Doulas in Austin: Meet Our Expert Team

Jessica Tovar is the founder of Moon & Stars Doulas and has supported families through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and early parenthood since 2004.

With more than 20 years of experience, Jessica has supported hundreds of families through first and subsequent births, inductions, cesareans, VBACs, premature births, NICU transitions, multiples, feeding challenges, postpartum recovery, newborn care, and pediatric sleep.

Her approach combines compassionate emotional support, practical hands-on care, and evidence-informed guidance. Jessica wants families to feel informed and confident in their choices while knowing they have steady, nonjudgmental support beside them, especially when things do not go according to plan.

In addition to birth and postpartum support, Jessica has been a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant since 2014 and is a Certified Lactation Counselor.

Today, Jessica leads the close-knit team behind Moon & Stars Doulas. She intentionally keeps the team small so families receive personalized care while having the experience, reliability, and support of an entire village behind them.

After more than two decades, supporting families is still work Jessica feels incredibly honored to do.

Skills, Experience & Certifications

• Birth Doula, Practicing Since 2004
• Postpartum Doula, Practicing Since 2004
• Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, Since 2014
• Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC)
• Ayurvedic Doula Training, In Progress
• CPR & First Aid Certified
• Food Handling & Safety Certified
• 20+ Years of Hands-On Experience
• Ongoing Continuing Education in birth, postpartum recovery, newborn care, infant feeding, pediatric sleep, NICU transitions, and family-centered support

A Little Something Personal

Outside of Moon & Stars, Jessica is a wife and mom to five daughters, ranging from elementary school age to young adulthood. Her own experiences with pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and raising children through many different stages of life have deeply shaped the way she supports families.

She understands that family life can be beautiful, busy, messy, and unpredictable, and believes strongly that parents were never meant to navigate it all alone.

John is the dad behind Real Talk for Real Dads, bringing more than 20 years of real-life parenting experience and a genuine father’s perspective to conversations about pregnancy, postpartum, relationships, and raising a family.

As a husband and father of five daughters, John is a Girl Dad through and through. He has experienced fatherhood through many different seasons, from newborn days and sleepless nights to school years, teenage years, and watching his oldest daughter's step into adulthood.

John understands that fatherhood doesn’t come with a manual and that dads don’t always have a space where they can ask honest questions, talk about what they are experiencing, or learn how to best support their partner and family without judgment or pressure.

Through Real Talk for Real Dads, John creates a relaxed, dad-to-dad environment where fathers and dads-to-be can learn, ask questions, build confidence, and have honest conversations about pregnancy, birth, postpartum life, relationships, parenting, and the everyday realities of being a dad.

His approach is practical, relatable, and straightforward. There are no perfect dads here and no expectation to have everything figured out. Just real dads navigating real life together.

Experience & Areas of Focus

Husband & Father of Five Daughters 

20+ Years of Hands-On Parenting Experience 

Newborn Through Young Adult Parenting Experience 

Supporting a Partner Through Pregnancy & Birth 

Navigating the Postpartum Transition as a Dad 

Partner & Relationship Support 

Adjusting to Life With a New Baby 

Building Confidence as a New Father 

Balancing Fatherhood, Relationships & Everyday Life 

Raising Daughters Through Different Stages of Life 

Creating Open, Judgment-Free Conversations for Dads 

Dad-to-Dad Peer Support 

A Little Something Personal

John has spent more than two decades surrounded by girls and proudly wears the title of Girl Dad. Being a husband and raising five daughters has shaped the way he views fatherhood, partnership, and what it means to show up for your family through every season.

He knows parenting can be rewarding, exhausting, hilarious, stressful, messy, and incredible, sometimes all in the same day.

Real Talk for Real Dads gives John the opportunity to share what he has learned while creating something he believes dads need too, a place to connect, ask the real questions, laugh a little, learn from one another, and know they don’t have to figure out fatherhood alone.

Aliscia is a Certified Postpartum Doula and Sibling Doula with Moon & Stars Doulas, providing nurturing, dependable support to families as they welcome a new baby and adjust to life postpartum.

As the oldest of 8 siblings, Aliscia grew up surrounded by babies and young children. That experience helped shape her natural comfort with newborns, children, and the many transitions that happen within a family when a new baby arrives.

As a Certified Postpartum Doula, Aliscia provides hands-on newborn care, feeding support, soothing and settling, overnight care, and practical support that allows parents time to rest, recover, and bond with their baby. Her calm and patient approach helps create a comfortable environment where parents can ask questions, build confidence, and settle into their new routines.

