Mama Maya Doula
Holistic Birth and Lactation Support
About Me
Hi, my name is Maya. I am a mom, a holistic birth doula, and a certified lactation counselor serving families in Manhattan. I also proudly serve Spanish-speaking families en español!
My commitment to you as a doula is to guide you with compassion, warmth, and integrity in this special time, supporting your natural instincts as you prepare for your birth and life with a newborn.
I I am also passionate about mental health and am a trained Havening Practitioner. Havening is a gentle technique that serves to clear past trauma, alleviate stress, and build resilience so that pregnant people can move through labor and motherhood in the healthiest emotional state possible.
I am now practicing in partnership with Sophia O'Shaughnessy and Puri Carvajal as a team of three thru Uptown Doulas. Please visit our partnership website to learn more about our unique Concierge Doula Model and Packages!
My Services
Birth Doula Support
My goal is to ensure that you feel safe and cared for during labor. As part of that, I will be at your side to:
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Make sure you have a calm birthing environment
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Provide continuous support
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Support you with evidence-based information
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Provide physical comfort through massage, heat therapy, relaxation techniques, and focused breathing
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Guide you into different positions to help labor progress
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Remind you of the important things, like your birth plan, as well as the basic things like to eat, stay hydrated and rest when appropriate
Lactation Consultant
Breastfeeding is natural, but it isn’t always easy. As a certified lactation consultant, I can support you achieve your breastfeeding goals with:
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Education on basic principles of breastfeeding
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Teaching you your baby’s hunger cues
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Troubleshooting latch issues
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Tips for faster and more efficient pumping
Havening Sessions
Havening is a gentle, yet powerful technique that helps develop a healthy neurological landscape and can improve birth outcome for the woman and her baby. Havening helps to:
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Build mental resilience
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Reduce anxiety ahead of your birth
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Heal trauma from previous births
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Lower stress during pregnancy
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Increase sense of joy and connection during pregnancy and birth
Packages
Sliding scale available for pregnant folk that are BIPOC, undocumented, single, currently unemployed or medicaid recipients.
Labor Support Package - $3,750
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Unlimited support prenatally via text, phone, and email
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3 prenatal zoom meetings
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In-person office hours once per month
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Access to group classes on birth preparation, infant feeding, newborn care, and postpartum preparation
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Continuous, in-person support for the labor and birth
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Lactation support immediately following the birth
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2 in-person postpartum visits
Lactation Consultation - $250
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Visits typically last 1.5-2 hours and are held in person
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Take a full history and assess a feeding
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Address questions about sore nipples, supply, positions, etc.
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Provide a feeding plan to move forward
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Follow up support by phone and email and supply references for further support, as needed
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Note: I am not trained to diagnose medical conditions
Havening Sessions - $200
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Sessions typically last 1 hour and are done over Zoom
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Personalized treatment to address presenting issue
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Instructions to practice self-Havening after and in between sessions
Trainings and Certifications
Doula Organization of North America (DONA), September 2009
Birth Doula Training
The Matrona, November 2018
Advanced Holistic Doula Certification
Healthy Children Project, February 2019
Certified Lactation Counselor
Hypnobirthing International, The Mongan Method, February 2019
Certified Hypnobirthing Support Doula
Evidence Based Birth, September 2018
Evidence Based Professional
Yiska Obadia, July 2017
Comforting Touch Doula
Spinning Babies LLC, October 2019
Spinning Babies Workshop
The Havened Birther, September 2019
Perinatal Havening Trainee
American Academy of Pediatrics, June 2023
Neontal Resuscitation Program Provider
FAQs
How does your doula partnership work?
I am part of a three-person doula team with Sophia O'Shaughnessy and Puri Carvajal. You can learn more about us and our model at www.uptowndoulas.com. Our team based approach allows us to leverage our expertise - we have attended over 500 births between all of us - and do more for our clients. We each will do one prenatal meeting with you to get to know you, and so you can get to know the entire team. We also offer monthly in person office hours and virtual group classes where we will also interact with you as a team during your pregnancy. We divide the on call time which means that only one of us (whoever is on call) attends the birth and the other two doulas serves as the back up. This way, you always know who will be supporting you! In the postpartum period, we will do two in-person visits to help you transition into parenthood. We really do feel that we can offer you thrice the knowledge, the experience, and commitment by working as a team.
What are the benefits of hiring a doula?
Medical evidence shows that doulas improve the outcomes of births by: reducing cesarean deliveries, lowering the use of pain medicines, increasing the occurrence of spontaneous births (ie. lower induction rates), improving rates of breastfeeding success, and facilitating overall higher maternal satisfaction rates.
While some doulas come equipped with additional skills, the research concludes that the most important factor in better birth outcomes is the continuous presence of a doula during labor.
Are doulas only for families wanting unmedicated births?
Not at all. Doulas are skilled to support any type of birth whether it be natural, medicated or a planned cesarean. I have experience supporting all types of birth both at home and in hospitals. During our prenatal meetings I will get to learn what your birth goals and values are, and I work with you to honor your wishes and help you advocate for yourself, throughout your labor.
How does a doula affect the role of my partner in my birth?
Doulas do not replace partners. In fact, I consider partners my strongest allies during births. Despite my various trainings and years of experience attending births, no one knows the laboring mother as well, or is as invested in the overall experience of the birth, as the partner. As a doula, I like to honor this special place by involving partners in the process too, making sure they have all the information they need, teaching them comfort techniques, and creating space for intimacy between partner and laboring mother during birth.
Do you take insurance?
Unfortunately, my services are not eligible for insurance reimbursement. However, if you have an FSA or HAS, I can provide you with a detailed invoice when payment has been made in full, so that you can submit for reimbursement.
When is payment due?
I request a 50% deposit at time of engagement. This deposit guarantees that I am on call during your due date. The balance is due at 37 weeks of pregnancy. I take payment on Venmo, via check, or cash.
As a lactation counselor, can you diagnose a tongue tie?
I am not trained medically to diagnose conditions. As a lactation counselor, I can examine your baby’s latch and mouth functions, and refer you to an ICBLC if additional help is required.
Reviews
“Let choice whisper in your ear and love murmur in your heart. Be ready. Here comes life.”
Maya Angelou
Contact
Please reach out for a free consult!