About Me

Hi, I'm Desiree Dougherty! I'm a birth doula, pregnancy coach, childbirth educator, and mother of two living in the San Francisco Bay Area. I became a doula after the birth of my own two children, two very different experiences that showed me how birth can be a source of power and strength that carries up into our lives as parents. Supporting families through this transformative experience is truly my calling.

In my practice, I work with families to prepare for birth and the transition into postpartum through education and personalized coaching, helping them craft a vision for their birth that reflects their unique values and speaks to who they are, both as individuals and as a family. This may include mindfulness and breathing practices, movement and positioning exercises, and setting expectations around the realities of childbirth.

I have experience supporting families seeking both medicated and unmedicated births, VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean), induction births, cesarean births, and birth after loss. No matter what kind of birth you're planning, you deserve to feel supported and empowered in the process of meeting your baby, and it's my mission to help you achieve exactly that.
When I'm not teaching or supporting families in birth spaces, you can find me belly-dancing, baking bread and treats for my kiddos, or frolicking around the Bay with my family.

Practice Philosophy

My philosophy is rooted in the belief that birth can be a source of power and strength, one that carries into our lives as parents. Having navigated two very different births of my own, I understand firsthand how transformative this experience can be, and that lived experience deeply informs how I support every family I work with.

I work with families through education and personalized coaching to craft a vision for birth that reflects their unique values and speaks to who they are, both as individuals and as a family. This may include mindfulness and breathing practices, movement and positioning exercises, and setting realistic expectations around childbirth, so you feel prepared, grounded, and confident. No matter what kind of birth you're planning, I meet you where you are, with respect for your goals and your story.

Overall, my goal is to help you feel supported and empowered in the process of meeting your baby, every step of the way.

Specialties

‍

• VBAC Preparation
• Cesarean Birth
• Birth After Loss
• IVF
• Breech Birth
• Medicated & Unmedicated Birth
• Premature Babies
• Multiples
• LGBTQ+ Families
• Families of Color

Specialties

‍

• VBAC Preparation
• Cesarean Birth
• Birth After Loss
• IVF
• Breech Birth
• Medicated & Unmedicated Birth
• Premature Babies
• Multiples
• LGBTQ+ Families
• Families of Color