Nicole was an incredible resource during my unexpectedly fast and intense precipitous first labor (8 hours from start to finish!). She advised us to call the midwife and rushed to our house at 1:30am, driving us to the birth center, which was not the plan. She stayed with me the entire time and made me feel safe and supported. If it wasnt for her, we may not have gotten there in time. Before labor, her communication and preparation was great: I felt I was heard and my needs were taken into account. I felt strong, affirmed and in control. My partner felt comfortable with her, too. After the birth, Nicole struck the right tone between being present but not hovering and even dashed out to get us food (at 4am!). Her photos from the labor are fantastic. Nicole, I am so grateful you guided me through my birth experience. Your love for and commitment to serving parents through childbirth is palpable. Thank you!

I want to start my saying Nicole was everything we didnt know we needed. From beginning to end she showed so much support and care over my pregnancy and even during the birth. Whenever I had a question or concern she took the time to send resources and talk to my husband and I about the information she shared. During labor she was not there only for me but also made sure my husband was able to eat and rest. And when things became tense she kept us all calm. I really do not think we would have had such a positive experience without her. She really is amazing at what she does and we are so greatful for her.

Nicole was nothing short of a miracle. We found her through a thorough search for in our area filled with the exhaustion of a newborn and the fear and apprehension about working with a postpartum doula, and then as luck would have it she was also referred to us by others as well.  She was kind, patient, knowledgeable, trustworthy, responsive, punctual, attentive and overall wonderful to work with in easing our exhausted worries and fears.  She tailored her approach to our familys needs and provided heartfelt and insightful guidance.  If youre looking for a doula, look absolutely no further, and if youre not looking for a doula, you still need and want to work with Nicole Sawyers Todd anyway!  We have had no considerations about having another baby that didnt include Well, we would have to bring back Nicole!

I was 32 weeks pregnant and I really wanted a doula. I had just two phone numbers to call. I called Nicole first and boy am I glad because she ended up becoming a wealth of knowledge and a great friend. We hit it off immediately and I knew it was going to be great. Despite limitations put forth by the covid19 pandemic, Nicole made every effort to ease both mine and my husbands minds. We met multiple times through virtual means and she and I texted often. Although she wasnt able to attend my birth due to hospital restrictions, she was a monumental help to us by way of the phone, where she coached my husband on how to best help me through my labor. Im grateful to her for that. We also had a wonderful visit after the baby and I were home. With all of my new mom raging hormones swirling around, it was a blessing to have her to talk to. If youre looking for a down-to-earth, knowledgeable doula, she is it!

I highly recommend hiring Nicole as your Doula. After having had a traumatic, unplanned c-section with my 1st child a few years ago, I had my heart set on a VBAC with my 2nd child. With my 1st, there was so much that I felt I didn’t know or hadn’t been told about pregnancy and birth, so I wanted to work with someone who was knowledgeable, could support me and gently guide me to my goal. My husband and I firmly believe that having Nicole as our Doula was the reason for my successful VBAC. From her extensive knowledge of the pelvis to her advocacy on my behalf in the delivery room (I didn’t know I was allowed to take a break from pushing in active labor, and it really helped!!), Nicole was an amazing resource and a nurturing presence before, during, and after the birth of my son. She made me feel safe and taken care of while in my most vulnerable state. I cannot stress that enough. Work with Nicole, it will make all the difference in your pregnancy/birth experience.

Nicole was a phenomenal doula who exceeded all of my expectations! She played an instrumental role in helping me achieve an incredibly positive birth experience at Lifecycle Womancare. Throughout our discussions during my pregnancy, she gave me the confidence to actually look forward to birth and overcome some of the fears I had as a first time mom. She often did so by sharing her wealth of knowledge in evidence based research around pregnancy and birth.During our conversations, it also became clear that Nicole knows the ins and outs of how the local hospitals and birth center operate and who the main healthcare providers are. Her experience and savviness in navigating these institutions ultimately helped her be a more effective advocate and support person during labor.One of the things I really valued about Nicole is simply the immediate sense of calm and peace I felt in her presence. During some of the more intense moments of my labor, she often didn’t have to say much to help me stay calm and relaxed and give me the motivation to keep going. As a result, my labor progressed quickly, and I was able to have a birth experience that completely aligned with my “hopes and dreams” (birth plan).I’m so thankful that I found Nicole to be my doula. Her unwavering support during this significant milestone in my life and in this especially difficult year (2020) was truly invaluable.

