California's Central Valley is a fertile ground for agriculture, and also for babies! Located along the line that separates Kern and Tulare Counties, I work with families during the childbearing year. I come to the world of birth as a woman and as a mother; as a student and as a teacher. I have four unique boys, with four unique birth stories. My travels through motherhood have helped guide me toward my professional work as a doula, childbirth educator, and breastfeeding counselor.

I strive to lead a very simple life. Over-scheduling is something I work hard to avoid, not only for myself but also for my family. Typically, you can find us at home -- mugs full of hot chocolate or lemonade -- sitting on the back porch playing Yahtzee, or reading books in bed. My husband has a flexible schedule and he understands babies come when babies come -- this allows me to be available to my clients around the clock, with very short notice, in a minimally distracting way for my family.

After 11 years living in Chico, CA and working as a doula, childbirth educator, and breastfeeding counselor, my family and I have relocated to the Central Valley, where I am eager to offer services to moms and babies in this new area, and I look forward to working with families as they travel though the exciting year that surrounds birth.

2002-present 
Breastfeeding Peer Counselor   

2004-present 
Birth Doula (professional labor support person; attendance at 150+births)        

2007-2012 
Childbirth Educator, Paradise Midwifery Services/Feather River Hospital  (1000+ hours)         

2010-2012
CPHW (CPSP Health Worker), Feather River Hospital          

2009-2011
Columnist, Journal of Perinatal Education          

2006-2007
Moderator-Online Breastfeeding Support Forum         

Accredited Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, La Leche League International

Certified Birth Doula, DONA International

Certified Childbirth Educator, Lamaze International 

Past Member/Secretary, Lactation Advocates of Northern California (LANC)

Founding Member, Chico Doula Circle
 
Founding Member, Advocates for Tongue Tie Education

2004 Born to Breastfeed, La Leche League Conference, Santa Clara, CA

2004 DONA International Doula Training, Rohnert Park, CA

2005 Essential Pieces, La Leche League Conference, Sacramento, CA

2006 Lamaze Childbirth Educator Seminar, Sacramento, CA

2007 Setting the Stage for Breastfeeding Success, LANC, Chico, CA

2008 Lactation Research and Clinical Practice, LANC, Chico, CA

2009 A Day with Catherine Watson Genna & Diane Wiessinger, LANC, Chico, CA

2010 Breastfeeding & Infant Care, Dr. James McKenna & Dr. Nancy Wight, LANC, Chico, CA

2012 Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative Breastfeeding Training, Feather River Hospital, Paradise, CA

2014 Instructional Methods in Health Professions Education, University of Michigan Online Course

2014 Latch on to Breastfeeding: a Day with Cathy Watson Genna, Tulare, CA 

2014 New ACOG Guidelines on Prevention of the Primary Cesarean Delivery, Penny Simkin, Webinar  

2014 Assessing for Tongue Tie, Catherine Watson Genna, Webinar 

2014 The Effects of Tongue Tie on Breastfeeding, Dr. Bobby Ghaheri, Bakersfield, CA

2005 Older Nurslings: The Caring Continuum, La Leche League Conference, Sacramento, CA

2008 Why We are Doulas, Enloe Hospital Doula Training, Chico, CA

2008 How Doulas Help with Breastfeeding, DONA Doula Training, Chico, CA 

2009 Teaching Latch and Early Breastfeeding Skills, Area Doula Training, Chico CA 

2010 Baby-Led Latch: Let the Baby Do It, DONA Doula Training, Chico,CA 

2011 Biological Nursing, DONA Doula Training, Chico, CA 

2014 Adventures in Tie-Land: Navigating through Tongue & Lip Tie, LANC, Paradise, CA

2014 Breastfeeding with Strings Attached, Kaweah Delta Hospital, Visalia, CA

“Good Days, Bad Days,” New Beginnings¹, Vol. 21, No. 5

“Chance Made Us Co-Leaders…” Leaven², Vol. 42, No. 3

“I Made It!” Grapevine³, Vol. 28, No. 3

“A Mother’s Right to Breastfeed…” Grapevine, Vol. 28, No. 2

“Every Mother Knows Her Baby Best,” Grapevine, Vol. 29, No. 2

“Folding Mothers Into LLL,” Grapevine, Vol. 30, No. 3

“Finding an Applicant,” Grapevine, Vol. 31, No. 3

Review of “Being Born: The Doula’s Role,” by Jewel Hernandez, Journal of Perinatal Education, Vol. 18, No. 4

Review of “The Birth Partner, Third Edition,” by Penny Simkin, Journal of Perinatal Education, Vol. 19, No. 1

Review of “Nan’s Class,” produced by Ginny Durrin, Journal of Perinatal Education, Vol. 19, No. 2

Review of “The Story of Eric,” produced by David Seltzer, Journal of Perinatal Education, Vol. 19, No. 3

"Weak Ties and Doula Work," International Doula, Vol. 22, No. 3 

¹New Beginnings, LLL International’s Journal for LLL Members
²Leaven, LLL International’s Journal for LLL Leaders
³Grapevine, LLL of Northern California, Northern Nevada, and Hawaii’s Area Journal for Leaders