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Diary of a Doula

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United States
Manchester, CT
Diary of a Doula

I’m a birth doula and doula mentor located in central Connecticut. Come hang out with me here whil

My name is Melissa Duenas and I am a birth and postpartum Doula. I support parents through pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum and beyond. I love this work and feel honored to be part of such an amazing journey for so many. I specialize in dealing with those who have perinatal mood disorders, anxiety, or have PTSD (this include spouses). I also work with many military families or those with schedules that may require specialty care.

03/17/2026

New!

Childbirth education classes have been posted on the website, but also excited to be offering a new class type starting in April.

Check out the website for more details www.diaryofadoula.com

03/16/2026

Something new is coming.

For the doulas who want more.
More support.
More mentorship.
More honest conversations about birth work, boundaries, business and the reality of this field.

For the ones who know community beats competition every single time.

During World Doula Week, I’m opening the doors to something I’ve been building quietly behind the scenes.

A place for doulas to learn, grow, ask questions, review real cases and sharpen their skills together.

It’s called The Inner Circle by Diary of a Doula.

More details soon.

But if you’ve been craving mentorship and community in this work…

You’re going to want to be here.

03/15/2026

Let’s talk about how magical the way the NIPT test works

03/13/2026

I think the “you were meant/made/built for this” is often attached to things like unmedicated birth or breastfeeding, which can make it feel negative, but your body is doing so many more things it was meant/made/built for that are amazing that most people don’t even know about.

Your baby-making body is a baddie regardless of what the internet moms tell ya.

So let’s get on with it!

Your chest is a thermostat.
Your body is a home.

Skin-to-skin isn’t extra, it’s essential. Moms and dads do it differently, but both matter.

03/08/2026

Today is International Women’s Day and while I love celebrating the strength, brilliance and magic of women, I can’t ignore a truth that sits heavy on my heart.

Because in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, pregnancy and birth are still far more dangerous than they should be.

In the United States, maternal mortality rates are higher than in any other high-income nation. Hundreds of women die every year from pregnancy and birth complications. Many of them preventable. Thousands more experience severe complications that change their bodies and lives forever.

Black women are still 2–3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Not because of biology, but because of systemic failures in care, bias and unequal access to resources.

Globally, nearly 300,000 women die each year from pregnancy and childbirth.

That’s a woman every two minutes.

Behind every number is a mother, a daughter, a partner, a friend. A family forever changed.

And yet women continue to carry the world forward, growing life, raising families, leading communities, advocating for better care and refusing to accept systems that fail them.

So today, I celebrate women.

But I also honor the ones we’ve lost.
I honor the ones who fought to be heard.
I honor the ones still fighting for safer care, better research and a healthcare system that treats women’s bodies with the seriousness and respect they deserve.

Women deserve to survive pregnancy.
Women deserve to be believed when they say something is wrong.
Women deserve healthcare that is built for them, not around them.

International Women’s Day isn’t just about celebration.

It’s about remembering that caring for women, truly caring for women, is still work the world must do.

And we’re not done yet

03/04/2026

I feel so thankful for the trust that Aliya and Liz put in me during their pregnancy and birth…

“My wife and I cannot recommend Melissa’s birth doula services enough. She is a treasure trove of knowledge, endless source of support and just a delight to interact with personally and professionally. She demystified the whole labor and delivery process and helped me prepare for any and all outcomes. I ended up having an extremely smooth, easy and ultimately medicated birth though I had initially planned to try unmedicated (which I pivoted from after experiencing the pain of active labor contractions). I felt completely supported and not judged despite many of Melissa’s clients going unmedicated. We also felt very affirmed and seen as an LGBTQ+ couple who became pregnant through IVF, and though we had a very affirming medical experience, I knew Melissa had our back if something went awry. Worth every penny and one of the best investments you can make to support your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experiences.”

- Aliya, first time parent

03/03/2026

I did a thing on Friday 😊

Adult and Pediatric first Aid/CPR Classes, starting at the end of this month. Should be posted this weekend 🎉

02/21/2026

This is NOT it y’all.

Our bodies are magical and AI photos are never going to be an accurate depiction of just how magical.

