Kristen

1/11/2023

I had a wonderful experience working with Ginny for the birth of my first son. I was very anxious throughout pregnancy and going into my birth, but Ginny helped educate and ground me through her background in medicine, and her calm, reassuring demeanor. I was grateful to have "full access" to her for any questions in the months leading up to my birth, and that continued in the first couple of months post-partum, as well. On the day I went into labor, Ginny was on call, ready to come to the hospital at a moment's notice. She came to the hospital to join us around 3am, and coached me through contractions and delivery. She was patient and calm, listening to my complaints, fears, and offering helpful suggestions for physical positioning and mental focus. I can't recommend Ginny enough and hope you're lucky enough to get to work with her as you bring your little one into this world!

Shalini Beesa

12/19/2022

When I first created my birth plan, I wanted a doula who understands it completely, stand as a great support for me and my partner in this journey.  She is the best I could get. She was with us throughout my pregnancy and postpartum. We had prenatal visits with her where she showed different exercises to get the baby into good position. She took detailed notes on how I want my birth. She sent us great videos, articles for labor and home birth. Offered lactation session

During labor and birth, Ginny was constantly supporting me by massaging, exercises and walk, telling my partner how can he support, what can we do next. She was also constantly discussing with my midwives about my labor. She knew exactly what I needed when I was giving up in the pushing stage. My baby was sunny side up and it was becoming extremely difficult with back contractions. That's when she suggested we could go to birth center and take nitrous oxide to relax. That decision was so important for me to continue laboring and not end up in a hospital. Even at the birth center she did her best to get baby into a good position before pushing. She constantly reminded me how strong I am as a woman, how I should be proud of myself, and all the positive affirmations. At some point in my pushing stage I was making sure she is in front of me even in those intense contractions. 

Ginny made sure I was doing well in my postpartum. She was so patient in understanding what I was going through in my postpartum, answered all my questions, checked on how baby was doing regularly. In her postpartum visits she gave me a beautiful closure on my labor and birth. I was so surprised and happy that she took notes and remembered every single detail. 

In the entire process Ginny believed in me, respected my birthing choices, she also did her best to still stick to my birthing plan and my dream of out of hospital birth possible. She is a wonderful human.

Gregory Flynn

12/16/2022

Ginny and her partner Josie were the doulas for Vanessa and I with our son, Ezra. Ginny is an unbelievable doula and an amazing person overall. She was so supportive of Vanessa in preparation and even spent some great time with Ezra after he was born. We would not have asked for a better doula. We are honestly sad (but so excited for her) that she is on her way to Australia. If we ever have a second child we would definitely use Ginny and Josie again. Happy adventures Ginny and we will miss you!

Candace

12/9/2022

Ginny was on call as our back up doula as ours was out of town. She stepped in ever so seamlessly and gracefully when we thought labor was happening and needed some extra guidance and support. She has a calm and nonjudgmental presence and truly met us just as we were. I also felt that she was invested in us and passionate about her work. She was extremely responsive and easy to communicate with . We kept in touch for several days until I finally went into labor. While in the hospital,  she was encouraging to both myself and my spouse. I felt that her presence there with us was so thoughtful, she seemed to know all the right times to offer support and still allow space for our own experience. I appreciated her providing us with techniques to labor . She also was the first person who I think identified that my daughter was in a different position possibly slowing labor. During the final moments of pushing when I wanted to give up, she spoke to me and brought to light what was holding me back. Her intuition and encouragement helped me to dig deep and access the strength I had left so that I could meet my sweet daughter. Her support post birth aligned with all that we experienced leading up to it.
I will always carry with me the passion, kindness, and skill that she shared with us surrounding the birth of our precious girl. I know in my heart that our hearts were meant to share in that moment. She is truly one of a kind. Thank you Ginny with all of my heart for the work that you do. ?? 

Bhakti

12/8/2022

Believe it or not Ginny and Josie were the first Doulas we spoke with and it just felt right in the gut. We decided we didn't need to talk to anyone else and hired them during the call. I was anxious to be a first time mom, doubted my ability to give birth and navigate the intimidating medical system. Ginny really helped me advocate for myself and baby during my pregnancy. I felt heard and safe in my interactions with Ginny, like I was going to be ok. I asked a thousand questions, sometimes multiple times and I got clear answers rooted in research. Ginny was very supportive for my partner as well. Guiding him in how best to be there for me in our most joyful, at times-scary journey. Ginny and Josie were the only people I trusted to leave my daughter with for a long time. Will miss Ginny so! Excited for her to help her community in a Australia.

Katy

10/22/2022

Ginny was our birth doula for our daughter born in July 2022 at home. We knew we wanted to hire a doula before I was even pregnant, and Ginny exceeded every expectation of care we had.  First, she is a professional.  She was always on top of communication, appt times, etc.  She is incredibly knowledgeable about her work, whether it be labor, baby sleep patterns, mental health, etc.  During our pre-natal visit she helped us set-up and double check our nursery to make sure we had what we needed. That was a relief as first time parents.

Aside from helping prepare for baby, Ginny is thoughtful and compassionate.  I felt immediately comfortable with her--even on our zoom interview. Ginny is very calm under pressure. My labor at home progressed quickly and unexpectedly. Ginny got to us quickly and soothed us both before the midwives arrived.  She knew to fill up our bathtub because we wouldn't have time to fill the rental tub! She worked alongside my husband to make sure he felt included and supported. I recall being in my bathtub, Ginny literally stroking my brow, reminding me to take deep breaths, and feeling totally safe and supported.  Our midwives commented several times to me in my post-partum appointments how impressed they were by Ginny's care (and that they often see doulas at births that aren't really doing much). They even have photos of her and my husband sitting side-by-side on our bathroom floor. When I think back on my birth experience, Ginny is absolutely an integral part. 

