Tory Asfahani received her Masters Degree in Maternal and Child Public Health from Tulane University. She became a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator in 2009 and has been teaching childbirth classes with DC Lamaze ever since. Tory currently teaches classes in the comfort of her home and is a mother to three young children who enjoy helping her prepare for class each week. She loves being an educator and is proud to be able to support families during this very exciting time in their lives.

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See Tory’s Interview in NurtureRight to learn more about her!

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Amy has been a labor doula for over 30 years. She is also a certified childbirth educator and doula trainer. She is happily married to Rick since 1984 and has 9 wonderful children – 8 sons and 1 daughter. Amy has had a passion for pregnant and laboring moms since she was in high school.

 

As a Physical Therapist Assistant, Amy brings her past medical training to help moms have a more comfortable and enjoyable pregnancy, labor and delivery. She also brings her personal experience of her own nine deliveries and her labor doula training to help make a difference.

 

She is certified through CAPPA, DONA International, and Lamaze International. She is also a certified peanut ball trainer.

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Shelly Matthews feels being an instructor with DC Lamaze is the best part-time job she’s ever had!  She enjoys giving expectant families an educational, interactive, and balanced approach to learning in her two day hybrid Lamaze Prepared Childbirth Classes.  She does her best to keep current with changes in birth practices, likes to sprinkle her classes with a bit of humor, and makes sure to leave time for practice sessions and questions. Shelly is a teacher full time and resides in Bowie, MD with her family.

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Sarah Sragg has been a Lamaze Educator certified with Lamaze International and a Labor Doula certified with DONA (Doulas of North America) for 20 years.  She teaches a live online weeknight Lamaze series.  She also teaches smaller group classes and private classes in her home in Silver Spring, MD.  In addition, she teaches private refresher classes and VBAC classes.  In the past, she taught for Kaiser, Bethesda Naval Hospital, and Georgetown University Hospital.  As a Labor Doula, she supports clients in labor at the following hospitals (Holy Cross, Shady Grove, GW University, Washington Hospital Center, Georgetown, Sibley, and Virginia Hospital Center).  She averages 3 clients/month and works with other doulas for backup.  She has the experience to share expectations and options at the hospitals in the MD/DC/VA area with the students that attend her Lamaze classes.

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Brenda has practiced many years in the field of Maternal Child Health including Labor and Delivery, Postpartum, Neonatal and Pediatric nursing.  She began her career as an Air Force Nurse and has taught Childbirth education for the past 20 years at both military hospitals and also for INOVA.  She holds certifications from Lamaze International, American Council on Exercise (ACE) as a Prenatal Fitness Instructor, as well as American Heart Association as a CPR instructor.  She currently teaches Lamaze and Baby Care with CPR for the DC Lamaze Chapter. Brenda always promotes childbirth education as a way to enhance a mother’s confidence in her own ability to birth her baby.  Her hobbies include teaching Pilates and Yoga at local fitness centers.  She lives in Springfield with her husband and two sons.

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