Hi, I’m Jess, a pediatric sleep consultant and postpartum doula on the Boston Area Doulas team. Born and raised in Michigan and seasoned out east, I am a mother, teacher, musician, home cook, hobby herbalist, and yoga enthusiast. I believe a good cup of herbal tea, an open heart, a warm delicious meal, and a good laugh can go a long way for a new family. My journey into doula work came naturally after having all three of my babies. In truth, I have wanted to be a postpartum doula after my firstborn, and I even enrolled in a program while pregnant with my second. But as the best-laid plans go, my second pregnancy resulted in a very premature birth and life became very challenging. It was not until after my third baby’s birth (this time, full-term) that I realized all three of my births and postpartums were unique in their own ways. Since no two postpartums are alike, the support always looks different. It was then I dove into a mentor-based postpartum doula program and sleep consulting program and began my journey.

Advice to families: " Remember that parenting is the ultimate creative experience. It is not rewarded by being a good student of others’ words. It is about having the courage to find one’s own."

My experiences as both a teacher and performer of classical vocal music has shown me the value of finding one’s own voice and believing in its beautiful and infinite possibilities. Prior to my life out east to pursue my career in music, I lived in Ann Arbor, MI, where I both attended my undergraduate and worked at Zingerman’s Delicatessen. I worked at “The Deli” for 5 years where I developed a deep knowledge and appreciation for food, simple traditional recipes, creativity in the kitchen, and the importance of supporting local farmers and artisans. I spent time farming in France and Italy as well as in Northern Michigan, all the while eating and cooking delicious food and making lasting friendships. These foundations still play a significant role in my life today as food is now a large part of how I nurture.

My combined backgrounds of motherhood, music, teaching, food, deep friendships, yoga, and herbs gives me a unique view on how to support new families. I believe in you and your amazingly intuitive ability to raise your baby. As a doula, I believe in providing supportive and non-judgmental guidance so you can embrace your full potential as a loving, incredible family unit. I believe we can all be our best selves when we can take a break from stress & embrace the present.

Check out what one of Jess’s families said about her:

"I cannot recommend Jess enough as a postpartum doula. As first-time parents, my partner and I had taken newborn care classes but had no practical experience. Jess became our trainer—a very friendly, non-judgmental face to turn to with any questions, but who could also sense along the way what we needed help understanding. For instance, Jess had a lot of guidance to share as we started our bottle-feeding journey and has an awesome grasp on developmental milestones that we wouldn’t have known about without her help. Jess is also very knowledgeable and thoughtful about postpartum care. She helped me understand what I was going through, and when medical problems came up, she helped me figure out how to advocate for myself with my healthcare providers. A couple of bonuses Jess brings to the table are that she clearly spends a good deal of time and effort networking with other professionals like lactation consultants, pelvic floor therapists, and more (who she reaches out to with questions to help her clients!), and she is an excellent cook who can make healthy, delicious meals out of whatever is sitting in your fridge and pantry. We are forever grateful for the help and guidance we received from Jess. We feel like we hit the jackpot for postpartum doulas and will definitely work with her again if we have another child.” -S