“With a wholehearted presence, I devote myself to the wellbeing of growing families during the transformative experiences of pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. My ultimate goal as a doula is to give loving care that responds to and respects the individual needs of expectant parents while nurturing their connection to the collective experiences of birth and postpartum. I feel truly blessed to offer my doula services, because to me nothing is more rewarding than witnessing and supporting the unique unfolding of a baby’s birth story and of the next chapter for the whole family.”
Heather’s Approach to Doula Work
As a DONA trained and certified birth doula, Heather provides open-minded and open-hearted support for families before, during, and after birth. She stands out for her ability to be resourceful, non-judgemental, comforting, and insightful. She passionately believes that when people feel empowered during the birth of their children, they can begin parenthood with joy and confidence, knowing that the birth was extraordinary in its own special way. Heather fosters this empowerment by meeting the physical, emotional, and informational needs of the laboring person and their support team so they can make positive birth memories together. This includes: comfort massage, breathing and relaxation techniques, reassurance and encouragement, positioning suggestions, hot and cold therapy, help understanding birth physiology, facilitating communication with medical staff, and fostering a positive environment (whatever that means for the birthing person and their labor companions).
Heather’s approach to doula work honors the truth that there is no “right” way to give birth, only ways that support the specific needs, wants, and intentions of her clients. This respect for the diversity of birth was gained through working with a variety of families and situations including: single parents, LGBTQ+ couples, BIPOC couples, families using reproductive technology, families who have experienced pregnancy loss, natural birth, medicated birth, hospital birth, home birth, birth center birth, VBAC, spontaneous labor, labor induction, planned and unplanned cesarean birth, midwife-attended birth, and physician-attended birth. She has special interest and experience in supporting trauma survivors and people with high-risk pregnancies. Her 2 ½ years of working in a medical practice gives her familiarity and comfort in medical settings that enhances her ability to assist clients in navigating the healthcare system.
Heather’s Background
The first spark that inspired Heather’s doula path came while she was abroad in the South Pacific studying medical anthropology. She didn’t even know what a doula was and had never been to a birth, but unexpectedly found herself witnessing her homestay mother as she labored with her fourth baby. Heather stayed up with the laboring mother, too fascinated to fall asleep, offering companionship while the large household slept. Despite a significant language barrier, the language of labor spoke volumes and Heather found nonverbal ways to find connection through touch and movement and song. Years later, when she was pursuing a Masters in Public Health at Portland State University, Heather took a class focused on choices in childbirth. She loved every minute that she spent learning about the truly amazing and humbling power of birth. Heather soon realized that doula work was the perfect fit for a rewarding profession that would fulfill her passion for supporting, educating, and empowering people so they can make the right choices for themselves.
Instead of continuing with grad school, she changed course by attending a DONA birth doula workshop and participating in a 6-month intensive birth doula internship, both led by Mother Tree Birth Services. Heather then built the foundation for her postpartum doula skills through a DONA postpartum doula workshop; an infant care internship at Greenleaf Child Development Community; Nursing Mother’s Counsel of Oregon training on breastfeeding support; and the Baby Blues Connection volunteer training on supporting families’ postpartum needs for care, community, and information.
Heather has a passion for learning and is dedicated to deepening and expanding the skills, tools, and information she offers to her clients. She has completed continuing education in many areas of birth work since she started working as a professional doula in 2013 (see “Certification, Training, & Education” section below). Heather is also committed to helping other doulas learn and grow through her current work as the mentorship coordinator and doula training assistant for Portland Doula Love and her past work as DONA’s Oregon state representative.
Heather is a 3rd generation Oregonian who enjoys traveling the world, but always loves coming home to the Northwest. When she’s not seeking opportunities to learn about birth, she can be found snuggling with her beloved husband and pets, enjoying conversation and board games with friends, dancing up a storm, taking leisurely walks in the woods, building cairns, and enjoying long baths in deep tubs.
Services
Certification, Training, & Education
Certified Birth Doula - DONA International (2014-present)
Certified Birth Doula & Traditional Healthcare Worker - Oregon Health Authority (2014-present)
Certified Holistic Doula - The Matrona (2015-present)
Certified in Adult and Pediatric CPR/AED/First Aid - Red Cross (2013-present)
Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology - Wheaton College (Norton, MA) (2004-2008)
Comparative Birth PHE510 - Portland State University’s School of Public Health (2012)
DONA Birth Doula Training - Mother Tree Birth (2012)
6-month Intensive Birth Doula Internship - Mother Tree Birth (2012-2013)
Infant Care Internship - Greenleaf Child Development Community (2012)
Foundations of Lactation - Portland Doula Love (2012)
Placenta Encapsulation Training - Portland Doula Love (2013)
Birth Massage and Acupressure - Touch for Birth/Oregon School of Massage (2013)
Postpartum Support Group Facilitator Training - Baby Blues Connection (2013)
ICEA Childbirth Educator Training - Portland Doula Love (2014)
DONA Postpartum Doula Training - Mother Tree Birth (2014)
Supporting Survivors of Abuse Through the Childbearing Years - A Safe Passage (2014)
Peer Breastfeeding Counselor Training - Nursing Mothers Counsel of Oregon - (2014)
Working with Diverse Populations in Maternal and Child Health - Shafia Monroe (2014)
Rebozo for Birth - Gena Kirby (2014)
How To Catch A Baby - Alma Midwifery (2014)
Hypnobirthing Tips and Tools for Doulas - Kristen Olberz (2014)
Working with Multiples Postpartum - ABC Doulas (2014)
Bekung Belly Binding Training - International Placenta & Postpartum Association (2014)
Supporting VBAC Families - Birthing Stone (2015)
Bereavement Doula Training - Stillbirthday (2015)
LGBTQ Cultural Sensitivity - MAIA Midwifery (2015)
NICU Support - Baby Blues Connection (2015)
Newborn Sleep Webinar - Mama's Best Friend (2015)
Volunteer Training to Support Bereaved Families - Brief Encounters (2016)
Abortion Support Skills - Cascades Abortion Support Collective (2016)
Spinning Babies Workshop - Spinning Babies (2017)
Caring for Pregnant Women with Substance Use Disorders - Health Share of Oregon (2017)
Addressing Maternal Health Disparities from a Culturally-Specific Lense - Black Parent Initiative (2018)
Holding Space for Pregnancy Loss - Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath, and Death (2019)
How to Help Families Get Evidence Based Care - Evidence Based Birth (2020)
Trauma Prevention in Birth: Level 1 - Birth & Trauma Support Center (2020)
Trauma Prevention in Birth: Level 2 - Birth & Trauma Support Center (2020)
Addressing Trauma in the LGBTQ+ Community - Birth & Trauma Support Center (2020)
VBAC Class - Evidence Based Birth (2021)