Oakland, California
Krystal Vélez-Gómez-Edwards
My name is Krystal Brisette Vélez-Gómez-Edwards and I am of Indigenous-Mexicana and Nicaragüense descent. I am open to supporting all births of all beliefs and practices. I am passionate about my own cultural work and practicing as a traditional, Mexican doula, acknowledging birth as ceremony. My first career path was in nursing until I discovered my dismay with Western medicine and healthcare. Years later I experienced the birth of my son, Michael, who is now 16. I was 21 and had no support outside of my marriage, I had no clue what I was doing and I didn't know what I didn't know. I ate awfully and gained at least 70 pounds. When my water broke and I was admitted to the hospital, I was soon told I would need a cesarean due to my son going into "distress." I planned to have a natural birth, but here I was receiving an epidural (fentanyl!) and being cut open and tugged at from within. I was so detached from my own body. My baby was taken from the room and I didn't have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits and pleasure of skin-to-skin bonding, our 'golden hour' to breastfeed peacefully. I suffered from postpartum depression and learned to bury and forget the experience because I figured that's just how it was. It wasn't until years later that it came up for me and was a catalyst for many positive changes in my life. I was a few years into healing work with indigenous medicines and in one of my own ceremonies, I received a calling to bring ceremony back to birth, along with visions of burying a placenta at a sacred tree. I began researching traditional Mexican birth work to discover that this was in fact an indigenous tradition. I dedicated myself to the journey of birth work. I obtained training in many facets of holistic birth work and traditional, Mexican birth work, including herbalism to support birth and postpartum, womb healing, rebozo work, techniques for comfort and pain management as well as repositioning breech babies, lactation support, craniosacral therapy, cerrada de caderas (traditional closing ceremony), and the list continues to grow. I have been studying safe use of psychedelics during pregnancy and birth. As a traditional, certified holistic birth and postpartum doula, my primary role is to provide emotional, physical, and informational support to you during pregnancy, labor, childbirth, and beyond. I believe birth work is sacred and magical. Most importantly, I'm passionate about incorporating traditional practices into my work, which means I can also draw on indigenous knowledge and rituals to enhance and support your desired birthing experience. Together, we'll navigate this journey, ensuring you feel empowered and well-supported throughout.
Cristal was absolutely essential to my uncomplicated delivery of my child. Her warmth and knowledge gave me the confidence and peace to go within myself and have an unmedicated delivery in the hospital. Being able to text her with any questions during and before early labor was incredibly comforting and helpful. Cristal was also a tremendous support for my mom and husband in the hospital, making the whole experience more personalized and less stressful. She provided them with the confidence and reassurance they needed, creating a calm and supportive environment for all of us. At the end of my quarentena, Cristal performed my cerada de caderas ceremony, which was beautiful and just the pampering I needed. This ceremony helped me reconnect with my roots and heal from my previous two birthing experiences. Cristal's support, both during and after delivery, was invaluable, and I am deeply grateful for her presence during this important time in my life. Thank you, Cristal, for everything you've done for me and my family!
- Rocío G.
