Meet Our Team
Welcome to Atlanta Placenta. Atlanta Placenta is the brain child of Stephanie Banguilan. Throughout her career as a Hypnobabies childbirth educator and birth doula, Stephanie is always looking for ways to help families make a smoother transition into their new family.
One night, sitting at the dinner table, Stephanie decided to offer services that are just not available and in a unique way. Everyone on the Atlanta Placenta team has a profound calling to help all people and specifically, women and babies. Below you will find a little more about each of us.
Stephanie Banguilan, HCHI, HCHD, CLE, IPES
I’m Stephanie and the owner and founder of Gentle Journeys Birthing. I believe a company’s name says a lot about that business and I know that I found the perfect one for me. In my world, it’s all about the journey so why not enjoy it and make is as gentle as possible. I am a mother of 2 little ones (but don’t tell them that they are still little). My son was born in March 2006 and it was the journey of his birth that started my on my true journey, my life’s calling. I am in a same-sex partnership and in the process of looking for a childbirth class, we were turned down for a few. At the time it was no big deal. We found another class that fit us better and moved on. We had a great hospital birth and after it was all over, I realized that there was still so much that we didn’t know/ learn. After our son was born I decided that no other mom or family should have to go through that so I made one of the best decisions of my life and decided to become a Hypnobabies childbirth educator. Shortly after that I became a certified birth doula so I could support these amazing families during their births.
In October 2009, we welcomed our daughter into our family very fast and very peacefully in our home. I LOVE the process of pregnancy and birth and would do it a thousand times is I didn’t have to raise them all. 
So for now, I live through the wonderful families I support. Along with Hypnobabies classes and birth doula services, I also offer placenta encapsulation, babywearing and cloth diapering classes, and I run an Attachment Parenting support group. I offer classes throughout the Atlanta metro area, currently in Decatur in Monday evenings, and Buckhead on weekends. For a current list of classes offered and the dates, please visit www.gentlejourneysbirthing.com
Emily Watkins, CD (DONA), IPES
Hi, nice to meet you! I’m Emily, and I am a wife, mother of two and a certified birth doula. I draw from my many experiences to help create your ideal birthing experience by providing informational, physical and emotional support. I have learned that each birth is unique, and I work in a calm and compassionate way to provide you the freedom to follow your instincts during your birthing time. I believe that you should have the option to choose any kind of birth you want, and my mission is to offer unwavering support during this special time in your life. I provide services to you and your family in all types of birth including hospital, home, medicated, unmedicated, water, vbac, induction and Cesarean. I have been partnered with Atlanta Placenta for over 2 years and I am still amazed at the results our clients have from this ancient healing art.
