Certifications for Suzanne Ledbetter, CD

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Certification

Client Testimonials for Suzanne Ledbetter, CD

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Andrea

3/23/2024

Dedicated Doulas are the real deal! I knew a doula would be essential to my dream birth of having a natural birth, so my husband and I interviewed several doulas before we settled on Suzanne and Cari. During my labor, Cari anticipated my needs like a true pro. I had some serious back labor, and Cari was there providing counter pressure, massage, vocalizing contractions with me, and also being my cheerleader with words of affirmation. A complete gem of a doula. She fed me honey packets and even got me a smoothie to keep my energy levels up. Cari was always present and never once seemed like she wanted things to hurry along even though it was Christmas. I would highly recommend Dedicated Doulas to anyone looking for a doula. I know they’ll be our go to if we have another child.

Claudia Vazquez

3/19/2024

Suzanne was our doula for the birth of our daughter in June 2023 and we cannot recommend her enough! She brings a wealth of knowledge, empathy, and effectiveness to all aspects of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Suzanne radiates calm assurance, inspires confidence, and will go to bat for you when you need it. She is so, so good at what she does and I say this not just based on my own experience (which was phenomenal) but also on the objective experience of our labor and delivery nurse: Our nurse was so impressed that she asked Suzanne for her contact information so that she could use her as her own doula when the time came for her to start her family. I can think of no higher praise than that. 

Suzanne, thank you so much for making our birth process an absolutely incredible one. And thank you for the photos that we will cherish forever. The fact that Suzanne can both guide you through labor and take photos during the key moments is icing on the cake. If you're on the fence about getting photos, just do it. You won't regret it. And if you're lucky enough to have Suzanne by your side, congratulations on hiring the simultaneously kindest and fiercest guardian you can have by your side. 

Julie Hastings

3/15/2024

I could not have imagined going through birth without the amazing support we received through the Dedicated Doula team! Our first meeting with Suzanne and Cari they spent several hours in our home going over the exact questions we had, and didn’t even know we had about birth and post partum. They went over feeding, sleep, special details like how to stay connected as a couple and so much more. It put my husband and I at ease and left us feeling more prepared and better equipped as first time parents.

My birth experience was anything but what I expected. When my water broke suddenly in the middle of the night, we contacted our doulas and Suzanne was in my home within minutes. She gave my husband the tools to help me as we drove to the hospital, as I was almost sure I wasn’t going to make it. When we arrived I was already 9cm dilated and Suzanne helped me to feel in control when things were happening faster than I could keep up. She supported me in helping me to listen to my body and my instincts, as well as guiding the whole process. She also took the most amazing photos, capturing incredible moments I would have otherwise missed in the chaos of it all!

I had no idea how valuable a resource our doulas would be in post partum. Breastfeeding has been a difficult journey with lots of ups and downs.We were guided to all the proper resources, including the best lactations consultants and chiropractors specializing in infants. We were even seen in home several times for hands on help. Now 3 months post partum and I’m so grateful we were able to keep with it!

They are still supporting us and are quick to answer all of our questions. It gives us such peace of mind to know someone is in our corner if ever anything comes up. Hiring the Dedicated Doula team was the BEST decision we could have made for our birth and will absolutely be hiring them for all of our future pregnancies

Heather Bing

3/15/2024

We were initially unsure about hiring a doula, but looking back, we are incredibly grateful for making that decision. Suzanne’s support during labor was indispensable, and we couldn’t imagine going through it without her. She truly made a profound difference in our birth experience, and we are so glad we had her by our side. Suzanne’s dedication and expertise exceeded our expectations, and her presence made the extremely challenging and unbearable moments bearable. We wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking a supportive and knowledgeable doula.

Harsh

2/13/2024

For the birth of our first child, we engaged Suzanne’s services and couldn’t have made a better choice. My wife, being a meticulous planner and researcher, leaves no stone unturned when it comes to preparation. However, childbirth is an experience that truly prepares you only when you’ve gone through it at least once. The myriad of unexpected situations that can arise can easily throw off even the most comprehensive of preparations. From deciding on a non-medicated approach, to considering medication only when absolutely necessary, to opting for a completely unmedicated process, the scope of preparation can be quite daunting.

Suzanne was our constant companion throughout this journey. My wife endured a particularly long labor (~70 hours), including a protracted pushing phase (~4.5 hours). Suzanne was our rock, guiding us through the entire process. She was there with us during the late-night labor hours, answering all our questions, helping manage the painful contractions, and advising us on how to proceed without resorting to a cesarean section. Even after the birth, Suzanne was always there to support us during the challenging breastfeeding period when it seemed like we might not be able to continue with the baby’s feeding needs.

Suzanne’s thoughtful, compassionate, and comforting presence was exactly the additional support we needed for the birth of our first child. I would highly recommend her to anyone in search of a Doula.

Claire G

2/2/2024

The Dedicated Doula Team: A Resounding Yes!

Welcoming both of our daughters with Suzanne by our side was an incredible experience, making it easy for me to recommend The Dedicated Doula Team. Here's why:

Pregnancy Support: Suzanne and her team provided constant support during both pregnancies. Regular check-ins, 24/7 availability, and personalized house calls brought unparalleled peace of mind, making the journey much more comfortable.

Labor Coach: Suzanne's role as a labor coach was indispensable. Her guidance through breathing techniques, optimal positioning, and advocacy during critical decisions exceeded any support from hospital staff. Having her there ensured informed decisions and a focused, supported labor experience.

Spousal Support: Suzanne's guidance transformed my husband's role, providing direction and engagement during labor. Her presence ensured we had a knowledgeable advocate to navigate labor and make informed decisions.

Postpartum Support: Suzanne's ongoing support after childbirth, via phone calls, texts, and house visits, offered reassurance and a platform to discuss and process the labor experience. Her guidance was invaluable in navigating postpartum questions.

Plus the photos!: Suzanne's beautifully captured photos of both births have become cherished memories, adding to the numerous benefits of choosing The Dedicated Doula Team.

In conclusion, Suzanne and The Dedicated Doula Team are truly exceptional – a solid 10/10 recommendation!

Rachel Drake

2/2/2024

Suzanne is a wealth of knowledge regarding pregnancy, birth, postpartum and the Seattle birthing community. She is always just a text away and very responsive. Regarding my birth, she took over 500 photos that I absolutely love and will always cherish! I can’t wait to share them with my daughter as she grows up. Looking back, Suzanne took initiative throughout my birth - ensuring the tub was a good temperature, providing my toddler with a stool so he could see into the tub, reminding me to hydrate, setting up a fan, and I’m sure many more things that I didn’t notice while in labor land. She came back to visit after baby was here and helped me process my birth, which I find to be so valuable even with a birth that turned out how I wanted it to! She also works with an amazing team, and I was 100% comfortable if her backup, Cari, would have needed to attend my birth. As a bonus, they have built a community of moms with Facebook groups and events (my family had so much fun at their Christmas party with Santa!). Highly recommend working with Suzanne and her team!

Alexis Rockey

1/31/2024

Part 2. Thankfully I made it to my induction date. I was induced due to multiple medical reasons. Before Suzanne got there she still helped me through every step of the way. I loved that I could text her & she would respond through out the whole beginning process. When the doctor was going to break my water Suzanne asked me if I wanted to wait until she got there just in case I had baby faster than expected since she was about 45 minutes away. I did wait until she was able to make it since I definitely wanted her there no matter what. During my labor Suzanne helped me with different positions whether I wanted to be active and off the bed or more calm and on the bed. She helped guide me when I was still iffy on wanting an epidural at the time and suggested different positions and then getting in the bath before fully making the decision to get an epidural (which is exactly the way I wanted things to go should I choose to get an epidural). From the epidural she put me in positions in the bed to make sure I was comfy but to also help guide baby down. Somehow Suzanne and the nurses knew I was almost ready to push before I did which is still so funny to me. After I gave birth Suzanne stayed with me for a couple hours and made sure I felt okay before leaving. She was also great with checking in postpartum and making sure I was doing okay. Overall I had an amazing experience with my doulas and would choose them over again every time!

Alexis Rockey

1/31/2024

Part 1.


I had such a great experience with the DDT. First it was so nice knowing no matter what happens I would know the team helping me through pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. It was also nice getting information about different hospitals and making an informed decision to switch to Virginia Mason where I had an AMAZING doctor. I had 3 miscarriages before getting pregnant this time & DDT allowed me to talk about my worries throughout my whole pregnancy. Cari was always so sweet & helped me through an irritable uterus & checked in on me when I had the worst stomach flu I've ever experienced. Towards the end of my pregnancy I got scary news that I had a hemorrhage under my placenta. Suzanne did everything possible to keep me calm and allowed me to be stressed out but also talk to me about my different options and birthing places and choices I had if I were to have him premature. So while I was stressed out I also knew my informed choices if I were to have to deliver early.

Elizabeth Prendergast

1/28/2024

I spent a lot of time researching doulas and asking for recommendations from friends and midwives. Suzanne and was recommended to me from multiple different people. I am so glad she was available to be my birth doula! I wanted someone known for being extremely experienced, skilled, and comforting. I wanted to be in great hands no matter what happened during my birth.

Suzanne was there for me in every way I needed. She is an amazing professional and expertly and graciously gave me exactly the support I needed during my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

Suzanne, thank you for both your expertise and your outstanding warmth of heart. I had a beautiful birth and I'll always be grateful to you for your support.

Jasmine

1/25/2024

Suzanne was part of our two-woman doula team, and though she fell ill and couldn't attend our delivery, she was still very responsive, thoughtful, and practical with advice during pregnancy and thereafter. She was specifically great at issue-spotting and providing multiple solutions when breastfeeding seemed like only an uphill battle in the first month after our son's birth. She and Cari, our other doula, made such a supportive, well-rounded team! 

Autumn Brown

12/21/2023

I wish we had known of Suzanne for our first baby! She is our second doula experience and it has been nothing short of wonderful. My partner and I have felt sincerely cared for and supported through my pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum. I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through a particularly difficult natural birth without Suzanne. She was with me every step of the way, from laboring at home to delivering at the birth center. She worked alongside my midwife seamlessly and tirelessly, advocating for me and encouraging me to stay in tuned with and trust my body. I had a beautiful birth experience and she is largely to thank for it. Plus, she’s a great photographer! She took labor / delivery and newborn lifestyle photos for us which all turned out amazing. She captured some of the most special moments in my partner and I’s lives to look back on that we will always cherish. I am 4 months postpartum now and Suzanne continues to check in on me and is always responsive when I have questions. I absolutely recommend her!

Amber Greget

12/16/2023

The dedicated doula are an amazing team! They are kind and informative. They will support you in whatever decision you make. They are always available for questions both while pregnant and postpartum. I ended up getting induced and it ended up being a long labor. The doulas stayed with me the whole time! I don’t remember how many hours it was but it was definitely more than 24hours. I don’t know what I would have done without them. They were helpful with each contraction and helped advocate for my wants and needs. We also used them for postpartum care. Again I don’t know what I would have done without them. They made sure both me and my husband were doing well and getting sleep. They truly care about the families they work for. Suzanne is Amazing she came and checked on me in the hospital twice even though Cherish was with us at the hospital. She also came to check on me about a week after and helped me figure out how to use my pump and made sure I had the right Falange.

Erika

12/11/2023

Giving birth is hard enough by itself, you shouldn't have to worry about anything else. Suzanne and her team are there to take all of those extra worries away. You'll work with her ahead of time to figure out a birth plan and then she'll be there by your side until you're holding your baby in your arms.

After moving to Washington and getting pregnant with our second, we looked at over a dozen doula's. Suzanne was far and away the best doula that we spoke to. Suzanne is a tremendous Doula and we highly recommend her and her team.

Keiley Ramseur

11/30/2023

Hiring Suzanne and Cari from the Dedicated Doula Team was probably the best decision I made throughout my pregnancy journey. The amount of support they provided to my partner and I throughout the whole process was truly above and beyond what was expected. My daughter is 5 months now and I am confident I could still lean on them for support if I needed it. Suzanne answered my (what felt like) 100s of breastfeeding/baby questions in the first few months and I appreciate her so much.

The assistance that my partner and I got during pregnancy and delivery was phenomenal. Suzanne and Cari are SO knowledgeable and supportive I don’t know what I would do without them. If we end up going for baby #2, there is no way I would want to do It without their support!

When my little one was ready to make her appearance in the world, Suzanne was by my side in starting triage but texting endlessly in the days leading up to the big day, helping me to prepare. Suzanne was a calming presence in the delivery room that I needed. She was able to anticipate what might come next and give me a quick rundown of what decisions I might need to soon make. She kept up on helping me with position changes to help little one progress. She also made sure I knew and felt confident in speaking up for myself when those difficult decisions arose.

My birth was such a positive experience because of my whole birth team, Suzanna was an enormous part of that. I have met all of the other doulas with the dedicated doula team and would also trust them in being my support person. I recommend this group of wonderful women over and over and over again!

 

Willow Creeksong

11/27/2023

 

 

 

Carrie and Suzanne were exactly the support persons  I needed.

Suzanne and Carrie were supportive and helpful during my pregnancy.

Even though this was my fourth, I knew I needed the support even more.

They rolled with the punches with laughter and ease.

First we were going to do a home birth, then birth center and then at 36 weeks decided we needed a hospital. We found out little dude had a cleft lip. Couldn’t tell if the palate or anything else was affected. To be safe, a hospital birth was what we felt was best.

We have no family or friends to help so we had to bring our toddler with us. This was a huge reason we were thinking a home birth. To be able to bring him to the hospital was a huge help. We didn’t want my husband to miss the birth.

If it was not for them, I would have been so lost. They had the insider scoop for the best hospital, one that was a birth center hospital hybrid as I call it. Plus Seattle children’s was connected with them, huge bonus. As that was where we would be receiving care for his cleft lip. An our toddler could be in the room with us.

When I went into labor, Carrie was the one on call. She met us at the hospital and was a huge support. Little things made a huge difference. Like reminding me to drop my shoulders during a contraction. This one is silly, I was fighting to keep the gown on and she reminded me this is my birth and I don’t have to wear it. Phew! Why I thought I had to, no clue.

It was awesome to have pictures of the birth as well. With our other son our previous doula took photos of the north. But Carrie took pictures of the whole process. So glad we have these photos.

If your thinking  of hiring this team, I highly recommend you do so.

Hands down the best decision.

Lisa Huang

11/27/2023

Suzanne and Cari from The Dedicated Doula Team are AMAZING!!! Can’t recommend them enough! I had an unmedicated vaginal birth with a 9+ lb baby. I can honestly say I couldn’t have done it without Suzanne’s knowledge and encouragement along the way. She helped me change positions, communicate my wants and needs to nurses, teach my partner to help and encourage me along the way, breathe through contractions, how to push, etc. The list goes on and on… The team is great with communication leading up to my child’s birth. We felt cared for and safe to ask any questions that arose both before and after the pregnancy. (No questions are too dumb to ask…). Cari came to our home for an in-person birth preparation session. She answered all the questions we had with evidence based information, providing us a sense of relief and readiness. The team also provides postpartum care, lactation consultation, and continues to check on our postpartum mental health! I had a great birth experience because of them and I would hire them again 100x!!! Thank you for being awesome! They truly feel like family that we can turn to and trust! Thank you!

Esther Le Grezause

11/25/2023

We loved our experience with the Dedicated Doula Team and highly recommend them for evidence based advice, highly experienced doulas, compassion, support, quick answers around the clock, and various photo options to create beautiful memories. We worked with both Cari and Suzanne for our prenatal chats, consult, and maternity pictures. They were both very responsive, wanted updates from our doctor appointments, were incredibly supportive when I thought I had gestational diabetes and offered helpful diet advice. We talked about birth, navigating the health care system, our options, and transitioning towards postpartum care. 

Suzanne attended the birth of our daughter and did our postnatal session and photographs. She was instrumental in the success of my birth plan and guided us throughout the induction process. Suzanne was really supportive of my goal for an unmedicated birth and I genuinely believe my experience would have been a lot harder without her. I would have likely ended up with an epidural. Her advice set us up for success while making decisions with our OBs throughout the induction process. I fully trusted Suzanne during labor. I let her guide me via breathing, mindfulness, visualization, and various positions. Suzanne helped me visualize each step and prepare me for what would come next. She also helped me cope with postpartum pain during the hemorage and the suturing, which was a lot more challenging than expected. She stayed with us to ensure we were set for success for breastfeeding and gave us helpful postpartum advice. 

They checked in regularly after the birth and continued to support us through kind encouragements and helpful advice. We've been navigating our new life with a lot less stress thanks to their support. 

Suzanne and Cari are now some of the most important people in our lives and we will always be so thankful for their impact. 

Andrea

11/16/2023

Suzanne was a godsend leading up to, during, and after the birth of my son. Her super warm, down-to-earth, real-talk approach was just what I needed to feel supported and empowered during the most transformative experience of my life. She helped my partner and I think through options and priorities and make sense of conflicting provider recommendations. Her advice and tips were spot-on and the photos she took are priceless.


We sprung for maternity photos, birth photos, and postpartum photos -- you should too. Suzanne captured moments of raw emotion and connection so beautifully, I get choked up every time I look at them and will treasure them forever. 


We had a beautiful home birth but had to transfer to the hospital because of a retained placenta; Suzanne stayed with us the whole time. At the hospital I suffered a massive, life-threatening hemorrhage. As it happened and I began to lose focus I remember Suzanne by my side, calm and collected, holding my hand and speaking into my ear. She assured me that I was safe and that I would be ok and I believed her. 


