Carly Ann Marshall-Braun

Chicago, Illinois

5.0 (23 reviews)

Carly Ann Marshall-Braun

8 years of experience

I am Chicago based childbirth educator, doula, and soon-to-be midwife. I am passionate about supporting undisturbed physiologic birth. I believe in healthy-at-any-size. I've been teaching Evidence Based Birth for two years and I recently finished Midwifery school (to be licensed in 2026). I adore working with queer families, trans folks, and families who have used fertility support. My expertise spans home birth, birth centers, and hospital birth. Most people who take my class are at a birth center or hospital. Many want an empowered low-intervention birth, but most also want information about the benefits of epidurals, and when is the best time to get one. I am passionate about you having the birth YOU want, and having agency over your body and birth, no matter what this journey brings. I provide evidence based information, grounded energy, and listening ear.

Recent review

Carly Ann was our doula for the birth of my second child and she was so incredibly supportive, knowledgeable, and her presence was deeply grounding for me. Having her guidance in the hospital room was incredible for my husband and me both, and it just felt like we didn't need to worry about anything with Carly Ann there to remind us of anything or prompt us in important moments! She also came by to support after the baby was born and I appreciated feeling like I could just relax and be cared for by her. Super grateful that we got to work with her and I highly recommend her to anyone interested in working with her!! x

- Nic Strack

Katherine  Dimond

Glenview, Illinois

Katherine Dimond

19 years of experience
Accepts insurances

Crossroads Speech Therapy provides pediatric speech and language and occupational therapy. Each session is individualized and provided by a therapist who is experienced, licensed, and who holds their American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) Certificate of Clinical Competence or National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Crossroads Speech Therapy serves children from their first year of life through adulthood. Katie, owner and Director of Crossroads Speech Therapy, is passionate about providing the highest quality speech therapy and occupational therapy to each child the practice sees. She is also a mother of three young children and one of her children has childhood apraxia of speech (CAS,) he has now overcome it. Katie has been licensed and practicing since 2008 and has extensive experience treating children and adults with speech and language delays and disorders. Since that time her services have been in high demand and many schools, daycares, and doctor’s offices refer to her and her expertise in the field. In 2016 Katie opened Crossroads Speech Therapy. Since then, Katie has hired a wonderful team to serve the Chicago and suburban Chicago community. Each team member is handpicked by Katie and has a caring, personable, and engaging personality, is from an incredible program, has great experience, and is knowledgeable as well as skilled, and loves to communicate about your child. Katie received her Bachelor’s degree in Speech and hearing Science at the University of Illinois in 2006 and her Master’s degree in Communication Science and Disorders from Saint Louis University in 2008. Katie is a certified speech and language pathologist in the state of Illinois and Maine, a member of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, Advanced PROMPT trained and hold her Level 2 certification in PROMPT, is on the Apraxia Kids website as a provider for childhood apraxia of speech, holds her PEL license for Illinois, and owns Crossroads Speech Therapy in Chicago. She specializes in childhood apraxia of speech, articulation and phonological disorders, feeding/swallowing, and expressive and receptive language disorders. She is energetic, fun, and kids love working with her! Children enjoy sessions with her and meet their goals quickly when working with her. Katie loves being a part of the community and is always there to help and support clients and their families.

Jessica Dzierzanowski

Naperville, Illinois

Jessica Dzierzanowski

5 years of experience

I am a CAPPA Certified birth doula. I am also a Birth Concierge. I love to serve my community. I have a passion for birth and helping women accomplish their goals of a happy and healthy birth. Everyone deserves the birth that they want and I am here to help you BIRTH YOUR WAY.

