Hidden Gems: Meet Priscilla Gutierrez of Informed birth and beyond

Today we’d like to introduce you to Priscilla Gutierrez.

Hi Priscilla, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I always say we are all a walking story with chapters inside of us. Before I get into who I am today and what society might call “success,” I want to share my story or at least pieces of it. I wholeheartedly believe we can’t truly know someone through a screen but through ongoing conversations.

My story starts with my parents, my family, and the upbringing that shaped me into the woman I am today. My parents migrated from Mexico in the ’80s, met, and had their four children in Los Angeles. I happen to be the middle child. From a young age, I strived for the “good grades,” and college was always in the back of my mind. Even in the midst of my environment, I knew I needed to be better and do better for my family and my community.

When my family moved to Riverside County, I started middle school and eventually graduated high school there. I remember an 8th grade assignment where we had to share what we wanted to be when we grew up. I said I wanted to be a counselor because I wanted to help people. Who would have thought that the desire planted in me at such a young age would lead me to earn my Bachelor of Arts in Human Services with a minor in Biblical Studies degree?

My personal experiences guided the direction of my life. Growing up in a family system where I witnessed mental health struggles, addiction, and destructive behaviors pushed me toward the college route. I saw education as my way out. When I turned 15, my life changed for the better. My sister and I found a Holy-Spirit-led church community that took us under their wing and poured into our lives. The example set by our pastors showed me just how essential community is, especially for those who lack support at home.

After graduating high school, I knew I wanted to attend a Christian university where God would remain at the center. My faith was and still is my foundation. It’s the only way I know how to navigate this messy and beautiful life. I came across Hope International University in Fullerton, and after touring the campus, I knew it was where I needed to be. I spent four years living in the dorms, growing with friends, and being challenged by professors who stretched me in ways I didn’t expect. My major required six internship placements, which I’m forever grateful for because they exposed me to different areas of social work and confirmed my passion for the field.

Now to the good stuff! After graduating, I spent a decade working in the social work and public health sectors. When I eventually moved back to Los Angeles I began serving families as a Family Support Specialist and Parent Coach.
These were the same communities I used to drive through with my parents as a little girl.
Working as a community provider, I quickly became disappointed with how systems designed to protect underserved communities were actually treating them. Many families weren’t given informed consent around their health or maternity care. We served families prenatally and postnatally through a home visiting model focused on prevention, education, and resources.

It was during this time that I started noticing a trend among my Spanish-speaking clients: extremely high cesarean rates. I had access to the data, and it didn’t make sense how first-time moms and third-time moms were having c-sections without real medical emergencies. The common explanation they were given was, “Your baby is too big,” yet the babies weren’t actually “big.” I have countless stories of families being coerced into procedures they were afraid of but felt pressured to accept because a doctor told them to.

Around 2021, I started hearing more about doula work. I referred many of my families to doulas, submitted referrals on their behalf, and noticed how mothers with doulas consistently reported higher satisfaction. That same year, our agency funded a Lactation Specialist certification for our program since we were already providing breastfeeding education. To be honest, I wasn’t very interested at first but once I began the course, I was shocked at how much misinformation exists around breastfeeding and its benefits. That curiosity led me to pay out of pocket for a Lactation Consultant course. I soon realized I wanted to pursue the IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) pathway.

In 2024, I decided to take a doula training because I wanted to be a stronger asset to my families. I wanted to provide more childbirth education so they could advocate for themselves. Looking back, I had no idea that all these trainings and experiences were preparing me for the next chapter which was starting my own business in 2024.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Oh my gosh, what can I say! As someone who fit the “statistics” of not achieving what I have today, I can confidently say the road has definitely not been smooth. It’s been hard, challenging, and filled with moments where I questioned whether I was “ good enough or smart enough.” My parents didn’t go past an 8th-grade education, and I’m the first-generation Latina in my family to pursue higher education.

