Peninsula Birth Companions
We are a team of doulas with more than 40 years of experience among us supporting women and their partners during pregnancy, birth, and immediate postpartum. We support all types of clients and all types of births. Our team is rich in ideas, life experiences, skills, tools, and perspectives, offering you more than an individual doula could alone. When you hire our team, you get to:
- Choose your primary and secondary doulas, subject to our availability.
- Our personalized approach for a consistent and familiar care.
- Phone and email support
- 24/7 phone support for urgent concerns and labor.
- And much more!
Audrey Kalman
Women need a safe emotional harbor to participate fully in the transformative power of birth. I help hold the space where families can experience and honor birth, whatever that experience may be for them. I am dedicated to journeying alongside parents-to-be as they take part in birth as a rite of passage.
Julie
My philosophy is that for the vast majority of women, birth works best when supported with patience and left to follow its own path with as little intervention as possible. By sharing information, providing encouragement and supporting their choices, I help women feel respected and listened to so they can look back on labor and birth as a positive and empowering experience.
Eva Roodman
I believe that birth experience has a profound impact on mother, baby and family. As a doula, I draw on my knowledge and experience to provide emotional support, physical comfort, and, as needed, communication with the staff to make sure that you have the information you need to make informed decisions as they arise in labor.
What is the Peninsula Birth Companions team?
Peninsula Birth Companions came about as a way to provide better service while maintaining continuity in your doula care. Our team is rich in ideas, life experiences, skills, tools, and perspectives, offering you more than an individual doula could alone.Like many doulas, we spent years in solo practice. We often worked with each other for backup and professional support. Realizing that we shared similar philosophies and approaches to supporting families, we chose to team up to enhance our services.
How does this work for me as a client?
When you work with Peninsula Birth Companions, you choose your primary and secondary doulas, subject to our availability. Your primary doula is the companion you have chosen to support you during labor and birth.You and your partner will develop a relationship with both your primary and secondary doulas during prenatal and postpartum appointments. Your secondary doula may attend your labor during times when your primary cannot, such as due to other births, illness, or scheduled commitments. She also may assist or relieve your primary doula during long labors, where a fresh, but familiar, support person can contribute invaluable enthusiasm, energy, and ideas.The third doula on our team provides an additional level of backup for the primary and secondary doulas. Our personalized approach to backup and support guarantees our clients consistent and familiar care at all times.
Where do you work?
We cover Bay Area cities from San Jose to San Francisco, with most of our clients located on the Peninsula between Millbrae and Santa Clara. We have worked at the following hospitals: Cal Pacific Medical Center, St. Luke’s Hospital, UCSF Medical Center, Seton Medical Center, Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital (Stanford), Mills Hospital, Sequoia Hospital, Kaiser Hospital (Redwood City, Santa Clara, San Francisco), Washington Hospital, El Camino Hospital (Mountain View and Los Gatos). We also are happy to attend home births.
What you get
- Two consultations before your baby is born:
One at your home
One virtual visit with both your primary and secondary doulas - Guidance in creating a birth preferences document (birth plan)
- Continuous support during labor and birth at home and/or in hospital
- Two postpartum visits:
Followup visit 2-3 weeks after the baby’s birth
Breastfeeding support visit by Audrey if you are having lactation challenges - Resources and referrals for breastfeeding, community support, and other needs
- Phone and email support during pregnancy and postpartum and 24/7 phone support for urgent concerns and labor
- Breastfeeding support, including:
Availability before the birth by phone/email to answer questions and address concerns
Home visit as detailed above if you are having breastfeeding issues
Ongoing availability by email
How much it costs
Our birth doula package includes all the services described above. We offer it to mothers having a first baby for a flat fee of $2,500. Please ask about our discounted rates for second or subsequent babies.
How you pay
- First half of the fee is due when you sign our contract
- Second half is payable at 38 weeks
- If price is a concern, please let us know
- We prepare an invoice for you to submit to your insurance company or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
“Our doula was a huge help during labor and delivery. She had great suggestions (movement, sitting positions, etc.) for easing Anna’s pain during labor, was invaluable in helping us calmly evaluate options when we came to decision points (‘Pitocin now?’ ‘epidural?’), and was full of positivity when we needed it most (i.e., being up for 24 hours straight). I can’t imagine how we would have done it without her.”― Chris S. (partner)
“The doulas of Peninsula Birth Companions were very calm and caring people, which is why we chose them. Their manner stayed this way during prenatal sessions, the birth and with postpartum support. They were easy to contact, always responding to e-mails, returning phone calls, and providing alternate numbers… that made us feel confident that we would always receive the support we wanted during the actual birth.”― S.H.
“I had a difficult labor… However, having our doula call and come over to assess the situation and help me decide my next move was indispensable… My husband also strongly agrees that our doula was a wonderful support, especially during labor. She allowed him to be 100% involved without leaving him to feel alone or pressured. We are both very happy with our doula experience and would hire Peninsula Birth Companions again.”― Danielle C.
“I was initially hesitant to hire a doula because I thought she would not be flexible about a medicated birth (i.e., epidural). How wrong I was. The doulas of Peninsula Birth Companions were not only very open minded, but incredibly supportive of me and committed to helping me have the best possible birth for me. Some people think that if you plan to get an epidural, you don’t need a doula, but I felt that the encouragement, support, experience in dealing with tricky medical questions that arose, and post-labor education was invaluable. I would absolutely hire them again–they were worth every penny.”― Kristin E.
“I would highly recommend Peninsula Birth Companions. I found them to be highly professional, supportive, and knowledgeable. Our backup doula was also highly competent and supportive. I believe if you are desiring a natural birth, hiring the assistance of a doula would definitely make your birth experience more positive.”― Jennifer W.
“Hiring PBC was the best thing we decided to do. It truly made this birth unforgettable and most rewarding as I was able to have the birth experience I had envisioned. Thank you PBC!”― Katie A.
“Peninsula Birth Companions made all the difference in my birth experience. Even I, as healthcare professional, found the whole labor process overwhelming and bewildering at times, and my doula was an ideal guide and translator. She interfaced brilliantly with the nurses, gave my partner a ton of space and time to sleep, and was by my side for hours on end without ever feeling intrusive. Her presence felt just right. It was so easy to accept her help.”― Sarah R.