Blissful Bellys

I would thoroughly recommend Julie’s prenatal massage.
They are wonderful and relaxing.
The massages packages are great value.
Also, Julie is just a wonderfully sweet, caring, non-​judgmental woman that is a joy to be around. Some people have calm and positive energy. She is certainly one of them. Most pregnant women need that!

Yesterday my son turned 1 month and I look back at the day of his birth and can’t help but get emotional and feel grateful for Dawnell Jensen at Blissful Bellys. She agreed to be my doula and I am so thankful it was her.
I went into labor on the late hours of april 10^th and had my son 18 hours later. My goal was to try to have a natural birth with no drugs. I had a very easy pregnancy with no complications. This was my first pregnancy and I felt empowered and determined to trust my body. I can say truthfully that if it wasn’t for Dawnell my birth story would have gone a c-​section route easily. I went into back labor immediately when my contractions started and endured that pain for 18hours. Dawnell met my husband and I immediately at the hospital and started massaging my lower back and giving me emotional support to keep going. I pushed for over 4hours and wanted to give up so many times. Dawnell and my husband pushed me and gave me the strength I needed to continue and stick to my plan. My birth experience was mentally and physically exhausting but I look back today and am so thankful that my baby is healthy and I was able to stick to my plan and have a natural birth. My recovery has been quick and easy. Dawnell has already visited us to check in and recap the birth day. In my heart I know having a doula was the best decision I made during my pregnancy. I felt Dawnell was my advocate and gave me strength when I felt at my weakest. I’m thankful that she was by my side thru the most memorable day of my life. I would have paid a million dollars to have Dawnell be there with me!

If only I could give Julie 10 stars. She is really good! Her studio space is really nice, clean… beautiful atmosphere.

Julie was awesome! I truly enjoyed my hypnobirthing class. I learned a lot more than I expected, she let me know I had options when it came down to giving birth to my son. I was definitely confident going into my birth! Thank you so much!!!

I hired Julie for prenatal massage and was not disappointed. She is a lovely person and was so attentive and caring. She is so easy to talk to and made me feel really comfortable. Lots of TLC and great technique. Thank you Julie! Get your belly in to see her! You won’t regret it!

We took a hypnobirth refresher course with Julie and loved it. We birthed naturally last round with another method and after reading the hypnobirth book decided to work some of its philosophy in this time around. She was excellent in clarifying some of the things in the book I didn’t understand, personalized our experience to our questions, and provided us with all the tools that the book referenced. Considering we’ve given birth before and have been practicing breathing/​relaxation at home, we loved being able to skip the long weekly hypnobirth class (I’d recommend that for first time moms) and just get all the information locked down in a few hours. The setting was peaceful and inviting.

The Hypnobirthing classes Julie teaches are awesome! She is very knowledgeable and personable which made for an incredibly educational yet relaxing, fun class. I highly recommend her classes for anyone who is considering natural childbirth. She and the method she teaches completely put my mind at ease and made me excited for labor instead of scared of it. I can’t wait to welcome my baby girl into the world and I feel completely prepared to do so in a calm, stress free environment. I cannot say enough about how great Julie is– we were so lucky to find her! =)

We loved Julie :) We did the hypnobirthing class. It was very informational about the birthing process, what to expect with my body changes and hospital routines, breathing and positions during labor, how to prepare for labor and birth and how to manage labor and birth pain! We feel a lot more confident going into our first babies birth that is due in two weeks! We now know we can handle a natural birth and it’s what woman’s bodies are made for! It will be a beautiful thing rather than a terrifying experience. :) Have to admit, some of the videos we watched are gross and awkward… We just aren’t 100% hippy like Julie. Lol.

I highly recommend Julie for prenatal massage. She will help you find the optimal position for you and your baby according to the stage of your pregnancy and beyond. For a little added personal context: I was recently gifted a prenatal massage at one of San Diego’s premier resorts… while the overall experience was great, there is no question that Julie’s level of care and prenatal expertise out-​shadows the top rated spa! Definitely give her a call!

Although the name «hypnobirthing» conjures up images of David Bowie from Labyrinth performing a freaky-​mystical birth while looking into a crystal ball, I think a more accurate name might be «focusing your energy through breathing and concentration — birthing».
My wife and I first met Julie as our hypnobirthing instructor and felt very comfortable with her and decided that she would be a perfect fit as our doula. We were looking for someone who was familiar with natural child birth but wasn’t named «Rainbow» and lived in a VW bus. Julie is that perfect mix of knowledge, experience & assertiveness while still having a calming presence. We had a beautiful 100% natural birth and don’t think we could have done it without the support of Julie. She exceeded our exceptations in every way. If you are looking to do the whole natural thing you should definitely give her a call.

