Grace

8/9/2024

We would say Ryah is a compassionate guide through birth and beyond”

Ryah Jo has vast experience under her belt and, is a doula who truly understands the intricacies of childbirth. Her compassionate approach and expertise shine through, even in unexpected situations.

 When we initially planned for a natural birth, little did we know that circumstances would lead to a C-section. Ryah’s calm presence and extensive knowledge were evident on the big day. Here’s how she made a difference.

She is a great advocate.  Ryah asked questions we hadn’t even considered. Her interactions with the doctor ensured that our preferences were respected, even during the unexpected turn of events.

As new parents, Ryah empowered us. Her positive demeanor and no skilled guidance made the journey less daunting.

Ryah is dedicated to her job as a doula. we met severally before the baby and her advice came in handy during my postpartum. She does postpartum nights to relieve us to sleep especially after we came home with baby. She is a gem and having her around is like a breath of fresh air. she goes far and beyond to ensure we are comfortable when she is at our residence.

Ryah Jo is a guardian during childbirth. Her experience, compassion and advocacy transformed our childbirth experience. We’re forever grateful.Thank you, Ryah Jo, for being our rock during this incredible journey.

Shelby Harvey

8/4/2024

With wholehearted appreciation, I recommend Ryah to any and all mamas, especially first time ones like I was! Everytime I look at my sweet, healthy Tommy Bear, I remember Ryah helping me every step of the way as I brought him into the world. She has an astounding wealth of knowledge and wisdom, yet her demeanor is relaxed and reassuring at every stage.

She not only saved my perineum (no tearing!), she kept me going, no matter how painful the contractions became, a guiding light in the confusing darnkess that is first time childbirth. After having Ryah there, I'd never do it any other way. Her calming energy managed to tame even my neurotic New York family throughout the entire endeavor, from my anxious mom trying to rush me to the hospital at the first signs of labor, to my fierce nurse sister eager to tell off any medical professional who did not meet her impossibly high standards.

My partner had a traumatic experience when his ex-wife brought their son into the world. Ryah listened with compassion, promising to keep him informed as labor and delivery unfolded, and she did exactly that. He reflected afterward, "Whenever I started to worry, I just looked to Ryah. I knew she'd tell me what I needed to know."

I wish everyone could have her there, by their side, a steadying force in the whirlwind. If you're on the fence, I promise you, her support will be the best decision you ever make. She will respect your wishes for a birth plan if you have one, help you create one if you don't, and advocate for you in the delivery, taking any pressure off of you and your well-meaning loved ones!

Jordan

7/19/2024

The connection with Ryah during our initial interview was instant. I knew she would be such a help to us for our first birth, but she really blew all expectations out of the water with how wonderful she made our experience. I had to get induced, which was not my first choice. Ryah walked me through every step and helped me understand what to expect from start to finish. She gave great advice and also sat in my feelings with me for every decision I had to make with no judgement, just support. I was so anxious about being induced, but with Ryah there, I felt so much more prepared and secure in every decision. My husband said he wasn’t sure what to do while I was having contractions and Ryah helped keep him involved as much as he wanted to be with supporting me in different positions or breathing through contractions. She was always thinking about the next best thing for me and baby. Even after I got an epidural, she worked to move my body from side to side, up and down, to keep baby in good position and keep me comfortable. When it came time to push, Ryah was there to coach me and press a warm compress to keep things clean and help with tearing. She is truly an angel and it is very clear she is an expert but also loves what she does. Supporting someone through labor is no easy task, and it really amazed me how invested in my experience she was. Also a huge perk was her coming by when we got home and delivering some wonderful breast feeding advice along with homemade bone broth that I’m still dreaming of. There was not a moment she wasn’t helping me through pregnancy, labor, and beyond and I am forever grateful. Plus, she even photographed the whole thing for us and kept it PG as requested :) so now we get to relive some of the most special moments forever!

Shanna Chen

7/19/2024

Ryah is phenomenal.

We were instantly in love with how knowledgeable she was, from western medicine to eastern remedies. She was extremely assertive and sure of herself during the conversation. That's the personality I want in the delivery room.

In the month leading up, Ryan checked in with us twice. The first was virtual, where she walked us through what the day of birth would look like, having us do a mental exercise to envision what the first contraction to pushing the baby out would look like. It really helped ground us and clear any unknowns. In the second home visit, Ryah gave us exercises to do to make me feel comfortable while sleeping, and to help open up my pelvic area for birth. She also made sure the nursery was ready to go and gave pointers on how to improve it for postpartum success.

The day of she was SUPER available via messaging when contractions started. She timed her in person arrival at our house (to labor a bit longer at home before going to the hospital) perfectly with when I hit 511. Thankfully, she noticed that the baby was sunny side up. Instead of letting me continue and end up in extremely painful and hard back labor, she took my body a step back to get the baby repositioned. It resulted in being extremely easy to push the baby out. She timed the arrival to the hospital perfectly: having us call ahead so that the room would be ready for us when we arrived, spending only 20 minutes from triage/cervical exam to being in the laboring room.

Ryah got me through a 30 hr labor, slept overnight with us in the hospital, got me into different positions to dilate my cervix faster. She also took beautiful photos/videos of the labor and birth.

The in person visit on the 3rd day postpartum was just icing on the cake! She brought us delicious home made soup and made sure baby was latching ok and we were sleeping ok.

I would 100% recommend Ryah to be your doula if you're still deciding.

Heather C.K.

7/1/2024

Ryah always approached every step of the process and our journey with warmth, compassion, vast knowledge and experience. As first time parents, it was wonderful to have her encourage and foster our understanding for all aspects. During our first visit she walked us through the birth process specific to the hosiptal we were planning on going to, which gave us such a better understanding of what to expect and to be more readily prepared for what was to come. Throughout my pregnancy Ryah was there for any of my questions. At one point I was dealing with very painful Braxton Hick's and was just continually working through them until it came to the point that I could no longer do my work and was in constant discomfort (8.5 month or so). Ryah helped me understand that I was experiencing Irritable Uterus pains and gave me several action items to try and mitigate the discomfort. Had it not been for Ryah, I don't think I would have ever even known about IU, let alone all her helpful tactics, which helped me in many ways. With our second at home visit, Ryah helped my husband and I learn different movements and practices that would both assist with my IU pain and also would help prepare my body for birth. Where Ryah really shined for us was during the birth, when it counted the most. The mental, emotional and physical support that she exhibited for both myself and my husband was immeasurable. She also worked so well with all the other staff, advocating for my needs and wishes in the most respectful and professional way. My birth process was not an easy one, but it was a wonderful one, that I look back at with joy and gratitude and I owe a large part of that to Ryah. She also took beautiful photos of the birth, which meant so much to us and especially helped me remember and see things I otherwise would not recall, like when my baby was first put into my arms. Essentially we are very grateful to have worked with Ryah and highly reccomend her as a doula. 

Emilee Gifford

5/15/2024

I could not recommend Ryah enough! She is very knowledgeable, she taught us so much we didn't know, she is very supportive and always a phone call away, she helped come up with game plans with us as a team, she made us feel very confident and well supported throughout the whole process. She also understands and knows everyone has different bodies so she caters to you specifically! She is always on call for you no matter what, she was amazing throughout labor and stayed till the very end! I will definitely be hiring her for my next baby!! 

Jacqui M

4/15/2024

Ryah is as close to goddess status as I have experienced. She supported us through a 52-hour labor and ultimate c-section (fully my choice to move forward with c-section after getting an infection that resulted in high temps and increased heart rate for the baby). With her by my side, the hours flew by; I felt calm, empowered, and so strong; and I always felt informed and emotionally supported. I loved her balance of medical/evidence-based and "woo woo" for lack of better terminology. She helped when the doctors were really pushing pitocin in my induction, knowing that I was concerned about the connection to postpartum anxiety and depression. And overall just made what would have been an overwhelming experience feel very manageable. If you're thinking about booking Ryah to handle/support your birth, do not hesitate. Do it now. Thank you, Ryah!!!

