Emilia

4/17/2024

When we found out we were expecting our first human baby, we knew we wanted to find a doula. After hearing doulas described as "magical" more than once, we knew that that was the right choice for our family, but we had no idea how true the magic would end up being. Words cannot express our gratitude for Sarah - our experience would have been entirely different without her. In our third trimester, we faced a hitch in the road that required a total and complete overhaul in care plan that we literally would not have survived without her knowledge, opinions, and advice. What could have been a very scary situation was manageable with her by our side and what could have been a traumatizing birth was empowering and beautiful because Sarah was there to coach us through it. She brought a blend of pragmatism and empathy that was the glue that held our pregancy and birth together. 

Sofi

4/12/2024

Sarah supported us during and after the birth of our second baby. We had moved to Richmond only a short time before I became pregnant, and Sarah was a key reason why everything went smoothly and we enjoyed the experience. I had a new OB practice and hospital and had to be induced, and the approach was a bit different from what I'd experienced. Being able to talk things through with Sarah really prevented any feelings of anxiety. Also, Sarah is super organized and knowledgeable. With the move and our toddler running around we had barely any time to focus on what was coming, but Sarah kept us on task and made sure we were prepared. Postpartum, Sarah supported us when I went back to work. She took care of our baby and helped with housework, which made such a difference. She taught me how to use a baby wrap, and it was a game changer! 
I'd highly recommend working with Sarah. She has this awesome combination of genuinely caring and very professional. You'll be in the best hands! 

Allie

3/27/2024

Hiring Sarah was one of the best decisions we made on our pregnancy and postpartum journey. As someone with a history of pelvic pain I had a lot of anxiety around childbirth and fears I might have to have a C-section. Sarah was such an amazing resource and support person prior, during, and after birth. She supported us with a birth plan, navigating the hospital system, and advocating for myself in labor. Overall without Sarah I don’t think our birth experience would have been nearly as positive and with very few interventions! She is also an amazing resource postpartum answering many of our questions as new parents. Sarah is amazing - and we would recommend her to anyone having a child. You won’t regret having her support you!

Midori Fujimoto

3/25/2024

I can't recommend Sarah enough! Once my husband and I  found out we were expecting. We started signing up for birth classes and doing all the research we could! I had heard great things about Doulas from friends and family members but wasn't sure if I wanted or needed one. I started researching Doulas in RVA and came across Sarah's website and profile. Once I read it, I knew I immediately wanted her to be our Doula! From our first meeting with Sarah, I felt like we were talking to a family member. She was always there for us when we had questions big or small and was always so quick to respond to us. She made me feel heard and seen my whole pregnancy and postpartum. She helped my husband and I so much during labour, I don't think I couldn't gotten through it without her there. She was so encouraging when I felt defeated in Labour at some points and was also a great support to my husband during the whole process. Our postpartum visit was again like having a family member visit. She listened to all my first time mom thoughts and worries and helped me feel so validated. I will definitely be reaching out to Sarah when we decide to have another baby! 

Ricky Figueroa

2/13/2024

Having recently relocated to a place where we have no family nearby and few friends, hiring a doula was a high priority for us. We feel incredibly lucky and privileged to have found Sarah. Inviting Sarah into our home was like having family in our home - highly capable, experienced, helpful, and encouraging family! She guided us through so much leading up to our birth (physically and emotionally) and checked in with us regularly to ensure that we were taking care of ourselves and staying true to our birthing goals. During some odd and scary prenatal complications, Sarah was an invaluable calm and reassuring presence. Sarah prioritized my wife’s mind and body but also found ways to support me as a birthing partner and had recommendations on navigating laboring at home with a 2yr old. She made sure our whole family was taken care of leading up to and after the birth. During postpartum sessions, Sarah was a small army taking excellent care of our newborn, our dog, and our house so that we could get a few hours of sleep and regain some sanity. Sarah is way more than just an excellent doula, and we are so grateful to have her in our lives. 

Kate Doe

11/20/2023

As an independent, low maintenance type, I didn't initially foresee myself hiring a doula, but explored the possibility after several friends strongly encouraged it. Boy, am I glad I did, and glad I found Sarah by chance! She was an indespensible source of knowledge, encouragement, and many forms of support. Her calm energy, positivity, empathy and experience were exactly what my husband and I needed for help navigating the challenges (both physical and emotional) of delivery and early days postpartum. I would 100% hire her again and recommend her to anyone else expecting. 

Ally Singer Wright

11/6/2023

Sarah was our doula for both of our children’s births. Before our first I would have assumed we’d only want or need a doula for our first child but Sarah was so critical to our pregnancy, labor, and postpartum journey that we couldn’t imagine having another kid without her support. Every pregnancy,labor and baby is different and once again Sarah was an incredible resource, support, and guide navigating what was a very challenging 2nd pregnancy and resulting induction. Having her by our side for two beautiful births, we laughed, screamed and cried together. There were so many times where we felt like Sarah saved the day or steered us in the right direction, I can’t imagine how both would have gone without her there guiding us. I am honestly sad we don’t want another child because it means our time with Sarah has come come to an end but I know we will keep in touch. 

Laura Sledge

9/25/2023

HIRE SARAH! My husband and I both  agree that she was the best money spent throughout our pregnancy and L&D. She is so kind, extremely competent, confident, encouraging, is good humored and an all around wonderful person!

Throughout my pregnancy, she provided advice, guidance, encouragement and wonderful resources (I needed a PFPT and she recommended a great practice that I'm still even seeing in my postpartum). Leading up to our L&D, she gave us personalized classes to teach & prepare us for labor and delivery. My husband and I have pretty different personalities and she was able to relate so well to both of us - incredible! With her assistance, she helped my husband and I have the L&D experience we wanted!! I wanted to see how far I could push myself without the epidural, and with her constant encouragement and ability to keep me present, I was able to have an unmedicated birth (I had back labor for pretty much most of my labor and she helped me through all of that!). I also love how she was so amazing at helping my husband be the best birthing partner - she wasn't trying to be birth partner number 1 in the room, she was always finding ways to help my husband be that for me and that made it all the more special of an experience for me. I could go on and on about how great of a doula she is, but I suggest you give her a call and find out for yourself - she won't disappoint!

