was no awkwardness about her being in the room on one of the most intimate and important experiences we will go through as a family. In fact, it is hard for me to imagine a future labor experience without her by our sides.
Bottom line? Rebecca is the doula I recommend to all of my friends. She is more than just someone that is there to support us. She became part of our «baby team» as my husband put it. She is a strong, loving person with the best of intentions put to practice. You will not regret having her join your «baby team.»

Where to begin? Rebecca is in a word– amazing. We felt so lucky to have her by our side on our journey to welcome our little son into the world. She’s incredibly kind and patient. She answered our many questions and was a wealth of information. My labor ended up being longer than expected and many aspects of our birth plan went out the window, but Rebecca never waivered. She coached me to say Yes! to the entire experience and to stay in the moment. She also gave me and my husband the time and space we needed to make hard decisions along the way and was never judgmental. Because of her, our birth experience was incredibly positive. I highly recommend making Rebecca a part of your birth team! I’m really glad we did.

We can’t recommend Rebecca enough! She was both our doula as well as our bradley method class teacher so we got to know her well. There is very little about the birthing process that I could control so we decided to get educated and find support. Rebecca was there for us on so many levels. I ended up being in labor for 42 hours (don’t worry odds are you won’t) and in that process we had many choices to make about our care. We were informed and when the time came I felt like we could make choices that were right for our family. She brought knowledge and support and was not judgmental. She really allowed us to make the decisions.
As for the actual birth, she was a wonderful member of our team! During heavy labor I just remember saying and thinking «gee I like that» and it was all the different things that she would suggest to my husband to help me along. Everything from when to eat and drink, different positions and massage techniques. She also knew when to give my husband and I room when we needed to just be between the two of us. Anyone would be lucky to have her as a doula!

About a year ago, I had no idea what a doula was. When my wife said that she wanted to hire one to help during pregnancy and delivery, I instinctively said yes because I’m no fool and a pregnant wife gets what she wants. Later that night, I quietly Googled it… Guys — think personal quarterback mechanics coach.
Rebecca was referred to us from a friend who had used her services for her own pregnancy just a few months earlier. My wife scheduled a meeting and Rebecca arrived on-​time, very prepared and very knowledgeable. She discussed her methodology and services and answered our questions. She encouraged us to think about it before making a decision about whether or not she was the right doula for us. She was not pushy at all, and never passed judgement on our birth plan. (I was pro-​nitrous because I wanted some for myself.) Seriously though, she’s so Zen/​calm that it’s contagious.
Because we felt such a strong connection with her, we hired her. Honestly, we probably could have chased after her in the driveway because it didn’t take long to know we had found an amazing, caring resource that we NEEDED to help us in our journey. With Rebecca at our side, we always felt prepared. When things came up, we knew we could rely on her to help us with experienced guidance and research. «Let me send you an article on that…» was probably the most common phrase to come out of her mouth. (Mostly because I apparently wasn’t doing enough reading/​researching on my own.)
Even when things veered as far as possible from our birth plan, Rebecca helped us in ways that we never expected, especially in extraordinary ways that were beyond what she was obligated to do. She helped keep us calm and sane in a time when fear could have easily gotten the better of us.
I can’t imagine the birth of our daughter without Rebecca being there. And if you’re reading this review, you are probably searching for a doula to assist with your pregnancy. Congratulations — you found the best.