When I returned from the operating room after receiving a double blood transfusion, Suzanne was still there and had been working the whole time behind-the-scenes. She had arranged for a friend to bring us a supply of donated breast milk because she and the doctors were concerned about my milk not coming in after losing so much blood. As I recovered from anesthesia Suzanne spent what felt like hours, hand expressing colostrum for me (I told her she was milking me like a cow, lol!).

All this to say, Suzanne goes way above and beyond as a doula. I cannot recommend her enough.

Seet

11/3/2023

Suzanne is the doula I wish I had! Let me explain...my sister had Suzanne as a doula during her pregnancy and postpartum. I got to see first hand how knowledgable and loving/caring she was. A year later I got pregnant, but because I live in Canada, I needed to hire a doula closer to home.

Having hired someone who wasn't Suzanne, I can say with confidence how great she is at her job. Since my doula wasn't touching base with me and I was having difficulties once the baby was here, my sister encouraged me to video chat with Suzanne. She is beyond knowledgeable and her expertise shows. She has made me feel better about my anxieties and has touched base with me to see how I'm doing on a consistent basis. Just the fact that there is someone around that shows you they care and are willing to help makes this difficult journey that much easier. She has helped normalize what I'm going through, while also providing suggestions. She's got a treasure chest full of suggestions when it comes to my baby.

Last thing I want to say.. Suzanne's personality is so warm, she makes you feel comfortable from the start. She's got a heart of gold. I wish I lived closer so that I could have her as a doula for my whole pregnancy!! If you choose to go with Suzanne, I promise you won't be disappointed.

 

Tracy Merry

10/29/2023

Suzanne has been the most incredible asset and friend during our pregnancy, labor and birth, and postpartum journey! We met back in 2021 when I was pregnant with my first. Due to having stage iv endometriosis, I was really anxious about going through pregnancy and labor/birth without someone who would solely advocate for me, and encourage me to advocate for myself. After our initial phone call we decided to move forward. She was the most incredible presence, and we had a great experience with her. Then in 2023 we moved to Central/Eastern Washington, across the pass and became unexpectedly pregnant. It was too far for her traveling, especially as we didn't know if the pass would be open, but nonetheless she was there for us virtually at all times and days! As each pregnancy is different, and as I had suffered a loss between my two children, I found myself reaching out to Suzanne for advice, reassurance, and support throughout the entirety of this pregnancy. She was always available, prompt and reassuring in her responses. If I had to do it again, I'd make sure Suzanne was on my team because she always has her clients' best interests at heart and truly treats you like a friend, a family member, vs a client.

Colleen

10/26/2023

Suzanne and Cari were absolutely phenomenal. Suzanne took the loveliest pregnancy photos and newborn photos and offered a wealth of information pre-pregnancy, including urging me to get a pump which ended up being essential for me. They also provided a TENS unit which kept early labor pain manageable. But what blew me away the most was how incredibly responsive and engaged they were in the early days after birth, quickly responding to texts, offering suggestions for questions, providing resources for problems I was having (such as lactation consultants), and connecting me with a postpartum doula on their team who was available THAT night when my husband and I desperately needed some uninterrupted sleep. They even came by my house to give me a crash course in breastfeeding while I waited for lactation consultation availability and Suzanne brought donor milk and bottles with her. They were my lifeline in the early days and I’m so grateful.

Leigh McBride

10/5/2023

It's hard to put into words what Suzanne's support meant to us. I am a fellow doula in the Seattle area, and had thought long and hard about what I wanted for my birth. You could say I had high standards for what I was looking for in a doula :) Suzanne is amazing. She was available for any questions we had our entire pregnancy, and catered our prenatal appointments to what we were most interested in. She knows everything - and I mean EVERYTHING - about birth and postpartum. I labored for 27 hours, and during all of that time Suzanne was there, encouraging me and giving my husband comfort measures to help me achieve my unmedicated birth. There was a moment where my labor stalled at 8 cm, and Suzanne had me get into all sorts of positions to help baby rotate. I was very close to transferring to the hospital for an epidural and feel confident I would have, if I didn't have Suzanne and her Spinning Babies moves to help jumpstart my labor. She knew exactly what to say to keep me going and not lose hope, and I walked away from the experience feeling like a total badass. Plus, the professional photos she took of us will be treasured forever. My husband and I can't recommend Suzanne enough, and we wouldn't dream of giving birth without her! 

Cheyenne

10/3/2023

Suzanne Bedletter is my doula, and as a single first time Mom, I don't have enough words to express my gratitude and appreciation for her. Towards the end of my pregnancy when she came into my life, she helped influence my decisions to guide me to meet my birth plan goals, and helped me have a smooth pregnancy and birth. My birth experience was so special to me and she was there to help me through it all! She still sacrifices heaps of her time and expertise to me for my health and my baby girl's. She also donated milk while mine was still coming in, she helped keep my baby out of the NICU by closely guiding me along my breastfeeding journey- just 2 weeks into breastfeeding we perfected her latch and it no longer hurts me to feed her & she gets enough to eat each time. Suzanne has been available to me 24/7, day & night, and has even included me in fun activities to meet other new and expecting parents! Suzanne has become a wonderful friend to me, and my mom & brothers adore her. I would recommend her a million times over to anyone who wants to have an beautiful and more manageable birth/postpartum experience, where you can prioritize bonding with child over stressing about things you just haven't learned yet.

Jenny Liao

8/16/2023

We are grateful to find Suzanne Ledbetter as our birth doula. We wanted VBAC for our 2nd baby since my birth experience with my 1st child was unpleasant and the recovery from C-section was slow and long. We were praying for a redemptive experience for our 2nd baby.

Through Suzanne we learned about the choices that we could have and it's eye opening to know information that I never knew before from my OB. I felt empowered to make decisions about my own delivery. Suzanne recommended Virginia Mason as our provider and delivery hospital. We were so glad that we made the decision to transfer our care to VM during our last two months of pregnancy.

My 2nd birth experience was truly amazing. It was completely natural with no medication. Suzanne played a crucial role to help me with breathing techniques and coaching me with different positions to manage my pain. Within 10 minutes of pushing, our handsome boy was out to see the world!

We highly recommend Suzanne and her team! This redemptive birth journey is worth of every penny!

Jun C

8/3/2023

I had an absolutely incredible experience with Suzanne/Cari! From the moment we started working together, they demonstrated an impressive level of knowledge and expertise. Throughout my labor process, they were by my side, providing unwavering support and guidance, respecting my birth preferences every step of the way.

Their responsiveness to my questions and concerns was remarkable, making me feel heard and valued. The pre and post labor support they offered was truly invaluable, helping me feel prepared and cared for during every stage of my pregnancy journey.

They are also very resourceful. Whenever I needed recommendations or referrals, they had a wealth of information to share, and their suggestions were consistently spot-on.

I can't thank them enough for being such an essential part of my birthing experience. Their presence made the entire process smoother, more empowering, and truly unforgettable. If you're looking for a knowledgeable, helpful, and caring birth doula, I wholeheartedly recommend them!

Kaitlyn

8/2/2023

I'm so grateful to Suzanne and the rest of the Dedicated Doula Team for their support. I am a first time mom and also new to doula care. I can say wholeheartedly that my partner and I would have been lost without Suzanne's support in our birth. She came to our home to support through early and early-active labor and stayed with us in the hospital until several hours after the birth. Not only that, but she was available with her partner, Cari, for prenatal and postpartum support without question or judgement about our anxieties or newness to parenthood.  She also took incredibly special birth and newborn photos, and when I struggled postpartum, came to help with breastfeeding, shift sleeping at night, and the emotional transition postpartum. Additionally, the Dedicated Doula Team provides a platform to meet other families for support through their Facebook group and summer picnics, etc. 

I highly recommend Suzanne as a doula. She's been an amazing support, comfort, expert, educator,  advocate, photographer, coach, and cheerleader. 

Nika

8/2/2023

Suzanne, Cari, and The Dedicated Doula team were a huge part of why I had an amazing birth! I was nervous about giving birth and felt like I needed someone knowledgeable on our team. My husband and I knew that Suzanne would be an awesome fit after our first consult call with her. At that time, we were trying to make a decision to change hospitals and I was approaching my third trimester. She was so knowledgeable about the details of each local hospital and provided a lot of insight to help us make that decision. I’m so thankful for that conversation and for making the switch. Suzanne and Cari came to our house and spent several hours going over the third trimester of pregnancy, birth prep, post-partum care, baby care, breastfeeding, and answered all of our questions. This really helped put my mind at ease and made me feel more prepared to give birth. We also had another meeting with them to put our birth plan together closer to birth. When I went into labor, my husband and I were in constant communication with Cari. She gave us the advice and tools we needed to labor at home for as long as possible, which was my goal. Suzanne and Cari both came to visit us postpartum as soon as I voiced that we were having issues with breastfeeding. We also have beautiful pictures that Cari took at the hospital and newborn photos done by Suzanne, so special to have those photos because we didn’t take many at the hospital. I am forever thankful that we made the decision to work with The Dedicated Doula team! You will not find people as caring and genuine as this team! They are definitely hired for my future pregnancies!

Austyn Scanlon

8/2/2023

Our midwife referred Suzanne and her team during our OB care and I'm so glad we chose to work with them! Suzanne has a very hands on and no nonsense attitude that makes you feel very confident and comfortable. She really takes control when you feel like you are spinning into oblivion during parenthood. We were struggling the first couple of days during parenthood and she dropped everything to comeover and help us with breastfeeding and recommending what to do to get some sleep. She is so supportive and non-judgmental and you feel like you can be completely transparent with her about everything. We were so lucky to get a referral to her as a doula! She is making the first weeks of parenthood much easier and giving us much more confidence in our ability as parents. We recommend her to anyone who wants to have a great pregnancy/postpartum experience!

Alex Farris

7/20/2023

You couldn't ask for better support at the birth than with Suzanne. She readily answered all my questions and gave amazing options to support my birth plan and when things went awry. When I was induced and the nurses wanted to put a balloon in she recommended they combine it with thereapeutic rest. The nurses never brought up therapeutic rest and it was so needful to keep my strength. They never mentioned I could only take fentanyl twice but Suzanne let me know and the nurses confirmed AFTER I asked. She responded quickly to every communication and got to the birth when I needed her the most. Everything mattered-her coaching in the moment on birth positions, the encouragement, took amazing photos that captured the little moments in the birth, and also supported my husband so he could be present in the moment. Her followups were reassuring and could recommend actions/items that made the healing/baby care go so much easier. Thank you Suzanne!

Katherine Seward

7/14/2023

The Dedicated Doula team is what made my birth experience the most amazing experience I've ever had among my 4 kids. Going into the labor I had a lot of concerns and trauma from past birth experiences and they handed them like a champ. When it came time for me to go into labor which happened multiple times during my pregnancy. In addition they were the backbone I needed when my labor seemed to never go the way I expected, when I was admitted for contractions, but my labor didn't progress. They came every time and stayed without complaint and with a smile each visit. When it was actually go time,  they were ready and were so helpful. The pictures they got were stunning. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a doula or even just photography. 

Throughout my birth and pregnancy, on the team, Suzanne was a godsend. I remember when she noted my differently shaped belly because of my baby being transverse,  and how annoyed I got with all the inversions (planks for pregnant women)she had me do. I'm sure I nagged and complained a lot, as it was a physically taxing pregnancy- and she took it all in stride. She accompanied me to almost every false-but-not-false alarm labor trip to the ER and continually supported me in whatever I wanted/needed at the time, and Suzanne would be my voice when I was too dejected or tired to speak up for myself. When it was actually the day I had my daughter, Suzanne was the best support I could ever had. The way that she recognized my body patterns when I refused to, do to catching me when I fell- LITERALLY as I fainted twice in labor, was so important to me. Especially when my partner had to leave to watch the other kids, so he couldn't be there to support me during my short labor. I'd recommend Suzanne a thousand times over and choose her again if fate ever decided I needed more kids. Suzanne was one of my biggest strengths during my pregnancy and birth and I couldn't thank her enough. 

 

Vivian

7/12/2023

We had a great experience. We had several meetings before the due date to talk about what we wanted and what our roles would be in the hospital. Suzanne shepherded us through the process and was a good mediator between us and the hospital. She was calm during the more fraught moments and helped us make reasoned decisions.

 

During the recovery in the hospital she was crucial in making sure the baby had food to eat. She was also available while I was healing and is still available today to answer questions!

Cristina

7/9/2023

Suzanne was my lifesaver! I was new to the area,new to being a mom and just overall nervous. She provided endless support and never made me feel ridiculous for any of the questions I had. Suzanne always showed up for me when I needed her the most and would call me if she knew I was having a hard time. Her reassurance and experience was immeasurable. My baby had weight issues and latch problems and she kept me 3 steps ahead of everything. I credit her completely for being able to successfully breastfeed after a long hard battle. I would've had such a hard time without her. Definitely more than just a birth doula, she encompassed everything I needed and helped me navigate this new territory. My husband and I couldn't recommend her more. 

Devon

7/5/2023

Suzanne was absolutely incredible! We met Cari and Suzanne in our home and had a lengthy discussion about our birth wishes, what to expect, how to prepare and more which was incredibly helpful for us as firsth time parents. Suzanne was the one present for our birth. We texted her the night before when labor started and then again the next morning when we headed into the birth center. She was able to meet us at the birth center and was there with us the rest of the day. She was incredibly helpful sith suggestions to get things moving and then different labor positions when things continued to progress. The most vaulable thing for me, as the laboring person, was that she relayed my wishes to the team and was able to help communicate what had been comfortable for me and what wasn't. She also did an amazing job of asking questions and helping us get information when I experienced a hemorage post partum. Suzanne was reassuring and stayed with us through the transfer to the hospital and more. My husband said later that while he feels his instincts would have been good for the labor, it was great going in prepared and having someone else there to help guide and advise. 

Yaamini Sharma

6/29/2023

Having Suzanne, Cari, and Cherish be part of our birthing experience was the best decision my husband and I made. Best part was that we received all the support, during the pregnancy, during birth, and after the delivery, at one place.

As first-time parents, we were scared about labor and birth. From our first interaction with Suzanne, we knew we were in good hands. She is incredibly knowledgeable, kind, competent, and caring. Throughout my pregnancy and after, she regularly checked in on us, encouraged us to ask questions, and sent many helpful resources. She guided us through the experience, giving us the information we needed to make our own decisions without judgment on our choices. Once I was in labor, Cari helped alleviate the back pain I was experiencing, and also helped find the best labor positions that worked for us, staying by our side the entire time. She is extremely conscientious of your partner/support person and personalizes the birthing experience to match your needs. We are so thankful for her and would recommend her over and over.

In addition to Suzanne and Cari, we also had Cherish as our postpartum night doula. We were also extremely impressed with her. Just like Suzanne and Cari, Cherish is knowledgeable and extremely kind. She was there for us during the early postpartum weeks, when we were exhausted and stressed. We felt very safe with her watching our newborn while we rested. She cleaned and baked for us, while easing any concerns we had about our new baby. Cherish is an amazing doula and person we highly recommend.

Dhara

6/14/2023

My partner and I are so greatful to have Suzanne as our doula. She was an absolute blessing and made our birth experience incredibly positive. From the moment we connected with Suzanne, we knew we were in caring hands.

One of the aspects that stood out about Suzanne was her responsiveness. She was always just a call or text away, and no matter how trivial or urgent our questions were, she would promptly address them with genuine concern. This level of attentiveness provided us with reassurance throughout the entire process.

Suzanne's met with us frequently, taking the time to discuss every question. During our meetings, Suzanne spent quality time with us, addressing any concerns we had. We always felt informed and prepared, thanks to her thoroughness. Even after birth, Suzanne continued to check in on us regularly, offering guidance and encouragement during those early days of adjustment. Her wealth of knowledge in breastfeeding and resources provided us with the tools we needed to navigate the challenges we faced initially in breastfeeding.

We genuinely cannot imagine going through this transformative journey without Suzanne by our side. Her professionalism, expertise, and warm-hearted nature made her an exceptional doula. We recommend Suzanne to anyone seeking a compassionate, knowledgeable, and dedicated doula who will go above and beyond to ensure a positive birth experience.

Lisa

6/12/2023

We love, love, loved working with Suzanne. We didn't find her until about 36 weeks in or so because I was so busy with work I didn't even think to work with a doula even though I had the first time around in CA. I found her through a FB page after reaching out to a few other doulas and Suzanne was by far the best match, oozing a warmth and loving nature that resonated with me.

Not only is Suzanne an amazing soul but she's also insanely knowledgeable about so many things pre and post partum. She helped me navigate almost too many things to list, a breech baby, switching to a provider that was genuinely supportive of my desire to have a vbac, an ECV (it didn't work the first time with my breech daughter and I'm convince Suzanne guiding me through the breathing was the reason he flipped this time in addition to a great provider! But Suzanne's help made it possible for me to really relax and let my bub move along with the doctor's hands.), an unmedicated VBAC and more. A huge bonus is she somehow also managed to capture pictures during the birth while staying at my side the whole time. 

If you're looking for a doula team, look no further than Suzanne and her team. 

Alisia Fui

5/23/2023

Suzanne is truly an amazing person and doula. I've had the privilege of knowing her for 2 years now & I'm so glad I got her information!! From answering ALL questions pre birth to postpartum, she was/is always there for me. For my first child, she had to attend another birth so I had her backup doula join my partner and I (who is also so amazing - Cari) - I was sad she wasn’t able to make it but also trusted her judgement with sending a backup. We kept in touch as I had MANY questions as a first time mom. I really appreciated how she ALWAYS got back to me even if it wasn’t right away (she’s a busy woman!!) so when it came time for baby #2 I knew I had to hire her as my doula again. Even as a second time mom, I had many questions and Suzanne just always made me feel so sure/comfortable on what was happening. This birth was a lot quicker than my first but I am so happy I had Suzanne by my side. She comforted me, constantly asked how I was doing, made me feel good about what was happening and most of all made me feel prepared!! She truly is a great person but also a great doula. She will be in my life forever!!!! Aside from being a great doula - she’s an amazing photographer and I have never been disappointed in photos she’s taken of me for maternity & also family pictures. I highly recommend her for it all ??

