Baby E’s Family

“We found Brandy when I was about 30 weeks along and she was perfect right from the start. She was exactly what we needed. Someone to affirm our feelings on what we wanted for our child and our birthing experience, and worked with us even though we found her so late into my pregnancy!

Up until 39 weeks, my doctor was very pro-natural, agreeing to everything in my birth plan. Until we got to 39 weeks, then it was all about inducing and the dangers of natural childbirth. I called Brandy in tears and she was so supportive, and helpful, calmed me down and helped me make informed decisions for my pregnancy. We waited until I went into labor natually at 41 weeks and three days. My water broke first (in a friends pool!!) and I went home and labored with my husband, while he texted her and gave her updates. She drove out to my house in Mcloud, and stayed with me while I worked through contractions. She helped us pack up and followed us to the hospital about 8 hours after my water broke. Contractions about 2 minutes apart. When we got to the hospital, everything slowed down and I got discouraged. Brandy was there the whole time, telling me how strong I was and making sure no one interrupted my contractions while my husband supported me.

Even though I ended up getting an epidural after 12 hours, Brandy stayed with us until I pushed my 7lb 5oz baby girl Eleanora, into the world (after 36 hours)!! There was meconium, and they took her away along with my husband to suction her lungs. My doctor was very cold, and had terrible bedside manner. If it wasnt for Brandy, making sure I stayed calm and constantly holding my hand, telling me everything was fine, I never would have made it. She came out to my house to help me with breast feeding, and we had a good talk. She helped me understand that just because I didn’t do everything I wanted, I was no less a woman, or mother. I am so grateful we found her!”  Posted 1/8/2014

Baby D’s Family

“Brandy is amazing. Period.  I could end my testimonial there but I want to give some examples.  At around 39 weeks, I was HUGE.  Seriously, big.  And so tired.  And whiney.  Brandy listened to me, reassured me, brought essential oils over, answered all my questions, and was a friend to me.  She encouraged me, and gave me confidence.  Just knowing that she was there eased my mind.

Our birth plan centered around Hypnobirthing (a class Brandy teaches that is really good) and I was 100% onboard with doing a gentle, natural, unmedicated birth.  Fast forward to arriving at the hospital (OU) and once they told me I was only at a 5, I sternly said “I WANT AN EPIDURAL.”  (Really I think I yelled it at my husband) Enter Brandy.  She comes in, gets the lights turned down and gently tells me that once I get in the tub I will feel better.  I remember her saying “Let’s try everything else first, and if you still want an epidural, you can get one.  BUT – YOU CAN DO THIS.”  Let me tell you something, Brandy LABORED by my side the whole time I was in labor.  She poured warm water on me in the tub.  She reminded me of how to breathe.  She reminded me that my body was doing exactly what it is meant to do.  She reminded me that my baby was coming!  She kept me hydrated throughout my 14 hour labor…had essential oils and cool rags on my head and neck, etc. I could go on and on.  I am proud to say I had my son by trusting my body and doing an unmedicated birth.  I felt so empowered and so grateful after I was finished.

When I reflect back on the experience, Brandy really stands out as someone who enhanced the whole process. She’s a great resource, but an even better person.

If you are thinking of hiring a doula – please talk to Brandy.  It really doesn’t get better than her.”  Posted 1/3/2014

Baby R & S

Skin to Skin in the OR

“Before I got pregnant, I knew I wanted to hire a doula to assist me in having natural, unmedicated childbirth. When we got pregnant with twins, we began researching local doulas immediately. After we sat down and talked to Brandy, we knew she was the one. Brandy is an incredible person and an amazing doula! She was with me every step of the way of my pregnancy. Any time I had a question or needed advice, she was always available. As my pregnancy progressed, both of my babies ended up in the breech position. Brandy came over to my house several times to do belly massage to encourage them turn head down. I ended up having to have a medically necessary c-section due to a prolapsed umbilical cord. Brandy was there with us in the operating room – letting us know what would happen, keeping our spirits up, and taking the most beautiful pictures of our twins’ birth. She was also there post-partum and was a huge help with breastfeeding. If we decide to have more children, the first thing I’m doing is calling Brandy. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula!”  Posted 12/17/2013

