Brooke Breidenbach

8/9/2024

10/10!!! We could not recommend Ariel more. It was our first baby and she was the only doula we had an intro call with and knew she was IT right off the bat. She taught us everything we know about birth, and helped us unlearn lots of unnecessary and untrue societal crap through our 9 months together. Our birth process was a long one, and she was by our side and unwavering through the week long journey. A true bright spot, and a sense of calm and wisdom through it all. We had a very positive birth experience even though nothing went the way we had hoped for, and a lot of that is because of Ariel! She went above and beyond and we are forever grateful.

Hillary Mastrodicasa

7/24/2024

I followed Ariel for years and always resonated with the things she posted, I knew when I got pregnant the type of birth I wanted to foster. I never thought it was a possibility for her to support me as we lived in different places but I was so excited to find out she supported births in Squamish.
Having her unwavering support for all of our concerns was invaluable. Some of the strongest and most core memories of my birth include Ariel, she was so attentive, we spent one night together in and out of consciousness and I remember feeling as though she knew when I was about the have a contraction and she would jump up to offer me counter pressure and then gently rub my back as we drifted back into a sleet state. In the most intense experience of my life, Ariel made me feel like I wasn't alone.
My birth became medically complex and Ariel was able to find a way to bring me joy and hope in a time where I felt so much loss. I am forever grateful for her support during my post partum period and her way to validate and normalize everything I felt and to remind me to always trust the innate knowing I had inside me.
Thank you for everything Ariel, for being so central to my brith experience and making me feel so strong and powerful and loved.

Justyna

2/16/2023

Working with Ariel was like a journey through my transformation. She gave me more support than I had expected. I was provided with the comprehensive knowledge about natural, physiological birth and the spiritual aspect of it. I could ask about anything and always got the answer or the path following to it. Ariel is an inspiring and open-minded person, she gave us many tools, but she also left us space for creating our own birth experience.

I started to work with Ariel in the third trimester, so I can recommend to start much earlier to have enough time for a good preparation.
I am really grateful for each moment Ariel spent with us. My birth was amazing, and having Ariel in my support team significantly contributed to it ??.

Martina Bolcic

7/30/2022

As soon as I met Ariel I knew that she would be the perfect superwoman to help me climb that mountain.I had originally planned a hospital birth with an OB, but after educating myself and reading multiple books Ariel had lent me my mind started to shift.Along with multiple red flags from my OB and not wanting to be in the medical system I started to think about a home birth.It was a bit late to switch care as everyone was booked up, I saw my home birth dreams fading away, but Ariel assured me everything will work out. Well it did, she ended up connecting me with midwives. We some in person meetings and she educated me on the physiology of birth. The handouts that she gives you were so informative. Having that knowledge kept me so much calmer. Ariel has a calming, reassuring presence and made me feel safe and comfortable during the 4 days of labour. She was SUCH a huge support for me and my hubbs. It was nice for him to be able to sleep so that he could keep supporting me. Ariel would step in holding my hand, breathing with me so I was never alone.She made sure I was staying hydrated and eating often in order to maintain strength for birth.She was always assuring me that everything I was feeling was safe and kept me calm,  and didnt allow fear to creep into my body. She knew my birth plan of wanting 0 interventions and kept me on that plan. On day 4 when midwives started talking about inductions we opted to try out castor oil to try to help kick start labour. Ariel went out and bought all the necessities and the birth happened that evening!
She also came over postpardum with an AMAZING yoni steam and a delicious treat for me to have a moment to myself, a beautiful nutritious meal, and gave me tips on breastfeeding. I had the birth of my dreams with no trauma and am left with such an amazing experience there are no horror stories for me to tell. I can't recommend Ariel enough and if we choose to have another one she will be the FIRST person I call.

AJ

5/15/2022

Ariel was our doula for my second birth, after not having a doula for my first. She was able to guide and help shape my desired birthing outcome without judgement and with lots of education and discussion. I appreciated her availability and openness to hop on a call and debrief as questions came up leading up to my labour. I am fairly confident that without Ariel we would have a medicated hospital birth, as with my first, and while there is absolutely no shame in that I am so proud of the home birth we were able to make happen together. 

