Meet Rebecca Belenky
Birth Doula Support in Pasadena & Los Angeles
Holistic, evidence-based care for your pregnancy and birth journey
Pregnancy can bring up a lot of emotions — excitement, anticipation and also anxiety. Facing birth and the significant life changes that come with a new baby can feel both thrilling and overwhelming at the same time. It’s natural to want someone steady by your side.
That’s where I come in. As your doula, I offer thoughtful preparation, compassionate presence, and calm support through every stage of the journey — from the planning and questions, to the unpredictable turns that birth brings. Birth is wild, beautiful, and transformative. You don’t have to navigate it alone. My role as your doula is to listen, encourage, and support you in feeling confident and cared for — no matter how your story unfolds.
What Does a Birth Doula Do?
A birth doula provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support throughout your pregnancy and birth.
Unlike a medical provider, I don’t make decisions on your behalf. Instead, I help you navigate choices, communicate with your care team, and feel empowered as you move through your birthing process.
Why Choose Doula Support?
An experienced doula can connect you with providers who align with your preferences
To have a steady, experienced, calming presence throughout labor
To reduce anxiety by having someone who knows the birth process
To help partners feel seen
To have guidance in navigating choices and communicating with providers
To feel seen as whole people — not just patients
Research shows that doula support is linked to shorter labors, fewer interventions, and more positive birth experiences. But more importantly, my clients tell me they felt confident, heard, and cared for.
Is Birth Doula Support Right for You?
Most of the families I work with want their birth to feel connected, informed, and grounded. Some are preparing for their first baby, while others are returning for a second or third birth and hoping for a different experience this time. Whether you’re planning a hospital birth, a home birth, or a VBAC, you deserve care that meets you where you are — emotionally, physically, and holistically.
What’s Included in My Holistic Birth Doula Support
Prenatal meetings to explore your hopes, concerns, and preferences
Continuous labor support at home, birth center, or hospital
Tools for comfort and coping — breathing, movement, touch, and grounding
Partner guidance for connection and confidence
Postpartum visits to reflect, process, and grow
Ongoing phone and text support for questions and reassurance
You deserve to feel held and seen on your journey to meet your baby.
Client Testimonials
“We feel so blessed to have crossed paths with Rebecca Belenky.
We had our first conversations in the 2nd trimester, and Rebecca brought a serenity and sensitivity that immediately put us at ease. During labor, she was an integral part of our homebirth team, and provided support for both me and my partner. And we’ll never forget Rebecca’s postpartum care when she gave us knowledge and perspective that helped offset the most bewildering aspects of new parenthood. Through it all, she was compassionate and patient and gentle and nurturing.
We feel so grateful to have had her with us during this transformation.”
-Corinna & Harris, Beverly Hills, CA
Here are support topics that can be covered in our prenatal preparation sessions together:
Education & Preparation
Prenatal sessions to discuss your vision, goals, and preferences for birth
Suggestions for comfort during pregnancy
Access to evidence-based information
An individualized birth plan
Hospital politics - advocacy, informed decision making, consent
Breathwork and preparation for labor coping
Lactation preparation, information and support
Postpartum preparation plan
Newborn care education
Spinning Babies for prenatal comfort and labor prep
Preparation for labor coping
Aromatherapy
TENS machine
Babywearing instruction
Pumping plan
Local Referrals for body work and care providers
Los Angeles Birth
Interested in hearing more about my support from the families I’ve worked with?