Nicole was my wifes postpartum doula for 5 nights after the birth of my first child. She was a tremendous support to both of us, especially in the middle of the night a few nights when my wife was extremely frustrated with breastfeeding and working through latch issues. Even though shes not a lactation consultant, Nicole is very knowledgeable in this area and she was was very reassuring, comforting with her with technique suggestions and emotional support. My son was also congested one night and was too fussy to sleep laying down, so she held him to sleep so that I could also sleep at the same time - what a gift, especially in those first few nights home from the hospital! Working with Northern Star Doula was well worth every penny. I highly recommend Nicole for postpartum support.

Nicole is amazing. Being a first time mom and that too of twins, I needed all the help I can get. Nicole helped take care of my girls. She’s caring, timely, knowledgeable and professional. She was also very supportive and understanding of my needs. She went above and beyond and was always open and willing to help in any way. My family and I are so grateful to have found her and would highly recommend her.

Nicole is a wonderful doula.  My wife and I were both nervous about our first experience with pregnancy, labor, and delivery, and Nicole was a wonderful source of support for us throughout the journey.  She was always very responsive to our messages and frequently checked in with us to see if there was anything more she could do. It was also so nice to have Nicole walk us through our options in terms of birth preferences, so that we knew what to advocate for once we were in the hospital.  Especially for me, Nicole was super helpful in teaching me about the various positions and techniques I could use to help my wife through labor and delivery.  When COVID precautions in hospitals prevented Nicole from joining us in the delivery room, she made sure she was available to us by phone, FaceTime, etc. the whole time, and her calm presence (even by phone) was incredibly useful for my wife.  Nicole even knew from hearing my wife describe her experience that she was further along in the labor process than the hospital providers thought -- and she was right!  Overall, we can definitively say that having a doula throughout the pregnancy was a great decision which we absolutely recommend to anyone.  In fact, our good friend has already hired Nicole for her second pregnancy!

Nicole was an AMAZING doula! She gave me the confidence and support I needed for an amazing birth experience. It was so helpful to bounce ideas off of her throughout my pregnancy about everything from providers to birth plans and she was super knowledgeable about all things related to birth. When my water broke, she was the first person I called to get advice. During the birth, she was just a very calming presence and I appreciated her low-key demeanor. After the birth, her role became critical as I had some complications. I was so grateful to have her support as the doctors, midwives, and nurses were in and out of the room. Her constant unwavering presence during that time was critical in keeping me calm and helping me to recover from the birth. She literally held my hand while my husband held our son in the first hours of his life and I am forever grateful for that. She was even sweet enough to go get me a Wawa hoagie (my pregnancy craving) to have as my first meal after giving birth. Most importantly, I always felt that she had my best interest at heart. This was exactly the support I needed to have the confidence and strength to achieve my VBAC. Northern Star Doula is the perfect name because Nicole was truly a guiding light throughout my pregnancy and birth. I would highly recommend her services!

If you are looking for a doula to support you through pregnancy, birth and postpartum you are in great hands with Nicole. I had some complex medical needs but wanted to have as low intervention of a birth as possible. Nicolehelped me have a healthier pregnancy. She also supported us through and unexpected Induction without an epidural. I can’t imagine this pregnancy and birth without her!!!

A friend recommended that we work with a doula, and I’m so happy that we did and that we worked with Nicole. Nicole is passionate about birth, and brings a quiet steadiness to the process from pregnancy to delivery. Nicole taught us so much about the pregnancy and delivery process, and introduced me to practices and practitioners that I continue to this day. Nicole helped me find my voice to explain how I would prefer my delivery to progress; and, when circumstances meant that my delivery was a little different than expected, she helped my husband and me not only navigate the decisions but also maintain the peaceful environment that I so craved. She has been an amazing sounding board in the post-partum period, and knowing she is only a phone call or email away brings me peace.

Nicole is such a blessing. Right from our first meeting I could tell she was knowledgeable and genuinely cares about the families she works with. I interviewed many doulas and she was absolutely the best choice. She guided me through the difficult decision to change my care provider at 7 months pregnant, and at her suggestion I contacted the amazing midwife practice I ended up switching to. She knows her stuff - from gestational diabetes to terrible morning sickness and heartburn, to pelvic and back pain, she shared her knowledge with me during each step of my pregnancy. She emailed often just to check in and make sure I was doing okay. And after birth she came by to check on us multiple times and was a huge help in starting our successful nursing relationship even through a tongue tie, mastitis, colic, and reflux. My only regret is that I didn’t get to have her there for my birth (babe came way too fast and both Nicole and the midwives didn’t make it in time!) because I was really looking forward to that. She’s well versed in helping hypnobabies moms like me, and I have no doubt that she would have been an incredible support during my birthing time if my daughter hadn’t come flying out less than 10 minutes after getting to the hospital. I’m a pretty anxious person and I had a previous birth not go the way I wanted, so Nicole’s compassionate, calming presence was exactly what I needed. I can’t thank her enough.

