Meet Manhattan Birth's experienced postpartum doulas who provide
heartfelt, down-to-earth, no-purple-crystals support
after the baby arrives.

Click the Doula's photo to learn more + contact them! 

Jennifer Oge (she/her) is a trained birth and postpartum doula. She focuses on the importance of sisterhood and women's empowerment. She is committed to reproductive justice for all women, helping to create a safe space filled with love and encouragement. She has always had an appreciation of the beauty and strength of women. However, she officially began this journey after an epiphany during a meditation course in Bihar, India. She felt a strong calling to do more; focusing on holistic health of the mind, body and spirit. Following her nurturing instincts, she decided to steer her journey towards birth work. As a trained full-spectrum birth worker, she takes a more holistic approach using guided meditation, movement(dance, yoga), and music to name a few. Outside of the birthing world, you can find her practicing yoga, artistically creating, traveling, dancing, and remaining sustainably stylish. She looks forward to helping you tap into your innate abilities.

Ania (she/her) is a DONA trained Birth Doula, Certified Holistic Birth Doula, INNATE postpartum Care Provider, trained in a holistic approach to Postpartum time, as well as Certified Breastfeeding counselor. Ania lives in Harlem with her husband and two children. She offers her services in Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx and Brooklyn. Born and raised in Poland, where is got her Master degree in translations, which led her to work as a Medical Interpreter for many years. With her own experience of giving birth in hospital settings and then, with her second baby, at home, she feels comfortable supporting her clients in both settings. Both of her experience brought a lot of feeling of empowerment in her life, and after the birth of her son she decided to become a doula, and help other parents find the inner wisdom and strength, that we all have in us. She is passionate about every birthing's person right to feel supported and empowered during this transitional life event. She brings her calm presence and emotional intuition to every birth.

Julia (she/her) is a DONA-trained birth and postpartum doula and a Certified Lactation Counselor, and is currently pursuing further training and support through the Manhattan Birth Mentor Program. She brings her calm and reassuring presence, sense of humor, and innate emotional intuition to supporting each client. She strongly believes that the childbearing year is a transformative experience and that every birthing person deserves to be cared for, listened to and respected during this transitional life event. She feels passionately that every expectant parent has the necessary information and support to feel empowered by their birth experience and cared for as they adjust to life with their new little one. She meets parents where they are and offers non-judgmental support and encouragement during birth and through the postpartum period. Julia has additional trainings in comforting touch, rebozo and infant care, among others. Originally from Minnesota, she completed her bachelor’s degree in Art History from the University of St Andrews before moving to New York City, which she is now thrilled to call home! She lives on the UWS with her partner and their Maine Coon Cat, Georgia.

April Cañete Pavlish (she/her) is a trained birth and postpartum doula (Birth Arts International and Manhattan Birth), a licensed Zumba instructor, and holds a Master's in Public Health with years of experience in sexual and reproductive health. She was inspired by this work after having a wonderful doula at her own birth. As a non-judgemental companion during the transformative - and at times overwhelming - childbearing journey, April offers informational and emotional support to help expecting families navigate and understand their options, and feel confident in deciding what's best for them. She brings a calm and uplifting presence to the birth and postpartum period so that clients feel safe, listened to, and able to trust in their body and intuition. April is a Jersey girl with Filipino roots. Her love languages are comfort food, dance, and laughter that makes you cry. She lives in Jersey City, NJ, with her partner, toddler, and senior rescue dog.

Jennifer (she/her) is a trained birth and postpartum doula. She came to this work through her own pregnancy and birth experience. When she was pregnant, Jennifer felt overwhelmed by how much she didn’t know about the process, but also felt a strong sense of intuition guiding her as she nurtured her growing baby in her womb and during the postpartum period. Jennifer believes that every birthing person deserves the right to be heard, seen and learn to trust themselves through this very intense, transformational time. She looks forward to supporting you in this journey through listening, providing a calming, reassuring presence and making space for you to tap into your inner wisdom and strength.

Caroline Lyons (she/her): When Caroline was six years, she told her mom, “I just need to be there when the babies are born” Twenty years later, she would finally find herself where she belongs; in the birth world. As a postpartum doula with Sunshine Postpartum Doula, she supports families with infant care, basic breastfeeding needs and household management while they navigate the fourth trimester. As a teacher and caregiver for children ranging from infancy to high school, she has been dedicated to fostering their growth and joy while in her care. She hopes to grow her skills in the postpartum world to help, “light the path from the fourth trimester and beyond.”

Gina Benson (she/her) is a former school teacher who holds a B.A. in Psychology & Special Education, is a certified Ayurveda Practitioner, Holistic Nutritionist, and Birth & Postpartum Doula who specializes in women's health during perinatal, pregnancy, and postpartum. Gina supports home, birth center, and hospital births. She offers a Sow to Seed Fertility Program to aid couples on a reproductive health journey. The program includes nutrition, movement, and full spectrum support. In the years to come, Gina plans on going back to school to study midwifery and complete her all encompassing program to work with mothers from before pregnancy, throughout, and after. Gina is gentle yet vocal about her clients' rights and comfort. It is most important to her that her client is treated fairly and safe throughout their birth and postpartum experience. She looks forward to supporting you and your family.

Shawayna Brown (she/her) is a birth, postpartum, and sibling doula. Shawayna supports home, birth centers, and hospital births. She is here to support and guide you through your pregnancy, labor/birth, and through the first few weeks after your baby is born. She wants nothing more than to be able to reassure, encourage, and empower you during this journey.

