Inspired by pregnancy from a very young age, I decided in high school to pursue birth work as a career. My senior year of high school I had the privilege of witnessing a neighbor’s planned homebirth. I was so deeply moved by that birthing mama’s power and strength, and have been studying birth ever since. I received my doula training from Birthingway College of Midwifery in 2007 and have since entered their midwifery program. I am currently in my 3rd and final year of classes. In July 2010 I gave birth to my daughter Ophelia. Becoming a mother myself solidified and intensified my passion for birth work and women’s health care.

I’m filled with joy every time I see a family born or expanded, and feel honored whenever I am able to participate in the amazing process of pregnancy and birth. I know first hand that birth has the potential to be an empowering and transformational event. I also know that all of the decisions, questions, and fears can be overwhelming. As a doula I strive to provide information as well as emotional and physical support to the pregnant woman and her family. Postpartum I enjoy providing breastfeeding support, and love watching a positive breastfeeding relationship bloom. My goal is to help ease the transition to motherhood, beginning with pregnancy. birth, and the initial postpartum. Doula work offers me the opportunity to advocate for mothers, babies, and familiesas I continue toward my goal of becoming a midwife.

I was initially brought to working in the birth community through my massage practice. I saw the amazing  benefits of massage throughout pregnancy, birth and postpartum and soon found  myself attending births as a doula. I started Earth Mama doulas in 2006 and began midwifery school in 2009 at Birthingway College of Midwifery. I also currently work at Alma Midwifery as an assistant midwife. Although I have a lot of passion for home birth I enjoy working in the hospital as a doula and believe every woman has the right to choose how and where they want to birth.  I use my skills as a massage therapist to help make pregnancy, labor, and postpartum as manageable as possible and I use the skills I have learned as a midwife to help provide resources and education along the way! 

 I love supporting women and families through this amazing rite of passage and my heart goes into bringing education and support to those who need it.  I look forwad to helping you along your journey!

My journey to the birth world began in the summer of 2008 and I have not looked back since then.  I quickly dove in head-first to the natural birth community in Austin, TX, where I was living at the time.  I became a birth doula, attended several births, and helped to form a volunteer organization called GALS (Giving Austin Labor Support), which is a service offered to women who come in to the hospitals with no support when they are in labor.  Through attending births as a doula I realized that I wanted to be even more involved with the care of women and babies throughout the childbearing year, so I decided to move to Portland in 2009 to attend Birthingway College of Midwifery's midwifery program.  I am excited to continue to offer birth doula services with Earth Mama and apply the knowledge that I am learning in school.  Attending births as a doula is always a great learning experience for me while on my journey to midwifery.  Every interaction that I have had so far with pregnancy, birth, etc. has been such a source of joy in my life and I am always honored that women want to share that special time!