Elissa Lash
DONA International Certified Birth Doula
500 hour Yoga Teacher Training and RYT
508-560-1213
eelash@hotmail.com
I've worked as prenatal yoga instructor, doula, and childbirth educator for over ten years in New York, Boston and on Martha's Vineyard. My goal is for couples to have a happy, healthy and empowered birth - there is no right way to do it, pregnancy and birth are a personal journey, and I'd love to be part of yours. Check out my free prenatal yoga class every Monday night at the YMCA (membership not required).
Irene Bright-Dumm
MorningBright Prenatal Yoga and Doula Services
Prenatal Yoga Certified, Integral Yoga
DONA International Certified Birth Doula, Birthing Gently
413-230-9012
irene.morning@gmail.com
In both teaching prenatal yoga and serving as a doula, I aim to guide women deeper into their own strength, intuition, and understanding of themselves so that their experiences with pregnancy, birth, and motherhood can be empowered ones.
Susan Desmarais
Counselor
obsusan@icloud.com
508-693-1319
Susan Desmarais is a counselor who specializes in working with women and families who experience miscarriage, neonatal death, medical termination of pregnancy, and stillbirth. After Susan retired from working as a bereavement counselor, she chose to offer this specialty as it is dear to her heart.
Melissa Harding, RN
508-957-9330
A Labor & Delivery, Postpartum RN for 10 years, childbirth educator for 7 years, and mother and baby yoga instructor for 2.5 years, Melissa first began supporting women during birth in the 1990s while obtaining her Sociology and Women’s Studies BA in North Carolina. She later went on to complete nursing school in Oregon and moved to Martha's Vineyard in 2007.
Breastfeeding Cafe
Wednesdays 10:30-11:30am at the YMCA
In collaboration with the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, the YMCA will be hosting a weekly breastfeeding support group for mothers and expecting women who are interested in learning more about breastfeeding. Open to all community members.
Jan Saunders
Vineyard Community Midwives - Traditional Home Birth Midwifery Care & Doula Services
857-231-1181
TheDoulaCoach@gmail.com
Jan Saunders, Traditional Independent Midwife, Doula, Pregnancy Massage Therapist, Healer & Infant Massage Instructor has had the privilege and honor to be involved, supporting families with their births, in one capacity or another for the majority of her adult life. She feels that it is a gift to be allowed to support women, in all their strength and beauty, and to participate and witness this sacred event we call birth. Currently, Jan works in private practice, as both Doula and Home Birth Midwife serving the community of Martha's Vineyard and considers herself very lucky to do so. She offers short term counseling (in person or via Skype) for those who seek healing after traumatic or difficult birth related experiences. In addition, she has a small massage and bodywork practice offering pre & perinatal massage, as well as energy healing/cranial sacral bodywork. For those seeking support who do not live on the Vineyard, she offers Pregnancy Coaching via phone or Skype.
Lila Fischer, CPM
Rosehip Midwifery Martha's Vineyard
508-939-0404
lifischer@gmail.com
Lila Fischer has served women and families on the Vineyard since 2010. She was trained at Maternidad La Luz Midwifery School in El Paso, Texas. She apprenticed with renowned Mexican midwife Angelina Martinez and Nantucket midwife Sybille Andersen. She then served at Mother Health International, Uganda. She opened her homebirth practice in 2014. Lila loves working with mothers and babies.
Kimberly Dowling, DAc (RI), LAc, Dipl.OM, MAOM
Kimberly Owen Dowling Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine
774-521-7552
kimberlyowendowling@gmail.com
Kimberly is a board certified and licensed acupuncturist in Massachusetts and Maine, Doctor of Acupuncture in Rhode Island and Chinese herbalist. A graduate of New England School of Acupuncture, having earned a Master of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, she practices both Chinese and Japanese styles of acupuncture and is trained in non-insertive techniques for younger and needle-sensitive patients. She works with various ages and all stages of life and wellness. Kimberly practices on the Vineyard in the summer months and Maine the rest of the year.
Danielle Kilroy, CPM, LM, CD
Home Born Midwifery
617-435-5898
danielle@homebornmidwifery.com
Danielle studied midwifery at The Matrona in Asheville, NC and completed a two year apprenticeship before starting Home Born Midwifery in 2012. She has served families throughout New England and Wisconsin, and is delighted to be offering her services on Martha's Vineyard. In her spare time she gardens, hikes with her dog, crochets, and volunteers as an on-call sexual assault advocate.