Maria Depaz - Birth & Postpartum Doula

About Maria

Hello, my name is Maria Depaz. I was born and raised in Monterey County, California, and I have always carried a deep passion for medicine, community care, and teaching. For over 12 years, I have worked in the medical field as a CNA, Medical Assistant and Phlebotomist, with experience in pediatrics, family medicine, urgent care, and psychiatric care. I am NICU Certified and currently serve families as a Full Spectrum Doula, supporting individuals through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, abortion, pregnancy loss, and reproductive experiences with compassionate and culturally rooted care. Alongside my medical background, I incorporate traditional Mexican healing practices that have been passed through generations in our communities. This includes sobadas, cerradas de caderas, baños, and postpartum care that honors the body, spirit, and transition into parenthood. I truly believe care is human, and my motivation to support my community is deeply rooted in my experiences within the medical field. While I may not have become a doctor, I do not see that as a limitation, but rather as a gift. My roles allowed me to build meaningful connections, provide quality care, and truly get to know the patients and families we served within our community. Through those experiences, I learned that healing is not only found in medicine, but also in compassion, trust, advocacy, and human connection. Those lessons continue to guide the way I care for families today. My approach blends clinical knowledge with nurturing, human-centered support. I believe families deserve care that is informed, respectful, culturally connected, and centered around trust, consent, education, and dignity through every stage of their journey.

Availability

Taking new clients

Due Jan – Aug 2027

Confirmed 5 weeks ago

Due date close to the edge of this window?

Birth & Postpartum Doula packages and pricing

Nueva Vida Full Spectrum Care Package

A deeply supportive experience honoring pregnancy, birth, postpartum healing, and family transition through holistic and culturally rooted care. Includes: • 2 Prenatal Visits • Continuous labor & birth support • 3 Postpartum visits • 24/7 text & phone support throughout care • Your choice of traditional bodywork support (sobada, baño, or cerrada de caderas) • Birth photography + postpartum/lifestyle session • Keepsake prints or Polaroids • Emotional, educational, and physical support throughout your reproductive journey • Personalized care tailored to your family’s needs • Partner support guidance & birth preparation Payment plans available.

$3,500 USD · Flat rate

Nueva Vida Supported Birth Package

A balanced support package for families seeking deeper hands-on guidance, postpartum care, and keepsake memories throughout their journey. Includes: • 2 Prenatal Visits • Continuous labor & birth support • 2 Postpartum visits • Ongoing text & phone support • Your choice of one traditional bodywork offering • Lifestyle postpartum mini session OR birth photography highlights • 5 printed photographs or 5 Polaroids • Partner support guidance & birth preparation Payment plans available

$2,400 USD · Flat rate

Nueva Vida Essential Care Package

A supportive and accessible package created for families wanting compassionate, culturally rooted doula care during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Includes: • 1 Prenatal Visit • Continuous labor & birth support • 1 Postpartum visit • Limited text support throughout care • Birth education, comfort measures, and emotional support • Your choice of one traditional postpartum care offering (sobada, baño, or cerrada de caderas) • Partner support guidance & birth preparation Payment plans available.

$1,500 USD · Flat rate

Accepted insurance

Central California Alliance for Health Message Maria to confirm coverage for your plan.

What to expect

Bilingual Full Spectrum Doula and NICU Certified birth worker offering compassionate, culturally rooted support for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, abortion, and pregnancy loss. With over 12 years of medical experience in pediatrics, family medicine, urgent care, and mental health, I blend clinical knowledge with human-centered care. I also incorporate traditional Mexican healing practices including sobadas, baños, and cerradas de caderas.

