testimonials

“If you are reading this, and considering Rachael as your postpartum doula- this is your literal sign to book her immediately! Her calm and kind soul, open heart, vast knowledge of all things motherhood, and talent in the kitchen was everything I could have ever needed or wanted postpartum. I met Rachael at one of her workshops & knew all postpartum journeys would benefit immensely from her support. I reached out to her in the thick of postpartum, after an unexpected c-section birth with complications for me of my third son, feeling very overwhelmed & anxious the week before my husband went back to work. My body was nowhere near ready to lift our 18 month old/do any of our regular routine really. Her visits helped ease my fears, heal my body, get some one on one time with both my baby and toddler & find creative ways to get through the weeks of healing-like baby wearing, belly binding, and eating nourishing food & drinking warm drinks to rebuild what was depleted from birth. Her warm, delicious meals felt like hugs for the soul & catered to what my body needed to heal. She held space for so many emotions I was processing, too. From fear & anxiety to guilt & anger from a traumatic birth while giving me tools to move through those emotions & let them go. I was also able to process and connect all 3 of my births with her on her last visit which felt so freeing. I feel so lucky to have had her love, support, & knowledge during this time & I feel like a stronger mother moving forward.”

“My postpartum experience with my second child was so much better due to Rachael and her care for me. Not only does she fill my home with amazing aromas but she always knows the right questions to ask and how to support me emotionally in this fragile and important time. She has the perfect intuition for knowing when to listen and when to offer advice and gave me many practical tips while also drying my tears. She is truly one of the most empathetic people I know. She was also able to connect me with various helpful resources that continue to serve me well as I recover. I highly recommend Rachael for any mom who wants to have a peaceful and meaningful postpartum experience.”

“I really struggled with postpartum anxiety after the birth of my first daughter. This time around, my anxiety was minimal, and I largely credit Rachael for that. She was exactly what I needed during such a vulnerable time - a true grounding force. Those three hours each visit were ones of nourishment - soul food, validation, encouragement, and unbiased guidance. Most importantly, she aided me in my own postpartum healing process, physically, mentally, and emotionally, so that I could be the best mama to my girls in the long run. Easily one of the best investments I’ve made in myself and our family - thank you Rachael!”

“Rachael made me one of the best meals of my life yesterday. Vegetable Tikki Masala. Her food nourishes me to my core. I now understand how food can be medicine for the soul. Her weekly visits lifted me up in so many ways. I didn’t realize how much my soul needed sunshine until Rachael would arrive and I would drink in her soft encouraging words while I sipped on her homemade chia tea. Last year I had no idea what a postpartum doula was and now I see her as a must for every mama! Rachael was my counselor, breastfeeding cheerleader, chef of the most amazing food and a girlfriend who I could cry and laugh with. She would repeatedly cheer me on when I felt like the worst mother and remind me how strong I was. What an honor it was to be on the receiving end of Rachael’s deep devotion for postpartum mamas. My postpartum season with my first child was extremely difficult. When I got pregnant with my second child I knew that I wanted a different postpartum experience and that’s what lead me to Rachael. I wanted to thrive through postpartum instead of just survive and she helped me succeed in that goal. The only problem I see going forward is how spoiled I am with her delicious food and how I might have to start researching Ayurvedic recipes.”

“I came across Rachael while researching labor doulas. I had never heard of a postpartum doula, especially since this was our first pregnancy. Reading her biography, I realized it was all the things I wanted to be surrounded with after bring home our first baby. Rachael was (and continues to be) a gift that keeps on giving. From her comforting meals and body healing practices to her nonjudgmental ear and gentle suggestions, Rachael helped me heal in ways I didn’t know I needed to. I tell anyone expecting they need to reach out to her and I already know she’ll be by my side for the next time. I am so genuinely thankful to have Rachael in my life and I cannot imagine this experience without her!”

