Allison Schultz

Testimonials

 

We chose Allison to be our doula after she was recommended to us by my brother and his wife. We had never considered seeking the guidance of a doula before hearing about their experience with Allison and we are so happy and thankful that we did! We instantly felt comfortable with her and she was always available for Heather to contact throughout the pregnancy with questions and concerns. Her responses were instant, reassuring, and informative. Our beautiful daughter was born two weeks ago and we have often discussed how thankful we were to have Allison with us in the delivery room. She transformed what we worried would be a stressful, scary and intimidating experience into the best experience of our lives! She talked us through our birth preferences respecting our wishes and talking through risks and benefits of various options. She advocated for those preferences throughout the birth knowing that while we hoped for a natural birth, we also planned to be flexible. Her coaching, encouragement and guidance throughout helped Heather through the painful times and her positivity supported Heather's strength. We cannot overstate the positive experience we had with Allison!

-Greg S. Brooklyn Park, MN 4/8/18

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Hiring Allison was the best decision we could have ever made for our birth & family. After our initial meeting we knew right away we wanted to hire Allison! She was incredibly responsive to all my texts emails & questions. She did an amazing job preparing us for the birth process &  her knowledge was so helpful as this was our first child. She was so supportive through my entire pregnancy checking in with me & of course through the birth process & after. When the big day finally came Allison was there very quickly. Allison helped me labor & get into different  positions - I would have never thought of these positions on my own. I can't even express how much she helped me through this entire process. Having her very calm, focused & peaceful presence there meant the world to me & helped me relax. I had a long labor and pushing but I would do it all over again as Allison kept me motivated. My son was in a funny position & she knew we had to do something to get him to move & it all paid off & I delivered my son according to my birth wishes which I am forever greatful to her for! Whenever I looked to Allison I was filled with confidence and hope I knew it would all be okay and that my baby was coming soon! There were so many times I might have wanted to give up on my birth wishes but her positive encouragement helped keep me going strong and the words "you are going to meet your baby soon" gave me an incredible amount of energy and strength! Allison I know our birth wouldn't have been this smooth without you and we are forever and ever greatful that you were there with us during this amazingly beautiful process! Thank you with all of our hearts and then some!!! 

-Ashley S. Otsego, MN 1/28/18

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I am so thankful for Allison! I truly didn’t know how much I needed and would appreciate having her until after our daughter was born. Without her knowledge, patience, and guidance I am confident in saying our birth would not have gone so smoothly. She was an amazing support to both my husband and I. She provided us with the confidence we needed to be able to carry out our birth plan. Allison was the perfect balance of calmness and assertive when I needed it most. I highly recommend Allison, she will be my first call for my second baby !

-Christine K. Albertville, MN 12/15/17

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We had a wonderful experience with Allison as our doula! She was a great resource before our twins were born. Very responsive to emails and text messages. On the big day she arrived quickly and was a strong, calm, and valuable source of encouragement. Most importantly she was empowering and supportive of my birth choices. She made sure that I spoke up for my needs and had the best birth experience possible! We were so blessed to have her there with us! If you are looking for a very knowledgeable, organized, kind, and empowering doula, Allison is the girl for you!

-Mary Katherine C. St. Paul, MN 12/12/17

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Allison is truly gifted at what she does! Her level of support, encouragement, and experience helped me have my best birth. Many things didn’t go according to plan – I had wanted to natural water birth in a birth center and ended up being induced in the hospital. My baby wasn’t positioned ideally and pushing was really challenging for me. Afterwards, my baby struggled to nurse due to breathing troubles resulting from the difficult birth. Throughout it all, Allison remained a steadfast and unwavering support for both me and my husband. She has a wonderful ability to intuit precisely what’s needed and meet you exactly where you are. She doesn’t advocate a particular type of birth, but supports all mamas to have their best birth. I would recommend Allison highly to anyone considering her for a Doula. She’s wonderful!

