Bay Area Doula Referral List
Britt Fohrman
Serves: SF, Marin, EB, SB
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As a doula in San Francisco for nearly 2 decades and have been a part of more than 450 births; I’ve been steeped in years of yoga, bodywork, Buddhism, hypnosis and shamanistic explorations. My passion as a doula is in teaching (and practicing) deep, mindful self care. I have devoted my life to helping people prepare for birth and parenting through yoga, relaxation, self awareness and a steadfast dedication to their intentions. I aim to create a safe and loving container within each family, witnessing and claiming their own power, embracing pregnancy and birth as a conscious rite of passage. In my free time, I play in the ocean, dance, and hike with my dog.
Desiree Tamsky
Serves: SF
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My journey towards this work began before I even knew what a doula was. After having my own amazing and empowering birth experience 24 yrs ago I started supporting births as a friend and learned that there was such a thing as a Doula. I’d always worked with children and families in some sort of care or educator capacity but never anything as life changing as this work! Now 15 years and over 475 births later I’m still honored and excited to bring my training, knowledge, maternal instincts, heart, and hands into the homes and birth rooms of my clients. I support you in choosing what is right for you and where and how you want to birth your baby. When I’m not supporting families, I’m snuggling with my cats, my own family, swimming, and traveling.
Sandra Lloyd
Serves: SF
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Giving birth is one of the primary initiations a woman may experience in her lifetime. Safeguarding this passage into Motherhood is paramount in the care and support Sandra provides. As a hypnotherapist and shamanic practitioner, I am uniquely qualified to guide clients in addressing challenges that arise prenatally, during birth and postpartum; specifically issues related to anxiety, trauma, depression, family patterns, addiction, health and relationship. I appreciate clients who want to dive deeply into healing old patterns, “clearing the path” for birth. My skillfulness as a doula is enhanced by a fierce advocacy and a wicked sense of humor.
Lauren Miller
Serves: SF, Marin, EB, SB
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Hi! My name is Lauren, and I am a Bay Area native who specializes in providing nurturing, connective, therapeutic massage, and birth and postpartum doula services. I have been a birth doula since 2007, and for over 10 years, I continue to bring passion to my work. I love educating couples about women’s health and self care. I teach childbirth education classes in San Francisco.
Em Flynn (Birth & Postpartum)
Serves: SF, EB
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I am a birth and postpartum doula offering both daytime and overnight support to families in San Francisco proper, Oakland, and Berkeley. I was trained in New York in 2009 and have also studied as a student midwife in the U.S. and in Bali. I am about to embark on a new venture of counselling folks in a full range of reproductive health care from teenagers, fertility awareness, expectant parents, and onward to the transitions into menopause, at Rosewood Reproductive Counselling. I have a background in international legal research and also teach contract writing workshops for doulas. .
Maureen Layag
Serves: SF, EB
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After being profoundly moved by the births of my own children, I began to offer lots of options and choices to my friends when they were expecting. It surprised me how very little my friends and family knew about their birth options. I could tell I was being pulled into the birth world as the more conversations I had the more I wanted to help others with their choices surrounding prenatal, birth and postpartum issues. Eventually I left my career in marketing to begin my life’s passion of helping women and their partners find their voice. I am a DONA trained doula with additional training in Yes To Birth with Rachel Yellin, Hypnobirthing, The Bradley Method, Spinning Babies, When Survivors Give Birth, and Lactation support. My peaceful demeanor, experience and genuine care will leave you with a strong base and level of support that is heartfelt. I have been a caretaker my entire life but have finally figured out the best use of my energy and passion- to take care of families through prenatal, birth, postpartum and beyond..
Molly Mercy
Serves: SF, Marin, Sonoma
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I approach birth in the way that I wish someone had held my hand and explained to me previous to my own births, with delight and empowerment. Birth should be anticipated with joy and awareness. I love being a part of labor and birth. I am always overwhelmed by the beauty and miracle of birth and the strength and joy of moms as they meet their babies for the first time. I am humbled to be a part of such an amazing and intimate experience..
