birth-support

Meet Our Doulas: Akemi Tsuru

Akemi is the person to go to for your tens unit rental, spinning babies, rebozo, acupressure, aromatherapy, belly binding, and Spanish and Portuguese language services (including childbirth education in English and Spanish).

She writes, “I'm a certified birth doula based in Baltimore City, as a LatinAsian I'm aware of how your cultural background can help you see the world in many different ways and I truly enjoy that.

“Always love to connect with my clients (especially migrant and multicultural families) to know how to adapt my experience for each one of them depending on their specific needs. I'm trained in Spinning babies, Rebozo and Mexican belly binding, aromatherapy and acupressure to complement my hands-on comfort measures, I'm fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, and speak basic French.

“My own experience having 2 natural births taught me how important the role of a support person is, and that made me want to switch career paths in order to serve other birthing people and help how they experience their journey, especially when you're not giving birth in your own country or in your own language.

“Cooking is my zen zone, sharing food with my family and friends is my happy place.”

Find her online at https://doulamatch.net/profile/22966/akemi-tsuru-cd-dona

Support our work HERE

#supportdoulas2024

Birth support services round-up

Hello again friends!

Birth doulas serve an incredibly fulfilling role during pregnancy by assisting clients with physical, emotional, and mental support through a life-changing time through the prenatal period, labor and delivery, and postnatally. The birth support program is one of the signature programs for the Baltimore Doula Project.

Through the end of this summer, BDP has:

  • Supported 11 births that resulted in 11 happy and health babies

  • Paid doulas $9,700 to support those births by providing funds to pregnant people who otherwise would be unable to access doula services

  • Provided postpartum support to three additional clients

Our fall has been even busier, with nine births supported from September through the end of this year with nine already slotted for the beginning of 2024!

Check out some photos shared with permission by our doulas and their wonderful clients.