Aliscia also has a special interest in sibling support. She understands that welcoming a baby is a transition for the entire family and helps older children feel secure, included, and cared for while parents focus on birth, recovery, and their newest family member.

Whether caring for a newborn overnight or spending time with older siblings, Aliscia brings a warm, easygoing presence and genuinely enjoys being part of a family's village.

Skills, Experience & Certifications

• Certified Postpartum Doula 
• Sibling Doula Support 
• Postpartum & Newborn Care 
• Daytime & Overnight Postpartum Support 
• Infant Feeding Support 
• Newborn Soothing & Settling 
• Infant Sleep Foundations 
• Infant & Childcare Experience 
• Experience Caring for Multiple Children 
• Age-Appropriate Activities & Play 
• Maintaining Family & Bedtime Routines 
• Supporting Siblings Through Family Transitions 
• CPR & First Aid Certified 

A Little Something Personal

As the oldest of 8 siblings, Aliscia has spent much of her life surrounded by little ones. Her experience as a big sister gives her a unique perspective on both newborn care and the important role older siblings have as a family grows.

Aliscia loves creating a calm, comfortable environment where parents can rest and children can feel safe, included, and cared for. For her, doula work is about supporting the whole family and helping make those first days and weeks together feel a little easier.

Lindsey is a Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula who provides compassionate, dependable support to families throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum transition.

With a special passion for postpartum and newborn care, Lindsey supports families during both daytime and overnight hours, helping parents find their rhythm as they recover, rest, and adjust to life with a new baby. She provides hands-on newborn care, feeding support, soothing and settling, sleep foundations, and practical support tailored to each family's individual needs.

Lindsey's calm and nurturing presence allows parents to feel comfortable stepping away to rest while knowing their baby is being cared for with patience and attentiveness. She believes postpartum support is about caring for the entire family, not simply the baby, and strives to create an environment where parents feel heard, supported, and confident.

As a member of the Moon & Stars Doulas team, Lindsey provides both birth and postpartum support and especially enjoys building relationships with families through extended postpartum care.

Skills, Experience & Certifications

• Certified Birth Doula
• Certified Postpartum Doula
• Birth & Labor Support
• Daytime Postpartum Support
• Overnight Postpartum & Newborn Care
• Newborn Care & Family Adjustment
• Infant Feeding Support
• Newborn Soothing & Settling
• Infant Sleep Foundations
• Postpartum Recovery Support
• CPR & First Aid Certified
• Ongoing Continuing Education in Birth, Postpartum & Newborn Care

A Little Something Personal

Lindsey brings a warm, steady, and down-to-earth presence into the homes of the families she supports. She values the relationships that develop through doula work and loves being able to walk alongside families during such an important season of their lives.

For Lindsey, there is something especially meaningful about watching parents grow in confidence as they get to know their new baby. Her goal is for every family she supports to feel genuinely cared for, encouraged, and a little more rested along the way.

Maddy is a Certified Postpartum Doula with years of professional caregiving experience and a natural ability to bring warmth, patience, and a steady presence into the homes of the families she supports.

Her background as a caregiver has given Maddy extensive hands-on experience supporting others and has shaped her attentive, compassionate approach to postpartum care. She understands that the early weeks with a new baby can be both incredibly special and incredibly exhausting, and she strives to make that transition feel a little easier for the entire family.

Maddy has particularly strong skills in newborn and infant sleep support. She helps families understand developmentally appropriate sleep, recognize their baby's cues, establish supportive routines, and create healthy sleep foundations during the newborn months. During overnight shifts, she provides attentive newborn care while protecting valuable opportunities for parents to rest and recover.

Her approach is family-centered and judgment-free. Rather than believing there is one right way to navigate postpartum life, Maddy takes the time to understand each family's preferences, routines, and goals and provides practical support that meets them where they are.

Whether she is caring for a newborn overnight, supporting a recovering parent, helping with feeding and settling, or simply providing reassurance during a challenging night, Maddy wants families to feel cared for, confident, and supported.

