12/2020 – Margaret M. ~ I’ll start this review with the statement we now tell every single friend that is about to become a new parent “the best decisions we made preparing us for our labor day was teaming up with a midwife and a doula”. I’ll never forget the first meeting we had with Susanna, my husband looked at me right after she left and said “ok I feel ALOT better about all of this now, we can DO this.” Being new parents, all of the unknown was really intimidating but Susanna provided us with an unlimited amount of guidance and support all delivered in the most calming and supportive energy that you dream of in your doula. My goal was to empower myself and do my best to attempt a natural birth and thanks to Susanna’s help we were able to achieve that. As soon as she joined us, she never left my side. Her guidance and nurturing assistance kept me calm and collected while progressing through a big portion of my labor in the wee hours of the early morning at home and through our 45 minute car ride to the birthing center. Once we arrived at the hospital I was 7.5 cm dilated, feeling empowered and confident that I could finish my labor journey without drugs, but also knowing the wave of increased intensity that I was about to experience, but I felt ready for it knowing Susanna would be by my side.
At that point I wanted to do whatever I could to help keep things moving and would turn to Susanna for advice – she would provide guidance – I would follow her direction – and sure enough I would be closer and closer to pushing time… before we knew it our baby boy was here. I was in love, exhausted – and completely in awe of what I just accomplished. During those first few minutes time felt like it just completely froze. Susanna took my husband’s phone and captured pictures that we are so so so incredibly grateful for. Then she was right back at my side providing any kind of support she knew I needed.. keeping me hydrated, keeping me fed, keeping me comfortable, holding my squeezing hand as I got stitched up and most memorably helping me and my baby with our first latch. When you are so in awe, exhausted, and unfamiliar with all of these little firsts it truly means the world to have this member of your team that you trust to guide you through it all. Susanna is warm, full of hope and joy and so so so naturally nurturing – it doesn’t take you long to realize that she was born to do this, to help the mama and empower them through the most wildly wonderful and intense journey of their life. She will forever be a member of our team should we be blessed with more babies in the future. We love you Susanna!
10/2019 – Kathryn L. ~ After having a disappointing experience with a doula with my first child I was hesitant to hire one with my third. After all I had done this twice before. But this time was different as we were having a home birth. I wanted to make sure I had all the support I needed for the process. So when my midwife recommended Susanna I reached out. Well let me tell you. This woman is EVERYTHING!!! From our initial chat we clicked and I knew it it was meant to be. She took the time to come and get to know my family. Gave me the most amazing, energy releasing reiki session. Sat with me while I chose birthing affirmations. And when little miss thing was ready to enter the world. She helped get everything prepared. Laid on my bed with me and hugged my sweet baby girl into the world. And then she made me tea and a nourishing breakfast. And then she came back to check in postpartum.I could not have envisioned giving birth without her. She is a true gem you want by your side as you welcome your child into the world. She has a gentle but strong presence and makes you feel empowered. I HIGHLY recommend hiring her! Like right now. Don’t wait. I promise she will not disappoint.
1/2021- Niki F. ~ Hiring Susanna as our doula was one of the best decisions we could have made during the nine months of my pregnancy. Susanna helped us achieve our goal of having a memorable and incredible birth experience. Not only was she a calming presence, she also empowered my husband and I to make the decisions we wanted, without confusion or guilt. Susanna’s prenatal visits helped mentally prepare us for what was to come and allowed me to understand every aspect of the birth, including the various interventions that could have been used during my labor and birth. She helped me see each of the interventions as a tool rather than a crutch, and allowed me to view whatever happened during my birth to be my decision, not the decision of my medical or anyone else. Susanna also did things like bring a straw and washcloths to the hospital for me to more easily drink water and cool me down during my labor, which might seem silly, but when you are in the throws of it, makes such a difference. She also allowed my husband to stay calm and present with me, rather than doing other things that might have made me feel more comfortable or create certain memories, such as taking pictures. Instead, he was able to just hold my hand and motivate me during my labor, which allowed the two of us to be very connected and bonded during the experience. Susanna asked us if we wanted pictures taken during the birth, and I am so glad she was there to do that, because now we will have those memories and photos forever. I can confidently say if and when I give birth again, Susanna will be the first person I call when I find out the good news and to make sure her calendar is clear around my due date. I wasn’t sure if a doula was completely necessary, but after having Susanna at my birth, it allowed me to have a birth experience I will always want to remember. There is not enough money in the world that can pay for that. The memories and experience she helped give us are priceless.
