Taryn & Andy

4/17/2024

My husband and I simply cannot imagine our son's birth without Dannah! She was of course incredibly instrumental to our birthing team during the day of labor and delivery, but her pre- and post-partum sessions were just as valuable. Dannah spent ample time with us to ensure ALL of our questions were answered, and shared a wealth of information about things we wouldn't have known to ask about. I (birthing parent) have a fairly extreme phobia of needles as well as other pre-existing conditions that could have complicated the delivery process and Dannah made sure to advocate for all of my concerns. She is warm, intelligent, and calming, all of which were much needed throughout the process. We genuinely can't recommend Dannah enough.

Natasha Khanna

1/14/2024

Dannah was, and continues to be, wonderful to work with! We matched with Dannah through Swedish Health Services' doula program and used her for both birth and postpartum. Due to scheduling on our end, we only had two meetings with Dannah before our son's birth, but we came up with a good draft birth plan during those two sessions, and in between, Dannah sent us a host of invaluable resources and lists to help us prepare for the birth. Our son ended up coming three weeks early (!), so we never got to work out the fine details of our birth plan; instead, we made several gametime decisions, which we absolutely could not have done without Dannah's help. During labor and delivery, Dannah was wonderful and reassuring (especially considering the fact that I was not prepared for our son to come so early!), and she took all the photos that my husband was too distracted to take. She stayed with us through the birth and until we were able to secure a postpartum room, which took several hours, and then she visited us the next two days in the hospital. Dannah also provided postpartum support in the form of daytime visits and one overnight visit. It was wonderful to get to know Dannah, and we would absolulely use her again if we decide to have a second child. 

Sophia

12/23/2023

Dannah is the absolute best! She is knowledgeable, compassionate, intuitive, has a great sense of humor, and is beyond kind. You can tell she is passionate about her work and cares about her clients. It was an honor to work with Dannah and I am forever grateful to have her as part of my birth story and to now call her my friend. She is a huge reason that I can look back at one of life's most challenging experiences with fondness and joy. Don't think twice about hiring Dannah! 

Andrea Kretchmer McCarthy

3/26/2023

We cannot imagine going through our birth experience without Dannah! Through the entire process she was accessible, informative, caring, and patient-centered. Dannah sent us a wealth of resources ahead of time that helped us prepare for birth and the fourth trimester-checklists for packing and postpartum, app recommendations for contraction timers and logging, information about evidence for different birth options, etc.

Our prelabor meetings were informative and met us where we were at, and she helped us develop our birth plan. She gave us big picture advice as well as important practical advice for how to navigate the transition from home to hospital.

we had a very long labor and Dannah was an advocate, advice giver, support person, and counselor for us. She coached us when we felt exhausted and confused, and was super responsive while we labored at home before we could go to the hospital.

Dannah also was a great presence in the hospital. We enjoyed spending time with her for many, many hours as labor progressed, and she also gave us time to rest as needed so we got to be a twosome.

Dannah helped us process the intense experience as well as offer practical, thoughtful suggestions about recovery, lactation, and more. We would recommend Dannah in a heartbeat. 

Kelly (she/her) and Matthew (they/them)

3/24/2023

We are so grateful to have found and chosen Dannah Norris during our first pregnancy. She was so affirming and easy to talk to, and was so supportive during the all stages of labor. We had three meetings and she was also with us the whole time during delivery. She gave ample resources and made herself available for any questions we had. She gave us a play-by-play of what the birthing experience may look like at our facility (we chose Swedish), which was so helpful. We knew where to go and who to contact on the big day. Our labor had some unexpected complications that required a cesarean and Dannah was so helpful in advocating for our birth plan (which was pretty much anything but a cesarean.) If I didn't have her there and had the cesarean, I may have thought if there was something I could have done differently. Even though the mourning of my plan to have a vaginal birth is still present, there is less anger and suffering because I know we all did our best. Dannah was informative and compassionate through the whole experience. She made sure to follow up extra afterwards, something she didn't have to do and I totally appreciate. She has so many resources from massage therapists. chiropractors, pelvic floor specialists, lactation consultants... if you're looking for a doula who has confidence and compassion, this is your person! 

Chris Kaimmer

2/22/2023

Dannah was an incredible addition to our birth journey. We were first impressed by Dannah's organization and attention to detail which helped us keep calm in the lead-up to the birth (she also provided us with tons of helpful checklists, pamphlets and other resources!). When we finally met Dannah we knew very quickly she was the right pick for our family. Throughout the whole process, she perfectly walked the line between respecting and honoring our wishes for our birth but also recognizing that she's the expert int he room who's seen 100+ births and we NEEDED her to give her opinion and help us make some decisions, especially when we were in the midst of an extended birth that didn't go the way we had originally planned. During the birth, Dannah was calm, upbeat and an incredible teammate for me and my wife - our birth came earlier than planned and Dannah even canceled her anniversary dinner to make sure she was with us right from the beginning. Any family would be lucky to have Dannah alongside them for their birth journey, and we could not recommend her enough!

Can

1/9/2023

TLDR: I can't say enough good things about Dannah. She provided incredibly helpful postpartum support for my partner and I (millennials) with her professionalism and kindness, catering to our personal preferences and needs.

