Aisha Birth Doula Services

Aisha Awadallah

Birth Doula, CLC, Placenta Encapsulator 

Providing experienced, inclusive, compassionate and empowering birth doula service across the New York City area

 

Aisha Awadallah Aisha Awadallah is a DONA certified birth doula, birth assistant, and CLC (certified lactation consultant). She/they have extensive community doula experience, provide placenta encapsulation, lactation consulting, and has also trained as midwife assistant at the historic Farm in Tennessee. Aisha identifies as a queer Black and Indigenous femme birth worker and artist. She is married to a wonderfully supportive husband in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn and is parent to three cat babies. Outside of doula work Aisha is a visual/tattoo artist and art model; loves traveling and animals, dance and movement.

Aisha is a passionate and calm advocate for her clients' voices and reminds them of their own power and right to access maternal education and choose safe birthing environments. She believes a birth doula can provide essential and experienced support during labor and helps encourage an empowering and safe birthing experience. She provides comforting touch, education, and continual guidance as they begin to conceptualize their birth preferences and prepare for their postpartum experience. They also prioritize clients finding appropriate resources as they prepare for birth and can help in choosing more inclusive and specifically trained care providers if needed. She shares comfort and coping tools with clients to help them through their labor experience and is a compassionate coach and support person. Aisha is a birth nerd and can spend hours talking about physiological birth, lactation, postnatal care, and hospital interventions clients often navigate. She believes knowledge is power and that no birth should or will look the same.

As a birth doula for the past seven years and providing support for 150+ families; Aisha is always learning more about birth and all things related to it, and is continually in awe of the strength of the clients they have had the honor of supporting. She has learned just how important advocacy, community and support are; and how it can help remind us of just how much we are capable of.

Aisha believes that childbirth is a beautifully complex, life changing and powerful experience, and a transition that requires the support of a “village”; or a strong support team. A labor and postpartum experience in which the individual feels empowered, safe, present and supported is essential and should always be aspired to.

 
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Birth Support Package

  • One free 30 min. consultation ("meet and greet")- I offer to meet you (and your partner if applicable) virtually over Zoom to discuss my services and how I can best offer and mold my birth doula support to you and your growing family, and provides an opportunity for us to see if we would be a good fit

  • 2 prenatal visits (one virtual and one in-person visit), our meetings allow us the opportunity to develop and strengthen a trusting relationship, discuss your birth plan and/or birth preferences, practice comfort and coping techniques and positions, and to cover any questions you might have about the childbirth process and how to best advocate for your needs with your care provider

  • Continual email, phone, and text support- I am available within business hours to provide virtual support, and am available 24/7 once on-call for you

  • On-call at 37 weeks- this means you'll be super close to your estimated due date! Which also means that as your birth doula I am ready and available to be contacted by you at the start of early labor signs and provide in person support when you decide you would like me to join you for the process.

  • Continual labor and birth support- I join you at your home and accompany you to the hospital, birth center, or help you prepare for your home birth. I provide consistent and empathetic emotional, physical, and informational support throughout the labor process and birth.

  • Initial breast/chest feeding and latching support- after birth I stay with you for 1-2 hours and help with initial skin-to-skin contact and help establish a nursing latch if so desired

  • 2 postpartum visits- within 1-3 weeks since your birth I can visit your home to help you process your birth experience, check-in on you and the baby, provide lactation support, resources or references for any additional needed support, and to bring our intimate journey together to a close. Also available for virtual support as needed.

  • Fee- $3000 (paid in two installments; one half at hire, second half at 36-37 weeks) (sliding scale available, please inquire with your budget)

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Placenta Encapsulation and Tincture

The benefits of placenta as medicine and a healing remedy have been known and used through Traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. When consumed postpartum, the placenta has shown to lessen the chances of experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety, increase breastmilk production, speed up uterine healing and recovery, increase energy levels, aids in hormonal balance, and enhances one’s overall feeling of wellness after birth.

I offer placenta encapsulation and tincture services to birth parents/mothers to be used as an aid and ritual in post birth recovery. I encourage you to do your research and then decide if it is right for you.

