“Elena changed our lives. As a single mom to be, I was very nervous about transitioning to motherhood on my own. Elena was there for my daughter’s birth and cared for us every day for almost two weeks at home. She brought us home from the hospital, making that day a wonderful one. She cooked for us, helped with breastfeeding, grocery shopping, and helped us adjust to our new lives. She was a constant source of love and support and helped make this transition a beautiful one. I can’t imagine going through this without her.

– Lalaie

Hiring Elena was one of the smartest decisions I made where my labor and delivery were concerned. Elena is warm, open minded, and very well informed. Supporting people during their laboring time comes naturally to her, and with Elena by my side, my birthing day was truly a joyous and empowering event. She held my hand at my most vulnerable, and she stood unwaveringly by my side as a positive, encouraging presence for the most incredible, most challenging day of my life.

– Kate and David

“The support Elena provided us during our postpartum time was so beyond our expectations. She made the most delicious and nourishing foods, and her energy was so kind and loving in our home. She was validating and supportive when it was hard, and was so wonderful with our daughter in her first 7 weeks. Hiring Elena was the best decision we made for our postpartum period by far.”

-Natalie and Hayley

“Elena is attentive, intuitive, warm and compassionate, she is safe and kind. My pregnancy was difficult: I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and was induced at 37 weeks in a hospital. Elena helped me mourn the loss of the birth I wanted and had planned for, all while supporting a new plan that worked best for my family given my health concerns. She answered every question and helped dissuade worries. During labor and delivery, Elena was sunny and bright and patient. She carries an amazing energy with her that is hard to put into words! Elena was attentive to my needs, considerate of my concerns, assertive in making sure I had what I needed, she was reassuring to me and supportive of my husband through it all. My birthing experience was lucid and empowered with her -- she held my hand through the hard times, comforted me when I needed it most, and she empowered both me and husband through the entire journey. I treasure the photos she captured of us with our daughter, and I look back in awe of the delicate nature of her approach to us and our babe in those first moments. During postpartum, Elena was gentle and calm. She was quick to provide solace and warmth to us when we were unsure or scared. Most of all, Elena helped ease the pains of a growing family during a global pandemic. I am beyond grateful for her for so many reasons. Elena is an incredible doula!”

–Hannah and Cyler

"I couldn't have had a better birth experience than the one I had. I was pregnant with twins, and since the beginning of pregnancy I heard a lot about the probability of a c-section delivery. Despite that, my husband and I always envisioned a natural birth, so we decided that we would need the support of a doula. Since our first meetings we always felt that we had the person we needed to support us during the delivery. Our birth story, just like many others, was not as we had planned. I had to be induced at 36 weeks, and being first time parents everything was new to us. Elena guided us through the pregnancy, and birth journey, always listening to our needs, answering our questions, understanding my Doctor's recommendations, and most importantly, she deeply cared about our family. Elena was there to help me and my husband during the intense hours of labor, and the delivery. She was fantastic and I can't imagine this journey without her support. I had a vaginal birth, the twins were born healthy! After birth, Elena continued to provide us support, always checking in and helping with questions. We created an important bond and connection with Elena, and we will be forever grateful for her"

- Mariana and Jamison

“We are so grateful to have had Elena Shelton as our doula for the birth of our daughter! Elena brings a pervasive sense of calm to every situation. She was incredibly supportive throughout every aspect of our prenatal visits, labor and delivery, and postpartum visits. During prenatal visits, Elena’s joyful expectation was contagious. She helped us to cultivate a positive attitude as we prepared for the knowns and unknowns of childbirth, and we were more relaxed and prepared as a result. During my labor, Elena’s calm and supportive demeanor was incredibly helpful, and her encouragement helped us achieve the natural birth we were hoping for. I had fully expected that Elena’s help would be most valuable during my labor, but, in fact, it was her care immediately after birth that I am most thankful for. Moments after my daughter’s first breaths, I was diagnosed with preeclampsia. Because of this unexpected complication after what seemed like an uncomplicated birth, I was separated from my husband and new daughter for several hours. I cannot describe how valuable it was to have Elena by my side during that time. Without her calm and supportive presence, I would have felt much more alone. Elena helped to turn this unexpected illness into a beautiful part of our birth story. During postpartum visits, Elena’s encouragement guided me towards accepting my illness and finding peace with every part of our birth. She helped me to see that motherhood can have many beginnings, each one equally as beautiful. The care that Elena showed for both my physical and emotional wellbeing embody the essence of what it means to be a doula. We would recommend Elena to anyone! She has made a such a positive impact on our family.”