Ashwini

5/6/2023

Suzanne was the magic that made my first birthing experience one that I will cherish forever.  She provided me information to form the perfect team for my birth including hospital, doctor and their team. Before birth Suzanne gave a ton of information about how to be prepared and things to communicate to this team about my choices. Being prepared with choices is one thing and exercising those choices is completely different thing. Suzanne was there end to end. 

On the day of my labor, despite being prepared with what to expect, when I felt the back pain, I dint know what they were. Late at night facing the pain alone, not knowing when to over or under-react, it was a big relief when Suzanne gave the pain a name. Starting there all the way through the delivery, Suzanne  was there for me with ton of timely information, support and validation even when I went with something different from what she recommended. When the pain started interfering with my decision making, Suzanne was there holding me from slipping down the emotional slide from wanting completely natural birth to wondering about a C section, judgement-free. Thanks to her I had a natural birth. Her knowledge and cooperative working was commended by the nurses and my doctor as well. 

The confidence and her warm support in the face of pain and uncertainty is the best gift Suzanne gave my family and for which we shall remain forever grateful to the Dedicated Doula team. 

 

Karli Scott

5/3/2023

I feel blessed to have found the Dedicated Doula Team to be my doulas. I don't know what I would have done without them at my birth. They were perfectly supportive throughout my journey during pregnancy, labor and birth and postpardum. I am so thankful for them!

My labor was extremenly difficult, more than I ever expected and we ended up changing our birth plan during it. My doulas support during this change in plans gave me such comfort and strength. It was a very stressful and scary experience that I was able to 100% lean on my doula for her knowledge and experience, which was exactly what my husband and I needed. I cannot express how truly thankful I am that they were by mine and my husbands side.

My doula brought her skills and knowledge to my birth that helped me cope during the pain, that helped both myself and my husband take care of our bodies to keep our strength up. She guided me through the change in my birth plan and helped me physically through each step, I know my birth would have been even more difficult without her. She emotionally supported both my husband and I so perfectly, beyond what words can express.

I would recommend them to anyone!

Prashant prabhu

4/8/2023

Pregnancy and giving birth is hard and can get really complex as it's unfolding. As fortunate as we are to have a good health care system in America, it is often difficult if not impossible to get individualized and focused attention on you and your family. In the case of pregnancy and giving birth, this is even more important because there can be so many choices to be made which you may not end up getting compelete visibility into the pros and cons of those choices to be able to make the best informed decision possible. That's where not just any doula but a doula like Suzanne comes into play. It's like having a quote unquote experienced mother in your family who has seen so many births and so many different experiences with pregnancies and births, and at the same time is empathetic yet assertive about things that are too critical to be ignored, both with you and the hospital staff. The most amazing part about it is that she does it all while being extremely gentle and protective with the mother, almost like an experienced mother or older sister. If you are reading this because you are exploring or thinking of getting a doula, I would highly recommend that you try to work with Suzanne and her team because I know that the next time we are having a baby we will definitely be working with Suzanne again. 

Tynnetta

3/25/2023

Hiring Suzanne as my doula was one of the best decisions I made. I knew I wanted a unmedicated birth and I was scared my 2nd birth would end up an epidural birth as well if I didn't have the support and encouragement I needed. I truly believe that if Suzanne was not my doula I wouldn't have had an unmedicated birth. She showed up at our house when I thought I was finally going into labor, but by the time she arrived it had fizzled out. I was so discouraged, but Suzanne gave me some stretches and positions to try because she believed that baby was ready but just not in the right position. By early afternoon that same day, I had my sweet baby boy in my arms. She provided much needed encouragement when I was laboring and pushing. Even while I was pushing my son out I kept thinking "I can't do this, I can't do this" but I did and I am so happy I got the birth experience I wanted this time. I wish I had hired Suzanne for my 1st birth because I am sure it would have been 100% a different experience. I am definitely hiring her for my next pregnancy and because of her I think I will explore the idea of doing either a home birth or birth center insead of a hospital birth. Also even though my son came quick (less than 3 hours from start of labor to delivery) she was still able to get some incredible photos.

MPC

3/20/2023

Hiring Suzanne to be our doula was one of the best decisions and investments we’ve ever made. She provided 24/7 support before, during, and after delivery. A few weeks before my due date, Suzanne and Cari came over to go over all things birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum. They spent hours preparing my husband and I for the birth of our first baby, which helped us put together a birth plan and feel less anxious about everything. Suzanne checked in with me frequently leading up to the birth and gave me reminders on prepping my body. I was induced, and the intensity of my contractions increased quickly. Suzanne showed up right away and went into action to make me as comfortable as possible, and provided invaluable support to both of us during the entire labor. She gave my husband and I space when we needed it, chatted with me to take my mind off the pain, repositioned me regularly, whispered much needed encouragement when I pushed, worked seamlessly with the nursing team, and somehow also managed to take beautiful photos of it all. Suzanne supported all of our decisions and tried her best to make sure everything went as close to our birth plan as possible (obviously what actually happens is out of anyone’s control). After going through some trauma during and after the birth, Suzanne offered her support and checked in on us regularly. She truly cares about her clients and she’s basically like family now. I’m so grateful to have Suzanne in our lives and could not recommend her more for your birth journey.

Hailey

3/6/2023

Suzanne Ledbetter was always available for any prenatal questions or concerns. She provided effective manuvers to get my baby into the right position prior to birth. My goal was to have an unmedicated birth and that wouldn't have been possible without Suzanne's help. She provided just the right amount of support without being over powering. She was very prompt with her responses to text or call. When she went on vacation she made sure I had the contact information of her team. She also did newborn photos for our family and they are wonderful! Very reasonably priced and something we will cherish forever. 

Amanda Engle

3/3/2023

I am so glad we chose Suzanne to be our doula. From the start my experience was awesome. After reaching out to multiple doulas and not hearing back, Suzanne got back to me within 24 hours and we set up a consultation where she made me feel heard. I signed up a bit early so we didn’t have much contact in the beginning, but once the time came, she was on top of it. Answered all my questions, plus gave me advice I didn’t even know I needed! Then came time for labor. She walked me through as everything was happening. She was at the hospital when I was ready and helped me through contractions when my epidural stopped working. She was there for me when pushing had gone on forever and we decided to have a c section. She was comforting when the pain of holding my baby in was unbearable. All while taking photos when she could. Then for the fourth trimester. She has been available to me through text and over the phone, plus offering to come out to our house. Cherish came out twice at a moments notice to help with breast feeding and offered to watch the baby for me to sleep. Overall my experience was great and I highly recommend anyone looking for a doula to reach out to this team.

Jason and Erin Yu

2/15/2023

In mid-December of 2022, my wife and I decided to start the search for a doula to assist with the delivery of our first newborn which we were expecting mid-January of 2023.  Susanne was the first Doula that we contacted, and after speaking with her over the phone, we were both impressed by her knowledge of the birthing process as well as her professional yet caring demeanor.  My wife and I both agreed that we felt comfortable/confident in our decision to let Susanne guide us through delivery as our doula.

To our surprise, my wife was admitted to the delivery center only a couple days later.  The doctors were recommending an immediate induction due to complications with my wife's pregnancy.  Susanne was very responsive over the phone and text and made herself available on a few hours notice.  We hadn't even completed the paperwork yet, but she was there!  And was she amazing! 

Susanne helped us understand all the things the doctors and nurses were telling us in laymen's terms and let us know that we had the right to refuse medical advice / recommendations (as long as they weren't life threatening to mother or child).  This really helped us remain calm and feel like we were having the birth of our newborn the way we wanted to.  

During labor, Susanne was incredible at helping my wife with her breathing techniques and just being a cheerleader throughout, encouraging her when she was pushing correctly and correcting when she noticed something that could be improved.  The labor lasted just over two hours and having Susanne there really made a difference, in my opinion.

After the delivery, Susanne was kind enough to drop by our home to provide care for our dog while we stayed at the hospital to recover.  That just goes to show how trustworthy and caring she is. 

I would 10 out of 10 recommend Susanne and hope she will be there for the birth of our next child!

Colleen

2/6/2023

Suzanne helped me achieve an incredibly empowering and transformative birth experience, setting the tone for my motherhood journey. I fully attribute my feeling of success, to her expert help. I absolutely hope to be a repeat client of hers and I hold so much appreciation for her entire TDDT team.

When my baby's birth happened, a few weeks earlier than planned, she swooped into action and adjusted her plans. As a first time mom, I did everything I could to convince Suzanne and myself that my baby wasn't going to come for another few weeks (lol)! I didn't realize I was in labor until she stopped in to check on me in the morning, and ended up never leaving my side for the rest of the day. If she were less seasoned, she probably would have had to leave to grab supplies, but she came prepared.

One of the most memorable things Suzanne did during my entire labor, was to help keep my vocalizations at a helpful range. I kept raising my pitch to an "ahhhh" and she would give me a helpful "ohhhh" which was a subtle reminder for me to not strain during contractions and pushing. This saved my strength and channeled my energy more productively. I needed constant reminders and coaching and she recognized this and kept me focused. 

She also took beautiful photos throughout my pregnancy, birth and beyond, which I will treasure forever. Suzanne and her team are creating a wonderful experience, end to end, for birthing families in the greater Seattle area. From prenatal appointments and photos, to building a client community where we can meet other parent friends and share resources, they have all the bases covered. 

Margarita

1/23/2023

As a first time mom, I wasn't even sure how I would use a doula, but after working with Suzanne, I'm not sure how I would have survived without her. Suzanne set me up for success from the beginning, from walking me through ways my labor could go, to recommending great labor and postpartum products for recovery and breastfeeding and exercises to support breastfeeding and ease labor, and even holding a child care class for my husband and I to get a little practice and learn what we needed to get started taking care of our baby. My induction ended up takin 3 days and Suzanne's presence in the room was at once a comfort, a source of support, and an invaluable resource. She helped me navigate the various options I had at my disposal and directions my labor could progress, and always helped remind me of my agency and the core of my wishes for my birth. Her coaching helped me encourage labor and manage my pain, and if it wasn't for other issues, I'm confident I would have delivered vaginally on nitrous alone with her support. As difficult as things got, my husband and I could always just turn to Suzanne and feel secure that we weren't alone and that we were making the right decisions at the right time. Suzanne was also discreet in her photography, taking photos at just the right times, and although I didn't initially care much about having photos, they're really wonderful to look through and were expertly done.  Pre and post partum, Suzanne connected me with numerous fantastic resources, including professionals who would help me through my breastfeeding challenges and have a safe and easy bris, or ritual circumcision, for my son. Even now as I recover and learn to care for my baby, I know I can turn to Suzanne for a guiding light or a helping hand, and that makes everything a little easier to navigate. Working with Suzanne was the single best decision I've made for my pregnancy and I can't wait to work with her again!

Nick

1/22/2023

Suzanne is the essence professionalism coupled with personal warmth and respect. Her labor coaching was insightful but also tailored to us and our situation as it evolved throughout the process. She was ready with even the little things we forgot or didn't even know we needed. Her rapport with the hospital staff and the OBs was respectful, but friendly and engaging, as they clearly had often worked with her before. Her pre- and post-natal care and advice have also been immensely helpful, and the outside professionals she put us in touch with for various needs have all been top-notch recommendations. We could honestly not have asked for better, and I would make this choice again in a heartbeat.

Ruian Yang

1/8/2023

I found Suzanne and her team’s profile on doula match when I was looking for a doula in my second trimester. As first time parents, my husband and I didn’t know what to expect when it comes to pregnancy, birth, and taking care of a newborn. From the first time we met, I could tell that Suzanne is very caring and knowledgeable. We decided to hire Suzanne as our doula and it was one of the best decisions we made.

My pregnancy was rather uneventful but when I had any questions or concerns, Suzanne was always quick to respond. She provided us with useful information and encouragement. When my labor started in the middle of night, we contacted Suzanne and she was prepared to come to us and support us. Having her with me during labor made me feel safe and supported. She used different techniques to help me manage the contractions and gave me suggestions on my positions. My labor was progressing very fast. Suzanne was able to help us identify what stage I was in and got us to the birth center in time. Our beautiful baby girl was born 1 hour after we got there and I was able to have the unmedicated birth that I wanted. It was an amazing experience!

Suzanne continued to check in on us and support us after the baby was born. We felt very comfortable with her and reached out  to her with questions regarding feeding and sleeping. I highly recommend having Suzanne as part of birthing experience!

Kierson Wilfley

10/28/2022

Where to begin?! Suzanne is more than a doula to us, she is family. She was there for us with our first born and then went out of her way to make sure she was there for us with our second (and thank goodness because I could not have done it without her support). There was a point where we both thought she may miss my sons birth because he was past due and her flight back to Seattle was quickly approaching. She went out of her way to make sure we had a backup plan. To quote "let's make a backup plan that way we won't need it". And boy was she right, we did not need the backup plan once we had it. 

When you choose Suzanne as your doula, you aren't just choosing someone to support you during your child's birth. You are choosing someone who is there for you every step of the way and in every way possible. And if there is something she can't help with, she guides you to who can. You are choosing someone who immediately feels like family, like a home away from home. Without her, I am not sure I would have made it through the birth of my second son. She helped me process his birth story and helped me see it from a different perspective. She reminded me how beautiful and strong I was and am through it all. For that, I will always be grateful. 

I feel blessed to have her in my life and a part of both of my sons births. 

Kelly

10/23/2022

I’m so glad my husband and I had Suzanne as our doula for the birth of our first child 5 months ago at Swedish First Hill. I wanted to attempt a non-medicated birth but was open to using an epidural so we wanted a doula who would support us either way. We chose Suzanne because of her warm personality, extensive experience, and supportive attitude. Knowing we’d also get high-quality photos of our birth was a plus! 

I went into labor a week early, and things happened differently than I’d imagined. Having Suzanne to provide suggestions, guidance, and emotional support was invaluable. The TENS unit was amazing for early contractions, and once the pitocin started I was incredibly grateful to have her there. I’d wanted to avoid pitocin, but once it became necessary Suzanne was so helpful in getting me comfortable with it. She worked seamlessly with the medical staff while making sure I was ok with everything. The bath Suzanne prepared was an oasis of relief before I finally requested an epidural. Suzanne held me in her arms and comforted me while helping me stay still during its placement. Then she worked tirelessly through the night, turning me over and checking on me, until it was time to push. She was a great coach for pushing, and after 2.5 hours my daughter was born.

Suzanne has since checked in regularly to offer helpful advice on breastfeeding and postpartum care. I was only thinking about the birth when I hired her, but the postpartum support has been equally valuable. After a rocky first month, breastfeeding has really taken off for us. I attribute much of that success to Suzanne’s encouragement and advice. Looking back, my husband and I wondered how we would’ve gotten through it all without her! Regardless of what your ideal birth looks like, Suzanne will support you, your partner, and your baby. I've been recommending Suzanne and her team to everyone I know and will continue to do so!

Anne

10/20/2022

Can't say enough good things about Suzanne and her entire team. I wanted a calm, reassuring voice of reason to support me and my partner during pregnancy and Suzanne was all that and more. She was my resource for all those little questions that Google gives you an overwhelming amount of useless information on, but aren't quite "doctor level" (like "are silverette cups worth the $65?", "what are some exercises I can do to get labor moving along?", "how does collecting colostrum work anyway?"). She continued to be a wonderful resource during those shaky first postpartum weeks and months. Overall, couldn't recommend Suzanne and the doulas she works with more highly.

Deniz

10/19/2022

As a first time mom I didn’t know what labor was going to be like. Sure, I had taken some virtual classes and read other peoples' birth stories but I didn’t really know how things would be in the heat of the moment especially without medication. The one word I have to describe my experience with Suzanne is grateful. I am so truly grateful that she was with me when I was delivering my baby girl. My wish was to go to the hospital as late as possible to minimize interventions. It seem like a good compromise between a home birth and a hospital birth. And Suzanne helped me to do exactly that. She was responsive when I started getting contractions at 2:30 am, came to my house and helped me get through them with different positions and massages. She also supported me immensly during the hospital portion. Advocating for me and making sure I got the best care possible. On top of all of this, she captured such beautiful photos of the birth that I couldn't believe it. They made for great memories, allowing me to put together missing pieces to make up the whole story. 

I sincerely recommend working with Suzanne for anyone searching for support before, during and after labor. 

 

Tanya Garg

10/4/2022

Suzzane was my doula for my boy Veer born on the August 23, 2022. Veer is my first born. We got to know about Suzanne from our friends referral as well as facebook groups. She was one of the most highly recommended doulas. After speaking to her entire team of dedicated doulas, something in me clicked with Suzzane and we made our final choice. I’m so glad that we made that choice, it couldn’t have been better!

She had been simply AMAZING throughout my pregnancy and delivery. I had marginal cord insertion and my baby was on the lower percentile curve in the anatomy scan. Suzanne’s direct and specific guidance on diet and delivery exercise helped me deliver a healthy baby via vaginal delivery. She was not only available whenever I tried to reach her but out of genuine care and concern she checked on me multiple times on her own. It felt to me that she just didn’t take me as a client but as a friend whom she really cared for. Her persistence made me persistent in working towards a healthy delivery.

