Welcome & Congratulations
A bit about me
My name is Jen and I am a certified birth and postpartum doula, Birthing from Within Mentor™ and Registered Yoga Teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have been working with families since 2006 and though I originally started off as a birth doula, my primary focus is now supporting families throughout the postpartum period.
I have found that consistent, educational support can make a world of difference in the satisfaction level of early life with a newborn. It is my aim to help new parents develop a connection to their own unique intuition so they may move through this time with greater confidence and ease.
Why I do what I do
I had never heard of the word or the role of a doula until actually meeting a woman who was one. I attended my doula training shortly thereafter and was both inspired by the powerful nature of the work and saddened by the fact that I hadn’t known it existed before then. The role of a doula seemed to be inextricably linked to the very act of childbirth yet countless women were going through the experience without one. Learning about birth, early postpartum and specifically the way we do it in our culture, revealed to me the areas where there are huge gaps in the way we support families through the transition of becoming parents. The medical model of childbirth and postpartum primarily focuses on the physical health and safety of a mother and her baby. A doula focuses on the physical, emotional, mental, psychological and spiritual well-being of the entire family.
Becoming a parent and caring for a newborn isn't always an intuitive process and can range from amazing to down right scary. In my own life, I have placed great value on learning how to move through transitional experiences with both gratitude and compassion. Gratitude for the moments that work and are in the flow and compassion for the clunky moments that don't feel as great. I have found this to be an invaluable tool while working with families that are in the midst of one of life's greatest transitions. I believe that there is no one-way or right-way to give birth or be parents. As a doula, I am skilled in supporting families through the process and integration of their new experiences. I am dedicated to “filling in the gaps” so that families can move into the next phase of their lives in a deeply satisfying way.
"Ours is a journey of compassion and transformation. By breathing in the moment, we cultivate spiritual wellbeing and celebrate the miracle of life."
-Michael Teal