Northeast Doulas: Services, Costs and How It Works

What is Northeast Doulas?

Northeast Doulas is a doula agency. A doula, in the site's words, is "a trained, non-medical professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support" to a person and their family before, during and after childbirth. The site is clear that doulas "do not perform clinical tasks" and that they work alongside your OB-GYN, midwife and nurses.

The company offers three services, and they appear in the same order on almost every page of its site: Labor Doulas, Postpartum Doulas and Placenta Encapsulation. Its tagline is "Exceptional Care for Families with Newborns," and its About page describes its aim as "deeply personal care for the most important moments in life."

The business calls itself an agency rather than a single independent doula. It says this means it can "provide backup coverage, vet and train doulas, and take responsibility for quality." In practice, you contact the office, describe your due date, town and the kind of help you want, and the company matches you with a doula from its team.

The company describes its approach as non-judgmental. Its FAQ says it supports "unmedicated, medicated, epidural, induced, VBAC, and cesarean births with the same non-judgmental care," and that its approach "centers your choices, not a particular birth philosophy." The About page puts it this way: whether you are planning a water birth, a medicated birth or a scheduled cesarean, the doulas give "judgement free educational, physical and emotional support."

Who owns and runs Northeast Doulas?

The owner and founder is Debbie Forbes. Her profile on the team page says she "founded Northeast Doulas in 2002 and has supported well over 1,000 mothers" since then. The site's llms.txt file (a plain-text summary for AI tools) notes that she was formerly known as Debbie Aglietti, which is why her profile page address still uses that name. Older directory listings may show either name.

Her bio tells how she came to the work. She was a nanny for several New York families early in life. The birth of her first son, in a hospital with a midwife, did not go as she had planned and left her "with a sense of fear and concern" about a second pregnancy. She believed a doula would have made a difference, so she set out "not to hire a Doula, but to actually become one," and then built the business. The About page describes her as "a business-minded woman with a passion for the birthing experience" and says she and her team "have been serving couples for more than 18 years."

Some of the company's newer articles (2026 posts on cost, insurance and hiring) carry Debbie Forbes's byline. Several older blog posts are signed by another writer, Randy Patterson. The site does not say what role that writer has in the business today.

Is Northeast Doulas legit?

Here is what a family can check before booking:

• A long track record, by its own account. The owner's bio dates the business to 2002, and team bios refer back over many years (one doula is described as "the first doula brought on board 17 years ago").
• Named people. The team page names ten doulas with photos and individual bios, including their backgrounds. You can ask which of them would be matched to you.
• Published contact details. A phone number (914-736-7700), an email address and a contact form appear on every page. The site footer names the business as Northeast Doulas LLC.
• Client testimonials. The site's Testimonials page shows twelve written testimonials from clients in places such as Mamaroneck, Chappaqua, Ossining, Brooklyn and Manhattan. These are chosen and published by the company.
• Plain statements about limits. The FAQ says "No ethical doula guarantees outcomes," that a doula "does not diagnose, deliver babies, perform exams, or give medical advice," and that its information "is educational and not medical advice."

Doulas are not licensed the way nurses or midwives are, so there is no single state license lookup for a doula agency in New York. If a doula's training matters to you, ask the company which organization trained or certified the doula you are matched with, and when.

Services at a glance

The company also describes support for adoptive families and birth mothers, surrogacy, twins and multiples, VBAC, families coming home from the NICU, and birth after loss. These are covered in the special situations section below.

Labor (birth) doula support

The labor doula page opens with the line "Our doulas come to you filled with knowledge, but with no agenda." The doula's job, according to the site, is to "guide you through all of the options and decisions to consider" before and during birth.

