My husband and I partnered with Nancy as our doula for the birth of our daughter in March 2019. Nancy was a great match for us and brought her amazing personality with her. We had a long labor (almost 5 days) during which Nancy went above and beyond in providing support to me and my husband. Nancy was familiar with the staff at GW University Hospital and was able to work with our needs and their needs in order to make the labor process smooth.
Nancy came with a bag of knowledge and skills which we utilized over the course of the labor process. She was empathetic with my needs and helped me focus through the tough times. Most important to us was Nancy's attitude; she brought with her a positive, can-do ethic which was coupled with her great sense of humor and care. I find this point to be so important because having a partner with the right attitude was key in making a tough labor that much more bearable. Knowing she was by my side relieved tension and frustration. She helped me focus at the tasks at hand and also guided my husband through assisting in the process.
I cannot thank Nancy enough for her efforts. She gave so much of her time to us and it meant a lot to me and my husband. We could not have asked for a better doula and we would work with her again in a heartbeat!
from J., Apr 2019
As first-time parents with no family nearby, my husband and I wanted back-up in the delivery room and back-up prepping for the birth. We found Nancy and she was A-MAZ-ING. Seriously, off-the-charts good. I had a long labor (about 26 hours), and stalled multiple times during it (got stuck at 8.5 cms for HOURS); but Nancy never missed a beat. She was our positive, soothing voice, our sounding board, our coach--and when I needed levity, my comic relief. ;-) I had wanted to skip meds, but ultimately decided (after 18 hours) it was best to get an epidural. She supported my decision with grace and sensitivity. My husband also felt so much better having her there. She was just fantastic--and was also very helpful during her postpartum visit (I couldn't figure out that Baby K-Tan for the life of me...it was like origami). I want her as my doula for every future birth! She has the perfect combo of interpersonal skills and knowledge (she knows SO much about birth and babies, I thought she must have gone to nursing or medical school). If you want someone who can will be fine exactly what you need at any given moment during your labor and delivery, she’s it!
from C., Feb 2019
I had an amazing birth experience with Nancy Goodman; I'm so glad my midwife called her in! She was patient, steadfast, caring and didn't try to overload me with those tired and empty mantras ("You got this, Mama!"). I also loved to learn that before she became a doula, she was in exactly my line of work (technology product executive)! Made for some very fun post-birth conversation. If I have another child in the DC area, I'll definitely be reaching out to Nancy much sooner than the actual birth-day this time.
from S., Jan 2019
I did not have a doula with my first child, and while she was born healthy and safe, the delivery did not go the way I wanted. That’s why I knew I wanted a doula to help advocate for me this time during the birth of our son. We interviewed several doulas and found one we were really interested in, only for it to not work out due to timing issues.
The day I went into labor, I was walking up and down the hospital halls texting a dear friend about how my ability to move into active labor was moving slowly. She asked if I’d feel comfortable having her friend come and support me as a doula, and Nancy showed up two hours later with a big smile and even bigger hug.
Nancy, my husband and I didn’t have the luxury of months of relationship building but established a rapport within an hour that made it feel like we’d known her for the whole pregnancy. Within minutes of her arrival, she suggested that I try a few wall lunges. That immediately made my contractions stronger and closer together, and I feel a sense of support rush over me. Throughout my labor, Nancy was on hand suggested techniques, calmly coaching me through contractions, made sure my cup was filled with ice cold water, let my husband and I know it was okay to sleep after 16 hours of labor (because the hardest part was still ahead of us), and kept reminding me that I was doing an amazing job.
Nancy’s presence made me feel as though there was another person in the room who cared just as much about my desire to have a VBAC as my husband and I did. She helped me think through decisions and asked specific questions of nurses and doctors to make sure I understood what was happening. Most importantly, she held space to let me think through options in a way that didn’t feel pressured or judged. While I ended up having a Cesarean birth, it was for no lack of ability to progress greatly with Nancy’s support. And, I ultimately felt as though her support allowed me to labor for as long as possible before then, and left me with no regrets about my son’s birth.
While I loved having Nancy as a part of my birth story, her support during the postpartum visit was just as valuable. We my birth story to ensure I felt good about the journey (which I did!), , talked about the changes with going from one to multiple children, and she once again provided a safe space for me to talk about how I felt in the days following the delivery. If I could sum up the overwhelming sentiment I felt from Nancy in one word, it truly would be support. I am so grateful to her for making sure my labor and delivery were one that made me feel safe and empowered.
from D., Sept 2018