A little about me…
Hi, I’m Melanie, and I believe every birthing person deserves to feel loved, and fully supported-no matter how their story unfolds.
My journey into birth work began with the births of my two children, each one teaching me something profound about strength, surrender, and the power of informed choice.
When I was pregnant with my son, I planned for an unmedicated birth. But like most parents, I found myself navigating unexpected turns-ultimately giving birth by cesarean. My son’s birth opened my eyes to how quickly birth plans can shift, and how critical it is to have a team that honors your voice, supports your decisions, and never leaves you feeling alone in the process.
When I became pregnant with my daughter, I knew I wanted something different. I chose to birth outside the hospital- something that felt safest for me at the time- surrounded by a supportive team and a doula who held space for me in exactly the way I needed. My daughter’s birth was transformative in a new way-it showed me what was possible when autonomy, safety, and unconditional support come together.
Now, as a certified birth and postpartum doula, and certified lactation counselor, I bring that same philosophy to the families I support. I’m passionate about informed consent, bodily autonomy, and creating both a birth and postpartum experience where you are at the center of your care.
I am a Mother, seasoned doula, matrescence coach, and holistic lactation counselor. I have been honored to provide doula support for over 12 years to hundreds of lovely families in our community. I am passionate about guiding expectant and new mothers through the profound transformation of matrescence- the journey of becoming a mother. This developmental process takes time, and I am so honored to walk along side new mothers through their journey.
My approach to birth and motherhood blends somatic awareness, intuition, evidence-based wisdom, and unwavering support. I believe childbirth is not just about welcoming a healthy baby but also a profound catalyst for the mother’s whole-self transformation- a journey that extends far beyond birth itself. I strive to nurture the health and well-being of new mothers, by offering a gentle invitation for personal reflection with kindness and grace. My focus is to empower mothers to prioritize their well-being as the foundation of a thriving mother-baby bond. I often cultivate deeply connected relationships with my clients, by providing continuous support before, during, and after birth.
My work is deeply rooted in holistic, somatic, and evidence-based postpartum and birth support, informed by extensive training with leading educators in their fields. My education spans psychology, lactation, physiological postpartum healing, birth support, somatic resilience, and birth story integration, ensuring a comprehensive and nurturing approach to maternal care.
Certified Lactation Educator Counselor - University of California, San Diego
Certified Innate Postpartum Care Provider - Trained with Rachelle Garcia Seliga (Innate Traditions), specializing in traditional postpartum healing practices.
Belly Binding & Postpartum Care - Studied under Tema Mercado, CPM (La Matriz Birth), learning ancestral techniques for postpartum recovery.
Birth Doula Training - Completed DONA International training with Stacey Scarborough, focusing on compassionate, evidence-based labor support.
Spinning Babies® - Trained with Nicole Morales, learning fetal positioning techniques to support easeful births.
Birthing From Within® - Studied with Virginia Bobro, integrating mindfulness-based childbirth preparation.
Birth Story Medicine® - Trained with Pam England, supporting parents in processing and integrating their birth experiences.
The Resilience Toolkit - Certified by Lumos Transforms with Devika Shankar, incorporating nervous system regulation and trauma-informed care.
Somatic Experiencing® - Studied with Ariel Giaretto, deepening my ability to provide body-based healing for birth and postpartum experiences.
I live in Orange County, CA, and support families through home, birth center, and hospital births across Orange, South Los Angeles, and North San Diego Counties. I provides in-home postpartum care, holistic lactation support, birth story processing, matrescence coaching, and nutrition guidance to nurture families through the postpartum journey.