We worked with Laura as both a birth doula and a postpartum doula. She is incredibly knowledgeable and provided information on a wide range of options depending on what we thought our preferences might be. She never pushed us in one direction or another, and once we decided on our values she helped us stick to them. She was invaluable during labor, especially when the hospital was less than helpful, working with us and the hospital staff to get our baby delivered calmly and safely. As a postpartum doula I can honestly say we would not have survived without her. She started covering nights to get us some sleep and then transitioned to daytime helping us calmly and efficiently navigate multiple semi-emergencies (baby losing too much weight, mastitis, dairy allergy/intolerance, etc) and troubleshooting ways to get us through a very long and drawn out postpartum recovery. (I could barely get downstairs until about 8 weeks pp!) We learned so much about caring for a newborn and our little bundle of joy is doing so great thanks to all her tips and tricks. We worked with her for about 10 weeks and felt so confident after that time period. I can’t recommend Laura enough!
-Bethany
It’s really hard to put into words how much I absolutely loved working with Laura. She has the absolute best attitude, is extremely knowledgeable, and was an outstanding advocate for me, my husband, and our baby through the entire labor and delivery process. Laura made it possible for me to have a natural unmedicated birth, and she kept me extremely calm and focused, even though I am a first time mom and truly had no idea what I was doing / what to expect! Throughout my entire pregnancy and labor and delivery, Laura was the best support person to have by my side. She worked so well with me and my husband, as well as with the nursing staff and the OBGYN who delivered our daughter. Laura will be my first call when we get pregnant with baby #2!
-Dani
“Laura was wonderful to work with! She had a lot of knowledge and suggestions. She not only helped me throughout my entire labor she also showed me exercises and different things I could do to prepare my body for labor. I would definitely recommend her. She was an amazing support for myself and my husband throughout the entire laboring process.”
-Sarah and Rob Habel
Having Laura support my husband and I postpartum was the best decision! We were first time parents and had no clue what we were doing. Laura comfortably and confidently stepped right in and was able to help out with ALL aspects of my postpartum care and newborn care. She is a mother herself so in addition to her experience as a doula, she has invaluable experiences as a mother that add to her expertise. She is a truly caring person and a wonderful listener. She makes sure that you are comfortable at all times with her services and is able to adapt to whatever is needed in the moment. She taught us so much and was so wonderful with my son. I felt more comfortable with her caring for my son than anyone else, even family members. I highly recommend hiring Laura to help with any of your pregnancy needs, birth, postpartum care, or newborn care! She truly can do it all and is a wonderful resource for me to this day!
-Brielle and Paul
Hiring Laura as our postpartum doula was one of the best investments we’ve ever made. From day one she dove right in and helped us find a groove with our new twins and maintain our older son’s routine. Laura cared for the babies like they were her own and easily handled two at a time. She made sure we as parents were taking care of ourselves and helped me get organized. Her own experiences as a mom and caregiver were invaluable. Laura’s support allowed us enjoy the first few weeks and set us up for success for the months ahead.
-Kara & J.Mike
“Laura is a truly tremendous person. She is positive and friendly and always willing to help when she can. Laura’s mere presence can put a person at ease because she is welcoming and allows people to be themselves. I can’t imagine a better person than Laura to be in the delivery room with me, calming my nerves and walking me through the process. Laura arrived on time and immediately took over duties of caring for my son, allowing me to recover from mild post-partum depression.”-LH
My husband and I had an incredible experience with Laura! We had our first interaction with Laura when we took her birthing and newborn care classes through KOP Doulas. We loved the course and walked away with not only a thick packet of resources that we frequently refer back to, but more confidence as first time parents.After these courses we were informed that our hospital was allowing doulas in the hospital again and we were very excited to hire and work with Laura during the last month or so of my pregnancy. Laura was wonderfully attentive, texted me daily to see how I was feeling and answered any questions I might have. Being a first time mom can be nerve wracking and I found it so comforting having a person who I could ask all of my questions to who not only provided me with information but also articles, podcasts to listen to, and research to back up her advice.
During labor Laura was absolutely invaluable to us. She helped me make the most of every contraction, moving me in different positions to help get my baby down and out quickly and safely. I had not planned to have an epidural but after an hour or two of intense back labor I finally had to make the decision to have an epidural. I wasn’t sure how much Laura would be able to help me once I was stuck in the hospital bed, but she continued to have me work with the contractions by moving me into a few different epidural-safe positions. Laura had spent so much time getting to know me and what I wanted out of this birth experience that even after I had changed the plan she supported me and helped me have an extremely positive experience.