I was completely overwhelmed after giving birth to my first child, especially when I was also struggling to make decisions from various sources of information. Breast feeding or bottle feeding? How much should I feed the infant? Originally from China, I was given tons of weird restrictions during postpartum period. Analyzing conflicting ideas from googling while taking care of the newborn was not fun. Dannah’s visit changed everything. She calmly showed me and my partner how to do things right and efficiently with clear, easy-to-follow instructions. When we had different opinions, we could always count on Dannah for the best recommendations. She is very communicative and resourceful, and knows how to leverage the recent technologies. My numerous questions via email and text messages were always explicitly answered with details and reference links. For example, once my mom insisted that I should stop eating fried food since my breast milk passed the “fire”(huoqi) to my baby and caused his acne. I asked Dannah, and she said nope, the newborn acne was due to oil glands development and should be gone soon. There were tons of moments like this and I’m grateful that we had her before my mom came to help – I taught back my mom the knowledge I learned from Dannah instead of debating what works the best for the kid. 

We think Dannah is super cool, detail-oriented, and reliable. She was the first one we could trust to leave our newborn alone with. As first-time parents, we gained confidence of raising an infant and our life with the little one became much easier after several weeks. Dannah significantly facilitated that transitioning period. We were so lucky to have her!

Gretchen

11/6/2022

Dannah was everything we could have imagined and more. Being first time parents she prepared and supported us through one of the most emotional and mentally and physically challenging times of our lives so far. From the first interview with Dannah I knew she would be a great fit for our family, and through the prenatal meetings I always felt supported, especially knowing she was only a text or phone call away. When I went into labor, things happened very quickly and she was there exactly when I needed her, and ensured that my birth plan was carried out the way I wanted it to be. Without her I truly don't think that would have happened. I tell everyone how amazing our doula was, that it was one of the best decisions we made throughout my whole pregnancy and birth process, and would recommend her to anyone looking for a birth or postpartum doula. 

Lara Haggerty

9/6/2022

Leading up to our birth, Dannah took time to get to know my partner and I. We valued her easygoing and calming nature, as well as, welcomed wealth of knowledge about everything from how partners can interact during the birth, to pushing positions, to interventions etc. She was able to meet us where we were at with our comfort and knowledge and help to build our confidence. She was incredible at checking in and encouragement in the weeks leading up to our overdue birth. She was very open to ALL of our questions, and answered without judgement in a very timely manner. Dannah got to the hospital at the perfect time and it truly turned our labor around. She was able to provide me with new positions and acupressure to help me through severe and frequent contractions. When our labor was getting scary, she kept calm, explained everything to us in terms we understood, and provided space for us to make hard decisions, weighing in only when we asked. We couldn't be more happy and relieved to have Dannah by our sides in this life changing event. It was the best decision we made in terms of our labor and delivery. She has continued to provide support immediately following the birth of our son, as well as post partum- continuing to answer all my frantic first time mom questions. We really feel like we are so lucky to be walking away from this experience with a forever friend. I would recommend Dannah to anyone expecting. Her impact on our family will forever be treasured. 

Victor

8/19/2022

Dannah was our night doula for a month during our first child’s first month. Dannah has a perfect balance of professionalism and kindness.

Dannah was always exactly on time, organized (eg sending us calendar invites for nights she was with us so there was no confusion about when she would come), helpful (especially with breastfeeding/pumping), insightful (swaddling techniques and other tips specific to infant care and postpartum help), respectful, Caring, and non-judgmental.  In addition, she has a great network and introduced us to various related professionals, who were all great.  We were immediately very comfortable having Dannah take care of our little one at night and never had any worries while she was at our home. 

In short, we highly recommend Dannah and would hire her again in a heart beat. 

Marissa and Victor 

Monica Q.

7/31/2022

I worked with Dannah as my birth and postpartum doula. In preparation for my birth and during the postpartum period, I experienced a number of anxieties that made me either tremendously scared or worried. Dannah was an invaluable member of my village who helped me move through and process these situations. During the birth, she honored my wishes to have an unmedicated birth, and when I decided to change the plan and get an epidural and I also developed a small complication, she helped me work with my medical staff to pivot to the right solutions that were best for me and for my baby, all while making me feel safe and cared for. During the postpartum period, she was incredibly loving and supportive when I experienced the baby blues and advised me on how to leverage my family to help me through most effectively. Once I transitioned to 2-3 months postpartum, she showed me how to entertain and help my child learn, as well as giving me some me-time to get some things done or to relax. Dannah has become more than a doula - she's a friend, and I can't wait for my child to grow up and meet this amazing person who helped bring her into this world. 

Josh

3/17/2022

I highly recommend Dannah if you are looking for a Doula in the Seattle area. Dannah really helped my wife throughout her entire pregnancy and birthing process with information and general support. Dannah provided tons of evidence based information to help us prepare for our birthing experience but was not biased in helping us prepare our birth plan which helped my wife feel like she was in a safe space to make decisions that she was most comfortable with free of any judgement. Dannah was most helpful on the big day, as we inevitably had to deviate from our birth plan, understanding the benefits and risks associated with potential interventions.

