• Arabic
• English
• Spanish
• Farsi
• German
• French
• Ebonics
• Somali
• Hmong
• Luganda
• Hebrew
• American Sign

• 2 native to Mexico
• 1 native to Peru
• 1 native to El Salvador
• 1 native to Guatemala
• 1 native to Laos
• 4 native to Somalia
• 1 native to Uganda
• 1 African American
• 1 Doula lived in Ecuador
• Native to Israel

• Midwife and psychotherapist in Mexico
• Masters in Education
• Masters in Counseling and Psychological Services
• Certified Hypnotherapist
• Certified Yoga Instructor
• Doula Trainer
• Certified CB Educators (2)
• Breastfeeding Educator
• Certified Massage Therapist
• Vegetarian Student of Women's Holistic Health
• Student of Midwifery
• Social Worker - Case Management
• Certified Postpartum Doula
• Spanish Medical Interpreter

Lana Anderson-Kuchynski Passion! That’s right - Passion. Trust! Trust in the laboring woman. These are the two key things that have motivated me to become the doula I am today. I absolutely and positively love working with expectant and laboring women. I have two children, both boys. I have a Master’s degree in Counseling and Psychological Services, which has immensely helped me with my work as a doula. I also am a certified hypnotherapist and offer hypnotherapy for pain management during labor to my clients if they choose. Yoga is another interest of mine and I received a certification as a yoga instructor. And yes, of course, one more important certification, I am a certified doula through Doulas of North America (DONA).

I love learning about other cultures and languages, so with this love I know a little bit, and I do mean little bit, of Russian, Spanish, French, German, Farsi, Swahili and American Sign Language.

I am currently on the Board of Directors for a new development in Haiti that will serve the underdeveloped and medically-lacking Haitian community. Specifically, I have developed a manual to train other woman to become doulas to their fellow sisters and also to the nurses and doctors, which there are few of.

Some of my hobbies are Martial Arts (Tae Kwon Do), reading, swimming, bowling, playing miniature golf and traveling.

I have been a doula since 2002 and attend approximately 2 births per month. My style is relaxed, reassuring and focused. I may sound busy but not really, it’s just good time management and I always have time for an expectant mom who goes into labor!

My name is Meghan Kiyar and I am a happily married mother of one. My son was born November 2008 and I had a beautiful birth at St. Joseph's hospital in St. Paul.
I am very passionate about pregnancy, birth, and growing families. I completed my DONA birth doula training in January 2008 and continue to educate myself on topics surrounding pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. I enjoy attending all types of births because I believe wholeheartedly that birth is a miracle no matter what and that each woman must labor and birth in her own way. I support families in achieving their goals and taking control of and responsibility for their births. I also have a special interest in postpartum depression awareness and prevention and work closely with my clients to educate them about warning signs and risk factors in the postpartum period.

Pati Kester

Pati Kester is a born and bred Minnesotan. She has been advocating for children for over thirty years in a variety of capacities. Pati began her working career as a Licensed Practical Nurse and has also worked for Head Start and with Family Child Care. She has actively lobbied the legislature on behalf of children's issues. Pati was drawn to the work of a birth doula by her love of children and her belief that supporting mothers as they bring their babies into the world would be an effective way to promote healthy parent /child attachment. It is her belief that our community depends on the health and well-being of our children and that we need to begin supporting them and their parents as soon as possible. Pati has one daughter and a recently born grandson (01/04/06), her life's joys.

Maria Gonzalez

I have been a Certified Doula through Dona for the past two years. I was born in Mexico and am fluent in both Spanish and English.

I am also a WIC Peer Counselor for breastfeeding and lacation and will soon start teaching for WIC in the Clinics.

Marisa Harder-Chapman

I am the mother of a three year old daughter, and became very interested in birth after she was born at home. I have been a doula since the beginning of 2005. I am currently working on my Masters in Holistic Health at the College of St Catherine, making lots of playdoh and reading Little Bear, repeatedly. I am especially interested in working with moms to appreciate and develop the meaning, importance and sacredness of pregnancy and birth. I also have experience with breastfeeding and postpartum support. I live just north of North Branch.

