Maiysha Kramer
Birth Doula
Originally from NYC, Maiysha has lived and traveled extensively in the U.S. and internationally. Not an army kid, just the daughter of a single mom trying to figure it out. One summer they stayed at The Farm in Summertown TN, where Ina May Gaskin and her community helped revive midwifery and natural childbirth in America. Those experiences — along with having a midwife in the family — planted the seeds for the work she would later do.
Maiysha’s interest in birth grew strong in her teens where she loved listening to her midwife aunt tell birth stories. But what many people fantasize what midwives do, is actually what doulas do. So when Maiysha had her first baby with midwives in 1998, she thought she did not need a doula. She quickly learned first-hand how hard it is to go without a doula! Two years later, she had a doula at the birth of her second, and everything clicked. She realized it was not midwifery calling her — it was doula work. Maiysha attended her first doula birth in 2002 but didn’t begin working full time as a doula until her own children were older. In 2010 her aunt trained her as a homebirth assistant, giving her hands-on experience with natural, undisturbed birth and how to expertly manage surprises. Since then, she has supported over 500 families, mostly in hospitals, worked with three homebirth midwifery practices, and consults on various boards with the NYC Department of Health to improve maternal health.
Maiysha loves this work and feels blessed that the work has loved her back. Her approach is simple: meet each client where she is. Listening deeply, without judgment, and helping families navigate birth in the way that feels right for them. This work is unlike any other. When the phone rings at 3 a.m., Maiysha is there — the calm voice helping a laboring mother breathe, make decisions, and navigate the next steps. She supports families through every twist and turn with steady guidance and compassion.
Maiysha now lives in both Nashville and NYC with her fiancé, taking births in both. She is mom/stepmom to five total, two grandbabies, and two cats.
Experience and Certifications:
Over 2 decades of birth and postpartum doula experience.
CPR certified
NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) certified
Extensive experience in lactation; Previous CLC certification
Extensive childbirth education training
Worked in midwifery as a midwifery assistant.
What clients have said…
I was so grateful to have Maiysha by my side once again for the birth of my daughter, Avery. Maiysha was my doula for the birth of my son as well, 2 years ago, and I know it was thanks to her that I had the birth experience I wanted with him. When we found out we were pregnant with baby #2, I knew I wanted Maiysha to be my doula again. A part of me thought, "you don't need a doula this time around. You've already had a baby, so you know what to expect". HA! So not true! It ended up being such a different experience from the birth of my first baby, from beginning to end, and having Maiysha there to support me through the entire experience was a God-send. I can't recommend her highly enough, even for subsequent pregnancies, and my husband agrees!
I can only say if/when I am pregnant with a second child, I'd first tell my husband, then our parents, and then Maiysha (hoping she'd serve as doula again). I come from a family of long labors and I myself had a whopping 52 hour ordeal, no drugs, with labor at home, at the hospital, and at a nearby hotel. I think about this long hard labor as a beautiful experience in large part because the birth team was incredible and Maiysha was at its core. She is calm, authoritative, unflappable, and steady. Those reserves and certainties were, for me and my husband, extraordinary blessings, especially our first time through this process. Maiysha was also the most helpful person for explaining breast-feeding and her postpartum visit did far more for me than the lactation consultancy received in the hospital. Incredible...simply an extraordinary human doing beautiful work.I felt honored throughout and welcomed to the tribe of motherhood by one of it's most shining examples.
