Doula Support

Doula Support Helps Parents and Babies Start Out Strong

Doulas are non-medical support for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Read more about doulas here.

First 5 Mendocino recommends doula support but does not endorse specific doulas and does not employ the doulas. They work for themselves for the most part. But we think it’s great to know who you can reach out to, so here are some of the doulas that work in Mendocino. We know the difference they make and want to make sure that you know about doulas!

Having a doula is one way you can reduce the chances you’ll need intervention to have your baby.

Click here to find a local doula
Pregnant person

Births with doulas tend to be less complicated.

With a doula you are:

More likely to have a vaginal birth- less chance of cesarean delivery.
Feel more comfortable in labor and are less likely to feel the need for pain medication.
More likely to have a shorter labor!
Feel better about their birth.
More likely to prevent risks in future births if you have more kids.
With a doula at your birth, babies tend to have an easier time adjusting. They’re less likely to have low 5-minute Apgar Scores doulas.
And you have support for birth. You can even get help with your baby related questions when you need it.

Here's a little of what doulas can do:

Prenatal visits

Doulas visit for an hour or longer during most prenatal doula visits to share information about birth choices and help prepare you for the birthing process.

Labor and birthing support

Doulas join you and stay with you during labor until your baby is born. They help parents with comfort and movement, encourage the birthing person with their goals, amplify parent voice in birth, and stay an hour or two after the birth supporting your family.

Always with the same person

The same Family Support Home Visitor will be with you from the start to the finish. It will be someone you can trust, that knows your family, and who will show up when you need them.

After the baby is born

Doulas join you and stay with you during labor until your baby is born. They help parents with comfort and movement, encourage the birthing person with their goals, amplify parent voice in birth, and stay an hour or two after the birth supporting your family.

Having a doula as part of your birth team also makes birth safer with the need for fewer cesareans needed, less medication during labor, a more satisfying birth experiences, and even healthier babies. Doulas only improve birth outcomes when they are part of a birth team with qualified health care providers.
Read about Doula Week 2024

Local Doulas

Lenny Aguayo

Indigenous
Doula

Contact Info

Phone: 707-494-7477
Email: elenaroseaguayo@gmail.com

Location
Based in: ???, CA
Serving: Mendocino County

Specialties

  • Indigenous Doula

As your Doula, I will come to your home free of charge for an initial intake and to feel if the match is right for you. From there, we will create a Doula/client plan, meet an additional time, and I remain available on call 24/7 until your labor begins.

Jade Aldrich

Se habla
español

Contact Info

Phone: 707-357-1733
Email: expandyourdreams@yahoo.com

Location
Based in: Mendocino, CA
Serving: Lake and Mendocino Counties

Specialties

  • HBCE HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educator
  • Certified Peer Breastfeeding Counselor
  • Certified Hypnotherapist

Short bio goes here.

Gloria González Campise

Se habla
español

Contact Info

Phone: 707-621-5012
Email: gloria@peoplesmidwifery.com
Website: PeoplesMidwifery.com

Location
Based in: Ukiah, CA
Serving: Inland Mendocino and Sonoma Counties

Specialties

  • Mexican Traditional Postpartum Practices
  • Nutrition
  • Trained in Spinning Babies

Doula and Midwife, I offer Doula or Monitrice services. I support families to make informed choices that align with their values and goals, supporting those choices through education, advocacy, and hands-on comfort measures throughout this important and special transition in family life.

Alana Catanio

Accepts
Medi-Cal

Contact Info

Phone: 415-488-5432
Email: info@adoulaformama.com
Website: www.adoulaformama.com

Location
Based in: Petaluma, CA
Serving: Marin, Sonoma, Lake, Napa,  and Mendocino Counties

Specialties

  • Antepartum doula support
  • Postpartum Support
  • Aromatherapy

I completed training to become a Birth & Postpartum Doula in 2017 and I have been supporting families in Marin & Sonoma Counties ever since. I am a member of the Marin Doula Circle, I work collaboratively with Marin Community Clinics & Better Beginnings by volunteering my birth doula services to mothers in need locally.

Tanya Estrada-Ruiz

Indigenous
Doula

Contact Info

Phone: 707-391-3297

Location
Based in: Mendocino, CA
Serving: Mendocino County

Specialties

  • Prenatal Massage
  • Massage Therapy/Holistic Care
  • Indigenous Doula

I am an Indigenous Doula that practices with a holistic polarity approach. I bring decades of experience as a massage therapist to my doula work. I am here to support Mom, Dad, and family to welcome baby with a cultural approach.

Shelby Goates

Accepts
Medi-Cal

Contact Info

Phone: 707-391-7202
Email: shelbygdoula@gmail.com

Location
Based in: Ukiah, CA
Serving: Mendocino, Sonoma, and southern Humboldt Counties

Specialties

  • Advocacy
  • Education on Birth Rights in the Medical System
  • Breastfeeding Support

I attend any and all births- home, hospital, or birth center, medicated or not, vaginal or cesarean. I truly believe that a birther’s intuition knows what is safest and best for them and their baby. I also offer support for abortion, miscarriage, and stillbirth.