“It was such a gift to be able to open my fridge and know that anything I ate would do good for my body. After my baby was born, Rachael helped me work through what would be best for my body as it healed from a wild and fast delivery that resulted in a severe tear (and a beautiful baby!) She truly nourished me, in every since of the word. She helped me process my birth, offering a listening ear as I shared the beauty and brokenness of bringing my sweet girl into the world. She brought me warm and nutrient rich foods, helping warm my body and replenish all that was given to my daughter in pregnancy and through her birth. Throughout my postpartum period, she has offered wisdom in how to keep my milk supply up and strong. I struggled with some postpartum anxiety, and Rachael was quick to respond to my plea for help with multiple natural and homeopathic remedy options to discuss with my midwife. I am so grateful for Rachael’s knowledge, wisdom, and genuine care for my and my baby’s wellbeing during pregnancy and postpartum. I would highly recommend her services!”

“It was a joy working with Rachael. We were so glad that she was here to walk us through the beautiful, challenging time following our son’s birth. Her care, compassion, and genuine empathy for our experiences were so refreshing.
Everything from the recipes she gave us to the questions she asked us and the tips she gave us on caring for our newborn were so helpful. We cannot recommend Rachael highly enough!”

“Hiring Rachael was easily one of the best decisions we could have made for our postpartum journey. I had no idea how hard life would be in the first few weeks after having our son, and Rachael was there every step of the way to help get us through it. She was there for me in a time that I doubted I would be able to embrace the new role I had been given, and gave me the confidence I needed to succeed as a new mother. Rachael’s knowledge on using food as medicine helped heal me in so many ways during this experience, and my recovery has been so much smoother because of it. I had a C-section, and during our first visit, she recommended dandelion root tea for some pretty extensive swelling I was dealing with. Doctors said it could take 3-4 weeks for the swelling to go away, and with Rachael’s help, the swelling was gone in 3 days! She helped get my body back on track with healing soups, teas and the most delicious cookies. Before she left after the first visit, I was eating the most delicious pumpkin soup, enjoying a warm freshly baked cookie, and sipping on some healing tea. I had been overwhelmed, exhausted and was feeling drained, and just having Rachael in the house seemed to make everything feel better. I found comfort in knowing that she had been in a similar place, and knew what I was going through, and I knew she’d help me get to where I am now. Rachael was amazing at listening and acknowledging what I was dealing with every week, and helped me feel like every emotion I was feeling was an absolutely normal part of the process. Each time Rachael left our home after a visit, it felt a little bit lighter, and I felt a little more calm and confident to go into the coming week. I can’t even imagine our postpartum journey without her. She was there for us through one of the biggest changes in our life, and she was there for me during one of the biggest transformations of mine. Rachael helped me go from a place of being anxious and scared all the time, to being confident and hopeful that we can absolutely get through this, and for that I’ll be forever grateful.”

“Working with Rachael was the best decision I made during my postpartum preparation this time around for my 3rd baby. I had terrible postpartum depression and anxiety after my first and second pregnancy and I was terrified of what my 3rd postpartum would look like. From the moment Rachael came to our home for our first consultation I knew she was a perfect fit to help our family during this transition. I firmly believe that it was Rachael’s kindness, patience and support that made this the best postpartum experience I’ve had! Rachael often recognized things I needed before I did and she gave me the much needed permission to take time for myself to replenish so I could be at my best for my family. She also allowed me to share my feelings, worries and concerns openly and without judgement—a very important thing for a momma with a newborn! I am so thankful for Rachael. What she brings to her clients is absolutely invaluable and every momma deserves to have someone like her walk with them during their postpartum season!”

