Meet SJ
SJ is an experienced, certified full-spectrum doula, and has been supporting families through pregnancy, labor/birth, and postpartum since 2018.
As a labor doula, she has supported families in hospitals, in birth centers, and at home, through vaginal births and caesareans, inductions and intervention-free labors. Her approach to supporting families is integrative of evidence-based information and holistic, culturally-responsive care.
As a postpartum doula, SJ has experience supporting parents with postpartum depression and anxiety, parents who have experienced prior loss/grief/miscarriage, and those recovering from c-sections and difficult births. She will unconditionally respect and support your decisions around infant feeding, whether you choose to breastfeed/chestfeed, bottle-feed and/or formula feed. As a Lactation Counselor and Educator, SJ has the knowledge and experience to answer common questions about breastfeeding and lactation.
SJ brings a grounding, supportive presence to families during the pregnancy and postpartum period, and advocates for families to have a safe, informed, and empowered journey into parenthood. Her work as a doula is guided by values of reproductive justice and birth equity.
SJ is also a public health researcher at the University of Illinois – Chicago with a focus on maternal and infant health. She has an MPH in Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology from UIC, and a B.A. in Neuroscience from Amherst College, and brings her background of research and data science into her work as a doula, helping families make evidence-informed decisions.
In her free time, SJ enjoys spending time with her own baby and family, reading, knitting, and exploring Chicago restaurants.
Families describe SJ as caring, confident, incredibly helpful, amazing with their baby, kids and entire family.