Alanna

7/10/2024

Susannah was everything I was hoping for in a birth doula and more! This was my second unmedicated birth and first time working with Susannah. When we first met early in pregnancy, I felt an instant connection and that she had a deep interest in getting to know me, my family, and my goals for this birth experience. Throughout pregnancy, she would consistently check in with me to see how I was doing both mentally and physically in preparation for labor. If anything came up, she would provide evidence based information and research to address the question, as well as considering how things should be handled based on my personal goals and experience.

When I went into labor, Susannah responded right away to my text and we connected on the phone to discuss a game plan for the day. As labor continued while I was at home, we FaceTimed multiple times and she provided incredible support and guidance to ensure labor was progressing and that baby was engaging in the pelvis with specific positions to try during contractions. She provided wonderful guidance to my husband and allowed me to turn off my “type A” brain knowing that they were handling all the logistics of the day. As things continued to intensify, Susannah came to our home to join us in person. When she arrived I instantly felt safe and relaxed. She followed us to the hospital and was right there to help us get from the parking lot to the L&D unit. 

Once we got to the hospital, my baby was born within 45 minutes and even in that short time, Susannah advocated for me at every step. This allowed me to stay in “labor land” and focus on my body and the birth. After baby was born, she stayed with us for several hours to ensure we were all taken care of and had an opportunity to celebrate and discuss our amazing birth experience. After birth, Susannah continued to check in regularly and we had a wonderful postpartum visit in our home. 

Kiah Hardcastle

6/8/2024

Susannah is amazing. It’s hard to put into words how integral she was to our experience. She made all the difference and choosing her as our doula was the best decision we made. We recommend Susannah as highly as possible!

Some examples of how Susannah supported us before, during, and after birth:

Before: First, she sent exercises to help me position my baby and prepare my body. These were above and beyond what I received through my birthing classes, and they made a huge difference. Second, Susannah helped us work through our birth preferences and realize our dream birth - an unmedicated water birth at a hospital. I was nervous about letting myself believe this could actually happen, but Susannah helped SO much here by talking through my anxieties. I cannot emphasize how helpful she was on this front!

During: Susannah was calming and supportive and helped us through every step. She stayed in constant contact during early labor and helped us decide when to go to the hospital. At the hospital, she advocated for me in ways that my husband and I just couldn’t (like getting me out of triage). During my contractions and pushing, she gave extremely helpful cues, which were always exactly what I needed to hear. It felt like while my body was driving the process, Susannah was right there with it, helping to guide the rest of me along. At the end of it all, I had the labor/birth of my dreams. This truly would not have happened without Susannah - I will be forever grateful!

After: Susannah stayed with us until we got settled. She got me snacks and helped manage immediate postpartum issues (ugh, stitches). The following week she visited us, which was so fun! We reflected on the experience, and in true Susannah fashion, she shared tons of resources - lactation consultants, mental health checks, etc.

In short, Susannah is the greatest. She’s kind, thoughtful, and the best possible doula we could have hoped for.

Charlotte

6/6/2024

I worked with Susannah to prepare for and deliver my first child, and I'd hire her again if there's a second! Her warm and friendly approach made it easy for my husband and me to open up and share our hopes and values. She helped us define what we wanted from the birthing process and then provided us with resources to make that a reality. She built up my confidence with regular check ins and encouragement. With her help, I was able to achieve my goal of a completely unmedicated and fulfilling birth! After my son was born, she continued to check in to make sure we were adjusting well postpartum. Thank you, Susannah! 

Emily Wendt

5/17/2024

Susannah was an incredible part of our birth team and helped us achieve a successful VBAC! We highly recommend Susannah!

Susannah shared her wisdom and expertise in two prenatal sessions. She modeled exercises that encourage proper pelvic alignment and positively impacted pregnancy, labor, and birth. Susannah messaged me to share more movements and ask about prenatal appointments. She sent excellent resources that helped me ask providers the right questions as I desired a VBAC. When my baby was breech, she shared balancing exercises that helped baby flip.

During a week of prodromal labor after my due date, Susannah sent encouraging texts daily. She FaceTimed with me in the middle of the night when contractions progressed and followed true labor patterns. Susannah met with me to do a fear releasing exercise, which helped with the emotions and physical exhaustion of prodromal labor. She supported me at two post-term appointments and helped me to ask the right questions when considering next steps at 41 weeks.

