Hi, I'm Raisa.

I believe pregnancy and birth shouldn’t be ruled by fear. I feel like as women, we’re conditioned for so many years to believe that birth is absolutely scary, we grow up fearing it. I’ve always said that I’ve never in my life felt stronger than when I delivered my babies, both mentally and physically.

I also feel that sometimes doulas are not fully understood. Doulas aren’t one type of support. Some lean more holistic, some more clinical, and many fall somewhere in between. I’m in that middle space: modern, grounded, evidence-informed, and calm. If you’re looking for steady, reassuring support without needing to fit a specific ‘type,’ you’re in the right place.

I grew up in California, and for most of my teens/twenties, I swore that by the time I had babies, someone would’ve invented a way to give birth without feeling anything (storks, anyone?). And yet here I am. After two beautiful, very natural births, I continue to find myself so intrigued by and interested in all of it. When I hear from friends that they’re pregnant, I get so excited at the prospect of talking about all things pregnancy and birth.

My son was born in California, an unmedicated birth in a hospital with a doula who taught me how strong I really was. My daughter was born here in Amsterdam, a water birth after an induction, proof that even when things don’t go “as planned,” they can still be empowering.

Pregnancy and birth can be transformative, validating, even joyful. You don’t have to fit a certain “type” to experience that. You can love your epidural and your affirmations. You can believe in both modern medicine and your body’s wisdom. You can want to talk about your birth plan and your return to work plan.

I’m that in-between doula: grounded, modern, and real. I meet you where you need it most be it just needing a sense of calm or having a chat about where and how to figure out daycares in Amsterdam. The one who’ll hold your hand through contractions and then tell you where to get your nails done after or which hip hop DJ has a show that aligns with your first night out post-baby. I got you.

Education:

Dona Approved Doula Training via Birthing Gently/Tara Campbell

Dona Approved Breastfeeding course via Birthing Gently/Tara Campbell

Bachelor of Arts, University of California, San Diego