Sooo-z Mastropietro Birth & Postpartum Doula in , CT

Having sooo-z as my birth doula was such a blessing. From the start, she had a calm and caring presence that made me feel safe and supported. She always made sure I had the best resources at the Labor and deliver unit and helped me stay confident through every step. My baby was in an unfavorable position and sooo-z helped us change the position in 3 hrs. Even when my birth plan changed I had to have a C-section after four hours of pushing, sooo-z stayed with me until my baby was born. She checked in on me often after the birth and made sure I was doing okay. Her kindness, patience, and determination meant so much to me during that time. If I have another baby, I would love to work with sooo-z again. She made me feel calm, cared for, and never alone.

— Pooja Pendyala

We were so lucky to have had Soooz as our post partum doula! She instantly made us feel at ease with bringing home our second child. As I was recovering from another c-section, Soooz spent most nights with us and seamlessly brought our baby in for feeds. She was super supportive of my goals (exclusively breastfeeding, longer sleep stretches when possible) while taking exceptional care of our infant. Soooz also comes with a breadth of knowledge in lactation and wellness for new moms. She even made me cookies unprompted which were delicious! She is warm and easygoing. Talkative when you want to chat, and quiet as a mouse when you want some peace. Soooz is also very professional when it comes to billing and is super organized. Overall she made our lives so much easier as we transitioned to a family of 4 :)

— Katie

Sooo-Z is an incredible postpartum. She’s truly a joy to have in your corner. I’m so grateful for her!

— Ashleigh Evans

I could not have asked for a more capable, supportive, and wonderful doula than Sooo-z, who played a huge role in helping me achieve the birth experience I wanted. She was a source of immense comfort and reliable expertise at every step, starting with early labor while I was at home, and then over the course of a 15 hour day in the hospital. She came equipped with all kinds of labor support tools that she used at various points throughout the journey, but her gentle, steady, and encouraging demeanor played the most critical role. I felt that she was connected to me the entire time, physically through gentle touch or guiding me through various positions, as well as mentally, offering mantras, listening carefully, and helping me navigate tricky decisions as my labor presented some challenges--she felt like my ally and advocate at every moment, never putting pressure on me, letting me lead and supporting my instincts. Ultimately, we achieved the tremendous feat of an unmedicated natural birth together, and I absolutely know that I would not have been able to reach that goal without her help. One key strength of hers was the way she skillfully navigated working with the rest of the L&D team. Our doctor told us afterwards how impressed she was with Sooo-z's professionalism, her ability to collaborate smoothly with the nurses to get me what I needed, and her absolute focus on me--something they don't always see with doulas. She's also just a delightful person, easy to spend time with, caring and kind, un-fussy and down to earth. I'd recommend her a thousand times over!

— Clare A.

I did not have a birth doula, but I contacted Sooo-z in a panic after my daughter was born and desperately needed support. If I could go back in time and have Sooo-z with me during both my births, I would. In a time during which everything revolved around taking care of my newborn and my toddler, Sooo-z made sure someone was caring for me. From helping with some nursing challenges, to making sure I was nourishing my body (her lactation cookies and spinach smoothies are amazing), to watching my baby so I could sleep, even to washing pumping parts - Sooo-z was a true gift. While I'm over the hump of sleepless newborn nights and days without routine or breaks, I still reach out to Sooo-z for questions, recommendations, or just to chat. She is one of a kind, and anyone who can include her in their birth or postpartum plans is truly lucky.

— Amanda L.