Postpartum Ginny continued to take excellent care of us. Showed us a master swaddle and even got us out of the house on a date! 

Picking a doula in Seattle is hard; there are many options. Ginny's knowledge and passion made me feel safe, loved, and supported during a huge life change. If we have another kid she will be one of my first calls!

Casey

10/20/2022

We had a wonderful experience with Ginny and Josie as our doulas for the birth of our second child. From our very first meeting, they were warm, approachable, validating, empowering, and expert listeners. At first I was a little unsure about the team approach, but now I can’t imagine anything else! Their clients get the benefit of two incredibly thoughtful, knowledgeable, supportive people, and it was comforting to know that one of them (vs. a backup) would very likely be at my birth.

I can’t say enough about how supportive Ginny and Josie were. They were both incredibly responsive by text and phone from the moment we hired them, and also proactively reached out to me to check in, which made all the difference. The prep meetings we had with them were thoughtfully done and really helped us establish a relationship. And having their hands-on support during the immediate postpartum period was essential, despite us being second-time parents. In particular, Josie’s lactation support set my breastfeeding journey on a completely different (and much smoother) path as compared to what I experienced with my first.

My birth was so fast that the baby came before our doula could arrive, but I still consider the support I received from Ginny and Josie to have been essential to my very positive birth experience. They encouraged and supported me through some really unexpected and challenging circumstances in the second half of my pregnancy (personal injury, family health emergencies); empowered me to advocate for myself in ways that supported my birth goals; and helped me work through a difficult postpartum period with a reflux baby. I’m so grateful we found them, and recommend them without hesitation. Thank you, Ginny and Josie!

Christina

10/6/2022

My husband and I LOVED having Ginny's presence and support before, during, and after the birth of our second daughter. She was available & communicative, gave great advice, and supported us in all the ways we needed (and ways we didn't know we needed!). At the birth she was a calming and reasurring presence, helped us ask the right questions and know our options, and helped ensure it was a really wonderful experience and went as we hoped. She had tons of good tricks up her sleeve throughout. Whenever we encountered an unexpected challenge in pregnancy, labor, or postpartum, she was supportive and reassuring and helped us face that challenge productively. She took great photos of labor and postpartum that I will always treasure. If we have another baby we will be calling her within a couple days (perhaps hours?) of a positive pregnancy test to be sure we are on her schedule for our due date -- she is amazing!!

Kristen Gutierrez

10/5/2022

I know that my baby would have been born without Ginny and Josie's support, but I don't want to imagine what that experience would have been like! From the moment I spoke with them when I was both scared and excited at 11 weeks pregnant, I knew Ginny and Josie were the doulas for me. They helped empower me and my partner with the information we needed to inform our birth preferences, and, when things went "off plan," their support helped me feel held through my labor and delivery. My labor was on the longer side, so I had the unique privilege of having both doulas attend part of my birth. Their energy and steadfast support was invaluable to both me and my partner during this transformative experience. We loved the postpartum support, too. Gratitude doesn't even begin to explain it. Anyone would be lucky to have Ginny and Josie as their allies in the birthing experience.

Gaby Arrevillaga

9/23/2022

I cannot recommend Ginny enough to anyone who is looking for a doula. She was a lifesaver before, during and after my first childbirth. As many other first-time parents we were overwealmed at the start of pregnancy. My husband and I have no immediate family nearby, so we decided to interview multiple doulas. The fact that Ginny is a WOC and spoke Spanish played a part on our decision, but more than anything, it was the chemistry we both felt with her. She is an incredibly warm, knowledgeable person who made us feel at ease from the start.

On top of all the resources Ginny shared with us throughout my pregnancy, she was a true advocate for us during the birth. I planned for a low-intervention birth, although we chose Evergreen Hospital for delivery to have as many options available to us in case of need. Ginny helped us navigate hospital policies/ protocol, adviced us on what to ask from the personel and made sure our choices were respected at all times. My water broke on Tuesday night and my midwives recommended induction 12hrs later, I declined induction but agreed to have NSTs every12hrs to check on baby while active labor started. At the 24hr mark, we were made to sign a AMA form, as I kept refusing induction. I felt guilty, as if we were putting our baby in danger on purpose. Ginny reassured us we had no reason to induce and could wait for active labor to start naturally, which only took 5 hours! I was able to rest and labor most of the time at home because of Ginny.

Ginny's knowledge of positions and coping methods helped me endure the most painful contractions and move baby into the right position during the last part of labor. Although I ended up having an epidural at the very last minute, I am convinced without her coaching the outcome would have been vastly different. I only had to push a few times to get my baby safely out. A million thanks Ginny for making our experience so great and supporting us every step of the way!

Meryl

8/26/2022

My midwife suggested Ginny and Josie because she had had great experiences with them at births.

Ginny and Josie were amazing and supportive throughout my pregnancy, labor and the weeks after. Ginny was on-call and so was at my birth, she never left my side throughout my long birth and the complications that followed. She advocated for me throughout and was so kind and caring. Both of these doulas were intelligently informed, supportive, and had so many tools and suggestions whenever issues came up. 

I would highly recommend them to any one looking for a doula and I am a huge advocate of doulas for birth. They work so well together and my husband and I felt confident with them on our team. 

