Brooklyn Birth Arts

Choosing to hire a doula was a last-minute decision, and one I am so glad we made – because we found Heather! Any apprehension I had about having enough time to establish a comfortable relationship before birth went right out the window, as Heather’s warm demeanor made it feel like she had always been a part of my support team. She provided helpful resources and information, and immediately scheduled a distanced and masked in-person visit to guide me and my husband through early labor positions and comfort techniques. Heather was the first person I texted when I suspected contractions had begun, and she remained on-call throughout the day, helping myself and my husband stay as relaxed as could be. She came over once she knew she would be needed, and helped me labor at home by suggesting and assisting with different positions, encouraging my husband and I to stay fed and hydrated, creating a peaceful atmosphere with dim lights and candles, helping me manage my nausea with essential oils, and offering encouraging words and reminders that helped to ground me through contractions. Her attitude and expertise were pivotal in extending our labor at home, thus requiring less time at the hospital and ultimately helping me to achieve my goal of a natural birth. She continued to provide invaluable support while at the hospital, and helped us settle in post-delivery. While Heather’s photography services were not included in our package, she generously offered to take photos with our camera – I am so grateful that she captured these powerful memories. Heather has made it clear that she is available for continued support, even beyond her postpartum visit. I am beyond thankful to her for her role in creating such a positive birth experience for myself and my husband – While hiring her was a late decision, it was one of the best ones I made during my pregnancy.

Heather is more than a doula, she is a birth angel! My husband and I credit my successful 20 hour unmedicated labor and delivery in June 2018 to Heather's calming presence, endless pain management techniques, extensive experience and unflappable personality. She is the only person with whom I could imagine sharing this most intimate and transformative experience. Heather has a gift for imparting her decades of birth worker knowledge while helping a first time mother like me embrace my natural birthing instincts. She does not take the place of your husband or partner. Instead, she ensures that your support person is active and involved in a productive way that helps labor progress and eases discomfort. She is nonjudgmental and welcoming of all birth experiences. My husband and I chose to have a hospital birth, but with Heather's help, we were able to primarily labor in the comfort of our own home and arrive at the hospital when I was 9cm dilated. She is the Mary Poppins of doulas with a birth bag that included anything we'd ever need. From inflatable birthing balls that helped me cope with contractions, to essential oils that masked hospital smells with lavender aroma, to the perfect length straws so I’d never have to spend an extra ounce of energy to stretch my neck to hydrate, there is nothing that Heather hasn't thought through. She has a gift for communicating with doctors, nurses and hospital workers in a way that elicits mutual respect. When I needed to advocate for myself, she helped me communicate my wishes in a way that ensured they would be heard and respected. Somehow, as she was tending to me and my husband, applying counter pressure during contractions, carrying our luggage and helping us navigate hospital bureaucracy, Heather managed to photograph the most unforgettable moments of our birth. I cannot recommend her highly enough. No matter what kind of birth you are planning, hiring Heather will ensure that you have an empowered and memorable experience, complete with photos so you can relive every special moment!

We absolutely loved having Heather as our doula and birth photographer for both of our children’s births 08/2013 and 01/2017! Her advice and support made my husband and I both feel much more confident for my first birth and allowed me to labor naturally until an emergency c-section. Her support afterwards and her photos resulted in me feeling very empowered emotionally even though my birth had not gone as I had originally hoped. Her constant support from sleeping habits to pumping advice was critical long beyond the birth and she provided some of our most favorite photos throughout my son’s first years of life. Heather made it possible for me to have the VBAC of my dreams, and I truly believe that without her I would have had a repeat c-section. She helped me assemble a team that was unilaterally supportive of a VBAC, something which gave me and my husband so much comfort and confidence going into our birthing experience. When it came time for my labor, Heather’s calming and experienced confidence and support was critical to my daughter’s birth. My husband and I both feel that I got the birth of my dreams and it was only possible with Heather as a part of our team. We will treasure our birth photos forever! Heather has an incredibly artistic eye and is capable of documenting all the small details and large events at the same time. No matter how old our children become we know Heather will always be ‘our doula’ and friend.

I just gave birth with Heather as our doula and birth photographer. She was absolutely incredible. I was able to have an unmedicated hospital birth with her help and firmly believe this would not have been possible without her knowledge and support. She knew exactly when was the right time to get to the hospital including timing a need for antibiotics before delivery and her instincts throughout my labor were spot on. When I stopped progressing during labor she assured me that labor is not linear and suggested a variety of positions that helped get the baby in the right position - so much so that she predicted I would progress quickly after a change in position so accurately that the midwife had to rush to get ready for pushing - the midwife didn't think it would happen as quickly as it did! When I doubted myself she kept on encouraging me throughout telling me I could do it and constantly found ways to help me cope - we joke now that she gave me a 5+ hour butt massage yes, she did! In addition to her confidence and expertise, she was an incredible partner with the whole birth team and my husband. She empowered my husband to be a true support partner throughout the labor - they were able to work seamlessly giving me support throughout and in no way did he feel that she "replaced" him. In fact - I needed both of them throughout the labor. She also worked excellently with the midwives and nurses - conversing with them quietly when they needed to discuss my progress so I would not get distracted and my wishes to NOT know how far along I was were respected. Lastly, she was very cautious with Covid - getting tested weekly and wearing a mask throughout labor I've never actually seen her full face!. Heather is worth every penny! I haven't seen the birth photos yet but I'm sure they will be wonderful. As a side note - she is also great with pets. I have a very jumpy / traumatized dog and she was so good in getting to know him so he felt comfortable by the time she came for the postpartum visit he was all over her!.

Heather White is a most essential ingredient to a successful birth experience. She is supportive, thorough, enthusiastic, of boundless energy and wants the very best for you. She is understanding, empathetic and is able to anticipate one's needs. She was by my side, with extra cliff bars, organic teas and crackers from the moment I beckoned for her help. I ended up laboring in the hospital because my water broke early and Heather helped make that last minute change of plans into the perfect option. Heather's home visits were replete with welcome tips and advice, as well as hands on practice. Heather was a kindred spirit in terms of going the natural route with birth, with diapers, with healthy food, and with clothes and toys for the baby. I can recommend her full throttle, no hesitation!

Heather is a wonderful person, period. Not only is she very supportive and attentive as a doula but also incredibly talented as a photographer. When I first met her I felt we clicked right away and I just knew I had to have her present at my son's birth. Her thinking and childrearing ideas are very similar to mine so our conversation she'll visit you in your home before the birth so that you and your partner can get acquainted and feel comfortable with one another quickly turned from my vision of childbirth to cloth diapering and Ina May Gaskin. Heather made me feel comfortable and at ease throughout the pregnancy and beyond: she was there for me when I needed to vent, knew exactly what kind of nursing bra to recommend and which pediatrician would work for me. At my son's birth, she was the one handing me coconut water and massaged my back through contractions. She was also the one who helped me get over my despair when it turned out I had to have a C-section instead of my dream water birth: she knew exactly what to say to console me and be strong for my baby. To top it all off, her pictures of my son's birth just blew me away - she has an eye for catching those priceless moments so I still get shivers up and down my spine when I look at her pictures. Thank you, Heather!