Lauren has had an interest in expectant women and child birth since she was a young girl. She discovered her passion for childbirth at the age of 14 as she coached her mother during the birth of her younger sister. Her nurturing and caring personality make her a perfect match for work with women during the childbearing year. She received her doula training from toLabor Organization. She is in the process of completing the requirements for certification, and is also attending birth related workshops such as the study of Shiatsu for pregnant women so that she can better serve her clients. Lauren believes her mission as a doula is to educate all women about all the choices they have, and to help women find their voice so they can advocate for the childbirth experience they deserve.
Gina Arias has been a doula since training with Ilana Stein in 2003. Prior to becoming a doula she worked with traditional midwives in West Africa. The birth of her son in 2002 was amongst the highlights of her life and she considers it an honor to assist women in their birth experience, supporting them in creating the type of birth they envision. Gina is fluent in Spanish and proficient in French. She is currently pursuing her DONA certification. Please note that Gina is on a leave of absence during Summer 2010 and will not be available to attend births until September 2010
Amadoma Bediako MS, CD (ICTC), CCCE (CAPPA) is passionate about supporting families throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. She was assisting women in childbirth long before she ever heard the term "doula" and she has attended births off and on since 1979, in homes, hospitals and birthing centers. She was recently certified as a "Full Circle Doula/Birth Companion" by the International Center for Traditional Childbearing (ICTC). This qualifies her to serve as a labor doula as well as a postpartum doula. Amadoma is a founding member and the vice president of Sistahs for Better Birthing. She has a BS in Health Sciences, an MS in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and is a CAPPA Certified Childbirth Educator. She has also studied and practiced some of the sacred birthing traditions of the Akan people of West Africa. Amadoma is now helping to birth the children of some of the sons and daughters of the mothers she helped thirty years ago!
Eden Bertrang CD(DONA) joined Birth Focus in 2007 and soon after became a certified doula. Eden is also a certified yoga instructor with a special interest in prenatal yoga. She has completed The Midwifery Assistant Training at The Farm and has her neonatal resuscitation certification (AAP/NRP). Besides attending births and teaching, Eden is a clinical assistant in a women's health clinic in NYC. She is also finishing her two-year certification with The Childbirth Education Association of Metropolitan New York (CEA/MNY). In addition to speaking English, Eden is fluent in French and proficient in Spanish and Portuguese. Eden feels blessed to have been involved in the transformative experience of labor and birth and looks forward to offering support to laboring women and their partners in the New York City area. Her compassion and insight create a safe environment for women and their partners during this intimate experience. EDEN IS AVAILABLE FOR BIRTHS IN DECEMBER 2010 AND JANUARY 2011 ONLY
Ruchi (Rachel) Cohen is a mother of three who has recently received her doula certification through DONA. Having spent significant time in both Austria and Israel, she is fluent in English, German and Hebrew and has a BA in English Literature and Communications. The VBAC-birth of her daughter inspired her to help other women with their birthing experiences. Ruchi believes that women should feel secure, comfortable and in control throughout the birth process. There are many components to a woman's birthing experience- whether it's physical, emotional or spiritual- and Ruchi works with the laboring woman to address them all. She strives to create a nurturing environment through her warmth, personal touch and support in all realms. Ruchi lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and looks forward to enhancing your birth.
Lijah Friedman has been providing care as a post partum and labor support doula and breastfeeding specialist since the mid 1990's. She resides in Brooklyn with her two daughters, one born at home and one born in a hospital in NYC. It was the decisions surrounding her own personal pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding experiences, that led Lijah to becoming a doula. Having to advocate for herself during her own pregnancy, labor and delivery, allowed for the development of insightful expertise in prudent, evidence based care. Lijah has lived and traveled throughout Europe for several years, where she taught English and became fluent in Italian. Lijah has worked as a volunteer for the WIC program as a breastfeeding peer counselor at St. Vincent’s hospital in NYC and as a Childbirth Educator for pregnant teens. She is certified through DONA and has a certification from The Swedish Institute, in Labor and Post Partum Massage. Lijah's practice also includes knowledge and practical use knowledgeable support, guidance and education to women and their families of acupressure, aromatherapy, yoga, visualization and relaxation techniques as well as formal training in photography from ICP (International Center for Photography) where upon, the foundation for her prenatal, birth, post partum, family and Life Documentation Photography was built. By providing thoughtful,, throughout pregnancy, labor and the post partum period, Lijah encourages a positive, fulfilling, empowering experience.
