The Doula Alliance

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What is a Doula

Meet the Doulas

Snow Carapetyan

Julie Robinson

Laura Dahlen

Melissa Duey

About the Alliance

Benefits- Expectations

Home Welcome to the Doula Alliance! Located in Humboldt County, we are a group of women whose mission is to educate the public, support each other, promote the profession and do the soul's work of a professional business-minded doula. As you browse through this site you will find a list of doulas and just a little bit about each one. If you would like to get to know one better please feel free to contact her. Don't put off getting the getting the love and support you deserve! If you are a doula and would like to know more about becoming a member of the Doula Alliance please contact us and we will send you more information about membership and a schedule of meetings. If you are a women who would like to be a doula check out our trainings link! We look forward to hearing from you!
pregnancy

Next Doula Training

Feb 24-26 2012!

Visit the Trainings page for registration information!

Please contact us for more information!

What is a Doula

What is a Doula?

The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.Doulas are generally hired early in pregnancy and walk with the pregnant woman through the entire journey. Doulas are there to answer questions and give support along the way. During pregnancy a doula arms the parents with information about medical interventions, including risks and benefits, and allows them to make informed decisions about their birth.Doulas provide encouragement and constant support throughout the entire labor and delivery to both mother AND father. Doulas stay the entire length of your labor, up until you and baby are resting comfortably.There are several benefits of having a doula at your birth:• A 50% reduction in your chance of having a cesarean• A 60% reduction in the use of epidural anesthesia• A 40% reduction in the use of Pitocin• A 25% reduction in the time of labor• A 40% reduction in the use of forceps and vacuum extraction• successful breastfeeding• Reduced post-partum depression• Reduced levels of anxiety• Found to be superior to Lamaze• Result in a more positive birth experience• Mothers feel more in control

Doulas Do ...

Meet the Doulas The Doulas on this site each run their own personal business and together they each have their own unique talents that they bring to every birth they attend. These doulas possess integrity, are professional and have a great reputation with all of the three hospitals in Humboldt County. When you hire a doula from the Doula Alliance, you can rest assured that you are getting one of the best!Feel free to browse through the list of doulas and schedule a free consultation with any or all of them to see which one is right for you! Happy Birthing~

Meet the Doulas

Snow Carapetyan

Laura Dahlen

Tracey Dahlen

Melissa Duey

AmyLynn Harp

Jada Howarth

Robin
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Donna

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Donna

Tracey

Such great support!

Proud Doula Tracey

Sweet Doula Snow

Robin J. Rather

Julie Robinson

Donna Wallace

Click on the far right side of the photo to see more...

Lyneeka Pittman - Intern

Questions to ask a Doula.docx

Snow Carapetyan

Snow Carapetyan
I'm bilingual, a Doula, massage-therapist, midwifery student, and a mom. I am knowledgeable in anatomy and physiological changes that occur during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum phase of a woman's life. I believe in the strength of women and honor the sacredness of birth and motherhood. I'm open-minded and love the oppotunity to work with people from all walks of life.

707.498.5729

email: snowcarapetyan_yahoo.com

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Julie Robinson

Julie Robinson
I'm a wife, mother, homeschooler, knitter and Doula.I believe that it is essential to surround ourselves with friends of various ages and experiences. They provied us with the support, perspective and wisdom that we all need throughout our lives. This is the reason I decided to become a doula. I will walk side by side with you, your partner and family to encourage, educate and talk about any concerns you have during this amazing journey through pregnancy, birth and postpartum.Birth is a beautiful, natural, sacred event. Our bodies were created to grow and nurture babies. I understand though, that there are times when medical intervention is necessary. I believe that being informed and making educated decisions is the key to having a positive birth experience. I am willing to travel. Please contact me for more details.

