Tracie Enis Doula Services & Placenta Encapsulation

GREAT RESOURCE FOR PLACENTA ENCAPSULATION!
I live in the East Bay, and was looking for someone to encapsulate my placenta. I chose Tracie based on her Unilocal reviews, and am very glad I did!
Tracie was very responsive to all my calls, texts and emails. She’s a very sweet and knowledgable lady, and I enjoyed working with her. Her text responses were super quick, which is nice when you’re in a hospital trying to coordinate pickup!
Tracie showed up promptly after birth to pick up my placenta. She returned it to us in the hospital the very next morning – which was Christmas Eve! Talk about great service!
I read that sometimes the placenta pills can give you gross burps. Tracie’s pills did not do that to me, not even when taken on an empty stomach. At this time, I am 1 month post pardum and have not experienced the baby blues. I also believe the pills helped me to have a speedy recovery.
I would recommend her placenta encapsulation service. A great resource for east bay moms-​to-​be!

Tracie was an invaluable part of making both my labors incredible experiences. Throughout both pregnancies, she was a reassuring voice whenever questions or concerns came up. She was never judgemental or intrusive, always respectful. When it came to labor and delivery, my desire was for non-​medicated, natural births. Tracie instinctively knew the right things to say and helped tremendously with pain management techniques and breathing. She was a strong advocate on my behalf and worked with my husband and the hospital nurses seamlessly. In the end, I was able to deliver both babies with no medication, even while laboring through a nasty cold the second time.
She has an incredibly calming energy and I couldn’t have done it without her.

I will start by saying Tracie is absolutely amazing. She was an incredible positive force that helped me achieve the birth experience I wanted. I was determined to have a vaginal birth this time (VBAC), as my first ended up in emergency c-​section and Tracie was incredibly positive. She guided me through the pregnancy, from positions I can do to help baby take the right position for birth, to spiritual mantras I can practice to encourage baby to a smooth delivery and I truly believe all of that support made it possible. The birth was very long and from the first moment Tracie was there, supporting mentally and physically and never lost her positive spirit, especially when I did. Thank you Tracie for helping me have such a positive experience!

As I lay here with my brand new daughter I am full of admiration of what Tracie does! I wanted a Natural birth and that is exactly what I got. At our first meeting I knew Tracie was a person who I could have journey with me through 1 of the most amazing and personal experiences of my life. She outdid herself… she coached me and my partner through labor with such ease, professionalism and calmness but also this connective energy that made it so much easier to go through… I highly recommend Tracie for the birth of your little one, she is a light and stable support who will make your dream birth a reality. it was a blessing to find her!

We gave birth to our beautiful baby girl with the guidance and help of Tracie and I don’t regret it for one moment, she truly took the pressure off this first time father and gave us the support we needed in what can be such a hectic time, everything from as easy as answering questions to suggesting different things to try to assist the process along she was amazing. Very timely in all aspects. We wanted to do a natural birth and while I believe we were capable without her I know firmly with her we were shifting gears so smoothly and got to birth our baby girl in what felt like no time at all with out any drugs. She is truly great at what she does and in this special time I promise you won’t regret her presence. Thank you so much Tracie for helping us on our most special day and insuring it remained that way.

Tracie was instrumental in our great birth experience. Because we met with Tracie twice before the big day, we were prepared for both expected and unexpected. She was available to us from the very beginning of my contractions through the birth of our beautiful daughter. She was helpful in deciding when to head to the hospital and an excellent advocate for us once we were in the triage room. I relied on her to remind me that I wanted a natural birth when I started to ask for the drugs. With her help, I did it without any drugs and have the satisfaction of sticking to my birth plan. She saved my poor partner, who without her, would have received the brunt of my agonizing screams. We will be using her for the next one!
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It is true Tracie is as good as it gets. We used Tracie for her placenta encapsulation services. She was extremely easy to deal with and quick to respond. She responds to texts which is my preferred way to communicate (quick and short).
Tracie showed up to Kaiser Oakland to pick up the placenta. Ok, this was a little funny. Imagine me cruising down the elevator and into the lobby toting a tupperware (provided by the hospital) full of my wife’s placenta and handing it off to Tracie. Again, it was quick and easy.
Lastly, as we are bringing home our sweet baby girl Tracie comes to our home and DELIVERED the placenta pills. She gave me directions for use and was on her way.
EASY. THOROUGH. AWESOME!
Thank you Tracie.

