Shayannasw@gmail.com

I got pregnant with my daughter at 19 and gave birth to her beautiful life at 20. I wouldn't consider myself a young parent, however many elders had their own opinion, and thought it would be best to continuously tell me what MY BIRTH would be like. When my water broke at two in the morning, my husband and I called everyone to inform them of the news and expecting to all meet at the hospital. Of course everyone insisted that I'd be in labor a long time so they would just stop by in the morning. In the labor and delivery room sat myself, my husband, and his best friend. An hour and a half later my daughter arrived. I have chosen to take a part of the role that doula work contributes because from my labor experience I value their role. I did not have a doula, instead I had individuals forcing their experiences upon me. In that labor and delivery room that day, it would have been perfect to have someone focusing on just my experience. It creates a whole different vibe, and I want to be there to give that to others.

malonebrittanymvhs@gmail.com

Being a doula provides me the opportunity to ease the transition of birth parents, and their families, into their new season of life. The more I learn about all that giving birth encompasses, the more passionate I grow in honoring the process and dedicating myself to playing a role in the miracle of life. My mission is to create a space that holds the intrinsic value of birth, but also deconstructs the hyper medicalization of pregnancy. I believe that pregnancy should be nurtured as a transition, rather than treated as a condition.  More importantly than anything else, I hope that the support I offer helps birth parents to create, as close to perfect as possible, the experience they truly desire.

My passion for life has led me to birth work. Being a young mother taught me the importance of having a strong support system and understanding of the birth process. Becoming a doula has allowed me to be additional support for other mothers and it gives me the chance to help create the birth experience they've always wanted. Offering knowledge and my experience, my goal is to enable mothers to step into their power and rise in love.

Growing up I've always had a strong passion for the pregnant women surrounding me. For the many in my family, we didn't always manage the best relationships but as they went through their pregnancies the bond always strengthened. As a child I had no knowledge or understanding of my drive to care for pregnant women, it natural. This same drive is what drew me to become a Doula. It has been this point in my life where I've learned that my natural drive of caring for pregnant women was to engage in Doula work. As a doula, I vow to Support, inform, and empower the process of life and the individual that creates it!

Through her own birth experience Brittney recognized what a difference support can make throughout a process so beautiful and important. As a doula, Brittney provides emotional and physical support to an expectant mother and her family. “Hatch has given me confidence in myself and my ability to help others – and build friendships with amazing people in the process.” 

As a young mother of two, it was not easy for me to ask for any support or to have someone to confide in. I felt alone and confused. I understand and acknowledge the many obstacles we face as young and new parents. As a Doula I commit to honoring young parents through their transition. I am here to reassure that every experience is personal and normal. I am part of their support system to ensure that more young parents have a positive, encouraging, and wonderful pregnancy and birth experience for a happy mother, happy baby, and a healthy family.

As a little girl I saw pregnant women the way kids see super heroes. The idea that an entire little person could grow and form lungs, bones, a heart and so much more, inside another human being, captured my fascination and hasn’t faded to this day. I always knew I wanted to have a career involving babies, but it wasn't until I discovered a doula's responsibility that I knew I was meant to do birth work. Even in a world where it seems as though technology improves everything, a mother’s internal and external strength through pregnancy and beyond is unmatched by any technological advance. Similarly, there is nothing that can replace the love and support one human can offer to another. Every family should have the opportunity to make empowered decisions regarding their pregnancy, birth, and parenting with the support of a doula- emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

When I heard about Hatch and what they did, I just knew that I wanted to be part of this program to help all these young moms during pregnancy and birth. I am a doula because I am an aspiring OBGYN and this helps me gain experience and grow as an individual. I love helping moms through their pregnancy and birth and just being there for them and giving them the support and information they need. I love being a doula.

Hatch gives me a safe space to allow other mothers to bring new life into this world happily.

