About Me
Hi! I’m Amy, the owner of Balsam + Pine.
Allow me to introduce myself…
Amy Jessie, CD(DONA), LCCE
(she/her/hers)
Born and raised in the heart of Kentucky, I’m thrilled to be pursuing my passion in a state I love. I am a certified birth doula (trained January 2020, certified January 2022 through DONA International) and certified childbirth educator (trained July 2022, certified January 2023 through Lamaze International). In my practice, I focus on the birthing family and providing evidence-based, continuous support throughout the birthing journey.
From a very young age, I have been interested in pregnancy, birth, and babies. My path to childbirth care is anything but linear, speckled with nannying, Montessori teaching, construction administration, and IT support. Throughout all of this, I have felt drawn to maternal/familiar support. As a kid, I used to save up my monthly allowance to purchase real baby bottles, diapers, carriers, and strollers—I have wanted this life for as long as I can remember! I am so excited to be at a season in my life where I can follow that voice that’s been in my head for so long.
When I’m not assisting pregnant or laboring families, I can be found hiking, camping, or otherwise exploring this beautiful world of ours. I'm also a big reader (both pregnancy-related and not), crafter, and lover of curling up on the couch for a good Netflix binge with my husband (Brett), dog (Huevo), and two one-eyed cats (Uno and Izzy).
About Balsam + Pine
The name Balsam + Pine comes from a very personal place. My mother has always supported me through my various journeys, believing in me and allowing me the space and support I need to flourish. The older I get, the more I look up to her as a mother and woman, and recognize the lessons she has taught me, spoken and unspoken. It only felt right to honor her with the inclusion of her last name, Balsam.
Pine is the nickname of my first and only niece, Alpine. Shortly after her birth in 2018, my brother mentioned to me how much they loved their birth doula and what a difference she made in their experience. Knowing that I’ve always been interested in the perinatal world, he mentioned to me that I would make a great doula and just like that, the spark was ignited. This set me off on my journey to learn more about doulaing and felt like a pivotal point in my doula career.
I have chosen to use Birthing Services as part of my name because I have big plans in mind. While B+P focused solely on doulaing for the first 2.5 years, I’ve since added childbirth education classes and placenta encapsulation to my repertoire. I love learning and passing that knowledge on to others. I am a big time learner and love soaking up all sorts of trainings to serve my community; many more birthy offerings are in the pipeline!
Certification and Credentials
Education is a continuous movement forward and never truly ends. I devour all the knowledge I can about pregnancy, labor, birth measures, postpartum care, breast-/chestfeeding, and more. I am proud of the certifications that I have received and the trainings I have had the opportunity to pursue, and I look forward to sharing my knowledge with you.
