My journey into birthwork began long before medical school or motherhood.

In high school, I had the opportunity to shadow a Cesarean birth through an internship at Kaiser Permanente. I still remember standing in quiet awe as I witnessed a woman I had never met bring her child into the world. In that moment, something shifted in me. I wanted to understand everything I could about birth — not only the physiology and science behind it, but also the many complex factors that shape a person’s birth experience, including what can lead to interventions like Cesarean delivery.

That experience stayed with me for years.

As I continued my education, I found myself consistently drawn to work centered around women’s health, refugee health, and mental health through various nonprofit and community-based settings. I cared deeply about each of these areas and believed the only path that could meaningfully bring them together was medicine — specifically becoming an OB/GYN or Family Medicine physician.

I was blessed to complete two years at the UC Davis School of Medicine before giving birth to my daughter. Becoming both a mother and a patient while navigating medical training profoundly transformed the way I understood maternal care. Experiencing pregnancy through three different healthcare systems — while balancing medical school, motherhood, and my identity as a Muslim woman — opened my eyes to how unsupported many families can feel during this season of life.

I began to recognize how many women in our communities are navigating pregnancy and postpartum without the village our parents and grandparents once had. Many are carrying the weight of isolation, cultural barriers, distance from family, and the pressure to do everything on their own while still trying to feel confident, informed, and cared for.

At the same time, my medical training deepened my respect for healthcare providers and the vital role they play in supporting high-risk pregnancies and providing lifesaving interventions when needed. I value deeply the safety, skill, and science that medicine offers. And yet, I also came to understand that what so many families are missing is continuous, compassionate support — someone to walk alongside them emotionally, physically, educationally, and spiritually throughout the entire journey.

That realization is what ultimately drew me to birthwork.

Becoming a doula felt like the most natural and meaningful way to bring together everything that had been shaping my path for years: medicine, advocacy, education, community care, faith, and a deep commitment to supporting women in a more holistic and personal way.

Through Sakinah Birth & Wellness, my hope is to help rebuild the sense of village that has become increasingly rare to find here in California. I am honored to collaborate with the incredible birth workers, healthcare providers, and community organizations already serving families, in order to create spaces where mothers feel safe, supported, informed, and deeply cared for.

“Sakinah” means tranquility and serenity — and that is the feeling I hope every family carries with them throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.