Working with Rebecca was an incredibly wonderful and powerful experience.
My husband and I were fortunate to get pregnant; as new parents to be, we read a milieu of books, searched countless websites, and attended numerous informational classes by our managed care provider so that we could better prepare ourselves for the birth of our daughter.
This was helpful but we really needed was one to one contact with a person who would guide us in the preparation, provide us with emotional support, and help advocate for us to follow as closely as possible the birth experience that we identified and wanted. Rebecca provided this and so much more.
Rebecca provided us with A + + + + + + service.
A+: Attentive – Rebecca was attentive to guide use through this journey and seek information to answer our questions. In addition, she was fully attentive to us, on our big birth date by providing emotional support and motivational coaching during the labor pains to the delivery.
A+: Active – Rebecca actively and frequently checked on us as our daughter’s birth date was arriving. With the preparation of getting our home ready, doctor visits, and last minute preparations before my temporary work leave, it helped and consoled me that she checked in with us to see how we were.
She also informed us about services that have helped others with the birth experience (specialists in prenatal acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage) that we might want to explore in our personal journey. Knowing about the options was extremely helpful.
A+: Agile – Rebecca agilely guided us through the hospital bureaucracy to ensure that we had the healthy birth experience – natural birth – that we wanted.
A+: Alert – Rebecca alerted and reminded my medical provider of our needs and wishes.
A+: Advocate – Rebecca checked in with me (mother to be) and my labor support team (both father and grandmother to be); this ensured that any question and concern we had was both heard and answered. Also, she assisted us by identifying when we may not understand what was going on the birth and advocating that our managed care provider clearly explain the process, options,
Rebecca advocated that the birth plan, that my husband and I had discussed and completed, was carried out by our managed care provider was read and used as a guideline for our birth experience, unless, we opted to make changes.
A+: Adaptable – While I was in labor, I was not as responsive to some of the «comfort measures» that we had practiced prior to this big day. Rebecca quickly re-​assessed and identified what would work best for me during my labor pains and provided with the support and courage to have a successful natural birth.
Thank you Rebecca.
I highly recommend Rebecca Durlin Smith’s Doula services. She is the ultimate professional and provided my husband, daughter, and me with the support and guidance we needed to make this life changing & special day!!!

My husband and I are so glad we decided to have Rebecca as our doula for our natural child birth at CMPC in San Francisco. She was a huge support throughout the pregnancy, labor and birth. She was a great resource during our pregnancy, as we had various questions regarding everything! She even helped me avoid an induction. Knowing she herself is a mother, has been through natural childbirth, and has supported other families was so reassuring to us. Her depth of knowledge and kind (but firm) demeanor and spirit really gave us comfort.
During the actual labor and birth, Rebecca was above and beyond supportive. She quickly answered my texts at 2am when I started labor, and met us at the hospital at 5:30am (she was going to meet us at our home but the labor was progressing a bit fast). During our time at the hospital while I was in labor, she did so many wonderful, helpful things — to name a few: she fed me juice, water, reminded me to calmly breath, spoke supportive words to me and applied counter pressure to my lower back for almost all contractions (I’m sure she was sore afterwards!). She worked with the hospital staff to make sure I had the most comfortable labor possible, and was there for my husband when he needed a break (for coffee, the bathroom, to rest, to drive back to our home to turn off the alarm clock!).
I’m not sure if I could have gotten through the natural birth without Rebecca. She was the biggest support we could have asked for. She even took pictures during the delivery. We feel so lucky we were able to have her as our doula and help bring our baby into this world!

When I click five stars I get a «Woohoo! As good as it gets!» message, that is putting it mildly!
My wife and I had our 2^nd child together, her third, and our fourth altogether. She was a wonderful doula, a great coach, and a fantastic person to have with us. Unfortunately, when my wife was 34 weeks pregnant, our toddler got diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer so our world got turned around, sideways, and upside down.
My wife had had 2 c sections and was trying for a VBAC. On the blessed day of the birth, Rebecca was the rock on which we both relied. She asked all the right questions to the doctors/​nurses and provided all the right support and guidance for my wife. After almost two days of labor and a LOT of hard work, my wife was able to have her VBAC and our beautiful little one was born.
Thank you, Rebecca, for all your help! You have been and always will be close to my heart. Thank you for all your advise, dedication, and for helping my wife fulfill her dream.

