Plan to join us for our next Meet the Doulas mixer. The current schedule is at Events.
Can’t get to Meet the Doulas? Contact us anytime about the Lumina Birth doulas or educators, or to make a private appointment. We respond within 24 hours. Or call/text 404-832-5670.
Meet The Lumina Birth Professionals…
Shari Aizenman, CD(DONA), Labor Doula, Massage Therapist, Watsu Practitioner
I have been a massage therapist (Body Works Atlanta) and doula for twenty-three years and believe that I am doing the work that I was born to do. I feel that each person that I share sacred space with is unique in their life’s experience and I honor and trust that our relationship is meant to be. I love and am in awe of the process of pregnancy into birth and love sharing the discovery and challenges that come with the childbearing year.
As your doula, I will share education and discovery with you as you walk through the journey of bringing new life into the world. I believe that each woman deserves to have the birth experience of her choosing. As every birth is unique, whatever road is traveled to get there, I think the birth is successful if the woman and her partner feel empowered and educated to make safe and effective decisions.
I am comfortable in all birth situations. I look forward to getting to know you and your family, and being part of this life-changing experience.
Amy Ard, CD(DONA), Labor Doula
There’s no doubt, giving birth is an empowering and transforming life event. However, in the months leading up the birth of your child it’s quite possible you find the thought of giving birth overwhelming. After all, television shows and “birth documentaries” make the process seem a little less palatable than back-to-back root canals! When you choose to hire a doula as part of your birth team you take an important step towards pushing negative and unproductive ideas of birth aside so you can claim the birth you want.
I love working with pregnant women as they discover their unique ability to bring new life into the world. I work with couples prior to the birth-day to help prepare them to approach the experience with self-awareness, enthusiasm and joy. And by no means does this have to be a somber process; there are a lot of things about pregnancy and birth worth laughing about!
During labor, my role as a doula is to stay by your side, keep you physically comfortable and focused and to offer you and your partner practical suggestions to help move labor along safely and effectively. While my skills are especially helpful for women considering unmedicated births, I advocate for every woman to birth the way she feels is best for her and her baby. My job is to assist you in claiming the best birth experience possible without judgment.
Nhadyne Banton, CD certifying (DONA) Labor Doula
Originally, I am from London, England. I have been living in the metro Atlanta area for the past 9 years and have spent 2 years in Austin Texas and 1 year in New York.
After working in the banking industry for over 9 years, I decided to become a doula after going through a third merger in the industry and getting no joy from hearing people losing their homes, jobs and life savings. I wanted to be in a position to actually help people. While waiting for an appointment at my doctor’s office, I read an article about the positive work women were instilling in other women’s lives by being a great support as a doula. Since then, I have attended a births both in the US and in the UK. One of which was a c-section and it has given me much insight to what happens on the operation table! I enjoy being a labor doula who is active in being an advocate for women and raising awareness of the benefits of having a doula.
Jessica Cruz, BSN, RN, IBCLC, Lactation Consultant and Educator
Over the years I have become increasingly involved in women’s health, which is where my heart has always been. I feel that childbirth and breastfeeding are a natural ‘right of passage’ for women, and I value helping them go through these amazing experiences. Birthing and breastfeeding were transformational events for me, and as such my children have been my greatest teachers. It is my passion to assist families in making the most of this precious time. I am humbled and honored to assist you in this beautiful journey.
I received my BSN from Penn State University in 2000 and have worked in a number of different medical areas. Since 2004, my focus has been working with women and infants after birth. As a lactation consultant for Lumina Birth, I teach breastfeeding classes and assist families during home visits. Lumina Birth is a great resource for expecting families and I am so thankful to be a part of this wonderful community of birth activists.
Jenny Cochran, CLD (CAPPA), Labor Doula, Homebirth & “Short Course” Childbirth Educator, Co-coordinator Doulas for Refugees
I am the mother of three children and have the experience of teaching Bradley Childbirth classes for 6 years. After consulting with scores of women in labor via telephone, I decided to get the training to be with moms in labor, which I did in 2008. My experience with educating couples naturally flows into supporting them physically and emotionally through pregnancy and birth. I am teaching childbirth classes now with Lumina Birth and attending births as a doula.
