Today we’d like to introduce you to Symonejoy Sandy.
Hi Symonejoy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Minister SymoneJoy Sandy, but many know me as The Praying Doula. I’m the founder of Sacred Birth Haven, a Christ-centered doula and maternity support ministry. I am also a Certified Traveling Birth Doula, committed to bringing compassionate, Spirit-led birth care wherever I’m called.
But my journey to this calling didn’t start with credentials or business plans it started in the fire of personal pain, trauma, and survival. Before I stepped into anyone else’s birthing space, I walked through seasons of trauma and transformation. I survived childhood molestation, domestic violence, addiction, depression, rejection, low self-worth, and so much more. I spent years silently battling the belief that I wasn’t enough—not worthy, not loved, not whole.
But even in those silent battles, God was whispering: “Daughter, there’s more.”
And then came the moment that would shift everything.
The Birth That Almost Took Me
When I gave birth, I expected joy. I expected celebration. What I experienced instead was trauma that nearly took my life.
I remember the fear. I remember feeling invisible, unheard, and discarded. I remember the pain that was ignored and the help that never came. I left that room alive in body—but wounded in soul.
And I needed to know why.
So I started researching. And what I found shattered me.
In the United States—one of the most medically advanced nations in the world—Black and Brown women are 8 to 9 times more likely to die from childbirth-related complications than white women. That wasn’t just a statistic. That was my reality. That was the system I barely survived.
Something in me rose up. I couldn’t stay silent. I couldn’t just heal and move on. I had to do something. That’s when I fully embraced the call on my life—to be a Christian birth doula, to be a voice and advocate, and to help women, especially women of color, navigate childbirth with safety, dignity, and prayer.
I studied and trained relentlessly. I prayed through every lesson. And I became not just a doula, but a Certified Traveling Birth Doula, willing to go wherever the Spirit sends me to serve, support, and stand in the gap.
Out of this calling, I birthed Sacred Birth Haven—a ministry, a safe place, and a movement. We provide spiritual, emotional, and physical support for mamas before, during, and after birth. From personalized birth plans to intercessory prayer during labor, we’re reclaiming birth as holy ground.Today, I offer faith-based doula support, Christian doula training and certification, mentorship, maternal mental health advocacy, and more. I wrote The Transformation—my testimony in book form—and developed a full Christian doula training manual rooted in scripture and compassion.
Every birth I attend is an act of worship. Every mother I serve is a reflection of what God brought me through.
And every time I walk into a birthing space, I don’t come alone—I bring the Holy Spirit with me.
My Message to You
If you’ve ever felt overlooked, mistreated, or like your voice didn’t matter—I see you. I was you. But hear me: God has not forgotten you. Your pain has purpose.
What almost killed me gave birth to my calling. And now, I’m on a mission to protect, educate, pray for, and walk alongside women who deserve more than just survival—they deserve sacred, supported birth.
Because birth isn’t just physical—it’s spiritual warfare.
Birth is ministry.
And I’m walking in mine.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not. The road to where I am today has been anything but smooth.
There were seasons when I was battling deep trauma while still trying to show up for others. I’ve walked through abuse, rejection, addiction, and depression. I’ve experienced homelessness, financial hardship, and complete emotional burnout. I’ve lost people I loved. I’ve felt unqualified and unseen. I’ve had to fight through the voice of shame, fear, and insecurity just to believe I even deserved to be in certain rooms.
One of my biggest struggles came after almost dying during childbirth. That moment was a turning point it shook me, woke me up, and broke something inside of me that I’m still healing from. But it also lit a fire in me. I started researching the Black maternal mortality crisis and realized that what happened to me wasn’t rare it was systemic. Black and Brown women in this country are 8 to 9 times more likely to die in childbirth, and that reality grieved me deeply.
Starting my business, Sacred Birth Haven, also came with a lot of challenges. I didn’t have a blueprint. I didn’t have investors or a big team. I was building from faith, pain, and purpose, often in silence, often while still healing. There were times I doubted myself, cried through prayers, and wondered if I was really called.
But every struggle became a stepping stone. Every “no” pushed me closer to my “yes.” And God has never failed to show up even when I couldn’t see the way.
The road wasn’t smooth,but it was sacred. And I wouldn’t trade the journey for anything.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Please tell us more about your business or organization. What should we know?
I’d love to! I am the founder of Sacred Birth Haven, a faith-based doula and maternity support ministry where birth meets prayer, purpose, and presence. We serve women especially Black and Brown mothers by creating sacred, Spirit-led spaces for them to feel seen, heard, supported, and uplifted before, during, and after childbirth.
What sets us apart is that we don’t just provide birth support—we provide soul support. I don’t just show up to coach through contractions. I show up to intercede, to advocate, and to help mamas birth in peace, power, and prayer.
What do you do? What do you specialize in?
At Sacred Birth Haven, we specialize in Christian doula services, holistic maternal care, and spiritual birth education. I support women as a Certified Traveling Birth Doula, which means I will travel wherever I’m called to serve, offering:
Birth and postpartum doula support
Christian birth planning & prenatal prayer sessions
Faith-based childbirth education
Maternal mental health advocacy
Sacred postpartum care and support
Bereavement and miscarriage ministry
But we also pour into the next generation of doulas. I offer a Christian Doula Certification Program and mentorship for women who feel called to this sacred work but want to stay rooted in their faith.
What are you known for?
I’m known as The Praying Doula—not just because I pray, but because I bring faith, intercession, and the presence of God into every space I enter. Whether it’s the hospital, a homebirth, or a virtual coaching session, people know that when I show up, I bring peace, scripture, anointing oil, and a heart to serve.
What are you most proud of, brand-wise?
I’m most proud that Sacred Birth Haven was birthed from a place of healing and obedience to God. I didn’t build this to go viral I built it to be vital. I created something that’s changing the narrative for women who often go overlooked in medical systems. I’m proud of my Christian Doula Training Manual, my workshops, and the stories of transformation I hear from both mothers and doulas who have been impacted by this ministry.
But above all, I’m proud that God gets the glory in everything we do.
What do you want readers to know about your brand, offerings, and services?
I want readers to know that birth is ministry, and your birth space matters. Your voice matters. Your experience matters. Sacred Birth Haven exists to make sure you are not just cared for, but covered physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
If you’re looking for a doula who will pray with you, war for you, educate you, and walk beside you with compassion and power I’m here.
If you feel called to this work and want to be trained and mentored in a faith-filled, spirit-led environment, I’m here.
If you’re navigating grief, trauma, or a high-risk pregnancy and need someone to sit with you in it, I’m here.
Sacred Birth Haven is more than a business. It’s a safe place. It’s a ministry. It’s a movement.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my favorite childhood memories is sitting in the living room, listening to Aretha Franklin’s gospel album Amazing Grace while watching my mother sing. She’d close her eyes, lift her hands, and sing every note like she was standing in church, even if we were just at home.
There was something about those moments—the spirit in that room, the way her voice blended with Aretha’s, the way I felt peaceful, safe, and connected to something bigger than myself. It was more than music—it was ministry. Even as a child, I felt the presence of God.
I didn’t know then how much that memory would shape me. Today, as The Praying Doula, I carry that same spirit into everything I do. I understand now that those seeds of faith, worship, and womanhood were being planted in me—even when I didn’t realize it.
That living room was holy ground.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sacredbirthhaven.com/sacred-birth-haven-doula-services
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562042915490
- Other: sacredbirthhaven@gmail.com
