Kind words from families over the years...
**I am highly honored to have supported these family's through multiple birth journey's!
**I am highly honored to have supported these family's through multiple birth journey's!
**I am highly honored to have supported these family's through multiple birth journey's!
Sannaz helped me have an AMAZING birth experience! Thanks to Sannaz's help, I was able to have the natural birth that I desired. Sannaz came to my house and worked with me throughout my active labor: giving me massage and breathing with me throughout contractions as they became more and more intense. She talked to my midwife on the phone several times, and the three of us figured out when we should go to the hospital. Sannaz then rode with me in the backseat of the car and rubbed my back while I was having intense contractions and helped me into the hospital and the birthing room. She stayed with me through the entire 4.5 hours of pushing, helping me into different positions, getting me water, and basically reassuring me when I would get exhausted or frustrated by the loooong process. I don't know if I could have kept going without her! After the baby was finally born, she stayed with me and my family and we had such a good time: we laughed and cried, drank champagne in the recovery room and recounted the entire amazing experience.
Sannaz had my back the entire time from prenatal visit through postnatal follow up visit! Her background in healthcare makes her super knowledgeable about everything hospital-related so you can ask her questions about protocol and procedure. This amazing woman is a gift!
Sincerely,
R, A, L & V**
**I am highly honored to have supported these family's through multiple birth journey's!
**I am highly honored to have supported these family's through multiple birth journey's!
Sannaz was referred to me by a local business owner I trust. From the first time we met, it was clear that she was very knowledgeable about pregnancy and birth. If there was anything about the birthing process she was unsure of, she researched it quickly and shared more information (something I very much appreciated and I believe speaks to her passion and professionalism).
During my birth experience Sannaz was positive, responsive and flexible. She provided constructive coaching and support to me and the other members of my birth team. During the most challenging points in my labor, Sannaz's guidance and pain management techniques were invaluable. In all my interactions with Sannaz she has shared a very genuine warmth and enthusiasm. She did a great job communicating with and complementing care provided by the nurses and my OB. She coached my birthing team and found great ways to get them involved with my birth experience which was very important to me.
Sannaz was an integral part of my birth experience, and I found her coaching and guidance during my labor to be invaluable. My birth team (husband and mother) felt the same way.
-K, K & A
**I am highly honored to have supported these family's through multiple birth journey's!
As a queer family, we wanted someone - a familiar face, an advocate to support us through the labor and delivery process. We were looking for someone who would hold space and ensure our hospital experience was in line our birth plan.
Sannaz was highly recommended by my prenatal yoga teacher. When we met her, we felt seen and heard. She has warm and familiar presence. The prenatal check-ins were really helpful. We were past our due date (by two weeks) and Sannaz was a great help in laying out options, explaining what was next and supporting us in making sure we were admitted to the hospital! She always made sure that we had the space and time to make decisions and was great at asking follow-up questions of the medical staff. We were impressed with how present and supporting Sannaz was through the long labor process. Not only did she massage and coach me - she held space for my partner too. The emotional support was key in getting us through.
We were flexible in thinking about our birth plan - having preferences but open to doing whatever keeps mom and baby safe. Sannaz helped us understand options and make informed decisions that felt best for us.
While in labor, knowing that Sannaz was present and coaching/supporting my wife and mother, I was able to completely tune out/turn inward and focus on the process. Her massages provided immense comfort and relief. Having a consistent presence at the hospital was invaluable.
Love,
C, R & J
I was nervous about my birth plan leading up to my due date in that some congenital medical issues meant I would be delivering without option for epidural or many other pain management choices, or by c-section under general anesthesia. I wished to be awake and present for the delivery of my child and late in the pregnancy realized a doula may be essential to support my birth plan.
Thankfully, I received Sannaz's name from an acquaintance and she worked with me flexibly to be available for my labor. Sannaz took the time to educate herself about my medical background and the current literature on deliveries for women in my situation. She put my husband and I at ease knowing that we would have another well-informed person at the labor to help advocate and guide us through this process.
When labor commenced, Sannaz was very communicative and supportive. She was with us for many hours, taking few breaks and remaining calm and reliable. She was essential in helping me work through the contractions, manage breathing, helped me deliberate my decision about pain medication and induction--all the while engaging my husband and being respectful of my family and the medical staff.
My husband and I have reflected since the successful and joyful birth of our son and how glad we were that Sannaz was there. This is our first child and none of my family members have attempted natural birth, so her guidance, encouragement and care was so valuable to us.
I am glad to have shared the birth experience with her and am happy for the relationship we have developed. I would whole-heartedly recommend her to another expecting mother.
-C, D, C & O**
Sannaz has been such a gem for our family. As soon as we met with her the 1st time, we cancelled our interviews with other doulas. When the time came and she arrived at the hospital during labor (I was already 7cm dilated-second child) she immediately put me at ease and provided comfort and a calming voice right away. I delivered in 8 hours and epidural free! We also loved Sannaz's overall nurturing spirit. We already have a 5 year old child and she did everything to make us comfortable (and him!) as we prepared for and labored to bring our beautiful baby girl into the world.