Rachael Cail, CD(DONA), Labor Doula
I began this amazing journey of serving mothers and their families when I was pregnant with my son in 2005. The information I uncovered in my own quest to have the best birth possible opened my eyes to the state of birth in our country, and I continue to stress education and empowerment when I work with mothers and their partners. I have now been a birth doula for three years and am certified with DONA. Though I do bring a “bag of tricks” with me to births, I find that the tools I use most often are my hands and my voice. Women and their partners really need encouragement and a reassurance of normalcy during the path of labor, and sometimes reminders that their bodies know what they are doing and will birth their babies.
In addition to working as a doula I am also a midwife apprentice, on the long road to becoming a Certified Professional Midwife. I always trust that we find the right people to work with, so I know that I have been called to serve each particular mother for a reason; usually we both have something to learn from each other! I truly love the work I do, and consider it an honor to attend each and every birth.
Dawn Covin, LE (La Leche League) Lactation Educator & Counselor, Healthy Moms® Perinatal Fitness Trainer, CCE
I am a wife and mother of four children. I worked as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor in a Freestanding Birth Center in Washington, DC and later became certified as a Lactation Educator with the La Leche League.
My goal is to pair my passion for and knowledge about breastfeeding with education and training. As a lactation educator and labor doula, I partner with families to provide a comprehensive approach to childbirth and the early weeks that follow. This approach includes equipping parents to make informed and educated decisions. In a culture that promotes what is convenient, what is best for babies and families often gets lost in the shuffle. My goal is help families become intentional in the parenting journey and to assist them in bringing babies into the world on purpose.
I offer private lactation support services to help resolve breastfeeding issues and help you get off on a good start with your baby. I contract with couples to provide unlimited home visits along with phone/email support, for a flat fee of $150, until your breastfeeding issue is resolved. Also, as a fitness professional, I can provide suggestions on ways to safely remain physically active during pregnancy, pre and post-natal nutritional considerations and postpartum exercise program design.
Lacy Henderson, CLD (CAPPA) Labor Doula, Co-Director of Lumina Birth
I am happy to say that I’ve finally found my calling in being a labor doula! Since birthing is a sacred time for mother and father, I am a big proponent of women bringing their precious babies into the world in exactly the way they want. I love working with pregnant mothers, helping them prepare for the birthing process and being there with them through the entire experience. I am a mother of four young children, all of whom were delivered in a hospital without intervention. What an empowering experience it was to formulate a birth plan and stick with it till the end! I am thrilled now to have this unique opportunity to encourage other women to discover the strength within themselves to do it, too.
Contact Lacy or at 404-388-6107.
Liz Johnson, CLD (CAPPA), Labor Doula, Coordinator of Doulas for Refugees
Pregnancy, birth and life after the arrival of your little one is an adventure, to say the least. There are a myriad of emotions, thoughts, questions and experiences with each new day. I walk with women and couples through this time to help it be filled with as much joy and peace as possible. I want to help you have the birth experience you desire. My husband and I found the support of a doula invaluable during our journey into parenthood. During pregnancy and the birth, we were grateful for the extra help. I am now thrilled to serve other women! I completed my training with CAPPA in 2009. I support and advocate for birthing women’s desires through informational, physical, and emotional support to both mom and dad. The arrival of your child should be one of the most specials days of your lives. I want do all I can to assist in making that happen.
Gwynne Knap, BA, CD(DONA), CPD (CAPPA), Labor Doula, Post-Partum Doula, Childbirth Educator
I have been fascinated by childbirth and by babies since I was a teen. I have worked in labor/delivery and postpartum units in a secretarial capacity. When it was my time to have babies, I researched all aspects of giving birth and caring for an infant. Today, I am the mother of two 20-somethings (a son & a daughter) who are both now my dearest friends. Their births (both very different) as well as their babyhoods were very meaning-filled experiences that still affect me today. I became certified as a labor doula in 1998 and trained as a postpartum doula in 2004.