During true labor, Susannah helped to create a calming environment for me to continue laboring at the hospital. She helped me into different positions, guided my husband as he provided physical support, and actively supported me with different movements. When we learned new details about the baby’s position, Susannah suggested new movements to help baby descend well. She helped us think through next steps and consider the midwives’ suggestions. Susannah provided unwavering support during my 17.5 hour labor.

Susannah was very supportive during pushing. She comforted me when baby was being cared for after an intense delivery due to shoulder dystocia. She stayed after the birth and rejoiced with us as we celebrated a healthy baby and a VBAC! Susannah helped me to process the birth experience during a special postpartum visit. She still checks in to see how we are doing. We are very grateful for Susannah!

Carissa Berry

1/25/2024

I am SO happy Susannah joined us at our homebirth! This was our second time working with Susannah, as she helped birth our first child (hospital birth). Choosing to work with Susannah a second time was a no-brainer! Our first birth together was so wonderful; we couldn't imagine doing it again without her. 

Having Susannah in addition to our homebirth midwives was a huge benefit. While we got great care from our midwives, Susannah added an extra human touch and felt like more of a family member rather than someone who was strictly a care provider. She always has great resources and provides thoughtful prenatal care in person and via phone/text. 

Susannah does an amazing job of knowing when to step in or step back during birth. She is a fantastic advocate during hospital births. But she also shines during homebirths as well! She was a critical part of the pushing stage for both my births, knowing exactly how to help when my husband wasn't sure and when the homebirth midwives were too hands-off. 

Her post-natal visits are also a real treasure. Reflecting with her on the highs, lows, and excitement of birth is one of my highlights of postpartum. They say shared experiences are bonding. And sharing two births with Susannah has given her a special place in our family's heart! We highly recommend Susannah!

Sarah Laurello

11/16/2023

We would highly recommend hiring Susannah as your birth doula! We had the pleasure of working with her for both our first and second child and couldn't have been happier with the decision. She is kind, patient, and incredibly knowledgeable. We were thinking of skipping a doula for our second rodeo now that we experienced childbirth, but so happy we did not. We were birthing at a new hospital with different professionals and having Susannah there made us feel so comfortable. She was a strong advocate for our birth preferences which I think played a part in our second perfect birth experience. She is assertive when it is needed and always made sure our requests were strongly considered. She thoroughly communicated options to us to make sure we were well informed throughout the process. And personally she is just a lovely human too! I wouldn't consider hiring anyone else. And if we have a third, she will be right there with us again!

Charley

11/14/2023

My husband and I just had our first child! Susannah was our doula and I could not have better things to say about her! Starting off with the initial meet and greet, she gave us so much information and advice even before we started working with her. She has so much knowledge, experience, and is well connected within the industry. It made us feel confident that we would go into this birth very educated and supported. With our two prenatal visits, Susannah walked us through the whole labor and delivery process and made sure we knew what each part of the process was all about. She educated us to make sure we had all the knowledge and power to make our own decisions for what worked best for us in our birth plan. She also gave me a ton of advice on things to be doing to get baby in a good position for labor. During labor, Susannah helped my husband and I so much throughout the process. We could not have done it without her. From her calming presence, helping her baby into position, and advocating for us during difficult choices, she was great. I highly recommend Susannah to anyone looking to work with a doula! She's the best.

Bernie

9/25/2023

My husband and I loved working with Susannah. My husband found her on this website and when we first spoke to her, we knew this was someone whom we wanted to work with. If you are looking for someone who can help with all the exercises and things to do in preparation for your birth, she is your go to person. She has a plethora of information when it comes to getting ready for your birth and the contacts she has to get instant help. She provided us both emotional and physical support at various times.

My birth was not an easy one. Had it not been for her, honestly I would not have gone through whole labor with such confidence and determination. She was great at pepping me and easing the pain for me by distracting me and giving massages. Oh and I won't forget the beautiful bathtub she set up for me while I was having the most difficult pain. She went out of her way, and went above and beyond to help us out in all the possible ways. She believes in empowering the mothers, and she does all the right things to leave a very positive birth story with mothers and their partners. 

