Kind Words from Clients
“How can I thank you enough for seamlessly becoming such a genuine joy and support in our lives? When I think of all the times you’ve provided me with advice that tamed my screeching mind or a hug that soothed my worried soul, I am awed by gratitude.
Leo’s birth was the most momentous occasion of our lives, and you were the perfect person to prepare us for the experience and share it with us. You supported us during our prenatal bouts of worry, guided us through the physical and emotional trials of labor, and continue to share your kindness and wisdom during the steep learning curve of postpartum life.
You radiate positivity and authenticity everywhere you go! You inspire me to be a courageous mother who trusts my intuition. You’ve made Walla Walla an even more welcoming and wonderful new home for us, and I am so grateful that you were our amazing doula. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!”
–VANESSA
“When I first presented the idea of a Doula to my husband I was nervous. I didn’t want him to think that I didn’t think he could handle supporting me through childbirth alone. When we discussed it, he was still not fully convinced as to why we needed her help.
After the labor, I asked my husband if he thought it was helpful having a Doula and if his perspective changed. From my husband to yours… “I don’t know what I would have done without her.” Looking back, a Doula is just as much for the father as they are for the mother.
It is absolutely worth investing in the experience of a Doula. We are so happy with our overall birthing journey largely because of Christina. The rawness of childbirth was easy for us to share with her and we feel forever bonded with Christina!”
–CHELSEA
“We cannot express our gratitude for your support, compassion and knowledge during and after our birth of baby Oakley. When we were both exhausted and ready to cave, your coaching and encouragement got us through. We had such a beautiful experience and feel so proud we were able to do it all natural. My healing time and her strength can be attributed to that. Your services are worth every penny and then some. We hope you stay in the Walla Walla area as we will definitely contact you for baby #2!”
– KATIE
“I first decided to go with a doula around the end of my first trimester with my second pregnancy. My decision to look for and potentially have a doula at the birth of my son, was at first, a bit hard to wrap my mind around, mostly because I knew that I didn’t want very many people in the delivery room at the birth. This person would technically be a complete stranger to me and my partner, and I would be asking her or him to join us on a very emotional journey, so I wanted to make sure it was the right fit for me.
I felt it was important to look into hiring a doula, mainly because, my first birth experience left me feeling inadequate, like my body had failed me, like I hadn’t completely processed the emotional and physical pain that surrounded a otherwise complicated free Cesarean section, that culminated in the birth of my daughter, of which I am very grateful and feel eternally blessed for.
Christina Winterbourne’s name popped up when I did an initial search for “doulas” in my area. I took the first step and emailed her my info, and when I was due. She got back to me in a timely manner and our connection blossomed from there.
My experience of having Christina as my doula allowed me to feel safe in a space where I could emotionally let go of and process the “hard” thoughts and feelings of my first birth. Christina was so easy to talk to during our first prenatal appointment. She reassured me that this next birth would be different, in so many positive ways. She also helped to guide me in a direction where I could access a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) friendly provider, and a Webster certified chiropractor.
Her calming and reassuring presence helped me to quickly gain trust in myself, and my overall confidence (realizing and understanding that my body could do it) going into my birth. She was flexible with her scheduling when something didn’t work for me and I just felt empowered whenever we would meet and talk about my birth plan.
When I went into labor, she was in constant communication with my birth partner until she and I were at the hospital together. During labor, she was amazing, and SO reassuring. I was able to achieve the birth that I always longed for and it has been the greatest feeling to know I gained an amazing friend during the healing/birthing process.
Christina was an advocate for me and the birth that I wanted and I would highly recommend her if you are considering hiring a doula for your birth experience.”
– KATE
“By the time our son was six weeks old, sleep felt like a battle. I felt a sense of dread going into each evening, because he seemed to sleep worse at six weeks than he had when he was just a newborn. He still nursed at least three times a night, and was beginning to cluster feed in the early mornings. Worst of all, he seemed so uncomfortable – grunting, kicking, and crying out, even in his sleep. Needless to say, my spouse and I were exhausted. We tried a number of things to calm our baby, but even tactics that had worked when he was a newborn were no longer effective. We had family members come and help for a few days by taking a “night shift”, but it was only a temporary relief.
