Wednesday 6 February 2013

Doulas, Prenatal, Postpartum, and Breastfeeding Support in Korea

Updated 14 November 2018

Below you can find contact information for:
  • birth doulas
  • breastfeeding counselors
  • childbirth educators
  • lactation consultants
  • la leche league leaders
  • massage therapists 
  • nutritionists
  • postpartum doulas
  • placenta specialists
  • yoga instructors
There are not that many birth doulas in Korea so they tend to book up fast. Try to interview some early on in your pregnancy. Here are some questions to ask your doula as well as how doulas set their fees. On average expect to pay about 800,000 for your doula (that's an average). Doulas are not covered by Korean Health Insurance, but some international insurances may cover them.

You also might be interested in reading about hospitals and birthing centers in Korea as well as doctors and midwives that do home births


Adele Vitale Roh
Morning Calm Birthing Services: Nationwide, but based in Busan
adele@morningcalmbirthing.com
  • Morning Calm Birthing Services is owned by Adele Vitale Roh. They are the only legally registered company in Korea providing childbirth services, from childbirth education to labor support and postpartum assistance.
  • Adele Vitale Roh is a certified birth doula and childbirth educator through CBI (Childbirth International). She is also a certified Dunstan Baby Language educator and HypnoBirthing® practitioner. She is based in Busan and offers childbirth preparation classes and labor support in Ulsan, Daegu, Gimhae, Busan, Geoje, and wherever there is a request. She's a native Italian speaker and speaks fluent English, Korean, and Chinese. She can help with translations or do phone consultations if needed.

Aicha Bouhya: Seoul
Facebook
  • Aicha is studying to be a birth doula through CBI (Childbirth International). 
  • She is still leading a discussion group twice a month for pregnant mothers and new families through the French association, Cercle Franco-Corren.
  • She speaks French and English.

Alexis Acuna, Cpt: Seoul
Facebook
  • She leads a breastfeeding support group at the 121 on Yongsan. 
  • She visits Humphreys on Mondays. Contact your PCM to get a referral. 

Andrea Holisfield: Seoul
Facebook

  • She is a birth doula and will be moving to Korea in 2019.

Ashley Middleton: Pyeongtaek
Facebook
  • She is certified as a placenta specialist through IPPA.

Camp Humphreys: Pyeongtaek
  • There are breastfeeding classes and volunteers at New Parent Support.

Elzali Jacobs: Gangwon-do
Facebook
elzalijacobs@gmail.com
  • Elzali is studying to be a birth doula through CBI (Childbirth International). She lives in Gangneung, but is open to travelling to cities or towns nearby. 

Emily Primeaux: Seoul and Pyeongtaek (Humphreys)
Facebook
  • She is an IBCLC and LLL Leader. Currently in Seoul, she will be moving to Humphreys in mid-2019.

Erin Mundy: Pohang
Facebook
010-2656-1696
erin@whckorea.org
  • Erin is a certified childbirth instructor and doula through the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth. She and her husband teach the Bradley Method of Husband-Coached Childbirth and she offers doula services in the Pohang area. She also offers her services with and through the Women's Hope Center. (She may be able to expand her service area once the KTX in Pohang is complete.) 

Felicia Metcalf: Seoul
Facebook
  • She's a birth doula. 
  • She has base access.

GM Cheil Women's Clinic
896 Gwangmyeong-ro, Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi-do
Telephone (02) 890-2555
  • They have an IBCLC there. 

Heather Peet: Seoul 
Facebook

heather.k.peet@gmail.com
  • She is a birth activist, home birther, and breastfeeding junky. 
  • She is certified as a birth doula with toLabor and has also worked as a postpartum doula. She is a certified lactation counselor through the Healthy Children Project.  
  • She has base access.

Irene Gruber: Seoul
Facebook
  • She is a fifth generation midwife. She will be teaching prenatal and postpartum classes as well as providing postpartum caring and breastfeeding support.

Jamie Melnychuk: Seoul 
Facebook
Nutrition Mission and Sprout
jamie@nutritionmission.ca
  • Jamie is a registered holistic nutritionist and studied at the Canadian School of Holistic Nutrition
  • She offers sound nutritional advice during the challenging pre and post-natal periods. 
  • She also runs Sprout, a weekly pick-up food service in the Itaewon area.

Jasmine Lewis: Seoul
Facebook
  • She is a doula with base access.

