Knoxville Doula
Testimonials & Photos
I hired Kimberly after interviewing with a couple of other doulas and felt she was the right match for my family.She made herself very available to me in the weeks leading up to the birth, and I even harassed her a few times through the pregnancy with minor questions which she was quick to answer with an educated response. I felt very at ease with her and many times she calmed my nerves.We had discussed my fears about going natural and she made it clear that she was NOT a Natural- Nazi, however she does appreciate a natural birth. She was extremely supportive during my labor and used some breathing and relaxation techniques which worked wonderful for me. I made it to 5 cm and then felt like I should get the epidural, so I did, and I actually layed in Kimberly's arms practically as they did it. I dilated quick to 10 cm. My daughters shoulder got stuck during delivery (known as shoulder dystocia) and things got crazy, the medical staff wanted her out very very quick , everyone was screaming at me, and all I could do was look at Kimberly's calm face, gently telling me to push and that I was doing great. She was amazing. My daughters shoulder did not need to be broken and she was 100% healthy. Kimberly stayed after the labor and got her happily onto the breast. Her job was complete and I was beyond satisfied with her performance. I also hired her for postpartum work. She is magnificent when it comes to the calming touch. So many times I was at wits end, Kimberly would hold the baby and within minutes, she was soundly asleep in the arms of "her best friend" (the name I have dubbed Kimberly with since Sydney loves her so much).
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I'm so grateful I found you, I feel very lucky! Hopefully other clients will maintain their positive attitude and be just as grateful for your help as I am! :-) -- Holly Marie Stewart
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A very sweet email I received back after helping
a mama find a Pregnancy/Infant Loss Support group for her area (across
the country):
The lists are so long! I am SURE we will find something. Thank you so much for all of your help and effort. It makes me feel so good that a stranger would put even the smallest bit of effort in to help us find help. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
The lists are so long! I am SURE we will find something. Thank you so much for all of your help and effort. It makes me feel so good that a stranger would put even the smallest bit of effort in to help us find help. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
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Breastfeeding support email I received:
Hey I just wanted to say thank you so much for helping me
and journey with our feeding, and also for all the advice you gave
me!!! You are a blessing!!! Thank You!! -- Journey's mom
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Childbirth Classes:
Thank you for teaching the class! we had a great time and
learned a lot. I think the class was a great empowering tool for the
husbands, so they don't feel so helpless when we actually go into labor.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kimberly has been the moderator of our Post-Partum Depression forum on KnoxvilleMommies.com for the last 7 months. She is very involved with the group, volunteering her time and advice to moms, along with a sympathetic ear. Our moms going through PPD know they have someone they can trust to go to 24/7, KnoxvilleMommies.com feels very privileged to have someone so knowledgeable and kind on our staff!
--Amber White, Administrator, KnoxvilleMommies.com
--Amber White, Administrator, KnoxvilleMommies.com
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"Just like family!"
Kym and my backup doula, Toni, were so wonderful during my birthing experience that I labored for twenty eight hours with very little medication and delivered my beautiful baby girl without any medical interventions. The great majority of my labor was spent outside the hospital napping, soaking in the bathtub, and wandering around Wal-mart as Kym had instructed me to do. My husband timed my contractions and when they started coming between three and five minutes apart we headed for the hospital.
I would have delivered in the birthing center instead of the hospital but I had a complication during my pregnancy so I wanted the baby to be able to have the medical care she would need if something wasn't right. Kym came to the hospital when we were given a room and she helped to make sure that we were as comfortable as possible. Kym talked me through having to get up and move around even though I didn't want to did a fabulous job of preparing me mentally for the labor experience. We attended the child birth education classes that she offered and Kym helped us get ready for bringing the baby home by showing us the things we might need to put on our baby registry.
In short I could not have asked for a better birthing experience than the one I had with Kym as my doula. She was so reassuring, comforting, and motivating that I was confident that I could deliver my child according to my birth plan. She helped ensure that we had the best possible birthing experience in a hospital.
Kym and my backup doula, Toni, were so wonderful during my birthing experience that I labored for twenty eight hours with very little medication and delivered my beautiful baby girl without any medical interventions. The great majority of my labor was spent outside the hospital napping, soaking in the bathtub, and wandering around Wal-mart as Kym had instructed me to do. My husband timed my contractions and when they started coming between three and five minutes apart we headed for the hospital.
