A little about me...

Hi, I’m Leiko Hidaka.

I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, and for several years I worked as an architect analyzing territorial development projects and public policy proposals — studying how decisions about land use would affect people and communities. It was meaningful work, but at 33 I felt called to something more direct, something that touched individual lives at their most transformative moment.

That turning point came when I helped organize a doula workshop. I took the training myself, and quickly realized how difficult it was for women in the DR to have a positive childbirth experience without information and guidance. I knew then that this was the path my heart was choosing.

Since 2016, I have accompanied more than 300 families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum — in hospitals, clinics, and at home. I began as a DONA International–certified birth doula and today hold international certification as a Certified Global Doula™ with the Registry of Midwives. In 2018, I began traditional midwifery training under mentorship — a deep, ongoing journey — while also becoming a prenatal educator with ICEA and an Evidence Based Birth® Instructor. In 2019 I completed an intensive midwifery skills program at Dar a Luz School in Puerto Rico, and in 2020 I completed an institutional master’s program in Obstetric Nursing.

Along the way, meeting Dr. Michel Odent reaffirmed my conviction that our bodies are designed to give birth and that the best support is to let the natural process unfold while protecting its conditions. That philosophy has shaped my practice ever since: recognizing mother and baby as the true protagonists of birth, while helping families prepare with clear, practical knowledge rather than unrealistic promises.

Beyond individual care, I’ve also worked to expand perinatal education and advocacy. I served as International Coordinator for ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) until 2021, and today I lead ICAN’s local chapter in the Dominican Republic. I’ve collaborated with community organizations, health professionals, and even helped design a birth center project that was paused during the pandemic. Across these initiatives, my focus remains the same: promoting respectful birth, breastfeeding, reducing unnecessary cesareans, and supporting VBACs.

I work bilingually in Spanish and English, and over the years I’ve accompanied dozens of international families. Expats often arrive with unique concerns: unfamiliar hospitals, cultural differences, or language barriers. My role is to bridge those gaps so they can focus on what matters most — welcoming their baby in safety and dignity.

I believe deeply that every birth deserves respect — and that every mother, no matter where she comes from, deserves to live it as a transformative moment of strength, connection, and joy.