Ombligo Birthkeeping
Ombligo (“om-BLEE-go”) means belly-button in Spanish. It is a our first scar, leaving a trace of the portal through which we all received our original life force, it is a nod to the Indigenous knowledge that the belly button is center of the universe, a place where life begins. I come to birthwork with more than a decade of caring and loving on babies and children as a nanny and childcare worker. After playing both witness and support to a close friend’s birth and postpartum period, I was immediately drawn in and a few years later I took my first birthwork training! I am honored to do this work. Thank you for allowing me to share and walk with you on your journey. I deeply value informed consent and relationship building as cornerstone to my practice. I am excited to serve all families, with a particular interest in serving and supporting folks of color, queer families of all kinds as well as families considering adoption. Body positivity, fat liberation and an intersectional anti-oppression lens all inform my role when providing care. As a mixed race black doula, I seek to better understand traditional Black and African diasporic ways of healing in the postpartum time and love to support families in the days and weeks after their baby has arrived earthside through herbs, nourishing food, loving touch and an open heart.Servicios también disponibles en español. I am contracted with the Swedish Doula Program and am able to serve low-income families pro-bono via their referral program. Please get in touch if you have questions!*COVID-19 Consideration: I am fully vaccinated (Moderna) and boosted and wearing PPE when I am attending to births and postpartum clients on request. Services
Postpartum Support
$65/hr for daytime, overnight support or a combination. Minimum 4 hours per shift (days) and minimum 8 hours for overnight. Can be purchased in bulk or by the visit. Sliding scale available for those with financial need. Free initial consult to see if we are a good match and to answer any initial questions via video chat or in-person.One (3hr) prenatal visit: virtual or in-person. This is a time to get comfortable with each other and create your postpartum plan. I will provide customized information, offer local resources tailored to your needs as well as emotional support along the way.Postpartum visits: this is my personal area of interest! It truly takes a team and a village to support postpartum folks to get the rest, food and support they need. This time can include breast/chest/feeding support, birth processing, newborn care while you shower/rest/eat, meal prep/cooking nutritious meals for you, errand running, resource support, light housekeeping, etc.
Birth Support
$2500. sliding scale and options available for folks with financial need. currently prioritizing previous clients or those who are seeking birth + postpartum wrap around care.Free of charge consult to see if we are a good match and to answer any initial questions via video chat.2-3 prenatal visits: virtual or in-person (with masks). I will help you create your birth plan, postpartum plan as well as provide you with reliable resources and information.24/7 on-call support via phone call or text beginning at 37 weeks.Unlimited phone, text and email consultation.Continuous labor and immediate postpartum support at your birthing location: hospital, birth center or home.1 to 2 postnatal visits: In-person in the comfort of your home. This time can include feeding support, birth processing, newborn care, food prep/cooking, errands, resources and referrals, light tidying, etc.
Praise for Eli
“Eli is a wonderful doula. She made time to visit our home and get to know our family prior to our baby's arrival and checked up on us as our due date approached . She went over what our doula expectations were and was clear about her role, rate/hours of availability and was very flexible with her daytime/overnight hours as we went on which was very helpful.
She worked with us for the first few (and toughest) months after birth. She was absolutely awesome with our baby and would help with our 4 yr old whenever possible as she's so great with kids. She's also fully bilingual (English/Spanish) which was extra nice since my side of the family and I's first language is Spanish.
Her proactive and positive nature were very reassuring. In her dowtime, she would prep bottles, run the dishwasher, clean up, make homemade teas and fruit salads for our family
Eli is very resourceful as she would read up and go over things regarding our baby, suggest logging apps, list things to ask our doctor, etc. Her knowledge and passion for her profession are palpable which made us feel very at ease leaving our baby in her care. She is very dependable, compassionate and fun. We are very satisfied with her services.”
