Meet Alexia

I grew up in the mountains of Puerto Rico, and that experience definitely shaped who I am today. Family is the most important thing in our lives, and pregnancy and birth are deeply cherished. Even at a young age, I looked forward to one day being pregnant—it always seemed like the most miraculous thing to me, and I was always in awe when I thought about it. The idea of birth always scared me a bit, of course, because of how it’s portrayed on television or from hearing people’s negative stories in hospitals, but there was always some excitement as well. Over time, I started to hear positive birth stories and learned how empowering birth could be. It saddened me to realize that many women didn’t know just how many choices they have in shaping their birth experience.

Ten years ago, I first heard the word “doula” and its meaning, and it was bittersweet. Sweet because I was so happy to hear there was a title for everything I would have loved to be, and bitter because I had already started my college education. I was young, and doulas weren’t as well-known then as they are now, so it didn’t seem like a viable career path for me. I continued with my studies, became an occupational therapy assistant, got married, and five years later became pregnant. The word “doula” was always in the back of my mind, and I knew I wanted one for my own birth. I had a wonderful experience, and it really cemented the fact that I needed to do this. Now, I’m in a place where I can pursue my passion for birth work—not as a job, but as something that brings me deep joy and fulfillment.

My daughter Saylor’s birth was the most faith-strengthening, beautiful, overwhelming, earth-stopping experience, and I have never been more impressed with or proud of myself. My birth plan didn’t unfold how I expected, and there is much I would do differently next time, but I can still say I fell in love with the experience and with those special moments. I was able to do so because I had great support and was well-prepared and informed. I want everyone to be able to look back on their moments and feel the same love.