Medi-cal & Private Insurance Doula Services

Your Doula Care May Be Covered at No Cost to You.

In-home prenatal & postpartum doula support for Medi-Cal families in Santa Cruz County.
If you have Medi-Cal or other insurance and are pregnant or have had a baby within the last year, you may be eligible to receive doula support as a covered benefit.
As a Medi-Cal-enrolled doula, I provide personalized, non-medical support throughout pregnancy and the postpartum year—with a special focus on helping mothers feel nourished, informed, supported, and cared for at home.
You don't have to pay out of pocket to receive this support..
WHAT IS COVERED?

WHAT IS COVERED?
Your Medi-Cal doula benefit can include:
1 Initial Visit
A 90-minute visit to meet, establish your care, and begin creating a support plan.
Up to 8 Additional Visits
These visits can be used in any combination of prenatal and postpartum care.
Labor & Birth Support
Doula support during labor and delivery is included in the Medi-Cal benefit.
2 Extended Postpartum Visits
Up to two extended postpartum visits of up to 3 hours each are available after the end of pregnancy.
Additional Postpartum Support
After using the initial set of covered visits, you may be eligible for up to 9 additional postpartum visits with an additional recommendation from a physician or other licensed practitioner.
The Medi-Cal postpartum period for doula services extends up to one year after the end of pregnancy.
SERVING SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
I provide in-person doula support throughout Santa Cruz County and surrounding communities.
Based in Santa Cruz County
In-home support available
Bilingual English + Spanish
WHAT CAN WE DO DURING YOUR VISITS?
Your care is personalized to you.
Your visits don't have to look the same every visit.
Together, we can focus on:
Pregnancy + Preparation
- Understanding what to expect
- Preparing emotionally for birth
- Envisioning your birth
- Preparing your home and support system
- Childbirth education
- Postpartum planning
Newborn + Feeding Support
- Newborn care education
- Feeding support
- Breastfeeding and lactation education
- Soothing and settling techniques
- Helping you feel more confident caring for your baby
Postpartum Recovery
- Supporting your physical recovery through body work and traditional healing practices
- Herbal baths and holistic body treatments
- Creating space for rest
- Emotional support & somatic regulation
- Helping you find your way as a mother
- Resources and referrals
- Supporting your transition into your new family rhythm
Nourishment + Mother-Centered Care
- Education and support around postpartum nourishment
- Meal prepping & in home cooking
HOW IT WORKS

1. REACH OUT
Fill out my contact form and tell me a little about yourself, your pregnancy or postpartum experience, and what kind of support you're looking for.
2. WE CONNECT
We'll schedule a consultation so we can meet, talk about your needs, and make sure we're a good fit.
3. VERIFY YOUR BENEFITS
I'll collect the necessary insurance information and help guide you through the process of accessing your covered doula care.
4. BEGIN YOUR SUPPORT
Once everything is in place, we'll create a plan for using your available visits in a way that feels most supportive for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

For eligible Medi-Cal members receiving covered doula services through their plan, the doula benefit is covered at no cost to the member.
For the initial set of covered services, DHCS has issued a standing recommendation, so a separate recommendation from your doctor is not required. Additional postpartum visits require a recommendation from a physician or other licensed practitioner.
Yes. Medi-Cal doula coverage extends through the postpartum period, up to one year after the end of pregnancy.

You can still use your covered doula benefit during the postpartum period.
Yes. Medi-Cal's doula benefit includes support during labor and delivery, miscarriage, stillbirth, and abortion.
Some doula services may be provided through telehealth when appropriate and permitted by the applicable plan and benefit requirements. We'll discuss what makes sense for your care.

We are so thankful for Ariana! From the moment she entered our pregnancy journey she brought a calm, reassuing and empowering presence to our experience. Throughout our labor and delivery we felt Ariana in our corner, walking us through what was happening, expectations and laying out our decision options. She educated us on new positions that advanced our labor succesfully and resulted in the fullfillment of our birth plan. Our child is now three months old and looking back, we are tremendously grateful for Ariana's role in our birth experience. We look forward to Ariana being present for everytime our family grows and cannot recommend her enough!
- Greg and Christie
Ariana is an amazing doula; she is kind, warm, nurturing and healing! Because of timing I could only have her as my postpartum doula, and she was absolutely a god send. Her cooking, company and massages were exactly what I needed. Ariana is a loving presence who truly cares and loves what she does. Her passion coupled with her generous personality makes for an amazing doula! I loved working with Ariana for the first six weeks postpartum, and I am so glad that if I need more, I can reach out and she will be there to help me. I cannot recommend Ariana more for a postpartum Ayurvedic doula!
-Kathryn

Ceremonies

The ritual has four parts and takes around 3-4 hours. Supporting the mama to feel held & nourished through the celebration and integration of her as a new mother.
It is an ancient Mexican tradition, traditionally performed by Mexican midwives within the first 40 days postpartum. The Cerrada or Sealing Ceremony was taught to me by mentor & friend Maria Ramos.
It includes:
- Opening Smudging & Check-in
- Optional Vaginal Yoni Steam
- An enclosed ritual herbal bath, infused with healing herbs & a plant limpia
- Full Body massage
- Belly Binding
- Full Body rebozo wrapping in traditional Mexican rebozo’s
- Closing integration
- Optional- Moxa, card reading, herbal teas, and share a meal
Mother Blessing is an intimate celebration to help prepare an expectant mother for her birth journey. We shower the mama with love, support and encouragement. The act of birth is seen as a rite of passage for women, and this is meant to help a woman feel more mentally, physically and emotionally ready to give birth.
I offer support in creating a ritual at your home to honor your child’s placenta. In some cultures, burying the placenta connects the baby to land and their lineage. Among the Navajo and many Hawaiians, the placenta is placed in the ground to connect the child to his or her homeland and ancestors. Lets create a ritual together to honor your babes placenta!

Learn more

“After birth there’s a sacred window of time. A time for complete rejuvenation of a woman’s physical, mental and spiritual health. A time for deep extended bonding with her newborn. The first 42 days set the stage for her next 42 years.”

-Ysha Oakes