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    The Doula Shift

    doula support, placenta processing, birth keepsakes

  • doula

    Pregnancy, Birth, Sibling, Postpartum, and Bereavement

    What does a doula do?

     

    • Antepartum/Antenatal - before birth; during or relating to pregnancy - An Antenatal Doula provides support, education, resources, parent and family networking, and more in order to help parents and other family members and loved ones prepare for a new baby.
    • Birth/Labor - A Birth Doula provides emotional, physical, and informational support to people in labor (and, if needed, their partners, other children, and members of their support systems) in homes, hospitals, and birth centers. 
    • Postpartum/Postnatal - the period after childbirth - A Postpartum Doula provides support to the family during the first days or weeks after birth. Adjusting to the arrival of a newborn is demanding and it can be challenging to integrate your new little one into the routines of the rest of your life. A Postpartum Doula can alleviate pressure after birth, caring for parents/older siblings/newborns, newborn feeding/nursing advice, helping with routine cleaning (dishes, laundry, etc.), errands, light cooking/meal prep. 
    • Sibling Doulas provide support specifically to older siblings, helping to ease the transition of adding a new little one to their family. Sibling Doulas have experience in helping kids process both positive and negative emotions, and empowering them to be as loving and thoughtful as they can as they take on a new role in their family.
    • Adoption Doulas support all members of an adoption team and family, including birth parents/siblings/and other family, adopting parents/siblings/and other family. Service options include adoption-specific childbirth education, bonding support, separation support, breast-milk & feeding options, inducing lactation, customizing birth plans, and so much more. Adoption Doulas can with for the birth parent(s) and family, adopting parent(s) and family, and/or both. Some people may feel uncomfortable with a doula who supports both the birthing and adopting families, with concerns about conflicts of interest, confidentiality, etc. Others may feel more empowered and connected from sharing a doula. It's important to explore all options and determine the best course of action for your specific situation.
    • Bereavement/Loss - Bereavement/Loss Doulas provide support, education, and resources to parents, siblings, and/or other loved ones in the event of a spontaneous or planned abortion or stillbirth or loss of a parent during pregnancy or birth. 

    Services provided by this practice:

    I provide antenatal, birth, postnatal, sibling, adoption, bereavement doula support.

     

    When it comes to birth, every situation is unique. This list provides a brief overview of common services for antenatal, birth, and postnatal support. Please contact me to inquire about sibling, adoption & bereavement support.

     

    • Situation-specific pregnancy & childbirth education, nutrition support, birth plan assistance 
    • Labor support during home, birth center, and hospital births
    • Queer & Trans Childbirth Education, Family Planning, and Individual & Group Support

    Philosophy & Mission Statement

    I aim to serve all families, with special affinity for queer, trans & GNC families, LGB families, polyamorous, solo parent, and communal families.

     

    My situation-specific care and support is available to all families. I have sliding scale and barter options available to those who need.  

     

    Birth is an incredible process that can transform and empower everyone involved. Every birth is different, every family is different. I will listen to you, and do everything in my power to help facilitate your ideal plans for a happy and healthy birth experience.

    Fees

    Let's discuss your needs regarding birth, postpartum, sibling, adoption and/or bereavement support.

     

    If you want to work with me, but can't afford my rates, email me to discuss payment plan, sliding scale, and barter options.

  • placenta processing

    encapsulation, tinctures, salves, keepsakes

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    benefits of placenta

    The placenta is a fascinating vital organ that grows during pregnancy to provide nutrients to the baby. It is ejected by the body after birth, and holds unique, bio-identical hormones and nutrients specific to the birth that can be beneficial to healing and replenishing the body after birth, as well as promoting lactation, healthy blood flow, and balancing mood.

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    packages & options

    Basic Encapsulation Package

    Placenta pick-up, cleaning, TCM steaming, dehydration, encapsulation & delivery. Includes placenta capsules & broth, umbilical cord keepsake and placenta print. $250

    Add-ons & Options

    Raw Encapsulation, add $25;

    Tincture (8oz), add $30;

    Salve, add $40

     

    Complete Package

    Placenta pick-up, cleaning, TCM steaming or raw preparation, dehydration, encapsulation & delivery. Includes placenta capsules, broth, tincture & salve, umbilical cord keepsake, placenta print, and a small Memento Plaque. $300

     

    Custom Packages

    Placenta can be used in a number of delicious recipes. Lasagna, smoothies, truffles, stews, chili, and more. Contact me for menu options custom tailored to any dietary needs.

  • Birth Keepsakes

    Contact me for samples of my work.

    Placenta Prints

    I make prints of placentas. I can do natural prints with just the placenta, and I can do colored prints with organic dye or paint. 

    $25 for 2 monochrome and/or color prints

    $40 for 4 monochrome and/or color prints

    Framing, laminating, and resin encasing options are available for an additional fee.

    Umbilical Cord Preservation

    I can preserve your baby's umbilical cord in a variety of ways and shapes -Hearts, Spirals, Initials, etc. Design options depend on cord length. Cord Keepsakes can be optionally sealed in resin. Starting at $30

    Line Art Portraits

    I create high quality line art from images from your pregnancy, birth & postpartum moments that you want to see enhanced in a different artistic medium. Prices vary by piece.