Skills, Experience & Certifications

• Certified Postpartum Doula 
• Years of Professional Caregiving Experience 
• Postpartum & Newborn Care 
• Daytime & Overnight Postpartum Support 
• Strong Newborn & Infant Sleep Support Skills 
• Developmentally Appropriate Infant Sleep 
• Healthy Sleep Foundations 
• Newborn Soothing & Settling 
• Infant Cues & Responsive Care 
• Establishing Age-Appropriate Routines 
• Infant Feeding Support 
• Parent Rest & Recovery Support 
• Family-Centered, Judgment-Free Care 
• Ongoing Education in Postpartum, Newborn & Infant Care 

A Little Something Personal

Maddy's years as a caregiver helped shape both her professional path and the way she connects with the families she supports. Caring for others comes naturally to her, and she values being someone families can feel comfortable and at ease with during such a personal season of their lives.

She especially enjoys helping exhausted parents get the rest they need while supporting babies with gentle, responsive care throughout the night.

For Maddy, postpartum doula work is about caring for more than the newborn. It's about supporting the whole family as they recover, adjust, learn their baby's unique rhythms, and grow more confident in their new normal.

Alex is a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, Postpartum Doula, and Infant Care Expert who is passionate about helping families feel rested, supported, and confident as they navigate life with a new baby.

With extensive experience caring for newborns and infants, Alex specializes in overnight postpartum care, providing attentive newborn support so parents can prioritize sleep and recovery while knowing their baby is in experienced, capable hands. She understands how exhausting the early weeks of parenthood can be and brings a calm, reassuring, and judgment-free presence into each family's home.

As a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant, Alex also supports families with children from four months through five years of age. She creates individualized sleep plans based on each child's developmental needs, temperament, family routines, and parenting preferences. Her approach to sleep is gentle, practical, and focused on helping families develop healthy, sustainable sleep habits that work for their household.

Whether she is caring for a newborn overnight, helping new parents find their rhythm, or guiding a family through sleep challenges, Alex wants parents to feel supported rather than judged. Her goal is to provide families with the rest, education, and reassurance they need to enjoy parenthood with greater confidence.

Skills, Experience & Certifications

• Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant 
• Postpartum Doula 
• Infant Care Expert 
• Overnight Postpartum & Newborn Care 
• Daytime Postpartum Support 
• Newborn Care 
• Infant Feeding Support 
• Newborn Soothing & Settling 
• Developmentally Appropriate Routines 
• Pediatric Sleep Support, Ages 4 Months–5 Years 
• Individualized Sleep Plans 
• Gentle Sleep Training Approaches 
• New Parent Education & Support 
• Judgment-Free, Family-Centered Care 
• Infant CPR & First Aid Certified 

A Little Something Personal

Alex has always been drawn to caring for babies and supporting families during the early stages of parenthood. She especially loves being able to bring a sense of calm into a home during a season that can feel exciting, beautiful, exhausting, and overwhelming all at once.

One of the most rewarding parts of her work is watching parents go from feeling exhausted and unsure to rested, confident, and more connected with their baby.

For Alex, supporting a family is never about creating one “right” way to parent or sleep. It's about listening to each family's needs, meeting them where they are, and helping them find routines and solutions that feel right for their child and their home.

Kerstin is a Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula and Newborn Care Specialist with extensive personal and professional experience supporting newborns and growing families.

Kerstin understands firsthand how much a family changes when a new baby arrives. Her children now range from 11 to 21 years old, giving her years of lived experience through the newborn stage and many seasons of parenting that follow.

Kerstin has a particular passion for supporting families during the postpartum period. She believes parents deserve time and space to recover, rest, bond with their baby, and care for their own physical and emotional needs while adjusting to their new family dynamic.

As a Newborn Care Specialist and Postpartum Doula, Kerstin provides knowledgeable, hands-on newborn care while helping families establish stability, consistency, and routines that work for their individual household. Her calm and adaptable approach allows her to meet families where they are, recognizing that newborn needs can change quickly and that no two postpartum experiences look exactly alike.

Kerstin is also a Certified Birth Doula and supports families throughout labor and birth. She brings the same steady, reassuring presence to the birth space that she provides during postpartum care, offering emotional support, comfort measures, partner guidance, and continuous encouragement.

Above all, Kerstin wants families to have the opportunity to slow down and enjoy those fleeting first weeks with their new baby while knowing they have experienced, dependable support beside them.