To anyone looking for doula services I highly recommend Laura. She is knowledgeable, kind, supportive, and even after giving birth she continues to be a person I can reach out to with questions. We will 100% be hiring her to help us deliver all of our future babies!
-Michelle
“Laura was a godsend to me after my baby was born. My son was born at 41 weeks, cute as a button and then taken from me immediately and whisked up to NICU. No one except Laura, who had unfortunately lived through the same thing, knew how to help me. Her words, her texts and her visit, were exactly what I needed. I tell moms now the same thing she told me when they don’t get to take their babies home right away. And on top of everything else, she talked me through pumping and maintaining a milk supply so I was able to breastfeed.”
-Allison Dubuque
“I cannot say enough AMAZING things about Laura Martin! When my fiancé approached me about having a doula for our daughter’s birth, I’m not going to lie, I didn’t think we needed one. Reason being is because I had no idea what they did. Obviously, I agreed to keep Alyssa (my fiancé) happy lol. Prior to delivery day, Laura’s communication was phenomenal! As soon as we met her, it was like we’ve known each other for years. She explained exactly what would happen when it was time for our daughter to enter the world and what we need to do to prepare for that day. Anytime Alyssa would have a question, Laura would respond within minutes. As we got closer to the due date, Laura would always contact us letting us know that she is ready at any moment and waiting for our call that it was “GO TIME”. When the day finally came, we called Laura and the process started. As we pulled up to the hospital, Laura was there with a huge smile on her face, greeting us at the front door. Alyssa was 3 cm dilated at the time of arrival. As the hours went on Laura stood next to the bed comforting Alyssa and cheered her on in such a positive way! After 22 long hours of waiting, our baby girl was finally ready to enter the world. I held Alyssa’s one hand and Laura held the other, we made a fantastic team. As our daughter Alexandra was delivered, I went with her to watch her get cleaned. Laura stayed with Alyssa praising her for doing such an AMAZING job!! 22 long, crazy hours ended up being such a fantastic experience. Laura gave us tips (we are new parents) on what to do over the next few days, weeks and months.
We were VERY grateful to have Laura Martin in our lives that day. Not only is she our “Doula”, but she is now part of the family!
I HIGHLY recommend Laura to anyone who wants to have the BEST EXPERIENCE EVER!!”
-James Levins (Proud Dad)
“When my husband and I found out we were expecting our first child, we were excited, a bit nervous and very eager to meet our baby. We knew we wanted to take a childbirth education course to prepare us for the big day (as much as you can be prepared :)), and we were so happy to have taken a private course with Laura. We learned a lot from our session including what we could expect in the weeks leading up to labor, how labor progresses once it begins, and different delivery scenarios. One of the things we really appreciated about our private session is that we could cater what we discussed based on what my husband and I had the most questions about. I’m not sure we would have been able to do that had we gone to a group childbirth education course. I highly recommend Laura!“
-Allison A.
“Laura was a wonderful doula! She was knowledgeable and supportive and had all the qualities you’d look for in a doula. I would highly recommend her!”
-Melanie
“Last year, before I gave birth to my daughter, I had my heart set on a peaceful birth with only my husband accompanying me. But with this being my first, I still needed some support. That’s where Laura came in. With a fantastic sense of humor and a truly open mind for whatever I wanted in my birth experience, Laura was hands down an excellent choice to be my doula – my virtual doula! I was able to call/text/FaceTime or video chat with her to discuss my plans, concerns, and any new symptoms. It was everything you want from a doula experience, but from afar! She has an incredibly calming energy about the whole process, and I immediately felt comfortable discussing anything with her. My birth experience was overall one of the best times of my life. With her guidance, I was able to comfortably go out to lunch while 4 cm dilated, and then later get into such a groove through the contractions at the hospital, that I swear to you, they actually felt GOOD! I learned so much from her. If you can’t have Laura with you in person, or are just looking for a private birth with some extra support and guidance, definitely take advantage of her virtual support. You won’t regret it!“
-Liz
“This was my first pregnancy. My husband and I went to some classes but we knew we were not prepared for that day. Now my father has been in the room with my sisters being their coach but my father passed away 1.5 years so I knew we needed help.
