"Three months after my husband underwent major surgery to remove a benign brain tumor I went into premature labor with our son, Oliver. We had no nursery, no books on baby care, no crib, no diapers, no bouncy seats, no car seat, no classes under our belt regarding childbirth or baby care, and no real understanding of what was about to happen to our lives. We live thousands of miles from anyone related to us and were very much on our own. As a result, I am uniquely qualified to discuss the merits of both a postpartum doula in general and of Ruth Mazner in particular.
In the interest of full disclosure you should know that Ruth is my mother-in-law. I am fortunate enough to be married to one of the products of her excellent parenting and I am privileged to have the opportunity to both learn from her extensive experience with children and benefit from her compassion, patience, kindness, tolerance, and tireless spirit. Ruth is not only masterful at determining where in the home help is needed, but also at administering the help in an unobtrusive and efficient manner. I have always prided myself on being able to do everything on my own. Having a baby has forced me to see that this simply is not possible when babies get into the mix, and even less so when there is no extended family nearby to help. I hired a postpartum doula to help me so that I could do things like eat lunch, learn how to use a Moby wrap, get permission from someone to walk away from my son for twenty seconds so I could hydrate, take a nap, or otherwise attend to myself or whatever in my home needed attending to on any given day.
When I heard that Ruth wanted to be a postpartum doula I felt thrilled and very jealous. I am thrilled because it seems to me that helping new families adjust to the madness that is raising an infant is precisely what she was born to do. Ruth is incredibly patient, loving, supportive, and calm. She is also non-judgmental in her advice and support. She has managed to get through countless visits with us without once questioning our decision to raise our son vegan or commenting on the pathetic lack of order that greets her upon her first steps into our home. She merely rolls up her sleeves, stirs up some soy formula, and tells me to go read a book. I am jealous, however, because if I had things my way Ruth would be with us every week to provide the necessary calm support that is so critical for adjusting to life as a parent. I have to settle for calling her every day and getting her help on the phone. You can work with her in person! I would not miss the opportunity to do so. I think you will find that you will feel better, your partner will feel better, and your baby will thrive."
--Karen Emmerman Mazner
"After the birth of our first baby, Ruth provided emotional support and the willingness to help with anything needed. She is exceptionally thoughtful and so organized. An added plus is that Ruth is highly experienced in childcare and understands child development. Ruth is also very gentle with the baby and completely trustworthy. Ruth has a warm heart, and it is clear that helping new moms settle comfortably into their exciting new roles is her passion."
--Shelley Z.
“After our son’s first week appointment with his pediatrician, I learned that he lost an ounce since birth. That prompted a visit with a lactation consultant who noted poor positioning of the tongue. She assigned tongue exercises, breast compressions and feeding every 2 hours around the clock. Ruth helped with the tongue exercises and showed me proper breast compression technique. She also kept the baby awake while he nursed. Ruth’s cheerful energy and hands on assistance kept me motivated to continue breastfeeding despite sleep deprivation and sore nipples. Our baby gained 10 ounces in 4 days, and Ruth played a big role in our success.”
--Leslie J., NP
“Her training and ability to problem solve were her most valuable skills as a doula. She was able to listen and then help lead us in the right direction.”
--Dave J., M.D.
"Ruth's help with breastfeeding was incredibily useful and enabled me to be very comfortable with feeding my baby. She provided us with infant calming techniques, advice on dealing with acid reflux discomfort, suppported me by just listening and being there as a "friend". She always made sure that I ate and took care of myself. She was fantastic and exceeded any expectations I had."
--Joanne B.
"Her knowledge and willingness to do whatever it took to assist was the most valuable aspect of her support."
--Rob B.
"We wanted to thank you for all your help and support during a difficult postpartum. We truly don't know what we would have done without you. You're a belssing!
You provided excellent assistance in teaching how to breastfeed, especially in getting a good latch with proper positioning and prevention of sore nipples. You were a wealth of knowledge on everything from breastfeeding to bathing. Your experience with meeting the time needs of a new born and your attention to detail were the most valuable aspect of your support.
--Allison & Jason
"I believe that my breastfeeding has been successful because Ruth was able to extend the education I received in the hospital by fine tuning the process in the weeks thereafter. She also has been invaluable in introducing me to the process of pumping and eventual bottle feeding.
Ruth was able to get through to me the best way people could help me, and the importance of having this help. Her flexibility of bailing me out in times of need and coasting when things were good made me feel at ease. I also trusted her knowledge and judgment, which are not traits that I easily find in a person. "
--Lynn T.