LGBTQ+ Affirming Doulas in San Jose, CA

These providers list LGBTQ+ families as a specialty. Read their profiles and reviews, and message the ones who feel right for your family.

44 LGBTQ+ Affirming Doulas near San Jose, CA

Naoko Sumii

Cupertino, California

5.0 (7 reviews)

Naoko Sumii

15 years of experience
Accepts insurance
Responds within an hour

Hello! I’m Naoko. I am a Japanese-trained midwife, birth and postpartum doula, lactation counselor, childbirth educator, and mother of four. Before moving to the United States, I worked as a midwife in Japan, supporting families throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Since moving to the San Francisco Bay Area, I have continued supporting families as a doula with compassionate, evidence-based, and personalized care. My approach is centered on the person giving birth. I believe every birthing person deserves to feel heard, respected, informed, and supported in making decisions that are right for them and their family. I draw on both my medical knowledge and my personal experience raising four children to provide practical, compassionate, and individualized support. I welcome families of all backgrounds, races, cultures, gender identities, and sexual orientations, including LGBTQ+ families. I support a wide range of birth preferences and experiences, including unmedicated birth, epidural birth, induction, VBAC, and cesarean birth. I also offer childbirth education, breastfeeding and lactation guidance, prenatal yoga, and bilingual support in English and Japanese. My goal is to help each family feel confident, supported, and empowered throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum journey.

Recent review

I am so glad I had Naoko by my side during my delivery. She is so warm, kind, and easy to talk to. My labor was long and challenging, but she supported me through every step of the way. I honestly don’t know if I could have gotten through it without her help. She gave me great advice on when to do certain things, like taking a bath or asking for medication, which was incredibly helpful. I felt so much more comfortable and reassured knowing she was there. Her postpartum support was also amazing! She cooked for me ( she is a really good cook!), and was so helpful with breastfeeding as well. Having her support during those early days made such a big difference.

- Masako M.

Rosangela Braganca

Livermore, California

5.0 (2 reviews)

Rosangela Braganca

38 years of experience
Accepts insurance
Responds within an hour

I’m a certified Postpartum Doula, Certified Postpartum Nutritional Professional, Sleep Consultant and Lactation supporter. I’ve been working with families in the Bay Area for over 37 years and I absolutely love being part of this new phase of bringing a brand new baby home, weather this baby is your biological or adopted.

Recent review

We are incredibly grateful to have had Rosangela as our doula during our baby’s first month of life. From day one, she was punctual, reliable, and—most importantly—exceptionally caring with our newborn. Rosangela supported us for four weeks and was flexible with her schedule, even accommodating our request for a later start. When her assignment with us was coming to an end, she went above and beyond by helping us find a second doula to ensure continuity of care as well as training that doula to ensure no disruption. Even after rolling off, she has continued to check in with us, offering guidance and thoughtful support, which has meant so much during the postpartum period. During her time with us, Rosangela supported night feedings by gently waking both mom and baby, assisted with latching, burped the baby, and handled diaper changes throughout feeds. She supported our baby’s first bath, helped with baby laundry, and took care of all breast pump setup and cleanup—assembling parts, washing them, and making sure everything was ready for the next pumping session. These details made an enormous difference during those early, exhausting weeks. She consistently offered helpful advice and reassurance, always in a respectful way that made us feel supported rather than directed. Rosangela brought a calm, nurturing presence into our home, and we truly felt that our baby was in loving, experienced and capable hands. We wholeheartedly recommend Rosangela to any family looking for a knowledgeable, compassionate, and dependable doula. She was an invaluable part of our postpartum journey.

- Anita S.