-Stacy and David

"Elena is truly one of the most caring and tender people I've had the pleasure of knowing and I count myself lucky to have had her attend my birth. I knew the birth of our second baby was going to be emotional and challenging-- our eldest son passed away at four months from heart disease. I felt powerless as we navigated through our new reality- from the dream of a natural home birth to a caesarean, after-birth medical care in the NICU, and eventually the grief from losing our son. With our second baby I wanted a VBAC and to have someone encourage, guide, and love me through the process of healing and regaining confidence in myself and my body. Elena did that and so much more. During the times before labor, Elena not only listened to all of my hopes and concerns, but validated every emotion; she was empathetic, knowledgeable, and wholeheartedly believed in the power of a woman's body. When it came time for labor and delivery, Elena was with me for every stride of my difficult 81 hour labor. There were several moments that I didn't believe I could naturally birth my son, but she stuck with me, encouraging me. When I needed someone to hold my hand, support me verbally, physically, or in silent solidarity, Elena knew what I needed without my needing to ask. With her reassurance, we reached the wonderful outcome of the natural birth of a healthy baby and momma. Building a loving, knowledgeable support system was the key to my birth, and Elena's overall care of me, my husband, and both our sons was at the heart of it all. " " Elena was a truly dedicated and empathetic doula. She provided the sounding board my wife and I needed when things became uncertain. Elena knew how to encourage and reassure her when confidence began to wane, as it often does during labor. Even before and after labor, she made herself always available, which is so important when your dealing with something so dynamic and varied as pregnancy and birth. She was able to make a situation which could have been emotional to the point of being overwhelming and made it seem manageable."

-Nicole and Kyle

"Elena was an essential part of our birth story. I could not imagine doing it without her. As first time parents, Elena helped us feel confident that everything was going just as it should, and as the birth partner, I was so glad she was there to guide us. Her energy was exactly what we needed in the room. I can't recommend Elena enough!”

-Lisa and Patrick

“Elena made the birth of my daughter such a special experience. She has such a calming presence and sage energy. She helped me prepare for the birth, guide me through my labor and help me in the postpartum. My husband and I feel so fortunate to have such a special relationship with her. She will be a great addition to your birth team.”

-Jaclyn and Andy

“My partner and I were blessed with the amazing opportunity to have Elena as our doula. Elena was attentive, caring, and went above and beyond all expectations. She guided us through intense medical decisions with sincere caring and concern. She is extremely knowledgeable and informed on all aspects regarding late pregnancy and birth. My partner had an induced labor due to pre-eclampsia and we spent five nights in the hospital. Elena was there with us every step of the way, helping us to understand the birthing process, providing coaching, and most importantly emotional support. I cannot imagine how difficult our birth experience would have been without her. Hiring Elena as our doula was one of the best decisions we have made during our pregnancy journey. She is an amazing person with a beautiful soul and we are extremely lucky to have been able to share our journey with her.”

-Haley and Russell

“Elena totally empowered my husband and I throughout the childbirth process. We both felt strong and confident and knew that we were 100% supported by her. She was a joyful and sweet presence during my labor and enhanced the bonding time between my husband and me. She had great suggestions on labor positions and also has magic hands. We highly recommend her!”

