What clients say about Grace:
​"During virtual prenatal visits due to COVID, Grace helped us with our birth plan and shared many resources. She walked us through what to expect when arriving at the hospital to birth our baby which helped us feel more confident and prepared. It was clear Grace had attended many births and was very informed about staff and procedures at the hospital we would be going to. Most of the staff at the hospital knew who Grace was and were elated to know Grace would be attending the birth. I understood it was important to have a “village” of support during my pregnancy and birth and Grace was at the center of it. She connected me to a chiropractor, acupuncturist, lactation consultant and prenatal massage therapist and also went above and beyond by communicating with my midwife. 

Grace kept in close contact in the days leading up to birth and arrived at the hospital at just the right time. She provided many comfort measures (my favorite was rolling a lacrosse ball on my rear and lower back while on all fours!) and offered many suggestions for birth positions. When the birth was grueling Grace offered encouragement and affirmations. She supported us while we made difficult decisions about how to get our boy out. When our son was finally on my chest Grace was there to help with his first latch. 

When the birthing gets rough Grace knows how to bring love into the room and bring you back to yourself. She is the master of unconditional positive regard, has no judgement providing only support, and is the Validation Queen. Two and a half weeks out from birth Grace continues to check in, normalize how I feel, and directs me to resources. I feel like I hired a doula and ended up with a friend!"

Services Provided:
Prenatal & Postpartum Doula Services, Childbirth Education, Breastfeeding Education, Infant Sleep Education and Consultations.

Three things about Johanna outside of her doula work:
I love hiking and am happiest when exploring the outdoors with my family. I also love lasagna and science fiction movies.

How long have you been supporting families?
I often joke that I've been doulaing for family, friends, and the occasional stranger for a long time. As a business, Nested Mama is now in its second year.

When did you first know you wanted to work with families in the time around birth?
Before I became a doula, I was an academic and taught classes exploring women and children of the past. One I became a mother, I realized how many of my passions were relevant to the present day. When my little ones became a bit older, I felt ready to make the jump into supporting families.

Three words that describe your approach to working with families?
​Heart-centered. Trust. Joy.

 What clients say about working with Johanna:
"Johanna is an extremely kind, gentle, and peaceful presence. I feel as though she truly enjoys everything she does for mamas, even picking up my used nursing pads and putting them in the laundry! You can feel the joy she has for caring for people in their postpartum time of need and it puts you at ease - particularly if you're someone who has a hard time asking for help or feel guilty having others do things for you. She's so authentically happy to help, it is refreshing and relaxing. Johanna is also incredibly easy to talk to and non-judgmental if you have any motherhood questions while she is there." - Becca D.

Anything new you are excited to share about your business?
I'm currently enrolled in a Fertility Specialist Certification course. I'm so excited to support parents on their journey to grow their families.  Look for classes and consultations to be available in mid-2019.