Arthur

3/7/2022

We did a lot of things to prepare for our birth including a group class through our hospital, an additional evidence based birth class, reading multiple books on pregnancy and birth, and hiring a doula. Easily the best thing we did was hiring a doula. And Dannah was absolutely remarkable at every step! So organized, so informed, so knowledgeable, so helpful, so supportive, so empathetic, so understanding. We could go on and on. She was just incredible through and through! If you're on the fence about hiring a doula, absolutely do it. If Dannah is the right fit for you, do it immediately!! She was absolutely amazing! Having her during labor and delivery was an absolute game changer. There's so much going on and so much to do, just having her as an extra pair of highly capable (and deeply comforting massage) hands there was tremendous! Not only that, but anytime we reached a decision point in our delivery we could all confer, meaning we had one trained professional (Dannah), one mostly coherent partner, and one woman a little to a lot dazed by their labor making decisions together. She's truly an unbelievable asset to have with you as you go through the process from educating yourselves to delivering the baby together. We cannot recommend her enough!

Jess & Mike

2/21/2022

Dannah was an awesome doula! We hired Dannah for the birth of our first child and to help out with postpartum. We were grateful for her guidance during the birth, it felt like we had someone speaking up for us in the delivery room. What we appreciated most about Dannah was the open-mindedness because she supported our birth plan with no judgment. Dannah is a very knowledgeable doula with lots of experience and great communications skills. We would definitely want to work with Dannah again if we decide to have a second child.

Layla

2/20/2022

My partner was skeptical about the purpose and utility of hiring a doula before we met Dannah and was 100% convinced halfway through our informational interview with her.

She instilled so much self confidence, supported us so wholeheartedly, and was so present with us throughout the entire pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience. She always has tips and resources on hand, is super responsive, and brings so much experience and so many practical skills to the table.

I chose and went through with an unmedicated birth, which went surprisingly fast for a first birth and she was ready for it. She helped me have the closest thing to a home birth that I could have had in a hospital setting, and I'm so grateful for all the extra little (and big) things she did to guide the whole process.

I can't imagine doing it all without her. If we have another baby, we will absolutely hire her again!

Sophie

12/22/2021

It is difficult to articulate just how wonderful Dannah is, and what she means to our family. She is simply the best. Dannah supported my husband and I through the delivery of our baby and as a post-partum doula after he was born. She has an incredible talent of meeting you where you are emotionally, and supporting you in ways you didn't know you needed. She thoughtful, caring, and truly a gift in our lives. 

Leading up to birth she was incredibly supportive and there for me as the birthing person. She met all my questinos with a robust and diverse library of resrouces. She got a detailed sense of how my husband and I operate and made sure that the way that she prepared us for labor was matched with our personalities. For example, we're both type-A information seekers - as such, prior to having the baby Dannah walked through step by step what to expect, down to when we would be moving rooms. This set us up for success and gave us a tremndous amount of comfort going into the big day.

During labor she brought encouragment, a sense of calm, and levity just when I needed it. This was everything from a gentle touch of my hand, to proacitvey setting up the bath for when contractions got intense. Having her there made all the difference.

Finally, after our son arrived she showed my husband and I (first time parents) how to care for our baby in a tender and intuitive way. Similar to my pregnancy she had suggestions for every challenge we faced in the early days. She was by my side for the laughter, tears, and extreme vulnerability of brining home a newborn and her compassion and care made me a better parent. 

Dannah is increidble and I am eternally grateful to have her my family's life! 

Chelsea Otakan

12/20/2021

tl;dr – Dannah is a fantastic birth and postpartum doula! I wouldn't hesitate for recommend her!

Dannah was our birth and postpartum doula for my first daughter. We interviewed several doulas, but Dannah stood out exceptionally personable, organized, and evidence-based in her approach. She met with us several times before the birth to walk us through expectations, recommended a fantastic childbirth class, and gave me great tips for managing late pregnancy discomfort.

During the birth, Dannah was a constant source of stability. My labor progressed quite quickly, so she met us at the hospital. While I was quickly fully dilated, my daughter wasn't tolerating labor that well and pushing wasn't going well. Working with the doctors, Dannah helped me find positions that suited both me and baby, and eventually suggested the pushing position that got her out. Without Dannah, it ws very likely I would have gotten an episotomy, as my doctor was suggesting it if birth did not progress.

After the birth, Dannah provided supportive childcare, demonstrated different soothing methods, and generally helped us adjust to being new parents. I felt very comfortable with her in my home and with my daughter.

If you're considering working with Dannah, don't hesitate :)

Gypsy

12/17/2021

I cannot recommend Dannah enough!! She was amazing and we are so greatful we found her. She was there the moment we came home from the hospital. She taught me so much about breast and bottle feeding, pumping, swaddling, sleep habits, overall baby health, and much much more! She is truly the baby whisperer and our daughter immediately calmed down the moment Dannah cared for her. As a new mother, I also calmed down with all her great tips and tricks. Dannah respects all parents and baby's needs and is open and honest about various ways to address any newborn concerns. She also was quick to provide a variety of tools and resources.  Overall, a caring and kind doula with amazing energy and knowledge. 

Caroline & Will

11/29/2021

Dannah was a delight to work with and so supportive. Throughout the pregnancy, she provided tips and guidance at a moment's notice but really shone when we learned that our baby was breech. She helped us ride the waves of this new twist with humor and heart. And we were so grateful to have her attention and care in the OR, whether explaining what was about to happen or helpfully distracting. We will forever tell the story of how we were chatting about our favorite ice creams as our son was delivered via c-section. Then in that wild first month at home we breathed a little easier being able to ask any and all questions, whatever the hour. Highly recommend having Dannah as a part of your birth team!  

