emphasis - doula & birthwork

06/01/2026

Happy Pride Month! 🌈

As a q***r doula, I believe that every family deserves to feel safe, seen, and celebrated — especially in the sacred space of birth and new parenthood.

Whether you're two moms, two dads, nonbinary parents, a single parent, a chosen family, or anything in between — I am here for you. Fully and without reservation.

Your story matters. Your family matters. And you deserve support that truly sees you.

05/27/2026

Grateful for these incredible midwives!

05/05/2026

Feeling spicy today. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a hard time with neutral facial expressions - I would be awful at poker! 😆 Most of the time, comments made in the birth space are lovely and supportive and informative, but sometimes... they're wrong, discouraging, or even impossible, and often have an underlying theme of a lack of understanding of physiological birth. These are the ones that have made me roll my eyes the most.

What was said to you in your birth? Doulas, what have you heard that you would add?

04/24/2026

First baby, sunny side up (OP), unmedicated, fast - you don't often hear this combo of factors in a birth! This was an incredible one. After waters releasing and not much happening, she went in for some meds to help things along. This kiddo was very eager to meet her parents, and with a little pitocin, she made an intense arrival (soon after the request for an epidural)! Her mom is an absolute badass. 💪🏼

What position was your baby in during labor? Which way were they facing at birth?

04/21/2026

Always grateful for reviews and honored to be present in such an intimate and vulnerable space 💜

"Rachel’s service went beyond our expectations, all the way from prenatal visits to childbirth to postpartum follow-ups. She’s very knowledgeable and resourceful. She provided us lots of high quality educational materials. For each home visit, she was punctual and stayed over time to talk through all the topics and make sure all of our questions answered. I had to have an unplanned C-section and she really helped my husband and me navigate through all the emotions we had from it. I highly recommend Rachel for anyone that’s looking for a doula!"
- Di & Blake

03/16/2026

I often find that people have a decent concept of what doula support looks like during labor and birth, but are unsure about what goes on in meetings! While I have my mental lists of what we could cover, meetings are always client-led. I want to focus on what feels important to you, and I've also got plenty to talk about (and do!) if you're not sure. As always, please reach out if you're curious about doula support. ❤️

02/28/2026

Beautifully stated!

Let’s clear something up.

“On call” isn’t a vibe.

It isn’t a cute little tagline for Instagram.

It’s not a flexible girl boss schedule.

It’s a lifestyle.

It’s sleeping with one ear open.

It’s keeping my phone volume on high when the rest of the world is quiet.

It’s glancing at every late-night notification that lights up my screen.

It’s calculating drive time in my head while I’m folding laundry.

It’s knowing which part of the month I can’t fully relax.

It’s living in a constant state of “maybe tonight.”

I don’t stack my calendar freely.

I don’t book whatever I want, whenever I want.

I try not to wander too far from home near a due date.

Because when labor shifts, I move.

I have left warm dinners.

I have walked out the door not knowing if I’ll be back before my kids wake up, or after they’ve gone to bed again.

That’s what doing this kind of work actually looks like.

When you hire me, you aren’t purchasing coverage.
You’re reserving priority access to my life.

My time.
My readiness.
My full presence.

You’re asking me to hold space in my world for the unknown timing of yours.

And I do that willingly.

But let’s talk about the part that makes people uncomfortable.
This level of commitment cannot be discounted.
Birth photographers and doulas have to charge their worth.

Because when we don’t, we burn out.
We stretch too thin.
We start saying yes from obligation instead of passion.

And when photographers & other birth workers underprice themselves, it doesn’t just affect one person, it lowers the standard and sustainability of the entire industry.

This work costs us something.

Missed sleep.
Missed events.
Emotional energy.
Physical stamina.
Time away from our own families.

If we price it like it’s just another session, we slowly erode the very thing that makes it powerful.

Your birth is not squeezed between mini sessions.
It’s not a hobby.
It’s not content creation.

It’s sacred, unpredictable, once in a lifetime work.

And I build my life in a way that allows me to show up fully for it.

That kind of devotion deserves respect.
And it deserves proper compensation.

This is intentional work.
It is demanding.
It is sacred.
It is soul level service.

And I will never treat it like it’s small. 🤎

-Danielle, Her Origin

*Photo peep from the most recent birth I had the honor of attending, currently on call for two other incredible families! *

02/10/2026

Prepare for postpartum as much as you prepare for birth! 🙌🏼❤️

01/20/2026

Needed ASAP. Also need 3-6 month clothing, bottles, funds for groceries. Thank you.

01/07/2026

So grateful for the training! I highly recommend this course for anyone who works with pregnant people. If you are a provider who considers yourself size-inclusive, please reach out - I'd love to add you to a list of safe, inclusive providers for my clients!