Laura Sullivan

    I surely could not have had a natural birth were it not for Kellay and Ruthie Wiley being present with me.  They labored with me at my house for over 30 hours, and spent the remainder of my two day labor at the hospital with me.  I know they were exhausted, and seeing their commitment to me and hearing their encouragement was truly what pushed me through.  Kellay was such a stable and calming force through the entire experience, and I know their emphasis on keeping me moving and hydrated is what kept me from having any medical interventions.  I can still hear them saying, "you never have to do that contraction again!" And those were the sweetest words.  Being in the "tunnel" I truly could not think for myself during the latter parts of labor, so it was crucial to have consistent encouragement telling me I was doing it and was getting closer and could make it.  My husband has since said he would never like to go through that experience without a doula.  They are the only way he was able to sleep or eat for two days!  And I needed him rested and fed in order to help me bear the emotional and physical exhaustion, not to mention experiencing with me the joy of bringing our first baby into the world, and the sleepless nights that would follow!  Childbirth is an amazing and unbelievable experience that is wonderful and terrible and certainly not meant to do alone.  I had seven people surrounding me as I pushed for 2 1/2 hours and their cheers with each push were the only way I made it.  Somehow God put their energy in my body for those pushes and all of them were absolutely necessary for me.  Having a doula is a great blessing and Kellay has the perfect demeanor to patiently experience the process with you.

Christy and Jon Knutson

     We loved having Kellay assist with the birth of our daughter, Annazalie.  I had a great deal of fear about childbirth and Kellay could not have been more helpful, understanding, supportive or encouraging.  Our information sessions before the birth helped ease my fear and give me confidence.  I credit Kellay's support during labor and delivery for allowing me to experience an unmedicated birth.  She was the calming voice of comfort and reason that I needed during one of the most trying and beautiful moments of my life.  We are forever indebted to her for her love and care.
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Annazalie Knutson, born February 2011 Birth attended by Kellay and Ruth Wiley as a doula team

Catherine Honeycutt

    I knew I wanted to deliver in a hospital and thought that I wanted to try an unmedicated birth but truthfully, I was scared and unsure if I'd be able to do it! Kellay was helpful in every way, from educating us in advance to supporting and encouraging us during labor. It would have been a whole different experience without her, and I am so thankful she was part of our team.
    We hired Kellay for the birth as well as prenatal birthing classes. The classes were unbelievably helpful. Kellay is informed, knowledgeable, and a great teacher. She spent two Saturday afternoons with us going through her thorough curriculum and letting us ask our many questions. This was perfect for us because we didn't want to spend hours week after week in a group class, and with Kellay, we got individual attention and all the information we needed in the comfort of our home. We talked through our hopes, expectations, and fears for the birth. Each time we met with Kellay I felt empowered, encouraged, and less afraid. There is so much unknown going into a birth, but being prepared and supported is key! During the first session, Kellay focused on teaching us about the stages of labor, what to expect and how to be best prepared. She recommended additional resources, each of which we enjoyed and found useful. This meeting was wonderfully helpful and greatly shaped our birth plan.
    During the second prenatal visit, the teaching was focused on what happens after the baby is born, including breastfeeding. This ended up being more useful than I realized at the time, as I had a hard time with nursing at first and all of the information, tips and tricks helped us establish a good routine.
    I am so happy with the way our birth went. Kellay joined us in the early morning and labored at home with us all day. We headed to the hospital around 8pm and our son was born at 10pm.
    Kellay's services extended well beyond our expectations. She became a trusted advisor and friend. She came for follow up visits to assist with nursing and to debrief from the experience. Kellay provided us an invaluable service and we were so grateful for her reassuring spirit as well as her expertise!
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Jackson Honeycutt, born May 2011 Birth attended by Kellay as doula

Miles Honeycutt

     My experience becoming a dad would not have been the same without the help and soothing knowledge that Kellay brought while we were having our first child.  When my wife was laboring at home, there was a temptation to want to give in to the pressure of rushing to the hospital.  With Kellay coaching us, I was able to rest assured as a husband that we were in fact OK and I was able to try several methods of helping my wife stay positive and focused through the toughest of contractions. Kellay not only helped my wife, she helped me help my wife, which was great for our relationship. It was a mysteriously beautiful thing to see the woman that I love the most to be going through such an intense time (labor), which immediately turned into a glorious occasion once we were admitted into the hospital and had our son shortly thereafter. If it wasn't for Kellay coaching us during those laboring hours, my nerves would have been shot going into the delivery room! Instead, we all worked as a team and had a wonderful experience.