Meredith Coronato Lactation Consultant in West New York, NJ

Meredith provided overnight and lactation support for us from the day we got home from the hospital. I can't overstate how valuable she was in helping us understand how to get our newborn on a regular feeding routine. We didn't receive the best lactation care at the hospital, so having Meredith with us as soon as we got home made a world of difference such that we've always felt like we knew what we were doing in feeding our baby. Meredith was informative and caring, and always gave the support we needed. At such a raw, vulnerable, and stressful time in our lives, it also made a huge difference that she's such a warm and calming presence. We couldn't be happier with the care and support we got from Meredith, and also to have made a new friend in her. We cannot recommend her highly enough!

— Russ & Nina Lindell

Working with Meredith was an absolute dream! As nervous new parents, we had no shortgae of concerns or questions. Meredith's support even started before delivery, with a super helpful informational call to go through the laundry list of various baby items we already had, or may need. After we deleivered two weeks early, Meredith was extremely on top of it and was able to easily schedule backup doulas so we had our expected coverage as planned. Her bedside manner, upbeat personality, and wealth of knowledge made her an amazing resource for our family. She is also someone I would be very happy to spend time with outside of the home, which I think can be rare to find. I would highly recommend her and her thoroughly vetted network to any new parent.

— Tina Iannacchino

Meredith was such a pleasure to be around in the immediate weeks after our son was born. She is incredibly knowledgeable in a ton of different areas like newborn care, mom's wellbeing, feeding, etc. She was so warm and brought such a positive energy into our home each evening. She was sweet with our newborn, and also very kind and friendly to our older son who would love to pop in and see how his baby brother was doing. Meredith played a tremendous role in our feeding journey, helping us be happy and successful with our outcomes. She's great company in the middle of the night if you are waking up to feed or pump, and I loved that she was familiar with postpartum belly binding! Meredith provided exactly the kind of support I needed in my early postpartum weeks!

— Anjali Lalwani

Meredith was absolutely fantastic to work with, and made our journey into being parents of two so much easier. Not only was Meredith kind, calm, and thoughtful, but she was also extremely knowledgeable with her vast experience, and we learned a lot from her. She was critical in helping us identify a potential issue with our newborn that we then got validated (and quickly resolved!) with his pediatrician; without Meredith, this issue could have lasted days or weeks. Beyond this, Meredith was really proactive, making suggestions and taking action to the betterment of our child but also us as parents, and those first several weeks went way smoother because of her. We are forever grateful.

— Jay

My wife and I had the pleasure of working with Meredith for our first baby. What an amazing decision we made. Being first time parents, we were looking for guidance (and sleep). Meredith was very responsive, easy to work with, flexible on timing and very caring. She gave us great feedback each day on things we should look out for, best practices, and she helped get us through some difficult weeks. I would gladly recommend her to anyone in need of postpartum help.

— Chris Iannacchino

Meredith is a fabulous birth and postpartum doula! I will tell all friends and family members having babies going forward that they need to work with a doula if they're able to -- for birth as well as postpartum. Meredith helped my husband and me feel so much more comfortable as we got closer to the birth of our son. She guided us through the confusion of early labor and then joined us at the hospital, answering all of our questions and providing so much more information and clarity than the nurses and doctors had the time to share. I truly credit her with the fact that the delivery went so smoothly! She joined us at home for several nights in the first few weeks, as well, and that was invaluable. She helped us identify some breastfeeding challenges before we even went to the pediatrician for the first time which made the entire process less overwhelming and scary. Our son was back up to his birth weight very quickly largely thanks to Meredith. She also helped us with the fundamentals of newborn care and just overall allowed us not to feel scared about taking care of a baby for the first time. The postpartum period has been far less stressful and so much more positive than we thought would be possible and again, Meredith is to thank for that! Also, it doesn't hurt that Meredith is fun to hang out with :) It makes those middle-of-the-night feedings more enjoyable when it feels like you're just chatting with a friend. Anyone giving birth should get in touch with Meredith ASAP! If we're fortunate enough to have more children, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment before locking Meredith in again!

— Mary D.

