Philly Doula CoOp

07/21/2026

PHILLY DOULA CO-OP FEATURE DOULA - Seena Elbaum

At the end of a busy day, the pool is where I love to be during the summer. My family and my professional life is where my heart grows and gives and grows. At home, one of my favorite pastimes is caring for all of my indoor houseplants. They’re my babies too! A doula and birth educator since 2013, I long to see the day when anybody who wants to work with a doula has access. Along side my birth work I have a long standing psychotherapy practice with women and couples and see clients in a home office and on screen. I truly love my work, am grateful for the opportunities and relationships, and always strive to learn more. When Im not in a labor and delivery room, teaching, or in a therapy session, you can find me in the gym, walking with a friend, stretching on my yoga mat, unwinding with a good book, or cooking something simple but yummy for dinner.
DROP BY
phillydoulacoop.com
seenaelbaumbmlm.com
Founder, Birthing Mindfully Living Mindfully

07/08/2026

PHILLY DOULA CO-OP FEATURE DOULA Dawn Star.

“Dawn Star has been a birth doula for almost 20 years, alongside raising four kids with her husband and working as a professional UU religious educator. She has been a member of the PDC since 2013. She says she is improvisational in her approach to being a doula: she walks in to a birth space, assesses what is already working, and asks herself what she can add that would help this labor be more comfortable and/or more productive. People tell her she is one of the calmest people they’ve ever met and that helps them be confident and feel safe even when the going gets tough. She loves to read, quilt, and knit (sometimes at births!)”

07/05/2026

VERY IMPORTANT READ

A possible link between maternal use of antidepressants and increased risk of autism or ADHD has been in the news in recent months. To explore this possibility, investigators pooled data from 37 studies encompassing 600,000 participants who had taken antidepressants in pregnancy and 25 million control group participants who had not. Once reviewers adjusted for factors that would increase both the probability of taking antidepressants and of autism or ADHD, such as maternal pre-existing mental health conditions or genetic factors, no relationship was found. Said the study’s lead author:

“Our study provides reassuring evidence that commonly used antidepressants do not increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and ADHD in children. While all medications carry risks, so too does stopping antidepressants during pregnancy due to an increased risk of relapse. Therefore, for women with moderate-severe depression, doctors and patients must carefully weigh the potential risks and benefits of continuing antidepressant treatment during pregnancy against the potential harms of untreated depression.”

Researchers say risk comes from ‘other factors, including genetic predisposition to mental health conditions’

06/25/2026

UPDATE TO PDC FEATURE DOULA JAMIE WASSON
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Jamie Wasson

Jamie is currently the longest serving member of the Philly Doula Co-op, over 15 years! For over 20 years, she has dedicated her career to serving families during the perinatal and early parenting stages of life. she continues to marvel at the gift each wee one brings to the world. Even baby tortoises! Pic featured here from a tortoise sanctuary in Antigua: Jamie holds a three month old tortoise, destined to live longer than can be imagined. Jamie believes every creature is precious. Jamie strives to impart this awe and empowerment to the expectant families she teaches in her birth and baby prep classes, during the actual birth experience and while helping families settle in with their newborns (she’s been known to help pets during Postpartum period as well! LOL). She provides therapeutic support for those struggling to find their footing, cheering them on to trust the way. She stands by the motto “it takes a village“. When she’s not in the classroom, a therapy session, a hospital room or home nursery, she relishes her downtime with lots of travels, near and far, or simply sitting with a cuppa tea and a good book

06/04/2026

MEET CYNTHIA - PHILLY DOULA COOP FEATURE DOULA.

Cynthia holds many titles, two of which are wife and mother to three adult children. She has always had a heart for caring and advocating for others.

Cynthia volunteered during high school in L&D with Boarder Babies and continued to care for postpartum families in her community as she grew her own. This was the beginning of her learning to introduce a calming presence, perspective, and patience into the perinatal space. One of her deepest passions is acquiring and sharing knowledge with families that strengthens, enriches and empowers them to make the best decisions for themselves and for their families; guiding them towards achieving sovereignty and autonomy over themselves during pregnancy and beyond.

Cynthia is a certified birth and postpartum doula, lactation peer counselor, hypnobirthing educator and traditional postpartum care giver. She has traveled to different countries to study traditional ways of providing postpartum care because this is believed to be the most delicate time for mother and baby; helping to close the womb after birth and ensuring rest while their baby is cared for. The postpartum period is a permanent state for a person once they've given birth. This is why as a traditional postpartum care giver, Cynthia's focus on taking great care of the family in this period is essential.

It is a great honor and responsibility to be trusted and invited into the birth space and the postpartum period to care for, guide, and encourage families into their new identity as parents. And while parents focus on doing just that, Cynthia focuses on providing holistic nurturing and integration to the whole family.

www.phillydoulacoop.com

05/06/2026

IN HONOR OF NATIONAL NURSES DAY

with enormous gratitude appreciation and admiration to all the LABOR & DELIVERY NURSES EVERYWHERE who encourage and support the labor & birthing journey, alongside doulas, in such a special way

with heart
The PHILLY DOULA CO-OP

05/06/2026

PHILLY DOULA CO-OP Feature Doula
Micaela Segura
Is a passionate latinx Birthworker and Mother
She enjoys hiking, nature and long bike rides.
One of her most important roles in the birth space is to support you and remind you how to feel empowered and held as you navigate the different spaces of your gestational process.
www.phillydoulacoop.com VISIT TO LEARN MORE

04/22/2026

Interesting... "Third-trimester pineapple consumption was associated with improved cervical ripening, shorter labor duration, and higher rates of spontaneous vaginal delivery without adverse neonatal outcomes. These findings support further investigation of dietary influences on labor outcomes."

ical tissue remodeling – have gained attention. This study evaluates the impact of pineapple consumption on cervical ripening and labor outcomes among pregnant women in Nigeria. This nationwide retrospective cohort study included pregnant women aged 18 to 45 years who delivered between January 1, ...

04/21/2026

PDC FEATURE DOULA THIS WEEK
JENNIFER MENDEZ

My journey to becoming a birth and postpartum doula started with my own experience navigating birth and recovery. I realized how important it is to have someone in your corner—someone who listens, supports, and advocates for you. That experience turned into a passion for helping families feel confident, prepared, and deeply supported.

When I’m not doula’ing, I love spending time with my three boys and learning new skills. 💛

www.phillydoulacoop.com

04/09/2026

PDC FEATURE DOULA

Hi I’m Shanti, a full-spectrum doula known for my genuine, nurturing, and supportive presence 🤗 Ever since studying Maternal & Child Health Education at Howard University, I’ve been passionate about helping families experience pregnancy, birth & postpartum through education, advocacy, equity, and holistic care. I believe that everyone deserves to feel informed, empowered, and seen during such a special yet vulnerable time.
I’ve been a doula since 2022 and also joined the Philly Doula Co-Op later that year. I also currently serve as a Doula Training Coordinator where I support and guide doulas-in-training across the Greater Philadelphia area while continuing to serve families through birth and postpartum care. My experiences have helped me grow to be the doula I am today. Outside of birth work, I’m a lover of travel, music and dance 🤎