My husband and I hired Sara (Piccioni) as a doula for the recent delivery of my first child. I had a beautiful pregnancy, but as a first time mom at 40 with fibroids and anemia, I was concerned about delivery and potential complications. I kept reading about the better birth outcomes when doulas are present and through some internet research was able to find Sara. From our first conversation, I knew she was the one for my husband and I. She made us feel calm, yet informed and she didn't diminish any of my concerns, but helped me put them into perspective given all of the births she has witnessed. She sent over and provided tons of information to help us feel prepared for whatever was to come.

When it came time for the big day, I was being induced and Sara helped me with what to expect. She was there for my husband and I with whenever we needed. Despite my doubts, I ended up delivering vaginally and I really feel that Sara being a part of my team was a key piece (among many) to this. She gave me the confidence that I could do it and talked me through things before and as they were happening. She helped me manage my pain, guided and cheered me on through pushing, and was a huge source of information and comfort to my husband.

I would recommend Sara to anyone looking for a doula. She is easy to talk to, knowledgeable without being pushy and is truly an advocate for the parents. My husband and I were so blessed to find her!

We are so grateful to have had Sara as our doula for the birth of our son. As first time parents, we were very unsure about what we wanted and were interested in getting as much information as possible. Additionally, it was important to me that I find a doula who would be supportive of all of my choices, including the decision to use an epidurlal, if that's what I felt I needed in the moment. Sara was kind, compassionate, and always ready with practical suggestions. (Additionally, she was great at providing me with "just enough" information to make a decision and not overwhelming me with details, which is a trap I frequently found myself falling into during pregnancy.)

Our labor was unexpectedly fast, and we were only arrived at the hospital less than an hour before our son was born. Even still, Sara was "with" us every step of the way by phone at home, and she arrived at the hospital in time to be a tremendous help during a very quick labor. Her communication style was exactly what I needed in the moment: direct and supportive, and she also helped me to avoid an epistiotomy when my son's heartrate dropped, which was my biggest fear going into birth. 

After the birth, she stuck around to help get us settled in our room, and even went out and picked up lunch for us! Her postpartum follow up was incredibly reassuring, and she's been kind enough to answer the occasional postpartum recovery question. We are so grateful to have found Sara and would highly recommend her to anyone having a baby! 

Sara's doula expertise is unmatched, and yet that’s not even her best asset - it’s her heart and compassion for the families in her care. I first met Sara when I had to tell her why the doula I'd been assigned didn't feel like a good fit. She listened to my every word, reminded me it was okay to not be a fit with someone, and then offered herself up because she felt she was the best of her network to match my needs. Her smallest reassurances made all the difference when you are a nervous and anxious FTM. She loved getting the quick message about the baby's health and any updates our OB had. When my induction started, she was on top of things explaining what was happening and what could come next and helped us make decisions on which direction to take. When the baby's HR started to drop and the nurses were running around trying to save baby, Sara paid attention to my husband who wasn't allowed to stand near me and who felt helpless and confused by the unexplained medical chaos. My labor progressed to 10 cm in less than 3 hours, which gave Sara literally no time to get to us, but she hopped in her car, rushed over, stayed on the phone with me the whole time, AND sent another doula to us who was only a 5 minute drive away in case she didn't make it. In that moment, every action she took was to make sure I had a delivery experience that was safe, healthy, and left me feeling good about the experience. She got there and stayed with us through the baby's first hours of life. She made sure we ate, watched the baby like a hawk, took pictures, laughed with us, comforted me, and reflected on the journey.

I was struggling so much during the first few weeks postpartum and a single text turned phone conversation with her helped me feel like a good mom again.

Somehow she always knows what you need even when you don't, and that is her magic! 

Sara's doula expertise is unmatched, and yet that’s not even her best asset - it’s her heart and compassion for the families in her care. I first met Sara when I had to tell her why the doula I'd been assigned didn't feel like a good fit. She listened to my every word, reminded me it was okay to not be a fit with someone, and then offered herself up because she felt she was the best of her network to match my needs. Her smallest reassurances made all the difference when you are a nervous and anxious FTM. She loved getting the quick message about the baby's health and any updates our OB had. When my induction started, she was on top of things explaining what was happening and what could come next and helped us make decisions on which direction to take. When the baby's HR started to drop and the nurses were running around trying to save baby, Sara paid attention to my husband who wasn't allowed to stand near me and who felt helpless and confused by the unexplained medical chaos. My labor progressed to 10 cm in less than 3 hours, which gave Sara literally no time to get to us, but she hopped in her car, rushed over, stayed on the phone with me the whole time, AND sent another doula to us who was only a 5 minute drive away in case she didn't make it. In that moment, every action she took was to make sure I had a delivery experience that was safe, healthy, and left me feeling good about the experience. She got there and stayed with us through the baby's first hours of life. She made sure we ate, watched the baby like a hawk, took pictures, laughed with us, comforted me, and reflected on the journey.

I was struggling so much during the first few weeks postpartum and a single text turned phone conversation with her helped me feel like a good mom again.

Somehow she always knows what you need even when you don't, and that is her magic!