Bereavement Doulas in Washington, DC

Hi, I’m Anisha, a birth doula and the owner of Womb 360. For over 10 years, I’ve had the privilege of supporting families through pregnancy, labor, birth, and the early postpartum period. My approach to doula care is centered around making sure you feel informed, heard, supported, and confident in the decisions you make for your birth. I believe every family deserves to understand their options and have someone in their corner who can provide calm, nonjudgmental support throughout the experience. Whether you’re preparing for your first birth, hoping for a different experience this time around, feeling overwhelmed by all the decisions, or simply want an experienced support person by your side, I meet you where you are. I provide in-person birth support throughout the DMV area as well as virtual doula support. Through Womb 360, I also offer personalized birth planning and pregnancy education to help families feel prepared long before labor begins. Birth can be unpredictable, but you shouldn’t have to walk into it feeling unprepared. I’d be honored to be part of your support team.

Nia Speight is trained through Madriella Doula Network and Virginia-State Certified, offering full-spectrum doula support from pregnancy through postpartum recovery. She’s worked within the family service profession for nine years, offering traditional yet personalized support. She also dedicates time advising families who need healthcare referrals, sibling assistance, and bereavement support ⋆｡°✩ As a mother who chose to home-birth, Nia fully understands the physical, emotional, and informational support families need, whether they plan to have a medicated or unmedicated birth — BOTH choices require the same level of mindfulness and decision-making. She believes mothers should prepare for the personal experience of childbirth by discovering ways to feel their absolute best, however that may look for them. Nia enjoys helping families prepare for their birth journey by narrowing down on what is most important to them, addressing the nervous system, sharing pain management techniques, preparing for postpartum recovery, and offering tips to support their personhood/autonomy in the hospital environment. In postpartum, she offers hands-on support to ensure parents are well-nourished, comfortable, and rested. Mothers can expect traditional postpartum recovery support such as warming meals, foot baths, or belly binding. Guidance surrounding newborn care or healthcare referral assistance for mom or baby. Overall, her goal is to uplift and support parents in a way that encourages them to feel set for parenthood!

Hello! I'm Danica, a Certified Birth and Postpartum/Infant Care Doula. I am a traveling doula based in Frederick, Maryland and want to assist others in their birthing and parenthood journey. I have teamed up with Gabrielle Taylor to bring quality care and support to Frederick and the surrounding areas. You can read more about Gabby here: https://www.thrivebloomdoula.com/ After being a support person for many years, I decided to become a doula. As a doula I have made it my goal to be a part of the village that everyone deserves by providing quality care and attention from the time you contact me, through the transition home with a new little one. I am an inclusive person and welcome diversity within my clients. I am open-minded and respect my clients ideals and beliefs- all are safe from judgement with me.

As a Trauma-Informed Responsive Doula and Childbirth Educator, I provide holistic, compassionate care to individuals and families throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. My work centers on creating safe, empowering, and healing experiences for those who have been impacted by trauma, helping them navigate the perinatal journey with dignity, confidence, and support of their mental health and well-being for a successful pregnancy journey. I approach each client relationship with deep respect for their lived experience and autonomy, integrating trauma-informed and responsive principles of safety, trust, empowerment, collaboration, and cultural responsiveness. From the first prenatal session through postpartum recovery, I focus on identifying emotional triggers, fostering body awareness, and supporting informed decision-making. I help clients develop personalized antepartum, birth and postpartum care plans that emphasize consent, comfort, and self-advocacy that honors their voice and their birth story. My professional practice is grounded in continuous learning and reflection. I regularly pursue advanced training in maternal care, trauma-informed and responsive care, reproductive justice and perinatal mental health to remain current with best practices and to strengthen the quality of support I offer. By integrating both advocacy and education, I aim to break cycles of intergenerational trauma and promote emotional resilience for every family I serve.

