Maren

Meet Maren | Postpartum Doula, Lactation Educator, Perinatal Nutrition Expert, MS Ed in Counseling

While Maren is not the only client turned doula on our team, she is the only doula we have who speaks Danish! If you are familiar with hygge—the Danish word for warmth, comfort, and coziness—you will recognize it in Maren’s presence, as she brings the calm, peace and connection that set the stage for a comforting postpartum recovery. What a joy to get to have Maren as an ABC Doula offering her experience, her training, and her immense patience, equipping her to support parents and their tiny new arrivals.

Maren comes to doula work with a MS Ed in counseling and years of school counseling experience, specializing in middle school students. Most of us remember adolescence as a tumultuous experience, and matresence (the process of becoming a mother, check out the TED talk for more info) has many similarities, especially with the influence of massive hormone shifts. Now that she is raising her two boys (currently in their tweens) she decided that working with babies and new parents might be a bit tamer for this season.

Supporting families is second nature to her, as one of the things she is best at is listening and helping people sort out what is important and meaningful to them. Maren exudes love, acceptance, and comfort, so it is a natural extension to bring that to Portland area families in a professional doula role. As a nurturing caregiver of her children, Maren is also well resourced within the parenting community of SE Portland, and is passionate about supporting families with all the resources available to them.

Because her connection with ABC Doula goes way back to her first days as a new mom when she received postpartum doula care, we were all overjoyed when Maren decided to train with CAPPA to become a Postpartum Doula and join the team. Over a decade ago Kimberly was so impressed with Maren’s drive and instincts while welcoming her firstborn, especially her determination in working on breastfeeding.

Knowing what it feels like first hand to have experienced doula care, and the resulting confidence in motherhood it supports, Maren aims to build bonds between babies and parents, knowing this is the foundation of security and growth. Just being with her will create peace and comfort around your postpartum period, and will bring ease to the new roles each parent is transitioning through. She loves to support partners to create lasting bonds by creating confidence in their skills as well. Teaching as well as gently modeling, Maren attends to every member of the family, including grandparents and furry babies too.

Maren loved adjusting to new motherhood within the New Mom’s Groups at Providence where she formed deep bonds with other new parents, and was introduced to another one of her roles when (then called Stroller Strides) came to visit. This eventually let to Maren becoming a postpartum fitness instructor for Portland based Fit4Mom where she further got to help new parents be together and get stronger.

Maren’s particular strengths are her compassion, calm, and her genuineness with families. She is also a great cook, practiced at preparing food for people with allergies and special diets. She loves to cook and bake way too many things to list, but her frittata, muffins, and scones are specialties—and she makes killer biscuits to go with client favorite Greek Red Lentil soup. Maren believes food is love.

Maren’s family life is rich and full with her boys, husband Thomas, a free roaming house rabbit named Brownie, and an array of robotics and chess pieces scattered between the ultimate frisbee, badminton and cello/orchestra gear in her home. They get in family time outdoors, hiking or camping, or if it's up to Maren, on the water, canoeing, swimming, or paddle boarding.

You will love any time you get to spend with Maren as your doula. Like the doulas on our team, she makes everything better, and she will be excited to meet you and see what magic she can perform on your behalf. Maren truly brings the hygge to each of the families she gets to serve, encouraging a warm and nurturing space you can relax and take in with your new little love.