-Tracy M. Minneapolis, MN 12/12/17

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My husband and I are so happy we decided to hire Allison to support us in the birth of our twins. I was able to have the unmedicated vaginal delivery that I hoped for, and I'm not sure I would have been able to do it without Allison! She has an extremely calming presence that allowed me to relax and feel safe during labor and delivery. She encouraged me to change positions often which I believe kept my labor progressing, and she kept my husband involved throughout the process which we both appreciated. I would highly recommend Allison as a birth doula!

-Kara W. Minneapolis, MN 8/19/17

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Allison cared about what was important to me and advocated for me when I needed it most. She helped me prepare for labor with my third child and I ended up having the best birth experience because of her guidance, knowledge and good communication. I only wish I had her assistance with my first two children!

-Emily R. Elk River, MN 7/14/17

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We are first time parents and highly recommend Allison as a doula! We are so glad we decided to hire her! She took time to get to know our birth preferences- to have a natural birth. She checked in periodically as our due date approached and was responsive once we notified her that labor had begun. She joined us at the hospital per our request and played a crucial role throughout labor and delivery. She helped ensure we understood the medical information being shared with us. The hospital staff were wonderful, but they were coming and going throughout labor. Allison suggested things my husband and I wouldn't have thought to ask for. She suggested positions that would increase the effectiveness of my contractions and encouraged me to change positions periodically to keep things moving. She made sure my husband took time to eat and helped guide him in supporting me though contractions (ways to support my body, etc.). When it came time to push, Allison was a positive, encouraging coach that helped me keep going. She has a calm presence, which helped my husband and I remain focused. She had such a significant positive impact on our experience, I can't imagine it without her. We are recommending her to friends & family open to having a doula and hope to hire her for the births of our future children!

-Beth S. New Hope, MN 4/18/17

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Allison was an amazing source of support and encouragement during the end of my pregnancy and throughout birth. She helped us with birth education and in creating our birth plan and also answered our questions promptly. If she didn't have the answer she was still able to direct us to helpful resources. She provided non-judgemental support for all our birth decisions. 

I found Allison to be of much help and comfort when I found out that my birth was not going to unfold "as planned" due to my baby being in the breech position. She helped alleviate my fears (and my husband's fears) surrounding a c-section and was available for me whenever I needed to cry and vent about the situation. 

During the c-section she was so supportive and reassuring, especially given that my husband is VERY medically sensitive and was unable to be with me during the procedure. It was absolutely essential to have Allison there to comfort and reassure me the during my c-section- I don't know how I would have made it through it without her. 

I highly recommend Allison to support you in your birth journey- she was excellent!

-Alicia S. St. Paul, MN 3/29/17

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Early on in my pregnancy I decided I wanted a doula present for my birth experience. My husband was open to the idea but unsure about it, largely because he didn't know what a doula even was. Together we met with a few doulas and quickly decided that Allison was our match. We are so happy that we chose her! All of the love and support she provided us throughout my pregnancy and labor and delivery, was amazing. We knew that no matter our question or concern she was there to provide an answer or ease our fears. When my labor got intense, and at moments - scary, her positive and calm energy were just what we needed to get through. She knew positions and techniques to help alleviate pain so I was able to make it through delivery without any pain medications (which was my goal). She listened to our needs and advocated for us through the end. Both my husband and I believe that she is why we have the amazing birth story we have. I honestly don't know what we would have done without her. We are eternally grateful to Allison and would recommend her to anyone looking for doula services. 

-Laura F. Burnsville, MN 12/12/16

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Choosing to have a doula was one of the best decisions I made during my pregnancy and Allison was, without a doubt, the best choice. From the very beginning she was someone I felt comfortable with and could trust implicitly (very important considering this person is going to know and see very intimate details about you) and was also a wealth of knowledge that we would have never known had we chosen to do this on our own. Allison did a great job making sure both my husband and I understood her role, what our options were for our birth preferences, and answered any question we had at any time. She was unbiased and supportive the entire way through. And her love and compassion was so wonderful, creating a calming presence before, during and after delivery. I ended up having a c-section (breech baby) and there were a few times that she was beyond helpful in making sure both my husband and I were calm, and also informed of our choices. Had she not been there, I would have agreed to things that I did not want because the doctors did not inform me properly. She was there to help us understand our options and because of that we were able to have the birth the way we envisioned. We would have been lost without her. Having a doula is something I'd recommend for any mom to be, and Allison is a clear choice--I couldn't recommend her more. 

