Testimonial for Susan Rotman, AAHCC, CD(DONA)
I'll start by saying that I could affirm Susan Rotman for pages and pages! But space is limited, so I'll hit the highlights.
From the moment my husband and I found out we were pregnant, we knew there would be tons of decisions to be made in the next 40-41 weeks. I wanted a natural childbirth with as little medical intervention as possible and I grew concerned because my OB was affiliated with a hospital that had an alarmingly high c-section rate. My husband and I had talked about hiring a doula and when we met Susan through her Bradley Method birth class we knew we had met the one. I was immediately comfortable with her and I'm so glad she was available.
My third trimester brought gestational diabetes, Group B strep, and the baby had an irregular heartbeat (PAC). None of these one things were of great concern, but piled on top of each other, I began to panic a bit. They each meant a higher risk of medical intervention. Not only as our birth class instructor, but as our doula, Susan was a WONDERFUL resource and champion for us. She was full of information and helpful tips. I was especially glad we had chosen her as our doula during this time.
My water broke at 2:30 am (with no contractions) and at about 11pm that night, the contractions came on strong and fast. By 2:30 am, I was ready to push. I pushed for 4 1/2 hours. Susan was so helpful - not just to me, but to my husband. She offered encouragement to me and breaks for my husband. When Kevin would get tired, she would take over.
I can honestly say that without her, I would have given up at some point during the pushing. She was integral in keeping me and Kevin focused. She even took pictures for us. I'm sure she did a number of other things as well that I don't even know about.
Susan is AMAZING.
-Kelly Jackson Hughes
July 29, 2013
Susan Rotman, AAHCC, CD(DONA)
Rotman Education Services, LLC
Birth Fee: $2000 to $2500
