Meet the Doulas

Angela has attended a DONA approved Birth Doula training and became a doula because she found herself unofficially in the role several times and finally pursued the training. Angela is fluent in sign language and has worked with the deaf and disabled community for over 20 year. Angela describes her doula style as making the family very comfortable and finding all of the positive energy around the Mama. She believes in trying to find the glass half full in all scenarios and teaching the family through fun. When Angela is not attending births, she is a proud mother of four. She enjoys giving to the community and spending time outdoors.

Mary is a DONA certified Birth Doula and is certified in TENS use in labor. She also completed training in Spinning Babies. Mary became a doula because she has already loved the birth process and has an empathetic nature. In her words, “I found my calling!” Mary plans on continuing her education with Rebozo and Acupressure in the coming years. When describing her doula style, Mary states that “I believe each birth is a journey. Each journey can be different and wonderful. I am probably a nurturer/encourager first. I want every mom to have her best birth experience. I lean toward natural and organic, but I will be what mama needs me to be to help her be the strong, beautiful woman she is created to be.” When Mary is not attending birthing times, she loves to read, crochet, create jewelry, hike/walk, and be with family as she is a married mother of 3 adults, grandmother of 5 with her live-in mother, one dog and one cat. Mary describes herself as “Christian, empathetic, nurturer, introvert.”

Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula

Bilingual (English & Spanish)

Patricia became a doula because she loves to educate, serve and be part of the birth process. For Patricia, it is a privilege to work as a doula. When asked to describe her doula style, Patricia states “I listen to my clients and I try to respect their birth plans as much as possible. I love to educate my clients so they can be knowledgeable and ready for delivery. I am very respectful of their privacy during and after birth. I am always aware that it’s all about their birth and I try to make that time special for mom and family. It is an honor and privilege to serve my clients in such a sacred time in their lives.” Patricia is originally from Argentina and came to this country 32 years ago as a newlywed. She is a bilingual doula that can serve families in both Spanish and English. When not working, Patricia enjoys spending time with her four children and grandchildren. She loves to read, walk and quilting and loves to help people and support them.

Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula

Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician

Certified Hypnobabies HypnoDoula, Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator

Rebozo Trained, TENS trained, Stillbirthday Trained

Rachel became a doula because she wanted to serve the community, especially military moms. She loves birth and all it entails, from prenatal to postpartum care. When describing her doula style, Rachel states “I have been described as a ‘therapeutic presence.’ I am very calming and soothing during the birth process, relying on cues from the birthing person, asking minimal questions while providing physical and emotional support. I spend a great deal of time getting to know my clients in order to give them a personalized experience that can serve their unique needs and preferences! Though I have had seven children of my own and am able to tap into many years of personal experience, I have a passion for learning and am always looking for ways to expand my knowledge base.” When not supporting clients, Rachel is a homeschooling mom to her youngest children. She enjoys cooking, reading, and traveling the world with her Air Force husband of 30 years. Rachel states that “my life is full, but I have a passion for serving new and expecting Mommas and love learning all the new techniques for support and comfort!

Shelley Courtaway is a Certified Birth Doula through DONA International, Certified Car Seat Technician and Certified Breastfeeding Counselor. She is also working toward a bereavement doula certification through Stillbirthday.com. She is passionate about walking alongside families of all stages. Shelley has many aspects of her personality that complement birth work. She is positive, outgoing, adapts quickly and is calm under pressure. Shelley has worked closely within the family structure for over 15 years. Before becoming a doula, she spent many years as nanny/household manager with a specialty in newborn care. When Shelley is not doing birth work, she spends time at home with her husband, daughter, and stepdaughter. She enjoys board games, puzzles, coffee and laughing with her family!

Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula

Kiara describes herself as kind, caring, loving, enthusiastic, encouraging, and an overall happy person. As a first time mother herself of an energetic 10 month old, she understands the feelings and excitement of entering motherhood herself. Kiara is extremely passionate about birth and the care of all her mamas. After having such an amazing childbirth experience she believes every mother should feel as empowered and beautiful as possible and does her best to help her mamas thrive through childbirth and postpartum.

Newborn Care Specialist, Postpartum Doula, Sleep Consultant

After seven years of working as a nanny, Mary discovered the doula world – this inspired her to expand her career. She specializes in caring for multiples, specifically twins, and while laborious, she believes the work is very fulfilling. Her education and work as a Newborn Care Specialist were rewarding. However, continuing her training as a Postpartum Doula grew her confidence to care for families more fully. When not working, Mary enjoys time with her parents and two dogs or singing and playing the ukulele.

Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula,

Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Registered Yoga Teacher

Yoni Steam Practitioner

During her time serving in the US Army as a First Sergeant and a sexual assault victim advocate, Juanita supported numerous families and individuals. She became a doula to empower, support, educate and advocate for birthing persons and their families. Juanita has a passion to serve others, especially those within the military community.  Juanita has a Bachelor’s degree in Health and Wellness and a Master’s degree in Human Service Counseling. Juanita is a wife, mother of four, and Nonna of two. She enjoys volunteering, reading, yoga and traveling.

Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula

Spinning Babies Trained, TENS trained

Molly describes herself as empathetic, friendly, caring, intuitive and knowledgeable. She is the mother of 2 rambunctious boys, and wife to her sweetheart, Jake. Molly is passionate about pregnancy, birth and everything surrounding parenthood. Molly found her love of babies and newborn care at a young age. She recalls babysitting all the neighborhood kids, and at 14 years old attended the birth of her baby brother. After attending her sister’s birth, Molly knew she was destined for birth work. In her free time, Molly loves to cook, bake, read books, and play with her boys.

Licensed Professional Counselor

Crystal Cano was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She is a proud mama of 3 living children and one angel baby. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University – Kingsville and completed her Master’s degree of Arts in Counseling from Saint Edward’s University in Austin. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in trauma, anxiety, stress and work life balance. She especially enjoys working with individuals and couples during the perinatal period (pregnancy/postpartum) and beyond. Crystal provides a safe space where you feel heard, respected and supported.

Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula

TENS trained, Rebozo Trained

Sophie became a trained doula after her experience as a member of her friend’s birth team changed her outlook on pregnancy, labor and delivery. Sophie says that her goal as a doula is to instill a sense of empowerment in her clients. She has a special spot in her heart for working with the LGBTQIA+ community, single mothers, low-income families, survivors of abuse, and those that otherwise could not afford support. Before becoming a doula, she spent two years overseas as an AuPair serving families as a nanny. In her free time, Sophie enjoys being at home with her partner Andrea, fur babies and relaxing on her oversized sectional.

Licensed Massage Therapist

Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula

TENS Trained

Leti grew up in the Schertz area and currently resides there with her husband, son, and daughter. The Brixeys are an active family who delight in swimming, biking, kayaking, and camping together or simply hanging out for movie night.

Fueled by her daily coffee or Dr. Pepper, Leti cherishes being of service to her clients while also enjoying quality time with her family. While Leti enjoys offering her gift of massage to all clients, her true calling lies in serving prenatal and postpartum women.

Postpartum Doula

 As a mother of 3 herself, Crystal prides herself on her work with families and babies as they adjust to new life and the fourth trimester. Crystal’s goals include helping families bond with their babies, nurture, educate, assess, and refer them to outside resources if needed. As a postpartum doula, she provides emotional and physical support. Crystal says, “I believe mothers and fathers need all the support they can get as they begin to accept their new lives together as a family. Mothering “The Mother” is the most rewarding career I could ever ask for.”

Doula Coordinator

Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula

CPR, First Aid, AED Instructor

Originally from the east coast, Ashley obtained her degree in Early Childhood Education, and spent many years as a teacher and an ABA therapist. Ashley relocated to San Antonio in 2012 and after the birth of her first child in 2015, she gravitated towards birth work. Ashley was overwhelmed by the amount of extreme decisions that were presented to her during pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum. As a doula,  her goal is to ensure her client’s feel informed, empowered and wholly supported during their unique experiences. After serving numerous families as a birth and postpartum doula, she stepped into the role of Doula Coordinator with SABD. Ashley says, “ the best part of my job is that I get to share my knowledge and experiences with a team of amazing doulas and I still get to be involved in each family’s story by matching them with the right doula to meet their needs. Ashley also acts as an educator for several classes with SABD. When she is not at the office, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, baking, and traveling.

Postpartum Doula, Certified Lactation Specialist,

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Educator

Jennifer is a registered dietitian of 14 years and holds a master’s degree in nutrition. Jennifer was called to be a birth worker after the varying experiences of her own births. Jennifer says, “I knew I needed to be a part of this work to make a difference in the birth world. I have a servitude heart and connecting with individuals and families on their journeys into parenthood has been a dream of mine for a very long time”. Jennifer’s style centers around her passion for educating families on nutrition. Jennifer also harbors a huge love for lactation support, and plans to pursue further certifications to provide additional support to families. Jennifer describes herself as a natural educator with a goal that families enter into their birth and postpartum journey feeling confident and empowered to make the best-informed decisions for themselves. When not working, Jennifer enjoys exercising, binge watching her favorite shows, listening to podcasts, audiobooks, and music, singing, and spending time with her family outdoors.