I am a Full Spectrum Doula, wellness educator, and mother of four, devoted to supporting families through pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum season with knowledge, compassion, and faith-centered encouragement. Through my work with Grand Guardian Birth and Family Care, I approach birth as a sacred and transformative experience—one that has the power to strengthen not only a mother, but the entire family. I believe mothers deserve to feel informed, respected, and deeply supported as they bring new life into the world. I am equally passionate about nurturing the intimate connection between parents, recognizing that a strong, unified partnership creates a foundation of peace, security, and love for both mother and baby. My philosophy blends evidence-based birth education with a holistic, faith-rooted perspective that honors the body’s design, emotional wellbeing, and the vital role of family support. I strive to walk alongside families in a way that cultivates confidence, connection, and a deep sense of purpose during this sacred season.

For more than 20 years, I have had the privilege of supporting women and families through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and pregnancy loss. As a certified full-spectrum doula, childbirth educator, lactation coach, infant massage educator, and maternal health advocate, I believe every family deserves compassionate, evidence-informed, and culturally responsive care that honors their unique journey. My approach blends practical education, emotional support, informed decision-making, and gentle advocacy so you feel confident, prepared, and empowered to make the choices that are right for you. Whether you are welcoming your first baby, growing your family, planning an unmedicated birth, preparing for an induction or cesarean birth, navigating postpartum recovery, or seeking support after loss, I meet you with compassion, respect, and unwavering presence. Having supported more than 500 births, I know that no two birth stories are alike. My role is not to direct your experience, but to walk beside you—helping you feel heard, informed, and supported every step of the way. I am committed to creating a safe, judgment-free space where your voice is centered, your preferences are respected, and your family feels cared for beyond the birth itself. Whatever your journey looks like, it would be an honor to walk beside you and be part of your village.

Hey beautiful souls! I'm the Dope Doula DMV, your holistic full-spectrum doula and womb wellness coach. ✨ I'm passionate about empowering Black mamas and birthing people on their journeys, from conception to postpartum and beyond. I believe in honoring the sacred wisdom of the womb and using holistic practices to cultivate self-love, informed choices, and a birth experience filled with knowledge, power, and joy. Let's connect and co-create the birthing and wellness experience you deserve!

Dominique Jones is an urban mom of three young girls, a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, DONA Certified Birth Doula, and Certified Breastfeeding Specialist, and the founder of M.A.M.A. Mom’s Advocate & Maternal Advisor. With both professional training and lived experience, Dominique provides full-spectrum, holistic support throughout the childbirth continuum—from pregnancy through postpartum recovery. She has supported families across a variety of birth settings and brings a calm, knowledgeable presence to every birth space. As a mother who has experienced two unmedicated hospital births and one homebirth, Dominique understands firsthand the physical, emotional, and informational support families need to feel confident and prepared. She is especially passionate about supporting families planning physiologic or unmedicated births and helping parents feel informed and empowered throughout their journey. Through her agency, families receive thoughtfully matched, vetted doulas and a supportive care team, ensuring reliable, compassionate support throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Dominique also founded the M.A.M.A. Community Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to maternal health education and community support programs across the Washington DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia (DMV) area. Her mission is simple: to help families have safe, peaceful, and joyous birth experiences while feeling informed, respected, and supported every step of the way.

Hey there! I'm Jenn Carlson, your friendly neighborhood doula! I call Springfield, VA home, where I live with my husband, Eddie—a rock musician who moonlights as a film critic. (Or maybe it’s the other way around? Either way, there's a lot of passionate reviews in my house!). I spent over two decades as an IT pro and a stage manager before diving headfirst into my most exciting production: raising two amazing daughters. Both of their births were high-drama—think less "rom-com" and more "medical thriller." But those experiences sparked a fire in me to help other women feel empowered during labor, and thus began my journey as a doula. Since 2013, I've been lucky enough to attend over 700 births and help nearly 300 new moms recover through the magical art of placenta encapsulation (yes, it’s a thing and it’s awesome). I'm a CBI and DONA Trained, Madriella Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula, a Childbirth Educator, an AHA Infant and Pediatric First Aid and CPR instructor, a certified Reiki practitioner, and a placenta encapsulation specialist. Whew, that’s a mouthful! My goal? To be whatever my clients need. Natural-minded or more into the medical approach, I’m here to make sure you have the birth experience you want—with all the options on the table. My definition of a successful birth? One where the mom feels respected, empowered, and ready to write her own birth story, no matter how her baby arrives. Because education is key, I teach breastfeeding, infant CPR, newborn care, and childbirth classes. I've got experience with Bradley and Hypnobirthing techniques, and I bring along my trusty rebozo and TENS unit to help families through labor. I also have special training to support moms who have experienced trauma or loss, and a big, soft spot for high-risk mothers like me who need to know they have options. So whether you’re looking for a bit of guidance, a lot of support, or just someone to laugh with while you figure it all out—I’m here for you!