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Certifications, training, and specialties

Certification and training

Doula Certificate (2024)
NICU Doula Certificate (2026)
Medi-Cal Certified Doula (2026)

Memberships and affiliations

Parenting Connection of Monterey County

Languages

English, Spanish

Specialties

Abortion Doula Care Birth Doula Birth Photographer Birth Support Birth Videography Bodywork Breastfeeding Photography Family Photography Herbal Postpartum Care Home Birth Hospital Birth Infant Care Maternity and Family Photography Maternity and Newborn Photographer Maternity Photography Natural Birth Natural Childbirth Newborn, Baby, & Birth Photography Postpartum Care Postpartum Doula Care Postpartum Photography Pregnancy Loss Premature Infants Prenatal Care Sibling Preparation Spirituality Support during Labor, Birth, and Postpartum Support in Pregnancy Loss Teenagers

Frequently asked questions

FAQ-Doula Support

What is a Full Spectrum Doula? A Full Spectrum Doula provides emotional, physical, and informational support through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, abortion, pregnancy loss, and reproductive experiences. Do you offer bilingual support? Yes. I offer support in both English and Spanish. Do you support hospital, home, and birth center births? Yes. I support families in hospitals, birth centers, and home birth settings. What areas do you serve? I primarily serve Monterey County and surrounding areas. Travel outside the county may include an additional fee. Do you offer payment plans? Yes. Payment plans are available for most packages. What does “on-call” support mean? For birth support packages, I remain on-call surrounding your estimated due date and available when labor begins. Do you replace medical providers? No. Doulas do not provide medical care or clinical diagnoses. My role is to provide emotional, physical, educational, and advocacy-based support alongside your medical team. What traditional practices do you offer? I incorporate culturally rooted care practices including sobadas, baños, cerradas de caderas, grounding support, and postpartum nurturing traditions. Do you support pregnancy loss or abortion care? Yes. I provide compassionate and respectful support through abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth, TFMR, and other reproductive experiences. What happens if you cannot attend my birth? In the rare event of an emergency or illness, a trusted backup doula will be discussed whenever possible.

Frequently Asked Questions — Postpartum & Bodywork Support

What is a sobada? A sobada is a traditional bodywork practice rooted in Mexican healing traditions that uses gentle massage techniques to support relaxation, recovery, circulation, and connection to the body. What is a cerrada de caderas? A cerrada de caderas is a traditional postpartum closing ceremony that may include a baño, cacao, grounding care, and rebozo closing techniques to honor the body’s transition after birth. When can I receive postpartum bodywork? Most families receive postpartum care after birth once they feel ready and medically stable, but timing can be personalized to your needs. Do I need to prepare anything before a session? A quiet and comfortable space is helpful. Additional preparation instructions will be shared before your appointment. Can partners or family members be present? Yes, depending on your comfort and the type of support being provided. Do you offer overnight postpartum support? Yes. Overnight support may be added based on availability. Can I add more postpartum hours later? Yes. Additional postpartum support hours may be added as needed based on availability.

Frequently Asked Questions — Photography Services

What style of photography do you offer? My photography style is documentary, lifestyle-based, and focused on authentic connection and emotion rather than heavy posing. Will you photograph everything during birth? Your comfort and consent always come first. Birth photography is guided by your preferences and the environment of your birth space. Is birth photography ever limited? Yes. Photography coverage may be limited based on hospital, provider, or birth center policies, as well as medical situations that may arise during labor or birth. My priority is always to respect your care team, your privacy, and the safety of you and your baby while documenting meaningful moments whenever possible. How many photos will I receive? Each package includes a different number of edited images. Additional images may be purchased separately. How long does it take to receive my gallery? Standard gallery turnaround is typically within 3 weeks unless otherwise discussed. Sneak peeks may be provided earlier. Can family members be included in sessions? Yes. Partners, siblings, and loved ones are welcome to be included. Do you travel for sessions? Yes. Travel outside Monterey County may include an additional fee. What happens if my labor is long? Birth photography coverage is discussed ahead of time, and extended coverage may be added if needed. Do you offer Fresh 48 sessions? Yes. Fresh 48 sessions are available separately or as an add-on to birth photography packages. Can I print my photos? Yes. All final galleries include personal printing rights.