Integrating New Life
The journey into parenthood begins long before labor.
You may be just beginning to envision pregnancy or are deep in the experience. My passion is to help you prepare—not just for birth and postpartum, but for the transformation they bring.
Through intentional preparation, tailored hands-on support, holistic education and postpartum care, my goal is to help you build a lasting foundation of self-trust that honors the significance of birth and parenthood as time-honored rites of passage.
Birth Doula
What Is it?
Birth Doulas are part of your care team providing non-medical, emotional, physical, advocacy, and educational support – with you every step of the way beginning in pregnancy through the early weeks of your fourth trimester. We build a relationship together where you and your family feel seen and supported in your labor and birth experience.
Whether birthing in your home or hospital, you have the power to choose what you want for your birth. While labor is inherently unpredictable, you can prepare for the unknowns by learning about your options and choosing what feels right for you and your family.
Why It Matters
Maternal health in the United States is in a crisis.
Globally, the U.S. has the highest rates of maternal mortality and morbidity of any developed nation. As many as 80% of maternal deaths are preventable. Black and Indigenous mothers and birthing parents are at a disproportionately higher risk for dangerous health outcomes due to the well-known and researched physical impacts of institutionalized racism.
Indigenous and Traditional midwives were the primary birth attendants within communities up until the early 1900s when medical obstetrics began industrializing Birth. Midwifery was targeted and discredited as “unsafe” and systematically, Indigenous birth knowledge, skills, and wisdom were erased.
For as long as humans have existed, Birth happened in the home, and women were surrounded by and cared for by their community. Birth Doulas are not a modern concept – we are as ancient as Birth itself. Today, with national statistics reflecting a medical system that is not, in fact making birth safer, Birth Doulas are one part of the solution.
Why It Matters
Maternal health in the United States is in a crisis.
Globally, the U.S. has the highest rates of maternal mortality and morbidity of any developed nation. As many as 80% of maternal deaths are preventable. Black and Indigenous mothers and birthing parents are at a disproportionately higher risk for dangerous health outcomes due to the well-known and researched physical impacts of institutionalized racism.
Indigenous and Traditional midwives were the primary birth attendants within communities up until the early 1900s when medical obstetrics began industrializing Birth. Midwifery was targeted and discredited as “unsafe” and systematically, Indigenous birth knowledge, skills, and wisdom were erased.
For as long as humans have existed, Birth happened in the home, and women were surrounded by and cared for by their community. Birth Doulas are not a modern concept – we are as ancient as Birth itself. Today, with national statistics reflecting a medical system that is not, in fact making birth safer, Birth Doulas are one part of the solution.
Why It Matters
Maternal health in the United States is in a crisis.
Globally, the U.S. has the highest rates of maternal mortality and morbidity of any developed nation. As many as 80% of maternal deaths are preventable. Black and Indigenous mothers and birthing parents are at a disproportionately higher risk for dangerous health outcomes due to the well-known and researched physical impacts of institutionalized racism.
Indigenous and Traditional midwives were the primary birth attendants within communities up until the early 1900s when medical obstetrics began industrializing Birth. Midwifery was targeted and discredited as “unsafe” and systematically, Indigenous birth knowledge, skills, and wisdom were erased.
For as long as humans have existed, Birth happened in the home, and women were surrounded by and cared for by their community. Birth Doulas are not a modern concept – we are as ancient as Birth itself. Today, with national statistics reflecting a medical system that is not, in fact making birth safer, Birth Doulas are one part of the solution.
For the past several decades, the impact of continuous labor support from a Birth Doula has been researched by national, local and international organizations – all returning the same outcomes for birthing people and infants:
- Lower incidence of cesarean intervention
- Lower use of pharmaceutical pain relief
- Shorter duration of labor
- Increased initiation of breast/chestfeeding
- Increased birth experience satisfaction
The evidence speaks for itself, but among lived experiences, the presence and care of a trusted birth attendant who is there solely for your holistic health and well-being, is immeasurably valuable.
