Birth Doulas A birth doula can provide a range of support during labor. Her primary goal is to provide comfort and support for the laboring mother and her partner. Since every laboring mother has different needs, doulas offer many different kinds of advice on topics such as laboring positions, breathing, hospital practices and medication. They generally have experience providing support in multiple capacities including maternal massage and newborn care. Having a doula with you while you labor can lengthen the time you stay at home if you plan to deliver at a hospital. She can act as an advocate for you while you’re in the care of medical professionals to increase the likelihood of creating the birth experience you’re looking for.
Some of the other proven advantages of having a doula:
  • Labors tend to be shorter with fewer complications
  • Reduces the need for pitocin, forceps or vacuum extraction
  • Reduces the incidence of cesareans
  • Reduces negative feelings about the childbirth experience
  • Shortens the hospital stay
  • Increases breastfeeding success and initial bonding

The comfort and support offered by a doula is not to replace your partner but to enhance the birth experience for you both. Together you are a team assisting and guiding one another to create the best birthing environment possible.
Postpartum Doulas Postpartum doulas share a wealth of knowledge in order to dissolve some of the fears and doubts around newborns. Whether it’s their experience, education or an innate sense, doulas can inform parents on everything from useful breastfeeding positions to infant care issues. The first few weeks home with a new infant can be full of ‘first times’, guidance from an experienced hand can reassure parents and create a more confidant space for you to grow in.

Postpartum doulas can also help you find local resources including support groups. Support systems for new moms can prevent or assist moms with postpartum depression or mommy blues. Doulas are trained in learning the signs and symptoms of any of the postpartum mood disorder.

Some doulas prefer to work at night offering new parents a chance to get more sleep. Working at night provides an opportunity for them to assist with sleep techniques and infant feeding. A night doula can also provide extra support if one parent needs to be away from home overnight.

BAY AREA FAMILY WELLNESS DOULAS

CONSTANCE WILLIAMS, CD(DONA), LCCE
Birth Doula, Childbirth Educator, Lactation Educator

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Constance comes to her role as a birth and postpartum doula and childbirth preparation and newborn educator from a rich tapestry of life experience. Her first exposure to natural birth was in 1969 in a home setting and has formed her fascination with the birth process and the mother, baby partner interactions as they unfold into a family.

As a birth theorist, guide, teacher and writer, her main objectives are to support the evolution of our understanding of natural birth and promote healthy birth practice.  Her focus is in helping the mother and father achieve a fear free labor and birth for the benefit of the baby.

As a student of midwifery, her two-year apprenticeship at the Birth Home in Pleasanton under the mentorship of Dr Michael Bleecker and Midwife Beah Haber she was able to add her store of valuable skills, experience and insights into the midwifery model of care.

In addition, Constance also works with families of newborn twins and triplets assisting new parents adjust to living with multiples with support for breastfeeding and newborn care and mother’s postpartum recovery.

CONTACT CONSTANCE:
office: 510.558.7121 |  cell: 510.207.0992
mydoulaconstance.com  |  [email protected]

AMBER DAWN HALLET,
Birth Doula and Massage Therapist

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I’m a full-spectrum doula, a Maya Abdominal Massage therapist, and an advocate for Fertility Awareness Method.  I’m also a dancer.  I hear the rhythms all around me, and inside of me, and they move me, they delight me, they inspire me.  I adore working with women, and helping them tune into the rhythms of their bodies—whether during the surges of labor, or the monthly menstrual cycle.  I’m devoted to healing people and planet, one womb at a time.
I am here to help you tap into the powerful currents that flow through your body every month, every pregnancy, and every birth.  My world forever shifted in 2006 when I attended my first births with a Mayan Midwife in the hills over looking Lago Atitlan, in Guatemala.  I saw women dive deep into their labors, birthing their babies powerfully, many hours from the nearest hospital. It was the beginning of my lifelong fascination with women, our wondrous wombs, and reproductive health.  Later that year, I trained as a birth doula through a DONA-accredited program at Seattle Midwifery School, now Bastyr University. 
Ever since, I have been hungry to learn more—I’ve studied midwifery with Elizabeth Davis, Spinning Babies with Gail Tully, Rebozo Techniques with Gena Kirby and Bellydance for Birth with Maha Al Musa.  My desire to bring healing to women also led me to graduate school at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and to become a Certified Massage Therapist and a practitioner of the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy.  I’m ready to serve you, my trusty tools by my side.
CONTACT AMBER:    206.940.8502
 moonbellydoula.com |[email protected]    

MAUREEN LAYAG, CD (DONA)
Birth Doula

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Maureen is a mom of three who found the birth of her first son unexpectedly profound and incredible.  After that birth, as she spoke to many of her friends during their pregnancies, she found it astounding that they knew so very little about their options as pregnant women as well as birth options.  While supporting her sister through a VBAC labor, she realized that her calling was to support, encourage, and nurture women through labor and birth.  However, she had learned from her own midwife how hard it is to juggle the unknown timing of labor and birth while raising young children.  So being a part of the birth world would have to wait.
Seven years later and after ignoring several clues from the universe, she began the transition into the birth world by enrolling into a DONA-accredited doula training program.  Towards the end of the class, she began volunteering doula services to women who would give her the opportunity to be a part of their labor support team. The experiences were all so different- a family in distress, a VBAC, a woman with psychosis brought on by the pregnancy, a young mom determined to have a drug free birth, VBAC twin birth, etc.  She was amazed at how different each of the pregnancies were and how different the labors and births would be.  She was also motivated by what she discovered she could bring to each of these birth experiences to help these families through their labors and births.
Maureen will be a forever student of prenatal, labor, birth and postpartum learnings.  She has attended several birthing classes, including the Bradley Method, and lactation classes for post partum support.  From massage to visualizations, Maureen peaceful demeanor and care provides families with a strong support system.
CONTACT MAUREEN:
www.layag.com | [email protected]