Meet Iyanna

Founder | Blacktivist | Breastfeeding Champion

An aboriginal indigenous Black woman, Brooklyn NY native and Pittsburgh PA implant, Iyanna’s greatest privilege and honor is that of mother and spiritual guide to four dynamic, inquisitive and beautiful Black girls.

It is such an understatement to simply say Iyanna is passionate about birth work in the Black community. When she got pregnant and gave birth to her first three daughters, she unknowingly and unwilling put herself at risk of being a statistic.

By the time she conceived her fourth daughter, she not only realized that she was worth significantly more than she had received in the past but she decided that her and her family deserved a far better experience and outcome. So she empowered herself and walked in her power with her fourth birthing experience and it was at that point, The Birthing Hut was conceived.

 

Michele “Chele”

Birth Doula

A queer Black woman having never produced kids of her own, Chele was present and assisted with the labor and delivery of her son. This moment is the single most important day of her life because it further signified what true joy to her is – life!

After reading “The Radical Doula Guide” by Miriam Zoila Perez and other literature, Chele came to understand just how marginalized Black women are and how this marginalization affected them within the healthcare industry, particularly during childbirth. At that moment, a path was being mapped out for her and she would vow to remedy this mistreatment. This vow committed her to that path. 

She believes that mothers in childbirth deserve to feel both at peace and powerful, both of which can be accomplished at the same time. And a doula can facilitate this effectively because they carry a strong and bold energy while also being an incredibly soft place for mom to land. Chele’s fire and excitement for the support she offers is unquenchable.  

Andrea “Doula Deneé

Birth Doula

When Andrea reflects back on two of her birthing experiences, she recalls how powerless she felt. She remembers very vividly how despite utilizing her voice and making her needs and wants known, she still somehow went unheard.

This is the reason why she decided to become a doula. Citing the famous poet, Maya Angelou, she recalls her words “Do the best you can until you know better. Once you know better, do better.”

Now that Andrea knows better, she loves assisting families as she walks in the privilege of being a birthkeeper for them.

Kristen

Doula

For quite some time Kristen has been passionately providing support to families in the educational field and when she began providing support to her friends as they birthed her God-children, her desire to become a doula began to stir.

Now, a mother of three and God-mother of eight, Kristen has been continually nurturing and supporting the labor, delivery and postpartum of mothers and their families and looks forward to continuing the journey of providing exceptional care and support to birthing families.

Sarena

Birth Doula

Originally from Alabama, Sarena has been a resident of Pittsburgh, PA for over 21 years. A wife and mother of two, Sarena has a compassion and empathetic advocacy that truly sets her apart. In addition to her love of celebrating new life with her clients, she also has the ability to support and grieve with those clients who experience and suffer loss.

Having experienced fertility issues and miscarriages herself, she’s able to walk with her clients and families through some of the most frustrating moments as well as what often times can be their most painful and even traumatizing moments.

Serena embodies joy and hope because of how she overcame and triumphed; she is a hardworking, adaptable, problem solving professional leveraging all of her experience to the benefit of the families she serves.