Maya Jones

Oakland, California

Maya Jones

7 years of experience
Accepts insurance
Responds within an hour

Hi, I’m Maya Jones a Certified Full Spectrum Doula and Placenta Care Specialist dedicated to supporting you through every stage of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. My mission is to create safe, empowering experiences for all birthing people—honoring your unique birth preferences, whether natural, medicated, cesarean, or VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). Growing up in East Palo Alto, I was inspired by the strength of my community and the compassion of my grandmother and mother, who were community leaders and nurturers. Their example taught me to lead with advocacy, care, and an unwavering commitment to uplifting others. With over a decade of childcare experience and a passion for birth work sparked in 2017, I founded All Hues LLC in 2023 to provide holistic, personalized care. My comprehensive training in Birth, Loss, and Postpartum Care, alongside certifications in Placenta Encapsulation and OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Safety, equips me to meet your needs with evidence-based knowledge, practical tools, and emotional reassurance. I am committed to addressing inequities in perinatal care and providing inclusive, affirming support to all families, especially Black families, families of color, LGBTQ+ families, single parents, and surrogates. Through compassionate guidance, I help you navigate the challenges and joys of parenthood with confidence and ease. Whether you’re looking for birth planning, hands-on labor support, lactation guidance, postpartum recovery care, or placenta encapsulation, my goal is to ensure you feel seen, respected, and cared for every step of the way. Let’s create a birth and postpartum experience that empowers you to not just survive but thrive!

Kim Knapp

San Francisco, California

5.0 (39 reviews)

Kim Knapp

7 years of experience
Accepts insurance
Responds within a few hours

Hello! I'm Kim I am a full service birth and postpartum Doula and a member of DONA. I recognize the magical, miraculous wonders of pregnancy and childbirth and offer unconditional, judgement free support for all families. I love to share my knowledge and passionate enthusiasm with expectant families and offer confident, continuity of care to ensure you have a positive birth experience, in alignment with your birth preferences. I live in San Francisco and have a lot of experience at UCSF, CPMC and the Kaiser Network. I also support births on the Peninsula at Mills.

Recent review

Kim is great! We hired Kim as our birth doula and had a wonderful experience. - She's super knowledgeable & experienced-- with her prep sessions, I didn't feel the need to do any additional birth prep classes and I felt informed & empowered going into my birth. - I really trusted her to help us navigate choice and make good decisions that were medically safe & aligned with our preferences. This was a huge stress reliever for me-- it let me avoid sifting through endless info on the internet. - She helped bring my partner in to the birth experience and supported both of us throughout. - She worked flawlessly with the staff at UCSF. Kim felt like a trusted member of our medical team. This was especially nice when hospital shifts changed or when we needed help weighing options. - Her support during the birth itself was exactly what I needed, from physical comfort measures to brainstorming options to emotional support. We had a wonderful birth and Kim's support was a big part of that. Can't recommend her highly enough.

- Sarah Jundt

Leah (Ginger) Johnson

Los Gatos, California

5.0 (3 reviews)

Leah (Ginger) Johnson

2 years of experience
Accepts insurance

I am passionate about nurturing and supporting families through the transformative experiences of birth and postpartum periods. I have practiced body work and energy healing for over 20 years additionally for the last 2 years i have been practicing NLP and Doula work. I have worked with children and families for over 25 years in homes and school settings from zero to 18. I have experience in assisting natural labor Inductions, assisting in reducing anxiety, fears around birth, and preparing for birth with NLP and meditation practices. As a spiritually mindful doula, I blend my background as a massage therapist, Laughter yoga & yoga instructor, meditation teacher, and certified Master NLP practitioner, into a holistic, compassionate approach to birth, energy and intuitive work. With a bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology and fluency in American Sign Language, I connect with diverse families, offering inclusive and empathetic care. My work is grounded in humor, active listening, and deep respect for each unique journey. I specialize in prenatal and postnatal massage, creating space for relaxation, healing, and connection. My NLP Skills help parents release old fears, limiting beliefs around their pregnancy, parenting, and birthing journey. Fostering a new way of being through empowerment and calm inner-presence. My goal is to provide physical, spiritual, emotional, and energetic support so families feel confident, cared for, and prepared for the beautiful path ahead.