Words cannot express how grateful I am to have had Sooo-Z as my doula. From the moment we first met her at our prenatal visit, she immediately set me and my husband at ease with her calm and comforting demeanor, her clear expertise and love for babies, and her commitment to helping us develop and execute a birth plan that was tailored to OUR unique goals/needs/values/preferences (as opposed to bringing any preconceived judgments about what we SHOULD do or want). Then there was the labor process itself. As a first-timer, I was incredibly nervous and unsure as to what to expect/do, but Sooo-z brought a level of comfort, reassurance, and safety that we never would have come by otherwise. This enabled us to stay home as long as possible rather than running to the hospital immediately, which was such a real Godsend given the lengthy nature of my early labor (FYI - it may last way longer than you think!!). Then, when it was finally time to go to the hospital (a decision she helped us make at the appropriate time), Sooo-Z had my back every step of the way. Sometimes this involved playing bad cop when I needed her to - for instance, by standing up for me to nurses/doctors who didn't want to let me go to the bathroom (!!) and ensuring that visitors entered and stayed in the room only on my terms (even when I didn't want to express those terms myself). She was also able to soothe and comfort me in ways that literally no one else could (for instance by softening my eyebrows/forehead in a way that actually made me relax even when touch from anyone else made me tense up; by jiggling my body in a way that magically made my pain fade even when the anesthesiologist and OB/midwife told me it wasn't possible), and provided immense reassurement when I decided I wanted to switch certain aspects of my initial birth plan (something I almost certainly wouldn't have felt comfortable doing otherwise, but which I am SO very glad I did in retrospect). At all times it was clear that her only interest was ensuring the best possible outcome for both me and my baby, and the combination of that with her evident knowledge/expertise enabled me to labor on my terms. Finally, Sooo-Z remained a consistent presence in the week following my birth, not only texting me and my husband daily to see how we and the baby were doing, but stopping by to check on us and deliver a care package once we were home. Sooo-Z is a true diamond in the rough and I could not recommend her more highly to anyone looking for a doula to support them in their birth process.

— Jordana C.

As first-time-parents, having Sooo-Z by our side brought us confidence and peace-of-mind. Her support was crucial during labor and her presence gave me that extra push of mental fortitude and belief I needed to have a smooth natural birth and postpartum experience. There are so many unknowns when you do anything for the first time and bringing life into this world is the pinnacle. We look forward to having Sooo-Z as our Doula for any future pregnancies. She is an incredibly compassionate and knowledgeable human - a true force! Thank you, Sooo-Z! ♥️ Love, Mike, Erin, and baby Liam

— Erin Numon

Sooo-Z started out by sleep training our son, and currently assists us with his care during the day. Her arrival brings a smile to his face. Thanks to her guidance he quickly began sleeping through the night. He now enjoys spending time with Sooo-Z during the day; tummy time, playing and reading books together, going for walks, etc. She kindly purchased books for him to read. Her upbeat, easygoing personality (+ her eclectic taste in music) makes things go smoothly and the time passes by quickly. She has helped us in making decisions about his care, activities, and what to purchase for him. Sooo-Z always has good advice and suggestions regarding what to do based on her experience, which is very helpful. Also, she is eager to assist with various chores (e.g., laundry, bottle washing/filling, etc.), making it less taxing for new parents. In addition, she periodically brings us excellent chocolate chip cookies! Sooo-Z has been a great help to us and our son.

— Michael Fortgang

We never could have imagined the difference that a good doula could make in the pregnancy and birth process, until we met Sooo-z. From the first moment we met her, Sooo-z had a warm and genuine energy and an infectious sense of humor! My husband and I felt instantly at ease with her. In addition to our in person meeting, she also provided a wealth of additional information and resources by text and email and was very quick to answer questions. I had a difficult pregnancy with lots of gastro pain and dietary issues, and my early labor was no better. Sooo-z was with us every step of the way, very attentive and always easy to reach by text or phone call. At the hospital, Sooo-z gave so much helpful advice on positioning, not only leading me in stretches and movements, but also advocating or is with hospital staff and helping us make informed decisions. She worked seamlessly with the nurses and midwives at our hospital. When I say Sooo-z is dedicated to her job, I really mean it. I was in the hospital for the better part of three days, and Sooo-Z was there for the majority of it, even in the middle of the night during a scary moment to give support and advice and stayed with us, catching a few minutes of sleep on a pull out couch. Overall, she was literally there with us for over 48 hours. I could never in my wildest dreams have imagined having someone outside my immediate family spend that much time, care, and attention on me. I felt so safe and so cared for, even during my darkest and most vulnerable moments and when my delivery was finally complete, she was there to celebrate and support me, taking pictures and cheering me on. Sooo-z has everything you could want in a doula and I would wholeheartedly endorse her any day of the week to anyone who wants the best for their pregnancy, labor and delivery. Thank you so much Sooo-z for helping make my experience so positive and thank you for being such an amazing, inspiring, and beautiful person!

