Long Beach, California
Lia Berquist
As a Doula and birth worker, I'm committed to supporting you physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I've given birth to two beautiful babies (who are now grown/and almost grown) and I could not have done it without my doula. I have a Bachelors of Science in Human Environmental Sciences – which equates to commercial interior design - but childbirth is my passion. I have been teaching childbirth classes in The Bradley Method ® in Long Beach, California since 2011. In 2012, I became a certified Doula and have since had the honor of witnessing over 350 births. It is my goal to empower women and their partners, through positive education, to give birth in the most natural way possible. The benefits of a natural birth are countless and the value to the birthing parent, baby, and the family unit, are immeasurable. Bradley Method ® classes provide a safe place for parents to explore their options, and weigh the benefits and risks of interventions with which they may be presented, prior to arriving at the labor and delivery room. A doula added to that formula elevates the experience, improving outcomes and birth satisfaction. Education and Experience: • Certified Doula since 2012 (The VBACLink cert in 2019) • Affiliated Bradley Method® Instructor since 2011 • Evidence Based Birth® Instructor since 2018 • B.S. in Human Environmental Sciences, 1996 I'd love to help you advocate for whatever kind of birth YOU want.
Having Lia as a part of my birth team was beyond invaluable and I wish everyone could have Lia in their corner! I was fortunate to have her by my side through two pregnancies and natural unmedicated births as my doula. During my first pregnancy, my husband and I decided to take her Bradley Class in order to prepare for birth (highly recommend!). I didn’t originally have an intention of pursuing a natural unmedicated birth, but a few class sessions in and I was determined to make that happen. I knew I needed Lia as my doula in order to have that extra support and reassurance. Her knowledge and way of communicating all the information around pregnancy, birth, and most importantly advocacy, is that of an expert. Lia made me feel completely supported and empowered to stand firm in my birth goals and do anything and everything needed to put myself in the best possible position to achieve them including when I decided to switch providers late in both pregnancies as they were trying to force unnecessary inductions. She responded to every phone call, text message, and email throughout my pregnancies and even postpartum extremely quickly and helped me calmly navigate the medical system that can be difficult when wanting to go into spontaneous labor. During labor, Lia acted asupported both me and my husband as well as did ALL the things like providing counter pressure, ensuring I stayed hydrated, a barrier to my laborland bubble with hospital staff, etc. I can undoubtedly say that my outcomes would have been much different without her guidance, expertise, and encouragement. If you are thinking about hiring Lia as your doula or taking her class, do both!!
- Kimberly B.
