Serving all families in all birth settings in the greater Phoenix area.
WE ARE A TEAM OF DOULAS IN PHOENIX, AZ SUPPORTING AND EMPOWERING POSITIVE BIRTH & POSTPARTUM EXPERIENCES
founded by alyssa leon in 2013
Alyssa Leon is the Founder and CEO of Cherry Blossom Doula Services, LLC. A mother first and foremost to two precious souls (a teen and preteen), she has provided birth doula support and birth photography for over a decade. Rising up from the University of Life, Alyssa’s capacity as a visionary, connector and business person has established Cherry Blossom as a premier doula organization in the state of Arizona. Today, it is a multiple six figure business that provides financially for countless doulas and their families while offering much-needed services to the birth community.
Since 2013, Alyssa has advocated for and mentored women who are stepping into their power as doulas and/or as business owners. In doing so, she only serves the occasional client today. More often, you can find her working with doulas and business women heading toward (or who are actively recovering from) burnout and/or who desire launching into healthy relationships with their clients, business/es and own lives. Alyssa has found firsthand that to uphold exemplary boundaries is foundational for folks to thrive.
Additionally, Alyssa has been the recipient of multiple awards and scholarships honoring her passion in serving mothers, women, birthing people and business owners in Arizona and beyond. To learn more about that, click here. You can find her on social media as @cherryblossom_doula and @cherryblossom_trainings.
The Cherry Blossom Doula Story
founder + ceo
"Birth work is all-encompassing and support is a necessity!"
Alyssa Leon
Our Story:
From the beginning
Fueled by the mission of providing birthing families the choices, resources, and the very best possible care during their monumental transformation as an individual, mother and as they welcome a new soul to their family.
Alyssa created Cherry Blossom Doula Services in 2013 with nothing more than a deep knowing that she was supposed to help pregnant women as a little girl.
Over the next 4 years, Alyssa continued supporting families in all birth settings and in 2018, decided to expand Cherry Blossom and brought on another labor doula due to the increase in clientele.
Before Alyssa became a certified doula, she obtained her childbirth educator certification and lactation educator training, while working at a local obgyn office teaching group prenatal classes. Alyssa applied for a mentorship program at a local birth center and continued attending births as a doula.
Following a passion in supporting birthing families.
2013
2015-2018
2014
More
2020 was the most challenging season that Cherry Blossom team had ever weathered. Although there was a lot of unknown, it solidified how important community was and the team became even stronger!
In 2021, Alyssa co-founded the Root and Rise Collective, which has provided a warm and professional community space for clients to attend appointments, monthly group prenatal meet ups, free bi-weekly postpartum social groups and offer many more classes! The product line for pregnancy and postpartum boxes was launched and are loving the organic collaborations with other providers to better support our families and community.
We will continue growing at an organic pace that is led by our clients and their needs. Cherry Blossom will be expanding to other locations in the valley, creating more opportunities to make an impactful difference in the greater Phoenix area.
In 2019, Cherry Blossom added Postpartum Doula services with families needing more support after they brought their sweet babes home and opened their first office.
2020
2019
2021
Back
2022 & Beyond
Providing the birth experience you desire on your terms
unique services
5
All committed to supporting and educating the birthing community
15+
Placenta cord keepsake, tinctures and capsules.
placentas encapsulated
AMAZING TEAM MEMBERS + GROWING
1,000+
Including hospital/cesarean, birth center and home births
births attended
2,000+
Serving birth and postpartum families
years
10+
Birth doula, Postpartum doula, birth photography, lifestyle photography, and childbirth education.
meet the team
Megan is in an incredibly passionate DONA certified Birth Doula that has been actively supporting Phoenix families in their journey to a beautiful birth experience for the past 8 years. Born and raised in Phoenix, AZ Megan shares a love for birth, plants, her dogs, and this beautiful desert that we call home.
As a birth doula, she provides complete emotional and physical support for families before, during, and shortly after birth. Megan believes that when people feel empowered during the birth of their children, they can begin parenthood with positive energy and loving hearts. She supports birthing people by meeting their emotional, physical and informational needs, while also supporting partners and other support people that are attending or involved in the birth process. Megan is full of laughter and love and believes that there is space for joy in every birth setting!
Megan is a birth justice advocate and is very involved in harm reduction of all kinds as this is one of the things that she is most passionate about. She actively works towards reducing harm to women and those who give birth and educating people on their options while being there for them emotionally and physically. She has supported many families in the L.G.B.T.Q.+ community, people who are in recovery, polyamorous/open families, and families delivering multiples . She strongly believes that all people should be treated with kindness and respect during birth.
Megan
@cherryblossomdoulamegan
Birth Doula & Photographer
Labor Doula
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Hannah is a Holistic Birth Doula and Birthkeeper, Photographer, Somatic Guide and Family Constellation Facilitator. She has served in the birth space for the past seven years as a knowledgeable resource, loving advocate, and accountability sister offering unwavering emotional & physical support for women to step through the portals of birth empowered, informed, and prepared to surrender to the waves.
Hannah understands birth as a natural, physiological process that happens within the womb, and as a personal, transformative initiation of a woman rising into motherhood. She follows the wise woman healing traditions of seeing our bodies as sacred, and trusting them as a source of inner guidance. With that, her practices focus on nourishing the nervous system through story and ceremony, and understanding how to flow with the naturally occurring hormones in labor. She also emphasizes the role of the partner in birth, equipping them with the tools & confidence to show up with greater attunement and presence.