Ania Braszkiewicz

6/28/2022

In the first few minutes of the introduction call, my partner and I knew that this is going to be a great fit for us as both Josie and Ginny made us feel safe, calm, and excited for the journey ahead. During labor and delivery, Josie was with us every step of the way. My early labor was long (18 hours+) and quite painful but Josie was able to provide me with so much relief by walking me through briefing exercises, guiding me through various positions, massaging me, putting pressure on my hips and back, and much more. Josie was also a great advocate and sounding board when talking through our options and interacting with the hospital stuff. Thanks to her being both a “coach” and a “cheerleader” I was able to survive the early labor, get the baby in the perfect position before getting an epidural, and have an uncomplicated delivery. Aside from the hands-on support during labor and delivery, there is just so much value in having both Josie and Ginny as your resource for any questions or concerns during both pregnancy and the “fourth” trimester. They are a wealth of information and have been there for me basically 24/7.

I cannot imagine going through my pregnancy, labor, and post-partum without Josie and Ginny’s support. I would recommend their services to any of my expecting friends and a hope to be able to work with them for my next pregnancy.

Ginny and Josie – thank you so much for all you do from the bottom of our hearts. Thanks to your love and passion, May 23 (the day our daughter was born) was absolutely perfect.  

Bree Martzke

6/26/2022

My husband and I chose to work with Ginny and Josie due to their combined experience and wrap-around care model including support before, during, and after the delivery. It was great getting to work with both of them leading up to the birth and benefit from each of their experiences. We felt they gave a balanced perspective on the many choices surrounding childbirth and greatly increased our confidence and peace of mind leading up to the birth as first-time parents. Ginny attended the birth of our daughter. I had an extremely long and difficult labor that necessitated changing many of the things we had planned for, and we were very grateful to have Ginny’s input. Also, Josie’s support with breastfeeding after we returned home was invaluable. I don’t think my breastfeeding journey would be going anywhere near as smoothly without her. Out of all the things we did to prepare for the birth and postpartum, hiring Ginny and Josie was by far the most valuable. We couldn’t recommend them any more highly.

Jess & Sven

6/14/2022

Working with Ginny and Josie was the best decision we made in preparing to have a baby. In our interview I told them I was looking for "an advocate that felt like a sister" - they understood the assignment. When things went a little sideways and our baby wouldn't flip we had to have a planned c-section. Both Ginny and Josie talked us through this big shift, told us what to expect, how to prepare, and most importantly created a new plan for what our birth could look like. On the day of, Ginny held my hand, played music, and helped me to breathe through the process... definitely leaning into the role of sister and advocate when I was freaking out. Afterwards Josie helped us with how to breastfeed, and when and how to pump. Five out of five stars, WOULD/WILL HAVE A BABY WITH THEM AGAIN! Thank you ladies!

Sasha

5/19/2022

I don’t think we could have picked a better team than Ginny and her doula partner Josie for support as we navigated the lead up to birth, birth, and the postpartum period. They both provided such thoughtful questions and ideas during the prenatal visits as we planned what we wanted labor and delivery to look like. Ginny was an incredible pillar of support, had such a calming presence, and was a wealth of ideas of helpful things to try during labor. Josie’s breastfeeding knowledge and the postpartum shift with Ginny were such welcome bonuses! It was helpful to be able to message, video chat or visit with Josie while establishing a new breastfeeding relationship, and we felt so supported and nourished during the postpartum shift with some rest, a delicious meal, and had the opportunity to process the birth together. I would highly recommend both of them for anyone seeking a doula.

Brittany

5/13/2022

I hired Ginny & Josie to help me through my second pregnancy and birth, after a first experience that was uncomplicated and very gratifying. Though my husband and I had some hesitation initially about hiring a doula the second time around (financial reasons only, and we thought, we did this once, can't we do it again??), I am SO, SO incredibly glad I found Ginny and Josie and that I had their support through my labor and postpartum times. The physical and emotional support that Ginny provided during my laboring allowed me to find a more centered space and cope with the contractions. I cannot imagine navigating that labor without Ginny's experienced guidance (positioning, calming and focused presence) and physical support. Additionally, the team of two provides so much postpartum support (much more than I anticipated) - from multiple in person breastfeeding visits (helping me through engorgement and improving latch) to a four hour postpartum shift where Ginny made an amazing lentil soup, helped with laundry, caring for baby while I got out of the house, and helped me process the birth story. I cannot recommend Ginny highly enough!

Kerri Kurucz

4/12/2022

I never knew I wanted or needed a doula until my good friend became one and I was readying to journey pregancy and birth for the first time. My partner and I thought, sure, why not have Ginny as our doula?! At the onset, I think we both truly did not understand the tremendous gift we were to receive from her support.

My pregancy was managed by my primary care provider and she did a wonderful job, however, my appointments with her were few and far between up until the last weeks and only lasted for about 15 minutes. Having Ginny available by text or video call was such an amazing resource for information and emotional support.

I had preferences for my birth, as most birthing parents do, and Ginny not only helped me understand and curate my preferences, but also helped me to enforce when the big day came! Having Ginny in the birthing suite made me and my partner feel at ease with the process. My partner felt like he could just focus on being present with me and the life-changing experience of becoming parents together. 

I feel like Ginny orchestrated our birth day. She set the atmosphere to be calm. She empowered me to advocate for my needs. She gently guided me and my partner through the labor positioning we had practiced. She proved to be a pilar of strength while also knowing when and how to pull back when appropriate.