Me and my husband learnt a lot about the birth throughout this process and we will be forever grateful for her help and support. 
 

Laura

8/7/2023

Susannah was transformative in our birth experience. When I first met her, I was terrified of giving birth. Through our work together, I was able to enter into labor informed and curious. This evolution was thanks to her expert, empathetic guidance and excellent stream of resources. We talked through every aspect of the process, she gave me clarity about what to expect and what my choices would be, and coached my partner and I on how to manage our way through the whole thing. When we had to be induced early, she was there for every step of walking us through what would happen, what medications and medical interventions we could expect, and what the pros and cons of each were. She taught us to make space within each decision, ask a lot of questions, and come to a conclusion about what was going to be best for us. 

During our actual birth, Susannah was an incredible support. She was a wonderful advocate for us throughout and specifically attuned to my needs and comfort (everything from recommending comfortable position shifts to diffusing essential oils to working with the medical staff to make sure we had all the information we needed). She stayed with me even after our new son headed off with my partner to the NICU, talking me through my experience and feeding me peanut butter crackers when I had no brain cells left to do anything but appreciate her presence. If you are looking for someone equal parts caring, empathetic, and an excellent coach and thought partner, I can't recommend working with Susannah highly enough! 

Sarah A.

8/1/2023

The impact that Susannah had during our pregnancy, labor/delivery, and postpartum is more than I can put into words. I truly do not want to think about the place my husband and I would be mentally without the support of Susannah. Her knowledge was extremely impressive and if she was unsure of something, she would go to any length necessary to find the answer. She was supportive when we were making decisions for both our pregnancy and labor. Additionally, she was a source of validation during  the ever stressful time of postpartum. My labor and delivery was not easy, but Susannah was there every step of the way. I cannot imagine how I would have felt if she was not there as an advocate. We are so grateful to have had Susannah in our corner. For anyone that is looking for the support and kindness of a doula, you will get that and so much more in Susannah. We certainly did :)

Ashley

6/10/2023

I had the best birth experience and I think my husband and I owe so much of it to Susannah! We found her through a friend who also said she loved her birth. Susannah was gentle and supportive while coaching me through my natural birth with the midwives at Mass General. There were times when she would say "they are probably going to want to do (fill in the blank) next" and would prepare me and remind me of by goals for my birth. Her experience and foresight made me feel comfortable and safe going into my first birth. Susannah really trusted my intuition and helped me trust my body. She was also assertive where she needed to be and hands off where she needed to be. I don't think my husband would have made sure I ate and drank as much as she did and I don't think I would have loved my birth if I were dehydrated with nothing to fuel me. When my husband and I were in the middle of the marathon that is birth, Susannah had her eyes on things like the time, who was in the room, etc that allowed us to just focus on getting to meet our little baby boy! My husband and I are already talking about having a "Susannah fund" in our budget for the next baby. It's gotta be Susannah!

Iliana

1/15/2023

We loved working with Susannah and couldn't recommend her more highly. She is a perfect balance of straightforward and compassionate and would be a strong addition to any birth support team. 

I began to feel strongly that we would benefit from the support of a doula when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and became concerned that my birth experience would end up very differently than I was hoping. My husband and I had a great and easy-flowing conversation with Susannah during our initial consult, which convinced us that she was the right fit after interviewing a few other doulas. Then in our first official meeting, she asked many thoughtful--if difficult to answer--questions that formed the foundation of our solid relationship. Susannah provided incredibly valuable resources and guidance whenever we had questions or concerns in the weeks that followed, which helped address some of my anxiety as we got closer to baby's arrival. Her support leading up to and during our baby's birth definitely helped us feel confident and enabled us to have the experience we were hoping for: a low intervention and unmedicated birth where I mostly labored at home. Susannah was great with the rest of our care team at the hospital and made sure to advocate for our birth preferences, including giving my husband the opportunity to “catch” our baby. Plus should took pictures of our baby coming into the world so my husband and I could stay fully engaged.

Any family looking for birth doula support would be lucky to work with Susannah. 

