Divine Journey

This is first time ever I am ever writing a review and I wanted to write it as I want to others to have the same experience like I had. To start with I didn’t have any idea who a Doula is. I was looking for some meditation classes when I became pregnant and that when I found her in Unilocal and browse through her site. With more research I came to know who a doula is.
I was surprised that my doctor and chriporacter know her very well just by mentioning her name.
When I read her reviews I wanted to give a try .So I got in touch with her and mentioned that I am pregnant and my due date. She then said she will not be able to assist me as she is going on a vacation a day before and was planned already .I mentioned that my intention was to know about child birth prepare me and my husband as it is our first baby. She clearly discussed with me and asked what am I expecting from her. Then she gave a couple of options and we choose have classes with her. Thats when I really got to know her commitment towards what she does. I can 100% she does anything and everything out for her heart and not because it is her profession.
She tried to use every single minute when we had sessions and never wasted a minute during the sessions. So is so focused, dedicated and committed to what she was doing and I can say she one of very few people I have ever seen like that. She could easily go little slower and extend it for couple more classes but she never did that or would do something like that.
I had a previous history of back pain and was scared how I will handle it through my pregnancy but small suggestions from her helped me to get through it. She will be constantly in touch with you and make sure you are ok and you can totally relay on her. I also got a massage done with her and was totally different feeling from all the others I had done before.
We got a immense, knowledge and strength to handle the labor.
I would really suggest her any expecting mother as they would benefit 100% from her and have can very pleasant natural labor experience with least medical interferences as that is what her goal whould be when she is doula for any one.

Before meeting Viji, we had no idea what a birth coach’s role was. We were afraid a birth coach would hinder or overbear on the participation of the family in the birth/​labor process and none of our friends or family or even acquaintances have worked with a labor coach, to our knowledge. We also did not want someone else pushing their philosophy of an ideal birth on us and were very hesitant to share a very private life changing moment with a stranger.
But, we had THE MOST PERFECT BIRTH WE COULD HAVE EVER HOPED FOR! And it was one of the most educating and enlightening experience of our lives! To have a birth according to a birth plan or a checklist on how we would like things to go is one aspect. But to be in the middle of it being fully empowered to achieve it with one’s own determination through the support of a birth coach is one of the MOST REWARDING experiences for us personally.
We had a 100% natural unmedicated birth, from start to finish and in our own terms. My entire labor lasted less than 6 hours with 21 minutes of pushing and a beautiful baby boy to take home at the end of it. We also discovered a treasure trove of knowledge in Viji about pregnancy, child birth, new born care, holistic medicine,…the list is endless!
Ours was a unique situation where my husband was away on travel and we had to accept that as a possibility when I actually went into labor. Due to unforeseen circumstances he was delayed and my labor progressed rather quickly for him to return in time for the birth of our son. Throughout this entire ordeal, Viji constantly kept in touch with him but did not tell me about the setback lest my loss of focus should tarry labor and cause unnecessary stalling. I had with me my mother who doesn’t speak much of the language as she is very new to the country and VIJI — THAT’S ALL! From the moment my water broken on the morning of October 22 until the photo finish birth of our son, VIJI was ALL I had. Our intention was to take her help in coaching me through labor but she ended up being my EVERYTHING that day!
Viji’s clarity of thought and her immense confidence that stems from years of experience in the field of medical research, holistic medicine and social service was invaluable. Viji made us feel at ease with her ability to communicate with the initiated, uninitiated and the in-​between with complete ease. She is able to navigate deftly amongst a myriad of people — the mother, father, family, hospital staff without stepping on anyone’s toes. All we heard from everyone in the labor room was how EASY it was to work with her! She is a leader but underplays it like a CHAMPION! You will be surprised how much she knows her way around the labor room — starting from where the hospital gear is kept, to interpreting contractions patterns — MIND BOGGLING! Her empathy and complete surrender to the service she provides to the expecting/​laboring mother is inspiring!
I’d recommend her to all expecting parents who believe in the naturalness of childbirth and the capability of the human body to know how to do it without unnecessary intervention. And to expecting parents who would like to rejoice in the experience of their personal journey completely empowered and supported. My immediate thoughts go to my own recovery after my birth experience. The sense of accomplishment and joy looking back at how I was supported to achieve this ON MY OWN and IN MY OWN TERMS is what I will be forever grateful for to Viji.