My entire labor and delivery was a blissful journey because I had Suzzane by my side. She was there each step of the way. It was only her voice that I could hear in the delivery room. I knew I could lean on her and she gave the most genuine advice possible at all times. This gave me immense confidence in the entire process and I felt empowered and in control. Suzanne’s constant belief in me made my breastfeeding journey possible. There were times I almost gave up, but she never gave up her faith in me. Her postpartum visit was everything I needed in that postpartum time.

Can’t recommend Suzzane enough to anyone whose on the journey to parenthood. Hiring her as a doula is one decision you’ll never regret. The bond with her continues beyond this journey into something that’s priceless and to be cherished for lifetime.

Lisa Thomsen

10/3/2022

We were introduced to Suzanne and the Dedicated Doula team just over a month before our little girl was due, when our previous doula had to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances. Suzanne immediately jumped in to help us as we prepared for our upcoming labor and birth experience. She spent several hours on Zoom and in-person, answering all of our questions and providing guidance for the big day. Her knowledge and experience was absolutely invaluable during labor and birth, both for my husband and myself. She was prepared every step of the way and helped us through each phase of labor, birth and postpartum. We can't thank her enough for helping us have a positive birth experience and for helping us navigate this new chapter in our lives! 

Laura Curtis

10/2/2022

Suzanne was my doula for two of my pregnancies (3rd and 4th) and I’d highly recommend her. If this is your first or you feel like a pro and have had one or more already, you should consider hiring Suzanne. There is so much she offers… a listening ear, moral support, an advocate for your wants and needs during your birthing experience, and help you stay informed during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.  An added bonus is the photography Suzanne took during both my deliveries was special.

My experiences with her support were different from each other because of the ways my babies decided to entire this world; yet she managed to perfectly capture the moments, while making sure I got what I needed. With my 3rd child, the delivery was relatively easy, and the delivery room was full of laughter (I couldn’t be happier that she was able to capture that for us). My birthing experience with my 4th child, I’m incredibly thankful I had Suzanne there. The time from our arrival to the hospital to my baby in my arms was an hour. I forgot everything I learned in birthing classes and from previous births. Suzanne helped me focus through the experience. I was terrified. I had no time for an epidural. I was not ready. I’m writing this review 9 weeks after giving birth and I’m still recovering from it physically. She helped me recover from the psychological trauma of that experience happening so quickly (not to mention painfully) and bond with my baby…she was a listening ear about the things that bothered me and provided advise on things I could do that would help with my physical recovery. She helped me feel proud of myself for going through such a difficult experience and didn’t allow me to down play my experience. She was able to figure out what I needed to hear during birth and postpartum to make me feel like I had an incredible experience for both of my birthing experiences under her care.

Kiairah Richter

9/30/2022

Where do I even begin? I can't preach enough amazing things about Suzanne and her team. I was fully expecting to hire Suzanne as a birth photographer rather than a doula. Boy did my mind completely change when I was in labor! I was incredibly grateful for Suzanne, her knowledge, her readiness, her communication, the way she respected my boundaries, the way she comforted me and didn't leave out my significant other even with her helping so much. She was a perfect balance of everything I needed and wanted before, during and after having our son. She made the entire process feel like a breeze. I can't thank her enough with the beautiful pictures she captured delivering our son. I was a little hesitant at first having pictures so up close and personal but she makes the pictures look elegant and beautiful. Suzanne didn't feel like someone I hired but more of a long time family friend I could pour my trust into at such a vulnerable time of my life!

I also had encapsulation of my placenta done by one of Suzanne's team members name Cari. I was so incredibly thankful she hand delivered them to our house! Last thing I wanted to do was leave the house after coming home from the hospital. Not only did she hand deliver them, she also made a beautiful canvas print of my placenta to keep! 

 

With all my love,

Kiairah Richter

Julia Tran

9/15/2022

I'll never forget Suzanne. She held, comforted, and guided me through the scariest part of my most recent and likely last birthing experience. My first two births were at hospitals and I was planning on another hospital birth for my third as well, but Suzanne encouraged me to look into a birth center as being a better fit for what I was hoping for. So, at 39 weeks pregnant, I switched to a birth center. At 40 weeks, I gave birth in a tub with Suzanne talking me through my fear of pushing based on what my body wanted to do, rather than being coached by a nurse doing counts. She just held me and said just the right things to help me feel like everything was going to be ok, and I was doing what I was supposed to. The birth ended up being the fastest, least painful, and most calm of my three unmedicated births. While this is in part because it was my third rodeo, it would have been quite different if I didn't have Suzanne to recommend the birth center, where I could birth in a tub (not allowed by hospitals), and if I didn't have her to talk me through my fears. On a related note, I highly recommend that everyone doing natural birth choose a location that allows water births!!!  Being in the tub for transition and pushing made such a huge difference in the amount of pain I felt. I have no idea how the water does that, but it felt like the water cut the pain in half. I'm so glad Suzanne recommended water birthing to me. Her assuredness, calmness, warmth, and wisdom are what everyone would hope for in a doula.

Krystal Mead

9/12/2022

My 2019 birth was hard and long. My plan was unmedicated. My truth was epidural, acynclitic and forceps after 6hrs of pushing. My second was fear based induction, epidural and 4 hrs and I realized I wanted something different.

For my third I wanted different. I ditch the hospital, go to a birth center & hired Suzanne. The next 5 months of my pregnancy she was available to answer all questions and mostly tell me I could do this. She provided stretches, research, supplements, emotional support, positive affirmations & more. This truly was a marathon of believing in myself that I CAN do this. 10 days past my due date & a castor oil shake sends me into labor at 2pm. She was immediately on the phone with me guiding me on next steps. We decide to go to birth center, she is there waiting for me. I have a fast and furious 2 hours and my daughter was born. Over those two hours, she provided relief in many ways:
-tens unit
-hip and back pressure
-pouring water on belly
-constant affirmations
-positionally changing me to speed up labor while explaining to me why she’s doing what she’s doing
- feeding me and giving hydration
-guided my husband on support in the moment
-ice cold towel and fan
-a comb to squeeze

Truly her warm, & encouraging presence made me believe in myself. In addition to all of these supports, she took the most beautiful photos of my birth that I can treasure forever. I cannot thank her enough for giving me this redemptive, beautiful, unmedicated birth experience

Isaac Stephens

9/10/2022

We hired Suzanne as our doula for both of our kids. She is kind and caring, and not afraid to take calls or texts at any hour because you're freaked out about this and/or that. The first pregnancy had so many questions and fears. She held our hands, metaphorically and actually, through every single one. Unfortunately she had a family emergency to deal with and was not available to  be there for the birth. Her backup doula, who we met just in case, was also wonderful and made us feel comfortable about this insane new adventure we had gotten ourselves into. The postpartum care was a mixture of both Suzanne and the backup. It was immensely beneficial to all of us.

 

For the second pregnancy Suzanne vowed not to miss it. She was there the entire pregnancy to answer questions, agian, and was by my wife's side all way from labor, through the birth, all the way until we were finally settled in our postpartum room. Someone else review said "Suzanne is wise", and I support that 100%. She has a vast mental database of Dr's and birthing staffs, locations, pregnancy exercises, pressure and stress relief techniques to draw from. Birth is a truly beautiful hurricane of chaos. Having someone so wise there to guide you through it is a real blessi g. I'm sure there are many great doulas in the area, but I only want Suzanne Ledbetter, or whomever she recommends, to be our doula.

Pavla Stephens

9/10/2022

We hired Suzanne as our doula because I was quite afraid of going through labor, and it was the best decision ever. I felt very safe knowing that Suzanne was in my corner and looking out for me. She is an incredibly caring and understanding person, who will always be respectful of your wishes, and she will support you through any birthing experience.

Our first child, a beautiful daughter, was two weeks late and decided to make an appearance when Suzanne was out of town. Before leaving, Suzanne made sure to introduce us to one of her teammates (just in case:), and we had a really good experience with her friend Kayla as well.

We welcomed our second baby, a cute boy, 16 months later. This time Suzanne was able to be there with us, and I am incredibly grateful for it. I didn't have time to get an epidural this time, and I felt quite abandoned by the hospital staff. They left me, my husband and Suzanne in the room and returned just barely in time to catch the baby. Giving birth is such an intimate, painful, and confusing experience. Suzanne was there for me the whole time. She was helping me to focus, trying to calm me down, offering various ways of pain relief and applying counter pressure to my lower back. She was my lighthouse in the darkness and kept my panic under control. I think having a doula was absolutely essential for my mental health, and I wish every birthing parent would have one too.

Long story short, we have two amazing children, and we're happy to call Suzanne our friend. She is also an amazing lifestyle photographer, so she's been documenting our family literally from the start.

Thank you for everything, Suzanne!

Anj Rai

9/6/2022

I came across Suzanne and her team randomly while scrolling through Facebook. I decided to give her a chance bc I needed a doula and wanted one fast. Immediately upon talking to Suzanne on the phone, I felt very comfortable and confident that she was someone I could work with. I didn't expect Suzanne to have the type of impact she had on my pregnancy and postpartum but I am here now with my 3 week old feeling extremely grateful we chose to work with Suzanne and not anyone else. 

To put it simply, Suzanne is wise, generous and extremely good at what she does. It's rare to meet people who are not only passionate but also meant to do what they do. Suzanne is caring beyond belief and makes sure to proactively reach out to us and make sure we are ok. She has great advice to give and doesnt believe in forcing opinions on anyone. She listens to your concerns and helps educate you on what your options are without judgment on what you decide to do. 

Best of all, she will be the exact support and team you need during labor and delivery. I quite honestly don't know what I would have done without Suzanne by my side during my labor and delivery. Whether it was passing me snacks, helping me with smelling peppermint oil when I felt nauseous to making sure she held my hand during my c section and helping me breathe through contractions, Suzanne was exactly what I needed to help me get through it all. 

In postpartum, Suzanne helped my husband and I navigate challenges with breastfeeding and even communication in our high anxiety states. She completed multiple visits to our home to check on us and baby and even made sure we had enough donor milk and a baby scale to help through the initial difficult time. 

Im honored to have had Suzanne as my doula and to consider her now a friend. You will not be disappointed in your choice when selecting Suzanne and her team. I am so glad I did! 

Maribeth Lysen

9/5/2022

Working with Suzanne has been such a wonderful experience. When I was looking for a doula, I loved that Suzanne has a team to support the birth process since we all know how unpredictable giving birth can be and having a team made me feel safe and secure that I’d have someone available whenever I gave birth. Suzanne (or another member of the team) is there every step of the way, from before you give birth, walking you through the process in detail so you know what to expect, all the way to postpartum support. For the first 3 weeks after I gave birth, we used their night doula services to help support us and I can’t imagine how we would have done it without both Suzanne and Cherish. After our son was born, Suzanne was an invaluable resource for questions and for referrals. She helped us find an amazing lactation consultant and practitioners to help with my son’s tongue tie. Another huge perk that I love is they provide photography services. In addition to birth photos, Suzanne took maternity photos and photos later, after the birth, at our home with his big brother. I’m delighted with how they turned out. I can’t recommend the team highly enough.

Alejandra Murillo

9/2/2022

All I wanted was to have a beautiful and empowered birth and having Suzanne as support allow me to do it. Birth is very unpredictable and my doula support me in all the decisions and provide me with tools to cope mentally and physically to be able to welcome my baby to the world. Me and my family are so grateful for all the support during pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

David Pan

8/9/2022

We are so glad to have hired Suzanne to be part of our birth journey. Suzanne came recommended from a friend who also hired her. Suzanne is friendly and shared a wealth of knowledge ahead of the birth that was very helpful. She had my wife start hand expressing breastmilk and trying out the pumps ahead of the birth which really helped with the milk coming in post partum.

My wife had a long and complicated labor - 55 hours of total labor including over 4 hours of pushing. Initially we texted Suzanne to let her know about the labor and she checked in with us every couple of hours. As the labor dragged on she asked to come over that's when we really got to see Suzanne's magic and expertise in action. She was really helpful in finding ways to help my wife relieve pain such as using our bathroom and bringing over a TENS device to reduce pain.

At the hospital, Suzanne guided us through options that the doctor / nurse presented us and we observed her push back when appropriate. Watching her push back on the medical team was important later in our labor as my wife and I were empowered to push back on the OB when the OB suggested using forceps. We pushed back on the doctor to give us more time.

Our labor was taking a long time because baby was nose up and was coming down crooked. Suzanne was key in positioning my wife in an all fours position that rotated the baby nose down so that she could make it further down the birth canal to a point where the OB could use a vacuum assist instead of forceps - a much safer procedure.

I truly believe that without Suzanne, my wife would have ended up with a C-section but we were ultimately able to avoid it because of Suzanne's expertise.

After the birth, Suzanne's lactation consultation was also very helpful and the photos she captured during labor were magical.

Momma and baby are doing great and we are so grateful for Suzanne.

Zoe

8/5/2022

I am so glad that I had Suzanne with me for my birth! My husband and I found her to be an invaluable partner for our entire birth experience and she helped make it an amazing experience. I highly recommend her and her entire team. She was a strong advocate for me during the entire process, and helped in so many ways that I didn’t even know I needed. Suzanne worked really well with the nurses and doctor, and we could tell that they also valued her experience. Suzanne helped make my entire labor exactly what I wanted and I will forever cherish the amazing memories that she helped create. In the months postpartum, she has been available for questions and support whenever I’ve needed it and follows up to check in and see how things are going. I really can’t stay enough good things about Suzanne, she was amazing. 

Carly

6/22/2022

I could not recommend Suzanne more highly. I had a complicated delivery and final few weeks of pregnancy and Suzanne was constantly available. We spoke several times in the final weeks and Suzanne prepared me for what interventions and potential complications to expect with my induction. As a result, I felt prepared, informed, and unsurprised in the delivery room. Suzanne helped manage my labor intelligently, so that I progressed through the bulk of labor efficiently and with little pain (thanks, epidural!)

Shortly after delivery, I had a serious blood hemorrhage, and I attribute my ability to stay awake and alert through the process to having Suzanne by my side. Throughout, she had a number of goodies in her bag that made the experience more pleasant. 

Finally, she is a joy to work with. I laughed with her in labor, and thoroughly enjoyed my conversations. I appreciated that checks in often and I always felt supported by her and her team. 

Dharani

6/10/2022

One of my friends had Suzanne during labor and she recommended having doula as she helped with pain management during her labor. I had no family here and I wanted a normal delivery so that I can recover faster and take care of my child. Suzanne and Cary worked with me during Prepartum on few exercises, breathing techniques that helped me withstand pain. During labor, Suzanne was with me from beginning of the labor, stood by my husband and me. It was all new for us and without family support we were able to get thru the labor and postpartum phase relatively easily due to Suzanne. Suzanne shared techniques that helped breastfeeding even before my child was born and I was able to nurse/ give breast milk thru bottle to my baby without supplement till now. I recommend Suzzane to anyone who is expecting a baby and want to rely on breastfeeding.

Ashley

5/4/2022

Suzanne and team were very knowledgeable, professional and responsive during our time together for prenatal, labor/delivery and post partum care. Our prenatal appointments were great because it gave us time to level set on expectations, discuss roles/responsibilities and strategy with my intended birth plan, and back-up plans. During labor, Suzanne was a huge support in helping me diagnose labor start and monitoring labor progression, so that I didn't have to go into the hospital sooner than I would've wanted. Suzanne was also able to help diagnose that the baby was not in an ideal position for delivery and was able to assist with spinning the baby, to avoid intervention. Suzanne was a great help during the final pushing phase of labor in coaching me through how to breathe the baby out. I 100% believe that my birth went according to my plan because I had Suzanne by my side. Postpartum support was also great with an in-home visit that came with breastfeeding support. And I very much appreciate the responsive texting weeks after birth to ensure everything was going well with myself and baby. 

Jenny Huang

5/3/2022

We signed up for Suzanne's service right after we enter the third trimester, and then experience was beyond our expectations!

1. Super responsive and proactive: Suzanne has been very responsive to all my questions, from what to prepare for the delivery, my physical situation to the baby's situation. We are the first time parent and we are both not from the US, so having Suzanne telling us what to expect and all the stuff was super helpful!

2. Professional and also very caring: Suzanne and her team is very well knowledged (probably from all the experience working with a lot of customers!) I have been asking her some random tiny questions but she was always able to find answers for me. There was a day that we came back from pediatrician worrying on the result than our baby's weight and then after texting Suzanne and she shared her experience I felt more comfortable and not so worried! 

3. The best help getting through the delivery: I can not recommend more my delivery experience with Suzanne's help! The contraction really kills me but Suzanne helped me with all the methods to reduce my pain. After getting epidural, she also helped my to accelerate the dilation. My delivery was smooth and fast ( water breaks to delivery in 10 hours). We definitely can't do it without Suzanne's help. 

I would highly recommend Suzanne and her team for the doula service. I never thought that I could have such a good delivery + pre/postpartum support. It's worth every penny!

Tovah

4/27/2022

Suzanne was an unexpected and invaluable member of our birth team earlier this month (April 2022). Our baby girl decided to make an early debut, arriving almost a month early. As we were so ahead of our planned due date, the doula we had been working with had another client and was not able to attend our birth. Suzanne is one of her sub-doula's and she arrived on scene and stepped right into the moment as if we had known her for years. She joined us during active labor, and even though we had never met, she was able to quickly assess the situation and our personalities and immediately began guiding both myself and my partner. 

