Mary

4/16/2024

We really appreciated having Sarah support us and guide us through the pregnancy and birth. She was professional, understanding, quick to respond, and very knowledgable. She answered our questions honestly and was able to provide resources and advice that helped us feel comfortable in making decisions. Knowing that we had an advocate at the hospital was reassuring and we were so grateful for her warmth and sense of humor during the labor and delivery process. 

Maya Hayashi

3/24/2024

Sarah was a great support before, during and after our first born baby's birth. As first time parents, we felt overwhelmed by all the information and sources as we were researching pregnancy, delivery and labor. Sarah was great helping us decipher and comb through and shared relevant and research-based information that gave us a great idea of what to expect and how to prepare.

I had a high-risk pregnancy with gestational hypertension that ended up becoming preeclampsia that precipitated me to get induced at 37 weeks. Sarah had already prepped me to expect to be induced early and walked us through what induction meant-calming me down and getting us ready for the inevitable conversation with our OB. She also was always there by text, should we have any worries and also helped me process what was going on as she was able to ask for specific updates with tips and expectations.

During labor I felt totally supported by my birth team. It was great to have Sarah there to cheer me along and help walk through some of the next steps. Between her, the Swedish nurses and my doctor team--I felt completely supported and could imagine being much more stressed with a different roster of care. 

After getting back from the hospital, I knew that Sarah could be counted on for any little questions that came up for us as new parents. I especially appreciated her focus on connecting with me about post-partum body changes and reminders to take it easy!

Sarah was a kind and attentive doula that i couldn't recommend more!

Kelly

3/17/2024

Sarah was absolutely wonderful to work with!

She is very knowledgeable and gave us tons of resources on breastfeeding, postpartum, and birth topics.

During the birth itself I don't know what I would have done without her. The counterpressure she supplied for pain management during was a godsend. During the birth itself she completely changed my birth experience by offering to add a mirror so I could sew baby being born. I didn't know I wanted that until she offered and looking back it is a highlight from my birthing experience! After birth, she helped me establish breastfeeding and expressing colostrum.

During thr postpartum visit she answered our lingingering questions and the time in between was always available for questions!

She is truly pleasant to be around and I highly recommend her!!

Hannah Yourd

2/6/2024

We really enjoyed having Sarah as our doula. She was very organized during the prenatal visits and shared a lot of helpful information during the visits and over email that made us feel more prepared for what to expect during labor and after birth. We appreciated Sarah's calm presence and clear communication throughout the whole process. She helped us talk through a challenging decision late in labor and communicate the decision to our care team which we were very grateful for. We would highly recommend Sarah to other families searching for a doula!

Karah and Will

1/30/2024

Sarah was the most wonderful doula we could have asked for. She immediately brought the presence of an old friend. She was attentive in the pre birth process allowing us to come to our own conclusions about birth preferences with gentle guidance. During our birth, she was present in a supportive way that allowed momma to focus. Sarah brought fantastic tactile comfort approaches, great positioning ideas, and was able to sense when we needed to shift before we did. We both have a lot of experience working with babies in family medicine and early childhood education. We felt that Sarah was a beautiful compliment to our birth process. We're so appreciative of her skills, knowledge, and presence. 

Bre Salvador

11/11/2023

We absolutely loved working with Sarah through our birth experience. As first time parents we had done some of our own research and reading but had no idea how invaluable it would be to work with a doula like Sarah. During our pre labor meetings she came with great knowledge and it was immediately evident how deeply she cared for us and our experience. We had tons of questions and she thoughtfully guided us through each one and shared a wealth of resources. When it came to our birth experience I can't imagine her not being a part of it! Like many my birth plan or wish list quickly had some adaptations and Sarah was so supportive as we made those changes as an advocate for our goal of a positive birth experience. If we expand our family in the future I can't image not having her as part of our team!

Courtney M

11/7/2023

Sarah helped make us feel very calm and safe throughout my pregnancy and birth. During pregnancy, Sarah met with us at home twice to help plan our birth preferences and understand what to expect. Being able to text or call her anytime with questions or concerns was super helpful too (I was anxious during pregnancy and was grateful to be able to text her rather than call the Dr's office for every question/concern). 