...and if she offers to take some photos and videos of your L&D, I suggest you accept; I absolutely LOVE looking back at them!

Lucy

8/24/2023

Our birth story was anything but predictable. But having Sarah by our side made all the difference as she helped us navigate all the uncertainties of having a baby from start to finish. As first time parents, her experience, knowledge, and unique skillset was just what we needed. My partner and I took birth classes but it will not prepare you for all the what-ifs and questions that are unique to your situation in the moment. Her communications with us were clear, honest, and prompt (for example, when my water broke at 3AM, we texted her and she texted us back within a couple minutes!). As the pregnant person, I contacted Sarah any time I wasn’t sure about what I was feeling or needed advice about next steps (this was so helpful!). She also checked in on us regularly and often during pregnancy and postpartum. But what we love most about Sarah is that she is an awesome human—kind, caring, compassionate and at her core, a teammate and advocate. Throughout our experience, we felt supported by Sarah 100% and her commitment to ensure we had a voice every step of the way. She will bring you peace of mind that only comes with having someone like Sarah as your doula!

Stephanie H.

7/25/2023

Where to start? Hiring Sarah was one of, if not, the best decision I made! She was knowledgeable, calm, informative & so so helpful. She spent time getting to know my husband & I, and really made us feel so comfortable going into my birth. She was there every step of the way and never made me feel like an annoyance. Even when I would bother her daily for the last week or two of my pregnancy. 

During my birth, Sarah was exactly what I needed. She reminded me of my wishes when it came time to make decisions, guided me through different positions, and never wavered from reminding me I was safe! Without her guidance I truly don't think I could have had the birth I wanted.  Both my husband & I were so thankful for Sarah throughout my pregnancy and birth. If/when we have another, Sarah will be there :) 

Alyssa

7/1/2023

Hiring Sarah was the best decision I made for the birth of my daughter. She is inclusive, thoughtful, and a true advocate for her families. She is so incredibly knowledgable about prenatal, postnatal, and newborn care. Any questions or concerns I had were answered in a supportive, kind way, while also being rooted in evidence based research. She guided us and made sure we were empowered to make decisions that would ultimately shape our birth experience. We could be our own advocates with our providers and I was able to find a care team I loved thanks to her. Sarah is very experienced and it shows. Even the midwives and doctors I worked with knew and respected her. I had such a wonderful birth with her by my side. She provided physical and emotional comfort and I don't know how I would've done it without her. After being induced with my first child (without a doula), I was hoping to go into labor on my own and to have an unmedicated birth. Sarah helped me prep my body and mind before labor to give me the best possible chance. I'm happy to say I was able to go into labor without being induced and had minimal complications with my unmedicated vaginal birth. While no doula can guarantee you'll have the birth experience you hope for, I know our work together helped make this possible. She was such a calm presence and gave my husband the confidence he needed to help me during labor as well. I know he felt a sense of relief to have Sarah as a support system. He could take breaks if needed and really enjoy the labor and birthing process too. She also followed up consistently in the weeks following our birth and provided valuable advice to help us navigate newborn life. I can't recommend Sarah enough! 

Sydney & Matt

6/26/2023

Working with Sarah was the best decision we made during our pregnancy. We connected early on with Sarah - Sydney was an anxious first-time mom pregnant after a miscarriage - and Sarah was immediately kind, gentle, and compassionate about our anxieties and concerns.

Sarah provided so much prenatal support (beyond the call of duty, we think), sharing her experience as a mom and a birth worker, which helped us make the decision to switch our care to the VCU Midwives (the second-best decision we made after hiring Sarah!).

Sydney took a tumble and sprained her ankle twice in the third trimester, the second time rendering her in a boot and on crutches in the weeks leading up to delivery (her first day off crutches was the day we went into labor), and Sarah was so calm, supportive, reassuring, and creative in accommodating this injury and boot during labor.

Sarah goes the extra mile with prenatal care and postpartum follow-up. Sarah's care and spirit of non-judgment made us feel seen and heard. Her fear/release and mantra banner exercise prepared us for labor. Sarah repeated our mantras during labor, which helped Sydney stay grounded and confident. Sarah also coached Matt to be the best birth partner during labor. And her backpack is like Mary Poppins' carpet back, it's full of every tool you may need for a successful labor.

We can't recommend Sarah more highly! And if not Sarah, please do yourself (and your partner) the favor of hiring a doula.

Erin and Matt

10/17/2022

As soon as we first interviewed with Sarah, we knew we wanted to have her as our doula! She is so knowledgable, genuine, and passionate. She was always easily accessible for questions throughout my pregnancy and postpartum, and requested updates from all of my prenatal appointments. During our two prenatal visits with Sarah, she provided us with so much amazing education and evidence based information. She listened to our thoughts and fears, and was nonjudgmental and honest with us about the entire process. As a first time mom wanting an unmedicated birth I was extremely nervous, but Sarah was so encouraging and gave us so many tools that enabled us to labor at home for as long as possible. She responded within minutes when we texted her at 3am when I had gone into labor and was available by phone and text throughout until we felt like we needed her with us. She was so helpful in encouraging my husband in different techniques to help me. When we got to the hospital, Sarah worked her magic on the hospital room and turned it into as peaceful of a space as it could be. She was right next to me in the shower as I labored and never left my side! Her skills and encouragement helped me have the empowering birth I wanted! She also got some great candid hospital shots for us to cherish :) We also used Sarah as our postpartum doula and it was one of the best things we did for ourselves (along with having her as a birth doula!). She answered all of our million questions as first time parents, but also allowed us much needed time to feel human again. I trust her 1000% with my baby and she was so so good with him. We are better people and parents because of Sarah!

Julia Sterling

9/20/2022

Sarah is an incredible doula! She is extemely reliable and knowledgable. She provides evidence-based information and advice in a non-judgmental way. She has a calming prescence, and she goes above and beyond to support you in having the bith experience you want. As first time parents, my husband and I both felt so secure knowing that Sarah would be by our side during labor and birth. She supported us in laboring at home until it was time to go to the birth center. At the birth center, she helped us have the beautiful, serene birth we were hoping for. After birth I experienced complications, and she accompanied me to the hospital where she kept my spirits up and helped me make informed decisions about my care. 

