"We hired Martina Smolova to be our night-time post-partum doula, and we love her! I had a rough pregnancy, and knew that I wanted support for helping me rest enough immediately post-partum. It’s clear how much Martina loves babies! She was very tender and capable, and our daughter never felt scared or irritable with her from the start. Martina was also interested in helping in the household in whatever ways she could—for instance, sterilizing bottles or folding laundry. Everything she did was a great help—and because of it I did manage to avoid exhaustion or feeling overwhelmed. We wish we could have her forever! Those who hire her as a post-partum doula will be very lucky indeed."
Oakland, CA, June 2008
"Martina entered our lives shortly after the birth of my first and only child, Colin. As a first time parent trusting in a complete stranger is quite a feat. Martina felt like sunshine walking through the front door. I loved her immediately and felt safe and comfortable in her presence. Martina gave me the break I needed in these first weeks of Colin’s life. I was able to get a few things done and have peace of mind knowing that Colin was in capable, safe and loving arms. I would highly recommend Martina to anyone with children."
Dublin, CA, June 2008
"Martina started helping me with my son when he was 5 weeks old. He was a very fussy baby and her patience and warmth were very much appreciated by me (and my son). She has an energetic and positive personality which has worked very well for us. As she’s spent more time with my son, she’s offered suggestions on how to help with his various issues – fussiness, sleep, etc. Martina has listened to my concerns and been eager to share her knowledge and/or research further if needed. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her post partum doula services."
San Francisco, CA, October 2008
"From the time they were infants, Martina took care of our two daughters as if they were her own. She was with our family for four years and we trusted her implicitly from the very first day. On her last day with us, I wrote Martina a letter, and I struggled to find the right words to adequately express what she meant to our family.
Here is part of my letter:
You have been such an integral part of our lives the past four years.
Thank you for giving so much of yourself to the girls, but also to me and Clay over the years.
The girls are better for having you in their lives and we will be forever grateful for how warm, caring, nurturing, fun and loving you were to them. Thank you.
We will never forget you and how much you enriched all of our lives.
You will always hold a very, very special place in our hearts. We will miss you.
Needless to say, I wholeheartedly recommend Martina as a postpartum Doula. Any family would be lucky to have her grace their lives, if only for a few weeks. "
San Francisco, CA, 2004 - 2009
"Martina has been great help to our family she communicates very well with our kids. She pays attention to the little details, cares a lot about them. We feel very comfortable leaving the kids knowing that they are in good hands. Martina has looked after our kids during the day and overnight as well. She knows their routine and stays on it, which makes us very happy knowing that they have a schedule. She is flexible and fun person to be around the kids. What makes us very happy with her is the fact that when we come back from work, the kids have great smile on their face and you know that they are happy being around her. I highly recommend Martina to any family."
Danville, CA, 2004-2007
"Martina became a part of our family shortly after the birth of our son, Jaz. It took us quite some time to find a child care provider we felt comfortable with and something about Martina's eyes and smile made it easy for us to hire her to help us with taking care of Jaz. She remained part of our family for over a year and we cannot thank her enough for her help. Jaz loved her, and still does (he is now 6!), and it was very clear that he knew he was safe when with her. Martina was thoughtful of his needs, and ours, worked to help develop those early infant skills and shared in those millstones with us. We could not have left Jaz in better hands."
Oakland, CA, 2003