Vanessa Hannible

I have been fascinated by birth since I was a teenager. In 2013, I attended my first birth when my baby cousin, Parker, was born. Although I did not yet know what a doula was, I naturally stepped into that role by supporting my cousin throughout her pregnancy and birth.

Parker’s birth sparked my passion for helping families during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. It also reminded me that some experiences are not coincidences—they are preparation for the next step in our journey.

Since 2015, I have supported families as a birth and postpartum doula. In 2021, I became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), allowing me to provide knowledgeable, compassionate feeding support in addition to birth and postpartum care.

Throughout my career, I have supported families through vaginal births after cesarean (VBAC), planned and unplanned cesarean births, medicated births, and unmedicated births. I have attended births at hospitals throughout the Washington, DC, Beltway and understand how to help families navigate a wide variety of birth settings and experiences.

I hold a bachelor’s degree in public health and am a member of the DC Breastfeeding Coalition. My previous experience as a Certified Nursing Assistant and Domestic Violence Advocate strengthened my ability to remain calm, compassionate, and supportive during stressful or challenging situations.

My approach is grounded in education, advocacy, and respect. I want every family I support to feel heard, informed, and confident in the decisions they make for themselves and their baby.

Outside of birth work, I love reading, corny jokes, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. I am a proud Midwest girl, born and raised in Michigan, and have called Washington, DC, home since 2014.

Training, Education and Professional Experience

• Birth and Postpartum Doula
• International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), 2021
• Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST), 2023
• Pregnancy and Infant Loss Training, Nneka Hall, 2021
• Spinning Babies Training, 2021
• Perinatal Mood Disorders and Anxiety Training, Postpartum Support International, 2018
• Growing Great Kids, Great Kids, Inc., 2018
• Facilitated Attunement Interactions, Erikson Institute, 2018
• Certified Lactation Counselor, Healthy Children Project, 2018
• Train-the-Trainer: Perinatal Mood Disorders and Anxiety, Mary’s Center, 2017
• Perinatal Community Health Worker, Mamatoto Village, 2015