Hello and welcome!
I believe that the way we experience our birth matters.
Our birth stories become a part of us and will be carried within us and passed down to future generations.
It is time we put birth back into the hands of birthing people and their families.
Let me be your ally as you reclaim your power in birth.
I will help you navigate the unknowns of pregnancy and birth, and guide you in harnessing your innate wisdom and potential to achieve a healthy birth that leaves you feeling happy and confident.
As your birth guide, I provide unconditional physical and emotional support for you and your birth team through pregnancy, labor and birth, and early postpartum. I share reliable, evidence based resources to help you explore options and make informed choices. During your birth I remain present and steadfast, reinforcing trust in the process which allows you to peacefully and thoughtfully welcome your new baby.
I typically serve only one family per month. Offering a limited schedule means my time and energy is reserved just for you! It also means my schedule fills quickly, so it is best to get started with services as early as possible. Click the button below to contact me and schedule a complimentary consultation!
Check out this video made by Brooklynn & Hoang- one of my past doula families!
CLICK HERE to hear them share their birth story on the Evidence Based Birth® Podcast.
On the actual day of delivery, though, Shalin was NEXT LEVEL!! She provided guidance and suggestions remotely while we were in early labor to help us prepare and get the baby in position. Once active labor kicked in, she came over ASAP and immediately guided my wife through techniques to ease into contractions as they intensified. It felt like she had a million hands: somehow she simultaneously prepped the room for the home birth while helping us through pain relief with the shower and other positions, all while providing a never ending supply of cool towels, electrolytes, and gentle massages. We got to tag team on hip squeezes throughout rough parts of labor. She advocated not just for my wife, but constantly checked in on my needs the whole day as well. On top of that, she did an awesome job capturing key beautiful moments as photos and videos!
- Trish, April 2021
My husband and I spent a great deal of time interviewing various doulas around Sacramento and quickly learned that personality is one of our most important factors in choosing a doula. Shalin had just the right level of energy, calm, motivation that we needed. From the beginning she made both of us feel very at ease and confident, and she made a it a point to include my husband and make sure he had the knowledge and tools to feel "ready" for childbirth. She is very organized, from the way her website/client portal is laid out, to providing materials/emails, to communication. We never have had to wait for a response from her, whether it was email, phone or text.
- Lauren, August 2021
Shalin is one of the most special humans you will ever meet, and such a phenomenal doula. She is caring and knowledgeable. She is not afraid to speak up, but always does so in a courteous way.
In the age of COVID-19, most hospitals are only allowing one support person to accommodate the birthing person, which unfortunately means doulas are not allowed in the hospital. Despite not being able to have Shalin with us in the hospital, it was so incredibly valuable to have her support and guidance. I think in some ways, having her support was even more valuable during this weird and unprecedented time. In the months leading up to the birth, she taught us many great techniques that helped us feel empowered and confident when we were in the hospital during labor and birth.
- Corey, May 2020
Our home-birth can be described in three words as loving, transformative, and empowering. I felt so safely held by my support team, with Shalin being the head coach. She and my wife worked seamlessly together during active labor to keep me hydrated, comforted, and with very little direction from me. Her intuition was spot on, knowing exactly what words to say, and what comfort measures to use before I even knew I needed them. We were so empowered by the whole experience that my wife, who would have never considered a home-birth before, is now planning to have hers in a few years as well, with Shalin as her doula too, of course.
- Mimi, April 2021
Snippets from client reviews
from over 50 5-star reviews on Yelp!
As someone who has been a part of the Yelp community for over a decade, I have used Yelp for many important events in my life. Consequently, writing this review about our experience with our doula Shalin I take very seriously and as one of the most important reviews I have written over the years. Honestly.
Why go with Shalin? After interviewing four local doulas, I was drawn to Shalin based on her warmth, approach, and non-judgmental nature. She was also the only doula who explicitly mentioned being there to support my partner, as well.
During our two prenatal visits, I felt very secure and comforted by her expertise and questions for us to ponder. She helped us feel as prepared as possible by helping us gather information, providing lots of encouragement, and being available.
- Jess, March 2020
Hiring Shalin was one of the best decisions we made in preparation for welcoming our baby. As our doula, her impartial and unwavering support guided us through decision making during our pregnancy and helped us to advocate for the prenatal care and birth preferences we desired. Shalin's Evidence Based Birth course equipped us with the knowledge and tools needed for a variety of birth experiences. This left my husband and I feeling more prepared in our roles both as the birthing person and support person leading up to the birth of our baby. Lastly, Shalin's one-on-one prenatal lactation course helped me to feel much more confident about breastfeeding for the first time knowing that I could trouble shoot common challenges and that I was equipped with the knowledge and resources needed for differing eventualities.
- Fiona, May 2020
There were 3 huge moments in my pregnancy I can remember that I still thank my lucky stars I had Shalin by my side. The first was the decision of where I was going to give birth & who my providers were going to be. (This was a lengthy process! I had to jump through many hoops and Shalin helped me navigate through it all.) The second was her support during my ECV procedures to turn my breech baby (she helped me relax, reminded me how strong I was and helped me stay focused on my baby. And most importantly advocated for me with the providers doing the procedure!!!) The third was her support at my actual birth. I know I am a strong woman but in my heart of hearts I wouldn't have had my beautiful birth without her!! Shalin supported me through the best natural and unmediated water birth If you are trying to figure out who to choose as your doula, I can tell you that you would be so incredibly blessed to have Shalin by your side. I will not have another child WITHOUT Shalin as my doula!!
-Briana, June 2021
I cannot express how much I recommend Shalin and her practice for your Doula needs. She goes above and beyond and provides so many tools, knowledge and encouragement to help you have the birthing experience you want. Coming from somebody who did not have a Doula for their first birth, I wish I could turn the clock around and have hired her for my first baby. The birthing experience was more than I could ever ask for with Shalin on our team. Not only did she empower me to have the birth that I wanted but also my husband. She absolutely was the glue we needed to have an amazing birth experience. Even my husband who is relatively uninvolved is emotionally attached to this experience. I would also like to add that even with pandemic restrictions in place (not able to be present at hospital) she delivered 1000%.
-Kelli, September 2020
Share So Zen doula services with a family in need
We all know how valuable doula support is. Unfortunately not every birthing family can afford to hire a private doula to support their journey. While I volunteer with a local non-profit, Welcome Home Midwifery Services, and offer discounted services when I am able to, I also work to put food on the table for my own family.
I have set up a doula fund for those who would like to help another family gain valuable doula support. Your contribution will be used to help offer discounted services to families who may not otherwise be able to utilize my support.
$25
donated so far