I’m Chaya, a DMV native, proud mama of three, Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), student midwife, and birth worker with a deep passion for supporting families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. My journey into birth work began in 2019 when I earned my CNA license, NRP/CPR certification, and full-spectrum doula certification. I originally entered nursing with the goal of becoming a labor and delivery nurse, but in 2020, I began apprenticing as a student and birth assistant alongside a local home birth midwife. That experience completely shifted the way I viewed birth and helped me develop a deeper appreciation for physiologic, intrinsic birth and the importance of protecting a birthing person’s autonomy. Since then, I’ve continued growing both in nursing and midwifery. I became a Licensed Practical Nurse while continuing my education toward my ultimate goal of becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM). I’ve also spent several years working in a local hospital’s Labor & Delivery unit while running Nova Birth & Wellness, which has allowed me to experience birth from both the clinical and community-based sides of maternity care. As a doula, placenta encapsulation specialist, birth photographer, student midwife, nurse, and perinatal advocate, my heart has always been centered around supporting mothers during one of the most sacred and vulnerable seasons of their lives. Over the years, I’ve had the honor of attending more than 200 births in different roles, and every experience has continued to strengthen my passion for this work. While I have a special love for natural, physiologic birth, I believe there is no single “right” way to give birth. Every person deserves to feel informed, respected, supported, and in control of the decisions surrounding their body and their baby. Whether someone chooses a home birth, hospital birth, epidural, induction, cesarean, or an unmedicated birth, my role is to help them understand their options and feel confident in the path that feels right for them. Advocacy is at the core of everything I do. My goal is to create a relationship built on trust, safety, and genuine connection so my clients know they can confide in me, depend on me, and feel completely supported during such an intimate time in their lives. Many of the relationships I’ve formed with families have grown into lasting friendships, which is one of the things I value most about this work. My dream is to become a CNM and eventually open my own practice where I can provide families with compassionate, evidence-based, autonomous maternity care and offer the option of home birth—the same kind of empowering experience I was blessed to have with my own children.

While photographing my first home birth in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2014, I naturally found myself playing the role of doula between shots. I signed up for official training the next day and never looked back. Soon after doula training, I earned a Certification in Lactation Counseling (CLC) and began helping mothers struggling with feeding issues. I have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of babies in various settings, with varying feeding challenges, and a wide range of feeding goals. Phelicia welcomes families of all dynamics, ethnicities, and backgrounds, supporting births at home, in-hospital, medicated or unmedicated, planned, and unplanned cesareans.

Hi, I'm Vee. I am a Perinatal Health Care specialist (Doula) Birth Activist, and Cultural Anthropologist. My work is in: Birth, Holistic Postpartum Care, Traditional Holistic Postpartum Care, and Belly Binding Practice. I specialize in the wholeness and wellness of an expectant mother. I believe when a Mother is put first -loved on, cared for and nurtured well...then her whole home and family then is okay as well!