We finally called Christina, who had also been my doula at our son’s birth. We were hoping that she might be able to provide us with some suggestions, in addition to giving us a night off! She was so compassionate about our situation, and I felt a huge sense of relief when she told me she was sure there were some things we could try to improve our sleep. Christina took care of our son all night, bringing him to me only for feedings, and we debriefed over coffee the next morning. She gave me a number of new ideas to try for improving sleep, but importantly she also recognized that our son seemed to be having issues with latching during his feedings. Her insight led to consultations with our pediatrician and lactation consultant, who ultimately found that our son still had some medical issues that hampered his nursing. Within a week of correcting the issue, our son was a different baby. He was happier and more content, and slept more soundly. With more sleep, I felt like I could be the mother I wanted to be, instead of an irritable, sleep-deprived zombie!
I was so grateful that Christina could provide us with her perspective and insight on our baby’s sleep. As new parents, we didn’t recognize the clues and signals that our son’s sleep struggles were related to feeding issues, but Christina saw that possibility. Even though our son still has typical infant sleep challenges, I now feel that I have the knowledge and tools to deal with them. Christina helped me realize that I didn’t just have to tough out a bad sleep situation, but that there were very real ways to make things better. Those skills have continued to improve our family’s days and nights together. I’m so glad I asked for help!”
–ERIN
“Christina is absolutely amazing. She knew what our goals were for the labor and delivery that we wanted, and she made sure that those goals were met. I would not have made it through an unmedicated labor without her, and I have no doubt in my mind that she is the reason I did. Between various coping methods for the pain and her talking me through it when I just wanted to give up, I made it through and was rewarded with the most beautiful gift, my baby boy. I can’t wait to use Christina in the future for all of my babies!”
–KELLY
“Christina is the rare person who melds gentleness and compassion mixed with strength and solidness. She is exactly the person you want at your birth…someone who will care for you, advocate for you, and support you with strength and wisdom.”
–MARIA
“I was immediately drawn to Christina’s warmth, kindness and calming presence. She is a thoughtful, respectful mother and friend who reassures me and boosts my confidence on days when it’s tough to be a parent. Her innate ability to listen and internalize others’ words before giving advice consistently amazes me. She is hardworking, nurturing and insightful in all the best ways.”
–AMY
“I’ve known Christina for many years and love her passion and energy for everything she does. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing how she demonstrates these qualities not only her with her own daughter but with my children as well. Christina is curious and a life long learner. She is a great listener and does so without any judgment.”
–JENNIFER
“Having Christina in the room changed the whole trajectory of my labor. Before she came, I was having an increasingly difficult time; after she came, her suggestions and help made me able to tolerate labor and have the labor/delivery experience I (and my partner) hoped for. I would absolutely recommend hiring Christina to other new moms!!”
–ERIN
“Christina is a fabulous human being. She is smart, kind, thoughtful, responsive, and has a generous spirit. Walla Walla is fortunate to have this highly competent woman supporting new families!”
–CAROL
“She works tirelessly to provide the encouragement and support that others need to follow through on their goals, even at the moments when it is hardest to do so. I am grateful for how Christina has always told me exactly what I need to hear for my long-term health and happiness, when that is easy and when it’s hard, in a non-judgmental and supportive way.”
–SHANNON
“I knew I wanted a doula for my second pregnancy. This was my husband’s first child and we both agreed we wanted an intimate birth. When we met with Christina, I knew she was a perfect match. She is so mindful and empathetic. She also served as my postpartum doula. Take advantage to have her by your side. She is a wonderful human being. I highly recommend her.”
–YVETTE
“We chose Christina to assist us with the birth of our daughter. I was immediately attracted to her open-hearted and supportive nature. She has a life spark that just radiates! Christina is also incredibly knowledgeable and an expert in her field. During labor, she acted as support for my husband and I, and when things didn’t go as planned (through no fault of her own) she provided loving support to my mother while I had a belly birth. Most importantly, Christina was a port in the storm for me as I navigated an extremely difficult postpartum experience that I was unprepared for. When I felt like I no longer knew who I was she shared her experience with me, made me feel less isolated, and she encouraged me to seek help and to lean heavily on my support. She is continuing to help me to this very day! I just now feel like I’m catching my breath and returning to health 7 months later and Christina has been there with me every step of the way. She touched my heart and I will carry her passionate and loving care with me for the rest of my life.”
–ELISE
“My husband and I were so thankful that we worked with Christina Winterbourne during our pregnancy and birth. Being first time parents, we had so many questions leading up to our big day. She spent time meeting with us and calming all of our insecurities. During the birth, she was there to advocate for us at the hospital and give us the moral support we needed during that time. The best part was the postpartum help she provided taking the time to answer questions about breastfeeding and she really supported me through some difficult times. Her confidence and caring nature was so accommodating and compassionate. We are very happy looking back that she was a part of welcoming our baby boy into this world. Thank you Christina!”
