Leigh was an incredible birthing coach for us, and she kept things fun and peppy the whole time. We're expecting our first kid, and while we're very comfortable with babies and excited about what's to come, it turned out there was so much we had no idea we didn't know! We're so glad we had these sessions with Leigh because now we have a confidence and awareness about what to expect with the stages of labor, the processes at the hospital (especially how much agency parents have with respect to them), and the first couple of weeks at home. Leigh came highly recommended to us and now we see why. We would enthusiastically recommend her to every family expecting a new addition! read more

As first time parents, we were so thankful to have taken Leigh's 5-week childbirth education series! We found the course invaluable - Leigh is extremely knowledgeable, engaging, personable, and passionate about all things birth. Her warmth and openness fostered an environment where we felt comfortable asking any question and felt supported with numerous online resources, book recommendations, and community connections. We were also able to connect with other couples expecting around the same time which has been great! Under normal circumstances, we couldn't recommend Leigh's class enough, but with covid-19 and ever-changing hospital policies/ uncertainty, Leigh really went above and beyond to keep us focused on and confident about how to navigate our birth during this stressful time. We were lucky to have completed the class in person but have since engaged with Leigh a few times virtually as well. She has been an incredible resource as we welcomed our baby boy into the world. We highly recommend Leigh!! read more

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Leigh came highly recommended from friends. They raved about how much they learned and about how much more prepared they felt for both birth and postpartum. From the very first class, it was clear that her class would live up to their hype. Both my husband and I feel both more prepared and confident going into the birth of our first! We have tools, strategies and are aware of the options we have throughout this process. This class is focused on both the birthing person and the birthing partner. Leigh is engaging, informative, supportive and will go the extra mile for everyone in her class. She answered our many questions both during and after class. She is so knowledgable and somehow makes a 3 hour class after a full day of work fly by! We recommend this class to anyone who is expecting and cannot say enough great things about Leigh! read more

I found Leigh Kader through Yelp thanks to her high reviews and being located in our neighborhood (though that became irrelevant as everything is now done through Zoom) but I am SO GLAD I did. As first time parents, my husband and I were looking for a class that would prepare us for what to expect leading up to the birth as well as early post-partum and this class went above and beyond our expectations. The 4 weeks format, allowed us to digest the different topics and materials more easily and be able to ask questions / hear other parents-to-be questions, which was really helpful. I enjoyed that the class wasn't too big (there were 5 pregnant persons+partners), which provided a more personal environment throughout. I could not recommend Leigh enough!! Thank you again! read more

When my dear friends recommended Leigh for virtual childbirth education classes, I was reluctant. My partner and I were already taking classes through the hospital and had a doula and baby nurse. It felt like overkill and I wasn't sure how I felt about a series of long, virtual classes when I could barely sit through dinner toward the end of my pregnancy. Suffice it to say, I am so glad that I took a leap and reached out to Leigh. Not only was she extraordinarily responsive and made every effort to accommodate our timing and needs, but she is an utterly kind, compassionate, and professional fountain of knowledge. I especially appreciated how open and thoughtful she was about the content in her curriculum, even when pieces did not align with my own views. She listened to my concerns and worries and helped reach an elegant and sustainable solution. Somehow, Leigh has perfected the content and delivery to make a virtual class not only exciting but genuinely informative, practical and fun--a truly impressive feat. Leigh's demeanor and commitment to her students is palpable within the first minutes of class and before the first session ended, I had texted my friend "Leigh Kader for president"! Now that I've taken her class, I can't imagine having been without it (my partner, perhaps, even more so). I only wish I could meet Leigh in-person to hug and express my deepest gratitude for being such an integral part of my pregnancy journey. read more

Leigh is such an amazing resource. We took the five-week class during the COVID quarantine and Leigh put a lot of focus into ensuring we all felt supported and connected in spite of our online-class situation. The course material is thorough, yet digestible. We're glad we took the longer route, as I'm not sure I'd have been able to learn and retain as much information as I did in one of the one-day courses. This was the perfect balance of information and time. Another benefit of this class is the zero judgement brought to every step of the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum education. All options were discussed and explored equally, with a strong focus on evidence-based knowledge, paired with Leigh's extensive experience as a doula. Leigh is hilarious and keeps it all light and entertaining throughout. 100% recommend and if we'd decided to go the doula, we'd feel very confident in her hands. Thank you, Leigh! read more