As a birth doula with Cherry Blossom, Hannah offers labor support, maternity, birth and newborn photography, placenta encapsulation, birth coaching, family constellations, and educational sessions re: the nervous system and hormones in labor. Her practice is rooted in the natural, physiological process of birth where she incorporates breath, movement, yoga, visualization meditations, and somatic practices in the birth space as a wider spiritual practice of coming home to one's body. She is also knowledgeable about plant medicine.
When Hannah is not supporting physiological birth, she is likely at the soccer fields with her son, hiking with her dog, thinking about dinner, practicing yoga + jiu jitsu, reading or writing poetry. Certifications include: The Self Holding Modality™, Holistic Birth Doula, RYT 200, Advanced Family Constellations, VBAC PRO.
Hannah A.
Labor Doula
Birth Doula, Birth Educator, Photographer, Somatic Guide
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@Hannah_CherryBlossomDoula
I still get emotional at every birth (even if i try to keep my tears to myself) I cannot fall asleep without a spy novel or legal thriller on my Kindle. I knit to keep my sanity and am finally studying midwifery because...birth and babies! It feels as if I have always been a nurturer, a big sister to my siblings, a confidante for my friends, a source of knowledge for my students, and a mother to my own children. The right way to explain this eludes me, but I feel as if I have been practicing my whole life to become a doula. Throughout my own pregnancies, births, postpartum periods, and parenting experiences, I have run the gamut.
I have been attending births in an unofficial capacity since 2007, and as a DONA trained and StillBirthday certified since 2017, as a RN since 2022, and soon to be student Nurse Midwife. I have experience in hospital birth as a RN in labor and delivery at Banner University Medical Center - Phoenix, served as a doula in several hundred births, trained with local homebirth midwives in an assistant’s capacity, and walked many more families on their postpartum journey. Personally, I have over 7 years of breastfeeding experience, in addition to being a member of the La Leche League and assisting my clients in their breastfeeding careers. With my second pregnancy, I struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety; through this experience I became passionate that all mothers be heard and educate themselves about the normal and abnormal moods and reactions to new motherhood. I look forward to listening to birthing people of all shapes and sizes: all the little details of pregnancy, each individual birth preference, every unique joy or concern. I hope to bring my heart and hands to help you achieve the birth you are dreaming of and to welcome your newest family member amidst peace and love!
Melissa A.
Labor Doula
Birth Doula, Photographer, RN, Student Midwife
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@cherryblossomdoulamelissa
Michet stumbled onto this beautiful journey while attending massage therapy school and immediately felt this path was for her. In 2021, she decided to quit her corporate job and step into birth work full time. Michet flourished knowing she helped families feel safe and supported through the most magical and vulnerable time of their lives. As a birth worker and person, she identifies as a healer, an educator and an adventurer.
Helping to heal bodies through massage, especially prenatal massage became Michet's greatest passion. Pregnancy presents beauty, but it can also be uncomfortable. Being able to provide relief, education, and welcome a divine mind, body and baby connection are the supports Michet strives to uphold. She is a firm believer in taking care of your mind, body, and spirit. She says, "We have to know and trust our bodies to withstand the physiological experiences of birth."
Michet has been a labor doula with Cherry Blossom since summer 2022 and this journey has allowed her to step into her wider purpose. She empowers families to tap into what keeps them grounded and stable mentally, while also making sure that they have the necessary tools and resources to make informed decisions that align with their beliefs and make them feel safe.
Currently Michet is also a student midwife with Aurora Midwifery. In her free time, she enjoys hanging with her loved ones and two fur babies, Zuez and Charlie. She believes deeply that birth should be respected, your voice should be heard, and your feelings must be made valid. She welcomes her families to step into their power, to do the work both mentally and physically needed to prepare, and to trust mind, body and intuition. Michet feels so abundantly blessed to do something she loves - and, she looks forward to supporting more families and to walking alongside you on this sacred journey called pregnancy and birth.
Michét
Birth Doula, Photographer, LMT (Licensed massage therapist), Student Midwife
next
@cherryblossomdoula.michet
Laura says that she knew her journey into birth work was always meant to be. Having volunteer and work experience as a young woman first at a pregnancy center and then later at a women’s clinic, it was here that her desire to be both a support person and educational figure to families in the community was solidified.
After experiencing labor herself and holding her precious babe for the first time, Laura felt that it was time to fully pursue her passion. Understanding that so much of her experience was a result of her partner and care team (surrounding her with unconditional love and support), she sought out ways to bring this same care to her community. In 2021, Laura initiated her expansion into the world of birth work as a doula. Since then, she has had the incredible opportunity to support families in a variety of settings that include hospital births, home births and birth centers.
Laura is fluent in Spanish and often supports bilingual families. She has personally experienced two unmedicated births - one in the hospital and one homebirth, making her a wonderful guide for any birthing space her clients choose. The wisdom Laura imparts upon her families includes normalizing birth (your incredible body and baby are working together!) and serving as an honest and kind educator and guidepost. She is the kind of doula who will walk with you into your wild and beautiful transition to parenthood with awe - of you and your birth.
