Website: midwifejulia.com Phone: (510) 225-5752 Type of Practice: Solo practice Clients per Month: to 4 births and to 2 postpartum families Birth and Postpartum Doula Birth Doula Experience: 5 years and 130 births attended Postpartum Doula Experience: 4 years and 50 families served Area of practice: Berkeley, CA Travel range: 25 miles Travel comments/restrictions: Languages spoken: English, some Spanish, some French
Other Credentials
LM (Licensed Midwife)
CPM (Certified Professional Midwife)
Neonatal Resuscitation Certified (American Academy of Pediatrics)
College Education
BA/BS
AA/AS
Specialized training or previous experience:
Teens
Over 40
Families conceiving with ART and IVF
VBAC
Home Birth
Multiples
Clients on bed rest
LGBTQ Families
Spanish Speaking
Prematurity
Twins
Postpartum mood disorders
High risk
Expected stillbirth
Single parents
Cesarean birth
Waterbirth
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse
Surrogacy
Survivors of Previous Life Trauma
Domestic Violence
Special services available:
Placenta encapsulation
Acupressure and/or acupuncture in labor
Monitrice services
Cloth diapering education
Parenting consulting
Elimination communication education
Babywearing education
Pregnancy, birth and/or newborn photography
Sibling support (for your older children at the birth)
Miscarriage Support (Before, During or After)
Attends hospital births? All Hospitals Attends birth center births? All Birth Centers Attends home births? Any Home Birth
Birth doula fee: Not specified Postpartum doula hourly rate: Not specified
Client Testimonials for Julia MacMillan
marcee harris
Julia is a fabulous doula and I would recommend her, without reservation, to anyone who is looking for extra help and support during after having a baby. We hired Julia to work at night for the first couple weeks after our first child was born. She has a very calming, patient, quiet and supportive presence. From the moment we met her, we felt totally comfortable letting her into our house and giving her responsibility with our newborn. Like many new moms, I experienced challenges with breastfeeding and our daughter had problems gaining weight. Julia was incredibly helpful in figuring out how to best implement the recommendations we'd received from our doctor and lactation consultant. She gently encouraged me to continue to nurse despite my feeling overwhelmed and did so in a way that wasn't pushy or judgemental. Julia was trustworthy--she showed up on time and proactively communicated with us to set-up a schedule that worked for her and for us. Despite the stress and sleep deprivation that comes with life with a newborn, it really was a joy to have Julia share in our newborn experience.
Posted 4/24/2012
Megan K
Julia has a deep understanding of the art of being a Doula. When we first met her, we knew she was the right one for us. When she walked through the door at 8am on a Thursday morning, we immediately felt safe and heard. She exhibits no ego and thus provides an incredible support to our needs and intentions. She is very knowledgeable, approachable and easy to reach at all hours via phone or email (though we tried to let her sleep as often as possible). Her compassion combined with the utmost professionalism made our prenatal meetings the highlight of our weeks heading into full term. Once we went into labor, she was calm and warm. Her presence was steady but did not affect my own laboring. I had a swollen cervix during labor that made labor complicated and unprogressive so Julia used her whole bag of tricks to help.
When those options were exhausted and we went with the option to transfer to the hospital, Julia held the space for us. She decorated our labor room with items we had brought from home. She brought dinner for my fatigued partner and cheered him up in our dark hours. She was an incredible advocate and go-between with the Kaiser Oakland staff. Whenever we were asked questions, I would immediately refer to Julia to gather all the information needed before consenting to anything. After our son was born, she stayed with us until we were stable and set to be moved up to the recovery floor. She was an essential part of our birth team. We also hired her as a post-partum doula and she was incredible at helping us through the first 6 weeks. This is the part that I would say was much more important than anticipated. She doted on my son, was extremely gentle with me during Baby Blues and very supportive of our first decisions as parents. If you are seeking a doula, Julia comes with our highest recommendation. The Bay Area is fortunate to have this gem.
Julia is a fabulous doula and I would recommend her, without reservation, to anyone who is looking for extra help and support during after having a baby. We hired Julia to work at night for the first couple weeks after our first child was born. She has a very calming, patient, quiet and supportive presence. From the moment we met her, we felt totally comfortable letting her into our house and giving her responsibility with our newborn. Like many new moms, I experienced challenges with breastfeeding and our daughter had problems gaining weight. Julia was incredibly helpful in figuring out how to best implement the recommendations we'd received from our doctor and lactation consultant. She gently encouraged me to continue to nurse despite my feeling overwhelmed and did so in a way that wasn't pushy or judgemental. Julia was trustworthy--she showed up on time and proactively communicated with us to set-up a schedule that worked for her and for us. Despite the stress and sleep deprivation that comes with life with a newborn, it really was a joy to have Julia share in our newborn experience.