Meet the Doulas Q&A

Curious about what to expect in labor and delivery?

Interested to know how a doula can support you in birth or postpartum in-person or remotely?

Twice a month, members of the MDDC community hold live Q&A sessions to answer these questions and more.

RSVP to join us in-person at Acorn Wellness Center, 39 Quail Ct UNIT 209, Walnut Creek on the 1st Thursdays of the month from 7-8pm

or RSVP to join us on Zoom on the 3rd Thursday of the month from 7-8pm

Birth & Postpartum Doulas

Board President

Teri Nava-Anderson, PhD, CD/PCD, ICCE, CLE
Harmony Doula Group

(408) 391-7797
HarmonyDoula.com
Teri@HarmonyDoula.com
Facebook | Yelp | Pinterest | Instagram

Teri is a certified Birth and Postpartum Doula, Doula Trainer and Mentor, VBAC Specialist, Childbirth and Lactation Educator, certified Professional Aromatherapist, and Placenta Encapsulation Specialist. She is an experienced practitioner and teaches on subjects such as acupressure and rebozo use from labor, mindfulness, self-hypnosis, guided meditation, aromatherapy safety, and helping doulas to assist trauma survivors and LGBTQIA parents. She has been helping families achieve their best birth since 2008.

Births attended at: Home, Birth Center, Hospital, and Virtual Support

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Days

Membership Director

Leah Giles
Belly Coach - Bay Area Doula Services

(925)269-9336
BellyCoach.com
leah@bellycoach.com
Facebook

Leah is a Birth and Postpartum Doula. She is passionate about helping woman feel comforted, supported and safe. Offering compassionate care during delivery and/or easing into your new family life at home.

Births attended at: Home, Birth Center, Hospital, and Virtual Support

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Days

Board Treasurer

Kim Hunter, PCD(DONA), IBCLC

209-481-8255
doulakimhunter.com
hello@doulakimhunter.com

Kim is a certified postpartum doula, and board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC). She is passionate about helping families easily and successfully navigate through their postpartum journeys and meet their lactation goals.

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Nights

Board Secretary

Deanna M. Dawson-Jesus, CD, CLE
Birthing Babies ~ A Celebration of Life

(925) 216-7264
BirthingBabies.info
deanna@birthingbabies.info
Facebook | Twitter

Deanna is a professional Birth Doula with fourteen years of experience. She has an extensive background as a patient advocate, Childbirth Educator, Lactation Support Specialist, and VBAC Specialist. She offers specialized services for families working through Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Perinatal Loss Support.

Births attended at: Home, Birth Center, Hospital, and Virtual Support

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Days or Nights

Beth Hammond, CD, CPPD, BA
Postpartum Support for New Parents

925-330-4567
doulabeth.com
doulabeth@hotmail.com
Yelp | Facebook

Specializing in overnight care for newborns. Beth has been nurturing new families for over 20 years. She helps families adjust to life with their new baby or babies and offers a wide range of education and support services, including breastfeeding education, fussy baby and sleep issues, newborn care and development education. Beth nurtures the entire family, allowing mom time to heal and bond helping all family members bond with their newest family member. Excellent references available. Trustline registered. Multiples a specialty.

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Nights

Susan Jessee, CD/PCD, CBE (AAHCC)
Embrace Birth

(209) 483-1712
Bradleybirth.com/susanjessee
embracebirthsj@gmail.com
Facebook Page

Susan is a certified Childbirth Educator, Birth and Postpartum Doula. She have been attending hospital and homebirths since 2002. Encouraging a mother and her partner to listen to and trust her own body as she gives birth is her passion.

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Nights


Andrea Berkey, CPD
408-307-8046
threephasesdoula.com/
andrea@threephasesdoula.com

Andrea has been supporting postpartum families since 2006, helping them to feel confident in their choices, empowering them through care, encouragement, and education. She is a postpartum mental and emotional health advocate, an infant sleep specialist, and is certified through Cornerstone.

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Days


Rebecca Duncan
Empathic Doula Services
(925) 765-7866 empathicdoula@gmail.com
Facebook Page

Rebecca is a birth and postpartum doula who specializes in LGBT, lactation support, sleep support, baby signs, and babywearing.

