What people are saying.

“We are so grateful for Susan! Having a doula has been one of the best decisions we ever made for our family. We had some very difficult first weeks adjusting to being new parents and Susan supported us through it all. Everything from helping with the first bath, helping us figure out the best formula, and showing us how to use our car seat properly. She took care of our daughter when we were overwhelmed and needed a break. Susan helped me navigate postpartum depression when getting help was difficult. There are so many reasons we are thankful to be part of the Lakeshore Doula family. Susan is one of the kindest, most supportive people you will ever meet and any new parent would be lucky to work with her!” -Bonnie

“We love our Doula! As first-time parents we were so nervous, but Susan made us feel empowered and supported! She also focused on my recovery: 6 weeks is a long time to be on your own before your next OBGYN check-up. Susan doesn’t forget about dads either, she truly cares for your whole family. She gives advice backed by experience and science. Susan cares about her doula babies, doula parents, and this whole community. From frantic late-night texts to the welcome home meal she made us, Susan has been a shining light in our lives. We are grateful to be part of Susan’s Doula community.” - April

“I’ve been wanting to write a review of Susan for awhile, but I just haven’t been able to find the words, and to be honest, this review still doesn't do her justice. Susan has been a dear friend of mine since I moved to Manitowoc two years ago. About mid-way through my pregnancy, I unexpectedly became a single mom, without family nearby. That’s when I started working with her as the Lakeshore Doula. As a pediatrician, I felt that at least I knew most newborn tips. After all, I counsel parents of newborns every day at work. But for every tip that I knew, Susan had five more, and I can assure you that they were all 100% pediatrician approved Not only is Susan immensely knowledgeable, she is an incredibly kind, thoughtful, genuine, and supportive person. She truly loves what she does and consistently goes above and beyond. I have more examples than I can think of. There was the time that she searched the stores for all the preemie clothes for my 5 lb peanut. The time that she brought me lunch unannounced. The time that she came over and told me to take a nap for as long as I needed to. Like everyone else, I didn’t know how much I needed her and how much she would end up meaning to my daughter and I. We adore aunt Susan, and would choose her time and time again.” -Michelle

“I HIGHLY recommend. My baby went to the NICU for a few days therefore I had lots of breastfeeding issues (latching troubles, low supply, pumping questions, etc). After receiving minimal help from the hospital lactation consultant, I felt hopeless and ready to give up on breastfeeding. The Lakeshore Doula restored my hope, giving me reassurance and tons of breastfeeding tips and tricks. She was easy to contact and easy to schedule with- and got me in quickly. The Lakeshore Doula is a service everyone should get postpartum!” -Emily

Susan has been one of the biggest blessings throughout our pregnancy, birth and postpartum experience. My wife and I started out taking the parenting class offered through The Lakeshore Doula and we fell in love instantly! With both of us having some anxiety about welcoming an infant into a world of chaos in the middle of a pandemic, Susan ensured us that everything would be okay and suddenly our worries seemed so small. Any question (no matter how outrageous it seemed or how silly I felt) was answered with kindness, patience and love. No matter what task whether it be dishes, laundry, organization, assistance with breast feeding, ensuring that MOM got something to eat/drink, or a shoulder to lean on, Susan was there through it all. We chose to take our Doula sessions whenever we could get them! Once a week for my entire 12 weeks off for a matter of fact. You never realize just how much it means to have someone there for you during such an emotional rollercoaster while your partner is back to work. And it didn’t stop there! My wife and I struggled beyond belief to get into a daycare due to the pandemic even though we’ve been on lists since halfway through my pregnancy. Susan swooped in and helped where she could while we were at work (she also helped find us as amazing sitter!) and words can not express how thankful we are for the care she has provided. Her and her family are an extension of our family, I couldn’t imagine not having a postpartum Doula. We will definitely be a returning client with future growth of our family! -Kate and Sarah

Susan is an incredible human being. The first time you meet her it’s like you’ve known her for years. I’m so happy I took her newborn care class a few weeks before my baby girl was born and she’s been there for me ever since. She gave us a great sense of comfort, letting us know that we were doing a good job as parents which was priceless. She will help you with chores around the house and take care of your baby when you really need a nap.Needless to say she is amazing with babies. I have enjoyed our conversations and learned so much from her. I feel like all parents can benefit from her presence, and I am so grateful I found her when I did. -Seterah

Susan has been an extension of our family since our son was born in March. We hired her before we knew we would have a premature baby and the moment he was born she was already becoming our biggest cheerleader. Susan has spent my maternity leave saving my sanity, reassuring me of things I worry about—especially as a mom to a preemie—helping me organize things, picking up the slack when I just can’t, and giving me the space to breathe. Not only that but she has built the most beautiful relationship with our son. When she came today, he lit up the moment he saw her and heard her voice. Almost like he knew his doula was here and he had waited all week. I lost my mom nearly 4 years ago and Susan has filled a tremendous gap for me. I feel supported, heard, and exceptionally cared for as a client of hers. Not only that but I believe our son is in the very best hands when she is near. I trust her in my home, with my family, and believe she is the best investment I have made for our family during maternity leave. I wish more people knew about her and her incredible services. She is more than I dreamed of and I am so thankful for the many ways she has made having a new baby, especially a complicated one, easier.

