Testimonials

My husband and I had the pleasure of working with Steph through our pregnancy and childbirth and we had such a positive experience! We took the Childbirth Education class she offered through the Green Stork. We felt well-prepared for labor and delivery and were extremely impressed with Steph’s knowledge. We were also privileged to have her with us for labor and delivery. We felt so supported and advocated for through the entire process. They helped to communicate our birth wishes to the nurses and doctor at the hospital where we delivered. Their techniques to help comfort and distract me through labor were very appreciated, as well as their knowledge of my positioning and its effects on baby, and I would not have been able to get through a medication-free labor and delivery without them! I HIGHLY recommend their services to everyone–no matter what kind of “birth plan” you have. The support is second-to-none and we will definitely be working with Steph and the Green Stork for future pregnancies! -Kate Michaletz

“Becca was my doula, and she was absolutely amazing! She was flexible, giving, and calm. She cared about supporting me and my fam however we needed, and what I needed was someone there by my side reassuring me through labor in hospital and with Pitocin, which was not what I had hoped for, but after Becca’s support and encouragement, I look back on my birthing experience with bliss. I never would have expected to be able to say that. Thank you, Becca!” ~Tyann Rose

“My wife and I welcomed our first baby, Graham, into this world with the help of Becca. We could not have been happier with the comfort and support that Becca provided both of us throughout the process. Becca is professional and passionate about her work, and we were amazed at her level of commitment to us throughout a long and stressful labor. Both of us highly recommend Becca, and we’ll surely have her with us for round 2 whenever that may be!”-Dan Ryan

“My husband and I welcomed our second child in October 2018. Becca was our Doula and our experience was wonderful! Before the birth she met with us to prepare- getting to know us and our preferences for labor/birth, etc. She was very professional, yet personable, and you could tell she is very passionate about what she does – being that extra line of support and knowledge for expecting Mothers (and Dads, too!).

During labor, it was so encouraging to to have her with us, giving me gentle reminders to breathe naturally, massage, getting what we needed when we needed it- ASAP (including hospital staff, if they left the room).

My husband felt more confident with her helping us, because he could better focus on me – helping me moment to moment with each contraction. Becca was able work together with him during contractions while still keeping an eye on the bigger picture – where we were in the process and how things were going overall.

In the recovery room, my nurse told me she had a positive and encouraging experience working with Becca. The way she described it conveyed that she appreciated Becca’s attitude of working together with the hospital staff as a team for the same purpose – healthy mom, healthy baby, and a positive birth experience.” -Sheila Ewert

“I don’t know what we would have done without Steph! When we first met I told her I was new to the area and unsure about what the best options were for an unmedicated birth. She told me about the birth center and I was able to transfer prenatal care over there.

Then, once I went into labor, the contractions were intense from the beginning. When Steph got to our house, she jumped in right away by rubbing my back and encouraging me. She knew exactly what to do without me needing to tell her. We were not prepared for the baby to come this early, so having Steph there to support me during the labor allowed my husband to pack our bags and get our older child off to school.

About 3 hours into active labor, my water broke and the baby came within about 5 minutes as we were trying to get to the car! To have an accidental home birth could otherwise be a terrifying experience, but Steph was on the phone getting guidance from the midwife and was there to help catch the baby and reassure us everything was OK. Steph’s calm demeanor helped create a very positive birth experience for my husband and me. We made it to the birth center and Steph stayed to help us get settled in. She went above and beyond at every stage and we feel very fortunate to have found her.

-Abigail and Ben”

“If you are in search of a doula whom is knowledgeable, nurturing, positive, and flexible then Stephanie is the doula for you. She was our childbirth ed instructor for our first pregnancy and our doula for the birth of our second daughter. For the home birth of our second daughter, Stephanie was first on the scene with calming affirmations of strength and encouragement. When she arrived she became my primary support while my husband ran around and took care of preparing things. Through out my labor Stephanie continuously transformed her roles and made herself useful wherever she was needed. She became my 2 1/2 year old, Abyl, primary care giver. Communicating to Abyl and reassuring her. She communicated to my daughter how to support me and assisted her in pouring water over my back. Through Stephanie’s guidance, my daughter became a doula for me. It was so incredible and beautiful to have my daughter feel supported but also for the two of us to connect in this magical family experience. When things got more intense and I needed my daughter to leave, Stephanie took care of it. Instantly. She swept her away for a walk and called my mother in law. Stephanie returned and stepped right back in where needed. She took AMAZING photos, assisted me emotionally, physically, and spiritually. She held me up in all forms. The last portion of my birth became intense as we had to get creative to reposition the baby. As I launched up the stairs to open my hips and reposition baby, Stephanie was literally right behind me encouraging me. After baby was born Stephanie took care of the placenta and prepared it for encapsulation. She then went another step further and baked us a gluten free chocolate birthday cake. She is the all around perfect doula. Her top priority is you and your family. All of them. She is all in. The real deal. Without hesitation, schedule a meeting with her. You won’t be disappointed!” Brittany Bushaw