You deserve the piece of mind of having thoughtful support
Certifications & Accreditations
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![Logo for Transformed by Birth Apprenticeship Program with Britta Bushnell]()
Apprenticeship with Britta Bushnell in Santa Monica, CA
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![Logo for Spinning Babies featuring a silhouette of a pregnant woman in a squatting position, with the text "Spinning Babies" to the right.]()
Spinning Babies Workshop with Gail Tully and Nicole Morales at Bini Birth
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![Logo with an abstract illustration of a stylized pregnant woman with a fetus, and the text 'ART OF BIRTH' on a white background.]()
Rebozo Techniques with Naoli Vinaver at Bini Birth
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![BreastfeedLA logo with stylized outline of a breastfeeding mother and child.]()
Certified Lactation Educator, Breastfeed LA in Los Angeles
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![HypnoBirthing International logo with a gold seal that says HypnoBirthing The Mongan Method]()
Hypnobirthing Training for doulas with Ellie Shea in Santa Monica, CA
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![DONA International logo with a purple flower icon and gray text.]()
Trained and certified as a doula with DONA 2014
“Rebecca understood my anxieties and approached all my wishes and concerns with great empathy and non-judgment. She guided me through the pains of labor with the most amazing calming presence I’ve ever witnessed in a person—it was truly magical how she put me at ease.”
-Connie, los angeles, CA
My philosophy
I believe birth is both a physiological process and a deeply human experience. My approach blends evidence-based preparation with intuitive, heart-centered care.
I provide steady, nonjudgmental support, helping you tune into your own intuition rather than anyone else’s agenda — including mine. As a holistic doula, my desire is to guide you through pregnancy and parenthood and help you find a path that feels true and meaningful to YOU.
If you’re ready to get started or interested in learning more, I’d love to chat!
Birth Doula Support FAQs
When do we begin our work together?
Once you’ve hired me, I’m available by phone and email to provide support immediately. Our in-person prenatal meetings typically begin around 30 weeks, when we start to dig deeper into preparation for labor, birth, and life with your newborn.
When do you usually join us in labor?
The short answer is: it depends. It is hard to describe because it can take many forms.
Usually, the plan is to join you once active labor is established and you voice a need for my physical presence. A significant factor in this decision is how you are coping with the intensity and pain of labor. I am in contact via phone and text through the early phase of labor, reassuring, normalizing, and offering guidance until it feels necessary to join you in person at your home or at the hospital/birth center. I remain open to the unpredictability of labor. I do my best to respond in the moment to what is happening and support the (sometimes epic) journey to meeting your baby to the best of my ability.
What happens if I get an induction? What kind of support can I expect?
Just as in spontaneous labor, I provide phone support during the early stages of labor=induction process. This typically involves walking you through what to expect and how to support the optimal position of the baby, as well as helping you understand how to effectively advocate for and communicate your wishes to your medical team. As the process continues, I will join you in person once active labor has been established. I stay with you until after the baby is born through the Golden Hour.
In both an induction and a spontaneous labor, my goal is to ensure that you have all the information you need to make informed decisions for your body and your baby, and that you have a positive and supportive birthing experience.
What LA hospitals do you most often work in?
I’m based in South Pasadena and have supported many families at Huntington Hospital. I also attend births at Cedars-Sinai and within the Kaiser Permanente system across Los Angeles, UCLA and St Joseph’s.
If you’re still deciding where to give birth, visit my blog for insights on Where to Give Birth in Los Angeles — there are many options to consider!
What is the cost of your doula services?
In Los Angeles, investing in an experienced doula is one of the most meaningful steps you can take toward a positive and empowering birth and postpartum experience. I offer different tiers of support tailored to your specific needs. You can learn more about the cost of holistic doula care packages.
What are the steps in hiring you as our doula?
1— Book a discovery call. I look forward to getting to know you and your partners’ specific desires for support!
2— Want to hire me? Great! A deposit will secure your spot in my calendar, and I will follow up with some paperwork to finalize the details.
3— Once you become my client, you will get immediate access to resources, referrals, and personalized support from me. I can be your guide and help you find information tailored to your individual needs and values.
Let’s talk! I’d love to hear how I could guide and support you.
Are you pregnant and living in the Pasadena Area?
If you’re in the stage of gathering information or wanting to feel more prepared, my Pasadena Area Birth Resource page is a great place to start. You’ll find compassionate and experienced perinatal professionals to guide you through every stage of your pregnancy.
Whether you’re planning your first birth or preparing to welcome another baby, these Pasadena Area Birth Resources can be a part of your birth preparation.