We are eternally grateful to Ginny and the pivotal role she played in bringing our little Archie into the world in the wee hours of a November morning. If we decide to grow our family more and are lucky enough to birth another child, we will absolutely, without question, ask Ginny to join us again. THANK YOU!

Delia Massey

2/3/2022

Ginny's warmth and compassion were exactly what I needed, and she was a vibrant, positive presence through a stressful pregnancy and labor. I have a lot of anxiety and having Ginny there put both me and my husband at ease. I appreciated her evidence-based approach, and I felt well-prepared for labor from our prenatal visits. Ginny helped me feel empowered to ask questions about my planned delivery when I may not have otherwise spoken up. 

During labor, when Ginny entered the hospital room, both my husband and I instantly relaxed and knew we were in good hands. I will never forget Ginny being there, calmly talking me through the contractions. I felt like I wasn’t alone and had someone who could take control of the situation when nothing was in my control. I appreciated how she checked in and asked me how I wanted to receive instruction (and from whom) while I was pushing with suction, when we had to get my baby out ASAP. 

A big part of the reason I got a doula was to provide support for my husband, and she did exactly that. I don’t think my husband would have felt as calm or included if it wasn’t for her. He was with me every step of the way, and I was able to focus on laboring, knowing that he had Ginny for support. My husband is shy and introverted and knew little about childbirth, but he was involved throughout the whole process, with Ginny's guidance. 7 months later and my husband still talks about Ginny and how amazing she was.

The postpartum visit was one of my favorite parts. I don't think I was prepared for how emotional birth can be, and Ginny helped me process all of the feelings (good and bad) I had during labor. I loved having a timeline of events, and just being able to talk through my birth experience with Ginny provided so much closure. I highly recommend Ginny, and will be calling her if/when I have my second baby!

Kristin

2/1/2022

It's crazy the things you'll remember about a 31 hour labor that ends in a c-section.

One of those moments I can clearly recall is the moment we decided to start pushing. And Ginny pulled out a toothbrush, and the other appropriate fixings, so that I could feel refreshed and awake after dealing with a grueling number of hours of labor. 

Another I can recall are all those heavy heavy moments I spent sick during the operation as my daughter was being born. Ginny was by my side, holding a plastic bag, and providing comfort through words and gentle touches of affirmation and encouragment. When my daughter was born and I still was not ready to meet her due to my extreme nausea, my husband was able to hold her while Ginny remained to help me through the final parts of the operation. It was excruciatingly difficult - and we could not have managed and coped the way we did without Ginny's gentle care, guidance, and assurances. 

We will forever be grateful for the role Ginny played in the birth of our Jakki.

Meghan, Kailin and Zora

1/31/2022

In short, Ginny is a true miracle worker, and calling her was the smartest, most helpful and healing thing we did during the postpartum time.

When my daughter was 5 weeks old my husband was back at work and we were averaging 3-4 broken hours of sleep a night. I was battling postpartum depression, and struggling to soothe a colicky baby.

Ginny provided us with overnight doula support for 7 nights, over the course of 4 weeks. It’s not easy to trust a stranger to watch your baby all night while you sleep, but her genuine, caring, funny personality won us over pretty quickly. She listened well, offered suggestions in a respectful way (about baby's, baby sleep, even bottle feeding), took detailed notes on feeds and sleep time, and worked hard to keep our fussy newborn happy and calm. She took such great care of our tiny baby, and such great care of us as well.

Ginny is an amazing human and we feel honored to have worked with her and let her support us through the postpartum time. Ginny gets our highest recommendation!

Leanna Nolasco

1/23/2022

Ginny is everything we we're looking for in a doula: kind, knowledgeable, confident to ask the tough questions and so so customer centric. 

My labor experience resulted in an emergency c-section ( we learned later that there was no way our son would have  come out in a vaginal delivery); however Ginny was with me trouble shooting the stalled labor to the best of her training: inversions, peanut ball, side flipping. She helped me and the baby try everything to facilitate a vaginal delivery and once things were leaning toward c-section she helped provide framing questions we could ask ourselves and the provider. 

Ginny stayed with me and held my hand during the entire surgical process, which included an emergency organ repair, so that my husband could do skin to skin with our kiddo. She even stayed through the first latch post op. 

Her process of two prep sessions and a debrief were an invaluable way to get to know her, familiarize all of us with expectations and process events. 

Truly Ginny is a wonderful doula. I'm so so grateful to have partnered with her. 

Jessica & Kevin

1/14/2022

We are over the moon with the experience we had with Ginny as our doula and give our highest recommendation without reservations. From the very first moments of meeting her, we knew she was someone we could trust with such a vulnerable and emotional journey. Ginny is so warm and welcoming and throughout the entire process she was compassionate, invested, and supportive of our decisions. At the same time, she's also armed with information and is highly knowledgeable about so many aspects of pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period. We felt extremely safe with her as part of our team and it was clear to us that she is definitely in the right profession.

We particularly want to praise Ginny for the role she played during our labor and delivery. After she arrived, she quickly transformed the hospital room into a relaxing space for birth. When we learned our baby was sunny-side up, the OB was concerned about delivery options but Ginny masterfully guided us through Spinning Babies and by the time I was ready to push, baby had turned. Ginny also supported us through four hours of pushing and all of her hard work ultimately helped us avoid a c-section/further interventions. After our baby was born, there were some complications for me (the birther) and baby; the room was hectic and we were scared about what was happening but, all the while, Ginny was our pillar in the room talking us through what was happening and offering supportive statements. Even the attending OB and labor nurse visited again after the birth to tell Ginny how impressed they were with the role she played and the support she provided.