Birth Doula Services
Choose which package is right for where you are on your journey
Building Trust in Birth
$700
What’s Included:
- Birthing person & partner questionnaires
- 2 prenatal consultation sessions
- Private childbirth education classes
- Digital Labor & Birth Toolkit (The Educated Birth)
- 1 postpartum integration session
- Custom birth preferences document
- Unlimited communication support ~ pregnancy through postpartum
* Available virtually or local in-person.
Foundational Care
$1,750
What’s Included:
Everything from Building Trust except private Childbirth Education classes.
- + 2 additional prenatal visits
- + Access to lending library
- + Hands-on continuous labor support
- + 1 additional postpartum visit
- + Homemade organic postpartum meal
* Available local in-person or out-of-state. Inquire about travel fees and availability.
Integrated Birth Preparation
$2,000
What’s Included:
Everything from Foundational Care.
- + Private Childbirth Education classes
* Available local in-person or out-of-state. Inquire about travel fees and availability.
Birth is not only a physiological event — it is a profound life transition.
My work is to help you move through it with clarity, support, and deep trust in yourself.
Building Trust in Birth
$700
No matter if you are planning a home, birth center, or hospital birth — knowing what you want and how to ask for it puts the power of choice in your hands, where it belongs.
This service begins with a comprehensive questionnaire for you and your partner to discover how your histories, identities, and values inform your choices for birth. From there, we will meet for in-person or virtual prenatal consultation sessions to process any blocks, clarify your preferences, ground into your support systems, and prepare you to confidently advocate for yourself within your chosen birth setting.
From our work together, I will organize your choices and create your personalized Birth Preferences document to keep and share with your chosen care provider when labor begins. This service does not include hands-on continuous labor support.
You and your partner will also receive access to my private Childbirth Education series, designed to deepen your understanding of how ancient birth wisdom intersects with modern birthing practices.
Ultimately, you are building a deep trust in yourself, your baby, and the unfolding process of birth.
What’s Included
- Birthing Person & Partner Questionnaires
- 2 Prenatal Consultation Sessions
- Private Childbirth Education Classes
- Digital Labor & Birth Toolkit (The Educated Birth)
- 1 Postpartum Integration Session
- Custom Birth Preferences Document
- Unlimited Communication Support ~ Pregnancy through Postpartum
From the moment we met Emily we knew we were in good hands. She brought such a calm and reassuring presence to our pregnancy and birth experience, helping us feel informed and supported the whole way through. We are so thankful for her care and would highly recommend her to any growing family.
John Doe
Foundational Care
$1,750
For families who want continuous support through pregnancy, labor, and the early days of postpartum, this package expands our work together into a foundational Birth Doula relationship.
Building on the work of clarifying your values and preferences for birth, we continue preparing for labor and birth during in-depth prenatal visits together, where we uncover the emotional, physical, spiritual, and practical dimensions of your birth. We will also practice using decision-making tools, skills for comfort measures in labor, and prepare your partner or support person for their role in the birthing space.
When labor begins, I join you to provide continuous hands-on support – offering comfort techniques, grounded guidance through the changing phases of labor, and a steady presence as you and your support person navigate the intensity and unpredictability of birth. I remain with you in the immediate hours after birth to support initial recovery, bonding, and feeding while your family settles into this first threshold of postpartum life.
Care continues after you return home with a nourishing postpartum meal and follow-up visits to process the birth experience, answer early infant care questions, and offer practical and emotional support as your family begins to find its rhythm.
In order to offer this level of continuity and presence, I intentionally limit the number of births I attend each year. The families that choose to work with me can move toward their birthing time knowing that the Doula they have been building a relationship with will also be the one who stands alongside them when labor begins.
What’s Included
- Birthing Person & Partner Questionnaires
- 4 Prenatal Visits
- Access to Lending Library
- Labor & Birth Toolkit Printed Booklet (The Educated Birth)
- Custom Birth Preferences Document
- Continuous On-Call Support Beginning at 38 Weeks
- Hands-on Continuous Labor Support
- 2 Postpartum Visits
- Unlimited Communication Support ~ Pregnancy through Postpartum
- Homemade Organic Postpartum Meal
From the moment we met Emily we knew we were in good hands. She brought such a calm and reassuring presence to our pregnancy and birth experience, helping us feel informed and supported the whole way through. We are so thankful for her care and would highly recommend her to any growing family.