Jay Jung
Facebook
010-9355-6282
doulajay@gmail.com
  • Jay did WithDoula Training and has also gone to the US for Spinning Babies workshops. She's a Korean doula but also speaks English. She's trained under Jinny and Danica from Mama's Birth Center.

Jennifer Latham: Pyeongtaek
Facebook
  • Jennifer is studying to be a birth doula, postpartum doula, and childbirth educator through CBI (Childbirth International). 
  • She has base access.

Jessica Pash: Seoul
Facebook
jessical.pash@gmail.com

Jinny Lee: Seoul
Facebook
Mama Doula
010-8902-4180 

Jonathan (Joeng-Sup) Sim: Seoul
011-5472-8563
jshim04@hanmail.net

Julia Fochtman: Jeju
Facebook
j.b.fochtman@gmail.com 010-6701-1992
  • She is studying to be a birth doula and childbirth educator with CBI (Childbirth International).
  • She lives in the Global Education Community, which is in Daejeong.

Juliana Han: Pohang
Facebook
sajuv13@gmail.com

Kate Besleme: Seoul
Facebook
Doula Baby
  • Kate is a certified professional midwife, CPM that trained with the National Midwifery Institute (USA).
  • She certified as a birth doula through DONA (Doulas of North America). She does prenatal, postnatal, and infant massage, pre-natal and postpartum support, childbirth classes, and is a prenatal yoga and vinyasa yoga teacher.
  • She works at MediFlower as a doula. 

Kaitlyn Soler (On maternity leave until summer 2019)
Facebook
Embraced in Love Doula

Kelly Mostad Vredenburg: Seongnam
Facebook
  • She trained as a birth doula. 
  • Kelly is a CLC (Certified Lactation Counselor) thru Healthy Children. 
  • She is studying to be a La Leche League Leader.
  • She has base access.

La Leche League Korea
  • Here is the website. Please contact them for more info.

Laura Heather: Seoul
Facebook
  • She is a birth doula.

Lindsay Blew: Pyeongtaek (Humphreys)
Facebook
  • She's studying to be a doula with DONA (Doulas of North America). She's doing her workshop in December 2017 and that includes lactation education. 
  • She's had two babies using Hypnobabies® and comfort measures. She gave birth in an American military hospital overseas and a host nation hospital.

Lindsay Simmons: Seoul (currently on maternity leave)
Facebook

Mamas' Birth Center: Seoul 
Facebook
Danica (Uri) Bang
010-7170-1099
uri.danica.bang@mamasbirthcenter.com

Mamslibe: Nationwide
  • A list of Korean IBCLCs that do home visits for breastfeeding support. You will need someone who can speak Korean to make an appointment and be there to translate.

Medi Flower: Seoul
Facebook
02-548-9400
clinic.mediflower@gmail.com
  • They offer birthing classes and HypnoBirthing® classes in English and Korean.
  • Oh Sejin (see below) is an IBCLC who works there. She provides breastfeeding support.

Military Programs: Nationwide for those with base access
  • Please contact your nearest ACS (Army Community Services), AFRC (Airmen and Family Readiness Center), FAP (Family Advocacy Program), WIC (Women Infant and Children), or MFLC (Military Family Life Counselor) for more info. Some bases also have a NPSP (New Parent Support Program). 
  • They can help with breastfeeding support, child birthing classes, bundles for babies,  financial help, counseling, home visits, Dads 101, and newborn care classes.

Milky Mamas in Korea: Seoul
Facebook
  • They offer breastfeeding support and meet the 4th Thursday of every month at the Yongsan Family Health Centre on the 3rd floor in a brand new building right next to the Hannam Dong Jumin Centre (한남동 주민 센터) from 11am-1pm. More info can be found at MMKorea Nursing Support.

Moyu.co.kr: Nationwide
  • A list of Korean IBCLCs that do home visits for breastfeeding support. You will need someone who can speak Korean to make an appointment and be there to translate.

    Morning Calm Birthing Services: Nationwide, but based in Busan
    adele@morningcalmbirthing.com
    • Morning Calm Birthing Services is owned by Adele Vitale Roh. They are the only legally registered company in Korea providing childbirth services, from childbirth education to labor support and postpartum assistance.
    • Adele Vitale Roh is a certified birth doula and childbirth educator through CBI (Childbirth International). She is also a certified Dunstan Baby Language educator and HypnoBirthing® practitioner. She has done Spinning Babies workshops as well. She is based in Busan and offers childbirth preparation classes and labor support in Ulsan, Daegu, Gimhae, Busan, Geoje, and wherever there is a request. She's a native Italian speaker and speaks fluent English, Korean, and Chinese. She can help with translations or do phone consultations if needed.