Laura is a California native who’s been living in the valley since 2005. Here, she's learned to love the hot desert and everything it offers. When Laura is not spending time with her husband and two littles, she is typically out exploring Arizona living. She is an intentional mother and parent, and brings as much value into parenting as she does into the birth space.
Laura Inclan
Birth Doula, Photographer, Bilingual
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@laura_cherryblossomdoula
Alexa Abdullah is a practicing Doula who has helped dozens of women with their pregnancy and birth experiences. She’s also a Personal Trainer and Creator of the Empowered Birth Experience – an online course that guides expectant moms through every phase of pregnancy and childbirth, including Birthing Intentions Pregnancy Journal to help moms maintain a nurturing, confident, and positive mindset.
Along with being a trained Doula, Alexa empowers families and educates women around trusting their bodies and instincts, aligning their mental and physical health for the best pregnancy and birth outcomes. She also provides them the tools and knowledge to advocate for themselves throughout their pregnancy and the birthing process.
Alexa is a graduate of Washington State University where she also competed on the Track team. It was at WSU where she met her Partner–retired NFL Player Hamza Abdullah. They have four children–all of whom Alexa birthed naturally. Her last two births were water births performed at a Birthing Center in California. Alexa currently homeschools her children based on a curriculum of Optimal Health, Entrepreneurship, and Service.
Alexa Abdullah
Birth Doula, CPT (Certified Personal Trainer)
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@alexathedoula
Jennifer Magnano is VP & Director of Postpartum Care with Cherry Blossom Doula Services. She is Founder of The Postpartum Institute and your primary virtual doula with the My Postpartum program! With over a decade dedicated to caregiving bodies through trauma-informed and accessible yoga, integrative life coaching, grief, loss and recovery support and Ayurvedic postpartum doula care, Jennifer tends to this space because postpartum people need - and deserve - highly specialized mind, body and soul care.
Early in her career, Jennifer ran the first grant-funded family yoga program in the state of Connecticut. Focusing on at-risk moms and babes, surveys showed that 67% of moms continued to use mindfulness practices at home; and, many of the comments stated that this time deeply influenced their ability to parent with patience and grace. VoyagePhoenix has highlighted Jennifer's work in maternal mental health and she has been recognized as one the the Top 40 under 40 Women Worth Following Phoenix Edition in the past by social influencer Alli Worthington. Additionally, her work as a writer has been featured on Moms Beyond and Mothering Spirit. Jennifer has birthed one book thus far, Bliss and Blue, with another on the way.
An active advocate for Maternal-Child and Family Mental Health, Jennifer leads Hope & Healing, a birth, trauma and loss support circle in-person and online. Her life experience includes personal sibling loss (in childhood), recovery from PPD/A, life-long chronic illness (thus far) and raising a brilliant neurodivergent kiddo. Jennifer is the mother of two kids in total, though she calls the world's children “ours” - with a core belief that they are “all our kids.” Her work in all spaces is for generational impact.
In the fall of 2023, Jennifer will return to school for her graduate certificate in Interfaith Spiritual Direction. In her spare time, you can find her reading new books and thrifting for old ones, walking, hiking, painting, exploring rest, conscious love and attachment theories and studying Traditional postpartum medicine. She lives in Gilbert, Arizona with her husband of 14 years, their two miracle kids, and more rescued pets and plants than people.
Jennifer
@cherryblossompostpartum
VP & Director of Postpartum Care
Ayurvedic postpartum doula
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Kristy transitioned to the Cherry Blossom Postpartum team in early 2023 after serving as a Birth Doula for ten years – five of those years with Cherry Blossom. She has helped welcome hundreds of babies in Arizona since 2012. It was always written in the stars that Kristy would fall into the area of supporting women during pregnancy and postpartum. Kristy grew up In Northern California in a hippy vibing town right outside of coastal Santa Cruz. She grew up surrounded by the flower children of the 60’s where Kristy soaked up their feminist points of view, body autonomy rights, women’s liberation, and basic human rights for all people.
Kristy started off her Doula journey by assisting a homebirth midwife, working at a birth center as a transfer doula, hosting many postpartum groups, along with owning her very own doula business. As a Doula she provides a warm & nurturing support style with a very calming presence. Providing postpartum families with emotional and physical recovery from childbirth is where she shines! Kristy loves empowering clients as they transition into parenthood by providing them with breastfeeding and newborn care knowledge – while gently holding their hand through their 4th trimester journey. Attending ASU, she earned her BS in Sociology and has been in the desert ever since with a few stints of living in Kailua, Hawaii and San Francisco, California. Besides all things birthy – Kristy shares a love for beach time with her family, concerts, plants, podcasts, & documentaries. She is also trained in the art of Spinning babies, Rebozo technique, counter pressure, massage, body movement mechanics, and is a certified Breastfeeding Counselor. Kristy has three children and has had extremely different birthing and postpartum experiences with each child.
Kristy loves working with all types of clients and has a passion for working with teens and adoption situations. She was born to a teen mother and placed for adoption herself and has been very active in many different teen and adoption support groups. These groups include Search-Finders where she provided assistance to adult adoptees who were searching for their birth parents & birth parents searching for their relinquished child. Kristy also spent many years as a mentor for teen mothers that were placing their child for adoption.