Moira Cruickshanks

5/14/2022

Our experience with Ariel was wonderful. We’d spoken to a few doulas but she felt like the right fit for our family from our first intro call. We’d left it quite late so are really happy that we found Ariel while she still had space for us. Especially since our little girl (our first baby) decided to arrive a month early and we changed our plan from a home to hospital delivery. Ariel was still able to attend our earlier than expected birth and give us all the support, time and care we could ask for. Our prenatal sessions were incredibly helpful, reassuring me that I could trust my body and my instincts and feel confident in getting ready to birth our daughter. Ariel was quick to respond to all our questions, and shared experiences and resources freely with both me and my partner. She made sure to check in and be available for both of us before and after our little one was born, as well as during the birth, making sure we felt supported and advocated for as individuals and as a family through the whole experience. We had a super positive birth experience with Ariel and recommend her to anyone looking for a genuine, kind, knowledgeable and intuitive doula to help them on their birth journey. Thank you Ariel!

Niki

5/12/2022

Ariel was an incredible support person for my first birth. I was immediately able to develop a trusting relationship with her that remained strong throughout my entire pregnancy and birthing journey. Ariel provided helpful resources on the front end of my birth and was a tremendous guide as we navigated the numerous challenges that we faced along the way. I experienced a 60+ hour early labour at home before transferring to the hospital and she sat alongside my husband the entire time. Following the birth of our son, Ariel checked in with us regularly and provided practical postpartum support. We honestly could not have gone through this experience without her! 

May C

5/12/2022

Ariel provided doula support during our pregnancy, labor, and birth. She is truly an expert at what she does and made me feel so supported and safe throughout. She was always prompt to answer any questions and often provided additional resources above and beyond (e.g. reading material, podcast recommendations, teas, etc.). She offered such attention to detail when helping us to develop our birth plan. The hospital was on divergence (i.e. “full”) the night I went into labor, and Ariel was available to us fairly quickly. Her presence and guidance during this time was invaluable! She held space for us and made our home so beautiful, calm, and peaceful with dimmed lights, candles, and music. She had the wisdom for when was the “right” time to go to the hospital. She ensured my continuity of care from home-to-hospital and never left my side! For instance, she helped me through my contractions in the car so that my husband could focus on driving us safely. She was also a resource for him too. We both felt very empowered and have never felt closer! With her help, I was able to have a fairly quick, unmedicated, and safe vaginal delivery. She made me feel strong, wise, and capable when delivering our son. Her support did not stop there! Postpartum, she helped me with reflecting, breastfeeding positions, engorgement tips, yoni steaming, and even nourishing me with delicious foods (being mindful of all my dietary restrictions). She is truly great at what she does and was a huge advocate for me throughout the entire process. This was the most beautiful and transformative moment of my life. Working with her was the best decision we could have made. We are so grateful! I highly recommend!

Mariolys

5/3/2022

I'm very fortunate to have found Ariel! She was a very supportive doula to have during my pregnancy and birth of my baby. She shared her experience and knowledge through insightful conversations, recommended great books, and shared a lot of useful information. During the birth, Ariel's communicative and reassuring energy made the experience a lot easier.

Jenn

4/27/2022

Ariel was an amazing source of support throughout my entire pregnancy and birth. She is full of knowledge and helped me feel informed and confident throughout the whole process. She held space beautifully for me during my birth and was a constant source of reassurance. Grateful for her calm energy, care and comfort. I highly recommend Ariel to anyone looking for doula support!

Chloe

9/27/2021

I'm so glad we have Ariel with us on our birth journey. When we started, I was hoping for a vaginal birth. Unfortunately with a complete placenta previa, we needed a planned c section. It was my first time doing a major surgery, also the first time for Ariel to be in an OR. I thought I could be tough, everything was normal. But it was not, it was very clinical and I felt extremely vulnerable and scared. Ariel was there to guide me, to affirm my emotion, to encourage me. She was there to support me 100% and I really appreciate it. We are so lucky to have her to make our birth story beautiful and emotional. Thanks so much Ariel :)

Caitlin Hill

9/22/2021

Ariel believed in me from the moment that I told her how I wanted to birth. She has such a beautiful, calm and grounding energy, I knew immediately upon meeting her that she was who I wanted to travel through worlds with. Ariel is very passionate and informed about birth. She shared books and podcasts with me during my pregnancy so that I could be empowered in making my own choices. I felt so held, supported and loved throughout my birthing time with her by my side. I can’t recommend her enough. 