— Jordyn

Sooo-z was amazing as our doula. She was wonderful when she stopped by for our second prenatal visit. She gave us a lot of great information to help prepare us for the birth of our first baby. When I was in labor she was instrumental in helping me birth our son. She instantly calmed me when she showed up at the hospital and I connected with her. This connection helped me refocus and be able to calm down some to make my laboring more tolerable. She used visuals I could relate to and was there for us when we had to make difficult decisions. She was always honest and helped us make the right choices for us and our baby. We are so happy we used Beautiful Births and all the services they offer. We are so grateful to Sooo-z and all she did for us. She also stopped by for a post partum visit to spend some time with us. She helped us with questions we had about breastfeeding and brought me and our son some gifts. I cannot express how lucky we were to have her by our side. Thank you for everything Sooo-z. You are the absolute best!

— Becky Scott

We worked with Sooo-z for the birth of our first baby. She was incredibly helpful for me and my husband both before, during, and after the labor. Sooo-z is incredibly informative, supportive, and great to be around. She is a wonderful listener and really took the time to get to know our family so she could best support us during our hospital labor. I had a number of complications during my pregnancy and labor, which Sooo-z helped us navigate. One thing I really appreciated about Sooo-z was that she did not push a particular agenda or birth plan - I really appreciated how comfortable and confident she made us feel in our choices. We truly had such a great experience with her and would whole heartedly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula.

— Ilgaz

Sooo-z helped me achieve my dream to have a VBAC! She came to the house a few times to help prepare my husband and me for labor, then she answered every call for 18 hours before I went to the hospital. She was with me for the pushing phase, helped me to get into varying positions, and guided me through the most intense and incredible experience of my life. She also has some rad music that got us pumped up for my daughter's birth. Sooo-z's support and faith that my body would be able to perform this feat gave me the confidence to make it happen. I'm so grateful for her and for all she did to help me bring my daughter into the world.

— Samantha Leibowitz

Soo-z was amazing. She was knowledgeable, patient and understanding. She made our birthing experience the best it could be. I can't recommend her enough.

— Tim Williamson

The best! Such a special person who was pivotal to my wife and I during the first few weeks of our first child’s life.

— Michael Wolson

We used Sooo-z as a post-partum doula and it was one of the best (post)pregnancy decision we made. Sooo-z really embodied the "whatever would support you" spirit. She did cooking, cleaning, laundry, and other random tasks around the house. As a lactation consultant, she helped me with trick to increase my supply. We exercised together and took walks to talk about my adjustment to motherhood. She put together toys and other structures and taught us how to care for an infant! Most importantly, she played with the baby so that we could sleep. Sooo-z transformed our experience as parents providing us with rest, confidence, community, organization, and connection. She remains a huge part of our lives and we were blessed to have her at our son's one-year birthday party recently!

— Gabriella Wolson

Sooo-z was an absolute lifesaver for my family! Even my big kids fell in love with her kind, gentle personality. The baby was especially comfortable with Sooo-z. I always felt my baby was in safe, professional, loving care :).

— Elyse Oleksak

Sooo-z was SUCH a huge help for me. I had been using another LC who was not working out and was making excuses as to why she couldn't physically come to my home to help support me on my nursing/pumping journey. I was having a very difficult time nursing so transitioned to exclusively pumping but was having a lot of issues finding the correct flange size. Sooo-z was referred to me from my friends doula and set up a call with me within minutes of me reaching out via text. She even offered to come that same day to help me figure out my pump. I ended up asking her to come the next day which she did and we put plan together. She even brought me some tea as a gift and has been there offering so much support via text and phone since her initial visit. Id recommend her to anyone in the CT/Westchester area looking for a genuine LC. I understand she offers more support which if I were looking for a day or night doula/nurse she'd be my first call! She's amazing!

— Steph Harnen

I recently had the incredible privilege of working with Sooo-z as my doula, and I cannot express enough how grateful I am for her exceptional care and support throughout my pregnancy and labor. She made multiple visits to my home, providing attentive and compassionate support. Her responsiveness to my questions and texts was remarkable, and she was always there when I needed her, no matter the time of day or night. Her calming presence and gentle reassurance during labor helped me stay focused and empowered throughout the process. Sooo-z's knowledge and expertise as a doula were evident in every aspect of her care, helping me make informed decisions aligned with my birth preferences. Her non-judgmental and supportive approach made me feel heard and respected at all times. Sooo-z's dedication and availability were truly exceptional, and her passion for her work shone through in every interaction. She provided invaluable comfort measures during labor and advocated for my preferences with the medical staff. Her professionalism, knowledge, and responsiveness made my birth experience more positive and memorable. I am forever grateful for Sooo-z's guidance and support during this special journey into motherhood.

