Kelsey Krueger

For as long as Kelsey can remember, she’s had a love for birth and babies. As a kid, she had an impressive baby doll collection to prove it and one of the very first shows she remembers watching on repeat is TLC's "A Baby Story". Her journey to birth work was long and sometimes unexpected (she used to work in tech sales). In retrospect, Kelsey says it’s in these unexpected places where the beauty of her soul's purpose was unveiled.

In 2020, after a seven-month-long soul-searching solo backpacking journey around the world, she found her calling to work intimately with women. Today she says she’s living out her life’s purpose as a mama and a doula, and she feels so blessed. She’s passionate about educating and providing resources on fertility and miscarriage as she's gone through her personal conception journey.

Kelsey’s energy is down-to-earth meets divine feminine power. She’s not a "one size fits all" kind of doula. Instead, Kelsey thrives on individual and inclusive connections. She believes deeply that every woman deserves to step into her power as she is born into her life as a mother. She wants to remind you that you're here, and that's your first step to owning your power. You are your best investment, and she sees and supports you!

Aurora Sullivan

Aurora is an East Coast transplant who has been fascinated by all things birth, babies and postpartum from a young age. Since becoming a doula in 2017, she has passionately dedicated herself to empowering families by providing education that ensures they are at the center of their birthing experiences. Although she doesn’t have children of her own yet, Aurora is grateful to be the designated auntie to all the cherished babies around her. She brings in different techniques, adapting to the unique needs of her clients, and is continuously furthering her education to better support them. She deeply believes in guiding families through life’s transitions and loves forming lifelong connections with those she works with. She views birth and postpartum as journeys that are not meant to be traveled alone, and she’s committed to intimately walking alongside families every step of the way.

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In her free time, you can find Aurora reading at the beach, doing some kind of movement to get the blood flowing or enjoying just about anything in the sunshine!

Cristina Merino-LaDuke

Cristina is a loving wife and proud mother of two. She is a certified birth doula and a birth and breastfeeding educator. While her passion for birth and motherhood has always been present, a fire was lit while preparing for and birthing her firstborn. She then knew she had to be a loving source of support, guidance and education for mothers and their partners throughout pregnancy and birth.

As you prepare for birth, Cristina will listen to your wishes and intentions, help calm fears and help you tap into the intuitive power you possess as a mother. You know so much more than you realize, so trusting yourself and your capabilities is the first step in preparing for birth and motherhood.

Pregnancy and birth are so wonderfully unique to each individual. However your birth unfolds, it is Cristina’s wish that as your doula, you and your partner feel safe and supported as you navigate your birthing landscape. She is there to gently remind you just how powerful you are, and she’s honored to be your doula.

Wendy Radin

Wendy has wanted to work with women having babies for as long as she can remember. After the birth of her third child, she started teaching Childbirth Education Association classes. Through this exposure, she had the privilege of attending many births: some in the hospital, some at home, a cesarean, a home breech and one out in the middle of nowhere with no electricity! She loved every one of them.

Wendy went to school to be a doula full-time in late 2000. She later decided to get as much experience as possible, so she started interning at South Coast Midwifery. She completed this training in September 2021 and had the honor of attending multiple births during that time.

Her goal today as a doula is to guide the birthing mom and her partner to be the best possible team in childbirth. She's trained in both Lamaze and Hypnobabies, which she brings into her support. She strives to be your guide and the person you can turn to with any questions or needs regarding a beautiful, informed birth. She’s not there to judge or take over, but rather she's a calming support to make your birthing experience as comfortable as possible. 

Arianna Abrego

Arianna’s mission is to instill trust in your body’s ability to birth your baby. Her desire is for you to believe in your body's intelligence so deeply that your fears can subside and you feel empowered for your birth. Her experiences through each of her three children’s births and the following postpartum periods have led her to her life's calling: birth work. As a doula, she intimately supports you emotionally, mentally and physically while also holding space for the family being born.

Arianna is passionate about educating parents-to-be on physiologic birth, as well as walking them through the first decisions they will make for their baby, based on evidence-based research. She loves to learn and continue her education; she recently became a certified Body Ready Method Pro. This method embraces the natural physiological processes of pregnancy and childbirth, empowering women to trust in their bodies and navigate the transformative journey of bringing new life into the world.

