Lindsay Germain, CPD
I feel honored to have supported dozens of families through pregnancy, birth and the transition of early parenthood. Passionate about evidence-based medicine and preventative, integrative health care, I provide unconditional support to parents as a postpartum doula. I nourish mothers, encouraging grounding, empowerment, and self-care.
My professional training includes:
- Breastfeeding support
- Infant development and care
- Postpartum mother care, including nutrition for healing after birth
- CPR/First Aid Certification (infant, child, and adult)
- Parenting by Connection, an emotional support technique for moving through the struggles and challenges of parenting
In addition to traditional postpartum doula services, as an avid gardener, pet lover, and self-taught cook, I offer help with garden maintenance, pet care, home-cooked meals, and prepare delicious snacks and desserts.
Postpartum doula services, $25/hour
Includes:
- Cooking delicious, nutritious meals (see sample meals)
- Doing light household chores (dishes, laundry, tidying)
- Answering questions and offering support for caring for your new bab(ies)
- Running errands and shopping for groceries
- Providing breastfeeding/feeding support
- Giving referrals to specialists, as appropriate
I am in tune with the particular emotional needs of women though pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, and have a passion, talent, and a great deal of experience holding space for processing difficult emotions.
—–
email Lindsay
phone: 510-847-1521
Serving the East Bay area
“I just got [the baby] to sleep so I had a few minutes and wanted to let you know how great it was to have you here these past two days. You are truly a godsend. Everything you did made such a difference in how I feel emotionally. It is funny how much a clean bathroom and stocked refrigerator can cause a peace of mind and make me breathe easier.
You’re also a great cook! It was also nice just to have a person around who I can talk to and learn new information and advice about how I might try to stay healthy. Anyway, just wanted you to know I appreciated everything you did… from laundry to cooking and cleaning and everything in between.”
~ C. T.
“Thank you so much for your amazing support before, during and after our son’s birth. It was an amazing experience and we couldn’t have done it without you!”
~ B. & Z.
“Lindsay’s presence throughout the birthing process was nurturing and grounding. Her calm approach and constant encouraging words helped us to get through those very challenging moments. Though nothing about the birth happened according to our plan, she set a beautiful example of unconditional love and support from which were all could draw the strength we needed to gain our ultimate prize!”
~ J & J
“Lindsay was essential in my labor and delivery. She provided support for me as well as my husband. He really appreciated having her there. She was flexible, attentive, patient and knowledgable. The nurse mentioned after the delivery that everyone at the hospital really liked her and would be happy to recommend her. They wanted to know her name and contact information. They said that it was apparent that she cared about us and was a great doula to work with. I felt secure, safe and at ease with Lindsay. I always felt that she was there to help Jim and I and she helped made me feel stronger for the birth of my beautiful daughter.
Sincere Thanks,”
~ N. W.
“I felt refreshed and very thankful to have received the support from Lindsay; with her presence and support I was able to relax and feel totally comfortable while in labor and was able to have the birth I imagined and visualized for myself.”
~ T. C.
“Thank you for being a part of our labor team. Jason and I are confident that bringing our Judah into the world couldn’t have gone as smoothly without your help. Our labor didn’t begin, or progress, as we had hoped, but with your help I was able to have the drug-free experience I wanted.
“You bring a calm professionalism that was a great value. You had an intuitive understanding of my needs, and managed the situation while enabling both my husband and I to be in control. Your knowledge of the birthing process was invaluable; you helped us to understand what was happening and to make confident decisions throughout our experience. Your extra attention to my self-care both before and after the birth did not go unnoticed or unappreciated.
“Thank you for being so responsive to all of our needs.”
~ L. W.
“Lindsay did an amazing job keeping me calm and becoming an advocate for me, working with the hospital staff. She was extremely attentive to me at all times, encouraging me and supporting my decisions. She fulfilled all my wishes for what a doula could be, and I was extremely happy to have her at my birth. She went above and beyond the call of duty and I would love for her to attend any future births.”
~ S. W.
“Thank you for your care of us as our doula for the birth of [our little girl]. We appreciate your giving and caring prenatally, during labor and birth, and postpartum. I am especially grateful for your helping me through labor, each step of the way, with your calm approach. Happy wishes for you!
Love,”
~ J. W.
Sample Meals
When a doula cooks for you, you can make requests for special recipes you love or let her make a suggestion. Many of the most nourishing foods that speed postpartum recovery are also the most delicious – I love to make a warm plate of molasses cookies and a big pot of soup that you can freeze or eat fresh. When I cook, I make big meals that will keep well for days. I always fill up a snack basket with chocolates, granola bars, fruit, nuts, cookies, and other easy-to-eat snacks for those times when you’re starving and stuck in a chair during feedings. Here’s an idea of the kinds of meals I might make (all meals can be made vegan or vegetarian – I was vegetarian/vegan for over 15 years):
Chickpea chili with zucchini and sweet potato
Jalapeno cornbread
Homemade chicken stew, served with beans and wild rice
Three cheese lasagna with beef, spinach, and garlic
Tender baby greens salad with caramelized red pepper and onion
Savory stir fry, served over Udon noodles with sesame sauce
