Andrea has had an interest and passion in the field of pregnancy, childbirth and infant care for many years and pursued a variety of experiences before deciding to become a ProDoula certified Labor Doula. As a child, she was fascinated by infants and was well- known among her family and friends for being an enthusiastic babysitter and caretaker.
This passion led to a lifetime focus in this field, whether in volunteer work in a NICU as a teenager, working at the Children’s Defense Fund as her first post-college employment, or obtaining her Master of Social Work graduate degree.
As a social worker, she provided assistance to young mothers aging out of the foster care system, offering parenting, logistical and emotional support. After having her first child in 2006, Andrea became a stay-at-home mother for many years and continued to always learn from her own pregnancy and childbirth experiences while constantly reading, and observing, and supporting friends and family through their pregnancy and medical experiences as well. She was honored to be asked to be a support companion for all her sisters-in-law during the births of her six nieces and nephews, and from those experiences was really struck by how each pregnancy and birth is unique and deserving of its own honor and story. She also saw how having companionship and support helped the mothers and partners have a calmer and better experience during the unpredictable, joyful, and sometimes difficult process of pregnancy and birth.
In addition to being a mother of 3, Andrea has worked in a preschool, is a periodic substitute for Arlington Public Schools, volunteered as a mentor to a young mother, and obtained her ProDoula certification. She considers herself to be an intuitive and proactive caretaker and a person that friends and family say provides a calming and reliable presence during life transitions. Andrea is excited to be able to pursue her passion in a concrete way by joining the Balanced Birth Support team and looks forward to providing any support that a client is seeking to empower them during the pregnancy and birth experience! She lives in Arlington with her family and pets, and enjoys the outdoors, cooking, reading, traveling and connecting with family and friends!
I look forward to providing any support that a client is seeking to empower them during the pregnancy and birth experience!