Tracey Dahlen

I am a wife of over 25 years and a mother to 3 amazing children, two of which are grown and one in his last year of high school. We had our girls in the hospital with wonderful doctors.  They were both beautiful, natural birth experiences.  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.  

I have taken courses and been certified to be a midwives apprentice, though life has taken me away from midwifery, it has kept me plugged into the birth world as a doula for nearly 20 years.

Why I became a Doula:

I 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 friend or family members.  

By the time we got out of the military I had attended many births.  We moved to McKinleyville, CA, where my sister lived.   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 in 1997 and started working as a Doula in the Humboldt area shortly afterward.  

My experience as a doula 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.

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.

I am also a professional photographer specializing in pregnancy, newborn and birth. 

If you have ANY questions or comments I would love to hear from you!

Blessing~Tracey