I went into labor early at 37 weeks, and Sarah was invaluable--we were in touch with her throughout early labor, and she helped us feel calm and confident about our plan. When I got to active labor in the hospital, Sarah had a variety of coping techniques for pain that I tried. One of the things I am most grateful for about Sarah is her knowledge of evidence based birth practices--she helped us navigate some tough choices that came up in our birth (she's also very non-judgemental!). When it was time to push, Sarah coached me through everything.

overall, Sarah was a significant part of making our birth experience about as smooth as it could have been. I would highly recommend her for those seeking a knowledgeable, calm guide and advocate through pregnancy and birth. 

Sabena

9/30/2023

Sarah was a godsend in the lead up to, during, and after my labor and delivery! Her guidance helped me and my husband filter through all of the noise and information out there which had been feeling overwhelming, and she stayed with us throughout labor providing pain management techniques, decision making support, and helping us both stay taken care of and present. And post partum, she helped us process the whole experience, work through any challenges we were having with being new parents, and taking care of our little one for a bit so we could catch up on sleep. Would highly recommend working with Sarah!

Emily Bratkiewicz

9/25/2023

Sarah was our birthing doula for the arrival of our first child and was really great for all of our needs. With all the information that's thrown at you, it's hard to know what everything means and what the best option is for your family so having Sarah be able to explain things better, using case studies and data plus anecdotal experiences to discuss our options really eased our minds and helped us make the right decisions for ourselves and our baby. She is a calming presence as well and leading up to the birth, was readily available to answer all of our questions and ease our anxiety. At the birth, she advocated for me and my wants and partnered with my husband to ensure I was being taken care of--even if that meant getting the nurses to leave me alone at times when I needed to decompressyy and just breathe! She was right by my side, helping me with delivery and reassuring me along the way while supporting my husband too. Afterwards, she helped with latching and breastfeeding and made sure we got settled into our postpartum room. She continued to provide support how we needed and didn't leave until we were 100% ok. A few days after giving birth, she came to our home to check in and again help us weed through some of the information provided by doctors to figure out what to worry about and what to not to ensure our daughter was taken care of and my mental health was ok. She continued to text and ask how we are and shows she really does care about not only the birthing process and baby but the parents' wellbeing post delivery too. I would highly recommend Sarah as a doula if you're looking for a smart, compassionate, calming presence who will advocate for your needs to be part of your birthing journey! 

Megan Smithmyer

7/18/2023

Sarah was an absolute joy to work with. She was easy to talk to, provided great information and resources, and really gave us the space to talk through our preferences. During our birth, Sarah was a confident and calming presence. I specifically appreciated her talking us through when we should go to the hospital (one of our goals was to spend early labor at home), suggesting intermittent monitoring when the situation called for it, and keeping me informed about my progress during pushing. Throughout the process she was very reassuring. When things got hard or intense, Sarah's calm demeanor reminded me that everything was ok. I was really happy with my birth experience and I am very glad we made Sarah part of our birth team. 

Emily Lappe

7/9/2023

Having Sarah as our doula was the best choice we made going into labor! With this being our first birth, we knew we wanted to have a Doula there to help us through the process, but we were also nervous about finding the right match. We were interested in finding someone who could balance being a support and source of knowledge, who was warm and friendly, while also knowing when to give us our space and allow this process to still seem very personal to the two of us. Sara did this and so much more! From the classes beforehand to the labor itself, Sarah had great positive energy, endless knowledge and had a constant awareness and understanding of what we needed. We felt so much more comfortable and confident going into birth with her and we can’t imagine what it would have been like without her. We are forever grateful for her!

Annika & Alex

6/27/2023

Sarah was everything we could have hoped for in a doula and provided amazing services pre, during, & post birth. Sarah was extremely thorough and informative in our pre birth sessions walking my husband and I through the birth process as well as helping us put together a comprehensive birth plan. During the birth Sarah was right there providing coaching and techniques to help me through the pain. Sarah was kind, caring, & extremly proffesional in the hospital helping me through the birth. After birth Sarah came by for a post partum appointment and gave my husband & I some time to relax while she watched our new additonal to the family. Our experiewnce with Sarah overal was great and I would highly reccomend her services as doula. 