She was a calming presence, while also providing suggestions on positions and movement to help me and baby work through contractions. Suzanne also took special care to guide my partner on ways he could help me and kept him involved and equally present in the process. She was very in tune with the stages of my labor, and could watch and listen to me and knew exactly when things were progressing. Suzanne had all the tools needed, and kept pulling items out of her bag to help - comb, essential oils, pillow for the bathtub, etc.

Suzanne also communicated really well with the nurses and our OB at the birth center. She even had little thank you bags prepared for everyone, which was so thoughtful.

On top of her guidance and support, Suzanne is a phenomenal photographer and was able to beautifully capture the intimate and special moments of our daughter's arrival. We can't thank her enough for being with us at this most amazing moment in our lives. Suzanne helped us feel safe and cared for. My birth experience was positive and empowering, and so much of that is because of her presence. Thank you Suzanne!

Anonymous

4/22/2022

Working with Suzanne has been an absolute pleasure. I connected with her instantly and felt extremely supported along the way. It was the third time giving birth and turned out to be more challenging than the previous times. But the best part was having Suzanne helping, guiding me along the way. It was because of her support that I could manage to have a birth with the least possible interventions despite the most intense labor I've had.


I wish I had known about her services for my first two births. I highly recommend her services. She is well informed and had answers to all my questions before, during and after birth. There's nothing I could do or say to show how much I appreciated her presence and support.

Drake Townes Witzel

4/18/2022

Suzanne was an absolute pleasure to work with. She was a back up to our original doula. We had never met her before. She walked in while my wife was in active labor and without any of us having exchanged prior ideas or words assessed the situation and immediately became an invaluable asset to our birth team. She brought all the tools that my wife and I wanted and more that we hadn't thought of. She was very good about offering suggestions both for myself, my wife and medical personnel. We felt very comforted by her presence almost immediately. Working with her after the birth has also been very helpful. Her photography skills are also very much worth asking about if that is something you are interested in. I would 100% work with Suzanne again. We feel so lucky to have had her on our team. 

Drake Townes-Witzel

4/18/2022

Suzanne was an absolute pleasure to work with. She was a back up to our original doula. We had never met her before. She walked in while my wife was in active labor and without any of us having exchanged prior ideas or words assessed the situation and immediately became an invaluable asset to our birth team. She brought all the tools that my wife and I wanted and more that we hadn't thought of. She was very good about offering suggestions both for myself, my wife and medical personnel. We felt very comforted by her prescense almost immediately. Working with her after the birth has also been very helpful. Her photography skills are also very much worth asking about if that is something you are interseted in. I would 100% work with Suzanne again. We feel so lucky to have had her on our team. 

Surabhi Jain

4/18/2022

Suzanne was a fantastic birth doula. She provided us amazing tips during pregnancy on what to eat, how to prepare for breastfeeding and a lot of handy advice on how to manage birth at the hospital. She provided us ample time to help us understand the birth process and what choices were available to us. While Suzanne was not available on the day for our birth, her partner Cari was equally fantastic and provided us such amazing and quality support throughout the birth process. Suzanne made sure she was available to provide advice the full time while I was in labor. Postpartum, Suzanne has been such a great support providing us guidance through breastfeeding, advice on day to day issues with the baby, going out of the way to help us in anyway possible. She and Cari have also provided us birth and lifestyle photos which will always be such a great memory for us. Suzanne is irreplaceable and has been such a pillar of support during this entire process! Her knowledge along with her high emotional quotient to understand people and the situation makes her a very strong doula! 

Catherine Kwan

4/15/2022

Our doula Suzanne was personally recommended by our midwife at Virginia Mason, and having her by our side throughout pregnancy and after birth has been our most important source of support and expertise. Having gone through IVF, a high-risk pregnancy (placenta previa), and a cesarean, we had an amazing team of reproductive endocrinologists, midwives, and OBs along the way, and still, Suzanne gave us advice on nutrition, baby/hospital prep, personal care, and newborn care that we didn't receive anywhere else. Other than first-trimester nausea (don't miss that!), I felt so great during pregnancy and have had an awesome recovery because of the custom care plan Suzanne created for us. Simple but important recommendations like specific water-intake and protein requirements because of IVF made a huge difference instantly (and none of our other care providers mentioned any of these!) Leg cramps disappeared, I slept gloriously up until delivery, and we got a MAJOR headstart on breastfeeding and encouraging my supply to come in. All my girlfriends have remarked that they wished they had gotten her advice to jumpstart their breastfeeding journeys. 

Having Suzanne by our side in the OR was amazing, and my partner appreciated her support there the most. Suzanne kept us comfortable and calm, engaged my husband in the birthing experience, and was our greatest advocate immediately after birth, staying by my side while he went with baby for vitals check and then bringing baby straight to me for skin-to-skin. In the days and weeks post-partum, she has been there for every panicked question and "Am I doing this right?" moment. Even with as much support as we have at home, my parents regularly say "Text Suzanne! Ask Suzanne!" 

Oh, and book the photography. You won't regret it.

Alisha Tidball

4/7/2022

Suzanne is amazing! She was extremely communicative and quick to reply as soon as we reached out to interview her. She texts, emails, and phones as needed, and she still checks in even a couple months out from delivery! It was a much-appreciated lifeline to have had her available for the birth, newborn care, and even emotional support as parents. She has a wide range of expertise to offer, and was able to offer suggestions and resources for lactation, gassiness, sleep routines, supplements, relationship advice, and recovery. She's a good listener and open to feedback, and we will look back fondly on our time with has as a part of our early family. Bonus- she's a photographer too so you'll get great memories of your special day!

Yanina

4/6/2022

No matter how much research you do or how many books read you need a person who will help you to go through one of the most challenging experiences of your life. I'm so glad I decided to go through my birth preparation and labor itself with Suzanne. Lots of support and carrying. Never pushing and deeply carrying. She helped me to sort out the options during the delivery so I was comfortable and at peace with each step and decision along the way. Suzanne also helped my partner to participate and care about me through the whole process. She is a great team player and focused on me doing the right thing while the midwife was delivering the baby. And it was a 9-pound baby delivered without trauma vaginally without an epidural.

I'm grateful to share my journey with Suzanne who was there for my whole family during the pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum (lots of great referrals on breastfeeding).

Kris

3/28/2022

I had a wonderful experience with Suzanne! She was up front from the start that my due date was super close to a planned vacation, so she integrated her backup Cari into all of our pre-birth check-ins which was super helpful so that I was comfortable with them both. In the end Cari was present for our birth and Suzanne provided support before and after with a lot of focus on helping prepare my body for birth as well as lactation support after. She also took wonderful maternity and newborn pictures for us too! I feel very fortunate to have had Suzanne and Cari present for this once in a lifetime experience for my family. They were a complete team and I know my entire birth, labor and postpartum experience was way more positive because of her!

Allyson Studer

3/17/2022

I could not imagine going through labor without the support of a doula. It was invaluable to have someone by my side coaching me on my breathing, position changes, and belief in myself. Suzanne is such a wonderful coach who is respectful of your boundaries and your wishes. I feel blessed that I was able to find her and work with her; not to mention my doctors and nurses proceeded to tell me how great she was even after she had left the Hospital. She has always been there when I had a question or concern, both in pregnancy and post partum. My labor was difficult and had she not been there to walk me through my choices I would have had an emotionally tormenting experience. Having her by my side to walk me through what was happening and help me to feel confident in my decisions made all of the difference. And as a bonus, she did my maternity, labor and newborn photos. She was patient with my outfit changes (for me and for baby) and allowed me to be myself. It was soo helpful to have these photo sessions scheduled with her as it allowed for us to get to know one another better. I consider Suzanne a great doula, and now a friend. When I hired her, the Doula team was just getting off the ground, but I quickly was comforted that any doula I ended up with for my labor would have been completely educated about my personal situation and birth plan. Look no further, I believe Suzanne and her team will meet your needs! Best wishes.

Molly Coyle

3/2/2022

I cannot recommend Suzanne enough to every mom. I read all the books and consulted all the apps during my pregnancy, and questioned whether I needed additional doula support. Connecting with Suzanne was the best decision I made during pregnancy and into postpartum. There is nothing more comforting or affirming than to have another mom by my side who's "been there, done that" and who loves kids so much she makes it her life's work. She cares so much about my family and our baby and answers all of my questions and concerns with information, validation, and kindness. Suzanne saw us through the best and the worst - getting introduced to my beautiful son after a traumatic birth to seeing us through birth and postpartum during the worst of the Omicron COVID spike to helping me troubleshoot breastfeeding while assuring me it would get better (I wish I believed her a lot sooner because it totally did). Even when Suzanne took a much needed vacation in the month following my birth, I had access to the whole Dedicated Doula team and Cari was also so kind and gracious in answering my questions and supporting me. The other amazing part about this group are the resources, from countless recommendations for other great professionals for all things baby to the Facebook group where I can chat with all of the other moms in the group about any questions or experiences. To sum it up, every pregnant mom out there should have a doula by their side, and I cannot recommend this team enough. Thank you all!

Xinyi Zhong

2/26/2022

Suzanne is a loving and caring person. We are so glad we found her. She did a great job supporting us before, during and after the birth of our son. Suzanne also took us the most wonderful birth photos!

Sai

1/30/2022

Suzanne has been extremely helpful in the labor room. She's very knowledgeable about the entire process. She has captured the birth moments so well! Given an opportunity, I would again choose her to be my Doula. Suzanne has also helped us with a lot of information about newborn, thank you once again for being very supportive. 

Robert

1/29/2022

Worth it times 10,000! I honestly had never heard of a doula prior to my wife mentioning it. I was initially skeptical but hiring Suzanne was one of the best decisions we have made. A doula not only helps an expectant mother wade thru the myraid of often conflicting medical advice for an at-risk preganancy, but also provides a sounding board for every aspect of the pregnancy, birth, and postpardum experience for the birth team. While I probably could have been a satisfactory birth partner without Suzanne, thanks to her advice, advocacy, and support, I was able to provide just what my partner needed thru all the ups and downs and especially during labor. Suzanne was a perfect fit for us - thank you so very much! ~R, A, & H 

Vidhu Mangal

1/28/2022

Suzanne was my birth doula. I truly feel that I could not have done it without her. 
I am just so grateful that I found Suzzane and choose her for my birthing journey. Initially both me and my husband had our share of doubts but having the constant support from her made our difficult journey better. I was induced for my birth and I had a tough time managing pain on my own without medication. Suzanne helped me with various techniques to manage pain better, she helped me change her positions multiple times throughout my labor to help position baby better for birth.  We also had to take a tough call towards the end of our birthing journey and Suzanne helped us take the right decision. She always stood by our side and guided us with pros and cons of each and every decision we were taking. For me and my husband she is like a godsend angel and we truly believe hiring her was undoubtedly the best decision we made for our birthing journey. 

Tristan

1/20/2022

From a father’s perspective, Suzanne had a unique ability for unspoken communication. There were several times during the labor of our daughter that Suzanne could tell just by looking at my wife what she needed and jumped in to assist, offered words of encouragement, and even physically supported her in those moments. She did all of this without my wife having to say a word. The fact that Suzanne could read what was needed and anticipate her needs was invaluable to us. Suzanne was immensely helpful in how I could best support my wife, from when to go to the hospital, to navigating hospital check in, labor, and postpartum. Suzanne removed much of the uncertainty for us, making it easier for us to focus on the task at hand and put away our anxieties as first time parents. We were very impressed with the birth photos she captured, as well as her commitment to checking in on us after we were home with baby. I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical hiring a doula; if you’re on the fence I have two words for you: do it. You’ll be so glad you did.

Tracy

1/11/2022

I'm a first time mom with a history of stage iv endometriosis. We knew with pregnancy we wanted someone who could support us every step of the way. Enter Suzanne! From our very first interview with her, I knew she was special and knew she would always have my back. Honestly we were sold from the very first interview and decided she was exactly what we needed for some added peace and the support of going through a pregnancy with endometriosis. It was not an easy pregnancy; my blood pressure kept misbehaving and I had continuous contractions from early on. Suzannne was always available for me to text with questions, concerns, or even just an ear to talk to. We never once felt like she was an outsider; she quickly became a pivotal part of our pregnancy journey. At 38 weeks, I started having prodromal labor. Suzanne came over several times to help me to get things progressing, but our baby has a mind of her own. At 41 weeks, I went into labor. Suzanne came over, even though it was past midnight, helped me through some positions for pain management and gave us the advice that it was time to go in. During labor at the hospital, Suzanne was by my side as much as my husband! Offering physical and emotional support, conversation, positioning, as well as encouragement during the rough parts. She continually helped us advocate for our wishes, and when I had a postpartum hemorrhage, she made sure my husband and I were informed. I'm now 4 weeks postpartum and Suzanne has continually checked in with us to make sure we're doing alright, sleeping well, and offering tips and advice on our fussy little girl. Her birth photos are INCREDIBLE and I would truly honestly pick Suzanne again for any future pregnancies! If you're lookin for educated, informed support that feels like a friend and family member, as well as photography and all around friendship, look no further than Suzanne! You won't be disappointed!

Rob

1/9/2022

When my wife first talked to me about hiring a doula, I was admittedly on the fence about whether we actually needed one, and it turned out we absolutely did! My wife and I hired Suzanne for the birth of our baby girl in September 2021 and it was by far the best decision we made. Suzanne helped us navigate creating a birth plan, what things would look like from a COVID perspective, and helped us get a good understanding of what to expect throughout the process/time in the hospital. One thing that was amazingly helpful was her acknowledging up front that there are inevitably variables that might change our plan during the birth and she would be there to provide advice to help us make those decisions in an informed way as things progressed. This came true on multiple occasions during the birth, where we had to weigh the medical benefits and risks of a few things, and she provided us with all of the facts and implications of each one so we could make a unified decision. During the birth, she was right by our side and was able to help support my wife with her extensive knowledge in ways I definitely could not have, which took much of the pressure and stress off of both of us so we could focus on the joy of our baby’s birth. Lastly, her communication throughout the process was very transparent. Suzanne went above and beyond even after our baby was born to ensure we felt supported as we made that transition back home, including checking in on us and even coming to help support us at home postpartum. If you’re thinking about hiring a doula and are on the fence, I’d absolutely recommend doing it, and hiring Suzanne.

 

Britney

1/1/2022

My partner and I met Suzanne through a community page in Feb of 2020. I was due in April and the pandemic was in its earliest stages. It looked like family wasn't going to be able to cross state lines so we began looking for a doula to stay with me so my partner could stay with our oldest if need be. 

She was available anytime I needed her, made us both feel so comfortable always. As restrictions changed, she would formulate new ways to teach us how to labor, stay connected to each other, and keep the stress at bay. 

Our goal was a VBAC, and it didn't go as planned even a little bit. After an emergency csection, she single handedly saved our breastfeeding journey, and we are 21mos strong now. She helped my partner and I realize what we had been through, and stayed with us while we processed it. To say she is irreplaceable and priceless is an understatement. 

Smrati Gupta

12/29/2021

If I am asked the best decision that I Made during pregnancy, was to have Suzanne as our Doula. If you are thinking of labor doula then don't think twice and have her in your labor team! Suzanne made my labor experience so smooth and perfect. She was available for every step of the way, gave us best advice and allowed and respected all of our choices, she made sure our labor plans were well heard in the labor room and most importantly- she has a magnificent experience on pain management techniques ( specially as I wanted to have a vaginal delivery with least interventions). She was incredibly present right from week 20, answering all my questions. She was guiding us to include things in diet based on what week I was in. Her home visit was literally like all the knowledge I needed combined. She even well prepared us for the breastfeeding stuff we should be prepared with. My labor lasted for 22 hours. Suzanne prepared me for every step that was happening, even advising on taking some positions at just the right time that helped my baby to get into right position to ensure a vaginal delivery. I do believe that even the nurses were happy she was in my team as she was so knowledgeable and lovely throughout the process :) She is thoughtful, experienced, great communicator, and is still our one call away for all our questions! Thank you Suzanne for being such a wonderful support to our new family!

Holly Boone

12/4/2021

 

We hired Suzanne as our doula and photographer for the birth of our second child, and we had an amazing experience with her! We met her first in person for our prenatal appointment and maternity photos. She is very easy to talk to and helped guide our thoughts about how we hoped the labor and birth process would go, and took beautiful maternity pictures of us with our son. She kept up with us through texts and was easy to reach when I went into labor early at 37 weeks. It ended up being a long process, with about 48 hours of prodromal labor before we were admitted into the labor ward. She was with us every step, from our home to the hospital. She kept me moving and trying new things to make progress and talked us through options when I was completely worn out and we needed to change plans.  Suzanne took more photos as our daughter arrived, capturing that wonderful moment for us. Two weeks later, we had a final visit in our home to debrief about the experience and to take family photos. It was really helpful to talk through how the birth had gone since so much was different than we expected! Suzanne was worth every penny and we would highly recommend working with her! 

Mandy

12/2/2021

Suzanne is a very gentle spirit. She came across from our first meeting as very genuine and kind. I knew immediately that she would ease my birth experience. I was right. She made it so much easier. I had a standoff with the medical staff about not wanting to be on an IV. She was able to mediate that issue like a pro. I know I would have had a worse birth experience, if I didn't have her in my corner as an advocate. 

Steffanee

11/16/2021

Suzanne and I met in 2019 and became friends and I am glad we did! Not only did she help me emotionally through my miscarriage in 2020, but she helped me through my pregnancy in 2021. She was also very flexible with last minute change of plans with labor support. Suzanne is full of helpful information and is always willing to educate. She is very responsive and always available to her clients. Her gentle demeanor makes her especially easy to talk to and it helps that she has a good sense of humor! If anyone is looking for a doula, Suzanne is the way I point!

