Starting with the basics, I'm Amber a queer full spectrum doula & childbirth educator. I offer services through the full range of perinatal health; fertility and conception support, loss and grief support (including abortion), birth, and postpartum support!

Lots of people often ask me why and how I chose doula work. The simplest answer is to show them this photo of me...

I attended the birth of my little brother! I was 9 and was totally fascinated by birth. I was SO excited to be a sister and to help care for this baby.

After this, the birth obsession started, I was that kid that watched the show "Birth Stories" on TLC. I babysat often and of course my bond with my brother was so special.

Before I knew birth work was a job I wanted, I went to college to be a teacher. Along the way, I stumbled into the Women, Gender, and cultural studies program at UMass Boston and fell in love! Reproductive justice, sex education, and racial justice/ critical race theory were new to me. As I sorted out my own identity, I became really invested in justice movements in Boston. My education shifted, and I leaned away from teaching & education and leaned into advocacy work.

After college, I began working in mental health and substance use/recovery. I found my stride, and enjoyed working with people to create and implement harm reduction methods within the community. As I worked in each program and got to know the full spectrum of what we as an agency offered, I found myself working in a recovery home that was geared to pregnant or immediately postpartum folks who were also in recovery from active substance use. Suddenly all my interests were aligning. And a few years later, I heard the term "Doula" for the first time.

I fell into research mode, I was fully hyperfocused on this incredible support role. A few months later, I took my first doula training and starting supporting folks through a volunteer program in Boston less than a few weeks after that. I started building my business slowly but surely. Over the course of the next 3 years, I attended births, attended trainings and webinars, and built up my birthwork community.

No here I am 6 years later, Intimate Connections Doula Services is thriving and I'm living my best life fully aligned and loving my work.