BIRTH & POSTPARTUM DOULA
Prepare for the birth you want, with the right support
Evidence-based doula support and childbirth education for families across the Bay Area, grounded in seven years and 300+ births, so you can walk in informed, confident, and ready for whatever your birth looks like.
Every birth is different: my job is to help you understand your options
Whether you're choosing a home, birth center, or hospital birth, or simply want a steady, knowledgeable presence in the room, I bring both hands-on experience and an evidence-based approach, so the decisions along the way are yours to make, with clear information behind them.
Doula Support
Continuous, personalized care through pregnancy, labor, birth, and the early postpartum days.
Learn more →Childbirth Classes
Lamaze and Spinning Babies® parent education, built around informed choice, not a script.
View classes →Resources
Guides, handouts, and Bay Area hospital birth data, open to anyone researching, with a few deeper resources reserved for the families I'm working with.
Browse resources →“Every birth is different. My job is to help you understand your options, not to tell you which one to choose.”Kirsten Dudley
What clients say
I cannot recommend Kirsten enough as a doula. She is knowledgeable, calm, and most importantly focused on creating a positive and supportive environment for the arrival of our baby.
Liz P., San Francisco
Kirsten was by my side via texts, emails, phone calls, and in person whenever I needed her. I had the birth experience I was dreaming about, and I'm sure it's because of her.
Alina F., Outer Sunset, San Francisco
My labor moved fast, and Kirsten arrived just in time to catch my daughter when our primary doula couldn't make it. We are so thankful for her presence at our daughter's birth.
A.J., Tiburon
Choosing a hospital for a natural birth
A quick look at Bay Area maternity data, updated once a year as new figures are released.
A lower NTSV C-Section rate generally suggests a hospital's practices support vaginal birth for first-time mothers with low-risk, full-term, single babies in the head-down position. Think of this as one input alongside your own priorities and your provider's guidance.
| Hospital | NTSV C-Section Rate | VBAC Rate | CNM-Attended Births |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Permanente Redwood City | 19.1% | 37.1% | 62.2% |
| Kaiser Permanente San Leandro | 18.5% | 30.6% | 51.5% |
| Zuckerberg SF General | 24.4% | 41.4% | 44.1% |
| MarinHealth Medical Center | 21.9% | 35.7% | 46.9% |
| Alta Bates Summit – Alta Bates Campus | 22.2% | 37.2% | 44.3% |
Source: CMQCC / Cal Hospital Compare, July 2024–June 2025 reporting period.
Have questions about working together?
Every family's situation is different. Reach out and we can talk through what support looks like for you.
Get in touch