Labor Support, Postpartum & Life Transition Doula, Lactation Counselor, Home Birth Midwifery Assistant, Family Care Specialist, Fertility Awareness Mentor, Placenta Craft & Education

Much of what L. brings to the work of Doula was formed by having the blessing of experiencing being brought up within a large family from a close~knit neighborhood in Brooklyn. Presence and participation with family members who were sick or injured, care of aging relatives, home and hospital care of dying family members and friends were interwoven within L.s personal life experience.

Her journey began during the pregnancy of her first child. L. felt intuitively that a birth without fear was mutually beneficial for both mother and baby. With nothing but a strong desire to discover what best practices to achieve such entailed, she set about – pre-Internet/Google – to find out. Seeking information, L. came across Immaculate Deception by Suzanne Arms. Written in 1975 the book challenges the medical profession and inspires American women to take responsibility for their own births as right of passage to Motherhood.  Such was the catalyst that brought her to explore the work of Doula.

Since the mid nineteen eighties, L. has been providing support, education and advocacy for those who seek fact-based information and custom care to support their unique personal preferences and to do so along side a guide and mentor with both personal and professional experience.

‘True support can only be granted when the offering of care – whether it be decisions regarding pregnancy, birth, lactation or  dealing with any life transition – is based on an unwavering commitment to mindfully observe, listen to and carry out preferences of the individual being cared for. 

Singularly…this is the most important aspect of custom care.’

L.’s commitment to nurture and uplift what each sees as best for their unique circumstance is a hallmark of the care she offers.

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Testimonials

L. was my doula for the birth of my daughter in February 2016. I had no idea what to expect as a first time Mom, and L. was absolutely amazing.

She kept me calm, and made me feel confident in my body and my choices. Her support was priceless. I truly do not know how I could have done it without her! L. has DECADES of experience and knows how to advocate for you because she meets with you multiple times before your birth to get to know you and your partner. In addition, her postpartum support with breastfeeding was amazing. She is so knowledgeable and makes you feel comfortable and confident, while giving you all the tools you need to successfully breastfeed. I would highly recommend L. to anyone looking for a doula or lactation consulting.

After the birth of my second child in June 2018, I was having some trouble breastfeeding, specifically a painful latch. Although L. wasn’t available to meet in person, she made the time to speak with me over the phone and FaceTime on multiple occasions to try to help me. This was extremely helpful for me because I knew there was just something small I was doing wrong. In addition, L. suspected that my son had a tongue tie and recommended a specialist to take him to. He in fact did have a tongue tie and after having a procedure done, breastfeeding is going very well. I can’t thank L. enough!

                                  Deniz Akiska V.

  Mother of two Children Born Winter, 2016 and Summer, 2018

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I chose L. to assist me with my 3 natural births; in 1998, at Elizabeth Seton Childbearing Center, In 2001, and again in 2010 at my dwelling.

L. spent days with me as I labored. She knew exactly what I needed throughout every transition of my journey.L. was very in tune with my needs, the needs of my body, my family and worked seamlessly with my midwives.  She is very knowledgeable and experienced with childbirth, breastfeeding and post-birth care. She has a deep understanding of the need to avoid unnecessary interventions as well as a complete understanding of when intervention is critical.  Anyone who hires L. will not be disappointed unless- you think natural childbirth is a cute trend – then pick someone else, she won’t play along with your delusions.

Vanessa M

Mother of three Children Born 1998, 2001, 2010

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We hired L., after interviewing several other doulas, for my first birth because I wanted someone to protect me and advocate for me in the hospital as well as navigate between me and others.

She did all of this skillfully and I was able to have a natural, unmedicated birth without trauma to me or the baby within a hospital setting, which was what I and my husband wanted. In addition to providing me with precisely the type of support I asked for, she also increased my confidence as a mother in such subtle ways that it was not until giving birth the second time, also a natural birth in a chaotic hospital setting, that I realized just how much I had learned from her. I felt confident to labor at home on my own, I felt I knew my own body and could cope (dare I say I kind of enjoyed it?!). My husband also knew how to advocate for me effectively so that I did not need to do any talking when we arrived at the hospital and I could concentrate on my own inward experience, which was important to me. He had gained confidence from our experience with L., too.

Immediately after I gave birth, all these skills kicked in, from breastfeeding to changing diapers, and I suddenly realized how many of them I had learned from L.! She had taught me in such a natural way that it felt entirely my own and, most importantly, she helped me trust in my own ability to mother my child, from the get-go, which is not always the message you get as a mother, to put it mildly. The ability to trust in my abilities and feel confident in my mothering skills is the best thing I can think of anyone doing for a fellow mom.

Tara L.

Mother of two children, born 2013 and 2019

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I gave birth to my first born April of 2014. I could not get her to latch properly therefore I wasn’t producing enough milk and I couldn’t breastfeed as long as I wanted too. It was a terrible feeling.

I gave birth to my second child December 2018 and I still felt a little insecure about whether she was getting enough from me. L. came to my house and gave me all the tools I needed. She’s super knowledgeable. She fixed things I was incorrectly doing, she showed me new ways to hold my baby while breastfeeding and since our session, she’s followed up with me to make sure all is going well and to see if I had any questions. I now have so much confidence breastfeeding my baby knowing she’s getting everything she needs from me. I’m forever thankful to her.

Vanessa V

Mother of two children 2014 and 2018

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The universe really blessed me when it had my mother who was pregnant with me at the time, cross paths with L.

She has been a part of my life since birth, and because of her I was lucky to be exposed to the beauty of birth and breastfeeding.