Meredith provided us with incredible support postpartum for a few months. Having her with us on the first day home from the hospital was key.. to suddenly be home and have your baby there is a bit of a shock!! She makes it much easier and has an incredibly easy going and comfortable vibe-- we felt in safe hands right away. Meredith set us on a positive trajectory in many ways -- she supported me tremendously on a very difficult breastfeeding/pumping journey which took me from extreme under supply to nearly full supply in 6 weeks. But more than that, Meredith was simply a critical support to me all around in terms of making sure I was getting solid rest stretches (enabling faster recovery from a c section, making splitting night duties with my husband a non-issue), answering all our questions, pointing out things we didn't know to ask. Highly recommend!

— Sara T

My wife and I hired Meredith as our birth doula. Our son ended up being breech and required a scheduled c-section. Meredith therefore came for an overnight shift the first night back from the hospital—I can’t say how valuable this was. We were both exhausted and I was recovering from the surgery and trying to breastfeed. I was having challenges with my milk coming in and my son was jaundiced. I was so tired I couldn’t make rational decisions about how best to keep him healthy. Meredith helped us get started on a triple feed schedule that made sure he was improving by the pediatrician appointment the next day and that supported my breastfeeding goals. Through several subsequent postpartum visits, Meredith helped me navigate my breastfeeding challenges. It can be easy to get overfocused in the early days of parenthood on the problems. Meredith helped guide me in making choices that allowed me to enjoy this special time with my son. Her advice both before birth and after was absolutely invaluable. Before birth, she coached me in what questions to ask my obstetrician to address my concerns and how to plan for the hospital, including changing that plan when we learned it would be a c-section. After birth, in helping my wife and I figure out a rhythm for caring for our son, and in helping me to navigate a difficult breastfeeding situation so that I could still bond with my son through breastfeeding, make sure he was getting as much breast milk as I could produce, and getting enough to eat. I think my wife and I had far fewer arguments in those early days because we could always reach out when we needed advice! Meredith was also very sensitive to our concerns as LGBT+ parents, including coaching us on how to advocate for ourselves with hospital staff. I am very grateful to Meredith for all her help in guiding us through the biggest transition of our lives.

— Jen Crawford

We had Meredith for nights for about a 7 week time period starting from birth. She was a pleasure to have in our home and very loved by our baby. During the 7 week period we established my breast milk supply and routine, something I likely would have given up on if not for Meredith’s expertise. I highly recommend her if you are seeking postpartum care with an interest in breast feeding. Outside of the clear expertise in breastfeeding, I got to know my baby much faster with Meredith’s experience in babies.

— Marina P

Meredith's support was absolutely essential during the prep, labor and birth of my first child. She made me feel safe and prepared going into the birth process. She asked questions that helped me clarify my values and solidify my birth plan. When it was actually time for my baby to enter the world, she was constant support during my 3 day labor. I felt like I had the support I needed to stick to my birth plan, and when unexpected issues arose during delivery, Meredith was there to reassure me and my husband, keep us calm, and help me find the strength to birth my daughter. After the birth, her support in lactation made me feel confident as an exclusively breastfeeding mom. Meredith is easy to be around, knowledgeable, calm and competent. You will not regret hiring her to support you during your birth process!

— Katie

The best thing my husband and I ever did was hire Meredith and Kat as birth and postpartum doulas. Their care was truly life changing and I am grateful every day that they were part of our lives during the birth of our son and the first few weeks after. Meredith and Kat are professional, incredibly knowledgeable, non judgmental, extremely experienced, warm and caring. They were the support system for all three of us and helped us navigate a difficult birth and the rollercoaster of the weeks that followed. They are incredibly helpful with breastfeeding and I was able to successfully breastfeed and establish a great milk supply due 100 percent in part to their guidance. They helped us take care of a medical issue with our son very early on and jumped right into action. They made me feel extremely comfortable to ask any questions about what was going on with body and put me at ease with all of the postpartum changes my body went through. They were such a source of comfort during the early nights and I looked forward to seeing them every night. They were so incredibly loving and engaged with our son. I truly trust him with them like they are family.

— Christina Yurchak

The best decision we made in preparation for our son was hiring Meredith and Kat as our birth and postpartum doulas. I don't even like to think about how our son's birth and first few weeks at home would have been without them. They were knowledgeable, caring and extremely professional. Most of all, they made us feel safe at a time where we would not have otherwise. 5 stars are not enough. PS - Meredith and Kat, Pace misses you!