Placenta Package - $450 for doula clients, $475 for non-doula clients

  • Prenatal consultation and planning for pick-up and transport

  • Placenta preparation and encapsulation

  • 80-120 placenta pills (varies with placenta’s size). Placenta is steamed with lemon and ginger before dehydration

  • 4 oz placenta tincture

  • Umbilical cord keepsake

  • Storage and consumption consultation at drop-off

Testimonials

I was hoping for an unmedicated birth in a hospital for my first birth, and Aisha played a huge role in helping me achieve that goal. I came into the process seeking a birth Doula with a lot of knowledge and experience, and we found that with Aisha. She spent hours coaching my partner and I and getting to know us personally. On the birthday, I was physically fatigued and mentally struggling after being in labor for 30 plus hours. I was discharged from the hospital at 2am despite being in active labor. After 6 more hours at home, my partner felt there wasn’t much else he could do to support me so he called Aisha. On the phone and at our home, she was comforting and empathic. She was decisive and recognized I needed to go to the hospital immediately.
When we got back to the hospital, ny water was still intact but I was too tired to move. She gently nudged me to take a walk to the bathroom and within 10 steps my water broke. She advocated for me and was collaborative with the hospital staff. I was able to deliver our baby without medication, as we had hoped. She stayed with us for a while to celebrate the birth of our baby - it was a really special moment. In addition to the physical birthing process, she validated many of the new emotions that were coming up for me with the flood of hormones, breastfeeding, and our new roles as parents. That last visit was incredibly healing for my partner and me. Aisha came over, spent a few hours with us reflecting on our birth journey and delivered the placenta capsules. Should we decide to have more children in the future, I would absolutely ask Aisha to be part of our birth team again. Aisha’s greatest gift to me as a first time mom and birthing parent; helping me find the confidence within myself to work through my fear and most importantly trust my body. I am grateful that I got to have exactly the labor, birth and early postpartum experience that I wanted.
— TT
Aisha was amazing to work with, especially during peak COVID isolation. She was very responsive, knowledgible, down-to-earth, and comforting. Her ability to answer our questions and concerns, especially those about what we should do at the hospital given that she was not able to be present due to state mandates, we’re invaluable to our birthing experience. One of her biggest contributions was advising us to switch delivery providers, which ended up being a huge benefit to the well-being of the mother and baby. She also provided amazing virtual support during labor and birth, encouraging Mom through breathing exercises, keeping track of contraction frequency, and communicating with Dad (who also couldn’t be at the hospital during labor due to the NY State mandate).

Aisha was always very knowledgable, open, encouraging, and supportive—from our very first meeting all the way through our final postpartum appointment. She always followed up our questions with helpful resources, and gave us instructive, well-infromed advise about how best we could prepare for labor, and what we should expect in the first couple of weeks breastfeeding. Her thoughtfulness, depth of knoweldge, and always-available attitude provided us with confidence, comfort, and peace-of-mind.

We would highly recommend her, especially for new parents with lots of questions seeking best options for labor and delivery during tumultuous and uncertain times.
— Molly and Nicholas
Aisha was an invaluable source of support during our prenatal visits and especially during our homebirth. She was so knowledgeable and confident about the prenatal period, and she was especially helpful for pain relief during labor. She and my partner worked so well together to make sure I stayed well nourished and to help relieve some of the pain. My partner felt that her ability to read the room and my labor signs made him feel more comfortable throughout the entire process - she also knew exactly what positions I should be in to help move the baby down the birth canal. I was especially excited about the options she was able to provide for postpartum support with placenta encapsulation. I would absolutely recommend Aisha to anybody looking for a birth doula - she is amazing!
— Clare
I can’t say enough wonderful things about our experience with Aisha. When I look back on my birthing story, I truly don’t know how I would have done it without her. From our first meeting, I knew she was special, knowledgeable, experienced, passionate, and empathetic. I ended up needing to transfer from a birthing center to a hospital during my labor and Aisha guided us every step of the way. She served as a liason between us and the doctors and reassured me that my choices were strong throughout. Her kindness and dedication are truly unmatched and my entire family is a fan. If I had it to do over, I wouldn’t change a thing and I have Aisha to thank for that.
— Cortney and Curtis
Aisha was my doula during my son’s birth on 4/11/18. We had 2 meetings together in our home prior to his arrival. During these visits Aisha was open and so easy to talk to. She wanted to get to know my partner and I and learn about my wishes / birth plan, and from these meetings I think she got a great sense of both. During my labor first at home and then in the hospital, she was very intuitive and adjusted herself based on my needs- mostly without me having to ask or direct. Her healing touch was so helpful, and she showed my partner how to help using pressure and massage as well. When we went to the hospital things didn’t go smoothly or as planned, and I was so grateful to my 2 advocates who provided tangible emotional support and encouragement. I certainly felt safer with Aisha there. My labor was 62 hours long and I really feel that I could not have gotten through it without her. I also believe I would have gotten a C-section without her there but was able to deliver my son vaginally, something I am immensely thankful for. Throughout the whole experience my husband and I truly felt like we were in the very best of hands, and I feel confident that any future clients of Aisha’s will share this sentiment.
— Lorena and Casey
I would never thank Aisha enough for being by my side and helping me through my labor and delivery. From the first day we met she understood perfectly what I need, my fears and concerns. On the day I was giving birth when she came the hospital it was like an angel sent from above, she brought with her peace as I was terrified of the medical staff who were trying to use all kinds of interventions that they were pushing on me. Aisha brought with her a peanut ball and a oil diffuser and was by my side all the time. I felt really confident since she was helping me making the right choices. I would definitely recommend her to every pregnant woman. I felt like having a very close family member supporting me but of course with knowledge.
— Meriem
I was very happy with Aisha’s services. She made my 13 hours of labor more bearable. She was personable and had great methods to comfort me during this time. Quite honestly, if she were not there, I probably would have gotten an epidural.

