MEET OUR POSTPARTUM TEAM

Wendi Woollens is also known as the baby whisperer. She resides on the West side of Orange County and she is a mama to 6 beautiful and amazing beings, most of them are adults, and a sprinkle of a teen. Wendi loves babies, food, sporting events, and holidays. 
Wendi is a full spectrum certified doula. She received her training and certificate through Stillbirth. Wendi also holds a Certification in Lactation Counseling through The Academy Of Lactation Policy and Practice. She did hands on training/shadowing.for both postpartum and lactation to get the most exposure. 
She loves meeting the family for the first time and hearing about their goals/hopes/and dreams. Then we get to work on how to make it a reality. She reminds the parents "just because something isn't working, does not mean you are failing." We just haven't found the right fit, so we keep trying. 
Wendi works day and night shifts.

“Congratulations on this new journey! Wishing you peace, confidence, and sleep.”

Payton is a full spectrum, certified doula and prenatal yoga instructor. She's also mama to the most precious little human.

Before becoming a doula, she was an anthropologist studying breeding strategies and parenting in primates. The core of her research was about how cooperative breeding (i.e., having a “village” or support system) is so deeply ingrained in us and our primate relatives as an evolutionary survival strategy. This began shaping her ideas about motherhood in humans and how modern society robs us of the support we need postpartum. These feelings laid a foundation for what would later become her greatest passion.

Payton's journey into birth work really got started after the birth of my son left her feeling deprived and traumatized. The medicalized birthing system treats pregnancy as a disease that doctors must save us from, often leading to a cascade of dangerous interventions. This experience inspired her to learn from the wise women and elder midwives in her community about natural birth and holistic postpartum.

As a postpartum doula, Payton finds joy in nurturing and nourishing the birthing person so they can focus on healing and rediscovering themself through this incredible rite of passage. Her goal is to bring back the village, traditional postpartum care, and ancient wisdom. I offer postpartum care in all pregnancy outcomes. 

Born and raised in Florida, wife to an amazing husband and mom to a kind hearted 11 year old girl, Mandy has been in the doula world for the past 18 years. She was also a teacher and a long term nanny. Now that her daughter is older and with the support of my husband, she is able to focus full time on what she loves the most, nurturing the mamas and caring for newborns.

Working with children had always been something Mandy was drawn to and after having a baby of her own, it opened up a whole other aspect of appreciation and passion. 

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There’s nothing better than a new baby and being an extra set of hands, a shoulder to lean on or just giving encouragement for a new mom.. Being a postpartum doula is a passion, not a job.

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Mandy is a certified birth and postpartum doula along with first aid and CPR certified for infants, children and adults. She plans on continuing my education in all things related to birth work. 

Chrystal is a certified Postpartum Doula, Prenatal Nutritionist, and Breastfeeding Counselor. Her journey into doula work started years ago when she helped many of her friends and family throughout the birthing process. Chrystal comes from a large hispanic family. "When someone from our family gives birth we nurture the mama and become her doula." Chrystal is a wife and a mother to a spunky two year old. She is a faith-based doula and believes in the power of prayer.

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Chrystal also owns a nonprofit called Acts of Love Uganda Inc. It is a non-profit ministry dedicated to empowering children and families to reach their God given potential to become self-sufficient. We help parents start a business whether it’s having animals, farming, making crafts, braiding hair, or making clothing, any trade that

will help them bring income into their home. There is also a sponsorship program to help the children go to school and get an education. Helping families has always been a deep-down God given passion

of hers. Chrystal has been a choir mom to two children’s choirs that was made up of 22 Ugandan orphans for 10 months and 22 Haitian orphans for 3 months.

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"I’m so excited to be apart of the Birthing Community!"

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 transition into parenthood. While acknowledging the importance of evidence-based 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 is an Oregon-born, Texas-raised mama of three boys that are her heart on legs. As a teen mom, I 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 is a Full-Spectrum Doula, Certified Birth Doula and Evidence Based Birth® Instructor servicing Orlando and it’s surrounding cities in a 20-mile radius.  

Adi serves overnight postpartum care to new families. She loves having 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!”

Melissa Yates is a certified birth doula (ProDoula) and professionally trained postpartum doula (DONA) She is also a graduate of the InJoy Birth Doula Mentorship Program. She and husband, Craig, have 3 adult children, 2 sons through international adoption and a daughter through IVF. “We spent 17 years living in NZ, and came to Central FL in 2005 to be near my family.” 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 is available for daytime shifts to families within a hour's drive of her home in Tavares, mostly Northwest Orlando. 

Melissa also supports families as a birth doula and as a Birth Assistant (assistant to the midwife) at a local birth center. 

When not doula-ing, Melissa loves walking, reading, swimming, and kayaking. She became a grandmother for the first time in July 2022. “I had the ultimate doula experience of doula-ing my daughter and son-in-law when my granddaughter was born 6 weeks early. I was there for her birth and very involved in caring for them in the postpartum period. It’s no surprise that I’m completely obsessed with my little Hermione!”

Vonda is a mother to 6 children; 3 teenagers and 3 little ones. Being young when she had her older children and very uneducated about birth and postpartum, she found herself later in life seeking out evidence-based education involving around childbirth and the child bearing years. In the past Vonda owned a home daycare business and worked as a birth assistant at Tree of Life. She received neonatal resuscitation training and CPR/ Infant First Aid certification. Vonda Is a certified birth and postpartum doula and has served many families through In Joy Birth over the last 4 years.

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“I believe that all mommas and their families deserve to be educated and supported no matter what they decide is best for them. If that means you want pain medication the moment you walk into the hospital or if you want a home, water birth then I will be there to help and support you with love and no judgement.” ~Vonda

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."

Ashleigh is a nurturing and compassionate wife and blessed mother of two beautiful young children: a 2 year old daughter and 4 year old son. She comes from a family of 8 siblings and truly believes in the strength and support of a village. 

Early on, Ashleigh had a deep calling to serve and comfort others. She started her career as a licensed massage therapist and currently runs her own practice. After two of her own traumatic birthing experiences, her passion for birth work was ignited. That calling to serve channeled its way for Ashleigh to compassionately support other women on their pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey.  

Her goal as a doula is to empower women to have the pregnancy and birth experience they want and deserve, through supported care and advocacy, from pregnancy into the postpartum period.  She is passionate about helping mothers find their own strength and trust in their own innate abilities, as well as supporting the entire family unit in their transition. Ashleigh’s confidence, genuineness and ability to connect well with others allows her to uphold the wishes of her clients by fostering a calm and peaceful atmosphere with other family members and/or support staff. She is excited to meet you and your family and looks forward to creating a birth plan that will welcome your sweet baby earthside. 

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LMT; Certified in Prenatal Massage

Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula

Hi my name is Courtney Putnam and I am from Charlotte, NC. I recently moved to Florida to be closer to family.

I’ve always loved children even from a young age. I started babysitting when I was 12 years old and as I got older decided working with children was what I wanted to do. I decided to go to school for Early Childhood Education. I then started with a daycare as a teacher’s assistant and moved up into the position of a lead teacher within a year. Once I left there I took a position as a  professional nanny. During this time I learned about Doulas and how they help mothers in the community when they need it the  most. I decided that this was something that I would be passionate about so I turned my attention to that career path and went to DONA International to receive training in birth and postpartum doula work. I have been focusing on Postpartum doula work and love helping families transition into a new chapter in their lives.  I am excited to get started with InJoy birth and meet some amazing new clients