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Days or Nights


Sara Marks Brown, MA
925-787-7331
saramarksbrown.com
saramarksbrown@gmail.com

Originally from England/Sweden, Sara is a professionally trained birth and postpartum doula. She has a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and has worked with babies, children, and families for over 40 years. She has experience working with families from many different cultural backgrounds as well as young mothers and the LGBTIQ community. A mother of two adult children, Sara is dedicated to supporting families in a caring, non-judgmental, and compassionate way, during pregnancy, labor and in the first few weeks at home.

Births attended at: Home, Birth Center, Hospital, and Virtual Support

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Days


Heather Morgan
510-705-2773
heathermorgandoula.com
info@heathermorgandoula.com

Heather is a Cornerstone Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula with a background as a Certified Massage Therapist with The National Holistic Institute. She believes in the innate wisdom of all birthing people and is humbled to serve, support, and offer guidance to those on their journey through pregnancy and birth.

Births attended at: Home, Birth Center, Hospital, and Virtual Support

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Days or Nights

Tamra Wright, NCS
Baby Whisperer

925-519-9389
tamart6.wixsite.com/babywhisperer
tamart6@gmail.com

Tamra is a DONA International trained postpartum doula, with specialty training in Newborn Care. She is dedicated to this as a profession because of her love and innate ability to care for newborns. As a mother of 4 and grandmother to 11 she has been very involved in the beautiful beginnings of life.

As a baby whisperer, she empowers new parents to experience confidence in those important early weeks and teach them her techniques for joyful baby care. She offers resources for parents to be as well informed as possible without overwhelming them.

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Days/Nights with very flexible packages to fit client needs


Jenny Araquistain
Mothertime Postpartum Doula Services
510-427-2820
jma.mothertime@gmail.com

Jenny is a Bay Area native, mother of 3 and grandmother of two. She was trained as a doula over 20 years ago with Birth and Bonding international. She has a background in Special Education and Early Childhood Development and is a credentialed parent education teacher.

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Days or Nights


Toni Dupoint
925-322-1648
toni@dragonflygentlecare.com
dragonflygentlecare.com
Facebook | Instagram

Toni is a Postpartum Doula, Antepartum Doula, and Lactation Educator. She also offers virtual support. She has specialized in infant/toddler care with Bay Area families for the past 20 years, as well as being a mother herself.

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Days


Pamela Star, CBD
(415)595-6017
sfstarbaby@yahoo.com
doulastar.com/

Star has been supporting birth since 2005 and is certified through Harmony Doula Mentoring. She wants to help birthing parents and their partners have more positive birth experiences. She's learned that parents usually look back on their birth positively when they feel supported (physically and emotionally), respected, and included in any decision-making after being well-informed (to their own standards).

Births attended at: Home, Birth Center, and Hospital


Mary Wellhausen

maryasoto@gmail.com

Mary is fluent Spanish and English and is certified as a Newborn Care Specialist. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Holistic Nutrition. She is passionate about healthy food, nutrition and cooking and really enjoys preparing healthy, nourishing meals for the families she supports.

Postpartum Hours (Days or Nights): Days

About the MDDC and Doulas

Our Mission Statement

The Mt. Diablo Doula Community (MDDC) is a business association, founded and funded by independent professional doulas. As an organization, the MDDC participates in advertising, community education, professional development opportunities, networking and charitable events. MDDC members endeavor to educate and serve individuals and families during the childbearing years. The MDDC encourages community service and involvement whenever possible.The MDDC member exemplifies integrity, honors the Doula profession, strives to build confidence in a complete and cooperative Birth Team, and perpetuates camaraderie within the Doula community. MDDC doulas treat their fellow Doulas, Clients and Care-Providers with respect and professionalism. They support their fellow Doulas with active listening, offering back-up support, and sharing resources.

What does a birth doula do?

Labor Doula assists people and their birthing team before, during and after birth by providing emotional, physical, and informational support. It is within the Labor Doula's Scope of Practice to assist their client [and partner(s)] in preparing for birth by providing evidence-based information relating to pregnancy, labor and birth (including birth options and resources), and the early postpartum period. During labor and birth, the Labor Doula facilitates communications between the client, birthing team and the caregivers.

It is not within a doula's Scope of Practice to perform any medical or clinical procedures such as vaginal checks, listening to fetal heart tones, prescribing or administering herbs, or making medical diagnoses or recommendations.