Erin is a NY state licensed massage therapist, DONA-trained birth doula and aspiring midwife. After becoming certified in pre and postnatal massage, she began specializing in woman-centered bodywork, specifically for the childbearing year. Not long after, Erin attended the birth of her dear friend’s son, which deeply inspired her to begin her work as a doula. Erin aims to inform, empower, and reconnect women with the deep body of knowledge already present within. She is humbled by the power of birth and the incredible strength of laboring women. After witnessing many births, she has a deep trust in the inherent wisdom of the mother’s body. She believes in the transformative power of birth and motherhood, and is committed to supporting women and their families through this amazing journey. Erin would be honored to offer you support during your pregnancy and birth.
Maggie Hallowell was trained by Debra Pascali-Bonaro in May 2008 and is working towards DONA certification. She gravitated toward the world of birthing after informally supporting a good friend and single mother through her first pregnancy. She was in awe of the strength and trust that formed between them during this process. Her greatest strengths as a doula is her ability to honor the vulnerability and honesty inherent to any woman’s labor experience. It is her desire to provide warmth and companionship to the mother and partner and to grow in compassion and understanding of each client and their individual needs. Maggie has extensive training and three years experience volunteering as an advocate for survivors of sexual assault. This training has taught her how to make space for women in terms of how they experience their bodies, their strength and their agency, and the importance of voice and self-expression throughout any experience. She also has basic training in acupressure, massage, counter-pressure, yogic breathing, and guided meditations for pain management.
Stacey was called to become a birth doula after graduating from college with a BA in Women and Gender Studies. Her college mentor, who was a midwife, inspired her to join the birthing world. After completing her doula training in May 2010, she has attended a few births and is currently studying Hypno-birthing and massage, which she hopes to use to complete her doula work and provide women with the most comprehensive and nurturing support possible. Having spent many years as a women’s rights and reproductive rights activist, her feminist spirit has opened her eyes to the wonders of women’s innate strength and power. She is also fluent in French and Haitian Creole and currently learning Spanish.
Elizabeth Mangum, LCSW, CD(DONA), LCCE has been working as a labor support doula since 2004. She is the Director of BirthFocus and the former Director of Maternal Health and Parenting Services at Inwood House, a non-profit that offers services to pregnant and parenting teens. She has a private practice in which she provides individual and couples counseling related to issues of pregnancy and birth and is a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator. Through connections she made with many of the teen moms, with whom she worked, she developed an interest in becoming a doula. As a doula, she hopes to empower mothers of all ages to use their voices to create the birth they desire! Her warmth, calm demeanor, and sense of humor will also add to the birth experience. She is currently in training to become a DONA certified Birth Doula Trainer in the hopes of bringing many more women into this wonderful profession.
In April 2010 Elizabeth will be taking a nine-month sabbatical as she will be traveling through Europe, the Middle East, and Africa to study cross cultural trends in birthing practices.
Jennifer Mayer has been a trained doula since 2005. She loves supporting women and their families through the various transitions pregnancy and birth bring. Jennifer offers a big heart, supportive hands and a strong yet gentle presense when attending births. She first trained as a doula through ALACE (2005), has studied with various midwives in Colorado, traveled to The Farm to partake in the midwives assistant program with Ina May Gaskin, and recently completed a doula training through DONA with Debra Pascali-Bonaro in 2009. Jennifer is also a Licensed Massage Therapist with seven years experience and is Certified in Prenatal, Labor and Postpartum Massage.
Jami Nelson CD (DONA), a former teacher, is the mother of four children. Jami gave birth once by Cesarean section and three subsequent times, un-medicated, with midwives. Jami breastfed her children and is a strong advocate for nursing mothers and has been involved in the childbirth community since giving birth to her first child 24 years ago. A DONA Certified Doula and Breast Feeding Peer Support Counselor, Jami has training in Reiki and Hypnobirthing childbirth methods. Jami offers educational and continuous physical and emotional support to women and their families during pregnancy, labor, birth and during the postpartum period. Jami believes it is every woman's right to have a safe and nurturing birth experience and will do everything she can to honor and respect her client's wishes. Jami is also training to be a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator.
Melissa Oliver became a doula after giving much thought to the kind of birth experience she envisions having in the future. Inspired by the power of women's bodies, and with a desire to help women actualize the births they want, Melissa completed DONA training with Celeste Rachell in June 2009. Having been a high school English teacher since 2004, she feels her doula spirit shine through regularly as she coaches her students into more confident writers. In addition to her DONA training, Melissa is also a HypnoBirthing doula, but feels her most valuable skill is her ability to quietly assess where and how to provide support. Pursuing basic training in women's herbal and aromatherapy, she enjoys working on her indoor garden. On a sunny day, she can be found burying her feet in the sands of Rockaway Beach. Melissa speaks Portuguese and some Spanish.
