Lívia, César & Odara

2/9/2021

What can we say about Efe?

She is a very special human! Extremely kind, caring and knowledgeable she supported our family not only throughout our pregnancy and home birth, but also during the also challenging first weeks of postpartum. 

I was in labor for many many hours and Efe gave us support, comfort and strength to keep on going. When we needed the most, she was there to really give me all the tools to help keep the labor going. 

It brings me joy to know that everytime I will tell my daughter about her journey to our arms, Efe will be a key person to the story.

We are beyond thankful for all and each of the things you did for and with us!!! 

Sending you good vibes and much love for your next journey as midwife!!!

with love,

Lívia, César & Odara

Ros Donald

6/10/2020

I gave birth in New York at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. We contacted Efe in the weeks before as it became clear that nothing would happen as we had planned. Efe is incredibly knowledgeable and compassionate, and she made an incredibly tough few weeks so much easier.

Over video calls, she helped us understand the New York hospital system and gave me the confidence to advocate for myself. When it became clear I would have to have a planned cesarean, she helped me come to terms with it and worked to help me create a birth plan so that the operation and aftercare went as I wanted. My husband and I loved talking to Efe: as well as having a wealth of knowledge, she is funny and kind.

Efe was on call the whole time I was in the hospital alone to guide me through early breastfeeding difficulties and the pain of the operation and gave me help and encouragement in the weeks after the birth. She is an amazing doula and is also soon to become a midwife - a wonderful combination of skills. Her expertise, humor, and kindness transformed our birth experience for the better. I am so grateful to her.

Bianca Lucien

4/2/2020

Efe was the best doula I could have ever asked for. It seemed like we found each other by fate. I had followed her for some time on Twitter and just so happened to recognize her at a panel for pregnant women. I was ecstatic.

My experience with her was so much more than I expected. I thought that we would chat, see if we clicked, and then see each other the day of the birth. Not at all. Efe provided very thorough, thoughtful, and detailed information about everything I needed to know for the birth of my child. Everything from labor and delivery to breastfeeding to postpartum. She recommended things for me to do and get, in order to facilitate an easier birth and postpartum experience. I would have been lost without those classes.

Now my birth. I don't know what would have happened to me if Efe had not been there. She taught my partner and I how to advocate for ourselves during the classes and we needed every lesson. She was by my side for 4 days of labor. Helped me discuss my options with my midwives and helped me stand up for myself. Efe was present for every bit of my labor and birth, offering support at every step. She even came to visit me at my home after the birth. I cannot thank her enough for what she did for me. If you are looking for a doula, you cannot do better than Efe. My daughter and I are here because of her.

Simone Kolysh

3/24/2020

“My first two births were hospital births and traumatic. My third baby was born at a freestanding birthing center in Brooklyn, but our IVF doctors were not willing to fill out the necessary paperwork to make an exemption for the birth center when it comes to health insurance. Therefore, we chose Park Slope Midwives for our prenatal care and planned to deliver at a hospital. I knew that I wanted a doula no matter what and sought out someone whose politics aligned with ours.  Efe was one of three doulas we interviewed and given her tremendous experience, her values, and her easygoing energy, we decided to hire this expert.

During our talks, she asked what sort of anxiety I had around birth and I said that giving birth at the hospital was the only issue I had, because I did not want to be defensive during my labor and have to tell everyone to back off. Efe suggested a home birth and it was a bit of a stretch for me, but she asked me what concerns I had when it comes to a homebirth and answered all of my questions. Once she left that day, I started looking into homebirth midwives and arranged one relatively quickly. From that point on, I had absolutely no anxiety about my upcoming labor. I had assembled a team that I loved and felt comfortable with. Efe is both kind and no-nonsense, she is a calm and confident presence.

