Gabriella Loya

4/22/2024

Where do I even begin! Arianna is first of all a dear friend of mine and my husbands. This made our entire doula experience all the more special of course. We always felt the most comfortable to ask any questions. She provided so much educated and wise information, she was always available to us when we needed her. She constantly made us feel confident in the decisions we were making for ourselves and our baby. My husband and I both felt really prepared for any circumstance that pregnancy or birth could bring thanks to Arianna. Thank goodness for that because our birth ended up being a bit scary and unexpected. I ended up going into an emergency c-section at 38 weeks pregnant. When I was told by my doctors that day I would need to have a c-section, I felt completely calm and prepared for what was ahead of me only because of Arianna. My birth ended up being a very positive and beautiful experience. Arianna was by and my husbands side within minutes of me calling her to tell her the news. She was a huge sense of comfort and encouragement that day. Arianna is a natural doula, she is one step ahead of everyone and knows exactly what mama needs. She was the ultimate advocate. Not only was she everything we needed during pregnancy and birth, but also during our early postpartum days that felt so raw and fragile. My husband and I talk about it all the time, we couldn't have done it without her guidance. She helped with very tangible things around our home, with our baby, with me as a new mom. She knew the practical and important things that needed to be done while also paying very close attention to our emotional needs. I always felt like she knew what I needed just by looking at me. I felt so cared for by her. Looking back at my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, Arianna played such a beautiful role in all of it and truly was a bright light for us. It was an absolute gift to have her be a part of this time in our life. We will never forget it! 

Isabel & Connor Glennon

4/19/2024

We had the most amazing experience working with Ariana. She was our nighttime doula from when our baby was 3 days old through 8 weeks old. She came every other night and would take care of our baby for 8 hours while both my husband and I got a full nights sleep. 

As first time parents, we had a lot of learning to do. Ariana always gave us great guidance and advice - from breastfeeding to bedtime routines, she was very knowledgable and took a holistic and practical approach, which we appreciated. 

She was also great with communication and responding to my questions, which helped ease my first time mom worries. 

Ariana was also very proactive - often texting me a plan when I had previously expressed interest in introducing something new (ie pumping), which I really appreciated since it saved me some mental capacity during such a crazy time. 

We also felt very comfortable talking to Ariana about our thoughts and plans for baby and never felt judged. She would help us weigh the trade offs and come up with a good solution together. 

Lastly and most importantly, Ariana was great with our baby and we trusted her. She was such a huge help and we honestly don't know what we would have done without her! We highly recommend her and would be happy to speak to anyone considering hiring her. 

Naomi

12/21/2023

Ariana was both my birth and postpartum doula for my first baby. I felt supported and safe knowing I had an expert in my corner. During birth she was always one step ahead of me anticipating what I would need. Her presence and advice were invaluable. I had a very positive birth experience and she was a big reason why.  After delivery, she supported me postpartum and again I was grateful to have an expert to ask questions to. It is just not the same with grandparents or texting friends as it is to have her right next to me showing everything from how to give him his first bath safely to new burping techniques. I felt at ease when she was watching him and could take time for myself to recharge (or nap). She always went the extra mile to help me such as making dinner. Ariana is communicative, prompt, and organized - highly recommend.

Marissa

6/14/2023

Ariana was an amazing helper for our family after our baby boy was born. She helped keep our household running smoothly while I juggled recovering from childbirth, taking care of a newborn and 4 year old, and a husband with long work hours. She did a great job anticipating what I needed whether that was time to take a nap, a comforting meal, or someone to talk to. She made delicious snacks and meals for us with very little direction. Even my picky 4 year old asks for Ariana's food! I was always amazed by how much she could accomplish during the time she was at our house, and she did everything with calm and ease. Hiring Ariana as our postpartum doula was one of the best decisions I have made for our family, and I highly recommend her! 

Kimberly

3/28/2023

As I sit with my 2 month old I can't help but reflect and constantly be grateful for the support I had for her delivery. Ariana was a huge role in this. Just her and my husband were present as I didn't want any extra visitors in the hospital. I had hoped for a unmedicated and natural birth, but I ended up having a C-Section.

I stayed active through my pregnancy and did all the "things" to help prepare for having a natural unmedicated birth, so I was really set in my thoughts that that was the only way I was going to have my baby. I understood that things don't always go to plan, but it was just set in my brain that I wasn't going to be one of those people. The long and the short of it was that after 34 hours of trying all additional undesired interventions I had to make the decision to proceed with a C-Section. I was heartbroken. I was drained. I hadn't eaten anything and barely slept. 

