Cristin Tighe, BA, MEM, MA, CD/PCD(DONA), CBE/CBD/CPD(BWI), Kangaroula, E-RYT500/RPYT/RCYT, YACEP

Cristin is happy to support anyone longing for an empowered birth. She honors all diversity, identities, races, cultures and belief paths people chose. (She lived in six countries—US, Cameroon, UK, Belgium, Ghana and Haiti) so brings expansive cultural understanding and experience with many people.) If financial support is needed, you can (without explanation) get reduced fees and scholarships—especially parents of color, LGBTQIA* community and trauma survivors—or receive help to find professionals to assure your needs are best met.

Cristin originally certified as a DONA International Birth & Postpartum Doula. She is a BirthWorks® International Childbirth Educator, Mentor and Trainer, and current Executive Director. In 2021, she cross-certified as both a BirthWorks International Birth Doula and Postpartum Doula because the unique approach allows her to offer more to clients. She is also a Registered Kangaroula (Newborn Care Specialist) and is completing StillBirthday Doula training to support those handling perinatal loss.

She has breastfeeding training from Lactation Education Resources and Doula Institute of Northern Virginia. She worked as a doula for Momease and Mother & Baby Matters in Washington, DC, and as a Brussels Childbirth Trust Early Days Supporter/Group Leader for new moms in Belgium. She is often busy enjoying her three radiant children—her daughter (born at home in the water in Belgium) and twin boys (born by cesarean in a hospital in CA, USA).

Cristin believes that educating and empowering parents during pregnancy is key to a peaceful, healthy world now and for our children's future. She founded Conscious Empowered Birth after her daughter's birth in 2008 in Brussels. It was a wonderful, natural homebirth in water, but with retained placenta went to a hospital. The manual removal required an epidural (poorly done by an unsupervised medical student) and loss of cranio-sacral fluid caused spinal headache, then a blood transfusion (poorly managed IV) so extreme fluid retention. Shocked by poor, inconsistent care, she left the hospital against advice. Even her midwives said to give up, but with family support she breastfed her daughter for 18 months!

Later, after becoming pregnant while living in West Africa, she traveled to CA to find support for a natural birth of her twin boys. Despite a wonderful twin pregnancy (full-term both boys head down), a fantastic birth plan and support, she was pushed toward cesarean (due to perceived doctor liability). Having requested prior breastfeeding support for twins, afterward the staff gave formula to the boys without consent, the counselor came three days later, and the nurse threatened to call social services when Cristin wanted to try exclusive breastfeeding (both boys were healthy ~6.5lbs at birth and lost only a few ounces the first days).  Cristin knew some of this experience was not right! She decided to empower people to know their ability to birth naturally, understand when technology is best used, and be informed about cascading interventions.

Cristin has Masters from Yale University in environmental health and from Johns Hopkins University in International Health Policy. She is also a Kundalini Yoga Teacher/Trainer,with advanced training in Conscious Pregnancy© Yoga, Excel & Celebrate for Women, Relax & Renew (Restorative Yoga)® and Healthy Moms® Perinatal Fitness. Cristin trained with Itsy Bitsy Yoga® for parents and babies. For five years, she owned Spiral Flight, then Washington DC’s oldest yoga center and after lived and taught for two years in Belgium, three years in Ghana, one year in Haiti and now in the Palm Beaches area of FL,USA. She's a member of Birth Works® International, DONA International and Yoga Alliance. 

Past staff: Leda McDonald  worked as a back-up birth/labor doula, when Cristin was based in Brussels. Leda grew up in farmland in southern Ontario, Canada, watching the births of animals with fascination. Through two years travelling Australia and living in Europe, she gained new interest in birth. She trained as a birth/labour doula with Childbirth International. She is excited to be in a field with so much diversity, to be working so close to miracles. She is articulate, well-read, intuitive, and eager to offer her care and support. You can email her for doula support in Toronto, Canada where she lives now.