Thanks to her, I was natural for my first pregnancy and I would recommend her to anyone looking for a Doula!
— Jamila
Aisha was wonderful, and one of the main reasons I was able to have the natural birth I hoped to. I couldn’t have done it without her.
— Amanda
I gave birth to my daughter Lilikoi on June 26 and Aisha was our doula. She was AMAZING. Throughout my pregnancy, she reached out with thoughtful emails, sharing resources and recommendations. At my daughter’s birth, she arrived about halfway through (it was a 12 hour birth) and was amazing. I love my husband, but Aisha was way better at the hip squeezes, which got me through every single contraction. In between contractions, I went into child’s pose and she stroked my legs, really relaxing me.

After my birth, she helped clean me up, got me to eat a little bit, cleaned up my apt, took some photos, and was spectacular.

I don’t know what I was expecting from a doula, but Aisha def exceeded all my expectations. I’m grateful for everything she has done for me.

I am SO glad I went with Aisha and am grateful I got to have her as part of my pregnancy and birth. She was truly wonderful. If we ever have another baby, we definitely want Aisha to be our doula!
— Cherie
Working with Aisha has been one of the most memorable experiences of my life. From our initial consultation, I realized how caring and professional she is. Aisha was very knowledgeable about all aspects of labor and delivery. When the moment arrived for me to deliver my baby, she was immediately by my side comforting me, offering amazing suggestions and never left my side. She was extremely helpful when it came to communicating with medical staff (and myself) about what has happening or expressing my questions and concerns. I felt very comfortable and protected by her. We even made each other laugh at times! She was just wonderful. I am so glad I chose her to be my Doula and I would pick her again in a heartbeat if I am blessed with another pregnancy.
— Ruth
Has been wonderful throughout this entire experience. My little one came 7 weeks early. Aisha was there to guide to me all the way through and provided positive affirmations for me. Her soothing and calming voice allowed me to get through the labor and even the entire ordeal. Since then, we have kept in constant contact. She is always checking in on my well being (physically and emotionally) and the well being of my premie baby. Aisha is someone that I would highly recommend to anyone.
— Ashley
I and my husband chose to work with Aisha for the birth of our first child. During prenatal visits and over email, she presented resources and information and a nonjudgemental attitude that let me know that no matter how my birth proceeded, I would be fully supported in my decisions.

My labor began at 2 in the morning on a Thursday. It continued through a second night and day without much progression. I was in touch with Aisha by text thoughout this time, and she offered me reassurance, resources and encouragement. Early Saturday morning, things very suddenly kicked into high gear. We called Aisha and she immediately headed our way. By the time she arrived 25 minutes later, the contractions were so strong and so close together that I could barely speak or walk. My husband was frantically throwing our hospital gear into the car. I don’t know how we would have made the 30 minute drive to the hospital without Aisha’s help and guidance on how to breathe, how to relax, and her encouragement. On my own my breathing was tight, tense and high pitched, which was contributing to my pain.

