MEET OUR POSTPARTUM TEAM

Melissa Yates

Melissa Yates is a professionally trained birth and postpartum doula (through DONA) and graduate of the 7 month InJoy Birth Mentorship Program. She and her husband, Craig, have 3 adult children, 2 sons through international adoption and a daughter through IVF. When facing the empty nest, Melissa knew she needed a new focus in life. “I have always been obsessed by all things pregnancy, birth, and babies, and I love caring for families”. The timing was perfect to become a doula.

Melissa began working as a Postpartum Doula in the first half of 2019. She soon discovered the postpartum role fit her perfectly. “In Postpartum Doula work, I mother the mother....asking how she is feeling physically and mentally, making sure she is eating and hydrating well, offering evidence based education on

recovery from birth and newborn care, and being a listening ear. I support her in physical ways by doing household chores....laundry, dishes, helping with siblings, meal prep, etc.” Melissa finds great joy in coming into the home for a postpartum shift, listening as mom shares what is on her mind, creating a little bit of order during the chaos of postpartum recovery, making sure everyone is fed, the laundry is washed/folded and the kitchen is clean. “There are times

when I play with siblings, walk the dog, run errands for the family, and hold the baby while mom showers or naps...whatever the greatest need is for that day.” Melissa offers daytime and overnight shifts to families within a hour's drive of her home in Tavares, mostly Northwest Orlando. She is currently focusing on overnight shifts.

Melissa also supports families as a birth doula and as a Birth Assistant (assistant to the midwife) at a local birth center. “I'm currently taking time away from birth doula work and birth assisting to focus on postpartum work. I'm truly blessed to love all birth work and to have the flexibility to work in the area that best suits my needs at the time.”

When not doula-ing, Melissa loves walking, reading, swimming, and kayaking. She is beyond excited to become a grandmother for the first time in early September 2022!

Constance Tucker

Constance Tucker is a licensed midwife of 5 years, a DONA trained doula since 2011, and has over 25 years experience working in the medical field including with newborns and previously as a pediatric nursing assistant.  She has worked with a myriad of different providers over the last three decades, giving her a unique, multifaceted, and wide perspective to many aspects of care.  She is dedicated to supporting and working with families through transition into their newly expanded family life. From fertility to the "fourth trimester", she believes parental empowerment, support in personal decision making, and honoring inherent knowledge and understanding are the cornerstones of healthy family growth.  Education is her passion, as "knowledge is power" but with the extremes in information existing in parenting circles due to social media and the internet, it can be difficult to discern which information will work for a specific family.  Helping clear the clouds of confusion, she is organized and focused on parents' needs in order to guide their process to finding what works for them. 

"I learned so many lessons from the wonderful opportunity of working with the Amish.  They are surrounded by community, elders, and family for support.  Pregnancy, motherhood, and postpartum are honored and the culture provides so much love to the new family.  This model is needed in the world we live in; where mothers are going back to work at five days or two weeks postpartum.  Families need support with newborns and time to heal and adjust.  This adjustment doesn't have to be scary or overwhelming; people just need more support." 

Constance works as a midwife and postpartum support, holds current NRP and CPR certifications, enjoys supporting families in their transitions, and loves to do laundry.  She is extremely dedicated to her work and on her days off enjoys spending time with her family, reading, continuing education and research, and working on her herbal remedies and apothecary.  She is located in Altamonte Springs and serves a 20 mile radius.      

Nicolle Maldonado Arendt

Nicolle is an Orlando native with the cultural attributes of her strong, loving, ambitious Puerto Rican ancestors.

Nicolle’s desire to help birthing people and babies rooted as a small child when her younger sisters were born. After graduating from UCF with a degree in Health Sciences and working in hospital administration, she discovered she could not stay away from the idea of pursuing birthwork. Nicolle began her journey in birthwork as a doula; realizing her true calling for midwifery in the real necessity for advocacy, representation, and support of birthing people, especially for black and brown families, as they endure some of the most important moments of their lives: childbirth. Nicolle currently serves as a Birth and Postpartum Doula in Central Florida while completing requirements as a Senior Student Midwife at the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery to become a Licensed Midwife by the end of 2022.

Nicolle’s goal as a midwife is to ensure that each family has a safe, supportive, judgement-free space to give birth. While acknowledging the importance of unbiased informed consent, Nicolle is determined to support expectant parents as they not only make crucial decisions for themselves, but for their child. Nicolle is devoted to motivating laborers and their partners to advocate for the experience and outcome they believe is best for their family. Nicolle also serves as the Senior Advisory Board Member of Project Teenbirth, a non-profit organization in Central Florida that provides free doula care and resource services for teen parents.

Aside from her commitment to birthwork Nicolle works passionately within her sorority, Mu Sigma Upsilon, the First Multicultural Sorority in the Nation™, as their National Officer of Philanthropy. Through this position, she dedicates time facilitating racial equity and awareness workshops to young women all over the country on behalf of the NAACP, and coordinates national community service initiatives throughout the sorority. In her free time, Nicolle enjoys the beach, being around her family and friends, and spending time with her Goddaughters, Rayne and Blossom

Adisela McNamara

Adisela is an Oregon-born, Texas-raised mama of three boys that are her heart on legs. As a teen mom, she witnessed first-hand the discrepancy in support during pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood in general. 

Entering the season of becoming a parent should not start out as an overwhelmed, unheard and exhausted time of your life. A fire sparked inside after her first birth to change that notion, especially after going through PPA/PPD. Adisela went on train as a Full-Spectrum Doula, Certified Birth Doula and Evidence Based Birth® Instructor servicing Orlando and it’s surrounding cities in a 20-mile radius.  

