Gentle Journeys

I was born and raised in the Madison area, and have lived in Madison since 2005. I am married and have two young sons.

I take every day as a learning experience, and doula work is no exception. I learn from each mother, her partner, her baby, and the events that unfold around their pregnancy, birth and postpartum period. 

My path to doula work has flowed beautifully. I have held an interest in pregnancy, childbirth, women’s health, and informed choices since I can remember. As I had my own children, this interest became a passion.

With the main goal in mind of helping new mothers succeed with breastfeeding, I began studying to become a postpartum doula when our first son (born September 2005) was a few months old. My work blossomed from there and grew into so much more than breastfeeding support. I learned a lot about this very vulnerable time for the new parents. I began working with families in spring of 2006. In that time I also began co-facilitating the Birth Healing group and teaching Fertility Awareness Method. I worked with several families before becoming pregnant with our second child, which led to taking a bit of a break.

Our second son was born in June 2007. His birth, a planned homebirth, led me further down this path. I learned how empowering a positive birth experience could be! I returned to postpartum work six months after he was born, and attended a DONA birth doula training in April 2008. I began offering birth services around the same time.

To me, pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding are normal life events. Being that I have personally been through challenges with all three, I am understanding of situations where medical help is both needed and desired. I am comfortable working with mothers choosing to birth in the hospital and at home; medicated and un-medicated; VBAC and repeat cesarean, breastfeeding and bottle-feeding. Together, we will work to make you feel safe, supported and respected throughout the experience.

Education

As most any doula will tell you, my education is ongoing. I spend a lot of my time active in our local birth community, and simply talking with new mothers about their experiences. That is the best education I could ask for.

I consider myself a resource for clients, and encourage them to explore information on their own. A lot of what I provide you as a doula is helping you find that information, and to make sure you have resources in place when you need them.

In addition to keeping updated all things birth, breastfeeding is an area I have worked hard to be informed about. I have done this both formally and informally, through attending various classes and observing. I have experience with multiples, low milk supply, tandem nursing, special needs babies, and many other unique situations. 

Training and professional affiliations:

-Active member of Doulas of South Central Wisconsin since June 2006
-DONA basic doula training April 2008
-Small Miracles (Madison's volunteer doula program) orientation April 2008,  still in the process of fufilling requirements to work as a primary doula with that program

-Affiliated with proTCOYF as a fertility awareness method teacher.
-Seeking membership in the Fertility Awareness Network

Some things about me that have nothing to do with doula work:

-I love Ben & Jerry's "Cherry Garcia" ice cream.

-I have been pregnant and/or breastfeeding since December of 2004!

-Prior to starting our family, I worked with small children as a childcare teacher and with elementary and middle school children as a special education assistant.

-I saw Titanic in the theater eleven times.

-The first birth I attended was that of my nephew, when I was 18. (Okay, so that sort of had to do with doula work...)