My water broke 2.5 weeks before my due date the day of my baby shower and when we made that 5:15am call Laura was right there. She called and text us all day until we were ready to go to the hospital. My birthing plan was to have her naturally with no drugs but I was very nervous. Laura texted us the whole time we were at the hospital. She told us to call her when we were ready for her to come to the hospital. When Laura got to the hospital I was relaxing in the Jacuzzi. Laura quickly told me that I needed to move around because I was not gonna be ready to give birth by time the doctor came in the next morning at 10:30 AM. Thank God she came because when the doctor arrived I was 4 cm dilated and by 1:30/2pm was 8 cm dilated and was ready to push. Now during this time my contractions were coming on stronger and I forgot all about my birth plan Laura was right there ensuring that my plan was put into motion. Laura was able to step in and speak to the midwife and the nurses when I was ready to push. I had a vaginal birth with no drugs but did get nitrous oxide for pain management.
I thank Laura for being there for me and my husband when we delivered a precious baby girl. With the help of Laura I was able to honor my father and stick to my birthing plan. Even after we gave birth they have still been a great support for us especially being first time parents. I would recommend Laura to all my friends and family. “
-Earth Shay
“I was someone who was terrified to give birth and having Laura as my doula made the entire experience great! Before giving birth, she helped ease any of my concerns and gave me practical things to do. She checked in with me every day as my due date approached, which was helpful and I felt cared for. My husband was especially thankful for her services because she also eased his mind about what to expect, what’s helpful during labor and delivery, etc. I ended up having a surprisingly (very) fast labor and delivery–even though I needed to be induced–and Laura showed up to the hospital within minutes of hearing I was in labor! She also helped me extensively postpartum (both in the hospital and in our post-natal visit) with breastfeeding, newborn care, etc. She is such a down-to-earth, friendly, and likable person, it was a blessing to have her by my side during the process! She helped to make my pregnancy/birthing experience one that I can look back on with joy. I highly recommend Laura!”
-Alyssa
“Laura was the backbone of my labor experience. She held it all together when I thought my plans were falling apart. She is a true patient advocate. Everything she does is for the good of her client. I was hesitant to even hire a doula wondering what the benefits would be, but now looking back at it, if I did not have her there by my side, my labor and delivery story would be a total nightmare. Laura does it all! She was there for me before the birth of my son and still there after! Heck she even put gloves on ready to help deliver my baby!”
-Grace Coslow
“I highly recommend Laura! Laura has been an amazing support system with sleep training my daughter. She has extensive personal and professional experience and provided custom and specific plans to work with my our schedule and to help my daughter self soothe herself to sleep. Laura not only provided a plan but also provided the research and helped me feel comfortable in the process. She followed up quickly and provided support for each developmental cycle. Call Laura if you need Doula services and/ or help with sleep training!“
-Michelle Draper
We took an Infant Care class with Laura via Zoom. She was so engaging and was more than happy to answer our all our questions. We have found the information from her class invaluable since the birth of our daughter. Would highly recommend a class with her!
-Kim
As a first time mom, I had no idea what to expect when the baby comes, and felt anxious about becoming a new parent. A friend suggested working with a postpartum doula, and it was the first time I heard about the concept of a doula. I interviewed several candidates and Laura made me feel the most at ease, not only due to her wealth of experience and knowledge, but also her empathy and cheerful personality.
Fast forward to today, with a thriving 8-week old chilling on my chest, I look back on the earlier weeks and cannot thank Laura enough for helping me find my bearings as a new mom. Even though, due to COVID, we did not have any in-person support, we started Zoom sessions right from the first week. I was exhausted, panicked, sleep deprived, with occasional bouts of baby blues. Laura gave me so many survival tips, from “sleep shaping”, to breast feeding, to mental health, to baby soothing. She was like a nurse, a lactation consultant, a therapist and a sleep consultant combined. She was always there to listen, and always made me feel so at ease, and her advice have always been so practical AND evidence based. After every session, she would send me detailed notes about her recommendations, suggested readings. She also checks in with me via text every now and then, which makes me feel so supported. Knowing I have her to talk to significantly reduced my new mom anxiety, and helped build up my confidence quickly in the first few weeks.
Now, my 8-week-old daughter is nursing like a champ, hitting all the milestones, and just started sleeping 6-7 hour stretches at night for almost a week. I attribute many of these early success to Laura’s support. I cannot recommend Laura enough for postpartum care!
-Audrey Z
Laura is a wonderful doula, she is very patient and knowledgeable. She was an excellent support for us in our postpartum journey.
She helped me practice different nursing positions and educated me with correct latching technique. She was always there to listen and talk about my concerns and fears. She also shared many reading materials and supportive websites. She gave me the confidence that I needed during the first few weeks of postpartum. Her support made a lot of difference.
Laura is an amazing person and a wonderful doula, I would recommend her without any reservation.