Hello everyone! My name is Dayane Lima, and I am a full spectrum Doula, Newborn Care Specialist, Sleep Consultant, and Breastfeeding Counselor with over 13 years of experience working with families. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Education and am dedicated to providing specialized support during and after birth, ensuring families have a safe and positive experience for both parents and the baby. Having personalized guidance, continuous emotional support, and practical tips can make a world of difference in preparing and feeling confident during this very special time in your life. Here are the services I offer: 1. Perinatal Education 2. Sleep Consulting 3. Newborn Care Support - Overnight 4. Breastfeeding Support 5. Birth and Postpartum Preparation 6. Baby Boot Camp 7. Online and In-Person Support Feel free to check out my Instagram and website for more information

Hi there! My name is Darshal but you can call me Dee! I am a mom and experienced doula. I’m originally from Mississippi, and have a beautiful, blossoming teenage daughter! My journey into motherhood and the knowledge and empowerment gained through childbirth has led me to become a doula. I have a passion for helping women achieve a positive and satisfying childbirth experience. My goal as a doula is to help educate, advocate, offer support and comfort for all birthing persons during their fertility, pregnancy along with labor, ultimately leading to a positive birth and wellness experience. 

Nkay is a Traditional Apprentice Midwife serving families throughout the Baltimore–Washington region with a deep commitment to culturally centered, respectful, and holistic maternity care. Widely recognized for her dedication to Black and minority families, Nikita has spent over a decade supporting women through fertility, pregnancy, birth, and postpartum with compassion, clinical rigor, and ancestral reverence. Born and raised in Baltimore City, Nikita later relocated to suburban Maryland at age 19, where her personal journey into motherhood profoundly shaped her professional calling. Becoming a mother at 16 with the steadfast support of her married parents, she developed an early passion for maternal health and a determination to serve women during some of life’s most transformative moments. This experience inspired her pursuit of a career in labor and delivery and ultimately midwifery. In 2013, Nikita began her formal clinical training by earning her Nursing Assistant Certification at the Gandhi School in Pikesville, Maryland. She then advanced her medical training at Brown’s Career Institute, where she became both a Patient Care Technician and Certified Phlebotomist. That same year, she entered the field of obstetrics as an OB Surgical Technician at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C., completing the hospital’s in-house Surgical Technology Program and receiving extensive on-the-job training in high-acuity maternity care. Over the next five years, Nikita worked across multiple labor and delivery units throughout the DMV, including Sibley Memorial Hospital, The George Washington University Hospital, St. Agnes Hospital, Providence Hospital, StoneSprings Hospital Center, Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, and MedStar Montgomery Medical Center. During this time, she gained firsthand experience in operative births, maternal emergencies, and interdisciplinary obstetric care—knowledge that continues to inform her midwifery practice today. In 2019, recognizing the limitations of hospital-based care for families seeking autonomy and holistic support, Nikita transitioned from surgical technology to birthwork as a doula and student midwife. That same year, she founded DMV Birth Doulas, LLC, a full-spectrum doula practice dedicated to empowering families through personalized, evidence-informed, and culturally affirming support. In 2020, Nikita launched The Black Doula Training, LLC, an accessible, low-cost educational program designed to increase diversity in the birthwork profession and prepare aspiring doulas for professional practice. Many graduates of the program have gone on to serve families in community settings and within DMV Birth Doulas’ professional network. In December 2024, Nikita successfully fulfilled the hands-on training and skills checklist requirements ine PEP process as an Apprentice Midwife including observing 10 births as a doula, assisting in 20 births as an assistant under licensed midwives, and attending 30 births as a primary student under direct supervision.  Throughout her training, she worked under the mentorship and clinical supervision of respected midwives across the Mid-Atlantic region, including: Bayla Berkowitz, CNM (Pikesville, MD) Monika Karaosman, CPM (Berlin, MD) Elder Midwife Maureen McIver, CPM (Pennsylvania) Ryann Bernard, CPM, JD (Alexandria, VA) These mentors evaluated her clinical skills, birth outcomes, and professional competencies, affirming her readiness to practice midwifery in community and out-of-hospital settings. Today, Nikita is the owner of The House of Gloria Fertility & Birth, a sacred, boutique midwifery and fertility practice in Ellicott City, Maryland. Her work blends traditional midwifery principles with modern clinical standards, offering families holistic fertility care, homebirth midwifery, and comprehensive postpartum support. She is particularly known for her dedication to informed consent, physiologic birth, and culturally grounded care that honors Black maternal health and ancestral birth traditions. Nikita remains deeply invested in education, mentorship, and advocacy for maternal health equity. Through her clinical practice, training programs, and community outreach, she continues to expand access to respectful, culturally aligned birth care for families across Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