Alex

6/19/2023

I worked with Sarah for my first pregnancy and am so glad I did! She was incredibly thoughtful, kind and supportive throughout my pregnancy and birth. I was nervous as it was my first time giving birth and didn't know what to expect. She listened to my hopes for my delivery experience and helped me understand what to expect and how she could support me. Having her there in the delivery room was incredible - she helped me with a bath during contractions, got essential oils, made sure I was drinking enough fluids and coordinated my epidural when it was time. I wouldn't have been able to do any of that alone! I felt incredibly supported & knowledgable about what to expect because of Sarah. I had a wonderful birth experience and attribute a lot of that to working with her! 

Sarah and Trenton

6/14/2023

We are so thankful to have Sarah as our doula!  My labor experience was a wild ride as I was induced and went through the whole labor experience before needing a c-section as my baby was stuck. She was there throughout this journey as a calming, supportive presence who advocated for me when needed. The unplanned c-section was a bit scary at first but she was there to reassure that everything was going well. My husband also appreciated having another person there for support, especially since labor was taking a different turn than we expected. Also, she took some pictures of the birth for us to remember this whole experience!  

Aside from the actual birth support, Sarah provided helpful information to help us prepare for the birth like pain management tips and labor progression as well as answer any questions about labor. The pain management tips definitely helped when I was going through the contractions.  If we plan to have another child, we would ask Sarah for her services again!

Severn Jones

4/30/2023

Sarah helped to relieve my anxiety going into birth knowing I had additional support in addition to my husband. I had specific preferences going into birth that were unusual for the hospital ( I have a needle phobia and didn't want an IV) and knowing I had Sarah to help advocate for me made me feel more confident going into things. Sarah has great energy and I really enjoyed connecting with her in our prenatal appointments! When I went into labor things happened very fast and Sarah got to the hospital quickly and assisted with pain relief techniques and counter pressure as well as support and encouragement. After our baby was born she helped me with our first breastfeeding session and getting me snacks when the cafeteria was closed. Thankful for Sarah's support and positive energy throughout the end of pregnancy and into post partum!

Dani and Leo

4/23/2023

Sarah was such an amazing Doula! As first-time parents, we felt so lucky to have her support and help throughout the process.

During Fall of 2022 we were ready to welcome our first baby and Sarah was a vital part of our preparation and labor processes.

Starting from the preliminary meetings that helped us navigate any questions and nerves we had in the third trimester, she provided clarity on what to expect as a mother, as a patient, and as a significant other. In my opinion, one of the most important things she facilitated during our conversations was to ask important questions so we could work out all aspects of our Birth Plan and make sure we would be in sync with each other in most possible situations.

Additionally, having her be part of the birth plan discussion allowed us to at least know about options and to have someone else in the room that would know what our preferences were and what was the birth plan in case any of us (parents) would be overwhelmed with stress or anything.

Our pre-labor process was quite long lasting about three days with contractions, and Sarah was super responsive in case we had any questions on what was happening, when was a good time to head to the hospital, and to even be a good sounding board in case we were re-adjusting our plans. But more importantly, she helped us to remain calm with her messages, empathy, patience, and clear information when needed (sometimes even at 5 am).

After triage when we were admitted she joined us just in time to explain many of the things that were happening in plain English, all with a calm spirit that helped us stay grounded and stick to the plan. She was very supportive and eloquent with her words of encouragement (without sounding repetitive or pushy) through active labor.

We would highly recommend Sarah to anyone as she was a great support for us!

Claire

4/8/2023

Having a doula was amazing, but working with Sarah was life changing!

My husband and I worked with Sarah during the birth of our first child. Here's what was most impactful to me:

- She was knowledgable about so many things related to childbirth, pre and post natal.  Sarah was able to translate that wisdom in a way that was understandable, especially during the intensity of childbirth.

- Sarah proactively checked in during prenatal, which made me feel well-cared for.  This reminded me that she is an excellent resource for questions instead of wasting time trying to find the right answer online.

- Sarah was attentive to my needs during labor, even when I didn't realize I had those needs!  My favorite memory of this is when she offered to apply chapstick, and boy that felt good.

- She remained tactically and emotionally present, which brought such positive energy to our entire experience, including months before and after the birth itself.

