Testimonials — Soft Landing Doula

"I felt instantly connected to Dana from our first conversation. It was clear right away that she's extremely knowledgeable and committed to continuous learning about anything and everything pertinent to doulas. She was so thorough in helping to set up my birth plan and was such a supportive, calming energy during my labor (which ended up not quite going according to plan!) Even within that, Dana remained committed to supporting me in the best way possible and I'm truly grateful to have had her by my side. I cannot recommend her enough."

– Becka Horner

January 30, 2024

"Dana was absolutely wonderful! She showed up exactly how I needed her to for my delivery. She held my hand, and consistently reassured me. Her calming presence and advocacy was outstanding! Thank you so much Dana for being there for me with so much love and compassion and advocating for me and my baby! You will always be a part of our family's journey."

– Beenish Faheem
December 5, 2023

"Dana was indispensable in the first week following my c section! She held the baby and kept her calm so I could sleep a little extra or attend to older kids, or move around a bit to facilitate my recovery. She also made sure I ate the right foods to get a good milk supply going. Would absolutely recommend, even if it's only a few days."

– Gavriella Lerner
November 27, 2023

"Dana was amazing! We loved her! Dana was so upbeat, and kind, and really helped me through some very tough contractions. She provided fantastic counterpressure when the contractions got tough and ensured that I had everything I needed. She also made sure that my husband and I got some sleep before contractions got too painful. Dana was also so helpful before we even got to the hospital. Dana helped us think of our birth preferences and provided reading material and guides to help move labor along. She was so supportive and really made all the difference in the labor and delivery process. Additionally, Dana came over to our house after I came home from the hospital to check in on me and my daughter. Dana truly cares about her clients and I don't think I could have done this without her help!"

– Leah K
October 25, 2023

"I couldn't be more grateful for having Dana by my side during my last weeks of pregnancy, birth and postpartum period. Most supportive, comforting, encouraging and caring for me! would not be able to make it without you!! so much appreciate the connection and your warm calming energy you spread around. Thank you for your true deepest dedication and personal approach in everything you do!"

– Hannah Halevi
August 16, 2023

"Dana is amazing! She was a huge asset to our homebirth, as well as the days leading up to and following the birth. We are big fans. It wouldn't have been the same experience without her."

-MB February 4, 2024

"I'm a postpartum doula myself so I knew I really wanted to have this support. Dana was a perfect match for my family and our needs! She cooked for me, and even offered to bring veggies I never heard of :) she really knows how to cook! I loved when she would bring me a nutritious meal straight to my bedroom. Dana is also a great listener! I needed to process my birth experience and she always listened with compassion, understanding and warmth. Her support was really invaluable and I recommend Dana to all new families!"

Marta Ginter 2/10/2024

"I have had the pleasure of working with Dana Gerschel in preparation for my birth and would highly recommend her services. She offers personalized support for any of your needs before during and after your birth. She is incredibly knowledgeable and has made me feel extremely comfortable and offered non-judgmental, open communication with all my questions. It has been a pleasure learning from her, and she has made each of our classes’ fun, interactive and informative. I feel SO much more prepared for my birth and am really grateful for her time. I would highly recommend Soft Landing Doula to help make your prenatal care, birth, and postpartum care as smooth and supportive as possible. Dana is wonderful!"

Janine Berey

2/25/2024

"Dana assisted in our home birth, and we cannot say enough good things about her. She is truly an amazing, capable, and gentle person who is in tune with the birth process and someone you want on your side. One of the benefits of home birth is knowing that your team is fully focused on you. Dana assisted in my 3rd home birth, and I know that other times there was TOO much attention on me. I never mentioned this to Dana, yet she somehow was very aware to give me and my husband our space during labor. She was close by enough to be attentive while also letting us have our space. One of the things that really stood out to me was how she noticed every time a contraction started and jumped right up, asking permission to assist. It was really comforting to know that I did not have to 'announce' or 'time' the contractions, as Dana knew when she was needed. Throughout the process, she was gentle and available. When I needed to shower, when I needed privacy, when I need help, she was ready for all of it! I cannot recommend her enough times and she is definitely a person you need on your birthing team."

-Marisa Lewitan

April 16, 2024

"Dana was amazing throughout my birth process. She started to assist me during my pregnancy and was always calm and patient. Once i started having contractions, she was so supportive to make sure i was ok. She even came to visit me after birth twice to make sure i was ok. I would definitely recommend her she is amazing.