I am not sure where to start with Viji– she is such an incredible healer — filled with compassion, extensive knowledge and love. She is such a blessing to have during our more than difficult pregnancy and birth–
Without her grounding love and support we would have truly been lost.
Prior to my birth– she gave me the most amazing massage– where she bathed me in love, compassion and more love!
I refer her to anyone who is looking for a doula– well actually to anyone who is pregnant and doesn’t even know what a doula is! Lol
She is the full package– my husband and I will for sure use her amazing services our next time around!
If I could give her 10 stars– I would!!!

«Belief, hard work, love-​you have those things, you can do anything.» This quote from one of my favorite author/​writer Mitch Albom is what resonates with us when we think of Viji and how she worked, helped and guided my husband and I in our pregnancy, labor and delivery.
The first time I spoke to Viji, the timing wasn’t working for us… I have been searching for a doula for weeks and time and time again, Viji’s name pops out. We checked her website, read her background info, learned about the services she provides… I knew that she was the doula I wanted to work with me in delivering our second child, but because of the timing, we ended up hiring another doula that we love and adore as well.
I was considered a high-​risk pregnancy because of my age and was referred to multiple pregnancy specialist and ob/​gyne to monitor my pregnancy. My husband and I had so many questions, anxieties and experienced more challenges and difficulties from the second pregnancy. I am not sure if it’s fate or God leading us back to try reaching out to Viji again, so I did and the more we talked, the more we got to know each other, the more we both felt the connection.
Viji became our doula who gave us the attention that we needed to ease out our anxieties and offered time and knowledge to educate us and helped us understand what was going on in our pregnancy and what to expect in the months ahead of us leading to the birth of our son.
Viji’s background proved to be a wealth of knowledge. She not only offered loving kindness but she provided my family and I the care and attention we so needed to feel comfortable and enjoy the rest of my pregnancy. There were a few stressful situations where at seven months, we’re still searching for the right ob/​gyne to work with us as the specialists and midwives we had wasn’t a good match to our needs. Viji referred us to our amazing ob/​gyne and from then on, everything went smoothly.
Viji is a gifted doula that cares not only for the mommies that she works with, but also the whole family. My 6-​year-​old daughter felt so comfortable around her. Viji was always there when we needed her and that reassured us that no matter what happens we felt we were in good hands with her.
I delivered my son naturally and with no medication whatsoever. Viji believed in my strength and worked hard to help me stay focused in relaxing, breathing slowly and pushing when it was time. I have to admit, there were a few times where I almost asked for meds to ease the pain of contractions, but Viji stood still by my side, constantly reminding me how strong and amazing I am… her support was what I needed to hear constantly to helped me motivated to deliver my baby naturally. It took 15 minutes and 4 pushes to deliver my beautiful baby boy with no tear and no meds at all. The best part of it all was that I was able to stand and walk 4 hours after delivery, something that didn’t happen with my first born (I had ostitis pubis/​pubis symphisis). With Viji’s help in preparing me before delivery with pregnancy massages, stretch positions and keeping me optimistic, everything that I was hoping for a comfortable labor and smooth delivery happened.
My husband and I felt so blessed and fortunate to have Viji as our doula. Her passion in helping mothers and families to have a positive, smooth and wonderful delivery came to a reality for us. She is truly a gifted caregiver, who cares and gives more than what you expect from a doula. I have mentioned to my friends and family that it takes awhile to find the right person/​doula to team with you during your pregnancy, labor and delivery… in our case, we are blessed and fortunate to have Viji by our side.
Maricar and Mark A.
Baby Milo Noah, 2.22.2014