Umut

4/12/2024

Ryah was unbelievably helpful and supportive before, during and after our labor. She connected with us immediately when we first met her, and we appreciated her guidance immensely in the weeks leading up to birth. She checked in with us regularly to understand what kind of birth experience we wanted, and help us understand what options were available and the pros and cons of each. As we got closer, she helped us deal with the discomfort of late pregnancy by guiding us through exercises to relieve strain on the back and hips. She was always available to help and reassure us through whatever we were going through. When we went into labor, her help became truly invaluable - I honestly can't imagine going through this process without her. When she arrived, our labor was progressing slowly, and she immediately could tell that the problem was that our baby was still slightly rotated, making it difficult for him to engage fully into the birth canal. To correct this, she performed a minor painless manoever to nudge baby in to place, and our labor accelerated immediately. She coached us through the remaining home labor, got us into the car right on time, and helped advocate for us to receive care according to our birth plan when we arrived at the hospital. She had a solution for every challenge, and the tools she pulled out of her bag (TENS unit, spiky pressure ball) were "small" but made all the difference for my wife, especially during the car ride to the hospital. When my wife couldn't get out of the labor tub, Ryah told her immediately how to breathe to help her get out. Critically, she took care of us and everything going on around us, allowing us to focus entirely on our birth experience. Ryah was just an indispensable part of our labor - believe me when I say working with her was the single most impactful decision we made that helped us get what we wanted from our birth. She's the best. And gosh, the pictures and video she sent us afterward were perfect!

Courtney Steele

4/9/2024

Two of our close friends recommended Ryah to us, and we are so glad they did. We knew from our first meeting with Ryah that she would be a great match for us - she is so easy to get along with and is super supportive. Not only does she have an impressive background and tons of experience, she made us feel at ease as first time parents. She helped us envision our birth plan and prepare for labor, and was the ultimate guide once labor began! My husband and I are soo grateful that she was there with us. The cherry on top was that she captured amazing pictures of our birth (without me even realizing that she was taking pics) that we will cherish forever!

Christina

3/19/2024

Ryah, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. I loved how well you worked with our home birth midwifery team. While the midwives were waiting for my labor to progress, you came in, checked the baby's position, and got me into positions that helped the baby shift. After that, my labor really picked up in a signficant way.Then when labor sped up faster than I was prepared for, you pulled me through the scariest parts. Your eye contact at the end there was crucial for me. I am so grateful that I was able to have another healthy, normal home birth, this time in the water! I know that your expertise in fetal positioning was what helped get me from A to Z and possibly to have another successful home birth. Thank you for accompanying us through that sacred portal of our daughter's birth.

Having you with us postpartum has also been a true blessing. It was really helpful to process my birth story with you. You helped me normalize my experience. The video and photos you took are such a gift and helped me feel empowered and integrate my birth experience. As our postpartum doula, you give us the needed rest and peace of mind during your overnight shifts that make it possible for us to be more human and better parents during the day. Waking up to the smell of hot breakfast on the stove after a full night's sleep couldn't be beat!  I would highly, highly, highly recommend Ryah as a birth and postpartum doula. 

Emily Koller

12/19/2023

Hiring Ryah Jo as our doula was one of the best decisions we made for our home birth! Long before the birth day arrived, Ryah Jo was available to us and supporting us in our preparation. She has so much knowledge to share and it complemented our work with our midwife team perfectly. Even though this was my first baby and I didn't know exactly what to expect, I was 100% confident that our birth team would be exactlv what I needed. On the day of the birth, Ryah Jo's presence and participation was the perfect combination of action and observation when each of those were needed. Having her there helped me feel safe, supported, and empowered. Ryah Jo was essential in the week after delivery as well, answering questions and supporting my breastfeeding journey. Ryah Jo will always be remembered with such gratitude for her part in helping our daughter into the world!

Sondra

12/19/2023

Working with Ryah Jo was one of the best decisions we made in our birth process. We knew we wanted a doula with lots of experience and with a background in medical knowledge should we need assistance in the hospital (we wanted someone who "spoke doctor"). What really won us over on top of this is her expertise in baby and birther positioning. We were planning for a home birth and since it would be unmedicated, I wanted every other type of assistance available to us. It turns out we made the right choice because 23 hours into our labor my contractions were coupling. She watched me through a few then guided us into a new position that allowed the baby to get better placed within my pelvis and the contractions were crisp from them forward. My active labor was about 4 hours and she was right there with me the whole time. It felt like she could feel what I was feeling she was so on it. With her guidance on new positions and taking me through the peaks of my sensations, I was able to just focus on my breath and move through the process without having to think about anything. I can't imagine my birth without her being there - it would have been very different.

I also loved the way she was able to provide support and confidence to my husband. She was as much his doula as she was mine, especially in the weeks leading up to the birth. 

Overall, I consider us very fortunate to have been able to be under her guidance and care for this transformation experience and would 100% bring her in for future births. There's a reason just about every doula, midwife, and OB in Seattle knows her by name. She's a force in the industry and we were lucky to have her on our team.

Caroline & Jack

12/14/2023

We are so thankful that we chose Ryah to be a part of our birth team! Right from the start, we felt at ease in her presence. She was so helpful prior to delivery- from our home visits, to her breastfeeding class, Ryah goes the extra mile to ensure you are setup for success in labor and beyond.

We opted for a hospital birth, and Ryah was invaluable- her experience really put our minds at ease as first time parents. She helped us labor at home before going to the hospital, providing support and positions to help mom, while dad could get some rest. She's also just a wonderful person to be around, which is what you want when you're in a hospital room. Through a long labor, she was extremely supportive when plans changed- providing her insight and expertise to really help us in the delivery room make the best decisions for mom and baby. She brought a sense of peace and reassurance when things got tough and gave reinforcement when decisions were being made. Ryah is also incredibly strong- staying up all night to physically (and emotionally) support a laboring mama is not for the faint!

We owe our positive birth experience to Ryah and her calm, confident support through it all. And also the pictures she took were awesome- definitely ones we will always cherish. She came over for a follow up visit a few days later- providing tips with a newborn, nursing positions, and a hot healing meal made us feel like we were truly still supported. We will definitely use her again for any future births! Thank you, Ryah!!

Anuja

11/14/2023

Ryah was a dream-come-true-of-a-doula for the birth of our daughter, who was born in April! Our first meeting was virtual, and she immediately felt like she was a family member - she got our humor and dished it right back ??, was an overall genuine and loving human. We felt very comfortable with her from the get-go and didn't hesitate to sign on with her. We could tell she was passionate about being a doula, was very knowledgeable, and easily put our nerves to rest. Our next visits were in-person, where she again listened to our concerns, issues, and answered our questions with love, curiosity, and evidence-based answers. Ryah was always quick to respond to texts too - great communication. 
She was hands-on (massage/exercise techniques) and helped my husband (and I) understand what would be happening during labor/birth and gave him a great set of tools to use. She also took photos and videos for us to refer back to, which were really helpful. 

During the labor process itself, she was AMAZING, starting right from when my water broke. Ryah was great at checking-in with us every now and then when I was still in early labor at home, making sure I was doing alright. Once at the hospital, she was an advocate for me to the hospital staff. She knew my preferences and wishes and wasn't afraid to speak up. She wasn't afraid to hop on my hospital bed either LOL (to help with labor exercises and different positions). It even impressed the hospital staff! She was constantly checking in on me, making sure I was hydrated and doing okay. She was comforting, a great listener, and shoulder to cry on, as was my husband - it felt like I had the dream team. Was great she captured a ton of photos and shared with us too, since we were a little preoccupied ??.

My husband and I cannot recommend Ryah enough! She'll definitely be getting a call if I find myself pregnant again :).

Lacey

9/27/2023

Ryah is a phenomenal birthing doula, and we feel so fortunate to have her supporting us in our birthing journey. We felt fully supported throughout pregnancy, during labor, and postpartum with Ryah. She is extremely knowledgable, and was available to answer any questions, helping us feel confident in our birthing plan. She is so gifted and passionate at what she does and it shines through in the support she provides. During labor, she advocated fiercely for me and the birth plan that was established, helping us truly have the birthing experience we were hoping for, in addition to a smooth recovery. She also provides wonderful postpartum support to ensure you and baby are doing well. Ryah is truly a birthing whisper, somehow knowing exactly what you need and how to best support you - We are so grateful that she was supporting us throughout our journey. 

