Team Member Spotlight! Meet Nori Tobon

When did you find your Passion, or when did it find you? 

Nori Tobon is a birth doula and postpartum doula in Washington, DC. She has been with Doulas of Capitol Hill since 2019.

When I was 16, due to my brother’s hectic long distance work schedule, my sister-in-law living far from her own parents, and my fascination with birth and infants, I became a Doula to my sister-in-law and brand new niece, though I didn’t know it at the time. I spent my days working a full time day job and drove to them after work to provide overnight care while my SIL recovered from her emergency c-section birth. I knew so little about how I could have helped her, how much could have been done differently, and how to provide the best support through it all. So I began to listen, encourage her to tell me her story like I wasn’t me. I read everything I could get my hands on. I was in way over my head and now I know so much more, but I have this education because of my drive to help them process, recover, and thrive. The fulfillment we all got out of that shared experience was my starting spark. I have worked caring for new parents and new babies ever since. It has always felt like I found my own way of helping make the world a better place.

If a kid walked up to you asking for your advice and you only had a few minutes to give ‘em your best tip, what would it be?

Always use your imagination! It will disappear if you don’t!

What makes you proud of yourself?

I take a lot of pride in my mind and my heart. Both remain open, and I find it creates a lot of room for a wide diversity of ideas and experiences, as well as a large community of people. I am proud of the family I have, the relationships I’ve cultivated, and my determination to keep growing.

What do you love about your life?

I love that I am able to be independent and free but still have roots and community. I love that I know how to make time for coffee, books, movies, travel, and adventure, but also volunteerism, advocacy, and continual education. Often they don’t balance perfectly but I doubt they ever will!

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Truly, I think when I was very young I wished to be Anne of Green Gables, and then I tried a number of ways to become a the Babysitter’s Club, and I kind of made that happen with my career in early childhood development and child/infant care to nannying. But otherwise, for almost as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a nurse or a midwife, or a doctor.

What are your top three values?

What are your top three values?

1) Compassion 2) Courage 3)Open-Mindedness

Tell me about your favorite book or movie.

Oh no! I hate having to choose! Ok.. Favorite non-fiction: Reproductive Justice by Loretta Ross. I reread books, and I read often so if you asked me this again tomorrow I would probably have a different answer. I love he Time Traveler’s Wife, though, I hated the movie. My Grandparents are avid readers of poetry and still, my Gramma Ceil can recite her favorites. She’s in her mid 90’s! I love to read the poems and stories they love. From James Joyce, to Rudyard Kipling, to Robert Service. I also love Agatha Christie Mysteries. Favorite movie is a hard one too but I’ll go with Rear Window. Hitchcock, Jimmy Stewart, and Grace Kelly. Can’t go wrong.

How do you like to be told you’re doing a good job

Written or verbal praise is best for me! 

Who is your role model and why?

I think I make a collective role model out of my mother Eileen, my sister Tess,, my Grandmother Cecile, and other close friends, especially other birth workers. All of the people coming to mind share qualities of strength, intelligence, capability, courage, humor, compassion, determination to do what is right, and to follow through with their mission.

If you had any superpower, what would it be?

I think weather and atmosphere control would be the most fun. Think Storm meets Elsa maybe?

How would you describe your (doula) style?

Calm, compassionate, intuitive, flexible, and open. I rely a lot on being able to read people and know how to best support them. This applies during birth or postpartum support. I provide non judgmental support and I don’t have an agenda aside from holding space and working with you to achieve your goals and your family’s health and happiness.

Describe yourself in 5 words

Warm, kind, brave, intelligent, adventurous. 

Nori tobon DC doula.jpeg