Patricia Durkin

I am originally from Peru. I have two children. The oldest, Fiorella, is 16 years old and the youngest, Billy, is four. I have studied Political Science in Peru. In the United States I have taken classes in prenatal care, fetal development, Lamaze, lactation, child development and childcare. When I had my youngest child, I had a doula that was with me through every step of my pregnancy. During labor she gave me emotional and physical support as well as information about childbirth and resources about the community. After this wonderful experience, I decided that I would provide the same support for other pregnant women. Now I have been a certified doula through DONA for three years. I am bilingual in Spanish and English. Currently I'm working Hispanic families through the Early Childhood Family Education Program in the Twin Cities.

I am a Certified Birth Doula with Everyday Miracles. I am certified thorough DONA International. I have been working as a birth doula since 2004. I started out volunteering as a doula at Woodwinds Health Campus in Woodbury to gain experience; I have enjoyed it so much that I still continue to volunteer there once a month. I also work with the Missing GRACE Foundation, which is an organization that offers support services to bereaved families. I am a student practitioner in Healing Touch therapy, which is a form of energy work with the body. I have found that using Healing Touch with laboring mothers has been very beneficial in reducing pain and promoting relaxation. I believe that it is my passion in life to support women on their journey into motherhood. Everyone’s journey is different, their needs are different and it’s important to make sure that they feel safe and fully supported during their birthing experience. It is truly an honor to be a part such an incredible time as a family welcomes its newest member.

I am married to a wonderfully supportive husband and we have two beautiful daughters ages 8 and 4. When I am not doula-ing I enjoy traveling, watching movies, doing yoga, playing games and having “Baker family fun nights” with my family.

I was born in Guatemala, Central America, I speak Spanish fluently. I have been a Doula for about 6 years. I have two beautiful children. My goal in life is to make a difference in the life of a woman, one woman at a time. I believe that each one of us has the knowledge deep within ourselves on how to birth a baby and I am there to support that knowledge as well as to support the woman's partner by bringing them closer together in that special time of their life.

I was born in Puebla, Mexico and moved to Minnesota in 1996. I am the mother of three wonderful daughters. Becoming a mom has opened my eyes to the wonder of the natural process of giving birth. Becoming a Doula has given me the realization that even the simplest of gestures can be the strongest support for an expectant mother.

En Español: Nací en Puebla, México y movido a Minnesota en 1996. Soy la madre de tres hijas maravillosas. Llegando a ser una mamá ha abierto mis ojos a la maravilla del proceso natural de dar a luz. Llegando a ser un Doula me ha dado la realización que aún el más sencillo de gestos puede ser el apoyo más fuerte para una mujer encinta.

How are you? Como estas? Oli otya?

I am native born Uganda, and have lived in the U.S. for 19 years. I love to learn about different cultures, speak Spanish proficiently and Luganda fluently. I went to the University of San Diego where I studied Ethnic Studies, Spanish, and Biology.

I decided to become a Doula after my experience of having a very understanding, helpful, and supportive Doula during my pregnancy and birth. I believe every woman deserves to be fully supported and encouraged throughout her pregnancy and birth because the process is such a sacred part of life. I believe with the right resources and great support a mother can be the mother they want to be, and be happy.

I live in Minneapolis with my beautiful daughter, who I love to spend time with. The best thing about being a mother for me is being able to experience what my mother experienced with me, and knowing that one day my daughter may feel the same.

I live in Richfield with my husband and 4-year-old daughter. My background is in costume design for theatre, but I am finding my life's calling as a doula. My own terrific doula helped me tremendously during my daughter's birth, and I so enjoy being able to do the same for other women. I love being a shoulder to lean on during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. I have birth and postpartum training through DONA International, and I am experienced with breastfeeding. I also enjoy praying for and with my clients if they so choose. Recently, I gained new insight into single motherhood while my husband was deployed to Iraq. I believe we as women and mothers have been gifted with deep wells of strength. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, "A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until she is in hot water!" I would be honored to work with you as you welcome your new baby into the world.

Since I can remember, I have been deeply passionate about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. From countless visits to the labor and delivery unit where my mother worked as a nurse, to attending childbirth classes that she taught, to years of babysitting, into my own experiences as a mother, and now as a certified doula through DONA (Doulas of North America) and a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, I just can't seem to get enough! I absolutely love sharing in the experiences with those embarking on this incredible journey into parenthood.

