Ursula Sabia Sukinik Doula Profile

This was my first child, and i was very surprised by the lack of information provided to me through my obgyn's office. i've talked to a lot of friends and they have felt the same. I think you really need to supplement and do your own research so that you know your options.

We got to know Ursula well through taking her birthing class (which I also highly suggest taking). Ursula is very approachable and super easy to talk to, and she always took my questions seriously regardless of the topic. I also took great comfort in knowing that she was always available to talk. Ursula is an amazing person who is extremely passionate about child birth. She is experienced and as a result is a wealth of information. 

Ursula was a huge part of my labor and delivery and I honestly do not think I could have done a natural birth without her there for me that day and leading up to it as well. She also encouraged chiropractic care throughout my entire pregnancy, which i also encourage. While i was in labor Ursula was able to offer wonderful advice and guidance. She was also able to offer encouragement and support. It's very easy to get lost in the process and she kept us on track. There are so many things that Ursula said that made so much sense and made everything seem calmer. She was also an asset at the hospital because she was able to help us better understand our options.

I have so many positive things to say about her. I feel lucky that she was there with us. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula. 

From one husband to another, I would highly recommend both taking her class (for new parents) and hiring her as a doula for the birth. For me, I could not imagine going through this amazing process without knowing what to expect and her class did just that in a relaxed and open atmosphere. As for the big event, she was unbelievable - hands on, knowledgeable, confident, experienced - making the event a lot more personal, relaxed, enjoyable and meaningful. In hindsight, my wife and I would not have done it any other way. In fact, next time my wife and I plan on trying for another munchkin, I am checking Ursula's availabilities 9 months out first :)

 Ursula is fantastic! We couldn't have asked for a better birth experience and it is in large part due to the great preparation and support we had with Ursula. From making sure I was physically prepared (including: stopping by my house to try a variety of ways to turn my baby when he was in an uncomfortable position, referring me to her vast network of related providers, making sure I was eating the right things in the right amounts, etc.) to mentally prepared (including an in depth pre-natal couples interview, phone check ins, counseling on birth plan and post-natal plan, and frequent post-natal check ins), she did it all. She was available at the drop of a hat for my labor which proceeded very quickly (and on Mother's Day no less!), and she was welcome support during my laboring at home and my rush into the hospital and through delivery. Her knowledge not just of labor and delivery (and every possible permutation) but of our hospital and providers proved invaluable and were critical in our having a safe delivery (that didn't end up with an 8 lb baby on the side of the road - which nearly happened!). She has an amazing ability as well to "translate" what is happening to the laboring mother throughout the process. And her intuitive sense of how people take in and respond to information makes her delivery of the content as well as format/tone comprehensible. We are so glad we had her as part of the most important day of our lives!

Ursula is an amazing, competent, experienced, strong, sensitive, intuitive supporter for all women who want a satisfying, empowering, and personalized birth experience. She was referred to my husband and I by two friends who had made use of her Doula services during hospital births.  As we decided to have a natural child birth at home with midwives, I knew Bradley classes were the way to go so we chose to attend classes with Ursula.   After each Bradley class both my husband and I would feel validated for our choice, supported, and enthusiastic about what we were going to experience with the birth of our child thanks to Ursula.  In addition to how informative she was, Ursula also displayed a sensitivity and understanding about how experiences in a woman's life might affect labor and was prepared to work with whatever might have come up as a result.   Ursula was the first to arrive at the house after I had labored with my husband for ten hours  overnight. Her energy was perfect and I knew I could now just let go and let the process unfold. While everyone who was there was wonderful, it is Ursula's strength and clarity that I drew upon at some of the toughest times.  She knew when I needed an explanation of what was happening to help me get through it.  It is her strong presence that was so constant throughout the many hours of a very difficult labor. From making sure I had the bowl when I was about to get sick to trying to feed me quinoa and honey after many hours of taking in nothing but a few sips of water to holding my legs as I pushed for over an hour Ursula was there. When it was time to push after so 28 hours of labor, it is Ursula's strength that I remember the most which helped me get through the next 1.5 hrs. I feel blessed to have had her with me for one of the most incredible experiences of my life, and my husband feels the same. We highly recommend her!  

We knew we wanted a doula from the beginning, as we had no family in the area and were truly solo during the pregnancy and birth process. I loved her no-nonsense approach and frank answers to all my questions and knew right away she was the right doula for us. My preference was always for a natural childbirth, and knew that I could not do it without help or instruction in the process, so arranged to take private Bradley classes from Ursula as well. Her realistic approach and extensive knowledge of the practices of both my OB practice and the hospital I was delivering in, gave us confidence and assurance that we could have the birth we wanted. From the very beginning of labor she was there by phone, and as soon as active labor started she came to our house and provided emotional and physical support in the process. Based on the time she took with us before the birth, she knew what to say and when to say it, and was an infinite help in allowing us to stay home for as long as possible, then providing the same knowledgeable support once we arrived at the hospital. Though my labor was short, it was intense, and know that Ursula’s support made the experience possible.

After a 32 hour labor, I gave birth to a 10lb, 10oz baby boy without the use of pain medications. If it weren’t for Ursula, I am sure my experience of birth would have been quite different.

