We had the good fortune of connecting with Rebecca Kaasa Belenky and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rebecca, what’s the most important thing you’ve done for your children?
My journey into parenthood began with a period of deep questioning — a desire to find answers that truly made sense for me. A pivotal moment came when I chose to give birth with a midwife. I had a clear inner voice saying I wanted a different kind of pregnancy and birth experience. Meeting our midwife helped me step away from my lifelong pattern of being a people-pleaser — of going along with the path of least resistance just to avoid other people’s opinions. Making an “out of the box” choice asked me to take full responsibility for my decisions, which was both empowering and, at times, a little scary.
That mindset — asking “why” and being willing to follow my gut, even when it feels risky — has shaped so much of how I parent. My children are now about a decade old, and we’ve chosen to homeschool them. It’s another unconventional choice that not everyone understands, but it feels especially right in a world that moves so quickly and pulls us toward constant distraction. I value our time together and the deep connection that learning and growing alongside them allows.
Of course, raising kids to ask “why” isn’t always easy — sometimes I secretly wish they’d just do what I say without the endless questions! But curiosity has become a theme for our family, and even when it makes daily life more challenging, I believe it will serve them well.
What I hope I’ve given my kids is the gift of curiosity, time, and connection. They’ve grown up with a love of nature and the freedom to explore their passions. More than anything, I hope they carry with them the courage to trust themselves and the understanding that they don’t have to follow the crowd to live a meaningful life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My work as a doula grew out of my own experience of questioning the status quo and realizing how much support families need when they’re navigating pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum time. What sets me apart as a doula is that I don’t offer cookie-cutter advice or a script for how things “should” go. Instead, I help families tune into their own values, their intuition, and their sense of what feels right for them. Both my doula support and childbirth education are deeply rewarding, because they allow me to walk alongside families in a very personal way through this big life transition.
The path here hasn’t been easy. Birth work is especially challenging because of the unpredictability of the on-call life. Starting a doula practice meant years of undercharging, building a client base, and doing it all while raising small children. It has taken a lot of commitment, boundary setting, and resilience — as any working mother can attest to.
Along the way, I’ve learned the value of listening deeply, honoring people’s stories, and remembering that small acts of care can have a profound impact. When I first started, I thought my role was to help people have unmedicated births. Over time I’ve learned that every family has their own wishes and desires, and what matters most is not the outcome I might imagine for them, but the path they choose for themselves.
My work is really about helping people access the information and support they need to make truly informed choices. Everyone’s journey looks different — and that’s the beauty of it. Birth, parenting, and all the transitions that come with them aren’t about conforming to someone else’s idea of how things “should” be. They’re about growth, and about honoring each person’s unique story.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend came to visit, I’d want to show them the side of Los Angeles that feels most like home to me — a mix of parks, nature, good food, and simple fun.
We’d start in a sweet little pocket of Pasadena, Arlington Park, where you can walk the stone and native wildflower labyrinth and let the kids run around. I’d also take them for a long walk through the Arroyo Secco Watershed, which is a great place to see more native plants growing and be in proximity to the San Gabriel Mountains. Another day we’d head up to Descanso Gardens, which is such a sweet spot — I like it because it’s small enough you can really explore the whole place. There’s a good amount of shade, amazing plant diversity, and walking paths that even little ones can manage.
In the evenings, we’d do something very different! One night at Glendale Rollerway for rollerskating — because I absolutely LOVE rollerskating. Another afternoon at The Hermosillo’s outdoor space in Highland Park for a beer and a vegan hotdog. Maybe we get hungry again and swing by Joy or Sticky Rice, for a casual dinner.
And of course, no visit to LA would be complete without a trip to the beach and plenty of time to feel the sun and the sand. If the kids are busy running around in nature, I might actually have a chance to have a mostly uninterrupted conversation with my friend. (:

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to give a shoutout to Britta Bushnell! She is my professional mentor and has made such an impact on my life as a doula and supporter of moms/parents/families! I had my first experience with her about 11 years ago when I assisted her in a Childbirth Education Series. I was just beginning my work as a doula and she exposed me to another way of thinking that was expansive and not limiting. Being a good doula was so much less about prescribing something to our clients, but expanding their expectations while remaining humble and curious about how this Rite of Passage would unfold. I have since completed 2 Transformed by Birth Apprenticeship series with Britta, she is a real resource to the birth community of Los Angeles.

Website: https://www.losangelesbirth.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/belenkyrebecca

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068968306864

Image Credits
Walter Belenky, Mirror LA

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