Susan Donovan

Susan Donovan came to birth doula work through a career defined by a single through-line: meeting people at life's most significant and vulnerable moments, building relationships rooted in trust, and helping them navigate complex, often intimidating systems with information, confidence, and support. As a New York City public school teacher, she built the kind of relationships with children and families that made learning possible. As a high school college counselor and post-secondary persistence counselor, she guided first-generation college students through unfamiliar systems—making sure they had the information and support they needed to not just get there, but stay. As a volunteer with the Parole Preparation Project, she sits with incarcerated people as they prepare for one of the most high-stakes moments of their lives, helping them find their voice and tell their story. In each of these roles, the work has been the same: relationship building, information sharing, and space holding. Becoming a birth doula was a natural extension of that work, and a deeply personal response to a crisis she couldn't ignore—the devastating maternal mortality rate in the United States, and its disproportionate impact on Black and brown birthing people. Susan believes that having an informed, steady, and unwavering presence in the birth room—someone who knows you, understands your wishes, and helps make sure your voice is heard—can make a profound difference in both the experience and the outcome. Susan's approach is calm, grounded, and evidence-based. She invests deeply in the prenatal relationship, getting to know each client's fears, hopes, and wishes long before labor begins—so that by the time they're in that room together, they feel like a team. Susan completed her birth doula training and mentorship at Carriage House Birth in Brooklyn and offers sibling doula support as an additional service, helping older children feel included and cared for during the arrival of a new baby. She is a mother of three adult daughters and has given birth herself, and she brings the steadiness and perspective of someone who has lived through many of life's defining moments. Based in Manhattan, she serves birthing people and their families across all five boroughs and the surrounding areas.