Elizabeth Rusaw

9/15/2022

We moved to this area late in my first pregnancy and started out with midwives in a birthing clinic. Within a couple weeks, I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and gestational hypertension. This made me "high risk" and I was sent to see a large group of OBs in the hospital. I saw a different OB every week. That made me really uncomfortable and I dreaded the thought of giving birth in a hospital room surrounded by total strangers, who probably wouldn't understand my desire for a natural, unmedicated birth. We did a ton of research on how to labor naturally in a hospital setting. The amount of information we'd have to remember became overwhelming. Susannah was recommended to us and we met with her a couple weeks later. She was so supportive, offered a lot of insight into the hospital we'd be using, taught me that I could have some say in what providers I saw, and made my husband feel at ease with this whole birthing thing. I ended up being induced at 36 weeks due to preclampsia. I felt stranded in highly medicalized birth that was polar opposite of what I hoped for, and I was afraid it was all going to end in a c-section. Susannah was literally the one good thing in the whole process. She stood up for me against a pretty terrible nurse, made sure my husband ate, knew what questions to ask, and made me comfortable with the doctors. They finally broke my waters and I went into active labor immediately. The next 2.5 hours until my baby was born were amazing! Susannah offered a ton of verbal and physical support, and was able to show my husband how to help, as well. She made sure  I changed positions as much as possible on the bed. After the baby was born, she was the one that made sure we worked on breastfeeding. She came to the house postpartum and spent a while talking through everything and offering breastfeeding help. 100% could not have done this without her.

Elspeth

9/5/2022

My husband and I were so grateful to have Susannah as our birth doula, especially since we had planned a home birth. Her knowledge and care for us started months before our due date when she helped us navigate switching to a home-birth midwife after our original plans at a birth center fell through. During those stressful weeks of uncertainty Susannah checked in regularly and helped us think through what environment would best suit our needs and goals. After we decided to plan for a home birth, she connected us with midwives in the area and similarly helped us find a great local lactation consultant postpartum.

We so appreciated Susannah's support in the weeks leading up to the birth, giving us confidence in our decision and helping us wait patiently as my due date came and went. When I went into early labor eight days post-due, she checked in repeatedly by text and phone. After I entered active labor Susannah came to our house and helped me through a long night of contractions. She offered counterpressure to ease the pain, helped me find different positions to labor in, and maintained a steady, calming presence throughout. My husband was grateful not to be alone in supporting me, allowing him to find moments of rest while Susannah attended me. The pushing stage took several hours but Susannah never flagged in her attention. She worked excellently with our midwives to keep me going. When my own energy began to wane towards the end, her coaching helped me focus and make the most of each contraction, eventually bringing my daughter safely into the world.  

Birth hurt. It was physically, emotionally, and mentally hard. However, it was also one of the most positive, meaningful experiences I've had, and Susannah's work as a doula is a key reason why.

Amelia

7/20/2022

I came to Susannah(Sus) for a successful VBAC looking for a different experience than the traumatic emergency c-section 2 short years prior. While I was trying to keep a level head, the expectations were high as it would likely be my only chance to get the labor that I had always dreamed of. As soon as Sus came onboard things became more informed and positive as I navigated prenatal appointments and a not so supportive OB. Sus helped me to find confidence in my interactions with the medical community. When we finally got to labor we were already off to a tenuous start when my water broke but contraction did not. Sus helped me stay calm and listen to my body even when pitocin was offered to move things along faster. We waited for labor to start naturally and Sus made sure I was supported and heard. The next morning contractions started and part of me wanted to rush to the hospital which was the fear talking and the other part of me wanted to go for a walk. Sus encouraged us to take our time getting to the hospital and even offered her home as a pit stop. We went for a calm walk on the beach and she was able to reassure me that my body was doing exactly what it wanted to do. When active labor finally started we had Sus meet us at the hospital and by that time my partner and I were out of our depth with pain management and I was getting desperate. Sus swooped in like a miracle. She drew me the most perfect soothing bath of my life and transformed the sterile hospital bathroom into a tranquil spa oasis. In that bath I was able to move through the contractions and feel the relief of each break. I was so surprised that when I had my first cervical exam I was already at 8cm and quickly to 10cm. After about an hour of pushing, in every position I wanted, I was holding my son in my arms. This was the moment I had dreamed of and it would not have been possible without Susannah by our side. I will forever be grateful to her and would recommend her to everyone!