Nicole is an incredible doula - knowledgeable, supportive, calm, kind and very available!! Anytime I ever needed help during pregnancy, labor or postpartum, she was there with patience, advice and always zero judgement. On so many occasions, she sensed what I needed and offered her assistance before I even asked... An incredible partner on the journey of becoming parent for both, my husband and I.I couldnt recommend her more!!

Nicole was my birth and postpartum doula, and was absolutely incredible throughout the entire experience! Even when things didnt go as planned (because when do they ever?), Nicole helped my husband and I stay cool and collected throughout labor and delivery, and she was such a calm presence to have in the room. I would recommend her to anybody who even considers getting a doula! Shes such an awesome person and warm soul to have supporting you!

Nicole has been amazing at helping me navigate some very important decisions! Her calming demeanor has made all the difference. Thank you Nicole!

I was skeptical when my wife started talking to me about getting a doula. I didn’t know what they would do or how much they could really help. But thank God we chose Nicole! She is the greatest. Fun, incredibly knowledgeable, easy to work with. Our first birth was rough - 35+ hrs of labor, NICU, blood transfusions, etc. But Nicole helped my wife prep for labor and make sure she was in the right head space and that baby was in the right position and this labor was less than three hours. Nicole was the one talking us through our race to the hospital as stressful as that was, and she was the one who met us at the there with a wheelchair and got us up to the room on time. She gave us plenty of time and attention throughout and after the whole process and educated us along the way. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone and we will be using her again next time!

Before Nicole I didnt even know much about doulas or why they mattered to pregnancy and birthing experiences. I thank my lucky stars for stumbling upon this woman! She gave me all the knowledge and confidence to have the birth I always wanted. 10/10 recommend her services. It really does make a world of difference having the doula support and guidance during one of the most important times of your life.

From our prenatal visits through postpartum, Nicole was extremely knowledgable, kind, and supportive. She brings a calming and friendly presence to the room, which is so important from pregnancy all the way through childbirth. My first birth (not with Nicole) was very traumatic and had caused some PTSD. I wasn’t sure if I should try to give birth naturally, or go with a cesarean, as it had been suggested to me. Nicole weighed the options with us and helped us to process the decision. The main reason I chose to try for a natural birth was because of how much confidence Nicole instilled in me as we met together. I left our visits feeling very prepared and excited to give birth again. Our second birth (with Nicole) was absolutely amazing! She was the reason we made it to the hospital on time (it was a quick labor, which I attribute to the Rebozo she gave us!), she helped us to stay calm, she was a constant encourager and support for both my husband and I, talking me through every contraction and coaching us both through the entire experience. I will absolutely be hiring Nicole for our next birth, she is an irreplaceable part of our birth team!

Nicole is a dream come true for new mamas. Her care and support allowed our family to transition into a family of 4 with ease. I am so grateful from her!

I have nothing but incredible things to say about Nicole and Northern Star. They are the real deal and I’m impressed with the comfort and professionalism they provide.

Nicole was an amazing postpartum doula for my fraternal twin boys.  She worked with our family for 6 months.  From the first time we met Nicole, we knew she was going to be a great fit for our family.  She has a very caring, calming personality and is extremely knowledgeable about infant sleep patterns and needs.  We completely trusted her to take care of our boys from day one.  Nicole was a great support for me as a new mom.  Nicole understands the challenges of new motherhood, especially related to sleep.  Our twins were born 2 months early and spent time in the NICU.  When Nicole started working with us, our boys were still waking to eat 3 or 4 times per night.  Now at 8.5 months old, our boys are sleeping 11 hours straight with no overnight feeds.  Nicole provided amazing guidance in helping us to drop overnight feeds.  She was always available via text to discuss daily schedules of feedings and naps.  It was important for us to find a postpartum doula with twin experience.  Fraternal twins come with their own set of challenges, and Nicole was great about catering to the needs of both of our boys.  I would recommend Nicole in a heartbeat to anyone looking for a postpartum doula, but I would especially recommend her for parents of multiples.  We are going to miss Nicole, because she was a big part of our lives for the past 6 months.

Northern Star Doula provided my postpartum doula care after my second child was born in April, and honestly my only complaint is that I didnt have her after the birth of my first! She was an absolute joy to have around! My oldest instantly fell in love with her, and still asks about her to this day. I dont know how I would have made it through those first weeks home without her, since my husband had to return to work immediately. If you are considering hiring a doula, this is the one that you want! And if you are considering hiring Nikki, and want to speak with a real-live person about their experiences first, tell her to put you in touch with me.

Nicole is a dynamo. She was our postpartum doula following the birth of our son. She is everything you could ever want in a doula: warm, knowledgeable, reliable and communicative. If/when we have a second child, we will surely hire her again.

So helpful, have me so many options, and nicole my doula was very supportive