John Doe
Integrated Birth Preparation
$2,000
This package includes everything offered within the Foundational Care package, with the added benefit of childbirth education classes taught privately to you and your partner and woven into your preparation for birth.
Rather than learning in a group setting, our education takes place within the context of our existing Doula relationship, allowing us to move at a pace that supports your learning styles, explore questions in greater depth, and tailor discussions to your unique circumstances, preferences, and care setting.
These classes expand on the foundations of physiological birth, common medical interventions, decision-making tools, partner support techniques, and practical preparation for the postpartum transition.
For families who value a more personalized and immersive approach to birth preparation, this option allows your education and Doula support to unfold as one integrated experience.
What’s Included
- Birthing Person & Partner Questionnaire
- 4 Prenatal Visits
- Private Childbirth Education Classes
- Access to Lending Library
- Labor & Birth Toolkit Printed Booklet (The Educated Birth)
- Custom Birth Preferences Document
- Continuous On-Call Support Beginning at 38 Weeks
- Hands-on Continuous Labor Support
- 2 Postpartum Visits
- Unlimited Communication Support ~ Pregnancy through Postpartum
- Homemade Organic Postpartum Meal
Choosing the Right Level of Support
Every family approaches birth with different needs and levels of desired support.
Some are primarily looking for guidance as they clarify their values and prepare to advocate for themselves among their care providers. Others feel most supported knowing a trusted Doula will be present throughout pregnancy, labor, and the early postpartum transition.
If you’re unsure which option is the best fit, we can explore that together during a free consultation. The most important thing is that you feel informed, supported, and confident as you approach the birth of your baby.
Insurance & Accessibility
Medicaid/Insurance
Nevada Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) offer Birth Doula services as a free covered benefit for all Medicaid recipients.
I am currently able to accept Northern Nevada clients with Molina Medicaid.
Medicaid MCOs in progress:
- CareSource
- Anthem Medicaid
- TriCare West
Private Insurance in progress:
- Carrot Fertility (Birth and Postpartum Services)
Community Care Fund
Accessibility is a core value of my practice. Specialized care-centered workers, like Doulas, are not yet available as a commercial insurance benefit in most states.
For clients and community members with the means to contribute, I offer a Community Care Fund, which allows families who are not eligible for Medicaid nor in a financial position to afford private care rates the chance to receive Birth and Postpartum Doula care at a discounted rate or cost-free.
Reach out to me if you are interested in sponsoring a family’s care or in need of community care. My ability to offer services at a discounted rate is subject to change depending on availability of funds.
From the moment we met Emily we knew we were in good hands. She brought such a calm and reassuring presence to our pregnancy and birth experience, helping us feel informed and supported the whole way through. We are so thankful for her care and would highly recommend her to any growing family.
John Doe
Postpartum Doula
What Is it?
At the core, Postpartum Doulas provide grounded emotional, practical, and educational support to new parents primarily during the first three months of a baby’s life.
The support of professional postpartum care in the early days, weeks and months of a new family’s life gives parents time, energy, and rest back to focus on their needs and experience. Our goal is to care for you until you feel confident and well-supported in navigating what the next phases of your postpartum journey and parenting will bring.
Care is completely customized to you and your family’s unique needs. But you will always receive a non-judgemental, compassionate companion through one of life’s most impactful journeys. Someone to remind you that you’re not alone, encourage the development of your natural instincts, and reflect who you are becoming.
Why It Matters...
Across the globe, the first three months after birth or the “fourth trimester” is often considered a sacred time to bond with your new baby and learn who you are as a parent.
But modern culture in the U.S. is not built for parents to thrive. It has been normalized for parents to pour from an empty cup, which we know contributes to lasting mental, physical and holistic health challenges.
