Doula In Reno

Doula In Reno Executive Director | Maternal & End-of-Life Health Advocate | Educator | Speaker | Doula | Co-Founder, Doula Business Blueprint |

I spent 12 years as a birth assistant, lactation consultant, and CBE trainer in The Bradley Method and Birthing From Within, and ran LaLeche League meetings with a passion for supporting women who have become Moms.

Currently, I'm a Certified Birth Doula for all "happy" births regardless of where and how you deliver. I'm also a Bereavement Doula® helping families struggling with grief and loss,

as well as an Adoption & Surrogacy Doula and Breastfeeding Counselor.

I am Mom Of 18 (yes - 18 kids!). I've written the blog - Mom’s Running It since 2011, am a published author of a self-help memoir in 2016, and host of Becoming Parents Podcast since May of 2017. I am a Speaker and have 15+ years of experience in the foster care sector as both a parent and a trainer.

I am licensed as a Transformational Coach and NLP Practitioner through the ABNLP. I have received targeted training on topics such as crisis intervention, drug & alcohol addiction, surviving trauma, and su***de prevention, which has equipped me with a solid understanding of how to serve others experiencing trauma.

I’m also married to an amazing man in Reno, NV, and am a runner, minimalist, and healthy lifestyle enthusiast.

“Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” HOWARD THURMAN

This class from is amazing! Join tomorrow in Reno!
05/19/2026

This class from is amazing! Join tomorrow in Reno!

This is how I looked when my husband got home today so that he would ask me if I had anything to share…Oh yes, my love… ...
04/28/2026

This is how I looked when my husband got home today so that he would ask me if I had anything to share…

Oh yes, my love… Pull up a chair…

“Pay attention to your baby’s movements” is good advice—but often poorly explained.One of the most common concerns in pr...
04/27/2026

“Pay attention to your baby’s movements” is good advice—but often poorly explained.

One of the most common concerns in pregnancy is:

“Is my baby moving enough?”

Here’s what matters:

Babies develop patterns.
And you learn those patterns over time.

It’s not about counting perfectly.
It’s about noticing change.

A decrease in movement can be an early sign that something needs to be checked.

Research shows that awareness of fetal movement is associated with earlier detection of potential complications.
(ACOG)

So no—you’re not “being dramatic” for paying attention.

You’re being aware.

If something feels off:
Call. Get checked. Go in.

Reassurance is never a waste of time.

Birth is not a competition.Unmedicated doesn’t equal better.Epidural doesn’t equal failure.Cesarean doesn’t equal “you d...
04/24/2026

Birth is not a competition.

Unmedicated doesn’t equal better.
Epidural doesn’t equal failure.
Cesarean doesn’t equal “you didn’t try hard enough.”

In the U.S.:

• ~70% of women use epidural analgesia
• ~30–32% of births are cesarean

Interventions exist because birth can be unpredictable.

The goal isn’t perfection.
It’s informed decision-making.

When women understand options, risks, and benefits—
birth becomes something they participate in, not something that happens to them.

That’s the shift that matters.



Citation:
CDC National Vital Statistics Reports

Women’s health advice is wild sometimes.If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard:“Just relax, and it will happen.”“Sl...
04/21/2026

Women’s health advice is wild sometimes.

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard:

“Just relax, and it will happen.”
“Sleep when the baby sleeps.”
“Your body knows what to do.”

…we could probably fund postpartum care properly.

Here’s the reality:

Relaxing doesn’t fix infertility.
Sleeping isn’t that simple.
And bodies sometimes need support.

Women don’t need clichés.
They need information, support, and honesty.

Also maybe snacks. Definitely snacks.

Postpartum recovery was never meant to be done alone.In the U.S., we normalize a 6-week “clearance” as if recovery is co...
04/19/2026

Postpartum recovery was never meant to be done alone.

In the U.S., we normalize a 6-week “clearance” as if recovery is complete.

It’s not.

Up to 1 in 5 women experience postpartum depression or anxiety.
(CDC)

Sleep deprivation impacts cognition, mood, and healing.

Hormonal shifts affect everything from metabolism to emotional regulation.

And yet—support is often minimal.

Postpartum isn’t a quick return to normal.
It’s a full-body, full-life transition.

The more we understand that, the better we support women through it.

Postpartum recovery is not a 6-week timeline.The standard “6-week check” was never designed to represent full recovery.P...
04/17/2026

Postpartum recovery is not a 6-week timeline.

The standard “6-week check” was never designed to represent full recovery.

Postpartum healing includes:

• Uterine involution (weeks)
• Hormonal shifts (months)
• Pelvic floor recovery (months to longer)
• Mental health adjustment (varies widely)

Up to 1 in 5 women experience postpartum depression or anxiety.
(Source: CDC)

And many more experience:
Sleep deprivation
Identity shifts
Relationship changes
Feeding challenges

Recovery is not a single appointment.

It’s a transition that deserves ongoing support.

That’s one of the biggest gaps in U.S. maternal care.

Honestly… this tracks.One of the things birthwork teaches you fast:Kids ask real questions.Adults should ask real questi...
04/14/2026

Honestly… this tracks.

One of the things birthwork teaches you fast:

Kids ask real questions.
Adults should ask real questions.
… but sometimes avoid them entirely.

And yet—when it comes to pregnancy, birth, postpartum, hormones…

We need more real conversations.
Not less.

Curiosity is underrated.
And honestly—so is honesty.

Miscarriage is common. And still rarely talked about honestly.An estimated 10-25% of known pregnancies end in miscarriag...
04/12/2026

Miscarriage is common. And still rarely talked about honestly.

An estimated 10-25% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage.
The actual number is likely higher due to losses before confirmation.

(Source: ACOG)

Most occur in the first trimester and are often related to chromosomal abnormalities—not something a woman caused.

Not stress.
Not exercise.
Not lifting something “too heavy.”

And yet—many women carry quiet guilt.

What’s also true:

Miscarriage is common.
Grief is individual.
And both deserve space.

We can normalize the data
without minimizing the loss.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! To my amazing second daughter, who is now a beautiful adult raising her own munchkins! I'm so proud of y...
04/11/2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! To my amazing second daughter, who is now a beautiful adult raising her own munchkins!

I'm so proud of you (and you're 30 now????? How is that possible?!)

❤️

Address

Reno, NV
89511

Telephone

+17755442696

Website

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