“When a doula is present during and after childbirth, [clients] report greater satisfaction with their birth experience, make more positive assessments of their babies, have fewer cesareans and requests for medical intervention, and less postpartum depression.” DONA website, Doula Facts
We believe that for a Brooklyn Birthing Center birth, doulas are particularly useful in the early stages of labor. A doula can assist you one-on-one with any emotional, physical, or information support that you might need at home. Once in the active phases of labor, a doula becomes part of the BBC birth team, helping to maintain the continuity of care and reinforce the careful nurturing of a client in labor.
In order to find the best doula for you, we suggest interviewing at least 3 doulas to ensure that they have the skills, experience, and energy that you want for your birth. Please also note that some doulas offer their services before and during a birth, while others specialize in working with families postpartum. Some doulas also offer childbirth education, lactation support, or placenta encapsulation. Please explore the websites listed below or contact the doulas directly to learn more.
There are a number of doula groups that offer free or low-cost services. If you have a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for out-of-pocket health care expenses, you can use your FSA to cover childbirth education and doula services.
Free and Low-Cost Doula Services
There are several organizations that match low-cost or volunteer doulas with eligible families. Some of these doulas are experienced, while others are relatively new doulas who are working toward certification. To find a low-cost or volunteer doula, please visit the links below.
The Doula ProjectThe Doula Project matches highly-trained (but often relatively new) volunteer doulas with families making less than $30,000 / year.
Ancient Song Doula ServicesThis group offers doula services, childbirth education, workshops, and discussion groups. Doula services are free to expecting moms age 19 and under. Sliding scale options are available to expecting moms age 20 and up.
By My Side Birth Support ProgramFree doula services for WIC-eligible clients in zip codes: 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11233
Call Gabriela Ammann at 718-637-5231 or e-mail vog.cyn.htlaeh%40nnammag.
By My Side is part of Healthy Start Brooklyn, which also offers a number of free classes open to anyone: childbirth education, Dancing Thru Pregnancy, Move It Mama Fitness, newborn care, infant safety & CPR, parenting, and fatherhood.
Doula Groups and Directories
Birth Day PresenceBirth Day Presence offers doula services and childbirth education.
NYC Doula CollectiveThe collective includes both labor and postpartum doulas.
Expecting NYC Doula GroupExpecting NYC offers mindfulness-based childbirth and parenting classes, doula trainings and services, lactation support, and massage therapy!
Recommended Individual Doulas
Daniele BolducDaniele is a Doula new to Brooklyn who has had experience with over 25 births. Daniele supports mothers from the beginning of pregnancy through postpartum. She also can assist with breastfeeding to encourage mothers to nurse for as long as possible. She can be contacted at 929-641-2809.
Jamelia FranceJamelia France of Maternal Birth Doula Services, provides doula help for new mothers in underserved communities to lower maternal and infant mortality and morbidity rates. We believe every birthing parent deserves to be respected and receive quality care; our team works with families to provide just that. We provide holistic services designed to improve quality birth outcomes to help ensure safe and healthy pregnancies and deliveries. If you have any questions, please contact 718-973-0802.
Ruth GuillaumeRuth is a full spectrum doula and certified lactation consultant. She can be reached at gro.retnecylimafhh%40emualliugr or (347)968-3793.
Yvonne FlemmingYvonne is a DONA Certified Doula who accepts Medicaid plans. You can contact Yvonne at (646) 247-9100.
Evelet Elliot-HunteEvelet is a Doula who can be contacted at (929)632-8068 and by email at .moc.liamg%40ttoilletelevE
Kristasiah DanielsKristasiah Daniels is a placenta encapsulator. Proud owner of Connected By K encapsulation. As well as a full spectrum community doula of ancient song doula services. She can be contacted at moc.liamg%40dkybdetcennoc and tiktok @connected_by_k.
Monica S. Love
Monica S. Love is a doula. She can be contacted at (808) 724-4496.
Lucy the LaborerEmily Cohen-Moreira teaches childbirth education and prenatal lactation classes in New Jersey and New York. She is also a doula and Certified Lactation Counselor!
HappinestCady McVay and Hannah Gray are certified birth doulas and lactation consultants, with specialties in HypnoBirthing education & support, postpartum care & meal prep, newborn care, breech counseling and birth, and fertility awareness education.
Shalawn FaceyShalawn is a labor and postpartum doula, and a Certified Lactation Consultant. She also does placenta encapsulation!
Abby BlockAbby is a DONA-certified doula, Certified Thai Yoga bodywork practitioner, Certified Holistic Health Coach, and placenta encapsulator. She has provided excellent labor support for several BBC families!
Angelica KennedyAngelica Kennedy is a newish, DONA certified birth doula whose philosophy on birth balances a strong belief in the physiology and power of the human body as the best resource for optimal birth, and a calming, lighthearted, flexible, and sometimes humorous approach to birth support. Fees are sliding scale.
Andrea Vassell, RN, CLC, CDAndrea was once a nurse at the Elizabeth Seton Childbearing Center, which closed its doors in 2003- she is now the Head Labor & Delivery Nurse at Coney Island Hospital. She has also been a doula since 2002! Andrea approached us at a Baby-Friendly training because she is interested in serving more Brooklyn families as a labor doula. We happily agreed to share her information with our clients! She can be reached at (347) 526-4914.
Karla PippaKarla is a DONA-certified labor and postpartum doula who has attended several births at BBC.
Heidy RamirezHeidy is a DONA-trained doula and Certified Lactation Counselor offering prenatal, labor, and postpartum support. She is fluent in English and Spanish.
Myla FloresMyla is a highly experienced doula, childbirth education, and Certified Lactation Counselor. Prior to becoming a DONA-certified doula in 2010, she worked as an assistant to a home birth midwife and helped to open a birthing center in Uganda!
Full Birth Doula ServicesBonu deCaires is a doula and childbirth educator with an MS in nutrition.
Red Moon ChildbirthLena DeGloma offers doula services, massage, and CBE.
Mona EldahryMona is a doula and acupuncturist. You can learn more about Mona’s doula work and acupuncture practice on her website.
Simone Toomer, CLCSimone Toomer of Wise Womban Doula offers birth and postpartum support, education, and placenta encapsulation. As a Certified Lactation Counselor, she also offers in-home lactation support and leads a La Leche League group in Bed-Stuy.
Sasha MalamudSasha is a Russian-speaking birth doula.
Alaska McFaddenAlaska is an LGBTQIA+ friendly birth doula based out of Brooklyn and serves all five boroughs. Alaska believes in the ancient, innate and intuitive ability that we have to give birth and she respects the threshold that is crossed during that transformative experience.