Every parent needs a Susan.

— Olivia

“The Lakeshore Doula was the absolute best investment my husband and I made for our new family of three! I can't say enough good things about her! We met Susan at her newborn class after the hospital canceled our class due to COVID. Her class was perfect and addressed all our questions and concerns (and all covid safety measures were followed). Prior to the course with Susan we were debating on hiring a postpartum doula, but after learning about all the services she could provide postpartum in the course we realized a postpartum doula was exactly what we needed! Even before our son was born Susan was available to address any questions or concerns we had, she even checked in via phone on us while at the hospital. Then when we got home from the hospital she was absolutely amazing, she was available when we needed her, just to help us get settled in at home. And then over the 8 weeks she was with us she was such a blessing to our family, and made us all feel more comfortable adjusting to life as a family of 3. Plus our son absolutely loves her, she easily can get smiles and coo's out of him (even with a mask on and during bath time which he hates). I highly recommend Susan (The Lakeshore Doula) to anyone expecting a little one in the near future, regardless if it's baby number 1 or baby number 4 (or beyond)! She will be your best support person and cheerleader as you begin your new journey with your baby!” -Nicole

“Susan came at a time when I was at a loss with my cranky boy. My oldest has a ton of medical complexities, so naturally, I felt like a first time mom. Susan always made everyday better, allowed me to get rest, helped clean and do dishes, and best of all, made me feel supported and even now helps me through common baby issues. Susan is so very loved by our family and we would chose her over and over again.” -Emily

“It has been over a year since we have had Susan in our house, but I will never stop recommending her to parents that are expecting! Susan helped us in so many invaluable ways through those first few months. She walked me through symptom control for our daughter’s first cold, provided us with breastfeeding and swaddling tips galore. She let us use our time for baby free lunch dates and held our daughter when I just needed another adult to talk to (which is so underrated when you’re adjusting to days alone with an infant while your spouse works). She gave me support with going back to work and listened to me go over what I would pack in my work bag over and over again. Her last amazing gift to us was setting us up with the BEST babysitter who is still a part of our daughter’s life today. I know Susan would still be there for us today if we needed advice, because that is just the kind of person that she is! Truly amazing!” - Devin

“Susan has been a part of our family since our daughter was born in September of 2021. When we found out we were expecting our son it was a no brainer that we needed her to be on our team again. This time it looked a little different. We had the whole “new baby” thing down, but we didn’t have the “toddler meets becomes a big sister” thing down. With Susan we were able to take our daughter out on 1:1 adventures, knowing our son was safe at home with someone we could trust. Having Susan has made a huge difference with our transition as our family grows.” - Justin

“Our daughter came home to us in a whirlwind of a quick adoptive placement, and a dear friend gifted us Susan's services right away. Even without a pregnancy, it was wonderful to have Susan's practical advice at hand as we learned to care for our newborn. Susan is down to earth, pragmatic, and has the biggest heart. She met with us when we were ready, gave advice just when we needed it, and allowed my partner and I time to reconnect with one another while she provided expert care for our newborn.” -Jen

“This review probably should have been posted way before now, but we wanted to wait until our "process" was finalized. We adopted our beautiful daughter and, while we were waiting for our match, we met Susan at a Newborn class that we signed up for and instantly knew that we wanted to enlist her help! My wife had been around babies in her younger years, but I've never really been around many babies so the idea of bringing this newborn home, while extremely exciting, was also very overwhelming. Susan is a wealth of knowledge and we definitely appreciate her advice, guidance, and help during this new transition. She definitely has a passion for what she does and it shows. She is always a resource, no matter how old your child gets and that's extremely comforting since we are still learning. If the opportunity ever presented itself again, we would not hesitate reaching out to her! Thank you for all you did and have done for us! Rylee loves her Doula!” - Justin and Jessie

“I found out about and hired the Lakeshore Doula not too long before my little guys was due. Then I had him a bit earlier than planned (but with my history that wasn’t that unexpected). I had a c-section while also having a 2 and 3 year old at home. Having the Lakeshore Doula in my life was such a blessing. I honestly usually just asked her to spend time with the kids but she always did that and so much more. She helped with dishes, taking out the garbage and laundry. She also allowed me to have some much needed one on one time with my older children as well. My daughters and myself all looked forward to our doula days. She also had some great suggestions for me as even though it was my third baby in less than 4 years, there were certainly some experiences I hadn’t been through before. Most of all she gave me piece of mind that no matter how messy my house got in a week of how little sleep I had some nights, it would be ok and soon enough life would be back to normal (or a new normal at least). She would be a wonderful addition to any postpartum experience.” - Nicole