I am a Certified Birth Photographer and Certified Full Spectrum Doula serving Denver, Colorado and surrounding areas. My love for birth started at a young age, but it wasn't until I birthed my daughter that I found my passion. I believe that everyone's pregnancy journey and birth story matters. You will carry your experience with you for the rest of your life. As your doula and birth photographer, it is my responsibility to support you, advocate for you when necessary, and document the beautiful moments of your birth. ​ I believe that birth is natural and all about trusting yourself, your body, and the process. I also believe that it is your right to determine what the best birth is for your family. I offer support for all types of families. I am also bilingual (Spanish/English). It does not matter if you are having a home birth or a scheduled cesarean. My main goal is to ensure that you have all of the information you need in order to make an informed decision. No matter what decision you make, I will always have your back. ​ As a parent who has just recently gone through my own pregnancy and birth journey, I understand how lonely it can feel. Know that you are never alone. I will be there to listen whenever you need to talk to someone about how you feel or you just need to release your emotions. I will believe in you even when you don't. You are strong, capable, and powerful. And I'll be there to remind you every time you doubt yourself.

Highly organized, detail-oriented, and compassionate Maternal Health Expert and Senior Doula, as well as retired Career Firefighter/Paramedic, with 20+ years of professional experience throughout the medical industry. Well-versed in the delivery of culturally appropriate programming for the maternal health population. Successful in the planning and executing of a variety of programs and services geared to promote wellness and healthy lifestyles for birthing persons before, during, and after childbirth. Adept at overseeing the development of strategy and policy recommendations for clients. Demonstrated ability to deliver unparalleled client service, offer high-level communications, and facilitate training and management of teams. Highly skilled at identifying problems and developing effective solutions, monitoring performance metrics, and utilizing skilled analysis to optimize processes. Looking for ways to bridge Maternal Health and Technology.

I am a mom, daughter, a sister, an aunt, a cat mom, taco chaser, lover of travel, and a proud doula. My family and I live in the DC area, though I will always and forever remain a Georgia girl at heart. My passion has always been in healthcare and championing people to make the best decisions for themselves based on unbiased support and evidenced based information. My goal is that each and every family I support feels confident and empowered walking into and away from their birth experience.

We are a team of Perinatal Professionals (Doulas, Childbirth Educators, Yoga Instructors, Mental Health Therapists, Lactation Consultants, Sleep Specialists, Placenta Encapsulation Specialists, etc.) supporting families in great transition that is parenthood. Located in Baltimore, MD, we serve families locally, and around the globe - online! www.wombroom.mom

Hi, I’m Gabrielle Taylor. I’ve been supporting mothers and newborns since February 2022, but my passion for women’s health began in my teenage years. I’m a proud mother of two—my children were born in 2017 and 2021. **I have teamed up with Danica Day to bring quality care and support to Frederick and the surrounding areas. You can read more about Danica here: https://www.dawnandduskdoulaco.com/** My first birth, a cesarean, was emotionally traumatic and left me feeling unsupported and unheard. In contrast, the birth of my second child was an empowering VBAC, made possible by the compassionate presence of an incredible doula. That experience was truly life-changing—it showed me the profound difference that informed, empathetic support can make. Now, my mission is to offer that same kind of transformative support to other families. Whether you're navigating your first birth or welcoming another child into your home, I’m here to help you feel confident, cared for, and connected. In today’s fast-paced world, motherhood can feel isolating—but I'm here to bridge that gap so you feel supported. I’m also currently pursuing my nursing degree to deepen my knowledge and enhance the care I provide as a doula. I’m honored to walk alongside you during this pivotal journey.