My wife and I booked a labor induction massage (I’m going to call it that. because that’s what it did =)) with Viji. I don’t think it was totally a coincidence that my wife went into labor the next night, and our baby was born a day later! The massage itself was very relaxing and it helped my wife overcome some mental blocks about going into labor. Viji is a wonderful person and she went beyond her obligation to help us out. She spent so much extra time with us really getting to know more about the pregnancy and even gave us some advice about breastfeeding, it was not just about the massage. If you are around your due date, waiting to go into labor. get a massage from Viji! =)

I knew I wanted a doula for my second birth experience so I could have a knowledgeable advocate in my corner. Viji was just that and a whole lot more. Viji is incredibly knowledgeable, caring, energetic, and warm. Like a good friend, Viji was always available to answer questions, call me out when she knew something was on my mind, and lend a listening ear. The prenatal visits helped me prepare physically and emotionally for birth and the aromatherapy massage and products were amazing.
On the day of our daughter’s birth we were in regular contact and she suggested that we go to the hospital. I wanted to labor at home for as long as possible to prevent any unnecessary hospital interventions and thought it was too soon to go in as the contractions were not particularly painful. We trusted Viji’s judgment and thank goodness we did. Viji put me in a good laboring position and I was at 10 cm in less than 2 hours after arriving to the hospital. The massage, counter pressure, essential oils, and Viji’s calming presence made laboring manageable. I felt an urge to push and 20 minutes later our beautiful baby girl was born naturally with no intervention, no fear, and no pain. I felt a rush of euphoria that I cannot even begin to explain. It truly was a beautiful and transcendent experience that I will cherish for a lifetime.
We were incredibly blessed to have Viji as our doula. No amount of words can express our gratitude and love for this amazing woman. Viji brings a sense of calm and peace that only experience and a God given gift can bring. Deep in my heart I know that it was Viji that allowed me to achieve my ideal birthing experience. My husband, a true doula skeptic, now wholeheartedly recommends having a doula (especially Viji) to all expecting couples. As a pharmacist, I was really interested in the placenta encapsulation and I do feel it made a dramatic difference in my mood and milk production. Knowing that Viji can only take a limited number of clients, it is a great privilege to have this amazing woman as your doula!

I strongly recommend Viji as a doula. Both my husband and I felt that her presence was extremely helpful during the delivery. I doubt that I would have been able to deliver naturally without her support. My husband was even more grateful for her help, because it took the pressure off him to remember and do the right things. :)
She was also always available on phone or text messages for any questions. Her prenatal visits were also very helpful.
She came over to my place when my contractions got close enough. It gave us a lot of confidence to know that she was with us during the time when it’s crucial to decide when to leave for hospital.
I gave birth at the El Camino hospital. The hospital staff liked her a lot. The nurses complimented her for her positive energy and support. She helped me a lot in dealing with the contraction pains by applying pressure, massages, and encouragement. She made suggestions along the way, but did not press on anything if I wanted to do things differently. She also took pictures and shared with us the album and the birth story.

Our world completely changed when Ethan Luke blessed our lives on March 11, 2014. As new parents preparing for child birth, Viji Natarajan was truly a Godsend! Being skeptical about hiring a doula in the beginning, Viji took her time to answer all of our questions and educate us on being pregnant and the childbirth process! But what sold me on Viji was her ability to connect with Theresa, my wife. Her ability to connect with her and assure everything would go perfectly — the way it was meant for us — separates Viji from other Doula’s we reviewed and interviewed.
On the day my wife would be delivering our baby, Viji was with us from the beginning! She multitask ed by providing attention to my wife, coaching me on how to be the best support to my wife, and as well the middle person between us and the medical team.
We are proud to say, without Viji, my wife may not have experienced her perfect birth story — pushing naturally for 4 hours and without any pain medication. While my wife performed like a super star, Viji was the coach behind it all! In Viji, not only did we hire the best Doula, we found a life time friend!
I highly recommend Viji if your spouse/​partner is looking for a Doula! When my wife and I plan for our second, we will be calling on Viji to be our Doula again!

