Erin is deeply honored to be invited into this private and intimate moment in your family’s life. As a birth and postpartum doula Erin strives to support your during every twist and turn of pregnancy and new parenthood.

Doula

Erin believes in empowerment through birth. In supporting the birthing person through whatever type of birth experience they choose to have. She believes that the birthing person should always be in control of the decisions that are being made. During prenatal appointments, Erin aims to educate families so they can make evidence-based decisions while also encouraging them to follow their intuition. Erin has experience working in and out of the hospital setting, medicated and unmedicated births, water birth, VBACs, twin deliveries, and caesarean births.

While intellectually preparing families for the birth experience is extremely important. Birthing requires a level of opening to the unknown and surrendering to the process. Erin focuses on holding a calm and loving space. She provides hands-on comfort and coping techniques through massage, words of encouragement, breathing and visualization exercises, counter pressure, and position change. Erin has a naturally calm disposition and is able to focus in busy and hectic environments. While she thrives in providing hands-on support, she knows when to step back to allow for a private moment between partners or deep inner focus within the birthing person.

Erin’s Background

Erin’s passion for pregnancy and birth flourished when she became pregnant with her son in 2016. While pregnant Erin was inspired to read and listen to everything she could get her hands on. Her own doula played a pivotal role in creating an empowering birth experience given the unpredictable nature of birth. Erin began her journey to doula work in 2020 attending both the Birth and Postpartum DONA workshops. In September 2020, Erin joined the Portland Doula Love intensive 6 month mentorship. Upon completing the mentorship Erin joined the Portland Doula Love professional doula team as well as creating Mama Bear Strong. She believes in the importance of being a lifelong learner and strives to widen her doula scope through continuing education.

Erin lives in Oregon City with her 5 year old son and dog, Ru. In her free time she loves hiking the amazing trails of the PNW and traversing the waterways on her iSUP. She enjoys lifting weights as a competitive powerlifter and dabbles (poorly) in CrossFit. She also enjoys cozy times at home baking and cooking, working on various craft projects or cuddling under a blanket with a good book and cup of coffee.

Certification, Training, & Education

  • DONA International Birth Doula Training, Wendy Scharp, CD(DONA)

  • 6-month intensive birth doula mentorship, Doula Love 

  • Intro to Childbirth Training, Wendy Scharp, CD(DONA) 

  • Foundation of Lactation 101 Training, Krystal Key, IBCLC

  • DONA International Postpartum Doula Training, The Doula Training Path (DONA)

  • Certified VBAC doula, The VBAC LInk 2022

  • Certified Traditional Healthcare Worker 2022

  • Birth as a Heroic Journey: Doula From Within training June 2021- March 2022

  • HypnoBabies doula training 2022

  • Workshop: Spinning Babies, Kelly Dungan, RN, BSN, RNC-OB

  • Workshop: Taming Fears- Supporting Parents in Pregnancy and Birth

  • Adult, child, and infant first aid and CPR

  • Certified Professional Barbell Coach, Barbell Logic 2022

  • Certified Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism Coach 2020

  • Girls Gone Strong Coaching academy- March 2023

  • Barbell Logic Online Coaching internship 2019