Since the birth, Ginny has taken great care in following up with us and has continued to be a support for us during the wilderness of the postpartum period. We're so grateful to have had her as our doula and we are excited for her to continue supporting others with her amazing work!

Lisa Ung

1/14/2022

This was my first pregnancy and my goal was to have a positive birthing experience, with a (known) circle of a support system during labor and delivery --for reference our family delivered in a hospital setting. Ginny was the first doula we had a meet and greet with and felt an instant connection to her. My husband and I's personality types are different but compliment one another, and upon hanging up from our Zoom meet, we instantly knew she was the right fit for the experience we envisioned.

She is warm, supportive, and makes you feel heard and seen from the beginning as if you've known her for years. To our surprise, our supposed-to-be-October baby girl decided to join us earth side 4 weeks early mid-September and we didn't get a chance to meet Ginny in person for our scheduled in person appointment! When my water broke, she was the first person I wanted to contact (even before our midwife team) to see what we should do. We can't plan for a birthing plan, but she was there every step fo the way with our eager girl, messaging my husband to check in on what was happening (an induction and coping mechanism ideas for comfort), and making sure to see at one point during active labor she could support our family. It still makes me laugh that the first time we met in person was at the hospital. I can say 200% choosing to have Ginny as our doula support our birthing experience made the whole unpredictable process positive for me as a first time mom.

If you're looking for an extension of your birthing circle, I couldn't reccomend Ginny more. She's only one person, but she makes you feel like there's a community behind you, cheering you on and every new mama and family deserves that type of support. 

Laura Waltner

1/5/2022

My husband and I had an incredible experience with Ginny and her doula partner, Josie. After meeting with several doulas, we immediately knew we had found our match when we met with them. They have the perfect combination of experience, medical knowledge, warmth, patience, and a sense of humor! I couldn’t have asked for better support as a first-time mother giving birth. Since we had our baby during the height of COVID restrictions, we only had access to online birthing courses. I was feeling nervous about the process until we had our pre-birth meetings with Ginny and Josie. They walked us through the practical side of giving birth, like birthing positions and timing, but also talked in depth about advocacy in the hospital and how we would like to feel during the birthing process.

During labor and delivery, Josie was with us every step of the way and helped me feel confident and prepared for all of the decisions I needed to make during the birthing process. Though Josie was with us in the hospital, Ginny was available the whole time to support by phone. I was particularly nervous about breastfeeding as a new mom; Josie helped with the first feeding in the hospital and then came to observe and help with feeding in our home.

Our son is now 6 weeks old and we still reach out to Ginny and Josie for support when things come up. They were not only an invaluable resource during the birth and immediate postpartum process, but also feel like they will be part of our lives forever; they care for us and our new son in ways I never could have anticipated.

For about 6 weeks after our son’s birth, Ginny provided postpartum doula support in our home twice a week. She is so nurturing and was able to anticipate what we needed, whether it was a little more sleep, feeding help, or a healthy delicious breakfast or lunch. It’s hard to imagine getting through this time without her!

Danica

1/2/2022

When I first met Ginny I knew right away that I wanted her by my side as we navigated the most exciting, and potentially difficult, experience of my life. I felt at ease to know that I had someone with knowledge and skill that would help us navigate the unknown and empower us to make the decisions that were best for us and our daughter. Ginny helped empower my husband to support me through labor, allowing us to bond and connect throughout.

In the days and months since our daughter was born, Ginny has continued to be an amazing resource as we navigated breastfeeding, sleep, bottles and more. I’m so grateful to have her by our side and will absolutely ask her to support us for the birth of any future babies. 

Grant Donovan

12/30/2021

Ginny was exactly what we had hoped from a doula. She has so much enthusiasm and gave us such attentive support during labor which we really needed, this being our first baby and the labor taking a lot longer than we had hoped. As the birth-partner, I felt confident that I could step away and Ginny would make sure my partner had the attention she needed. Ginny was also full of great suggestions that made the experience more comfortable and memorable for us. The handheld fan she carries in her bag turned out to be a hit while laboring in the hot tub. :)

Most importantly, we really appreciated Ginny noticing any time birth was getting uncomfortable and giving suggestions for either new positions or giving us prompts for decision making when we needed them. Our initial plan was to give birth in a birth center. After 18 hours with little progress and highly intense contractions, we made the decision to go to the hospital for an epidural. After that long of a time, Ginny was able to call in a fresh back-up doula, Ashley Weyers, who likewise helped us through some critical decision making at the hospital and helped us to navigate our way to a vaginal delivery as we had planned. We were able to get some sleep after an epidural and once it was time to push, Ginny had returned refreshed and was right there holding mama's hand and giving that high enthusiasm again. She also managed to take some pretty amazing photos that really captured the moment.
Overall, with all of the people involved in our delivery, our doula was beyond a doubt the most supportive and attentive. Where we thought care was lacking from any other provider along the way, Ginny and Ashley filled in the gaps. We're so happy they were a part of the experience. Then after, Ginny was a great resource to go to with questions as we navigated feeding and sleeping with a brand new baby. 

Brietta

12/28/2021

We hired Ginny Maria as our doula for our first child. She was excellent at listening to us and helping us along as we planned and encountered the unexpected. She helped us plan for labor and arrived in the middle of the night for an emergency c-section - how grateful we were to her to be there for us! Once we arrived at home, she met with us to help us settle in with our new baby.