Dina Levitan

9/18/2023

Ryah was critical to diffusing a tense situation between us and our providers as we went into active labor, and ensured that we were able to deliver with a team that we had the greatest confidence in.  Her presence during those last hours of labor was exactly what we needed to get us through.  Thank you, Ryah!

Alecia Flanagan

9/16/2023

I hired Ryah Jo for the birth of my first baby and I am so grateful I had her support throughout each step of the journey. Ryah provided techniques for a comfortable pregnancy. Her calm and grounded demeanor during the labor kept me focused and motivated. Ryah also provided compassionate care during postpartum and helped with breastfeeding my new babe. Ryah is incredibly knowledgeable and her passion for supporting mamas is unmatched. I would suggest her for birthing in any setting home, birth center or hospital. My husband and the midwife's we worked with during my labor were also very impressed with Ryah. She was a treat to work with from everyones prospective. This woman is worth her weight in gold and I would absolutely recommend hiring her! 

Sarah

9/15/2023

Ryah was such an essential part of our birth team. I particularly appreciated all the prenatal support, including her mini breastfeeding class and the home visit with suggestions for stretches and body prep, which I attribute to my success in birthing my 10 lb 11.5 oz girl naturally. During labor, she was so helpful and supportive and I honestly don't know what we would've done without her support in getting me through the earlier stages of my labor at home and helping us know when it was time to head to the birth center. Most importantly, I think, she kept me MOVING - if I had been on my own I would've curled up in a ball in the bath and tried to not move a muscle until my daughter was out, but her calming yet authoritative presence and knowing what my body needed to progress labor was so important. We wouldn't hesitate to work with Ryah again for any future pregnancies!

Emma

7/29/2023

Ryah was an invaluable part of our birth experience! Most importantly, she made us feel accepted and cared for through pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

As first time parents, and especially as a first-time mom, we had a lot of anxiety around the unknowns of labor, birth and postpartum recovery. Ryah provided a ton of expertise and detailed information about what to expect in various birth and postpartum scenarios, and helped us build birth plans for possible vaginal or Cesarean births. She helped us make the best choices for our particular situation and needs.

In my third trimester, Ryah provided hands-on help and exercisess for managing pregnancy discomfort and preparing physically for labor. She walked us through positioning for easier labor, and taught us a ton about lactation and breastfeeding.

During labor, she provided physical support for me, and advocated for me with our hospital staff. She helped us make choices in the moment that were in line with our birth plan. She was present for all the active stages of labor, and acted as a pushing coach when our doctor stepped away during the pushing stage.

During the postpartum period, Ryah visited to work through issues we had with breastfeeding positioning and latch.

Ryah's expertise, guidance and overall vibe helped our pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experiences feel low-stress and manageable. We are so grateful to her for everything she did.

Deanna

6/28/2023

Ryah was a great doula. My first experience in the hospital was terrible and I wanted to make sure I had someone knowledgeable about my options this time around.

Ryah visited with us twice before my delivery date and was available for phone calls in between. My labor was really quick so I didn’t do a lot of at home labor as my contractions went from 0-100 and we barely made it to the hospital. Ryah road in the car with us and helped with my breathing as we rushed to the hospital. I utilized her tens unit as I had back labor, but my back labor was really intense.

Ryah even got out of the car and knocked on a fire chief's window to see if he could help us as I was in pretty active labor. He changed the light signal so we could get on the freeway faster and that probably saved me a contraction or 2! Once I got to the hospital I transitioned in the lobby and had to push right away! Ryah talked me through the breathing and pushing and even quickly took the doctor aside to go over my birth preferences.

I remember she tried to get me in a gravity position but my back hurt too bad to move, but the baby came in about 10 minutes. One of my concerns was having a third-degree tear again, and Ryah made sure to have my perineum massaged to help with stretching during delivery, which was pretty intense; but I only ended up having a first-degree tear. I count this as a win.

Ryah got some good video and photos of the birth of our baby girl.

Ryah stayed about an hour after delivery and followed up with a home visit days afterwards and was so kind to bring us much needed pho! She showed me the side lying nursing position which came in very helpful for night nursings! I’m sure my husband appreciated me not elevating our bed every 2.5 hours.

She shared a gas relief massage technique for the baby and answered any questions I had.

All in all a very good experience!

Jayme Wong

6/12/2023

Ryah was an incredible support person during my labor and delivery. She coached me and my partner through labor and made it possible for me to have an intervention-free birth in a hospital setting. Without her things would have turned out differently. Her previous experience in midwifery, knowledge of evidence based birth, cultural sensitivity, and international experience sets her apart from others. Upon meeting her it was an easy decision to entrust my welfare to her. Today as I write this we are still in touch and she continues to support me during the postpartum period. She brought my partner and I dinner for our postpartum visit, debriefed about the events of labor and delivery and made sure we are set up for success in the 4th trimester. Her resources in the industry come in handy should you need help in other areas (PT, chiro, lactation, etc.). Thank you so much Ryah for being our pillar during this important time in our lives. ??

Nick & Nikoleta

6/12/2023

We hired Ryah to help us postpartum since we don't have family close by. We had reaWe hired Ryah to help us postpartum since we don't have family close by. We had reached a point where we were very tired because our little one had tongue tie and she'd wake up every 45-60min to feed. As first time parents, we were hesitant to hire a "stranger" to take care of our baby, but Ryah was super empathetic and made us feel so comfortable! She gave us the breathing room we needed, and also helped mom with breastfeeding. We highly recommend Ryah! 

Prerana Manvi

6/8/2023

Ryah was my doula for our first-born, and I'm so very glad to have had her support during the life-altering experience. Ryah worked with me through the course of my pregnancy to ensure the baby was in the right position and I was moving and feeling well. She is extremely easy to work with and get along with, and her strong experience clearly shows in all the amazing tips and pointers she shared with her over the course of our pregnancy, and post delivery as well. I know we lucked out after comparing notes with other friends who hired doulas! I had a not-so-easy delivery and birth but felt very supported - emotionaly and physicall throughout my long labor, thanks to Ryah. Her support through my labor was just irreplaceable both for me and my husband. Although we ended up not being able to get the overnight help which she usually offers to C-section clients right after delivery, Ryah was kind enough to offer it to us anytime in the next year before e even asked! She’s an amazing cheerleader and advocate for your body and your preferences, and a super calming influence overall. It’s way past my delivery and still I text Ryah for tips :)

Stephanie Brown

6/2/2023

It was such a pleasure working with Ryah and we can’t imagine our birth experience (2nd child) without her. Ryah is incredibly knowledgeable, a great resource and support the entire time. The prenatal meetings and breastfeeding course were informative and a great opportunity to connect. Labor ended up being very fast (3hrs 10mins) and I couldn’t have done it without her calming presence and guidance! Her coaching during labor was priceless!

We also booked postpartum sessions with Ryah. We were at ease knowing our baby was in great hands and we could get some much needed sleep! We can’t recommend Ryah enough for a birth and postpartum doula!

Michelle McGroarty

1/7/2023

I don't even know where to start! Ryah was an absolute dream to work with. She is incredibly knowledgeable and has a knack for bringing peace to a high stress situation. Every time I was nervous about labor and I talked to her, the nerves turned to excitement. She is front and center for your labor and delivery with a ton of tricks, strategies, support and encouragement. I truly couldn't have imagined a delivery without her there. She truly cares about her clients and continues to check in even after delivery. We will definitely have Ryah as our doula if we continue to expand our family.

Kristoffer Warren

12/30/2022

As a very hands-on husband, I was skeptical about hiring a doula, but my wife wanted to and she's the one giving birth so I said "Okay," no questions asked. After working with Ryah for our first birth, I was shocked at how important and beneficial a doula can be for all members involved in the birthing process, including the woman in labor, her partner, and the medical team. The labor with our first birth was about 48 hours, and Ryah worked tirelessly to physically support my wife so that I could focus on being there for her emotionally, which was important for our birthing process. I can confidently say that the experience was challenging, but also beautiful and magical, which I never expected, and Ryah created the environment that allowed that to happen. Ryah also joined us for our second birth, and though that labor was much smoother, it was such a joy to have Ryah as part of the process. If you're a supporitve husbad who is hesitant to get a doula, don't be. A doula will allow you to be an even better support partner, and Ryah is a fantastic doula, and friend (if you want her to be your friend, which you should). Thank you Ryah, so much! We are so grateful for you and humbled by your knowledge, and by your ability to support people regardless of their perspective or background. If we have more kiddos (oh my!) you'll be joining us again.