My husband and I were fortunate to have Viji Natarajan as our doula for my pregnancy and the birth of our son, Niam. Viji was a storehouse of information regarding my pregnancy, delivery and post partum care. This information was invaluable as it ensured a smooth pregnancy and delivery. Viji provided an immense amount of moral, emotional and even physical support. She not only helped me assuage my doubts and fears about my delivery, she physically eased my pain and got me through the most challenging parts of it. My husband and I were more than satisfied with Viji’s knowledge, spirit and care.

Our baby was due on March 25^th and we were busy preparing for the childbirth. We took couple of classes around pregnancy and childbirth and had a birthing plan in place. We once thought about a doula as well, but did not pursue that much because we did not consider it as an absolute essential.
Since this would be our first child, we did not know what to expect from the Hospital and staff. We had heard good stories and bad. We just hoped for the best and progressed towards the due date.
My wife’s contractions started on the evening of 11^th March. We dismissed early contractions as Braxton hicks. However, the contractions became regular at around 9. It was wakeful night. We monitored the contractions until early morning of 12^th and went to the hospital at around 5 am as per the «511» rule.
the hospital staff monitored my wife for a few hours (a couple I guess) and sent us back home telling us that the dilation is only 1 cm and it is a false alarm. :(
we came home, and the contractions become regular again. we phoned the hospital but we were advised to wait… these few hours were the worst. In despair and not knowing whom to turn to, my wife thought of Viji.
We had previously contacted Viji for placenta encapsulation and knew that she knows ayurveda. I texted the situation to her, only hoping that she will get back to me sooner. To my surprise, I got her reply almost immediately. She told me that my wife is going through back labor and advised to use bathtub. That helped tremendously. The pain went from excruciating to severe. She also suggested the puppy asana to help baby turn. That helped a lot and it turned out that the baby actually moved in correct position. She was continuously in touch while this all was unfolding and told us that my wife is making progress towards the goal.
When we went to the hospital, my wife was 9 cm dilated and the baby was delivered within 45 minutes in good health. it was all natural delivery without any medication or surgery!!!
Viji was god sent! We can’t ever repay her timely help, but would be more than happy to take any tiny opportunity to do so!

Don’t hesitate. Grab Viji while you can!
We met Viji at an event in Palo Alto. We liked her from the beginning, she has a calm and kind energy. We are first time parents and wanted the support of a doula to attempt a natural birth and to minimize the stress and anxiety of a first labor.
The prep sessions helped put us at ease and understand the possibilities that birth brings. She comes with no agenda, just mama and baby’s health and happiness.
I was induced 10 days past my due date, which wasn’t part of the plan, but Viji was very supportive and reassuring. We managed to get things going without pitocin or an epidural. Once active labor began she eased my nausea and supported me through the contractions; leading my husband by example. Her instinct and skill helped me cope without meds; she provided soothing coaching, counter pressure massage, and a TENS unit. She was my advocate with the medical staff who were unaware of how quickly I was progressing, and stood by to take pictures once our baby was ready to arrive.
I can’t imagine a better experience and would hire Viji a million times over again. She is a gifted doula and I consider myself very lucky to have met and worked with her.

Viji provided us with the confidence and assurance to choose a natural birth process without any sedatives. We were able to remain at home for most of the labour and she patiently worked with my wife throughout the extensive waves contractions. She is loaded with the tools and methods to support the labour. She brings her little bag of homeopathic remedies to help sooth the discomfort. All these details added up to build the utmost assuring home laboring experience first time expecting parents can ask for.
As the husband in this process, we sometimes feel helpless and directionless, however, Viji, was also great at guiding me and defining my role along the way too. At the hospital, she was able to act as facilitator between us and the staff. She knows our birthing plan and will work with the nurses and doctors to achieve that plan to the best of our ability. As an option, she documented the whole birthing process which was great since I was too focused on trying to comfort my wife and too overwhelmed with watching my baby emerge. Trust me dads, you don’t want to watch this moment from behind a lens of a camera. It’s something you just have to witness with your naked eyes.
Afterwards, Viji continued her support, although she’s not a nursing coach, lactation expert, etc. She was there afterwards to offer her insight and experienced opinions. All in all, having Viji present for this experience was like having a trusted family member with us. Although she was just with us for a brief moment in our lives. It was an important moment, one my wife and I will always remember and think fondly of.
My only wish is that we can fly her down to Orange County for our next birth.