707.223.1106

email: jadeturtlejulie_yahoo.com

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Laura Dahlen

Laura Dahlen
Hi, I am blessed to say that I am a doula!Being a doula excites me because it's something that I've been around my whole life. I attended the birth of my siblings and was very involved in a few of my friends pregnancies even before graduating high school. My mom has encouraged me and has been a great role model in my life and now with my clients. I have been working hand in hand with her and really enjoy it. Everyday I am learning something new! I am passionate about educating, encouraging and being a support to families-to-be. I am flexible and am willing to travel. I have taken an EMT class, am CPR certified, have volunteered over 500 hours in the ER at Redwood Memorial Hosptial, as well as, at St. Joseph's Hospital. I love to cook meals for families on my free time.My life's goal is to become a Midwife! Feel free to email or call with any questions you may have!

707.498.9172

email: embraceyourjourney_yahoo.com

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Melissa Duey

Melissa Duey
I am a Humboldt County natie, wife of seven years and mother of two who's passionate about life, health and nurturing everlasting experiences. I feel very blessed to have had such beautiful, doula-assisted births: my daughter Claire was born naturally at Redwood Memorial Hospital in February 2009, and my son Jake was born at our home this last December. No experience on earth could have taught me in a lifetime what birth taught me in a matter of moments. My husband and I agree that no woman or couple should have to journey through pregnancy, abor and delivery without the compassion, skill, resources, and loving hands of a good doula. It is very important to me that every woman's birth choice be heard and respected, I cannot emphasize enough that I believe in you! My goal is to support you in having your best possilbe pregnancy and birth experience. What I offer as your doula:Resources & InformationNutritional GuidanceBreathing TechniquesEmotional Support

707.502.8269

email: melissaduey_hotmail.com

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About the Alliance

Why the Doula Alliance is different...
When you meet the members of the Doula Alliance you can clearly see their passion for supporting women and helping them have healthy pregnancies and birth experiences! These doulas strive for continued education to achieve a deeper understanding for their profession. They understand that they are professionals and represent their profession in a respectful manner. The members of the Doula Alliance are a team and know that they are not in competition with each other or any doulas outside of the alliance. They are all working together for the greater good, to help promote our profession and to bring comfort and guidance to birthing families.These Doulas maintain a high standard of personal conduct with other doulas, clients, doctors, hospital staff, and homebirth midwives even despite conflict.Confidentiality is extremely important, which is why they guard their conversations, documents and contracts carefully. The Doula Alliance members are always happy to promote health in the community, families and lives of women.

Who can be in the Alliance?
Anyone is welcome to attend an alliance meeting to see if it's the right fit for them! Please contact us for dates and times of our meetings. If you aren't sure you want to be part of the alliance but would like to help in one of our community outreaches please just let us know you're availability and make sure to leave a contact number. We welcome business cards, flyers and other information about the birth work you are doing in the community, even if you aren't a member of the alliance. If you have any questions please feel free to call or email. We'd love to hear from you!

Benefits- Expectations

Benefits of being a Doula Alliance member are:
Continued monthly education on one of these topics running a doula business, pregnancy, birth or postpartum careAccess to resources, library and videos Back-up supportBirth shadowing for those who would like itMentoring, guidance and support from experienced doulas on an as-needed basisEducation on growing your own practice such as, documents, contracts, marketing information, Opportunities to attend classes, support groups and conferences for higher exposure and further educationOutreach fundraising at least once a year to promote the doula profession and to provide funds to doulas who accept free births.Office resources available to members are: phone, fax machine, copier, laminator, client sheets and documentsA professional space to meet with clientsFiling cabinets for ease of organizing clientsMembers will be promoted on line, in brochures, flyers, at doctor’s offices, and hospitalsMembers will be privy to hospital protocol for all 3 hospitals in Humboldt CountyMembers will receive quarterly workshops from a speaker and handouts that dive deeper into important topicsWhy are members asked to pay monthly dues?Members are asked to pay monthly dues of $35 for a few reasons. One, to cover some of the cost of our community outreaches, booths, luncheons and advertising (i.e. website, flyers, business cards, etc.) Two, to show a level of committment. We are all in this together as a team to benefit the community. Committment is essential to success for us all.