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She's a lactation specialist and will support you in your breastfeeding journey. Her first-hand experience combined with extensive knowledge gives her unique insight and confidence in her role as your advocate. Additionally, Arianna is a birth photographer and is so excited to offer clients photography as a special service add-on. Birth is full of sacred moments and capturing them for her clients to look back on has become a passion of hers. 

Kristen Vetter

Kristen was born and raised in Southern California. She grew up on the beach but has since found her calling for living in the country of Fallbrook with her husband where she raises hens and her two free-range children. Her passion for informed birth started with her first pregnancy and birth, and the fire was flamed with her second. It was then that she knew she was being called to birth work. 

Kristen desires for her clients to feel seen and heard while providing servant-hearted care. She values truth-telling, an open relationship with birther and provider and helping moms achieve the birth story they want. Her relationship with God guides her life and work. She is a Christian doula and brings a comforting light to her clients during their most transformative life events. It is her prayer that the family will have a positive birth experience to cherish for years to come. 

Katy Jepsen

Katy is a homeschooling mama of four, a birth doula and a breastfeeding advocate. She is certified through DONA International as a birth doula and received training as a lactation educator and counselor at UCSD. In the last year, she has actively been assisting midwives in the area as she attends midwifery school to become a homebirth midwife.

The impact of having a doula at her first birth in 2014, solidified that providing labor support as a doula was something she had to pursue. Going on to have three more completely different birth experiences of her own (each with a doula), she has a keen awareness of how each birth is unique. Giving birth is life-changing; she believes every woman should feel supported, comfortable and confident during this intimate time. Katy’s natural talent for education aids her in her goal to hold space for and empower her clients as they make their journeys into motherhood.

Annabel Darden

As a child growing up in Northern California, Annabel spent countless hours climbing trees, collecting rocks and observing wildlife. While she has now swapped mountains for the beaches of South Orange County, her reverence for the perfect design of nature remains - including the innate intelligence of our bodies. 

Through her grounded and nurturing presence, she encourages women to connect to their intuition, facilitating informed and empowered birth experiences. Annabel is fascinated by the intersection of modern evidence-based medicine and ancient wisdom including Ayurveda and yoga. She also incorporates aromatherapy, reiki and massage techniques into her care. She is a believer in the mind-body connection and understands that pregnancy and birth can bring up intense emotions. As a ceramicist, she has seen the power of art as a tool for healing and encourages mothers to experience themselves creatively through crafting birth altarpieces which serve as a powerful focal point during labor. 

She feels grateful to have started her doula journey with the Soul Shine mentorship program and to now be a part of this strong community of birth workers. Annabel is honored to support mothers and babies in the sacred right of passage that is birth.

Amber Soto

Amber is a compassionate doula who is passionate about pregnancy and women's health. Raised in a bustling family, Amber's fascination with the journey of motherhood blossomed as she observed her mother navigate the complexities of pregnancy. As she transitioned into adulthood and began to carve out her career path, she found herself continually drawn back to maternal holistic health.

Through her experience working alongside midwives at Hoag Irvine, she has deepened her passion for supporting families during one of the most transformative experiences of their lives. She believes every birth experience is unique and should be respected as such. Amber encourages open communication and loves cultivating community. Her holistic approach combined with her warm, empathetic nature make her an approachable and trustworthy presence for all those she serves.

When she's not accompanying families, you can find her grounding in the sun at the beach with her two pups or enjoying a cozy afternoon at a coffee shop with her husband. She loves traveling to fuel her spirit and cherishes the little moments that remind her of the joy of nurturing. Amber is enthusiastic and devoted to creating a positive impact in the lives of her clients, building strong connections and gaining heartfelt friendships.

Ibytza Ramirez

At a young age, Ibytza’s curiosity surrounding the power of birth sparked a meaningful path of discovery, guiding her toward ways to serve women in their birth spaces. Having found her heart's true alignment, she is now a passionate and nurturing bilingual doula dedicated to supporting women through the transformative experiences of birth and motherhood. 

With warmth and compassion, Ibytza encourages women to embrace their inner strength and connect with their intuition, reminding them of their innate power to birth. She provides unwavering support and guidance to help create positive birth and postpartum experiences, along with promoting bonding between mama and baby. Her serene energy and grounded presence inspire trust and create lasting connections with the families she serves.