When we arrived at the hospital, the doctor let us know that I was 8 centimeters dialated. For the next several hours, Aisha and my husband worked as a team to support me through contractions until I was ready to push. Her presence was empowering, allowing my husband to provide me with full emotional support knowing that I was getting expert coaching on how to breathe, relax and move. I was very scared about pushing, but with Aisha’s support the process was manageable. Our child Miranda was born at 7:03 am, a completely natural birth with no interventions necessary. I feel nearly certain that this would not have been the outcome without the high quality doula support that Aisha provided. The birth of our child was the most incredible and memorable experience of our lives. I would highly recommend Aisha’s services to anyone seeking doula care.
— Ada
We hired Aisha for the birth of our second child at the Brooklyn Birthing Center. I knew after the first meeting that Aisha would work really well with both me and my husband - she has such a cheerful and caring personality, and really works with what you need in terms of support for your birth. We met twice before labor, and she was on call responding to text messages in the last weeks of pregnancy. I had a rather fast labor, so Aisha met my husband and I at the Birth Center (instead of at home). Seeing her arrive gave me such a feeling of relief - just knowing that I had another person who would be solely focused on my comfort. Aisha and my husband worked really well together - encouraging me to walk around the center to bring on stronger contractions, offering hands-on support (massage, pressure on my back, etc), and suggesting different positions as labor became more intense. What I appreciated the most was how Aisha and my husband seemed to work seamlessly together and be fully responsive to my needs in the moment. After the birth, Aisha massaged my legs as the midwife examined me for stitches - which after having gone through so much to birth my son was just a really kind touch. Aisha came to visit about a week after my son’s birth and we re-lived the experience - sharing different details and laughing at particularly amusing moments during the labor. Aisha was a great support and presence during the birth. I highly recommend her to anyone seeking a doula.
— Carolyn
My husband and I hired Aisha to be our doula for our first birth this past month.

We knew after our initial visit with Aisha that we were a great fit, she was so professional, sweet, attentive and so informative about what her services would include.

By the time we had our 2 meetings before our labor began, we really felt like Aisha would be such an important part of birth process based on our preferences- we wanted as natural a birth as possible with as little to no interventions. Aisha was so supportive and knowledgable about this process and approach.

Once I actually went into labor, Aisha was there for us as promised- in early stages she was with us on the phone getting a gage on when to come over, and when we reassured her it was getting close to time to leave for the hospital, she came right over and helped me labor at home a bit more with her massage techniques, verbal cues and support.

What I especially want to review is Aisha’s performance at the hospital in the thick of the labor- I went through pretty rough back labor that went on for hours and Aisha’s techniques for coping with the pain were very effective, she would squeeze my hips and lower back and it would help alleviate some of the pain, and then between contrations she would check in with me and my husband. In the end, I had to get an epidural because my baby’s spine was against my spine he was not budging for hours. When I deviated from my birth preferences and requested an epidural, Aisha made sure to double check with me that it is what I really wanted and was so understanding and supportive of it.

Throughout the whole time she was with us, Aisha was deeply connected to me and what I was experiencing. I believe from the depths of my soul that I would have had a much more difficult labor if I didnt have the support of Aisha as my doula. Her energy, patience, understanding of the birthing process and physical support are priceless!
— Kymia and Devin
Calm, Cool, and Collected...Those are the words that come to mind when I think about my experience with Aisha. I recently delivered a baby boy with the support of Aisha as my doula. From the beginning Aisha was responsive, professional, flexible, and understanding. Our first meeting was great and her warm personality made me want to work with her. Through out the course of my preganancy she was availble and reassuring. I appreciated her very chill and calm personality. During the delivery Aisha was wonderful with helping me, my husband, and my family who came to the birth. My family kept saying that she was wonderful and how it was great having her there. I would recommend Aisha to any new mom who is looking for a professional, down-to-earth doula. Aisha comes with a lot of knowledge and she is very supportive. If I ever have another child I would no doubt contact her again. She is wonderful!
— Sierra
Aisha brings calm, strength, and humor to her practice as a doula. In our prenatal visits, she gave me the encouragement I needed to ask my provider about the birth practices that mattered to me. I also got to talk with her about my anxieties about pregnancy and birth, and it helped a lot to give voice to my fears. In the delivery room, it made such a difference to have Aisha there. She was very observant to what I was feeling, joking when I needed distraction and giving me space when it looked like I could get a few moments of rest. She was also a powerful ally. As things changed quickly and lots of information and recommendations started to come in, Aisha found time in between contractions to make eye contact with me and check that I understand everything that was happening and was getting my questions and concerns heard. Checking in that I and my spouse were alright for the moment, she relayed information to our families, which they appreciated very much. Aisha was exactly what I hoped for in working with a doula—the power of having a steady, knowledgeable person consistently by my side, someone who is neither my provider nor my family, who can navigate a hospital with confidence and hold space for a laboring person.
— Tess and Roman

Contact Aisha

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What is a doula?

A birth doula is a trained professional whose primary role is to provide continual physical, emotional, and informational support to a pregnant person and their partner before, during, and after labor and the birth of their child. The doula strives to approach her support and care for her clients with unfaltering empathy, professionalism, nurtured knowledge, and flexibility. A doula shares continually accumulated knowledge about the process of birth, applicable comfort and coping techniques, labor positions and helps their client to craft a birth plan or visualize and understand their birth preferences. 