12/2020 – Jessica L. ~ I am so grateful we found Susanna! We hired her as our doula for my 2nd birth and truly feel I would not have achieved my VBAC without her support! She is knowledgeable, encouraging and brought so much calmness and positivity into my birthing space. She was not only a crucial support to me while I labored but also to my husband.
If you are looking for an amazing doula (especially one to support you through your vbac journey) I recommend Susanna without hesitation!
12/2020 – Ursula K. ~ Enough cannot be said about Susanna being the most amazing doula! She was recommended by two people and after just a phone call I knew we wanted to work with her. I called my husband and said we found her. After a video call he agreed. I don’t think it is possible to have anyone more supportive through pregnancy and birth. She embraced and celebrated every part of our birth plan, talked us through additional things to consider and asked insightful questions that were so important. AND……. during an intense and often overwhelming labor, (which I thought was so long but was actually really short) her physical and emotional support for myself, my husband and our baby never paused. She has incredibly healing hands. We will forever be grateful for her love and support. We could not have had such an incredible experience without her. In addition to her being our doula, she provided placenta services and provided us with the most beautiful placenta prints, supplements and cord art which we will cherish forever.
10/2020 – Lauren H. ~ Susanna was a great partner and coach for me as I prepared for the birth of my first baby (as a single mother). She was very knowledgeable about the birth process and coached me through what to expect. As my birth “plan” unfolded differently from my expectations, she helped me process the change in plans and reassured my comfort and acceptance of the new plan. I would highly recommend her doula services for anyone looking for a compassionate, knowledgeable and flexible birth coach.
10/2020 – Ismat Z. ~ My first labor was very traumatic. It was far from what we had expected, filled with pain, cries, trauma and helplessness . The year 2020 came with a lot of surprises, so we wanted to make sure this time we had a birth plan with proper support and guidance. We were so fortunate to have found Susanna who helped us with our beautiful journey. Her friendly and positive attitude made us really comfortable. From pre-pregnancy stress, questions, assumptions to post pregnancy she was always there. Childbirth is painful and traumatizing to both your mental and physical health, and giving birth during a pandemic makes the roller coaster faster. Susanna was able to guide us in a way where our labor was filled with love. Just what my husband and I always dreamed of. This pregnancy was the most beautiful and well articulated pregnancy because of her. With her instructions of breathing exercises as well as the yoga asanas, helped me manage my pain and increase strength and flexibility of muscles. I was able to overcome the obstacles I went through during my first pregnancy. My husband and I are really thankful to you.
Thank you for making my second labor so beautiful and different from the first one. Thank you for being there Susanna!
10/2020 – Angelina Q. ~ I am so filled with gratitude that this incredible woman was my Doula. Susanna has intuition beyond her years. Her positive energy and knowledge on birth was a Godsend for me. This was my second pregnancy/birth and I wanted it to be as natural as possible. I also wanted to labor at home for as long as possible (my first pregnancy ended in a c-section after being induced). We are slightly older (late 30s) and after my first birth experience I knew I needed support at home to have the birth I wished for. Susanna stayed at home with me through the night, helping ease every contraction and keeping my spirits high. When I thought I couldn’t go on, her reassuring words of confidence pushed me through. After 12 hours at home of intense labor she came to the hospital for another 12 hours there! Never missing a beat, always present, always encouraging, always helpful. I would have never made it through without her and forever will be grateful for her help bringing my son into the world. My husband also thinks the world of her. He is so thankful she was there as a calming voice and a guide for him to help me through labor, being the support he wanted to be confidently. We are just so thankful to her and know how lucky we are to have had her as our Doula
9/14/2020 – Francesca B. ~ There are not enough positive words in the English language to adequately describe how wonderful my experience with Susanna was. I contacted Susanna absurdly early in my pregnancy, and she was extremely kind, helpful, and generous with her time even though I was being preemptive. Later on, when my pregnancy became very complicated – at huge risk to the baby and causing terrible discomfort for myself – Susanna was supportive and concerned. She checked in regularly, listened, and let me complain when I needed to without ever making me feel badly for being real. Pregnancy is a beautiful experience but it isn’t all rainbows and sunshine, and it was really helpful to me to have a doula who acknowledged that. A couple days before I was induced my baby rolled over and started facing the wrong way. Susanna had a list of professionals I could work with to help me turn the baby. I would never have found these people on such short notice on my own. During labor Susanna checked in the perfect amount. When my water broke and we weren’t sure if she should come, she made the right call and rushed to the hospital. I went into transition not more than an hour later, and Susanna’s skill and gift saved me from a c-section by turning the baby. At that point, the baby was facing the wrong direction so I was in excruciating back labor and was pretty close to calling it after over 50 hours of contractions. I am SO glad I didn’t and that was thanks to Susanna. When it finally came to the pushing stage, Susanna and the midwives worked in concert together to help me deliver my baby in the exact peaceful and positive way I envisioned. If you are looking for a birth doula you can’t do better than Susanna!