“My wife deeply appreciate the caring and personal service that Steph provided for our growing family. I have been through childbirth five times with my wife, two of them home births, and I have seen a range of personalities among the doulas, midwives, nurses, and doctors who have helped us. Steph is simply extraordinary. She took the time to get to know us, she provided the support we desired, but she also knew when to withdraw into the sidelines and let my wife’s labor take its natural course. As a husband, I wanted to be as hands on as possible, but the fact of the matter is that one person can only do so much. I would recommend to other husbands that money spent on a doula is well spent, since it always helps to have another set of hands to refill a water bottle or massage a laboring mother’s back or handle any of the thousand other little things that come up along the way. Steph did all of these things and more, always with a sense of calm and gentle encouragement.” Ryan MacPherson (2015)

Born 6 weeks early...

Our experience with Steph began with her birthing class. Alicia and I were looking for an alternative to the standard birthing classes through the hospital or clinic. An option that gave us the perspective that we wanted, focusing on natural birth. Alicia’s goal all along was to have a natural birth with no pain meds and we needed someone to show us the way. Steph did just that. Her classes taught us how to create a birth plan and helped us figure out what we wanted in our birth experience. We learned what questions to ask our physician and how to support each other through the birthing process. The various labor techniques she taught us were very helpful as we transitioned through labor.

While taking Steph’s birthing class, we realized that having her as our Doula would give us the birthing experience we hoped for. We built a great relationship with her throughout the classes and knew we could trust her guidance throughout our journey. Steph was genuinely interested in learning what we wanted for a birth experience. Although we were her clients, we felt like Steph was a friend guiding us through this adventure.

As all parents know, life doesn’t happen how we think it may. Babies are full of many surprises and have their own schedule. After an amazingly smooth pregnancy, Alicia went into labor 6 weeks early. We were in disbelief and shocked, this couldn’t’ be happening. Steph was the first person I called. She advised us to head to the hospital and kept in contact along the way. After realizing the labor was not slowing down, the doctors decided it would be best to transport Alicia to Rochester. Again we were in disbelief and struggled with the fact that Alicia would be laboring in the ambulance alone, while I rushed home to grab a few things and then drive to Rochester. But again, Steph was there. She reassured me that our birth story would still be beautiful and that Rochester is an amazing place to give birth. She offered to drive and meet us in Rochester to continue leading us through our birth journey. She not only met us there, she lead me down the highway, into town, to the parking ramp and up to Alicia’s room. In this midst of all the unknowns, worries and fear, Steph was there to put us at ease. She was an incredible coach through labor and helped Alicia to reach her goal of having an all natural birth. She also made sure I was taken care of with food and hydration throughout the morning. Steph did a wonderful job of photographing of our birth story as well. The memories she captured will be cherished forever. Looking back, I can’t imagine our birth story without Steph. From the early days of learning techniques in her class, to capturing our first family photos, Steph made our birth story an amazing experience. She is living her passion and we are eternally grateful she is our Doula. ~Dan & Alicia W.

“Having my placenta encapsulated was one of the best decisions I made for my pregnancy and birth! I really felt like it helped me with postpartum depression and milk production the most. Stephanie made the whole process really easy and convenient and I couldn’t have been happier in my experience with her. Everything from speedy service so I got my pills quickly after birth to handling finances was a great and effortless experience. I will definitely be using her services again for my next birth!” Savanna Thomas (2015)

“From the moment I first expressed interest in having Steph as a doula, she was accessible, open, knowledgeable and friendly. She was imperative to the overall health of my pregnancy, supporting me in many issues, especially anxiety. She was a reliable source of information when I had questions, and reassurance when I had concerns or worries.”

“Stephanie was amazing to work with! My husband and I took her childbirth ed class, spinning babies class and hired her as our Doula. I wanted to have a pain medication free birth and I know I would not have been able to do it without Steph there! She suggested pain coping techniques that my husband and I would not have thought of in the moment — which made my birth such a better experience. My husband was amazingly supportive but it was so nice to have a second pair of hands there to help when things got tough. I could not more highly recommend hiring Steph as your Doula! She was invaluable to us.