Having a doula like Ginny Maria helped us feel more prepared and able to manage whatever pregnancy, delivery, and bringing baby home brought us. We really appreciated having her with us throughout the process.

Thank you, Ginny. <3

Kelsey Boyce & Spencer Carter

12/27/2021

TLDR: Ginny was an unbelievable addition to our birth experience. Her knowledge, steadiness, and advocacy provided us confidence in the moment. Hire her if she's available! 

We selected Ginny as our doula because of her previous experience in the medical space, with a special passion for the birthing experience. Her deep knowledge of the birthing process in a hospital setting provided us greater education for our expectations, as well as confidence in our decision-making. 

Prior to labor/birth, Ginny provided wonderful guidance on handling medical anxiety about the labor process, including links to articles, podcast recommendations, and client anecdotes to illustrate birthing scenarios. 

During labor/birth Ginny provided a calming presence while providing information on what to expect next, suggestions for comfort, and reminders of what we could be asking the medical team to stay informed. She came prepared with all kinds of tools that the hospital didn't have, including a Tens Machine (amazing) and a fan (even better). Ginny was constantly aiding the labor process, with massage, active involvement in body positioning, and coaching (pushing or relaxing). She was a huge help to both our birthing parent, and supporting partner—coaching the supporting partner on how to help as well. She collaborated well with the doctors and nurses, creating a dream team of care. 

Following labor/birth, Ginny continued to be of great support by providing guidance and education concerning post-partum issues including healing, hormonal side effects, breastfeeding, and general coping. 

Overall, Ginny is a wonderful human doing what she was meant to do—helping families through the birthing experience. Her educational, supportive approach was crucial to our positive hospital birth experience. She's simply amazing. 

Kelsey Cain

12/10/2021

My husband and I couldn’t imagine our birth journey without Ginny on our support team. Hiring her was by far the best decision we made. Ginny aligned with our values and vision for our birth and was there for us every step of the way.

From early on in our prenatal visits Ginny won us over with her warmth, knowledge and was always checking in asking how so she could support us.

We planned a natural birth at a birthing center, but had to transfer care at 42 weeks for an induction. It was an extremely emotional journey and Ginny was a huge support in the weeks leading up to our birth. When things took a turn at the hospital and I was feeling extremely discouraged, Ginny was there to lift me up and remind me of all the hard work I had done to get us to that moment. Our baby had flipped sunny side up and Ginny asked the nurse if we could try some spinning baby moves and within 20 minutes they manages to flip her back over!!

Ginny’s emotional and physical support through our entire pregnancy, birth and postpartum was invaluable. Words can’t express how grateful we are to have hadGinny by our side for the birth of our baby girl. We will without a doubt hire her again for any addition to our family!

Sergio

11/22/2021

Ginny is a very knowledgeable, skilled doula, with a background that we found provided a lot of context to our decision-making during the pregnancy and delivery. She is a very good communicator, providing us with easy-to-digest info over the overwhelming amount of information that first-time parents have to process. She was a calming presence in the delivery room and a great partner to have in our corner during delivery. Not only she worked hard to provide comfort to my wife during delivery, but also made time to give me tips and space to be a helpful presence in the room. Through an emergency in the delivery, she managed the instill calm in my wife, coach, and encourage her, and even made time to make sure that I was informed of what was happening, what needed to be done, and how I would be more helpful in those chaotic last minutes. She was key all along and highly recommend her to be on your team.

Karolina

11/11/2021

We weren't sure if we needed a birth doula as we were working with UW Midwife clinic and felt very supported by the midwives. However, a friend insisted that we would not regret hiring Ginny. I am SO glad we did. Ginny helped both my husband and I feel supported every step of the way. Our entire birth journey was 44 hours. With Ginny and the midwives working together, I was somehow able to pull it off vaginally even as major interventions were proposed. My partner and I didn't realize how much time you just spend alone, in pain and exhausted, wondering what to do in every step of labor. It was amazing to have Ginny there to help us try different things (poses, tens unit, baths) and answer our ongoing questions, as the nurses and midwives are only able to check in periodically. I also particularly appreciated Ginny's calm and sensible demeanor, her stories, and her passion for data.  She is one of those people that you immediately bond with and feel safe with. The support didn't end with the birth-- Ginny consistently checked in and made sure we were ok and offered help with processing the birth. I had no idea how much I needed that. Highly recommend Ginny- like my friend said, you will not regret it!

Tracy

10/29/2021

Having Ginny on my support team was one of the best and most impactful decisions I have made during my pregnancy. Ginny was an absolute gift to me, my partner, and my baby.

Ginny pairs evidence-based best practices that compliment the magical process of childbirth. Because of her medical background, she can thoughtfully and expertly explain the biology of what one might experience during pregnancy and birth while explaining benefits/risks/alternatives for any and all interventions.

Ginny helped us plan for the experience we wanted and prepared us for possible left-turns. (There's one in every delivery!) As a result, I have the most wonderful memories of my baby's birthday. I wanted an unmedicated, low intervention experience and Ginny helped me build the confidence and skill set to achieve this. 

If we continue to grow our family, Ginny would be our first call.

Jillian Briggs

9/24/2021

We simply could not imagine our birth experience without Ginny. When we were interviewing for doulas, the decision seemed overwhelming until we got a piece of advice from a friend. Choose the doula you want to hug. We instantly knew this was Ginny. She was so warm and so kind during a process that was completely foreign to my husband and I. Ginny helped us through a complicated pregnancy with warmth and knowledge. She helped me push myself and accomplish all my goals during labor. Hearing her encouraging voice and her words will be something I remember about my labor for the rest of my life. My husband was able to be present and alert. We made hard decisions togeather as a team. She was so respectful and kind to the entire nursing staff. And she would be 100% by my side if we choose to have another baby.  