Ilona D

12/20/2022

We love Ryah! Our first baby arrived in October and we truly can’t imagine our birth experience without her. Starting from informative prenatal meetings/visits, Ryah was always responsive and generous with her knowledge. She came to our house during early labor and helped me through intensifying contractions and gave my husband productive tools and techniques to get me through. We had hoped to do most of our early labor at home and Ryah was able to let us know when it felt right to head to the hospital. Throughout the next few hours she continued coaching me through my now very intense surges and was such a strong and level-headed part of our birth team, especially helpful since the doctors never lingered in our room so it was just us plus the nurse for the majority of the time. When it was finally time to push, she jumped into action (“I’m really good at this part!”—she was) and our son was born 30 minutes later, healthy, happy, and I had minimal tearing. Throughout everything she was so friendly, fun, knowledgeable, and a reassuring presence for us. Thank you Ryah!!!

Dan & Emily

11/7/2022

Ryah was phenomenal! We connected with her for the birth of our second child. Our first child did not enter the world the way we would have preferred, so we sought some additional expertise for our second child with the goal being: a successful VBAC. The support she offers throughout the entire experience is exceptional. Our goal quickly became her goal and we always felt supported, never judged or simply tolerated, for the decisions we made along the way. Ryah’s presence in the hospital with us was invaluable. She “handled” the nurses in a very tactful manner – suggesting potential options, requesting specific information, etc. She jumped in and got hands-on when needed, helping with positioning, breathing, etc. She knew exactly when to ask for the doctor to come in and help get us across the finish line, thereby helping us bring our son into the world the way we hoped. Ryah seems to have a genuine passion for helping people navigate this very special and very complicated time in their lives. She is like a warm cup of soup on a cold winter’s day – not just good for the body, also good for the soul.

Nikki

10/18/2022

Having Ryah as apart of our birth plan was one of the best decisions we made. At our 20 week ultrasound we found out our baby had a unique anatomy and with further testing knew he wasn't going to be fit for life here with us. Ryah was there every step of the way by suggesting questions to ask the doctor, willingness to come to our appointments and being a really good advocate for us first time parents. I was so nervous for a hospital birth however knowing her background I knew I was in good hands. She treated us like we were family and I would pick her over and over again. You can tell her heart is in the right place by the unconditional love she brings every time you see her. 10/10 would definitely recommend to anyone in search of a doula 

Kristen

10/13/2022

Oh my goodness we can not say enough good things about Ryah! As first time parents, we naturally had a lot of questions and anxieties, but Ryah always had a special way of easing any concerns and making us feel more prepared and excited for our journey towards parenthood. We enjoyed all of the visits, meetings, and communication that we had with Ryah, but when it came to the “big day” - that is where we leaned on Ryah the most. She was there to reassure, coach, and support us throughout it all and I truly don’t believe I would have had such a positive experience if it was not for her presence. Definitely pick Ryah if you are considering hiring her to join you in your birthing story!

Heather Maharrey

9/9/2022

I cannot recommend Ryah highly enough! She was my doula for both of my kiddos - my daughter in 2018 and my son in July 2022. I had two very different birth experiences, but she was super supportive through both and really met me right where I was for each journey.

For my first birth, I found her extremely helpful in knowing what to expect and felt really prepared for the different stages of labor and what my body would go through. It was also really nice to have her help me labor at home and that took the pressure off of my partner to know when to head to the hospital. I had an epidural and delivered my daugher with no complications. 

My second birth kicked off a lot faster, so we met up at the hospital and labored there. I mostly labored in the tub and was able to skip the epidural and use nitrous oxide for the final bit. My goals this round were different in terms of how involved I wanted to be within the birthing process. She was key in helping me stay grounded with breathwork and visualization we had discussed at our prenatal appointment. I got to experience my son's birth in a really beautiful and embodied way, and got to help catch him as he entered our world! 

Ryah doesn't come into your journey with predetermined plans about what your birth experience "should" be. She really has a gift for meeting you where you are and helping you bring your babe into the world on your own terms - even if those terms evolve. She also got me connected with some great postpartum resources to help me on the other side of pregnancy. Bonus fun was getting to see her interact with my 3 y.o. and infant at our postpartum visit! 

Sarah H.

5/23/2022

Ryah Jo is an incredibly experienced, compassionate and personable doula. She supported us through two births and I am so glad we had her! There are so many amazing things to share. One reason we loved working with her is that she worked really well both with my husband and I, but also the midwives and nurses. She supported by husband in supporting me by teaching and coaching him through the coping techniques. Together they took turns and worked in tandem to help me through contractions. In addition, she communicated clearly and directly with the hospital team. She framed questions to me in ways that made me feel heard and supported and then helped communicate my wants and needs to the staff. She also helped me understand my options in ways that felt managable. She really took us through the births one step at a time. For my most recent birth, I've told everyone that Ryah completely saved my birth. I was induced at 40+6 and was feeling really disappointed and discouraged about that decision by my midwives. The induction was stalled out at about 20 hours and they wanted to break my waters to get things moving and at that point I'd given up all hope of being able to labor on my own, but Ryah Jo arrived and within the hour I was in full blown labor. She knew the positions and movements to try to get labor going and it worked. She really listened to my revised birth wishes and helped make them happen, I had exactly the birth I wanted. And through all that she captured beautiful photos and videos during both births (some while holding a leg to help with pushing!) that we will treasure forever. I *highly* recommend Ryah Jo, I felt so deeply held and supported during my births with her. 

Kelsy F

3/30/2022

Ryah was our doula for both of our deliveries. After our first experience with her, there was no one else we would have wanted to be with us during the delivery of our second child. She is extremely knowledgeable, supportive, and brings an amazingly calm energy to the delivery experience. We followed her lead and both of my deliveries were positive experiences from beginning to end. She guided us through every stage, supported the transition to the hospital/midwives, took amazing photography/video of the births, stayed with us until we were settled with our newborns, and delivered the most amazing soups during our post partum visits. We attribute many of the positive memories from both of our delivery experiences to Ryah and would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula.

Kunal

3/20/2022

Ryah's experience and care for her clients shows and we couldn't recommend her enough! Being first time parents, it was a relief to have all her wisdom available just a call or text away. Her pre-partem class on labour day exercises and feeding were very helpful in what to expect. But we couldn't be more thankful for her conviction and support on the d-day when she tried all the tricks in her books to ease our labour. We couldn't have conquered the pain and made the decisions without her direction and it was clear she gave her all to meet our birthing plan! Her follow up post partem was also very thoughtful as she brought home made soup and checked in on how baby and mom were doing. 
We are simply glad to have found her and would recommend her in a heartbeat. 

Sarah

2/24/2022

I wish I was better at writing reviews. I feel like anything I say won't express how amazing our experience was with Ryah. But I'll give it a try: Having Ryah as our Doula was the best decision we made for the birth of our baby. We did one birth without a doula and then one with Ryah, I wish I would have had her with us for our first. Her calming effect, knowledge and skills are well worth the cost. Her support before birth was amazing but her support during birth was priceless. She knows how to encourage you and provide physical support as well. To top it off, she provided excellent care during the 4th trimester! If your debating using Ryah, you won't regret it. 100% would recommend to any of my friends having babies!

Duni & Sam

2/6/2022

Our experience with Ryan was beyond amazing! We had a particularly long and intense labor (nearly 80 hours!) and without Ryah we would not have been able to have the natural home birth we wanted.

She was by my side through all of the contractions and knew exactly what my body needed to get baby out. She guided me through exercises and ensured my husband and I were eating and resting, all of which allowed us to stay strong and present for our daughters birthday.

Strong and present, Ryah was the best coach when I thought I was losing it and she kept me focosed and grounded when I needed it most. Especially during transtition, she kept reminding me to let the baby change my body and it was exactly what I needed to hear in that moment. 