    Natascha Otto: Jeju
    Facebook
    010-4058-3341
    nataschaotto2@gmail.com
    • Natascha is a qualified physiotherapist and certified birth doula through CBI (Childbirth International). 
    • She teaches child birthing classes but is not accepting doula clients for now.

    Oh Sejin (Ms. Oh): Seoul
    02-548-9400 press 9 for English
    clinic.mediflower@gmail.com
    • She is an IBCLC at Medi Flower who can offer breastfeeding support. She speaks Korean but the international clinic staff will go with you to translate. 

    Osan Air Force Base: Pyeongtaek
    • Check with ACS or WIC for support.

    Postpartum Depression Support in Korea
    Facebook page
    • A Facebook support group for those who are suffering or have suffered from PPD.

    Rachel Scott: Humphreys, Pyeongtaek
    Facebook
    • She is a La Leche League Leader.
    • She is working on becoming a birth doula. 

    Rina Yu: Sejong near Daejeon
    Facebook
    Haedeul Korean Medicine Clinic (해들한의원)
    010-3193-6956
    haedeul_med@naver.com
    • Rina is a legally registered Korean Medicine Doctor (Haneuisa, 한의사, Acupuncturist). She has a clinic located near Sejong express bus terminal.
    • She has some postparum classes at a “산후조리원 (postpartum care center)” near her clinic and is also planning a regular childbirth class. 
    • She does Korean medicine (TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine) for birthing and/or lactation problems.

    Sarah Houser: Seoul and Gyeonggi
    Facebook
    sarah.m.houser@outlook.com
    • Sarah is a birth doula located in the Songtan/Osan/Humphreys area. She supports moms and families locally, in Seoul and the surrounding area. She is certified through CBI (Childbirth International), has been a doula in Korea since 2011, and mainly attends births and teaches birthing classes at Medi Flower. She also has experience at the 121 (the military hospital at Yongsan) Samsung, Dankook, Asan, smaller clinics, and home births. 
    • She is passionate about supporting and caring for moms and families throughout pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and beyond. She's available to answer questions, give support, teach classes, attend and support births, and support breastfeeding.

    Seoul Mommy and Baby Yoga Meetup: Seoul
    Facebook
    • Classes are taught by a certified yoga instructor.

    Sheila Tabor: Seoul
    Facebook

    Sungwonhan Clinic: Seoul
    Richeonsia A-dong, 313 ho, Wonhyu-lo 1-ga 133-3 beon ji, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
    02-712-7523
    • A birthing center that also offers placenta encapsulation.

    Therapy in Korea: Seoul
    • English and Korean speaking counselor.

    Torch Trinity Christian Counseling Center: Seoul and online
    02-570-7115
    • Counselors who are pursuing masters and doctorates. Fees depend on how far they are along in their studies. They do have free services. They will not push religion on you.

    WIC: Nationwide for those with base access
    • Women Infant and Children provides supplemental nutrition support to qualifying pregnant mothers and children under the age of 5. They may also offer breastfeeding support and lend out hospital grade breast pumps.

    Yeon and Nature: Seoul
    02-518-1300
    contact@yeonandnature.com
    • Natural birthing center. In addition to birthing services, they have breastfeeding support, child birthing classes, doulas, midwives, and placenta prints.

    Yoga in Seoul: Seoul
    Facebook
    • Not specifically pre-natal or post-natal yoga, but this group might be able to point you in the right direction. 

    Yolandi Rademeyer: Jeju but will travel
    Signs of Life

    Facebook 
    info@solbirths.com
    Instagram: @sign_of_life_ 
    • She is a DONA (Doulas of North America) certified birth doula.
    • She speaks English as well as Afrikaans (Flemish).
    • Functional medicine dietitian specialising in women's health.

    Yongsan Garrison: Seoul
    0503-337-1145
    • Alexis leads a breastfeeding support group at the 121 on Yongsan. Contact her for more info.

    Youngjoo Shin: Busan
    010-3864-4852
    • Youngjoo is an English speaking IBCLC who can offer breastfeeding support.
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    2 comments:

    1. Do you know of any Webster Method-certified chiropractors in Seoul? (Or chiropractors experienced treating pregnant women?) Or pelvic physiotherapists?

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Hey, sorry, I haven't kept up. I would contact a doula or midwife. They should be able to make some recommendations.

        Delete

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