The role of the Birth Doula is to provide physical, emotional and informational support to women and families during the childbearing year. We want to help women create their own empowered pregnancy and birth stories, through support and education. As a collective, we bring a diverse set of skills, knowledge and experience to birth and pregnancy.
A little about ourselves
Crystal Brown
Hello! My name is Crystal and I am the mother of spirited bookend twins. I have traveled extensively throughout the United States, lived in Okinawa, Japan and explored Canada, Mexico and parts of South America. My fiancé and I met in Redding, Ca where we were both working on our undergrad, he in Computer Science and I in Natural and Health Sciences. My fiancé and I recently moved to Chico with our children for the University, the wonderful community and the beautiful scenery. I am meeting amazing families and finding new places to adventure daily!
I was raised in a home that spoke of birth as a natural life event, without fear, and in the hands of a midwife as the norm. I had the honor to be a doula for a family friend when I was 14, where I was able to witness a woman experience a healthy, normal labor in the comfort of her own home. My early experiences shaped my knowledge and love for birthwork, where I found endless encouragement from women that wanted more ethical, dignified, spiritual births. I had my two children with midwives and breastfed both of them.
I am currently a CNA, Birth Doula (DONA trained) and Certified Lactation Educator, and studying to be a nurse and midwife. I remain up-to-date on evidence based care, women’s and families issues and expand my network every day to include new expertise and knowledge.
The role of the Birth Doula is to provide physical, emotional and informational support to women and families during the childbearing year. I feel so blessed to have had amazing birth experiences that made me an empowered woman, mother and wife. I want to help women create their own empowered pregnancy and birth stories, through support and education. I bring a diverse set of skills and knowledge to birth and pregnancy. Meditation, visualization, massage, birthing ball, oils, lotions and most importantly my hands and calm spirit can help women navigate through this transformative time. This is not only a time of great change for mothers but fathers as well. I feel it is vital to include partners into the birthdance to create loving fathers and strong families. I also have an understanding that siblings need additional support through this high energy time and I enjoy caring for children.
I am currently studying to be a midwife, exploring my options as a CNM and homebirth midwife. I am drawn to homebirth because of evidence based maternal care and the midwifery model of care. Homebirth supports women’s choices and body autonomy, leading to greater outcomes both physiologically and psychologically. I feel that women know what is best for their bodies and their families and this respect is often lacking in clinical settings. Women that have to navigate birth and a clinical setting are in need of additional guidance and support.
Every birth is special and sacred and I would be honored to assist you in the hospital or at home as your doula. I am so grateful to all of the wonderful community in Chico, the dedicated birth workers and of course all of the families that have allowed me to be part of their incredible journeys.
Carly Goodell
Hi, I am Carly Goodell.
I was born the oldest of 4 girls, born and raised in the North East in Connecticut. I moved west to Chico with my now husband, where we reside with our one daughter.
I am a Registered Nurse, with varying experiences from home care to the Emergency Room. I am certified in neonatal, pediatric and adult cardiac life support; PALS, BLS and ACLS. I have taken NRP, with Karen Strange, and have completed a DONA birth doula course with Debbie Lavin. I have always enjoyed the role of compassionate care giver, and I have found my niche in helping women experience birth.
I have become fascinated by birth and its natural process since birth of my own daughter in 2014. “I realized how afraid I had been of a process so natural, so true. I decided I wanted to help guide other women through that process with less fear, and more security, beauty, and light.”
I believe that birth is a process very natural and specific to each individual woman. The best way to help someone birth is to know them, and hold space, and listen to them and their body.
I continue to proudly breast feed my daughter and love helping other post-partum women find breast feeding techniques that work for them. Each woman and baby is different, so it is much like a beautiful dance, when you can tune into that you will all blend as one.
I believe in birth, believe it is a natural process of the body and believe that every single woman knows how to birth and is capable of giving birth how she wants. I am thrilled to currently have teamed up with several other incredible, like-minded women as the Mother Nurture Doula Collective which will be a strong foundation for my future in birth work.
Tara D'Augelli
Greetings! My name is Tara; I am a natural minded mother of four amazing girls, as well as a Chico loving native. I enjoy spending time with my family, nature, organic gardening, hiking, and sewing. I had natural births with all four of my children at The Birth Day Place (Feather River Hospital), with the care of the Feather River Midwives.
My passion for empowered birth, women's rights and the drive to support and encourage women through friendly, and compassionate care has developed from my own experiences as a young mother, as well as hearing the experiences and stories from other mom's. I myself grew up believing that giving birth was terrifying, unbearably painful and that everyone uses drugs to manage pain during labor. Thankfully I had very influential female role models who guided me into the awareness that although birth is painful it doesn't have to be frightening, and you don't have to do it alone.
I started doula work (Birth Your Way) in late 2014 after I received my Birth Doula training in July of 2014 from Debbie Lavin through DONA; and completed my Postpartum Doula training through Birth Arts International. I am CPR certified and recently completed NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation) training from Karen Strange. I Studied at Butte College and received my A.S Degree in Social Science with an emphasis on Communication, and Child Development.
My other interests include Herbs , Vegetarian and Gluten Free Diets, Baby Wearing, Cloth Diapering, Co- Sleeping, Elimination Communication, Intact, Essential Oils, Yoga,