Hi! I’m Salina, the owner of The Nurtured Nest!!

I am both a labor and postpartum doula, a placenta encapsulation specialist, and most recently became a Mommywise certified sleep coach. I love being in this field of work and this truly is where my heart is. I want to help empower parents to trust their own instincts and be confident in all of their decisions at such a delicate time.

Let me get personal with you for a minute.

I started The Nurtured Nest by fluke.

Yep. You read that right. I did not intend to start a business. 

I was actually looking for a way to combat postpartum depression.

I had postpartum depression quite badly when I had my first two babies. My husband and I were looking at adding another to our family and I wanted to be prepared this go round. I stumbled upon placenta encapsulation. I thought it was amazing!! All of these benefits and it’s made by MY. OWN. BODY!! I searched around all over the internet, facebook, instagram, friends, and anything else I could scroll over, to find someone who would do this for me. Alas, the closest I could find was someone in Tucson or Phoenix.

I thought, “There is NO way I am going to want to travel anywhere with my placenta right after having my baby!” I wouldn’t even want to send my husband there either. He needs to be home with me!! Plus, looking at all of the studies, I wanted this to be done at my own home. I wanted to know my placenta stayed with me. My placenta was being treated with love and care. This would be my only one, there could be no mess ups!

Being the person that I am…I figured I could do it myself! I looked into how to do this and realized it’s super in depth! Sure I could do it with a simple dehydrator and my own kitchen utensils, but this was some serious work to do it right. Onto taking a training. I learned so much and I fell in love!!

Then I thought, “Why not offer this to others in the Gila Valley?

I went to Kevin Peck over at the SBDC at EAC. He was amazing! He helped me set up my business, from the ground up! Like even picking a name.

That was the birth of The Nurtured Nest.

Becoming a labor doula just seemed to be what everyone else was doing along with encapsulations, so there I went. Took that training and fell in love again. How amazing we can be in birth when we feel supported and empowered!

Along came postpartum work.

No, postpartum alone does NOT refer to postpartum depression. It simply is for the time after you have your baby aka your “fourth trimester”.

Postpartum doula work includes all sorts of things like washing some dishes to sleep shaping your newborn. Cuddling that sweet baby while mom takes a shower and a nap, waking to a fresh snack and a listening ear.

Where was this person while I was in my fourth trimester?!!!

Sleep training was another natural move. Seriously, this is a game changer people!!

So yes, The Nurtured Nest *was* started by happenstance. That doesn’t mean that I don’t love the work I do. I’ve taken a look at everything I would have wanted after having a baby, and become that person. No judgement, just support. Love, encouragement, companionship, knowledgeable.

This is truly what I was born to do.