About
As the oldest sister in a family of eight kids, birth work is something I have prepared for all my life. Being present for the births of my siblings helped me become attuned to the emotions of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. I helped my younger brothers and sisters through the transitions of a growing family. I fed and bathed babies and toddlers, entertained and nurtured; loved and supported. Through the years my place as “sister mother” remains part of me. I have come to realize my strength resides in moments when I have the opportunity to support others in vulnerable times where we as humans all need the presence of another.
I went on to study Public Health in New York City. After graduating with a BS in Community Health Education with a focus on woman’s health issues, I began working in healthcare research. I became fascinated by how differently people coped with health events. More specifically how people sought and understood health information received from providers, and what implications this had on choice and navigating the healthcare system. I came to see firsthand how gaps in our current system was resulting is inadequate and unequal health outcomes. I was in no position to push for changes to the system so I looked for alternate ways in my work to put positive energy towards the individual people I worked with to help make small improvements in their everyday lives.
As many other birth workers have found, my own birth stories became the inspiration for becoming a doula myself. There are just a handful of moments in one’s life that are as monumental as creating and nurturing new life. It’s simultaneously universal yet unique. Intimate yet communal. To be allowed inside this moment by another person is a gift. When I reflected on the people I allowed into this space, I was inspired by their strength, their calm, and their generosity. Serendipitously, my final pregnancy coincided with pregnancies of some of those closest to me, including my two sisters. The experience of going through pregnancy and childbirth as a shared experience with other women I am so closely connected to was a first for me even and deepened my dedication to the importance of birth work. It also inspired the name of my practice!