When I gave birth to my daughter in December 2013, I was having a lot of difficulty breastfeeding and wanted to give up. However, L. spent many many hours with me teaching me different techniques and positions until I found one that was comfortable and worked. I was also dealing with a pretty bad bout of postpartum anxiety (similar to postpartum depression), which made every obstacle seem even worse to me. L. was always patient and loving.

I honestly do not think she realizes the overwhelming love and gratitude I have for her for being by my side during a time I really needed it. There are no words that can express how grateful I am to have her in my life forever, and for how she dedicated the time, effort, and love to me and my experience!!

                                           Brooke L

                        Mother of a daughter born 2013

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L. is just one of the most experienced, caring, and understanding professionals that I worked with after the birth of my daughter to try to get the hang of breastfeeding.

She worked with me in my home and she did so on my schedule. She’s been doing the work of a doula for decades, and it shows. She is patient and, at the same time, she’s honest when honesty is called for. She’ll show you what you want, but she’ll also show you and teach you what you need.

                                         Aleksandra S 

                 Mother of two children born 2016 and 2023

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L. was our doula for the birth of our first child. We met with L. several times before the birth, and it was instantly obvious that she was a perfect fit.

Although she has tons of experience and was highly recommended, what stood out was not her medical competence (which was exemplary) but her character, posture and (I say this as a non-granola person who is rolling his eyes at himself) her Spirit/Aura. Put simply, she has an incredible calming presence, and also an ability to modulate her behavior to suit the mood perfectly. We’ve had numerous lively conversations and if anything I would describe her a fun, outgoing, and gregarious. But my wife’s birth plan (which we had discussed) was pretty quiet and low key- not a lot of people in the home, just me and the midwife and L., and lights low. When labor began, and we called L., she came over quickly, took care of all the preparation that I had failed to do, and then practically melted into the wall. She was like a benevolent version of the Cheshire Cat – fading in in anticipation of my wife’s (and my) every need, and then fading out so that at no point, during that very intimate experience, did we ever feel like there was a stranger in our house – just a shadow of familiarity.

                                            João C

                     Father of a daughter born Spring, 2018

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L. was my precious guide as I transformed from maiden to mother! I am very grateful that she was a part of my daughter’s birth in our home.

I met with L. before bringing her on as my doula and during that conversation I was really impressed with her experience and depth of knowledge regarding childbirth. I mentioned to her at that time that I’m a pretty private person and I wanted to labor without a lot of fuss and she really respected that. L. visited my house twice before the birth to get to know me and my husband and see our apartment. Those meetings really were valuable because when the time came I felt that we already had an intimacy with L. and she fit right in to our family. At that point in my pregnancy my midwife and I had reason to believe that I might have trouble with milk supply postpartum, and L. very helpfully put me in touch with another mom who had dealt with that particular issue so that I could be prepared. When the birth began and L. arrived, she had an amazing way of bringing calm and keeping the energy peaceful. I remember being in the toughest part of my labor and feeling so comforted by her presence. As it happened, our daughter was born just before the midwife arrived, and I felt happy and at ease as L. tended to me and my baby in those moments.

From start to finish my husband and I were thanking our lucky stars that we found L.. On top of her wealth of experience, she’s sensitive and kind and funny and just the kind of person you want by your side when your child comes into the world. She’s truly exceptional and she means so much to me and my family!

                                            Brit S

                  Mother of a daughter born Spring, 2018

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I had opted for attempting a home birth with my first child in 2009. I was accompanied by family and friends in the comfort of my own surroundings as I prepared to welcome my son into the world. Around hour 25, my midwife decided that perhaps a change of energy would shift things to move along. In swept L., a doula she had worked with before. 

At a time when the hours had become meaningless and my support system was at a loss for how to help, this complete stranger came into my home and uplifted me in a way I did not expect. She brought a grounding yet uplifting positivity to my experience. She normalized and accepted and encouraged and made something universal of my frustration and pain. She made me feel strong and capable and connected to something much greater than myself.

Despite meeting her through deep groans and burning contractions, her presence to me immediately became that of a sister, friend and sage all in one. Every woman who is looking for support during birth deserves someone like L. to be there holding space and reverence for her.

                                    Sara Kellner-Tsulis

                 Mother of two children born 2009 and 2014

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She understood and related to my viewpoints on all ‘covid rules.’ She spent time helping me find a midwife so late into my pregnancy, one that was available during my delivery time (around Christmas), and one that was experienced in a VBAC birth.  L. was always available to answer any questions or concerns I had.  She kept me, my husband, and our son, who was 2 1/2 at the time, calm during my labor and delivery.  She was extremely helpful during the birthing process!  She is extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and available to answer all my breastfeeding questions!  She was always calm and had answers (with resources to back up information) when my infant was sick with a fever.  I loved being able to have someone to call when I had questions or concerns during and after my pregnancy.  She is a wonderful person to reach out to as she is very knowledgeable in her field.

L. is the finest caretaker/doula I have known and worked with in my years as a midwife in private practice for the last 21 years. She was my birth assistant for over fifteen years.

L. walks into every birth with humbleness, tenderness, and watchful attention. She anticipates the needs of women and their partners before they ask for help. She brings a mother’s warmth where there is fear, reassurance where there is doubt, service where there is need. She is impeccable in detail.

I have also experienced L.’s personal care when I was incapacitated with back pain, pre-corrective surgery. For L., care is not centered on one thing, ie- childbirth. L. brings her conscious care, her loving touch, her warm and intentional presence to the human experience, whatever the need. She is a wonderful advocate when one has to interface with the daunting healthcare ‘system,’ a needed skill that adds to her field of talents and skills.

I am honored to highly recommend L. as a talented, loving, experienced and skilled caretaker; a ‘doula’ for all needs.

                                    Marcy Tardio, CNM