8/16/2020 – Suzanne M. ~ It was such a pleasure to have Susanna on my birth journey with me. Not only is she kind, caring and understanding, it felt like she was an old friend I could talk and open up to without judgement. Everyone in my family loved her! I’m so glad to have met her.
6/17/2020 – Andrea B. ~ As a First Time Mom-to be, I knew I wanted to work with a doula, but I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. Getting on the phone with Susanna for the first time felt like speaking to an old friend. She is bright, real, and loves talking birth. At our initial meet and greet, she took the time to carefully listen to me and my partner’s thoughts, ideas, fears, and visions of the birth we were to have – then explained what her role would be in the process. She told us her goal was to keep us as connected as possible throughout the birthing process, while being there to support. Throughout the months following, she was there for us via phone call and text, no matter what the issue. THE BIG DAY: Seeing her in my home instantly brought a wave of relief. When the contractions grew in intensity, Susanna reminded me to take long deep breaths, she rubbed my back, and applied counter pressure against the surges. She reminded me to rest when I could, but then knew when it was time to move, to do lunges or squats in order to help move the baby down and progress labor further. She works so fluidly and smoothly with the midwives, knowing what to do with the information they gave her (dilation, effacement, baby placement, etc). One of the best things that Susanna brings to the table is reminding you, as a woman, as a woman in labor, that you have power, and you have choices, and that you can use all of those things how you want to. That your birth experience should be completely up to you – You Run The Show. Even when my water broke and things started to get more intense, she asked if I wanted her there. She would have came earlier if I had asked, and later if I had said no. My birth story is something I am proud of, something that brings me such joy, and something that truly has empowered me. I know Susanna was a tremendous part of making that happen.
4/22/2020 – Jamie ~ I would highly recommend Susanna as a doula and was so happy to have her help during my the birth of my first child. She is knowledgeable and answered every question that both my husband and I had during the end of my pregnancy, which helped me to feel more confident and prepared. As it got closer to my due date she checked in with me and was a great resource when I was unsure of what to expect. She has a calming presence which is exactly what I was looking for in my doula search. At the hospital she was constantly reassuring and put me at ease while guiding my husband on ways to be helpful. Susanna helped to make my experience as beautiful as can be and her help empowered me to feel strong enough to bring my daughter into world.
4/22/2020 – Rebecca C. ~ I am so glad I found Susanna. She has been an amazing doula! Susanna was there for me every step of the way. I was able to call and text her constantly with every thought, question and anxiety, of which there were many. Having a baby at the height of a global pandemic has not been without challenges, but Susanna was always ready with a calming word, mediation, and suggestions to feel better. She provided amazing support while I labored at home, (for an extended period of time,) and although she was unable to accompany us to the hospital due to the heightened restrictions, she was still there for us over the phone, and did everything she could to support me and my husband through the birth. I have also had amazing success with her placenta encapsulation, and highly recommend all of her services. Susanna has been a blessing to my pregnancy, birth, and life.
1/27/2020 – Danielle ~ My husband and I worked with Susanna for the birth of our first child. After meeting with Susanna we immediately knew that she was a perfect match for us. Her calm disposition helped us feel at ease with the road ahead. Susanna met with us during my pregnancy and with her expertise, she helped us write a birth plan. Unfortunately, my planned homebirth (after 24 hours of labor) turned into a c-section. As you can imagine, this was an incredibly emotional experience but Susanna was with us every step of the way! When I felt like giving up, she encouraged me and gave me such confidence! Susanna was by our side in the hospital and advocated my birth preferences to the hospital staff. She even brought lighting and an EO diffuser to help calm the mood. I honestly can’t imagine my birth story without her! Susanna has such a genuine soul and for these reasons, I highly recommend hiring Susanna as your Doula!!
