Kind Words

HIRE MICHI! She hosted a cerrada for me, the traditional closing ceremony 40 days postpartum, and I wish every birthing person was able to experience this offering with her.

I wanted to celebrate what I had gone through in growing and birthing my kids, but I also wanted to process the hard parts and move into the next chapter of parenthood feeling like this chapter was fully honored. The cerrada was the perfect thing to hold all of those pieces.

I don’t normally host or experience ceremonies like this, and my partner had no experience with them either. Michi was so helpful in connecting with me ahead of time to go over what the ceremony would involve, and how we could tailor it specifically to what felt good to me. On the day-of, she came to our home, set up her massage table and made our living room feel special and welcoming. The way she was able to seamlessly transition me and my friends from nervous, excited energy to holding a sacred space was really beautiful. You can tell she was born to do this work; it really comes so naturally to her.

This is just how my cerrada went, and again, she’ll help you find a flow that feels right for you! She began by inviting me to share what my pregnancy, birth & postpartum journey had been like, what I was still holding that I wanted to release, and what I wanted to invite in moving forward. She also made it clear that I didn’t have to share anything out loud if I wasn’t feeling it, and could just set an intention quietly instead. She then hosted a steam for me, and everyone shared blessings and encouraging words while I (and everyone there, honestly) let the tears come. It’s hard to describe how special that time felt. Afterwards, she gave me the most amazing massage (friends went home at this point) and I ended the evening tucked in bed feeling physically amazing and spiritually full.

I cannot recommend Michi’s ceremonial work more highly. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Michi!

–Keelia / June 2022

I engaged Michi during my postpartum period shortly after my birth doula became unavailable. Michi was so wonderful at my sealing (closing) ceremony.  Her warmth and gentleness were a comforting, welcoming presence at this very intimate and deeply personal experience. Our time together was very personalized and focused and I found that she provided a very calming/encouraging backdrop for releasing, processing and centering myself after my second birth – a long, and eventful VBAC. I so appreciate her touch, music, herbs, binding, wrapping, burning – such a sensational ‘dance.’  I would happily recommend Michi and especially this sealing ceremony to others wishing to pursue this transformative postpartum experience. So grateful to have connected.

–Nicolette / September 2021

Michi was our family’s doula for the birth of our first child. We sought her out because we were looking for someone to educate us and to guide my husband in his support role. Michi was so patient, open and kind. My birth was not the one I had planned, but Michi helped me understand my options and encouraged me to advocate for myself. Ultimately, I think the biggest gift she gave each of us – myself, my husband, and our baby, was her grounding. Michi has a heightened level of awareness that was invaluable during a time of what felt like uncertainty for us. The post birth photos Michi took and the watercolor placenta print she made are my most prized birth memories! After our daughter was born, she was amazing resource for me – she taught me how to bind my abdomen and she and her partner doula performed a closing ceremony for me that set me on the path for closure. Michi will forever be an important part of our birth story ❤

–Trish, Dennis, and baby Zola / July 2021

We were extremely lucky to find Michi. We searched for a while in the Oakland area and with her, we had a connection very quickly because of her kindness, intelligence, and openness. It really helped us understand what was coming and how to prepare for the home birth. As a new father, I felt that I had no tools to support my wife and Michi was there to listen to us and support us physically and emotionally during and after our baby was born. It has been amazing to have Michi as support during this time.

–Angel, Sarah & baby Ketzal / November 2020

Michi was an incredible help to us when we had our twins. She was great with our boys, professional and trustworthy enough to leave alone at our home with them, she even helped us take care of ourselves in the early stages of parenthood by checking in with us mentally and emotionally. She was very supportive of all of our parenting decisions, and also affirmative in helping us assess a choice we made that deviated from our pediatrician’s advice. We are very grateful for all the help she gave us and can’t recommend her highly enough.

–Lisa, Stephen & babies Lucas and Diego / January 2019

Michi is truly a rare blend of professionalism, spirituality, openness, kindness, and love. Through her guidance and partnership I could be completely vulnerable and open throughout my pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum. She was also great at making room for my husband and supporting him as needed. Her abilities and strengths as a doula have been invaluable through such a transformative experience for our family. She is self aware, poised, and grounded. In addition to providing self-care materials and guiding us in creating our birth preferences, Michi helped us make room for mindfulness and ceremony to connect with ancestors. This allowed me to feel empowered and supported as we welcomed our baby earthside. This preparation and spiritual support from Michi made it much easier to get through a labor and delivery that did not go as planned. I had to make tough and fast decisions, and Michi was great at explaining my options and answering questions so I could make informed and assertive decisions.I am also extremely grateful Michi supported me postpartum. I was honored that she was able to prepare and encapsulate my placenta. The capsules, broth, tincture, and keepsakes were created with great care and continue to be vital in my self-care postpartum. She also has a solid professional network and was able to connect me to a wonderful board certified lactation consultant when I thought I was not able to continue breastfeeding. It is a blessing and an honor to have Michi be part of my pregnancy and birth story. Through our conversations and work together I have been able to connect with my ancestors and history, allowing me to feel truly supported as a new mom.