My spouse and I took Leigh's online class series in March and really loved her style, materials, and level of detail and comprehensiveness. The classes were interactive and very engaging--we were the only couple from outside NYC (we're in Pittsburgh)! It helped ease our anxieties as we are about to give birth to our first child. read more

We loved Leigh's course, which was highly recommended by our neighbors. We learned SO much, and she does an amazing job keeping the energy up when you're tired after a long day at work (3 hours in front of Zoom is hard for anyone - but this is worth it!) I also loved how she directly calls out what partners should be doing for the birthing person. We feel so ready for birth thanks to Leigh. read more

We are expecting our first child soon and took Leigh's four class childbirth education series over Zoom. Leigh is engaging, thorough, and friendly. She gave us a ton of interesting tips like poses to try while laboring and made us feel much more informed and confident about what to expect in the hospital. We so happy we worked with her! read more

One year into this godforsaken pandemic, my wife and I spent 12 hours on 4 Zoom calls with Leigh, and we were genuinely sad when they were over. If that's not a ringing endorsement in 2021, I don't know what else to say! Leigh is kind, funny, warm, and engaging, but most of all, she is overflowing with knowledge, guidance, and wisdom. After completing her 4-Class Comprehensive Series, we feel so much more confident, competent, and prepared than we did going in. We're so grateful we had the opportunity to learn from her, and would wholeheartedly encourage anyone considering signing up for her classes to do it, fast! You'll learn a ton, and you'll actually have a great time doing it. read more

We took Leigh's Cooperative Childbirth Education Series and it was an amazing experience. Leigh is extremely knowledgeable about all of the stages of birth, including the "fourth trimester". The class was very organized and had an excellent cadence. Leigh's great personality and sense of humor make what could be a boring series of classes fun. She is very open to helping students and was very helpful in answering many of our basic questions. We would recommend this class to anyone preparing for childbirth! read more

My husband and I had read several books on pregnancy and childbirth between us before we started this class and still found it invaluable. Leigh gave us information you don't find in books. Unfortunately my son's birth did not go smoothly, but thanks to Leigh, there weren't any surprises. We also still keep in touch with other parents we met here, which has been wonde. I highly recommend this class! read more

Leigh Kader Childbirth Education - Leigh with all of the birth class babies a couple months after our class ended - Doulas Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

LEIGH IS AMAZING! We took Leigh's online childbirth class and it was such an informative, thorough and fun experience! It really got me and my partner into a conscious head space on how to approach the labor experience as a team. Thanks to Leigh's wisdom and support, we feel much more confident about the choices we have, the tools we can employ and the mindset to embody. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! read more

Leigh's class was amazing and SO prepared us for labor. It feels like we used everything we learned, from how to cope with early labor (ignore, take a walk!) to pain management with your partner during more active contractions, to advocating for yourself while in labor, to what is "normal" post partum. We ended up laboring at home with our doula for the majority of the time- were at the hospital less than 2 hours before baby was born, and only pushed for a little bit! This class helped us calmly and more confidently navigate this crazy unknown experience, and be open minded to how we might be dealing in the moment, not try too hard to plan ahead for how it would be. It was also really fun to gather at Leigh's home with other likeminded couples. Couldn't recommend more highly. Note- we took Leigh's 5 session class. read more

Leigh's childbirth class is a must. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to approach their birth consciously. Leigh was extremely invested getting as much across about the birthing scenario as possible. She has so much experience in assisting in births as a doula, and this comes across in her enthusiasm and humble confidence in taking us through this material. One of my take-aways from this class was that no matter how prepared you think you are, that the unexpected can/will probably happen (and it certainly did for us!)-- but in expecting the unexpected, we weren't completely blindsided by these experiences. On the contrary. Leigh did such an amazing job of taking us through so many aspects of the birth experience, from the types of changes occur hormonally (breaking down and de-mystifying how contractions happen and how childbirth even progresses at all), to the types of scenarios that may likely happen within the hospital (or other) settings-- Leigh was fundamentally invested in equipping us with the tools to be prepared and advocate for ourselves within systems may not necessarily have our priorities 100% in mind. We would have loved to have hired Leigh as a doula but she was already booked-- So her class was a total must. Ultimately Leigh offered her support virtually (due to this crazy Covid scenario). She was so amazingly helpful! Particularly as she had already gained our confidence in class in her approach and objectivity. I can't express enough how much her presence and feedback did for us during the birth! Another great aspect of this class experience was the connections we made with other soon-to-be parents experiencing uncannily similar pregnancy phenomena. It was reassuring to meet weekly with other rapidly expanding mothers/parents. We would have felt much more isolated (and somewhat freaked out) through the birth process and beyond without this class! Totally worth it. read more