My husband and I partnered with Tracie to deliver both of our sons. We consider her a member of the family because she helped to facilitate a beautiful birth each time. Tracie has an incredibly comforting nature about her that calms a room in the most intense times. Her knowledge about birth, relationship with the hospitals, and her nurturing personality make her the perfect advocate to have by your side. Tracie enabled my husband to be focused solely on me and helped us to make critical decisions with ease. She also offers a service to encapsulate your placenta which is difficult to find. I found that taking my placenta in pill form allowed my body to come back into balance gracefully and I had no postpartum depression. We love Tracie very much and will forever be grateful for the birth experience she gave to us!

We interviewed 3 doulas and right away knew Tracie was the one. She was warm, personable and very knowledgable. Tracie walked us through what to expect from the birthing process from start to finish. We felt so comfortable knowing she would be there to guide us through our entire process. On the day of delivery she was an amazing coach and really helped me and my husband navigate our birth. We can’t recommend her enough!

Having Tracie there at the hospital with us for the whole labor (more than 12 hours straight) was reassuring and extremely helpful. If you are not sure if you need a doula or not, you will be so much happier with one and Tracie is at the top of her game. This was my first pregnancy and I’d heard so many people have regrets about labor and she just made sure mine went well and that I knew all my options. Mine had some complications as well. Throughout it all she explained what was going on and helped me choose the best course. I highly recommend Tracie and her expertise.

Tracie was fantastic. I interviews several doulas and picked her bc of her no nonsense attitude and business like approach. I felt she would have the clear thinking and strength to guide my husband and I through our second birth.
Before the birth Tracie answered all our questions and was clear about her role in our birth process.
When I went into labor she came to our house and sat with me. Tracie’s presence was reassuring, encouraging but never intrusive. Her calmness gave me the structure I needed so I could do what I needed to do as I labored. She helped us decide when to go to the hospital and what to expect when we got there.
My water broke on the way into the hospital and my labor became much more intense as we arrived in triage. Tracie was a voice of support, kindness and encouragement through the uncomfortable process of getting my cervix checked, changing out of my clothes and laying on the gurney.
She worked seamlessly with hospital staff and knew her way around the hospital bed and labor room. This was a big help as labor became more intense and I needed new ways to position myself on the table.
When the pain got to be too much and I asked for relief she was able to walk us through the options but also suggested going to the shower which would lessen the pain and progress the labor. We tried it and it worked great!
Long story short, I dilated to 9 cm but had to have a c-​section.
Tracie stayed with us until the end and was a great support for my husband. I have to wrap this review up now to put my kids to bed…
Suffice to say, Tracie is a wonderful doula and I highly recommend her!
AND, placenta encapsulation was awesome! Still taking them 6 weeks out and find it helps with energy and mood.

I am honored to write this review for Tracie as she recently served as our doula for the VBAC birth of our son. After having an emergency c-​section with my first child 2 years earlier, following a long labor, I knew it was super important to find a doula who could help me achieve my goal of a non-​medicated vaginal birth. I interviewed many doulas and Tracie stood out above everyone. She has a calmness, yet strong confidence and was always encouraging, supportive, kind and available for anything I needed!
At 42 weeks I had to be induced (not ideal for a VBAC), but was determined to avoid medical intervention and no drugs. The labor was intense, but Tracie was there working with the nurses, my birth partners and most importantly, me. Tracie was providing comfort measures of counter pressure, different birth positions, looking me in the eyes with words of encouragement when I wanted to give up, among countless other things. This woman was utterly amazing and I know she was instrumental in my successful VBAC of an almost 9lb baby. Even the nurses and my OB commented on what a stellar doula she is!
If my story isn’t enough for you to hire Tracie, here are the reasons we did: her years of experience, confidence, kindness, knowledge, humor, VBAC experience, she is a 3 time mother herself, placenta encapsulation, EXPERIENCE! And now that I personally know Tracie, I would recommend her to any woman in my life that is going to be birthing. She really did help my dream come true.