Recent review

Finding Ginger less than a month before my due date felt like pure fate—she literally approached us as we were walking out the door at a Meet the Doulas event, and we felt instantly warm, comfortable, and at ease with her. My labor didn't exactly go on schedule (he arrived almost two weeks late and required an induction!), but Ginger was our absolute anchor through every single moment of it. She is such a nurturing, loving, and caring maternal soul—so much so that we affectionately call her "Aunt Ginger." Leading up to and during the induction, she gave us incredible guidance, helping us try to get things moving naturally with advice on pressure points and keeping us grounded. Throughout the hospital stay, whenever the medical staff left the room, Ginger would quietly review everything with us, help us process what the doctors had said, and make sure we remembered the questions we wanted to ask. When the medical team brought up using a vacuum during delivery, Ginger gently encouraged us to pause, push back, and ask for time to discuss our options. Having her there to prep, advocate, and vouch for us meant everything—we ended up having a completely intervention-free birth and welcomed a perfectly healthy, beautiful 10-pound baby. Ginger was truly an angel during one of the most intense experiences of my life, and she is someone we will remember and cherish forever. If you are looking for a doula who will treat you like family, protect your birth experience, and pour her whole heart into supporting you, hire Ginger immediately!

- Katie K.

Anna Lidia Parente

Redwood City, California

5.0 (2 reviews)

Anna Lidia Parente

6 years of experience
Accepts insurance

Hello! My name is Anna Gonzaga, and I am a Certified Postpartum Doula and Newborn Care Specialist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have more than 6 years of experience caring for newborns, infants, and young children, beginning as an Au Pair and continuing as a nanny, night nanny, and postpartum support provider. My philosophy is to provide compassionate, judgment-free support that helps families feel confident and well-rested during the transition into parenthood. I believe every family is unique, and I strive to meet parents where they are by offering practical newborn care, emotional support, feeding guidance, healthy sleep habits, and a calm, nurturing presence. I am passionate about infant development and enjoy helping babies thrive through responsive care, age-appropriate activities, and consistent routines. My goal is to create a safe and supportive environment where both parents and babies can flourish. I look forward to partnering with families and helping make the postpartum experience smoother, more enjoyable, and less overwhelming. Certifications: • Certified Postpartum Doula (ProDoula) • Certified Newborn Care Specialist (Newborn Care Solutions) • Infant, Child & Adult CPR/First Aid Certified

Recent review

When I first became a mom, I never thought I would feel comfortable leaving my baby with someone else, especially during the newborn stage. I was very anxious and had a lot of insecurities. Anna helped me feel calm and confident from the beginning. She was gentle with my baby, always patient, and took the time to explain things when I had questions. Knowing she was there allowed me to get some rest and take care of myself without constantly worrying. Anna helped with overnight newborn care, feedings, diaper changes, soothing, and sleep support. She treated my baby with so much love and care, and I always felt that my baby was safe with her. I am very grateful for the support Anna gave our family and would happily recommend her to any family looking for newborn care or postpartum support.

- Laura Almeida

Gabriela Giacomini

Redwood City, California

5.0 (8 reviews)

Gabriela Giacomini

3 years of experience

About Me My name is Gabriela Giacomini, and I am a postpartum doula with over 8 years of experience caring for babies and 2 years of dedicated postpartum doula support. I provide compassionate, personalized care that respects each family’s values, needs, and pace, helping parents feel supported and confident as they adjust to life with their newborn. My Philosophy I believe postpartum care is essential for healing, bonding, and emotional well-being. My approach combines emotional support, practical guidance, and evidence-based education, always honoring parental intuition and informed choice. My goal is to nurture both baby and parents, creating a calm and supportive postpartum experience.