Britta Jones

8/22/2021

My wife ended up with severe preeclampsia at 32 weeks and had an emergency c-section. Despite this not being even close to our due date AND only getting about 36 hrs heads up, Dannah showed up at the hospital ready for the c-section. It was our first time meeting in person due to COVID and she was like a fairy god-sister. We weren't initially sure if having a doula for a c-section (especially one so early and not preceeded by any labor) would make much of a difference but IT DID. Dannah was in the OR with us and then with my wife in recovery while I followed baby to the NICU. Dannah brought us lunch in the NICU a few days later and checked in on us for weeks until baby was discharged at which point she came to the house for a proper check in. I can't possibly recommend Dannah enough. Finding a queer doula in Seattle that we really jived with was strangely harder than anticipated. We feel that we gained a friend and resource for parenthood in finding Dannah and can't possilbly recommend her highly enough! Truly. Having a doula >>>> not having a doula. But having Dannah as your doula is on a totally different level. 

Nicole

7/1/2021

Dannah is an amazing doula, support person and advocate. She is so intelligent, knowledgeable, and completely personable. During my pregnancy, I was having a lot of anxiety about labor and delivery. Dannah helped me work through that anxiety during our prenatal sessions and recommended helpful articles, websites, and books. In an unforseen turn of events, I had an emergency cesarean birth, and Dannah dropped everything to be one of the first people to greet me in post op. She helped me hand express and took my placenta for encapsulation (the pills really do provide many benefits, including an energy boost). During our postpartum visits, she helped me work through the stress of having an unplanned cesarean and took care of our newborn - changing, feeding, etc. Dannah is overall amazing, and I highly recommend her! 

Gigi

5/5/2021

Dannah assisted my husband and I with the birth of our di-di twins.  During our 3 prenatal visits (online, due to COVID), she walked us through what to expect during the later part of pregnancy, the birth, and postpartum/early infant care.  These conversations helped us know what to ask our OB about and broadened our perspective with lots of resources.  She's is very knowledgable about twins, having assisted with many twin births and being a twin herself, which was a major draw for us. During the birth, she was extremely helpful with pain management techniques, lots of encouragement, and guidance on how my husband could be a supportive birth partner.  Finally, Dannah has great energy - very positive and up-beat.  If we were planning on having more kids, we would definitely want Dannah to be our doula again.

Glenna

2/16/2021

Dannah is a fantastic doula! She is very knowledgeable and flexible with your needs. She always had a ton of resources to share after our meetings. During labor she seemed to know just what to do to support and was great at balancing stepping in where she need to and letting things happen. I appreciated her advocacy for me in helping me have the labor process I wanted and she was truly part of my team. Postpartum support was fantastic. She is clearly dedicated to this work and loves it. I would recommend her highly! 

EunJean Song

2/13/2021

We are so thankful to have had Dannah on our birth team. From our very first meeting, she was calm, thoughtful, thorough, and caring, helping my husband and I navigate the challenging landscape of birth planning during the Covid-19 pandemic. We had a whirlwind birthing experience at Swedish First Hill, starting with an induction and ending with a c-section 72 hours later. Dannah was an essential partner, advocate, and sounding board to our family, and helped us stay focused and positive as we worked through our labor journey. We LOVED our experience in working with her, and could not recommend her enough!

Chelsea Waliser

2/6/2021

We worked with Dannah as our birth doula, for the birth of our first baby at Swedish hospital in January 2021.  She was an essential partner and support to me, my husband, and our daughter throughout our pregnancy and fourth trimester, always available to answer questions, shared tons of resources on childbirth and post partum that saved me time researching, and was so well organized and easy to schedule and communite with - which is so essential when you have a lot on your plate as expecting / new parents! Dannah helped us know what to expect from our hospital birth given her extensive experience at Swedish, and we felt confident in our preparation and birth plan knowing she shared our values around pregnancy and birth. During our birth, dannah was a calm and supporting presence inspite of a fast-paced birth and changes to our birth plan that we didn't anticipate. She also helped us start breastfeeding immediately in the delivery room, which I am sure contributed to our early success in breastfeeding, and made sure we were comfortable and in good hands when we transferred to our post partum room (Dannah even thought  to get us breakfast ordered after our daughter was born when we were running on adrenaline and needed to eat after being up all night, but didn't even realize it ourselves!) Even though we only worked together for the birth, the post partum visits included in Dannah's birth doula package helped answer questions we didn’t even know we had until after our daughter arrived. We would definitely work with her again for another baby and birth. 

Emily

1/29/2021

Working with Dannah was the best decision we made during our postpartum journey. As first time parents, Dannah gave us confidence and reassurance in those early weeks. She is incredibly organized, knowledgeable, and just an all-around comforting presence. On top of all that, she is a joy to be around: funny, friendly, and kind. Dannah helped us get some much-needed rest early on, then helped us troubleshoot our baby's sleep issues, answer random baby questions, and assist with breastfeeding. Nothing can prepare you for the postpartum period, but having Dannah made it all more manageable. I cannot recommend Dannah enough. 

