Dena

  • Basic Birth Package: $3000

    • 2 prenatals

    • Birth support

    • 2 postpartum checkins

    • generous phone and email support

    Birth and Extended Postpartum Package: $3500

    • 2 prenatal sessions

    • Birth Support

    • 4 postpartum 3hr visits

    • Generous phone, text, email support

    • 10hr visits over the first few months postpartum.

    • $60/hr with min booking of 30 hrs (extra for twins)

    • Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula

    • Certified Lactation Counselor

    • Licensed Massage Therapist

    • Licensed Acupuncturist

    • Certified Hypnobirthing® Parent Educator

    • Spinning Babies Aware® Practitioner

    • Dynamic Body Balancing Facilitator: Craniosacral Therapist

    • Infant CPR certified

    • Single parents

    • Preemies

    • Twins

    • VBACs

    • LGBTQ families

    • Hypno families

    • Home birth

    • Unmedicated birth

    • High risk

    • Trauma informed care

    • People with mood disorders

Dena brings her years of clinical experience as an acupuncturist, herbalist, and massage therapist to her clients, using hands-on support to help enhance physical comfort during birth. She is able to keep a calm, warm presence, while helping parents understand what their providers present and supporting them as they navigate potentially changing terrain. Dena is passionate about preserving agency and bodily autonomy throughout the birthing process, which she knows looks different for each individual.

In her postpartum work, Dena brings her many years of childcare experience. Her approach is to follow parents' lead, while offering education and resources to support infant safety and comfort, as well as family bonding. However, for those who feel uncertain she is happy to offer as much support as is needed to help parents learn and feel confident in their new role. This period can be a big transition and she values being able to help families navigate this sometimes unpredictable period. Dena is experienced with twin support, and happy to help parents of twins with this transition.

Dena is experienced in supporting a wide range of individuals and various familial configurations with open-minded, compassionate care.

  • "Hiring Dena to be my doula was one of the best decisions of my entire life, and that is not hyperbolic! Having her at my birth made me feel safe and calm, and she honestly did not miss a beat emotionally, physically, and spiritually during a very difficult labor. I'm so so happy she was there for me and my husband. She also helped to guide my husband to better help me and feel more comfortable. I would recommend her to anyone - she is honestly a guardian angel!"

    MB

  • "Dena is a phenomenal doula! From the moment I first talked with Dena, I could tell she's a very personable, easy going person who will also stick up for you during your pregnancy, birth and, beyond. And she went above and beyond my expectations! One of the big reasons we went with Dena over other doulas we interviewed was her ability to put her own preferences for birth aside to be a true confidant through the whole birthing process without judgment or expectation. During my labor, Dena was so helpful. It did not go according to plan and went a lot longer than I ever expected and Dena was there through it all, providing a sounding board for ideas, reassurance during and after the really tough times and her strong hands/arms to provide accupressure where I needed it the most. I am so grateful to Dena, without her as my doula I don't know what my husband and I would've done. She seriously has gone above and beyond and has been a true companion through this whole process. I would highly recommend her as a doula to anyone!"

    AH

  • "Working with Dena was one of the best decisions my wife and I made during our pregnancy. We contacted her about two months before our due date, and she was gracious enough to give us hours of her time explaining how the process would work (even recommending meeting in person before signing the contract). That openness and authenticity alleviated any concerns with working together. Dena's expertise proved most valuable during labor and delivery. While my wife was suffering through piercing contractions, Dena implemented some hip presses/exercises that helped her endure the pain better, and stuck with the birth plan we created even though anesthesiologists were getting a bit pushy. To this day, my wife cannot imagine getting through the entire ordeal without Dena (at least without losing parts of her sanity). It would be an understatement to say that Dena mentally, physically, and emotionally got us through this whirlwind of a journey, and we're so grateful that she was there every step of the way."