I was referred to Viji by a good friend who had her as a doula as well. I was most excited about Viji’s expertise in Ayurveda and holistic health. I knew she was THE doula even before my first meeting with her.
This was our first pregnancy and I am pretty particular on how I like things done. I didn’t know when I wanted Viji to come over when I was in labor. I thought I was handling it fine, but 24 hours into the labor, I knew I wanted her by my side. My contractions were all over the place and I was further along than we had thought.
I honestly do not think I could have gone through labor without Viji. We had a homebirth. She motivated me the whole time and honored my birth preferences. She hand fed me, massaged me, gave me pep talks, and even took care of my birth team. I got the aromatherapy and placenta package. The aromatherapy helped me greatly during labor. Viji knows exactly which oils to use when. My labor was long and at one point Viji was using her oils on my midwives and husband.
We did have miscommunication about meeting times/​places a few times so I would make sure to be super clear next time. Viji is rather quick to respond to any questions or issues. She uses Siri (iPhone) better than anyone I know and will reply to emails/​texts promptly. Viji is also good about checking in periodically to see if we are doing okay.
During my 8^th month, my husband fell sick and I felt it coming on, Viji gave us an essential oil blend. We were almost recovered the next day! She supports you throughout your pregnancy. Viji continues to be a resource for us — she provided us with an oil blend for my baby’s reflux.
At the end, I was able to really open up to Viji and talk about issues I wouldn’t normally discuss with people. She’s someone I can hang out with as a friend and someone I trust deeply.

Viji is a bonafide miracle worker. We were a VBAC case, and we were skeptical about whether natural birth would be possible the second time around, but she made it happen. She’s one of those rare individuals with the ability to strike up a rapport with anyone she meets, and she was able to get all of our 3 nurses (from various shifts) on our side. She was always calm and optimistic, which rubbed off on us, in spite of us being natural pessimists and worrywarts. :-)
Her combination of aromatherapy, positive attitude & various exercises and positions helped make a baby who was initially OP into OA, and to have him be delivered naturally in a stress-​free manner against a lot of odds. She helped us do what the doctors told us wouldn’t happen. We would highly recommend her services, grab her before she gets booked!

I first met Viji at Blossom Birth’s Meet the Doula session and could tell she was a rare find in the doula world. Viji is intelligent, articulate, outgoing, personable and just radiates energy. She calls me an overachiever, but this woman raises the bar on that word.
We interviewed some amazing doulas, including ones our friends recommended, but went with Viji for several reasons. First, she is trained as a scientist, and is able to explain and critique the current medicalization of childbirth in this country. It was important that our doula not be dogmatic about any childbirth approach and Viji always provided insight into why doctors do what they do, clearly described alternatives, but always left the choice to us and supported us in those choices.
Second, she is an Ayurvedic practitioner and is able to complement the scientific aspect of her birth doula practice with time & culturally tested herbs, oils and & tinctures. Her oils were great for relaxation, pain relief and for speeding labor along.
Third, she goes above and beyond with her doula services. As part of her package, she has the standard prenatal meetings, but is always available by email/​phone/​sms/​im/​skype to answer any questions, offers life advice, and helps documents the birth in pictures & words.
And lastly, in addition to her doula services, she has the skills to provide an amazing array of other services related to childbirth prep and postpartum life — bodywork, aromatherapy, placenta encapsulation, lactation support, post-​partum visits. When I experienced pelvic pain about 6.5 months in, one bodywork session with Viji cleared up the pain for the rest of my pregnancy and I appreciated how she carefully identified areas of stress/​tension and worked on those areas, instead of just going through a routine set of massage techniques.
During labor, Viji was the ultimate whole body-​mind-​community birth companion. She was so helpful to us and to the medical staff, the perfect complement to the team, guiding us with next steps as labor intensified, minimizing pain, cheerleading during contractions & during pushing, bringing in help when hospital staff was busy, getting water and supplies, etc. The hospital staff at LPCH (Stanford) really liked her, especially our nurse, who could not stop raving about her afterwards!
I wish every pregnant mama could work with Viji!

