Hidden Gems: Meet Marchael Hagood of Courageous Labors Doula Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marchael Hagood.

Marchael, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My passion for birth work began between 2009 and 2011, when I attended three hospital births and supported three mothers through their births. From there, I became an infant nanny and later a travel infant nanny for families throughout Orange County. When a close friend asked me to be her doula, something clicked. I followed that calling, joined a doula workshop, and later became a certified birth and postpartum doula.

Today, I am the proud owner of Courageous Labors Doula Services, and I haven’t looked back. Supporting families through pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum has become one of the greatest joys of my life. I am deeply committed to this work and honored to walk alongside each family I serve.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Some of the challenges I face in this work involve maintaining healthy boundaries and protecting myself from burnout. I’ve had to learn the importance of slowing down, practicing self care, and honoring my own limits. As doulas, we often witness intense and emotional births, holding space for mothers during some of their hardest moments. We become the steady shoulder they lean on, and afterward we have to gather ourselves back together, too. This is why having a strong village to debrief with is essential. Support, reflection, and community make it possible for us to continue showing up with compassion and strength.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I am a birth and postpartum doula who specializes in Spinning Babies techniques, rebozo support, vaccine education, and bringing a nurturing, grounded presence to every family I serve. One of the things that truly sets me apart is my commitment to honoring each birthing person’s choices without judgment. I trust my clients, I respect their autonomy, and I support their decisions without placing my own beliefs onto their journey.

I have had the privilege of supporting immigrant families, high risk pregnancies, and teen parents, each carrying their own stories, strengths, and vulnerabilities. No matter the circumstance, my role is to stand beside them with compassion, steady guidance, and unwavering care.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I have been blessed in my journey so far. The biggest hurdle has been the insurance companies. Watching family’s lose their insurance and can’t afford to get the support they need to receive doula services.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://CourageousLabors.com
• Instagram: @doulamarchael

Image Credits
@ilianaipes
@wovenrootsbirth
@lexiecon