Bethany

9/20/2021

Ariel offered continuous support to myself and my partner throughout my pregnancy. She met with us initially to see if we'd be a match, and we found that our birthing ideologies aligned quite well. 

Ariel believes in the physiological process, and instills and empowers trust in the pregnancy and birth process. She supports her clients by meeting with them regularly to discuss upcoming appointments, as well as to help build a birthing dream. 

Ariel championed my hopes and needs and I felt her care throughout our time together. 

In birth, she believed in my desire for a home birth, without any interventions or medical professionals present, and witnessed the birth of my daughter with awe and tender love. 

I highly recommend Ariel for any families that are looking for a doula who deeply cares, and who desires freedom and empowerment in their birth.

Rachel and Ben

2/16/2021

It was an absolute pleasure having the opportunity to work with Ariel during my pregnancy, labour, and post partum period. 

Ariel provided amazing resources throughout my pregnancy (books, articles, podcasts, one on one visits) that allowed me to feel informed and confident going into my labour.  I always looked forward to our visits, where Ariel would walk us through how to make a birth plan over a cup of tea, and offer us alternative information from the traditional medical model for us to consider - which was so helpful and appreciated. 

During my labour, Ariel provided the calm energy and supportive environment my partner and I needed to have an incredibly positive birthing experience!  She helped us make decisions in the moment, and advocated for our wishes as we navigated the hospital experience. She also did a fantastic job documenting the birth with photos and video. Having Ariel on our team made me feel comforted and empowered, and I'm so grateful to have had her by my side!    

After the birth of our baby, Ariel continued to provide much needed support in her post partum visits and with resources she provided.  We feel so grateful to have had her wisdom, care, and support throughout the birthing journey of our first child, and look forward to working with her again for our second! 

Thomas

2/7/2021

My wife and I had the most positive experience working with Ariel. She is the most incredible doula and we can't say enough good things about her as a person and the endless guidance, expertise, and support she provided us with throughout the pregnancy, labour, and thereafter. She made us feel so comfortable and we never felt rushed during any visit or call. She would always spend so much time answering all of our questions. Ariel would even do research re questions and send us articles, info, podcasts, etc. She would also check in routinely and make sure we were doing well, even when we didn't have questions. I also recall her helping us prepare questions for any upcoming visits with medical professionals so that we could ensure we got answers and info to our questions or concerns. You can tell how seriously she takes her role as a "birth partner" and it really shows. Thanks so much Ariel, the entire process would not have been the same without your knowledge, kindness, and support. 

Ali W.

4/23/2020

I wasn’t privy to the benefits of having a doula prior to meeting Ariel.

I found out I was pregnant in the spring of 2019, & was sure that I would deliver in hospital.

However, after speaking with Ariel, I quickly learned there was more to the pregnancy & labour process than I had ever imagined. She informed me of my pre/post labour options & encouraged me to find my voice.

During my 3rd trimester, Ariel provided me with ample holistic & scientific material, which helped me feel more informed, confident & prepared.

I had better dialogue with my partner because he too was learning valuable insights & was able to advocate for our decisions & provide well informed opinions to our family & care providers.

I always felt that Ariel really listened to what we had to say & was clear, kind & thorough in her responses (even to this day she follows up on any questions we have).

Her demeanour was calm & caring & she never once made us feel like we should be doing things a certain way.

- On a personal note, Ariel asked me what kind of labour I wanted.
Having suffered from endometriosis for years, we came up with a birth plan that would emulate the environment that I created for myself whenever I experienced endo pains. By staying home during active labour (so long as it was deemed safe by my midwives), I would be able to take the labour process into my own hands & have complete control of the noise level, lighting, mood & environment. For the first time in my pregnancy I felt empowered -

Without Ariel, I never would have thought the way I did about labour, learned about the options available to me & developed a lasting relationship with a beautiful woman I now call my friend.

We will be forever grateful for the pre/post labour care we received from her.