We used her as a post-partum doula as well, and it was a huge blessing to have her. During a time when I was really struggling, her prescence made me feel like everything was going to be okay. I cannot say enough amazing things about Sarah! 

Kari Gill

2/2/2022

Sarah was instrumental during my labor. She prepped us before hand so we had a plan and knew next steps. She helped us advocate for a new nurse change when the staff was rude and inappropriate during my labor. She truly was an asset we were thankful we had. Although, my labor journey did not go as planned we did everything possible to successfully have a healthy baby. Thank you Sarah for sharing your love,laughs and tears with us! Sarah from DouLife was the best decision for us. Thank you Sarah!  Love Kari & James 

Megan Spataro

1/21/2022

The passion Sarah has for her career is evident in everything that she does! The countless hours during the prenatal visits, the birth, the postpartum visits - down to the smallest of details Sarah does shows her dedication to helping families welcome new life into this world. 

My biggest fear of having a doula was “another person” in the room, however Sarah was honestly the glue that held us together.  Our labor ended up being fairly long, and we were able to go 14 hours unmedicated - what a feat! The countless techniques combined with her calm energy, confidence, and comfort supported not only I, but also my husband. In the end, we delivered our perfect baby girl in a perfect way! 

Sarah made our pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum journey that much easier - knowing I always had another person in my toolbelt to ask even the silliest of questions.  The bond we created with Sarah is indescribable. I can say with confidence, just how much of a positive impact she made in our lives. I would totally love to keep her for myself, but I think everyone needs a Sarah in their lives!!

Ally

12/27/2021

The best decision we made during our pregnancy was to have Sarah as our doula. We initially assumed that doulas were only for natural homebirths but after the recommendation of a friend to consider hiring one we looked into it more and are so grateful we found Sarah… I greatly appreciated her non-judgemental attitude and so many of her recommendations were serious game changers during pregnancy and labor. For example they wouldn’t let me breast-feed my baby right away due to her swallowing too much amniotic fluid so Sarah showed me how to self express and feed her manually in those critical moments after birth. I do not want to know how many texts we exchanged throughout my pregnancy and postpartum. Sarah was always extremely responsive and so helpful. I thought I would not want or need a Doula for our second birth should we ever decide to have a second, however now I feel that I would never want to have a baby without Sarah’s help

Lauren Daniels

8/28/2021

When we found out we were pregnant with our second child, we knew we wanted a doula again for her birth. Our old doula had retired so we turned to doula match to find a doula that seemed right for us. Sarah's testimonials spoke so highly of her we decided to interview her. We looked over her beautiful website before, and noticed that she had experience with clients with infertility, and becuase we had secondary infertility and losses in the past, we wanted someone who was sensitive to those issues. Sarah was extremely organized, followed up after every one of our provider visits and provided support when we decided to take her advice and pursue a home birth. At our 20 week ultrasound, we had the potential risking out of home birth care because of a partial placenta previa. She provided evidence and support during that time. The placenta grew up instead of over my cervix, and we were on for our home birth. Sarah provided great prenatal education during her prenatal visits, which was great becuase we elected not to do classes as it was our second birth. On the day of our daughter's birth, she provided text and call support until we wanted her to come (I didn't want to have many people there when I was in early labor). She was able to get there and help us run through some circuits in order to expedite labor. She had lots of things and suggestions that helped with repositioning my various issues (nausea, back pain, etc.). She was a great support to my husband, who had to take a break during my transition period and after the birth related to blood/seeing me in pain. With her help and our midwife team, our baby girl was born at home. We are so so grateful for Sarah and her experience, organization and knowledge.

Kyle Pearson

8/15/2021

My husband and I were fortunate to have Sarah by our side during the labor and delivery of our daughter. Sarah empowered me as I prepared to attempt an unmedicated labor and delivery. Her assistance/support during my labor enabled my birth wishes to become reality. I hoped for a peaceful labor and Sarah created the most beautiful ambiance in our labor room. Sarah checked in on us numerous times after our daughter was born. I had issues with low breastmilk supply. Sarah encouraged me with lactation support and also helped me find resources for feeding supplementation. Sarah is an amazing person and doula! I highly recommend her to other families who are seeking a doula. 

Ashley H

5/29/2021

We interviewed and hired Sarah shortly after my husband and I found out we were expecting again. We loved her calm nature and how informed she is! I instantly felt at ease with her.

We then found out that we were actually having mono/di twins around 12 weeks and she pivoted gracefully and helped guide us as to where to go and what to do from there. She was amazing at keeping me calm, focused, and helped me learn how to better advocate for myself and my babies dispite having a high risk pregnancy. I really don't feel like I could have done this without her and I would recommend her services to anyone expecting multiples or experiencing a high risk pregnancy.

Lauren Mosher

5/18/2021

Sarah is absolutely amazing. Throughout my pregnancy and birth process, she was present, attentive, knowledgeable, and super available.
Sarah provided the tools and resources we needed to better understand and be comfortable with the birth of our first child. After learning my baby was breech, Sarah provided all resources known to help turn my baby, and walked us through suggested exercises.
Sarah gave me recommendations (that I used) to an acupuncturist, lactation consultant, and chiropractor. If there is anyone who knows what they are doula-ing (!!) it’s her.
My family is fortunate to have had Sarah by our side, and should we choose to have more children, we will absolutely use her again!

Kelsey and Christian

5/14/2021

We can't say enough positive things about our experience working with Sarah. From the start, her energy just matched perfectly to ours  - the way she explained and approached her role as a doula "clicked". She really became the "third leg" of our team: mom supporting baby, dad supporting mom, and Sarah coaching us both through all of it. Every element that Sarah provided as part of her Doula service was valuable - even the small things, like how she knew exactly how to get to L&D when we arrived at the hospital and how she was always quick to reply to texts and  was open to any/all questions we had, even about even the little things. Sarah really, truly cares about her clients - the time and attention she paid to us, and all of the follow-up and responsiveness she showed, made us feel like we were her only priority. Working with Sarah as our Doula was one of the best decisions we made on our pregnancy journey as first time parents - can't recommend her enough!  