Ursula first influenced us through her Bradley classes, where she impressed me with her breadth of knowledge and experience.  I also liked her assertive yet conscientious personality.  Because of her classes, my husband and I ended up switching from an OB/GYN practice to a midwife practice, and we chose to have Ursula attend our birth as our doula.  I knew when I would be in labor, my ability to make decisions for myself would be compromised, and so I wanted to put in place people I trusted to help make decisions for me, because my goal above all was to avoid a C-section.

That being said, if it weren't for Ursula' s influence, I am fairly certain I would have ended up with a C-section, given the size of my baby, my slow progression, and the fact that my water broke first and I passed the 24 hour window (to name a few, of many, risk factors). When I was only 3.5 cm dilated after 24 hours of labor, I didn’t think I could do it any more and asked for the epidural. Ursula gently suggested that we try the jacuzzi first, which I agreed to. She then helped me through the next most difficult 7 hours of my life as I progressed to fully dilated and was ready to push. She coached me through the pushing stage, teaching me verbally how to push effectively. This is where I became certain that if I had the epidural and couldn’t feel what I was doing, I may not have been able to push out my 10lb, 10oz baby boy!

If my husband and I are blessed enough to have another child, we will definitely ask Ursula to attend our birth again. Her support was indispensable!

Our experience with Ursula was amazing!! She was extremely helpful and truly a partner for both me and my husband. For me, she was a huge support while I initially labored at home. I called her many times and she explained everything, so that I could know exactly what was going on and what to expect next. When she came to our house to assist me before going to the hospital, she calmed both me and my husband. Moreover, she gave me strategies to lessen the discomfort of each contraction. At the hospital she was an emotional and physical support to me. She coached my husband on how to assist me. Everything she explained was knowledgable and reassuring. She explained our options with each decision. With the hospital staff, Urusla was very deliberate in assisting and explaining to them where I was, served as my advocate, while at the same time, she did not step on staffs' toes. We truly felt that Ursula was caring and a part of our family during the entire process. She is extremely genuine, caring and knowledgable. We would recommend her in a heartbeat!

I tell everyone thinking of a childbirth class about Ursula. She was our instructor for our first Bradley baby, and invited us back at no charge for refreshers before our second Bradley baby. We did not choose to use a doula for either birth. However, I regret not enlisting her for support for our second. Our first was a dream...9 lbs 14 oz after 2 1/2 hours pushing (hard work but manageable pain) and a total of 3 1/2 hours of labor. Our midwife was the best in town so we got lucky that time. Our second baby we had less knowledge about and she was less experienced. While the labor was again 3 1/2 hours, and just 12 minutes of pushing, I would consider it a far more difficult childbirth. I WISH I had Ursula there. I am quite sure it would have been a very different, more manageable and comfortable experience. My husband did his best but was a bit freaked out and didn't know how to advocate for me the way I am sure Ursula would have. The hot tub was lukewarm, I felt unsure about the best pushing position, and we arrived before the midwife due to a communication breakdown. I think most, if not all of this would have been avoided had we been better linked with Ursula. She is SO knowledgable, not to mention incredibly committed.

Though I've told her in person, I hope she reads this to know how indebted we are to her for the phenomenal education she provided us. We credit her with providing the key to us having natural childbirth both times, with two beautiful daughters. If I may add, Ursula's education on breastfeeding contributed to us maximizing this with our daughters. Our first grew quickly but our second was 24 lbs 5 oz at six months...completely on breast milk...and such a happy baby. The bond that started immdiately after her birth was supported by her being born naturally...something I couldn't have done without the knowledge I gained from Ursula.

Thank you for your dediation, Ursula.

We took Ursula's Bradley class and she was our doula for our first child - a natural childbirth in a hospital after 49 hours of labor.  Ursula does not push you to have a baby "her way", she enables and empowers you to have your baby your way.

In the months before the birth, she met with us to discuss what we wanted from the process and what role we wanted her to play.  She asked lots of good questions to learn more about how us as we prepared to go through the process together.

My wife had contractions for days before she went into active labor and Ursula was available via phone and text message at all hours.  When active labor began she came to our house.  12 hours later we left for the hospital and 12 hours after that we had our baby.  At times there were minor complications, but we were able to face them - confident in our preparation and supported by our doula.

Through all of this Ursula was a coach, confidant, guru, photographer, cheerleader, friend and consumate professional.  She enabled me to be a coach for my wife and a full participant in the birth of our son.  I highly recommend her to anyone who is having a baby.

Ursula was our Bradley instructor for our first child.  At first, we were a little uncertain about using a doula.  Eventually, though, we began to realize how helpful a more experienced person helping us would be.   We decided on Ursula because we already knew her and figured it would be the easiest transition.  We now realize it would have been a great fit even if we hadn't already known her.

She was, quite simply, phenomenal.  She was extremely easy to work with, deeply knowledgable and very skilled at her trade.  We had worried that having a doula would just be another person to get in the way, but Ursula ended up being the one making sure everyone was where they were supposed to be.  She seemed to have an instinct for when to transition from assistant to director as needed and never made either of us feel uncomfortable (or superfluous).  Even after 40 hours of work, she was still going strong and stayed with us through to the end.

We can honestly say that without Ursula, the birth of our first child might have been a considerably uglier and more painful affair.  We would completely recommend her to anyone and we intend to use her for our next birth.