Meet our Doulas

Lauren Thompson, MHS, PMH-C

she/her

Postpartum Doula, Lactation Counselor, & Researcher with 4th Trimeter Family LLC

Co-founder and Senior Doula at Community After Birth

Lauren (she/her) is a postpartum doula (CAPPA), certified lactation counselor, and holds a master's degree from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where she researched perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, infant feeding, equity & community-based models of care. She co-founded Community After Birth to close postpartum gaps in Maryland and raise doula funds for families unable to financially access care. She co-chairs the Board of Directors for Postpartum Support International's Maryland Chapter and co-runs Doula Alliance of Maryland with fellow doulas and advocates. 

Most important of all, she's a mom to 3 wonderful kiddos. She came to this work after a frustrating and painful postpartum experience with her first born when she was a young parent. She struggled with several breastfeeding issues as well as bouts of postpartum depression and OCD. She wish she knew what a postpartum doula was then!

When she's not busy researching and working with families welcoming new babes, she loves being outside in nature, live music, crocheting, and reading. 

Cheylah Branch

she/her

Full Spectrum Doula with Chey the Doula

Born in Southern Virginia, Cheylah was raised all over the DMV area and has always wanted to help people. Having experience in the medical field, Cheylah ultimately would love to become a Midwife and start a collective with like-minded individuals who believe in providing a village and “Mothering the Mother”. 

Cheylah has attended trainings with MaternityWise Institute for their Full Spectrum program (Labor, EpiDoula, Postpartum, and Lactation Support and Education) as well as the Infant Sleep Solutions course. Cheylah is constantly researching and willing to broaden her knowledge to be the best she can for my families. 

Cheylah is a mother of four boys, 3 of which had NICU time - 2 micro preemies and 1 term. Cheylah has experience with children with special needs - oxygen, g-tube, reflux, developmental delays, and more. Cheylah is very compassionate and empathetic to the needs of her clients. In her free time she enjoys listening to music (all types!), taking photos, and researching topics in regards to maternal and infant health.

Jane Tierney-Beed

they/she

Full Spectrum Doula with Birth and Balance Doula

Jane (they/she) is a non-binary birth and postpartum doula. They hold a bachelor's degree in human development and social relations and have always been fascinated by how the systems around us shape our lived experiences - especially when it comes to pregnancy, birth, postpartum and parenthood.  After seeing how the existing systems often fall short for families during this period, she was compelled to become a doula. They were certified through BEST Doula in early 2022 and haven't looked back since. 

Jane cares deeply about meeting people where they're at, and loves helping parents lighten their load and gain confidence in themselves through times of transition. Jane has a calm and nurturing presence and is committed to caring for families without judgement or expectation.

Monique Hosier

she/her

Postpartum Doula with Serenity Postpartum Care

Monique is a proud stay-at-home mom of four with a lifelong love for caring for babies and supporting new families. Her journey began early—at 11 she was already helping with little ones, and has been hands-on with infant and child care ever since. Monique is confident and experienced in all aspects of baby care, including caring for medically complex infants.

Monique is certified in perinatal mental health, which allows her to provide thoughtful, informed support to mothers as they navigate the emotional ups and downs of postpartum life.

She loves chatting about all things babywearing and cloth diapering—they’re some of her favorite parts of the newborn stage!

Raised in a large, matriarchal family, Monique deeply values the strength and wisdom of women and the importance of community. She believes every mother deserves to feel seen, supported, and empowered in her sacred role. Her goal is to remind new moms that they are never alone, and that they are just as beautiful, strong, and worthy as the precious lives they’ve brought into the world.

Monique brings a calm, grounded presence to every situation and believe that gentle reflection and compassion go a long way during the often overwhelming postpartum period. She is passionate about restoring the “village” mindset—because we weren’t meant to do this alone. Connection, care, and community can make all the difference, and she is here to be a part of that support system for you.

Monique says, "let’s walk this journey together—you’ve got this, and I’ve got you."

Elizabeth Harris

she/her

Full Spectrum Doula with Empowering Birth Doula Services

Elizabeth is passionate about helping families become informed of their options and support them in their decisions for their pregnancy, labor and the postpartum period. She believes birth is one of the most empowering things someone can experience, especially when they are free to make their own choices and birth on their terms. Liz feels incredibly honored to bear witness to this transformative time in people's lives. She also feels our society lacks the village parents so desperately need, especially during the postpartum period, and she loves that she is able to help build a little bit of that back through my work.

Liz is a certified birth doula and trained postpartum doula. She is an enrolled provider with Tricare. She completed abortion doula training through the Baltimore Doula Project. After having her three children, she was always fascinated by all things birth and breastfeeding related. Friends and family have always come to her for advice regarding these topics, which is what led her to the decision to become a doula. Elizabeth loves continuously growing and learning, and applying her knowledge to helping clients as they grow their families. 

Elizabeth lives in Severn, Maryland with her husband, 3 children, 2 bonus children, and 4 cats. In addition to her great passion for birthwork, she enjoys reading, hiking, kayaking, traveling, cooking, trying new restaurants, concerts, skeeball and going to the theater.