During those 34 hours Ariana was the most calming and present person I could have asked for. With every decision regarding fetal monitoring, pitocin, epidurals, C-section, you name it (I tried just about everything) Ariana was there explaining all of it, every step of the way. She discussed and supported all my questions about everything. This was so important because with every step I took away from my goal of an unmedicated, natural birth I felt like my body was failing. Without her support, guidance, and comfort I guarantee I would have been in a much worse headspace, both during and post-partum. She constantly advocated for me and my husband. Communicating with nurses and doctors to support my birth plan as much as possible. 

We are forever grateful for her. Without her I think our experience would have been much harder than it already was. I highly recommend Ariana for anyone looking for a doula. 

Ilana

2/19/2023

Ariana is an amazing postpartum doula! From taking care of the baby to anticipating our needs around the house, she was always on point. It made our lives much easier. She also helped me take better care of the baby with feeding and sleeping tips, and even noticed things about his health and development that we hadn't, which we really appreciated. This was our second time having a baby and I wish I had been lucky enough to have her the first time around. 100% recommend!

Paige

2/15/2023

Having Ariana on our "team" was the best birth decision we made! We knew we wanted to have a doula after hearing some horrific hospital stories from friends, but hiring the right person seemed hard. Once we met Ariana, we knew she was the perfect fit. I can't imagine going through labor without her! She was an amazing advocate for us with the hospital staff, supported me through the pain, helped my husband feel at ease, and held my leg as I pushed. She made a great team with the nurses as well. She had just come from another birth and a postpartum client the day I went into labor so I know she was exhausted but she stayed up with us through the night into the morning, and her support never wavered. Knowing she was there for us made all the difference!

We started working with Ariana about 5 months before I gave birth. She had great resources and knowledge to share, above and beyond what we learned from the hospital class. She was always available to us if questions came up or we needed advice. 

Her personality was a perfect fit for us - warm and caring, lighthearted, funny, calming, patient, and kind. She has an effervescence that's infectious, but is also serious when she needs to be. Just the perfect person I'd want by my side during labor!

I wanted to have an unmedicated birth but was really fighting the pain after 12 hours of labor. When I finally decided to have an epidural (after great decision-making coaching from Ariana btw) she made me feel so good about my choice even though I was disappointed. I mention this because if you are reading this and also wanting to go unmedicated for your first baby but don't know if you can do it, Ariana will be there to support you no matter what happens. 

If you are thinking about hiring Ariana, DO IT! You'll be so happy you did ??

Anna Hostek

2/8/2023

We were on the fence about hiring a doula as we had an uncomplicated pregnancy and were planning to deliver in a hospital. We ultimately decided on hiring one, and specifically Ariana, because a friend had her at her delivery and said that she was very helpful. Hiring her was the best decision and ROI we made the entire pregnancy. Our labor and delivery ended up being longer and more complicated than expected, and I'm confident it would have been far more traumatic had Ariana not been a part of it. She joined us at our house as soon as labor picked up and stayed with us until we checked into our post-partum room 40+ hours later. Her coping techniques, logistics help, decoding of medical jargon and consultation in making decisions ended up making a huge, huge difference in our experience. She was calm and confident the entire time, which helped us be calmer and feel like we had someone knowledgeable that was advocating for us and there for anything. She helped us laugh during times that warranted laughter, stay positive and hopeful, and ultimately helped calm fears throughout the whole process. She became family in 48 hours and I cannot recommend her enough. 

Likita

9/21/2022

I hired Ariana as my post partum doula. She was fantastic - she took great care of our newborn son and me, She really likes children and is very good with them. She was super helpful as I recovered from my birthing experience. I find her to be sensitive, open minded and fun to be around. My husband and I continue to hire her to take care of our son. Our son loves her. We highly recommend her.

Amber

9/19/2022

My husband and I both agree that hiring Ariana for my first birth was the BEST decision we made. The two prenatal visits were informative and helpful, and we appreciated and referred back to the resources she shared several times. In the weeks leading up to labor I was so grateful that I could text her with random symptoms/questions and she could give guidance on whether I should pop over to the hospital to get checked out or not. She was incredible as a labor coach, she had several pain management ideas that were helpful, she was knowledgeable about the whole process, and she gave me the verbal  encouragement and physical support I needed during pushing (which was the toughest part for me and for my husband). The nurses were great but Ariana was my dedicated person and made sure I got what I needed, whenever I needed it. Postpartum we ended up doing her postnatal visit when our baby was about 2 months old and refusing a bottle - she came over one morning and just made it happen. I strongly believe we never would have gotten her to take a bottle without Ariana's help, and that has made such a difference in my mental health and sleep. Overall I just can't say enough good things about Ariana. My worry about hiring a doula was that I wanted the birth experience to be between my husband and I, and I thought a doula might feel intrusive. She fit right in with us and was so easy to get along with and so helpful that that thought never crossed my mind. You won't regret hiring Ariana!