Kristy
@cherryblossomdoulakristy
Postpartum Doula & Newborn Lifestyle Photographer
Birth Doula, Photographer, & Placenta Encapsulator
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Marlène has always had a passion for helping others. A natural nurturer, she can be found helping friends and family members whenever possible. In school she was involved in many volunteer organizations. Community IMPACT matters to Marlène so very much!
Being one of the first among her friends to become a momma, she has been loving on the women in her life during their postpartum period for over a decade. Her passion to support women, birthing people and families during this time only became stronger after her own pregnancy losses and postpartum struggles. When introduced to the Postpartum Doula profession (a former client of Cherry Blossom founder Alyssa Leon!!) Marlène fell in love with this traditional mother and family centered work.
Marlène is California born, and Arizona raised. She lives in San Tan Valley and loves its small town feel; is married to her best friend; and they have two wonderful blessings: their beautiful daughter Izabella & their rainbow baby Julian. Marlène feels incredibly blessed to be on this dream journey of empowering women and supporting families.
Marlène
@cherryblossomdoulamarlene
Postpartum Doula
Postpartum Doula
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Grounded in her experience as a pediatric and mental health RN, Hannah has cared for hundreds of families as they transition to life with a newborn. She teaches holistic group and private newborn care classes in the community, and is skilled at validating her clients innate knowledge while offering new education with every class and/or postpartum visit. Hannah’s hands-on work with families has led her to be an unconditional caregiver. She not only believes that there are many different ways to be a good parent, she knows this!
Hannah’s deepest desire is for her families to feel prepared and confident as they navigate postpartum recovery, newborn care, and intentionally raising their precious little humans. In addition to her contemporary postpartum doula work, Hannah specializes in supporting familial mental wellness, infant feeding (breast, chest and bottle), nighttime support, and twin/multiples care. Additionally, she augments every postpartum family’s need for unbiased education with a smile. Most of Hannah’s families spend anywhere from 6-12 weeks with her due to the detailed nature of care she provides.
When Hannah is not with families, you can find her reading, spending time with her husband (a school teacher and coach) and pup, traveling and sometimes even taking care of her parents alpaca farm! She is an Arizona native who has briefly traveled the states only to return home with a greater love for the area. Hannah’s work is a central part of her life here in AZ, and she is incredibly honored to be with each new family who asks her to join them on their postpartum adventure.
“When parents are supported, the baby thrives, the relationship thrives, the community thrives, and our planet thrives.” - Kimberly Ann Johnson, The Fourth Trimester
Hannah Q.
Postpartum Doula
Postpartum Doula, Newborn Care Educator
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@cherryblossomdoulahannah
Aleta is currently certified as a Postpartum Doula with CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association) as well as a certified Ayurvedic Doula specializing in Ayurvedic Postpartum care. She also facilitates the Babywearing Meetup at Root and Rise.
Aleta has spent the last 20+ years advocating for herself and others in the birth world. As a military wife, she has birthed 6 children in 5 different states and two different countries; she has been transferring her love and knowledge to military families for over a decade. Aleta has always felt that the postpartum period is tender and vulnerable, and her heart lies with holding space for families during this time.
Aleta’s experiences traveling the world with her family have allowed her to witness that there are a million different ways to be a family. Not better or worse, just different. She prides herself on helping your family find your new rhythm after birth. She is passionate about supporting all families in their fourth trimester and is inclusive of all family dynamics.
Aleta is all too familiar with the whirlwind of being sent home with a new baby and not having enough support. She has seen how even a little bit of support and education can impact postpartum recovery and set your family up to thrive! Aleta strives to be the still, calm soul that feeds your family physically, emotionally, and spiritually during your tender fourth trimester season.
Aleta
Postpartum Doula, Ayurvedic Postpartum Doula
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@cherryblossomdoulaaleta
Postpartum care is more than just a profession for Kimmy, it’s a family tradition passed down through generations. Her mother, a dedicated traditional midwife, and her father, an OBGYN and son of a midwife, taught her the importance of nurturing and supporting new families during this precious time. This journey is in her blood, and her passion grows daily. Kimmy is enthusiastic about learning and growing with each new experience and family, “It’s been an incredible privilege to work alongside Cherry Blossom, where I’ve had the chance to assist remarkable families, each with their unique stories and needs. I am heartened by the fact that each of these families has nothing but kind words to say about their postpartum care experiences with Cherry Blossom, and I am committed to continuing this tradition of excellence.”
Kimmy is quick to let her clients know that her first birth and pregnancy was as a young woman in her teens. This experience has gifted her with a deeper compassion and understanding of the importance of this sacred season and the need for advocacy before and during postpartum - a season that changed her personal life, perspective, and motherhood. Here, Kimmy realized that everyone was excited to help with the baby, but not as many people showed up fully for her needs as a mother! This is why she, as a Traditional Postpartum Doula, has found so much joy in holding the space you need in your postpartum: for you to navigate this season in wellness of body and mind, and to heal properly and well in your first few weeks.
Tapping into her roots, Kimmy brings Cherry Blossom families a complete Traditional postpartum experience. She emphasizes a mix of Mexican and Ayurvedic care for her families, creating a postpartum plan to accommodate the entire family, easing you into this new transition with foundational, vital and life-giving care. With Kimmy’s background and training, you receive not just care for one person, but for four generations through the Traditional model of post-birth care infused with the fullness and richness of Mexican tradition.