-Kate and James

"We had the pleasure of working with Elena as our doula for the birth of our son. From our first prenatal visit, we knew that Elena was exactly what we were hoping for in a doula -- extremely knowledgeable about labor and delivery, communicative, and gave me a sense of empowerment throughout my (first) pregnancy. During the early stages of labor, she guided us through discerning questions and advice via text and phone calls. Once we were all together during active labor and delivery, Elena's presence was a fountain of physical and emotional strength for both of us. Physically, she used her knowledge to make me as comfortable as possible, and listened to my feedback about what was and was not working. Emotionally, her warm and loving personality adapted to our range of emotions. When we needed encouragement, she spoke with motivating gravitas; when we needed a distraction, she was ready to talk about shared interests in food and television, and when we needed to celebrate small wins, she was there with praise and excitement. Our postpartum visits were joyous reunions during which we relived the highs and lows of our experience together as a birth team. Elena showed concern for our mental health and gave us space to talk about the hard moments during labor and delivery, which helped us accept those moments as real human experiences that are now important parts of our birth story. We felt and feel such a strong connection to Elena that we also requested her meal delivery services, seeking out another way she could nurture our family just as she had done during the birth. We will always be grateful to Elena for her service to our family and hope to have her on our team should I get pregnant again."

-Lauren and Cole

“Elena was everything we wanted in a doula. From the very first meeting she truly and sincerely listened to us, catered to our own personal needs. She was helpful, thoughtful, and a great advocate for us in and outside of the hospital. She made her presence felt while also holding back at times in order to help me ( the husband and partner) take an active role. We had a long and intense labor that started more than a week after our baby’s due date and the night of contractions leading up to the birth was so draining. Having Elena there with us meant we knew we had someone else to rely on, someone else supporting us, and someone dedicated to helping us achieve our goal. We are forever grateful for the place Elena had in that amazing experience, and we will never forget all she did for us!”

- Sepideah and Ali

“My husband and I decided it would be helpful to have someone with birthing experience to walk with us through the final weeks of pregnancy and delivery of our son. We were hoping to find a doula who was supportive and caring. It was also important that we felt a connection with her so that we would feel comfortable having her with us during the intimate process of delivering a child. Elena exceeded all of our expectations! She came for a few home visits to prepare us for delivery, helped us draft a birth plan, and was such an encouragement every step of the way. Throughout my entire labor, Elena helped normalize the process and made me feel safe. She was steadfast, loving, and reassuring even when we needed to adjust our birth plan during the 30 hours of labor. As first time parents, her postpartum visits were also much appreciated! Hiring Elena to be a part of our birth team was one of the best decisions we made. We are so thankful for her and all she did to make the birth of our son such a joyous experience. She is truly the best!”

-Marissa and Ben

“My husband Ryder and I were incredibly fortunate to have Elena as our doula for the birth of our daughter Eliza in April 2016. Elena was a remarkable presence and a joy to work with from start to finish. Although she is young, Elena has such a wonderful calming, grounded presence--exactly what you need in a doula. What she lacks in experience and years, she more than makes up for in intelligence, warmth, and steady, positive energy. Elena met with us twice in our home pre-birth and provided tons of great information. We strategized ahead of time places where we might labor and visualized ideal labor scenarios. These steps helped me feel more calm and prepared in anticipation of the big event (my first birth).On the day I went into labor, Elena was in close contact and totally responsive. She arrived at my house when the contractions got intense and we labored at home for 2 hours. She was so calm, patient, and loving. She helped my husband and much as me, making us both feel reassured and supported. When we got to Cottage Hospital, I was already 4 1/2 centimeters dilated. As labor got more intense, Elena remained steady. Honestly, my husband and I could not have done it without her. She was full of encouragement once pushing began. Elena also worked seamlessly with the hospital staff.

Following the birth, Elena made a postpartum visit that was just as supportive and informative. When we finally decided to leave our baby for the first time, it was Elena we called upon to watch our daughter. We trust her like family. She is kind, supportive, funny, and wise beyond her years. You would be so fortunate to have her as part of your birth team!”

- Jenny and Ryder