 When I had concerns during the labor, it was Efe I wanted around. Even though I stayed sort of internal during my labor, I felt her presence, just sort of there if I needed her and paying close attention to what was going on. When my midwife measured me, and I was discouraged to be at only 7 cm, Efe told me not to worry about the numbers and to keep breathing and when it got really painful, she grounded me and instructed me perfectly. I had a home birth waterbirth and I am so thankful to Efe. ”   -Simone Kolysh, birthing person

Stefanie Craig

10/18/2019

Working with Efe leading up to my son's birth was such a delight. Her prenatal private sessions with my husband and me were thorough and really made us feel like we were preparing both physically and emotionally for labor and postpartum. My goal was to have an unmedicated birth and she helped me to feel confident in my instincts and strong in my body. Due to a prolonged period of advanced dilation/effacement prior to my water breaking I was not permitted by my doctor to labor at home and as soon as my water broke Efe was on her way to meet us at the hospital. During my quick labor and the challenges of pushing she was positive, offered amazing suggestions to help make me as comfortable as possible and worked really well with my OB and the rest of the hospital staff. In fact, my OB told me after it was one of his most enjoyable experiences working with a doula because of her great energy, solidarity and collaboration. I had the labor I had hoped for with Efe's help and  couldn't recommend her more. 

Sarah Benezra

10/4/2019

Hiring Efe was the best thing my husband and I did for ourselves while preparing for our baby. The main reason we wanted a doula was for guidance on the big day, but Efe helped us prepare for when the baby actually came (surprisingly we hadn’t thought that far ahead...). She encouraged my husband and I to articulate our expections for household management, emotions during and after labor, handling family, and taught us how to bond with our baby. She helped us decide on our birth plan and how we wanted to communicate with doctors and each other during labor. We planned to labor at home and deliver at the hospital without pain medication. I wound up getting induced at 38 weeks because of a (not accurate) growth scan saying my baby was too small. I was given oral drugs to prepare my body for Pitocin, and while waiting for them to work I used Efe's techniques to encourage labor to progress on its own. I started to have contractions and my water broke while laboring on the yoga ball. My OB still wanted to administer Pitocin even though my contractions were escalating quickly, but she was absent so Efe helped my husband manage the nurses, who allowed me to continue at my own pace without administering additional drugs. Six hours later our daughter was born! Efe encouraged me when I was in my darkest place, when I said I couldn’t do it anymore she said I could, because look - I already was! I’m surprised I didn’t break her hand from squeezing it. My husband and I are both fully convinced that I would have been given Pitocin, and probably an epidural, if not for Efe’s help. We love her and are so grateful that she was there for us!!

Mike Esposito

9/28/2019

Efe was a great Doula! 

She was amazing at helping me understand the whole birthing process. I was scared for my wife and she made me feel at ease about the whole thing. We learned a lot  before going into delivery room so I knew what exactly to expect. She was also there with us and that made us feel very comfortable.

Me and my wife would definitely like to use her again in the near future. 

Thanks Efe. 

Mike Esposito 

Aube Jolicoeur

9/28/2019

I met Efe through a Midwife office. I instantly wanted to hire her due to her knowledge of verging pregnancy, delivery and babies. I was Learning so much more from her than an midwife or Doctor. I hired her after transferring to an OB for a hospital Birth. Even with an OBGYN we would have been lost without her. The day of my delivery, I called her and she arrived 5 mins after we spoke. We were clueless when I stated having contractions and she knew exactly what we should do. We learn so much from her and we had an amazing birth experience. I’m so happy she was by our side see our baby boy delivery. 

Thank you so much Efe. 

Good luck on your studying to be a midwife. We can’t wait to have you deliour next child! 

Love, 

Aube Jolicoeur 

Shari

9/27/2019

Efe was an amazing resource throughout my pregnancy. She maintained professionalism and flexibility with my demanding work schedule. An added plus is that Efe is well known in the birthing services industry and highly respected (anyone we asked knew her name right away). This helped us feel more confident in our decision to choose her as our doula. During my pregnancy, it was important for me to feel knowledgeable and empowered in my decisions. Efe kept us informed of our options and gave us time to reflect on the information she provided without pressure. She was also always available for questions. If she didn't know the answer to our questions, she woud always followup with responses from her network. During labor Efe was attentive without being overbearing. She was there when I needed her and gave me space when necessary, which was very important for my birthing plan. After my son was born, Efe came to our home, helped with some latching issues, and even put together my sons chair. She goes above and beyond for her clients and her love for this works shows. Ultimately, you can't go wrong in having Efe as your doula.

