ABOUT US

Pregnancy into new parenthood is arguably one’s most significant life transition. We are here to non-judgmenatially support you along your own unique and individual journey. We are so grateful to be supporting people during this time in their lives- people entrust us to support them during their biggest life moment. Learn more about each of us below.

ABOUT VICKIE

Hi! I am Vickie (she/her) and I am the founder of Nurtured Beginnings. I am a birth doula, a postpartum doula, a lactation counselor, a certified childbirth educator, a doula mentor, a home birth assistant and an operations consultant for home birth midwives. Over the past 6 years, I have supported over 290 families during the perinatal period and have attended over 170 births.

I truly understand that there are so many choices and decisions for you to navigate during this time. There is not a right or wrong way to be pregnant, to birth or to be a parent. I care that you feel informed and empowered during this process/journey. I believe that birthing people’s bodies instinctively know how to birth and my goals are to help keep you as calm and centered as possible and help you connect to your birthing instincts (which you DO have!) and trust the birthing process.

I am a native Brooklynite, Latina, and former educator/administrator. I received my B.A in Economics from Williams College and my M.S. in Teaching from Pace University.

MEET MY TEAM

Rachel André and I have been doula partners since November 2022. Since that time, together we have supported over 110 clients as they are navigating or have navigated their pregnancy through postpartum journeys. While we wrote our bios separately, you will see so many common threads in how we like to support families.

  • Hi, I’m Rachel (she/they).
    I’ve been witnessing — and sometimes participating in — birth from a young age, but I’ve been a trained birth and postpartum doula since 2018. Since then, I’ve supported over 250 families across NYC. I’m also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), placenta specialist, and doula mentor.

    My approach is rooted in compassion, mindfulness, and the belief that there’s no single “right” way to give birth. Together, we’ll co-create a vision for how you want to feel during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. I focus on offering grounded, evidence-based options while helping you build confidence in your intuition and choices.

    I’ve called Brooklyn home since 2004 and live a block from Prospect Park with my child and two dogs. I hold a BFA in Studio Art from Hunter College, own a recurve bow, and have a deep knowledge and love of native New York plants and herbalism. I’m proud to provide gender-affirming care and am dedicated to supporting the LGBTQIA2S+ community.

Aixa was my birth doula client in 2021 and I was honored to have supported her and her husband for the birth of their son, Leo. I am beyond excited to mentor her as she is navigating her birth +postpartum doula/lactation specialist/birth photographer journey.

  • Hi, I’m Aixa (she/her). I’m a birth + postpartum doula, birth photographer and lactation specialist.

    I had my son, Leonardo, in the middle of a pandemic with the support of my wonderful doula, Vickie, and guided by the incredible Shawna King (the midwife who delivered both Vickie and my’s babies.) My birth team was phenomenal. They helped educate me or point me to resources where I could educate myself, inspired me to make my own informed decisions and listen to my body cues. When I had a hard time finding my own inner wisdom, they offered extra guidance while still honoring my individuality and autonomy throughout my entire birth and postpartum experience. Their approach was so transformative that it inspired me to want to give to others what they gave me. So, within two years of my birth, I decided to pursue a career in birthwork myself!

    I hope to bring all of my training and parenting experiences to inform my relationships with parents, so that they too feel supported in their own individuality like I did during my birth. I believe it’s our right to birth and parent the way we’d like to. One of my biggest priorities is to echo your choices, not advocate for you, but alongside you, and help guide you in finding your own way through this wild adventure that is parenting. 

    I am an immigrant, a Latina, and an artist. I hold a B.A. in Creative Writing and Film from Columbia University.