I met Leila through a friend when I was about 3-4 months pregnant Since it was during the pandemic, my husband and I met with her on Zoom. From the moment we met her, we instantly connected. She's very warm, informative, asks the right questions, and wants to make sure you're comfortable. She's encouraging, reassuring, and positive, which is exactly what new parents need. I can say so many great things about her, but the biggest traits that stuck out to me are:

- She's deeply and genuinely passionate about she does. I believe when you work with someone, especially for something as important as delivering a baby, the person you hire SHOULD absolutely love what they do. Their heart needs to be in it, as I believe it impacts everything from their attention to detail, honesty, expertise, and care for their client. It's obvious to any one that she was created to be a doula and midwife. She's well educated on the process of labor and delivery, what women need, and stays up-to-date on all things important to having a baby during a pandemic.

- She taught us:

Not only is Leila well informed, but perhaps even more important, she can communicate and educate others. I wanted a doula to prepare my husband and I, and Leila did just that. Not everyone can teach and explain in an easy to understand manner, but Leila can. Her lessons really helped us both feel confidence and empowered, like we really knew what we were doing even as first time parents. I appreciated that she involved my husband and didn't show any gender bias (which I saw WAY too many times during my pregnancy from medical professionals). Every lesson we had was hands-on, and she trained us in a way that stuck with us. She thoroughly explained everything, and provided additional resources for us to become more educated. I didn't just want a doula to support us, but a doula to really pass down the gift of birthing knowledge.

- Support for me: Leila was there for physical, emotional, and even spiritual support. When I doubted myself, she reminded me of my strength and who I am. When I got scared or worried, she was firm the way I needed and asked her to be. She tailors her methods and approach to the personality and needs of each individual client and couple. When I was initially pregnant, I had an OBGYN because I wanted to make sure every medical concern along the way was cleared. Once I knew it was a healthy pregnancy consistently throughout every trimester, I spoke with Leila about my dream to have a water birth at home. I was in my third trimester, about 33 weeks pregnant. Leila believed in me and supported any decision I wanted to make. She shared her valued opinions, and always respected mine. I trusted her to tell me the truth and what I NEEDED to hear, not what I wanted to hear. She was so excited for me to do a home birth of my choosing and held my hand along the way. I NEVER felt alone or worried. She not only advocated for me, but taught me how to advocate for myself on issues I wasn't even aware of.

- Support for my husband:

Men are notorious for being hands off and making the pregnancy the responsibility of the woman. My husband is different, and I wanted to make sure he was just as involved as me. However, when things got too real, I wanted to make sure I could still focus on my labor and delivery 100%. Therefore, I wanted to make sure our doula supported my man. Leila was there for my husband to help HIM help ME, give him breaks when he needed, and guide him in the process. He got to fully enjoy the pregnancy, labor, and delivery in our own home with me, and was equally informed as me along the way. Leila made an effort to not just give me attention and build a bond with me, but also my husband, which immensely helped ease me.

Compassion:

She understands and respects the sanctity of birthing, motherhood, and womanhood. My husband and I both opened up to her a lot about our families, our pasts, our hopes and desires for our son, and how we imagined our experience to be. Leila planned a whole Mother Blessing ceremony for the women in my family, just as I wanted. I didn't even have to tell her specifics. I just told her I wanted to honor my mom, my sisters, and show love and female strength to my nieces by involving them in this feminine journey. She set up the entire thing, from the decor, seating, food, and symbolic activities. I cannot put into words how special and meaningful the whole ceremony was. I cannot thank her enough. What a wonderful example she helped set for my young nieces to see the women in our family come together for something so beautiful: bringing new life into this world.

The day I gave birth, Leila was there immediately, and comforted me all along. She never allowed me to feel alone, yet she gave me my space when I needed it. I gave birth at home in my tub exactly as I had always dreamed. In fact, it was better than than I could've hoped for because I was able to fully submit to it from Leila preparing me on what to expect. When I was actually in labor, she coached me and reminded me of all the techniques she taught us, stayed calm, and believed in me more than I believed in myself at times. She gave me strength and peace when I needed it. I was understandably in a complete daze and having an out-of-body experience, but I heard Leila's voice the whole time. She literally fed me, made sure I stayed hydrated, rubbed my back, and held my hand when I couldn't do anything for myself. She captured every sweet moment on camera for us to remember and look back on forever, and share with our son when he's older. She was there before he was born, during his birth, and returned after to make sure we were settled in. She offered to clean the house, take care of the baby so we could sleep, and helped with breastfeeding.

There is absolutely no way I could've had my dream birth all natural exactly how I wanted without Leila. My husband and I cherish every step of it, and it's because we had her support, expertise, and spirit with us. This was a SUPER long way to say thank you, Leila! God, or whatever higher being you believe in definitely created you to serve as a doula and midwife. Not everyone can be so humble, nurturing, and show such unconditional love to complete strangers. May others who are seeking a similar experience be blessed to have you be a part of their birthing team! Thank you for following your purpose and sharing your gifts with the world.

Love from the bottom of our hearts, Kabool, Abdiel, and Zaheer.