Testimonials

Wendy & Eric (2023)

Erin Ursin is an incredilble doula who I would highly recommend. After having a c-section with our first child, we decided to hire a doula to help me have a VBAC for our second child. My husband and I believe hiring Erin was the best decision we made and that she is the reason we were able to have a successful VBAC with our second child.

I was told I needed to be induced three weeks early due to having choleostasis, and Erin was a huge support to us immediately when we found out the news. She came to our house to walk us through what the induction process would look like and then came to the hospital as my labor started progressing. She was right next to me giving me so many helpful tips on positions to try and breathing techniques to help with pain management. My husband loved how this also helped him know how to support me. There were many decisions that we had to make quickly and Erin was such an amazing sounding board to help us think through those. At one point, we had to make the decision on whether or not to have a C-section and Erin’s thoughtful, calm explanation of what the options were helped us feel confident to continue trying for the VBAC. In the end, waiting just a little longer gave my body the time it needed to have a succesful vaginal birth.

Not only was the birthing experience itself helpful but so were the postpartum follow ups where she came to our house. Again, I can’t say enough about how wonderful she is to work with!

Grace & Alexi (2022)

We are so grateful for Michelle! I know my words won’t do her justice because she really is truly wonderful! But I’ll try.

We were pregnant with our first baby and interviewed a few doulas but decided to work with Michelle because we felt a calming presence with her that made us feel very comfortable. We had a lot of anxiety about the first baby and Michelle was so empathetic and knowledgeable and non-judgmental; she took the time and care to answer our all questions, send us resources, and check in on how both me and my husband were doing in the weeks leading up to our due date.

Nothing about our labor experience went how we were expecting (should have figured that!). Baby was 10 days past his due date and Michelle helped us navigate all the stress and anticipation that came with that. She reminded us to focus on self care and gave us some stretches/exercises we could do to try to encourage labor. We decided to induce on day 10, and encountered some complications and challenges with labor and delivery. We couldn’t have done it without Michelle! She provided immense support during the unexpected complications and the tools/resources she had provided us before really helped us feel more comfortable in our decision making when it was game time.

Michelle continued to check in on us after we got home from the hospital and hit a few more hiccups. She was there for us with more resources and emotional support in processing the eventful labor. She also documented our delivery experience with photos and a detailed timeline, which was such a treasure to have afterward since it felt like such a whirlwind at the time!

I could go on! But really, Michelle is so genuine, knowledgeable, and kind, and it was such a blessing for her to be a part of our experience. We will definitely choose to work with Michelle again for our next pregnancy, and cannot recommend her enough!

AnnaLisa & Mike (2022)

When my husband and I found out we were expecting our second child, we knew we wanted a different birthing experience than our first, which had been a conventional hospital birth with many unwanted interventions.

We had trouble finding a doula we both felt comfortable with, and we almost gave up! Luckily, we were put in contact with Michelle and Erin. We had the pleasure of working with both of them, and we came away from the experience so impressed by their knowledge, attention to detail, genuine care for the client, and friendliness – all while maintaining professionalism and providing the support we only dreamed about having during our birth experience! Both were quick to respond via phone or text, answered every question, and fully supportive of our decisions during the birth. I was able to have the unmedicated birth of my dreams and I attribute that to Erin, who attended the birth and made my husband and I feel fully supported and empowered.

We wholeheartedly recommend Michelle and Erin, and fully intend to hire them again if we add to our family in the future. We couldn’t be happier with their care and our outcome!

