Who is doulajandra!?
Hey there! I’m Alejandra, the “jandra” behind Doulajandra and I am so excited you’ve found your way to my site.
Your birth space, and the months leading up to and following your birth, will hold for you some of the most precious, sacred, never to be repeated times of your life, and allowing a stranger into that space is a big deal. So let me tell you a little about myself, and hopefully you’ll get a better sense of who I am, and what it might be like to work with me!
First off, my name is a mouth full, so most people call me Ale (pronounced “Ollie”). I’m a mom of two little girls, 5 and 7 years old, wife to a Navy vet who currently works in South Austin as a Project Manager, and I have two gregarious fur babies, Trigger, a 9yo Rhodesian Ridgeback and Pixel, a 2yo Ridgeback. They keep us busy between cuddles on the couch and running on the trails!
Fun Facts: Prior to babies, I was almost always outside, training for a marathon, triathlon, or rock climbing. Time doesn’t allow for quite as much alone time now that I’m a mom, but I recently competed in my first Olympic Lifting competition and loved the mind/body connection and focus that it demanded.
Learning about the human body and how all our systems are connected excites me - honestly I am a consummate nerd, right down to my love of marching band and excel spreadsheets.
And, I find astrology fascinating! Capricorn Sun, Leo Moon and Gemini Rising here!
Why Doula/Photography? Through the struggles of my own postpartum period, specifically around breastfeeding and the expectations mothers put on themselves for what “momming” looks like, I realized that women aren’t getting the support they need pre and post birth, let alone during labor. The experience of birth will directly influence the mother/baby dyad and I am passionate about setting moms up for success.
Photography is something I became passionate about after my mother died. I realized in going back through family photos that - we had so few of my mom. I can remember her constantly turning away from the camera, ashamed of the way she looked, not wanting to see herself in those images. But I never saw her in that way, all I saw was her love for me, and it broke my heart to not have more pictures of her. I decided then that I would do what I could to capture everyday moments that later turn to memories for any moms I serve that want it. These moments are once in a lifetime and deserve to be captured!
What about Bodywork? Back in 2013 I knew I was being called to the healing arts - I just wasn’t sure what it meant at that time. I went to massage school but it wasn’t until I had my own kids that I realized what I was being called to.
Pregnancy changes a woman’s body and mind, completely. And often times those changes lead to tension, strained muscles and stuck fascia. In order to help mothers and babies during delivery, I help prep mom’s body in pregnancy with a combination of exercises and techniques I learned becoming a Body Ready Method Certified Professional, as well as Craniosacral Therapy and Myofascial Release.
Labor and delivery is also so hard on infants, and so much of their experience, ability to breastfeed and have optimal motor development, really hinges on how they feel in their bodies. After babies are born I work to help them release the tension patterns they developed in utero to ultimately help them grow and thrive.
Overall, my passions lie in supporting the mother/baby dyad - and all birthing people - in their journey towards motherhood whether its their first baby or fifth.
