Hi, I’m Abbie!
It wasn’t until after the gentle birth of my daughter in 2009 that I found two passions I didn’t know existed; giving laboring women loving and practical birth support and hands on breastfeeding help.
I reside in Pleasant Hill with my husband of over a decade and two daughters. Being so close to Walnut Creek has its advantages! I am less than four miles from both John Muir and Kaiser Walnut Creek hospitals. I do of course serve hospitals in the greater Bay Area as well as birth centers or home births.
I believe every birth is unique with its own rhythm and its been my experience that moms truly find themselves in these laboring moments more capable and stronger than they ever imagined they could be.
MY TRAINING:
I had the amazing opportunity to be apart of the volunteer doula program at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center from 2010 to 2012 and learned many useful skills. I Certified in 2011 as a Birth Doula through DONA international. In 2018 I completed lactation training and became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in 2019.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM ME:
Through our prenatal meetings you will learn things like how breathing through a contraction can help to manage the intensity of labor and how different body positions can facilitate descent of baby and help mom be more comfortable. You will also learn what to expect during each phase of labor, how to know if you are in labor, how breastfeeding works, and what you can expect postpartum as well as how partner can help you. I understand firsthand the challenges of breastfeeding and so provide a breastfeeding support session after the birth in your home as it is my desire that every mom who wants to breastfeed is given the support and tools to be successful.
While I cannot promise a pain free or complication free delivery, I will be there to encourage and support you. No matter your birth choice, epidural/analgesic, medication free, vaginal, or cesarean, I am there to support your choices!
The birth of your baby is an amazing and unforgettable journey and I would be honored to share in it with you.
And of course with the birth of your little one comes the job of feeding and caring for them. My aim is to also help in this transition with my knowledge and skills as a lactation consultant during the postpartum period.
Please see my Doula Services page for more information on Covid-19 and my services offered.