She also brought goodies with her every time she came to our home - the postpartum bone broth soup was our favorite! Could not imagine doing this without her. Everyone needs Ryah at their birth! 

Julia

1/20/2022

Words don’t describe how amazing Ryah is - she was the best choice we made for my pregnancy and delivery.   She is a calm and grounding presence and she absolutely came through when things got wild. :)  She has the best of sense of humor and she’s the person you want in your corner.   We had to transfer last minute to the hospital because of meconium at 41 weeks.   We desperately needed someone to advocate for us to the hospital staff - it was 3 am and our midwife wasn’t able to transfer with us.  The hospital staff would not listen to us, so we got Ryah on the phone right away.   She was calm and clear, and the staff really respected and listened to her.  During the birth she was the best coach - I felt so gotten and strengthened by her presence - she truly helped me give it my best!  It was a long labor but a successful one!   I can’t image doing it without her!    It takes a special type of person to do what she does.   I read literally every bio in the Seattle area and had 4 interviews with other Doulas - not one came close to Ryah!   She made me feel so light hearted and happy every time we talked. I also took both her birth and nursing classes and they were both so great! A+++

Marie

1/18/2022

Ryah was an amazing doula, and I’m so glad we worked with her. I was drawn to Ryah because I thought she would be a good coach for me during labor and because of her training in Spinning Babies/baby positioning. Both of these things proved to be true. With her help and the laboring we did at home, I arrived at the hospital and was 9cm dilated. Both at home and in the hospital, she offered recommendations for positions that helped move my baby down. She also helped make the hospital room more comfortable – such as asking the staff to turn down the lights. My pushing phase ended up being multiple hours, but she helped me stay calm and focused throughout. There were some complications at the end which were the only moments I felt truly scared and out of control. Ryah was so present and with me in those moments – it brings tears to my eyes when I remember it. Afterward (both that day, and in a postpartum home visit) she talked through the events of the birth with us, which helped me make sense of all that had happened and gave me a greater sense of peace about the birth.  

Other benefits of working with Ryah: she’s very responsive, she offers a breastfeeding mini-class which was really informative, and she took beautiful photos during the labor and birth that captured the experience so well.  

Jelina

12/16/2021

I am so thankful I met Ryah Jo! I was 37 weeks pregnant, I lost my original doula, I found out my baby was breeched, my EVC was unsuccessful and I was looking at a planned caesarean instead of the natural birth I prepped and planned for. Needless to say I was pretty overwhelmed. Ryah Jo came in and was such a warm and comforting presence. She was instrumental in turning my surgery into such a positive experience.

While in the OR, she brought some calm in the chaos by coordinating music and providing fragrant oils. She held my hand when the surgeons got to work, and stayed by my side when my husband left to go check on the baby when he was delivered. She guided my husband through the c-section while it was happening, and empowered him to be a full participant in the OR. She even took videos and pictures and helped us document the moment.

I am also thankful for her services outside of the OR. She visited me postpartum just to check in, and was always available via text messages for all of my questions and concerns. When I found out I needed a caesarean, I thought I wouldn't need a doula anymore but I'm so glad I had Ryah Jo!

Corbin

12/7/2021

Ryah is an outstanding Doula. She's passionate about her profession and helping families with their birth plans. She helped me through my wife's entire labor with skill and dedication so that I always knew how to best support my wife. Her bright ideas and comforting demeanor helped put us at ease as we prepared for birth. Our labor lasted 24hrs and Ryah was always there, offering suggestions and a supporting hand if needed. Through the labor I realized we had "The Ryah Experience" - a term I coined to illustrate the awesome ways she supported us and something you can only have by hiring her as your doula. Postpartum, we felt supported and connected by our experience. I truly do not know what we would have done without her support. Look no further and give yourself "The Ryah Experience" because she is absolutely worth it, and more. Thank you Ryah. 

Nikita

11/22/2021

One of our friends had Ryah as their birth doula and they recommended her to us. Thanks to our friends, one of the best decisions we made was to hire Ryah as our birth doula. She was absolutely amazing to work with. She did a pre-partum zoom call and helped us with the birth plan. She was extremely open to our thoughts and ideas on how I envisioned my birthing experience to be and patiently guided us in areas that we didn't have much knowledge of like the pain management strategy, etc. She did a home-visit 4-weeks before the due date and showed me some exercises that would help with the baby get into a more conducive position for pushing. 

When my water broke and I was in the hospital for 24-hours before getting into active labor, Ryah was constantly in touch with us through calls/messages and guided us through the various decisions we took to induce labor. This was extremely helpful to have an informed discussion with the nurses on the next steps. She arrived right in time to the hospital for my active labor. During the entire pushing period, she was extremely supportive and helped me through the various positions. Ryah was my advocate during labor and worked effectively with the nurses. She was a constant support. 

Ryah visited us for a post-partum consultation and was available to answer our questions during that period too. We cannot recommend Ryah enough to anyone looking for a birth doula!

Kaitlin

9/25/2021

Ryah is amazing at what she does! We instantly felt a connection with her after meeting once and felt that her knowledge and experience made her someone we needed on our team when giving birth to our baby. Although we wanted a natural birth and ended up with a c section due to breech presentation, she helped talk us through an external version procedure and the c section. She helped ease our fears and calm my nerves. She checked in regularly.  She also helped me in the second trimester when I had mysterious excruciating arm pain that 2 doctors and a physical therapist couldn't fix. Turns out it was a magnesium/potassium deficiency. You want Ryah on your birthing team, no question! You will not regret it. On top of being great at what she does, she also is just a kind, calm and soothing soul. 

Maureen

9/23/2021

Ryah was the best! I would recommend Ryah to anyone who is looking for support and birth knowledge in their pregnancy journey. My husband and I were worried about a few things in my labor (which was 4 days long) and Ryah was there for every stage and every day to give us confidence. She was our North Star and always had amazing feedback. She is both personable and professional. Ryah is well known in the doula community and there's a reason! She reviewed my birth plan without judgement and was making sure the hospital was also following it. We learned more from Ryah than my own OBGYN on the details of labor and delivery. She took the time to explain everything so we could confidently make decisions. The best pregnancy decision we made was hiring Ryah! I can't thank her enough!

Pragnya Maduskar

9/7/2021

Our doula was at another birth so she couldn't make it when I went into active labor. She spoke to her good friend Ryah and that's how we got this angel for my labor. I had never spoken to Ryah before but when she arrived it didn’t feel like that at all. This is our first baby and without her help I feel I would have given up. My contractions got intense when she came in and helped me tremendously by giving massages, aroma therapy and just helping out with pain management. My epidural unfortunately didn’t work the first time it was administered and because of that I got to experience the peak of contractions. Without her support I can’t even imagine handling those contractions on my own. When it was time to push, she helped me with different positions and also tried to correct baby's position.  I pushed for 3 hours and again she was by my side helping with every aspect from feeding me ice chips to being my cheerleader that I can do it. And after pushing for so long, I met my beautiful baby boy ??

Ryah also captured some precious photos and videos that we are going to cherish forever. She also made sure to communicate with the nurses and my OB effectively to ensure I have a great experience. She also did a postpartum lactation consultation on Zoom later on. Thank you Ryah for everything! I still can't imagine if I would have been able to do it without you! If we ever decide to have a second baby I have no doubts in my head that you will be my birth doula??

Nicole Ambion

5/23/2021

My husband and I had Ryah as our birth doula, and it was one of the best decisions we made for us and our son for his birth. I had a very smooth pregnancy, but as first time parents, we felt like it would be wise to have an expert in the room for our birth, in the event we need to make decisions about our delivery. That became true for us the day our son was born. Ryah checked in on us via zoom/text as we approached my induction date, and came to our home to teach me some coping methods I could use to help me labor at home. We made a game plan for how I envisioned my labor, and at each step, she gave me examples and options so I knew what to expect. On the day I went into labor, Ryah checked in with my husband for updates, and sent helpful tips while I went through the early stages of labor. Once we arrived at the hospital, my son threw us through a few loops, and we struggled to keep his heart rate monitored and needed to reposition his head and Ryah came to the rescue. She coached me through multiple movements, providing my husband and I the tools we needed to get baby back in a comfortable position and getting us ready to push. Unfortunately like my birth plan, my son had different plans for us, and after failing to progress, my OB felt it would be safest for the baby to have a c-section. Ryah brought a calming and reassuring energy to the room as we approached our scheduled c-section and we asked for her to be in the OR to help support us emotionally there as well and she happily obliged. Her encouragement, genuine care and support for us throughout the entire process affirmed why we chose to work with her. Our birth plan, although not the one we planned for, was perfect, and a major part of that was Ryah and her support throughout the process. As we heal and recover through our c-section, we've decided to bring Ryah on for continued support as our postpartum doula and will 100% be working with her in the future as we continue to grow our family. 

