"I couldn't have done it without you!"
"I sincerely appreciate all of your advice and assistance during my pregnancy and labor. Knowing that I could count on you for support made me feel very secure and confident. I never felt afraid of labor. I feel this is in large part due to the confidence and sense of calm I got from listening to your CD. Your kind manner and comforting voice and touch really made the labor an event I will remember fondly for the rest of my life!"
"Betsy is passionate about her work, dedicated to her clients, experienced, sensitive...I can't say enough good things about her. The doctors and nurses at Alta Bates loved working with her and my husband and I are eternally grateful."
"From the moment I met you I noticed how calm, present and non-judgemental you are. I knew immediately that I wanted you to be my doula. Little did I know then, that it would be exactly these qualities: your calm, presence, and compassion that would be my absolute salvation during labor. For the ten hours I was challenged with natural, second-stage labor, you were right there absolutely present with me every single second. And I mean every single second. After the baby was born, I looked at you and couldn't imagine how you'd done it!! There you were for twelve straight hours being my support with breathing practices, offering comfort and gentle direction, taking charge when needed, helping me with breastfeeding, and then at the end, somehow making the amazing video. And after all that, you seemed to have as much energy as the moment you arrived. Betsy, I couldn't have had a natural childbirth without you. And I know it was because of your presence, technique, and expertise, that you also helped me avoid having the c-section that they were so ready to perform several times. You worked seamlessly with my midwife, Yeshi Neuman. And your presence never interferred with my husband Piers being able to do his part. I would highly recommend you to any laboring woman."
"I wanted to let you know that you were an incredible source of support and strength during labor and the delivery of our baby girl. Simply put, I don't think I could have done it without you. Thank you so much for being the anchor and guide."
"Betsy’s expertise, perceptiveness, responsiveness, friendly manner and support directly contributed to a larger baby, a natural childbirth and incredible confidence and peace of mind for my husband and me – both going into and the actual birthing process. She’s really, really, really great and we recommend her as highly as possible..." read more
"I just wanted to let you know how grateful Miguel and I are to have had you with us through the labor and birth of Evelyn. I really don't know what we would've done if you hadn't been there. While it took us all by surprise, I'm proud of having done it all naturally and I'm sure my recovery and Evelyn's adjustment to life outside the womb are better for it. Also, knowing that Miguel and I went through a fair amount of labor, at the early part of last Saturday, I can ony attribute the ease of that part of the process to your training and techniques. So, thanks for being part of one of the most surprising and valuable experiences of our life - we believe in your magic powers!"
"I have rarely been so glad to see anyone as to see you at the foot of my bathtub at 4:30 in the morning..." read more
(from mom) "Thank
you so much for your incredible role in helping us deliver our baby! You were
so clear and motivating and supportive throughout our long day - I always
felt you helped us make good decisions and supported our needs so strongly.
Thanks for advocating for us (e.g. going over the birth plan with the OB when
I was out of it) and for really pulling us through to achieve that incredible
birth. I know we were close to a surgical birth and we are so grateful
for your role in helping me do it the "old fashioned way" instead!"
(from dad) "Yes, thank you - you were just so on top of things,
and so diplomatic, and such a terrific partner through the long, arduous process.
We had a wonderful team guiding us through the birth and we are so grateful
that you were part of it. Thank you so much!"
"Thank you so much for your doula services for our firstborn baby. Your support during labor made the birth of our son a great and memorable experience. Our birth could never have gone so smoothly without your presence. My goal was to have a natural, drug-free labor and delivery and you helped us achieve that goal. I found a few things that you said particularly soothing and helpful, for instance, between contractions when you reminded me, 'This is your time to relax, take advantage of this time.' And during contractions you told me, 'Your body is doing its work, there is nothing you need to do.' It was nice to be reminded of little things when my body was undergoing so many changes. The most helpful was the counter-pressure that you and my partner applied to each side of my hips during the contractions."
"We recommend Betsy whole-heartedly
to any couple searching for their birth doula (and we are thrilled that a
couple who are close
friends of ours have already selected her for their upcoming birth). If
you have met Betsy, then you have probably already experienced her presence.
Betsy's long practice of yoga and zen meditation has made her into a healthy,
balanced and centered person. Her passion for her calling has caused her to
work hard to prepare herself on several levels for the demands of her job.
She is wise and compassionate, and knows very well the needs of both the mother
and the father/partner. There are many fine doulas in the San Francisco Bay
Area, but we cannot imagine a better doula. Be sure to take Betsy's hypnobirthing
course, and to do the 'homework' that she assigns. We did it even though it
wasn't clear that it was resulting in any noticeable improved ability to relax.
Yet, when the time came, it was clear that the exercises made a huge difference
and I was able to fall into deep relaxation between the powerful contractions,
which made all the difference."
"We'd like to highly recommend Betsy Appell, the doula who helped us with our recent birth. Betsy visited with us twice before the birth, spending as much time as necessary walking us through what to expect, talking about our wishes for the birth, and giving us relaxation and childbirth-preparation exercises. She's a yoga teacher, as well, and she made her lovely home studio in Berkeley available for prenatal yoga for four students at a time. She has a very realistic and calming way about her, and her confident support is worth its weight in gold. But it was during labor that Betsy really outdid herself. She got to the house quickly and helped find comfortable and calming positions for what was a very fast and hard, four-hour labor. She helped get us to the hospital when it was clear the birth was progressing quite quickly, and once there, she worked skillfully and diplomatically with our midwife and the nursing staff at Alta Bates. She was referred to us by a good friend, and we're thankful we had her there with us during labor and delivery."