I believe that knowledge is the key to a positive experience during pregnancy, birth, and parenting, which is why I developed Enlightened Mama. I serve as a resource for expectant and new parents through my doula services, childbirth education classes, a website, and personal consultation. "Nurture Your Mind, Nurture Your Child"--that's the Enlightened Mama slogan. With the endless choices to make, it is so important to gather all the information that you can, and then make whatever decision feels right for you and your family. Trusting your instinct is essential in this entire process.

I am so excited to share my talents and love for birth with such an incredible organization as Everyday Miracles. Every woman deserves to have a wonderful, empowering birth experience and needs good support to make that happen.

My husband, Chris, and I are the proud parents of an incredible 4-year-old boy, a vivacious 2-year-old girl, and a sweet baby girl.

Bio coming soon.

Bio coming soon.

Hello! I live in South Minneapolis with my son, Salaam who is 4. I was inspired to become a doula by the presence of my own doula at my son's birth, which enabled me to have an empowered birth experience despite medical interventions I wasn't expecting. I have been working as a doula for a little over two years and am currently a student at MCTC working towards a nursing degree. After achieving that goal, I plan to attend the Frontier Midwifery School, to become a certified nurse midwife, and also be trained in attending home births.

I have traveled extensively through out the world, most recently carrying out a mural project in Chiapas, Mexico and human rights work in Iraq and Palestine. My passions outside of doulaing are learning languages, creating art, designing and painting murals, dancing and cooking.

My philosophy as a doula is that a positive birth experience not only helps babies into the world in a more gentle way, but also creates strong, capable moms, and solid families. Each birth I attend is a gift to me, and helps me to become a more skilled birth professional. I look forward to meeting more incredible moms through Everyday Miracles.

Hello! My name is Alia Salim, I am the mother of six children ranging from 2-22 years old. I have been a practicing doula for 8 years, and have been working for Everyday Miracles for two years. I have attended almost 80 births, and am currently studying to become a Certified Nurse Midwife. I am currently enrolled at MCTC, working on my RN degree. I enjoy my work as a doula, and I look forward to working with the mothers I meet through Everyday Miracles!

Bio coming soon!

I am so excited to be a Postpartum Doula with Everyday Miracles! Over the next year, I will also be earning my DONA International certification to become a Birth Doula as well. My belief is that every new mother deserves to have an advocate and be taken care of to ensure a positive birth and postpartum experience.

I am a graduate from the University of North Dakota with a BA Degree in Public Relations. Advertising and Mortgage were the industries that I worked in for many years, but after the birth of my 3rd child, I realized how much help I needed physically and emotionally. I believe that being a doula is my calling, I am passionate about helping others!

My husband and I live in Maple Grove, MN with our three children: Lauren, Mikey and Tommy. In my spare time, I enjoy my family and friends, playing ice hockey (crazy isn't it?) and cooking.

I am looking forward to making your postpartum days relaxing, comforting and enjoyable!

I have been inspired to become a doula by the wonderful care I received from my own doulas at my daughter's birth. It is my aspiration that all women who want it should have access to emotional and physical support throughout their birthing way, from pregnancy, through childbirth, to postpartum care. I am very honored to have the opportunity to support women through one of the most amazing journeys of their lives.

Women are born knowing how to give birth; it is a natural and healthy rite of passage that women all over the world accomplish with dignity and grace. The birthing woman, her partner, her health care providers and her doula are a supportive framework to bring babies safely into the world. The key to this team's success is open communication, trust, and a focus on the needs and desires of the birthing woman. I work within this framework throughout pregnancy, labor and childbirth to support women in their goals for their birth experience, whatever they maybe.

I have experience with hypnobirthing techniques, natural childbirth, water birth, epidural birth, longer labor, and overcoming challenges with breastfeeding. I am the mother of a remarkable 18-month old girl. I hold a BA in Women's Studies from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and I currently work as a Program Manager of a national training project on ending violence against women. I am an avid cross-country skier and self-professed sweet tooth.