Alyssa

9/22/2021

I am so grateful I found Ginny and had her support throughout my pregnancy, birth and postpartum. From the begining my husband and I felt a connection with Ginny. She was alligned with our values and vision for our birth and was extremely responsive to any questions we had. It was reassuring to know we always had someone to turn to and she provided a number of great referrals for a chiropractor and PT during pregnancy and information that helped us prepare for the birth and postpartum. 

I experienced contractions for a few days leading up to the birth of my son, and Ginny was incredibly supportive, checking in with us and even coming to our home before we went to the birth center to give my husband some rest and work with me on positioning, pain relief and relaxation techniques. Her support at our home gave me the rest I needed to do the real hard work of labor later that evening. At the birth center Ginny held my hand and helped me with positions, working as a support team right alongside my husband and midwife. She was encouraging through every contraction and made me feel safe and unashamed to follow my instincts to vocalize and move throughout labor. 

I had a beautiful, uncomplicated and unmedicated birth. I don't believe that I just "got lucky" I truly believe that it was the support system I had in place that made for a such empowering experience and positive outcome for me and my baby. I would recommend Ginny to anyone and wouldn't hesitate to work with her again if we have another child in the future. 

Minkyung Park

9/19/2021

Ginny helped me to make my second birth as I wanted. She supported me with professional advice and useful information. Also her emotional support helped me a lot when I ran into surprise incidents. My first birth was quite traumatic. I thought it could have been better than that with a doula. I talked about my first birth with Ginny and we planned together for my second birth with my wishes. When I was in pain during delivery, Ginny guided me as we talked and planned. She knew what I needed exactly. It was a support only a professional doula can provide. At the end of birth, she made wonderful pictures that I can treasure forever as well. After birth, she gave me more advice on postpartum recovery and challenges with a new baby. She was a perfect doula for my family.  

Amy & David Sanchez

9/15/2021

I always tell people that hiring a doula was the best money we spent on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. We were intimidated by the financial cost of hiring a doula, but here is why hiring Ginny was the best investment we could have made in the health and happiness of our family. 

Ginny was so much more than a supportive presence at our birth. We hired her in the second trimester and immediately she was a force of warmth, knowledge, and resources as questions came up. Right off the bat it was obviously that we'd struck gold in bringing her on our team. When a couple hiccups arose in the third trimester that lead to a surprise induction, Ginny was kind, non-judgmental, supportive, willing to complain with me when I needed to rant, and protective of the birth and pregnancy experience I wanted to have. She advocated for me in a way that demonstrates how much she cares about creating structural change in birthing procedures and outcomes. As someone who works in the caregiving/human services field, myself, she embodies the type of support I value and try to provide to my own clients. She's clearly found her calling.

In addition to the invaluable prenatal and postpartum support she provided, I can't speak highly enough of her services at the birth itself. Ginny jumped into action when she walked in the delivery room, sensing my needs before I knew what they were. She supported me to my goal of an unmedicated delivery (a wonderfully powerful experience!), while at the same time making clear that I could birth with or without medication, however was best for my body and my baby. She taught my husband how to help me through discomfort and they worked as a team to help me bring baby into the world. 

You can't go wrong! Ginny is the best they come.

Autumn Straker

9/11/2021

As a first-time mom I wanted to work with a doula who was very knowledgeable about all our options, who would listen to me without judgement or bias and who would advocate for me if I couldn't. Ginny was all those things and more! From our first meeting I could hear in her voice her passion for her work as saw it too as she bobbed on a birthing ball while we spoke. She was professional, organized and deeply knowledgeable as she guided me through the process of birth and excitedly explained all the methods she could use to help, many of which I didn’t even think to ask about. Ginny was 100% focused on my needs and desires. She took the time to listen with open ears to all my fears and hopes and to my story of past trauma which really helped me feel that she understood my past, how it was affecting my birth process and how she could be there to support me. I felt very comfortable opening up with her. When it came time for birth I needed to be induced, which was not in my original plan, but Ginny was there for me to talk over my feelings, what may happen during and induction and what all my options were. It was really helpful to be able to process everything with her and made going into the process significantly easier. She was consistently there for me through the evening, night and early morning, helping me stay hydrated and to move in goods ways to help the baby get out. Ginny was not just my birth guider, she was a position innovator, squat spotter, my advocate and my cheerleader. I could not imagine birth without a doula and I could not imagine my birth with any other doula than Ginny!

Abbie

7/19/2021

Ginny was absolutely amazing during my baby's birth and the weeks leading up to it.  My firstborn was a pretty textbook and smooth birth so I expected the same with my second.  However that was not the case and Ginny was invaluable...from helping me cope with a breech presentation and ECV at 38 weeks to helping me mentally and physically through a long induction process at 41 weeks.  My husband and I couldn't imagine going through it all without her help.  She remembered my preferences that I stated at our pre birth meetings but also prepared me for possible unexpected scenarios and helped me navigate some of those scenarios when they happened at the hospital.  I felt like I could depend on her to make sure my voice was heard and advocate for me.  Ginny really felt like a close friend during the process. :)   I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Ginny as a birth doula!

Avery Parham

5/25/2021

Ginny is AMAZING!!!

My husband and I were first-time parents, anxious after previously losing a baby to miscarriage at 15 weeks.

