Welcome
What is a Birth Advocate? Many call us friends, sisters, mothers, helpers and guides. Mostly we are called doulas.
Doula is a Greek word meaning ‘women’s helper’, which has come to describe women who attend families in pregnancy, labor and postpartum. Birth Advocate is a collective of Bay Area doulas. Started in spring 2006 by Gia Schultz, Birth Advocate quickly grew to include many doulas working together to provide kind and knowledgeable care.
Each doula at Birth Advocate has her unique perspective, but we all share the joy and honor of helping families bring their babies into the world. We believe that birth is a natural process and a great time for change and development. We encourage our clients to achieve their goals and we will work with their chosen birth professional toward a satisfying and healthful outcome. Our doulas work as back-up and resources for each other. While you choose your Primary Doula - the one that will guide you through pregnancy, birth and beyond - you will also have the opportunity to meet with the other doulas in the collective in case one of them is needed as back-up for your delivery.
Choosing a Birth Advocate doula means the expertise of not just one (Primary) Doula but also the guidance of all the doulas in the collective. Please refer to our list of Other Services to learn about how the doula/client relationship can be expanded and tailored to fit your needs.
Birth Advocate doulas are dedicated to all women who seek a supported birth, regardless of financial means. In honor of that commitment, we will take a minimum of 10% pro-bono clients annually. Volunteer and outreach work in our community is a vital aspect of the Birth Advocate philosophy. Please contact us for financial options.