Community Highlights: Meet Sara Hoke of Village Birth

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Hoke.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Discovering that I could support birth outside of a medical model was such a gift. I had been fascinated by fertility and birth since I cracked open my mother’s copy of The Miracle of Life in the 1990s. Through my years of experiencing and learning about my own body’s reproductive capacity, I found myself in awe of this human function. The hormones, the signs of fertility, the growth of a placenta, the body’s capacity to birth a 7-pound human, lactation… all of it was just so magical.

When I discovered doula work, I immediately felt the calling. Passion combined with the desire to help women bring reverence, confidence, and autonomy to their birth are what propelled me into the role.

Outside of my doula work, I run Village Birth, which offers prenatal classes and support groups for expecting and new families. Birth is truly the most sacred experience, and I want my students and clients to experience this transformative moment in a way that is unique to them.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A huge hurdle is parenting while living the on-call life. I had my own babies during my transition into doula work, and being on call with a wakeful, breast-feeding babe at home is really, really hard. I remember taking breaks to pump in the bathroom at births and getting texts from my husband in the middle of the night about the kids.

Being on call is hard on the whole family especially when the kids are little and so dependent. There have been seasons that I’ve taken off so I can be more present at home. I’m still navigating this as my kids are five and three, and my only recommendation is to get help. Hire a babysitter, ask a friend, or find a partner doula. Also, communicate with your partner to ensure that all expectations are discussed and a plan negotiated. A supportive partner is so important in this line of work.

For the time being, I mostly focus on operating Village Birth, teaching classes, and leading support groups. While childbirth is total rock and roll, and I love it, I’m really enjoying supporting birthing families in this capacity while my family is at this stage.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Village Birth?
Village Birth offers doula services, prenatal classes, support groups, and lactation counseling. We meet in an intimate classroom space in Pasadena for in-person support. Our programming allows parents to meet other parents and connect with the peri-natal resources available in Los Angeles.

Being in the community during the pregnancy and postpartum time is invaluable. Whether you’re going through this for the first, second or third time, having others who can relate to what you’re going through in that exact moment makes it feel less isolating. Our classes are a great place to meet people, but it’s the prenatal circles and postpartum support groups that allow for the more vulnerable and nourishing conversations.

There are different ways to get support during this time: education, community, birth doula support, lactation counseling, and postpartum services. I recommend researching your options and choosing what feels most supportive to you.

Pricing:

• $450/couple for Childbirth Series
• $150/person for Postpartum Support Group
• $105/couple Breastfeeding Class
• $2000 – $4000 Birth Doulas

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yourvillagebirth.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourvillagebirth/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/village-birth-pasadena

Image Credits
First image only: April Trettel