Jennifer Parmelee is a mother who believes in supporting mommies and families through the transitions of pre and post-natal care for what best serves them. She is a certified doula who has 22 years experience in caring for children. Jennifer is a certified Calm Birth Instructor, a pre and post-natal yoga teacher, who also specializes with infertility and a member of the Manhattan Doula Group. She offers an emotionally supportive and open-minded approach to birth with a vast knowledge in pain management, aromatherapy, and holistic remedies. Jennifer believes the time of birth is a very special occasion and offers to help mommies and the families achieve a state of blissful serenity while feeling confidently grounded.
Kat Raynor - Inspired by the power of having a natural birth with her two children, Kat trained with Celeste Rachel and is currently pursuing her Dona-Certification to share her insight with other women. She grew up in the loving and cheerful chaos of a large, close-knit Irish-American family in Brooklyn. In and out of each others homes, family members provided mutual nurturing and shared child-rearing in an atmosphere that encouraged humor and tolerance. From this background, Kat almost instinctively offers tenderness and support to expectant mothers and their partners. With a firm belief in a woman’s innate abilities, she infuses the birthing process with a gentle spirit of joy dedicated to making every birth a positive and empowering experience! She began her journey as a doula with the honor of coaching her sister through her labor and delivery. Kat lives with her husband and children in the same neighborhood where she grew up.
Esdras Santana is an indigenous woman from the Dominican Republic. She is married and has two children, a boy and a girl. Esdras does volunteer work as a doula and is a healthcare advocate for pregnant women having problems with insurance coverage. She has dedicated her time to helping women and their families have a better birth experience. As a second year nursing student on her way to becoming a midwife, she enjoys her doula work fully. Esdras provides post-partum doula care and has training in hypnosis for doulas.
Esdras is also our Open House Coordinator for the 3rd Weds of each month at Dr. Corbett’s office
Rebekah Schrecengost is a DONA trained doula. She has spent the better part of her life caring for and nurturing friends and loved ones through some of the most challenging aspects of their lives. Her greatest joy in life so far was giving birth to her son. Rebekah is looking forward to nurturing couples through what she considers the most beautiful and blessed event in a persons life. Rebekah is an ordained minister and has a certificate in Pastoral Care.
Erica Shane became a Birth Doula in 2002 after training with childbirth educator Penny Simkin. A few months later, she found herself at her first birth in a rural health clinic, in Chiapas,Mexico. She understood right away, the depth of presence and support she could provide during labor and the tools she could share with women in the midst of such a powerful transition. She has since then
experienced hospital birth, homebirth, and birthing-center births. Arriving in NY, Erica trained with Pamela England as a Birthing from Within Childbirth Mentor and learned Mother Massage* with Elaine
Stillerman, which she offers to moms in labor. She then traveled the Farm to learn basic midwifery skills with Ina May Gaskin and from there, returned to Cuernavaca, Mexico to study with traditional midwives and to continue supporting the Latin American birth movement. Erica has studied Prenatal Psychology, Fertility Awareness, and is currently focusing on Holistic Reproductive Health. As a Birth Doula, Erica is sensitive to the unique needs of expectant families and honors the ways in which each family invites their child into the
world.
Joan Sherwood is a licensed massage therapist, certified doula CD(DONA), and Calm Birth practitioner who supports birth as a natural healthy process and believes that it is every woman’s right to actively participate in the decisions affecting her baby’s birth. “A woman’s actions, decisions and desires before and during labor are what define her and her baby’s uniqueness”. Passionate about helping others, she provides services that are empowering, nurturing, safe and supportive. A graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, she is holistic health practitioner who incorporates a multi-disciplinary approach to wellness for her anyone seeking to create balance in their lives. With 34 years experience in the corporate sector (New York Stock Exchange), coupled with her passion and desire to help others, is what contributes to her being able to produce positive results for her clients. The mother of an adult son, and a grandmother, she resides in Brooklyn with her family.
