Shakila Marando

Birth & Postpartum Doula
San Francisco, California
17 years of experience
5.0
About me

My name is Shakila Marando, and I am the founder of DOULAS by the BAY. I am a mother of two and have spent over 25 years working with children and families, including the last 16 years supporting families as a doula through pregnancy, birth, and the early newborn days. This work comes from a deep belief that no family should ever feel alone during this journey. I work closely alongside our team of doulas, sharing the same commitment to compassionate, evidence-based care. Together, we have supported thousands of families across Northern and Southern California, providing steady guidance, reassurance, and hands-on support when it matters most. Our doulas are carefully selected, certified, and deeply cared for. Every team member is Birth and Postpartum Certified, Perinatal Mood Disorders Certified, CPR trained, HIPAA compliant, fully vetted, and insured. With ongoing mentorship and professional development, we ensure families receive safe, reliable, and heart-centered care in their homes. I created DOULAS by the BAY to build a trusted, supportive space where families feel seen, informed, and confident—while expanding access to doula care and strengthening our community, one family at a time.

Certification and training

Postpartum Doula Certification, DONA (2009)

Birth Doula Certification, Doula Educational Institute(DEI) (2021)

Specialties
Baby and Toddler Sleep Coach Birth Doula Breastfeeding Assistance and Support Breastfeeding Support Childbirth Education Doula Trainer Infant Care Mood Disorders Multiples Newborn Care Overnight Newborn Care Postpartum Doula Care Support during Labor, Birth, and Postpartum
Languages

English

Service introduction

Birth Doula Services: We support you through pregnancy and birth with guidance, comfort, and calm, helping you feel prepared and confident for your baby’s arrival. Postpartum Doula Services: Our postpartum doulas provide newborn care, practical home support, meal prep, breastfeeding help, and day or overnight care so you can rest, heal, and adjust with ease. Sibling Support Services: Sibling care is provided when parents prepare for a new baby. We engage, play, and care for older siblings to help them feel included, safe, and supported during the transition.

Ratings and reviews
Average
5.0
# of Reviews
6
5.0

Shakila is the best there is. We did not have a night doula for our first child. For our second, we needed one because I had to go back to work right away. I was very nervous about leaving my baby with someone else during the night hours, particularly at just two weeks. Shakila let me control as much of the process as I wanted to so I always felt like she was doing what I wanted. She has a magical touch with babies and had our daughter sleeping through the night by two months old. She would not even leave in the morning until the baby was back to sleep, which allowed us an extra hour of sleep on top of the time she was with us. She was worth every penny and then some. THANK YOU SHAKILA! We miss you.

- Gabriella Rosen Kellerman

5.0

Shakila and her team of doulas were an invaluable resource for us during the first 2 months at home with our first child. We had the 4 nights a week from 10pm - 6am and they helped with feeding, burping, changing, consoling, and putting back down to sleep. Its such a huge help to have an extra set of experienced hands in the middle of the night so at least one parent gets a good nights sleep. Shakila is also an expert in lactation and sleep training and gave us a plethora guidance on these topics. We worked with Shakila, Sylvia and Manuela and I'd recommend them all. The peace of mind they provided, in addition to the assistance with the actual tasks of baby care, was totally worth the cost! My only points of feedback would be for Shakila to better train the other doulas in breastfeeding support and sleep training so that they are able to provide the same level of support & guidance as Shakila herself.

- Anna Wilson

5.0

Shakila is an amazing Doula.  In those first hectic nights as a new mother she is a life-saver.  Knowing that she was there gave me the peace of mind to get much needed rest.  She is very professional, punctual and dependable.  She is an expert at newborn care and helps with everything from breast feeding to improving infant sleep.  Shakila is very friendly, obviously loves and cares for babies, and is easy to get along with.  I would hire her again in an instant.  I give her my highest recommendation.

- Jessica Kim

5.0

Shakila and Ezdora were absolute godsends for us and our twin boys. We hired them as night doulas when our boys were about 2 months old. (Born at 35 weeks) They were both incredibly talented caregivers and enabled us and our boys to get some much needed rest. We learned so much from them. They have a ton of experience which they were very willing to share with us first time parents and it was comforting having them here. We highly recommend them and are so grateful for their help.

- Caroline Lee

5.0

We had a wonderful experience with Shakila and her mother Ezdora. Initially we started with five nights a week after the birth of my son and we quickly upped it to seven for two months. We continued to have several nights a week with them for two additional months. In addition to being highly experienced and professional, Shakila and Ezdora have a wonderful way with both babies and parents! We had a tough time with weight gain issues, and they provided helpful guidance and a compassionate shoulder to cry on. Shakila went out of her way to provide me with suggestions for how I could create a better structure for my son's eating and sleeping during the day - which saved my sanity - she was truly a lifesaver. Shakila/Ezdora truly cared about my son and kept his well-being top of mind - which meant that every night they were at my house, I could rest with peace-of-mind.

- Jessica Marantz

5.0

Shakila is a wonderful person and truly dedicated to children. She took care of both of my children as babies, and got them to sleep through the night by 3 months, so she was a sleep trainer as well as a night doula. Her help was priceless. We couldn't be more pleased with her service - she is someone who radiates kindness...you just know she loves babies and has the patience for even the most colicky or temperamental. With better rest, my husband and I were able to be more loving with each other and the kids, and have the patience to make it through two young children under 2. I am so grateful to Shakila, who radiates not only warmth, but has an incredible expertise with babies.

- Maya Bourdeau

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