Before labor

Your doula meets you during pregnancy. A blog post on the doula prenatal visit describes it as a casual meeting with you, your partner if you like, and your doulas. It says the visit takes "approximately one and a half hours" and should ideally be scheduled shortly after you have taken a childbirth education class, so the doulas can refer to the options you learned there. The doulas walk you through labor and birth from beginning to end, and you talk about your wishes. That is often when a birth plan takes shape. The post adds that a written birth plan "is not a necessity but good communication with your provider is."

The FAQ says birth doula packages "typically include one or more prenatal visits" and phone and text access between visits. The doula is on call around your due date, and early or late babies are "expected and covered."

During labor

The FAQ says your labor doula "typically joins you in active labor, at home or at the hospital, and stays continuously through birth." It lists the comfort measures the doulas use:

• Position changes and movement
• Counter-pressure and the double hip squeeze
• Breathing and relaxation techniques
• A birth ball
• Warm or cool compresses and massage
• Calm verbal support, for you and for your partner

The company says it supports medicated births, including with an epidural, as fully as unmedicated ones. A doula "does not make decisions or speak for you medically," the FAQ says; she helps you ask questions and understand your options so you can talk with your provider yourself.

After the birth

According to the FAQ, your doula "usually stays one to two hours after birth" to help with first bonding and feeding and to see that you are settled. Birth packages also include a postpartum follow-up.

Postpartum and overnight doula care

The postpartum page says your postpartum doula "will create a customized plan for your family" and that "You get to set the agenda." Care takes place in your home, on scheduled shifts, during the day or overnight.

What a postpartum doula does

The site lists these tasks:

• Newborn care teaching: diapering, bathing, swaddling, soothing, safe sleep basics and reading your baby's cues. The stated goal is "to build your confidence so you feel capable on your own."
• Feeding support: non-clinical help with positioning and latch comfort, plus support for bottle, formula and combination feeding "without judgment." For medical feeding problems, the doula refers you to an IBCLC lactation consultant.
• Recovery support: physical and emotional support while you heal. The FAQ says the doula can help you recognize signs of postpartum mood changes and encourage you to get professional care, and that she "is not a substitute for medical or mental-health treatment."
• Light baby-related chores: washing bottles, baby laundry, tidying the nursery and simple meal prep. "She is not a house cleaner," the FAQ notes.
• Siblings: helping older children adjust and giving you one-on-one time with each child.

Overnight care

Overnight shifts are one of the company's main offerings. A 2026 article, What Does a Postpartum Doula Do Overnight?, says the doula tends to your baby so you can sleep. She handles diaper changes and soothing, and "either brings the baby to you to nurse or gives a bottle, depending on your feeding plan." She also washes bottles and keeps the nursery tidy. The company says overnight care "is available throughout our service area."

How many hours

The FAQ says hours vary widely, "from a few daytime shifts a week to nightly overnight care for several weeks," and that "Many first-time parents underestimate and add hours." You can usually add hours after care starts, subject to availability. Some team members list long-term or live-in postpartum care in their bios, so ask if you need extended help.

Placenta encapsulation

Placenta encapsulation is the third service. The site describes it as "preparing the placenta (steaming or raw), dehydrating, grinding, and placing it into capsules" for the parent to take after birth.

What the company says about safety

The company's own pages are direct about the risks. The placenta service page says the benefits people describe "have not been proven," and that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) "has advised that placenta capsule ingestion should be avoided" after contaminated capsules were linked to a newborn's Group B Strep infection. Its article Placenta Encapsulation in NY & CT: Is It Legal and Safe? says the service "is not risk-free" and asks families to discuss it with a healthcare provider first, "especially if you have an infection or certain medical conditions."

That matches the CDC report the company cites. In a June 2017 report (MMWR, volume 66, issue 25), the CDC described an Oregon case, noted that "scientific evidence to support" the claimed benefits "is lacking," and concluded that "placenta capsule ingestion should be avoided." Talk to your doctor or midwife before deciding.