Kellie

3/21/2021

I can't say enough good things about Sarah! During our first meeting she was calm, organized, and very easy to open up to, after 5 minutes into our call I knew she was the one. She was responsive during my pregnancy and referred me to some excellent resources and other prenatal care. She was so kind to my other two children and they adored her as well. During my labor, Sarah was so calm and attentive, she knew just what to do and always had suggestions to keep me comfortable. No matter what type of birth you plan to have, having a doula is a essential, it doesn't matter if it's your first or fourth, a knowledgeable support person is a must. Sarah was that for our family and so much more!!! Thank you for everything. 

Katie

1/13/2021

It turns out I needed Sarah just as much as my wife did! Upon meeting, we felt connected to Sarah and she was the one. Sarah was very responsive in returning our texts and calls to help ease our anxiety. She provided evidence based info to help make decisions. When my wife’s water broke without contractions, Sarah provided us with ideas to try to help bring them on. Sarah even came to our home to support and walk us through the different techniques.  After 36 hrs, it was time to go to the hospital. When we started Pit, Sarah was there with us. For the next 24 hrs, Sarah provided us continuous emotional and physical support. Ultimately our baby didn't tolerate labor after 60 hrs, so we proceeded to a C-Section.  Due to circumstances out of our and Sarah’s control, our C-section quickly became scary. As the spouse watching, I was devastated but Sarah was in the OR and never left our side. Sarah’s physical and emotional presence was a game changer for the months to come. 24 hrs after birth, our baby was taken to the NICU due to an unexpected genetic disorder. Sarah checked in daily, offering encouragement, a listening ear, and education regarding pumping while our baby was in the NICU. We hired Sarah as a postpartum doula for 3 months.  Sarah took the time to educate herself on our baby’s condition so that she could better support us. She came over 2-3x/wk and was available day and night for support. She provided newborn education, breastfeeding support, reassurance, and opportunities for rest. Most importantly, Sarah held a safe space for me to grieve, cry, talk, and heal from my experience. She always made us feel that our family was a priority to her and she supported us through the hard times and celebrated with us for the good. Now we are a happy, healthy, and safe family of 3 and we owe so much of that to Sarah. Without a doubt, she will be in our lives forever and we will absolutely hire her again. We love you Sarah!

Allison Rosen

1/5/2021

We loved working with Sarah from the minute we interviewed her! She interviewed us as well so we know she would be on the ball for the entire experience of working with her. She is exceptionally organized and a great communicator. As first-time parents, we appreciated that our prenatal meetings were very thorough and prepared us for every aspect of our third and fourth trimesters, labor, and birth. She helped us create really solid birth preferences that were invaluable to our experience in the hospital. The hands on spinning babies exercises we did during those meetings proved to be really helpful prenatally and during labor. We especially loved the fear release activity we did which helped us talk through our anxieties and create a plan for having a really positive birth. We trusted Sarah’s Covid precautions and she made sure our prenatal meetings were really safe. During labor, Sarah was extremely helpful on the phone even prior to coming to the hospital. We had a long induction and it was much less scary because Sarah prepared us for what was to come at every step. She helped us better understand our options at every turn. She was the perfect amount of “hands on” and made sure Dad was the star birth partner while also offering him support and relief since it was a long labor. Postpartum, Sarah checked in with us regularly and provided helpful suggestions for those first few challenging weeks. As first time parents, we can’t recommend her enough, and should we become parents again we would absolutely re-hire her!

Jessica Long

9/9/2020

Postpartum is a special time, but it’s full of changes and new experiences! I was lucky enough to be gifted some postpartum care with Sarah Hendricks of Doulife. She is full of knowledge and experience and I highly recommend her! I was able to schedule my time with her during my husbands first week returning to work. It was the perfect time to start off settling into that new season of life. She assisted me with breastfeeding, navigating through some clogged ducts, babywearing, and basic household things. She also helped with Eleanor so I could get a few extra hours of sleep and a shower. She is a wonderfully positive person and makes sure you feel empowered by being a mother. It was great just having her to talk to. I thoroughly enjoyed her services and recommend it to all families! 

Carly

7/18/2020

We feel so very lucky to have had Sarah as our birth and postpartum doula. I didn't have a doula for the birth of my first baby, and the difference in my experience this time around (for baby #2) was night and day. With Sarah's support, I achieved the natural birth I had hoped for. It was a magical birth experience, even though my baby was born during a very scary time in the COVID-19 pandemic.

I initially chose Sarah for a few reasons: first, she is extremely knowledgable. She cares deeply about her education as a doula and has taken courses and educated herself in many aspects of perinatal health, birth/labor, and postpartum care, so she has many tools in her back pocket. Second, she is professional. She was always prepared for our meetings and conversations, always on time, and always following up with resources. Third, she cares about birth work in our community and is a leader. This became very important during the end of my pregnancy, when Sarah was regularly advocating for hospitals to allow doulas during the pandemic.

Sarah was steadfast and by my side during labor, offering techniques and leading the way with a calming demeanor. She helped my husband feel like a true support person. She subtly took photos throughout that I will treasure. And she came to my house to offer postpartum help, even despite the pandemic, mask and all. We are very fortunate to have had the support of a doula, and I am so thankful that we chose Sarah.

Katie G

5/2/2020

Sarah was a dedicated, communicative, and outstanding support for us during our pregnancy, birth day, and postpartum period.  My husband and I highly recommend her services.  I was nervous about being a first-time mother, and Sarah eased my worries while also being upfront and honest with my husband about some of the challenges he might face as a husband in this new role and in being a first-time father.  We fully believe that our new baby has benefited from our time with Sarah in the postnatal (and postpartum) period.  Sarah is passionate about her work as a doula, and we are so grateful to her for her work with our family!   ~Katie and Matt G.

Devyn Keller

4/17/2020

From the first meeting with Sarah, we felt more confident and prepared for our birth and being parents. She was comforting, knowledgeable, and willing to discuss any topic while backing her experiences with data and source materials. Before and after the birth, Sarah provided us with great advice and resources to help us cope with our new role as parents. 

During labor and through delivery, Sarah was a rock for both Mom and Dad. One can never be fully prepared for every eventuality, but we felt about as close to that as was possible going to the hospital. Sarah advocated for us and made sure that when we were by ourselves for a few hours, that we took the time and asked the questions to fully understand each procedure and process that was being proposed by our attending medical staff. We probably could not have experienced a birth as close to our birth wishes as we did without her support. Additionally, our meeting sessions prior to labor paid off, as we leaned on Sarah’s wisdom and the prep work we had done ourselves. We highly recommend Sarah and the services she provides!