— Emma

Sooo-Z is an incredibly kind, calming, and thoughtful doula and overall an amazing person! Before I went into labor she taught me different positions and moves that would help me prepare. At the hospital, she helped so much by relieving pressure during contractions and made sure to include my husband in the process as well. Her voice and presence are very soothing. She made sure the hospital staff knew my preferences and advocated for me during the whole process. She played a very active role in my (long) pushing and made sure the baby was immediately handed to me. We are first time parents and had no idea what to expect going in. It was so helpful and calming to have Sooo-Z with us the whole time, especially because the nurses mostly just come in for checks or updates. I would 100% recommend working with Sooo-Z for a more calming birth experience! We also worked with Sooo-Z as a lactation consultant and she immediately helped me figure out a method and a schedule that worked for both me and our baby. She even brought us homemade cookies! It was really special to see her with our baby whom she helped deliver. Thank you again for helping all three of us!! I highly recommend working with Sooo-Z for any needs related to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!

— Grace B

After years of fertility treatments, I thought I was ready for anything the birth process would throw at me. As a first-time mom, I dove headfirst into research about what to expect and how to cope, and thought I was ready. Doulas came highly recommended, and I decided to hire one via Danbury hospital for the birth. At 41 weeks I was induced and quickly learned that no matter what one reads or learns, you don’t know what to expect. Sooo-z began the support process by hearing all my needs and wants and ensuring that her help was tailored to these needs. There were two things I was most certain about: disinterest in laboring in the bath and using the peanut ball. These two activities ended up being two the most relaxing and important parts of the birth process. Sooo-z patiently listened while I refused both early on, however once I tried both I realized how amazing these tools are. It was clear that Sooo-z’s incredible wealth of knowledge had a lot to offer. Labor and birth can be scary, but with the steady and kind support of Sooo-z, it isn’t just manageable but even pleasurable at times. Right as it was time to push, there was an emergency situation, and Sooo-z helped keep me calm and focused. My partner and I can’t imagine what we would have done without Sooo-z, how stressful and uncertain the process could have been. Thankfully, we didn’t have to. We can’t thank you enough!

— Rachel M

We were so lucky to have Sooo-z present at the birth of our daughter in May. We met Sooo-z through the Danbury Hospital doula program. This was our third baby and our third time getting the support of a doula through the program. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Sooo-z took the time to meet with me ahead of the birth so that we could get to know each other and so that she could understand our goals and preferences for the birth. Getting to meet Sooo-z in advance gave me such peace of mind. I loved her calming presence. Sooo-z is knowledgeable, open-minded, and supportive. She has clearly taken the time to educate herself in this field and shared a bunch of helpful info and exercises to help the baby drop and position for an easy delivery. We followed HypnoBabies for our birth plan and Sooo-z was open to completing the HypnoBabies doula training so she could fully support us with our birth preferences. During the birth, Sooo-z helped reinforce HypnoBabies language and preferences and was our advocate with the hospital staff. She helped create a calm and supportive environment. This was our third baby and with our first two my labors were long and exhausting. My babies weren’t positioned correctly and both times my labors stalled. This time Sooo-z was there to help us along. She assisted me with a spinning babies move to help realign our baby. My water broke within minutes and things progressed quickly from there. Having Sooo-z there gave me the confidence to trust my body and the process. With her guidance and coaching I was able to have the birth experience I’d been hoping for. Thank you Sooo-z for the gift of an incredible experience that we will cherish for a lifetime!

— Yvonne Mica

I new right from the beginning I wanted a Doula after taking a Hypnobirthing course and boy did I hit the jackpot with Sooo-z! Having her with me throughout my labor and delivery was more than I could have imagined. Her positive words and affirmations, foot massage, and help breastfeeding was more than I expected! I had the most wonderful experience and I can't thank her enough! I look forward to working with her again in the future!!

— Julia

My name is Ashley l, I meant Soooz when I was seven months pregnant she explained to me what a doula's job was. I was so excited to listen to her as a mom of three telling me the experience she had with her children, as a new mother giving bme.irth sounded scary with Soooz help I had becoming to not be afraid about it. Having you as a doula made my birth experience vey relaxing and easy. She is very passionate and dedicated I was really glad to have you with me me Soooz in my labor room with

— Ashley Rosiclair

My wife and I decided to hire a doula (our first time) for our third baby and we were so lucky to have Sooo-z as our doula. She was wonderful from the start and helped us through the whole process. She made my wife very comfortable throughout the labor process. She gave her messages and read her positive notes and listened to her to keep her calm. She helped bring in food and drinks whenever my wife needed it. Thank you Sooo-z for your help making the labor process awesome for my wife.