Breanna Singleton

11/1/2021

It I could describe Suzanne in one word it would be extraordinary! At first I wasn't sure if I even wanted a doula, but my friends highly recommended having one especially since it was my first birth and I was hoping to have a medication-free birth. When I first chatted with Suzanne, I was nervous because I had NO idea what I was doing or even what questions to ask. But she was so disarming to talk to and answered all of the questions I never knew I had. She eased my anxiety and confirmed that having her as my doula was definitely something I wanted. Fast forward to my birthing experience, Suzanne helped work through my contractions with realness, witty humor, and medication free methods. Most importantly, she kept me calm and advocated for me when I found out I was no longer going to be able to have the birth I was hoping due to baby being transverse. Suzanne tried all the positions and pulled all the tricks out of her sleeve to help flip baby, but she wouldn't budge. Her positive attitude calming presence kept me sane through my entire cesarean, I wouldn't have wanted anyone in there but her. To this day, Suzanne still answers all of my new mom anxiety driven questions through text with exceptional speed, and checks in on me frequently. Having her as my number one confidant through this new journey into motherhood has been worth EVERY penny, and I couldn't give her a higher recommendation to any other mom-to-be's out there. 

Natalie Campbell

10/17/2021

I cannot begin to explain what it meant for us to have Suzanne support our journey. When I brought up the idea of a doula to my partner, his response was sure whatever you need, little did we know we both needed Suzanne! From day one of virtually meeting her due to COVID, we felt comfortable and relieved. I was excited to have someone take some photos for us, especially during the birth and her doula services to me were an added bonus when we first started working together. Fast forward to my last two months of pregnancy her support and answering of questions was just what my partner and I needed as my pregnancy started to get complicated and eventually led to and induction. Suzanne prepared us with all the things she knew could happen which for us was just what we needed to feel prepared. Often she was the one to initiate contact and share information that us as first time parents had no idea we needed. With her support I was able to fully experience my birth and although it did not go as hoped in the end, I know we confidently made the decisions that were best for baby and I while giving 100% to attempting the birth experience I had hoped for. Looking back now 10 weeks postpartum, hiring Suzanne was the best decision we could have made and she still continues to be an amazing support to our family.

Alyson D

10/12/2021

It's hard to express how much of a difference Suzanne made in my birthing experience. This was my first pregnancy, and ended up having some complications, including gestational diabetes, induction, and pre eclampsia. During our prenatal visits, she was very knowledgable and gave us good information based on her experience with our particular birthing location and what to expect given my GD diagnosis. I ended up being induced a few days ahead of my due date during a particularly busy weekend for Suzanne (all the babies decided to come at once). She stayed in communication with us over text and came straight from another birth to be there for us. I ended up in a long induction - it took three days, and Suzanne was there with us from Sunday night through the birth of my son Tuesday evening. She was so supportive throughout the entire process. We were feeling so discouraged and frustrated at how long things were taking, and Suzanne helped by providing encouragement and information so we felt as in control as possible. She walked us through what to expect and talked through different options at various stages along with pros and cons. She was never judgemental in her approach, and listened to what I wanted. She was also a great support for my husband, checking in with him and ensuring he felt empowered and informed as well. All in all, hiring Suzanne as our doula was the best decision we made for this pregnancy. I would absolutely hire her for a future pregnancy and can't recommend her enough. 

Ariana Scarborough

10/2/2021

Suzanne is absolutely heaven sent. She cares so much and makes you feel so strong and empowered. I was in so much pain and getting so angry and she was right there to tell me that I can do this and she really made me feel like I could do something I couldn't when I pushed out an almost ten pound baby. She was there with my last birth of an 11 pounder and now this birth. I wouldn't ask for anyone else. I feel like if she wasn't here I wouldn't be able to get through what I did. She is so knowledgeable and definitely meant to be a doula like this is what God sent her to do !! I want to cry thinking about how awesome Suzanne was and is. 

Alisia

9/9/2021

Suzanne is an all around amazing person! With this being my first pregnancy, my mom thought it was a good idea for me to have a doula. With the months/weeks leading up to my birth, Suzanne was there for every question/need I had! She never hesitated to answer even if it was a simple question. When I went into labor, she was already at another birth but she made sure I had an experienced, amazing doula as her back up! Of course I wanted Suzanne there but things come up sometimes and I am definitely grateful she made sure I was in good hands with a trusted back up doula. Even though Suzanne wasn't able to be at the birth of my baby, she has made sure to check in on me regularly and answer every single little/big question I've had post partum. I am thankful I hired her because I now have somebody who is knowledgeable that I can contact at any time with any questions or concerns I may have as a new mother! I also had maternity pictures done with her and they were honestly amazing! If you can, get a package with pictures included! Memories I will have forever. Thank you Suzanne for being so hands on and amazing. I would HIGHLY recommend booking her as your doula/photographer!!!!

Yesenia & Andrew Whitney

9/2/2021

Beyond grateful to have had such a lovely experience working with Suzanne. She is kind, attentive, knowledgeable and supportive. Our long labor would not have been as manageable without all of her support. From the beginning she was present. Always checking in, providing great tips and support for both myself and my partner Andrew. When it came to being in labor, she was right there ready to support in any way possible to make this a memorable experience. Even after delivery, she was around to support and check in on us as new parents. We highly recommend Suzanne. She is a great member and support of the birthing team! 

Claire Gibeau

8/27/2021

Suzanne has made total believers/doula advocates out of us! We can’t imagine (nor do we want to) what our experience would have been without her. Suzanne provided us peace of mind throughout pregnancy, birth, and bringing baby home. There are so many little questions and concerns running through new parents-to-be's minds. Just knowing that she was there with her experience, candor, and knowledge allowed us to enjoy this special but sometimes stressful time so much more. When unexpected complications arose during labor, we found a true partner in navigating the inevitable unknowns that arise during childbirth in Suzanne. It is because of her that we are able to reflect on our daughter's birth story with fondness and positivity. Suzanne was also an amazing resource for us once we brought baby home, regularly checking in with us to see how things were going, being available to answer questions, and even checking in on us in person. It is clear that Suzanne genuinely cares deeply about the families she supports. Working with Suzanne is the single best decision we made leading up to our daughter's birth; we highly recommend working with her to anyone considering it!

Krima and Ryan Reilly

7/6/2021

My husband and I agreed early on in my pregnancy that a doula was a must in our son's birth story, and we are so grateful that it was Suzanne who was alongside us in our eventful labor and delivery. From the beginning, she exuded the perfect balance between arming us with the knowledge we need in every decision we had to make, while also stepping back to let us still be in the driver seat of our journey. That is NOT an easy thing to balance at all, but she executed it so flawlessly. She is very intuitive and empathetic, and that makes her excellent at her job. Not once did we feel like we were steered in a certain direction she wanted--we only felt support and encouragement in each step we chose to take. I don't know what I would have done without her TENS machine and the multitude of pain management techniques she employed as I went through the worst of my 39-hour labor, and her support pre- and post-CS operation was so much needed as my (very tired) husband and I stepped into our new role as parents after the kind of unplanned but necessary labor and delivery we navigated. 100% would recommend her as you navigate your pregnancy and birth as well! Thank you for everything, Suzanne! 

Michael & Melissa Ong

7/5/2021

Suzanne was a godsend! I was initially skeptical of the powers of a Doula, but my partner thankfully insisted we get one for our first birth experience. With only 6 weeks left until our due date, we happed upon Suzanne via Doula Match. We were sold within minutes of our initial chat due to her kindness, expertise, support, and calm demeanor. Our first impression was further matched during the 16 hours (out of 24 total labor hours) Suzanne spent with us during my partner's laboring at the hospital. She helped keep my birthing partner's spirits up, helped progress her labor, and kept me calm during such an extraordinary and scary time. Pre and post birth, Suzanne was merely a text or phone call away. 3 weeks after birth, we still ping her with our silly questions and she continues to respond instantly, as long as she is not in a birth. I will definitely look to Suzanne again if we decide to have more little ones!

Lane

7/4/2021

We were so happy to have Suzanne's support before, during and after the birth of our son!  We hired her late in my pregnancy, and she offered us a lot of information to help us prepare for our surgical birth.  We appreciated her professionalism in working as part of our care team at the hospital, her excellent communication and her insights into what to expect throughout various post-partum stages.  Because of her experience, she can anticipate some details that you may want a heads up about, but just tell her if you don't want to know.  She also was able to take maternity, birth and newborn photos for us that we will treasure always.  If you are looking for a doula that is highly responsive, open-minded, flexible and kind-hearted, then you should meet Suzanne.

Sueann Yang

7/4/2021

Hiring Suzanne was the best decision I made for my pregnancy. Having parted ways from the first doula I initially hired, I had low expectations on a new doula. Suzanne has never let me down for a day whenever I need her support. You can tell she's extremely passionate about her profession. She goes above and beyond to find the info I need, and her empathy for her clients is what really sets her apart from others. She hugged me and comforted me when I was so nervous in the OR getting ready for my cesarean section surgery. I would have not pulled through the surgery without her being there. (Let's face it, there is only so much a husband can do in a cold OR). She continues to check in with me and offer me tips after my baby was born. I cannot be more grateful to have met Suzanne during this stressful and significant time in my life. She is not only my doula, but a trusted friend that I'd wholeheartedly recommend to anyone without any hesitation. 

Leah Everhart

6/12/2021

My labor and delivery didn't go as planned and I kept hitting obstacle after obstacle. Suzanne was an advocate for us when complications were thrown at us and we had difficult decisions to make. She never questioned our choices but provided helpful information and made sure we had time to discuss each decision. She brought lots of tools to help with labor and made sure I had the option to utilize every tool the hospital had available (which we did). This was incredibly helpful as labor progressed because I wasn't thinking clearly and while the nurses are a great resource, they aren't able to sit by your side the entire time. 

Most importantly, she made sure that I knew that there were no "wrong" decisions made. She provided me with a sense of confidence in our birth outcome and assured me that everything decision we made ultimately led to bringing home a healthy baby. She also stayed in contact through our entire hospital stay and came over a few days after we got home from the hospital to check in with us. That visit was incredibly valuable being first time parents and having gone through a very difficult birth.

 I am at peace knowing that we did everything we could to make our birth plan work thanks to Suzanne. I can’t recommend her enough and am forever grateful she was with us every step of the way.

Danielle

6/8/2021

Suzanne was my doula with my twins(2nd pregnancy ) and loved the experience so much we hired her again for our 3rd. She gave me excercises to help spin/ flip my baby (sunny side up). If it wasn't for Suzanne I would have had an emergency home birth or a car birth on the side of the road on the way to the hospital. She walked me through the breathing techniques that help not to push during the car ride contractions. 
Her photography photos came out beautiful as well. Glad we had the pleasure to work with her again. 

Ashley Kapioski

5/26/2021

The real benefit of my Doula is a life relationship. I decided that I would NOT have a Doula! Then I read a friends birth story & all the ways in which Suzanne helped. Calling was the best decision (at 36wks). I was seeing an OB at Evergreen. She suggested I talk to midwives. I loved them! I rented a birthing tub! I felt a surge of relief at my birthing preferences. I had my team! Over the LONG wait she had encouragement, advice, wisdom, recommendations & more. I did it all! We headed in when my water ruptured. She joined us & helped me labor naturally in my tub. I was the lucky mom with severe back labor. Tiring, I chose to receive an epidural. The monitor didn’t cooperate so what does my Doula do..hold the monitor while I slept, for 2hrs. Then, she started working with me on positions to move labor along. I reached 9 cm & my epidural failed. She advocated for me something was wrong. A redo of epidural I began pushing. 2 hours of pushing, no progress and another failed epidural, an OB came in. Due to baby positioning, A cesarean was suggested. She kept me calm. As my daughter was born, she snapped photos of the delivery. she captured the moment I met my daughter. In recovery she put her in my husbands arms & took video and pictures. Then she was quick to introduce breastfeeding, making sure that I knew how to hold and initiate nursing. The aftercare she provides amazes me. I text her daily; Is it normal..Should I be worried..Explain to me…She is wonderful and answers with grace, wisdom & a touch of humor. Making us feel at ease with our decisions. Following the birth she will make a visit to you, help with nursing and more (I heard she will even watch the baby while you shower if needed). She also has a Facebook group for support ongoing with other parents. Suzanne, has become a part of our family. I am thankful to her for the support she provided to us. (full review on Google)

Daniel Kelliher

5/26/2021

When my girlfriend found Suzanne and met with her, she told me she had found her doula. I thought great but what's a doula? Even after explaining it, I didn't really understand the point but she wanted it so I didn't care. After meeting Suzanne myself I thought she was great and full of knowledge but still didn't really understand the need for her and then the day came. My girlfriend was having contractions and they were getting more and more intense. I did my best to help her but felt a little lost. The app was telling us to go to the hospital but Suzanne was saying we still had time. When Suzanne got to our house, the contractions were intense and she did amazing at not only guiding Kierson but me as well. She told me how to help her and then took over so I could pack up the car. It was in that moment I was so thankful for her because without her we probably would have gone to the hospital way too early which Kierson didn't want or way too late and would have had our son in the car. 

Then at the hospital she helped us both so much. When Kierson was too in the moment to talk and I didn't know what to say, Suzanne helped us. She reminded us that we could ask for certain things and helped me help Kierson again. She also made her feel comfortable with the doctor since it wasn't who she wanted. 

Now that it's all said and done, I really can't imagine not having her there. She was what we needed even though I didn't know it. 

Aruna

5/26/2021

My first pregnancy ended up in an unplanned c-section due to ignorance/lack of support. With my second pregnancy, I decided to try for a VBAC and never had any experience with a doula before. I had been told how helpful a Doula was with the birth support and especially with VBAC, so I was determined to have a doula to support me during the labor and delivery.
 
After searching through profiles/interviewing several Doulas, I contacted Suzanne and knew immediately after the long phone conversation with her that she would be the perfect Doula for me. Suzanne is so knowledgeable, kind, and understanding. I felt very comfortable with her from the beginning. 
I delivered after 41 weeks, and Suzanne kept me motivated, helped me prepare for labor, shared different exercises on daily basis and checked with me after every doctor visit. When my labor started, Suzanne came over to my place to help me decide the right time to go to hospital. During labor, Suzanne kept me moving and worked hard to help me accomplish my goals. She stayed with us for more than 24 hours and was a continual source of encouragement, positivity, and hand holding. She made a wonderful calming labor environment and made me feel so supported in any decision that I made. Although I ended up with c-section for other reasons, I know I got as far as I did because I had a birth doula present.
 
Suzanne was also a great comfort/support to my husband. I am so lucky to have Suzanne support me for the birth of my second child. She was always available to answer my questions and wanted me to have the birth experience I wanted.   
 
Suzanne’s support for birth, postpartum, and more was simply a life saver. For anyone seeking a doula who is experienced/VBAC supportive, super knowledgeable, and will support you to the end, then Suzanne is who you want. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Paul Gray

5/23/2021

Thank you so much for being there for us for the past few days. What we went through was one of the hardest times I have ever gone through. Every turn we made people congratulating us for going to labor and delivery not knowing that we weren’t taking a baby home. Going to the gift shop to buy my wife a stuff animal so she could bring something home after this ordeal and the attendant telling me congrats not knowing what had really happened. It is a very lonely feeling being the dad knowing there is nothing you can do but sit beside your wife praying that she at least comes homes with you. Having you there made the difference. It allowed my to vent my worries, feel the support, know my concerns were being heard. When they had to rush my wife to the OR you were there to make sure I felt supported but knew I need the time for quietness to process and pray. Thank you will never be enough but please know I appreciated you so much! — with Chanteil Gray and Suzanne Ledbetter.

Margaret

5/17/2021

Suzanne is one of those people that when you connect with in life that you are genuinely deeply blessed by. From our first conversation she has been so kind, warm, attentive, sweet, and knowledgeable in every possible way. She was a joy to have on my team and I am grateful to know her. If you are looking for an awesome Doula, choose Suzanne!
 

Kierson Wilfley

4/13/2021

I found Suzanne when I was 15 weeks pregnant and I am so glad that I did. From the first time we talked, I felt so comfortable and connected with her that after our call I went to my partner and said she's the one! I was so excited and couldn't wait for him to meet her and get onboard as he didn't really understand the need for a doula. 

From the very beginning Suzanne was there checking in on me, asking if I had any questions or concerns, providing resources and most importantly just someone to talk to who understood and was not judgemental. I needed that without even knowing I did. 

Then when the time came to have our little bundle, she had all the right things to say and all the support not just that I needed but my partner too. It was the day I went into labor when my partner finally understood the need for Suzanne not just for myself but for him. She provided him a sense of comfort as well as confidence. We couldn't imagine not having her as a part of our journey! She was absolutely amazing and continues to be to this day, 6 weeks postpartum. 

Thank you Suzanne for being you and loving what you do so much. 

Fahimeh

4/12/2021

We hired Suzanne when we were around 28 weeks pregnant. At that point I was changing obgyn as we just found out I could not give birth in the hospital we had in mind due to some issues with insurance. This was super stressful for us as not all doctors were willing to take new patients who are that far along in their pregnancies. We hired Suzanne around that time and it was the best decision we made. As she was such a support for me and my husband since the day she was hired. She helped us find a new doctor and hospital by sharing her experience and honest opinion about different options we had. She patiently listened to me, answered my questions and simply was there for me whenever I needed a support.

During labor and delivery, she was with us all the time. She guided and supported us via texting and phone call for the initial phase and came to our place as soon as we asked her. She was with me through every single contraction I had and offered super helpful exercises, stretches and breathing techniques to cope with the pain. And finally in the hospital, she not only continued supporting me during the whole delivery, but also made sure my husband was doing good too. I still remember her voice reminding me to breathe to every contraction which you may not believe how important it is unless you are in labor. Thanks to her constant support, I had the healthiest birth for which, both my husband and I are so grateful.

