Magdalena Eschenberg
Magdalena Eschenberg
Magdalena Eschenberg
About me
Childbirth has always been very intertwined with my life. I owe some of that to my mother, who planned home births for all of her children. I am the oldest of us four, and my labor was long and hard. I grew up hearing the story of the four day marathon of labor, hospital transfer, and, ultimately, the beautiful birth that brought me into the world. My brother was born when I was almost three, on a hot July day. I have some memories of this day, but nothing very clear. My mom remembers me bringing her a cool glass of water between contractions. Some might say I became a doula that day. When I was 6, my mom became pregnant again. I was absolutely thrilled to be having a baby sister. I remember going to midwife appointments at the midwife’s home in Sebastopol, listening to my sister’s heartbeat, and enjoying every moment of it. Her labor started some time during the night. This time, it was Winter. My mom spent most of her labor in front of the woodburning stove in our living room with my dad applying counter pressure to her back. I remember she had thigh high socks to wear specifically for labor, because she didn’t want to wear pants, but knew her legs would be cold. In the early afternoon, she began pushing on our couch. The midwives were always close by, creating a sense of safety and calm, one of them singing as my sister was born. I stood at the end of the couch, and saw my sister’s head slowly emerge, and then the rest of her body slip out. She immediately went to my mom’s chest and crawled to the breast herself. I was entranced by birth at this moment. In the weeks after, I told my mom I wanted to become a midwife. The last baby was born when I was 10 years old. I was again elated to be around pregnancy and looking forward to the birth. My mom labored all through the night, and when the sun rose, her intuition told her she needed to go to the hospital and get some rest. No one thinks that a fourth baby will take 17 hours to be born, but sometimes they do! After my mom got a few hours of rest, my grandparents took us to the hospital to join her. She felt that birth was a family affair, and believed that children should be a part of birth. I also would have been furious with her if I didn’t get to be there. My sister entered the world, and I got to cut the umbilical cord and be the first to hold her after my mom. I took my first doula training with Connie Sultana in 2024 and since then have attended almost 50 births. I am in constant pursuit of knowledge, each birth teaching me something different. I am now a Cornerstone Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula and Evidence Based Birth® instructor. I am always striving to be able to provide the best support I can for my clients. I am currently pursuing becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife. As of 2026, I have completed nursing prerequisite courses, including biology, chemistry anatomy, physiology, and microbiology and look forward to beginning an RN program in Fall of 2026. I use the knowledge I have gained of the human body through my formal education to help inform the support I provide so that my clients can understand what is happening with their body and their baby. For most people, childbirth is the time in their lives where they will be asked to be the most medically literate, which is intimidating for most working outside of healthcare. The education I have has given me the language and tools to communicate and learn from nurses, midwives, and doctors during births, so that I can understand and interpret information for my clients. After becoming a registered nurse, I plan to attend graduate school to obtain my degree and certification as a Certified Nurse Midwife and practice in a hospital based setting.
Education
Associate Degree in Natural Sciences (2025)
Bachelor in Science of Nursing (In Progress) (2025)
Certification and training
Cornerstone Certified Labor, Birth, and Postpartum Doula (2024)
Basic Life Support (BLS) , American Heart Association (2024)
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP), American Academy of Pediatrics (2024)
Basic Life Support in Obstetrics (BLSO), American Academy of Family Physicians (2025)
Evidence Based Birth® Instructor (2025)
Certified Nursing Assistant, State of California (2025)
Certified Body Ready Method® Pro (2026)
Memberships and affiliations
Evidence Based Birth Professional Member
SoCo Perinatal Network Member
Volunteer - In A Pinch Doulas with Better Beginnings for Babies
Credentials
Specialties
Languages
English
Accepted insurances
Service introduction
My ultimate goal as your doula is to help you have a birth that feels both safe and satisfying. This work has shown me that those words mean something different for every person. I’ve supported clients through hospital and home births, unmedicated labors, planned and unplanned epidurals, planned and unplanned cesareans, and more. I’ve seen clients who dreamed of an unmedicated birth feel empowered in their decision to get an epidural, and I’ve witnessed unplanned cesareans and home birth transfers that still felt exactly right. Birth can’t be predicted, but we can prepare for many possibilities. Becoming educated and informed about labor and birth helps you understand your choices at every fork in the road, so you can make the decisions that feel right for you. To support that process, I provide evidence-based information, encourage you to explore your own risk tolerance, and help you tune into your intuition. What feels like a tolerable risk for one person may not for another, and sometimes the most intuitive choice in the moment is one you never expected to make. Outside voices may tell you that the only way to have a physiologic birth is to have a home birth, or that you “don’t get a trophy” for giving birth unmedicated. You may hear that the only way to heal from a traumatic cesarean is to have a VBAC, or that VBACs are too risky altogether. I stray from these absolutes; I have seen traumatic home births, beautiful physiologic hospital births, and redemptive cesareans. There is no one choice that guarantees you an ideal birth. Doing the work to become an informed and intuitive participant in your own care increases the chances that you will be able to cherish the memory of the day your baby was born, no matter how it goes. Having a birth support team that you can trust is a part of that. I believe the truth is that there is no single right way to give birth, only the way that feels safest, most informed, and most satisfying to you. You might feel that I’m the right doula for you if you’re looking for: A compassionate and personalized approach to your prenatal preparation and birth experience Evidence-based information and education on the latest guidelines from leading organizations in prenatal and intrapartum care A science-forward yet holistic approach that considers your emotional, mental, physical, and family wellbeing Support through a culturally competent and trauma-informed lens A doula who meets you exactly where you are, with warmth, respect, and genuine care. Visit https://www.magdalenadoula.com/services to learn more about my services.