Though I have spent much of the last fifteen years as an architectural sales/marketing representative, I have never lost sight of my passion—working with mothers and babies as a labor and postpartum doula. I believe it is my inherent gift to guide & support women through the birthing experience and encourage women and their partners as they navigate the early days of parenting a precious newborn. It is such a privilege to watch women display their inner strength and be so empowered by their birthing experiences. I can be a valuable resource for new parents during pregnancy-while planning for birth, breastfeeding & for when the newborn (or multiples) comes home.
Babies seem to relax in the presence of confident and skilled caregivers. It is so rewarding to know that I have helped instill greater faith in parents’ own ability to respond to and soothe their new baby. It is my great pleasure to participate in this most profound time of life.
Dianne Lentine, CLD, CCCE (CAPPA), Labor Doula, Childbirth Educator
I became a doula soon after the birth of my fifth child in 1998. Since then, I have attended over 150 births both in Atlanta and Massachusetts. My experience includes a wide variety of cultures and birth circumstances. I attend births in both Atlanta and the Gwinnett and Hall county areas. Giving birth is a journey of empowerment. As your doula, I will provide you with the informational, physical and most importantly, emotional support needed for you to achieve the best outcome possible. Every labor and birth is different. I will always support my clients in the choices they make for their births. I love being a doula and I consider it a privilege to be able to assist women through this very special time in their lives.
Jenn Purdy, CLD, CCCE (CAPPA), Labor Doula, Childbirth Educator, Founder & Co-Director of Lumina Birth, Instructor “The Lumina Birth Course,” Strength, Conditioning & Nutrition Coach (certifying with NSCA)
I began working as a doula in 2003. I love serving couples and living in intown Atlanta, having been in Decatur or Avondale Estates, GA since 1995, less 4 years in Seattle. My own birth experiences vary greatly from highly medically managed in the hospital to natural water-birth at home, and even an adopted child (at 5 weeks old). I began to do some research after my first birth. I thought I was prepared to birth naturally, but that intention dissolved quickly as my birth was taken over by lack of information, hyper-cautious intervention, and drugs. My second and third births were very different. They were exciting, joyful, empowering, and peaceful – both in the hospital and at home. Now having served over 50 couples, I keep myself educated on current birth issues and use my personal and professional experiences to help other women navigate the birth “world.”
I love the work of empowering couples to direct their own births, their own health care, and the care of their baby. In home or hospital birth, I help you understand your options so you can make the best choices for you as the mystery of labor unfolds. I trust the birth process and a woman’s need for confidence and security as she becomes a mother to her new baby. Through encouragement, physical support, advocacy and helping Dad love his woman, I foster a gentle, safe environment among the whole support team. I also enjoy taking your photos and/or video during birth.
Currently, I am taking a limited number of birth doula clients due to my family’s schedule and needs. As a fitness trainer and nutrition coach, I am helping mothers recover their body, strength, and improve overall fitness after the baby arrives. Select afternoon sessions are available for semi-private training at my home in Avondale Estates. Sleeping or happy babies are easily accommodated! Contact Jenn via email or at 404-832-5670.
Kate Richards, CD(DONA), Labor Doula, Coordinator of Lumina Moms’ Playgroup
I trained to become a doula shortly after the birth of my son in April 2008. Unfortunately, his birth didn’t go as I had anticipated. I had several complications and in the end felt that it had turned into a very impersonal experience. Having a baby is incredibly personal and I was driven to find ways to help women and their families have the best experience possible, regardless of any changes that may occur. Becoming a doula has done just that. By providing constant support through labor and delivery I can help you and your partner have the satisfying birth experience you are looking for.
Susannah Wallace, CD(DONA), Labor Doula, CMT Massage Therapist
I have always been fascinated with birth! I am a massage therapist, trained in techniques for fertility and infant massage. I am in nursing school currently, but will continue teaching infant massage and practicing pregnancy massage.