We've found more than a doula in Sannaz. We thank her so much!
<3 A, D, A & A
Sannaz was such a wonderful addition to our birth team! She was warm, comforting when we needed it most, had creative suggestions on how to move through contractions gracefully, and overall, very positive support. She was incredibly professional from the first email, including our initial meeting, pre-labor meeting, during labor and postpartum follow-up. Her personality and big genuine smile were so welcoming every time. We could not recommend Sannaz highly enough as a doula! Thanks again for everything.
With love,
C, M & A
My husband and I were initially skeptical about whether we wanted to have a doula, but after doing some reading and talking about it, we decided to contact Sannaz, who had been recommended to me by my yoga teacher. Having Sannaz as our doula was absolutely the best decision we made around the our birth. I had a long labor, and when the contractions began coming at quicker intervals and I was beginning to struggle with the intensity of them, we called Sannaz. It was 2am and she came over immediately. Sannaz stepped in graciously and confidently. She used massage techniques that helped to ease the back labor I was experiencing. She was calm and thoughtful and genuinely fun to hang out with for the next 24 hours. Throughout our time at the hospital, Sannaz remained present, helpful and engaged. In the final moments of my labor, the doctor used a vacuum to extract the baby. I was scared and in pain, and it was Sannaz's calm tone and direct instruction on how to push and how to breathe that got me through it and, I believe, prevented me from ending up with a c-section. Sannaz is gifted as a doula and I strongly recommend her. Her calm confidence is invaluable and I feel incredibly grateful to have worked with her.
-C, N & L
We wanted a doula for a few reasons:
1) We were determined to have a natural labor with minimal interventions
2) We wanted a familiar face present through our birth experience (hospital staff would only be whoever's on call)
3) To have someone familiar with modern L&D practices in our corner.
We were referred to Sannaz by a close friend and found value in our personal connection and her birth experience.
Sannaz brought calm and wisdom during our labor, which helped us achieve our goals and have a positive birth experience. She brought valuable insight and was available to explain and answer our questions in labor and delivery, which helped us stay on track with our birth plan and gave us the confidence in the decisions we had to make in the hospital. I appreciate how well the three of us worked together through the labor and delivery; we were such a great team! Thank you so much!
-A, B, M & A**
This was my first baby and I hoped to birth with the fewest interventions possible- but was open to anything if needed. I also needed support managing my anxiety around vomiting. My labor and delivery was long and exhausting, but I can't describe it as anything but the most wonderful experience because of Sannaz's support and the incredible outcome! Sannaz was able to help my husband and I to stay calm and informed when things got challenging and I appreciated how she encouraged my decisions in the end. Her knowledge and experience helped to normalize the difficult birth process and make our birth feel special and unique. Her presence throughout my pregnancy, labor and delivery was so positive-we couldn't imagine doing it without her.
<3,
C, R, D & S**
My husband and I hired Sannaz as our birth doula and we are so thrilled with our decision. Once I made it into my second trimester, I started researching labor and listening to a lot of birth stories and realized that I felt really strongly about wanting an unmedicated, vaginal birth with as little intervention as possible (we conceived via IVF, which was such a blessing, but since our conception was highly medicalized, a birth without interventions was especially appealing). In my research I learned that one of the best ways to set myself up for success was to hire a birth doula who could provide support to me and my husband before, during and immediately after labor and act as an advocate for us in the hospital.
I found Sannaz on a website called Doula Match and after our initial meeting we knew she was the doula for us.
Sannaz was fantastic in helping us formulate a birth plan and providing numerous resources to help us prepare. She was available to answer questions and put us in contact with her back-up doula who provided us with placenta encapsulation services (bonus!). Everything was going great and then at our 36 week appointment we found out our little boy was breech and unless he turned, would need to be delivered via a scheduled cesarean section, the opposite of the intervention-free birth we wanted. We tried everything the last few weeks of my pregnancy to get him to turn (acupuncture, moxibustion, chiropractic care, Spinning Babies, and even an ECV where doctors manually attempt to turn the baby from the outside), but he didn’t want to budge. Sannaz was incredibly supportive and a great resource during this difficult and stressful time, offering advice and words of encouragement.
When it came time to have our c-section she met us at the hospital that morning, helping us get settled in the antenatal room and asking questions of the care providers that we hadn’t even thought to ask. She had a towel with lavender spray for me that I could breathe in when getting my spinal block, which really helped me relax. When my husband had to leave the OR right before our son was born because he thought he might pass out, Sannaz immediately suited up and was at my side for the rest of his birth. She didn’t leave until hours later after we were all settled in the recovery room and our precious baby had latched for breastfeeding. It may not have been the “ideal” birth I originally envisioned, but I really believe it all happened the way it was supposed to and Sannaz’s support and presence was invaluable. She also checked in with us a few days into our hospital stay and visited us at home once we were settled to make sure we were all doing well and adjusting.
