Kristen Penner, My Doula Effect
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Reviews (2)
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Review from the 2024 Birthing SurveyKristen was so lovely and a fantastic source of information leading up to delivery, and a huge source of physical and mental comfort during labor. I ended up delivering 3.5 weeks early and she was my first call when my water spontaneously broke - she helped me through some tough early decisions and always kept my intentions in mind.
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Review Submitted June 2025I'm writing to share our family's unabashedly positive experience with Kristen Penner of My Doula Effect as a birth doula. We have, in the weeks following our birth experience, said that Kristen was the best money we've ever spent - we truly do not know how we would have gotten through this experience (50 hours of labor, 44 of which unmedicated, ending in a c-section) without her guidance and support. Prenatal: We had two prenatal visits with Kristen that were incredibly helpful in preparing us for all of the possibilities of labor. The first was virtual (due to our schedules - Kristen was planning for an in-person meeting) and she walked us through all of the possibilities of birth, intervention by intervention. This meeting proved invaluable as we advocated for our preferences at the hospital. The second prenatal was in-person and Kristen walked us through various labor support positions and a ton of information about what to expect at the hospital and what to expect when coming home. We were especially thankful for Kristen's thoughtfulness around our reactive dog - she was happy to meet us at a coffee shop, and also had some dog-related strategies for the early days at home prepared for us to discuss. Kristen really took the time to get to know our family during these meetings, which enabled her to really speak to us during labor using our values and language that resonated with us. Her intake form was also very thorough and seems to have given her a good grounding in working with us. Early Labor: Kristen was on-call for us from 36 weeks - our instructions were to call her once contractions were timable, then she would head to our house once we could no longer talk through contractions. She spoke with us on a Sunday night when contractions began, then several times through the day Monday to help us figure out effective comfort measures at home and to determine how and when to work to move labor along. She came to our home on Monday evening around 11:15 PM and was with us for nearly 24 hours from that point. At home, she helped with counterpressure, strategies for relaxing in the face of contractions, aromatherapy, and general positivity and calm. Her presence also allowed us to get some rest in the early morning before heading to the hospital around 4:00 AM. Active Labor: Once at the hospital, Kristen continued to be with us every step of the way, helping to make the triage room comfortable and relaxing, supporting through contractions, and advocating for our family with nurses and hospital staff. She integrated flawlessly with our midwifery and nursing team. She continued supporting with comfort measures, position changes, aromatherapy, and relaxation strategies. Her expertise was invaluable - she was constantly reassuring, monitoring, and nurturing. When we opted for an epidural, she was unabashedly supportive and easily pivoted her support to the physical limitations of an epidural (on the bed, supported positions). Change of Plans: Ultimately, our birth story ended in a c-section - a change of plans that was jarring for our family. We credit Kristen's support, expertise, and reassurance through that change with our ability to manage it in the moment and afterwards. As we were deciding how to proceed, she shared her perspective thoughtfully and effectively, ultimately giving us the confidence to proceed with the c-section. As only one support person was allowed in the operating room, she headed home soon after the c-section began with plans to visit us at the hospital for a postpartum appointment. Postpartum: Kristen was in regular contact with us for the 24-48 hours following birth and has also checked in more recently. She visited the hospital for our postpartum appointment and gave us invaluable support with breastfeeding and family adjustment. She also offers additional postpartum meetings in the home, which we aren't planning to use due to our reactive dog. However, for anyone else planning to hire her, note that she is a lactation counselor so can serve as a one-stop shop for postpartum support + professional lactation support.