— Hannah, Chester & baby Alessandra / November 2018

I truly cannot say enough good things about my experience working with Michi and about Michi as a person. Michi helped me and my family with post-partum support. I was connected to Michi through a past post-partum client.  I was going through the rough early newborn days with a baby who had a tough case of reflux and everyone was functioning on very little sleep.  Not to mention an older child who was having a difficult time adjusting to having to share her parent’s attention.  When I asked my friend, what’s the difference between hiring a post-partum doula and a babysitter?  My friend wisely replied – “A doula is a baby expert”. And Michi is DEFINTELY a baby expert!  She’s also a baby whisperer and an INCREDIBLE new-parent supporter. Friends and family members want to help, but they don’t always know HOW to help in the most impactful way. Michi intuitively knew and confidently stepped in when she saw a need and provided support in a way that I could not have articulated clearly until after the fact. Michi is smart and intelligent, kind and gentle – to both babies and adults. She arrived when our baby girl was just 8 weeks old, we were sort of flailing and in survival mode. Once Michi walked into our lives, our entire household gained a sense of calm that it had been desprately looking for. She helped us learn to read our baby’s cues better (as a second time parent I thought I’d know how to do it again – and I STILL had so much to learn from Michi!).  She got our baby on a better sleep cycle and awake routine. Until Michi arrived it felt like the baby was always grumpy and nursing non-stop and I was constantly in a state of panic.  With Michi’s help I slowly felt myself returning back to myself and was more able to enjoy time with my older child, my family, as well as enjoy my baby more now that she was truly rested. Michi is now a part of our family.

— Carolyn, Matt & baby Lark / November 2018

Michi is not only a wonderful human, but one that has a true love and passion for supporting others, both families and infants alike.

She met our little guy when he was 2 weeks old, and has been an incredibly helpful and giving soul over the past months. She has been flexible with her schedule and type of support (morning, nights, days, weekends) and has gone beyond what many others have done to ensure we are able to get rest and be present at this important time.

She not only gives her time and expertise but her love. I will forever treasure a video she recently shared where our 4 month old is talking at the camera while she caresses his head lovingly. Being able to know that your brand new soul is not only safe and taken care of, but loved…it is priceless.

Thank you for everything Michi.

— Jack & Baby Everette / June 2018

Michi was with our family as a postpartum Doula from the time my son was 3 weeks old until he was almost 5 months old. She is an incredibly intuitive and kind person. Her presence with both the baby and our entire family was always calming. She is naturally sensitive to the postpartum changes, anxieties, and adjustments that families endure and somehow, quietly, just seemed to make everything better. I would highly recommend Michi as a Doula. She is, and will always be, a treasured part of our family.

— Lauren & Baby E / June 2018

Michi was my doula for the birth of our second child. With her support we had an unmedicated natural birth at Kaiser, Oakland. Grounded, attuned, intuitive, warm and highly knowledgeable about birth, she was everything I needed in a birth support. From our very first interview at the start of my 3rd trimester, Michi had a way of integrating herself into our home that felt familiar and comfortable. This was also true of her presence at the hospital, where she was a graceful bridge/translator between us and the Kaiser staff, and received multiple compliments from the nurses.

What I think Michi did really well was to be a solid attuned presence through every moment of my labor. I felt so held and supported, especially in the moments of intense physical and emotional sensation. She gave us immediate and easy to grasp advice in response to the hospital’s offers of interventions, helping me decide which techniques were aligned with my values and which weren’t. And before and after the birth she has been super accessible and responsive in giving me great support by text and in our 3 pre/post partum sessions.

I highly recommend Michi as a Doula. She will bring an abundance of heart, wisdom and ease to your birth journey. We never know how it will go once the birth process begins, so be sure to choose a doula who can ride with you through the magical and unexpected waves as you prepare to meet your baby!

— Sparlha, Toby, & baby Kairu / March 2018

My wife and I were looking for a doula in the East Bay. After interviewing various candidates, we decided to go with Michi. Her friendliness, commitment to being a doula, as well as knowledge set her apart from other doulas. During the first prenatal visit, Michi shared with us resources on nutrition, childbirth options, and ideas to create birth preferences. We shared our experience and journey with Michi and it was great to build an important and significant relationship with our doula. When my wife and I had concerns about the labor, Michi provided information and useful suggestions. When the due date finally came (a week early) Michi was responsive and came when we requested her to come. She and I helped my wife through her contractions and by the time we arrived at triage she was dilated enough to be admitted. Michi stayed with us through the labor and six hours later our beautiful baby arrived. Michi also seamlessly took amazing pictures of the birth of our baby. We have timeless memories to look back upon thanks to the pictures she took. I could not imagine going through this journey without Michi.

— Fili, Ari & baby JP / October 2017

Queria te agradecer por toda sua ajuda e excelente trabalho, e dizer que voce foi fundamental no meu trabalho de parto saudável e lindo como eu sonhava! // I wanted to thank you for all of your help and excellent job, and say that you were fundamental in my having a healthy and beautiful labor like I had dreamed!

— Julia & baby Valentina / February 2017

Your postpartum C-section support helped a lot. I felt a release of inflammation that completely helped me get through the achy tight feeling. Thank you soo much! And thank you for all your encouragement and support with everything, especially breast feeding.

— Nneka & baby Loe Royce/ February 2017

My experience with the Hatch program was educational and eye-opening, and the best part of it all was having my lovely doulas Michi and Melissa to help guide me every step with information, questions, or concerns about anything. If you’re a first-time mom having a hard time with having support or need more information on becoming a mom, having a doula can be an eye-opening experience.

— Shardé & baby Anthony / October 2016

A few Quetzal Doula hatchlings

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