As a mother who lost my baby during pregnancy, I had no one to talk to because there is so much stigma behind having a miscarriage. My story helps to make me a great doula- turning my experience into a positive one. It has driven my motivation to work with young moms, allowing others to receive support. Women need to stick together and support one another. I will continue to advocate for young mothers! #sistersupport

I am passionate about justice for all people no matter what color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or legal status.  I’ve found that there are many injustices against mothers of color and younger mothers.  This hurts me to hear, see, and be a part of.  I am passionate about reclaiming birth as a normal human process rather than a medical event and I am passionate about restoring all the power of a woman’s birth to the rightful owner: The Mother. As a doula I want to empower women and remind them that their body knew how to grow their baby, therefore their body knows how to have the baby. Whatever decisions they make, they have the support of me as their doula every step of the way.  “Birth is not only about making babies. Birth this about making mothers-strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength” ~Barbra Katz Rothman

As an aspiring OBGYN, I believe that providing physical and emotional support, providing understandable information, and honoring the birthing experience is crucial to having the best pregnancy, birth and postpartum experience. Every pregnancy is different and everyone has different obstacles in their lives they have to face. My goal is to empower birth parents during their very challenging life experience. With all the disparities some birthing parents encounter, having a doula can ease some of the concern some birthing parents have. As a doula I am not only an asset to birth parents but they are an asset to me as well as I get to learn more about and practice cultural humility. I value every moment I get to learn about birth work and the memories I will share with my clients. -Azzie

My own experience as a young mom made me want to be there as a support system for other young moms. I know how hard it is. I had a doula through my pregnancy and it really helped me because I didn’t tell my mom until I was eight months pregnant. I want to be there for young moms and support them through their pregnancy, birth and postpartum because I myself know how challenging it can be.

To witness precious new life is an extraordinary experience and is largely why I decided to become a doula. I, as a doula, want to help create more exquisite memories in the birth process by building trust with parents and families, and supporting them throughout their pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey. I am very fond of Hatch because of their focus on young, low-income families. I feel that my work as a Hatch Doula is one way that I can give back to my own mother, who was young when she had me, and give back to the greater community of young beautiful families. I hope to be an anchor to your family during your birth and to cherish an everlasting moment with you.

My experiences working in clinical settings and while studying public health at Berkeley, have made me feel very passionate about a family’s birth and postpartum experiences. A positive birth experience and competent support has the potential to empower mothers and families and get them on the right path to build the healthiest and happiest futures for themselves. Being a doula is such a unique and rewarding experience because I get to both share in the most important days of a family’s life, and grow as I learn how to best support these families. Becoming a doula through Hatch has provided me with valuable learning experiences that have made me more prepared and excited for my future career as a Certified Nurse Midwife.

Stacy connected with Hatch because of her love of babies and a desire to be an OB-GYN. When she started the program she was excited but wasn’t sure if being a doula was right for her. That changed when she got a phone call at 2:26 a.m. to go to the hospital where her client was going into labor. The experience of helping her client with physical comfort measures and good breathing techniques was unforgettable. “I look forward to more births and happy mommies feeling good about their birth experiences. After getting feedback on how supportive my doula partner and I were at the hospital, I was thankful for having the opportunity to be there for her. That was one of the best feelings ever for me – to help a woman at her birth feel empowered and great about her birth experience.”

 “My favorite thing about being a part of Hatch, is that it has allowed me to be part of a community that I think is so incredibly important, and unfortunately often lacking in our society. We form a backbone of support to young mothers and their families, at a time when they most need to be reminded that they are strong, brave and capable. In a time where we are so technologically advanced, it is easy to forget that we are all human, with emotions and a human desire to love and be loved. As a doula it is my job to provide this reminder to pregnant women specifically, and also to their partners and families, through maintaining a safe environment of emotional, physical and informational support."   

I was raised by young parents and surrounded by young parents growing up. Birthing justice and advocacy has always been something I am passionate about. Being a doula means a lot to me because I am able to give support and be a part of a young parents birthing experience. I look forward to connecting to my clients and sharing within this parents new journey.

I heard about Hatch from a friend. She explained to me what Hatch does to help young women with their experience becoming a birth parent. I had my child at 21 years old and after labor I wished I had a doula to make the delivery of my child a bit easier and better. I wanted to become a doula to help young women through their experience. I'm here to support young parents in their journey and make a difference in young parents lives. Being a doula is something I love doing. I have had a couple of experiences being a doula with my sister in-law’s pregnancies, even though I had not known what a doula was at the time. Helping her through her experience empowered me as a woman and made me feel good that I was there to help with her delivery.