Sarah Baker

Chicago, Illinois

Sarah Baker

15 years of experience

Sarah Baker is a mom of two little boys (one being a hypnobirthing baby), Hypnobirthing Childbirth Educator, Internationally Accredited Meditation Teacher, Postpartum Doula and Holistic Health Specialist. Similar to you, Sarah wanted to feel prepared, confident and calm during her labor, no matter what twist or turn took place. Finding a childbirth education class that provided not only in-depth knowledge on everything that goes down during labor, but proven methods that help you feel calm, confident and empowered (that did not consist of just pain management interventions that hospitals offer), was something that Sarah had a hard time finding in the Chicagoland area. Sarah started Asana Mama to provide parents in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs an incredibly engaged, premier Childbirth classes, both private sessions and group classes: (currently being held completely remotely). Sarah brings almost a decade of practicing as a Holistic Health and meditation specialist with a heavy emphasis on helping women navigating preconception, pregnancy and postpartum.

Michelle  Simon

Buffalo Grove, Illinois

Michelle Simon

16 years of experience
Accepts insurances

Michelle has a bachelors and masters degree in Occupational Therapy from Mount Mary College in Milwaukee Wisconsin. She is a registered OT in the state of IL. She has a love for working with children of all ages and who have varying needs and diagnoses.

Natalie Miller

Elgin, Illinois

Natalie Miller

4 years of experience

My name is Natalie Miller, and I’m thrilled to have you here! Allow me to share a bit about myself. I’m a Christian, a devoted wife, a mother of four, a nurse, a photographer, and a certified doula. With 10 years of experience in obstetric nursing and my own personal journey through childbirth, I bring a wealth of knowledge and compassion to the care I provide. Since 2014, I’ve also worked as a professional photographer, capturing cherished memories ranging from weddings and family portraits to maternity, birth, and newborn photography. My passion lies in supporting women during one of the most transformative times in their lives. That’s why I’ve dedicated myself to providing comprehensive prenatal, birth, and postpartum care, paired with the opportunity to document these unforgettable moments for families to treasure forever. My mission is to empower women and their partners throughout pregnancy, labor, and early parenthood. I aim to equip you with the resources, education, and confidence you need to navigate these life-changing experiences while celebrating the incredible capabilities of your body. I am honored to walk alongside you on this amazing journey, providing guidance, support, and encouragement every step of the way.

Paula Acuña

Wilmette, Illinois

Paula Acuña

12 years of experience
Accepts insurances

Paula Acuña, M.A., CCC-SLP, known as Ms. Paula by her clients, offers customized speech, language, and feeding intervention for children and adults with a wide range of abilities to promote independence and improve their quality of life. While her expertise is in working with pediatric populations, her interests and dedication to the field extend across the lifespan. As a bilingual/multicultural provider, she is committed to providing specialized, therapeutic support among culturally and linguistically diverse families in her community.

KARA ALEXANDER

Chicago, Illinois

KARA ALEXANDER

9 years of experience

My name is Kara, and I am thrilled to introduce myself as an Advanced Newborn Care Specialist, CAPPA trained Labor and Postpartum Doula, Lactation Educator, Baby-wearing Educator, and Certified Childbirth Educator. With over two decades of dedicated experience nurturing children, I've found immense joy in providing exceptional care to families like yours. My approach revolves around delivering not just outstanding care, but also fostering a supportive, judgment-free environment. My goal is to empower and guide parents, ensuring they feel refreshed and confident as they embark on the early stages of parenthood. Knowing your newborn is in safe hands allows for a sense of ease and security during this precious time. Before specializing in newborn care, I spent thirteen years in daycares and as a nanny, caring for infants to school-age children. This diverse background has equipped me to handle a wide spectrum of needs, including preemies, singletons, and multiples. It's a privilege to support families as they navigate the exciting journey of new parenthood, always tailoring my approach to meet individual needs and expectations.

Lauren Fallon

Barrington, Illinois

Lauren Fallon

21 years of experience

I am a photographer who strives to catch the heart-warming moments of life with every click of the shutter. My goal is to capture those milestone moments for you and your family: the unexpected gurgling smile of your breast feeding newborn, the somewhat spicy over the shoulder glance in a boudoir shoot, the joy invoking smile of seeing your beloved for the first time on your wedding day, the fierce concentration it takes to breathe through contractions, or the crazy fun that can ensue with a toddler at a family photo shoot. I love what I do and I feel strongly about photographing families who want to remember important phases in their lives. Time flies by; as any mother knows, therefore my mission is to offer my clients something concrete to look at and remember the times that are most important to them.

