Heather Ward BD, PD, CCE, CLE
Heather@BirthLore.com
Meet Heather
I am passionate about helping expectant families have an empowering birthing and postpartum experience. I also love learning new things and spending time in nature. When I am not busy doula-ing/teaching, you can find me with my amazing family (which includes the coolest Labrador Retriever in the world!) hiking in the trees, at the beach, meditating or reading from my huge pile of books.
Experience
Experience- I have two children born in 2000 and 2003. My eldest identifies as non-binary and my second as my daughter. I breastfed them for a total of 23 months. My first child and I struggled with nursing, my daughter and I were experts at breastfeeding.
When my daughter was 15 months old I was diagnosed with a postpartum mood disorder- anxiety. It took me many years, with a lot of experimenting with techniques before I feel I became fully recovered. I use this experience and knowledge to prevent this disorder and to guide moms/birthing people to health when it does happen. Being a mom is the ultimate experience!
I have worked with families and children since 1992 in various capacities. I started out as a preschool teacher, then a director of an after school program, and lastly a nanny.
After my first was born, I became curious and passionate about birth and began my training in the field. By the time my second was born I had changed career directions and started teaching classes to expectant families in 2003.
Clients in my classes started asking me if I would come to their birth and help them out- obviously I started saying yes. I have attended 500+ births as a birth doula in hospitals, birth centers and homebirths. I have worked with 50+ families as a postpartum doula.
Education and Training
Education
AA in Early Child Development 2000
ACBE Childbirth Educator Certification 2003
DONA Birth Doula Certification 2004
Nursing Foundations Lactation Educator Certification 2005
DONA Postpartum Doula Training 2008
CAPPA Recertification Labor Doula 2020
Birth First Doulas- Birth Doula Recertification 2024
Birth First Doulas- Postpartum Doula Recertification 2024
2023-2026 Currently duel enrolled at PCC & PSU, working on my IBCLC and BS in Community Health.
Other Trainings/ Certifications
Mindfulness Meditation/ Birthing Mindfully 2004, 2010
Basic Massage and Acupressure for Birth 2005
Perinatal and Postpartum Mood Disorders 2006, 2018
Penny Simkin, Phyllis Klaus, Sharon Storton- When Survivors Give Birth 2007
Michel Odent- Oxytocin: The Love Hormone 2007
Health and Nutrition (multiple) 2008, 2012, 2018
Lamaze Method Instructor Training 2008
Holistic Methods for Induction and Augmentation 2009
Female Pelvic Floor 2009
Rebozo for Labor and Birth 2009
Optimal Fetal Positioning 2010
Bradley Method Instructor Training 2010
Birthing From Within Instructor Training 2010
Low Milk Supply 2012
Normal Newborn Behaviors 2012
Biology of Birth 2012
Harvey Karp- Happiest Baby on The Block 2015
Ellis Prayer Method 2017
Joe Weston- Respectful Confrontation for Doulas 2018
Communication and Listening Skills for Health Providers 2018
MicroBirth School- Group B Strep 2019
Gail Tully-Spinning Babies 2019
Birth Monopoly- Know Your Rights 2020
Gena Kirby- Rebozo Novice 2020
Brittany McCollum- Creating Space: Pelvic Dynamics and Fetal Positioning for an Efficient Birth 2021
Brittany McCollum- Pelvic Shape, Fetal Positioning, and Obstetrical Bias: The Role of Pelvic Classification and Optimal Fetal Positioning in the Perpetuation of Bias in Childbirth 2022
Brittany McCollum- The Role of Pelvic Shape Classification and Optimal Fetal Positioning in the Perpetuation of Bias in Childbirth 2022
Evidence Based Birth Trainings (2020-2024)
How To Get Your Clients Evidence Based Care 2020
PROM, GBS, and Newborn Procedures 2020
Big Babies + Gestational Diabetes 2020
Failure To Progress 2020
New Evidence on Due Dates- Advanced Maternal Age 2021
Nurses and Advocates Joining Forces to Stop Obstetric Violence in the Birth Room 2024
The Evidence on Rh Negative in Pregnancy 2024
Advancing Your Knowledge of Abnormalities in Lactation 2024
Long Overdue: Prioritizing Perinatal Mental Health 2024
CAPPA Trainings (2020-2021)
Perinatal Mental Health: Interventions and Community Engagement 2020
Centering Cultural Humility in Practice 2020
Supporting the Couple Relationship to Reduce Risks of Perinatal Trauma 2020
Supporting LGBQ/T Families: Understanding Identity in the Perinatal Period 2020
How To Be Size-Inclusive Birth Professional 2021
The Role of Implicit Bias in Birthing and Breastfeeding Support 2021
Psychological Considerations for Supporting Pregnancy and Postpartum Clients 2021
Up in Smoke: What to Know About Cannabis During Perinatal Period 2021
Cornerstone Access and Action Conference June 2022 including these titles…
Disability Justice and Reproductive Justice
Cultural Appropriation in Birthwork with Montse Olmos
Perinatal Emergency Preparedness
Bridging the Gap: Rural Community Birthwork
How to Weave a Practice of Spiritual Activism
Intentional Birth Pro 2022-2023
Work Experience-
Birth First Doulas (postpartum and birth) 2023- current
Birth Doula and Childbirth Educator 2003- current
Postpartum Doula 2006-current
Nanny, Preschool Teacher, Assistant Director CDC/CDI 1995-2002
Places I’ve worked teaching Childbirth Education, Baby Care and Breastfeeding classes-
BirthLore/ group and private 2009- current.
Blossom Birth and Family, Palo Alto, CA 2008-2016
Day One, Palo Alto, CA 2006-2009
Harmony Birth and Family, Campbell, CA 2003-2006
El Camino Hospital, Mountain View, CA 2003-2007