    AL

  • "We were so fortunate to have Dena as our doula during our perinatal journey. Her extensive knowledge of childbirth and newborn care, combined with her background in Chinese Medicine and Massage, made us confident in our decision to have her by our side. Dena made every effort to support us in every way possible, including multiple home visits leading up to and after the birth of our daughter. She worked with my husband to give him the confidence and skills he needed to help comfort me during labor. Since the birth, Dena has been in constant contact with us and has gone above and beyond to help us transition into parenthood. Her postpartum visits brought great comfort to my husband and me as we struggled to figure out how to feed our baby girl. Dena has a great sense for what is needed in any given moment - she knows when to speak up, when to nurture, and when to be invisible. Finding the right doula was a very difficult journey for me...Dena was so incredibly patient throughout that time. It is so clear that I made the right choice!! We will forever be grateful to have had Dena as our doula!!!"

    AF

  • "Dena has been a very big help to my family .. i am a new mom to twins she comes in and takes over for late nights and gives me words of encouragement and positivity. Dena takes very good care of the twins and leaves notes for the morning on details that happened in the night . Dena is a great support to parents and babies on whatever they need."

    LH

  • "Dena is an absolute delight! She is extraordinarily knowledgeable on anything and everything baby and post-partum. She's an amazing partner and team player in the early post-partum weeks and months and an extremely calming presence. She has a healing quality about her that is a pleasure to have around. I only wish she could stay forever!"

    JM

  • "Her help early on with breastfeeding has been vital. The baby is in the NICU still and will be there for a total of 4-6 weeks. Because of Dena, I had the tools I needed to get my breastmilk flowing really well so that I can take it to the NICU daily for his feedings. It makes me feel so good that I can contribute to his health and wellness. I know that with the stressed state of mind I was in from the shock of the impending pre-term birth and hospital stay in general, I wouldn't have gotten off to as good a start without Dena. Dena has been checking in on us since the delivery, given advice, and is available for my questions any time. She has offered to come help us open boxes of baby stuff, and also to come by the NICU to help with breast feeding when baby is ready to try (unfortunately only 3 people are allowed to visit the NICU over the whole course of his stay so me, my husband, and mom fill that quota already). I am looking forward to her coming to see us at home after the baby is discharged from the NICU! I am so happy that we went with Dena. She is an amazing human and amazing doula. Highly recommend. 10 out of 10!"

    CM

  • "I'm very grateful to have had Dena as a knowledgeable guide during my first pregnancy and postpartum. She and her partner Christina made themselves available to support me as needed with all questions and new learning that arose. I felt very seen throughout the entire process and most importantly when I was in the throes of an unmedicated birth with intense labor pains. My husband was very loving and involved, but with Dena's experience and encouragement, I had the confidence I needed to have a beautiful and healthy birth. "

    Brianna

  • "I had my first baby at home and, thank G-d, Dena was my doula and not someone else. Dena is a G-d send! She is compassionate, caring, understanding, encouraging, and extremely knowledgeable. Dena is there for you with you in every circumstance and situation. She is extraordinarily intuitive and very wise. She knew exactly where to help alleviate as much pain, stress and fear with a hands-on approach. Dena, may you be blessed!! You chose a beautiful profession for which you are so suited! Thank you!"

    Rose

  • "Dena is AMAZING in every single way. I cannot recommend her highly enough! Leading up to my birth she made me feel so comfortable and cared for. She took a great interest in my birth plan and was so organized…to make sure I was able to include everything I wanted in my home birth. She is extremely knowledgeable and has excellent resources…She took the time to teach my partner and other support people different exercises to do with me in preparation for the birth as well as pain management techniques…During the birth she helped so much with pain management and seemed to know exactly what I needed and when. Her extensive background in bodywork no doubt was helpful. I will have Dena as my doula for any future births, and you should too. Seriously, look no further. Dena is the crème de la crème of doulas. A million stars for Dena!!!"

    Rebekah

  • "Dena was without a doubt my most important resource for navigating pregnancy, birth, and coming home with a newborn….nothing can compare to the support and insight provided by Dena. She was available when I needed her, attentive to my needs, and always willing to meet me where I was at when facing difficulties. I felt continually seen and respected by Dena. Beyond emotional support, Dena is deeply knowledgeable and proved to be an endless source of wisdom. For every issue or fear I encountered Dena would always have suggestions that helped me reach a level of calm I do not think would have been possible without her. On the birthing day itself Dena’s calm demeanor and ability to match my energy throughout the day was invaluable. Dena is such an integral part of my birth story that I truly cannot picture this journey without her. Dena comes as highly recommended by me as possible."