-Allison K. Plymouth, MN 5/19/16

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Where to start with Allison. She was simply amazing. My husband and I are so grateful that she was with us through every step of the birth process. She went above and beyond, even attending birthing class with me while my husband was out of town one week. Her home visit to prep for the birthing day put us at ease and trained us in comfort measures and what to expect. During my labor, she was so quick to respond that she beat us to the hospital! Having her by our side during 14 hours of labor was critical to both of us. She helped me breathe, count through pushes, did endless massage and hip squeezes, and advocated for our birth preferences. After Louis was born, she stayed on to make sure we had ordered a meal from room service and helped me with breast feeding. But after all that, I have to say my favorite part of working with her was her home visit one week after the birth. We had had a long, frustrating day of recovery and I even thought about rescheduling - I am so glad I didn't. Allison arrived and filled us with confidence, shared her birth notes, answered all our questions, recommended a pediatrician practice (after our less-than-stellar experience at one clinic), showed me how to use my breast pump, and showed us how to hold the baby in our Ergo carrier. All those little things that seem so daunting were made easy just by having her know-how and expertise in the room with us. She completely restored our energy. I can honestly say that hiring her as our doula was one of the best decisions we've ever made and all three of us are eternally grateful for her! Thank you, Allison!

-Natalie S. Golden Valley, MN 12/10/15

 

We are so glad we had Allison as our doula. Her calm and nurturing spirit made the arrival of our twins so much better than we would have had without her. She was with us for the scheduled c-section (babies were breech) of our twins. Allison came to the hospital as soon as I called. She was reassuring and helped us stay calm. My husband says that he wouldn't have made it through the wait before the surgery without her. I had complications and was very upset during the surgery, but Allison helped me get through by talking me through it and comforting me. She was wonderful after the babies were born too. I felt so overwhelmed when we came home from hospital, but after my postpartum visit with Allison, I felt hopeful. We would definitely chose Allison again and recommend her to everyone we know who is expecting!

-Deborah G. Minneapolis, MN 10/10/15

 

Being a second time mom, I wasn't sure I needed a doula again, but then I remembered how awful my first delivery was (27 hours and my entire birth plan thrown to the wayside).  I thought I might need some assistance this time as I was going to attempt to do this delivery with no pain med intervention.  I can't say how important it was for me and my husband to have such a wonderful and experienced doula present in the room for our second birth. 

We called Allison in the middle of the day to warn her that I may be in labor, she immediately cleared her schedule (which is busy with three year old twin boys) and got herself as close to us as possible so she could be there when we called to say the baby was coming.  After we called to inform her we were in active labor, she was there quickly, and just in time because my contractions were getting more intense and I could feel my husband starting to get anxious and feeling like he needed more guidance.  Allison read his face and immediately stepped in to help ease the pain of my contractions and made valuable suggestions to increase my comfort. She coaxed me in to the bathtub, which ended up being a wonderful way to help me relax and deal with the pain.  She kept my husband in check, which can be a daunting task.  Allison was an amazingly helpful coach through to the end.  She kept a level head for us during a stressful time and never questioned my requests, but fully supported all of my decisions.  I would recommend Allison to anyone who is looking for a reliable, strong, trustworthy doula who is willing to look out for your best interests in a place that can easily become about the doctors and not the patients.  Thank you Allison, we will never forget the wonderful presence you brought to our bedside that night!

