Meet the Doula: a Natal Health Fair on July 9

Calling all parents-to-be to “Meet the Doula," a Natal Health Fair on July 9 at New Leaf Community Market

You are invited to a free community education event where you will gain vital information to support your prenatal, birth, and postpartum journey from local women's health professionals.

Starting at noon, a panel of six different Coastside fertility, maternity, and birth professionals will introduce themselves and their area of specialization, and answer questions about their services as well as questions about birth and women’s health. After the panel, you will be able to speak one-on-one with the presenters and make personal connections with individual(s) that could support your family.

Participating practitioners are: event organizer Samantha Corsiglia, doula, midwife assistant, certified pregnancy masseuse, and pre- and post-natal yoga instructor; Chris Pritchard, RN, lactation consultant and post-partum doula; Emily Deckenbeck, registered midwife; Michelle Gunderson, birth and postpartum doula; Jen Madanat, birth and postpartum doula; and Renee Anker, home birth midwife.

A "doula" is defined by Doulas of North America as a woman who is trained and experienced in childbirth and provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a woman during labor, birth, and the immediate postpartum period. Doulas help facilitate communication between family and medical professionals.

This will be the third Meet the Doula event that the Half Moon Bay New Leaf Community Market has hosted. “The knowledge and support that Samantha and other birth professionals offer to our Coastside mothers-to-be is invaluable, and we are delighted to host this event for the community as part of our on-going education program in our community classroom,” said Bebe Rowlette, marketing and community education coordinator for the Coastside New Leaf. “In addition to gaining practical information and possibly finding a new provider, families that attend the event can make connections with others and become part of a village of support, camaraderie and friendship for themselves and their children,” said Corsiglia.

There is no charge to attend the Meet the Doula event. Refreshments will be served and products donated by Garden of Life Vitamins and Boiron Homeopathics will be raffled. The event will take place in New Leaf’s community classroom, adjacent to the store at 150 San Mateo Rd, Half Moon Bay, 12pm–1:30pm. Preregistration is suggested. For more information and registration, visit www.newleaf.com/events.