Josy & Adam (2022)

Going into my first birth experience hoping for an unmedicated birth I knew I needed to hire a doula. When I met Michelle we clicked instantly and she made me feel comfortable and open to share/ask any questions I had. She is personable and has such a sweet, calming presence. After she came to meet my husband we knew that we had made the right choice. She provided support throughout the weeks leading up to my son’s birth and would check in on me and provide info that I needed.
She coached my husband through what to do while I was still in early labor at home and met us at the birth center. She was present and hands on. She was everything I needed to get through such an intense experience! She was comforting and so knowledgeable about how to keep my labor progressing with different positions but also knew when I need to just rest/relax through contractions.
I can confidently say my birth experience was positive and I felt I remained as calm as possible because of her. I couldn’t have done it without her!
I would recommend Michelle to anyone and everyone! She is amazing 🙂

Erin & Jordan (2022)

Erin was referred to us by our midwife and by the time our initial consult ended, we knew she was the doula for us. She is calm, personable, and knowledgeable — all traits that were very beneficial to us during labor and the birth of our son! Erin gave us a ton of advice and a list of resources to prepare for labor, birth and postpartum recovery. As someone who researches everything, I was happy to be given advice and tips I hadn’t come across yet. Her expertise and familiarity with Spinning Babies and hypnobirthing helped me immensely.

We planned a homebirth for our first birth. Erin guided us during early labor over text and phone and empowered us to get through almost two days of labor. She kept us calm and confident in how things are progressing. During active labor, she kept us focused until our midwife arrived and partnered with my husband to get me through each contraction. She calmly reminded me to keep eating, drinking water, and kept me cool with a compress in between each one. During the pushing stage, she was very encouraging and supportive. She was invaluable to the both of us — both my husband and I question if we would’ve made it through without her!

After our son was born, we celebrated with Erin and our midwives. She helped pick up our space and tucked us in for the day to get to know our baby. The check ins during the days and weeks after were very helpful to answer questions about breastfeeding, diapering and sleep, among other things. She was very reassuring and comforting that we were all on the right track!

We hope to have more kids in the coming years and will be calling to book with Erin right away! We cannot recommend her enough!

Kayla & Dana (2022)

“My husband and I had the most wonderful experience with Michelle as our doula! We honestly can’t say enough good things about her. She was so open, kind, supportive and understanding from the moment we met her. We first met on a Zoom call in which she explained her process about working with birthing families. She was super knowledgeable and helped us feel really informed about what it looks like to work with a doula. Our next visit was in person (in our home!) and Michelle gave us an even more in depth picture of her process and the kinds of support she could offer us. She asked us about what our ideal birth looked like, what our goals were, and how we hoped she could support us during labor and birth. We appreciated Michelle’s intentionality with these things prior to birth because it helped us prepare and know that we were all on the same page. When labor day came, Michelle was available to talk and text as much as needed. She met us at the birth center right when we needed her and stayed with us for the remainder of active labor. My labor ended up being super long (46 hours) and included a hospital transfer and C-section. Michelle was with us for every bit of it, and we so needed her to stay calm and hopeful as things continued changing. She was a constant support through contractions, providing counter pressure whenever I needed it. She was tireless throughout my long labor and stayed positive through every turn. She listened as I cried and helped my husband and I make informed decisions as labor progressed. I truly believe that I was able to handle all the unexpected events and trials of labor due to Michelle’s presence. My husband and I would recommend Michelle to ANYONE looking for a supportive, caring and trustworthy doula for your birth. You won’t regret choosing her! She is wonderful.”

Rachel & Alex (2021)

Erin was an invaluable part of our pregnancy, birth and postpartum. I had always wanted to give birth and to do it without intervention, medications or a hospital setting. After choosing the MN Birth Center, I found Erin’s bio on their doula page, and I could tell straight away she would be a great fit for us and this way of birth; I was even more convinced after our initial meeting. She is professional and personable, and was an invaluable resource during and after pregnancy. She gave great recommendations for useful products, and had resources on posture and optimal positioning, including Spinning Babies. At the time of labor, she was by our side coaching us and giving much-needed encouragrement, as well as suggestions for position changes, breaks/naps and using the available resources in the birth room. All of her suggestions were spot on and helped me better cope with an unmedicated labor. Without her guidance, patience and positivity, it could not have gone as well as it did. I would recommend Erin in a heartbeat to anyone looking for a doula!