Expectations of members:
HonestyIntegrity Respect for each otherCommitment CommunicationContracts agreed upon and signedAttendance of monthly meetings and eventsDues paid on timeBirth summary filled out after each birth

Community Outreach

Doulas on the Radio

helping customers

a fantastic fundraiser!

Selling Fireworks

Doulas at the health fair

Selling cotton candy

The Doula Alliance does quite a few community outreaches and attends many community activities, such as, St. Joes Health Fair, Diabetes Fair, Humboldt County Fair, Apple Harvest Festival, just to name a few. We have also been heard on the radio station and seen at a few different schools for career day educating middle-schoolers about what doulas do. Educating the public about the benefits of a doula isn't just our mission, it's also a lot of fun! Our latest adventure was selling fireworks...I know, not your typical fundraiser but it was such a great opportunity to educate the public and make some money for our organization! Our Doula booth was proudly displayed on Broadway in Eureka for 5 days. All of the proceeds went to our next outreach, free doulas to the community and will help provide workshops for further educate for our local doulas.

Doula Trainings

Frequently Asked Questions & Reading List

Do you want to be a doula?
Who can be a doula?Anyone with a passion for families during the pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum stages can be a doula. We would like you to be at least 18 years old but we won't turn anyone away. There are many ways that the youth can learn by helping through the community outreaches and workshops before they even get trained. I've been asked if a woman over 50 can be a doula and the answer is yes. The alliance would benefit and be able to draw on the wisdom of a woman seasoned by life. Births are physically draining on a doula, so co-doulaing would be highly recommended, but you're never too old to be a doula. How do I get certified?Do the required readingAttend a 3 day trainingWitness 3 birthsI just had a baby, is it too soon to go through the training?A lot of women want to be a doula shortly after they go through childbirth. I believe it's a fantastic idea to go through a doula training while your children are still very young but it's also very challenging to take care of your family and your clients, be on-call, and be at a birth which will take you away from your family for extended periods of time. My advice to women who have young children would be to spend this time studying and learning the ins and outs of business, being involved as much as possible in community outreaches, and attend just a few births a year. What do you get from attending a doula training?Communication skills Knowledge of hospital protocolsComfort measuresInformation on how to create your own doula business, find clients and interact with them professionallyUnderstanding of pregnancy, childbirth and postpartumHow to help women be successful at breastfeedingBooks that you may want to purchase to have on hand are:*The Doula Guide to Birth by Ananda Lowe*The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin*The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins*Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May GaskinThe Thinking Women's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer*The Year After Birth bySheila KitzingerHomebirth in the Hospital by Stacey Marie Kerr MD*Heart and Hands by Elizabeth Davis, Linda Harrison and Suzanne ArmsPregnant Feelings: Developing Trust in Birth by Baldwin and RichardsonIn Search of the Perfect Birth: A Journey from Hospital to Midwife to Unassisted by Elizabeth McKeown*You and Your Newborn Baby by Linda ToddEnded Beginnings: Healing Childbirth Losses by Claudia PanuthosBirthing the Elephant by Karen Abarbanel and Bruce Freeman (a fantastic business book)This Time I Dance by Tama Kieves*the starred books are required reading to attain your certification
Next Doula Training for the Humboldt County area is February 24-26th, 2012 at the Humboldt Area Foundation!Fill out and mail in the registration form (below) to get signed up!

DOULA TRAINING.pdf

Being a doula is the most fulfilling and amazing job I've ever had! Thank you for allowing me to learn and grow in such an energetic and loving atmosphere! R. J.