Marie

7/12/2022

J'ai contacté Susannah après avoir recherché sur Doula Match, j'avais beaucoup apprécié les commentaires que j'y avais lu. Et je n'ai pas été déçu! Susannah a tout simplement été parfaite pour mon premier accouchement. Des conseils pré-nataux (c'est elle qui a recommandé celle qui nous a donné nos cours et nous avons adoré !) jusqu'à l'accouchement lui-même et le suivi post partum. Lors de l'accouchement, elle a suggéré des alternatives qui ont été suivies par l'équipe médicale expérimentée et qui ont fait une grosse différence pour l'accouchement. Aussi, un des points tournant les plus importants pour moi a été comment elle m'a bien guidée pour les poussées de l'accouchement!! Je la remercie sincèrement et la recommande chaleureusement ! Définitivement la meilleure décision d'être accompagnée lors de l'accouchement. Merci encore Susannah!

Donna Kulig

6/8/2022

I was so grateful to have Susannah attend our birth! This was my fourth child and labor went much differently than my previous 3 labors. When I was going on 18+ hours of labor, Susannah showed up at the hospital and helped me to get to the finish line.  Because of her assistance, encouragement, and support, I was able to achieve my goal of a nonmedicated birth of our fourth child.  Susannah's passion for helping to support mothers and their babies is so evident in the work she does and the advocacy she encourages for informed consent.  I consider her an angel! 

Kirthi

5/17/2022

I started my search for a doula well into my 36th week of pregnancy, and was so glad that I came across Susannah; the connection I felt with her was instant. Even though our first conversation was by phone, I was confident that she would be a great addition to our birth team, and she was!! She helped during pregnancy by recommending amazing stretches and balances for pregnancy-related pains (I would actually look forward to doing those every day!) and also shared her vast knowledge and resources with us. And when it came to the D- day, I am so grateful that I had Susannah by my side. Her virtual support during my labor at home by constantly checking with either me or my husband via text and video calls, and offering different laboring positions and suggestions, was very helpful. And when it was time to go to the hospital she arrived immediately and was such an immense support during my final stages of labor… she helped me pull through the toughest part. Susannah collaborated really well with my birth team at the hospital, her presence was very calming and reassuring for me. The birth of my daughter was such a profound and beautiful experience and exactly how I wanted it, and for that, we are very grateful to Susannah. She is very kind and empathetic and has continued to offer her invaluable support during the postpartum period, as well. I would highly recommend Susannah.

Casey W

5/17/2022

Susannah was extremely nurturing and patient through the entire birthing process. From the very beginning she helped me create a birthing plan that truly fit my wants and needs as a first time mom. I did not go into labor naturally and had to be induced which resulted in a 2.5 day stay in labor and delivery. She was by my side the ENTIRE time - helping me, coaching me, massaging me; anything she could do to allow me to be more comfortable and remain calm. She advocated for me when I needed it the most and also taught my husband how to be more helpful in the room - something that is often overlooked. There is no doubt in my mind that I would not have had the same experience at the hospital without her. I am forever endebted to her. I was so lucky to find Susannah and I will definitely be using her for baby number 2!

Zoe

11/17/2021

I was so grateful to find Susannah on the recommendation of another respected doula when we began our search in my eighth month of pregnancy. We met first over Zoom and we immediately connected with her calm, warm demeanor. Susannah is attentive, asks great questions, and had all of the experience that we needed. Though both COVID and difficult health situations affected the birth of our child, Susannah was there for it all, supporting us over the phone and in person, advocating for us, and reminding us of our hopes and dreams for this birth experience. We will be forever grateful for both finding her and for having her present as a team member for the birth of our second child. She gave me the strength I needed to get through a complex birth experience and even beyond, when I had a subsequent hospital stay for postpartum preeclampsia. My husband and I both felt listened to, respected, and cared for. I wish I could go back in time and hire her for the birth of my first child.

Carissa Berry

11/15/2021

Susannah was an excellent addition to our birth team! I highly recommend her services to anyone!

Susannah brought wisdom, knowlege and much encouragement to the birth of our first child. Even prior to the birth, our meetings with her and the books she recommended were gamechangers. Early in pregnancy my image of labor/birth/delivery was colored by fear and dread. Susannah was the first to powerfully speak into that narrative and help me understand that while birth can be intense and unpredictable, birthing mothers have agency and power. Simple messages like this were a huge shift! I have Susannah to thank for helping guide my perception of birth to something positive!

