Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Walters.
Hi Stephanie, 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 love for birth started when I was just seven years old, completely captivated by my mom’s pregnancy with my sister. Even then, I felt a deep, innate fascination with the wonder of new life. Years later, some friends introduced me to the documentary The Business of Being Born, and it completely opened my eyes. It was a pivotal moment that shifted my entire perspective, showing me just how much our culture has medicalized a process that is fundamentally natural and intuitive. Driven by that awakening, I found myself drawn into the birth space long before I ever had my own children, naturally stepping in to attend and support my friends through their labor and delivery.
The final piece of the puzzle fell into place during my own birth experience. Supported by an incredible birth doula, I experienced firsthand the transformative, grounding power of continuous, compassionate care. In that moment, I knew it was officially my time. I immediately jumped into training and launched my private practice, dedicating my life to honoring, protecting, and supporting women through the profound journey of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
While my path has been incredibly rewarding, it certainly hasn’t been without its challenges. My own first birth and postpartum experience brought unexpected seasons of hardship—moments that tested me, but ultimately gifted me with a deep, lived empathy that I now carry into the space with every single client and family I support.
But perhaps the biggest leap of faith came when my two boys were just six months and two years old. With two kids under two, our family packed up and moved across state lines to Austin. Back in Las Vegas, I had a rooted birth community and established professional relationships; arriving here meant essentially starting over from scratch. I had to put myself out there completely to build brand awareness, make authentic community connections, and weave myself into the local fabric. Beyond the business side of things, being in a new area meant navigating the learning curve of a completely different maternity care system. I had to learn new hospitals, familiarize myself with the geography of a new city, and better understand the specific standards of care unique to Central Texas. It forced me to be intentional, resilient, and deeply knowledgeable about the specific resources available to the families I serve here.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Today, I can truly say I love this work and the beautiful practice I’ve built. I’ve forged deep, lasting relationships, secured an incredible backup doula to ensure my clients always have seamless care, and watched my practice grow. A big part of that growth has come through social media (and networking events), though I definitely have a love/dislike relationship with social media. On one hand, I feel social media can easily take away from meaningful, real-life relationships and leave us all feeling overstimulated. On the other hand, it has been a powerful tool for me to display exactly what I bring to the families I support.
My philosophy is simple: I strongly believe that every birthing person gets to choose how they want to birth. It is their birth! Every family comes with entirely different values, goals, and preferences. Because of that, my role is to come completely unbiased, clearly laying out the risks and benefits of various interventions so that families can remain the primary decision-makers and the main component in their own birth experiences.
I use my social media intentionally to reflect that. It’s not just informational; it’s designed to give you a true sense of the continuous, grounding support I provide when you invite me into your sacred birth space. While I am primarily a birth doula right now, I also juggle all of this business backend while being a full-time mom to my two young boys. As my children grow more independent, I have beautiful plans to expand my practice into additional offerings—but for now, I am fully honored to walk alongside families during the most transformative moments of their lives as a birth doula. My most popular birth doula model includes two prenatal visits, 24/7 on-call weeks before the due date, the attendance of the families birth, and a postpartum visit. I’m a Full-Spectrum Doula who specializes in everything pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. This includes wellness and infant feeding. In addition, I also host community meetups and lead Baby + me classes at an Oak + Lotus Yoga Studio.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me in this work is connection—truly walking alongside families as they navigate the profound seasons of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. For me, it is vital to get to know each family personally and pinpoint exactly what matters most to them. Once I deeply understand your specific goals and wishes, I can customize my emotional, physical, and informational care to perfectly fit what you need.
We map out these goals together during our prenatal visits, where we also build your custom birth plan. No matter what your vision looks like, you will receive hands-on support, comfort measures, and clear guidance on the best ways to support the laboring person through the entire journey.
Another massive piece of my heart in this work is helping my families confidently advocate for themselves within the medical system. I want the families I serve to fully understand that hospital care is, by design, standardized care. I am there to remind you that even if something is hospital policy, it is not the law. You are the absolute boss of your body, and my mission is to ensure you have the tools, the evidence-based information, and the unwavering support to claim that authority.
Pricing:
- $1,500 but customizable
Contact Info:
- Website: https://birthwithstephanie.carrd.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birth.with.steph
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17tgR5Tsei/?mibextid=wwXIfr