Nicolette del Muro

4/17/2020

Sarah is a doula rockstar! We could not be more grateful for our positive birth experience, which was only made possible because of Sarah. We hired her for support with delivery, and she was with us every step of the way. But in addition, she provided countless resources for both my partner and I, encouraged us to advocate for ourselves when early induction was suggested, and provided wonderful postpartum support. She is professional, reliable, and made us feel like her #1 priority, though I'm sure she does the same for all of her families. We wholeheartedly recommend Sarah and are lucky to now call her a friend.

Angela Armstrong

2/8/2020

I owe the biggest THANK YOU in the universe to Sarah! My husband and I are eternally grateful for the invauable care and support we received through our unexpected, early-term induced labor (which occurred outside of our on-call window). I honestly have NO idea how we would’ve gotten through it without her by our side. When our original birth plan went out the window, she kept us grounded and focused on the goal, and made sure I still had a wonderful birthing experience. Sarah is extremely attentive, excellent at communicating, professional yet warm and welcoming, and has a great sense of humor while maintaining a sensitive nature when necessary. I can’t tell you how lucky I feel to have found Sarah during my research into considering a birth and postpartum Doula, and a 10/10 doesn’t begin to cover it. My husband and I look forward to working with Sarah again in the future! 

Jasmine Hicks

12/31/2019

Words can not truly express my gratitude and appreciation for Sarah services but most importantly her support. I am a first time mom so I really had no idea what to expect. When I decided to try a natural birth, I knew I needed someone in my corner who would advocate for me when I needed it the most and Sarah was all that an more. Even during our interview Sarah made it clear how she will support my husband and I through this life changing process. I was even educated on so much during the interview process I had for her! She was so sweet to my family, even brought us this lovely soup for dinner. I loved how sensitive and understanding she was during the entire process! I love you Sarah! 

Stephanie Surber

11/5/2019

I cannot overstate how much having Sarah as our doula allowed my husband and me to have the most positive birthing experience we possibly could. Having this strong, compassionate, professional woman with us leading up to, during, and after my first child’s birth made all the difference. She was devoted to helping us through answering questions, normalizing and providing affirmation for our fears and hopes, making recommendations, supporting us in our decisions and more. At one point during labor my husband and I looked at each said we didn’t know how we could make it through labor sticking to our birth wishes if it weren’t for Sarah. Knowing what a monumental event giving birth is, I cannot recommend Sarah more highly.

Pete and Carolyn C.

9/30/2019

It is our pleasure to share our experience of working with Sarah.  She was a coach, mentor, friend, and teacher, and certainly the best decision we made when we decided to hire a doula for our first pregnancy.  At each step in the process, Sarah went above and beyond professionally to support us.  She was always punctual, organized, and armed with a wealth of information.  We felt prepared and ready for the birth after utilizing many of her great recommendations for resources, including top-notch childbirth and breast-feeding classes, encouraging the decision to switch from an OB we weren't happy with to the mid-wives at Bon Secours (who were amazing), to visiting a chiropractor who provided relief when pregnancy sciatica came on at 8 months.  She also made sure that we a realistic expectations about labor and delivery in a hospital setting.  When the day came, Sarah was right there, offering water (my lifeline!), peppermint oil for nausea, honey sticks, and even some pain management hacks like holding onto hair combs.  She decorated our room with lights and our affirmations banner.  On top of everything she did for us that day, she also managed to take amazing photographs that we will always cherish.  

After the birth, she checked in on us daily to make sure we were adjusting well and answered many questions I had about recovery and life with a newborn. She also visited us twice and brought us a delicious home-cooked meal (which we had no idea would be such a blessing as we quickly learned cooking is very difficult in the first several weeks after baby).  We're happy to say that looking back, our birth experience was a positive one that likely would have been very different if it weren't for her.  We would highly recommend Sarah to anyone who is expecting!

- Pete and Carolyn C.

Kaitlin Sputhwoeth

7/23/2019

Sarah felt like family from the first time we met her. She helped my husband understand some of the environmental challenges of attempting a VBAC, and ultimately helped he and I become a stronger birth team. Thank goodness for all of her work in preparing us for birth day because labor and delivery happened very quickly for me! She coached us (mostly my husband) through concerns as we were preparing to meet her at the hospital. When she called to check on us as we were driving, she could hear me laboring and reminded me to control my breathing. She was able to get hospital staff prepared for my arrival and made sure they got me to my preferred provider for delivery. She stayed around after delivery, cleaned up my clothes, and made sure we were comfortable before leaving. If it weren’t for her, I most likely would have given birth in the back of my car! Sarah provided full support before delivery (prenatal visits, check-ins via text, constant availability during labor, position suggestions over the phone before she comes to you) and  after deivery (daily texts for the first week!,  weekly thereafter for a month). If she didn’t know the answer to something, she would find out. I felt comfortable talking to her about things that I usually wouldn’t be, and always felt like she had my best interest at heart. We are so thankful for her, and strongly recommend her to anyone, and especially VBAC mamas. She gets it! 

Christine

7/10/2019

We heard about Sarah through rave word of mouth reviews from trusted friends who had hired her, which is the first testament to her wonderful doula abilities. My husband and I had an amazing experience with Sarah before, during, and after the birth of our son. She was a calm and steady presence through our whole experience, providing invaluable knowledge and encouragement. We have said from the moment our son was born that we could not have had the birth experience we desired without the help of Sarah. She met with us beforehand and provided helpful and thorough information. When the time came for my 36 hour labor, we would have been completely lost without Sarah's continued guidance. She stayed in touch with me the 24 hours between my water breaking and going to the hospital, and gave me tips and ideas throughout the day to help labor speed up. She even stopped by my house for a few hours to guide me through some exercises and positions to keep things going. Sarah then joined us again right as we entered the hospital, and was with us every step of the way afterwards. For 12+ hours she continued to empower my husband and I to work through contractions together, suggesting positions and exercises, reminding me of my birth affirmations, and physically supporting me through contractions. When complications came up, she was the calming, steady force we turned to - otherwise we may have given up or just come to a point where we didn't know what else to try. She even made a suggestion at the end of my labor that successfully moved me from being stalled to transitioning (and having my baby less than 30 minutes later!) without needing the assistance of medication. She confidently led us through the process, which was exactly what we didn't even know we needed! We recommend Sarah to anyone, regardless of what you want your labor to look like, if you'd like extra support, information, and encouragement throughout your pregnancy, labor, and postpartum experience!

