Laura Woodlander - Birth Doula

Where every birth is beautiful and every moment held with care.

Welcome!
Hello, I’m Laura. I am a mom of three, a full-spectrum doula, massage therapist, and naturalist living in Sonoma County. I am passionate about birth and motherhood and believe these experiences deserve to be honored and held with care. The birth of my children and my journey through motherhood are the highlights of my life and impassion me to help others experience bith and motherhood with confidence and joy. Birth holds the possibility to awaken inner strength and resiliency and other resources you never even knew you had. It’s a rite of passage and a life long memory that will serve you in motherhood and beyond. All this is possible and it is my hope for you and I would be honored to be your guide!
My ineterest in birth started 30 years ago while studying birth cross-culturally as a medical anthropology student at UCSC. Soon after graduating, I met midwife Nan Koehler and began an apprenticeship with her. My time with Nan taught me about holistic birth support, breastfeeding and attachment parenting practices and instilled in me a deep trust in birth and the innate wisdom that every woman holds.
Bringing a baby into the world is one of the most profound moments of life, and it is an incredible honor to help families during this time. I cherish every aspect of my work and bring my whole heart to every family I work with. My approach is nurturing, encouraging, and informative. I value building close connections with my clients so I may help them feel safe, confident and relaxed to trust their intuition and birth.
When I am not immersed in the birth world, you may find me in my garden making flower bouquets, or on the trails of Sonoma county, driving my 14 year old to his 101 after school activities, or letting loose on the dance floor. Hope to join you on this crazy and beautiful ride of life we're on!
Education
DONA International Doula Training 2022
Lactation Specialist Program Better Beginnings 2024
Body Ready Method 2025-2026
Spinning Babies Foundations 2026
Physiological Birth- Rachel Reed 2026
Preventing Trauma level 1&2- Krysta Dancy 2025
Enriching Your Prenatals- Birthing From Within 2025
Building a Coping Mindset- Birthing From Within 2025
Taming Fear- Birthing From Within 2025
Cesarean Birth: A Gentle Approach- Birthing From Within 2025
Navigating Induction: A Guide for Birth Workers- Birthing From Within 2026
Somatic Practitioner Program- Heartwood Inst. 1996-1997
Swedish Massage- Twin Lakes College of Healing Arts 1996
Deep Tissue Massage- Heartwood Inst.1997
Infant Massage- Kalena Babeshoff 2000
Prenatal Massage- Osmosis Day Spa 2000
BA UC Santa Cruz- 1994
Basic Life Support- American Heart Association 2024
Neonatal Resuscitation Program- American Academy of Pediatrics 2025 Basic Life Support in Obstetrics- American Academy of Family Physicians 2025
In Process: Nurture Neuroscience Practitioner Program 2026
Services

Prenatal Support
In our prenatal work, we will prepare
your mind, body, and spirit for birth and motherhood. We will review the physiology of birth and develop your birth preferences. We will build your confidence in birth and in meeting its unknowns. We will practice pain coping strategies and develop individualized, simple exercises to prepare your body and baby for the most efficient labor possible.
Birth Support
During your labor, I will be a calm, encouraging, caring presence. I will keep you informed and advocate for your birthing preferences and offer guidance to support labor progression. I will protect your birthing rhythm and reflect your strength back to you every step of the way.

Postpartum Care
Bringing home a newborn can be an all-consuming transition. My role is to ease this transition with compassionate connection, breastfeeding support, infant care education, and practical hands-on help. Having a little support helps the family get off to a good start!