My fiancé wanted to try hypnobirthing classes and I must admit I thought it would be a complete waste of time and money. It became very clear to me during our first class that I could not be more wrong. I am SO happy we decided to do Julie’s hypnobirthing course! I’m attempting a VBAC after my first birth was a complete nightmare, ending in an emergency c-​section. Before I took Julie’s hypnobirthing course I knew I wanted an all natural birth but I did not believe I was capable of pulling it off. Julie prepared me and my fiancé for the birth of my son by helping us to approach it calmly and confidently. She gave us several tools such as different breathing techniques for each stage of labor, positions to relieve pain, as well as tools my fiancé can use to help w/​my progress and allow him to have a huge part in the birth of our son. I am due any day now and I could not be more ready or confident. Julie continues to guide us and answer our questions even after the course ended. I highly recommend Julie’s hypnobirthing course!

Julie’s Hypnobirthing course was super informative and helped us prepare for birthing our baby without fear. Great relaxation techniques and guided imagery. Comfortable studio where she held classes and provided snacks and tea/​water. Julie is super sweet and wants the best for you and your growing family! Highly recommend!

First things first Julie gets five stars.
This review is way past due, but if you’re reading it you’re about to find out just how much work babies really are. Hence the delay in writing this. I contacted Julie in the middle of my pregnancy. I work at a popular birthing hospital and planned to deliver my baby there. I knew I wanted more than a standard hospital birth experience. Understanding that one intervention leads to another, I wanted to prepare for a birth with as little medical interventions as possible.
I’m trying to get through this review without sharing my entire birth story on Unilocal.
My water broke at home when I was 36 weeks +0 days. I was GBS unknown and not in labor, the perfect set up for a C-​section. Luckily my labor progressed as the hours passed. It took about 24 hours from the time my water broke, until my son was born (not to scare you, but just because labor is long and hard, doesn’t mean it’s terribly painful and impossible), Julie was by my side the entire time. That’s really the most important part of this review, she never left my side. She was with me through every contraction. She supported my husband. She supported the nurses. The doctors were happy to have her assistance. She made everything better. I am so grateful for her service. You would be lucky to have Julie as your Doula
She’s passionate about birth. My husband and I took her five-​week childbirth class, which I also recommend. We got to know each other very well. She invested in me, emotionally and physically. She had my back the entire time. She knew I could do it, even when I wasn’t sure I could. She was never scared. She politely and appropriately suggested alternatives to try, when my healthcare practitioners suggested medical interventions.
My husband also felt that she was incredibly supportive for him. Having been through it, he absolutely wants her at our next birth.
I would highly recommend Julie and her services, and plan to have her at my next birth.

This review is way over due but I have a 2 month old now so I am making time to express how amazing Julie is!
Thank God for Unilocal/​Reviews! After reading all the wonderful reviews on Julie, my husband and I decided to hire her. Being first time parents, we knew we needed support and the moment we met Julie, we fell in love with her!
Out of all of the Doulas that I reached out to, Julie was the only one who was very responsive, she makes you feel like you are her only client and this is very difficult to do. Julie met with us several times and explained in detail everything we needed to know, her recommendations, for example taking a birthing class was spot on and it really did help us understand the labor process in phases.
Julie is extremely knowledgeable, warm, sincere, genuine and very straight forward. I had a hospital birth and she worked very well with the hospital staff, she always made me feel secure and calm. Unfortunately, I had to be induced at 41 wks & 4 days and during my early to mid labor period, Julie made sure I changed positions so that I could handle the surges better, she did an amazing job at helping me through each surge like the experienced professional that she is. After 13 hours on Pitocin, I decided to get an epidural, I was exhausted and soon after that my baby was not responding well to the surges so I had a c-​section.
We can’t thank Julie enough for the tremendous support and beautiful pictures, we could have not done this without her, we absolutely recommend her!
Thank you Julie for an amazing experience! We love you!

My husband and I hired Julie to be our doula for the birth of our first baby. When looking for a doula, we interviewed a handful of doulas to find the one that we felt at ease and comfortable. What I liked about Julie at first was her promptness in responding to emails. Then when we met her, she immediately put me at ease and I just felt like she was an old friend visiting me. Before the birth, we met a couple of times as well.
On the D day, she met us at the hospital and when she arrive, I immediately felt at ease and felt as if I was ready to have a baby. She was there to support me, to keep me hydrated, keep me focused, and also help my husband and my mom– who were worried the entire time.
She took beautiful pictures of the birth and the baby and I am so glad she was there to capture the moments.
I can definitely say that I was about to have a drug free natural birth– all thanks to Julie. I don’t think I could have done it without her guidance.

