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

 

Maggie Rosenfeld (She/Her) is a certified Birth and Postpartum Doula in Westchester County who provides services in the Tri-State area. Her training and certifications come through DONA international and The Matrona. For years she has served people as a Mental Health Counselor, Crisis Counselor and Organizational Psychologist. Maggie values building lasting bonds with families and supporting them as they make informed and instinctive decisions during pregnancy, birth and postpartum care. Maggie spends most of her time serving families as a postpartum doula. She enjoys her time with families as they evolve and learn their new "normal". Maggie shares holistic newborn care techniques and helps with the items that pile up (laundry, dishes and meal prep) to allow families to focus on bonding with their new baby or babies.

Thamar Innocent (she/her) is a trained birth and postpartum doula and her goal is to create a space filled with support, resources, advocacy, love and sometimes just a listening ear. Her passion is rooted in a Caribbean culture that prides themselves on caring for the woman from preconception through her transition into motherhood. ​Thamar feels that her purpose is to support and empower moms to lead a holistic lifestyle that works for them. Thamar is also a certified health coach and received her B.S in Health Services Administration in NYC. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and 9-year-old son. Thamar does overnights.

Erica St. Lawrence is an experienced birth and postpartum doula, a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor and a pediatric R.N. who has spent the last 10 years caring for hundreds of NYC families both in the hospital and at home. ​Erica loves working with families at all stages, giving parents the knowledge, peace of mind and support to birth and nurture their babies with confidence. With her practical, non-judgemental, evidence-based and warm-hearted approach, Erica is passionate about helping you welcome your child into your life and easing your transition into parenthood.

Emilie Rodriguez is a DONA trained birth doula (via Rina Crane) and a Birth Mama trained holistic postpartum doula (via Mama Ma’at) that addresses mothers' nutritional, physical, emotional, and spiritual well being. She believes every woman should have the birth she desires, the information needed to see it come to fruition, and be an advocate for herself and her family. She believes that giving birth is one of the most sacred, yet normal, experiences in a woman's life and I want to help women/birthing people stand in that power. She takes a holistic approach to help get them to the other side of the mountain we know as birth, using plant based medicine, aromatherapy, low guttural vocalization, rebozo, counter pressure, guided meditation, breath, etc. depending on the needs of the birthing person. Her interests first started in medicine where she worked as a veterinary technician for years before becoming interested in the influences of culture on women's bodies. She received her BA in Medical Anthropology from the City College of New York, with a focus on reproductive health in the United States. She did her first ethnography on doula work in Brooklyn, shadowing Chanel Porchia from Ancient Song Doula Services, and then another exploring birth experiences in the US and abroad. She was also a Colin Powell Fellow for Health Justice, advocating with Health Leads in Harlem Hospital's OB/GYN Unit to give low-income families access to resources they needed to stay healthy, as well as writing health policy to advance equality and civil rights at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest. Emilie always knew she wanted to work with women and children, but did not know in what capacity. It wasn't until she experienced labor and childbirth myself when giving birth to her son at home that she realized how transformative and empowering it could be.

Grace Veras Sealy is a birth and postpartum doula, and a certified lactation counselor. She offers labor and birth services for home births, birthing center, hospital births, and planned cesareans. Her aim as a birth doula is to support parents in labor and birth so that when they look back on the moment can remember that they felt strong, knowledgeable, respected and joyous. By providing postpartum services she offers continuity of care after the birth and early breastfeeding support. Her approach to postpartum doula care is hinged on helping to building the new parents' confidence while providing practical support to them and their new baby. ​Grace lives in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters.

Bori Laki (she/her) is certified Advanced Holistic doula, and a certified aromatherapist. She is also a DONA-trained Birth and Postpartum Doula. Bori is offering birth and postpartum doula services in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Harlem, Queens and Long Island, where she lives with her husband and two teenage boys. Born and raised in Budapest (Hungary), Bori brings the love of nature and natural remedies, specifically essential oils, aromatherapy and homeopathy to her work, to aid the birth, breastfeeding and postpartum period. She uses comforting touch, massage, spinning babies exercises, breathing techniques, and, being a passionate and long time practitioner of yoga, yogi relaxation to help the mother (and sometimes the partner as well) cope with labor. Her main goal as a doula is to help the birthing mother feel as safe, comfortable and informed as possible, and, even more importantly, work with her to build her self confidence in giving birth. She believes that birthing happens as much on a mental, and spiritual level, as on a physical one, and if the mother is well informed and aware of what to expect and how to deal with everything that’s happening, she will be able to keep her calm, strength and confidence during birth.

Janeé Danielle Aiken is a holistic birth & postpartum doula, birth assistant, second year herbalist apprentice, and yoni steam practitioner. Janeé began doula work as a reproductive justice advocate and certified with Ancient Song Doula Services in 2013. Her continued training has shaped her into a birth worker who’s supportive of belly or vaginal birth in a hospital, at home, or birthing center. Janeé’s mechanisms are informative, respectful, intuitive, holistic, and culturally sensitive to the birthing person. She’s passionate that she can help to liberate more women, birthing persons, and families in the NYC/Long Island area. It is an honor for Janeé to guide, support, and protect her clients as they develop and advocate for their own needs throughout their journey. It has allowed her to empower, improve, and inspire a mother’s ability to have a safe and memorable birth while reminding and affirming their capabilities. Janeé aspires to pursue a more formal education in the field of reproductive advocacy in the near future.