“I am a first time mom of twins living overseas. As you can imagine, it was pretty stressful for me after my delivery having two newborns, limited family support, and navigating everything in my second language. What a blessing it was to find a postpartum doula who does remote sessions! Rachael helped me immensely both practically and emotionally. She helped me process my birth story, which included an unplanned c-section. She gave me a list of foods to help my body recover, and she recommended supplements to help my energy level, balancing hormones, and boosting my immune system. But most importantly, she was able via video chat to diagnose my son with a lip tie. He was having huge struggles gaining weight, but after I pushed to have his lip tie fixed, it was a total game changer. She empowered me to continue breastfeeding, and at 7 months postpartum, I am still nursing both babies. I only wish that I had known about Rachael’s services earlier on. She is absolutely worth your time and financial investment! ”

“Isolated. Overwhelmed. Anxious. These 3 words describe my first postpartum experience. I had spent so much time preparing for the birth of my daughter, making a birth plan, securing all that I needed to have my desired birthing experience, and I was completely naive to the fact that what I really needed to plan for was my postpartum recovery and the challenging transition to motherhood. So, when I heard Rachael speak at an event when I was a few months pregnant with my second child, I knew instantly that what she was offering to postpartum women was exactly what I needed. Leading up to the birth, Rachael helped me identify my village, define when and who would be my support team and which day to day responsibilities I could delegate to others to ensure I could truly rest and recover postpartum. Then, immediately following the birth, Rachael allowed me to process my birth experience with her and in the weeks following, helped me to truly heal both physically and emotionally by cooking me delicious, healing meals and beverages, specifically helping me with some physical setbacks related to my delivery, and being a compassionate/nonjudgmental sounding board for the challenges I was facing now as a mother of two. Having Rachael in our home was always a calming, peaceful experience, one that I truly looked forward to in the weeks she worked with us. Without a doubt, Rachael’s delicate nourishing, both body and soul, was an integral part to ensuring that this postpartum period was a more peaceful, healing and joyful experience.”

“When I was pregnant I prepared and researched so much for birth but didn’t put nearly as much time into postpartum care. I read about the first 40 days and minimally prepared to be supported. At the end of the 6 weeks, I found myself feeling even more depleted and anxious than I had at birth. I was actually still bleeding! I found Rachael through Instagram and we worked together remotely the next 6 weeks. I realized what I needed was someone who was focused on ME. Not my baby. And not someone who needed something from me emotionally. I was wanting someone who deeply understands the emotional and physical things women need postpartum, because as kind and as loving as my husband is, he just wasn’t enough! Rachael met me where I was. She planned meals for me, and we talked weekly about how I was really doing. She is an amazing listener and asked all the right questions to help me process. Our conversations were endless: from postpartum anxiety, sexuality postpartum, gentle sleep methods, to vaginal steaming.
So even if you’re two or three months postpartum it’s not too late to reach out for help or to have the postpartum experience that you want and need. Rachael was amazing and I will for sure be reaching out earlier next time. At the end of our time together (even though our communication is still open!!) I felt stronger... like I had stable ground to walk on and more confidence in who I am as a woman and mother! I’m so thankful I reached out even thought it wasn’t the “traditional” fourth trimester.”

“Worth it. Oh so worth it! Rachael Hollinger offers a deep expansive well of knowledge, which she shares in the most compassionate and soothing of ways. I became a remote client of hers as we welcomed our third baby. Even though I would have loved to have received warm bowls from her bedside in person, the weekly-ish phone call check ins we scheduled were absolutely invaluable. I was utterly lavished on by husband, friends + family with meals and tangible help and yet so much of the postpartum experience involves intricate processing - through physical discomfort, family dynamics, emotional adjustment, even spiritual epiphanies and wild beautiful heart growth. She was able to track with, support, and encourage me deftly in all of these areas and more. Her responses and sweet probing questions were both efficient and gentle. Her cookbook is a total gem and we will saunter through and savor the recipes for years to come! Even though we mamas ultimately undergo the healing and blossoming in mothering ourselves, having a coach and confidante available for anything as it arose was amazing. I respect this woman deeply. If you have a chance to work with her remotely and are wondering if this format translates well, I enthusiastically recommend that it does wonderfully.The word that overwhelmingly comes to mind is GENEROUS. She’s committed to serving women in this arena and does it whole-heartedly in a super skilled and generous style. Thank you Rachael!”