Logistics

• Hospital release: policies vary. You "typically need to notify your provider and hospital in advance and follow their release and storage policy," and the company says it guides you through the steps.
• Storage: the placenta should be refrigerated promptly and kept cold. The company provides storage instructions.
• Timing: preparation "usually takes one to two days after the placenta is received and properly stored."
• Method: the FAQ describes a steamed method, which it calls the Traditional Chinese Medicine method, and a raw method that dehydrates without steaming.
• Capsule count: varies by placenta size and method; the company gives an estimate when you discuss the service.
• After a cesarean: the FAQ says a cesarean "does not automatically rule out encapsulation," but you still need to confirm your hospital's policy.
• Booking: book during pregnancy so hospital notification is arranged before your due date.

An older blog post describes a version of the process in which the specialist comes to your home with her own equipment, sets up the dehydrator, and returns the next morning to fill the capsules. Ask how it is done today, since the newer pages do not describe where preparation takes place.

Cesarean, adoption and other situations

Scheduled or unplanned cesarean

The FAQ says a doula can often attend a cesarean "depending on hospital policy," offering reassurance before surgery, support for your partner, and help with early bonding and feeding in recovery. In a blog post signed by Debbie Forbes, she describes supporting a client through a scheduled cesarean: months of meetings beforehand, a hospital tour, and staying with the client through admission. She notes she "was not able to be present during the surgery" in that case and waited in the recovery room. Whether a doula can be in the operating room depends on the hospital, so ask.

Adoption

A dedicated article says the company has "adoption doulas" who work with adoptive parents, the birth mother and the adoption team. For birth mothers, it describes support in preparing a birth plan in the context of adoption, comfort during labor, and postpartum visits afterward. For adoptive parents, it describes preparation for the first days with a newborn and continued care after the baby comes home, if wanted.

Other situations the FAQ covers

• VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean): support with comfort and information "while your provider manages clinical care."
• Twins and multiples: support at the birth and at home; one team member's bio calls her a "multiples specialist."
• Coming home from the NICU: postpartum support with routines and reassurance.
• High-risk pregnancy: non-medical comfort and emotional support while the medical team directs care.
• Birth after loss, surrogacy, single parents and LGBTQ+ families: the company says it provides "inclusive, non-judgmental support for all families."

Who are the doulas?

The team page shows ten people. Here is how each bio describes them (as published; we did not check these backgrounds independently):

Because the company works as an agency, you are matched with a doula rather than choosing from a list online. The FAQ says it can "adjust the match if the fit isn't right." Ask who is available for your dates and area, and ask to meet before you commit.

Where is it, and what areas does it serve?

The FAQ says Northeast Doulas "is based in the Putnam County area (Mahopac, NY)." No street address or office for walk-in visits is published; doulas come to you, at home or at your birth location.

The published service area is:

• Westchester County, NY: including White Plains, Scarsdale, Rye, Chappaqua, Bedford, Mount Kisco, Yorktown, Tarrytown, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Bronxville, Armonk and Katonah.
• Putnam County, NY: Mahopac, Carmel, Brewster and Cold Spring.
• Fairfield County, CT: Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan, Westport, Norwalk and Ridgefield.
• New York City: Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx.

The site has a page for each of these areas, from Westchester and Greenwich to NYC and Mahopac. The FAQ names several hospitals in Westchester, Putnam, Fairfield County and NYC where it supports births, and says it supports births in hospitals and birth centers. Ask about home births directly. Confirm your town and your birth location when you call.

Hours: office hours are not published. The Greenwich page lists "24/7 availability for birth clients," which fits the on-call nature of birth work. The FAQ says the core support is in person, and the team "is reachable by phone and text between visits."

How much does Northeast Doulas cost?

Prices are not published. The company's article How Much Does a Doula Cost in Westchester & Fairfield County? says: "Because every family's needs differ, we quote pricing individually." It asks you to contact the office "with your due date and town for current birth, postpartum, and placenta encapsulation pricing."