Adina + Mike

4/24/2021

Ryah is incredible. Our birth preferences were to have as minimal medical intervention as possible and we are clear that without Ryah, our birth story would have been very different. She is the perfect blend of using non-traditional intervention and knowing when it is time to use traditional medical intervention if the situation calls for it. 

We chose Ryah because of her extensive knowledge and experience, and her very calm, no nonsense bedside manner.

My husband and I are both pretty data driven people. Doing things that have anecdotal stories to back them up is not really our thing. Evidence based care is really important to us, and one would think that OBs would be up to date on the latest clinical research for non-traditional but highly effective interventions, but they are not. For example, consuming 6 dates a day 4 weeks prior to your due date dramatically impacts cervical ripening and therefore labor length. My OB didn't know about the multiple clinical studies that supported the efficacy of consuming dates, but Ryah did! And that's just one example in a slew of many non-traditional interventions.  

She is also well versed in "baby spinning" which is all about understanding how the baby is positioned in the womb during labor and how to reposition them so they are optimally aligned to decend down through the birth canal. For example, back labor is caused by the baby being oriented such that the spine of the baby is pressed against the spine of the mother. And when a contraction happens, it presses the spines together making it extremely uncomfortable. But using a variety of movements that are kind of like yoga but for your baby, it's possible to reposition the baby to rotate, eliminating back labor. 

She was recommended by my OB's office. I would and have highly recommended Ryah to my friends and family.

Krista

4/23/2021

This was our third birth with a doula, but first birth with Ryah. We knew Ryah was going to be a great fit for us as a doula right away--even over zoom introductions. She has a positive, calming, encouraging personality. Additionally, Ryah is naturally gifted as a doula and it's also very noticeable that she is highly skilled and knowledgeable through her experience as a doula and midwife assistant.

Throughout my third pregnancy she was always there to support me as I faced new medical challenges that caused me anxiety. She always validated me but also helped me focus on what I could control and the positives. When my baby was breech, she gave me a plan of daily exercises to help her move and my baby did flip!

Ryah helped us think about things for our birth wish list that we hadn't considered before. Ultimately, I had another unmedicated birth as I hoped for but I really don't think I'd have the confidence to do this without a doula support. Ryah provided support the entire time, helped my spouse support me as well, and helped me to stay focused and calm when I needed it. Towards the end of my labor as I was near pushing, we learned that my baby was sunny side up and turned, making my contractions really painful. Ryah quickly moved in to suggest different positions that helped the baby get into a better position. The OB was ready to break my water to move things along, but Ryah advocated to go through a few more contractions in different positions to get the baby to move first, which was great insight. Thankfully, my baby moved to a more favorable position for pushing. Ryah also helped advocate for my husband to be involved in the delivery--he got to pull the baby out once her shoulders were out and place her on my chest. This was really special for us.

Ryah made us feel comfortable, supported, advocated for, and cared for. She also took some beautiful labor and delivery photos. She is also great at maintaining clear communication.

Chelsea Moise

4/20/2021

I'm so happy that Ryah was our doula! Everything happened pretty fast for my labor and Ryah was calm and steady the whole time. She was even prepared to deliver our baby in the car if we couldn't make it to the birth center in time. While my husband stuffed every towel we own into the back of the car, and I was asking if we should just stay at home and delivery in the bathroom; Ryah was cool, calm and collected, letting us know that we should all get in the car and head to the birth center ASAP. Turns out my baby's arm was by his head so it made the pushing phase longer/harder than we originally anticipated considering how fast I dialated, but Ryah was great at letting me know what was going on, what to do next, and encouraging me the whole time. I really don't know what we would've done without her.

Both my husband and I agree that hiring her was one of our best decisions we made throughout our pregnancy. We can't say enough good things about Ryah and highly recommend her!

Sarah Haggard

3/20/2021

We hired Ryah as our post-partum doula for our son at 5 weeks old and it was one of the best decisions we've ever made. Ryah is an empathetic, approachable and knowledgeable doula whose best superpower (beyond being an exceptional doula) is how well she easily integrates into your home. She also takes a personal interest in the well being of her clients and even helped us transition into the next stage of childcare, interviewing several nannies for us on our behalf. Ryah is someone we've come to deeply admire and respect. We have already asked her to come back for baby #2! Run, don't walk to hire Ryah. You'll be glad you did. ?? 

Rebecca

3/16/2021

We have been so blessed to have Ryah as our Doula for the birth of both of our babies. She is an amazing resource of knowledge and a rock star in the birth space. Whether you are a first time mom, a vbac mom or a seasoned veteran...Ryah is amazing! Honestly... she encouraged me to try positions & different techniques during labor that no one else could have convinced me to try. She kept me focused & centered when I was close to the edge. She is rock solid, confident, and also so loving, kind and compassionate. We credit her calm and confident presence and knowledge with achieveing our VBAC! Thank you Ryah!!!

Farah Khan

1/24/2021

Working with Ryah Jo was the best decision we made for the delivery of our baby boy. Since we met her, she’s been a wealth of knowledge in both labor practices and postpartum care. Having her in the labor room with us was great, she alerted us to different positions we can try, different techniques to encourage my contractions to work harder. She also informed us of our rights and what we can ask of the hospital staff. We felt Ryah was a strong advocate for us in the room and she helped us decide when we needed to move to a c section. I felt supported by Ryah and would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula! She’s also great at teaching birth partners on how to help the laboring person through different positions.

Ward Williams

1/1/2021

Ryah was fantastic, and hiring her was the best money we spent during pregnancy/child birth. My wife had the idea to hire a doula, and we were lucky enough to get Ryah. Her knowledge, teaching, and bedside manner made me feel much more confident and comfortable before, during, and after our (first) son's birth. There are a lot of times where you're alone with your pregnant wife during labor in the hospital, and having Ryah there was a HUGE comfort and support to us, especially when decisions need to be made that affect the person you love most in the whole world, and the baby inside of them! Guys, do yourself a favor and get a doula, and make it Ryah. I highly recommend her and would love to hire her again for our next pregnancy.

Leann

12/30/2020

I'll admit, I was skeptical of using a doula at first, and didn't quite understand why I would need one. Because of COVID related factors, I ended up losing my midwife and doctors 7 months in, and we got a doula so I could have a consistent and familiar face in the delivery room, being a first time mom and not allowed to have any other guests besides my husband due to COVID. Now, looking back, I can't even picture going through the birth experience without a doula. In a sea of doctors and nurses, Ryah was definitely the smartest person in that delivery room and was a constant advocate for me in all 37 hours of an induction and vaginal delivery with an epideral. She has a strong but listening presence and I found myself trusting her immediately. My husband and I also took one-on-one online birth classes with Ryah, she shipped us a CPR doll to practice infant CPR since in-person classes were all cancelled, sent me evidence-based birth articles, and her postpartum home visit was incredibly valuable as a check in about my health (did you know that after you give birth you don't have a follow up visit with your provider for 6 weeks, while you're bleeding, tears are healing, and all your organs are going back to hopefully the right location?). Even beyond when her contract ended, Ryah reached out regulalrly via text to see how I was doing. Ryah is excellent at her job, and a joy to be around, and I would recommend her to anyone looking for a support person to help you feel confident about parenthood and having a healthy satisfying birth experience.

Vijaya Manohararaj

12/13/2020

Being pregnant for the first time, without the support from family due to COVID-19, we were very anxious about labor and birthing. We went through all classes and videos we can :P but that ended up making more anxious due to the focus on potential complications in many of them.. 