Rachel Henderson

12/18/2020

From the very first interview together, we have been wildly impressed with Dannah's ability to connect with us and immediately understand our birth goals and concerns. She has a wonderful demeanor which brings peace and calm to what could have been a stressful labor/birth experience, given that it was our first. Dannah was sure to address each of our questions and concerns with paitence and thorough knowledge - telling us from the beginning that there are no dumb questions. Our prenatal visits with Dannah were a great way to get to know each other as well as prepare for birth, giving us confidence as new parents going through this new experience. 

The day we headed to the hospital for delivery, Dannah beat us there, meeting us in triage and walking us through step by step on what to expect. The best words to describe her would be the 'Ultimate Advocate". As the scenario played out and changes needed to be made to our birth plan, she helped us navigate each decision, as well as speaking on our behalf to the labor and delivery team with our best interest in mind. 

She stayed in our birthing room the entire time we were in the hospital - offering any and all support during what could have been a stressful event. Her presence eliminated all fears, giving my husband and I confidence in every stage of labor. 

Now that our baby is here, she continues to bring that same calm during our postpartum visits at home, sharing her wealth of knowledge in newborn care, emotional support, breastfeeding, placenta encapsalation, and much more. Dannah was referred to us by close friends and we would 100% refer her to anyone looking for support and genuine care during such a special journey. Through this entire experience Dannah was more than just our doula, we would consider her our friend. 

Eva Hom

12/16/2020

As a first time mom who planned on a unmedicated labor and delivery - Dannah was invaluable. I can't imagine how my partner and I would have made it through a challenging delivery without her calm and experienced guidance. 

From the beginning, Dannah was a helpful resource - her emails are always full of useful articles and resources and she is very responsive via text. Even with COVID restrictions and not being able to meet in-person until delivery day, I felt always supported and had someone to ask questions whenever I was unsure about anything. 

During labor and delivery, she was constantly encouraging and positive (without being fake) and made me feel like I could do it even when I felt like I couldn't. She was able to answer any questions my partner had and I did not have to worry about educating him while I was dealing with contractions. She was as much of a coach for him as she was for me. She had a plethora of pain management techiques to help me deal with more intense contractions. 

She was a great doula who provide comprehensive emotional and practical support before, during, and even postpartum. I highly recommend Dannah!

Jessica Gage

11/2/2020

We had a fantastic experience with Dannah. As first time parents, we were really looking for support and someone to help guide us through the process so that we didn't feel overwhelmed and felt confident. Dannah provided excellent support and information and was particularly good at sensing what we needed and adjusting accordingly. She sent great resources throughout and after my pregnancy and was always available. One thing I particularly appreciated was her explanation of the induction process. Once my doctor decided this was the way to go, Dannah walked me through what this experience would be like and I felt incredibly prepared and ready. Thank you Danah for everything! 

Chelsea Vargeson

10/17/2020

Working with Dannah has been an absolute joy and amazing experience. She is knowledgeable, professional and most importanly a warm and understanding person that easily gets along with people from all walks of life - even a couple of odd balls like us. We were impressed with Dannah's ability to pick up on our needs before we even knew what they were with prep for welcoming our little one. She provided us with many informational resources that we could read at our own decision vs just telling us one thing or another, which we appreciated greatly. During our labor, Dannah matched our pace and tone which was welcome, and did a great job coaching my husband when needed through the process. In addition, her expertise postpartum has been immensely helpful in regards to newborn care and worries that we've had in just the first few weeks of our baby's life.  

Simply put, Dannah is an incredible doula and we would recommend her expertise and services to anyone any day. Thank you so much Dannah!

Dayna Ducey

10/12/2020

Can't say enough good things about Dannah. We were initially impressed with her doula profile (her credentials, her volunteer interests, etc.) and after our intro meeting knew we wanted her to join us on this journey. She's a wealth of information, able to answer any and all questions and able to provide resources and additional reading to assist you in making informed decisions. Beyond that, she's just a very kind, compassionate, easygoing and funny person. I felt super comfortable around her (important when you have weird body questions, are pushing a baby out of your body and are attempting to breastfeed - pregnancy, labor and delivery and parenthood are messy!).

For us, where she really excelled was in the labor and delivery room. Dannah has a very calming presence, which was appreciated during the chaos and craziness of labor for us first-time parents. I had some post-delivery complications and could not breastfeed for the first few hours. Dannah knew I wanted to breastfeed and hand-expressed colostrum from my breasts to give to our baby. If that isn't going above and beyond, I don't know what is!

Postpartum, Dannah visited us during a particularly difficult day (baby wouldn't latch, I was extremely emotional). I don't know what we would've done if Dannah wasn't there. We had no idea what was happening with the baby and my breasts and she came in and triaged the situation and turned the whole day around. 

We're so happy Dannah was a part of this whole experience!