Carmen Siragna~Nazario has always felt the desire to serve others, be they people or animals, and has worked to improve and safeguard lives since her teenage years. Through teaching Kundalini Yoga, Carmen has continued her dedication to serving humanity, by spreading awareness of the power of the evolutionary energy and creative potential in mankind. Ever since giving birth to her son at the Birthing Center (St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital in NYC), Carmen has had an overwhelming desire to help women, their partners and their babies, have a beautiful birthing experience. Encouraging women to empower themselves by conquering their fear and finding an inner strength they never imagined they possessed. Carmen believes that it is not only up to the mother who is birthing her child, but it is also up to her labor supporters and care providers, who must guide wisely, helping the mother find her inner peace. Having had an empowering birth experience herself, coupled with what she has learnt teaching and practicing Kundalini Yoga, Carmen has a fountain of knowledge to put to use in all aspects of the birthing process: prenatal, postnatal, and of course the labor itself. Born and raised in Zurich, Switzerland, Carmen is proficient in Swiss German/German. She is currently pursuing her birth doula certification with DONA International. Birthing is not her chosen career, it is her calling.
Koyuki Smith, who gave birth to her first child in December 2007, has found great joy and fulfillment in pregnancy, childbirth, and mothering. As a doula, she hopes to create and support the same joy for other mothers and families. Koyuki, a longtime yoga practitioner, holds a BA in English Literature from Columbia University and an MA in Teaching English in Secondary Schools from Columbia Teachers College. Before entering the field of childbirth, she was a public school teacher in Harlem and Washington Heights for eight years, and also selected and trained new teachers for Teach for America and the New York City Teaching Fellows. Koyuki works with laboring women and their birth partners to provide physical and emotional comfort on their journeys towards gentle, joyful, and healthy birthing and parenting experiences. In addition to doula services, Koyuki also provides classes and consultation in birth planning, newborn care, babywearing, cloth diapering, elimination communication, baby-led weaning, and responsive parenting approaches. She is in training as a childbirth educator with the Childbirth Education Association of Metropolitan New York, and she is one of only a handful of women in the United States to have been trained as a babywearing consultant by Ulrike Hower of the great Die Trageschule babywearing school in Dresden, Germany.
Before becoming a DONA-trained doula, Martina worked as a counselor for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. As a counselor, she helped create a calm and comfortable safe space for women and families, a skill that she now applies in her work with expecting mothers and laboring women. She is ecstatic that she gets to witness the strength, courage and joy of childbirth with the families she works with. In addition to her doula training with Orgasmic Birth director Debra Pascali-Bonaro, Martina is trained to help new mothers with breastfeeding. She draws from a variety of mind-body practices to increase comfort during labor and to help women find their inner peace and strength, such as yoga, tai-chi, meditation and massage. She has recently delved even deeper into the world of birth and maternal care by beginning nurse-midwifery coursework. Martina speaks English, Polish, Spanish and basic French and is very interested in speaking with you about your hopes and plans for your birth!
Leda Ward is a certified birth doula (DONA). She has spent many years studying the philosophy and ideology of birth companionship. Her experience as a doula affirms her belief in the power of women and the potential for all women to have positive, empowering birth experiences. As one recent client said, "Leda was a phenomenal doula—kind, supportive, consistent, and caring. We’re so grateful to have worked with her" -A.T, 8/09.
Alison Wonderland Bacich has been a doula for family members for 19 years and has extended her work to the larger community for the past year. Now residing in Brooklyn, she teaches childbirth education at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital. Active as an advocate for fourteen years in the areas of women’s health, sexuality, and access to information about their bodies, Alison trained as a doula through DONA International with teacher Debra Pascali-Bonaro, and held internships with both Birth Day Presence and WithWoman, NYC. Alison trusts birth, loves the richly diverse families she works with, and believes in your ability to have a joyful and empowering experience regardless of the details of how the birth unfolds. She believes in non-judgemental, client-centered service, and has sensitivity to the needs of non-traditional families and of mothers who are trauma survivors. An Indiana University music conservatory graduate, she is an accomplished actress and concert soprano. She is truly honored to assist new families at their birth.
Lauren Alleyne
Gina Arias
Amadoma Bediako
Eden Bertrang 
Ruchi (Rachel) Cohen
Lijah Friedman
Erin Graham
Maggie Hallowell
Stacey Lewis
Elizabeth Mangum
Jen Mayer
Jami Nelson 
Melissa Oliver
Jennifer Parmelee
Kat Raynor 
Esdras Santana 
Rebekah Schrecengost 
Erica Shane
Joan Sherwood 
Carmen Siragna-Nazario
Koyuki Smith
Martina Szarek
Leda Ward
Alison Wonderland Bachich