    Pyrography 

    I make Memento Plaques out of wood for events like births, weddings, deaths, and more.

    50 characters included, $2 per additional character.

    Small - 2x6 - $45

    Medium - 4x6 - $65

    Large - 6x8 - $100

    Plaques are sealed with gloss polyurethane finish. Other forms of sealant are available for an additional fee, including resin, glasscoat, tinted finish, and organic oils or waxes.

     

    Pyrography can be incorporated onto many items including wood boxes, musical instruments, toys, and more. Contact me if you have questions or ideas we can explore together.

     

     

    Other Placenta & Umbilical Art

    I make displayable art & pendents with umbilical cord and placenta that can be worn on a bracelet or necklace. I can make multiple pieces from one cord or placenta so that keepsakes can be shared by multiple loved ones. All umbilical and placental jewelry is securely sealed in clear resin casing.

     

    Other Birth Art:

    Custom poems & songs

     

     

     

    NOTE ABOUT RESIN AND FINISHES

    All items ordered with resin, oil, or wax finishing will take 7-10 days.

  • about me

    I support growth and healing

    Experience & Training

    I have been working in infant care for 20 years. My first solo postpartum doula/nanny job was when I was 16 for an intensive care situation after an emergency cesarean. I have had multiple mentors in infant, child, and parent care over the years. I am currently training with APPPAH to be a Certified Pre- and Perinatal Psychology Educator, and mentoring with multiple birthworkers as a doula.

     

    I became a doula years before I knew there was a word to define the work that I do. I provided support to pregnant friends in the form of resource research/childbearing education, nutritional & medical appointment support, as well as emotional support and labor assistance. After a few years, I began formal training and supported my first professional clients earlier this year.

     

    I am mentoring and training as a pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doula with Samsarah Morgan DD, who has 35 years experience as a doula and is currently training to be a midwife. She is within a few births of being able to say she has attended and supported the births of 1000 babies, and hopes to meet this goal by the end of 2015.

     

    I'm training with the Association of Pre and Perinatal Psychology and Health (APPPAH)

     

    In March 2016, I will be taking a course through the International Center for Traditional Childbearing and will receive certification through them as a doula.

     

    I was trained in Placenta Processing by Jinny Pagle.

    Other things I do

    I make practical and visual (still and motion) art. I make and teach music (guitar, vocals, digital music). I manage creative projects and events. I fundraise and am active in community building. I work with humans of all ages, races, genders, abilities, health statuses, religions, and creeds in a variety of capacities including (but totally not limited to) creative collaboration and business consultation, peer and street counseling, and caretaking. 

    Bio

    I am a multimedia artist working in video, visual art, music, and communications. I am also an intersectional activist who uses compassionate observation and direct action for food, reproductive, economic, and health justice, and rights for questionably housed, and queer people. I’m a queer, mixed-race (Choctaw, Black, Portuguese, Irish), omnisexual, polyamorous transman. I intend to birth and adopt children. I am invested in discussing the lifetime impacts of early socialization.

    I was raised in a conservative Christian family that was not embracing of queerness, but because I was homeschooled, I had the flexibility to work with families and do group care for community organizations. I also spent 3 of my early teen years with a mime and performing arts troupe. On tours in 40+ states I learned how to manage projects, do outreach, direct group performances, create workshops and soundtracks, execute fundraisers, and manage minors and family-involved organizations.

    I had the opportunity to experiment as a teen with visual art and music. As a young adult I began exploring my queerness (or rather, my queerness began exploring me), challenging ideas about my sexuality, gender, and societal expectations, and became homeless for the first time. In 2007, I buried my father and bore witnessed to birth for the first time. I found a lot of joy in researching pregnancy and childbirth education, and providing emotional support for friends. For many years, I performed, hosted and co-organized for events such as open mics, cypher concerts, and fundraisers while struggling to get or maintain adequate housing.

    In 2011 my colleagues and I got a studio space, aiming to provide music services and events that are accessible to all people. That same year, I became deeply involved with Occupy Oakland (where I first met Samsarah Morgan). I helped raise funds to feed and support in-field activists at the post-encampment vigil and support other initiatives, and provide peer counseling and mediation. I also co-organized large-scale home-cooked community feeds with a domestic violence awareness group.

    I started training in 2015 to be a Pre- & Perinatal Psychology Educator and a Certified Doula, providing full spectrum support to LGBTQUIA clients. In 2015 I spoke on a panel about gender and parenting/working with kids, which has sparked a more long term project on Inclusive Parenting. I am on the Diversity and Planning Committee for the BirthKeeper Summit, and I provide childcare for gender-expansive families, and continue work on creative projects.

  • Contact Form

    Please fill out the following form and I will get back to you as soon as possible. You can also call me at (415) 686 - 6765.

  • interesting facts

    about birth, birthwork & life

    NOT ALL DOULAS

    are cis women. This fact applies to all professions in the birthwork field.

    MOST LGBTQ PEOPLE

    are raised by straight, cis parents. Additionally, kids with queer parents often turn out to be not so queer.

    MEN CAN GIVE BIRTH

    There are thousands of people who are not women giving birth everyday. There are support and parenting groups and service providers that specifically cater to transmen, queer & GNC people all over the world.