What the site does say about how pricing works:

Other points from the FAQ:

• Fast births: the birth package covers prenatal support, on-call time and readiness, "not just hours in the room," so the fee is not reduced for a quick labor.
• Payment plans: "We aim to make care accessible and can discuss payment options."
• Deposit: "Booking typically reserves your dates." Ask for current booking terms.
• Gifts: family and friends can contribute toward birth or postpartum care, for example as a registry gift.
• Changing your package: "Often yes," especially for postpartum hours.

For a quote, have your due date, town, birth location and the services you want ready when you call.

Does insurance cover it?

The company's article Does Insurance Cover a Doula in New York & Connecticut? covers three routes:

• Private insurance: "Some private plans reimburse doula care." Ask your insurer whether doula services are covered and what paperwork it needs. The company says it "can provide receipts to support a claim."
• HSA and FSA: "Many families use HSA or FSA funds" for doula services. Some accounts require a letter of medical necessity, so check with your plan administrator.
• New York Medicaid: the article says New York "has expanded Medicaid doula coverage statewide," with eligibility and participating-provider rules. The site does not say whether Northeast Doulas itself is a participating Medicaid provider, so ask before you count on it.

The site does not list specific insurers it works with. Plan on paying the company directly and seeking reimbursement, unless the office tells you otherwise.

How it works, step by step

1. Get in touch. Call 914-736-7700, email info@northeastdoulas.com or use the contact form. The form asks for your name, email, phone, city, due date, birth facility, the service you want (labor, postpartum, placenta) and how you heard about the company.
2. Talk through your needs. The FAQ says the office will "discuss your needs, explain services and pricing, and match you with the right doula."
3. Meet your doula. "We help match you and arrange introductions so you feel confident before booking."
4. Book. Booking reserves your dates. Many families book a birth doula in the second trimester, and the company suggests booking postpartum help during pregnancy "since due dates cluster."
5. Prenatal visit(s). For birth clients, a visit of about an hour and a half to talk through labor and your wishes, with phone and text access afterward.
6. On call. Your doula is on call around your due date and joins you in active labor.
7. Birth and the first hours. Continuous support through birth, then one to two hours afterward.
8. Postpartum. A follow-up for birth clients; day or overnight shifts at home for postpartum clients, adjusted to your baby's actual arrival date.

The company's trimester timeline adds that later booking "is still very possible" and that postpartum care "can begin as soon as you're home."

What a doula does and does not do

The company's article Doula vs. Midwife vs. OB-GYN and its FAQ lay out the roles:

The site also takes a firm line on mixing roles. An older post titled "A Doula is a Doula, A Nurse is a Nurse!" argues that one person cannot give medical and non-medical support at the same time. Even when a team member has a nursing background, the company presents its doula service as non-medical.

How it compares with other options

A doula agency is one of several ways to get support around birth. Here is how the options differ in general terms:

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

Questions to ask before you book

1. Which doula would be matched with me, and can I meet her before booking?
2. What training or certification does she have, and from which organization?
3. Who is my backup, and how does the hand-off work if my doula is unavailable?
4. What exactly is in the birth package: how many prenatal visits, and is there a postpartum follow-up?
5. What are the daytime and overnight hourly rates, and is there a minimum number of hours?
6. What deposit is needed to reserve my dates, and what happens to it if my plans change?
7. Can you provide receipts or other paperwork for my insurer, HSA or FSA?
8. Does my hospital allow a doula in the room, including for a cesarean?
9. For placenta encapsulation: where is it prepared, and what safety steps do you follow?

How to get started

1. Read the doula FAQ, which answers 192 common questions.
2. Look through the team page to get a sense of who works there.
3. Have your due date, town, birth location and the services you want ready.
4. Call 914-736-7700, email info@northeastdoulas.com or send the contact form.
5. Ask for a quote and an introduction to your matched doula before booking.