My name is is Nabai, and I am a 23 year old San Francisco Bay Area native. My goal is to empower birthing people to step into their fullness, while bringing back the sacred holism of childbirth. I discovered my passion for birth work and holistic health through attending a residential schooling facility in Estes Park, Colorado. There I learned about both plant and energy medicine, and classes were deeply focused on social justice. I look forward to connecting with you and sharing your birthing experience.

I’ve grown up in the Bay Area my whole life and I was raised to treat people with respect, grace, and love. I always ended up with the role of the “mother” in my group of friends, or as the like to say “Grandma Tae”. One thing I’m very passionate about is equal opportunity and access for everyone. In my community I see young parents pushed to the side with not a lot of supportive resources. That’s why I believe Hatch is so important. They have gifted me with the skills necessary to empower and support these young parents as they go through the transformative experience of childbirth.

Hi, I'm Katie Jaap. Ever since I can remember, I've been a loving caregiver who is always happy to help in any way I can. From helping my grandmother babysit my baby cousins when I was just a young kiddo myself, to supporting my sister through her pregnancies, I've always had young children and babies in my life. As I've grow into a young adult, I've found that I spend much of my time thinking about emotions and how we as a society allow emotions to be explored and processed. Being a doula combines these major areas of my life and allows me to do my best to help and support parents and babies through the incredible emotional journey that is parenthood. I am honored to be able to participate in Hatch's wonderful program and look forward to learning more about birthwork!

I am a student at CSU East Bay and I am majoring in community health or nursing. Throughout many moments in my life I tend to be a support system for people around me. I believe that everyone deserves to be supported and encouraged to do what they believe is best for themselves and their loved ones. Being part of The Hatch Doula program has allowed me to express the love I have for children and mothers. Not only does it allow me to help others but it also helps young, strong, mothers feel supported and empowered through their new chapter in life. Being able to bring life into this world is a moment that should be cherished and supported. I'm excited to help powerful women find their inner self and be their support in this wonderful process of giving life.

I myself was a teenage mother. I understand the adversity and hardship young mothers face in society as well as within themselves. I also know that they can overcome these challenges. Being a Hatch Doula is my way of making sure every mother and family I encounter enjoys their experience of birth and early parenting- and finds their power within.

Throughout my life, I have always in some way, shape or form advocated for people. From my experiences I have learned that everyone deserves to have someone in their corner for support- no matter the cause. People in my life express to me that I embody the spirit of a "mama bear" because of my loving and caring personality. This is why I am a Hatch Doula. With my experience in the Hatch Doula Program, I am considering a career in Child and Maternal Health to further support women empowerment and social justice. I value and appreciate every moment that I have with a client because I am thankful for them welcoming me into a very special time in their lives. As a Hatch Doula, I hope that the love I give to my clients will one day be reflected in the support my doula will give to me.

“When I became pregnant at the age of 18, I walked into the labor room not knowing what to expect. I felt very alone and like I had no control of my own birth.” During her second pregnancy, Angelia watched the movie “The Business of Being Born” and learned that there were more supportive choices for her birth experience. She found a doula that ended up becoming a great friend.  By the time of her third birth, thanks to her doula, she had all the knowledge and confidence to be her own doula. “My doula gave me confidence, relaxation, and a peace of mind through my birth … Not only did I want that kind of support for my birth, but to give that support to others!”

I am a doula because I honor each woman’s right to her own bodily autonomy and informed consent. Through this work I am given opportunity to empower women and their families, by providing them with information that allows them to make educated choices and help them create the sacred birth space they desire. Being a doula allows me to show my highest form of respect for women by honoring all of their decisions, and by being their number one advocate. I enjoy being able to love and support women during one of the most intimate,

transformative, and life changing journeys they will embark upon. Loving birthing women means loving more children, and loving our children means a more loving world!