— Ahmed

Sooo-z fully exceeded my expectations as a doula. From the first minute we met her, I felt a calming prescence. During down times of contractions, Sooo-z provided me with ample illustrations, diagrams, and information that helped me understand what was going on with my body better, and how I could enhance my birthing experience. Sooo-z set a beautiful atmosphere in my birthing room and helped me to stay calm and feeling good through my entire experience. At one point, I was experiencing severe anxiety and Sooo-z knew exactly how to comfort me. She read the signs I was giving her and adapted to help me calm down. For anyone who needs or wants that extra support, Sooo-z is a must-have. I would never have been able to be as successful with the birth (or had such a positive experience) had I not had her support. Her gentle demeanor really just made everything better. I would highly recommend Sooo-z, especially to first-time moms or moms who suffer from anxiety. Her support was instrumental and frankly just the best. I can confidently say that I will be requesting her presence at all of my future birthing experiences.

— Jennifer Lividini

I remember the instant that I met Soooz: I was laying in bed, my newborn next to me, just hours after I was discharged from the hospital. There was a mixture of emotion ranging from fear and anxiety to excitement and relief, but physically I couldn't walk. She walked in with a beautiful plant, a box of tea and a megawatt smile that was so reassuring I felt that an Angel had arrived by my side. Indeed, Soooz was that Angel. We had just moved from the city, our house was still in boxes and my body barely able to recuperate. Soooz was the force I needed. She was filled with knowledge that combined experience, personal creativity and professional expertise in a way that quickly built trust and at the same time was able to foster independence in me as a new second time mom. We learned all about the baby and her cues together, she helped manage all the postpartum symptoms which were tremendously painful and debilitating. She was compassionate, funny, positive, filled with energy - she was always doing something to help even around the house- laundry, snacks, tea, organizing and sharing stories. I would not have recovered as well as I did without her. She even managed to get me outside walking which I cannot explain enough- would be impossible. As a biomedical scientist myself, it's hard to imagine that I could not intellectually get myself to feel better both physically and emotionally. I was prepared. I had done my proverbial homework. I'm a naturally discerning person especially when it comes to healthcare. What I needed and found in Soooz however, amplified the experience from struggle to empowerment, but with grace. Childbirth is a powerful experience- but postpartum is equally powerful and fragile. Having Soooz by my side was integral to transitioning fully into motherhood and now I'm grateful to her as a resource and as a friend for life.

— Lily Khidr

I loved working with Sooo-z so much. She is incredibly kind, thoughtful, knowledgeable, and was not at all judgmental about my choices. Our agreement was for prenatal, so she came to my house for visits twice before delivery. She demonstrated stretches and positions to practice in the weeks before delivery to help get more comfortable and urge my baby to "drop." She was incredibly attentive to my questions, concerns, and calmed any fears I had about delivery. She took notes and remembered the things I had told her--I felt totally seen and heard. Then when she came for the delivery, she was such great company, my husband and I were totally calm. For my whole life I'd been terrified of childbirth, but I actually had a lot of fun during the process. It didn't hurt I'd had an epidural and a great nurse, too, but Sooo-z was instrumental in helping me move gently and relax as contractions began. Then later when I was pushing (for about 3 hours), she was a great coach. She, and my husband and I vibed so well. It was a great experience. She planned to visit at my house one more time post natal, but that's just when omicron began to escalate so we opted for a remote call. She gave me some breastfeeding/feeding pointers, and other general advice for healing and taking care of baby. I would absolutely work with her again if we have another baby and recommend her with no reservations. In fact I hope we stay in touch in the future, even if I'm not pregnant!

— Rachael

Firstly, I would like to thank Sooo-z for being my birth partner. I truly appreciate how available she was for me, since day one. I don't know how I would have gone through the process of labor without her. She came through for me when I needed her the most. She went extra miles to be there for me. Driving at 2AM to come and pick me up at my house to take me to the hospital without any complains, Responding to my texts in the middle of the night, my shoulder to cry on, the warmth and care that she gave me, I am humbled to say I totally felt like she was my mother! I appreciate her so much! May you continue to provide the same love and support to other moms that you'll encounter on your doula journey! You are the best! Love Olda

— Ramaphoko Olda