Ashley Seeley (she/her) is a Birth and Postpartum Doula, and Lactation Counselor based out of Brooklyn Heights. Ashley is Spinning Babies trained and loves introducing her rebozo to perinatal families. She believes in the strength of opening up and holding space for families in this incredible transition period. Coming from a career in the fashion industry, you might catch Ashley hand embroidering in the quiet times of your early labor. Aside from everything in her doula bag, the most useful tool she brings to your birth or postpartum bubble is her warm, kind, and compassionate energy. Ashley knows what an honor it is to be invited into these spaces and she treats each client with gratitude.

Clare Amoako-Parks (she/her) is a birth and postpartum doula who aims to support birthing people in understanding their bodies, and the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual changes that take place during the transformative experiences of pregnancy and postpartum. Currently pregnant herself (due Feb 2020), she is aware of the level of self-trust that is required to make informed decisions that are best for the parent(s) and ensure they have the pregnancy and birthing experiences that are right for them. Clare has studied and taught health and sexuality education for the past seven years, and is passionate about helping people work with, rather than against, our bodies to further understand ourselves. She was trained to be a birth and postpartum doula by Mama Glow, and is excited to be a part of the Manhattan Birth community.

Madeline Elaine (she/her) is a birth and postpartum doula training with Doula Trainings International. She currently spends her time as a volunteer doula at the Brooklyn Birthing Center and is looking forward to her Lactation Counselor (CLC) training in the Spring of 2020. An empath and caregiver at heart, Madeline feels a particular calling in helping families in their postpartum period, along with mothers suffering from postpartum depression and anxiety. She hopes to ease this life changing transition with the appropriate newborn care and postpartum nutrition, with a whole lot of kindness and humor along the way! Madeline looks forward to serving families in New York City and is best contacted through her email.

Megan Sparkman (she/her) is a trained birth and postpartum doula and lactation counselor and she believes that there is power and beauty in every birth, especially when there is trust between the birthing person and the birth team. She was inspired to become a birth worker after years of women’s rights and social justice work as well as her own empowering pregnancy and birth experience. With her past roles as a special education teacher, life coach and women's rights advocate, she brings a unique blend of knowledge, creativity, communication and compassion to your journey of becoming a new parent. She brings support to your birth by keeping the space calm, positive and non-judgmental, with a down-to-earth and confident approach, while using techniques learned through her doula, teacher and life coach training. Megan feels very passionate about helping women and birth parents feel heard and prepared throughout their journey of pregnancy, birth and beyond. 

Erin Ednie (she/her) is a holistic birth and postpartum doula with a specialty in physical fitness as a certified personal trainer. She helps her clients to, not only embrace and navigate through, but be empowered by the changes their bodies go through in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. After receiving unconditional, loving support from her doula and team for her son’s birth in 2011, she found a passion for providing that deep level of support for other expectant parents. Erin maintains an unwavering faith in her clients abilities to choose what is right for their bodies, their babies, and their families. “It is my passion and soul’s purpose to hold sacred space for my clients so they feel safe and assured that, no matter what they choose, I have their backs and I believe in them, because freedom is everything.”

Natchra Candle (she/her) is a loving and professional Newborn Care Specialist, Postpartum Doula and Nanny. She has been caring for children since she was 12 years old and is the proud parent of four children, who are now grown and living their own beautiful lives. Natchra is a gifted and natural nurturer, anticipating the needs of those around her and responding with compassion and care. She specializes in working with newborns and new families, helping them to navigate the changes and challenges that come with a new baby and holding space as they process those changes.

Madeleine (she/her/hers) is a Certified Holistic Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula, and Certified Lactation Counselor. She’s also a native New Yorker, an actress, a lover of travel, and a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. With a doula/acupuncturist mother and a physician father, Madeleine grew up with a pretty balanced perspective on holistic vs. medical approaches, and she’s committed to supporting whichever path you take. Madeleine brings nurturing, warmth, and a sense of humor to this work she cares so deeply about. She’s also a knowledge junkie, helping people feel confidently prepared for their birth and/or postpartum journeys through prenatal (or on-the-spot) education, always with a hefty dose of grounded emotional support. Madeleine brings an open mind, deep compassion, and the occasional well-timed joke to what is so often an intense ride of emotions and oh-so-many questions. She sees her role as a blend of friend, confidante, coach, jargon translator, baby care expert, breastfeeding guide, personal assistant, and professional tiny human holder (no complaints there). She believes passionately in supporting people through the wild and wonderful unknown of birth and the fourth trimester. She feels incredibly lucky to call this her work and is honored to support your growing family.

Ruth Kleinman (she/her)- Ruth's journey to the world of doula work began after the birth of her son in 2016. Even with the layers of support she had including family, friends, and coworkers nearby, she struggled physically and emotionally with childbirth recovery, feeding choices, and had challenges with the postpartum period and family leave time at home with her son. Ruth currently offers postpartum doula support in Manhattan which includes newborn care, light cooking, and housework, so that the new parent(s) can adjust to their new lives while still taking care of themselves. In the days and weeks after you welcome a baby into your life, you may need extra support at home and Ruth is calmly equipped to help you achieve a balance. This allows you to recover from childbirth, and enjoy your baby while feeling as rested as possible. Ruth lives in Manhattan with her husband and their son.

 

 

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