I would have delivered in the birthing center instead of the hospital but I had a complication during my pregnancy so I wanted the baby to be able to have the medical care she would need if something wasn't right. Kym came to the hospital when we were given a room and she helped to make sure that we were as comfortable as possible. Kym talked me through having to get up and move around even though I didn't want to did a fabulous job of preparing me mentally for the labor experience. We attended the child birth education classes that she offered and Kym helped us get ready for bringing the baby home by showing us the things we might need to put on our baby registry.
In short I could not have asked for a better birthing experience than the one I had with Kym as my doula. She was so reassuring, comforting, and motivating that I was confident that I could deliver my child according to my birth plan. She helped ensure that we had the best possible birthing experience in a hospital.
--Cindy M.
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"Awesome"
This was our first pregnancy, and I was scared to death! My husband and I hired Kim when I was about 34 weeks pregnant. She was wonderful, and I am so very glad we hired her! She is very professional and I think she knows just about everything when it comes to pregnancy and delivery. She was tremendously supportive when I was pregnant and was there to answer all of my questions. We took her childbirth class and loved it! Kim is also very supportive of how the mother prefers to labor- with or without medication. I knew upfront that I would probably want medication, and she was supportive of my decision.
When I went into labor, Kim was there to help me figure out if it was Practice Labor, or the real thing. She came to our house at 6 in the morning and helped me with breathing techniques and labor positions... and she knew when it was time for me to go to the hospital. There, she helped decipher what the hospital staff said and even let me know when they tried to sneak Pitocin on me. (They made my husband and Kim leave the room when they gave me the epidural... and they managed to sneak Pitocin in anyway.) She was excellent with my husband, and gave him ideas on how he can help support me.
The hospital I went to was horrible, and the doctor was very cavalier and rushed me through the delivery which resulted in some problems... I was not happy with my birth experience at the hospital at all, but only due to how the doctor treated me and my baby- but thank goodness we had Kim there!! It would have been just horrible if I had to go through this without her help. I HIGHLY recommend Kim, especially for those planning a hospital birth. Thanks so much, Kim!!
--Jennifer and Paul K.
This was our first pregnancy, and I was scared to death! My husband and I hired Kim when I was about 34 weeks pregnant. She was wonderful, and I am so very glad we hired her! She is very professional and I think she knows just about everything when it comes to pregnancy and delivery. She was tremendously supportive when I was pregnant and was there to answer all of my questions. We took her childbirth class and loved it! Kim is also very supportive of how the mother prefers to labor- with or without medication. I knew upfront that I would probably want medication, and she was supportive of my decision.
When I went into labor, Kim was there to help me figure out if it was Practice Labor, or the real thing. She came to our house at 6 in the morning and helped me with breathing techniques and labor positions... and she knew when it was time for me to go to the hospital. There, she helped decipher what the hospital staff said and even let me know when they tried to sneak Pitocin on me. (They made my husband and Kim leave the room when they gave me the epidural... and they managed to sneak Pitocin in anyway.) She was excellent with my husband, and gave him ideas on how he can help support me.
The hospital I went to was horrible, and the doctor was very cavalier and rushed me through the delivery which resulted in some problems... I was not happy with my birth experience at the hospital at all, but only due to how the doctor treated me and my baby- but thank goodness we had Kim there!! It would have been just horrible if I had to go through this without her help. I HIGHLY recommend Kim, especially for those planning a hospital birth. Thanks so much, Kim!!
--Jennifer and Paul K.
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Kim is a great doula. Her relief techniques are fantastic. I attended
her birth classes when my wife was pregnant with my first daughter, and
learned a lot about the birthing process. Her class was as
entertaining as it was informative. It was very informal, and she made
every effort to make us feel welcome, and comfortable. Her attendance
at the birth of my daughter was also a great help. It was nice to have
someone there who wasn't a doctor, and who's main focus was the comfort
of my wife, not necessarily just the wellbeing of the child. Her help
in the delivery room was invaluable.
--S.M.
--S.M.
