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Photo of a couple and a doula. Text: Meet Earlyn, a doula in East Bronx. New Yorkers can access quality services at low to no cost to make pregnancy, birth and infancy easier.

The Citywide Doula Initiative

The Citywide Doula Initiative is part of the New Family Home Visits Initiative, which provides free access to home visitors and doula support for birthing people and parenting families.

Doulas from this initiative provide professional, no-cost doula services to residents of neighborhoods that have been especially affected by COVID-19.

Learn more about low-cost doula services in New York City.

A doula is a professional, trained childbirth assistant who provides non-medical support.

Doulas can:

  • Help you prepare and carry out your childbirth plans
  • Guide and support you during labor and childbirth
  • Help you with and caring for your newborn

People giving birth with support from a doula are also more likely to:

  • Have a shorter labor
  • Initiate breastfeeding earlier and breastfeed for longer
  • Have positive feelings about their birth experience
  • Have better parent-baby bonding

Eligibility

To enroll, you must meet both of these requirements:

In addition, the program prioritizes people who:

  • Have aged out of foster care
  • Have no other labor support
  • Are giving birth for the first time, or for the first time in at least 10 years
  • Had a previous traumatic birth experience
  • Have a high-risk medical condition

Find a Doula

To enroll in the Citywide Doula Initiative, or to see if you are eligible for services, email CDI@health.nyc.gov or call 1-844-653-6852 (1-844-OK-DOULA).

You may also reach out directly to one of the programs listed below, which provide services as part of the Citywide Doula Initiative. Each program is available only to people who live in the listed ZIP codes or in shelter or foster home within the borough, or to pregnant teenagers who are income-eligible for Medicaid.

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Bronx

  • Ancient Song Doula Services
    347-778-3490
    info@ancientsongdoulaservices.com
    ZIP codes: 10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10455, 10456, 10457, 10458, 10459, 10460, 10463, 10466, 10467, 10468, 10469, 10472, 10473, 10474

  • Caribbean Women’s Health Association
    718-826-2942
    CWHAdoulas@cwha.org
    ZIP codes: 10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10455, 10456, 10457, 10458, 10459, 10460, 10463, 10466, 10467, 10468, 10469, 10472, 10473, 10474

  • Mama Glow Foundation
    718-510-4015
    cdi@mamaglow.com
    ZIP codes: 10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10455, 10456, 10457, 10458, 10459, 10460, 10463, 10466, 10467, 10468, 10469, 10472, 10473, 10474

  • Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership
    212-665-2600
    info@nmppcares.org
    ZIP codes: 10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10455, 10456, 10458, 10469, 10472, 10473

Brooklyn

  • Ancient Song Doula Services
    347-778-3490
    info@ancientsongdoulaservices.com
    ZIP codes: 11203, 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11220, 11224, 11226, 11232, 11233, 11235, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

  • By My Side Birth Support Program
    718-637-5231
    healthystartbrooklyn@health.nyc.gov
    ZIP codes: 11203, 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11220, 11226, 11232, 11233, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

  • Caribbean Women’s Health Association
    718-826-2942
    CWHAdoulas@cwha.org
    ZIP codes: 11203, 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11220, 11224, 11226, 11232, 11233, 11235, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

  • Hope and Healing Family Center
    347-384-1494
    hhfc01@ymail.com
    ZIP codes: 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11224, 11233, 11235, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

  • Mama Glow Foundation
    718-510-4015
    cdi@mamaglow.com
    ZIP codes: 11203, 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11220, 11224, 11226, 11232, 11233, 11235, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

Manhattan

  • Ancient Song Doula Services
    347-778-3490
    info@ancientsongdoulaservices.com
    ZIP codes: 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

  • Caribbean Women’s Health Association
    718-826-2942
    CWHAdoulas@cwha.org
    ZIP codes: 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

  • Mama Glow Foundation
    718-510-4015
    cdi@mamaglow.com
    ZIP codes: 10002, 10003, 10009, 10013, 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

  • Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership
    212-665-2600
    info@nmppcares.org
    ZIP codes: 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

  • The Mothership
    646-598-7199
    doula@themothershipnyc.com
    ZIP codes: 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

Queens

  • Ancient Song Doula Services
    347-778-3490
    info@ancientsongdoulaservices.com
    ZIP codes: 11101, 11368, 11369, 11412, 11419, 11420, 11421, 11423, 11429, 11432, 11433, 11434, 11435, 11436, 11691, 11692, 11693, 11694

  • Caribbean Women’s Health Association
    718-826-2942
    CWHAdoulas@cwha.org
    ZIP codes: 11101, 11368, 11369, 11412, 11419, 11420, 11421, 11423, 11429, 11432, 11433, 11434, 11435, 11436, 11691, 11692, 11693, 11694

  • Mama Glow Foundation
    718-510-4015
    cdi@mamaglow.com
    ZIP codes: 11101, 11368, 11369, 11412, 11419, 11420, 11421, 11423, 11429, 11432, 11433, 11434, 11435, 11436, 11691, 11692, 11693, 11694

Staten Island

Citywide Doula Initiative Apprenticeship Program

The Citywide Doula Initiative's Apprenticeship Program aims to increase the number of community-based doulas who can support clients who are experiencing stress from social, racial and economic inequities. This program helps newly trained doulas become certified and build skills in case management, resource referral and traditional doula care.

For more information about this program, contact the organizations listed in the tabs above.

Become a Doula

The Citywide Doula Initiative conducts free trainings each year for community members who want to become birth doulas. Priority is given to applicants who live in TRIE neighborhoods or who are bilingual. After being trained, new doulas enroll in a six-month apprenticeship with one of the eight Citywide Doula Initiative programs, where they receive mentorship, support and professional development opportunities.

Email CDI@health.nyc.gov to be added to our outreach list for future trainings.


Additional Resources

More Information

  • Newborn Home Visiting Program
  • NYC Nurse-Family Partnerships
  • Equity in Maternal Care (MHQIN)
  • Healthy Start Brooklyn
  • Breastfeeding
  • Breastfeeding Empowerment Zone (Baby Cafés)