Kimberly
@cherryblossomdoula.kimmy
Traditional Mexican Postpartum Doula
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Postpartum Doulas
Birth Doulas
Birth Doulas
meet the team
Postpartum Doulas
Megan is in an incredibly passionate DONA certified Birth Doula that has been actively supporting Phoenix families in their journey to a beautiful birth experience for the past 8 years. Born and raised in Phoenix, AZ Megan shares a love for birth, plants, her dogs, and this beautiful desert that we call home.
As a birth doula, she provides complete emotional and physical support for families before, during, and shortly after birth. Megan believes that when people feel empowered during the birth of their children, they can begin parenthood with positive energy and loving hearts. She supports birthing people by meeting their emotional, physical and informational needs, while also supporting partners and other support people that are attending or involved in the birth process. Megan is full of laughter and love and believes that there is space for joy in every birth setting!
Megan is a birth justice advocate and is very involved in harm reduction of all kinds as this is one of the things that she is most passionate about. She actively works towards reducing harm to women and those who give birth and educating people on their options while being there for them emotionally and physically. She has supported many families in the L.G.B.T.Q.+ community, people who are in recovery, polyamorous/open families, and families delivering multiples . She strongly believes that all people should be treated with kindness and respect during birth.
Megan
@cherryblossomdoulamegan
Labor Doula Director, Labor Doula, Birth Photographer
Birth Doula & Photographer
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Hannah is a Holistic Birth Doula and Birthkeeper, Photographer, Somatic Guide and Family Constellation Facilitator. She has served in the birth space for the past seven years as a knowledgeable resource, loving advocate, and accountability sister offering unwavering emotional & physical support for women to step through the portals of birth empowered, informed, and prepared to surrender to the waves.
Hannah understands birth as a natural, physiological process that happens within the womb, and as a personal, transformative initiation of a woman rising into motherhood. She follows the wise woman healing traditions of seeing our bodies as sacred, and trusting them as a source of inner guidance. With that, her practices focus on nourishing the nervous system through story and ceremony, and understanding how to flow with the naturally occurring hormones in labor. She also emphasizes the role of the partner in birth, equipping them with the tools & confidence to show up with greater attunement and presence.
As a birth doula with Cherry Blossom, Hannah offers labor support, maternity, birth and newborn photography, placenta encapsulation, birth coaching, family constellations, and educational sessions re: the nervous system and hormones in labor. Her practice is rooted in the natural, physiological process of birth where she incorporates breath, movement, yoga, visualization meditations, and somatic practices in the birth space as a wider spiritual practice of coming home to one's body. She is also knowledgeable about plant medicine.
Hannah A.
Birth Doula, Birth Educator, Photographer, Somatic Guide
Labor Doula & Birth Photographer
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@Hannah_CherryBlossomDoula
I still get emotional at every birth (even if i try to keep my tears to myself) I cannot fall asleep without a spy novel or legal thriller on my Kindle. I knit to keep my sanity and am finally studying midwifery because...birth and babies! It feels as if I have always been a nurturer, a big sister to my siblings, a confidante for my friends, a source of knowledge for my students, and a mother to my own children. The right way to explain this eludes me, but I feel as if I have been practicing my whole life to become a doula.
I have been attending births in an unofficial capacity since 2007, and as a DONA trained and StillBirthday certified since 2017, as a RN since 2022, and soon to be student Nurse Midwife. I have experience in hospital birth as a RN in labor and delivery at Banner University Medical Center - Phoenix, served as a doula in several hundred births, trained with local homebirth midwives in an assistant’s capacity, and walked many more families on their postpartum journey. Personally, I have over 7 years of breastfeeding experience, in addition to being a member of the La Leche League and assisting my clients in their breastfeeding careers. With my second pregnancy, I struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety; through this experience I became passionate that all mothers be heard and educate themselves about the normal and abnormal moods and reactions to new motherhood. I look forward to listening to birthing people of all shapes and sizes: all the little details of pregnancy, each individual birth preference, every unique joy or concern. I hope to bring my heart and hands to help you achieve the birth you are dreaming of and to welcome your newest family member amidst peace and love!
Melissa A.
@cherryblossomdoulamelissa
Labor Doula Director, Labor Doula, Birth Photographer
Birth Doula, Photographer, RN, Student Midwife
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Michet stumbled onto this beautiful journey while attending massage therapy school and immediately felt this path was for her. In 2021, she decided to quit her corporate job and step into birth work full time. Michet flourished knowing she helped families feel safe and supported through the most magical and vulnerable time of their lives. As a birth worker and person, she identifies as a healer, an educator and an adventurer.
Helping to heal bodies through massage, especially prenatal massage became Michet's greatest passion. Pregnancy presents beauty, but it can also be uncomfortable. Being able to provide relief, education, and welcome a divine mind, body and baby connection are the supports Michet strives to uphold. She is a firm believer in taking care of your mind, body, and spirit. She says, "We have to know and trust our bodies to withstand the physiological experiences of birth."
Michet has been a labor doula with Cherry Blossom since summer 2022 and this journey has allowed her to step into her wider purpose. She empowers families to tap into what keeps them grounded and stable mentally, while also making sure that they have the necessary tools and resources to make informed decisions that align with their beliefs and make them feel safe.