— Jenn S, 10/2024
“Eli was hands down one of the best investments we made for postpartum. Our baby would constantly wake up every hour to feed. It was exhausting to say the least but for 3 nights a week, Eli was able to relieve us for a few hours to get some much needed longer stretches of sleep. Additionally, Eli was so kind and thoughtful. We talked a lot during the nights ranging from helpful tips and suggestions for baby and mom to random, funny things like TikTok trends. She was a really great support that we needed during the bleak early weeks of postpartum as we didn't have friends or family nearby. She was also so sweet to our baby - she was soft spoken, would clean bottles and so patient with him. She also loved our dog which was nice bonus. We highly recommend Eli as a postpartum doula! We also recommend her as a date night sitter if she is available.”
— Lan Nguyen, 12/2023
“If I were to go back and re-experience my entire birthing process, I would choose Eli all over again. She was just what I needed at every point. I'll always remember the little things she did that brought ease to this untameable experience we call birth. Rubbing my hand in the pool when it was time to hold something and really bear down. Lifting those precious honey-sticks to my lips when my energy started to dwindle. Suggesting that last and final position-move that broke my water and brought baby out with the quickness. Spoon-feeding me during those dizzyingly euphoric moments right after baby came (three different things at the same time because I couldn't decide which meal I wanted lol). And a bone broth that will have you telling yourself you're gonna make bone broth "one of these days" for months. I can still taste it, y'all. Some healing potion it was, too. To understate, this forever post-partum body is grateful. Choosing the right doula has me thinking about doing it all over again just a few months out. And we know just who I'm calling when I do.”
— Evan Taylor, 8/2021
What is a doula anyways and why do I need one?
As your doula I will :
Provide you with emotional, physical and informational support during pregnancy, labor and birth as well as the postpartum period.
Connect you to reliable resources and information during prenatal meetings, including helping you to write a Birth Plan/Preferences.
Offer you continuous emotional and physical support during your labor & delivery and facilitate an optimal birth space.
Assist you in those first few weeks as a new parent (also referred to as the postpartum period or fourth trimester).
Be your advocate and support you in making informed decisions to have a more positive experience.
Encourage you, affirm you and cheer you on!
For more detailed information about why you should hire a doula, please see:
"What is a Doula? And Do You Need One?" The New York Times
Evidence Based Birth: Evidence on Doulas
As your doula I will not:
Carry out medical procedures, interpret diagnoses/clinical results or give medical advice.
Make decisions for you or force you to do anything. Again, you are the one in charge here!
Judge you or your choices! Period.
Training / Education / Workshops / Experience
Postpartum Floor Shift Doula, Swedish Medical Center, 2021-Present
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Advocacy Training, Nneka Hall, 2023
Foundations of Lactation with Elizabeth Montez IBCLC, July 2022
Harm Reduction: Working with Clients with Substance Use Needs with Ash Woods, Dec 2022
Spinning Babies with Bianca Tema Mercado, Dec 2022
Community Based Lactation Peer Counselor (45hr) Training, Camie Goldhammer and Felisha Floyd, July 2021Certified with Pacific Association of Labor Support, PALS Doula, March 2021 Grandma's Hands Pregnancy & Postpartum Herbs and Nutrition in the Southern Tradition, Feb 2021Upstream: Comprehensive Contraceptive Care & Family Planning, Feb 2021Thresholds: First Latch Workshop for Birthworkers, Nov 2020Shafia Monroe Consulting, Full Circle Birth Companion Training, August 2020Sumi’s Touch Full Spectrum Doula Training, Dec 2020La Cuarentena: Sanando y Cerrando Ciclos with Lucia Echeri, 2020Nanny for children ages 3mo to 8years, Seattle, WA 2014-PresentBachelor of Arts, The Evergreen State College, Social Movements and Ethnic Studies, 2014 Additional Services
I also offer infant care beyond the 4th trimester, placenta prints, personalized baby care education, abortion support and virtual doula services. Please use my contact form to inquire!