When a pregnant person makes the decision to pursue hiring a doula, they usually will have a consultation through phone, video chat, or in person with their potential birth doula. This provides not only the client, but also the doula themselves, to gauge whether or not they would be a good fit for each other and if the doula’s style of practice and personality is compatible to the client’s wants and needs. Upon hire, the doula will meet with their client for 1-2 prenatal meetings before their due date, usually the second meeting will happen around 37 weeks of gestation. Prenatal meetings are essential and a great opportunity for the birth doula to build a relationship with the client and their family, and establish a foundation of intimacy and trust. These meetings allow the client to express any thoughts, concerns, or fears they may have towards the birth and labor process and parenthood, to possibly share past traumas or birth experiences, and to discuss their personal and medical preferences for their labor, birth and birth environment. The doula listens to the clients experiences, thoughts, and desires with empathy and a nonjudgmental approach; it is not the doula’s role to make any decisions in regards to the client’s birth preferences, but to share evidence based information and professional and experience garnered knowledge to help adapt and allow the client to best advocate for themselves with their medical care provider and feel confident and informed in their options and desires. The doula can encourage the client to check in with their care provider as they devise their birth plan and to continually ask relevant questions or express concerns in regards to the care provider’s care and practices.

During these meetings the birth doula also shares coping and comfort techniques with the client and their partner, which can include techniques such as counter pressure massage, the double hip squeeze, massage and the value of positive reinforcement from the birth support team and affirmations the client may create for themselves. The doula can share how the client can utilize useful tools such as a birthing ball, peanut ball, rhythmic breathing, or rebozo to help promote an effective and efficient labor and maximize comfort. The client and doula can discuss recommended literature, classes, resources, and tools that are relevant to their needs as they prepare for their labor and birth.

At the onset of early labor the doula provides continual and comforting support over the phone and/or text and can suggest ways for the their client to stay comfortable, informed, and confident in laboring on their own or with their partner at home. This early communication also allows the doula to gauge their client’s progress, emotional state of being, and to stay updated in regards to the labor’s progress and possible physical signs of labor. When the client decides they are in need of extra support, the birth doula will physically join them at their home or birth location. Through the doula’s experience and knowledge, and the client’s communication, preferences, and visible signs of the labor’s progress they can help their client decide when would be best to contact their care provider and begin heading to the birth location or to contact the midwife to join them if it is a home birth. At home and at the birth location, the doula provides consistent physical and emotional support in helping the client navigate and cope with their labor that can be adapted to the client’s preferences and mood. This can include directed breathing, suggesting different labor positions, supportive language, touch and massage. The doula can also provide a helping hand, and comforting reassurance and coaching during the pushing stage. The doula also provides support to the partner and emotionally checks in and ensures they are rested, hydrated and physically capable to continue labor support. The partner can also be incorporated into physically and emotionally supporting the laboring person with techniques and advice shared by the birth doula.

With the support of a doula, "women were less likely to have pain-relief medications administered and less likely to have a cesarean birth. Women also reported having a more positive childbirth experience”. The calming presence and objective yet empathetic support of a birth doula is shown to drastically reduce the length of labor and need for medical interventions, and drop the rate of cesarean sections by as much as 50 percent. The importance of having continual support and coaching throughout labor is shown to greatly increase the chances of a positive birth experience, overall confidence and well being of the laboring individual, and improve the likelihood of establishing a easier bond with their newborn and a more positive start to breastfeeding.

Once the baby is born, the doula’s main objective to continually support their client, this can mean a comforting hand and informational support during the placenta’s delivery, during the possibility of any necessary medical procedures, and as the care provider assesses and finishes their care of the client. The doula then stays with the client and their family for 1-2 (or longer if deemed necessary) hours after birth to help with early breastfeeding, clean up, and ensuring that the client is comfortable and informed about early newborn care and if relevant, their subsequent hospital stay. Postpartum, the birth doula will follow up with the client a few days after the birth to check-in and to arrange for a postpartum meeting in the next week or two. At the postpartum meeting the doula meets with client at their home to check in on their emotional and physical well being, to help them in processing the birth experience, and to provide any additional support with breastfeeding and early postpartum care. If the client has a need or concern that falls outside of the doula’s scope of practice, the doula will provide relevant resources and referrals (i.e. postpartum doula, certified lactation consultant, mental health professional) the client can choose to pursue. This is also an opportunity for the client and doula to “close” their relationship, say their goodbyes, and for the client to feel comfortable in providing any feedback about their experience working together.