Meet Kamila Stanisch, Birth & Postpartum Doula!

I believe birth and the postpartum period are transformative moments in our lives that should be treated with respect and honor. It is a time of beauty, grace, joy, empowerment, and so many more emotions as life is forever changed, whether it is a first baby or fifth baby. I believe that birthing persons deserve support during these critical times, and I want to provide that support as a doula. 

In my personal life, I love to travel, and I enjoy sharing that love with my kids. My son got his first stamp in his passport at ten weeks old! I love history and enjoy vacations that offer lots of historical places to visit. Running (or slow jogging is probably more appropriate) is my happy place and I try to get out a few times a week. I also love to hike, read, try new recipes, watch movies, and spend time with my kids and husband. We are still somewhat new to Maryland so are still enjoying exploring the area.

I grew up in Oregon in a very small town (27 people in my graduating class…oh my!). I moved to Phoenix, AZ after high school and lived there for several years. The desert is beautiful, but the heat is intense, and the seasons are hot and hotter. So, we are thoroughly enjoying the four seasons and cooler weather in Maryland. And the green vegetation reminds me of a wonderful combination of Ireland and Oregon. 

I served in the Army National Guard and then the Air Force Reserves. I have worked in government and at a non-profit for kids with pediatric feeding disorder. I have gravitated towards jobs where my work can serve others. I studied history in college and went on to study public health in grad school. It was during this time that my passion for birthing persons and infants was ignited.

My path to becoming a doula was long and filled with joy, happiness, heartache, and learning that have instilled in me a passion to support birthing and postpartum persons as well as those struggling with fertility. In my own journey to parenthood, I experienced a childbirth that did not go well and resulted in a brain injury in our daughter that left her with cerebral palsy. I understand what it is like to come home from the hospital with tubes and equipment that I never imagined. I understand grieving for the child I thought she would be while feeling my heart expand with love and devotion to a daughter who has taught me more in her seven years than I learned in the decades that preceded her.

 I also experienced the joy of a beautiful and fully supported birth with our son. I learned the power that comes from having a doula’s presence, not only to help me get through labor, but to provide the guidance my husband needed to work through the fears that surfaced from our daughter’s birth. My doula made possible the homebirth I wanted.

I have also had numerous miscarriages and an IVF failure. I understand the fear, the frustration, and the sense of failure that these events can cause. I know that these experiences are often lonely and isolating, and that support during these times is not only needed, but critical.