Once labor began, Susannah was very involved and helpful. She texted us back in the middle of the night once contractions began to get close. She was there for much of us laboring at home. Susannah also provided guidance and practical help for my husband, allowing him to support me as best as possible. I could fill many pages with everything she did and said to help. She was there for every step of our *long* labor and I'm not sure what we'd have done without her! 

We highly recommend Susannah to anyone

Sarah

11/2/2021

We cannot recommend Susannah highly enough! We interviewed 4 other candidates for a doula for our first born child in September 2021 and instantly felt the most comfortable with Susannah. She also had previous experience working at the birth center we were going to, with water births, and with use of hypnobirthing techniques...all things that were important to us. She was always in constant communication and checking in with us to see how my appointments went and how things were progressing. As first time parents, there were many things we didn't know that we didn't know, and it was great to meet with her before the birth to discuss many of these options and build birth preferences that we were comfortable with. We loved her style of making sure we understood all of the choices we had as parents, and was very supportive in the decisions we made. Although I planned on having a waterbirth at a birth center using hypnobirthing, we ended up having a medicated birth (epidural, per my choice) at a hospital (due to staff shortages at the birth center), and it was just so great having her support and encouragement for myself and my husband the whole time. We were very happy with Susannah and plan to use her for the births of our future children as well! 

Kelsey and Charlie Posner

10/29/2021

Susannah was a great doula for my partner and I going through our first birth! She is perceptive and a great listener - she took the time to get to know us (even though we made the decision to hire a doula a bit late) and understand how she could help support us best during the birth experience. She was very communicative in the lead up to the birth and responsive to various questions we threw her way, jumping on the phone multiple times at short notice. During the birth she was a strong advocate, helping steady us during the unpredictable parts and also be a strong support during the predictably difficult parts. We really felt Susannah cared about us and it was natural having her as a part of the birth experience.

Amanda

9/26/2021

Susannah became our doula the day I went into labor. Our original doula became sick, she called Susannah in the middle of the night to cover. Without hesitation, she was there for us; for my whole 37+ hours of labor. She assisted me with laboring at home and the hospital to make me as comfortable as possible. She continuously advocated for us and with her knowledge and expertise, I was able to deliver naturally, which I intended. After having some complications after delivery, she was extremely supportive of not only me, but my husband and new baby, Olivia. Not only was she supportive during the labor, but has been so compassionate postpartum, to check in to see how I am doing and how my baby is doing. My husband and I continue to say we wouldn’t have been able to do this without her. We will be forever grateful for her and the care she provided us.

David Mejia

12/9/2020

Over 10 hrs. Of labor later our Doula, Susannah remained next to my wife's side with incredible support and most importantly a smile. We had an amazing experience prior, during, and post partum. From getting to know her, receiving her advise leading up to the big day, maintaining constant communication we couldn't have asked for a better Doula to join us in our journey. We are very thankful for Susannah's support. Months later she casually checks in with us to see how our baby girl is doing. We appreciate all she's done. When the second ones on the way we know who to call! 

Tommy and rachel

12/9/2020

We had an amazing and truly special birth alongside our doula susannah glass. We were hesitant at first and unsure if we wanted to have anyone else in the room at birth, but were grateful that we did. We were lucky to have the experience and knowledge of the doulas and they made it much less stressful. It is great having a professional in the room with you to answer questions when the dr. Is not avaiable. Also having a professional that you have built a relationship with helps in so many aspects of  the birth but and pregnancy. Susannah was profesional, kind, caring and made the expirience awesome.We would highly recomend susannah to anybody.

Asia

5/5/2019

Thanks to Susannah’s help I had an ideal birth experience. Susannah’s calm and reassuring presence created a peaceful environment while I was in labor. She provided me with “hands on” physical support in the form of counter pressure on hips and back which was a relief while I was having contractions. Susannah helped with my positioning and getting in tune with my breathing so that I could “open up” physically and mentally to make my labor easier and more productive. She guided my husband on how to best support me in labor as well. Susannah was very professional during her interactions with the staff at the hospital and they collaborated well together. I felt reassured knowing that they were working well as a team and that she was advocating on my behalf so that I could focus on having the baby.