Kaitlyn Lowery

3/8/2019

Working with Sarah was such a pleasure.  She's so professional: organized, easy to communicate with, and on top of all needs and requests.  As a third time mom, I appreciated still being treated with the same care as somone new to all of this! Sarah has such a calm presence, it was absolutely wonderful to have her there at my son's birth.  She provided quite support and helped to create a relaxed birthing atmosphere.  I'd originally hired her to act as a "sibling" doula--in case my older sons woke up--but as they slept through the whole birth I was lucky to have her all to myself.  She is truly wonderful, and I'd recommend her to anyone looking for a doula without reservation!

Beth Alexander-Gayle

3/7/2019

Sarah is an excellent doula! She is the most kind & professional person i have ever had the pleasure of working with & will again if/when me & husband have a second child. Sarah planned prenatal appointments at our home to go over any & all birthing anxieties, request, strengths & weaknesses. Sarah was my main support guide throughout my pregnancy. If i thought anything was concerning, she would give me logical ideas to discuss with my doctor or midwife over the phone rather than making an appointment for everything. I had a few days of prodromal labor. Sarah came to my home & labored intensely with me for hrs (7am-6pm+). We did multiple exercises to try to work my baby down & continue contractions. When we descided it was time to go to the hospital, Sarah did everything to make the room as comfortable as possible & helped the hospital staff honor my wishes that she kept in her pocket. Sarah was able to encourage me to keep my breath, utilize the labor tub & use a rebozo to pull for contractions. I was able to conquer a 100% natural vaginal birth. I firmly beleive i would have had a C-section had it not been for Sarah. She labored with me for almost 24 hrs. From 7am-11:50pm! Even after my baby was born, she helped us get food from a restaurant that would still deliver after midnight & saw us to our quarters after the delivery room. She continued to answer breastfeeding & postpartum questions i had afterwards + checked up on me daily for the 1st week postpartum. I Couldn't ask for a better doula!

Carletha Ayres

3/7/2019

Sarah is the Best Doula Ever!!!  We first meet Sarah at the SOTJ Market and we instantly loved her vibration.  She has been very thorough and has educated our family on various matters.  She was an excellent support and a must have in labor and delivery!  Our Family highly recommends her to assist with your birth!  We can honestly say she stuck in there with us from the very beginning and brought nothing but good energy!  She helped us to stay focus and helped us to work through each contraction.  (She labored right along with us) We Love you Sarah!  Blessings to you and thanks for sharing your amazing gift!  #october7

Sn:  She captures the most amazing memories with her handy dandy IPhone!  

Ellen Wallace Ross

3/7/2019

I had my baby at 30 weeks. Very scary emergency room delivery. Sarah wasn’t there because it happened so fast. But that didn’t keep her from being a part of my birthing experience. She came to the hospital and stayed with me in the nicu. My baby had to stay 70 days in the nicu. Sarah texted and visited and checked in with me constantly. She came to help even after we were discharged from the nicu. She went above and beyond. I would highly recommend her to anyone. She has a very calming demeanor and is a great doula!

Sinclair M. Curtis

2/3/2019

Having Sarah as our doula was THE BEST decision and by far the best “baby gift” we gave ourselves. She is incredibly knowledgeable, supportive, kind, compassionate and goes above and beyond in every way! This was our third baby and I desperately wish we had her for the prior births. I had c-sections each time and wasn’t sure if we would do a VBAC or c-section for the third baby. Sarah was totally on board with whatever decision we made which was such a great feeling! We ended up trying for a VBAC but were unsuccessful at the last minute due to a knot in the cord. However, without Sarah I am confident we never would have made it as far as we did! Then, even with a c-section Sarah was instrumental in helping to calm anxiety, help us better communicate with doctors and nurses and make sure we had everything we needed before she left the hospital (many many hours later)! Our baby was also in the NICU and she was constantly checking in on us and offering tips and assistance in any way possible. Our family just adores her and can not emphasize enough what an incredible blessing she was during the experience and how much she helped with my anxiety. If you do one thing for yourself as a new parent—-hire Sarah as your doula!!!!

Joshua Curtis

1/28/2019

When Sinclair mentioned to me she wanted to chat with Sarah to support us as “her” Doula, of course I said yes (what Sinclair wants she gets!). I initially thought “great! she will have another hand to hold if we have a natural birth.”

I could not have been more wrong about my own complete misunderstanding of a Doula.

One thing I didn’t realize is that Sarah wasn’t just Sinclair’s Doula...she was OUR Doula. Sarah not only supported Sinclair through this process, but I truly felt that it was just as much “our” birth as it was hers (that’s not meant to downplay Sinclair’s superhero like ability and she has 100x more strength than I could ever hope to have...more-so to explain the support we received from Sarah).

She also supported us with ALL of our birth decisions, she’s not just for naturals births, she’s for all births. She wanted us to have an amazing experience no matter what we wanted and I honestly could say that I can’t imagine having another baby without her!

Sarah is amazing, understanding, so supportive to both of us and our family. We will DEFINITELY be calling her again when the time comes AND would gladly serve as a reference anytime!

effrat schuldiner

12/16/2018

Thank you so much to Sarah for helping us out when we needed it most. The husband was out of town so it was my first time alone with the baby and, to top it off, the babe was sick. Sarah came in and helped me so much. Everything from tidying house and cooking for me. And most importantly, entertaining baby so I could nap! My baby loved her calming presence and fell in love with Sarah instantly. Thank you again!

Elise Boyd

11/26/2018

I have been putting off writing my review because I just can't find the right words to descirbe how priceless Sarah was for my family during our pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.  She's so professional and yet very personal.  She provided us with unlimited resources and was available for every little question and concern I had.  She was wonderful with my 7-year-old, who is very curious and wants to participate in everything.  She was a huge support for my husband by giving him tips on how to support me during labor.  I had a high-risk labor that went two weeks past due, and Sarah drove home from her family's beach vacation when I started having contractions.  When I wanted to give up, she reminded me of my goals, and when I was terrified of pushing, she helped me remain calm and have the beautiful, natural birth we wanted.  I simply cannot say enough about how wonderful Sarah helped our birth experience to be.  If you have questions, feel free to email me to ask!

