Who is a Doula?
A trained professional who empowers and reassures women and their families during labor and after birth of a baby through continuous supportive care. MORE
Elena Vogel
CD (DONA), CLE, Head First Birth doula
Elena got her start as a Birth Doula while pursuing a BA in literature at Bard College. She was able to focus her studies on maternity in literature, which eventually evolved into a senior thesis on memoirs of motherhood.
Elena has been attending women at hospital, home, and birth-center births since 2002 and is now certified through DONA International. In the winter of 2005, Elena also became a Certified Lactation Educator, so that she could also help women overcome breastfeeding challenges.
In addition, Elena is an assistant to a midwife, expanding her knowledge base of how to support women who seek an unmedicated birth. Elena provides massage, suggestions for position changes, verbal encouragement, and continuous emotional support to help guide women through labor.
While birth is universal, each woman's experience is unique. As she has seen from her varied experiences, there are many different ways to give birth; Elena feels that it is her role to respect and foster the individuality of that experience, and help women have the kind of birth that they want.