Currently Michet is also a student midwife with Aurora Midwifery. In her free time, she enjoys hanging with her loved ones and two fur babies, Zuez and Charlie. She believes deeply that birth should be respected, your voice should be heard, and your feelings must be made valid. She welcomes her families to step into their power, to do the work both mentally and physically needed to prepare, and to trust mind, body and intuition. Michet feels so abundantly blessed to do something she loves - and, she looks forward to supporting more families and to walking alongside you on this sacred journey called pregnancy and birth.
Michét
Birth Doula, Photographer, LMT (Licensed massage therapist), Student Midwife
next
@cherryblossomdoula.michet
Laura says that she knew her journey into birth work was always meant to be. Having volunteer and work experience as a young woman first at a pregnancy center and then later at a women’s clinic, it was here that her desire to be both a support person and educational figure to families in the community was solidified.
After experiencing labor herself and holding her precious babe for the first time, Laura felt that it was time to fully pursue her passion. Understanding that so much of her experience was a result of her partner and care team (surrounding her with unconditional love and support), she sought out ways to bring this same care to her community. In 2021, Laura initiated her expansion into the world of birth work as a doula. Since then, she has had the incredible opportunity to support families in a variety of settings that include hospital births, home births and birth centers.
Laura is fluent in Spanish and often supports bilingual families. She has personally experienced two unmedicated births - one in the hospital and one homebirth, making her a wonderful guide for any birthing space her clients choose. The wisdom Laura imparts upon her families includes normalizing birth (your incredible body and baby are working together!) and serving as an honest and kind educator and guidepost. She is the kind of doula who will walk with you into your wild and beautiful transition to parenthood with awe - of you and your birth.
Laura is a California native who’s been living in the valley since 2005. When Laura is not spending time with her husband and two littles, she is typically out exploring Arizona living.
Laura
Birth Doula, Photographer, Bilingual
Postpartum Doula
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@laura_cherryblossomdoula
Alexa Abdullah is a practicing Doula who has helped dozens of women with their pregnancy and birth experiences. She’s also a Personal Trainer and Creator of the Empowered Birth Experience – an online course that guides expectant moms through every phase of pregnancy and childbirth, including Birthing Intentions Pregnancy Journal to help moms maintain a nurturing, confident, and positive mindset.
Along with being a trained Doula, Alexa empowers families and educates women around trusting their bodies and instincts, aligning their mental and physical health for the best pregnancy and birth outcomes. She also provides them the tools and knowledge to advocate for themselves throughout their pregnancy and the birthing process.
Alexa is a graduate of Washington State University where she also competed on the Track team. It was at WSU where she met her Partner–retired NFL Player Hamza Abdullah. They have four children–all of whom Alexa birthed naturally. Her last two births were water births performed at a Birthing Center in California. Alexa currently homeschools her children based on a curriculum of Optimal Health, Entrepreneurship, and Service.
Alexa
Birth Doula, CPT (Certified Personal Trainer)
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@alexathedoula
Jennifer
@cherryblossompostpartum
Postpartum Doula Director, Certified Ayurvedic Postpartum Doula & Mental Health Advocate
VP & Director of Postpartum Care
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Jennifer Magnano is VP & Director of Postpartum Care with Cherry Blossom Doula Services. She is Founder of The Postpartum Institute and your primary virtual doula with the My Postpartum program! With over a decade dedicated to caregiving bodies through trauma-informed and accessible yoga, integrative life coaching, grief, loss and recovery support and Ayurvedic postpartum doula care, Jennifer tends to this space because postpartum people need - and deserve - highly specialized mind, body and soul care.
Early in her career, Jennifer ran the first grant-funded family yoga program in the state of Connecticut. Focusing on at-risk moms and babes, surveys showed that 67% of moms continued to use mindfulness practices at home; and, many of the comments stated that this time deeply influenced their ability to parent with patience and grace. VoyagePhoenix has highlighted Jennifer's work in maternal mental health and she has been recognized as one the the Top 40 under 40 Women Worth Following Phoenix Edition in the past by social influencer Alli Worthington. Additionally, her work as a writer has been featured on Moms Beyond and Mothering Spirit. Jennifer has birthed one book thus far, Bliss and Blue, with another on the way.
An active advocate for Maternal-Child and Family Mental Health, Jennifer leads Hope & Healing, a birth, trauma and loss support circle in-person and online. Her life experience includes personal sibling loss (in childhood), recovery from PPD/A, life-long chronic illness (thus far) and raising a brilliant neurodivergent kiddo. Jennifer is the mother of two kids in total, though she calls the world's children “ours” - with a core belief that they are “all our kids.” Her work in all spaces is for generational impact.
In the fall of 2023, Jennifer will return to school for her graduate certificate in Interfaith Spiritual Direction. In her spare time, you can find her reading new books and thrifting for old ones, walking, hiking, painting, exploring rest, conscious love and attachment theories and studying Traditional postpartum medicine. She lives in Gilbert, Arizona with her husband of 14 years, their two miracle kids, and more rescued pets and plants than people.
Kristy transitioned to the Cherry Blossom Postpartum team in early 2023 after serving as a Birth Doula for ten years – five of those years with Cherry Blossom. She has helped welcome hundreds of babies in Arizona since 2012. It was always written in the stars that Kristy would fall into the area of supporting women during pregnancy and postpartum. Kristy grew up In Northern California in a hippy vibing town right outside of coastal Santa Cruz. She grew up surrounded by the flower children of the 60’s where Kristy soaked up their feminist points of view, body autonomy rights, women’s liberation, and basic human rights for all people.
