April Cañete Pavlish Photo

April Cañete Pavlish

Morningstar Doula

Jersey City, NJ Service range 25 miles NE NJ; NYC areas served: Manhattan, NW parts of Brooklyn, Staten Island

https://www.morningstardoula.com/

Birth Fee

$2700

Postpartum Rate

$55

Availability Remarks: Offering daytime postpartum support to folks in Jersey City, Bayonne and Hoboken NJ

Birth Fee

$2700

Postpartum Rate

$55


Birth Doula Experience

4 years and 90 births attended

Postpartum Doula Experience

3 years and 17 families served


Doula Training

  • Birth Arts International, October 2017
  • Manhattan Birth, September 2020

Type of practice: Solo practice

Clients per month: 2 to 4 births and 0 to 1 postpartum families

Postpartum limits/restrictions: No smokers please

Attends hospital births? All Hospitals

Attends birth center births? All Birth Centers

Attends home births? Any Home Birth
with a midwife/care provider present


College Education

BA/BS

MA/MS


Special Services Offered

  • Abortion support
  • Antepartum doula support
  • Babywearing education
  • Childbirth education services
  • Infant massage education
  • Lactation consultant/counselor services
  • LGBTQIA+ Support
  • Miscarriage support
  • Virtual and remote doula support

Fee Details

Sliding scale down to $1600 available for those with limited financial privilege, and who identify as Black, Indigenous or other Person of Color, LGBTQIA2S+, person with a disability, solo parent. Please inquire.

Service Area

Jersey City, NJ Service range 25 miles NE NJ; NYC areas served: Manhattan, NW parts of Brooklyn, Staten Island

Client Testimonials for April Cañete Pavlish

Post a testimonial for April Cañete Pavlish

Jess & John

8/23/2022

In short we were honoured to have April's support during our pregnancy and delivery. We have said many times since (usualy while reccomending her to our expecting freinds) that we couldn't have had the smooth and safe delivery that we did with out her. 

From the initial virtial meet we knew April was our Doula - her approach was warm, open, kind and strong; a non-nonsense, experienced professional who listened, guided and laughed simultainiously - The perfect fit for us! We decided to work together when I was about 36 weeks along.

During our first in person meeting we shared preferences, concerns and actions. We discussed and aligned on our birth plan and ended the meeting feeling fully prepared for delivery day. In between that meeting and the hospital day April was always on hand with questions, answers and resources. Honestly we felt like she was by our side from day one. The day we went to the hospital April calmed and guided us as we knew she would. She helped us both answer medical questions from the staff, take time with our descions, and had my back in everyway while giving birth to our son. Her help made a special day the most memorable in the best ways possible and we'll be forever thankful she was a part of our birth journey! 

Thank you again April - you really are a star! 

 

Catherine

6/21/2022

My husband and I are so grateful we had the opportunity to work with April. Going into our first pregnancy and childbirth, we didn't know what to expect. Both of our mothers had passed, and our families are out of town, so we also couldn't rely as much on wisdom or support from our families. April helpfully walked us through what to expect in the last few weeks of pregnancy, the day of delivery, and after-care. She provided us with information, helped us think through how to advocate for ourselves (and have her advocate for us) in a hospital setting, and checked in frequently to see how we were doing and make sure we were adjusting well to parenthood and postpartum recovery. In the weeks leading up to delivery, we appreciated April's straightforward approach and her emphasis on imparting critical information. We felt heard at every stage and equipped to handle labor! On the day itself, April met us at the hospital (our labor progressed very quickly) and was there to coach me as I labored, pushed, and nursed my baby for the first time. Afterward, she visited our home and helped talk through lactation, postpartum recovery exercises, and other questions we had as new parents. April was a fantastic resource and support person, and I highly recommend her to other new parents!

