Our goal is to remain objective, promote awareness of your options, & encourage families to feel nurtured & respected during this special time. Lori Ismail CBE, CLD is the owner and operator of Early Advantage Childbirth Services. She works as a childbirth prep instructor, labor support doula and lactation counselor. She started her buisness in 1999 when she became certified as a Bradley Method instructor, teaching standard childbirth prep classes. After 13 years of teaching and attending births as a doula, she developed her own childbirth prep curriculum in 2011. Since then, she has continued to teach the educational program entitled, Birthing Naturally: Partner Supported Childbirth. Her classes are comprehensive, thorough and evidence based. Students meet every week for 8-weeks and receive a total of 20 hours of instruction. In addition to teaching through her own private practice, she has taught classes through Harmony Birth & Family, based in Campbell, for over 11 years (2010-2021) and at Blossom Birth & Family, based in Palo Alto (2007-present). At Harmony, Lori provided countless families with over 1080 hours of instruction before they had to close their doors due to COVID restrictions. At Blossom, Lori continues to teach her Birthing Naturally courses and has logged in over 2520 hours of instruction, as of 2022. Currently, Lori continues to teach her Birthing Naturally: Partner Supported Childbirth classes in Los Gatos, California and at Blossom Birth & Family, in Palo Alto. In addition to teaching childbirth preparation courses, Lori is also a labor support doula certified though the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA). She has worked as a birth doula since 1999 and has directly supported over 500 families, averaging 9,000+ hours of one-on-one care. Doulas understand the physiology of birth and provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to birthing persons and their families during the prenatal, birth and immediate postpartum period. Doulas provide informational support that is evidence-based and is presented in a non-judgmental and objective manner so that families feel encouraged to make informed decisions. Lori has supported families, and attended countless births in hospitals including Lucille Packard Childrens Hospital in Stanford, Kaiser Permanente in San Leandro, Oakland, Roseville, Redwood City, Santa Clara, and San Jose, Washington Hospital in Fremont, St. Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy, UCSF and El Camino Hospital in Los Gatos and Mountain View, to name a few. Additionally, she has provided labor doula support at midwife assisted home births. Lori is currently earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at The Valley Foundation School of Nursing, at San Jose State University, and hopes to earn her RN licensure by the end of 2025.
