Meet the Doulas

Shelly Axe, Certified Birth Doula (ALACE)
At the birth of our first child, I was unaware of the choices and wisdom that could make birth a sacred passage, rather than a medical event. During my second pregnancy, I studied everything I could about pregnancy and natural childbirth. Through my next four homebirths, and being asked to come to births by friends and family, I learned to trust and respect the birth process. I was trained as a doula through the Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators (ALACE) and studied midwifery through Apprentice Academics Midwifery Institute. Since 1995, I have served as a birth doula for women in both home and hospital settings with midwives and obstetricians.
Best Births Doula Service
phone: 913-938-4415 or 913-207-1395
email:

Yvonne L. Bennett
Doula CD(DONA), Certified Child Birth Educator, Labor Support Professional
The Lord has blessed us all with a gift. Mine is to help those through labor & delivery. I have an up beat personality, and I love making my clients have a fun and cherishable memory of the birth of their child. If you choose to have an epidural, C-section, or all natural birth, I will be there to encourage you & your partner to reach your goals for the birth of your baby; by offering different birth positions for labor, massages, and affirmation for both you & your partner. After the baby is born helping with nursing. I do not do any physical exams, or make any medical decisions. I believe strongly in order to have a safe and relaxed birth you must have these three things: 1. Faith 2. Trust your doctor is looking out for your best interest and that he or she respects your wishes for your birth. And to trust the medical staff will take great care of you & your baby. 3. Believe that the team you have is there for you and your partner. (Doula, birth coaches etc.) I prefer deliveries in the southern area hospitals, Olathe Medical Center, Overland Park Regional, and St. Luke’s South. I have a passion for couples that are going through the most wonderful experience they'll ever go through in their married lives, having a baby. I've been a Doula for 17 years and I've loved every moment. I look forward to visiting with you soon.
phone: 913-592-2749
email:

Heather Berry, CD (DONA) and Birth Photography Services
I became a Certified Birth Doula through DONA International in 2004, while pursuing my passion for natural health and realizing my desire to support pregnant and laboring women. I also have a B.S. in Dietetics and a B.S. in Public Health Nutrition from Kansas State University. I believe that God created women's bodies with the awesome, unique ability to give birth, and I love assisting families through this experience. I will provide emotional, physical and informational support to you during the entire birth process. My goals at your birth are that I support you in all your decisions, that you and your baby are healthy, and that you have a positive memory of your day. I also provide birth photography services for those interested.
phone: 913-271-3425
email:
web: http://www.newcreationdoula.blogspot.com

Sherri Bertram
I started attending births in 1996 out in rural Kansas. At first, it was friends and family who asked me to be with them during childbirth to give them support and just be there for them. One of these friends had a home birth and I met the most wonderful midwife. She was sound, gifted and taught me more about childbirth than I ever knew from having my own. I attended home births with her for about 8 years, learning techniques to ease the pain of labor while keeping the labor moving forward. When I moved to Kansas City, I knew that home births were fewer and farther between, so I trained as a doula and have enjoyed working in the hospitals with my birthing moms. Each birth is as different as each client is different so my goal is making the birth experience personal and giving each mom the kid of birth she can look back on with fond memories.
phone: 816-309-8630
email:

Erin Bingham, Birth and Postpartum Doula (DONA trained)
As a homeschool graduate I was raised to hold the family in high esteem. That bond between parents and children is to honored and promoted in any way possible. I have been a Birth Doula for 1 year and a Postpartum Doula for 7 months. I have experience with singles, twins and triplets as well as an extensive background in childcare. Since I don't have a family of my own I also offer night doula work as well as the day. Living near Tonganoxie, KS I will work in Kansas City area, Leavenworth, and Lawrence.
phone: 785-331-7943
email:

Patty Brough, Labor Doula and Licensed Massage Therapist
My philosophy about birth is that it is a wonderful event in a woman’s life. The desire to help women comes from a nurturing nature and the joy of participating in the uniqueness of each woman’s personal birthing experience. My background is derived from my own experience as a mother of two boys and a grandmother to one precious little girl. As a former nurse of seventeen years, I gained insight in all facets of health care including labor & delivery. In 2005, I pursued a career in massage therapy; I received training in pre-natal and post partum massage among other modalities, including infant massage instruction at the Arizona school of Integrative Studies. In June 2006 I became nationally certified thru Nationally Certified Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCTMB) and I am a licensed massage therapist. My doula training was completed with the Academy of Birth Educators & Labor Support Professionals in Olathe, KS in August 2007. I look forward to empowering women in their choices and participating in the uniqueness of each birth.
phone: 913-387-9744
email:

Denise "Nadah" Cartmill, Birth Doula/ Massage Therapist/Childbirth Educator
Nadah has been in private practice as a massage therapist for over twenty years having helped to develop and teach in the massage therapy program at Johnson County Community College. She also helped to establish the first hospital-based massage program at Saint Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. After numerous massage clients began asking for her to provide labor support, she became trained as a doula with the Academy of Certified Birth Educators and Labor Support Professionals in Olathe, Kansas where she also trained as a childbirth educator. In over nine years of hands-on birth work she has used her experience with touch as well as aromatherapy and herbal information to help women and their partners achieve their goals in childbirth. Her approach is to support women in such a way that they have confidence in the process and their own ability to give birth. Her services include prenatal consult and massage if desired, childbirth education, labor support, breast-feeding assistance and one or two post-partum visits.
phone: 913-634-2059
email:

Bridget Chick
Bridget is a certified massage therapist that specializes in prenatal massage. Bridget has been a birth doula providing services in the Greater Kansas City area for over five years. Her passion is to educate and support women and their partners both during the prenatal period and throughout the labor and delivery process.
phone: 913-244-8493
email:
web: http://www.bridgetchick.com

Tiffany Crabtree, PCD(DONA), LCSW
I began Doula Heart Postpartum Doula Services 3 years ago, and have had the pleasure of serving many families in Kansas City. I began this work with a desire to be a birth doula, but quickly saw a need to help families in the first few weeks after their baby was born. Memories of my own sense of being overwhelmed, uncertain, and most of all tired, came flooding over me. As soon as I learned what a postpartum doula was, I knew that's what I wanted to do! As a licensed social worker with a background in psychiatric social work, as well as with individual therapy, I bring a good listening ear to my doula work. The most common feedback I get is that having me in the home provides a sense of calm and ease that helps new parents relax into their new role.
phone: (913) 831-9924
email:
web: http://www.doulaheart.com

Shelly Elliott, CCE & CD DONA
Shelly runs a non-profit ministry for women in Kansas City entitled, Mother to Mother. She also is the National Executive Director for Mother to Mother nationwide. Shelly has had decades of experience working with women and their families that include working with teen moms all the way to grandparents re-parenting and including women in prison. Therefore, it was a natural fit when Sally Riley suggested doula training and childbirth education and thus the journey began. Since then Shelly has taught numerous private childbirth education classes and assisted over 45 women in their birth experience. Shelly includes the total package from physical, emotional to spiritual support for the clients she serves. Her doula philosophy is to equip women to be educated about all options for her birthing experience and to also equip her support partner as to their role for their experience of a lifetime. She also has experience with women who are choosing to place their baby in the care of another family with adoption. Shelly serves the KC metropolitan area and is available 24/7 to meet her client's needs.
phone: 913-709-8554
email:
web: http://www.nm2m.org

Vanessa Flood
Birthing Beyond, LLC was created to enhance the physical and emotional journey into motherhood through education and labor support. My goal is to empower women and their families to make the best choices regarding their pregnancy and birth. I want to help you become lifetime advocates for your family.
phone: 913-768-7530
web: http://www.birthingbeyond.com

Jena Kittle, DC
Jena graduated Magna Cum Laude from National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, IL. She is a member of the American Chiropractic Association, Kansas Chiropractic Association, and International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. Dr. Kittle is certified in acupuncture, the Webster Technique and is a doula. Her interest has always been focused on female health related issues. Dr. Kittle's philosophy as a chiropractic physician is to focus on the patient as a whole and not just the illness at hand.
phone: 913-768-4455
email:
web: http://www.balancedcarechiropractic.com

Barbara Kuklenski
Barbara offers overnight nanny services specializing in newborn care for singletons and multiples.
phone: 913-209-4413
email:
web: http://www.wingsofcaring.com

