Kimberly
Meet Kimberly | Postpartum Doula/Trainer, IBCLC, New Parent Educator/Trainer, Lactation Educator/Trainer, Newborn Care Specialist, IBCLC
Hi and welcome to our doula service! As the owner and founder of ABC Doula & Newborn Care, I have worked extensively with families providing doula and newborn support, as well as lactation support for the past 20+ years, and I run the day to day operations including answering the phone and email requests. Because I want as many families served as possible in our area, I also train doulas and educators both in Portland and all around the US.
I have been working with postpartum families since I had my first child in 2000, and I have always had a passion for newborns and their families, particularly in the early transition to newborn twins. My first overnight job was with a set of 4 lb triplets, which set me off on an adventure to help families with multiples, and I had no idea it would shape my journey so much, but it birthed in my heart the desire to work extensively with these families. At this point we have supported over 750 sets of twins, and taught hundreds more in my Twins and More classes at the hospital and privately in homes.
I became a Certified Postpartum Doula in 2002 and CAPPA Faculty Postpartum Doula Trainer in 2004. I also began teaching classes for Providence Health System, and have been teaching there for 20 years now. Due to my love of equipping new parents for their new adventures, I founded the New Parent Educator Course in 2017 (co-written with Laura Nance) and now I travel around the country training educators to teach new and expectant parent classes.
Because I loved supporting breastfeeding families as a doula, I become a Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in 2011 to further my expertise in supporting the process of lactation. I also became a Certified Lactation Educator to help teach dynamic and evidence based breastfeeding classes, and now I train educators to teach and support families all around the NW, from my hometown on Whidbey Island to all across the US and Canada.
I train for the CLE credential (an educator credential for supporting breastfeeding families) which provides many doulas, NCS and caregivers the skills to help parents have up to date information—without the extensive cost and time commitment to become an IBCLC.
I have two grown kids and a bonus daughter in love now, and so appreciate the collaboration at home with my husband of 30 years (Mark who supports ABC as the Accounts Manager).
I launched my second child in 2023, and was an empty nester for about 5 months before becoming a grandma in the fall that same year. I had the privilege of being their postpartum doula and lactation consultant, and loved supporting my grown kids with their postpartum recovery as well as the rich experience of snuggling a grandbaby! Right before the announcement of the coming grandbaby, my heart expanded to include teaching grandparents who were planning to support their kids in the postpartum time frame, and Becoming a Grandparent classes were born. It was providential timing, as prepared the new class and then got the news! (I have since adapted the class quite a bit to include more tools to support both parents and grandparents.)
Since founding ABC Doula & Newborn Care in 2001 (originally After Baby Comes Doula Service, and then just ABC Doula Service), I have seen the company grow to serve over 3500 families, and I truly love working with our team of doulas.
My family in the golden years of when the kids were 9 and 14. Doula work was my 3rd child.