Michela Hernandez

Se habla
español

Accepts
Medi-Cal

Contact Info

Phone: 707-223-5715
Email: SacredBridges707@gmail.com
Website: www.sacred-bridges.com

Location
Based in: Southern Humboldt, CA
Serving: Mendocino and Humboldt Counties

Specialties

  • Bodywork (Massage)
  • Herbal Support
  • Birthwork practice rooted in Traditional Mexican Medicine

I see our bodies as the keepers of our stories. To work with it intentionally and in an informed way, can be like speaking another language. Each body I work with being a dialect of it’s own. As I continue to learn the nuances of the way fascia, the nervous system, and our tissues communicate (with us and each body system), I feel more honored to support my clients’ experience of ease within them.

Quincy Howard

Accepts
Medi-Cal

Contact Info

Phone: 707-472-7633
Email: lolafromrussia@gmail.com

Location
Based in: Mendocino County
Serving: Mendocino and Lake Counties

Specialties

  • Massage
  • Intuitive
  • Respectful

I’m a Mom of two daughters living in Mendocino County and honored to be serving local families. I offer Birth and Postpartum Doula support.

Bailey Locatelli

Accepts
Medi-Cal

Contact Info

Phone: 559-474-1960
Email: thebirthpassage@gmail.com
Website: www.thebirthpassage.com

Location
Based in: Humboldt County, CA
Serving: Humboldt and Mendocino Counties

Specialties

  • Placenta Medicine
  • Cacao Medicine
  • Ritual & Ceremony

Bailey Locatelli is a Full Spectrum, Certified Medi-Cal Doula Provider, & Devotee of the Divine Mother currently living on the ancestral lands of the Wiyot people in present day Humboldt County. It is her deepest honor to hold space for Women to feel empowered in the belief of their body’s innate wisdom while feeling informed of their sovereign choices throughout their birth journey~ from preconception to postpartum.

Marrina Lunas

Accepts
Medi-Cal

Contact Info

Email: marrinadoula@gamil.com

Location
Based in: Mendocino County, CA
Serving: Lake and Mendocino Counties

Specialties

  • Nutrition
  • Lactation Support
  • Holistic Care

My name is Marrina Lunas, I am a doula serving Lake and Mendocino County. During this sacred time, I work from a holistic approach to best support your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. My professional and academic background in nutrition and lactation support equip me with the necessary tools to empower you. I cannot wait to support you and your family.

Georgette Patterson

Se habla
español

Contact Info

Phone: 707-391-7595

Location
Based in: Anderson Valley, CA
Serving: Mendocino County

Specialties

  • Reiki Certified
  • Bilingual in English and Spanish
  • Holistic Nutritional Consultant

Being a mom of two energetic young boys, I am constantly adapting to meet my family’s evolving needs. My passion lies in guiding other families through the challenges of parenthood, helping them discover their own path to harmony and fulfillment beginning with pregnancy and birth.

Nicole Patton

Accepts
Medi-Cal

Contact Info

Phone: 707-684-9875
Email: nicole@mendocinocoastdoulas.com
Website: www.mendocinocoastdoulas.com

Location
Based in: Mendocino, CA
Serving: Mendocino and North Sonoma County

Specialties

  • Massage Therapy
  • Acupressure
  • Therapeutic bodywork

Nicole is very passionate about supporting the Mendocino Coast community in pregnancy, birth, and life after baby arrives.

Stephanie Reynolds

Accepts
Medi-Cal

Contact Info

Phone: 707-972-8933
Email: stephaniereynoldsbcn@gmail.com
Website: stephaniereynoldsbcn.com

Location
Based in: Redwood Valley, CA
Serving: Mendocino, Lake and Sonoma Counties

Specialties

  • PhD in Traditional Naturopathy
  • Holistic Nutrition Consultations
  • Therapeutic Bodywork/Massage

Stephanie Reynolds, Naturopath, focuses on collaborating with healthcare professionals to offer evidence-based, trauma-informed practices that promote optimal health and well-being. Whether you’re seeking holistic nutrition consultations, life coaching, therapeutic body work, or support during pregnancy, birth, or the postpartum period our goal is to help you achieve your health and nutrition goals holistically and compassionately. By combining expertise in Doula services, Traditional Naturopathy, and Psychology, we are dedicated to guiding individuals and families toward healthier lifestyles and empowering them to thrive.

Jane Shadoin

Contact Info

Phone: 707-984-6131 ext. 238

Location
Based in: Long Valley, CA
Serving: Mendocino County

Specialties

Hi, I’m Jane. Northern California has been my home for the past 8 years, and I’ve had the privilege of serving as a doula in Mendocino County for the past year. As a doula, I meet my clients where they are on their journey, offering resources, education, and support. My goal is to help parents navigate the many choices they have, so they can feel confident, connected, and empowered throughout this sacred time. I’m passionate about supporting women through their pregnancy journey, providing care and comfort every step of the way.

Rose Steele

Indigenous
Doula

Contact Info

Phone: 707-671-3532
Email: rsteele@wenewellness.org

Location
Based in: Sonoma County, CA
Serving: Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma Counties

Specialties

  • Indigenous Doula
  • Indigenous Breastfeeding
  • Postpartum Support

My name is Rose Steele I am Yokayo, Elem and Kanaka Maoli. I am a birth worker and want to share the love of reclaiming birth as our first ceremony the way our ancestors did for thousands of years.