Packages
Ratings and reviews
Maggie is a remarkable human being and Doula! With my planned C-section, I wasn’t sure how a doula would be able to support my experience. Before my son’s birth she provided a whole binder full of helpful resources and an easy template for creating a birthing plan. At the hospital before my surgery she was a wonderful advocate and made sure all my providers were on the same page. Her calming presence, along with the grounding exercises she lead, helped me go into my birth in the right headspace. In the post-op room she was there to help my baby boy get a good latch right away. Breastfeeding has been such a positive experience and I have Maggie to thank for that! I always looked forward to her visits as she is a true baby whisperer. Maggie was super supportive with tasks like nail trimming, pumping, bottle feeding, bathing, and holding the baby so I could tend to myself. I can’t recommend her highly enough!
- Lindsay Battey
Working with Maggie was the best decision I made for this pregnancy and wish I would have found her for my first pregnancy! She is calm, patient and intuitive. In what can be a chaotic time, she can sense when to take the lead or step back and support in the periphery. She is a wonderful listener and will work with you on creating a birth plan that is catered towards your goals without judgement. Even as this was my second birth, I learned so much more about the process due to her guidance along the way. She is connected with many of the hospitals in the area and has worked with much of the staff. I was consistently impressed with how Maggie communicates proactively, reaching out often either to check in, answer any questions or to follow up with open items. She is punctual and very reliable. Maggie truly loves her work and it is reflected in her constant pursuit of more knowledge and in her very nature. I would recommend her to anyone I know who is pregnant and would love to work with her again.
- Jessica M.
Maggie is the sweetest soul and was the perfect addition to my postpartum experience. I have had a uniquely tough pregnancy and postpartum, and Maggie was the kindest and most supportive person to have by my side. She’s knowledgeable, passionate, and a down to earth doula. I felt immediately comfortable with her, and she was there for whatever I or my family needed. Highly recommend her and would use her again in a heartbeat. Thank you, Maggie!
- Angeline Giammona
Magdalena provided postpartum support to our family after I gave birth to our first child. She provided common sense advice and helped us with the basics, like giving our son his first bath. Most of all, Magdalena was great to talk to -- she answered all our newborn questions and helped us feel less alone during this time. She's warm, caring and thoughtful. We'd happily recommend her to any new parents!
- Sophia Melone
I cannot say enough wonderful things about Maggie and the support she provided throughout my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey. From the very beginning, Maggie was attentive, compassionate, and incredibly knowledgeable. She made sure I felt prepared for every step of the process, answering all my questions with patience and care. During labor, Maggie was a calming presence, offering both emotional and physical support in exactly the way I needed. She helped me stay focused and empowered throughout, and her reassuring energy made all the difference during those intense moments. What really stands out about Maggie is how much she truly cares. She went above and beyond to check in on me and my baby after the birth, making sure we were both adjusting well. Her postpartum care was just as thoughtful and attentive as her support during labor, and it helped me feel confident and cared for as I navigated new motherhood. If you’re looking for a doula who will be a steady, compassionate guide and advocate throughout your journey, I highly recommend Maggie. She’s truly exceptional at what she does, and I’m so grateful for the role she played in bringing my baby into the world!
- Crystal K.
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