Brigette Barnato
Serves: SF, Marin, EB
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My introduction into the birth world started at age 10 when my midwife-next-door-neighbor invited me to her daughter’s birthday party. We all crowded around the television to watch the home-video of her daughter’s birth, I loved it. While in college, I pursued a degree in Gender and Women Studies at UC Berkeley. Diving deep into feminist theory is what drove me to pursue doula work and what informs my practice today. I became certified as a doula 2013 and enrolled in Midwifery school at National Midwifery Institute in 2017. Outside of birth work, I enjoy gardening, hiking, drinking tea, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Michelle Gunderson
Serves: SF, Marin, EB
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While working as a Systems Administrator, I served as a Doula for a friend and discovered both a passion and a gift for supporting women during the transformative event that is birth. After working for 15 years in tech and giving birth to 2 of my own children, I decided to change careers and become a Doula. I am versatile; bringing a calm confidence into the birthing room or a higher energy as needed. I am skilled at hands on physical support, emotional support and has a gifted intuition for anticipating a mother’s needs. .
Orna Konig
Serves: SF
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My passion as a doula – even more than welcoming new babies into the world – is to witness and support the transformation of people into parents. Utilizing my nurturing skills in combination with a scientific background (I hold a BA in Computer Science and Psychology from UC Berkeley), my approach is evidence-based and rooted in the belief that childbearing is a fundamentally healthy and normal part of adult life. While I spent over a year as an apprentice midwife, attending homebirths with Michelle Welborn, LM, CPM, I don’t believe that there is one “right” way to birth, but that everyone deserves to be informed, supported, and respectfully cared for as they make the choices that are best for their family. I love sparking questions, allaying fears, exploring options, and helping my clients navigate through the jargon of modern birth. I am a mother of two teenage boys, and while I have lived in three different countries (US, Israel & Iran), I have spent the majority of my adult life in SF.
Jean Pauley
Serves: SF, NB
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I love the science, process, and energy of birth and am devoted to providing families with knowledge, advocacy and skills that engage the whole person on every level. Together, we will create a positive, loving and safe birth for you and your baby, leaving you feeling proud and powerful. With over 20 years experience providing support for families as a mediator, educator and advocate, I currently am a birth and postpartum doula, newborn care specialist, midwifery student, childbirth educator, and Evidence Based Birth Instructor. As a postpartum doula for all babies, I specialize in twins, preemies and babies with special needs. I provide breastfeeding and nursery preparation consultations, and newborn care classes.
Soizig Le Boulch
Serves: SF, Penin, EB
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I am very passionate about supporting others along their birthing journeys, as well as in their quest for greater well-being during & beyond the early postpartum period. I offer a grounding, non-judgmental, birth-positive presence to help clients feel safe, respected, informed, & empowered. Prior to coming to birthwork, my background was rich in massage & other bodywork, as well as various other healing & consciousness practices, including training in Depth Hypnosis. I am a Certified Birth & Postpartum Doula, Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner, Certified Massage Therapist (specializing in Breema® Bodywork), self-care educator (specializing in TRE® (Tension, Stress, & Trauma Releasing Exercises)), & wellness aficionado. I truly loves to infuse birthwork (which includes Doula, Prenatal Balance, & Recovery Care support services) with an integrative approach, bringing in my own passion, knowledge, & experience in other wellness practices. I also offer complementary services, such as bodywork & TRE®, for those seeking additional support along or beyond their perinatal period..
Deena Abramson
Serves: SF, Eb, Penisula, Pacifica
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I am a Natural Resources trained birth doula who believes that our bodies have profound wisdom that exists to welcome our babies earthside. My hope is to help women and birthing people celebrate, remember and restore this trust in their bodies and do it with confidence and curiosity. I am committed to helping individuals and their partners have low-cost, empowered and transformative birth experiences. A long-time social worker in Madison, WI and San Francisco, CA, I address with particular care the ways our pasts, fears, hopes, relationships, and multi-dimensional identities contribute to birth. I believe it’s vital that these narratives are addressed so that we are vigilant in the ways they may shape the birth of our babies and the ways we step into our new roles as parents. Because I believe all people should have access to comprehensive birth support, I am currently able to offer my services on a sliding scale.When I’m not birth working, I enjoy drawing cartoons, swimming outdoors, facilitating grief and trauma groups, sipping herbal tea, exploring mindfulness, reading and seeing live music…