Skills, Experience & Certifications

• Certified Birth Doula 
• Certified Postpartum Doula 
• Newborn Care Specialist 
• Extensive Newborn & Infant Care Experience 
• Mother of Six, Including Twins 
• Multiples & Twin Experience 
• Labor & Birth Support 
• Labor Positioning & Comfort Measures 
• Partner Support During Labor 
• Daytime Postpartum Care 
• Overnight Postpartum & Newborn Care 
• Newborn Soothing & Settling 
• Infant Feeding Support 
• Establishing Developmentally Appropriate Routines 
• Parent Rest & Postpartum Recovery Support 
• Family Adjustment & Transition Support 
• Family-Centered, Nonjudgmental Care 

A Little Something Personal

Kerstin is a mom of six, including twins. Raising a large family has given her a unique appreciation for just how quickly the newborn season passes and how important it can be for parents to have the support they need to actually enjoy it.

Her own experiences as a mother are a big part of what makes postpartum work so meaningful to her. She understands the balancing act of caring for a newborn while recovering, meeting your own needs, nurturing relationships, and adjusting to a constantly changing family dynamic.

Kerstin brings that perspective into every home she enters. She loves helping families find stability and confidence while creating space for parents to soak in the tiny, beautiful moments that truly do not last forever.

Stephanie is a compassionate postpartum doula passionate about helping parents heal, build confidence, bond with their babies, and adjust to life with a newborn. She understands that postpartum support extends beyond caring for the baby and believes the entire family deserves to feel nurtured and supported during this transition.

Known for her calm and reassuring presence, Stephanie provides thoughtful, family-centered care that blends a holistic approach, mindfulness, and evidence-informed practices. She meets families where they are, offering practical hands-on support while creating space for parents to rest, recover, learn, and settle into their new rhythm.

Stephanie completed her postpartum doula training through Austin Baby Guru, where she received comprehensive, hands-on education focused on compassionate postpartum care, newborn support, and the practical needs of growing families.

Her goal is for every family she supports to feel seen, cared for, and increasingly confident as they navigate the early weeks and months with their baby.

Skills, Experience & Training

• Postpartum Doula Training through Austin Baby Guru
• Newborn Care & Family Support
• Postpartum Recovery Support
• Parent Education & Confidence Building
• Mindfulness & Holistic Support
• Family-Centered, Evidence-Informed Care
• Infant Bonding & Attachment Support
• Practical Household & Transition Support  
• CPR & First Aid Certified

A Little Something Personal

Stephanie is based in Austin and loves being part of the local birth and postpartum community. She brings warmth, compassion, and a genuinely nurturing presence into each family's home.

She believes the postpartum season deserves to be protected and supported, giving families the time and space they need to rest, connect, and flourish together.

Ashleigh is a compassionate childcare professional with nearly 14 years of experience supporting families and caring for children from the newborn stage through the early teen years.

With extensive hands-on experience caring for newborns, infants, and toddlers, Ashleigh has developed a strong foundation in newborn care, feeding, infant sleep, developmental milestones, age-appropriate routines, and creating calm, nurturing environments where both children and parents feel supported.

As she expands her career in professional doula work, Ashleigh is passionate about supporting families through the transition into parenthood. She brings a patient, dependable, and nurturing presence to her work and strives to help parents feel comfortable, confident, and cared for as they adjust to life with their new baby.

Her years in professional childcare have also given her experience with overnight care, caring for multiple children, household organization, and adapting to the individual needs and routines of each family.

Skills, Experience & Certifications

• Nearly 14 Years of Professional Childcare Experience
• Extensive Newborn, Infant & Toddler Experience
• Newborn & Infant Care
• Infant Sleep Support
• Understanding of Infant Developmental Milestones
• Establishing & Maintaining Age-Appropriate Routines
• Overnight Childcare Experience
• Experience Caring for Multiple Children
• Household Support & Organization
• Madriella Doula Certification, 
• CPR, First Aid & AED Certified
• Feeding Support (bottles and breast)

A Little Something Personal

Outside of childcare and doula work, Ashleigh enjoys spending time with the people she loves, being outdoors, and staying active. Caring for children and supporting families has always come naturally to her and ultimately inspired her to build a career centered around helping others.

She is excited to continue growing as a doula and feels honored to support families during such a meaningful and transformative season of their lives.

Sierra is a birth & postpartum doula and caregiver whose approach to supporting families is rooted in the connection between mind, body, and soul. She blends holistic care with evidence-based information, honoring each family's individual values, preferences, and vision for their birth and postpartum experience.

Sierra is the oldest of six children and has spent much of her life caring for others. For the past nine years, she has worked as both a nanny and a caregiver for individuals with medically complex needs. These experiences have shaped her calm, attentive approach to care and her ability to meet people where they are with patience, compassion, and respect.

