Hello and congrats! I'm Gina Valo, a certified labor doula (Childbirth International and ProDoula) and the founder of BirthingKind. My role as a doula is to make sure you have access to the information, resources, and support you need to feel comfortable and confident throughout your pregnancy and birth experience. Our philosophy is simple: Your Body. Your Baby. Your Birth. My practice is rooted in evidence-based information, which serves as critical foundation for informed decision-making. I lean heavily on my academic and professional background in healthcare data to stay up to date on the latest research in maternal health. Before becoming a doula I worked as a healthcare technology executive and White House Presidential Innovation Fellow at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. I earned a Master of Management in Clinical Informatics from the Duke University School of Medicine and a B.A. in Organizational Studies from the University of Michigan. I like to balance research and data with a healthy dose of empathy and emotional intelligence so that we can arrive at decisions that work best for you. I would love the opportunity to meet you and see if we’re a fit.
Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Studies, University of Michigan (2005)
Master of Management in Clinical Informatics, Duke University School of Medicine (2021)
Birth Doula Certification, Childbirth International (2024)
Birth Doula Certification, ProDoula (2023)
Birth Doula Training, Dar a Luz International (2022)
Spinning Babies® Workshop (2024)
Evidence Based Birth Academy - Evidence Based Care (2024)
Evidence Based Birth Professional Membership
English, Spanish
Support for labor and birth as well as scheduled cesareans offered in-person, virtually, or in a hybrid model to fit your needs. All packages include a professionally written birth plan tailored to the client's needs based on in-depth discovery of birth preferences. Flexible options available for birth planning only and other combinations to meet your budget.
We decided to work with Gina before the birth of our second baby. One may think doula is not that necessary with the second birth, but it turned out to be a really good idea. My main motivation was to have a support person next to me during labor in case my husband had to leave because of an emergency with our toddler. But it turned out to be much more than that, even though my husband did not have to leave to take care of our firstborn. Gina made the preparation for the birth easier for us - during the two visits and email contact before birth she refreshed with us the pain management techniques and taught some new ones. She also prepared a birth plan and hospital packing list which we later discussed and customized. That took some mental load off of our shoulders as we were already very busy with our first kid and our jobs. I was able to talk with her about my fears and concerns. For example, my first baby was sunny side up and I wanted to avoid this with my second baby. Gina gave me a lot of advice on how to position the baby, both before and during birth. And this baby came out in the optimal position which made the whole process much smoother! During the labor Gina was present but not intrusive. She helped me to change positions and showed my husband how to give me a back massage which was extremely helpful. She also brought a small fan which does not sound like a lot but at that moment it was a big relief. I was able to give birth to a 9 lb 12 oz baby naturally without an epidural, which is quite an achievement! Gina definitely contributed to our success. During the whole process Gina was very friendly and professional at the same time. Her help made the time around the birth of our second baby much easier and more enjoyable for us. I wholeheartedly recommend her! One more thing that drew my attention and I would like to mention: Gina offers her assistance for free for parents experiencing infant loss. It tells a lot about how considerate and empathetic she is.
- Ewa S.
Gina was amazing as our doula. We’re so grateful for her support, and she was instrumental to our very positive birth experience! Gina has a deep understanding of evidence-based information about birth, and rich experience of different births from her work as a doula and at a local hospital. We leaned heavily on her guidance as we faced unfamiliar situations and choices, and her presence gave us a lot of confidence going into an unknown situation. We really appreciated that Gina didn’t come with a set agenda; she took the time to understand what we wanted and supported us in achieving it. This was so helpful both in preparation for birth, and during labor when it was much harder to have a clear head, be assertive, respond to the unexpected, etc. We cared about birth being a special and intimate experience for our new family. Gina knew when to step in with support, and when to give us space for bonding and to feel ownership over our birth. Overall we are so grateful for her support and couldn’t have asked for a better experience, and were happy to share this special time Gina!
- Sally M.
I can't express enough how much it meant to have Gina's support during my pregnancy and labor. She was amazing from day 1, answering all of our questions so timely, with so many details and back up evidence. She is truly passionate about the work she does and that shows in all her support to you as her client. She truly feels like a friend that is there for you in this transitional moment of life. Having her support was the best decision we could have ever taken.Her presence during labor was nothing short of magical—she brought a calming, empowering and informed energy to the room and knew exactly how to support us in the most meaningful ways. Since she started supporting us she made us feel like we were her top priority and was always available when we needed her, whether it was for a quick question, a reassuring word, a decision making process and even coming over to help me practice exercises to position the baby well for birth. If you're looking for a doula who is not only highly skilled but also warm, loving, and dedicated, we wholeheartedly recommend Gina. We feel incredibly lucky to have had her by our side during this special time, as she truly made my pregnancy and birth experience beautiful and unforgettable.
- Alba C.
Gina provided my wife with two, in-person prenatal sessions and in-person day-of support. Each prenatal session was focused on ensuring that my wife was ready for the delivery and had the birth plan that aligned with what she wanted. Gina was FANTASTIC and supported my wife and I above and beyond what we expected. She’s turned me into a huge doula advocate since she helped my wife understand what was most important to her as part of the delivery process and helped articulate that to the medical providers via my wife’s birth plan. I learned so much from her and I was able to better support my wife throughout the process. She is also kind, a great listener and extremely empathetic. I highly recommend Gina and hope you give her an opportunity to support you as much as she supported us!
- Michael O.
Social Media