I'm Priya. My first birth was the birth of my nephew in 2008. I was my sister's unofficial doula. This deeply inspiring experience lead me to learn more and in 2012, I trained as a birth doula with CAPPA. I studied with Two Doulas Birth in childbirth preparation in 2013. I received mentorship from tracy hartley of BEST Doula Service in 2014 and ongoing mentorship since 2012 with Michelle Borok of
Nourish Midwifery. I apprenticed with Midwife, Rachael Jean Cohen in 2013 for Placenta Encapsulation. I continue to expand my education through various birth-related classes. Along with specific birth work, I bring a background of years of body, movement and relationship study through various schools including: Dance Alive with Mariane Karou (ongoing from 2013), Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training with Silverlake Yoga (2014), Primal Core Yoga with Psalm Isadora (2011-2013), Womb Surround Process (Pre and Perinatal Psychology) with Ray Castellino and Mary Jackson (2012), Institute of Conscious Bodywork (2008), and Infant Developmental Movement Studies with Peggy Hackney (2008). I received my Bachelor’s of Arts from University of California, Santa Cruz in Community Studies and Theater Arts/Dance in 2005. MY PHILOSOPHY AND WORK
As a birth doula, massage therapist, yoga teacher, movement specialist, placenta encapsulator, and founder of Pathway to Pelvic Power, I support the birth of families through the whole “cocoon” process, from pregnancy through postpartum. I love families. Every time a baby is born, a mother and father are also born and possibly a sister or brother are born too. My job is to help the whole family be born. I believe it is essential to be held by community and circles of support during the passage of birth. As a family is being formed anew, its very vulnerable. Mom is exhausted and experiencing pain. Other children need to adjust to a new baby and mom shifting her focus. Dad needs to be held in support because he is going through the metamorphosis of needing to care for mom and children in a new way. The more the whole family feels held, supported, safe and able to let go of left-brain details, the more birth can unfold as the natural and intelligent cycle it truly is, whether or not interventions become necessary. When the birth process is held in support, the family has the space to build itself from a foundation of inner strength and integrity. DOULA
How is a family born? The mama is at the center of the family—she is the hub of the wheel. Her strength and choice making determine how the wheel rolls and how all the spokes work together to create a team. I assist mama by first of all, believing in her. I believe in her ability to give birth, to be an amazing mom and an amazing partner. I ensure that she doesn’t go into collapse. I see her as strong no matter what. I give her bodywork, encouragement, track her progress, inform her of what’s happening when she needs it, offer suggestions for positioning, breath and vocal toning, and help to create a feeling of peace and confidence in the room and with the birth team. I also help dad by believing in him and his ability to show up for his partner and baby. I help him by informing him of what’s going on and where we are in the birth cycle to ease any worry or anxiety. During labor, I can offer him bodywork and guidance so that he is able to be more present and supportive for mom. CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION
I teach private childbirth education classes to orient parents to birth. Mom and dad do practical exercises together that help dad practice how he can support mom through labor physically, but also emotionally and verbally. These exercises also help mom learn how to ask or signal for help and open to receive support from her partner. MASSAGE
Throughout pregnancy, labor and postpartum, massage is an incredible tool for balancing your hormones, relieving stress and pain, opening the body up, and bringing awareness to your breath and body sensations. Your DNA is encoded with the knowing of how to give birth and how to recover. It's ancestral, it's scientific. The more you can sense your body, the more inner guidance you can receive from your body. PATHWAY TO PELVIC POWER
Birth gets us into our pelvis in a way that nothing else does. Pathway to Pelvic Power is a program that can assist you prenatally as well as postpartum. Prenatally we focus on opening the muscles and bones in your pelvis, relaxing the pelvic floor with breath and vocal toning, and releasing energetic and physical knots in the birth canal. In postpartum—any time in your life after you have had a baby—we work with healing scar tissue, and strengthening the pelvic floor and deep core abdominals in an organic and incremental way that is integrated with your breath and everyday movements. PLACENTA ENCAPSULATION
Placenta Encapsulation is hormonal support that is irreplaceable by any other supplement. Your body made your placenta perfectly suited for exactly your body’s needs. Your placenta holds all the hormones that will help you recover from pregnancy and labor with stable energy, moods, and abundant milk supply during postpartum. I ensure that your capsules get to you within 24 hours of delivery. I prepare your capsules in a sanitary and peaceful environment, with a peaceful mind-state while visualizing highest health for you and your family.