My intention is to support overnight postpartum and to have the opportunity to uplift those in the early days of their postpartum journey. Whether it’s holding space, cooking a warm meal, supporting lactation goals, addressing anxieties and fears, validating emotions or getting a good night’s sleep—they are all foundational pillars that every family needs and deserves. The very essence of mankind begins with a well-supported family. 

"I can’t wait to uplift y’all!”

Morgan Curt

Morgan is a North Carolina transplant, a mom of a rambunctious 3 year old, and was a surrogate for an amazing set of Dads from the Netherlands! She has served as a Nursing Assistant II in mother/baby units in the hospital setting for going on 5 years now where she has received training in newborn care, postpartum care, and lactation support (First Health Moore Regional in Pinehurst, NC; Charlotte Medical Center (Atrium) in Charlotte, NC; and Orlando Health; Winnie Palmer in Orlando, Florida) Morgan has served the community as a postpartum doula for 3 years.

"I absolutely love helping families transition new additions into their lives. I love building relationships with each and every family, something that is very hard to come by in the hospital setting! It is an honor to provide support and help to families in such a momentous time in their lives!

When I had my son, it was just my husband and I, we had no support since family was farther away. My husband had to go back to work pretty much immediately after I got home from the hospital. This experience opened my eyes on how much support is needed during the postpartum period! I really try to focus on what the parents may need, whether it’s a good nights rest, light chores, venting on the problems of the day, a shoulder to cry on, etc. Some chores I try to help out with are washing and folding laundry, washing dishes, restocking baby’s room, make snacks for mom and dad, etc. I have a lot of experience  providing support for same sex couples, IVF couples, younger couples, older couples, international couples, surrogates, intended parents, parents of multiples, and parents who have adopted. I also have experience in lactation support. I make it a priority to provide remote support as well for the hard days/nights I am not able to be physically present. 

I am so excited to help you and your family through this huge milestone! My goal is to make life a bit easier and to help parents enjoy the newborn stage more!"

Colleen Juul

I am a homeschooling mother of 4 who has been attending births as a trained DONA doula since 2012. I was originally led to be a doula after the birth of my third child in 2010. It was then that I became aware of the differences between birth in a supportive, positive atmosphere versus the conventional settings. I am currently available for post partum support and reBirth healing ceremonies. 

I am PASSIONATE about holding space and serving others and have recently gone back to school to receive my Masters degree in Dance Movement Therapy. While currently located in east Orlando, I will be relocating to Historic Deland in July. I am available to commute where I'm needed!

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"You are a birth servant. Do good without show or fuss. If you must take the lead, lead so that the mother is helped, yet still free and in charge. When the baby is born, they will rightly say: 'We did it ourselves!' " --Tao Te Ching

Clarice McCachren

Clarice McCachren is a professionally trained and certified Postpartum Doula (through DONA).  She is also certified by the American Red Cross in Infant, Child and Adult CPR and First Aid.  She is currently working on certification in Postpartum Nutrition through the Postpartum University and has completed the course in Postpartum Herbs, Care and Practice.  

Focus and attention is typically on the birth, but evidence shows that support during the postpartum time is critical for the new parent.  She believes postpartum care is needed and everyone should have access to it.  The 4th trimester (the first 3 months after the baby is born) is full of joy and excitement but can also feel overwhelming and be a challenging transition time. Clarice's goal is to provide nurturing support so you can heal and recover from the birth experience and at the same time build confidence in your natural parenting abilities.

“The support I offer varies from day to day- depending on the needs of the family.  It can typically include help with breastfeeding, sleep support, newborn care, support for older siblings, processing the birth story, baby laundry, light housekeeping, meal prep- essentially any physical or emotional need of the family.  Every day is different, and every family is different and that is what I love about being a postpartum doula.”

She offers daytime support in Lake County and the Central Florida area.

She's married and has two children and four grandchildren. She loves to be outside in her free time- boating, gardening, skiing, hiking, golfing- enjoying nature and the fresh air.

"I would be honored to help support you in this transition with your new baby."

Joselyn Nunez

Joselyn is a doula, FAM educator, yoga instructor, community herbalist, and Reiki master based out of the Central Florida area. She was fortunate enough to find yoga in 2012 as a gateway into all things holistic health, and has since continued her studies and broadened the scope of clients she can service. 

She has been educating women on the Fertility Awareness Method of birth control for over 5 years, helping many friends and clients either avoid or achieve pregnancy naturally. After having her daughter and being blessed with a loving tribe to care for her, she felt called to be of service and hold space for other women who needed support and guidance in their tender birth and postpartum phase. She began offering her time to friends by helping with baby care, sharing information about breastfeeding, preparing nourishing meals and infusions, and being a non judgmental ear for reassurance. This naturally brought her to wanting to further her studies in birth work and become a doula. 

She uses her dynamic experience to provide a safe and supportive environment where women can feel truly cared for and seen. 

Her goal is to leave every client better then she found them, at ease and more confident in their journey. 

In her down time, Joselyn loves reading, thrifting, trying new food spots around the city, and spending time outside with her family. 

Courtney Putnam

Courtney Putnam has recently moved here from Charlotte, NC to be closer to family. She started babysitting when she was 12 years old and as she got older decided working with children was what she wanted to do. Courtney went to school for Early Childhood Education. She then started with a daycare as a teacher’s assistant and moved up into the position of a lead teacher within a year. Once she left there she took a position as a  professional nanny. During this time, Courtney learned about Doulas and how they help mothers in the community when they need it the most. She decided that this was something that she felt passionate about so she turned her attention to DONA International where Courtney trained as a birth and postpartum doula. She has been focusing on Postpartum doula work and loves helping families transition into a new chapter in their lives.

 "I am excited to get started with In Joy birth and meet some amazing new clients."