Sarah Howell

11/25/2018

Sarah Hendricks was the best decision we could have made for our birth! She was knowledgeable, easy to talk to, calming, and so supportive. She is evreything you would want in a doula and more. She is also very easily accessible whenever you need her, and I felt like I could ask her anything at any time. We definitely plan on using her again for the future!

Jesse Dodd

11/18/2018

We were so fortunate to have someone recommend Sarah to us when we were looking for a doula. This was our second pregnancy, eight years after the birth of our first daughter, and our previous doula was no longer practicing. Sarah came to our house, for the first initial meeting, and I felt instantly at ease. She asked us about ourselves, our first birth, and made sure to include our curious daughter in this conversation. We decided to work together during this meeting and when she left my wife and I both agreed we felt she was the perfect choice. We met several more times, to work and she responded quickly any time we had a question pop up or wanted to know about something we had heard about. My wife had a high risk pregnancy and Sarah went above and beyond to help us prepare for any obstacle we might encounter down the road.

Sarah happened to be on vacation when my wife went into labor around 10 pm. We texted Sarah and she let us know that she was leaving and would be in touch with us as soon as she was home. My wife labored through the night and into the morning, updating Sarah on her progress. My wife hit a hard spell and told Sarah she wanted to throw in the towel on a natural birth but Sarah suggested she come over first to work with her some more. When she got here the contractions were on top of each other and we decided it best to drive to the hospital. When we walked into our room my wife was ready to push and was scared. Sarah helped us stay focused and was such an intergral part to keeping my wife moving forward. Her calmness and control also helped me to focus on helping my wife as well. Our second daughter was born twenty minutes after we got to the hospital and Sarah stayed with us until we were ready to be moved to our room.  In the following few weeks, Sarah came to visit multiple times, to check on our wellness and make sure mom was doing ok. She even brought us dinner! Words cannot express how thankful we are for Sarah!

effrat schuldiner

8/18/2018

We absolutely LOVED working with Sarah. She is knowledgable, organized, and does her research on everything you may have questions about. She was our strength throughout my 33 hours of labor and we truly could not have done it without her. We would definitely recommend working with her to anyone that may need a doula.

Marianne Snow Campbell

7/7/2018

Sarah is a fantastic doula and all-around wonderful person. She checked on me frequently throughout my pregnancy, was always there to answer my questions and calm my worries, and recommended great birth classes and other resources. During our two prenatal visits, she provided us with plenty of important information about childbirth and encouraged us to develop a birth plan suited to our particular needs. When it came time to give birth, I had some complications, and Sarah calmly and confidently supported us through everything that arose. I’m so glad she was at the hospital with us, and my husband said several times that he didn’t know what he would have done if she hadn’t been there. Moreover, she came all the way out to Farmville for our two postpartum visits – very helpful for first-time parents adjusting to life with a newborn. We are so grateful for all the ways that Sarah has helped us and are happy to call her a friend. We're definitely want her present for our next birth!

Megan Morris

5/23/2018

Sarah's support truly transformed the experience of birth for my family.  I'd had a c-section with my previous pregnancy, and Sarah helped me throughout some unexpected complications to achieve the vbac that I'd wanted.  Throughout my pregnancy, her presence was both professional and deeply compassionate.  She truly provided support for my entire family.  As she followed us to the hospital, in fact, my 23-month-old kept asking, "Where is Ms. Sarah?!!"  I cannot recommend working with Sarah highly enough.

Sara

5/10/2018

We had a wonderful experience with Sarah as our doula. Being our first pregnancy, we were interested in hiring a doula, in addition to our OB, that would be a familiar face in the delivery room to help coach through labor and help my husband be involved. She came across as being the most prepared and knowledgeable out of the 8-10 doulas we interviewed. Our experience started with 2 prenatal visits. During these visits, Sarah explained to us the various techniques she uses to help with labor and how she can help to manage any pain or fear. She not only helped prepare for our labor/birth, but also identified prenatal exercises to help us during the big day. During my pregnancy, I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. Sarah followed up after each OB appointment and offered suggestions on how to best manage the condition. We ended up being induced in the evening and Sarah arrived the next morning once things started to pick up. I had an epidural and Sarah was instrumental to both me and my husband during this process, helping us to both stay calm. Due to circumstances, I needed a cesarean section and we were thankful that Sarah was allowed in the operating room with us. After our baby was born, we had 2 post-natal visits. During this time, Sarah offered a post-partum depression screening and made sure we were adjusting well. Sarah was extremely supportive from the day we selected her to after our baby was born. She consistently followed up with us and provided suggestions/articles for us. She was always available for our questions and even offered to be a resource for us throughout parenthood. We plan on utilizing Sarah again for our next birth and highly recommend her services to any expectant parent.

Brooke Hicks

4/26/2018

Love Sarah! We chose Sarah as our doula for the birth of our 2nd child. I had a goal of natural hypnobirth again but needed someone that could fully support me because my husband is so squeamish and wouldn't be in the delivery room. From start to finish Sarah never disappointed! She provided us with tons of information, came to our home where we made an affirmation banner, assisted in acupressure and never lost sight of my goal during delivery.

I had a stubborn baby that wasn't ready to make an appearance and because of some complications, was induced. Sarah walked the halls/stairs with me, did acupressure and held the shower head on my back for who knows how long.... Towards the very end , I did use my safe word for an epidural but she didn't let me give in and I quickly welcomed a baby boy after the request. Surprise gender reveal. Because of Sarah, I maintained the natural birth,I so wished for even with being induced.

Being a second time mom, this birth experience was more than I could imagine. If you're looking for someone that truly listens to your wishes, is extremely supportive, and treats you like a family member, please choose Sarah! She will forever be in our hearts.

