I'm a queer, Black birth worker offering sliding scale doula care in the East Bay. I was born and raised in Oakland and I only take on a handful of clients at a time so that I can give you as much individualized attention as possible.
I trained as a full-spectrum doula in 2021 with Sumi's Touch and have been actively supporting clients in the transformative process of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum for over a year. Before that, I worked as an infant-toddler teacher for years and I incorporate education on newborn care in my work as a doula. I believe that education and information is critical to you being able to make choices that work best for you and go into birth with confidence and grounding in your abilities and understanding of your own body and baby.
The goal of every birth is to create an environment and process that is uniquely comfortable and grounding for the person giving birth and so I provide a number of prenatal sessions to prepare parents with the knowledge and tools to make their own informed decisions while also being ready to step in and advocate on behalf of the parents' needs at any point.
I am particularly interested in mindful birthing and finding the methods of pain reduction that work for each person, building a birth environment that feels as familiar and homey as possible (music, lighting, calming scents, etc), and being anything and everything you may need from home to the hospital, whether that be a coach, cook, massage therapist, fierce advocate, or photographer. I also have an affinity for postpartum care that encompasses lactation support, postpartum healing, herbal remedies, baby care, or just doing your dishes so you don’t have to worry about that too.
I was in labor for three days, and I can’t imagine how I would’ve managed without Leila. She is the support every person deserves during this process. She listened to my needs and helped me create a birth plan that reflected my personality. At the hospital, she advocated for me fiercely, pushing for alternatives that aligned with my wishes, even when the medical team repeatedly fear-mongered. Postpartum, she offered invaluable advice that helped me process my labor experience and navigate lactation. I am incredibly grateful that I had her by my side.
- Hafeezah A.