I keep trying to think of how to write to say thank you and the words (and time) escape me.  It was incredibly meaningful and filling to experience yesterday’s rituals and care. 

The profoundness of mamahood is so big that having you ground and celebrate the moment brought me into a giddy-ness again about having my babe.  And I slept so well having had some care and my cup filled.  I’m so grateful.  

Katie

First-time Mother

O’Nell supported me after the birth of my son in August….seriously mamas, she is so deeply empathic, skilled, loving, and a deep well of mothering wisdom.

Jayantii

Second-time Mother

O’Nell proved to be an excellent caretaker of our twins. She was very observant of their behavior and their moods and despite only spending two or three mornings a week with us, she was able to quickly pick up the rhythms of their days. Her skill and knowledge in caring for newborns, including premature ones like ours, was both reassuring and impressive.

Despite her caretaking skill and knowledge, she was never forceful in presenting what she knew, never impatient in manner, voice or gesture. She completely adapted to and supported the schedule that we had for the twins and quickly became a trusted friend/confidante/advisor to my wife.

O’Nell and her calm, gentle, and confident demeanor very quickly became a welcome presence in our house. I can’t say enough about how she integrated herself into the way our house operates.

O’Nell also has impressive personal initiative. While she was with us, she made us feel that her role was to support out family in any way she could. She would look to see if shopping needed to be done and would offer to go. She would see dishes that needed to be done and would do them. She would see laundry needing to be washed or folded and would do them. Once we found her disinfecting doorknobs to help prevent the spread of our two year old’s cold.

Within the first several days of O’Nell working with us, we realized that we didn’t want to live without her. Had she been available, we would have hired her for every waking hour of her day.

In the four months that O’Nell has been working with us, I can’t imagine a doula who could have been more caring, more competent, or given more love to our twins than she has. My wife and I both feel very privileged to have been able to have O’Nell work with us. O’Nell couldn’t have chosen a better name for her services. She deservedly earns my highest recommendation. Kevin

Second-time father

O’Nell was a complete blessing to have in our lives. She had amazing ideas and would take initiative all of the time to be helpful. Her manor with our twin girls was loving and compassionate. She is also very patient and would ask us if we’d eaten or slept well. Earth Angel is a very appropriate title to describe O’Nell. Any baby and new parent would be fortunate and lucky to have her with them during the transition. She is really one of a kind and we are blessed to have had her with us for our new parent experience. She has made us better parents and we love her like family now and will miss her dearly. I am so glad she was in our girls’ lives. Patricia & Kyle

First-time parents

O’Nell gives security and confidence to the mothers she works with. The mothers we worked with always commented to me on the bigness of her heart and her caring eyes. She is so tender and gentle with the babies and it is obvious that she has much respect and attention for each individual.

Many women came back multiple times for her postpartum massages and to gain help with breastfeeding. Her heart is full of joy for working with mothers, birth, and infants and I recommend her as a birth or postpartum doula to anyone who wants to feel supported and encouraged as a mother. Angelina

Traditional Midwife, Temixco, Mexico

I can’t thank you enough for all of the nurturing support you provided me after Silas’s birth.  It was such a treat to be on the receiving end!  Your calm presence, listening ear, and magical touch were exactly what I needed.  Keep doing what you’re doing!

Anna

Fourth-time Mother

After taking a private newborn/parenting class with O’Nell Starkey I felt immensely supported and well informed. Heading into the adventure of childbirth and parenthood is such a huge event. She tailored my private class to my specific questions and concerns. It was so easy to talk to her about my hopes and fears regarding these upcoming early weeks postpartum with my newborn son. The information she shared with me both clarified misconceptions I’d had and gave me good information and resources. I wish all new parents could spend some time learning from and being supported by such an intelligent, educated, kind, clear-spoken ally. Georgia Rose

First-time Mother

After the birth of my second son, O’Nell treated me with three beautifully nourishing therapies – a yoni steam, a full body/hot stone womb massage, and a closing the bones ceremony.  These special times where I was seen and heard as the powerful, yet extremely vulnerable, woman and mother I now am were so crucial in my integration of it all.  Amidst all the changes and the seemingly chaotic energy, I was able to drop into safety and love because of the way O’Nell held me.  She felt like a dear sister even though we had just met.  All women deserve to be cared for so tenderly and righteously after the transformation of giving birth to new life”

Michelle

Second-time Mother

It was so wonderful having O’Nell’s gentle, warm presence during a sometimes difficult and chaotic transition! I especially appreciated her ability to enter our home and immediately join us in whatever activity/task – matching our energy/pace or offering a complementary alternative. She was also extremely flexible – able to switch tasks spontaneously – and efficient – able to whip up a meal in a few minutes! She was reliable and timely – so reassuring in a time when little was predictable!

It seemed like not a moment was wasted – O’Nell made such good use of her time with us – she struck a perfect balance of taking the initiative to complete tasks unprompted by me (packing a snack/water bottle for an excursion with toddler), while also following my lead and remaining attuned to my needs. O’Nell has a gift with babies, toddlers, and mothers alike. I so appreciated the time she spent with our family. Julie

Second-time mother

O’Nell is an amazing baby whisperer. She is incredibly knowledgeable about all things baby. I must have asked her hundreds of questions and she answered each one with such wisdom, loving presence, and great information. All of the resources she offered were useful and helped me become a better mother.

I learned from watching her interact with my baby. She modeled slow, loving interactions with baby so beautifully. She also took care of me by feeding me, massaging me, doing ritual with me before baby was born, and making sure I was taking care of myself.

As a new parent, there was so much I didn’t even know I needed to learn. O’Nell taught parenting skills with care, grace, and excellent up to date information. I appreciated her knowledge of natural child care and progressive approach to babies.

O’Nell brought so much sweetness to my experience of motherhood by caring for me and teaching me how to care for my baby better. She is truly an earth angel! Alyssa

First-time Mother

We are so thankful that O’Nell was part of the birth of our son, Alec! O’Nell supported our entire family in the endless days before delivery, a long and complicated birth, and the sleepless postpartum nights. My husband and our four year old son particularly benefited from her loving attention during the challenging transition of welcoming our second child into the family. O’Nell has enough love for you, your new baby, and your entire family! You will never be sorry you invited her to participate in this exciting part of your life. (p.s. Ask her for a massage and you will want her to move in with your family forever.) Thank you, thank you, O’Nell! Tisha

Second-time Mother

Every new family should be blessed with support for welcoming a new baby, however, some new mothers are left to struggle through the first few intense weeks alone. With no mother types, sister, or girlfriend available to offer daily support, I was intensely overwhelmed by being a mother. I was consumed with the idea that all of my friends had motherly types to support and encourage them. They had someone they could ask to cook a meal, fold some laundry, or watch the baby while they napped. Finally, I decided I needed to find someone to help me and O’Nell Starkey came into my life.

Now that my son is almost a year old, I finally have the support and help I need to feel balance in my life again. O’Nell has a wonderful relationship with my son, and he loves spending time with her. While they play, I am allowed to rest or to cross a few things of my to-do list. When my son naps, O’Nell makes us meals and helps with chores like laundry. I also use nap times to ask her questions about my son’s development, depending on her early childhood education background to help enlighten me. Most importantly, O’Nell is even able to stay with him in the evenings (baby’s hardest time without mommy) leaving me and my husband to go on dates and spend time connecting with each other in a way that was impossible before.

O’Nell’s services have revolutionized my life, and my only complaint is that I did not find her earlier! If I have another child, a post-partum doula will certainly be a part of my plan! Holly

First-time Mother