–ELIZABETH
“When I met with Christina to go over her being my doula I instantly knew she was the perfect fit! She’s warm, easygoing, outspoken, and brimming with kindness and compassion. And she is not afraid to step in and be your advocate in any situation! I love that she’s supportive of all birth wishes, and stays with you all the way until the baby is born. She easily cut the intensity of my contractions in half! She definitely knows her stuff, and I can not recommend her enough! I love that she checks back in with you after your baby is born too, and goes over your birth story. She helped me process my c-section and find so much peace with it. I’m so excited to be able to have her be my doula again in the future!!”
–CAITLIN
“I will never be able to say enough good things about Christina. Even before getting pregnant, I had friends and colleagues recommend her, and this continued even after we met with her and instantly felt it was a perfect fit (it says a lot that even during COVID lockdown when I was working from home and hardly seeing anyone in person, I had moms from my workplace gushing about their experience with Christina and insisting I reach out. I’m so glad I listened!). With the benefit of a few months to look back on my pregnancy and delivery, it is not hyperbole to call Christina the most important participant in the process other than my partner. I was fortunate enough to have a relatively uncomplicated pregnancy, but when issues arose or my anxiety would start to peak, it was an unbelievable luxury to be able to reach for my phone and text or call for advice, or just have her patiently listen and really hear my concerns. My son arrived two weeks early and well ahead of my doctor’s schedule even once I was in labor, but Christina managed to make it to the hospital in time despite almost no warning. She was kind, resolute, focused and relaxed, exactly the energy I needed, and she also took some of our absolute favorite photos of us as a new family, which I will always treasure. Even if she hadn’t made it in time or hadn’t been permitted in the delivery room due to COVID, I can honestly say it would have been worth it many times over to have her as part of my pregnancy and postpartum journey. I lost my mom, a family nurse practitioner who delivered babies and worked with expectant mothers, to a painful and prolonged bout with cancer six years prior to my own pregnancy. To say I mourned the loss of that loving and knowledgeable female presence would be an understatement, but Christina came closer than I thought anyone ever could to filling that void, with the added benefit of feeling like a peer and someone with an objective and expert perspective whom I could completely trust. Her consistency, reassurance, warmth, wit, advocacy and good humor were all lifesavers. I thought our relationship would naturally taper off once I gave birth, but I am so glad that hasn’t been the case. She has remained an invaluable resource and font of support and guidance on lactation, baby sleep and countless other frantic first-time parenting panic moments. Our son now adores her as much as we do, and I hope she stays a part of our lives for many years to come!”
–GILLIAN
“During labor, Christina was a calming and supportive presence. She came to the hospital when we asked her to (a few hours into labor) and stayed until our son was born. She helped with pain and stress relief using massage and breathing exercises. Thanks to her experience at our hospital, she was also able to help us have the experience we wanted when hospital staff may have had slightly different approaches. She was especially helpful in advocating to have a cervical check when we felt it was necessary, even though the hospital staff did not think it was called for. (We discovered it was time to push much earlier than the MD anticipated.) This minimized our anxiety and my discomfort in the end stages of labor.”
–EMILY
“I couldn’t picture my labor and delivery without her support. She said all the right things at the right times, especially helping me stay focused later on when I wanted to give up. She was a great support to my husband as well (including reminding him to eat and drink). I was able to have the natural birth that I wanted and I credit Christina for much of it.”
–CATIE
“We had been trepidatious about working with a doula after hearing mixed reports, but immediately upon meeting Christina, we were convinced that it would be helpful. She was exceptionally easy to work with, responsive to questions at all hours, and helped us feel more in control of our situation despite limited choices. Even after becoming convinced that she would be helpful she continued to exceed our expectations. She was absolutely delightful to work with and I would (and do) recommend her to all the expecting parents we know.”
–EMILY
“From our first meeting with Christina, my partner and I knew we were in good hands. Christina’s exuberant personality and generosity of spirit immediately put us at ease. Not only is Christina a wealth of knowledge about pregnancy and birthing, but she also has a lot of experience working with a number of doctors and nurses in Walla Walla. I feel incredibly lucky to have had Christina present for the birth of our son. Knowing she was there, advocating for me and the baby, allowed me to relax as much as possible. Christina’s sage advice and encouragement helped me through each contraction. I could not have imagined a better birth experience, and I owe a lot of that to Christina. Her postpartum visit was equally important. I struggled quite a bit to breastfeed my baby. Christina’s guidance helped us get through the tough times, and she taught me to trust my instincts as a new mother. I cannot thank Christina enough for all her help and support.”
–KRISTA