Michelle Gabriel-Caldwell

Verified
Birth & Postpartum Doula
West Orange, New Jersey
20 years of experience
5.0
About me

Michelle is the owner of Baby, Please Birth Services located in NJ. She is a certified Doula and certified Childbirth Educator teaching the Bradley Method ®, Evidence Based Birth ® and her own Holistic Course expressly for The Birth Center of NJ of which she is the Doula Coordinator. Michelle serves on the National Black Doula Association (NBDA) Advisory Board where she revised the doula training curriculum to enhance the needs of Black Doulas working in systemically racist environments. As a NBDA Doula Trainer and Doula Mentor she spends her time providing critical thinking skills for her students to be successful and competent in their fields. She is also a Poppy Seed Health Advocate supporting birthing persons virtually where access otherwise would not exist financially. In addition, she established the NJ Virtual Doula Program for Overlook Hospital by galvanizing over 40 locals doulas to volunteer their time during the COVID crisis. Michelle recently cross-trained with DONA International to build on her expertise as an educator. She is co-founder of The NJ Birth Justice Collective and Committee Chair of The Perinatal Health Equity Foundation creating awareness to Black Breastfeeding Families and Infant Mortality. Michelle tirelessly works in the birth industry since 2005; helping over 400 families navigate their birthing spaces, offering training for birth professionals while ensuring birth justice through state and national initiatives, serving on non-profit boards and panels, enhancing the platform through blogs and podcasts. A mother of two wonderful children born by amazing natural birth experiences. She has been married for 23 years to an incredible man who shares her birth passion, he teaches childbirth education classes with her to share the partner perspective. Michelle empowers others by offering education, support and advocacy. Michelle is also a full time Chemical Engineer working for a German Based company. She holds degrees in Chemistry, Mathematics and Chemical Engineering from Xavier University and NJIT.

Education

Chemical Engineering (1992)

Chemistry/Mathematics (1988)

Certification and training

Bradley CBE (2005)

NBDA Doula (2019)

Evidence Based Birth Instructor (2018)

DONA Doula (2020)

Lactation Educator (2022)

Memberships and affiliations

National Black Doula Association - Board Member

National Black Doulas Association - Instructor

Perinatal Health Equity Initiative - Board Member

Credentials
CBE CD (DONA) CPD PhD
Specialties
Advanced Maternal Age Birth and Lactation Birth Doula Birth Support Birth Trauma Breastfeeding Support Cesarean, Episiotomy and Scar Pain Childbirth Education Evidence-Based Care Faith-Based Counseling Grief and Loss Healthy Eating High Risk and Low Intervention Obstetrical Care High-Risk Pregnancy Home Birth Infant Care Infertility Labor Doula LGBTQ+ Loss and Bereavement Doula Low Milk Supply/Over Supply Natural Birth Natural Childbirth Newborn Care Newborn Exam Newborn Screening Nipple and Breast Pain Nutritional Counseling Perinatal and Infant Loss Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Positive Thinking Postpartum Adjustment Postpartum Care Postpartum Doula Care Preconception Pregnancy Complications Pregnancy Loss Pregnancy, Prenatal, Postpartum Therapy Prenatal Care Relaxation Techniques Reproductive and Parenting Reproductive Mental Health Returning to work (pumping, breastmilk storage, etc) Sibling Preparation Support during Labor, Birth, and Postpartum Support in Pregnancy Loss Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) Water birth
Languages

English

Service introduction

We offer childbirth education via Bradley Birth, Evidence Based Birth or our own Holistic Class. We offer labor support and postpartum care (lactation education) while working to ensure advocacy and informed consent as a doula. We train individuals to become new doulas and offer mentoring services as well. We also teach Evidence Based Birth workshops to both parents and professionals (Doulas, Midwives and Nurses). We service NJ, NY, PA, MD, FL and GA! Email us for your FREE consultation. Michelle is often seen on videocasts or heard on podcasts to change the narrative of birth being an illness.

Ratings and reviews
Average
5.0
# of Reviews
3
5.0

Michelle was my doula for my second child. I was trying for a VBAC and had such a bad experience with my Cesarean that I had one simple request when I hired her, "Please keep me off that operating table!" She checked in with me throughout my pregnancy and gave advice when I was concerned about my weight gain. I wanted to be strong and in the best shape for a vaginal delivery. When I went in to labor spontaneously, my contractions would stop and start. By the 30th hour, I was losing faith and she guided me on "curb walking" to keep my contractions consistent! It worked! She then came to my house and put me through a circuit involving the stairs, floor and different positions on my couch. Active labor sped up quickly and she got me to the hospital ready to push because I was 10 cm dilated on arrival. In 4 pushes, my daughter was out! I can only imagine that had I not hired Michelle, I may have gone to the hospital too early and experienced that prodromal labor on a hospital monitor. I believe I would have been labeled "failure to progress" and wheeled in to the operating room for yet another c-section. My body just needed time and movement to get my active labor going. Michelle knew how to get me there. My 2nd birth felt like redemption and I can't thank Michelle enough!

- Sisi N.

5.0

Michelle is an amazing doula! I can’t say enough about her level of expertise and her ability to keep mom feeling calm while managing other relationships and educating mom and partner about the birthing process in an empowering way. She was an answered prayer. So glad we came across her services.

- Lavina L.

5.0

Michelle has been my doula for my first child & was phenomenal! She not only was here for me but for my husband as well. The knowledge & support she equipped us with is long-lasting. We are currently using her services again with baby number 2!

- Cheryse D.

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