Cami Nettekoven, CD(DONA)
Cami is DONA trained, serving the Greater Kansas City Metro area in home and hospital births. She is also educated by the Kansas City Missouri Health Department as a Breastfeeding Counselor with Nutritional Services. Her experiences as a mother have encouraged her to share her gift and to be a support to other expectant mothers. Her position as a doula is to help families understand the nature of the birth process and to empower them with the tools to make pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond an experience of fulfillment and joy.
phone: 816-591-4633
email:
web site: http://www.kansascitydoula.com

Sherry Payne
Sherry L. Payne is a registered nurse, chilbirth and breastfeeding educator, and homebirth doula. She holds a BSN from Rockhurst University/Reseach College of Nursing. She currently serves as chairperson of the Breastfeeding Committee of the Maternal Child Health Coalition of Greater Kansas City. She owns and operates Perinatal ReSource, a consulting firm that promotes holistic eco-friendly alternatives for birth and lactation through advocacy and education. She is writing a book and is the subject of an upcoming documentary on homebirth. Sherry resides in Overland Park KS with her husband Charles, and six home-birthed and breastfed children ranging in ages from 1 to 19 years.
phone: 913-341-4277
email: laborpayne@yahoo.com
web site: http://www.perinatalresourcellc.com

Sally Riley
Your labor and birth is an experience that you will remember forever. We can work together to help that memory to be positive by: 1.) building a healthy pregnancy; 2.) choosing a supportive care provider, a place of birth and a doula; 3.) writing a birth plan to express your choices; 4.) developing a positive belief in childbirth; and 5.) preparing for life at home with your baby. Sally is a certified childbirth educator, certified doula, breastfeeding educator, and DONA doula trainer.
phone: 913-341-2853
web: http://www.acbe.com/

Andrea Ross
New Dawn Postpartum Doula Service was created for those critical days following the birth of a new baby. Whether you are having your first baby, adopting or adding more to your growing family, I would love to help support you and your new addition. I am a DONA trained postpartum doula, a Certified Breastfeeding Educator and I have two daughters of my own (some of the best education out there). I can help with infant care and soothing, breastfeeding questions, errands, light house-keeping and much more tailor-made to your family's needs. Currently I am only accepting clients after May 26, 2008.
phone: 913-369-5174
email: newdawndoula@comcast.net
web site: http://www.newdawndoula.com

Suzanne Ryan, CNM
Suzanne is a Certified Nurse Midwife of eight years assisting moms with deliveries in the home or will be your doula at the hospital.
phone: 913-547-1495
email:
web: http://www.ksmidwife.com

Angie Scharnhorst, AAHCC
Because the birth of a child has profound life-long effects on a family, my first goal is to help women and their partners get the information they need to make the best informed decisions for themselves. I offer early healthy pregnancy classes, childbirth classes and doula services to nurture parents while they make good choices for themselves and their babies.
phone: 913-381-2363
email:
web: http://www.birthpartnerskc.com

Pam Summers
I work with moms & partners, & families during pregnancy, labor, birth, & postpartum. Making myself available to mom and/or baby, & partner as needed, day or night any kind of weather, whatever the cause. I am a LMT, certified in Prenatal & Doula Massage. I believe there is no greater Miracle than the birth of a baby! Supporting women in child birth!
phone: 816-254-1188
email:

Sarah Wallbaum, CD(DONA), Certified Childbirth Educator, Certified Nutritionist
I decided to become a doula as I had experienced empowering births with my daughters and came to realize that not many women feel supported in this transformational experience. I have studied natural nutrition and healing for many years, and I use this knowledge to assist the moms I work with to encourage a healthier pregnancy and more satisfying birth. I feel that birth is a pivotal time in which a woman can explore her inner strengths as well as her fears, opening herself to feel empowered to make decisions for herself as well as her child.
phone: 816-305-0391
email:
web: http://www.mamasara.com

Alyssa-Rae Zonarich, DC
I am a chiropractor specializing in pregnancy and pediatric care and a birth doula. I am certified in Webster Technique for pregnancy care through the ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association), and I help many mothers stay healthy and comfortable during their pregnancies. I am also mommy to Emily, born at home in February 2007. I am inspired by birth, and it is always an honor to support and guide women through pregnancy and birth.
email:
web: http://www.first-choice-chiro.com