Her angelic help did not stop there, until this day which is around 5 weeks after birth, she is still texting me to see how we are doing and offering help if we need. She is simply an amazing doula who loves what she is doing and she makes sure to do it the best she can.

Sarah

4/11/2021

I am so beyond thankful that I found Suzanne! From the very beginning she was so kind and understanding and knowledgeable. She takes beautiful photos, she helps you be mentally, emotionally and physically prepared to give birth, and there's no one else I would've rather had with me during labor and delivery. She does everything in her power to empower you and support you, and I'll be recommending her to everyone I know!

Amanda

3/29/2021

Suzanne was an absolutely amazing support for both the birth of my daughter and the postpartum experience. Due to unavoidable complications, many things with the birth did not go the way I planned, but Suzanne talked me through each step of the process and explained exactly what was going on when things moved fast. Knowing she was just a text away both before and after the birth has been a tremendous relief when we seek answers to all the questions new parents have. 

Neha Chinchanikar

2/24/2021

We found out about doulas at the birthing and parenting class my husband and I attended. I looked online for doula services in Seattle and reached out to Suzzane. Luckily she had an opening to take us up around our baby's due date. We got the doula + photography services package. At Suzzane's first visit she recommended things that were very critical for my delivery experience. This visit also included the maternity photoshoot which we loved, I got dressed up after a long time. I was having apprehensions about my changing body and stretch marks but on the day of photo shoot, it took a back seat. It was reassuring and securing to have Suzzane's support.Contractions started four days before I delivered, there's no way I would have been able to manage those days without suzzane guiding us. As a FTM, I was confused if the pains were contractions or just general pains of pregnancy. Everytime I would I have a question I would text or call Suzzane.Through the waves of pain, which was a whole new territory for my husband and me, Suzzane was the voice of reason telling us what to expect and providing suggestions of things to do. Through the day or night, I (or my husband) would text Suzzane and she would tell us what to do and we would follow. Whatever suzzane recommended we did, if she said take a brisk walk I would, if she said take a shower I would, if she said hydrate I would drink a glass of water, If she said curb walk I would. I was so tired that I only had the bandwidth to take instructions and follow them.On the delivery day, Suzzane came home and spent time with me at home helping me relax and breathe. At the hospital suzzane was there every step of the way. She guided me through the delivery. I can still hear her calm voice "relax your shoulders, hip, legs, feet, toes". I can't believe I was able to have a normal delivery without epidural and it wouldn't happened without Suzzane's support. If we have a baby again, I will reach out to Suzzane again. 

Alicia Hatch

2/12/2021

The second biggest miracle of this pregnancy was choosing Suzanne as our doula! When we started looking for a doula, all we knew was that we wanted someone with a lot of experience who could tell my husband tricks to help soothe me in labor, and coach me to endure the pain and look to the end goal. And she delivered! Pun intended. She set up a phone call and met with me in person to make sure I thought she was a good match for our family. I was reassured by her years of experience and certifications in emergency cases, since I chose to have a home birth. She gave us a tour of her Mary Poppins bag with everything she uses to take the mother's mind off the labor pains, as well as recommended some exercises to begin prior to the due date that would help prepare my body better. We met regularly leading up to the due date. At one point, she was out of town but connected me to a substitute doula she trusted just in case I went into labor. Throughout my pregnancy, she encouraged me to text or call her if I had any questions or concerns, which I took full advantage of and felt very comfortable talking to her about anything. I even sent pictures without receiving any judgment. She was responsive, informative, and reassuring. Sadly, she couldn’t attend the birth because I went into labor a week later when she was scheduled to be present at an induction, but she was sure to find us another substitute who was phenomenal! She continued to be my support postpartum and visited regularly to help me when I felt overwhelmed and/or exhausted, or just needed advice. I am so thankful for Suzanne's help and friendship!

Imogen

2/11/2021

Suzanne is a great doula. When we found out we were pregnant our search for a great birth team was on. Originally a doula wasn't top on my list, we didn't even know if we planned on having an assisted birth. We wanted a fairly laid back, low pressure, intimate water brith. 

 

However a photographer was top on my list. This was my second baby, and I had little pictures from my first delivery so I really wanted to have those memories this time. We originally opted for Suzanne because she was a photographer doula. That being said we interviewed quite a few doulas and everyone else just seemed adequate until we talked to Suzanne. Suzanne seemed to be able to accommodate any birth plan, and was very flexible, we immediately clicked. 

 

We told her our dream birth plan and style and she was immediately on board. We originally hired Suzanne for her photography skills, however if we end up having another child, we will hire her again for her overall skillset. She was there for my entire pregnancy, she checked in regularly until it was time, and was also there for us after the birth. I didn't know I would get so much amazing support and just someone to talk to before and after my brith.

 

 We ended up opting to birth in a birth center, with my daughter and father present. Luckily the whole team was on board with my plan and mostly let my husband and myself labor together with occasional check ins. Suzanne only chimed in when it seemed appropriate to try a new position, or different type of pressure... Etc. Otherwise she sat back, took pictures and helped walk my daughter through the steps of labor. While ready to help in anyway needed. 

 

Overall, I would highly recommend Suzanne and echo that a good doula is that one birth friend and helper you didn't know you needed.

Justin & Rowen

2/10/2021

Suzanne is an absolutely wonderful doula -- in addition to being a great photographer! My wife and I had our first child in December 2020 and Suzanne was with us every step of the way. In the months leading up to the birth, Suzanne was very supportive and very responsive. She was available anytime we needed her and has a really wide range of knowledge and experience to pull from. We did a pregnancy photoshoot with her and the photos turned out great!

It's obvious that Suzanne loves what she does and takes it very seriously. It shows! We always felt like we were in great hands before, during, and after our birth. I highly recommend Suzanne!

Kayla Knudsvig

2/9/2021

We were late in the pregnancy when we decided we wanted a doula and we're so glad we found Suzanne. She was quick to respond to my initial inquiry and kept the open communication going through out the process. We appreciated that she didn't require communication but was always available when needed. She let us run how much we wanted to communicate and how involved we wanted her to be.

I was nervous about having a stranger so deeply involved but Suzanne made the whole experience very comfortable. I am SO grateful we utilized her photography skills as well because those pictures were amazing! Photography wasn't something I was looking for when searching for a doula but I'm so happy to have those pictures to look back on. Suzanne was open with information but not pushy. She was a lifesaver in many ways.

 

 

Julie

2/9/2021

I did not have a doula for my first labor and delivery. After that experience, I decided for my second that I wanted a doula's support. Based on reviews, I decided to work with Suzanne. I got to meet with her virtually for our first session and then she did an in-home visit and photo shoot several weeks before the birth. She showed me her toolkit of things she brings to labor and delivery and gave me ideas for things to add to my birth bag. In the weeks leading up to birth she gave me exercises to get baby in the optimum position and help prepare my body for a smooth labor. I wanted to try for an unmedicated birth again but also play it by ear, and Suzanne was okay with whatever type of birth I wanted. She mentioned to me if I were to have an epidural, then she would be actively moving my body as labor progressed to help things move along. My OB wanted me to be induced right at my due date and I hadn't gone into labor yet, so we all headed to the hospital knowing I would be hooked up to IVs and monitors the entire labor. Despite all the cords and plugs, Suzanne kept me active and moving to ensure labor was progressing. Right before I hit transition labor I moved into the tub, she already had it rinsed out, filled up and ready for me to get in as soon as I wanted it. She had many additional comforts set up that I wouldn't have thought to bring to help me through the intense contractions and the nausea. During pushing, she was at my side offering encouragement and giving me tips to help my pushes be more effective. For the whole delivery she was also taking photos of those precious moments so my husband could just focus on me and enjoy the birth of our daughter. My OB and the L&D nurse were impressed by her, I had a great birth team! I am so glad I hired Suzanne to help through my pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. She has been checking in on me regularly. All the photos from her are fantastic and an added bonus!

 

Manasi

2/8/2021

Suzanne is an absolutely wonderful doula and I 100% recommend her. Knowledgeable, funny, warm, and just such great person to have by your side during this big moment in life. She helped me with various relaxing techniques during active labor!

The type of support Suzanne offers is very unique, she made me relax via different positions and movements during labor. I feel like doctors and nurses are not focused on supporting you until the pushing portion of labor, Suzanne helped me emotionally, mentally and physically in labor and delivery and also continues to check in on us till date.

Suzanne went above and beyond in every way, I'm glad our hospital allowed 2 support persons so I could have her even during the COVID pandemic. I texted and called Suzanne several times(still do) outside our scheduled meetings and she was so helpful and open to talking any time.

When I was at 40w my hospital scheduled an induction for 41w 1d, Suzanne recommended various measures to help get labor started so I could avoid the induction and I naturally went in labor at 40w 4d.

Her labor pain relief techniques, tub bath etc got me through 4h of active labor before my water broke and I decided to go with the epidural. My labor progressed well, but baby wasn't exactly in OA position so Suzanne helped with ambulation even while I was on epidural.

I eventually ended up having a C section after 4hrs of pushing but Suzanne was very supportive of every decision of mine and she would make sure to advocate for me every single time. She'd ask to explain what every procedure meant and made sure I get the birth I really want. She helped with initial latch and stayed for a while after we had the baby!

During her postpartum visit, we had a wonderful chat with her and she taught us baby massage and baby bath.

I can't imagine how I'd have been able to  pull through labor and delivery without her.

Thanks a lot Suzanne!!!

Riti Bedi

12/30/2020

Suzzane had been a rockstar during my labor. I can't express how much strength she brought to me during my labor process. Just knowing that I would have her by my side during my labor gave me courage to delay the epidural for a longer time. She had so many positions and exercises which helped me transition quickly through my labor. I had to go through an emergency c-section and she was helped me go through it. During the pandemic when my husband has to leave me and go home to take care of our older son, Suzzane stayed with me the 1st day after my surgery and thanks to her I was able to take rest while she kept taking care of my baby. She is a great human being and jolly natured. Everything was perfect and she helped me and my husband a lot. I was so glad that I had her by my side. Thank you for doing what you do. You are amazing!

Suma G

12/30/2020

Suzanne was a very knowledgeable, experienced, friendly and yet professional companion through the late pregnancy phase and the labor and delivery. She met us before the due date to learn about our preferences and advised us on different scenarios that helped us to be better prepared for the delivery. When we headed to the hospital, although it was early morning hours, she responded to our text almost immediately and was present at the hospital before we could finish the check in process. She educated and guided me through a number of highly effective techniques to endure the process of labor and was a strong mental coach to help navigate the stress and anxiety through the process. 

In addition, she took very memorable pictures that we will cherish for the lifetime. 

She practices social distancing and other safeguard measures which was extremely reassuring for us given the current times.

She continues to be in touch and available to help/advice after delivery.

In short, we couldn't have asked for a better companion/coach and are glad and grateful for her help.

 

Diana

12/19/2020

Hiring Suzanne was the smartest decision my husband and I made during my pregnancy. I was having my first baby, and despite all the research and prep, having Suzanne around was a tremendous comfort. She is a wealth of information, always responsive, and just generally a wonderful human being. My labor was not quite what I had expected, and Suzanne was there helping us think through every decision point. She was a true advocate for us and our preferences, and we both felt empowered about the decisions we made. On top of all that, she's a great photographer! 

Evan S.

11/17/2020

If you're considering getting a doula, hire Suzanne. It may sound weird coming from a husband but I wouldn't have made it through my wife's labor without Suzanne. Four specific things Suzanne did that stand out in my mind are:

1. Suzanne has a 'bag of tricks' that contains all sorts of items that helped make my wife more comfortable. From calming electric candles to hand-held fans for when my wife was too hot, literally anything we needed was in the bag. It reminded me of Mary Poppins's bag where she just reaches in and pulls out what's needed.

2. My wife was quiet throughout labor and wasn’t vocalizing what she needed. Suzanne knows lots of things to try from massages and positions to scents and lighting. She was constantly helping us try new things until we could pinpoint what my wife needed.

3. Suzanne helped communicate with hospital staff. When a nurse was trying to give my wife an IV Suzanne noticed a contraction had started and asked the nurse to wait until it was over. I would've never thought to do that. If we needed more pillows, Suzanne got us more pillows. Anything we needed from the hospital/staff Suzanne made sure we got.

4. Labor is tough and emotionally draining, even for husbands. There were times when I was scared and Suzanne noticed and would explain to me what was happening medically. There are normal/common parts of labor that look scary and having someone reassure me that everything was normal helped calm me down. I was able to take breaks and naps because Suzanne was there and I knew my wife was in good hands. 

If we decide to have more kids, we will be hiring Suzanne again without question.

Cheryl

11/15/2020

We were on the fence about getting a doula and even more hesitant about birth photography, but we are so glad that we did both. It was a comfort having Suzanne with us during labor and delivery and it was so helpful to have her as a sounding board when making medical decisions during the process. We would definitely recommend Suzanne and would hire her again ourselves if we have another baby.

Manisha

11/6/2020

Suzzanne is an awesome doula and working with her was my best decision. She was really helpful during pregnancy, at the time of labor and delivery and postpartum.As this was my first pregnancy I really didn't know what to expect from labor or what I really needed for support. She was kind, gentle and comforting during the entire process. She guided me through several coping techniques like breathing nd tens unit  that were truly helpful. I ended up needing a C-section and she was supportive. She made sure all our questions were answered.Whenever I had any concern I just messaged her and she replied right away even in night time. She has done my Maternity and new born photography and she has done great job in that also. My husband and I were glad we found Suzanne. We are forever thankful for her kindness and support. If we plan our second baby we will surely hire her.   

Amy

11/3/2020

Suzanne was actually a back up doula to the doula I had hired, so I went in to my labor and delivery knowing nothing about her or how good of a fit she would be for us. Thankfully, I was not disappointed.

Suzanne came over to support me after I had been laboring for 24 hours. This was my second pregnancy, but I had a long early labor. Suzanne was very knowledgeable when it came to techniques to help move my labor along while also listening to what I was willing to try. Sure enough, my contractions started getting closer and closer together over about 3 hours until we were ready to go to the hospital. About 2 hours later, we welcomed our baby girl to the world. I had a whirlwind labor and delivery once I went in to active labor and Suzanne was super supportive and helpful all the way through.

She genuinely cares about the well being of her clients and will listen to your wants and needs. You can count on her to make helpful suggestions to aid in your labor without being pushy. Her helpfulness will also extend beyond birth if needed, even if all you need is a caring ear to listen as you adjust to motherhood. 

Chanteil

11/3/2020

I hired Suzanne to support me and my partner at the birth of our twins. This was very new terrirtory for us and knew that we would need the extra support. Little did we know that the support we got from her would be price less. We had many scares with false labor and she was there for us each and every time. When the day finally came to have our twins we called her in an sense of emergancy as I was being sent to the hospital via ambulance. Little did we know that Suzanne was all the way in Seattle and we were birthing in Tacoma. She supported my partner via phone almost the whole time and rushed to Tacoma just as soon as she could. By the time she arrived I was being preped for a emergancy C section and terrified out of my mind because we were only 31weeks and 4 days. She stayed right by my side and helped walk me through my spinal block as seeing I was scared that it would not work due to having three failed blocks with my last birth. Due to complications I had to be put under general and she stayed with my partner and helped him focuse on our twins. When one twin came out not breathing she still continued to reasure him and support him. She stayed right with him the whole time and it took awhile seeing how I was taking a while to wake from the general. After returning to the recovey room she continue to stay with us and make sure that not only I had every thing I needed including making sure I at least took a bite of food, she also made sure that my partner ate as well and asked several times if we needed anything and if we would like for her to stay longer. In the days to follow she checked in with us to make sure that things were going ok and asked several times how our babies were doing because she knew that they were sent right to the NICU.

Hiring Suzanne was by far the best choice we could have ever made with this birth. I would 100 times over not only recomend her but would rehire her in a heart beat. 

Sweta

10/14/2020

We had a need for a Birth support person at last minute and we are glad that we found Suzanne. We had to have an induction due to some medical condition and Suzanne was very gracious in setting up meeting quickly answering our questions . She also shared various information about Cholestasis, Epidural, narcotics etc. she is very knowledgeable. I had anxiety about pain during labor and Suzanne was there to help calm me down. She helped bear pain by massaging back, changing positions and other exercises.Evergreen did not allow an alternate person after birth and so we requested Suzanne to stay for longer than usual 2 hours after delivery. She did not think even once and told us 'she will stay as long as we need. She has lot of contacts for other services we needed like post partum massage. Overall we are very glad that we found Suzanne . You can not go wrong by choosing her.

Christy

10/12/2020

Suzanne was great! She was very helpful through a long induction, giving advice and support without being overly intrusive. We appreciated her calm presence and are excited to see the birth photos. We will definitely be recommending Suzanne to any friends or family looking for a doula/birth photographer!

Leann Lopez

10/2/2020

Suzanne was such a huge help to my daughter and myself throughout her pregnancy and delivery. We are located in California and she was able to provide virtual support to us. My daughter is young and it was her first pregnancy. So much has changed since I had kids and navigation in a COVID world is even more difficult. Suzanne provided the support we needed but without pushing my daughter in any particular direction. She gave her all of the information and tools she needed to make informed decisions about her care and birth plan. My daughter was always in charge and Suzanne made it clear that her role was to educate and support my daughter in whatever she chose. This was so important to my daughter as because of her age so many others were telling her what she "had" to do. Suzanne helped her gain the confidence she needed to take control of her pregnancy and delivery. 