Born in Mexico, Ibytza weaves her cultural roots into her work as a doula, celebrating and preserving the wisdom of her heritage. By incorporating traditional practices, such as the use of the rebozo during pregnancy and labor and preparing nourishing meals that promote postpartum recovery, she honors the knowledge passed down through generations. In her free time, Ibytza finds joy in soaking up sunshine at the beach, hiking the scenic trails of North County San Diego, and nurturing her soul through practices like journaling and breathwork. At her core, she values community and is committed to honoring women in the birth space—and beyond.

Elise Miller

Elise is a birth and postpartum doula in South OC with a passion for all things pregnancy, physiologic birth, lactation and matrescence. As a new mother herself, she deeply relates to the highs, lows, and unique calling on a family during their journey into parenthood. She cares about supporting birth that looks and feels authentic and empowering to each individual, holding space and reverence for matrescence and emotional expansion, and providing education and nurturing to the mother-baby dyad. Something that Elise loves to remind her clients of is that everything they need is already within them. She feels that one of the most rewarding ways she can support a mother is to encourage her to find and trust in their innate, wise maternal instincts so that they can birth and mother with the utmost autonomy and confidence in themselves. 

Joselyn Castellanos

​Yose is a holistic birth and postpartum doula, lactation educator, placenta encapsulator and belly binding specialist serving Orange County. She was born in Orange, California, and raised by her grandparents in Mexico until the age of eight. Her family relied on herbs and homemade remedies for most ailments, but the women in her family had a disconnected and fearful view of childbirth, instilling this same fear in her from a young age. When Yose became pregnant with her first baby, she made a conscious effort to reframe her perspective on birth, replacing fear with a newfound appreciation for its magic.

Following her own empowering birth experiences and extensive self-education, Yose pursued a career in birth and postpartum work by taking a 112-hour training with Bebo Mia in 2021. Since then, she’s had the honor of supporting dozens of families through their birth and postpartum journeys as a bilingual doula. She incorporates her love for herbs, oils and traditional practices into her care. When Yose is not caring for families, she is spending time with her family outdoors, homeschooling or listening to podcasts.

Leisly Martinez

Leisly is a compassionate birth and postpartum doula serving Southern OC and San Diego County. She has over seven years of experience working alongside OBGYN clinics, which is where her passion for birthwork and women’s health all started. With clinical and holistic experience, she strives to create a positive, nurturing and supportive space for all families to thrive.

She also draws on her Mexican heritage to provide bilingual support to families. She incorporates the use of her traditional rebozo during labor to offer comfort, support and guidance. The rebozo serves not only as a physical tool but also as a symbol of warmth, connection and care. Additionally, she nurtures families during the postpartum period, honoring the Mexican tradition of “la cuarentena”, a period of rest and recovery for the new mother. She prepares and shares warm, nourishing traditional meals to provide comfort and help mothers regain strength and bond with their newborns. 

For Leisly, becoming a birth worker is not just about helping families, it’s a deeper personal calling. She feels incredibly fulfilled when she witnesses the joy, love, and connection that come with welcoming a new life into the world. When not attending births or supporting families, Leisly enjoys spending time with her loved ones, finding peace and inspiration in nature, reading a good book and staying active. She equally loves a cozy evening at home as she does making memories on an outdoor adventure.

Barbara Maxey

Barbara is a postpartum doula helping ease parents into the transition of welcoming a new addition into their family. Her goal is to nurture a safe space and independence while giving positive words of encouragement. She offers education, resources and support around the home.

Barbara is a mama herself with over a decade of experience supporting families through the newborn transition. She became a birth worker to provide families with the support and care she desperately needed. She empowers parents on their new journeys and helps them confidently grow into parenthood.

She is available for overnight and day-shift support.

Megan Limon

Megan is that friend you will always have, who will answer you on the first call, brews her own kombucha on the weekends, loves all things cozy, is a fur mom of two long-hair doxies, and loves hiking, sunshine and fairy lights dangling around everything!

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She is a DONA-Certified Postpartum Doula and UCSD-trained Lactation Counselor serving San Diego County. She offers ancient healing methods such as massage, belly binding and craniosacral therapy. She has passionately supported families for the past ten years! 

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Her serene nature allows for bonding and early connection to take place between mom and baby. She feels honored to support the birth of new families! Her organic, modern and holistic focus on motherhood makes her support grounding, strengthening and a source of confidence. She educates and empowers families, while also bringing in refreshing methods of healing such as herbal foot baths, energy work through talk therapy, nutrient-dense soups, belly binding and massage. She wishes you a lifetime of healing and snuggles, and she can’t wait to support you!