Sannaz is fantastic and we highly recommend her to anyone seeking a doula. She is warm, kind, knowledgeable and someone you definitely want on your birth team. Thank you, Sannaz, for everything!!
-K, M & F
As a first-time mom, heading into the unknown of pregnancy and birth was intimidating for me. With so much misinformation and fear-based decision making that can come with labor, we wanted to someone who could give me the confidence to trust my body and help me take control of my pregnancy and birth.
We were originally drawn to Sannaz because of her evidence-based approach and her DONA certification. What further sealed the deal was her background in counseling as well as her knowledge of Spinning Babies and prenatal yoga. On top go her background and experience, Sannaz is kind, light-hearted, and the ultimate professional!
Hiring Sannaz as our doula was the best decision we ever made during our pregnancy journey. She came to our home for two prenatal visits to create our birth plan, review coping strategies, and answer all of our questions and concerns. With Sannaz, we were relaxed and at ease heading into the final weeks of pregnancy. It was important to me to have a natural birth–free from as much intervention as possible–in a hospital setting. With Sannaz, we were confident, prepared, and at ease leading up to our delivery. When it came time for labor, Sannaz guided us through early labor over the phone and came to our home to motivate me through active labor. As a first-time mom, it was SO nice having Sannaz’s experience to be able to confidently tell us when to go to the hospital. Once we were admitted, her positive feedback–for me and my husband–and her guidance through transition and pushing helped us achieve the natural birth we wanted. Sannaz very quickly became part of our family! The birthing experience is so intimate, and you immediately earned our trust and admiration from the very beginning.
Thank you!!
<3, C,D & C
In light of wanting a low-intervention birth in a hospital setting, as well as being a first-time mom never having gone through this experience, I knew hiring a doula would put me at ease and give me the birth experience I was seeking. I envisioned a doula would help in the ways my partner could not. What I wanted from a doula was knowledgeable birth support, advocacy within the hospital system, and a trusting yet objective connection. Sannaz delivered on and exceeded all these expectations.
After meeting with Sannaz, I felt immediately that she was the right person to be a part of my birth. I felt a connection and was immediately comfortable in her presence. She explained very clearly exactly what doula services she could provide during the birth, what would occur at the in-person meetings leading up to the birth, and the administrative aspects (paperwork and cost). The fact that Sannaz had a wealth of knowledge of the hospital setting made me confident that we could work with the hospital staff during the birth to provide the best possible birth experience for me.
My birth goals were to labor and deliver with as few medical interventions as possible, to be connected to the experience, and to feel as though I was somewhere comforting and familiar even while being in an unfamiliar hospital room. I wanted to not have to worry about anything outside myself and just be able to focus on breathing through labor and pushing during birth. Sannaz made each of these wishes happen. After being unexpectedly admitted to the hospital at 41 weeks after a failed non-stress test, I thought I was on an unavoidable path to a high-intervention birth. Because of heart rate issues with my baby (which almost lead to an emergency c-section out of triage), I had to be induced right away (balloon catheter) and have constant fetal heart rate monitoring (luckily the hospital had wireless monitors so I could move about). It was looking like my birth path was going to include further induction by medication/breaking of waters, however my body luckily responded to the balloon catheter induction and everything proceeded per my original hopes for my birth from there. Sannaz's presence during labor and deliver kept me focused and connected.
Sannaz was prompt in her responses when we were first admitted to the hospital, we kept her posted that evening and early next morning as soon as the balloon induction resulted in progress. She came promptly to the hospital and began to assist me through contractions. One of the things I valued most about Sannaz's presence was the lower back/hip pressure she applied to me during contractions. This helped me immensely to manage the intensity and pain. She also was incredibly helpful in getting me to use my breath in a supportive way. My partner is amazing, and he had a very important role to me during birth, to be there for me, hold my hand, let me lean on him, get me water. But the expertise about where and how to apply physical touch and pressure was something I only wanted in the moment from her, not my partner. I was able to look to her for comfort and confidence through the birth process that I wouldn't have had having not have gone through it before.
Birth is such a magical life changing experience. Sannaz's warm personality and excellent expertise with how/when to interact with me during labor and delivery (both physically and verbally) facilitated the birth experience I was seeking. After the birth of our daughter, I was so excited to meet with Sannaz again for our post-delivery meeting. Her being a part of our birth will connect us forever and she will always remain a special part of that day.
Additionally, Sannaz went above and beyond her duties by helping us get my placenta delivered to the woman we hired to encapsulate my placenta. She packaged, transported, and hand delivered it to the encapsulator. This was something she volunteered to do in the moment after birth, we had not previously discussed her involvement in that part of the process. Her doing that allowed my parents to stay a bit longer with us in the hospital instead of them delivering the placenta themselves. We all appreciated her offering to do this so much.
Thank you for everything, Sannaz! You are such a positive light in our birth story.
M, J & P