Training and Additional Education:

• Birth Doula Certification: CAPPA
• Postpartum Doula Training: Cornerstone
• Childbirth Education Facilitator Training: Cornerstone
• Spinning Babies: 1 and 2-day Workshops
• Breastfeeding for Doulas: East Bay Lactation Associates (2x)
• Comforting Touch for Doulas: Yiska Obadia
• The Pelvic Floor – Preparing for Birth: Sonia Reiter
• The Start and Do the Work: Rachel Cargle
• Homebirth for Doulas: Cornerstone
• Optimal Fetal Positioning: Cornerstone
• HAND of the Bay Area: Bereavement training for care providers
• Massage for Doulas: Francine Madrid
• Birthways & Kathy Woo: Hypnobirthing with Hypnobabies
• Bay Area Doula Project speaker series: Working with Perinatal Trauma with Gena McCarthy, Postpartum Depression with Melissa Reyes

Testimonials:

“Anna was really outstanding in helping us get ready for the birth, and in providing excellent emotional & physical support during & after labor. She played an invaluable role in helping me have the birth I wanted to have – I don’t think I could have done it without her!”
– M.J.

“Anna provided me many books during my pregnancy to help prepare me for labor. We discussed these books and really, through these discussions, I was more and more excited about a natural/home childbirth. She made me feel empowered and like this was a natural act I was born to achieve. During labor she helped me keep smiling, laughing, provided compresses, assisted in keeping me fed, hydrated… she kept [my husband] confident.”
– M.M.

“Anna was fantastic! Very compassionate & attentive while remaining calm & non-invasive. She was essential to my husband who I think would have been at a loss without her.”
– R.M.

“We cannot recommend Anna Mahony enough to be a team member on your birth team. But one warning: she will become a family member (Aunt Anna!) to your family, just as she has to ours.When we hired Anna as our doula, we had high expectations. Anna set regular appointments at our home to prepare for what we hoped would be an easy and straight forward labor. It took our son almost 48 hours to emerge, and throughout this truly laborious labor, Anna was a steady, calming, loving figure who guided me through every step and stage of the process. Her knowledge of calming positions and soothing tricks made every contraction a ton easier. Anna had an innate sense of exactly what was needed from me, from my husband, and from her during each step of labor, and she acted in a swift but calm manner to ensure that everything was as easy as possible. She interfaced professionally and simply with each medical professional who took care of us, and she knew when and how to signal to us that we may want some time alone to discuss the necessary deviations from our birth plan. We were so grateful to have an advocate, friend, professional, child expert, mother expert, and all-around awesome doula aboard our birth team.”

-K.R. via Berkeley Parents Network

“I hired Anna after my doula from my first birth was unavailable. There are not enough words to describe how cared for, safe and secure I felt with her before, during and after my birth. Right away she took time to hear our birth story from our first birth and talk about big and small changes we wanted to make this time around. She even took the time during our consults to get to know our first son and include him in the conversation (He LOVES her btw). I had a difficult time with my pregnancy during my last trimester and she went out of her way to check in on me and my family to see if we needed additional information and support. When the time came she arrived quickly and even reminded my husband to eat some food. She helped calm me through my early contractions and stepped up with awesome hip squeezes when transition began. She stayed long after the birth to help the midwives and my family settle in before quietly slipping out so we could rest. My husband and I are beyond happy with her services and dedication to my birth. I cannot recommend her highly enough.”

-H.K. via Yelp

“Anna was a pleasure to work with. Her bright energy and skill were a significant contribution to the labor and birth we attended together.”
– Ellah Ray, LM, CPM

“Supportive, skilled, and her presence was a great addition to this birth”
– Beah Haber Pederson , CNM

“Anna was fantastic. She has great instincts, a professional but warm demeanor, and worked well with everyone.”
– Lisa de la Fuente, CNM

“Aside from Anna’s “sweet presence” at this birth, she really was an essential contributing member of our birth team. Anna takes direction really well – assisted in responsibilities, with our direction, confidently and comfortably.”
– Amrit Khalsa, RN, Midwife, IBCLC

“Anna was a wonderful, warm, positive support; consistent and very respectful and thoughtful.”
-Leopi Sanderson-Edmunds, CPM