Viji is amazing!
I contacted her at 37 weeks with my second pregnancy. I was getting scared of going through labor the second time around because I knew how painful it would be and wanted to prepare myself.
I wanted to set myself up to attempt to have a natural birth but needed support and felt that my chances would be much higher with a doula.
I called her and met with her the next day and talked to her for 30 minutes. That was it! I knew that it would not get better than Viji. It was like I was talking to an old friend and I felt confident that I would not need to search further. (I am the type to exhaust every option before making a decision)
Over the next almost 5 weeks, I talked, skyped and texted her on a daily basis and she put me at ease and gave me so much information about the choices and options I had regarding my birth plan.
I didn’t have a horrible experience with my first but just didn’t know the options and the information I felt like I should have had. (regarding drugs administered and other options such as iv and being allowed to delay things for the baby till after I had time to cuddle with him!)
Viji was there with me through the ENTIRE process and answered all of my hundreds of questions and was the reason I was able to have a natural birth with my 9 lb 11 oz baby! I could not have done it without her!
She is so knowledgable and advised me to an an awesome OB and hospital and the staff LOVED her during the labor which helped me to receive such attention and care.
I could not recommend her enough!!!

My husband and I hired Viji to attend the birth of our first daughter. We both couldn’t be any happier with the support she provided to both of us during that process. Below is my husband’s experience.
I was a doula doubter.
I had never heard of a doula. I didn’t know why you would invite someone to the birth of your child who was neither family nor medical personnel. But my wife, being the sensible, research-​minded woman she is, was one hundred percent sure she wanted a birth doula present for her first birth experience.
After working with Viji, I don’t doubt any more. Having a doula present, and specifically Viji, was the right decision. I am so grateful for her presence at the labor and birth, that even this review won’t be enough to thank her.
My wife went into the labor experience with a birth plan that, like many women who choose a doula, called for a few medical interventions as possible. She wanted to labor at home, she wanted no Pitocin, and no pain drugs. Suffice it to say, none of these things were how our experience went. Within the last week and a half of pregnancy, her blood pressure inexplicably spiked, and her OB called for an induction.
We arrived at the hospital at 7:30 Wednesday morning for the induction. Our daughter was not born until 1:59 AM Thursday morning. And here’s why Viji was crucial: she was there the whole time. Nurses rotated through, and our OB only checked in once or twice every twelve hours. If Viji hadn’t been there, there would have been long stretches of time that it would have been myself and my wife alone to stare at the instruments and readouts and wonder what they meant. I would have been alone with my wife as she struggled through a seven-​minute long contraction, and collapsed shivering afterward. But instead, we had Viji to talk us through the process. Viji, whose experience as a birth doula and professional history as a drug development scientist was invaluable as she was able to explain everything that was happening and why it was happening.
Viji acted as translator for us. As nurses, doctors, and anesthesiologists flitted in and out of the room ordering drugs and procedures, and reporting updates to one another, Viji reported to us in plain language exactly what was happening. When we had a question she was unable to answer, she contacted an OB-​GYN friend and had the answer within minutes. The peace of mind Viji was able to give us during what was at times a scary experience, is worth more than all of the silly incidentals the hospital charged us for. Viji kept me sane, kept my wife calm, and kept us both motivated.
And above and beyond all else, Viji’s attention to the health and safety of my wife was what truly cemented her in my mind as a vital part of the birth experience. No blind adherence to a birth plan. With each decision point my wife faced, Viji honestly advised her in favor of the safest course of action, even if it went against a «no-​drugs» or other style provision of our birth plan. Viji strikes that perfect balance between personal and professional.
So much of the night is a blur of waiting, intense moments, sleeping, and stress. It’s difficult to call to mind specifics, but one thing I will never forget is Viji’s presence, and how she was the rock in the room — the solid ground beneath both my wife and myself. The comfort and peace of mind Viji provided have earned her my trust, my respect, and my gratitude for life.