Colleen Alabi

9/25/2020

Working with Dannah was an absolutely wonderful experience!! This was my first pregnancy and I knew going into it that I was going to want a lot of support during the birth itself. And then, the majority of my pregnancy fell during COVID-19 and I found myself needing a lot more emotional support during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters than I expected. From our very first meeting, both my husband and I immediately felt comfortable with Dannah (which was a huge plus for me, because my husband was a bit skeptical about the idea of working with a doula at first!). She provided a lot of information and support leading up to the birth to help us both establish our birth plan and feel confident going in. During my birth, she provided exactly the kind of support I was hoping for- affirmations, verbal support, as well as giving me different positions to work through the contractions and applying counter pressure massage to my back and hips throughout. She helped my husband feel calm and know how to best support me, and provided the space for me to go into my own birthing state and just do what felt best for me in my body. The whole experience was very empowering for me, and my baby boy was born healthy and happy! I also loved the extra thoughtfulness that Danna provided- she brought brunch to us in our hospital room the next morning to check in on us and make sure we were feeling good after the birth. This was so appreciated! My husband later said 'hiring Dannah was the best money we spent throughout this whole process.' If you're looking for authentic, knowledgable and kind-hearted support, we highly recommend working with Dannah for your birth experience!  

Gwyn

9/17/2020

We knew within moments of meeting Dannah that we needed to work with her! As a queer, multiracial family is was extremely important for us to find a doula who would support our whole selves. We received such loving care from Dannah - she is very committed to the families she supports.

Dannah brought such a calming energy to our baby's birth. She helped guide my partner through how to support me through labor, and was by my side the whole time helping me stay ahead of the pain. When we needed to transfer from our birth center to the hospital Dannah helped make it a nearly seemless transition for us.

Dannah also helped us prepare for birth by meeting with us in advance and connected us with many wonderful resources. We highly recommend working with Dannah if you have the opportunity to and are so grateful to have had her support with the birth of our child!

Breanna Pendleton-Brochhagen

9/8/2020

Dannah is amazing. I feel incredibly grateful that we found her and were able to work with her throughout the entire experience. Leading up to labor, she was essential in sharing her knowledge, and thoughtfully walking my husband and I through what to expect. She was available for questions, and provided very helpful information in each meeting, as well as thoughtful and helpful follow-ups after each meeting. I immediately felt comfortable with her and at ease, which is exactly what I was looking for. I had a long and hard labor, and Dannah was there every step of the way - she started by providing support by phone and text, and then came to our house before accompanying us to the hospital. Her knowledge and calming presence made me feel like I was being incredibly cared for. At the hospital, Dannah did exactly what I was hoping she would - she was my advocate and pushed me to get through the painful contractions. She helped me stay focused on my goal of an unmedicated birth, as long as I could, and then when it was clear that an unplanned c section was where we would end up, she helped talk me through the new experience and keep me focused on the most important piece - meeting my baby. Without her there, I know that neither my husband nor I would have been able to so seamlessly adjust to the new process, and we would have been much more nervous. As a first time mom, I was very anxious that my anxiety would get the best of me, but Dannah helped keep it at bay. After the birth, Dannah was essential to helping me process the birth experience and the changes that occurred. She reminded me of the positivity she saw in the entire labor process and again proved herself to be one of the most compassionate people I have met. I am so lucky to have found Dannah and gotten to work with her, and I would recommend her wholeheartedly to anyone looking for a doula.

Amber

8/31/2020

We realized during our first childbirth prep class that we would benefit from a doula who could help us communicate with each other during labor and delivery. My partner likes a lot of feedback and affirmation, whereas I wanted to focus on working through the pain. Moreover, our due date was during Covid and all of our family lives out of state, so we knew we wouldn't have any local support. Both of us were feeling anxious about having our first child in the middle of so much uncertainty.

We selected Dannah Norris because she is knowledgeable, experienced, calm, and has a great personality that meshed well with ours. We met several times before our due date to talk through our questions, concerns, and birth preferences (she has a great template that prompts reflection) and sequence of events. During labor and delivery, Dannah guided me through contractions, calmed my partner and showed him how to be supportive, and reassured us both. Our baby was born right before a shift change when the night nurses were leaving and the day nurses were arriving; I would have felt lost in the shuffle if Dannah hadn't been there to remind us what would happen next.

Both before and after birth, Dannah provided a plethora of resources for our concerns and always followed up promptly when we had questions. We met with her several times postpartum to reflect on our experience and discuss new challenges. We sent her many panicked texts during the first week regarding feeding, diapers, sleeping, etc. and she always responded quickly with encouragement and suggestions.

We tell family and friends over and over again that hiring Dannah was the best decision we made. Hiring a doula is a significant investment, but based on conversations we've had with other new parents, having a doula's support was consistently the top factor between those who had a positive birthing experience and those who did not. We would absolutely hire Dannah again and highly recommend her!

Nina Bingham

8/27/2020

One of the best decisions we made related to pregnancy and birth was hiring Dannah as our doula. When I found out that I was pregnancy with twins I was not sure if we would hire a doula since my OB required that I get an epidural and I knew the possibility of a C-section was high. I assumed a doula was more for those trying for natural birth vs. a traditional hospital birth. However we ultimately decided to hire one and I am so thankful we did. Dannah helped us navigate all the possible scenarios we might encounter and I felt prepared going into my induction. She was a calming force throughout the entire birth process, even has things started to go array. She was also hugely helpful to my husband who was quite out of his element :) 

Dannah has continued to be a huge support for us as we transition into parenthood and I am so thankful for the connection we have formed with her. 

