Boston Doula Services — Local services in Boston

I found Gill Emery and Boston Doula Services through DONA International as I was intrigued by the certifications of this practice that was still so new to me. I reached out in late October, wondering if I was too late to fit into her schedule. Gill and I set up a call and from the first minute we connected on the phone, I knew Gill would be an impactful and essential part of my family’s life.

My daughter was born after 24 hours of labor and an unplanned C-Section. After arriving home 3 days later, Gill was there shortly after to start helping my husband and I get used to our new life, help us with our daughter, and connecting with me to make sure I was taking care of myself both physically and mentally. As a major “Type A” person, I couldn’t imagine sitting on the couch recovering for 6 weeks when I had a new daughter crying every hour for more milk. But Gill made me see that if I wasn’t taking care of myself first and foremost, I couldn’t take care of the rest of my family. Gill was right there to help me through every latch, to help me build a strong bond with breastfeeding my daughter, played with our black lab like she had known her forever, and slowly but surely, helped me to get back on my feet and regain my confidence in assuming my new role as a mother. We also secretly looked forward to the days Gill would arrive with a delicious frittata or her amazing Tuscan Bean Soup with freshly baked bread.

My husband and I are so grateful for Gill being a part of our lives and family those first 10 weeks. She has the most amazing outlook on life and her guidance and advice on navigating the world of a newborn was invaluable. I loved the company as motherhood can feel so lonely at times. We share a love of international travel, admiring different airlines and daydreaming of far-off places in Europe to return to after the pandemic. We talked about cooking and our dogs and gardening – and made me feel excited to start experiencing all of my hobbies again with my daughter as she grows. I can’t thank Gill enough for her kindness, friendship, compassion, and generosity that she shared with me. Gill will always be part of our family and our daughter’s life. I would recommend Gill to anyone seeking to ensure their mental, physical, and spiritual health is intact as you welcome a newborn into the world. A women cannot meet the needs of her family and loved ones if she is not meeting her own needs first and Gill really helped me to prioritize this perspective as a woman...

If you are reading this review to try to decide whether to hire Gill, look no further and book her immediately. I’d consider having another baby just so I could hang out with her again (joking…kind of).

I hired Gill for some help with my newborn, whom I’m raising as a single mom. She came highly recommended and I booked her early in my second trimester. I’m glad I did because she books up fast.

During the nighttime shifts, Gill arrived at 10pm. I would finish feeding the baby and get up to my bedroom to find she had turned down my sheets. When the baby woke to feed she’d bring him to me, talk with me while I fed him (which also ensured I didn’t fall asleep), change his diaper in between sides to wake him up, and then take him away and cuddle him so I could go right back to sleep. When he was sleeping she did all kinds of helpful things- laundry, dishes, even cutting up fruit I had bought so that I could actually eat it instead of inevitably ignoring it for a week and throwing it in the compost.

She brought homemade soup and bread. Homemade toast and butter during a 3am feed is heavenly.

During her daytime visits, Gill helped me get familiar with pumping and bottle feeding, held the baby so I could get some stuff done around the house, and helped me get some much needed naps in. One afternoon she took my baby on a two hour walk and I took the most glorious nap while he got some sunlight and fresh air. Another time she came in the morning so I could sleep in and then she made me poached eggs for breakfast!

The advice Gill dispensed was invaluable, from endless guidance on breastfeeding to tips on how to “nudge” the baby towards a better sense of night and day. She is warm, kind, funny, and so loving. She gave me confidence during a time when everything was so new and disorienting. My baby blues were intense and Gill was my lifeline during that time. I literally cried after her last overnight because she had become such an important part of my journey as a new mom.

Gill is simply the best. She will love and nurture your baby and you, and help your family adjust to this crazy newborn time. Worth...

Gill was an absolute lifesaver for our family. She was with us for the first 8 weeks post-partum, starting with mostly night shifts and then transitioning to day shifts. This was our first child and I knew immediately after speaking with Gill that she would be the perfect fit for us. She is extremely knowledgeable about everything from birth preferences and pre-labor advice to postpartum recovery and lactation advice. She would never be prescriptive or overbearing with her advice. She was always just there for support and was easy to talk to and ask questions.

She helped us tremendously in the first few weeks when I unexpectedly was immobile due to postpartum complications. She brought the baby to me for feedings and helped me in & out of bed. She allowed my husband to get a full nights sleep on the nights she was with us and gave me additional a few more hours of sleep. And she was lovely to chat with while I was feeding the baby and keeping me company. When the baby was sleeping, she happily jumped into tidying the house, doing our household laundry, and any dishes or bottles. She was loving and nurturing to our daughter and handled her with ease and expertise. And she was full of useful tips from breastfeeding positions, rash/skin irritation treatments, soothing methods, pumping advice, you name it! She even cooked for us or made recipes we had including lactation cookies.

Lastly, she was amazing for my mental health. Especially when I was physically still recovering and was struggling with my milk slowing coming in and our baby not gaining back birth weight fast enough. She was there to cheer me on, provide encouragement and offer support and reassurance. So needed as a new mom! She was always there to assuage my fears and concerns. She helped me and my husband feel relaxed and confident as new parents. Our baby is happier and healthier because of that time she...