We wanted to have a natural birth with minimal interventions, and we decided to get a doula to help us through the process and make sure we make the right decisions for us. We interviewed Ryah, and she was a great fit from the get go. She was always available throughout the last month with any questions we had and kept reassuring us of what is expected as I saw many changes over that time. We had a couple of zoom sessions to prep for the labor and go over coping techniques - she even sent us a nice little gift box for the parter with 50 ways to help during labor..  

During the labor, we reached out to her middle of the night and she was quick to respond and guided us through it. In time, she made the right decision to go to the hospital and we reached there with 9cm dialation. She was very supportive throught the labor and we welcomed our baby boy less than 4 hours later. Unfortunately, I could not hold any food or water during early labor and had diarreah or vomit whenever i ate or drank anything. Ryah knew this could cause dehydration, and made sure that the hospital staff were aware of this and ready even before we reached there, which was very helpful.

Overall we had a great experience with her and will continue to get her help for the 4th trimester. She is very experienced and our takeaway is that she can help you the way that is best for your situation.

Julia

11/6/2020

Working with Ryah was the best decision we made around our birth choices. She is grounded, extremely knowledgeable, and very responsive. She’s really pleasant and trustworthy too. It was thanks to her expertise that my labor progressed the way that it did. It has been so nice being able to ask her questions post-birth. Her birth and baby classes were personalized and super helpful; she was an anchor point for me during my long labor; and she has been an amazing resource for us with parenting in the first couple weeks. Ryah is the best!

Jen Reeves

10/25/2020

Ryah was absolutely amazing and hands down the reason I had a successful VBAC. I was nervous about choosing a VBAC and hiring a doula (especially during Covid life) but every step of the way, Ryah provided reassurance and calmed my nerves. During our check-in's she would give great suggestions on how to prepare for labor and get my body ready to attempt the VBAC. She was always available, responsive and genuinely cared about my pregnancy and birth plan. During the actual labor/birth, she was fantastic. I delivered at Swedish and they were not very supportive of my VBAC (to say the least).  Unfortunately the medical staff was not as welcoming to her and often commented on her techniques with a condescending tone. However, Ryah was an incredible advocate for my needs while also being professional and courteous to the medical staff. She also included my husband and ensured he got to experience the birth they way he wanted (catch the baby, cut the cord, etc.). When it started to look grim for the success of my VBAC she never lost hope and continued to try different methods to get my body to cooperate. Eventually I did get my VBAC (little help from the doctor and nurses). Ryah took tasteful photos and a video, which were great. She even knew that I would be starving and ordered food for me before she left and before the kitchen closed. Overall, I had the birthing experience that I really wanted and owe it all to her. I would highly recommend hiring her if you're considering a doula. I know that if I choose to have a 3rd baby, I will 100% be using her services again. Thank you, Ryah! You have no idea how special you made this experience for my family!

Dua

10/20/2020

We found Ryah through my chiropractor. She was really helpful during pregnancy, at the time of labor and delivery and postpartum. She spent tons of time teaching us techniques for labor and helped us create a plan to keep me occupied during labor. Our baby's head wasn't positioned right for the delivery. Ryah worked with me during labor to get the baby in the right position. She was kind, gentle and comforting during the entire process.I ended up needing a C-section and she was supportive. She made sure all our questions were answered. She also helped us out postpartum. She helped us give our baby her first bath. She also watched our baby for a few nights (once a week for 4-5 weeks) so we could get continuous sleep and I could recover from the surgery. My husband and I were glad we found Ryah. We are forever thankful for her kindness and support. 

Marie

10/10/2020

I knew that I wanted a doula present for the birth of my daughter, but I had no idea how much having Ryah by my side would mean to me.  It made all the difference.  The first time we met in person was the night I went into labor, and as soon as she walked through the door, I felt as though she was an old friend. 

She immediately crawled into bed with me and started monitoring my contractions, allowing my husband to get some rest before the long night ahead.  My labor progressed quickly, and it wasn’t long before she recommended that we head for the hospital.  I wanted to labor at home as long as possible, and Ryah timed our arrival perfectly.  

Although Ryah had been integral in helping me create my original birth plan, she also offered much needed guidance when that plan had to change.  When I ultimately made the decision to have an epidural, I was told I'd have to wait at least thirty minutes. Ryah advocated on my behalf, something neither my husband nor I would have had the capacity to do at that point, and they agreed to expedite the process. Because of her knowledge and experience, Ryah was able to be assertive yet diplomatic.  She was the best advocate I could have imagined.  Having Ryah by my side gave me the confidence I needed and allowed my husband and I to take a deep breath and enjoy the process.

Ryah continued to support us long after we left the hospital.  She checked in on us periodically over the following weeks, and counseled me virtually as I worked through breastfeeding issues.  Given how isolated we were due to Covid-19, this postpartum care turned out to be a lifesaver at a time when my husband and I needed it most.

Ryah embodies everything that you look for in a doula: she’s calm, compassionate, encouraging, comforting, and extremely knowledgeable.  I couldn’t imagine having given birth without her by my side.

Christine

9/24/2020

Ryah was awesome and I couldn't have done an unmedicated birth without her.

As this was my first pregnancy I really didn't know what to expect from labor nor what I really needed for support. Some doulas offer a certain style with a clearly defined approach to support through labor. I was looking for someone who could be adaptable and sense what kind of support I needed as I needed it. Ryah was exactly that.

She worked really well with my husband helping to coach him through ways to support to me. She also worked really well with the nursing staff. She provided some suggestions to help progress my labor and ensure my and my baby's health. Eeverything felt encouraging, calm, and collaborative and like one big support network in the room.

Highly recommend!!

Jamie

9/17/2020

Ryah Jo was absolutely  instrumental in our successful VBAC.  She was assertive, calm and very knowledgeable throughout, and personable to boot.  We would hire her again in a heartbeat.

Cotie

9/6/2020

Ryah is a magnificently gifted doula and I could not imagine giving birth without her by my side. She helped me labor at home as long as possible and she knew exactly when to head to the hospital based on my body’s cues. She provided lots of different comfort measures and gently coached me each step of the way. She also helped immensely with guiding my husband on how he could support me during labor. She also took some very sweet photos of our first moments with baby. Without her I probably would have asked for pain medication but Ryah made all my natural birth dreams come true!

Iain

8/6/2020

Ryah has been a pleasure to work with from our first video call (COVID makes for strange times) through today in our "4th trimester." She has that perfect mix of professional and personable skills that make you feel comfortable and confident at the same time. Ryah was able to provide my wife with stretches and exercises early on that helped reduce her pelvic pain in late pregnancy and she has been a big help for us with personal breastfeeding advice to keep baby and mama happy.

Ryah was highly recommended by our midwives and we wanted her on our team to keep us comfortable, relaxed, and on track through birth. There was no way to know that our birth would go so fast that Ryah would race to our house, beating the midwives, and show up with only minutes to spare! She expertly coached my wife into a better birthing position and caught our daughter as she came into the world. Shortly after the birth the midwife arrived and Ryah immediately took up a support role gathering supplies, picking up some of the clutter, and even snapping some photos of our new family. Once everybody was stable and comfortable, she raided our kitchen and came back to the bedroom with a tasty bone broth soup to help prop us back up.

I expect most doulas don't think of themselves as professional baby catchers but even our midwives commented that if it had to be anyone who beat them to the birth, they were happy it was Ryah. If you need any more convincing at this point just know that even our dog likes her and I'm sure you will too.

Natalie & Rinaldo

3/26/2020

t’s hard to express the gratitude I have for Ryah when I reflect back on my sons birth. I really believe I couldn’t have given birth to my son without her help and support. Adding Ryah to our birth team was the best decision we made. From the moment we met her she was there for us. Both my husband and I felt at ease and supported the weeks leading up to, throughout my labor, and afterward.

Ryah brings a calm and confidence in the room even through the phone. She has a deep well of knowledge to draw from and it’s obvious she  adapts to each family's individual needs.

By choosing Ryah you will gain an incredible support for your birth team and beyond you’ll gain a friend. I fully intend of having Ryah at the birth of all my children.