Rebecca was the most amazing doula during the preparation for and birth of our first child in December 2013. I first met her in a prenatal yoga class that she taught, and immediately was put at ease by her calm, knowledgable, approachable, and non-​judgemental sensibility. During our prenatal sessions, we learned so much from her– and after each session she would send us emails with attached information that we hadn’t learned before– all geared towards having a natural childbirth. She was also available via email and phone/​text and responded very quickly if we had questions.
During the actual birth, Rebecca was truly amazing. My husband and I are both so grateful to her. My labor was quite long, and she had assisted another client the night before I went into labor. Still, she was at the hospital with us for 20+ hours, and with her help, I was able to have a natural birth with no drugs at Kaiser Oakland. She was wonderful with the hospital staff, throughout all 4 shift changes during my labor. Towards the end, she suggested something to the doctor that the medical staff had missed, because she had been with us the whole time. It made us so glad we had her with us, who knew us, and who was there the whole time. We were definitely a team during the whole birth process. The post partum visit was wonderful too– and I loved how she kept checking in with us for the few weeks after the birth.
I wholeheartedly recommend Rebecca as a doula, and we will definitely call on her if we are lucky enough to have another child (in a few years!).

My experience with Rebecca as my birth doula is one that I will always remember and cherish; as it was a vulnerable and exciting time. Rebecca provided great support and knowledge to my labor and delivery, not letting me ever feel like the vaginal birth I desired was not going to happen; which after two cesareans was often in the back of my mind. Rebecca met me where I was at during labor, and always made sure I had my needs met and was doing what I needed to do (getting up, drinking, eating, etc) to prevent another cesarean.
I highly recommend Rebecca as a birth doula; she is an asset as a birth attendant.

For those wanting to have a natural birth, I highly recommend you take Rebecca Durlin Smith’s Bradley class. Over a twelve week course you and your birthing partner will learn everything you need to know about having a healthy physical, emotional and spiritual pregnancy and birth.
Beginning with the physical body, you will be guided through a healthy nutrition plan that is optimal for you and your baby. Equally important, you will be taught a variety of exercises to prepare mamma for the marathon she is getting ready for, as well as getting baby in the right position for birth.
Regarding the emotional body, you will learn so many helpful relaxation techniques that when it comes time to give birth, you and your partner will feel confident and ready to ease your baby into the world.
Illuminating the spiritual body, because of all the work you are doing inside and out– you are giving yourself the gift of being present at your birth and feeling all the sensations and emotions which come with having a natural birth. It is a life changing event that can only be described as an experience of the Other.
Finally, it must be said that Rebecca knows her stuff. Having had the experience of birthing two of her own children, as well as having been trained as a Bradley teacher, Rebecca is an exceptional teacher. She is firm but loving, what better teacher can one ask for?

We had a great experience with Rebecca. She made herself readily available at anytime for us to ask questions. She provided us with ample information to make sure that we were prepared for our upcoming birth. Speaking of that, she assisted us with developing a great birth plan which we were able to stick with during the big day. We didn’t have to worry about forgetting any parts of our birth plan as she stayed with us during the whole labor. In our case we went with a fully natural birth, and she guided us to stick to our guns through completion. Taking a step back, she made sure that we had all our needs covered at home. She helped us to prepare and offered to make my fiancé shakes to drink for comfort and strength through the labor pains. Back to the labor in the hospital, she helped with massage oils and giving my fiancé drinks between rounds (contractions and pushing). She offered lots of encouragement great coaching techniques. With her help this got us though a smooth natural birth.

Rebecca is an amazing doula! She helped me in many ways besides getting through a 42-​hour labor and go 20 plus hours of pitocin contractions without drugs. I was very nervous when I got to almost 42 weeks pregnant and still was not feeling contractions. She used her extensive birth knowledge and own experiences to reassure that everything woud be fine.
I had many questions pre or post labor and she always sent me information and let me make the choice for myself. She never pushed her views or opinions on me. She reminded me it was my baby, my body, my birth.
She spent extended time with my parter and I to get the birth plan we desired ready before labor, so we could communicate clearly with our doctor and nurses before and during labor. She visited me in the hospital after my birth and continued to support me post labor when the postpartum depression was setting in.
She was an essential part of my birth team and made me feel very supported and as comfortable as possible through the pain of labor and after. She coached my partner and sister to help me through contractions and I never felt alone through the entire long labor.
I highly recommend Rebecca as a doula if you want someone educated and professional who really wants the best for you and your baby.