My birth was such a positive experience and I’m so happy I made the decision to invest in having a Doula!” Ruth Earls

I cannot praise Steph highly enough. She clearly loves and is exemplary in her job. Always cheerful, even after driving hours to meet with us (did I mention how flexible she is, too?). She was very well-prepared for everything; when my labor began she was already nearby and arrived quickly. She made me, my husband, my mom and my son feel so comfortable and at ease, and she was so calm during labor that it was very nearly a pleasant experience!

She ensured that I moved and changed positions often, as according to my plans. She kept me mobile at home and finally at the hospital, where I was already 8 cm dilated. She didn’t waver, even though it was late at night. She kept cheering me on, kept encouraging me when I said I couldn’t do it. She helped my mom and husband help me, and had a genius suggestion that I squat with a squat bar after my water broke. My baby was born very soon after that, and I couldn’t have been happier, as time spent pushing was drastically reduced.

Overall I would have Steph as a doula again in a heartbeat. She is truly a beautiful soul and a potential blessing to all blossoming families.” Amy Rupp (2015)

“Stephanie has been nothing but a joy to work with! My husband and I were very undecided on whether we wanted a doula when we first got pregnant, but I can say with great confidence it was one of the best decisions we made for our birth. Steph was constantly going above and beyond in the care that she provided. I was so blessed with how dedicated she was to our family and our birth wishes. I would highly recommend Stephanie as a doula! Her passion for pregnancy/labor/delivery is evident and radiates from her. She made us feel so supported- she reiterated that she was always a phone call away and made herself so available to us. She would do research on anything that she wasn’t 100% sure of the answer to and I value this trait so much!! She was more than willing to search and dig for an answer to any question we had. She was an incredible doula and I’m thankful for our birthing experience! I couldn’t imagine having gone with a different person.” Steffany Thomas (2015)

As first time parents-to-be, my husband and I are approaching pregnancy and parenthood with a “knowledge is power” attitude, and we are very pleased with the breadth and depth of information Steph provided in the Childbirth Education Class.

We met for 3 (nearly 4 hour) classes, and Steph never hesitated to answer any questions we had, took the time to personally discuss birth options with us, and offered any and all insights she’s acquired in her career. Her honesty and knowledge have been vital in building our confidence levels and preparation for upcoming birth and postpartum experiences. We are grateful for her expertise, and would highly recommend the Childbirth Education Class for all parents. ~Micah Nardini Benes

“We cannot be more grateful for Steph’s role in the birth story of our little girl.

When the birth center suggested we get a Doula, I wasn’t sure. I am SO GLAD that I didn’t dismiss the recommendation. With a little research and one meeting with Steph I was sold, not only that a Doula was worth it, but that Steph was a perfect fit for us. She made both my husband and me feel at ease, she was knowledgeable while encouraging us to do our own research and make our own decisions, but most importantly, she was reassuring that we could have the birth experience we wanted… whatever that was.

During our birth she remained a reassuring and calm presence. Having Steph there meant my husband never needed to leave my side and she was there for everything else – additional massage, hydration, and anything else that might aid in my labor. Her calm coaching helped prompt me to change position or move, but also kept me grounded and present. In the midst of all that, she captured beautiful pictures of those precious moments that are so easily missed or forgotten after the rush of delivery. I simply cannot imagine that day without her.

Her support did not end with our daughter’s birth. In the weeks to follow she was still invaluable as we navigated life with a newborn, especially with breastfeeding. Steph again was a calming reassurance that my daughter and I were both learning and we COULD do this. She came to coach us through some different positions and techniques and helped connect us with other resources/experts that could help us toward our goal of exclusively breastfeeding. She was always just a call or text away and having her as a sounding board was incredibly helpful.

We can’t say “thank you” enough for all that she brought to our experience. If you are considering having a doula, we strongly recommend Steph. We certainly will work with her again if/when we add to our family.” Kelli Quast

“We are so happy! Everything went very well with the birth, and we really appreciated having the knowledge from our classes to help us through. Thanks for everything!” DeAnna & Sam (2014)

“We can’t thank you enough for all your guidance to get us ready for the big day. Dave was a great coach, the hospital staff worked really well with us (both of our labor nurses had natural births themselves). Eleven hours of labor followed by an hour and 10 minutes of pushing. Everyone was impressed with how we did.” Pam and Dave (2014)

“Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and passion for natural child birth. Adam and I enjoyed your classes and feel as though we have come out of it prepared, confident, and with new friends.” -Brittany and Adam (2012)