The emotional, spiritual, physical, mental, and relational shifts that span the first 2-3 years of a new family’s life can’t be overstated. With this holistic and interconnected adjustment taking place for new parents, the support and care of a Postpartum Doula can be the difference-maker in the short and long term health of a family.
Postpartum Doulas are known to reduce stress, feelings of isolation, and severe mental health risks, especially for mothers and birthing parents. It’s all too easy to put yourself last in a society that celebrates martyrdom and is deprived of communal caretaking. But consider that caring for yourself is the most vital way you can care for your baby and family.
From the moment we met Emily we knew we were in good hands. She brought such a calm and reassuring presence to our pregnancy and birth experience, helping us feel informed and supported the whole way through. We are so thankful for her care and would highly recommend her to any growing family.
John Doe
Postpartum Doula Services
Choose a combination or type of care best suited to your needs.
* Travel fees apply for services provided outside a one hour driving radius.
Daytime Care
$35/hour | 4 hour minimum locally
These services are offered as scheduled visits within your home. You can choose morning, afternoon and/or evening times to receive an extra set of hands trained to offer relief from the many demands of daily care for yourself, a household and newborn. During shifts, parents are present in the home so Doulas can support their adjustment by creating space to listen and process their birth experience, share technical knowledge, lived experience, local networks, resources, and a grounded emotional companion.
Overnight Care
$40/hour | 8 hour minimum locally
On top of all of the adjustments new parents experience during postpartum, prolonged interrupted and inadequate sleep makes what feels hard, even harder. Overnight Postpartum Doula care allows new parents to rest during night feeding and infant soothing, while protecting a lactation relationship. Ultimately this kind of support can develop the parent’s knowledge of safe newborn sleep and feeding practices that build sustainable, healthy habits for the entire family.
Postpartum Doula care typically includes…
- Education on practical and emotional adjustments to newborn sleep and feeding patterns
- Sharing knowledge about infant cues, behaviors, and soothing techniques
- General breast/chestfeeding support, including common challenges and appropriate referrals to lactation specialists
- Education on babywearing, newborn safety, and typical skin concerns
- Light household support, including dishes, folding baby laundry, and nursery organization
- Meal preparation for parents
- Referrals and connections to community resources and professional providers
- Guidance in developing sustainable self-care practices and family routines
From the moment we met Emily we knew we were in good hands. She brought such a calm and reassuring presence to our pregnancy and birth experience, helping us feel informed and supported the whole way through. We are so thankful for her care and would highly recommend her to any growing family.
John Doe
Looking to Support Someone You Love Pospartum?
Who do you know that deserves to feel supported in their upcoming parenthood transition? Give them the gift of care that lasts. Purchasing Postpartum Doula hours for a friend, relative, or co-worker is a way to share your love for them that goes beyond just buying a gift from their registry. Connect with me to learn more.
Private Classes
Come with questions, leave with confidence.
Remember that poster from Elementary School that said “Knowledge is Power?” It’s true! Typically, we fear what we don’t know or understand. This is especially true in the world of birth. And while I don’t believe there is any one class that can fully prepare someone for all that childbirth or postpartum can bring, going into these experiences with some grounded information and tools can shift trauma into triumph.
Being with Birth
Childbirth Education Series $250
This class is designed as a two day series taking place in the comfort of your home. The series will bring birthing people and their support partners together to strengthen and connect as a team, not just for birth, but the journey of parenting that lies ahead.
You will begin by learning about the history of birth and all the layers of context it contains when looking at it through a modern lens. You will learn about the anatomy and physiology of labor and birth, work with your fears, investigate your definition of pain, and cultivate your personal birth vision. Then, we will practice hands-on skills for comfort measures in labor and positions to support your baby’s journey through your pelvis. Total time commitment is 7 hours.
Receive a 10% discount on your class series with a Doula services booking (applies to Foundational Care package and Postpartum Doula Services).
Prefer to learn alongside other new and expecting parents?
Check out my Community Events calendar for the next community class series. Community classes are offered at a reduced rate.
Serving Reno/Tahoe and the surrounding areas of Northern Nevada