-Debbie Cohen 5/14/2024

"I am so happy I got to work with Dana as my Doula. She was so encouraging and positive. She also made me feel great and empowered around all the decisions I made. She was able to stretch and move me in ways that helped reduce my pain significantly. I would highly recommend Dana to anyone looking to have a really calm and positive presence in their birthroom :)"

-Adina Lichtman 5/22/2024

"Dana has gone above and beyond to support us before during and after childbirth. For months building up to labor she was available at all times of the day with answers to all types of questions; always being super thorough in her responses and getting back to us with the latest research on our questions/concerns. During delivery she guided ariella physically and emotionally, with a perfect attentiveness to the push and pull of ariellas needs.and she's continued to support us and check on us in the days postpartum. We are so grateful we found her!"

-Yehuda Heller

6/7/2024

"Dana was an amazing Doula throughout my labor and delivery and after care. She helped me cope with the contractions, massaging me and helping me changing positions. She's very knowledgeable and hands on. She's also very kind and has a calming voice that helped me keep me calm and serene. Thank you Dana for your help, if another baby comes, I'm glad I have your contact."

-Clarice Del Duca

8/19/2024

"Dana was great-- from our first phone call, I felt like we spoke the same language. For me, she has the exact right mix of sense of humor and nerdy birth wonk. She is a great listener and was never pushy-- she truly wanted to deliver an experience tailored to ME. I had a tricky moment with my OB and had to deliver via C-section earlier than I'd hoped, and Dana was supportive and non-judgmental while providing context and helping me to stay calm and ask all of the right questions. Afterwards, Dana checked in and offered great post-partum tips. 10/10 would recommend Dana!"

-Julia

8/23/2024

"I have nothing but great things to say about Dana. She went above and beyond my expectations for a Doula. From the beginning she was focused on understanding what I wanted from a birth. She took the time to understand my general outline for a birthplan and helped me craft that into something more concrete. On the day of the birth she was able to get to me as quickly as possible and immediately provided much needed support. She was continually focused on ensuring I was as comfortable as possible and enabled me to labor at home for an extended period of time. She sat with us during the drive to NYC from New Jersey which would have been extremely challenging without her there. She was focused on me throughout the delivery and made sure I did not have to have any unnecessary interventions that I didn't want. She stayed with us for several hours after the birth, supported me through initial feedings and made sure I felt comfortable before she left. Her in-home follow-up was also very welcome, if for no reason other than it was nice to see her again! These highlight what she did but fail to capture just how seriously she took her job and how supported she made me feel. With Dana around I felt that I was able to handle the birth, and she reminded me that everything that was happening was natural and something I was capable of. Hard to overstate just how great having Dana there was, and how much she enabled me to have the most positive birth experience I could."

-Sarit Harrison

9/19/2024

" I am very grateful to have worked with Dana!!she is amazing and has a listening heart. The first thing i loved about Dana is that she was honest and not about the budget, she really cared about pregnancy experience. Sharing resources, referring me to other great services that i might need, all those great support that she constantly provided while i was getting closer to my due date. She made herself available and one night when i was going through false labor (which i didn't know at the time) she even spent the night with me and my husband providing all comforting measures possible. On my delivery date she was fully present, advocating for me, where it was needed. The list can go on, and I can truly say that Dana is an amazing doula and I would definitely work with her again. Me and my husband are grateful for her!"

-Gracia Nibigira

9/12/2024

"We were extremely happy with our experience working with Dana. From our consultation through her postpartum followups, Dana was a pleasure to work with and always felt like a member of our "team". In addition to the kind, supportive, and confident personality we were looking for in a doula, Dana was extremely helpful preparing us for our first birth. The time she took to meet with us leading up to the due date made us comfortable and confident when it came time to go to the hospital. Needless to say, her support throughout labor and delivery was outstanding. We love Dana and know that you will too!"

-Aviva

10/6/2024

"I really wanted to set myself up for the best chances of having a successful VBAC. Dana was so supportive and encouraging of my goals from the first conversation we had, and provided really thoughtful insights and evidence-based perspectives throughout my pregnancy after learning about me. She was always responsive and dedicated when I reached out with questions. During labor and delivery, Dana was so present and encouraging. She continuously provided pain management during my early labor and when I transitioned to the hospital and got an epidural, she assisted with positioning throughout. My labor was long and hard, and Dana was a crucial part of my team that ultimately resulted in a successful VBAC! most importantly, Dana helped to facilitate a birth experience in which I felt empowered, and I will always be grateful for that."

-Shira R.G.

10/10/2024