The reason why I first contacted Hatch is because I want to work with children. Children are our future. I am a doula because I love learning about the process of pregnancy. I love the fact that whatever you do during pregnancy pertains to your growing baby. I just love the whole idea of life forming inside the woman. I feel it is the most precious thing on Earth.

I believe in the amazing power of all women. I love the fact that we as women are given the creative ability to be a vessel for new life. It is incredible and mysterious. I also recognize the need for women to have support during that intense time. Far too often, women do not have the support they may need. What they would benefit from is having a knowledgeable support person to come alongside and help educate, empower, and most importantly listen to them and help them achieve the birth they desire. I am so blessed and privileged to be one of those people! I love birth as a whole but I also have a passion for the social justice issues that surround our birthing system. I am excited to be a part of a bridge within our community that brings education and access to women of all ages, races, backgrounds, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic statuses. I am so grateful to be a part of Hatch and for all the amazing work they are doing to help bridge that gap.

“When I realized there was the space for me to support someone giving life through Hatch, I knew I was in the right place. For me, it's important to build community, and often times we forget what that looks like in intimate spaces. The birthing space is so intimate; it needs a special kind of space held. New life is just so precious, and the feminine energy is always so doubted in this world, I'm ecstatic to support both.”

I've always had a love for kids and families- as I started babysitting from a really young age. When I found Hatch, I knew I belonged from day one. I am so excited to be part of a community whose mission is to support young moms that often don't have the support they need. Becoming a mother is one of the best and most empowering things that can happen to a woman, and I'm honored that I get to help moms through that journey.

“As a young mom, it was always very difficult getting the support I needed. Being a doula means a lot to me because I get to be that extra support system and sometimes even a mother’s only support. In my role, I get to prepare the mother with information for her to have the best birthing experience. Being a doula gives me the privilege to be part of a true miracle!”

Miesha enjoys motherhood and all the sacrifices, and obstacles it brings.  “Since the day I had my son I've developed a bigger heart and I'm willing to show this through my doula work. That's where it starts! If you don't feel it within you won't have any drive.” She has always been the person to help someone when no one wants to help even if she doesn't have much to offer. “Showing compassion and care can make a huge difference in everyone’s life, stranger or relative. I know I'm passing something around that isn't shown often and I can ensure any mother I work with: I will only inspire her to do the same! You get what you give out!”

“Being a doula to me is holding space for a family as they bring new life into the world. It is supporting the needs of the mother and also supporting her family. Doulas are advocates. Working as a doula allows me to walk in my purpose. “

Moe-Moe became a parent at 16. She was promised a doula for her first birth, but her doula didn’t show up; the support fell through and there was zero follow up. She was hurt and disappointed. Then, in early 2016, Moe­Moe had her second daughter, this time, with doula support. The difference in her experiences inspired her to want to become a doula and provide other young parents the support they otherwise might not receive. She walked into Hatch with her five-week-old baby ready to learn and make a difference. Three months into our program, here is what she has to say, “It feels good knowing that I am young and can provide something vital for parents and feel confident about it! ...There is no ageism in this program, everyone brings a wealth of knowledge that we can all benefit from. No one is better than the other. Since we are primarily young moms ourselves, we all share the uniqueness of birth. The sharing of this uniqueness transforms us and we give this back to our clients.”

“I believe that when women have the love and support that they need through the birthing process, it positively impacts not only the mother but her baby and her family.” Often called nurturing by family and friends, Sophia finds doula work to be a natural extension of the compassion and love that she wants to bring to those around her. “Through my experiences being a doula, I have realized that every birth is beautiful and unique. It is important to me to help each and every woman feel safe, empowered and cared for.”

Sharde didn’t know about doulas during her first pregnancy and – after a difficult labor and cesarean section ­– felt disempowered about her experience. With her next pregnancy, Sharde was set on having a much different birth. She worked with a midwife and had doulas. The support made the birth environment peaceful and supportive. “Even though labor hurt, it was easier with my doulas helping me. Having a doula there who knew me and cared about me – it made all the difference.” As a doula, Sharde supports clients through the pain, anxiety and hesitation that come up during birth. She helps with massage, breathing techniques, education, affirmation, and encouragement. “ Birth is a sacred and spiritual time. Doulas make birth special.”