-Malavika
From our very first FaceTime chat, Laura stood out from the other doulas I had previously interviewed. She is super friendly, knowledgeable, confident and organized. I didn’t know the entire scope of what doulas did until our contract started. When it comes to Laura, there is no limit to what she can do. Not only was she amazing with my toddler and newborn from the first second she met them, but she also supported my spouse and I on many levels. Some examples of her support: helping me with my postpartum recovery by facilitating naps, caring for my children, bringing me food/water/supplements and making them accessible to me (as to limit me going up and down the stairs), pumping/feeding support, picking up supplies, and one of my personal favorites: organizing a significant portion of my house! I thought I was organized, but Laura’s organizational skills are on another level. She also brought over fun toys and activities to keep my toddler entertained. She styled her hair, made homemade play dough, baked princess cupcakes, introduced her to new games and toys, and did bike riding and outdoor water play, among other things. Laura is a wealth of information and because of that, I also had her train my current babysitter on newborn care. My mind was constantly blown by the wide range of help she would provide on a daily/weekly basis and she was an integral part of my postpartum recovery. I will always recommend Laura and Princeton Doulas to anyone looking for excellent quality postpartum support. I am forever grateful for what she did for us during one of the most intense, exhausting and emotionally charged times of my life.
-Gilda Zikria
I felt comfortable with Laura the moment we met. Her passion, confidence, and wisdom on birth made me feel more confident going into my labor. Both my spouse and I felt equipped and empowered by her presence. It helped us have a really positive birth experience that I will always cherish. I would absolutely recommend Laura. You’re in such good, caring hands with her support.
-Kayla
We are so thankful we had Laura and her team throughout our pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum journeys. Having the ability to contact them with questions about what was happening to my body and what to expect leading up to the big day was such a relief. While my labor was a bit of a rarity to everyone including the doctors, we would have been lost without Laura during our delivery. She balances the line around allowing the intimacy between partners to exist and suggesting position changes and new ideas to progress labor. Finally it was wonderful having our postpartum visit to work through breastfeeding and ease our transition as a new family. Thank you Laura!
-Rebecca Emig
Laura was my doula for the birth of my 1st baby and will be assisting me for my next baby. Looking back at my pregnancy and delivery I can’t imagine doing it without her. I can honestly say that if it were not for Laura by my side during my long labor my birth experience had potential to be traumatic.
Laura is intelligent, reliable, extremely personable, and adapts well in any situation. As a mother of 3 she thinks with her heart, Laura makes sure that your pregnancy and birthing experience are personalized for you. She not only equipped me with all the knowledge I needed, but she explained everything leaving me and my husband confident and comfortable.
Laura was crucial during my labor and delivery. I had a very long labor and I truly believe I was able to push myself in ways I didn’t believe was possible because of her. She kept my husband occupied, eased his mind during labor and held my hand every step of the way. I am so proud of myself and I wouldn’t have accomplished these things if she wasn’t there to support me and my husband.
-Tiffani Beczo
I highly recommend Laura Martin to any woman looking for a doula that is empowering and supportive. I wanted an unmedicated birth and I know I would have never been able to achieve this without Laura. During labor it is so easy to become anxious or feel like you cannot do it without an epidural. Laura helped me feel calm, empowered, and ready for the monumentous occassion. Laura was the perfect mix of “there for me, but not overbearing.” She helped my husband feel useful and supportive as well. I am forever greatful for her service and look back on my experience with so much love and pride thanks to her!
-Melissa M.
My wife and I found Laura during our long search for a doula. We interviewed a number of doulas and our choice was easy after speaking with Laura. Her demeanor and love of educating my wife on all things baby was apparent from the start. I will say that her attitude towards doctors and nurses was refreshing. We felt like a lot of the people we interviewed were combative towards doctors and nurses. Laura explained the reasons for why modern medicine is the way it is and walked us through how to approach the situation in calm non combative manor. Her pre and postpartum classes were extremely helpful and gave us the tools to take on the job of parenthood. We felt as prepared as we could be when we entered and exited the hospital! We could not reccomend her enough.
-Michael Knipe
Laura and her team member Danielle were wonderful! During our meetings and in the weeks leading up to labor, they were thoughtful and responsive, going out of their way to give me thorough responses to my questions. It’s clear they have a lot of knowledge and passion for this work, and they both bring such kindness, warmth, competency, and good humor to the whole process, which set me at ease immediately. Laura was there for my delivery, and her knowledge combined with her calm, supportive, down-to-earth, and rallying energy was exactly what I needed to have the kind of delivery I had hoped for. We also appreciated how she supported and enabled my husband to be involved. I would absolutely recommend Laura and her team to anyone looking for a great doula!
-JT