Sierra began pursuing her dream of becoming a doula three years ago and has continued building her knowledge through birth doula, childbirth education, and food-centered postpartum training. She completed Birthing From Within Birth Doula and Childbirth Educator training, an approach that recognizes birth as both a physical and deeply personal experience.

She also has a growing interest in Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and herbalism and enjoys learning how traditional practices can complement modern, evidence-based care. While she does not practice these modalities professionally, they continue to influence her curiosity about whole-person wellness and the many ways families can be nurtured throughout the perinatal season.

Food and nourishment are another important part of Sierra's approach to postpartum care. Through her Doula Chef training and Doula Kitchen apprenticeship, she is expanding her skills in preparing thoughtful, nourishing meals for families during pregnancy and postpartum. She believes food can be an important part of caring for the whole person and hopes to continue bringing together her love of doula work, nourishment, and holistic family support.

Skills, Experience & Training

• Birth Doula 
• Birthing From Within Birth Doula Training 
• Birthing From Within Childbirth Educator Training 
• 9 Years of Professional Caregiving Experience 
• Nanny & Childcare Experience 
• Experience Supporting Individuals With Medically Complex Needs 
• Holistic, Whole-Person Approach to Doula Care 
• Evidence-Based Education & Support 
• Mind, Body & Emotional Support 
• Doula Chef Training, Certification in Progress 
• Doula Kitchen Apprenticeship 
• Continuing Personal Study of Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine & Herbalism 
• Pregnancy & Postpartum Nourishment 

A Little Something Personal

Sierra is Texas born and raised, and the big sister to five siblings. Caring for others has been woven into her life for as long as she can remember and eventually became the foundation for the work she feels called to do.

Her journey into birth work began about three years ago and has grown into a passion for supporting families in ways that honor the whole person. Sierra loves continuing to learn, especially about birth, traditional wellness practices, herbalism, and the role nourishment can play during pregnancy and postpartum.

For Sierra, doula care is about more than preparing for a birth. It's about helping families feel seen, supported, informed, nourished, and connected throughout one of life's most transformative seasons.

Crystal is a dedicated birth and postpartum doula, Board Certified Clinical Herbalist, and holistic care practitioner with a passion for supporting families through pregnancy, birth, postpartum recovery, and the transition into life with a new baby.

Her approach to care is warm, nurturing, and deeply trauma-informed, with an emphasis on supporting the whole person mind, body, and emotional wellbeing. Crystal understands that every family enters the perinatal and postpartum season with their own experiences, preferences, and needs. She strives to create a calm, judgment-free environment where parents feel heard, respected, and confident in the choices they make for themselves and their baby.

During birth, Crystal offers steady emotional and physical support while helping families feel informed, grounded, and empowered throughout their experience. Her training in childbirth education and TENS unit use during labor allows her to offer families a variety of comfort measures and coping techniques while working collaboratively alongside their chosen birth team.

In the postpartum period, Crystal brings that same calm and compassionate presence into the home. She supports families as they recover, bond with their baby, establish new routines, and navigate the many physical and emotional adjustments that come with early parenthood. Her background in clinical herbalism and holistic wellness provides an additional perspective on nurturing and restorative care while always remaining within her professional scope as a doula.

Above all, Crystal believes families deserve to feel genuinely cared for during this transformative season. Her goal is to meet each family exactly where they are and provide individualized, evidence-informed support that helps parents feel more rested, capable, connected, and supported.

Skills, Experience & Certifications

• Birth & Postpartum Doula Certification
• Board Certified Clinical Herbalist — Graduated with Distinction
• Certified Trauma-Informed Coach
• Sex Therapy Practitioner Certification
• Life Coaching Certification
• Childbirth Education Training — San Antonio Birth Doulas
• TENS Unit in Labor Training
• Trauma-informed and mind-body support
• Holistic wellness and family-centered care
• Birth preparation and labor comfort techniques
• Postpartum recovery and adjustment support
• Newborn and family transition support  
• CPR & First Aid Certified

A Little Something Personal

When Crystal isn’t supporting growing families, you’ll usually find her continuing to learn and deepen her knowledge of holistic wellness, spending time in nature, attending another class or training, and enjoying quality time with her family. 

She also loves experimenting with her own original botanical herbal blends, a creative outlet that perfectly reflects her love of plants, wellness, and caring for others.