Supporting you through the wild portal of birth & parenthood
Doulas provide full spectrum care to expecting families—before, during, and after a birth.
Before I trained as a Birth Doula, I thought the role was simply labor support—holding someone’s hand as they experience the challenge of childbirth. Now I understand that doula work is rooted in an arc of continuity: emotional, physical, educational and practical support which shapes and improves your entire family’s experience as you transition to parenthood.
Why hire a Doula?
I have a secret to share—I didn’t hire a Doula for either of my births. At the time, I didn’t really know what a Doula did. Because I gave birth during the 2020 pandemic, and Doulas were not allowed in hospital delivery rooms at that time, I figured it wasn’t an option for me and I moved on.
Looking back, I now realize how limited this viewpoint was, and how much a doula could have helped me, even without being in the birthing room.
Here are just a few benefits of hiring a Doula:
24/7 holistic support for the final phase of pregnancy
Higher confidence going into birth
Reduced labor time
Lower risk of C-section
Improved newborn health
Decreased use of medical interventions
Less need for pain medication
Better mama-baby bonding
Enhanced partner involvement
Reduced anxiety and fear
Increased birth satisfaction
Smoother postpartum recovery
Better breastfeeding rates
Lower rates of postpartum depression
A built-in network for navigating postpartum resources like pelvic floor therapy or new parent communities
The values that power my practice
Centering You
Every person, birth and postpartum is unique, and what each of us needs can be dramatically different. I believe strongly in aligning myself to your autonomy, your preferences, and your goals. Together we’ll get to know each other deeply, so I can be focused on skillfully navigating whatever arises for you during this nonlinear phase of life.
Empathy First
Big emotions come up before, during and after birth. Sometimes we just need to know we’re not alone, that someone is holding space with us. Other times we need information, ideas, to vent, or help taking action. For me, the first step in any interaction is empathy: letting you know I see you, and I’m here for you. I aim to be a trusted person on your team, who you feel comfortable reaching out to no matter how big or small your concern is.
Trust & Professionalism
Your birth is one of the most important events of your life. As your Doula, you can count on me to be available, prompt, and ready to help when you need me. I take my role seriously and will do everything I can to help you have the best experience possible, before, during, and after birth. As a mom and business owner, I’m organized and responsible. You’re my priority.
Uplift with Care
Many aspects of birth and the life transition after can be hard. In my experience, it’s helpful to find moments of ease, spaciousness, laughter, creative expression and gratitude amidst it all. With care, I bring levity into my interactions with you, to be a source of positive vibes and help you identify ways to make the postpartum experience more pleasurable.
Honor our Evolution
Birth reminds us that we are animals. Our bodies (and our babies’ bodies) are programmed with a rich library of instincts, wisdom, and abilities we may not be in touch with yet. I love helping you build your confidence to trust yourself, your body, and your baby, in order to thrive. Sometimes, we need to “do less” and let our bodies do the work.
Do What Works
Our culture is littered with ideas about “the right way” to do things, especially around babies. The truth is, there are numerous ways to birth babies and thrive postpartum, and beliefs that we “should” be doing something a particular way, when it’s not working for our family, creates harm. I’m a huge believer in finding the most easeful ways to “surthrive” as a family, and tossing the external protocols aside in favor of what works for you.
Diving Into Details
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I’m currently attending births on a Pro Bono basis, as I am working towards my Doula Certification. My clients will have the option of offering me a gratuity after our work together, but my current fee is $0. Cough cough, this is a great time to work together, as I will be starting to charge a fee later in 2025. The going market rate for a Doula in the Bay Area is approximately $3,000, and my future fees will reflect my experience level.
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My goal is to provide continuous support to your family starting at the beginning of the third trimester, until the end of the fourth trimester. This will cover:
Childbirth education and birth planning
On-call support from your 37th week until 42nd week of pregnancy
In person support during your labor and birth
Postpartum support, which can include:
Baby care education
Emotional support
Cooking and delivering nourishing meals
Lactation support
Infant sleep support
Home visits where I watch baby, so you can get a break
Return to work coaching
And more! The specifics of how much time we’ll spend together, and what activities we’ll undertake together, is something we’ll discuss in our initial calls and contracting process.
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An interesting aspect of Birth Work is that it is an ancient, women-centered practice, and only in recent decades have official “certifications” entered the space. Doula work itself is not regulated—a Doula does not need to be certified by a 3rd party to practice. I am pursuing my certification because I want to be well educated in all aspects of birth, prenatal and postpartum care, and to able to offer the highest quality experience for my clients.
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I can totally relate to the idea of feeling weird about someone you hardly know being present for one of the most intense and vulnerable experiences of your life. I personally feel that a Birth Doula doesn’t necessarily need to be in the birth room; they can be incredibly helpful to a birthing person and their partner even if they don’t attend the birth itself. We can discuss what you feel comfortable with and create a custom plan that meets your goals.
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All birth plans (and realities) are welcome! Births unfold in myriad directions, and as a Doula, it’s essential that we’re open and 100% supportive to the path that you and your baby take. You won’t encounter dogma with me. Whether you are planning on a hospital birth, a home birth, know you want an epidural, prefer avoiding pain medications, are planning on a scheduled cesarian, and everything in between, I’m ready to support you as you cross this threshold.
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With a video call! In our initial meeting, we’ll get to know each other, I’ll learn about your goals and current plans, and we can assess whether we are a mutual fit.
You can book a time with me here: calendly.com/rachel-oysterfamily
From peeing my pants to an (almost) induction: How a Doula could have helped me in my first birth experience
I was just shy of 39 weeks with my first daughter, Louisa, when I felt a sudden and unusual gush of fluid. After calling the hospital triage line, I found myself driving two hours to the hospital—unprepared, no hospital bag, no car seat—only to learn I hadn’t leaked amniotic fluid but simply peed myself.
What could’ve been a quick visit turned complicated when fetal heart monitoring raised concerns about possible heart “decelerations” — a slowing of baby’s heart rate that can indicate fetal distress. The OBGYN on call entered the triage room and quickly recommended an immediate induction. Her proposal felt rash, not grounded in strong data, and contrary to my goals, so I started asking questions.
During our conversation, the OBGYN turned up the pressure by telling me, “This is when we start to get concerned about fetal demise…” In case that’s not clear, she was essentially telling me that if I didn’t accept her plan, I risked my baby dying. There’s really nothing scarier you can say to a 39 week pregnant person.
I share the full story on The Brine: what happened in the triage room, how we advocated for ourselves, and my ultimate birth outcome with Louisa.
Let's Connect
I can’t wait to meet you & learn how I can support your journey.
