Kairis Chiaji

Kairis Chiaji is a Mahmee doula. Kairis holds Community Health Worker, Evidence Based Birth Instructor, Mental Health Peer Support Specialist, Peer Lactation Supporter. Kairis offers visits in your home. Kairis speaks Spanish. Kairis focuses on VBAC, multiples, high risk, advanced maternal age, higher bmi, Black/African American, teens, no traditional families, nonbinary, IVF, unhoused, mental health challenges, differently abled, and immigrant/refugee.

My philosophy: I can only do this work confidently because of a firm belief in the human body’s ability to communicate and our responsibility to listen and respond. What it communicates is not right or wrong. It’s information. My commitment: I will support a birthing person’s decisions 100%; even if they change; even if they change again. I will use everything I know to support the experience of the moment. My Birth Work Experience: The natural ebbs and flows of labor shed light on baby’s readiness for birth and the support needed to do so. We use medicine for emergencies and trust pregnant bellies to tell us when that is the case. The most beautiful part of birth is that it will wait until mom and baby are both physically and emotionally safe. Because we know this, we can take all the time we need for both to be ready, without fear, guilt or force. My Advocacy: Policy guides practice. Outside the birth setting I sit on Boards, serve on committees, testify at hearings, and join work groups to amplify the voices of families in the perinatal space. Proudly provided support to hundreds of families Sacramento region Blue Shield of CA Doula pilot program. Humbly offered lived experience as an advocate and doula for studies, trainings and projects conducted by Standford University, UC Davis, First 5 Sacramento, Black Child Legacy Campaign. Current member of the Co-Design and Implementation team in partnership with DHCS in the development of the Medicaid/Medi-Cal Doula benefit. Co-Lead for the CA State team’s IMI Doula Learning and Action Collaborative. My life: Kairis Joy Chiaji, Solo-preneur of “Braids, Bits & Babies….”, is on a mission to lower infant and maternal mortality and morbidity in the African American community by increasing the number of culturally competent birth workers, helping them grow their businesses in this field, and mentoring them in civic engagement.