Jasmine Sassack

Barrington, Illinois

Jasmine Sassack

23 years of experience

I combine education, evidence-based research, and hands-on support to help you have an entirely different kind of labor and birth. Whatever kind of birth you are planning, I am here to support your choices. I work at hospital births, home births, and birth centers. Some of my clients choose an epidural for pain management, and others choose to go med-free: I'm here to support whatever YOU choose. I serve many high-anxiety clients, as well as high-risk pregnancies and VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean). Many of my clients are international, and English is often their second language. My team and I value diversity and inclusivity.

Jasmine Sassack

Barrington, Illinois

Jasmine Sassack

10 years of experience

The Birth Zone is an agency serving families from Chicago through Milwaukee with childbirth education and birth doula services. We specialize in providing non-judgmental support for all families. We serve all kinds of births including hospital, home, medication-free, epidural, water birth, and land births.

Stefanie Waldorf

Chicago, Illinois

Stefanie Waldorf

2 years of experience

Focused on spiritual and physical support that follows evidence-based guidelines and empowers self-advocacy in hospital births.

Kelly Vida

Batavia, Illinois

5.0 (2 reviews)

Kelly Vida

7 years of experience

I founded Empowered Mama Fitness after finding a lack of pregnancy-focused fitness options in my pregnancy. I offer pre and postnatal fitness and strength training, as well as workshops for expectant parents.

Recent review

I took prenatal yoga classes weekly with Kelly during my second pregnancy, and it had such a positive impact on my physical and mental health. Kelly was incredibly knowledgeable about how yoga can help during pregnancy and birth. She also helped create a welcoming and supportive community during each class, so I was able to connect to other people who were also on their own pregnancy journeys. Plus, I appreciated all of her recommendations of pregnancy related resources and services in the area!

- Marybeth M.

Darnicia Holt

Chicago, Illinois

5.0 (2 reviews)

Darnicia Holt

9 years of experience

Hey! I’m Darnicia, a full-spectrum doula, birth mindset educator, and reproductive justice advocate. TL;DR From organizing protests and fighting for social justice to shutting down systemic abuse, violence, and oppression in the medicalized perinatal care system. My passion? Teaching incredible birthing people — like you — how to trust your intuition❤️‍🔥 and advocate for your autonomy,🗣️ so you feel ✨empowered to be the authority of all your reproductive experiences✨ — fertility to postpartum (or not being pregnant at all). 👀 A little more info… To me, birthwork is inherently linked to social justice and activism. Birthwork is advocacy, and advocacy follows you through every aspect of your life. Therefore, advocacy isn’t something you learn; it’s who you are. I’ve taken what I’ve learned in my years as a social justice organizer and have applied it to birthwork. Sometimes, the fight for my clients to have the reproductive outcomes they desire mirrors the intensity I’ve seen when organizing for human rights. When necessary, I use the same energy it takes to shut down streets and apply it to protect my clients’ experience. What does this mean for you? I have the heart and the skills to fight for your dream birth or whatever support you need. But no worries, I’ll only fight to whatever extent you need or are comfortable with. ☺️ The foundation of the doula role is about the person you are. I am an advocate. Fun facts: I’m a wife and Mom of two. I’m a HUGE Marvel/MCU fan. I L😍VE Thai Iced Tea and mushroom coffee 🍄☕.

Recent review

Darnicia helped us with postpartum care for our newborn and we are grateful beyond measure for her support and expertise. She is very kind, calming, and has a high degree of knowledge. She is such a warm person and we felt well cared for alongside our baby. In the matter of a few weeks, we went from frazzled new parents to having a baby who sleeps through the night multiple nights per week. I highly recommend Darnicia for postpartum care for anyone who is looking to establish healthy routines for their baby and wants to feel very supported in the process.

- Katie J.