Caitlin

11/24/2021

April's presence during our first pregnancy and the delivery of our baby boy was nothing short of incredible! My husband and I agree that it was one of the bestt nvestments we made as part of our journey to parenthood. From the first conversation I had with April, I knew she was a great fit. She was genuinely curious about us as a couple, as individuals and as parents-to-be. She saught to learn about our dynamic so she could support both me and my husband effectively.  She consistently provided us with insights and ideas that helped us determine our birth wishes and she brought a wealth of experience to the table, which was especially evident once we got to the hospital. April created space for us to make our own decisions and empowered us in the process. She was emotionally present for me throughout pregnancy and the entire delivery process. She was our cheerleader, partner, and our advocate. She helped me understand how and where I was progressing during delivery and she brought patience and calmness to delivery room, which was so appreciated. If you are thinking about working with a doula, I cannot recommend April enough! 

Emily J

8/23/2021

My husband and I had no intention of looking for a doula after we found out we were pregnant but a friend who had recently given birth said working with April was the best decision for their pregnancy journey, and they were right!! We didn't do tons of research throughout my pregnancy, and after meeting with April, we decided to work with her so we could have someone to reach out to instead of Googling things and going down a rabbit hole. 

From the start, April was professional, kind, informative, and reassuring. She gave us the knowledge we needed to make choices based on the different options we had (many of which we didn't know about) and provided us with resources that helped us understand the ins and outs of the pregnancy journey and preparation for labor. She helped with questions related to symptoms, future things like breastfeeding/postpartum, provided us with suggestions for birthing classes, and sent us links and videos for us to self-teach where we found specific topics to be important.

One of the most helpful steps was being able to do the intake form with her, which we reviewed together before delivery. It not only helped me and my partner understand how we wanted to deliver but helped us feel at ease going into the delivery because we had a plan A and B.

April is so calming and nurturing and helpful. We cannot stress enough how important it was to us to have her by our side during labor. Between the long stretches of labor, she was there to soothe me physically and mentally. She helped with different positions that definitely made my delivery easier than it would have been if she were not there. She provided an immense sense of comfort and encouragement while I was in active labor and am so grateful for her role in a safe delivery of our child. We can't recommend working with her enough!!

Abhishek Khemka/Neha Patwa

7/18/2021

Hiring April as our Doula was the best decision we made. April saved us from unneccssary induced labor. I cannot imagine how we would have handled the labor and delivery without her. She is very knowledable, friedndly and clam. 

Its hard to put in words the appreication and gratitude we feel for April. It was just like having a family member around. She showed up as soon as our labor began and stayed for 2 hours after our little angel was born. She even helped with the first feeding and latching. Thanks to her we were able to capture photos and videos of a lot of our precious moments. 

I highly recommend working with April for your labor and delivery. 

Thanks April
Neha and Ahishek

Joelle

5/6/2021

I cannot imagine my birth experience without April. As a first time young mother, I had no idea how to prepare for my little one, but April helped me from very early on in my pregnancy to my postpartum recovery to be able to make informed choices that I could feel confident in. I felt comfortable and empowered by April's support because I trusted our shared values and how she centered my perspectives in her advocacy. Although my ideal birth plan did not take place and a cesarean was medically necessary, April helped me feel grounded and supported throughout an otherwise traumatic experience. She was so knowledgeable about many topics and provided us essential referrals at every stage of the pregnancy. I would definitely recommend April to anyone expecting and will definitely reach out to her again for my next pregnancy as well. 

Allison Clary

5/11/2020

April was a wonderful addition to our birthing team. As type A personalities my husband and I like to research and be prepared for everything going into a situation. Knowing you can only research (and control) so much, that once your journey begins there are many things that can happen out of your control-- that really freaked us out (well especially me:-). Knowing we had prepared in advance with April and also had her as a resource consistently throughout the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum periods-- eased our nerves and we felt very prepared to respond to just about any situation we might encounter.  


Choosing a Doula is kind of like dating, you can have a list of everything you want but in the end it's about a connection and a feeling that you just get each other and together you are stronger. 


We highly recommend April for all the reasons above and would be happy to connect with anyone that might be interested in hiring her.

