Becoming a doula has been a dream of mine for over a decade. From a young age I was drawn to everything having to do with pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and children. It really all began when I was 11 years old. My aunt and uncle gave birth to both of their girls while living in our home. I was there for it all - from day one, I immediately immersed myself in their lives. From the diaper changes (yes, I saw all the colors of the poop!), to the bottle feedings, I was there to help and loved it. I was blessed to have grown up in a family that valued familial support during postpartum and thus was able to “be there” for other family members who had babies during my childhood (there were many...). As a Latina/Hispanic, this is just the way things are in our culture - we help one another without question. This sentiment has carried on with me for life and in my doula work.

 

During my senior year of high school my mom gave birth to my youngest brother. Her birth experience was less than ideal which pushed me to learn more about birth and reducing unnecessary interventions during birth. Fast forward to 2018 and I graduated from the University of Arizona with a Master’s degree in Public Health with a focus on maternal and child health care. For my master’s thesis I worked with Nurse Family Partnership to study the barriers (and facilitators) to care for perinatal mood disorders (postpartum depression, anxiety, and more). Throughout my adult life I have worked in a variety of capacities with parents and children including in foster care, as a Child Care Health Consultant, in a nonprofit connecting low income/at-risk families to childcare services, Girl Scouts, and volunteering over 100 hours at Nicklaus Children's Hospital. Truly, I love this stuff!
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You may have noticed I didn’t mention having kids of my own – that’s right, I am a childless doula! My love for this work stems from my desire to get all families started on the best foot possible. My culture and my education have taught me just how valuable adequate support can be after giving birth or adopting a child. Naturally, I am inclined to nurture those around me. I hope to provide you with loving, unbiased support as you transition into your life with a new little one.