02/04/2026

There is something profoundly sacred about being invited to stand in the birth space of someone who also holds this work in their hands. A fellow doula and friend, who knows the weight, the rhythm, and the reverence of what it means to witness life arrive. Being asked to walk beside Leighann through her birth wasn’t just an honor, it was a moment I will carry in my bones forever.

“Being a mom of two older kids and starting over eight years later, as a new mom again and a new doula myself, I truly thought I had all the tools. This time was different. I found myself feeling unsure and needing support in a way I hadn’t before. My husband was hesitant about the investment since we believed I already had everything I needed. After just five minutes on our consult call, he was completely hooked.

From the start, Melissa was thorough, intentional, and incredibly present. We went through every detail of my birth plan in depth, and she made me feel confident and reassured without ever imposing her own opinions. Somehow, she understood what I wanted before I even said it, pure intuition paired with an encyclopedic level of knowledge.

When labor began, Melissa could literally tell what phase I was in just by the sound of my voice. I progressed quickly, and she stayed calm, even during a moment when she thought she might be delivering a car baby on the side of the road. Thankfully, we made it to the hospital, but everything moved fast. There was no time to process, and suddenly everyone was asking questions. I didn’t have to answer a single one. Melissa knew every answer without looking at my birth plan or needing reassurance, as if she had studied and memorized it. That alone was priceless. I was able to focus on what was happening in front of me instead of managing details.

Her calm kept me calm. Her touch grounded and relaxed me. When I needed encouragement, her voice is what I heard. Postpartum, that same steady, supportive presence continued, making me feel held and cared for during such a tender time.

Melissa is an absolute gem. Hiring her was one of the best decisions we made.” - Leighann

01/12/2026

Upcoming Birth Availability

📍 I will no longer be taking new clients in Fairfield County at this time.

📍 I will be focusing on central Connecticut and Southern Massachusetts

📍 I will be traveling in December of 2026 and will not be taking clients during that month.

Again thank you for all the wonderful referrals that keep this work sustainable for me. It’s always an honor to serve my clients and their families and friends.

01/09/2026

Hosted a goal planning day for some of favorite peeps at Birth Tribe. We decided to celebrate our wins from 2025 and put our dreams and goals on paper.

We had lots of us hit our goals from last years planning session, with lots of us hitting six figures for the first time.

I forget how much I love sitting in community until I’m doing it!

01/01/2026

This year I stood in more birth spaces than I ever have before. I witnessed strength, surrender, fear, joy and love in its rawest forms. I was trusted in moments that change people forever and that kind of trust humbles me to my core.

I’m grateful beyond words for every family who invited me into their becoming. Those moments stay with me. They live in my body. They shape who I am.

And while I’m proud of the work I did this year, I’m also listening closely to what my spirit learned:

I can do hard things.
I can hold a lot.
I will never do that again 😂

As I step toward 2026, I’m choosing intention over intensity.

✨ I’ll be reducing births in Fairfield County to repeat clients only. The traffic has finally enraged me enough to walk away.

✨ I’m opening myself to beautiful, unexpected opportunities in Southern Massachusetts that I can’t wait to share with you all, when the time is right.

✨ And I’m preparing to launch a Skool community. A place for connection, learning, and being held outside the birth room. Not only for families, but for doulas as well. I think I’ve finally created a mentorship model that won’t kill me.

✨And I will be making more time for in person connections in my space in Berlin, CT

This next chapter feels quieter. Wider. More aligned.
Less proving. More becoming.

Thank you to every client, colleague and community member who walked alongside me this year.

I am deeply, endlessly thankful. 🤍

Address

Manchester, CT
06042

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 3pm
Tuesday	9am - 8pm
Wednesday	9am - 3pm
Thursday	9am - 8pm
Sunday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+18608903970

Website

http://www.diaryofadoula.com/

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Our Story

My name is Melissa Duenas and I am a birth and postpartum Doula. I support parents through pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum and beyond. I love this work and feel honored to be part of such an amazing journey for so many. I specialize in clients who have perinatal mood disorders, anxiety, or have PTSD (this include spouses). I also specialize in parents who are welcoming twins and other high-risk pregnancies. I’m known for my work in vaginal birth after cesareans as well.

I have attended over 300 births in Connecticut and Massachusetts and have extensive information about as well as great relationships with providers in our area.