Some of the biggest struggles along the way were having to figure everything out on my own from navigating systems I wasn’t familiar with, making a way where there wasn’t one, and learning to wait patiently for doors to open that were meant for me. There were seasons where resources were limited, guidance was limited, and I had to rely solely on faith, resilience, and the hope that the work I was putting in would eventually make sense.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My business, Informed Birth and Beyond, was created with one purpose in mind: to support, educate, and empower families through every stage of their reproductive and early parenting journey. Located in San Jacinto, CA, we provide comprehensive and holistic care from pregnancy through early parenthood. As a bilingual (English/Spanish) health advocate with a background in social work and public health, I offer support that is both heart-centered and evidence-based.

My mission is to uplift families through education, prevention, and compassionate care, always tailored to their unique needs, values, and cultural backgrounds.

I offer full-spectrum doula care, childbirth education, lactation support, placenta encapsulation, and trauma-informed family wellness services. What makes my work unique is the combination of my lived experience, my decade of professional work in social work and public health, and my commitment to culturally respectful, bilingual, and family-centered support.

This work is about more than birth, because the journey does not end there. Families need long-term support from preconception to postpartum and beyond. With my background in family dynamics, I support parents from all angles, including the involvement of fathers and partners. I hold sessions specifically for dads and offer ongoing support for moms because the entire family unit matters.

Services Offered

Providing a wide range of services to support whole-family wellness:

Doula Services: Physical, emotional, and educational support during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.

Childbirth Education: Classes on stages of labor, comfort techniques, interventions, and informed consent.

Lactation Support: Evidence-based breastfeeding guidance for milk production, feeding confidence, and long-term success.

Placenta Encapsulation: Preparing the placenta in capsule form to support postpartum recovery, energy, and hormonal balance.

Parent & Child Support: Strengthening the parent-child bond, supporting brain development, and offering developmental and nutritional guidance.

Trauma-Informed Care: Mental health awareness, psychoeducation, and self-care tools during the perinatal period.

1:1 Consultations: Personalized support for parents of children ages 0–5 around routines, behavior, concerns, and development.

Family Health Education: Teaching parents how to read ingredient labels, understand food and product toxins, and make informed choices in order to reduce preventable illness. With illness and chronic disease increasing, I place a strong emphasis on prevention and empowering families with knowledge that protects their long-term health.

Our care is rooted in compassion, evidence-based practice, prevention, and cultural humility. I aim to create a space where every family feels heard, seen, informed, and respected. My goal is to give parents autonomy over their decisions by providing reliable, unbiased information and ongoing support.

What I’m Most Proud Of

Brand-wise, I’m most proud of creating a safe and accessible space for families who are often overlooked in traditional healthcare settings. My business reflects my values—faith, community, compassion, integrity, and prevention. I’m honored that families trust me with their stories, their births, their feeding journeys, their concerns, and their healing.

What I want readers to know is this: my services are not just services. They are partnership, empowerment, and ongoing support. Whether it’s childbirth education, doula care, placenta encapsulation, lactation support, or family health education, my goal is always to help families feel seen, informed, confident, and deeply supported. I want my families to know that I work for you with no hidden agenda. I believe families know what is best for their family unit.

How do you define success?
Success to me is the inner work we do on ourselves first. As someone who has dedicated her life to healing, breaking generational trauma, and doing the deep inner work, success isn’t measured by degrees or appearances. It’s about leading a life rooted in love and living as an example of authenticity.

True success isn’t just lifting yourself up; it’s using your life to serve others, lifting everyone around you, and teaching people to think in new ways we weren’t taught.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://informedbirthandbeyond.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/informedlivingwith.me/?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D#
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Informed-birth-and-beyond/61563217471756/?mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Other: https://share.google/26JkGzyb6qMCEnIyx

Image Credits
To my mentor, Alicia Hubbell-Fernandez, a dedicated community midwife in the Hemet/San Jacinto Valley: thank you for allowing me to attend my first home birth with you and for mentoring me through my lactation hours on my path to becoming an IBCLC.

To my previous home visiting employer in Los Angeles County: I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such amazing coworkers and to have formed lasting friendships.

Lastly, to the families I have had the honor of serving and walking alongside on this sacred journey: thank you for trusting me to be part of your lives.