Amber Bingle

6/2/2022

Every part of working with Ariana was beyond my expectations. She was a phenomenal doula for us as first time parents. She has a wealth of knowledge and resources that helped us better understand the processes of labor and delivery that many of the hospital birth classes didn't quite explain. Her attention to detail in understanding my needs and wants was flawless - I have post traumatic anxiety associated with hospitals and medical procedures and Ariana was very attentive in seeing that I had proper tools to remain grounded, that the nursing staff understood what I needed when I wasn't able to communicate during labor, and was ready to jump in with different techniques and encouragement at a moments notice to keep me from panicking. She was also very attentive in making sure I understood the plain English of medical terminology being used, that I understood what procedures were being discussed, and made sure I understood exactly why we needed to make adjustments to the birth preferences. I would recommend her to anyone, particularly to anyone who struggles with anxiety or post traumatic stress. She is caring, knowledgeable, and a brilliant support person. I cannot say enough good about her!

Bronwen

2/28/2022

Ariana was great with our two-month old son. She was patient when he was fussy and enthusiastic during awake time, finding age-appropriate ways to stimulate baby. Ariana seeemed to sincerely enjoy spending time with and getting to know our baby. I also appreciated that she was a self-starter, finding opportunities to help around the house when baby was napping, like folding laundry or washing dishes. She was even happy to help me finish decorating the nursery! Overall, we found working with Ariana a pleasure and would recommend her to other families. 

Josh

2/20/2022

My partner and I were expecting our first child and while we felt like we had plenty in the way of support from friends and family, many people still recommended that we hire a doula. We decided to hire Ariana as she seemed like a perfect match for our birth preferences and we could not have been more pleased with this decision.

Ariana made us more comfortable with our upcoming life change than anyone else in our lives. She made me, the male in the relationship, feel at ease and like I was able to contribute to something that wasn't happening to my body in a meaningful way. She was extremely knowledgable, patient, and always available to answer questions or just to listen. She advocated on our behalf not just to medical professionals but to our families as well which really helped eliminate drama during a time in which we simply did not have the energy for such things.

During our birth, Ariana always knew what was coming next which put us at ease. I am certain that my wife was more comfortable during the birth than she would have been without Ariana. It was difficult to see my wife in so much pain and not be able to do anything about it so Ariana's ability to lessen this pain was invaluable and made us both feel better.

Ariana followed up multiple times after the birth to asnwer more questions and make sure we were doing ok. It is too soon to think about our next child at this time, but if/when the day comes, we will be using Ariana again.

Gillian Rhodes

2/9/2022

Ariana was the doula of our dreams! She was extremly helpful throughout my pregnancy with great information and slides that I could reference later. She answered all of our questions (this was our first child so we had A LOT) which set my husband and I at ease. She was also a great resource to text when I had questions and freak outs and was extremely helpful during labor. It was wonderful to have her support and knowledge during what could have been a very stressful and traumaic time. It made the birth of our first child extra special, no stress and an overwall wonderful experience! I would 100% request Ariana for any future doula needs!

Rachel

11/9/2021

Ariana is hands-down the best thing to happen to us while adjusting to newborn life. My husband and I don't have family support in Seattle (they live out-of-state), so hiring Ariana as our port-partum doula was essential to helping us adjust to a new baby.

Ariana arrived most mornings (our schedule was 7-10 or 11am to start), and in the early weeks, she would pick up my son's first feeding, diaper change, and clothing change while I got some extra rest after a long night awake with my newborn. What I love about Ariana is that she's flexible. In addition to helping me care for my son in the mornings, she also assisted with household chores so I could really focus on myself and my sleep. Ariana helped clean baby bottles, pump parts, as well as some minor household chores (vacuuming, laundry, watering plants, feeding our pup, etc.). Her flexibility and willingness to take on both baby and household work helped me with my mental and physical health, as well as post partum recovery.

Ariana is also an AMAZING baker/cook. I never realized how difficult it would be to make food and eat snacks in the early newborn days. Ariana prepared protein balls, pumpkin muffins, and soups for us almost daily so we could eat prepared snacks and meals while tending to our newborn. She also was extremely careful with not using allegens, as my husband has an extreme tree nut allergy - which I very much appreciated. 

I honestly have NO CLUE what I would've done without Ariana in the first 4 months of my son's life. I feel tremendouly lucky to have found her and will definitely be hiring her again for baby #2. Thank you, Ariana, for everything -  baby PJ loves you so much! 

