My life as a doula began after my own experience having a baby and becoming a mother. As a young new mom, I was naive and, as much as I thought I'd prepared, I was completely overwhelmed with new motherhood and left feeling traumatized about my birth experience. I struggled with breastfeeding and my new role as mother, and suffered from postpartum depression. I realized firsthand how isolating and intense the postpartum period can be, and how important it is to have support during this vulnerable time.

As I learned more and gathered information, I started sharing my knowledge with others, finding comfort in knowing that I was helping other moms have a better experience than I did. This is what led me to train as a postpartum doula and begin supporting families in earnest.

My second baby was born in 2008, and although I had a lovely birth experience, I faced new challenges with childcare, nursing in public, and faced harassment and threats of termination at work over my pump breaks. After talking with other mothers in similar situations with impossible choices, I made my case and fought for the rights of nursing employees (this was prior to the rights established by the ACA). I successfully kept my job and convinced my employer to build a lactation room for nursing employees and visitors. This was my first real experience with advocacy and inspiring change, and I was hooked!

I decided to become a midwife and started taking the pre-requisite courses for nursing school. I became much more interested in the birth side of doula work, and trained as a labor support doula. I joined a wonderful doula organization that allowed me to quit my day job and finally do the work that I loved so much, full-time. I gained skills and experience, training as a Lactation Educator, received my certification as a Child Passenger Safety Technician, and began teaching classes on breastfeeding and car seat safety.

Our third baby came much to our surprise and delight, and we had a home birth experience that utterly transformed me. I knew that I had found my calling, and that more women deserved to feel such joy, calm, and power in their transition to motherhood. I absolutely love what I do. Being able to bear witness as women become mothers and discover their own strengths, to see new families grow, and to help new parents find their confidence and forge their own path in the world… this is a gift, and a role that I am proud to serve.