"When I arrived at the hospital I was in a lot of pain. I had never even heard of a doula before, but luckily for me, Ilana was volunteering that day and immediately stood by my side during my 30-hour labor. She helped me through every contraction, whether it was applying pressure on my lower back or helping me relax with her words. Ilana was my Angel... I couldn't have done it without her..." -patient, St. Lukes Hospital



Yes, that is two babies in two ergo carriers! It CAN be done!!!

My husband and I contacted Ilana for nighttime help with our twins when they were about 10 weeks old and we were desperate for some sleep.  She was a godsend!  Ilana spent 3 nights a week at our house from 10pm to 6am, allowing us to get the rest we needed while providing excellent loving care for our babies.  In hindsight, the only thing I would do differently is hire Ilana a lot sooner!

As first-time parents, we had tried to educate ourselves by reading all about infant care, including several books on the unique challenges of twins.  Although it was very beneficial, nothing could truly prepare us for functioning day after day feeling so exhausted and overwhelmed.  Every parent knows that adequate sleep is essential for everyone’s well-being, but it was equally valuable to gain all of the insight Ilana offered on how to get our girls to sleep for longer stretches. 

She documented every waking, feeding, and diaper change so we could detect trends and measure progress.  By the end of the second week, Ilana’s suggestions had allowed our twins to go from 2-3 hours of sleep at a time to 5 hours or more!  At about 3 months old, both girls had achieved a 10 hour stretch, and by 4 months old, they had both gone 12 hours without waking!  I highly doubt that we would have accomplished these milestones so soon without Ilana’s knowledge and experience.

She also spent time thinking about each baby’s individual temperament and how to address her needs.  She would email me with ideas on how to cope with fussiness from gas, how to re-settle without feeding to help break the dependence on food for sleep, and she turned me on to a variety of resources for networking with other new moms so I could receive ongoing advice as my kids grow and evolve. 

When I look back at how we agonized over the decision of hiring someone to sleep in our guest room and tend to our babies 2-3 times a night, I see now that the benefits we realized far exceeded our expectations.  Ilana was both very personable and professional, and well worth the investment.  I would recommend her highly for any of the services she provides. -Stephanie

As a Childcare Provider...

Ilana is the most loving, qualified, and professional caregiver I've ever known. She's very very engaged, talks my son through his afternoons, finding teaching moments, playing with him, keeping him safe, happy, and giving him plenty of hugs and attention when needed. I trust her completely (she has a key to our house). A bonus is that she can bring her own son most days. He's nearly the same age as ours. He's very sweet (he's 1.5 years and already singing "thank you" and "all finished") and my son worships him and is learning from him. (I've learned some parenting techniques from her, too!) They play together well. And, with Ilana's experience (caring for twins) she handles the two of  them beautifully. Ilana is always on time. She's professional and very communicative.

I wish I had had Ilana for my doula. (Mine hadn't ever given birth -- something to ask your prospective doula. It really does make a difference!) She's extremely knowledgeable about the birth process. I know that she's judgment-free, emotionally so supportive and physically very strong (so important!).
I really can't say enough...Except...Why aren't there more Ilanas out there?? -Amanda

As a Hospital Volunteer...

"Ilana is a very personable and compassionate woman who relates well with all of our staff, patients and other volunteers in our very diverse environment. In addition to working very well with others, it is evident that Ilana is also a leader and that her focus, commitment and great people skills will well-serve  her and any healthcare setting she is a part of. In addition to all of the practical benefits that Ilana has brought to the Labor and Delivery staff and patients, we have all benefited from her enthusiasm and passion for the field and her consistently demonstrated commitment to her volunteer assignment." -Grace

 As a Postpartum Educator....

"It seems that your journey has led you to beautiful doula work. Families are so lucky to have you and you modeled empathy and knowledge for us. Thank you." -Cindy

As a Household Manager...

"Ilana is an extraordinarily competent woman.  She sets and achieves aggressive deadlines, accomplishes voluminous quantities of work in short order, creatively and autonomously solves problems, and professionally handles whatever hurdles she encounters along the way." -Sharon