About Abby
Abby very deeply believes that our experience of birth and the postpartum time period - as a parent, a woman, pregnant person, a birth partner, a baby - have an everlasting impact on who we are and who we are to become. Birth shapes our lives in many ways, and she believes that a positive birth and postpartum experience have a positive impact on society at large.
Influenced by her many years of contact and improvisational dance, Abby's style draws on somatic intelligence, accessing intuition, and continually building knowledge learned from her clients, from ongoing experience, and from experts in the field. She prioritizes listening to her clients, providing evidence based care, and meeting families where they are - whether they are preparing prenatally or working through lactation challenges in the early postpartum time.
Abby became enthralled with birth during her first pregnancy, inspired by the compassionate care she received from her home birth midwife and her doulas. While pregnant with her second child, she trained as a birth doula in hopes of offering similar care to other families. She attended over 300 births as a doula for 10 years in NYC, in various hospitals, birthing centers, and homes, while pregnant, while breastfeeding, with various doula partners, as a solo doula, while in graduate school, and throughout the pandemic!
A couple of years into doula work, Abby noticed the huge gap of knowledge and available help for breastfeeding - this sparked her interest in training to become a certified breastfeeding counselor. Years later as she delved into the simplicities and complexities of lactation, she began her journey become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), completing her clinical lactation hours at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Queens, in addition to community visits with a mentor. Concurrent with lactation studies, Abby received her Masters of Science in Midwifery at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, earning board certification (CM) and licensure (LM) as a midwife in NY state. She is also a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator.
As both a midwife and lactation consultant, Abby supports from a place of compassionate understanding and nonjudgmental respect for all fellow birthing people and partners, regardless of their preferences and choices. Her goal is to support families in the way that works best for them, as they prepare in pregnancy for labor, birth, postpartum, infant feeding and parenthood. She is a strong advocate for breastfeeding and postpartum healing, and places great emphasis on education and care in the "4th trimester."
Currently, Abby works independently as a lactation consultant and breastfeeding/childbirth educator. She is a home birth midwife assistant and lactation consultant for Jo Zasloff of Nettle Wellness as well as a birth assistant for Midwifery Care NYC.
Before delving into birth work over 10 years ago, Abby was a certified Holistic Health Coach, having graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and trained in Thai Yoga Bodywork, both of which greatly inform her birth work. In addition to her M.S. in midwifery, she holds a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College, where she studied dance.
In her spare time, you can find Abby riding her bike around Brooklyn with her kids, hanging out in Prospect Park, going to the beach, exploring open and quiet spaces in the boroughs, cooking, and escaping the city for hiking and camping. She was born in and raised in Western Mass, and has been living in Brooklyn for the past 20 years. She lives in East Flatbush with her family and Benjamin, the bunny.
Education and Trainings
2 0 2 3
CPR/First Aid Recertification, American Red Cross
Board Certified Midwife credential from AMCB and Midwife license from NY State
Beyond Fenugreek: An Individualized Approach to Galactagogues, with Melissa Cole
2 0 2 2
Masters of Science in Midwifery, SUNY Downstate University
Intrapartum & Integration Clinical Rotations, with Stony Brook Midwives at Stony Brook University Hospital
Electronic Fetal Monitoring Course, with AWHONN
Pain Assessment and Management During Lactation, with Gold Lactation
Fitting Flanges for Pumping: Rethinking Sizes and Materials, with Jeanette Mesite Frem
Manual Vacuum Aspiration Abortion, at SUNY Downstate University
2 0 2 1
Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE) credential from Lamaze International
Neonatal Resuscitation/NRP certified, Karen Strange
Clinical Rotation in Primary Care, SUNY Downstate Clinic
Basic Life Saving (BLS) Certification, American Heart Association
Gynecology & Prenatal Care Clinical Rotation with Northwell/Huntington Midwifery
The Pelvic Floor - A workshop for doulas, with Sonia Reiter
Evidence on Preventing Tearing during Childbirth Webinar, with Evidence Based Birth
Lactation Consultant Training Program, with Lactation Education Resources
2 0 2 2
Pharmacology in Pregnancy, Labor, and Birth with CEAMNY
The Return of Breastsleeping, with Dr. James McKenna
The Evidence on Inducing at 41 Weeks, webinar with Evidence Based Birth
Updated Evidence on COVID-19, webinar with Evidence Based Birth
Newborn Health, Sleep, and Safety During COVID-19 with Dr. Harvey Karp and Jada Shapiro
Case studies on Lactation Consulting, with Leigh Anne O’Connor, IBCLC
Pumping 101 Workshop with Alison Walsh, IBCLC
Psychosocial Support for NICU Parents, with National Perinatal Association
Lactation Consultant Education Training with Lactation Education Resources
Tongue Ties, with Rachel Levine, IBCLC
Lamaze Childbirth Education Instructor Training, with Renece Waller-Wise
2 0 1 9
Epidurals and Cesarean Births, with Rebecca Dekker of Evidence Based Birth
Began Lactation Mentoring with Leigh Anne O’Connor, IBCLC
Nutrition + Love, iLactation Online Conference with iLactation
Began clinical lactation internship with at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Queens
Began the Masters of Science in Midwifery program at SUNY Downstate Medical Center
2-Day Spinning Babies Workshop
Informed Consent & the Vaginal Exam Webinar with Cristen Pascucci of Birth Monopoly
The Evidence on Natural Induction, with Rebecca Dekker of Evidence Based Birth
2 0 1 8
Traditional Postpartum Doula Training, with Valerie Lynn
Hand Expression Go Milk Yourself Method, with Francie Webb of Go Milk Yourself
Integrative Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP) with Karen Strange
ABCs of Core and Pelvic Floor with and Ashley Brichter and Functional Pelvis
Postpartum Mental Health Workshop with Olivia Bergeron
2 0 1 7
Supporting Families with Multiples, with CEA/MNY
4th Trimester Workshop, with Elynne Skove
HypnoBirthing Techniques Certification for Doulas with Paula Ajil
Epidural Webinar with Rebecca Dekker of Evidence Based Birth
Midwife Assistant Training at The Farm of Ina May Gaskin
2 0 1 6
Essential Oils for Pregnancy and Birth
Optimal Fetal Positioning, with Tammy Ryan of Spinning Babies
Certified Breastfeeding Counselor (CBC) Training with Lea Todaro, IBCLC
Induction Master Class, with Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN, APRN of Evidence Based Birth
Felt Your Floor, with Lindsey Vestal, Pelvic Floor Specialist
2 0 1 5
Is It Baby Blues or Something More?: Screening for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, with Sarah Best of the Seleni Institute
What to Know About VBAC & Cesarean Birth, with Choices in Childbirth
Hypnobirthing for Birth Professionals, with Chanti Smith
Advanced Doula Training on Supporting High Risk Pregnancies, with Co-founders of Carriage House Birth
Bloodborne Pathogens Course Certificate for Placenta Encapsulators (Recertification)
Received Placenta Arts Specialist Certification (APPAC) from APPA
Comforting Touch for Doulas Workshop, with Yiska Obadia
2 0 1 4
Babywearing for Newborns at Wild Was Mama (formerly Caribou Baby)
OSHA Certificate in Bloodborne Pathogens for Doulas and Placenta Encapsulators
Joined as a Birth Doula with Carriage House Birth
Stand on Your Rights: Demystifying Legal Rights in Childbirth with Cristen Pascucci of Birth Monopoly
Certification approved as a DONA International Birth Doula: CD(DONA)
2 0 1 3
Doula Training at Birthday Presence from Debra Pascali-Bonaro
Attended my first birth as a doula!
Breastfeeding 101 Course at the Brooklyn Birthing Center
Rebozo Training with Gena Kirby
Previous Education/Training
2007: Graduated from the Advanced Immersion Program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition
2006: Graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and certified as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach
2005: Thai Yoga Bodywork Training, with Jonas Westring at the Open Center
2002: Bachelor's Degree in Dance and Education from Sarah Lawrence College