Meet our Doulas

Lauren Thompson, MHS, CLC (c)

she/her

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

Lauren (she/her) is a postpartum doula (CAPPA) 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

After discovering how many women start their journeys as mothers without proper recovery & support, Monique felt pulled to do what she could to "bring back village.

Monique is a certified & perinatal mental health trained postpartum doula. She's passionate about empowering new moms & their families during those crucial first weeks of healing and bonding.

Some unique qualities she provides are her familiarity with cloth diapering, baby wearing, and medically complex children.

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 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.

Brittney Kohl

she/her

Hypnodoula, Lactation Counselor & Postpartum Lactation Specialist with Glorious Moments Birth Services

Brittney is a Hypnosis Certified Hypno-Doula, Certified Lactation Counselor and Certified Postpartum Lactation Specialist. She works to help families overcome the fear of childbirth through preparation. She approaches pregnancy, birth and postpartum with a positive mindset and respects the unique needs of each family.

Passionate about education, she has attended workshops and classes relating to pre-and postnatal care, including topics such as peanut balls for labor, breech birth, resolving shoulder dystocia, perinatal mental health and continuing education classes for her lactation credentials. She has served families in the DMV and Oklahoma for over ten years. Helping families recover and adjust to life with a newborn brings her so much joy, as the 4th trimester is such a vital time for healing and bonding. 

Prior to becoming a birth doula, Brittney served the elderly in both assisted living and homes as CNA/HHA. While doing that she gained a great appreciation for life and the joy that we can both give and receive by advocating for, loving on, and respecting those we care for. Working with the elderly offered her a great foundation for caring for pregnant women, their partners, and their infants during another stage of life that can feel so raw and sometimes foreign.

Brittney is married and is the mother of four bright and rambunctious children. She gave birth to each of them unmedicated utilizing self-hypnosis, her own doula’s invaluable support and respectful care providers. When not supporting her fantastic clients Brittney enjoys dancing, watercolor painting and getting outdoors to soak up the sunshine. Brittney enjoys the balance of raising her children while fulfilling her calling and passion in birth work. She looks forward to continuing to serve families as a doula and aspires to become a midwife when her children are older.