I can’t thank Tracie enough for helping to make my first labor a magical experience. When I discovered I was pregnant, I was concerned that my pelvis (which had suffered multiple fractures in a car accident six years prior) would not be able to accommodate a non-​medicated, vaginal birth – which is what I really wanted but had been told by my OB wasn’t a certainty due to my injuries.
Tracie helped calm my worries and set me on a healthy track for my pregnancy, giving me the confidence I needed to prepare for a healthy delivery. When it was showtime (a week early!), Tracie arrived at the hospital ready to work and to be present with my husband and I through the entire experience. When things got difficult (as they do during labor), Tracie stayed calm and helped to guide me back from a dark place.
Thanks to Tracie, I was able to have a non-​medicated, vaginal birth in a nurturing environment surrounded by people whom I trusted. Our little Finn came into this world and right up onto my chest (and onto my breast) just like I dreamed he would!
Her post-​delivery visit was such a nice way to re-​center ourselves after the whirlwind of leaving the hospital as parents for the first time. I did the placenta encapsulating, and while everyone’s body is different, I do know that my bleeding, tearing and pain post-​delivery were so minimal for a first birth that the doctors were astonished. Again, I credit much of this to Tracie and to the placenta encapsulation.
Labor is hard work, there’s no question about that, but having a doula provides you with the positive support you and your significant other need to get through it (no matter how you choose to) with confidence, calm and amazement.

The day you find out you are pregnant you begin the journey of a 1000 decisions about your baby, birth plan, nursery, etc. It is overwhelming. Let me make hiring a doula easy for you. Hire Tracie Enis.
While I knew that I wanted to hire a doula, I struggled with finding the right match. I am a Midwestern girl at heart and didn’t connect with the hippy dippy vibes some of the doulas I interviewed. I wanted an advocate at the hospital, I found that with Tracie Enis after asking my OB for a doula recommendation.
From the moment we met, we connected. Tracie is a warm, intelligent, caring person who immediately puts you at ease with her expertise. She did not walk into this partnership with an agenda or a «best practice», She helped me make informed choices and supported my vision.
Like most pregnancies and births, we hit a few bumps in the road and Tracie was there every step of the way providing wise counsel regarding: how to get my breech baby to flip at 37 weeks (she did, naturally!!), to pain management techniques through my 36 hour labor. With such a long labor, we went through three nursing staffs and two OBs, but Tracie was our constant advocate and guide throughout, I don’t know that I could have done it without her.
Once our baby girl was safely in my arms, one of the nurses at CPMC paid Tracie the highest compliment saying, «Tracie is the best doula in San Francisco.» We couldn’t agree more.

Worth her weight and mine in gold! I was only in active labor for 3 hours once the pitocin got things going, but she got us through it all (actually the NOT pushing was the hardest part). We took an 8 week class too… and while I recognized what she was having us do, we didn’t remember any of it on our own. Having someone calm and experienced there with us was so wonderful.
My husband put it this way, even if you only need her for five minutes, it’s totally worth the cost. And he was much more aware of her helping and supporting us, I was kinda focused on my contractions and was mostly just aware of her voice making suggestions.
We also had her do the placenta encapsulation, which made that super easy. I’m high risk for post partum depression, so anything that might help was worth doing. So far so good!

The short story: Our birth did not go as expected and we had to make a major medical decision about how to proceed with a medical team that we did not know. After 30+ hours of labor it was a nerve-​wracking situation to be faced with.
Fortunately, Tracie had worked with so many of the doctors at CPMC in San Francisco that she could reassure us about the team who we were nervous about. Tracie provided us with an invaluable extra level of information and was a constant source of support and advice!
Tracie made all the difference to us and is a wonderful person to boot!