Thank you so much Ariel ?? Ali, Ben & Theo W.

Stephanie Devlin

3/26/2020

Ariel was my doula when I had my baby boy, Wyatt. I hired her when I was only 2 months pregnant so I had her support during my whole pregnancy. It was amazing to be able to send her a quick text when I needed support or had a question and she was so quick to be there for me. On the day of Wyatts birth I couldn't imagine not having her there. Feeling her calm presence during every contraction and feeling her hands on my shoulders telling me I was safe was what I needed. She got to know me and my husband so well that she knew exactly what to do and how to support us. I would recommend Ariel to anyone. 

Shelby Lewis

11/18/2019

My hushand and I chose to have a doula at our birth because we wanted to be informed and to feel supported on the day-of with a small birth team. When Ariel came to our home for an initial meet-and-greet I knew right away that she was the person I wanted at our birth. Her loving, down-to-earth presence made me feel connected to her right away. Her background in sport and innate knowledge of the body was a bonus!

The pre-birth sessions were super informative and she shared interesting and relevant resources with us along the way. I also appreciated her sharing some of her first hand experience (being a mama of 3!). Because I trusted her knowledge of birth, I felt more comforable trusting the process when the time came. She offered gentle encouragement and held space for me as I laboured through the night and I delivered our baby at home without pain medication (which it what I really wished for). 

After the birth she made herself available and even dropped off a beautiful gift for my first Mother's Day! I think about my birth, and therefore Ariel every day and I'm so grateful she has chosen to be a doula. Can't recommend her enough!

Georgia

11/6/2019

Ariel was such an integral part of our prenatal, birthing and postnatal experience. We felt so supported and educated by Ariel right from our first meeting. She is super informative and provided us with a great overview of the birthing process with a scientific/biological lens as well as insight from her experience as a doula that made it easy for us to get a sense of what we might expect during our first birth. 

Once labour began, Ariel was easily reached and came to support us through the earlier stages of birth at our home. I can't express how much we leaned on her when we had moments of uncertainty or needed reassurance. Ariel was a comforting, calm presence during the process when we were at home on our own. We felt safe and whenever we were unsure about something, Ariel was there. She worked so well with our midwives when we were at the hospital, providing gentle encouragement and support to both myself and my husband. I have to add that she was 30+ weeks pregnant at the time, and my labour was not short! She was incredible and offered herself to the birthing process so selflessly. 

I experienced some pretty major postpartum anxiety immediately after the birth of our son, and Ariel was amazing at checking in to see how we were doing and offering affirmations and positivity. When I reached out to see if she had suggestions for resources to connect with to help me through the PPA, she offered suggestions of renowned professionals through her doula network. I loved our postpartum visits - they were grounding and it was so amazing to hear Ariel's perspective of our birthing experience and to talk about everything I was going through with her. 

I can't recommend Ariel as a doula enough. She's so passionate about supporting birthing people and has taught me so, so much! Anyone who has an opportunity to work with her is extremely lucky. Thank you, Ariel! You're the best! 

Andrea Latella-DuBoyce

11/28/2018

Ariel has a warm and calming presence and we knew from the moment we met that we wanted her at our birth.

She has an open mind about pregnancy and childbearing. She listened to us through every meeting and asked thoughtful questions that allowed us to really understand what to expect from our birth. Ariel always made us feel like we were making the right choice for us. She is incredibly knowledgeable and helped us source information even when our birth plan took a quick and unexpected turn.

Though we were planning a home birth, we ended up in hospital. Ariel was with us ever step of the way. I cannot begin to express the gratitude I feel for her presence through my 24 hours of labour. From calling the midwife, to helping me through the car ride to the hospital, to physically and emotionally supporting me through hours of active labour, I honestly cannot thank her enough. She was the confidence and the reassuring eyes that my partner and I needed.

To us, having a doula isn’t just about having someone coach you through your first time, it’s about having someone in your corner for the journey. Ariel was exactly that and I would ask her to be at our next birth in a heartbeat. I have recommended her to all of my friends. Seriously, just meet her and you’ll know she was made for this job.

In Ariel, we found more than a doula, we found a lifelong friend. That’s the honest truth.