About Sierra Childbirth Institute

Janine Maitri (she/her/hers), is a Birth Doula Trainer, Birth Educator, Speaker, Prenatal Counselor, Life Coach and Birth Professional Mentor. She is also the founder, visionary, and CEO of Sierra Childbirth Institute.

Janine brings 40 years of experience to her teaching. She’s witnessed and participated in the evolution of the doula profession since it began, worked with thousands of families during their childbearing years, and she’s assisted at over 1,000 births. Janine has been training people in the Art of Childbirth Assisting since the early 1980s when doulas were known as Childbirth Assistants or Labor Companions. She’s been a DONA-approved birth doula trainer for 25+ years and has trained thousands of new doulas. Janine is passionate about helping doulas excel as respected and valued professionals on the maternity health care team.

With over three decades of experience as a doula and educator, Janine brings a solid skill set to the classes and workshops she teaches, helping to prepare students for successful careers in the childbirth field. When students leave the workshops, they frequently share that they now feel more inspired, confident, and prepared to begin their work as Birth Professionals.

I started my training as a pediatric RN in Switzerland in 1993 where I worked on the NICU at one of the leading university hospitals in Switzerland for several years before moving to the USA. During my years on the NICU I expanded my training in infant massage, baby wearing, reflexology, kinesthesia (conscious handling of the newborn), lactation, homeopathy, and flower essences which broaden my expertise tremendously. My work also included the supervision of pediatric nurses and midwife interns.

My years of conventional medical training fed my desire to step outside the typical medical model and go deeper into more personal care during pregnancy and the birth and postpartum period. After my move to the United States (Los Angeles) in 2002 I got certified as a birth doula in 2003 and as a postpartum doula in 2004 through DONA International.

I was the director of postpartum services at the Chapman Family Center from 2005 till 2008 which included assistant teaching of birth and postpartum doulas as well as running the postpartum doula agency.

In 2007 I became a DONA International approved postpartum doula trainer.

The Bastyr University in San Diego welcomed me to their faculty in 2013 as a postpartum doula trainer until they closed their doors in 2015.

In short, my passion about all things pregnancy and postpartum knows no bounds and I strongly believe in a culture where birth is just, inclusive and free of fear.

I live with my husband in Los Angeles and gave birth to our son in 2006 via surgery and in 2007 to our second son at home.