Testimonials
Where does one begin when writing about the second most important person in my son’s birth?! Risa, you took me when no one else would and despite all my screaming and kicking you got me into VBAC shape. And when my fluid was gone, I didn’t dialate and my baby’s heart rate went wonky and they wanted to section me, you advocated and fought HARD and in the end, me you and Henri got what we set out for. You’re so loving and tough in all the right ways. I can never ever thank you enough. My own personal miracle worker.
Love you, Gina
Dear Risa,
Thank you for your patience and wholehearted support leading up to and at the lengthy delivery of our healthy baby Evan. It is an honor to work with someone so dedicated to the art of midwifery, and knowledgeable about all that it entails. From our monthly check-ups, to our weekly visits and finally at our birth, you challenged us in a way that allowed us to achieve the birth that we wanted. It was beautiful!
We chose to deliver at Holy Name Hospital where you take the reigns as “director.” I remember at some point during our labor, probably 15+ hours in, that you took a moment to “meditate” on a new position so we could get the baby moving forward. You came back excited and reinvigorated. I loved that! It not only showcased your dedication and extensive training, but it also made your unique approach completely memorable.
Thank you for being an outstanding midwife. You are a treasure and a birthing goddess. We are so lucky to know you.
All of our love, Sarina, Len and Evan
EESHA, BORN NATURALLY INTO RISA’S HANDS NOW UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF HER BABY NURSE.
I was lucky enough to have Risa in my family, so my search for a midwife was quick. That’s what this is all about, right?! Family! And I knew Risa would be great because I did my research AND I know who she is. What I can say, now that I know her both personally and professionally, is: If you are looking for a midwife who is truly, deeply passionate about her work, the health of your baby, and the quality of your experience, Risa is your girl. After two successful, natural pregnancies and deliveries with her, I can wholeheartedly claim that she works magic and infuses her work with love.
Eve Lynn Kessner
HI RISA, YELLOW ROSES FOR COURAGE. THANKS FOR REMINDING ME OF THAT DURING MY PREGNANCY, BIRTH AND MOTHERHOOD! LOVE YOU, CARIN
Finding the right person to support you throughout your pregnancy, prepare you, and guide you through your birthing experience is essential.
Every piece that Risa brings to her practice is well thought out and filled with love and the best of intentions.
Risa wasn’t just looking for another client, she let me know up front that she believed that we both had to agree on working with one another. The decision wasn’t hard, I was immediately drawn to Risa because of how in tune she was with us and continued to be with me even after my sons birth. From keeping track of what I ate to building a necessary relationship with myself and my partner. While my partner and I both appreciated the exercises Risa asked us to do, we were not truly able to grasp and appreciate each piece until the moment our child was born.
Once the prelabor and labor process began, it was the most reassuring thing to have Risa there every step of the way. I can’t imagine having to look at or listen to anyone else than someone I had already established so much trusts and understanding with. I just remember two things Risa told: (1) me let my voice and hands be your guide and (2) remember in labor you always get a break. With these two mantras, I had an amazing experience. I listened to Risa, Risa listened to me. We worked together. My communication combined with her wisdom and experience. She literally guided my body through positions that created the balance to keep me in an overall pleasant place to focusing on our end goal, getting to see our son for the first time.
Finally, Risa showed us all how simply beautiful the birth process. Our birthing experience left everyone empowered, the way I now believe all birthing experiences should be.
Divali, Jabari and Luca
With my second pregnancy and birth I realized that your pregnancy and birth is a reflection of where you are in your life. This truth meant that I needed someone who was in tune with me and all that was going on. Spoken and unspoken Risa knew. It is indescribable how in touch she was with me. More importantly was Risa’s ability to always guide me into the right space to be where I needed to be for myself and my baby. Overall I came out not only with a second happy healthy son and empowering birth experience, but new understanding of myself, leading to a stronger sense of self.
Risa is not only there for your child, but for you.
Love You Risa….I will be sure to send you pictures when I get my computer back from Jabari.
