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Welcome to Your Little Hands
Hi, I’m Shinobu — a certified postpartum doula, lactation counselor, pediatric sleep consultant, and newborn sleep specialist.
I support families through pregnancy, newborn care, feeding, and sleep so you don’t have to navigate this journey alone.
Whether you’re preparing to welcome a new baby or already navigating the early days of newborn life, know that this journey is never meant to be walked in isolation.
My hope is that you and your family can fully experience the love and wonder of new life with more peace, more rest, and fewer worries.
If you have any questions or simply want to connect, please feel free to reach out.
I would be honored to support you and your family during this time.
My Story
A Diffucult Beginning
My journey into this work began with my own birth and postpartum experience here in Texas—as a Japanese mother, far from home.
When I gave birth to my first daughter, I had been living in the United States for nearly 10 years. I was familiar with life here and had worked extensively with young children. I wasn’t too worried about giving birth and raising a baby abroad for the first time. But once labor began, I was met with shock after shock—a delivery process completely different from what I knew in Japan, cultural differences with the medical staff, and a care system that left me feeling zero control and unprepared.
I still remember the moment my newborn daughter was placed on my chest. I looked at my husband and whispered, “I might go into depression.” My body and mind felt as if they had been treated without kindness or respect.
My first birth was overwhelming and emotionally shocking in ways I never expected.
When we returned home on the third day, it was just the two of us. With our families in Japan, my husband was my only support. Looking back, I realized I had never learned how to take care of myself as well as my fragile baby. Some may say, “You weren’t taught because you didn’t ask.” But at that time, I didn’t have the emotional or physical capacity to even know what to ask. I couldn’t anticipate the skills or knowledge I’d need, and I didn’t have the strength to seek help.
The major challenges I experienced were:
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a birth process and postpartum cultures very different from my home country
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feeling unsupported and emotionally overwhelmed
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returning home without knowing basic newborn care skills
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isolation as my only family support was my husband
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fear and distrust toward the medical system due to my challenging birth experience
Healing Opens New Doors
Despite that difficult beginning, I was blessed with three beautiful children. As I became more familiar with the birth and postpartum care system in the U.S., the healing process began.
I was finally able to reflect on my early experiences with more peace. The events that once felt overwhelming and even traumatic slowly became stories my husband and I could laugh about.
It was around that healing time that I learned about the profession of the postpartum doula—someone who offers guidance and hands-on care to families after birth. I immediately knew: this is what I wanted to do.
I wanted to be the support I once wished I had. Today, I’m honored to offer that care—not only as a postpartum doula, but also as a lactation counselor and baby sleep consultant.
Today
Today, I support families as:
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postpartum doula
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pediatric sleep consultant
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newborn sleep specialist
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lactation counselor
I walk with families through feeding, sleep deprivation, newborn care, sibling transitions, and emotional recovery in postpartum life.
Since stepping into this work, my passion for supporting families has only deepened. Every family I meet teaches me something new. Each has its own values, challenges, and unique vision for postpartum life. I’ve had the joy of walking beside families as they learn the basics of baby care, support older siblings through big transitions, cope with sleep deprivation, navigate feeding challenges, soothe colicky babies—and even teach a new mother how to make miso soup from scratch. No two families are ever the same—and that’s exactly what makes this work so meaningful and rewarding.
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