Baby C’s Family

“I have one of those super sweet, sensitive, and supportive husbands and because of this I felt there was no need to hire a doula. I thought doulas were for women whose husbands couldn’t handle labor and birth, I didn’t want my husband to ever feel replaced. I asked my midwife is she knew of any good birth photographers and she suggested hiring Brandy because she not only can capture those priceless moments on film, but is an amazing doula.  So my husband and I started discussing this as an option and decided to interview Brandy. We knew that night of the interview that we needed her to be our doula.  Brandy is a wealth of knowledge and was so supportive of both my husband and myself throughout my pregnancy. She never made my husband feel replaced, instead she empowered him and they were able to work together as a team during the labor and birth of my Sweet Charlie. This was my last baby and it gives me such peace and joy to finally have had the birth I had always envisioned. I will forever be thankful to Brandy for her part in helping that happen.”  Posted 12/17/2013

Baby C

“It wasn’t a difficult decision for me to hire Brandy for my impending VBAC. I had heard so many great things about her and when we spoke on the phone, she was already able to make me feel like I was NOT broken and I COULD do this! My water broke at 39 weeks but it took a while before active labor took place. Once it did, I called Brandy over who got down on the floor with me (mind you, it was about 4 in the morning) and applied amazing counter pressure to my hips and back.

Additionally, she used cold rags with essential oils to relieve my nausea. The oils had an immediate affect! She held a warm compress to my uterus during some of my contractions. I eventually made my way to the tub where I remained the rest of the time. She reminded me to change positions and also to relax when I didn’t even realize I was tensing up. She also played my favorite song, which put me at a neccessary peace-of-mind state.

I ended up being so comfortable that, by the time we arrived to the hospital, I was complete and ready to push! I got overwhelmed at this point because I hadn’t done it before and I was getting nervous. Brandy used a calm voice the entire time that helped me know that everything would be ok. Her confidence in me never wavered. I can’t explain how crucial that was to my success. Without Brandy’s help, I’m really not sure I would have had a successful VBAC! I would highly reccommend Brandy Harris to any pregnant woman preparing for birth!”

Posted 12/13/2013

Baby MK

“Brandy is simply the best. She’s not only an amazingly caring doula and HB [HypnoBirthing] instructor, but also a wonderful person. She cares about every aspect of a birthing mother and her family including their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.  She was with me every step of the way whether by phone, text, email, or home visits. I had a suprising turn of events for the birth of my second child and I was not prepared for it. Brandy became my advocate, my protector, and a mother-like figure during my labor, delivery, and postpartum care. When it was all over, she stayed for as long as needed and came back to the hospital several times to check on me.  She also made a few home visits after the birth – to again – check on me and my family. The care during my labor and delivery as well as when I arrived home (for several weeks after the birth) was a turning point in the birthing mother/doula relationship. We have now become deeply bonded friends because of the remarkable care she provided me at a venerable time in my life.  I have nothing but positive words for this lady; I would almost have another baby to work with her again and try for a homebirth again — almost. :)”

Posted 12/11/2013

The Baker Babies

skin to skin in the OR

My husband, Chad and I highly recommend Mrs. Brandy Harris to be your Doula.  She provided the best servant-service and is well worth the money to pay for her doula services!  This was our first pregnancy and with twins.  As a twin-momma herself, Brandy helped prepare and coach me every step of the way during the pregnancy and at our beautiful birth.  She is professional, honest, up front, sweet, compassionate, very knowledgeable, discerning, funny, encouraging, stands up for her client, trusting, and so much more! We had our babies at OU Medical Center, and she is very familiar and knowledgeable with this hospital and staff.  Brandy also helped me more than she will know when I had very bad edema from my toes all the way up to my baby belly.  She carefully massaged the fluid through myblymph system, always showing her concern for my comfort and encoraged me while it hurt.  Brandy’s resoonse time during pregnancy was excellent.  The day of our birth, she was amazing! My water broke at 39 weeks and Baby B was in lead position, with his leg down in the pelvic area, I ended up requiring a C section and delivered our healthy twin sons 9 1/2 hours later with Brandy at the surgical birth and photographing the this divine moment.  While we waited at the hospital before surgery, Brandy made sure we were all comfortable, encouraged us, did any errands for us, massaged me. Post birth, Brandy was a huge blessing with her followup calls and visits and was so great at helping with breastfeeding and bonding with babies.  We can go on and on about Brandy.  We would not hesitate to hire her again should we be blessed again with another pregnancy.”

