Where did Big Belly Services go?
Big Belly Services has grown up, moved out, and started a new life!
Big Belly Services served Seattle area childbearing families and birth doulas from 2001-2019. Founded by Carrie Kenner, Big Belly Services offered Birthing From Within childbirth classes, postpartum preparation workshops, parent groups, birth doula trainings, and advanced doula workshops.
In 2019, Carrie closed Big Belly Services to travel the country in her camper van and explore new opportunities.
Carrie's colleague, Amity Kramer, assumed the enCircle Doula Training. And Carrie transitioned to writing, marketing, and business coaching.
Both Carrie and Amity continue to evolve their work to serve their mission of creating a better world through positive birth and parenting. Read more below to find out what they offer.
- Carrie Kenner & Amity Kramer -
Find Your Birth Doula Training
Doula training from experienced and nuanced trainers
Big Belly Services had twins! Now there are two doula trainings to choose from.
- enCircle Birth Doula Training, which Big Belly Service was known for, is now being offered live in the Seattle area by Amity Kramer.
- For on-demand online training, Carrie Kenner offers Becoming a Birth Doula,
Both doula trainings have their own unique strengths and we highly recommend that you learn about both before choosing the right training for you.
A collection of Advanced Doula Trainings are available here.
The History of Big Belly Services Doula Trainings
Carrie Kenner, founder of Big Belly Services, became a doula in 2001, shortly after the birth of her last child. She had been helping friends have babies before she even knew what a doula was! When she found out about the doula profession, she signed up for a training right away.
At the same time, Carrie was introduced to Birthing From Within childbirth classes. She loved the unique approach to birth as a rite of passage versus a medical event and trained to be a Birthing From Within mentor a few months after training to be a birth doula.
Carrie offered her first childbirth classes in September 2001 and attended her first birth as a doula in November 2001.
In 2003, Carrie was invited to become a birth doula trainer at Seattle Midwifery School. She apprenticed with Penny Simkin, Sandy Szalay, Dana Blue, and Margaret Bergman-Ness. She became a DONA-approved Doula Trainer in 2004.
Carrie started offering doula trainings through Big Belly Services in 2005. She wanted to create a training that was more spacious, dialog-based, and intimate. Sitting in circle, the enCircle Doula Training was born.
Carrie created the extraordinary Sacred Doula Training at Breitenbush Hot Springs in 2006. This once-a-year deep dive into the mysteries of the Sacred Feminine, doula skills, ritual, art, and movement was her signature program.
These trainings met the high standards of DONA International, PALS (Pacific Association of Labor Support), and the Swedish Hospital's Doula Program.
In 2016, Carrie created the first online doula training (at a time when folks said online doula training couldn't or shouldn't be done). This online course was not approved for certification, so Carrie began offering her own certification in 2016.
Over the years, Carrie has trained more than 2,000 doulas, both at Big Belly Services and Seattle Midwifery School (which became the Simkin Center for Allied Birth Professions at Bastyr University).
She has created Advanced Doula Trainings on placenta encapsulation, TENS unit use for doulas, breast/chestfeeding, interviewing skills, powerful prenatal visits, and networking, as well as courses in business skills, marketing, and personal development.
If you want to follow Carrie's latest work (books, courses, vlog/blog, and more) or work with her directly (marketing, coaching, and editing), you can find her at carriekenner.com. Or join her email list here.
Meet Amity Kramer
In 2019, as Carrie prepared to leave Seattle, she and Amity Kramer began to transition the enCircle Doula Training to Amity's business, Thresholds. They both wanted the Seattle area to have the option of a small group, in-person, series-based doula training and didn't want it to end.
After many hours of conversation, observation, training, and more conversation the handover to Thresholds was completed.
The two have been part of each other's lives since 2008! Amity attended Carrie's childbirth class when she was pregnant in 2008. Carrie invited Amity to join her teaching team, and she started mentoring classes in 2010 after the birth of her second child. Amity trained with Carrie to become a birth doula in 2009, and they've been partnering ever since.
- Amity Kramer -
FOUNDER, THRESHOLDS
Everyone deserves personalized mentorship and support. Whether you are an aspiring doula, new parent, small business owner, or not quite sure yet... we're here to help you cross your next threshold with confidence! Take a look at our services and take the next step on your journey.
Copyright Carrie Kenner LLC 2024©