— Justin Byrne

Meredith was an absolute life saver. She was here the day we came home from the hospital and was an incredible support during this huge life transition. As first time parents we needed the knowledge and expertise she provided and having her made a huge difference in setting us up for success. I'm beyond thankful for her and felt that both myself and my newborn were in incredibly good hands as she is an exceptional resource. Anyone would be EXTREMELY lucky to have her!

— Errin Tamari

When I first suggested it, my husband thought a doula was a Mediterranean dish, but he quickly admitted that hiring Meredith & Kat was the best decision we've ever made. I was nervous that having someone in our home overnight might interfere with bonding, but the opposite turned out to be true--I was able to lavish my baby with stress-free snuggles because that was my only job. The whole "well I'm going to get up to feed the baby, so I might as well do it myself" thing is so wrong. During his night feedings, they kept us in this drowsy half-awake state so I could get restorative sleep in between and my husband could recharge for the morning. Best of all, we didn't have to spin our wheels trying to figure out what our baby needed. Impossibly, I did zero baby-question googling while in their care! Our experience was 10,000 times better than anyone I know so if you do nothing else, hire Meredith and Kat!!

— sarahgetto@gmail.com

Meredith was the best decision we made for our second child post partum care. She made recovering from a C-section while nursing a newborn feel manageable and less overwhelming. She was extremely trustworthy, responsible, knowledgeable, personable and a pleasure to be around. I had an instant connection with her. I trusted her to help me care for my newborn and she's exceeded my expectations. Her support and guidance for me nursing and recovering made my post partum experience a worlds a difference from my first baby. I can't wait to add another baby to our family in the future and have Meredith be apart of our next chapter.

— Mary H

If you need a short, quick answer: 1. You absolutely need a doula. 2. Hire Motherling- Meredith and Kat. The best of the best of the best. End of story, you can move on. If you want the longer explanation, here goes. Kat rubbed my legs, and my hair as I rested and waited for my baby girl to enter this world. Her gentle touch, and warm nature is what the world needs more of. I was safe, and cared for as well as informed from Day 1 working with Motherling. Meredith taught my baby how to eat and now, at 6 months old my girl is happy, healthy, and growing perfectly. I credit Meredith and Kat 100% for my incredible pre and post natal care. All my questions were answered and I felt calm and prepared to give birth. Even when there were hiccups in my birth plan, I was confident and cool because I had Kat and Meredith by my side. I had an incredible, joyous birth thanks to Motherling and their expertise, knowledge and support. Post-partum is so difficult, but it was easier with such pros by my side. The best choice you’ll make is choosing Motherling.

— Theresa Moriarty

Hiring Meredith for birth and postpartum doula support was easily the best decision that we made during my 40 weeks of pregnancy. She provided truly invaluable support, guidance, and recommendations leading up to my due date, making herself available for (LONG!) 33 and 36 week meetings, as well as for anything that I needed via text message. When my birth ended in a quick, emergency c-section due to a knot in my daughter's cord, she said all the right things to make me feel like I hadn't "failed", something that no one else proved capable of. She went above and beyond after the birth, visiting us at the hospital to help with breastfeeding and to make sure we were doing okay. I am 3 months PP and my daughter and I have had an incredible and generally very easy BFing journey, something that my husband attributes to both of us attending the "School of Meredith". Having Meredith in our home for the first 6 weeks after we arrived home was also an incredible experience. She helped us not only to get some invaluable sleep and continued to support our breastfeeding journey, but also helped suggest sleep schedule transitions, understand cues from our daughter, helped me troubleshoot various issues with pumping and oversupply, and made us feel confident that we were doing not only the best we could, but great. I never felt at all anxious or worried when I handed our daughter over for the night, probably because I knew she was being looked after someone who loved and cared for her just as much, and was likely infinitely more well-rested. Even once our PP services came to a close Meredith has continued to check in and make sure we are doing well, and I fully intend to use her incredible IBCLC-fueled wealth of knowledge over the next year as I continue breastfeeding. We truly cannot imagine having survived without Meredith, and can't imagine that there is a warmer, more caring, or more educated doula out there.

— Larissa Yosafat

I was looking to encapsulate my placenta and found Meredith on Yelp as the number one recommendation. I read all her excellent reviews and she was the only doula I reached out to for next steps. I was sent an abundance of very helpful information and had very little follow up questions. I immediately decided Motherling was the right fit for me and signed a contract. The pills helped immensely with my mood and anxiety. I would recommend all mothers to encapsulate. I wish I had a bigger placenta so I had more! The pills helped so much that after I ran out, I reached back out to Meredith for a PP therapist. She was so helpful and kind about this next step. If you are considering a experienced, kind and calming doula, I would look no further than Motherling.

