Today we’d like to introduce you to Shinobu Yogo.
Hi Shinobu, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. My journey into this postpartum and baby sleep work began with my own birth and postpartum experience here in Texas—as a Japanese mother, far from home.
When I gave birth to my first daughter, I had been living in the United States for nearly 10 years. I was familiar with life here and had worked extensively with young children. I wasn’t too worried about giving birth and raising a baby abroad for the first time. But once labor began, I was met with shock after shock—a delivery process completely different from what I knew in Japan, cultural differences with the medical staff, and a care system that left me feeling zero control and unprepared.
I still remember the moment my newborn daughter was placed on my chest. I looked at my husband and whispered, “I might go into depression.” My body and mind felt as if they had been treated without kindness or respect.
My first birth was overwhelming and emotionally shocking in ways I never expected.
When we returned home on the third day, it was just the two of us. With our families in Japan, my husband was my only support. Looking back, I realized I had never learned how to take care of myself as well as my fragile baby. Some may say, “You weren’t taught because you didn’t ask.” But at that time, I didn’t have the emotional or physical capacity to even know what to ask. I couldn’t anticipate the skills or knowledge I’d need, and I didn’t have the strength to seek help.
The major challenges I experienced were:
a birth process and postpartum cultures very different from my home country
feeling unsupported and emotionally overwhelmed
returning home without knowing basic newborn care skills
isolation as my only family support was my husband
fear and distrust toward the medical system due to my challenging birth experience
Healing Opened New Doors
Despite that difficult beginning, I was blessed with three beautiful children. As I became more familiar with the birth and postpartum care system in the U.S., the healing process began.
I was finally able to reflect on my early experiences with more peace. The events that once felt overwhelming and even traumatic slowly became stories my husband and I could laugh about.
It was around that healing time that I learned about the profession of the postpartum doula—someone who offers guidance and hands-on care to families after birth. I immediately knew: this is what I wanted to do.
I wanted to be the support I once wished I had. Today, I’m honored to offer that care—not only as a postpartum doula, but also as a lactation counselor and baby sleep consultant.
Today, I support families as:
postpartum doula
pediatric sleep consultant
newborn sleep specialist
lactation counselor
I walk alongside families through newborn care, maternal recovery, sleep deprivation, feeding challenges, and emotional adjustment, supporting their holistic healing and recovery during the postpartum period.
Since stepping into this work, my passion for supporting families has only deepened. Every family I meet teaches me something new. No two families are ever the same, and that is exactly what makes this work so meaningful and rewarding.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Has it been a smooth road? Not at all. Looking back, I think fear was my biggest obstacle.
I was afraid of not being needed. Afraid of rejection. Afraid that I wouldn’t be capable enough, or that I might fail to meet a family’s needs and expectations.
There was another doubt that stayed with me for a long time: I wasn’t originally from here. I knew there were many wonderful local doulas who were born and raised in the area and spoke perfect English. I often wondered, “Why would a family choose me over them?”
That doubt could have kept me from starting. But eventually, I realized that I simply had to take the first step—to jump in, begin, and put my whole heart into every family I served.
Years of overnight support and countless visits with families have taught me something I could never have learned by simply studying or preparing: heart-to-heart connection and trust matter more than anything else.
Families may not remember every piece of information I shared with them, but they remember how I made them feel—whether they felt heard, respected, supported, and cared for during one of the most vulnerable seasons of their lives.
So, if you ask me how I have overcome the challenges along the way, I would point to four words that I try to keep close to my heart:
Faithfulness. Gratitude. Respect. Humility.
I don’t always know where the road will lead, but I believe that if I faithfully show up, remain grateful for every family who trusts me, respect each family’s unique values and choices, and stay humble enough to keep learning, I will be where I am meant to be.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My professional journey began with a simple desire: to support new mothers during one of the most beautiful, yet vulnerable, seasons of their lives.
As a postpartum doula, I provide practical and emotional support to families after a baby arrives. Over the years, I have had the privilege of entering families’ homes when parents are exhausted, uncertain, and sometimes simply need someone to say, “You are not alone. You’re doing okay.”
Through these experiences, I began to witness firsthand how much rest can influence the atmosphere of a home and even a marriage. When parents are rested, they often have more patience, more capacity to connect with each other, and more joy in parenting. This led me to become increasingly interested in newborn sleep and how to intentionally lay a healthy sleep foundation from the very beginning. I pursued additional training so I could support families in this area as well.
Today, my work combines postpartum support and newborn sleep consulting. My approach is centered around helping parents understand their babies, build confidence, and create a healthy foundation for sleep without losing sight of what matters most: the family’s own values, needs, and vision.
I want every family I work with to feel that they are not being judged or told how they should parent. Instead, I want them to feel seen, respected, and supported as they find their own way.
For me, building a business has never been only about building a career. It has been about building meaningful relationships and making a difference in the lives of families, one family at a time.
I hope that, in some small way, I can contribute at the very beginning of a family’s journey—helping create a foundation of rest, connection, and confidence that can continue to strengthen their family, their marriage, and their parenting for many years and even decades to come.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was born and raised in Japan. Many people here are surprised when I tell them that I always loved school—not just kindergarten or elementary school, but all the way through high school. In Japan, this is actually quite common. For many Japanese people, school is one of the closest communities outside the family. It is where you find your best friends, meet teachers who can become lifelong influences, make some of your most cherished memories, bond with one another, cry together, and laugh together. I still treasure those memories from growing up in Japan.
I also loved being around little children, even when I was a little child myself. I have always been drawn to their energy, curiosity, sense of wonder, silliness, and even their messiness! No wonder I ended up doing what I do today.
I have always loved history and books, especially learning about historical events and real-life stories. I think I have always been curious about people—how they live, what shapes them, and what their stories are.
Looking back on all of these things, I realize that perhaps I simply love people and relationships. I am not particularly outgoing; I tend to be more quiet and introverted. But I genuinely enjoy building deep, heart-to-heart relationships with people.
That is one of the reasons I feel postpartum support suits my personality so well. This work requires a genuine level of trust and connection with each family. I get to come alongside people during an incredibly personal season of their lives, listen to their stories, and support them in a way that feels personal rather than simply professional. In many ways, I think what I love and cherish as a child were quietly preparing me for the work I do today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yourlittlehands.com/
- Other: Email: info@yourlittlehands.com