Contact Us Thank you for visiting our site! If you have any questions you would like to ask one of the doulas you can either leave a message through their private page or leave a comment here. Either way we promise to respond with promptness! :) If you are wanting to be a member of the Doula Alliance please fill out this form and we will be contacting you shortly! In Health & Wellness, The Doulas

Lyneeka Pittman

Lyneeka Pittman
Lyneeka is not only our intern but she's a doula in training too! We are so thankful to have her help keep us organized, encouraged and on track! Hello Everyone I am currently a student at HSU graduating this upcoming fall. I am a Critical Race, Gender, and Sexuality major with minor in Women Studies and Ethnic studies. I was raised in Southern California by my two loving Grandparents, but have been relocated in the beautiful area of Humboldt for four years now. I have been blessed with a supportive family that have cheered for me and helped shape me into who I am today. With this internship not only am I eager to learn the ends and outs of being a doula, but I am here to listen and soak it all in. I feel I have been called to be apart of something much bigger then myself. My long-term goal is to pursue something in the medical field that pertains to babies such as: a Midwife or a neonatal nurse.

Click here to meet more doulas...

Tina George

Tina George
Congratulations on your pregnancy and transformation into parenthood. I see childbirth as one of life’s profound rites of passage. Working passionately as a doula, I provide continuous care, encouragement and intentional presence to women and their partners during pregnancy, labor and childbirth. Whether you choose to birth in the hospital or at home, my role is to help you manage the intensity of labor’ pains, challenges and celebrations while your midwives, nurses and doctors manage the clinical aspects of your labor.In our childbirth classes and prenatal appointments, I will help you find ways to:• cope with the intensity and pain of birth; • prepare for labor by connecting with your partner through massage and touch communication;• explore your cultural and personal views about labor and birth; and • open your body-mind before and during labor with multi-sensory processes and visualizations. In addition to my doula work, I am a certified massage and CranioSacral therapist, and Birthing From Within certified childbirth educator. I have been in private practice in Arcata, California for nine years.My training includes: CranioSacral therapy; Intra-oral TMJ release; Swedish massage; Deep Tissue; Manual Lymph Drainage; Pregnancy, Postpartum and Induction massage; Reiki; Insight Breathwork; and Mindfulness Meditation.I specialize in treating women in all stages of life: particularly adolescence and puberty; prenatal, pregnancy and postpartum care; and peri- and menopausal services. The foundation for all my work lies in creating a safe space for release of tension and stress while inducing a profound state of relaxation.Please visit my website at www.heartoftherose.net

Email or call Tina at:

tina_heartoftherose.net 707.498.5952

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Robin J Rather

Robin Rather
Since witnessing, my little brothers birth, at 5 years old, I have always had a special attachment to childbirth. At 17 years old, I began a career in the medical field at a local hospital. My mother was a nurse there and I spent most of my early years with nurses and doctors. I have attended many births as a support person. Every birth is unique and special. After graduating from high school I went to the local Junior College to begin the RN Nursing program. I took some time out to become a mother. In this time, a spiritual path has unfolded, leading me to my work as a doula. My education has given me a deeper understanding of the birthing process. I do not believe in the use of medical intervention unless truly necessary. However, I will support and respect each family in their personal decisions, as this is your Birth Experience.Offering: * Breath * Visualization * Education * Resources * Massage * UnderstandingI have enjoyed working with mommies, babies and families for over 15 years. Pregnancy, birth and post partum are empowering and are natural processes of strength. As your doula, I am honored to be a tender guide to this intimate transformation.

Email or call Robin at: robinjrather_yahoo.com 707.601.7615

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Donna Wallace

Meet Donna Marie ...
I am a Mom and was fortunate to receive doula support during birth and the post partum time. I am a healthcare professional and have worked in the long-term care industy for the past 21 years.As a doula, I meet with you and your partner well before delivery. We discuss your wishes for labor and delivery and I explain many procedures which you may or may not choose to have. We then develop a personalized birth plan that firts your unique needs and desires.I also educate you about the various possible scenarios of labor/delivery, so if your birth plan is not able to be followed, you are still educated and knowledgable about the various unplanned procedures.What qualifies me to support you during this most important time in your life?I received my certification through DONA International. I received my birth certification in Richardson, Texas and my post partum certification in San Jose, California.Women's birthing choices are very important to me. I strongly believe that a womans body is more than capable of giving birth without medical intervention. I feel that a positive and nurturing environment aides and guides a woman's natural capacity to achieve a rewarding birth. As a doula, I use comfort support, positioning and emotional support throughout the labor process.Motherhood is an adventure; a wonderful opportunity to nurture a new life. My goal is to support women and their partners in their birth choices.

