I truly cannot imagine going through labor and delivery without Tricia. Initially, I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted/needed a doula. Tricia met with me to explain the benefits of having a doula and to help me process through the pros and cons of enduring an unmedicated birth. I am so glad we decided to hire her. My labor came on very slowly, and she helped me progress through different movements and positions we never would have known to do. Her medical knowledge, calming presence, ability to communicate to the medical team so that my husband and I could focus on labor, and her advocacy made all the difference in our experience. Whenever anyone asks how I made it through an unmedicated birth, I point them right to Tricia. I cannot recommend her enough! ~L.H. (her first birth)
Tricia was exactly who I needed to help me prepare for the birth of our son. I never thought I would be able to have one baby, let alone a second one. I was still processing the birth of our daughter when I got pregnant for a second time and needed Tricia's gentle, healing spirit to comfort and prepare me for my birth. We pinpointed my anxieties and strategized ways to ease those and bring peace into my birth. Tricia created a safe space to process fears and anxieties and was a source of comfort for every step of the birth process and adjusting to life as a family of four. Having the comfort of being at home brought into the hospital birthing experience and a thorough birth plan made for a smooth birth and I am so grateful! The difference in my birth experience can be attributed to Tricia’s loving care over me during this time. Her postpartum care has been critical to my mental and physical healing and I cannot recommend her enough. ~Rebecca (her second birth)
I had a strong desire to have an unmedicated birth and knew that I would need the help of a doula, but my husband was on the fence about the financial commitment. After meeting with Tricia, we were both surprised to learn how many “standard hospital procedures” we actually had a choice with. She was an amazing advocate and thanks to her knowledge, experience, and encouragement, I felt empowered to (literally) push through the pain. Tricia not only helped me to deliver unmedicated but also to avoid being induced for a stalled labor. She continually changed my laboring position to keep my contractions consistent and was so attuned to my needs-at one point when I mentioned how hot I was, she whipped a fan out of her bag! She included my husband every step of the way and our journey with Tricia came full circle post-delivery when my husband said, “Boy, I definitely could not have coached you through that without Tricia. It was worth every penny.” When I look back on my birth experience, I will be forever grateful for Tricia Phillips! ~Christi (her third birth)
My husband and I faced many fertility struggles before having our son, so we were hyper-focused on getting (and staying) pregnant and had no idea what to expect when it came to the labor/birth side of things. Luckily, we had Tricia in our corner to listen, educate, and help us prepare for the unknown. She provided unmatched knowledge and resources, helping to create the perfect birth plan for us. We live in NY so we chose to work remotely with Tricia, who went above and beyond to make sure we were getting the support we needed even from many miles away. During our virtual sessions, we covered everything from birth preferences to pain management and different labor positions pre/post-epidural. I was also having significant hip and back pain at the time, so Tricia walked my husband through various pregnancy-safe comfort measures to alleviate my pain (which we also used during labor). My water broke unexpectedly a few days before our scheduled induction, so we called Tricia immediately and she walked us through options and next steps while keeping two shocked/terrified/excited parents calm. We felt confident and empowered and we used the tangible tools she gave us to advocate for ourselves during the process. Tricia is one of the most loving and caring individuals we know and we would absolutely recommend her to any expecting parents! ~Ashley (her first birth)
As a foreign family, we didn't know what a doula was until we talked about it with Tricia. We quickly realized that a doula can feel like a part of the family if she is a sweet person like Tricia. You can feel terrified if you are giving birth in a foreign country and you don't have anyone from your extended family with you, especially with the hormones that pregnancy brings. Fortunately, Tricia was there every step of the way and she helped us in all matters. She prepared us for delivery before we went to the hospital and helped us plan what we should take with us and what kind of delivery I wanted. I never knew or thought I might have options, especially during labor and delivery. She taught me all the options and we prepared a birth plan together. We went to the delivery room together. I went through a very long birth process. All I had was my husband and Tricia - honestly, I can say that she helped me a lot more than my husband. She never left my side during the entire labor and delivery. She enabled us to communicate effectively with doctors and nurses. She was one of the first to hold our baby; I believe they have formed an incredible bond. Tricia is like a member of our family; we call her Ikra Anna's half-mother. She is also the creator of our baby's 'Hiccup' nickname which we love. Our baby will be glad to meet her when she grows up. We are so thankful for our beloved doula who never left us alone. ~Lutfiye (her first birth)