Divali, Jabri, Luca and Jaeger
Dear Risa,
Two days ago when you asked me if I had the chance to think about what happened, I was still sinking in all the amazing feelings and things I had just experienced.
All I want to do is say THANK YOU! From the bottom of my heart! All the time we spent together I felt support, understanding, not judged (even in my weakest moments), but most importantly I felt cared for and loved! You not only taught me and explained me so many things but you guided me through the toughest times and fought for me along the way ‘to have my VBAC’. For this I would be eternally grateful! I feel if it wasn’t for you I would have probably ended up with another C-section.
I will never forget when Andres was born and you put him on my belly. The warmth of his body and feeling him move on top of me is an inexplicable moment filled with the purest love! And afterwards, being able to breastfeed him right then, seeing his face of amusement, his little eyes trying to figure out what was going on… words can never describe this moment.
Thank you! Thank you for those extra minutes you gave me to spend with my son after he was born!
Also, I think is important to say that you not only helped me and my baby, but also you brought the best out of my husband! We all thought he would him faint in the middle of the delivery! But he managed! You made him a stronger man, you helped him experienced his son birth and be an active person in it.
Risa I can never say it enough times… thank you! Hopefully we can experience this again in a couple of years!
Next time, no more chocolates in my purse!
Lots of love and hugs,
-Carolina.
Dearest Risa, I have much to say and I don’t think it will fit in this card. There’s so much thanks to give you and so many things to share with you. I have learned so much about being a woman, a mother and a plain ol’ person! Kaoru and I are so humbled by the entire experience and have been so empowered by you. Midwives are amazing and I only wish our healthcare industry understood that better. Risa, you are an amazing midwife and an amazing woman. We have been so blessed to have found you and to have your hands and heart bring Shinobu safely into this world.
With Gratitude, Mari and Kaoru
Dear Auntie Midwife Risa,
From the bottom of our hearts, we would like to thank you for being our midwife and supporting us through this meaningful and incredible life journey.
You were truly there for us since day one, encouraging us, and reiterating the importance of taking care of our bodies and minds! You have been so loving, caring, attentive and thorough… we couldn’t have asked for a better midwife! Without your knowledge and expertise, I doubt our girls would have been born as healthy, perfect and to term as they were. We are certain our pregnancy would not have gone as smoothly had it not been for your extreme professionalism and determination.
We owe you the world for that. We are extremely pleased to have had the opportunity to have also worked with Dr. Garber, your collaborating and consulting perinatologist, who was there with you to deliver our twin daughters!
We are beyond thrilled that you were there with us, helping bring our beautiful baby girls into the world. Our sincerest gratitude and love forever,
Rachel, Michael, Amanda (baby A) and Brook (baby B)
Hi Risa,
Today was Rachel’s 2 year birthday and Seth’s 2 week birthday. Now that the dust has settled, Sharon and I have been reflecting upon what an absolutely wonderful birthing experience we had with both of them. While nobody can substitute for Sharon’s courage, willpower, and fortitude in giving birth naturally and without medication as she had desired, it was your guidance, care, and wise counsel that truly assisted us in having the precise experience we had all hoped for.
Risa, we cannot thank you enough. Your calm presence, reassuring attitude, self-assured demeanor, and intense knowledge inspired the tremendous amount of confidence we placed in your hands. Simply put, we felt at ease knowing that we were under your care during the delivery and we felt that you were exceedingly well prepared to handle any situation that arose. It was that confidence in you that allowed us to relax and enjoy the process without uncertainty or undue stress.
As Sharon mentioned, she didn’t always like what you had to say during the many pre-natal visits, however, we came to understand that you are authentic. As we got to know you more, we came to have great respect for you and your knowledge and we listened to your wise counsel. You do not tell people what they want to hear, rather, you tell them what they need to hear. This added to your credibility in our eyes and we knew that we could come to trust in what you said because you are not one to hide or sugarcoat the truth.