Liz Crow

11/7/2021

Ariana was my doula both during labor and post partum for a few months. My experience with Ariana was truly wonderful. She provided lots of important information and resources to get myself and my husband prepared for the birth of my first child.  She was a very calming source of energy during the labor process.  I couldn't have survived my first few months of post partum without her. She took such great care of me, my baby, my home and even my dog. The first few months of motherhood were especially stressful and draining for me as a first time mom and Ariana was my fairy "godmother/doula" and made everything sparkle. I highly recommend Ariana as a doula. 

Mikako

11/5/2021

This was my first pregnancy and birth and I knew from the very beginning that I wanted a doula as part of my journey.  We came across Ariana’s profile and knew she would be a great fit for us.  Her familiar and calm presence through labor and delivery eased my anxiety. I felt an enormous sense of relief when she arrived at the hospital in the midst of my contractions. My husband appreciated her support and tips on how he could assist me. After almost 4 hours of pushing, a c-section was needed and Ariana was there for us every step of the way. We are grateful for her and would recommend her in a heartbeat!

Kate hourihan

9/27/2021

Ariana was such a wonderful Doula for the birth of our first child.

She was incredibly helpful getting us well prepared for the birth experience at our hospital during our prenatal visits. And during the weeks before birth she checked in with us regularly and we always felt well supported. 

The day of our sons birth was such an amazing day. Ariana helped advise me when I should head to the hospital. And she arrived at the hospital shortly after we did, quickly helping me feel comfortable, drawing an amazing bath, supporting my husband as he supported me, and encouraging me towards the end when getting through contractions got tough. She helped me achieve a goal of an unmedicated birth and while it was intense, Im so grateful for the experience. It was a fairly quick birth and the joy I felt after was like nothing else. I know having was a trusted source of support in the room throughout the whole experience made a big difference! 

Thanks, Ariana!

Kate W

8/23/2021

Ariana started working with our family when our son was 6 weeks and I can confidently say that our transition to parenting would have been incredibly difficult without Ariana. First and foremost she was excellent with our son. She was a very calming presence and had all of the skills necessary to soothe a sometimes fussy baby. She also very quickly caught on to his schedule and needs as well as the ins and outs of our household. Additionally, Ariana was very helpful with other aspects of doula care like preparing bottles, doing the baby's laundry and some light meal prep. I highly recommend working with her! 

Kelli

8/13/2021

Ariana was very knowledgeable! My husband and I felt reassured having a familiar face at the hospital leading up to and during my C-Section. We were open to either vaginal delivery or a c-section, depending on what made sense at the time. I ended up having to have an emergency C-Section so Ariana didn't need to coach me through delivery, but I still found her presence comforting. Meeting with her several times in advance was really helpful, especially in learning what to expect at the hospital since my doctor also told me what to expect but it's a more medical overview than what a doula may be paying attention to. 

Jess

6/15/2021

Regular household duties become a nuisance & get pushed aside a lot after having a baby. Ariana helped get caught up on some of these things to help make life feel a little less chaotic & disorganized. It was a HUGE help & I looked forward to the days when she was coming over!!!

Kanani Reichlin

6/3/2021

Ariana helped us work through what we wanted our birth to look like and brought those preferences on the day of the birth and made sure everyone on the care team saw them and held to them as much as possible. She also repeated information to us during the birth when the surgeons were having a hard time getting my uterus to stop bleeding.  What could have been a really scary experience, was not traumatic for me, because I had Ariana supporting us and she was making sure that other members of the care team were explaining what was going on.  Eternally grateful for her.  

Cassiopeia Fowler

6/1/2021

Ariana was amazing! I've never had midwives let alone a doula like I did this time around with my pregnancy & it was the best experience i've ever had! Ariana was so helpful, eveyrhing she did was exactly what I needed. I never had to ask for her help she was always just right there with her hand to squeeze & hair to pull which I apologized BIG TIME for!!!! She was just all in all an amazing person to be by my side especially because my fiancé wasn't able to be here for the birthcof our daughter. Thank you so much Ariana!!!! 

Ali

4/17/2021

We were so fortunate to have Ariana as our postpartum doula. Our situation was not the typical doula care immediately following the birth. Rather, once the grandparents and other caregivers had gone, we found ourselves in need of more help with our 7-week-old baby, who was suffering from reflux and was not the easiest baby.  

Ariana was just what we all needed. She is absolutely committed to the well-being of both the baby and the parents. She was comfortable and confident with a crying baby and found wonderful ways to calm him (soothing talk, gentle rocking, walks outdoors). While she is relatively new to being a doula, she is a true professional - an excellent communicator and always so respectful and thoughtful.  She was especially flexible in working with our schedule to cover my OB and PT appointments, since my husband had just returned to working (from home). Ariana is a lovely person to be with, and we enjoyed and appreciated our time with her.  

We wholeheartedly recommend Ariana, and, again, we are so grateful for her care!  How wonderful that she has found this calling!