Testimonial for Melanie Suarez
Melanie is an incredible person whose love for life and for her area of expertise translates directly to her clients. She exudes warmth, compassion, and expertise. She has been through pregnancy/birth herself, so she can give a personal touch to the advice she shares. She has been present for dozens or hundreds of births, too. (This was important to me on my doula search.) However, she is never judgmental toward mothers who make different choices than the ones she made, or who have to go through situations like C-sections. She shares those stories as positive stories as well. Some doulas can come off as hypercritical of moms who aren't super "crunchy." Not Melanie!
Melanie provides services before, during, and after labor. She taught in-home, hands-on educational experiences for me and my husband, and she welcomed our toddler being there during them. She cares for moms in every facet of her life, which includes the mom's family and home!
She has no problem standing up to doctors who may become pushy or who conveniently forget that moms have options. She is really knowledgeable about labor positions and grounding techniques, so she can get her clients through the painful parts of labor without giving up hope. Because of her, I was able to have a vaginal delivery without an epidural. She also helped me manage my toddler's care during the hectic hospital admission process and made it clear to nurses and to other family members when it was time for everyone to go to allow my partner and I some time alone while welcomed our son.
After birth, she came to our house to help wherever she was needed, which on that day, included sweeping the floors and washing bottles. She refreshed my memory of breastfeeding techniques and went out of her way to provide some donor milk when it was needed. She did all of this with a smile on her face and, obviously, in her heart.
Thank you for everything, Melanie!
-Whitney Chandler
May 03, 2024
Melanie Suarez
Birthing With Power Doula Services
Birth Fee: $1500 to $1900