Kristy started off her Doula journey by assisting a homebirth midwife, working at a birth center as a transfer doula, hosting many postpartum groups, along with owning her very own doula business. As a Doula she provides a warm & nurturing support style with a very calming presence. Providing postpartum families with emotional and physical recovery from childbirth is where she shines! Kristy loves empowering clients as they transition into parenthood by providing them with breastfeeding and newborn care knowledge – while gently holding their hand through their 4th trimester journey. Attending ASU, she earned her BS in Sociology and has been in the desert ever since with a few stints of living in Kailua, Hawaii and San Francisco, California. Besides all things birthy – Kristy shares a love for beach time with her family, concerts, plants, podcasts, & documentaries. She is also trained in the art of Spinning babies, Rebozo technique, counter pressure, massage, body movement mechanics, and is a certified Breastfeeding Counselor. Kristy has three children and has had extremely different birthing and postpartum experiences with each child.
Kristy loves working with all types of clients and has a passion for working with teens and adoption situations. She was born to a teen mother and placed for adoption herself and has been very active in many different teen and adoption support groups. These groups include Search-Finders where she provided assistance to adult adoptees who were searching for their birth parents & birth parents searching for their relinquished child. Kristy also spent many years as a mentor for teen mothers that were placing their child for adoption.
Kristy
@cherryblossomdoulakristy
Labor doula & Birth Photographer
Postpartum Doula & Newborn Lifestyle Photographer
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Marlène has always had a passion for helping others. A natural nurturer, she can be found helping friends and family members whenever possible. In school she was involved in many volunteer organizations. Community IMPACT matters to Marlène so very much!
Being one of the first among her friends to become a momma, she has been loving on the women in her life during their postpartum period for over a decade. Her passion to support women, birthing people and families during this time only became stronger after her own pregnancy losses and postpartum struggles. When introduced to the Postpartum Doula profession (a former client of Cherry Blossom founder Alyssa Leon!!) Marlène fell in love with this traditional mother and family centered work.
Marlène is California born, and Arizona raised. She lives in San Tan Valley and loves its small town feel; is married to her best friend; and they have two wonderful blessings: their beautiful daughter Izabella & their rainbow baby Julian. Marlène feels incredibly blessed to be on this dream journey of empowering women and supporting families.
Marlène
@cherryblossomdoulamarlene
Postpartum Doula
Postpartum Doula
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Grounded in her experience as a pediatric and mental health RN, Hannah has cared for hundreds of families as they transition to life with a newborn. She teaches holistic group and private newborn care classes in the community, and is skilled at validating her clients innate knowledge while offering new education with every class and/or postpartum visit. Hannah’s hands-on work with families has led her to be an unconditional caregiver. She not only believes that there are many different ways to be a good parent, she knows this!
Hannah’s deepest desire is for her families to feel prepared and confident as they navigate postpartum recovery, newborn care, and intentionally raising their precious little humans. In addition to her contemporary postpartum doula work, Hannah specializes in supporting familial mental wellness, infant feeding (breast, chest and bottle), nighttime support, and twin/multiples care. Additionally, she augments every postpartum family’s need for unbiased education with a smile. Most of Hannah’s families spend anywhere from 6-12 weeks with her due to the detailed nature of care she provides.
When Hannah is not with families, you can find her reading, spending time with her husband (a school teacher and coach) and pup, traveling and sometimes even taking care of her parents alpaca farm! She is an Arizona native who has briefly traveled the states only to return home with a greater love for the area. Hannah’s work is a central part of her life here in AZ, and she is incredibly honored to be with each new family who asks her to join them on their postpartum adventure.
“When parents are supported, the baby thrives, the relationship thrives, the community thrives, and our planet thrives.” - Kimberly Ann Johnson, The Fourth Trimester
Hannah Q.
Postpartum Doula, Newborn Care Educator
Postpartum Doula
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@cherryblossomdoulahannah
Aleta is currently certified as a Postpartum Doula with CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association) as well as a certified Ayurvedic Doula specializing in Ayurvedic Postpartum care. She also facilitates the Babywearing Meetup at Root and Rise.
Aleta has spent the last 20+ years advocating for herself and others in the birth world. As a military wife, she has birthed 6 children in 5 different states and two different countries; she has been transferring her love and knowledge to military families for over a decade. Aleta has always felt that the postpartum period is tender and vulnerable, and her heart lies with holding space for families during this time.
Aleta’s experiences traveling the world with her family have allowed her to witness that there are a million different ways to be a family. Not better or worse, just different. She prides herself on helping your family find your new rhythm after birth. She is passionate about supporting all families in their fourth trimester and is inclusive of all family dynamics.
Aleta is all too familiar with the whirlwind of being sent home with a new baby and not having enough support. She has seen how even a little bit of support and education can impact postpartum recovery and set your family up to thrive! Aleta strives to be the still, calm soul that feeds your family physically, emotionally, and spiritually during your tender fourth trimester season.
