DEENIHAN DOULA
Meet Zoe.
WHY I DOULA
I often tell people I have only had one dream job since I was kid: "be a mum". As the youngest of 3 girls, I always loved any opportunity I had where I was able to take care of someone smaller than me - even lugging around my 4 year old cousin when I was only 2 years older.
Luckily I found a way to funnel this passion into my education, and completed my B.S with Honors at the University of Washington in Psychology, focusing on child development. There, I I studied the role of parents on early language development and received the Hagenstein Award and the WPA 2022 Regional Research Award for my research on fathers reading with their children
Working on my research only made me more passionate about the support I provide families. The more I read, the more I realized how much our society fails new and expecting parents. We know that parental engagement in early childhood helps protect and foster positive social, emotional, and cognitive development, yet systemic issues often limit parents ability and confidence as they take on this new role. I believe it is our job to tackle these barriers, and view doula work as an immediate solution by supporting families and providing transformative care.
HOW I DOULA
You know your body, baby, and family best. As a doula, I work to provide evidence-based, trauma-informed care that helps you feel confident in yourself. I believe that postpartum takes a village. I am here to listen without judgement, connect you with resources, and advocate for your needs.
I love the field of child development, and enjoy being able to read the research and sift through all of the noise out there so you don't need to. I tell every family - never feel like you are texting too much. Nothing makes me happier than getting a random question about infant behavior and knowing I get to share a cool piece of research.
I feel it is exceptionally important for you to feel you are making informed choices in your parenting, so I always will let you know what the research says and why the research says it. This lets you decide what does or does not apply to your family and gives you peace of mind as you parent.
Though I only stay with a family short-term, please know you can always reach out again. I love getting updates about newborns turned toddlers, and am happy to help provide information and resources for beyond our time together.
WHEN I'M NOT DOULA-ING...
Outside of work I enjoy hiking, biking, and exploring all of the bookstores and cafes Seattle has to offer. You can often find me meeting up with other doulas to share coffee, breakfast, and any life updates we've missed between night shifts and on-call times for births!
I also try new classes and hobbies out whenever I can. This fall I took a ceramics course and loved getting to try out a new medium! If I'm not trying something new, I'm probably back to knitting - my favorite overnight activity!
I moved around a lot growing up, and definitely have that travel bug. I love listening to other's adventure stories and brainstorming the next trip. If you ever want to know how to travel with a baby, I'm ready with a checklist and game plan!
Every year I typically book off for a longer adventure. I love packing up and heading out on a roadtrip, and have now been able to visit and camp at 12 national parks. This spring I will be heading out on my biggest trip yet to hike 500 miles across Spain for over a month!
I hope to be able to know and support your family soon!
"Zoe’s knowledge in childcare and child development, as well as postpartum care (with a genuine emphasis on CARE) has made all the difference in our first three months as parents. Any new parents knows its easy to feel like your blundering through, and just trying to survive, Zoe’s demeanor is that of “you are the parents, you are experts in YOUR child” as she guides us with her own expertise. She has not only helped to educate, but has given us the tools and encouragement to implement new practices for ourselves."
--Elena and Spencer