I'm Yula Paluy, a Birth Doula. I work with clients in Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco.
It would be a privilege to help you prepare for the birth of your baby, and to support you during labor so that your experience aligns with your values, and is as healthy and peaceful as possible. I’ve supported clients in hospital, birth center, and home settings. Wherever and however you plan to birth, what matters is that you feel informed, calm, and confident during this transformative time in your life.
Being well cared for helps you have a more positive experience. Research shows that having a doula during your birth can lead to shorter labor, reduced need for medications, lower likelihood of a c-section, easier breastfeeding, and, perhaps most importantly, greater satisfaction and self-esteem.1,2
My background is in cognitive and social psychological research. Before becoming a doula, I conducted research at SF State, UC Berkeley, UCSF, and Stanford, where I examined the effects of language and of shared humor on physical and emotional experience. My practice as a doula is informed by all of my training, knowledge, and skills. In addition to completing a birth doula training program, I apprenticed with an experienced doula before beginning my own practice. I keep up-to-date with best birth support techniques and with research on established and alternative medical practices. My volunteer doula experience includes work with (the excellent) Homeless Prenatal Project and the (now defunct) doula program at CPMC Mission-Bernal. In addition to working with birth clients, I mentor newer doulas.
I’m fluent in English, עברית, and Русский, and happy to doula you in any one of these languages.
You should feel comfortable with the person you hire to be your doula. I suggest that we meet first for 30 minutes or so, get to know each other, and see if we click. If you have a partner, or another support person, it is my preference that we include them in the meeting as well so that we can all assess how well we mesh together. This is a free meeting with no strings attached :)
If we decide to work together:
The short version — my service to you will include three in-depth prenatal meetings, phone and email support during pregnancy and in the postpartum, 24/7 on-call availability for when you go into labor, full in-person support during active labor, and a postpartum meeting.
Services can be customized to your individual needs. Fee is based on your household income.
Click to see details and fees.
During our prenatal meetings, we will discuss your hopes, concerns, and questions, and I can help you formulate your birth preferences. If this is your first birth, I will walk you in detail through what to expect during the different stages of labor and birth, taking into consideration the location in which you plan to birth. If it's a subsequent birth, we'll talk about what worked well in previous labor(s) and how we can do better. We'll explore various approaches that are helpful in labor, such as breathing, positioning, visualizations, sounds, eye and physical contact, and more.
I will be available to you by phone and email from the moment we agree to work together and for several weeks (or more) after the birth for questions, advice, and anything else that comes up.
- I will be on-call for your labor 24/7 from the time we agree to work together.
I will accompany you in-person through active labor and birth until you are ready for time alone with your baby(ies). During labor, I will provide you (and, if present, your partner/close others) with continuous support. Part of that support is making sure that you are hydrated, fed, and as comfortable and confident as possible. Another part is helping you create a labor environment that's calm and pleasant to the senses. I will also act as a medical interpreter/advocate to ensure that you have full understanding of any proposed medical treatments (if they come up), and that you are able to communicate your preferences.
We will meet a week or so after the birth to go over your experience and make sure you are cared for.
Your investment:
It’s important that everyone who wants to have a doula is able to afford this help. I therefore charge on a sliding scale based on Bay Area Gross Household Income levels. Here’s what you can expect to pay for my services:
Household income: Fee:
under $250k $2,000
$250k-$300k $2,500
$300k-$350k $3,000
$350k+ $3,500
If your gross household income makes the above fees prohibitive, please get in touch with me - I may be able to support you or recommend a newer doula with lower fees.
I have a fund that occasionally allows me to offer doula services to folks with considerably lower incomes — if you are able to contribute, please let me know. Many thanks to those who contributed — you make it possible!
I think my circumstances may be very particular. Do you have experience supporting people in a similar boat?
Please get in touch with specifics. Generally speaking, I have supported people in a wide variety of circumstances, including: first, second, third, and fourth timers, home birth, birth center birth, hospital birth, vaginal birth, cesarean birth, twins, VBAC and VBA2C, IVF, queer parents, trans parents, solo parents, birthing parent over 50, people who don't speak English, people with pregnancy-related health conditions, people with a history of gynecological procedures, pregnancy loss, trauma, psychological difficulties, and more. I’m open to supporting any and all people.
Do you offer doula consulting?
Yes, as an alternative to a full doula package, I offer hourly consulting if you would like research-based guidance or advocacy. This can be helpful if you're looking for advice about the fit between different birth locations/routes and your values, if you already have a doula you love but who is not well-versed in clinical guidelines and research, if you encounter complications during pregnancy, or if you would simply like to have relevant, up-to-date knowledge to help you make informed decisions about childbirth. My consulting rate is $150/hour.
I’m planning to birth at hospital X or birth center Y. Do you have experience working there?