Amanda Standley

2/11/2019

Learning about what a Doula was and the desire to have a doula as part of our birth team became even stronger once we interviewed Ryah. Immediately, both my husband and I were so comfortable with Ryah and impressed with her calm demeanor and wealth of experience. We were looking for exactly what she had to offer - coaching for my husband to be the primary support during my labor, an advocate to ensure that our birth plan went according to plan as much as possible, a voice of reason to know that we were experiencing within what was the wide range of normal, and even more. From our prenatal appointments all the way through to delivery, she promoted a sense of calm in the room. Ryah was available and happy to answer any questions we had and provide advice that would help us to get our desired outcomes. We couldn't have asked for a better birth experience and a lot of it was thanks to Ryah!

Kelsy Foulstone

2/6/2019

Ryah was an absolute joy to work with.  She made our entire birthing experience (and prep & post partum) so much less stressful than we imagined it would be going through it for the first time.  We enjoyed her personality, knowledge, and experience right away and felt that she did a great job preparing us for labor.  She gave us several tools and techniques to help cope with early labor and really helped me get through active labor, while involving my husband as much as possible.  She was a great coach and knew the right things to say when I was going through contractions and she guided my husband and I through labor so that we could embrace the experience fully.  Once we got to the hosptial, she worked extremely well with the midwife and nurses.  She knew when to get involved and when to let the midwife team do their thing.  It was if they had all worked together before.  Looking back, we realize how lucky we were to have found Ryah as we describe our labor and delivery experience as positive (which is something I never thought I'd be able to say).  We'd hire her again in a heartbeat and truly appreciated everything she did for us.

Walter Pettus

5/5/2017

Speaking to the husbands out there, your wife needs Ryah! Ryah is an incredible repository of knowledge, she’s compassionate, and professional, and the right amount of fun for how much you can handle at every stage.

Our second baby was on the way, and this would be our second doula; would we need one? Yes, and more specifically we needed Ryah. In the final weeks and overdue days my wife was chatting nightly with Ryah (you don’t like seeing your wife uncertain and unsupported). When labor came, Ryah helped coached her through the pain and mitigation techniques (you don’t like seeing your wife in pain). Ryah was a forceful advocate with the hospital for the natural labor my wife wanted, we didn’t want to go through induced labor and the recovery fallout again.

We couldn’t imagine all the ways Ryah made our lives, and our daughter’s life, better through pregnancy, labor, and those first weeks. Where you know what you want, she’ll help you get there. Where you are uncertain what you want, she’ll help you make an informed decision.

Katherine Pettus

4/23/2017

My husband and I hired Ryah for my second baby. We felt that, though I'd been thru labor before, I needed and advocate and advisor to have a more natural birth. With my first, I was induced. I was determined it wouldn't happen again.

Our Ryah is the most amazing gift. She was available for me from the moment she first responded to my doula inquiry. She visited us, listened to my concerns, and assured me that my hopes were not vain. For a few months, I didn't really need her, and she didn't impose on my introverted love of being left alone. But then, my baby started to think about being born. I called her at about 30 weeks with a question. With increasing frequency, I needed Ryah's support, but day or night, she was always there.

15 days before Rosalie was born, I thought maybe I was going into labor. I called Ryah. She gave me instructions about what to expect. Every single day for 15 days, I was texting or calling Ryah for support. As Rosalie's due date came and went, Ryah helped me do encouraging exercises, she kept my spirits up and kept me calm.

I had, by this time, a hope that I could labor at home for a while, in the dark, with candles and christmas tree lights on. When Rosalie finally decided it was time, of course at 1 am, Ryah came straight to me and quietly arranged everything just like I wanted it. She kept me focused and positive. Sure, there was pain, but there was absolutely no suffering. Everything was peaceful and joyful. We got to the hospital in perfect time, not too soon, not so late that things were rushed.

Ryah is full of knowledge that she shares with you. I have passed some on to friends who are so grateful for the expert advice.

The most amazing thing is that Ryah is still there for me, 4 months pp. I still text her often, sometimes for help. Just the other day, I texted her for help with a breastfeeding issue. She always helps. So happy we have Ryah in our lives!

Kendall Shibuya

12/14/2016

My husband and I feel so fortunate that Ryah was our doula. I will definitely recommend her to all of my friends when they are pregnant! She is calm, confident and competent, and has the perfect temperament for the job. She went above and beyond every step of the way. Her prenatal meetings were thoughtful and thorough, and she always made sure all our questions were answered and we felt prepared for the next step. She even came to a midwife appointment so that they were acquainted before the big day. During labor, she helped both my husband and I keep our rhythm and stay as relaxed as possible. She provided great suggestions to help keep labor progressing and to help ease the pain of a natural birth at a birth center. If you would like, she will even document the birth for you! After the birth, she went back to our house while we were still recovering at the birth center and cleaned the house (she cleaned it even more than it was before labor!). She also does a postpartum visit to check in and see how we felt about our experience and if we had any other questions. And she brought us a delicious soup!! We felt well cared for every step of the way and are so grateful we got to work with Ryah. I could go on an on, but bottom line is that Ryah is a wonderful doula and will help make your birth experience amazing!

Jillean Boyle

9/16/2016

Hands down the best decision I made during my entire pregnancy was to hire Ryah as my doula. I didn't know if I needed a doula, if I could afford one, or if it would be worth it. Turns out she is worth her weight in gold and then some.

My husband and I had very little knowledge of childbirth, which caused great trepidation. Ryah not only respected this, but helped me through it. She took the time to explain things to me, gave me options to consider, and got to know my desires and comforts. She was incredibly insightful and intuitive. She honoured my requests and decisions and ensured they were met before, during, and after delivery.

I went into labour in the middle of the night, and she came to our house post haste. She stayed by my side for almost 20 hours, holding my hand, making me laugh, singing with me, wiping my tears, and constantly encouraging me. Her presence alone was uplifting, and her knowledge and medical experience was beyond comforting.

When there were times to ask her opinion on something (pitocin or no pitocin?) she presented the facts in a diplomatic and nonjudgmental fashion. She did not push an agenda, else than for me to listen to my intuition and do what was best for me and my baby.

I honestly cannot, nor would I want to, fathom my pregnancy and delivery without her. I find myself so incredibly lucky to have found such an amazing lady to assist me during such an intimate and crucial time. I would hire her again and again.

margaret ritter

8/26/2016

Ryah was my doula for the birth of my first child and I can honestly say I wouldn't have made it through labor without her.

After our initial meeting Ryah sensed that my husband and I were headed down a hospital birth plan path that perhaps wasn't best suited to our wants and needs. Ryah suggested that even though I was 35 weeks pregnant it wasn't too late to change course. With our consent she sent us resources and information about independent midwives and home birth options. Without this gentle nudge we surely would have gone along with a plan that wasn't really aligned with our true desires.

Ryah was a great pre-birth coach, but her true gifts proved to be her stamina, encouragement, and calm presence during our very, VERY long labor. I labored at home for more than 24 hours, and Ryah was by my side throughout -- suggesting differnt positions and pain management techniques, offering food and drink, guiding me through baby spinning exercises, and even sending my husband off for a nap so he could regain some strength before we reached the pushing phase.

Ryah's coaching was so excellent that our midwife even remarked, "She was so great I started to wonder why I was there at a certain point!" Ultimately, our baby girl was welcomed into the world at home, after a very long, drug-free labor. Ryah was instrumental in helping me maintain focus and helping me manage my pain. Our little family is very grateful for her and will happily partner with her for future births.

Aria Voss

10/23/2015

Ryah was an absolute savior during the birth of my daughter in 2012! Her strength and calming energy during labor allowed me to have the beautiful natural home birth that I wanted so badly. I was so thankful for all of her suggestions to help ease pain and help me stay focused. While my husband attempted to be helpful during the birth it was Ryah that I was really able to lean on.

She also provided great support both before and after the birth as well. It was so nice knowing that I had a team of people by my side throughout the entire process. I especially appreciated her support afterwards as I attempted to master breast-feeding which turned out to be more painful that I had been expecting! After hearing so many horrible birth stories, I feel grateful that I had support like Ryah. I appreciated her so much in fact that immediately afterwards I recommended her to another pregnant friend who also had a wonderful experience. If I ever have another baby in the Seattle area again I will definitely be giving Ryah a call!