Precious Arney

6/16/2020

Our experience with Dannah as our doula exceeded our expectations. She was such a pleasure to work with, from our Zoom video meetings leading up to the birth, during labor and birth at the hospital, and in her postpartum visits with us in our home. She also provided numerous resources and gave us tons of great advice and encouragement.

My husband and I were extremely grateful for Dannah's support at the hospital during the labor, birth, and two hours after I gave birth to our son before we transitioned to the postpartum room. I had to be induced but because of COVID, she wasn't allowed at the hospital until active labor kicked in. Early labor after induction was slowgoing, and my doctor was planning to break my water. But once Dannah arrived and I was having a contraction, she provided immediate relief through a double hip squeeze which subsequently led to my water breaking naturally. For the next several hours she supported both me and my husband, and I honestly don't think my labor and birth could have happened as smoothly without Dannah. I highly recommend her to anyone considering her for a doula!

Anne Birkett

6/12/2020

After having a C-section and somewhat traumatic birth with my first, I knew I wanted a doula to support me and my husband during my VBAC. As a NICU nurse I was looking for someone with a medical background and Dannah was recommended to me. From our initial meeting her calm and positive spirit spoke to me and I knew I would want her vibe in the delivery room. Due to COVID that ended up being our only in person meeting prior to delivery but our calls over Zoom were helpful, informative, and comforting. Dannah met us at the hospital after I was feeling bullied by my nurse - I didn't feel like I needed her for labor support yet but I needed help liasing with my nurse. She was a great buffer and as I progressed to needing labor support she helped my partner and I with positions to ease pain and help labor progress. I don't think my successful VBAC would have been possible without Dannah and her skill and support. 

Lisa

5/13/2020

Having a baby is an incredible and also totally overwhelming experience. Having Dannah a part of the journey gave us such comfort and reassurance. She put us at ease with her generous spirit and essential knowledge. We are forever thankful! 

Daron Davis

5/5/2020

Dannah was flat out amazing. She was such a wealth of knowledge and helped me through every step of the labor process. I felt completely at was with her. Dannah provides my husband and I with a ton of resources prior to delivery from tips for laboring to pediatricians, as we were still searching for a pediatrician late into my pregnancy. She never judged us for any of our decisions but instead provided us with facts so we could make the best choices for ourselves and our baby. I COULD NOT have made it through labor without her. It was reassuring to know I had her as my advocate and was the steady calm in all the chaos.  I don't plan on having another baby, but without a doubt if I did I would have Dannah as my doula. She is fantastic, knowledgeable doula; and an overall great human being. 

Dangelei

3/10/2020

I feel so grateful that Dannah came into our lives and could support us during the birth of our son. From the very beginning I felt a connection with Dannah and knew I needed her as part of my birth support team. She listened to all my first-time mom fears and helped me work through my questions and concerns with no judgement. She is extremely down to earth and brought a sense of peace to the unknown. I ended up having a c-section which wasn’t my planned birth experience. I was worried about how to fit Dannah into the new plan. She was so supportive and flexible and joined us in the operating room for the procedure. I immediately felt more at ease knowing her calming presence would be there. Dannah is truly gifted and I can’t imagine going through this experience without her.  

Sam B.

1/13/2020

I immediately felt comfortable talking with Dannah. Her personality is warm, intelligent, and non-judgemental, all of which make her perfectly suited to being a doula for many different families. Dannah helped me with my second birth, and I really appreciated how she helped me process my memories from my first birth and mentally prepare for my second. Dannah is very intuitive and observant and she often anticipated when I might need to talk or get more information regarding pregnancy, birth, and postpartum issues. Dannah is very reliable and always available to answer questions and provide support. I reached 41 weeks and decided with my doctor to schedule an appointment for inducation, and one of the most helpful things Dannah did was to spend time talking with me (on a weekend when my midwives' office was closed) to prepare for my induction the next day. In the end, I felt that the preparation and the way my birth turned out could not have gone any better! It was great having Dannah's support afterwards too! 

Bethany

12/16/2019

We loved working with Dannah! She was so organized, helpful, and kind. She provided a ton of valuable resources prior and post-birth, as well as offered her valuable support and training during the labor and birth. She was a great combination of confident and humble, willing to take our lead and support us, yet also step in and offer suggestions when we needed it. She was also fun and very enjoyable to have around! I'd highly recommend her as your doula.

Shelby

12/1/2019

Dannah was absolutely our rock! From the first meeting with Dannah to the arrival of our son, we felt completely at home with her. She is pure joy. She cares so deeply and authentically. Dannah brought much excitement and inspired confidence in me prior to delivery. My partner and I also appreciated the many resources she’d send following each meeting based on any questions that came up. She she’s very knowledgeable always took time to walk us through what to expect.

During my delivery Dannah went from coach, to friend, to cheerleader and advocate —seamlessly taking on the role and type of support needed at the given moment. Before considering a doula I was anxiously preparing myself for a solo journey and one where my partner would just be an observer and witness to the birth. Neither of us wanted this and because of Dannah, I truly had a team. She was key in supporting my partner’s meaninglful role during my labor and also helped us unpack our experience following birth. This laid a helpful foundation for our future conversations and communication.

Most critically, Dannah is very detail oriented and made sure as expectant parents, we understood the process and that I was centered, leading each decision during labor and delivery.

I can’t imagine the birth of my son without her!