1/26/2020 – Remy ~ Susanna was instrumental in helping us achieve the intervention-free birth we wanted for our second child. As soon as we met her my husband and I both felt as though we’d known her forever. She is warm and kind and endlessly supportive, taught us wonderfully useful pain management techniques to help us survive two weeks of prodromal labor, and said all the right things during moments of doubt and discomfort. She really helped me believe in myself and my ability to birth this baby without interventions, and gave my husband the tools he needed to be the best birthing partner. All the work she did with us during the weeks and months preceding my labor gave me the confidence to trust and listen to my body when it was finally time, and we are just so grateful to have had her on our team. We can’t recommend Susanna enough to other families in search of the best doula with the most calming and caring presence, and we can’t wait to have another baby with her by our side!
12/16/2019 – Kelly T. ~ It is always refreshing to meet someone who is passionate about their career & Susanna is one of those people. We decided to go down the doula path for many reasons but one of them being that my husband would be traveling for work & there was a chance of him missing the birth. After we met with Susanna, we knew she was the best fit for us. Her laid back, calm & open minded demeanor was exactly what we were looking for. She went above & beyond what was expected of her. Through all our pregnancy hiccups she was right there to offer knowledge & understanding. My husband and I could’ve done this without her but the true testament to her abilities is that we wouldn’t have wanted to do it without her. And lastly, would we recommend her & would we use her again? A MILLION TIMES OVER! We were in such great & capable hands. She was worth every penny! And the icing on the cake is, I feel like I’ve made a new friend after all of this too! Grateful to have found her!
12/5/2019 – Deidre ~ I am so grateful Susanna was a part of my pregnancy and labor. Susanna provided labor preparation, tips and tricks for coping with pregnancy woes, emotional support, and hands on labor support, as well as placenta services. I got a deep sense of Susanna’s love for her work and her clients from the moment we met. Susanna lovingly helped me and my partner through a long pregnancy and held our hands as we navigated several alterations to the birth plan and a long labor. I was most impressed with how well Susanna got to know us and our preferences and how she used her knowledge and experience to help us feel supported, empowered, and prepared. I can be difficult to work with (control freak), but from day one Susanna was positive, encouraging, and all in. I genuinely enjoyed getting to know her and am so grateful for all she did to help bring our baby into the world.
2/22/2019 – Grace C. ~ I HIGHLY recommend Susanna as a doula. She is kind, warm, loving and passionate about her work. I had a beautiful home birth and Susanna was one of the reasons it went so smoothly. I labored for 16 hours and Susanna was by my side with a comforting voice when needed. She knew different mechanisms to manage any pain that I felt and made sure that both my husband and I were eating and drinking and that we were both comfortable. Being the procrastinator that I am, I didn’t get in contact with Susanna until the day before I delivered my baby. I was referred to her by a friend and we got on the phone briefly to get acquainted and speak numbers. I told her that I would reach out to her the next day after speaking to my husband. That same night I went into labor and Susanna happened to be a doula that my midwives prefer to work with and refer their patients too. Susanna was actually out of state when I was in labor and came back to long island just to help me deliver my baby. I met Susanna for the first time as I was having a contraction on the toilet lol she sat right next to me on the bathtub and put a comforting hand on my leg, asked me how I was feeling and reassured me that I was going to be okay. Besides being an amazing doula, Susanna also does different services involving the placenta. The day after my son was born, Susanna came back to my house with placenta prints, salve, capsules, tincture and a beautiful dream catcher. We chatted and got to know eachother even better as she held my son. Susanna was not only an amazing doula for my birth but also became a friend of mine and I look forward to working with her for my future births (:
10/24/2019 – Christina H. ~ From the moment I spoke with Susanna, I knew she would be the right fit for us. She has a very calming energy and you can feel how much she loves this work, even before meeting her in person. Before the birth, Susanna really took the time to get to know me and my husband (and even my 2-year-old son) so that she could provide the best support possible. During the birth, she helped create a relaxing environment and I am convinced her support helped me avoid having another c-section. I labored long during my VBAC and having Susanna there was the best decisions we made.
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