— Meredith E

I cannot say enough good things about our experience with Meredith. I never thought I'd want a doula but being pregnant with my first child during a pandemic made me want as much support as I could get. My husband was initially worried about being a third wheel, but after the fact says he can't imagine going through the process without her. I wanted to try for an unmedicated birth but was open to the idea of an epidural if I hit my limit. Meredith was incredibly supportive of this from the get go. I found our prenatal visits super informative and the questions she asked really made me think about the best ways for me personally to manage the pain of labor. My contractions started close to midnight on my due date and progressed much quicker than we were expecting. Meredith met us at the hospital at the perfect time - just as I was having a major contraction in triage. She jumped right in and provided guidance to my husband so the two of them could help me through it. I hit a wall a little more than halfway through my 18 hour labor and somehow Meredith was able to give me the perfect quick pep talk to help me stick to my plan of having an unmedicated birth. She was invaluable in helping us navigate the quick decisions that needed to be made during labor and worked seamlessly with the nurses to help get the baby into the right position. After the baby was born she gave us plenty of space and privacy but was also able to help with the first latch. She was available via text message in the week following the birth for my many questions and even provided recommendations for an oral surgeon to evaluate my son's tongue tie. In short: Meredith was warm, funny, attentive, supportive. I cannot imagine my labor without her and cannot recommend her highly enough.

— Ellen Rielly

It was initially a struggle for me to even convince my husband that we needed a doula, but after the birth of our first baby, he was SO glad we had Meredith and tells everyone else that having a doula is well worth the money! From the moment we met her, we felt completely at ease and knew she was the perfect fit for our personalities. While our birthing class included detailed explanations of the all the interventions that would be offered, having Meredith there to help us talk through them and make decisions in the moment was a huge help during my 26 hours of labor. I did not want a c-section, and truly believe that having her there helped me make the right decisions to have the birth that I wanted. She was invaluable in coaching me through painful back labor, and even used our camera to take magnificent photos that we still cherish 7 years later. When we found out we were pregnant with baby #2, Meredith was our first call so we could get on her schedule early. Don't hesitate in hiring Meredith, who is a fantastic communicator and a great ally for any new parents.

— Sarah Daily

Meredith was actually recommended by my OB when I explained that I wanted to do an unmedicated birth. It was important to me to have someone that would be on the same page as me, but would also strongly defer to my OB on all things medical. We met with Meredith and immediately loved her. She is super warm and helped us navigate all the questions we had. We had a couple of prenatal appointments where she showed us some pain management techniques. She also provided a ton of helpful resources via text and email - not only related to labor, but also guidance for us as a couple heading into parenthood. Additionally, she explained that in the event that I had to have a c-section, our investment would go toward her postpartum doula services. At 38 weeks - my baby had flipped breach, I was showing signs of preeclampsia, and was headed in for a c-section. Meredith was checking in regularly and offered to come to the hospital to help with lactation, but unfortunately the hospital Covid policy wouldn't allow. Instead, we planned to have her come stay overnight with us once we were home. Meredith arrived around 9pm and immediately helped to fix my latch. She had provided some breastfeeding resources to me via text, but having her manually guide me through the process was super helpful. She stayed the night in the bedroom with me and the baby, giving my husband a bit of a break, and helped out with everything from diaper changes, soothing, and stimulating milk production. She was so incredibly helpful with her guidance and tips and just general support and encouragement. Previous to her visit, I wasn't sure if we would need her services in the event of a c-section. Now, I can't imagine that we would be where we are at without her help! I'm hoping that we will be able to use her for our next birth, and if it's another c-section, we will absolutely have her come for a postpartum visit to help get us off to a great start.