Recent review

We’ve been so lucky to have Gabi as our newborn doula, providing both day and night support since our daughter was six weeks old. From the start, Gabi has been incredibly thoughtful, knowledgeable, and caring - not just with our daughter but with our whole family as we’ve adjusted to life with a new baby. She brings such confidence, warmth, and positive energy to every visit, and it’s clear how passionate she is about supporting families during this special (and overwhelming!) time. Gabi has also been a wonderful resource, connecting us with others in the doula community and helping us feel supported in so many ways. We’re truly grateful we found her and cannot recommend her highly enough. Any family would be lucky to work with her and have her in their baby’s life!

- Katie T

Klarity Coleman

Santa Cruz, California

5.0 (4 reviews)

Klarity Coleman

20 years of experience
Accepts insurance

I’m Klarity Coleman (they/them), a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Birth & Postpartum Doula, Prenatal Yoga Instructor, and Birth Hypnotherapy Childbirth Educator with over a decade of experience. Birth Hypnotherapy is also known as Hypnobirthing. I specialize in anxiety, birth, fertility, and prenatal yoga, with a strong focus on fear release and trauma-informed hypnotherapy. As a birth trauma specialist, I help families navigate getting pregnant, pregnancy, birth, and postpartum with confidence, using proven techniques to ease fear and promote a positive experience. Whether you prefer virtual sessions or in-person support, I’m here to guide you. I proudly serve families across Monterey and Santa Cruz counties along with the bay area. I am able to bill Kaiser for reimbursement of doula services. If you are interested in learning more please schedule a free consultation with me. www.CreatingKlarity.com hypnotherapy@creatingklarity.com 831-293-9297

Recent review

Klarity is a healer in the traditional sense of the word. Thanks to their caring questions and intuition, they deeply understood my husband and me and tailored our birthing classes and hypnotherapy sessions accordingly. Not only did they prepare us for birth, but for parenting itself. Thanks to our work together, I had the calm, empowered birth I hoped for. They were the best doula we could have asked for! In addition to their technical skill and training as a doula, they are also a gifted energy worker. Time after time, they helped us shift energy into more positive, value-driven directions, in the birthing classes as well as in the delivery room. In Klarity’s hands you will experience deep care and wise advocacy.

- Joanna G.

Camila Lee

Castro Valley, California

5.0 (10 reviews)

Camila Lee

15 years of experience
Accepts insurance

Sweet Tangerine Newborn Care offers personalized postpartum doula and newborn support for growing families in the Bay Area. I provide both daytime and overnight care, designed to help you recover, rest, and feel confident during the early weeks with your baby. Services include customized postpartum packages, newborn care, feeding support, and gentle guidance tailored to your family’s needs. I proudly accept Carrot Fertility benefits, as well as HSA/FSA payments.

Recent review

I found Camila through Carrot’s recommended list of postpartum doulas, and as a first-time mom, I’ll admit I was nervous about having someone else care for my daughter. After our consultation, I had such a good feeling about Camila, and that’s where it all began. We had Camila with us for six weeks, and I truly couldn’t have asked for a better postpartum doula. Her experience with babies is evident in everything she does. She cared for my daughter as if she were her own—with so much patience, love, and understanding, even through the most restless nights. Beyond caring for my daughter, Camila was also an incredible source of support for me. She gave me so many helpful tips and advice as a new mom, and I’m incredibly grateful for the confidence she helped give me during those early weeks. She was not only our doula but also became a friend who was there to help me navigate the ups and downs of new motherhood. Knowing my daughter was in such capable and loving hands allowed me to truly rest at night, which was invaluable during those first six weeks. I’m so grateful we found Camila and would highly recommend her to any new mom looking for compassionate, experienced, and trustworthy postpartum support. She was such an important part of our transition into parenthood, and we’ll always appreciate everything she did for our family.

- Shannen S.

