 About
Me
BACKGROUND:
Mother of three sons who are now grown. I had two very long
births
and one quick one, two at home and one in a hospital.
EDUCATION AS A DOULA:
My experience includes over 500 births as an attending
doula. Worked for l8 months with the Kaiser Doula Research
Project, assisting
28 families in the study with their births. Started attending
births as a
doula in 1986, certified through ACBE in 1996. Member of PALS
in 1997 and
then a founding member of Valley Foothill Doula Collective
in 1997. Member of
DONA (DOULAS OF NORTH AMERICA) since 1996 and certified through
DONA in 2000.
Attend approximately one labor related seminar a year.
Former
president of the Valley Foothill Doula Collective
MY QUALIFICATIONS:
I have gone through labor myself three times, and worked with
over 450 families in their labor process. . My life lends
itself to
being available for your needs. I bring a birth ball
to all my births and provide one now also to my clients for
their home use. I do light massage on occasion in labor to
provide comfort. I have worked with couples through almost
any situation in labor and pregnancy so I have a high comfort
level with the process.
It is a
real privilege
to work with families through their labors. I especially love
to work with dads through birth, since they are able to give
so much that I can't (that strong emotional support women
need). Labor is really a team effort by those providing the
support. As a doula, I realize my place, and it’s not
to be in charge (unless that is the wish of the mom-to-be).
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MEDIA OUTREACH:
My goal has been to answer the question: "A doula, what
is that?". So I have been fortunate to work through the
local media in promoting doulas.
- Front page article was published in the Sacramento Bee,
3/15/96, entitled DOULA DELIVERS, discussing the Doula Study
at Kaiser and accompanying me on a birth.
- Interview with Alicia Malaby on Channel 3, 11/96, discussing
end of Kaiser Study and the benefits of doulas.
- Segment on FOR BABYS SAKE with Cristina Mendonza in 8/97.
She followed me with a birth and conducted a followup interview
with the couple.
- Group segment in ll/97 on Channel 13 with Marcia Valenzuela
discussing doulas and our doula collective. Article in VIEWPOINT
about my work as a doula in l997.
- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR in Salon.Com (12/15/99) regarding
an article on doulas that had appeared the week before.
- Contributed to a book on birth balls published by Polly
Perez, 2000; contributed to an e-book by Rachel Gurevich
called “How to be a Doula”, distributed 2000.
- Channel 3 segment on Healthwatch with Dr. Tom Hoskins
on doulas, 11/00.
- Poem “A Moment in My Life” published in Fall,
2000 issue International Doula.
- Article in Internation Doula, 2003, "Working With First Time Families"
Read on to learn about my services...
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