Zoe Nelson

Chicago, Illinois

5.0 (1 review)

Zoe Nelson

2 years of experience

Hi! I’m a responsible and nurturing nanny with a background in Art Education and five years of experience as an elementary art teacher. For the past year, I’ve cared for a newborn and a four-year-old, supporting daily routines and early development. I’m now transitioning into overnight care, bringing a calm, attentive approach to help families get the rest they need. I’m CPR certified, comfortable with infant care and sleep routines, and open to additional training. References available upon request.

Recent review

I’m pleased to recommend Zoe Nelson as a night nanny. Over several months she cared for our newborn and three‑year‑old, allowing my husband and me to sleep soundly. Each morning we awoke refreshed to happy, well‑rested children. Zoe is caring, responsible, and knowledgeable in both infant and toddler routines. She maintained clear logs, anticipated needs, and communicated thoughtfully about each night’s events. Our kids quickly came to trust her gentle approach, and we always felt at ease. Any family would be lucky to have Zoe’s dependable support.

- Suzanne C.

Mia Willis, CMA

Chicago, Illinois

Mia Willis, CMA

5 years of experience

It’s great to have you here. Let me introduce myself. My name is Mia Willis, CMA and I have served as a Prenatal and Postnatal Doula and Childbirth and Infancy Care Educator. I am a Chicago native and Northside College Preparatory High School Alumna. Like most, I stumbled into my role. Enduring the gestational hardships of my pregnancy led to my passion for wanting to empower and educate others during this delicate transition into parenthood. This passion led me to pursue a comprehensive education in the field of maternal support. I hold a certification in Medical Assisting with a background in Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 2021, I became a Certified Doula through the Black Womban Doula Course, ensuring that all of my sprouts receive the highest level of care and expertise. I am dedicated to continually expanding my knowledge and staying current with the latest evidence-based practices in maternal health and care.

Hephzibah Egoro

Chicago, Illinois

Hephzibah Egoro

10 years of experience

Hello! My name is Hephzibah Egoro, and I am a caring, reliable, and patient childcare provider based in Chicago with 9 years of childcare experience. I am also a mother of three, which has given me strong hands-on experience caring for children of different ages and understanding their needs, routines, and emotional development. I am CPR certified and place a strong focus on safety, comfort, and attentive care—especially during overnight and night-time hours. I am calm, responsible, and dependable, and I am comfortable with bedtime routines, overnight supervision, feeding support, diaper changes, and providing reassurance throughout the night. As a parent and experienced caregiver, I understand how important trust, communication, and consistency are. I treat every child with patience, respect, and the same level of care I give my own children. My goal is to provide families with peace of mind while ensuring their children are safe, secure, and well cared for. I would be happy to support your family with overnight or night-time childcare needs.

Colette Semenas

Chicago, Illinois

Colette Semenas

8 years of experience

I’ve been in the world of nannying, infant night nursing, and extended stays for the previous 7 years. I have a passion for the early newborn stages, helping create healthy sleep routines that create easy night time transitions for baby, mom, and family! I have advanced training in SIDS Prevention, Infant Safe Sleep, CPR, and Basic First Aid. I use my degree in Childhood Psychology and my experience working on Labor and Delivery as well as volunteering in the NICU at Children’s Hospital to guide my approach to provide research based care. Excited to meet you and your little!

Dede Ajavon

Chicago, Illinois

Dede Ajavon

6 years of experience

My name is Dede Ajavon, I am 24 years old and I am currently a Montessori assistant infant teacher. I am a compassionate and experienced childcare provider with over 5 years of hands-on experience caring for infants in daycare and private home settings. I recently completed a Newborn Care Specialist Training Workshop(NCTA), strengthening knowledge in newborn development, feeding, sleep conditioning, and family support. I am dedicated to creating a nurturing, safe, and structured environment that promotes healthy growth and development. I am passionate about helping families transition confidently into parenthood while providing the highest level of newborn care.

Maggie Guindon

Chicago, Illinois

Maggie Guindon

3 years of experience

Hi I am Maggie, a registered nurse with NICU experience for last two years! I love working with newborns and their families to help them with their journey in parenthood!