Hi, I’m Erin! I grew up in Decatur, GA, attended UGA as an undergraduate, moved to Pittsburgh, PA for graduate school, and ultimately found my way back to Athens in 2019.
My background in student-facing roles, including academic advising and career consulting, taught me how to be an empathetic coach dedicated to helping people reach their goals and navigate major life changes. After the birth of my son in September 2024, that passion shifted directly to supporting growing families in the Athens community.
As a queer, nonbinary person, my journey to parenthood was incredibly intentional. After months of research and planning, I became pregnant with our son. Embracing my identity as a masculine-presenting nonbinary person, I never anticipated carrying a child. I was a little worried that pregnancy might bring up issues with gender dysphoria, but it gave me an even deeper understanding and love for who I am.
While I was pregnant, I became obsessed with research: What size is the baby? What parts are developing? What is birth going to be like? My wife and I didn’t know anyone with babies, so every experience was new to us. This led to an interest in birth work, and by the time my son was born, I knew becoming a doula was the right path for me.
Although my experiences with providers were generally very positive, my wife and I never encountered anyone connected to my pregnancy who told us they were a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. We found ourselves explaining basic details to every new person we met: how the baby was conceived, that we didn’t need to discuss breastfeeding after my top surgery, and how people should refer to me or us as parents. I felt a weird contrast between the diverse Athens parenting community and the support the healthcare landscape offered.
As soon as our baby was sleeping through the night, I knew it was time to start filling that gap. I would have benefited greatly from having someone who knew what I was experiencing—someone who understood my options, what questions to ask, how to make a birth plan, and how to advocate for myself. As a "do it yourself" person, I decided I could be part of the solution. I have loved the certification process and am beyond excited to start the hands-on work of serving the Athens community as a labor doula.
Outside of this passion and my full-time career, I spend most of my time at home with my wife, our one-year-old, our cats, and our chickens. I am an avid crocheter and hope to become a great home cook someday.
I am thrilled to get started with AthensBorn. Every family deserves enthusiastic, respectful support throughout their pregnancy and birth, and I am grateful for the chance to provide it.
All my best,
Erin
My background in student-facing roles, including academic advising and career consulting, taught me how to be an empathetic coach dedicated to helping people reach their goals and navigate major life changes. After the birth of my son in September 2024, that passion shifted directly to supporting growing families in the Athens community.
As a queer, nonbinary person, my journey to parenthood was incredibly intentional. After months of research and planning, I became pregnant with our son. Embracing my identity as a masculine-presenting nonbinary person, I never anticipated carrying a child. I was a little worried that pregnancy might bring up issues with gender dysphoria, but it gave me an even deeper understanding and love for who I am.
While I was pregnant, I became obsessed with research: What size is the baby? What parts are developing? What is birth going to be like? My wife and I didn’t know anyone with babies, so every experience was new to us. This led to an interest in birth work, and by the time my son was born, I knew becoming a doula was the right path for me.
Although my experiences with providers were generally very positive, my wife and I never encountered anyone connected to my pregnancy who told us they were a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. We found ourselves explaining basic details to every new person we met: how the baby was conceived, that we didn’t need to discuss breastfeeding after my top surgery, and how people should refer to me or us as parents. I felt a weird contrast between the diverse Athens parenting community and the support the healthcare landscape offered.
As soon as our baby was sleeping through the night, I knew it was time to start filling that gap. I would have benefited greatly from having someone who knew what I was experiencing—someone who understood my options, what questions to ask, how to make a birth plan, and how to advocate for myself. As a "do it yourself" person, I decided I could be part of the solution. I have loved the certification process and am beyond excited to start the hands-on work of serving the Athens community as a labor doula.
Outside of this passion and my full-time career, I spend most of my time at home with my wife, our one-year-old, our cats, and our chickens. I am an avid crocheter and hope to become a great home cook someday.
I am thrilled to get started with AthensBorn. Every family deserves enthusiastic, respectful support throughout their pregnancy and birth, and I am grateful for the chance to provide it.
All my best,
Erin
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