Lynsey Lopez

10/2/2020

Suzanne was a blessing to our family. As a younger first time mom, I had no idea what to expect. Not being able to have support with me in doctor appointments due to COVID caused a lot of anxiety. Suzanne stepped in with amazing virtual support. She helped both my mom and I navigate through the pregnancy. I had a lot of complications from HG, pre-term labor that was stopped and a fall that caused a chronic abruption. Suzanne was there via phone, FaceTime and messanger. Her support was amazing and because of her help I was able to feel comfortable and confident when I went to deliver. I can never thank her enough. 

Andy and Val

9/20/2020

We were an out of town family in Seattle for the birth of our daughter. Our amazing surrogate arranged for newborn photos and we are so glad she did! We had a wonderful time during our photoshoot with Suzanne! The pictures came out amazing and truly captured the joy, happiness, and (sometimes) humor of the occasion:) Suzanne was totally flexible and accommodated our last-minute and narrow timeframe that we had. The photoshoot was outdoors, and Suzanne’s photos perfectly captured the love and gratefulness we have towards our daughter and our surrogate. We treasure the photos  and could not be happier with the results. We highly recommend Suzanne!

Janessa

9/18/2020

Suzanne is a great doula. She helped me through my unmedicated home birth that was supposed to be at a nearby birth center, but for which we didn't have time to transport me, so I had to do it in my tub. She is very knowledgeable and available. She goes above and beyond the call of duty, stopping by to check in and checking up by text to see if we need anything. We have been very blessed by the service we have received from her.

The Hansen’s

9/17/2020

We hired Suzanne for our second pregnancy and we are so glad we did! I labored really hard at home during my first delivery and wanted to have the support of a doula the second time around, assuming my experiance would be similar. It was not! Suzanne was available for what seemed to be around the clock support as my due date approached and passed. She visited us at our home to assist me with exercises to get labor started and provided more emotional support than I could have ever asked for (or even realize I would need).

After I moved my induction date four times, I finally was ready to have my baby. Suzanne provided me with the encouragement I needed to do the induction when it felt right for me--not anyone else. During the final hours of my labor we were met with some challenges that could have resulted in a birth plan I had not mentally prepared for. Suzanne offered emotional support and offered suggestions to help mitigate some of those challenges. If it wasn't for Suzanne, I truly believe my labor would have gone differently and in a direction I did not want it to. The nurse even commented on how impressed and experienced and helpful Suzanne was. 

We really bonded with Suzanne during our experience-- she became part of our family and I am forever greatful for her. A huge bonus for us was the photography Suzanne offered-- maternity, birth and newborn photos. The birth photos were especially meaningful  and Suzanne even offered to do a second round of newborn photos to ensure our entire family was able to particpate in those. 

Without hesitation, I would hire Suzanne again. Heck, I'd even pay her just to be part of our family and visit us from time to time! 

Carrie Walker

7/31/2020

We had a wonderful experience with Suzanne!  I ended up having an emergency c-section and Suzanne was able to get to the hospital before my husband even made it!  She helped me keep calm and understand what was going on!  When my husband did arrive directly from work, she arranged for him to get a shower and pair of scrubs to wear to do skin to skin with our baby, something I never would have thought to ask!  We had her take photos as well and were able to get intimate photos before and after the birth, which we would have missed out on without her!  She stayed with me in the hospital even after my husband fell asleep and made sure I got some food (which the nurses didn't even offer!)  Her after care has been wonderful as well!  She always responds quickly to texts!  We're very happy we decided to go with Suzanne as our doula and highly recommend her!

Alejandra Rubii

7/14/2020

My experience with Suzanne was excellent. She was god sent at a time I didnt know I needed someone like her. I didnt think i woukd get any benefit form advice from a doula especially as this was my second child and my pregnancy was very smooth. I was wrong. She helped me tremendously navigating a hard breastfeeding (and feeding) journey. She gave me advice, support and put me in touch with the right people and tools when she didnt have an answer. Anybody would be lucky to have her in their life.

Jessica

7/6/2020

A few weeks ago I was home on leave due to Covid and 9 months pregnant.  I found lots of peace being home, we were safe and healthy and I was able to take care of my family and housework, but there was this feeling- anxiety, fear- fear of the unknown- fear of covid affecting my pregnancy, fear of birthing a BIG baby.  I had turned to Facebook groups and other moms looking for ways to ease my anxieties, answers to my questions, Google was overused and scared me often (do not google symptoms! haha) many emails to my doctor seeking reassurance. You name it I was searching.  Then one day I came across a post on my local community Facebook page from Suzanne.  A doula who was offering an ear to listen, to answer any questions, to just chat about Covid or fears around your pregnancy, She was offering to be of service to pregnant women- free of charge during a time this world needs to see kindness most.  Of course i reached out to her and immediatly felt a connection and some weight lifted. Over the next few weeks I was able to speak to her daily.  I was trying to prepare my body to birth an  assumed 10lb baby.  She offered many excericses to do and refrenced me to a chiropractor, she made a house call and checked in on me dailly.  When the time came to meet my beautiful son she made sure I knew that although I had not officially hired her she would be available to me to call, text or even come down to the hospital if I needed her.  I am so grateful to have conistantly been blessed with the right people  in the right place at the right time in my life.  Suzanne was a treasure.

Rupali Nagpal

5/29/2020

We hired Suzzane for our delivery and postpartum support. She's phenomenal and I wouldn't have been able to do it without her genuine support! She's a caring, genuine person who never left my side during the process. Even after the baby's birth, knowing she's always there for us is a huge peace of mind for new parents like us. I will definitely recommend her, we loved our experience with her. Thanks so much Suzzane, you're amazing!!! Lots of love ?? 

Anna and Derek J.

4/27/2020

Suzanne has been very kind and caring throughout this whole process. She is extremely  knowledgeable and eased any questions and concerns we had since the beginning, with our natural birth plan. Though our birth plan did not go as we anticipated, she has stayed by our side and continually followed through to make sure that we are doing well. We would absolutely recommend her to anybody searching for a Doula and needing support!

Elizabeth Phrathep

4/18/2020

Suzanne was patient with our choices that led to a long wait, and was very quick to arrive which turned out great for an actual quick labor! Pictures were great and super timely, we even had previews day of the birth. We had lots of options for our favorites and she picked out some excellent moments! One shot was practically in my lap and I don't remember her even being behind me

She was Not intrusive, didn't distract from the family moments , which was a big plus for me. -Direct from Dad

Caitlin

4/6/2020

Suzanne was wonderful to work with. She listened carefully to our hopes and desires for our son's birth, asking questions that helped us prepare before the big event. As it turned out, my birth was very fast. Suzanne was there quickly and she was a calming force when we needed it most. I felt very well cared for. She thought of ways to help comfort me, like giving me a weighted blanket, fizzy drinks, and just holding my hand, when I was in shock after things hadn't gone the way I'd hoped. Both my husband and I agreed that we were so grateful to have Suzanne there as part of our team. I would highly recommend her to anyone as a caring, intuitive and skilled doula. 

Brent Cartier

3/27/2020

We hadn’t even considered a doula until a couple of weeks before our due date, but honestly of the 1000 decisions my wife and I made in preparation for our baby to arrive, hiring Suzanne was probably the best one. The Birth Photography services she provided were icing on the cake.

With this being our first child, as a naïve first-time dad, I really didn’t know what to expect from a doula, but Suzanne went above and beyond, and throughout a grueling 50+ hour labor was a steady, guiding hand. I was blown away by her attitude and knowledge. She kept my wife as comfortable as possible, and encouraged her to keep moving with various techniques and positions to try to help move things along. Her bedside manner was impeccable and she was an invaluable intermediary between us and the hospital staff, often asking things we may not have thought of or known to ask.

I was also very impressed with her ability to provide a wealth of information, while not pushing her views on us.

I can wholeheartedly recommend Suzanne to anyone in the greater Seattle area considering a doula. She was an incredibly valuable asset to our birth team, and I can’t say enough good things about her. I’ll forever be grateful for her support and for the first photos we have of our little one. I can only hope she’s available if kiddo #2 is in our future.

Neha

3/23/2020

Suzanne is sent from above . I never even knew what a doula was and once I read up on how they can help, I was well determined to get a doula . Choosing Suzanne was the best decision we made . First my husband was a bit skeptical due to the cost but now he's the one who is more glad that anyone that Suzzane was with us during the birth. She has been part of my support system since the day we decided to move forward . I have leaned on her for advice , opinion and just to learn about different topics like newborn care and self care . One thing I'll be forever grateful for is that suzzane never left my side from the time I was induced . She provided me strength and energy to push through the process in a positive manner . Believe it or not , most of the labor we spent laughing through the pain (naturally). 
She provided SO much support in navigating not only through pain but mentally as well . She also supported my husband to ensure he is there to support me as needed.  Even after post birth she's been there to help me with any question or concern I have . She's part of the reason I am more confident with my baby today.
She's a positive soul with great energy, who'll go to any extent to make sure you get the experience you want during the birth . I highly recommend her . 

Sally

3/22/2020

Suzanne is everything we wanted in a doula and more.  My partner and I had taken several courses (including hypnobirthing) but it was our doula, Suzanne, who really made our experience manageable and enjoyable. After a 30-hour labor and an epidural with complications, Suzanne was not only critical to the success of our labor, she felt like family.   

The doula we had originally hired came down with the flu and had Suzanne as a backup to support us. We had not met Suzanne until that day and she quickly got to know us and adapted to the support style that we needed. Our initial plan was for a natural labor unless labor was taking too long, in which I would get an epidural to allow myself rest before going into active labor. After the induction I lasted about 15 hours before deciding to get the epidural and I found Suzanne to be so helpful throughout the entire labor. During the first 15 hours she coached us and jumped in to assist in pain management approaches. During my contractions we used various breathing techniques, applied pressure to alleviate pain, and I took several baths per her recommendation, which were so helpful. We couldn’t have done it without her and looking back I wouldn’t have wanted to do it without her. Suzanne soothed me when I was scared and needed help catching my breath but also pushed and encouraged me through labor which helped keep me going. Initially I was not sure how helpful a doula would be if I were to get an epidural but because this was my first child, I found Suzanne to provide both comfort and knowledge that I desperately craved. If you are looking for someone to help guide and support you (through a natural or medicated labor) with a calm demeanor and a great sense of humor, Suzanne is the one! Thank you, Suzanne, for supporting us and helping to make our long and challenging labor a beautiful one.

 

 

 

Kate

3/13/2020

I wasn't sure if I would hire a doula or not, but as I searched profiles on doulamatch, Suzanne's profile stood out to me. Knowing I should interview potential doulas to find a good fit, we connected and I knew upon our first chat that I was 100% comfortable with her and confident that she was the only doula I needed to talk to!

She was an amazing resource before, during, and after having my baby. She is so knowledgeable and experienced. It was awesome having a resource to ask questions of throughout the journey (weeks leading up to delivery, while I was in the hospital, and since coming home). She was an amazing help and comfort to me (and my husband) during my labor and delivery. I felt so much more confident and comfortable going into the hospital to deliver with her by our sides.

Also, she is a photographer and able to take beautiful pictures, capturing your labor and delivery. I opted for this and I'm so glad I did. Though I won't likely share these pictures with tooooo many people (given their nature), she took amazing photos that I will treasure forever and delight in looking back upon!

I highly recommend Suzanne! I have even recommended her services already to a couple friends that hope to have children in the next couple of years!

Danielle

1/23/2020

Suzanne is very professional, dedicated and a compassionate doula. She was very Resourceful. I had contractions that were 2 mins apart for 7 days before getting induced. She helped with exercises, updating family, and most importantly breathing. She has great communication skills and follows up multiple times.
Glad she got to be apart of the journey with our family. Fiancé and I were very impressed and couldn't have had a better experience. 

Talia

12/1/2019

Suzanne is amazing! I had to be induced and as soon as I told her, she was there for me through it all. She explained everything that was going on and helped me through everything. She was amazing even though we hadn’t known each other long she was there during my whole birthing process. The moments I thought I couldn’t do it cause of the pain she was there to give me all the support and advice I needed. Thanks to her I didn’t even need an epidural, her guidance got me through whole birth. Im just grateful for her and all her help. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

 

Arianna

11/9/2019

I had an incredible experience with Susan. Going through a pregnancy alone is never easy but she helped keep me positive through out and she truly cared she was such a huge support person for me. Anything I needed or had concerns she was there for me. Whether it was pregnancy blues or just because I was feeling lonely or sad she would come over and we’d go for a walk. 

She made my pregnancy better because she reminded me of my worth and value and that I can do it without a partner. 

 

Katelyn

11/6/2019

Suzanne was my doula and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. She really listened to what I wanted, and I felt fully listened to and supported. Suzanne did an amazing job of encouraging me when needed and also pulling me together when I felt like I couldn't labor any longer. My husband felt very guided and coached by her on how to help me labor which was so helpful! I couldn't suggest using her more! 

Sasha

9/9/2019

I did not have a birth photographer with my first birth and I wish I had, so after seeing Suzanne’s Birth Photography services posted on one of the community pages that I am apart of, I decided to message her about the details. We met up and talked about things that I did/didn’t want during my labor/delivery. I felt so comfortable talking with Suzanne and she made me so excited for my birthing process. During the day of my delivery, Suzanne came to the hospital and was there at my bedside, before, during, and after the birth of my daughter. She captured so many amazing/beautiful moments throughout the whole process, and I am so thankful for the memories that will never fade due to the pictures she was able to capture throughout the time my daughter was brought into this world. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to have Suzanne as my birth photographer and I highly recommend her and her services!

Laticia

9/8/2019

Suzanne is absolutely wonderful . Not only did she document the birth with beautiful photos and video, she was a much appreciated additional support during labor. We highly recommend Suzanne as both a birth photographer and Doula!

Heather Goetz

9/8/2019

Suzanne is incredible! I had a hard induction & c section. She made sure my voice was heard, tried to keep me calm, gave me advice, and really helped me and my husband out. I cannot day enough good things about her. She stayed all night with us, stayed with me after my c section when my husband had to go with our son to a different hospital, and even came a few days later to photograph us with our son. I never thought I would want or need a doula, but now I wouldn’t want to go through another birth without one. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Laura Curtis

9/7/2019

Suzanne has been a wonderful help through my third pregnancy and delivery. I had no idea how much help a doula could be until Suzanne offered her services. 

There were so many pieces of information and emotional support that Suzanne provided that it's difficult to name all the things she did to help. The biggest part for me was having someone I could trust and rely on to be available if I needed it...she did just that and more.

My first two pregnancies had deliveries that resulted in c-section (full sedation) and episiotomy (3rd degree tear),  respectively. I didn't have a doula with either of those pregnancies and was hopeful maybe a doula could help make a difference. This delivery I was very phobic of being cut on again since the first two experiences weren't what I felt should've happened (I had bonding issues with my first and an extremely long and painful recovery for my second). With my third pregnancy I got diagnosed with gestational diabetes, so was not feeling too optimistic about having a positive birthing experience. I'm happy to say that with the advice Suzanne provided I had a successful VBAC without episiotomy and no 3rd degree tear. 

I highly recommend her whether you're a first time mom or experienced mother. 

Ken Curtis

9/4/2019

After arriving at the hospital my wife asked me to send a text message to Suzanne to let her know that she was going into labor. The reception there was really bad so I didn’t get any of her replies asking if we wanted her to come in; this was around midnight. She came in just to make sure we didn’t need anything, I’m glad she did. Her help and company was great and not only did she contribute to our best delivery experience by far, but the pictures she took were fantastic. I couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out.

Keith Goetz

9/3/2019

This was my first experience going through labor, with my son. At first I wasn’t sure about having (a doula) someone else in the room to go through the induction process with us. I suppose I was nervous or feared being judged for the decisions we’d make. All my fears were basically instantly eraticated once we met, and got to talking about the process, and how we wanted to go about it. Suzanne was tentative, supportive and very knowledgeable about each and every step of the process. She was also very helpful when things got hectic and I had no idea what to do. If I were to have another kid, I would definitely call Suzanne to be my doula again. Thank you so much for everything! 

Valerie Bachand

7/3/2019

I am so thankful for Suzanne & the beautiful photographs she took during the labor & birth of my second child!! I was not planning on having a birth photographer, so much so that at the recommendation of my mother in law I contacted her the day before I went into labor. We had planned to meet the next day at noon to discuss everything, with the caveat that I might go into labor before then. Sure enough I met Suzanne for the first time while in labor at the birth center at 1 AM. She is everything you'd want in a birth photographer because she is talented, professional, not intrusive & kind. You will not regret having her there with you and forever capturing those moments.

Nicole Lockard

7/2/2019

Sweet Suzanne was right there by my side through my home birth. Once I started getting contractions, I gave her a call and she quickly came right over. She also took lots of beautiful pictures of the experience. She stayed with me the whole day. I think I labored for like 8 hours. Suzanne is such a wonderfu person and I am so grateful to have had her help me the day I gave birth to my 5th child. I will have to have her come back to help me for my 6th child's birth as well. 

Megan

6/13/2019

I had a wonderful experience with Suzanne as my photographer she even stepped in at times as a Doula. I never had hired a photographer in the past so I didn’t know what to expect, but she by far exceeded my expectations. Also loved how my photos turned out can’t wait to make a baby book soon

Birth Availability for Suzanne Ledbetter, CD

= Available. Calendar last updated: 03-28-2024

Postpartum Availability for Suzanne Ledbetter, CD

= Available. Calendar last updated: 03-28-2024

Doula profile, calendar, and testimonials available at DoulaMatch.net