Michelle Gabriel-Caldwell - Birth & Postpartum Doula

About Michelle

Michelle is the owner of Baby, Please Birth Services Agency located in NJ but with a team serving the metropolitan areas of (NY, PA & CT) as well as Baltimore. She is a certified Doula and certified Childbirth Educator teaching the Bradley Method ®, and her own Holistic Course expressly for The Birth Center of NJ of which she is the Doula Director. Michelle serves on the National Black Doula Association (NBDA) Advisory Board where she revised the doula training curriculum to enhance the needs of Black Doulas working in systemically racist environments. As a NBDA Doula Instructor and Doula Mentor she spends her time providing critical thinking skills for her students to be successful and competent in their fields. She is also a Poppy Seed Health Advocate supporting birthing persons virtually where access otherwise would not exist financially. In addition, she established the NJ Virtual Doula Program for Overlook Hospital by galvanizing over 40 local doulas to volunteer their time during the COVID crisis. Michelle recently cross-trained with DONA International to build on her expertise as an educator. She is co-founder of The NJ Birth Justice Collective and Board Chairperson of The Perinatal Health Equity Initiative fostering awareness to Black Breastfeeding Families and Infant Mortality. Michelle tirelessly works in the birth industry since 2005; helping over 600 families navigate their birthing spaces, offering training for birth professionals while ensuring birth justice through state and national initiatives, serving on non-profit boards and panels, enhancing the platform through blogs and podcasts. A mother of two wonderful children born by amazing natural birth experiences. She has been married for 28 years to an incredible man who shares her birth passion, he teaches childbirth education classes with her to share the partner perspective. Michelle empowers others by offering education, support and advocacy. Michelle is also a full time Chemical Engineer working for a German Based company. She holds degrees in Chemistry, Mathematics and Chemical Engineering.

Availability

Taking new clients

Due Nov 2026 – Aug 2027

Confirmed 2 weeks ago

Due date close to the edge of this window?

Birth & Postpartum Doula packages and pricing

Standard Birth Doula Package

2 prenatal Visits (In-Person) On Call at Contract Signing Full Birth Support 1-2 Postpartum Visits (In-Person) 6-week access for virtual postpartum support. Birth Planning, 1st latch support, comfort measures, advocacy, informed consent, relaxation techniques, nutrition and exercises.

$3,500 USD · Flat rate

Daytime Postpartum Support

Newborn and Maternal Care Infant Feeding, Postpartum Physical and Mental Health Support, Nutrition, Breastfeeding Support

$50 USD · Per hour

Overnight Postpartum Support

Overnight care of newborn, Maintenance of Feeding Schedules and Diaper Changes. Recap/Notes of the Evening. Support with Breastfeeding, if needed.

$60 USD · Per hour

Accepted insurance

Horizon NJ Health Message Michelle to confirm coverage for your plan.

What to expect

We offer childbirth education via Bradley Birth and our own Baby, Please Birth Services Holistic Class. We offer labor support and postpartum care (lactation education) while working to ensure advocacy and informed consent as a doula. We train individuals to become new doulas and offer mentoring services as well. We also teach Science Based Birth workshops to both parents and professionals (Doulas, Midwives and Nurses). We service NJ, NY, PA, MD, FL and GA! Email us for your FREE consultation. Michelle is often seen on videocasts or heard on podcasts to change the narrative of birth being an illness.

Certifications, training, and specialties

Certification and training

Bradley CBE Instructor (2005)
NBDA Doula Trainer (2019)
Evidence Based Birth Instructor (2018)
DONA Doula (2020)
Lactation Educator (2022)
Dancing for Birth Instructor (2023)

Education

Chemical Engineering (1992)
Chemistry/Mathematics (1988)

Memberships and affiliations

National Black Doula Association - Board Member
National Black Doulas Association - Instructor
Perinatal Health Equity Initiative - Board Chair
The Birth Center of NJ - Board Member

Languages

English

Race / Ethnicity

Black / African American

Religion

Christian

Credentials

CBE CD (DONA) CPD PhD

Specialties

Advanced Maternal Age Birth and Lactation Birth Doula Birth Support Birth Trauma Breastfeeding Support Cesarean, Episiotomy and Scar Pain Childbirth Education Evidence-Based Care Faith-Based Counseling Grief and Loss Healthy Eating High Risk and Low Intervention Obstetrical Care High-Risk Pregnancy Home Birth Infant Care Infertility Labor Doula LGBTQ+ Loss and Bereavement Doula Low Milk Supply/Over Supply Natural Birth Natural Childbirth Newborn Care Newborn Exam Newborn Screening Nipple and Breast Pain Nutritional Counseling Perinatal and Infant Loss Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Positive Thinking Postpartum Adjustment Postpartum Care Postpartum Doula Care Preconception Pregnancy Complications Pregnancy Loss Pregnancy, Prenatal, Postpartum Therapy Prenatal Care Relaxation Techniques Reproductive and Parenting Reproductive Mental Health Returning to work (pumping, breastmilk storage, etc) Sibling Preparation Support during Labor, Birth, and Postpartum Support in Pregnancy Loss Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) Water birth

Frequently asked questions

Is pregnancy an illness?

No. Pregnancy is a physiologic condition, not an illness. Most pregnancies can progress normally with appropriate support and monitoring. Respect for body autonomy means allowing physiologic birth to unfold while using medical interventions when clinically needed, not simply because they are routine.