- All three of us just clicked.  This will depend on your personality and how close you want to feel to our doula.  During such a vulnerable time, it felt great working with someone who I genuinely liked as a person.

I highly recommend that anyone on the fence about birth doulas to get one.  If you have the opportunity to work with Sarah, definitely go for it!

Tara

2/17/2023

Sarah has a calming, positive energy that immediately made me feel at ease and confident about my birth experience. As a gestational surrogate, my situation was a little different than usual, and I appreciated Sarah's inclusion of the intended parents and flexibility in the  kind of support she offered. What I appreciated most was how she pivoted to inform me of my options when my birth plan changed into a C-section. She talked me through the process and advocated for my concerns as well as getting skin-to-skin care for the baby when that was delayed. Sarah stayed for a couple of hours after getting very little sleep (thank you, 3:30 am baby!) and helped the baby breastfeed before leaving. Her follow-up visit helped us process everything and assured us that she would voice our concerns to the appropriate parties, so that we could concentrate on recovery and taking care of the baby. I am really glad that I had Sarah to help me through my labor and delivery.

Sarah and Neal

12/16/2022

We feel so lucky to have worked with Sarah for the birth of our daughter. We felt so supported throughout the process. Sarah provided a lot of really helpful resources before the birth (some that we didn't realize that we needed until our daughter was born!) and was available whenever we had questions. 

Sarah has this really special ability to provide all of the facts and then also provide space for all of the emotions. I ended up having a C-section, which wasn't something we planned for, and Sarah told us everything we needed to know in the moment and also provided emotional support as I dealt with the realization that the birth wasn't going to happen the way we planned.

Sarah is an exceptionally good listener and generally has a really supportive, caring nature. When I was in pain, she asked really good questions and then provided a variety of options, assessing both my physical and my emotional needs. We both felt cared for throughout the whole experience and can't imagine going through this process without Sarah!

Jason N.

12/14/2022

We loved working with Sarah. She was a great resource throughout the pregnancy, and made us both feel supported through all the ups and downs. As first time parents, we are so glad we got a doula, and we are doubly glad that Sarah was our doula. 

Aimee

11/30/2022

We were fortunate to have found Sarah for the birth of our girl. My husband and I appreciated that Sarah had a STEM background and knowledge backed by research.

As first time parents, we were averse to “unknowns” and leading up to the birth (planned c-section), Sarah de-mystified what to expect and provide information about how things play out in the hospital setting.

Sarah was great at taking the time to explain terminology, processes, setting expectations and provide explanations for why certain things were taking place. If she didn’t have an immediate answer, she would either hunt for information, or get clarification from healthcare professionals. 

The most important thing we valued from Sarah’s service was having her to be our advocate and help us advocate for ourselves. Since we knew little about hospital dynamics, we wanted to make sure we knew when to ask questions, when we could push back and make sure we weren’t pressured into anything we didn’t want. Sarah made sure our birth plan was shared with the surgery team and that our desires were known and followed as much as they could be.

Sarah was always responsive and prompt. (E.g. When I had “false labor”, she met us at the hospital within 15 minutes and had a positive and upbeat demeanor.)

At the delivery, she provided reassurance and emotional support. Her presence helped reduce our stress / “take the edge off”. She stayed with us after delivery to make sure we were situated and offered breastfeeding support. She was very hands-on, and seemed to know when to turn her attention between mom and dad.

Sarah displayed great professionalism with the surgery team, was responsive to any of our needs, and a fantastic listener (we always felt heard),knowledgeable about prenatal, postpartum and newborn care needs, and provided us with resources that we have found useful. 

Heather & Toby

11/9/2022

Working with Sarah leading up to, during, and after the birth of our son was overall a wonderful experience. She was always prompt, prepared, and knowledgable, and brought a level of calm expertise that we hoping to attain by hiring a doula. Sarah's help in easing a great deal of our mental and emotional stresses leading up, and offered more of a consistent, clear voice of reason during and after the birth than the doctors and nurses could provide. To have such a professional and compassionate advocate by your side throughout labor isn't something we can look back and place an objective value on. We highly recommend just starting a dialog with Sarah if you're considering working with a doula.