Nathalia Ramos

Oakland, California

5.0 (3 reviews)

Nathalia Ramos

2 years of experience
Accepts insurance

I am a certified postpartum doula with +6y of hands-on experience supporting families and caring for newborns and children. My approach is grounded in respect, emotional safety, and evidence-based care. I believe the postpartum period is a sacred transition—one that deserves patience, gentleness, and knowledgeable support. My role is to help families feel confident, informed, and truly supported as they recover, bond, and find their own rhythm at home. My philosophy centers on meeting each family where they are. I do not believe in one-size-fits-all parenting; instead, I honor each family’s values, culture, and instincts while offering practical guidance and calm reassurance. I focus on nurturing both the baby and the parents—supporting feeding, sleep, recovery, and emotional wellbeing—so families can feel empowered rather than overwhelmed. My goal is always to create a peaceful, judgment-free environment where parents feel seen, heard, and capable during one of the most important chapters of their lives.

Recent review

Nathalia is the best! She has a sweet and gentle demeanor which puts babies and parents at ease. She is incredibly thoughtful and insightful, and made several recommendations to help us sleep longer (our main priority), which really helped. She also immediately identified a deeper issue I’d been having related to milk supply and raised it incredibly tactfully and helped me move past it. If you’re looking for someone who will truly take care of you and your family, look no further!

- Emily M.

Sampaguita C. S.

Oakland, California

5.0 (3 reviews)

Sampaguita C. S.

10 years of experience
Accepts insurance

Hi — I’m Sampaguita Thank you for being here. I’m a birth worker, student midwife, and lifelong advocate for reproductive and sexual bodily autonomy for every body. My work is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves choice, access, safety, and power in their reproductive journeys. I’m especially honored to support individuals and communities whose lineages have had to fight for this freedom — whether that meant the right to give birth and raise children, or the right not to. It is a sacred calling to support people through the transformative journeys of pregnancy, labor, postpartum, and parenting, and I hold this responsibility with deep gratitude. I bring a lived, embodied lens to this work as a... - Non-binary lesbian - Mixed 2nd-generation Filipino-American - Birth worker with nearly 10 years of experience - Working-class upbringing - Covid cautious and harm reductionist - Living with chronic pain and disabilities

Recent review

It was a privilege to have Sampaguita be our doula and I couldn't have imagined a better birthing experience than the one I've went through with her by our side. Sampaguita provided a safe safe for us to explore our vulnerabilities and fears and helped guide us through it so that we'll feel more confident stepping into our role as parents. From beginning to end, she created an environment of warmth and support that shaped my birth into a positive experience. We couldn't have asked for a better support system and it was a honor to share this part of our chapter with her. I highly recommend having Sampaguita as part of anyone's pregnancy and birth experience as we will definitely have her be a part of ours for our next pregnancy!

- Annie

Lacie Tupper

Oakland, California

Lacie Tupper

2 years of experience
Accepts insurance

Hello and welcome! My name is Lace and I am a certified birth doula. I believe that every birthing person deserves to feel seen, heard, and empowered throughout their pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey. My role is to provide continuous emotional, physical, and informational support so that you can navigate this transformative time with confidence and care. My approach is rooted in compassion, advocacy, and evidence-based practices. I draw from my background in Global and Community Health, where I’ve studied reproductive justice, maternal health equity, and inclusive care models. I’ve also received yoga certification in Mallorca, Spain, which informs my grounding techniques and mindfulness-based comfort strategies during labor. Whether you are seeking support with birth planning, comfort measures, advocacy during labor, or gentle guidance in the early postpartum days, I am here to walk alongside you and your family. I welcome clients from all backgrounds and am especially passionate about supporting LGBTQ+ families, first-time parents, and those interested in holistic or low-intervention birth experiences. I continue to expand my knowledge through trainings in trauma-informed care, lactation support, and culturally responsive perinatal work. I believe that every birth matters and that your story deserves to be honored with presence, respect, and grace. Let’s connect—I’d be honored to support you in this sacred transition.

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