    Marissa

  • "[Dena] was incredible to work with from start to finish. Very sweet, kind, knowledgeable and offered me so many resources. She taught my husband and I exercises to get me prepared for birth but most importantly was the rock that we both needed to feel confident when the time came…I don't know how I would have done it without her!!! She kept me grounded and calm, with words of encouragement and just a solid energy by my side. I knew everything was going to be okay because she was there. I was able to have the fully unmedicated birth with no interventions just as I wanted! Postpartum she has still been amazing…offering craniosacral therapy and working on latching the baby. She taught us how to use a baby carrying wrap and gave us many tips and tricks. I am so beyond thankful and grateful I chose her for this journey. "

    Talia

  • "We were struggling. Out of the hospital with a newborn trying to breast-feed, We were ecstatic seeing a few drops after pumping for 30 minutes, before realizing this is not good.. my wife's breast is it like a hard coconut, pain, and we don't know what to do. With a long night ahead of us, it felt really doomy and heavy. Dena came in, assessed where we are, and gave a very non-sugar-coating description of what's happening…She started almost the whole night doing hand expression, trying different things, while explaining to us different techniques we could do at home. she worked two nights by my wife bedside…It worked! We were able to catch up quite a bit and on the track to be able to fully breastfeed. I would recommend Dena to anybody that needs help. I also will happily have her back again if we need more help. "

    Lei

  • "[Dena] was compassionate and validating of everything I was going through and empowered me to feel like I was doing a great job, even at my lowest. I required extra help after my c-section, and on nights when Dena was unable to make it, she seamlessly coordinated an all-star team of doulas to come and take care of us. Everyone she sent to our home was fantastic and we felt so safe with baby Sophia in their hands…the nights as well as my milk oversupply were the most challenging…Having Dena up at all hours by my side, comforting me and advising me, made all the difference. I truly cannot imagine going through this experience without Dena’s support. We miss her energy in our home, and will always be grateful for the love she gave to me and my baby when we needed it most."

    Jacqueline

  • "I would highly recommend using Dena as a doula! She is extremely knowledgeable and took the time to make sure that I was informed and that my voice was being heard. Thinking back at my labor, I don't know what I would have done if Dena was not in the room with me. She was there to comfort me, give me different exercises to do to move along labor, apply counter pressure when needed, and make sure that I was comfortable with all the decisions that needed to be made. She also pushed for breastfeeding right away which I attribute to why my baby was able to latch so well."

    Sara

  • "Dena…was very responsive right from the beginning. We had our first talk on the phone and she was very informative and answered any questions I had. Immediately, I decided on using her services as a doula. She also encouraged meeting with me in person before I signed the contract, which was really nice of her. She showed my husband some moves to help me during contractions and provided me materials to prep my body for delivery. My birth plan consisted of an unmedicated birth (no epidural) and other things and I was able to achieve them with Dena's help. She played a HUGE role in prepping my body and providing me physical and emotional support during labor. I could not have done it without her! I highly recommend working with Dena if you are looking for a more holistic approach to a natural delivery! "

    Connie

  • "[Dena] is a very personable, easy going person who will also stick up for you during your pregnancy, birth and, beyond…we went with Dena over other doulas…was her ability to put her own preferences for birth aside to be a true confidant…without judgment or expectation…[my labor] did not go according to plan and went a lot longer than I ever expected and Dena was there through it all, providing a sounding board for ideas, reassurance during and after the really tough times and her strong hands/arms to provide acupressure where I needed it the most. She took beautiful pictures of me, my husband and our baby, too. And postpartum she's been a huge help too with everything…I am so grateful to Dena, without her as my doula I don't know what my husband and I would've done. She seriously has gone above and beyond and has been a true companion through this whole process."

    Andi

  • "Dena is amazing. She is patient and caring and smart and intuitive. She was wonderful with the baby and the whole family. I can't recommend her enough. She is very knowledgeable"

    Andi