Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Sandoval
Hi Melanie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m Melanie, though most people call me Mel. As a first-generation Mexican-American, Spanish was my first language, and I’m now fluent in both Spanish and English—I’ve been translating since I was six!
I’m a proud mother of three wonderful kids and in a loving, committed relationship with my partner, Jaime. We share our home with two fur babies: Sky, a Yorkie, and Luna, a German Shepherd. I’m a huge soccer fan, love the Frio River, and consider myself a foodie. Just don’t invite me camping—I’m convinced a tent won’t keep me safe from bears! Cabins are more my style.
I’m continually evolving into the person I want to be, with authenticity and self-honesty as my guiding principles. Finding myself after each journey into motherhood has been challenging, but by the third time, I’ve learned to show myself a lot more grace. My kids are my motivation for everything I do—they’re the reason I keep pushing forward.
Becoming a mother in 2018 was the most pivotal and explosive experience in my life. With my first birth experience I had NO idea what to expect. My ex husband and I took so many classes offered by the hospital and when it came down to it, I didn’t have the courage or the voice to advocate for myself. My intuition was screaming at me but I didn’t know that at the time. I just felt scared, alone and frantic. My OB sent me over from his office to L&D department to have a baby because I was already 4 cm. I went in and I was sold the dream of “meeting my baby that night.” 3 days later, and a vacuum assisted birth with manual extraction of the placenta, I was TRAUMATIZED. I went home with my baby and what should’ve been the happiest time of my life, was the most anxious, depressed and overwhelmed time of my life. I now know that I had postpartum psychosis but in the moment I didn’t know it. Society tells moms to be quiet from talking about their painful experiences by saying “be grateful that your baby is okay.” Along with the cultural barriers and stigma when talking about mental health, I didn’t know what was wrong I just felt completely numb and I didn’t feel any connection with my baby.
3 months after she was born, I found out I was pregnant again. I was in absolute denial and so terrified because I knew I couldn’t survive another experience like the last. Mentally, emotionally and physically I could not. With my second baby girl I decided to go completely “natural.” For me, natural meant unmedicated and allowing my body and intuition to guide me in this second birth experience. I hired a doula through a local non profit and it was the best decision I had ever made. That birth was the most empowering event of my life up until that point. I gained so much confidence and my self esteem improved so much that my life did an entire 360. Because I advocated for myself and I felt respected, heard and most of all empowered through my birth experience, I could do anything I set my mind to. I started understanding who Melanie was, growing as a mother, and finding my footing in all of the parenting things. After giving birth to my second baby, I realized I wanted to do this for other people. Having had 2 different experiences in the hospital I thought, “there is NO way women are giving birth like this.” Unfortunately, it’s still a culture practiced in so many hospitals where the physiological process of pregnancy, labor and birth are not respected and lost in the sea of interventions. I decided I’d become a doula. I asked my first doula, Rachel Ogea how to do it and she guided me through the process. When my baby was 6 months old I took the training with her strapped to me in a rebozo. October is my anniversary month of when I became a doula and this year is my 5th year anniversary.
Fast forward to 2022, after divorce in 2021 I met an amazing man who did not have children yet. I always promised myself I wouldn’t have children after 30 because the 30s are mine. So we decided to have a baby. We have a beautiful and healthy baby boy who is now 18 months old. With that pregnancy and delivery I had the most devastating experience but the amount of support my doula, midwife and OB gave me changed my life. When I was 18 weeks pregnant I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. My community, friends and family came through for me and supported me through such hard times. I was no longer able to practice as a doula so it was my turn to receive all the love and support from everyone. Come birth time, I was in labor for a really long time. I made every call and it was respected until obviously, the brain tumor made it impossible for me to have a vaginal birth. I was always TERRIFIED of having a cesarean but after starting to seize, contract and faint it was the best decision. I gave it my all, and I surrendered. I had an emergency cesarean under general anesthesia because I was no longer okay. After that birth, my passion for teaching grew. Being hit with so many unknowns was SO overwhelming but having my team with me every step of the way was very fulfilling. I am grateful for them because I am not traumatized from that birth and was able to have a BEAUTIFUL postpartum experience even though I had such a hard time in the birth.
That in itself was life changing. Being at deaths door and not knowing what the future holds after being diagnosed with a brain tumor really put things into perspective for me. I was working with a local doula collective when I realized I was ready to venture out and do my own thing. I don’t know how much time I have left with this little friend in my brain and I needed to leave a legacy for my children. That’s where Intuitive Beginnings Doula Collective and San Antonio Perinatal Professionals network started with my colleagues. Saron Cardenas, Nicole Wilson are Co-Founders of the collective. Alyxandriah Bermea, Allie Contreras and Sophia Perkins are Co-Founders of the San Antonio Perinatal Professionals Network.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Managing my new life with a brain tumor diagnosis was the hardest adaptation I had to make. I had to find my footing with the symptoms, prioritize my self care and learn to say no. At one point I was installing and uninstalling 3 car seats in Ubers to take my kids to and from school with my newborn son fresh out of a cesarean. I could not drive due to my condition so I depended on Ubers for 3 months.
Boundaries are the hardest thing I’ve had to learn. Also, I’ve learned that there are different types of relationships that we all have with each other and different depths. I didn’t understand it until I went through everything that I did.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a Full Spectrum Doula. A full-spectrum birth doula supports individuals through all aspects of the reproductive experience, not just birth. This includes providing emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum, and in situations like miscarriage, abortion, and stillbirth. The “full-spectrum” aspect emphasizes that the doula is available for any reproductive choice or outcome, offering continuous care regardless of the stage or type of reproductive experience.
I’m known for and most proud of my work ethic and the way I connect with clients through their experience. I’m a trauma informed care provider and I take great pride in offering clients of all walks of life support in this big transition.
What sets me apart is my background and experiences. As a first-generation Mexican American, I bring a deep cultural understanding and a strong passion for breaking systemic barriers. I believe in embracing my culture and providing authentic, culturally informed care to the people I support. With five years of experience as a full-spectrum doula and being a mother of three, I offer a personal, empathetic approach that resonates with many of my clients.
In addition to my hands-on doula work, I’ve co-founded both the San Antonio Perinatal Professionals Network and Intuitive Beginnings Doula Collective. In these roles, I focus on community building, education, and advocacy around perinatal health. My work isn’t just about the individual support I provide but also about creating a supportive, informed community for others. That combination of personal experience, cultural advocacy, and leadership is what makes my approach unique.
What makes you happy?
Being called to this work makes me happy. It fuels me and this is why I still do it even with a brain tumor diagnosis. Gratitude for having my children healthy and thriving also makes me happy along with my relationship with my partner, Jaime.
Pricing:
- 1600
- 1750
- 2000
- 2500
- 3000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Intuitivebeginnings.com
- Instagram: @intuitivebeginningsdoulaco @saperinatalnetwork
- Other: https://Saperinatalnetwork.com