— Lauren Cannata

I'm overcome with so many happy emotions regarding Meredith and the inspiring work that she does. To say that she exceeded our expectations is an understatement. Meredith was a part of such a special day in our lives. She is forever imprinted in both our hearts and memories. If you’re considering hiring a doula, look no further. Meredith has such a glowing and positive energy. She makes you feel so comfortable and her knowledge is undeniable! Meredith was our advocate! She always supported our decisions and helped us come up with the best possible birth plan. Jesse and I really felt at ease knowing Meredith would be by our side. The day of our baby’s birth, I had Meredith to my left and Jesse to my right. Jesse was able to help me through the labor because of her coaching. During my intense labor, I was able to hear and see Meredith shining her light to help me get to the other side. I can look back at that day and see her smiling at me, coaching me, and wiping the sweat from my brow. She stayed with us until an hour after our baby was here. Goodness, she helped carry me over to the bathroom right after! I have to say Merediths timing is always perfect and she came to do her post partum visit at the most crucial time... right when I needed her. She came when I was really feeling the effects of baby blues, sleep deprivation, and the disappointment of how hard breastfeeding was for me. She helped me through to the other side again, she showed us the most magnificent pictures she was able to snap for me, she delivered my placenta pills (miracle pills), but most importantly she gave me the strength, courage, and motivation to continue on our breastfeeding journey. I have to say with every part of my heart that Meredith was the most incredible partner to have during this life changing journey and if we are blessed in the future with another miracle... we will happily find her and hire her again!

— Annie Guzman

As a guy, I have figured out two life rules when it comes to helping your wife with this whole process after having been in the trenches: 1. YOU NEED A DOULA and 2. THAT DOULA SHOULD BE MEREDITH I usually serve as my wife's living, breathing Google -- Siri with a good head of hair -- Alexa with an attitude. I am usually the one with all the answers for her: What time does 16 Handles close? (10 pm in Summer) Do we have Dear Aunt Gertrude's email address? (gertiethegr8@yahoo.com) How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? (112) I can help with all of these questions. However, when it came to this process, I was COMPLETELY in the dark and worse -- there didn't seem to be a place to get the answers because everyone's experience is so specific and personal to them. Is that twinge she just felt a contraction or revenge of the DanDan Noodles from last night -- I have no idea! But, you know who does? MEREDITH. Never was I more at ease about what my wife was about to go through than when we were with Meredith. She was SO knowledgeable about all aspects of childbirth -- medical, practical, procedural, even spiritual (and trust me, I'm not into that stuff #incesnsemakesmeincensed) -- and she was invaluable in helping us figure out what our choices were and what options were available to us with each choice. Meredith not only provides the best personal support I've ever experienced, but she also empowers you as a couple to take control of feeling great about the birth because you know you are ready and informed. I can unequivocally say that there is absolutely NO chance you will regret your decision to work with Meredith. And if my inspired prose above doesn't convince you, JUST LOOK AT ALL THOSE ACRONYMS AFTER HER NAME. You could have a really solid round of Scrabble with just those. In closing -- she's the best; just hire her.

— Scott Ikuss

It’s challenging to express all of the ways Meredith provided support in just 2000 words! Meredith was the single reason why I did not have a C-section. My water broke and contractions never started. She helped us manage what we could do and how to decide when to be induced. When we got to the hospital, I was only 1.5 CMs dilated. She helped me into various positions to progress my labor. I was committed to a natural birth but after 8 hrs and a high dose of petocin, I needed an epidural. Meredith was supportive of my change in decision.The restriction of motion and the temperamental baby monitors, made the nurse put an oxygen mask on me. The mask freaked me out and I started to have extreme anxiety. Meredith calmly suggested I take off the mask, she put a calming peppermint oil inside, and suggested I hold the mask up to breathe in and move the mask away to breathe out. This small bit of control and mobility soothed me. After about 17 hours, I was finally 10 CMs and they prepared for a vaginal delivery. B/c we had previously discussed gravity-favorable positions (& how to advocate for them), I was able to deliver on my side. Following birth, she supported us as I struggled w/ breastfeeding & transitioned to pumping. After 2 days of pumping every 2 hours, I had my husband go out & buy formula. We text Meredith (who was on vacation) that we had questions. At midnight, she counseled us through a teary phone call and then followed up w/our post-natal visit where she gave us suggestions on formula, handling of breastmilk, sanitization, pumping strategies and even diaper tricks! While I’ve tried to paint the picture of our experience, the hardest thing to convey is the comfort she provided. Meredith is warm, incredibly knowledgeable, funny, personable, respectful and was instrumental to setting us up for success. In such a short time, Meredith has become so near and dear to our family!

— Amanda Ikuss