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The Citywide Doula Initiative

Right to Vaginal Birth After Cesarean

Vaginal birth after cesarean is a birth plan for women who previously had a C-section and want to try a vaginal delivery.

Meet Makeda, a birth and post-partum doula and certified lactation counselor and hear her advice on advocating for patients who may be considering a vaginal birth after cesarean:

Makeda — A Doula's Perspective

For educational and advocacy information for women and birthing people, families, and health care providers, visit CERCA: Vaginal Birth After Cesarean.

The Citywide Doula Initiative is part of the New Family Home Visits Initiative, which provides free access to home visitors and doula support for birthing people and parenting families.

Doulas from this initiative provide professional, no-cost doula services to residents of neighborhoods that have been especially affected by COVID-19.

Learn more about low-cost doula services in New York City.

A doula is a professional, trained childbirth assistant who provides non-medical support.

Doulas can:

Help you prepare and carry out your childbirth plans

Guide and support you during labor and childbirth

Help you with and caring for your newborn

People giving birth with support from a doula are also more likely to:

Have a shorter labor

Initiate breastfeeding earlier and breastfeed for longer

Have positive feelings about their birth experience

Have better parent-baby bonding

Eligibility

To enroll, you must meet both of these requirements:

Live in one of the neighborhoods shown in blue on this map, or in a shelter or foster home anywhere in NYC, or be a teen parent anywhere in NYC

Be income-eligible for Medicaid

In addition, the program prioritizes people who:

Have aged out of foster care

Have no other labor support

Are giving birth for the first time, or for the first time in at least 10 years

Had a previous traumatic birth experience

Have a high-risk medical condition

Find a Doula

To enroll in the Citywide Doula Initiative, or to see if you are eligible for services, email CDI@health.nyc.gov or call 1-844-653-6852 (1-844-OK-DOULA).

You may also reach out directly to one of the programs listed below, which provide services as part of the Citywide Doula Initiative. Each program is available only to people who live in the listed ZIP codes or in shelter or foster home within the borough, or to pregnant teenagers who are income-eligible for Medicaid.

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Bronx

Ancient Song Doula Services

347-778-3490

info@ancientsongdoulaservices.com

ZIP codes: 10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10455, 10456, 10457, 10458, 10459, 10460, 10463, 10466, 10467, 10468, 10469, 10472, 10473, 10474

Caribbean Women’s Health Association

718-826-2942

CWHAdoulas@cwha.org

ZIP codes: 10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10455, 10456, 10457, 10458, 10459, 10460, 10463, 10466, 10467, 10468, 10469, 10472, 10473, 10474

Mama Glow Foundation

718-510-4015

cdi@mamaglow.com

ZIP codes: 10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10455, 10456, 10457, 10458, 10459, 10460, 10463, 10466, 10467, 10468, 10469, 10472, 10473, 10474

Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership

212-665-2600

info@nmppcares.org

ZIP codes: 10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10455, 10456, 10458, 10469, 10472, 10473

The Mothership

646-598-7199

doula@themothershipnyc.com

ZIP codes: 10454, 10457, 10467

Brooklyn

Ancient Song Doula Services

347-778-3490

info@ancientsongdoulaservices.com

ZIP codes: 11203, 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11220, 11224, 11226, 11232, 11233, 11235, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

By My Side Birth Support Program

718-637-5231

healthystartbrooklyn@health.nyc.gov

ZIP codes: 11203, 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11220, 11226, 11232, 11233, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

Caribbean Women’s Health Association

718-826-2942

CWHAdoulas@cwha.org

ZIP codes: 11203, 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11220, 11224, 11226, 11232, 11233, 11235, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

Hope and Healing Family Center

347-384-1494

hhfc01@ymail.com

ZIP codes: 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11224, 11233, 11235, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

Mama Glow Foundation

718-510-4015

cdi@mamaglow.com

ZIP codes: 11203, 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11220, 11224, 11226, 11232, 11233, 11235, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

Manhattan

Ancient Song Doula Services

347-778-3490

info@ancientsongdoulaservices.com

ZIP codes: 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

Caribbean Women’s Health Association

718-826-2942

CWHAdoulas@cwha.org

ZIP codes: 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

Mama Glow Foundation

718-510-4015

cdi@mamaglow.com

ZIP codes: 10002, 10003, 10009, 10013, 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership

212-665-2600

info@nmppcares.org

ZIP codes: 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

The Mothership

646-598-7199

doula@themothershipnyc.com

ZIP codes: 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

Queens

Ancient Song Doula Services

347-778-3490

info@ancientsongdoulaservices.com

ZIP codes: 11101, 11368, 11369, 11412, 11419, 11420, 11421, 11423, 11429, 11432, 11433, 11434, 11435, 11436, 11691, 11692, 11693, 11694

Caribbean Women’s Health Association

718-826-2942

CWHAdoulas@cwha.org

ZIP codes: 11101, 11368, 11369, 11412, 11419, 11420, 11421, 11423, 11429, 11432, 11433, 11434, 11435, 11436, 11691, 11692, 11693, 11694

Mama Glow Foundation

718-510-4015

cdi@mamaglow.com

ZIP codes: 11101, 11368, 11369, 11412, 11419, 11420, 11421, 11423, 11429, 11432, 11433, 11434, 11435, 11436, 11691, 11692, 11693, 11694

Staten Island

Community Health Center of Richmond

917-830-1200

gharris@chcrichmond.org

ZIP codes: 10301, 10303, 10304, 10310

Citywide Doula Initiative Apprenticeship Program

The Citywide Doula Initiative's Apprenticeship Program aims to increase the number of community-based doulas who can support clients who are experiencing stress from social, racial and economic inequities. This program helps newly trained doulas become certified and build skills in case management, resource referral and traditional doula care.

For more information about this program, contact the organizations listed in the tabs above.

Become a Doula

The Citywide Doula Initiative conducts free trainings each year for community members who want to become birth doulas. Priority is given to applicants who live in TRIE neighborhoods or who are bilingual. After being trained, new doulas enroll in a six-month apprenticeship with one of the eight Citywide Doula Initiative programs, where they receive mentorship, support and professional development opportunities.

Email CDI@health.nyc.gov to be added to our outreach list for future trainings.

Additional Resources

Doula Educational Brochure (PDF)

Other Languages: العربية |
বাংলা |
简体中文 |
中文 |
Français |
Kreyòl ayisyen |
Русский |
Español |
اردو

Doula Educational Palm Card (PDF)

Other Languages: العربية |
বাংলা |
简体中文 |
中文 |
Français |
Kreyòl ayisyen |
Русский |
Español |
اردو

Doula Educational Poster (PDF)

Other Languages: العربية |
বাংলা |
简体中文 |
中文 |
Français |
Kreyòl ayisyen |
Русский |
Español |
اردو

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More Information

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NYC Nurse-Family Partnerships

Equity in Maternal Care (MHQIN)

Healthy Start Brooklyn

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding Empowerment Zone (Baby Cafés)