• Calendar shows the due dates the doula is available for

The first weeks after birth are filled with excitement, but these weeks can also be a challenging time.

I was born in the Netherlands, where it’s a tradition to send a postpartum doula to every new mom’s home–we call them kraamverzorgster. These professional caregivers “mother the mother.” That’s a great description of what I do.

I will help you nurse, hold, bathe and care for the baby. I will make sure you can take a shower or a nap and give you practical and emotional support. But my most important job is to empower you. Because here’s the thing: Nobody knows a baby better than the mom. She just needs a little help finding her bearings in this new reality.

I’m a certified CLC with extensive experience. Over the years I’ve taken care of many babies with all kinds of breastfeeding challenges. I’m DONA trained and have CPR certification.

I am also a skilled cook, which ensures that my clients are well nourished. Twenty-five years ago, I started my own motherhood journey. My babies are now young adults, but they have forever changed my life in a wonderful way. It has been my honor and pleasure to guide new mothers down the same demanding but rewarding path.

Testimonials

“Our time with J. was fantastic- she was exactly what we needed in the early newborn days. She was very helpful with a variety of different things, but especially getting our breastfeeding journey off to a strong start. We were so happy to have her and will certainly recommend her to others!”

Emily, April 2024

“Coming home from the hospital with a newborn can be daunting and an emotional rollercoaster.  Working with J. was one of the best decisions we made as first time parents. J. truly wrapped her arms around us and our daughter.  Her guidance for taking care of our baby was critical and she always made sure to have us do it all ourselves, rather than doing it for us.  This gave us the empowerment and confidence we needed in those early days. I miss each of our mornings with J. when she would arrive and discuss the night before over coffee – answering all of our questions and providing additional knowledge.  From a tactical perspective, J. did some light chores around the apartment like laundry and changing sheets.  Each day, she made us at least one nutritious and nourishing meal while allowing my husband and I a quick nap to rest and recharge.  As a new Mom, I struggled a bit with hormonal changes and anxiety.  J’s focus every day was on me as the first priority.  She made sure I had someone to talk to and confide in.  Her warm, encouraging energy was invaluable to me, and I truly believe she saved me from going down the path of postpartum depression.  Having her support felt more like an experience than a service-provided and we are forever grateful.  We are already looking forward to working with her again for Baby #2

Kate, September 2022

“J. has been a great help after coming home from the hospital. An extra set of hands is great, but J. offered much more than that. As a seasoned postpartum doula she is able to provide reassurance and valuable counselling on how everything is going with the baby. Most importantly, she really helped us out with breastfeeding up and (literally!) running. As a result, our son was back to birth weight in 8 days. And to top it all off, she also happens to be an excellent cook!”

Charlotte and Daan, August 2021

“Originally, we were meant to welcome J. into our home in early May, after the birth of our first child. Unfortunately, because of Covid, we had to switch our sessions to FaceTime. We met with J. over FaceTime every day for the first few days after our daughter was born. J. was incredibly effective and helpful over FaceTime. She was able to share tips and ensure our daughter was latching correctly, by actually seeing her latch and guiding me to adjust in real time. She taught us different nursing positions through the phone. Best of all, she was a resource for new parents each day to help us feel more confident in our parenting skills. We were anxious we wouldn’t know how to take care of a newborn, but J. helped ease our fears, and she was able to do so remotely. I would recommend J. to any new parent, remotely or not. She’s able to pick up on cues and guide through the phone, just as if she were here. My husband and I both feel we received incredible service and guidance, with J. being very flexible and available when we needed her the most. We would not have been as confident and comfortable without her!”

Erin, May 2020

“Hi Stephanie,

Calvin and I wanted to share our sincerest review for J.  We truly could not have done it without her.  Thank you so much for connecting us.  She really was the BEST.

We recently hired J. as our postpartum doula.  Words cannot express how grateful we are to her for her incredible service and warm and loving care.  J., form the very beginning made us feel comfortable with expressing and establishing our needs and vice versa.  She came into our home at a time where I was the most vulnerable and needed the care of gentle hands.  J. was the perfect person for us.  She arrived with open arms, calming energy and healing vibes.  She made sure the baby and I were rested, well fed and bathed.  She was there to answer any and all questions I had about having a newborn baby as well as nurturing an emotional new mother.  We were ideally looking for an extra set of hands to help us since my husband I did not have any family support around.  She surpassed any expectations we had.  J. cooked nutritious meals, reiterated the importance of staying well fed and hydrated.  She supported my desire to breastfeed and coached me through the changing faces of my milk and breasts. She showed me all the different ways to hold my baby while breastfeeding and taught me how to set myself up for successful latching.  A calm, comfortable mother is the best for a calm and comfortable baby.  On top of the incredible support she offered to me emotionally and physically, she managed to tidy up, changed my sheets and ran a load of laundry.  We are forever grateful to J. and would recommend her to anyone looking for care after bringing their newborn baby home.  You will not regret working with J.  It was the best money we could have spent!