Anika Smiley

8/19/2019

Efe was the blessing my husband and I needed during my pregnancy. Efe was responsible, punctual, knowledgable and professional at each step of the pregnancy. I started my doula journey relatively late into my pregnancy and Efe was amazing in making us feel as thugh we'd had her from the very beginning. She spent more time with us upfront sharing information about pregnancy and what to expect and then eased us into information about birth and postpartum period.  Efe was personable and warm throughout our experience with her.  She offered insight and honest information during each meeting.  She went over all forms and plans with us prior to filling them out and finalizing them. I felt very supported and comforted during my actual labor process.  Efe was there to physcially support me, answer my questions, remind the doctors of our birth plan and overall ease any tensions or confusion. Efe was an invaluable resource during this time. Many aspects of my birth were manageable thanjs to Efe providing resources and information during our meetings. Additionally, Efe offered us referrals and suggestions to holistic services in our neighborhood that would help ease any discomfort I was experiencing during pregnancy. Overall, I was glad that I sought out the servcies of a doula and even more appreciative, happy and satisfied with having Efe as my doula. I highly reccomend her services to anyone seeking a knowlegdable, resourceful, professional, warm, compassionate, interested doula. Efe is amazing and will ease you into motherhood feeling prepared and ready for an adventurous ride. 

Jack Collier

6/14/2019

Efe was a great help guiding my partner and me through the birth of our first child. We didn't start our search for a doula until late in the third trimester but feel very lucky to have found Efe so quickly. Right away she put us at ease with her calming demeanor and ability to handle all our questions. After reviewing our birth plan we knew she would be a good advocate for us at the hospital. 

Efe was also a tremendous help when we decided last minute (week 37!) to change hospitals due to a measles outbreak in the neighborhood where we originally planned on giving birth. She helped us find a new hospital (Woodhull) which ended up being a fantastic experience. 

When the time finally came Efe met us at the hospital and helped get us situated. We had not visited Woodhull before the birth, so having Efe around helped but our minds at ease in an unfamiliar environment. She made sure the staff knew our birth plan and did everything she could to keep my partner calm and guide her through the process. She stayed overnight and through the morning until the baby was born. 

She continued to help my partner by offering tips on postpartum recovery and followed up with us a few weeks after the birth to see how things were doing. 

Overall, Efe was everything we hoped for in a doula. We're very glad to have had her by our side during a life-changing experience. 

Alicia L.B. Jean-Noel

10/4/2017

Efe Osaren came into our life four days before my water broke & after three doulas that did not work out. At first meeting, we reviewed our client intake form which laid out my birth plan. My husband and I felt that she was down-to-earth and professional. Directly following our first meeting she sent us a contract to review, which was comforting. When my water broke a few days after meeting, Efe was communicative and brought me peace of mind as I entered into this new adventure. Throughout the labor process she kept me present to my birth plan, shared video resources, and supported my husband with navigating the medical system. All in all, we worked great together as a team and I felt extremely supported the entire time. In the delivery room, she was calm and present but not overbearing -- which I really appreciated. Postpartum, she helped me with breast-feeding (she is also a lactation consultant) and has answered all of my questions via text or email. I highly recommend Efe and her services and I am confident that she will be a phenomenal doula and soon to be midwife for you! Work with Efe - you will be happy you did.

Jasmine Curry

11/17/2016

From our first meet w| Efe, during the interview process for doulas, my boyfriend & myself we're excited about having her assist us. Not only was she positive and informative, but she also wanted to get an insight on the type of clients we were.
From the prenatal visits, to signing us up for classes, forwarding information for us to discuss that we didn't even think of and/or research for ourselves; Efe not only made prepping for our sons birth worry-free, but gave both my boyfriend and myself so much support the day of. Encouraging us, reminding me of my affirmations, guiding my boyfriend as he supported me.
All this continued well after the birth of my healthy baby boy, who's now 1 month. Efe continues to reach out to us, to check up and see how we're doing and if have any questions. Greatly appreciative of her. And we decide on having another addition to the family, she will the first person we call when we are ready to prep our home birth.

shaina roche

10/29/2016

After one of my prenatal visits my midwife suggested I get a doula. I expected to have a natural birth at a birthing center with no drugs and just a limited amount of people. I didnt receive any of that. The only wishes that were granted to me was a healthy baby and the unwavering support of my doula from early labor til now 1 week and a half post partum. My doula Efe was my emotionl support pre-natal, during labor and post-partum. She became my conscience and my guide when I felt like i couldn't fight anymore, she reminded me of the things I wanted for my birth such as dim lights, delayed cord clamping, and exclusive breastfeeding. My labor was a crazy whirlwind of many opinions non of which consulted with me and it would have been EXTREMELY  worse if I  did not have Efe, she helped preserve not only my sanity but my strength as a woman and now as a mother that I am strong and able.

