photo by Jessie Sandler
I began my doula journey in 2016, but my passion for birth and reproductive health began years earlier. As a child I knew my birth story from an early age: that birth was an incredible right of passage, which should be honored. After completing my Bachelor’s degree in Photography and working in the field for several years, I could no longer ignore my true passion calling. I completed my doula training and certification in 2017 and have been supporting families all over the Bay Area since.
I believe all mothers/parents and their families deserve compassionate, holistic, and evidence- based care uniquely catered to them. I meet families where they are in their pregnancy journey, lending a nurturing ear, and providing an abundance of community resources and referrals. During labor, I strive to be a constant reassuring presence and am experienced in a variety of physical and emotional comfort measures. During the postpartum period my main goal is to be a nurturing and calm presence in families’ homes while they recover from birth and ease into life with their new baby.
I understand that everyone’s path to parenthood is different and always looking for ways to expand my practice to be more culturally competent and accessible to all genders and identities.
Since becoming a new mother of two myself, I have grown an even deeper understanding of the complex emotional and physical transformation of birth and parenthood. I continue to learn from my own experience as well as the wisdom of the families I work with. I’m forever in awe of the human body and what we are capable of.
In addition to birth and postpartum support, I am also a Certified Placenta Specialist and a Birth and Family Photographer. In my free time I love to explore this beautiful land, spend time with my family, and try out new recipes in the kitchen! I live in Half Moon Bay with my husband, two children, and little pup Naomi.
Classes and Training
Birth Doula Training- Cornerstone, Nickie Tilsner and Juli Tilsner, San Francisco 2017
Postpartum Doula Training - Cornerstone, Nickie Tilsner and Juli Tilsner, San Francisco 2017
Homebirth for Doulas- Cornerstone, Juli Tilsner, San Francisco, 2017
Breastfeeding for Doulas - Birthways, Berkeley, 2018
Placenta Specialist Certification Training- Cornerstone, Shawna Mclaggan, San Francisco 2018
Innate Traditions Postpartum Training- 9 months long in depth postpartum care training with Rachelle Garcia Seliga, 2022-2023
Certifications
Certified Doula- CD & CPPD, Cornerstone Doula Training, San Francisco 2017
Adult and Pediatric CPR + First Aid - Renewed November 2022
Placenta Specialist Certification, Cornerstone Doula Training, San Francisco 2018
California Food Handler Certification, 2022
Bloodborne Pathogens and Infection Control For Placenta Encapsulators, 2022
Still Birthday pregnancy loss and stillbirth certification - in Progress
Observed Classes
Hypnosis based Childbirth Education and Birth Techniques Series- Rachel Yellin, San Francisco 2018
Birthing From Within Childbirth Education Series- Shannon Padlog and Alli Cuentos, San Francisco 2018
Volunteering
San Francisco General Hospital, 2017- 2020
St. Luke’s Hospital, 2018- 2020
Birthways, 2018-2019