MDDC Labor Doulas have received formal doula training. Those who are also health care professionals may provide services within the scope and standard of their professions but only after making it clear that they are not functioning as a Labor Doula. For needs beyond the scope of the Labor Doula's expertise, referrals are made to the appropriate resources.

During the postpartum period, Labor Doulas assist their clients in processing the birth experience, answering questions about newborn care, breastfeeding, and referring the family to appropriate resources as needed.

A Doula's Presence at Birth:

* Tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
* Reduces negative feelings about one's childbirth experience
* Reduces need for Pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction
* Significantly decreases likelihood of cesarean section
* Reduces mother's request for pain medication and/or epidurals
* Reduces mother's feeling of loss of control during labor

What does a postpartum doula do?

Postpartum doulas help families adjust to life with your new baby, so they can best care for and enjoy this new family member. The postpartum doula's tasks can change from day to day, depending on the needs of the family. They share information about baby care with parents, as well as teach siblings and partners to "mother the mother." They assist with breastfeeding education. Postpartum doulas ensure the mother is fed, well-hydrated, and is comfortable.

A postpartum doula:

MDDC Postpartum Doulas have received formal doula training. It is within the Postpartum Doulas Scope of Practice to provide evidence-based information and educational resources. Referrals to appropriate studies, books, and care providers are within the Postpartum Doula's scope. The Postpartum Doula will determine ahead of time what duties they feel comfortable performing for the postpartum family and will share this information with the family prior to accepting a position with them.

It is not within the Scope of Practice of a Postpartum Doula to perform clinical/medical tasks, give diagnosis, or make medical recommendations. For needs beyond the scope of the Postpartum Doula's expertise, referrals are made to the appropriate resources.

Parents who receive support can:

* Feel more secure and cared for
* Be more successful in adapting to new family dynamics
* Have greater success with breastfeeding
* Have greater self confidence
* Have less postpartum depression
* Have lower incidence of abuse

Standards of Practice

Advocacy

MDDC Members demonstrate integrity in their personal and professional conduct. MDDC Members provide evidence-based information so their clients can make well informed decisions. MDDC Members understand they don't speak or make decision for their clients. MDDC Members make every effort to encourage their clients to assume responsibility for their decisions. MDDC Members support their clients by advocating for the client's own choices and encouraging an open dialog with the client's caregiver regarding choices, risks, benefits, alternatives, and protocols. MDDC Members are responsible TO our clients but not FOR our clients.

Professional Conduct

MDDC Members treat colleagues in an ethical, professional and respectful manner. In addition, MDDC Members help one another honor commitments by providing back-up and resources whenever possible. Our members uphold and advance the values, ethics, knowledge and mission of the doula profession. MDDC is made up of several small business owners and sole-proprietors that create a friendly and warm environment led by a leadership board that meets monthly. MDDC Members pursue continuing education to further their knowledge in their profession. MDDC Members respect the privacy of clients and hold in confidence all information obtained/shared in the course of professional service. MDDC Members attend at least one MDDC meeting quarterly, uphold the Mission and Scope of Practice, and pay dues annually.

Labor (Birth) Doula

It is within the Labor Doula's standards of practice to provide resources relating to pregnancy, labor and birth, and the early postpartum period. It is not within a doula's standards of practice to perform any medical or clinical procedures such as vaginal checks, listening to fetal heart tones or making medical diagnoses. Referrals to appropriate studies and published books are within the Labor Doula's scope.

MDDC Labor Doulas who are also health care professionals may provide services within the scope and standard of their professions but only after making it clear that they are not functioning as a Labor Doula. For needs beyond the scope of the Labor Doula's expertise, referrals are made to the appropriate resources.

The Labor Doula's role is to assist their client [and partner(s)] in preparing for birth, and to provide information about birth options and resources, and to provide emotional support.

During labor and birth, the Labor Doula facilitates communications between the client, birthing team and the caregivers and provides physical, emotional and informational support.

During the postpartum period, the Labor Doula assists in processing the birth experience, answering questions about newborn care, lactation and newborn feeding, and referring the family to appropriate resources as needed.

Postpartum Doula

The Postpartum Doula provides informational and educational information and referrals to the family. Like a labor doula, the postpartum doula does not perform clinical/medical tasks. If there are tasks or chores beyond doula support that the Postpartum Doulas are comfortable providing, such as meal service or house cleaning, these will typically be outlined in their contract.