Thank you again for the incredible service offered to us.

Best,

Laura and Calvin”, March 2021

“Liebe Stephanie,

Vielen Dank für eure Glückwünsche und die Nachrichten – bitte entschuldigt die späte Antwort: J. war wirklich super – nicht nur sehr professionell und hilfreich gerade in der ersten Zeit, sondern es war auch einfach schön, sie hierzuhaben: ihre warme, humorvolle Art hat uns wirklich gutgetan! Sie  hat sich toll auf uns eingelassen, war wahnsinnig hilfsbereit und stand auch für Rat bereit, als ich mich später noch mit einer Nachfrage an sie gewendet habe – wir waren also rundum zufrieden und würden sie jederzeit weiterempfehlen!

Herzlichen Dank nochmal für die Vermittlung und viele Grüße,

P. und S.”

“Both my husband and I could not have been happier with our decision to enlist J’s help during the first week home after having our son. Having her guidance in breast-feeding, bathing, sling-techniques, and general care for the baby was indispensable. Even though we have family close by and both were relatively used to infants, getting tips and tricks on breastfeeding positions, getting a good latch, and even just the support of a knowledgable hand looking over our shoulder while giving a first bath made all the difference. J. had a wonderful mix of being hands off to let us do everything oursellves, but also available to give guidence and step in when asked. As we navigated becoming parents, J. was able to make us feel like we were doing it alone even while guiding. Furthermore, her pragmatic and calm approach to childcare was reassuring and brought a great energy to our home.

Where infant care comes in many forms (e.g., baby nurses, family help), care for the mother (and father) is often overlooked and J. did a fantastic job making sure we were fell-fed and nourished, and had an outlet to discuss any parent’s insecurities and doubts in the first couple days.

Perhaps most importantly, she helped us quickly gain the confidence we were/are able to provide everything our little man needs, which has made all the difference in providing a calm and peaceful home for our son. We could not recommend J. more.”

Pauline, August 2020

“J. is simply wonderful! When I was pregnant with my daughter, I knew I would need help when we came home from the hospital because it was my first pregnancy and our family does not live nearby. Many of my friends had hired night nurses but I was looking for someone who could help me learn how to care for a newborn as well as give me some much needed TLC while I recovered from labor. J. helped me get comfortable with indispensable new skills like bathing my daughter, filing her fingernails and using a carrier. She also made sure that I was well-fed and rested during her visits.

I hadn’t realized how tricky breastfeeding could be. J. made sure that my daughter was latching well, that I held her in a comfortable way for both of us and that I mastered different breastfeeding positions such as side-lying. She also explained good breast care to help prevent and treat discomfort as my milk came in. I still refer to these techniques months later! All of these skills would have felt scary and daunting without J’s kind reassurance and encouragement. She is truly marvelous and I really can’t say enough good things about her. I feel so lucky that J. was a part of my daughter’s early days at home!”

​Lauren (Manhattan, NY)

“J. has cared for our family after the birth of our special-needs baby. Our girl and three-year-old son took an instant liking to her and so did my husband and I. Her professionalism, hands-on mentality and creativity were simply spot on. She naturally devoted and adjusted herself to making this unusually rough transition for us into a manageable and even enjoyable situation. J’s unconditional care, help and support took away our worries and brought back balance into our family.”

Janneke (NY)

“J’s support, wisdom, and warmth during postpartum made all the difference for me and my baby girl! My baby was going through a lot of ups and downs with her health while I was trying to recover and adjust to having two children. I’m so grateful for J’s steady and calm presence in my home during that time. She took care of me and my baby just like a family member would. She always knew exactly what I needed and took the initiative to help me when I was hesitant to ask for help. I really could not have found anyone better!”

Angela  (Westchester, NY)

“I am so grateful for J’s help in the days following the birth of my second child. Her support is the reason my baby and I got off to such a good, healthy start and I’m sure it’s the reason I avoided postpartum depression this time. She ensured I was well fed (with delicious, nutritious food) hydrated, able to shower, and able to sleep. She was the only person who could keep my toddler from waking me up while I napped! She was especially helpful with nursing tips and advice. Always available to listen, J. genuinely cared about me and my baby. I felt so taken care of. Every new mom deserves this kind of support! I am so thankful for J’s friendship, support, and for taking care of me so I could take care of my little one.”

​Kara (Westchester, NY)