When we learned we were expecting our first baby we started looking for countries where we could deliver our baby safely. Once we had decided to come to Thailand for the delivery we started looking for a doula. We contacted several doulas by e-mail, Mandy was one of them but she was the first and only one we interviewed. We liked her  and felt empathy from the first moment we talked to her, so we decided to not interview any of the other shortlisted candidates. Mandy seemed to be a reliable, kind and loving person who really cared about the moms she works with.This was confirmed once we met her in person a few months later.

Before meeting her in person we kept in touch with her by e-mail letting her know about the evolution of our pregnancy and also asking her for advices from whether the place we had chosen to stay was a good and safe area in Bangkok to what we needed to bring to Bangkok for the baby. She was always super helpful, kind and responsive.

Once we were in Bangkok we met with her in person and she was extremely helpful on shaping our birth plan and giving my husband the hints he needed to understand what would happen with me during labor and how he could help. This proved to be super important during our delivery as my husband knew exactly what to do and how to help me during labor.

The days around our delivery date Mandy was always checking on us to make sure we were doing well and also giving me advices to cope with the pain I had started feeling. The day of the delivery she continued checking on us and giving us advices on what to do during the early stages of labor and was at the hospital, literally, 2 minutes after we asked her to come to join us. After that she was always by my side supporting me and giving advice to my husband about how to help me coping with the contractions but also explaining him about the procedures and treatments that the doctor and nurses were proposing so he could make an informed decision. I had my husband on one side and Mandy at the other, without their support I do not even want to imagine how that challenging experience would have gone. They were the rock I needed and I am extremely thankful to both of them. If we have another baby I would absolutely want Mandy to also be our doula.

The day of the delivery, Mandy stayed with us until after we felt all set, she also came back a day after to check on how we were doing and gave me very useful advices regarding breastfeeding and how to deal with many of those questions that I had as a first time mother. Overall it was a great experience having Mandy as our doula.From the bottom of my heart I am very thankful for meeting Mandy and for having her as our doula. I would absolutely recommend anyone thinking about hiring a doula in Bangkok (or wherever Mandy decides to move) to call Mandy. You will not regret it!

My husband and I had lived in Cambodia almost three years before becoming pregnant with our first child. We decided to deliver in Bangkok. We wanted a natural birth but didn’t have the support we knew that would entail, as our families live in America. We found Mandy through the Doulas of Bangkok Facebook page. She helped us understand the birth process and to know what to expect from the hospital and physician we had chosen.

Our labor was much faster than we expected, and after six hours, we arrived at the hospital ready to push. Mandy met us at the hospital and was a huge help in the most difficult part of labor for us. She provided the strength and calming presence I needed to stay focused on bringing our son into the world. And after his birth, she stayed with me, helping me recover from the overwhelming emotional and physical shock of having given birth. She also visited us in the hospital and kept in touch via text messages in the following week. This gave me a way to debrief from the most incredible and difficult experience of my life.

I think a doula is so important, especially if you are giving birth the first time in a country without family support, as we did. I can’t imagine not having our doula present, as my husband and I had no idea how challenging giving birth would be. Even for us, with a seven-hour labor and only thirty minutes of pushing, we needed someone experienced to prepare us and guide us through the experience. We’re so thankful for her support!