Tess was absolutely amazing - she exceeded my expectations in every way. She truly wanted to get to know me and what I wanted my birth experience to be like. She did not push her opinions, but she did make me aware of the decisions I would need to make when my son entered the world. Tess shared her expertise to help me make these decisions when appropriate, and also encouraged me to speak with my OB and pediatrician about decisions that I should have their input for.
I found Tess's presence to be relaxing and encouraging during my labor and delivery. Between Tess and my husband, I had the best possible support team. Tess kept me aware of questions that my HCPs would be asking before they asked so I had time to think (ie, do you want them to break your water this early?) and shared pros and cons with me. She provided me with aromatherapy that helped to relax me and was very knowledgable about ways to help me with my drug-free delivery. That said, Tess was supportive of any decision I would have made, including the use of pain medication, because she knew my wishes for my birth experience so well.
I highly recommend using Tess as your birth doula. If we choose to have more children, you can bet I will be calling her again!