Jessica Ooms

3/30/2018

Sarah is amazing and I'm so happy that she was my doula. I don't even know where to begin with how wonderful she is. I met her at a Meet the Doulas night and really felt a connection with her right away. She came to our home, so we could get to know each other and decide if she would be a good fit for us. She was so friendly and spent a lot of time answering all our questions. She also sent me multiple emails with a ton of information about birth and other helpful resources. I was impressed that she took the time to help me out before I even agreed to be her client. It just showed me how much she cared about me and being the best doula that she could be. She's also so organized and professional, which I just love! We only had one prenatal meeting because my daughter decided that she wanted to come early (at 35 weeks). Sarah met us at the hospital right away and as I was walking the hallways in the first stage of labor we had our second "prenatal meeting." She helped to create a nice atmosphere in the room with some twinkle lights, which I really liked. She was so helpful during labor and by my side the entire time. She also helped my husband--allowing him to run home to grab a couple things (she helped us create a list of items to bring to the hospital) and take breaks (during my labor). Sarah reminded me to stay hydrated, snack, take naps, go through my affirmations and she was by my side during every contraction. She performed hip squeezes, which were so helpful. I don't know what I would have done without her! She took pictures during the birth and wrote down birth notes, which are so great to have. After my daughter was born my husband was exhausted and took a nap, but she stayed with me and helped for 3 hours. We had two postnatal visits with her and she brought us a delicious meal. I can't wait to have another baby, so Sarah can be by my side. Sarah is fabulous and I feel blessed that she was there for the birth of my daughter. Thank you so much!!!

Jacqueline Boone

3/18/2018

Sarah was a wonderful doula and my husband and I are so happy she was with us during the birth of our son.  Sarah took time to get to know me and learn my birth preferences so she could know how to best support me.  Since this was my third baby, I was already knowledgeable about a lot of the prenatal education topics she normally teaches, but we discussed everything and she really took the time to tailor our prenatal sessions to meet my individual needs.  I really liked the web-based platform that she used to share materials, articles, and resources with me.  During my labor, she was calm, nurturing, and supportive.  She helped support both my husband and me.  She helped guide him in different ways to comfort and support me.  She repeated my birth affirmations to me, rubbed my back when I wanted, encouraged me, and helped me with positioning myself for comfort.  She reminded me to relax my body and release the tension when she saw it and helped me stay calm and focused.  After delivery, she helped us get comfortable in the bed and made sure we were settled before she left.  She came for 2 visits post-partum and brought us a meal which was very helpful and delicous!  SHe is such a kind, warm, loving and caring person and was wonderful to have as our birth doula.  I would recommend her to any mom looking for doula support.

Aree Radcliffe

3/7/2018

Sarah was our doula for the birth of our first child last November. She was absolutely perfect for us. We wanted someone who not only was mature and had experience but was thoughtful about that maturity and experience and how those attributes can help her clients. Sarah is professional, dedicated to helping not only the moms but the dads and whoever else is on your birth team, and refreshingly thorough. We had two (or three? it's hard to remember now) prenatal meetings where we went over our birth plan and got to know each other. I am the typical 'type-A' personality--I don't ask for help when I should and I don't like people tending to me. Sarah took the time to get to know me and my husband so that when the time came she totally understood and gave the exact amount of help that fit our personalities. She nudged me in the right direction when I needed and took a step back when I didn't. When my daughter had to be rushed to the NICU she went with my husband at our request and advocated for our post birth wishes for our daughter with her doctors. She also met with us twice postpartum, even though she was only required to do so once for her doula training program. She brought us a meal at our visit (just one more example of her using her experience as a mother to better help her clients!) and was very up-front and open about discussing any indications of post partum depression. Her candor in our post partum visits was comforting for me as a new mom. She also kept meticulous notes during the birth and gave us a copy so that we could write our daughter's birth story. Although I was skeptical in seeing the value of a doula before I met Sarah, I now know that a good doula is priceless! And Sarah was that doula for us!

Andrea Luker

12/22/2017

Sarah was my doula for my first pregnancy. I was probably not a typical client for her because my husband was deployed overseas, which meant I would be partnerless for labor and delivery. I also knew I wanted a medicated birth. She did a great job accommodating these aspects and preparing me for a confident birth when I had felt so alone. The prenatal visits really nailed down my wants and needs for the birth; this included talking about my fears, plans for labor, as well as answering all sorts of questions. Sarah was very forthcoming with her own experiences, which was invaluable to me and helped establish a much closer relationship. She made herself available through multiple means of communication, including calls, texts, and emails. After each prenatal appointment, she would promptly send a recap email with additional information that I may have requested. The morning my contractions began, she was in constant contact and directed me through different positions to progress labor until we met at the hospital. A combination of anxiety and asthma made my delivery a challenge but Sarah was right by my side to help me stay calm, hydrated, and focused. Once my handsome little man was born, Sarah stayed late to ensure I was in a healthy mental and physical state, and comfortable with her leaving. She later sent me a bunch of great pictures she quietly took with her cell phone during my labor and delivery (I had agreed to this previously). I was able to send these pictures to my husband so he could experience the birth of his son. I am so thankful for Sarah and all she did to help me through a difficult but rewarding time in my life.

Laura Closky

9/2/2017

Sarah was my doula for my first child. Sarah did a couple of prenatal appts with us and got informed about everything to date about the pregnancy. She helped us create an affirmation banner as well. She also had me tell her about all my prenatal appts after that with my midwife. Before I went into labor, she stayed in touch with me asking how I was feeling and gave advice on what to do to help start labor, etc. Sarah met my husband and I at the birth center when my husband called her telling her I was in labor. Sarah was amazing! She helped me try different position to help cope with labor, which was really helpful. Swaying was what she found helped me most and she swayed with me until she had my husband take over so she could do other super helpful things. I was really hot during labor and she made sure to keep a cool hand towel behind my neck, which was a godsend. She made sure I had water and stayed hydrated. She knew my birth affirmations and recited them to me. I had a fast labor (only about an hour and a half) and Sarah stayed on top of everything! After our sweet baby girl arrived, she helped me get in bed and offered to get my husband and I food. She also held our baby girl for a while so we could take a nap! Sarah also helped to get baby to latch for breastfeeding. Sarah stayed with me while I got my sutures from my second degree tear as well. She stayed with us until about 4pm which was 2 hrs before we went home (arrived at the birth center at 9am, baby was born around 10am.) Sarah also came to our house for a couple post partum visits to ensure mom and baby were doing well. Sarah makes sure there are no signs of PP depression too. I could not have asked for a better doula and highly recommend you to consider her as your doula!