Amanda

2/16/2020

April is a warm, caring, thoughtful, and knowledgeable doula. She took a lot of time before birth to get to know my husband and myself and provided us with so many useful resources and answers to our questions. She was with us for our entire active labor, which was fairly lengthy, and stayed positive throughout. She helped find supplemental positions and techniques to try while we were in the hospital to encourage the type of birth experience I was looking for. She explained things to my husband and I calmly and clearly to help us make the best decisions as my birth progressed. I know for sure I would not have had the positive birth experience without her, and I highly recommend her. She was also as much, if not more, of a resource for my nervous husband (first time dad), and encouraged him to be an amazing advocate for me. We were so happy we chose April, and we love that she was a part of this special moment in our lives. 

Sisi

6/25/2019

Having April be our doula was one of the best decisions that my husband and I made during our pregnancy. April put both of us at ease with her knowledge, warm enthusiasm, and reassuring nature. She answered all of our questions as we approached the big day and was always quick to respond via text. I had a long labor and it was invaluable having April be there to support us both physically and mentally through the whole process. She stayed with us tirelessly overnight as I labored and gave me the encouragement I needed when it came time to push. Afterwards, she kept in touch and provided me with lots of information and resources for breastfeeding and newborn support groups. I am so glad to have had April be part of my first birth experience and would recommend her in a heartbeat!

Bay

5/27/2019

As soon as I met April after our phone interview, I knew she would be the right fit as my doula. She had the most bright, positive and sincere characteristics. In our prenatal visits, she quickly became close to me and my family answering our basic questions like when do we know it’s labor or when to go to hospital. When the day finally came, she came to the L&D ward (Labor and Delivery) with great spirit.

I had requested delivery without epidural, but as contractions progressed, it became harder and harder. However, April used her soothing and massage techniques to comfort me. Finally in the evening, after 9 hours in labor, I felt my baby was ready to come out. It was then that the pain became most intense. April and the midwives did their best to help me get through the last stage and finally meet by baby boy. In the end, I was able to deliver naturally, without epidural, thanks to constant encouragement and help from April.

Nisha

5/22/2019

My husband & I met April at a birthing class and it took a short chat over coffee that morning for us to know that we’d found a perfect doula match! Not only is April very knowledgeable but she also carefully considered our thoughts and preferences from prior discussions and came prepared for following sessions. I could always reach out to her with questions as she’d created a group chat that she’d use to share helpful information throughout the last few weeks. April was by my side through my labor and delivery and also came by to visit me a few days after to help with anything and everything post partum. I would highly recommend April - she’ll be the friend and partner you need through this very important part of your pregnancy. 

Naomi

5/3/2019

April was absolutely phenomenal to work with!  My wife and I are not sure how we would have made it through labor and delivery without her-- I guess it would have happened, but April made the experience much more comfortable physically and emotionally. She has a beautifully strong, calming, positive presence, and I am forever grateful that she was by our side through delivery.

Leading up to my delivery, she checked in frequently and was a wonderful source of knowledge about how to take care of myself and ask the right questions to my OB about upcoming delivery decisions. At 41 weeks, I went in for an induction, and April helped me know what to expect.

During my 22 hours of labor, April was incredibly supportive- both physically and emotionally. She helped me try different positions and techniques to calm me. She also tirelessly provided physical support- she applied counterpressure and massage on my low back that helped to ease the pain and intensity of the contractions. She did this for hours on end-- I'm sure she was sore the next day from HER physical exertion. April also guided my wife in how to help me. She made sure that my wife ate, drank water, and took breaks, and coached her in good pressure points in which to massage me, etc.

When we needed to make decisions during labor (if/when to get an epidural and ultimately, to have a C-section), April was extremely helpful. She didn't pressure us in any way, and she helped us decide what was best for us. After 22 hours of labor, and after I developed an infection (which landed my son in the NICU for a couple of days), we took the Dr.'s recommendation to have a C-section.

A few days after my son was born, April came to meet him. They had a special connection-- she was his guide into the world and our guide into motherhood. I cannot recommend her highly enough! I feel overwhelming gratitude to have had her by our side during this this journey.

 

Birth Availability for April Cañete Pavlish

= Available. Calendar last updated: 03-01-2024

Postpartum Availability for April Cañete Pavlish

= Available. Calendar last updated: 03-01-2024