My husband and I weren’t sure if we wanted/​needed a doula for our daughter’s birth. We interviewed a couple of people but just didn’t feel a «click.» We got a referral from a friend for Tracie. The second we met her, we felt comfortable and knew that we wanted her to be part of our birth experience. Tracie is the perfect mix of down-​to-​earth-​knows-​her-​stuff and plain awesome to be around. I instantly felt comfortable that no matter what our story would be, we’d have someone there help us out. If you’re considering a doula, Tracie is as good as it gets! Thank you Tracie. Oh — and we have a happy, healthy 6 week old. XOX

I had a baby in April and Tracie was my Doula. She gave me and husband a lot of useful information during prenatal visits and made us feel good about having a strong support when i was in labor. And she did! I was induced and had c-​section at the end, she was with us more than 12hours and helped me through my contraction until my energy ran out and the doctor called for a cs. Overall, we were happy having her!

I always knew I wanted to hire a doula even before I was sure I wanted a child. By some divine intervention I found Tracie’s website immediately when first ‘shopping’ for a doula. I knew I needed to have a doula for many reasons, primarily because my family is all on the East Coast and my boyfriend was not going to be present for the birth. I did not want to spend the most important day of my life alone or with shift-​changing doctors and nurses, even with their excellent reputations.
My experience with Tracie was excellent. She met with me several times before my due date, and went over with me what to expect and also answered my specific questions. When I was diagnosed with G.D. a month before the birth, she reassured me that by working with my nutrition everything would turn out ok, and it did (with strict diet control and no meds) During the labor process she worked with me with techniques that helped me control the pain drug free. Although I had an emergency surgery 24 hours after being admitted to the hospital, she was still right there beside me in the operating room, and showed me the first photos of my son who was born safely, when I couldn’t hold him right away. She was amazing, in her actions as well as her personality.
After the birth I chose to do placenta encapsulation and I highly recommend this, even though some may find it unappealing, it is fully 100% worthwhile and a valuable experience. I had no post-​partum depression– I felt happy every day even with the stress of a surgery and newborn care — and was able to loose weight and breastfeed successfully with the help of taking the capsules. It is now 2 months later and I am doing great and have a healthy, happy family, and the memory of a wonderful birthing experience with Tracie!!!

The short story: If you want a smart, graceful, caring person to help you and your birth partner through a delivery, HIRE THIS WOMAN!!!
The long story:
My husband and I wanted a doula to help us deliver our first child naturally at CPMC. We knew Tracie was the perfect fit from the get-​go. She was warm and friendly but also smart and authoritative; exactly the kind of person you want at your side when you’re stressed or unsure of something big.
Tracie’s prenatal visits helped tremendously, filling in the blanks and giving us that one-​on-​one relationship-​building you don’t get from hospital birth classes. She really ingrained her mantra of «healthy mom healthy baby» in us, which was a lifesaver when my labor didn’t go as I hoped it would.
Tracie was immediately available via phone when early labor started and helped walk me through the processes my body was starting. It went on much longer than I thought it would, but Tracie kept reminding me that what was happening was normal and natural. This really soothed me as I started to feel tired and anxious. When we got to the hospital, she had a lovely way of anticipating my needs and suggesting help right when I needed it, but I never felt like she was hovering. And when I started to panic, Tracie talked me through it gently — like an old friend. I never felt like she was telling me what to do, but it was clear that she always had a grip on the situation.
Things got scary when we discovered that our baby was bigger than expected and in a funny position. Tracie worked seamlessly with my OB and the hospital nurses to create a calm, safe environment that insured her ideal outcome: a healthy mom and an healthy baby. My doctor was so impressed with her during this stressful delivery that she now recommends her to all her patients!
To top everything off, Tracie took some truly beautiful photos which we will always treasure. She honored our request to only begin snapping away after the baby was out and cleaned up, and we didn’t even realize she was taking photos until after we saw them. When we received her email shortly after, we couldn’t believe how many she’d taken or how special they were. I can’t wait to share them with my little guy once he’s old enough!
We’ll definitely be calling Tracie when it comes time to give our little one a sibling!