This was our first pregnancy so my husband and I both wanted to have an experienced guide during labor so that neither of us freaked out and so that my husband would have someone who he could «bother» if I needed space from him at any point. After meeting Viji, we knew instantly that she would be a great fit and we could not have been happier with our decision! She was a fantastic support throughout my pregnancy and during the home birth. She helped us formulate our «just in case» birth plan should we have needed to transfer to the hospital. During labor, she provided aromatherapy oils and back massages, she photographed, and helped my husband with when he wasn’t sure how to provide support. My labor was through the night, and Viji was just an amazing spirit to have in the room, giving emotional support and guidance, especially in the hours before our midwife arrived.
We also took advantage of her services to encapsulate the placenta, which she delivered promptly within a couple days after birth and she even wrote a birth story for us. Viji is extremely knowledgeable, professional, patient, and kind; and she was a tremendous help to my husband and me before, during, and after the birth. She struck a great balance between the practical and the emotional aspects of giving birth and without having to tell her, she seemed to just know when I/​we needed space during labor and when we needed guidance. We recommend her unreservedly!

We couldn’t be more amazed with our experience with Viji. She was such an incredible blessing and we couldn’t imagine going through labor and delivery without her. She is such a wonderful presence, an attentive listener, well-​organized and concerned with us as parents and adoring of our new baby. She was really easy to work with. She is geared towards parents looking for a natural birth, but is very open to many different approaches. She was well-​read and very practical, aware of the medical underpinnings of her recommendations and aware of their limitations too. She performed massages and aromatherapy on my wife, which my wife really took to. She was always available for questions and makes it easy to forget you aren’t her only client.
On the day of the labor, one week before our due date, we called around 1pm when my wife’s contractions were really hitting and she was over within an hour, massaging my wife, helping her breathe through the contractions and providing advice and guidance I couldn’t provide nearly as well, despite all the birthing classes we took together. We arrived at the hospital around 4:15pm and with Viji’s guidance, our baby was born just 75 minutes later without the need for an epidural or Pitocin. While I’m sure she’d remind us that not every delivery under her care can always go so quickly, I strongly believe it wouldn’t have been so easy (relatively, of course) without all her great work.
Post-​delivery, she was really helpful in keeping us organized around paperwork, cord blood banking and placenta encapsulation (which she performed).
She’s come by twice since the birth five days ago and is someone we consider a friend and we hope will get to see the delivery of our newborn son into adulthood.

I am an Obstetrician. I deliver about 100 babies a year and have the most amazing «job». Many of the births I have «performed» were attended by doulas.
I met Viji the another night as we joyfully worked together with a laboring mom and her husband during their labor. It was a beautiful birth. But… this post is about Viji! The moment I entered the room I felt a warm, positive, spiritual energy. Viji has a lovely, engaging, warm glow. It is contagious. She so attentively supported the laboring mom and from my point of view did what almost NO other doulas do— she was there to support EVERYONE! She interacted warmly and caringly with dad, our awesome L&d nurse, the doctor (me). She has
this amazing gift to pull everyone together to enjoy the moment and support the mom and one another.
Word of warning.
Snatch her up quick
I have never been a doc to actually rec a doula
I have always been supportive when pts ask me the value
Now I have worked w Viji
I will be rec her to most of my patients
And I have many…