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Finding a Doula
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I highly recommend hiring a doula to assist with your birth, particularly if you are giving birth in a hospital. Doulas provide emotional, physical, and educational support to women in labor and (in the case of postpartum doulas) after birth. Research indicates that women who are cared for by a doula have shorter, less painful births. To find a doula, you can check out the websites of these national organizations which accredite doulas, including Doulas of North American (DONA) Childbirth and Postpartum Assocation of America (CAPPA) MY DOULA REFERRAL LIST Note: Hiring a doula is a highly individual and very important choice. I have not been doula'd by any of these women, so I can't make a personal recommendation. All these doulas have been in contact with me via the informal doula-childbirth educator network in the DC area or were referred by other clients. You should contact them all, see about their availability, and interview them to see if you are a good fit. Please feel free to use my name when you contact them. Heidi Bachman: 202-832-6923 or HBachman@aol.com. Heidi is DONA certified. She took my childbirth education class as part of her certification process. As of April, 2009 Heidi is not taking doula clients, but she is teaching childbirth education classes. Birthing From the Heart Maternity Services: www.birthingfromtheheart.com. These women work as a team. Lori Pendergast 703-779-2945 klaerj@verizon.net (DONA trained) Jodi Moore 703-297-7580 jodi@hearttoheartdoula.com (DONA trained). BirthPartners Birth Assisting-- These
three women work as a team. All three are birth assistants with BirthCare
and also do doula work with non-BirthCare clients, although Audrey does
most of the doula work, backed up by Pam and Lori. They have a wealth
of experience among them.
Dawn Star Borchelt, BA, CRE:
301-283-4545 or largercircle@verizon.net.
Dawn Star is a Birthing From Within Mentor and Doula. Website: www.largercircle.blogspot Claudia Booker: 202.236.1764 or DCBirthingHands@aol.com.
Website: www.BirthingHandsDC.com
Claudia is DONA certified labor doula and also a midwife birth assistant
at the Birth Care (Virginia) and FHBC (D.C.). Elena Caraballo: 703-731-7381 or
ummilyas2000@yahoo.com. Website:
www.birthservice.com. Dawn Cleary: 703-282-1654 or Dawn@FromPartnersToParents.com Lori Cooper: LSKCooper@aol.com Lori works with Margaret Eldridge at Transitions Birth Doulas. She is DONA certified. Brenda Coulson and Tara Voigt: These
two women work together as a team, sharing an on-call schedule. Brenda
(703) 945 2104 or brenda@yourbody-yourbirth.com.
She works with Tara Voigt (703) 615-4571 ortara@yourbody-yourbirth.com.
Brenda is a DONA trained doula and Tara is an ALACE trained doula. Website
is: www.yourbody-yourbirth.com
Deidre Coutsoumpos: (301) 821-7750 or deidreelyse@gmail.com. She has been a doula for several years and is part of the Holy Cross doula program (though takes independent clients as well). Janna Ecklund :301-379-0506 or jj.blondie@yahoo.com Low-cost doula while being certified through DONA. Margaret Eldridge: 703-532-0220, margaret@transitionsbirthdoulas.com. Website: www.transitionsbirthdoulas.com/ Margaret took my childbirth education class as part of her DONA certification. Pam Ferinde: 301-367-5887; MPFerinde@aol.com. Website: www.doula2.com. Pam is a nurse, a mother, a grandmother and does postpartum work. Allison Harris NCTMB,LMT,CD(DONA): 240-631-8868 or souloftherose@starpower.netsouloftherose@starpower.net. Website: www.kairosdoulas.net Mary Beth Harris, AAHCC : marybethharris@hotmail.com.
Mary Beth has been teaching the Bradley Method(r) since 2005 and as a
certified Bradley Method(r) doula has attended births since 2006. Deborah Harvey: 703 861 1890 or douladebora@yahoo.com. Antonette Hoffman-Robinson: 301-693-6765
or antonette@nascitadoula.com.
Website: www.nascitadoula.com. Antonette
has been a birth doula for two years in Hagerstown, MD assisting with
hospital and homebirths. She specializes in VBACS, and is a Hypno Doula. Electra Kaczorowski: 240-481-9602 or electra.kaczorowski@gmail.com. Electra is a doula-in-training with DONA and thus will attend births for a lower fee. Liz Kaufman: 202-446-4400 or birthchedva@aol.com
Liz is ALACE trained and is a birth assistant with BirthCare and FHBC.
She does labor and postpartum doula work. Aimee La Buy Crane (formerly
La Buy Smith):
703-440-5888 or aimee@birthblessings.com.
Website: www.birthblessings.com
. Aimee is now a student midwife, apprenticing to earn her Certified Professional
Midwife credential, but she does still occasionally take hospital doula
clients. She has attended over 200 births in the last 10 years in the
Metro area, and is happy to talk with expectant families and share her
experience. She is also a IBCLC (board-certified lactation consultant)
who does home visits. Christi Malonis: 571-333-2110; cell 703-728-3989; christi@malonis.com Christi is studying full-time to become a midwife, so she rarely takes clients, but sometimes does so it's worth trying her. Mother and baby Matters, Reston,
VA Therese Robinson: 202-271-8143 or nubianqueen_61@hotmail.com. Therese took my class for her certification. Cathy Sachs: cathysachs@aol.com Contact Cathy for more information. Sarah Sragg: 301-681-6436; skjas3@aol.com. She is very experienced and works often with the high-risk practice at Georgetown. Heidi Streufert: 301-624-2439 or heidi@nybble.net. Heidi is a labor doula and has VBAC experience. Contact her for more information. Erin Aileen Tcheuffa: 301-523-4056
or erinaileendoula@hotmail.com.
Erin Aileen is still completing her doula certification and is working
out of Hagerstown, MD. Robin White: 301-320-5061, mother_matters@yahoo.com. Robin is a DONA certified labor doula and took my class as part of her certification process. Her time is somewhat limited, but feel free to contact her and she might have an opening. She loves working with my clients. Heather Wilson: 202-360-1138 or heatherannewilson@gmail.com. Heather took my childbirth education class as part of her DONA certification process and is apprenticing with Whitney Pinger, a midwife who delivers at Washington Hospital Center. Dawn Zurell: 703-509-1365, dzurell@mail2dawn.com.
Contact Dawn for more information. Email me at s.messina03@gmail.com Last updated: April, 2009. |
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