We were initially impressed with Ginny's medical knowledge and background and were pleasantly surprised that she was warm and quirky, with the most calming presence! We were so touched by her deep love and passion for this work.

Ginny met with my husband and I in the weeks before our birth and gave us tips and exercises to help prepare  my body for labor/ birth and assist with pain relief, while addressing our concerns and answering any questions we had.

At the hospital, Ginny came equipped with all types of gear, from a pain- relieving TENS unit, to snacks & chapstick for my dry lips. She was hands-on and worked tirelessly to ensure I was calm, comfortable, hydrated, physically and emotionally supported, advocated for, and educated about any medical procedures/ options throughout labor and delivery, and postpartum.

And Ginny wasn't just amazing for me.. she was a PHENOMENAL support for my husband! Ginny physically showed him how to get into positions that would give me relief from pain and pressure, and also made sure that he was rested, hydrated, seen, and supported throughout the whole process! It was such a blessing to be able to have my husband fully present with me during the birth, benefiting from Ginnys support like I was.

After birth, Ginny offered invaluable lactation and aftercare support, and checked in regularly to ensure that we were okay.

I know for a fact that I wouldn't have felt as empowered and confident going into this chapter of parenthood without Ginny's support and encouragement. It was a priceless experience.

 We recommend Ginny all the time to our friends and family :)

Michelle & Matt McNeil

5/14/2021

We are thrilled with our experience with Ginny. We are new to Seattle and with our first baby, Ginny was the best doula we could have asked for. She made us feel comfortable and supported every step of the way. She met with us during pregnancy to offer support, information, and unconditional enthusiasm. She was readily available to answer questions and encouraged us to reach out with any concerns or questions. 

Ginny was flexible and accomodating when our labor and delivery schedule changed. She didn't hesitate to make accomodations for us and we felt that we were a priority and important to her. She was a constant source of comfort, wisdom, and reassurance as our delivery progressed with unexpected twists and turns. 

Postpartem, Ginny checked in on us and was flexible with scheduling time to chat. She was invested in all of us so mom, dad, and baby all felt cared for and heard. I would recommend Ginny to any family looking for an informed and reassuring doula. Ginny communicated to our style, offered context and detailed information as well as supported us with a holistic and heart-driven style. 

Cari A Cranney

4/14/2021

I don't know if I can give the amazing job Ginny does as a doula full justice in a review. I was hesitant about the expense of a Doula, especially considering I was going to one of the best care team hospitals in Seattle for child birth, but choosing Ginny made the world of difference.

Welcoming our baby to the world was calmer, more enjoyable, dare I say even funny with Ginny's support and presence. These were all important to us. We used a doula because of Covid restriction on additional family, but I would recommend her as a doula even if I had additional family support, because of the educated and calming presence she provided, prioritizing what was important to us. My husband is squeamish around blood and both of us were anxious about the unknown of childbirth.  But I have many beautiful and endearing memories from our experience and can thank Ginny for helping us foster that environment.

Before the birth she spent time with us to understand our values and intentions, including managing unexpected possibilities. She had amazing advice and was so kind and helpful.

While labor was starting (and false labor), she was super responsive, available, informative in helping me understand what was happening and how to feel my best.

She was better than a grandmother, helping me get what I needed when I needed it, anticipating my needs, coaching my husband through meaningful support and pulling tricks out of her bag like Mary Poppins, spinning babies, tens unit, essential oils... 

After birth she has also been available to help with feeding questions and other random new parent questions. In a nutshell Ginny's amazing.

It also adds to the appeal that she speaks Spanish, as my husband and I speak Catalan at home and she understood our multicultural dynamic.

Jeanne

3/24/2021

I'm an older first-time mom, and working with Ginny was a great experience for me! In the depths of Covid restrictions and concerns, we had a set of great conversations on Zoom to get acquainted and to plan for the birth. Ginny was such a great help, I felt like she led me through a lot of my experience! She had great questions for me to structure our plan, and to get me in the right mindframe for labor.

As to labor, my goals were to have a natural vaginal birth with Ginny's help along with my husband in the hospital, and my plan was flattened! Due to medical needs, I had an induction, epidural, and a C-section. Ginny supported me through all of these big, fast changes! She helped me push with the epidural, and sat with my husband while I was transitioned to the surgical area for the C-section, and took our first picture together, us and our daughter! I was so impressed and am forever grateful for Ginny's purposeful, optimistic, strong support through this experience.

Hire her! You will only benefit.

Mara

1/12/2021

Ginny has been an outstanding healthcare provider to me and my family! Her medical knowledge, outgoing personality, and approachable demeanor made it easy to confide in her and trust her with my health. Before being involved with my pregnancy, as a physician’s assistant, Ginny treated my husband for mental health concerns that had been ineffectively treated by previous physicians. Her warmth, sensitivity, and professionalism helped him feel comfortable throughout the treatment process; to this day, he says that she changed his life, and I couldn’t agree more. Throughout my pregnancy, Ginny thoughtfully checked in on us not only as first time expecting parents, but also as individuals. We are so grateful that Ginny was able to support us during the labor and delivery of our firstborn son, especially since he was born at the beginning of the the COVID-19 pandemic and we weren’t allowed to have family members at the hospital. She goes above and beyond for her patients by supporting them in any way they need her and providing thoughtful care. Her vibrant personality and passion for this field will make you all the more excited to bring a new little person into the world. We can’t recommend Ginny enough! We definitely plan to use her doula services during our next pregnancy!