Melissa Hines Shungu

10/26/2016

We had a very positive experience working with Efe. She was responsive to my questions before, during, and after labor. She came to our home for our pre-birth visits and provded us with useful information to prepare for our daughter's birth. During labor, she was a supportive presence and helped me make decisions in the hospital. She stayed with my husband and me for 12+ hours until my daughter started to latch. She has been helpful in answering questions postpartum. Efe is knowledge and a kind presence. I recommend her doula services.

Anu Laguda

8/16/2016

Working with Efe was great. We'd enjoyed working with her because of her open mind and our similar cultural experiences. Her energy and great hugs were a wonder to work with. She was very considerate of our wants and needs. SHe helped us execute our birthing plan to the fullest extent possible. Efe went out of her way to help find us classes and programs in our budget (free). She saw our struggle and found a way to fill in the gpas of what we needed. She never forced any methods on us. Although all of her suggestions were helpful in the long run. When it was time for labor and delivery, he tips for a successful healthy delivery and her soothing presence were beyond miraculous. I had a quick and healthy birth. I managed to walk out of the delivery room in one piece and feeling great. I wish there was more to give Efe other than a giant thank you and hug.

Malwina Grochowska

8/12/2016

Efe was a great help during my pregnancy, birth and afterwards. When my due date passed, she was able to reassure me that I'm making the right decision waiting for the birth to happen naturally. She was always there for me to talk to her and ask all the questions. Then, she was assisting me and my family during what was a very long labor in the hospital. Efe was able to work together with the midwife, but at the same time advocate for me and explain what procedures the hospital staff was suggesting and if they were truly necessary. She knew perfectly what positions to recommend and how to keep my attitude positive (which was not easy!:) Eventually, I gave birth to a healthy and happy baby girl. And although it wasn't the easiest birth, Efe contributed a lot to the fact that after all it was a very positive experience for me and my family.

Efe is very dedicated, knowledgable and provided us a lot of pregnancy- and birth-related information. Besides that, she is just an awesome human being: you feel comfortable having her around in that special time in your life.

Nzinga Phillip

7/18/2016

Efe is the definition of a wonderful doula.  My experience with her was amazing.  She was there for my entire labor and delivery.  Honestly, if it wasn't for her presence I don't think I would have been able to do it.  She helped with my contraction pains by constantly applying pressure to my back.  As soon as I wanted to give up she reassured me that I could do it.  Thanks to Efe I gave birth to my bouncung baby boy naturally on July 10, 2016.

Wynoami Glasser

7/8/2016

I knew Efe was going to be a great addition to my support team the moment we met. She is knowledgeable and passionate about natural childbirth and the care of the mother. Once I went into labor, she waited patiently for my call to have her come over and she was at my home in less than an hour. Throughout my 34+ hour labor, she was patient, helpful, and loving. My husband was heavily involved and Efe was gracious in leaving us plenty of space while also offering continuous support. My birth did not go the way I hoped but Efe stood by my side the whole way through reminding me of what was important to me, what my rights were, and what was coming my way. Her presence and knowledge helped me find peace in a quite hectic moment in time. After my baby was born, she made sure we were in a good place before she went home for a well deserved rest. Over the course of the first two weeks postpartum, Efe checked in to make sure breastfeeding was successful and connected me to lactation specialists when things were tough.  I would most certainly choose her again should I be blessed with another child and I would most definitely recommend her to any mother especially first-timers.

Kemeshia Li

5/30/2016

My experience with Efe was exactly what I expected. She pushed me to going further than I wanted to go which is what I needed. I told her I didn't want an epidural and I really wanted a VBAC and that is what I got. Even though I started to give up on my dream of a natural birth. She really advocated for me during delivery and labor. I definitely would love to have her again when I decide to have another child. She remembered everything I said I wanted in detail. I was comfortable with her from our first meeting until she visited for my post partum. Her energy is very positive and calm and that is what I needed. I really enjoyed my overall experience with her.