Doula’s offer up some of the best support you maybe didn’t even know you needed. I’ve met so many amazing doulas in the Portland, Oregon Metro area who are dedicated to helping you along on your birthing journey and I’m always so impressed by their passion.
Bri & Alicia of Hello Baby are a doula team based in SW Portland and are committed to helping you labor and birth. They offer postpartum support, placenta encapsulation, childbirth education, and even bereavement care. I love that they have teamed up together to make sure they can provide families with unwavering support during their pregnancy journey.
I’ve been having so much fun getting to know Bri & Alicia better through connecting about my blog series and I’m excited to feature them this month. Be sure to make it to the end to see all the fun we had during their photo session!
Get to Know Bri & Alicia
Did you grow up in Portland?
B: I grew up (and went to college) in Northern Colorado where the sun is always shining. I moved to Portland in 2007, did a brief stint back in Denver (2011-2013) and have been back in Portland since 2014.
A: Nope! I am a Northern California transplant but will be celebrating 10 years here this September!
Tell me about your family?
B: I’m married to a hilarious and kind human named Ross, and we have made two little humans who are currently 2.5 and 5.5.
A: My husband, Kevin and our two fur babies Scout (a border collie) and Remington (a black lab)
What is your favorite thing to do in Portland?
A: Eat… Does that count?
B: I’m with Alicia. Eat!
How long have you known each other/how/when did you meet?
A: Bri and I met in January of 2018 in an intensive doula internship here in Portland and it was a match made in doula heaven. We bonded over Thai food and have been connected ever since.
Your Doula Journeys
When did you first know you wanted to become a doula?
B: After my first was born, I became a childbirth educator. Part of that certification was attending labors/births, and after I supported my first birth I was HOOKED by the magic of badass birthing people.
A: I worked a corporate accounting job and knew I wasn’t happy and very unfulfilled. I would regularly check online when the next round of local doula training would occur and it wasn’t until 2017 I finally worked up the courage to enroll and I was hooked before the first day was even over.
Where did you get your degree/do your training?
B: I trained with local DONA [Doulas of North America] trainers here in Portland and have been loving continuing education – I can’t get enough!
A: I took my initial training through Mother Tree in Portland, and have taken a variety of supplemental trainings from various teachers and mentors to round out my skills and knowledge.
Hello Baby
When did you first know you wanted to go into business together? When did you start Hello Baby PDX?
We met in a doula internship in 2018, and have been working together ever since! We both operated our own LLCs, and finally merged them in 2020 and created a cohesive brand!
Can you explain the different services/packages you offer?
As birth workers, we provide support to people during the childbearing year. This includes prenatal planning consultations, childbirth classes, birth support, postpartum support, placenta encapsulation, and loss support. Families can hire us solo, or as a partnership for any of our services!
If you could give me a quick synopsis of your business in 5 sentences or less, how would you describe it?
Hello Baby serves clients with physical and emotional support, education, empowerment, and informative guidance. We are passionate about breaking through what people are told birth and parenting *should be* to find trust in their own body, experience, style, choices, and intuition.
Going into business for myself has taught me a tremendous amount about myself as a person. What have you learned about yourself since starting your business?
A: The most impactful thing I have learned is the more authenticity I bring to my daily life and work, the more in alignment I feel with my purpose. I am not the right person for everyone, and that is okay!
B: I have learned that I cannot plan everything and I can trust that, like in birth, everything will work out as it should. Also, I am capable of more than I ever imagined, and working for myself (not “the man”) is the BEST!
If self-employment was easy, everyone would do it. Can you tell me about the obstacles you have faced being in business for yourself?
The uncertainty we felt while leaving a salaried job with guaranteed paycheck was real – living in a consumerism culture felt like a barrier to making the leap. But we are glad we did it! We have also learned that there is a need to set firm boundaries as a business owner. It is easy to over-extend ourselves because we are natural caretakers.
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
A: I am most proud of my determination to make it outside of the corporate world and break free from constraining beliefs about how one can make a living.
B: I am proud of taking the great leap of trust to do this work. I am also proud of the lasting relationships I have created with our clients. Seeing pictures of their thriving families makes my heart so full.
Close
If you could tell our readers one piece of advice about hiring a doula, what would it be?
It is no secret that we feel the number one most important thing about finding the right doula is the personality fit! There are so many great doulas out there, and there is a doula for every family. Can you imagine hanging out with this person? Would you want to ask them for advice or confide in them? Would it be ok if they saw you naked? There is a misconception that training or certification is the most important thing, but a good support person is a culture fit.
I enjoy reading and love sharing new book ideas with others. What book would you recommend to new or expecting parents? And please explain why in 1-2 sentences.
We love giving customized recommendations based on what would resonate with our clients, but if we had to pick just one book to recommend to anyone, it would be Transformed by Birth by Britta Bushnell. It is a fantastic overview of the process that encompasses the emotional journey that new parents experience.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Some doulas work as a solo practice, but we love working as a team! This enables us to completely show up for our clients while still having work/life balance. Our clients love having two perspectives, two personalities, and knowing who will be present with them while they labor (that built in back-up really builds confidence).
Where can we find you?
Check out some of the other rad womxn who have been a part of this series:
Uju Uzuegbunam of Ozznek Shoes
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