Aleta
Postpartum Doula, Ayurvedic Postpartum Doula
Postpartum Doula
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@cherryblossomdoulaaleta
Postpartum care is more than just a profession for Kimmy, it’s a family tradition passed down through generations. Her mother, a dedicated traditional midwife, and her father, an OBGYN and son of a midwife, taught her the importance of nurturing and supporting new families during this precious time. This journey is in her blood, and her passion grows daily. Kimmy is enthusiastic about learning and growing with each new experience and family, “It’s been an incredible privilege to work alongside Cherry Blossom, where I’ve had the chance to assist remarkable families, each with their unique stories and needs. I am heartened by the fact that each of these families has nothing but kind words to say about their postpartum care experiences with Cherry Blossom, and I am committed to continuing this tradition of excellence.”
Kimmy is quick to let her clients know that her first birth and pregnancy was as a young woman in her teens. This experience has gifted her with a deeper compassion and understanding of the importance of this sacred season and the need for advocacy before and during postpartum - a season that changed her personal life, perspective, and motherhood. Here, Kimmy realized that everyone was excited to help with the baby, but not as many people showed up fully for her needs as a mother! This is why she, as a Traditional Postpartum Doula, has found so much joy in holding the space you need in your postpartum: for you to navigate this season in wellness of body and mind, and to heal properly and well in your first few weeks.
Tapping into her roots, Kimmy brings Cherry Blossom families a complete Traditional postpartum experience. She emphasizes a mix of Mexican and Ayurvedic care for her families, creating a postpartum plan to accommodate the entire family, easing you into this new transition with foundational, vital and life-giving care. With Kimmy’s background and training, you receive not just care for one person, but for four generations through the Traditional model of post-birth care infused with the fullness and richness of Mexican tradition.
Kimberly
Postpartum Doula
raditional Mexican Postpartum Doula
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@cherryblossomdoula.kimmy
"My husband and I both agree, that having a baby without a Doula should not be an option. We wish that we could gift this incredible blessing to every expecting parent."
We first reached out to Kristy because we were nervous my husband would faint at the first signs of pain/blood.. Thanks to Kristy's kind encouragement, and loving support, my husband was able to step into his role as my partner, and enjoy every second of both births. Thanks to Kristy's leadership and calm guidance I felt more confident and in control of MY birthing experience, which helped me safely bring two amazing little boys in to this world. I know not everyone gets to have their dream birth story, but I feel incredibly lucky to have had the love and support from Cherry Blossom Doula Services that helped make my dreams come true.
Would absolutely recommend Kristy to anyone and everyone I know!”
Hillary
Kind Words
"Alyssa has been my doula twice, both very different births but one thing remained constant: she’s a calming presence in the middle of chaos. "
Alyssa reminds you of how strong you are in the right moments.She walked with us through complicated moments and her experience and knowledge really helped us through an unexpected cesarean birth, and a powerful VBAC. It doesn’t matter if this is your first or second or third birth, having a doula is one of the most caring things you can do for yourself.
Alyssa has built a business with women that are just as kind, strong, inclusive and smart as her and Cherry Blossom has been an excelent resource for birth and beyond.”
- Lorena
- Brittany
Kind Words
"She empowered us to advocate for ourselves during labor to work towards the birth we wanted. If you’re one the fence about hiring a doula, definitely do it! "
We had the honor of having Megan as our doula for our first baby born at the end of October. Her support and guidance meant the world to us during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and even postpartum. Megan is a light and has a calming presence that automatically helps ground you. She supported and loved on my me and my husband during labor and delivery and we definitely would have had a much different experience without her. She is highly knowledgeable and always had resources for us on whatever topic we needed, whether it was a documentary on breastfeeding or birth or evidenced based articles on any number of topics. She absolutely goes above and beyond for her families. She empowered us to advocate for ourselves during labor to work towards the birth we wanted. If you’re one the fence about hiring a doula, definitely do it! Every mama deserves to have a Megan with them on their journey!”
"...couldn't have asked for better labor support..."
"Kristy was incredible, organized and on top of things, yet very comfortable and laid back. She was all about what WE wanted. She was supportive and encouraging through a very long labor and went above and beyond what we ever would have imagined. I couldn’t have asked for a better labor support as I aimed for a non-medicated induced delivery. She helped me to get exactly what I wanted, even when in the midst of it, I forgot that I actually wanted it.
Together we achieved my goal of no epidural, and I couldn’t have done it without my amazing doula and husband team! In preparation for our delivery we met several times and communicated through text and calls. Even the nurses commented the next day on how much they liked her as a doula! Thank you, Kristy, !!"
C. Smith
"..doing everything with a lot of love and care."
"My family was honored to have Kristy Martin as our doula. From the moment we first met her we noticed that she was very professional, very well prepared, had a lot of experience and more importantly a great personality! She guided us in helping create our birth plan and during on call hours she was always available to guide you in any question that you might have. Kristy stayed with us the entire time supporting me and my wife doing everything with a lot of love and care. She took pictures during labor to capture the precious moments for us to cherish. Kristy went above and beyond our expectations she made the experience a lot better for us. We were very lucky. Thank you!"
E. Monarrez
"..I couldn't have done it without her..."
"Bringing my baby girl into this world would have been drastically different without Melissa, I am SO thankful that we decided on her as our doula! I tell her that I couldn't have done it without her, and she's right, I could have, but I am SO glad I didn't have to! Both me and my husband are eternally grateful to have had her share this experience with us! From the very beginning she provided us with evidence based articles to help with any questions I had. She also blew me away by capturing the purest moments of our birth story that I will cherish for the rest of my life! I highly recommend Melissa and I look forward to having her at my future births!"