Postpartum Doula

Alex is a proud mother to her two beautiful children and an active duty military spouse. Alex and her spouse have lived all around the world, but San Antonio has always been home. After raising both of her young children mostly alone while her spouse was deployed or stationed elsewhere, she grew a passion for wanting to help new parents transition after birth. She often says that the fourth trimester is as important as all the others but more often than not, neglected. Alex hopes to provide a safe and inclusive space for all birth parents and families of all shapes and sizes. She prides herself on being a very empathetic and caring person. In her free time, she loves to dance, try new restaurants and explore with her family.

Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula, Licensed Esthetician and Cosmetologist,

 Tens Trained

Allie became a Doula after 16 years of loving birth and understanding Postpartum firsthand.  Allie shares, “After having 2 natural births and experiencing debilitating Postpartum anxiety, I knew I wanted to help women. My passion is birth support, but my heart is always with my postpartum clients as well”. Allie prides herself on being compassionate and present. She loves to utilize physical comfort measures and believes “Self-care is Healthcare”. When not working, Allie enjoys time with her husband and children. They love crafting and going on family dates to art exhibits and new experiences.

Postpartum Doula, Birth Doula, Certified Lactation Counselor

 Rebekah was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She has a business degree and elementary teaching certificate from the University of Texas at Austin. She became a lactation counselor and postpartum doula because of her passion for helping new families achieve their breastfeeding goals and successfully transitioning into their new caregiving roles. Rebekah is the mother of four children ages 22 to 15, and in her free time she likes to read, watch her youngest son play sports, and spend time with her husband hiking and kayaking in the hill country.

Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula

Growing up in Toronto, Canada, Crystal has always had a love for the cultural aspect of families. Being a wife and Mother of 2, her desire to become a doula grew heavily through her own birth experiences. Crystal enjoys helping women in many different walks of life whether it is being a birth worker or a motivational speaker. Her goal is to make sure women understand their worth, strength, power, and the beauty that rests within them.

Postpartum Doula

Janelle has a heart for serving mothers and their new growing families in the season of postpartum. After becoming a young mom herself, she felt unprepared for life after birth and realized many feel the same way. She says, “I want mamas to feel supported, empowered, informed, and loved during one of the most intimate moments of their lives.” Outside of her doula role, Janelle is truly living the “Ruff” life in the best way possible with her three sons and husband. Her favorite activity is being a tourist in her hometown of SA by dining at local restaurants with her husband and exploring playgrounds and libraries with her boys.

Birth and Postpartum Doula

Bilingual English and Spanish

Originally From El Salvador, Sofia was raised most of her life in San Antonio, Texas. She has always had the desire to help people, specifically children and Families. Prior to working as a Doula, Sofia was in childcare for about 7 years, mostly in a bilingual setting. She also holds a Bachelor’s in Sociology from the University of Texas A&M – San Antonio. Sofia has a calm presence and can navigate tough situations. She knows how important a woman’s empowerment is especially when it comes to birth and labor, so she tries to accommodate her client’s wishes to the fullest and provides a safe place for her clients to feel heard and supported. Her recent focus has been on teen mommies and clients who have a need for a Spanish speaker but, loves working with all mommas. When she is not at work, Sofia spends her time with her son, husband, and family.

 

Birth Doula

Annie is a stay at home wife and mama to two who has always had a passion for pregnancy and birth! Her interest in doula work was intensified by the incredible love and care that she received from her own doula during her journey to welcoming her babies. She is passionate about educating mothers on just how beautiful birth can be, and how strong and capable their bodies are! “I hope to be the calming, yet strong voice that is so valuable during pregnancy and labor. My goal is to hold your hand both physically and emotionally during this whole experience.” In her spare time, she loves to sew, crochet, and spend time with her community of friends. Annie was raised in San Antonio and currently resides in the Boerne/Bulverde area.

Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula, Yoga Instructor

Briana was born in Philadelphia, PA and spent her childhood in Pennsylvania and Delaware caring for her younger brothers, cousins, and children of family friends. Briana became a doula after rediscovering her passion for pregnancy and birth during her yoga teacher training. Briana has always had a passion for helping others and holistic care. She enjoys working with first time parents and single moms. Before becoming a doula Briana was a Special Education Teacher for 9th and 12th grade in Las Vegas, NV. In Briana’s spare time she enjoys reading, practicing yoga, and spending time in nature.