Email or call Donna at: donnawallace8_gmail.com 707.499.7715

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Tracey Dahlen

Tracey Dahlen
Let me introduce myself as a wife of 20 years and a mother to 3 amazing children. Laura is 19, Alisha is 14 and Tristan is 11 years old. We had our girls in the hospital with a fantastic doctor and had two beautiful natural birth experiences there. When we found out we were pregnant with our son I was excited to give birth at home. We prepared as much as possible and were blessed with an incredible homebirth experience that I feel honored to have had. I am also the proud owner of With Child Doula Services located in Fortuna. I have taken courses and been certified to be a midwives apprentice and for some time thought that I was on the road to becoming a midwife. Though life has led me away from midwifery, it has kept me greatly involved in pregnancy. Why I became a DoulaI was a Doula long before I even knew what one was. I attended the births of my friends and family members, all the while supporting, encouraging and loving the women throughout the whole process. I absolutely loved anything to do with birth and pregnancy.When my husband Paul was in the Marine Corps, we lived on a military base for a few years. I found myself being drawn to the women who were pregnant and whose husbands were overseas. Most of the women didn't have any family in the area so I tried to fill that gap for them. This was my first experience of being a Doula to women who were not already my friends or family members. By the time we got out of the military I had attended many births. We moved to McKinleyville, where my sister lived, in 1997. One day she brought over a newspaper article explaining what a Doula actually was and announcing the first Doula training in Arcata. I was thrilled that there was actually a name for what I was already doing! I eagerly attended this training and started working as a Doula in the Humboldt area shortly afterward. I have now been a certified Doula for 14 years. My experience is wide-ranged from, non-intervention home and hospital births, to high-risk births and scheduled c-sections, and all that lies in-between. Being a Doula has been one of the most fulfilling jobs I have ever had! I feel so blessed and honored to be a part of this special time in a family's life.I attended a massage school in Mendocino County over 8 years ago to be able to bring more comfort to women during pregnancy, just as much as, during the birthing process. This has turned out to be one of my favorite services that I provide. There is nothing better than to be able to bring comfort to someone who is in need.At the present time, I am studying to get my Bachelor of Science in Holistic Nutrition. Educating women on the importance of proper eating is one of my passions. I fully believe that good nutrition starts in the womb. There are many studies that show that children will carry a fondness for the types of foods that their mother ate while they were still in utero. With this in mind, I try to educate and encourage women to set up a good foundation for their child's nutritional future. If you have ANY questions or comments please feel free to contact me!

Website

Email or call Tracey at:

traceydahlen_withchild.info 707.725.7879

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AmyLynn Harp

AmyLynn Harp
I am the mother of 6 children, 3 of which I birthed. I have had a variety of birth experiences including a c-section and 2 VBACs. I learned how important emotional support is during labor after my son was born by cesarean section. I was upset that I had a c-section and spent a lot of time over the next three years researching and studying birth in order to attempt a vaginal birth (VBAC) with my next pregnancy. With my next pregnancy, I hired a doula and what a wonderful experience that was! Emotional support is such a key thing during such a vulnerable time. My doula helped me to feel empowered and supported. She did this by helping to protect “my space” as I labored. After assisting several women with their births, I realized that I wanted to help empower other women in their births as well. Thus began my journey as a birth doula.Serving families in Del Norte as well as Northern Humboldt counties in California and Southern Curry county in Oregon. Looking forward to working with you.

707.954.3136 hand-n-handdoulaservices_hotmail.com

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707 498 5361 Serving Garberville, Fortuna, Eureka, Arcata, McKinleyville & Surrounding Areas

Doulas Matter...
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