You have always been accessible to us both before the delivery and subsequently. We have called you in the middle of the night, early in the morning and all times in between. You never complained and always encouraged us to contact you with questions, concerns or issues at any time.
We both feel that you have the ability to revolutionize the modern birthing process and debunk the many myths that exist regarding pregnancy, childbirth, and delivery. We are proud of the fact that you delivered both of our children and we couldn’t be happier with our choice in you. As Rachel and Seth grow older, we will tell them all about their birth and how they were delivered with care, love, and concern both for their safety as well as for Sharon’s.
Love, Neal, Sharon, Rachel and Seth!
Dearest Risa, you have touched our lives in the biggest way and for that we are forever grateful. You have given me the strength and courage to overcome so many things, not only during birth but in many aspects of my life. You have such a kind heart and have made my experiences with childbirth, all four deliveries, all amazing. You are very dear and special to me and my family. I feel so lucky to have met you. Thank you for all that you have done for us! We love you dearly
With all of our love,
The Shoyinka Family, Paul, Christine, Aidan, Amelia, Ariana, and Andrew
I want to say thank you! Thank you for taking your calling so intimate, for being so passionate, nurturing and for truly caring. Thank you for working with me. You have done something so special for me. You helped me heal something I never thought I would had accomplished. I am a new woman. I was reborn the day I birth Alany. For the first time in my life I am living in the moment and allowing myself to feel. I am no longer on survival mode. I am living and I thank you with the bottom of my heart. You will never know how much you influenced my life and I honestly have love for you like a daughter to a mother for mending my broken wings. May God guide you and continue blessing you!
Love, Yamilka
Risa embodies the meaning of going above and beyond. From pregnancy to birth, she stood by our side and made us feel safe when important decisions had to be made along the way. Throughout our prenatal visits with Risa, she provided expert care and guidance with a personal touch. During labor, Risa did everything in her power to make sure that we achieved the kind of birth that we wanted. We are grateful for Risa's encouragement and steady hand.
Love, Elena & Jason
I wanted to share how lucky I feel to have crossed paths with Risa Klein. We have had two births together, one in 2010 for my daughter and just recently we had our little boy. For the first birth Risa was so calming and reassuring which is exactly what I needed for my first birth. She guided me through the emotional roller coaster and as we got closer to seeing my first born she performed her magic by rotating my little girls head so she could come into this world exactly how I wanted, all natural. About 11 days ago she performed the most amazing midwifery I have ever seen or heard. My little boy had a perfect pregnancy but was a bit on the larger size. As normal she used her gentle guidance with me through the early stages and as he was coming closer to meeting us his head went posterior and turned and as I wanted to push his heart rate would drop. Risa had the knowledge, experience and midwifery magic to put me in certain positions to bring his heart rate up and moved his head into position. As he was coming into this world he had his cord wrapped around his neck twice, but this posed no problem toRisa. She gently unwrapped the cords and moments later he was nursing on my chest. Due to her amazing ability to correct the problem, gently guide me and conduct the room of nurses she gave me the birth I had so badly wanted, again all natural. Along this path of creating my family she gave me to two wonderfully natural births, a counselor in times of need and a friend.
Thank you, Megan Teeters
Risa Klein gave us the encouragement, skill and compassion to have the birth we dreamed about. She educated us both fully on what to expect so that when our big day came we felt fully confident and empowered both as a couple and as individuals. Our trust in her AS OUR MIDWIFE was and is absolute.”
Love, Hope
Twins at Age 5
Twins at Birth
"Risa I can't thank you enough for being there and delivering our beautiful twins. At 38wks, I was so glad to hear that we could deliver them naturally. Everything went so fast but the memories are still here, after almost 5 years, of you calming everybody in the room in a somewhat panicky moment where they started strapping me thinking I was having a C-Section (ha!) Thank you for calming me and re-focusing me when it was time to push for Amy to come to this world, followed by Lorik 18min after. A beautiful moment that I am so happy to have shared with you."
--Mom of Twins