Ricky Issler Doula Profile

Ricky Issler was not only our doula, but also our Hypnobabies instructor/doula. She guided us through 6 weeks of prenatal classes along with 3 other couples. We are very pleased with everything Ricky did for us with the Hypnobabies program and the doula aspect. Before we even hired her, she took the time to answer emails, phone calls, and come to our house as soon as it was convenient for us. She was not pushy whatsoever and very informative about what she offers. We didn't really know what questions to ask since the whole 'doula' thing was new to us but she willingly shared information and stories with us. Closer to our baby's 'guess date', Ricky was very supportive in all of our decisions and provided us with information about the decisions facing us in addition to our own research and information. Ricky helped make me feel confident in our decisions and was very good at keeping in contact with us as the days progressed leading to our birthing time. The day of our baby's birth, Ricky came by our house even before we requested. She later met us at the hospital because we didn't feel we needed her at home before we left for the hospital although she would've come by again if we requested. Ricky was so passionate and helpful throughout our birthing time. She was very helpful in suggesting various ideas to make our experience even better. Ricky helped us in making the birth of our daughter very special, memorable, and enjoyable. I highly recommend Ricky Issler as a doula. She is so passionate about what she does and has a way of making you feel very comfortable when she's around you.

I always knew that I wanted to have a natural birth, but I was scared/nervous/anxious about the entire process. I read many books and knew it was exactly what I wanted to do but was unsure I could do it without a great deal of support. After researching doulas, I came across Ricky and set up a meeting with her to see if she was a fit for both myself and my husband. As soon as we met Ricky, we knew she was perfect. She has an extremely calming presence and was always there for any questions or concerns that either of us had. After being 2 weeks overdue, the doctors really encouraged me to get induced. This was something that I didn't want and was not part of my birth plan. Ricky was always there to let me know the advantages, disadvantages, opinions but let me have my own voice in the decision making. The baby was just too happy in there, so after being over 2 weeks due and starting to get extremely uncomfortable, we decided to get induced. Ricky was there every step of the way and after 7 hours of labour, we welcomed a beautiful baby boy, naturally! Even though during the end moments when I desperately wanted drugs, Ricky and my husband were right by my side, encouraging me and trying every way to make me as comfortable as possible. I was so proud of myself in the end that I had delivered a 9 lb baby naturally even after the induction and slight change in our plans. Friends and family ask if having a doula is worth it in the end, and I always answer, I probably wouldn't have been able to have a natural birth without her!! So if you are even considering having a doula, Ricky is definitely someone who will make you feel so comfortable and strong in your own abilities.

Two minutes into meeting Ricky for the first time we knew she was the right Doula for us. She has an incredibly calming nature to her, but it's backed with confidence, perfect for someone that'll be beside you during the birth of your child. We got to know Ricky really well during my wifes pregnancy, as we were her first Hypnobabies couple; she had just been certified as the first Hypnobabies instructor in Northern Alberta.

We called Ricky a number of times during Kat's pregnancy, and every time the information she gave us was spot-on, and when the delivery day arrived, she was right there with us. A lot of people think the Doula is there for the woman, but Ricky was there for me as well. When my hands were tired after massaging Kat's back for (what seemed like) hours, Ricky was there to take over. She was there to read the hypnosis scripts, make sure Kat was hydrated, and comfortable. Our day was stress-free, the birth was great, and I know Ricky played a huge, huge role in that.

We're extremely happy that Ricky joined us for the birth of our son, and we've already recommended her to our friends that are expecting. She's awesome!