About Melissa
Melissa Urena
Newborn Care Specialist, Birth and Postpartum Doula, Lactation Counselor. River’s mama.
I carry a legacy of nurturing, protecting, and supporting women- all through the meaning of my name. I’m named after one of the many nymphs who cared for Zeus as a baby, ensuring his safety and growth. But it gets even more magical: Melissa was also the name of Artemis, the goddess who protected women in childbirth and helped ease the suffering of mothers.
Originally, the word doula meant “woman’s servant” or “female slave”. But today, a doula is so much more than that!
My journey into birth work was deeply personal—my own birth experience ignited a desire to empower other women to have the birth they envision for themselves. Before I became a doula, I was seeing how the women closest to me we’re not being held in a way where they could have safe, empowering, and autonomous births. I knew then that I wanted to be “the village” for them and for all the other large groups of Mothers having an experience after birth that is vastly different from what they deserve.
As a dedicated birth professional, I’m committed to providing compassionate, hands-on support to new parents during the prenatal, birth, and postpartum periods. My goal is to create a streamlined, stress-free experience that leaves you feeling confident, informed, and deeply connected to yourself and your newborn. Whether you’re preparing for labor or navigating early parenthood, I believe in building strong relationships based on trust, respect, and understanding.
Every family is unique, and I work closely with you to tailor my services to your specific needs, providing evidence-based guidance and personalized care. My approach is rooted in nurturing your emotional well-being, promoting physical comfort, and helping you feel empowered in your choices—every step of the way. My role as a doula is to listen, to guide, and to help you bring your vision of birth and parenting to life with confidence and peace of mind. They say it takes a village, but the village no longer exists. I am here to bridge that gap to make your journey as enjoyable and intentional as possible.
My Philosophy
My approach is nurturing, proactive, and respectful, baby-led care. Naturally a nurturer by nature, my goal is to provide Mothers with real, natural solutions and support during a time where they have to be trusting of themselves, their team and their Babies.
I help families create realistic goals that are intentional, educating them to know what to expect so that their journey can be seamless to some degree, allowing them to have more enjoyable experiences with their Babies. Through proactive guidance, parents are adept at intervening before Baby’s limits are reached so that their needs are consistently always met.
I work as a team player and keep open communication in order to build trusting and lasting relationships, where all caretakers are continuously aware of Baby and Mother’s overall well-being.
Working as a space-holder for every Mother, I strive to leave families feeling confident, empowered and well- equipped.
As a Certified Lactation Counselor and exclusively breastfeeding Mama I am also able to support breastfeeding parents, but support all feeding preferences.
My belief is that Babies can thrive optimally by receiving holistic, quality care along with proven scientific methods.
My hope is to assist in setting a foundation for children who can be the highest expression of ground, stable, nourished people to create a healthier society.