Visit Northeast Doulas

Terms you'll see on the site

• Doula: a trained, non-medical support person for pregnancy, birth and the weeks after.
• Labor doula (birth doula): supports you through late pregnancy, labor and birth.
• Postpartum doula: supports the family at home after birth, by day or overnight.
• Fourth trimester: the roughly 12 weeks after birth when parents and baby adjust.
• Birth plan: a written outline of your preferences for labor, delivery and newborn care.
• Counter-pressure / double hip squeeze: hands-on comfort techniques used during contractions.
• VBAC: vaginal birth after cesarean.
• IBCLC: International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, a clinical feeding specialist.
• Placenta encapsulation: drying and grinding the placenta into capsules; the CDC advises against eating them.
• Agency model: a team of doulas run by one business, with matching and backup coverage.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

All pages checked on 22 October 2026.

1. Northeast Doulas, home page: northeastdoulas.com/home/
2. About Northeast Doulas: northeastdoulas.com/about-northeast-doulas/
3. Labor Doulas: northeastdoulas.com/services-labor-doulas-westchester/
4. Postpartum Doulas: northeastdoulas.com/postpartum-doulas-westchester/
5. Placenta Encapsulation: northeastdoulas.com/services-placenta-encapsulation/
6. Doula FAQ: northeastdoulas.com/faq/
7. Contact: northeastdoulas.com/contact/
8. Our doulas (team page): northeastdoulas.com/doulas/
9. Debbie Forbes profile: northeastdoulas.com/doulas/debbie-aglietti/
10. Team profiles (Kelly Durkin, Cathy Anfiteatro, Theresa McGarvey, Laura Wanamaker, Lindsay DiCarlo, Elaine Osterhout, Kim Jones, Kharis Davey, Gina Rabsatt): northeastdoulas.com/doulas/kelly-durkin/ and the other profile pages linked from the team page
11. llms.txt summary: northeastdoulas.com/llms.txt
12. Testimonials: northeastdoulas.com/testimonials/
13. How Much Does a Doula Cost in Westchester & Fairfield County?: northeastdoulas.com/how-much-does-a-doula-cost-westchester-fairfield/
14. Does Insurance Cover a Doula in New York & Connecticut?: northeastdoulas.com/does-insurance-cover-a-doula-ny-ct/
15. Placenta Encapsulation in NY & CT: Is It Legal and Safe?: northeastdoulas.com/placenta-encapsulation-ny-ct-legal-safe/
16. Labor Doula vs. Postpartum Doula: northeastdoulas.com/labor-doula-vs-postpartum-doula-which/
17. Doula vs. Midwife vs. OB-GYN: northeastdoulas.com/doula-vs-midwife-vs-ob-gyn-difference/
18. When to Hire a Doula: A Trimester-by-Trimester Timeline: northeastdoulas.com/when-to-hire-a-doula-trimester-timeline/
19. What Does a Postpartum Doula Do Overnight?: northeastdoulas.com/what-does-a-postpartum-doula-do-overnight/
20. Your Doula Prenatal Visit: northeastdoulas.com/your-doula-prenatal-visit/
21. Hiring a Doula for a C Section: northeastdoulas.com/hiring-a-doula-for-a-c-section/
22. How Northeast Adoption Doula Help With Adoption: northeastdoulas.com/how-northeast-adoption-doula-help-with-adoption/
23. A Doula is a Doula, A Nurse is a Nurse!: northeastdoulas.com/doula-baby-nurse/
24. Postpartum Insurance Policy (older post on the encapsulation process): northeastdoulas.com/postpartum-insurance-policy/
25. Area pages: Westchester, Greenwich, NYC, Mahopac
26. CDC, MMWR 66(25):677-678, 30 June 2017, "Late-Onset Infant Group B Streptococcus Infection Associated with Maternal Consumption of Capsules Containing Dehydrated Placenta, Oregon, 2016": cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6625a4.htm