Well, it looks as though I will be the first Dad to write a review for Julie. What can I say… When my girlfriend first brought up the idea of hiring a doula I was a little bit hesitant. I had never heard of a doula and was cautious about bringing in someone we didn’t know to share in such a personal experience. Once I met Julie for the first time those bits of hesitance went away. She made us both feel so comfortable with her caring personality as well as her experience and knowledge of Hypnobirthing.
I can’t reiterate enough how much of a LIFE SAVOR Julie was during labor. As a first time dad I would have had no idea what to say or do while she was going through her surges (contractions) even after taking all of the classes etc. Not to mention that she was able to massage her the right way and in the right places, something I tried to do, but apparently was not very good at :)
In short, for the expecting moms and dads out there… I could not imagine us going through labor without Julie there. She knew answers to questions I did not, she was able to massage her in places I was not hitting, she was able to remind her to keep breathing right and most importantly you could tell that Julie really cares about what she is doing.
I should also mention that a few days after the birth, Julie stoped by the house and brought over some pictures she had taken durring labor and post labor. With everything that is going on you don’t even think about taking pictures, but Julie does. She was able to capture memories we otherwise would not have had. She also brought us dinner :)
We now consider her to be an extended part of our family and when we are ready to have our next child she will be one of the first people we call. If anyone is on the fence about hiring a doula (specifically Julie) feel free to aks her for my number and I would be happy to go over our experience in more detail.
P. S. — My girlfriend has also used Julie for massages and while I have not gotten one yet I hear they are amazing!

I am so glad that my husband and I chose to hire Julie Mitchell as our doula for our daughter’s birth. Julie is incredible. She made us feel comfortable each step of the way. She was essential in helping to make our birth experience absolutely amazing.
I knew that I wanted to hire a doula for the birth of our first child, but I waited until the very end to find someone. A friend of mine recommended Julie to us and I called her a couple of weeks before my daughter’s birth on the whim that she may still be available. She was and encouraged us to meet for an interview. She came to our house and we instantly felt comfortable with her. I really like that she wasn’t pushy and told us to think about our decision to hire her because it is a very personal experience and you need to feel comfortable with your doula.
We met again a week before the birth and she prepared us with a wealth of information about labor, delivery and the postpartum experience. I felt comfortable calling her at any time, day or night, with questions or concerns, and she always answered my calls or texts.
For medical reasons I had to be induced. This was not part of my birth plan, but we accepted that this was the best thing for the baby, and Julie helped prepare me for this change in plan. Fortunately for me my body was ready for the induction and labor came on naturally after cervical ripening, without the need for pitocin.
Julie was instrumental in helping me to get through the tough parts of labor. She calmed, comforted and encouraged all at the right times. She lead me through breathing techniques and positions that had alluded me during the intensity of labor. She grabbed my hand or rubbed my back, or gave me the physical contact that felt right during that moment. She helped me to keep a positive mindset and stay focused on my end goal.
The birth of my beautiful baby girl was the most incredible experience of my life. I am so glad that we chose Julie to assist us. She was an integral part of my birth story. I confidently and happily recommend her. Julie is not judgemental, and will support you with whatever decision you make during the process. Even the nurses at my delivery were impressed with Julie’s knowledge and positive mindset.
I really enjoyed getting together postpartum to discuss the birth with Julie. She wrote down important information about my labor and delivery that I had forgotten. She took photos and gave us our own c.d. of the images.
Now I do not just consider Julie a doula, but a friend.

My sister and her husband recently hired Julie as their Doula for the birth of their first child. I first met her when we arrived at the hospital when my sister went into labor. My sister’s labor process brought some unexpected twists and turns, and I ended up spending over 30 hours with Julie as we both supported my sister through labor.
Julie was awesome to say the least. She was a welcome calming and supportive presence throughout the entire process, not only for my sister and her husband, but also for me as a participant in this whole process! She was professional, caring, knowledgeable, sunny and just a joy to be around. She seriously feels like family after sharing the wonderful experience of the arrival of my niece with her.
With the many unexpected speed bumps in my sisters delivery, Julie remained calm and supportive, listening to my sister and her husband and responding with thoughtful support and advice. She also helped to coach me through the process, letting me know how I could best help and comfort my sister throughout the different stages of her journey.
When the time comes for my husband and I to start a family, we will definitely be putting in a call to Julie. She is truly wonderful!

Julie was my Doula in the recent birth of my son. She was incredible! She used her massage skills, as well as her indepth knowledge of HypnoBirthing to make my delivery a very special experience. My husband and I both feel we couldn’t have done it without her. She seemed to always know the right thing to say and do, whether it be changing positions, offering encouragement, or supporting my husband in his role. julie is very professional, but also caring and warm.
I also had a prenatal massage with Julie. I was about 37wks and just so uncomfortable and sore. Julie’s massage was soothing and really helped alleviate the aches and pains I was feeling. I’m looking forward to my next massage!

Julie gives such relaxing, soothing and healing massages! I always relax immediately when she gets started. She knows just what to do to help your body completely relax, let go of stress, and recover. She is very sweet, personable, and professional as well. She has become a friend, and I completely trust her with my body. She listens to whatever concerns you have about your body and then addresses them easily. She has a cute little office in hillcrest, but she also does house calls! :) I highly recommend her! :)