Posted 12/10/2013

Baby C’s Family

“Without Brandy, I do not think I would have had my VBAC. Brandy is so personable and knowledgable about birth. Before labor, she was there to support me, answer my calls, emails, questions any time of day. She had so much confidence in my body’s ability to birth, probably more than I did!

During labor, she was the perfect balance of helpfulness without being in the way. She knows what her place is, and she plays the role of doula perfectly. She knows how to fit into the situation where she is most helpful. I also know several midwives who love her and are big fans of her 🙂 She reminded me to do things during labor that helped me so much (getting into the tub, deep breathing – to name a couple) and I think my husband and I would have forgotten to do those things without her. After laboring for 37 hours, the medical staff was ready to take me to a c-section. I was exhausted and agreed to the c-section after being “stuck” at 7cm for hours and hours. Brandy suggested the nurse check my dilation one more time. She did, and I was dilated and ready to push! Thanks to Brandy’s suggestion I was able to have a healing VBAC!

Brandy was worth every cent and more! It was such a blessing to have a doula who I completely trusted. I wish I could remember every single thing she did for me, it was so much. The end of my pregnancy and my labor was significantly better because Brandy was a part of it. I would (and do) recommend her to anyone!” 10/29/2011

Baby L’s Family

“As first time parents, my husband and I wanted to do everything we could to ensure an unmedicated and natural birth for the delivery of our baby girl.  I believe the best decision we made was hiring Brandy to be our doula.  Upon meeting Brandy, we knew she was a great match for us!

She was so helpful in providing us with materials and educating us pre-labor. When the time came for the actual labor, Brandy was so helpful in supporting my husband and I to labor at home for as long as possible.  When I retell my birth story, I always say that when Brandy came over, it was like she flipped a switch and made the contractions really start to count!  She reminded us of techniques we had learned in our childbirth class and gave us the emotional reassurance we needed to be confident in our ability to birth a baby naturally.  She was able to recognize just when we needed to go to the hospital, and when we arrived, I was ready to push within one hour.   I’m happy to say we successfully had a unmedicated birth..  At my post-labor appointment, my OBGYN actually commented that Brandy was the most helpful doula she had worked with. Almost as important as her support during labor was her post-partum support. For us, breastfeeding was very difficult. I can honestly say that if I had not had her support, I would have a formula fed baby. I am so thankful for my breastfeeding relationship with my daughter, and I know it’s due, in part, to Brandy.

When you hire Brandy as a doula, you get the added bonus of great photography!  I love looking back on the first moments my husband and I spent with our baby girl. I can’t say enough wonderful things about Brandy, but I can say that I wouldn’t hesitate to use her services again and reccommend her to anyone having a baby!” 4/24/2012

Baby X’s Family

“Brandy was the perfect support for me and my husband!! I am a labor and delivery nurse and was preparing for the birth of our second child, baby boy number two. I work at OU Children’s where we have the midwives, but we also have the sickest mommies and babies from around the state as we are the only hospital equipped in the to provide the highest level of care. Therefore, I’ve seen how much can go wrong. From day one Brandy was always direct, honest, and up front with me and would tell me exactly what I needed to hear. She guided me to live in the normal, natural, and positive. I work always preparing for the 1% where things could go wrong, and Brandy pulled me into the 99% and empowered me to be positive and to believe in my body that it was perfectly capable. Brandy is well educated not only on the doula side of things but understands the medical aspects as well, not to say that she would guide your medical decisions in any way but that she can support you as she understands what is going on. She will advocate for you when necessary and will support your decisions. During labor Brandy was a constant calm and strong presence. She showed my husband how to perform counter pressure which was a lifesaver!!! She was constantly doing things to make my birthing experience better/easier/more comfortable and would give me lots of positive reinforcement and encouragement. This helped me to stay in control of my body, breathing, and response to labor, which makes all the difference when you are approaching full dilation and in the transition stage of labor. I can not say enough good things about Brandy! She was exactly the person I needed to support me in the beautiful birth of our precious son!! She also took some gorgeous photos of the birth which we will treasure for the rest of our lives!!!

Brandy also taught our hypnobirthing class!! She was super flexible and a lot of fun to be around!” 4/25/2012