I am a labor support specialist—“doula”—who is with you during childbirth to help you stay calm and comfortable as you move through your birthing process, give you information about your care and help you achieve your goals. My Background, Education and Philosophy I am Imani Abdul-Zahir. I was born and raised in the inner city of Cleveland Ohio. I am a doula with 27 years of experience and was trained by Birthing Beautiful Communities (a 501c3 non-profit). My philosophy about birth is that it is a normal bodily function governed by biological and psychological mechanisms, and is not a medical condition. Many communities of color have historically been built and maintained around the concept of “it takes a village”. Caring for mother and baby throughout pregnancy and during childbirth is essential for successful societies. Those with knowledge, experience and expertise have an obligation to educate, support and assist. My core values are commitment, compassion, & knowledge. I have a strong commitment to serving the needs of pregnant people in our community through compassion and evidence-based practices. My priorities as a doula are four, to ensure, educate, reassure & elevate. 1. to ensure that my clients receive the best hands-on care, comfort, and assistance during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and recovery. 2. to educate my clients regarding pregnancy, labor, delivery & recovery as well as what they may expect from hospitals and medical staff. Also to provide connections and access to other beneficial resources. 3. to reassure clients that their birth is their own and they have what they need, within themselves, and at their disposal to secure a healthy, safe and positive birth experience. 4. to help elevate clients above their fears, insecurities & expectations using positive encouragement and emotional support. My goals are to help reduce the maternal and infant mortality rate, to help people to have the safest, healthiest birth possible, and to restore a sense of well being to those who are childbearing through careful postpartum care. The first step in getting you the support you deserve is to schedule an intake meeting. During the intake meeting, I will answer any questions you might have, learn about your family needs and how I can best support you.
Birth Doula Certification (2018)
Birth Doula Certification (2020)
Community Health Worker (2022)
Mental Health First Aid (2025)
English
All-Encompassing Support I provide comprehensive support throughout pregnancy, labor, birth, and the early postpartum period, including up to 10 prenatal visits, continuous care during labor and birth with 2-4 hours of immediate postpartum support, and six postpartum visits. Clients receive The Empowered Birth Guide at no extra cost, and objective assistance in creating a personalized birth plan. I offer 4-6 weeks of 24-hour on-call availability, skilled communication to foster positive dialogue among the birth team, professional yet emotionally invested care, childbirth education, as well as resources for backup support if needed.
My experience with doula Imani was beyond wonderful, from the very beginning to the very end of my pregnancy she was kind, caring, understanding and patient throughtout. Considering the fact that this was frist pregnancy, she always made herself available and approahcable about any concerns I may have had regarding issues such as labor, breastfeeding, and the way my body was changing. Due to COVID-19 most of our meetings had to be done via zoom during which she always showed up on time and would discuss various things such as doctor's appointments, birthing plans, and even her own birthing experiences which made me feel less uncomfortable about certain issues. I was in labor for 3 days and from my house to the time we went to the hospital she was by my side making sure everything with me and the baby was alright. Overall, choosing Imani to be my doula was probably the best decision I could have made during my pregrancy and I would definitely chose her again!
- Muniyya Muhammad
It truly is a blessing to have the services of a doula that provides an amazing experience. I wish these services was available when I had my children many years ago. Mrs. Abdul-Zahir have assisted other family members with their births, and she always was awesome then even before she became a doula. Recently she provided my daughter-n-law with services during her pregnancy and labor. Mrs. Abdul-Zahir provides professional services, and she is an advocate for her clients’ needs. She educates them and allow them to be in control of their births. What the client wants she is there to make sure their wishes are met and respected. I observed her being with my daughter-n-law providing techniques and there for support. I was very grateful that she was able to be with my daughter-n-law and son. She went above and beyond. I was comfortable knowing that she was there.
- Taslimah Abdul-Khaliq
Imani was an overall supportive and dedicated doula. She assisted me through the pre/ labor and post labor experience. I am very fortunate to have had her. She stayed with me the entire time of my labor and delivery process. Her support and experience was exemplary. I would certainly request her during my next pregnancy.
- Tia Otoo
Peace and blessings! I wanted to step in and share my experience with my doula Imani. There was an instant connection when we spoke on the phone. That conversation lasted for maybe an hour I felt so comfortable. Imani supported me through my at home birth and it was such a beautiful experience. Having a doula was a first and I would recommend it for any woman pregnant/expecting. I learned so much and was empowered in a way that I had never seen. Birthing is our right and is in our complete control unless medically an issue is present. There is a level of freedom that allowed me to labor and birth in a peaceful manner and truly enjoy it versus what I have seen and almost always heard. Thank you Imani!!!
- LaWanda Rahkeera
Finding Imani was such a blessing for me when I was pregnant. She came to me right before the pandemic came along. I was so nervous with this being my first child. She had so much knowledge and so many tips and tricks to help keep me happy and focused on having a healthy baby girl. It has been one year and Imani is still there for me whenever I need something or just someone to vent to. She will always be a special person in me and my childs lives. I give her the highest rating possible.
- Patrice G
I have 3 kids and Imani has been part of all of their pregnancys & births in some capacity. I was very inexperienced with labor with my first child. It was such a relief to have such a courageous ally in Imani. She spoke for & stood up for me when I couldn't do it for myself. Seeing her advocate for me so fearlessly really gave me the confidence I needed to make it through such a gruelling labor & delivery. Because of her prescence I was always able to relax & put my focus where it belonged. Imani is truly passionate & knowledgeable about the gestation period, labor & delivery and even breastfeeding. Helping others seems to be second nature to her. When she was with me I knew that I always had her full attention. She is very welcoming, nurturing & knowledgeable. She knows how to offer information without being preachy. She is incredibly considerate & accommodating. If I ever had to choose only one person to guide me through labor, it would definately be Imani hands down. She's the best!
- Niccoya Telford
I am thankful to God for having allowed me to have sister Imani as my Arabic teacher and having her at the birth of our first child. The day sister Imani found out about my pregnancy she was thrilled and suggested I watch a documentary on YouTube about “the business of giving birth” which I found very informative. As my due date approached, I asked sister Imani if she would be willing to accompany us to the hospital, she happily accepted it. On the day of labor, she and her daughter arrived at the hospital before we made it there. Their presence made a huge difference; having a familiar face (besides your husband) throughout labor is crucial. They supported me throughout the entire time with breathing techniques, moves and everything else I needed at that moment. I highly recommend Calm Doula services to anyone who needs that personal support during labor.
- Kaba
Imani was very helpful during my labor and delivery. She stayed by my side helping to comfort my concerns during contractions. She made sure the nurses were on top of everything. She made everything very soothing. She talked me through the contractions and helped me with my breathing. I truly appreciated her and will definitely use her again.
- Kamaria