Maggie Redd

11/16/2019

Dannah was fantastic. I was induced at 7 days past my due date. She was there every step of the way. I opted to go without an epidural or any medication. Dannah was able to provide emotional and physical support that helped me have a completely medication free birth. She was super supportive of all my choices and I highly recommend her!

Monica

10/14/2019

I had an overwhelmingly positive experience with Dannah as my doula. Before hiring a doula I had heard positive things about doulas but was unsure exactly what a doula did. Dannah was there to guide me through the end of my pregnancy and support my labor, delivery, and post-partum recovery. She was excellent in connecting with myself and my partner. During labor and delivery she knew my needs before I did and was there exactly when I asked for help. My partner was also very happy to have Dannah there during labor and delivery. This was our first child so both of us were a little unsure of what to expect. My partner was a great emotional support but followed Dannah's lead through each stage. We would definitely recommend Dannah as a doula to friends and family, and if we have another child we will hire her again.

Rachel

9/9/2019

Dannah is such a wonderful, reassuring doula! She has a great plan in place to walk you through all the topics and decisions you need to make before delivery but even when my doctors said I needed to be induced at 37 weeks and we hadn't yet had our second prenatal appointment, she was flexible and fit in going over the rest of the information during the early hours of my induction. Dannah quickly became a friend rather than just a doula. She knows when to step in and be there and when to stand back and let you and your partner experience the birth process. We were looking for someone with experience working with queer families & we definitely got that with Dannah! She was even willing to be the first person to watch out son so that we could go out for our anniversary & be reassured that he was well taken care of! Dannah's love and care for birthing people, their partners, families, & babies really shines in her practice. This review is a bit all over the place but it's all to say we loved working with Dannah & if we decide to have another child we would definitely work with her again!

Jessi Brown

9/7/2019

I can't say enough good things about Dannah. She is an absolute gem. My spouse and I knew we found the right doula for us when she could talk to us through both the art and science of birthing. Somehow she had a resource for all of the questions we could possibly think of related to the before, during, and after birth experiences. I always felt supported and heard after our meetings. Dannah found a way to inform us during each meeting while keeping the conversation light and fun. 

For the main event, Dannah was a rockstar. She found a way to have exactly what I need ready for me or my spouse right before I needed it. It's as if she could read my mind! Through the last few hours before delivery, my mind was in a different space, but I distinctly remember hearing Dannah's voice during delivery guiding me through final steps. She had such a calming and direct tone that I felt confident that everything was going to be okay and we were nearly the end. Not to mention, she kept her energy up through a seriously LONG labor. I would absolutely hire Dannah again for our next baby. 

Laura S.

9/2/2019

Dannah wears her intellect, compassion and vibrancy on her sleeve. I knew the first moments I met Dannah I wanted her to be my Doula because I immediatly felt at ease in her presense. Being a first time pregnancy and a gestational surrogate made me a unique case from the start and Dannah helped navigate me through both the expected and unexpected. If there was a question that could not be answered she worked hard as my advocate, with the hospital to create an answer and a solution. Dannah took great care in understaing my wants and needs prior to delivery. During the days that I labored and into the days after Dannah provided a pilar of support with her unwavering patience and presense and cognizance of my needs. She knows how to read a room and was able to act as a bridge between hospital staff and myself. Dannahs presense extended well after my delivery with texts and phone calls and visits leaving me feeling valued, heard and appreciated as a women who just created life. I cannot thank her enough for sharing her gifts with myself and the community.

Morgan T.

8/19/2019

Working with Dannah made our delivery so much less stressful for me and my husband. We decided to hire a doula because we thought we would have a vaginal delivery, but due to some complications in my third trimester, we had a very unexpected c-section at 35 weeks which was scary and stressful. 

Dannah came to meet us at the hospital as soon as we found out we had to deliver. She walked us through the entire c-section procedure and explained many things to us that the doctors and nurses didn't go into detail about. Later that night, she came back to the hospital and came to the operating room with us for the delivery. Having her there as a calm presence brought our stress levels down immensely. It was great to know that she was there, and if there were complications, Dannah could either stay with me or go to the NICU with our baby. Luckily the delivery went smoothly, so she came with us to the recovery room and helped me with establishing breastfeeding and helped keep me comfortable while my husband participated in newborn procedures with our baby. 

We can't say enough good things about the Swedish Doula program, and Dannah in particular. 

Carolin Window

2/9/2019

For Dannah, being a doula really is a calling. And she's so suited to it. She's so warm, empathetic and full of energy and instantly generates trust. She's also very knowledgeable about what lies ahead in a birth experience. Having Dannah as our advocate, wing person and guide made us feel more prepared for what was to come. She was always responsive to our questions, texts and calls. And as soon as we asked her to come to the hospital she was there for us. She was so present at our birth, and her calm encouragement and thoughtfulness were very grounding at the most challenging moments. Thank you, Dannah - we two mummies appreciate everything you've done for us so far and we promise to bombard you with baby pics, like, forever. xx

Iamunique Wyrick

2/5/2019

Im Experience Was Amazing Shes Amazing She Was There For Me Every Step Of The Way And Really Helpful During My Labor Which Was The Hardest Part Of My Pregnancy She Was Very Supportive I Love Her And How Caring She Is Ill Definitely Recommend Her And Will Definitely Use Her Again If I Ever Had Another Child