Guramrit LeBron (she/her) is a birth and postpartum doula as well as a Certified Lactation Counselor. Her holistic nutrition background and belief that the postpartum period is just as sacred as birth influences her passion for nourishing and caring for new parents and families. Guramrit's focus for a nourished postpartum is through meals that are specially formulated and designed to promote healing by replenishing and nourishing the new parent with nutrient-rich foods. These restorative meals, broths, snacks, and teas can assist in rebuilding vitality, balancing hormones, restoring uterine health, promoting lactation and of course the best benefit: peace of mind that you don’t have to worry about where food is coming from. Meals, broths, snacks and teas are available a la carte or as part of a set plan. A customized menu may also be created to suit your needs.

Mary Pless (she/her): Although she started out on this path with a passion for attending births, Mary absolutely loves supporting folks through the postpartum period and helping them settle in as a new family. She strives to help people gain confidence in their newborn care skills and tap into their intuition as parents. Along with caring for baby, Mary emphasizes the need to nourish the new parents and encourages rituals of self-care throughout this transition. As a Certified Lactation Counselor, she assists with establishing breastfeeding, learning baby’s cues, and mitigating common issues that may arise. Trainings: Birth and Postpartum Doula (Warm Welcome Birth), Certified Lactation Counselor (Healthy Children), Spinning Babies, Comforting Touch for Doulas (Yiska Obadia), Pain Coping Strategies for Labor and Teaching Breastfeeding workshops (CEAMNY), trauma-informed care, and CPR for infants and adults. Currently enrolled in Herbal Medicine for Women with Aviva Romm.

Sophia O'Shaughnessy (she/her) is a DONA-trained birth and postpartum doula, certified lactation counselor, and mother of two. She has additional training in comforting touch for birth, wholistic newborn care, the fourth trimester, and supporting LGBTQ families. As a former opera singer, Sophia never imagined having a career in healthcare. However, her own journey through pregnancy and birth with her first son totally changed that: she had an incredible, powerful birth and knew immediately that she needed to help other families feel that too. Sophia believes that every family deserves to have a fulfilling birth experience that they can cherish forever. She has become an enthusiastic advocate for families to make informed choices through the provision of evidence-based information. She believes that this is the foundation for families to be able to feel good about their birth choices. Realizing that there is an enormous gap in care during the early postpartum period, she has become especially passionate about supporting and nurturing families during their transition to parenthood or as their family grows. She loves encouraging new parents to follow their instincts as they get to know their new baby.

Jeanette Samyn (she/her) is a certified both and postpartum doula and childbirth educator working in partnership with another experienced Manhattan Birth doula, Mary Pless. She helps birthing people and their families ease into change in ways that feel right--and safe--to them, with appropriate resources, physical and emotional support, positivity, and careful listening. In order to help clients ground, relax, and gather strength in labor, she uses movement, breathing, massage, stretching, rebozo, visualization, and other techniques. To help parents heal and tend to a new baby (or babies) postpartum, she creates space for them to rest, bond, eat well, and even get some time alone. In addition to trainings in comforting touch, rebozo, and havening, among others, she draws on ten years of experience as a teacher and academic researcher to help clients stay informed about the many options available to them in pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, offering evidence-based resources without judgment. Jeanette lives in Brooklyn with her partner, their two sons, and their dog. She is thrilled to work with families of every sort in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Nassau County, and is committed to treating each of her clients with sensitivity, openness, and respect. She is certified in Reiki and is available for additional services to pregnant and postpartum clients.

Jaye Maynard McClure (she/her) attended her first birth while in college and fell under the birth-spell of life-affirming transformation that is the gift of the work of labor, delivery and the childbearing year. She has learned from her own reproductive journey much of what she shares as a Perinatal Health Educator. She lives in South Slope, Brooklyn with her newlywed husband Spike, and is currently receiving ongoing education and training in The Manhattan Birth Masters Program. where she has trained as an Advanced Holistic, Hospital and Postpartum Doula with The Matrona. Additionally, Jaye is a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor with certifications in CPR, and NRP. Jaye particularly loves the wonder weeks of the 4th trimester, supporting, negotiating and reinforcing with confidence, the overnights and first weeks of newborn care in the everchanging landscape of growing outside of the womb and into your lives as newborn parents.

Sherraine Ashley (she/her) is a native Brooklynite and owner of Sweet Birthday Babe, a birth, postpartum, and abortion doula service operating in New York City. Sherraine first trained with Ancient Song in 2017, with DONA in 2019, and is now pursuing certification with the Manhattan birth mentorship program. As a full spectrum doula and soon to be MSW, she brings a strong emotional presence to her work, offering you a listening ear, evidence-based well-sourced information, and a sturdy set of arms and shoulders to lean on (though she be but little, she is fierce). While the bebés are a huge draw, Sherraine’s goal throughout your pregnancy, labor, and postpartum phase is to remind you that you are capable beyond your wildest imagination, and to help you harness that strength to power on and power through.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

 

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“All babies have heads.”
— Tanya Wills, Founder