-Tatiana M. Plymouth, MN 9/24/15

 

My husband and I would recommend Allison to anyone who is about to give birth. (And we have in the last month!) She was well prepared for our initial meeting with details of what her services include and made us feel comfortable that she would support the birth we hoped for. She encouraged me to check in with her after my appointments and provided positive feedback each time I did. At our prenatal visit we discussed many possible scenarios and what we might want to have happen in each, which helped us to feel much more prepared for labor and delivery. When my pregnancy went beyond 41 weeks and an induction (that I wasn't very excited about) was scheduled, she provided suggestions to help labor start and again provided a very positive presence via phone, text and email that calmed me. We discussed that she would join us at the hospital after the induction kicked in and my contractions started, and she arrived shortly after we called her and stayed with us the entire time (overnight!) until baby arrived. She also helped me to feed my daughter before she left. Throughout labor, she suggested different positions and options in line with the preferences we had previously discussed, provided information to guide our decision making when the nurse or midwife suggested a procedure or medication, applied counterpressure during contractions, and spoke many encouraging, helpful words.  She suggested ways my husband could support me and encouraged him to eat and take a couple of breaks.  She was happy to take pictures with our camera and we have some beautiful first shots of our daughter and of us as a family of three that we wouldn't have had she not been there. I consider my labor experience to have been wonderfully positive and think it's in large part due to Allison's presence.

-Amy B. Fridley, MN 9/1/15

 

I cannot say enough good things about Allison. My husband and I debated about whether or not to hire a doula for the birth of our first child and we are so glad we did! Allison was a constant source of support for both my husband and me during our birth. When nothing seemed to be going according to our birth plan, Allison helped us to remain calm and make informed decisions. She was a wonderful advocate for us. When I ended up needing an unplanned c-section, Allison was by our side and helped alleviate my fear and anxiety. We will never forget her patience through a very long two days of labor! I don't know what we would have done without her. We highly recommend her as a doula, and she played a very special role in the birth of our daughter.

-Amy W. Minneapolis, MN 8/26/15

 

I had previously had a c-section, and really wanted a VBAC with this birth. I had read that doulas improve the likelihood of successful VBACs, among other benefits. I found Allison on Doula Match and met with her soon after. I was immediately sure she was a good match for us due to her warm personality, experience, and knowledge. Allison regularly checked in with me, answered questions during the end of my pregnancy, and showed up at the hospital ready to support us during the labor and birth. Allison was with us for a long labor and difficult birth. She offered so much support to both my husband and I, answered our questions with good information, and was by our sides the entire time. Without Allison, I truly don't think we would hav achieved a successful VBAC, nor gotten through the scary and difficult moments of our baby's birth. She was amazing!

-Tawny B. Coon Rapids, MN 7/28/15

 

Allison was an AMAZING Doula. I was intimidated by the idea of having an additional person in my delivery room as I am a private person, but after meeting Allison I was blown away by her professionalism, knowledge, and kindness.

I attempted and succeeded in a VBAC which was VERY important to me. Allison not only supported me during labor, but also prompted and helped my husband to ensure I had all that I needed from the hospital, and help to give my husband direction and breaks when needed. The planning meeting she had with my husband and I prior to the birth helped us to think through details we had forgotten or simply didn’t know about.

In addition to being excellent helping with a birth plan and in the labor room, Allison was discretely taking notes and wrote a very nice summary of my labor which I am so thankful to have. My husband who was originally hesitant about having a Doula said she was worth every penny and MORE, HE was just as thankful to have someone so calm and knowledgeable in the hospital with us.

I honestly cannot say enough good things about Allison. Having a doula helped me reach my goal to have a VBAC, but having ALLISON be my doula made a WORLD of difference. I will always be grateful for her.

-Bree H. St. Michael, MN 5/15/15

 

Allison was amazing! She was our doula during the birth of our 2nd child, which was a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) and had increased risk of complications and I was very nervous. Allison kept me very calm and had lots of ideas for ways that we could help to progress labor and help with the pain. She helped by being a liason between us and the nursing staff at times as well, which took the pressure off me and my husband. We only knew Allison for a total of 8 hours before our daughter was born, but she was SO invested in us and her birth, it was so special to have her there. When our daughter was born, Allison was crying along with us at the beauty of the moment. I could not have been happier to have Allison there and would highly recommend her as a doula to anyone who is looking for someone to help them and support them through their labor and delivery. With our first child, we did not have a doula, and had a very emotionally tolling experience, having Allison as our doula made this birth so fulfilling, beautiful and memorable. 

-Rachel J. Woodbury, MN 10/13/14