We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sarah Pearce. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sarah below.

Sarah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We love heartwarming stories – do you have a heartwarming story from your career to share?

I think looking back at my doula journey, where I started to where I am now; that’s the heartwarming story. Being able to see the families happy, healthy and thriving makes my heart sing louder than my voice ever could. Everytime a new parent looks up at me and says “Thank you so much for being here with us!”, I could burst with joy. It’s such a privilege to be in that sacred space with families and it is my absolute honor to be invited into that birth room.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hi, I’m Sarah Pearce, and I’m the heart behind Trinity Doula Services (TDS). I’ve spent almost a decade working as a birth and postpartum doula, pediatric nurse, and newborn care specialist, but my journey to this work started much earlier. From a young age, I was fascinated by birth and caring for newborns, babysitting every chance I got. Over time, that passion evolved into a deep commitment to helping families feel empowered and supported through their pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journeys.

I began my career as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), primarily working in pediatrics, which gave me invaluable insight into newborn care, child development, and family dynamics. My nursing background gave me a solid foundation, but it was the work I did as a doula that allowed me to dive deeper into the emotional and holistic side of birth work. This blend of medical knowledge and emotional support is a key part of what sets TDS apart from others.

What I Offer:
At Trinity Doula Services, we specialize in:
– Fertility and Pregnancy Support: Whether you’re trying to conceive or are already expecting, I help you prepare emotionally and physically for your pregnancy journey.
– Birth Doula Services: I offer continuous support during labor, from early labor at home through delivery, helping you manage pain, stay calm, and feel empowered throughout your birth experience.
– Postpartum Doula Services: The “4th trimester” can be one of the most challenging times for new parents, and I provide everything from breastfeeding support to newborn care tips, and emotional guidance.
– Cesarean Birth Support: Whether your cesarean is planned or unexpected, I help you prepare and recover physically and emotionally.

What Sets Me Apart:
My combination of nursing experience and doula expertise makes TDS uniquely equipped to provide both the practical and emotional care that new parents need. Whether you’re navigating the complexities of birth choices or looking for hands-on newborn care assistance, my background ensures that you’re supported every step of the way, with the confidence that I’m knowledgeable in both medical and holistic approaches.

I’m also now starting the journey to become a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), which will allow me to expand my care offerings even further. My goal is to continually grow and find more ways to serve families at every stage of their journey.

What I’m Most Proud Of:
I’m most proud of the deep, trusting relationships I’ve built with the families I’ve worked with. Being invited into someone’s life during such a transformative time is an incredible honor, and I love knowing that I can make a real difference in their experiences.

What You Should Know About Trinity Doula Services:
At TDS, we believe that every birth story is unique and deserves to be treated with care, compassion, and respect. I want potential clients to know that they will receive personalized care tailored to their specific needs, and that my team and I are deeply committed to making their journey as smooth, informed, and supported as possible.

If you’re looking for someone who will not only help you through the practical aspects of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum but also empower you to feel confident in your choices, I’d love to work with you!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

In the early years of my doula career, like many in the birth community, I believed strongly in the idea that natural, unmedicated birth was often the “best” or most ideal way to bring a baby into the world. It wasn’t just my training—it was a philosophy that many doulas, midwives, and even birthing parents gravitate toward. The belief that birth should be as free from medical intervention as possible is rooted in important ideas, like bodily autonomy and the desire to avoid unnecessary interventions.

However, over time, I had to unlearn the notion that natural birth is always the best path. This shift in perspective came from witnessing firsthand how the pressures to achieve a certain type of birth can actually become harmful, especially after seeing clients endure traumatic birth experiences—whether due to medical emergencies, unexpected complications, or feeling like they had “failed” because their birth didn’t go according to plan.

One of the pivotal moments in this journey was seeing women experience immense emotional pain after unplanned cesareans or epidurals, which were necessary for the health of both mother and baby. These families often felt like they had failed or “missed out” on the ideal birth experience. It became clear to me that birth isn’t about following a rigid plan or ideal, but rather about flexibility, safety, and ensuring the well-being of both mother and baby.

For a time, I personally bought into some of the anti-hospital sentiments that circulate in the birth community. I believed that hospitals were too quick to intervene and that the best way to give birth was to avoid medical settings when possible. But as a doula, I’ve witnessed how crucial medical interventions can be—not just in saving lives, but in allowing families to feel safe and supported in moments of uncertainty. I’ve seen how hospitals, when approached with openness and communication, can be part of incredibly empowering birth experiences.

The more I supported families in hospitals, birthing centers, and at home, the more I saw that there is no “one right way” to give birth. What matters most is that the birthing person feels informed, supported, and empowered to make decisions based on what’s happening in their own unique situation. Sometimes that means a peaceful, unmedicated birth, and other times, it means a cesarean or an epidural—and all are valid, successful, and beautiful in their own ways.

Unlearning these ideas wasn’t easy. It required me to look critically at the biases I held and the subtle pressures we sometimes put on birthing people to follow a specific path. I had to embrace the reality that medical interventions are not the enemy; in fact, they are a critical tool that can help us achieve safe and healthy births when necessary. What I strive for now is balance—a respect for the power of natural birth, while also recognizing the importance of modern medicine when it’s needed.

Ultimately, my role as a doula is to support families in making informed decisions that are best for them, free from judgment or ideology. Every birth is unique, and the “best” birth is the one where families feel empowered, cared for, and safe—whether that happens at home, in a birth center, or in a hospital setting.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

One of the key elements that has contributed to the success of Trinity Doula Services in the St. Louis area is my commitment to flexibility and personalized care. Every family has unique needs when it comes to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care, and I’ve made it a priority to adapt my services to meet those needs on an individual basis. This flexibility, whether it’s adjusting schedules to fit around busy family lives or being on-call for unexpected changes, has allowed me to form strong, trusting relationships with the families my team and I serve.

By being able to pivot quickly to accommodate different birth plans or to address concerns as they arise, I’ve built a reputation for being reliable and dependable. In a field where things rarely go exactly as planned, this level of commitment has provided comfort and peace of mind to the families I work with. Knowing that they can count on me to show up, adapt, and provide consistent support—no matter how their journey unfolds—has been a huge factor in building trust within the community.

Another pillar of TDS’s success has been my wealth of knowledge in all areas of birth work. With a background in pediatric nursing, extensive experience as a doula, and now working toward becoming a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), I offer a blend of medical expertise and emotional support that many families find invaluable. This deep understanding of both the clinical and emotional aspects of birth and postpartum care allows me to answer questions, troubleshoot challenges, and provide evidence-based information, all while offering compassionate, hands-on care.

Even though I’ve only been in St. Louis for less than three years, the combination of my reliability, flexibility, and extensive expertise has quickly made Trinity Doula Services one of the largest and busiest doula agencies in the region. Word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied clients, along with my ability to serve a diverse range of families, have helped me rapidly establish a strong foothold in the local birth community.

At the end of the day, families need to know that they are in capable, caring hands. The ability to adapt to their needs, show up consistently, and provide both knowledge and compassion has been at the heart of my reputation—and that of Trinity Doula Services.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.trinitydoula.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinity_doula_services/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/STLDOULA
• Other: Charity I run: www.littleresource.org

Image Credits

Christina Dunnigan Photography
Megan Ragan Photography
Trinity Doula Services