I’ve supported clients birthing at the following Bay Area places: in SF - UCSF, Kaiser SF, SF Birth Center, CPMC Mission-Bernal, CPMC Van Ness, SF General; in the East Bay - Alta Bates, Kaiser Oakland, Kaiser San Leandro, Pacifica Birth Center; in Marin - Marin General; on the Peninsula - Mills-Peninsula, Kaiser Redwood City. I have a doula bag full of goodies, and both the bag and I are ready to adapt to any environment.
Do you have a back-up doula? Will I like the back-up doula?
I don’t take many clients so the likelihood of me having to call on a back-up doula is very low. In case a back-up became necessary, I can turn to several lovely doulas. If you like me, chances are you will like them. If you don’t like me, you should hire a different doula :)
Do you do postpartum doula work beyond the one postpartum visit that’s part of your package?
With rare exceptions, no. The rare exceptions are when my birth clients are in a bind and really need some help for a bit, and then I try to help until they find a good postpartum doula. I would be happy to recommend postpartum doulas and other professionals such as lactation consultants.
Do you offer any services in addition to your package?
Some of my clients have wanted additional sessions focusing on preparation for the early postpartum, early parenthood, and other topics of their choosing. I'm happy to accomodate such requests in addition to the standard package if we start working together early enough.
What are your thoughts about placenta consumption?
I think that it's modern-day snake oil. Research that examined the effects of placenta consumption found none of the advertised benefits. No increased iron,1 no better milk quality or quantity,2 no improvement in mood, bonding, or fatigue.3,4 In addition, consuming placenta may pose risks to the baby.5,6 I agree with this take.
Do you do birth photography?
Sometimes :) If I'm your doula and you want a few pictures of your labor, birth, or the immediate postpartum, I'm happy to take them.
Do you have ideas for a baby name?
Yes, but I keep them to myself :) It’s your birth and your baby (or babies if you're having multiples), and you should give the tiny person(s) a name that feels right to you.
Yula is knowledgeable, assertive and at the same time empathetic and gentle. She really listens and provides space to express worries, fears and concerns. Her presence had a calming and bracing effect on us. She advocated for us and was our champion in the hospital. She provided attention and care every step of the way. O., Oakland
I decided to hire a Doula for my second birth, because from my first experience I thought that I would not be able to properly advocate for myself during labor and I wanted to try for a VBAC… In the end I managed to have my VBAC, but more importantly I felt some sense of agency the whole time…it was a totally different experience from my first birth, and I was able to make decisions for myself and ask questions throughout, instead of being rushed into procedures, because Yula had been so efficient at preparing us for what to expect from the hospital and how to navigate the whole experience. L., Berkeley
She did whatever it took: applying firm yet gentle counterpressure when my back hurt, negotiating with a crabby nurse, singing with me as I chanted through the pain, guiding me through decision-making, and encouraging me with words of support at every turn…Thank you Yula for everything you did to ensure my birth experience was beautiful and safe. S., San Francisco
I was so incredibly grateful to have Yula's experience, calm demeanor and graceful presence with us over the course of the pregnancy and especially during the c-section birth. A., Oakland
While I had expected our doula to be an emotional support for me and my partner, I was grateful we had chosen a doula with extensive knowledge of the latest research and best practices as we made our way through the medical maze… Yula found a way to stay engaged and supportive even with the three-ring circus going on around us… I could possibly be convinced to have another baby if Yula would be our doula again! S., San Francisco
Yula's support was especially crucial in the last hour of pushing, when I was already exhausted and (almost) about to give up my natural birth plan. Yula kept me honest and with her experience and encouragement (and trade-secrets ;) found the right position in which I could finally push our baby out. Y., San Francisco
She also recommended perineal massage (which not enough people talk about) and I'm convinced that's the reason that I had no tearing during the birth! …I have no idea how she got all these great photos for us while also providing so much hands on support, but she did! And, to top it off, Yula's just an amazingly calm, reassuring, and exceptionally knowledgeable human. H., Oakland
Blog
.Bay Area Hospital Comparison: outcomes and cultures in local hospitals
Bay Area and Online
.UCSF Laughter Yoga class (and Laughter Yoga + Meditation class): free fun classes! :o)
.Hypnobirthing Audio Tracks: free links
.Natural Resources SF: classes and resources
Good books
.Midwife: A Calling (Memoirs of an Urban Midwife) by Peggy Vincent (great Bay Area stories: birth in its endless variety)
.Midwife: A Journey (Memoirs of an Urban Midwife) by Peggy Vincent (part 2 of the above)
.Expecting Better by Emily Oster (mostly on point, particularly for a hospital birth)
.Cribsheet by Emily Oster (helpful for decisions after your baby is born)