Leigh's childbirth education classes were super helpful and informative! She radiates warmth, fun and has extensive expertise. My husband and I are so thankful we took her class and will certainly keep in contact in the postpartum period. Leigh, we can't thank you enough! I have recommended your class to so many people already. read more

I can't say enough about our experience working with Leigh to prepare us for the delivery of our first child. We had signed up for her one-day immersive birthing class which was originally scheduled to be in person, but due to COVID the class was transitioned to virtual. I was a little worried at first at how engaging the class would be since it turned virtual, but it wound up being so helpful, engaging and fun and I would totally recommend her if you are looking for information to help prep you for the big day and the immediate postpartum. Even though it was virtual, it still felt very hands on, and we learned so many great techniques for how to cope with pain (my hubby learned some great massage techniques that are helpful even before you go into labor!), what to expect during labor and what happens immediately postpartum. She also provided a ton of resources and information following the class, and we feel so prepared. We loved her class so much that we signed up for her virtual newborn care class which was so much fun! We learned a ton about breastfeeding, sleeping, holding and wearing your baby, and it all now feels so much more manageable. I've been having so much anxiety about delivering in the time of COVID and not having support around postpartum, but after taking both of Leigh's classes I feel like I am so much better prepared and so much more at ease. I would highly recommend Leigh's classes (in COVID times and post-pandemic, whenever this ends!). read more

Leigh is fantastic! After doing some research on Childbirth Education classes in the neighborhood, was lucky to find Leigh (thanks Yelpers). We took the two-course class (Wed eve & Sat am) and learned so much over the two days. Leigh's approach is welcoming, knowledgeable, resourceful and engaging. The classes were very informative and felt like an open discussion with a very supportive, experienced new friend. She provides a comfortable space to ask any and all questions and shares information on the good, bad, ugly and after. Would have loved to hire Leigh as a doula but schedules did not permit, can't say enough good things about Leigh and her classes. Will definitely recommend her to any expecting couples. read more

Leigh is a warm, encouraging, energetic, and informative teacher! My husband and I attended her five-session birthing class, and it was fantastic -- the highlight of our week. Leigh is open to many birthing preferences/approaches and never made anyone in the class feel like they had made a "wrong" decision about their provider, hospital, etc. Along with everything we learned (which was a lot), we loved getting to know the other couples in the class, going through some of the same struggles we are. read more

We cannot say enough how valuable it is to meet Leigh and take her childbirth education classes. We're having our first child, and in taking the class, we hoped that we'd feel slightly more comfortable with the labor & delivery process and preliminary post-natal experience afterward. However, Leigh gave us so much excellent context, information, tools, thought processes, etc that by the end of our time with her, we felt empowered, capable, and, dare I say, excited for the coming experience. Leigh's classes are methodically organized for the most direct and clear explanations of the various stages / components of labor and delivery and initial post natal experience. Throughout each stage, she provides tools and techniques to help the new parents navigate through whatever situation arises. Additionally, her presentation style is enthusiastic and engaging. More than just teaching you, she also makes you feel supported, encourages questions, and truly listens to you and responds to you with thought. Class time felt like a safe haven, and we left each session more and more encouraged. Though we don't know yet what lies ahead for labor & delivery, we're more optimistic than ever that, no matter what faces us, we can work through it with Leigh's teachings. The bonus of making friends with your classmates, who are going through the same situation as you, is also wonderful. Bottom line, having a kid can be a pricey and somewhat overwhelming experience, but Leigh's classes are the best "bang for the buck," in multitudes of ways, that you can spend in preparation! P.S. GET A DOULA! read more

Leigh is amazing. I cannot recommend her class highly enough. My wife and I are six weeks out from our due date, so we're starting to feel the pressure, but Leigh's class has made us both feel much more confident and informed. She welcomed us into her home and put us and everyone else in our class instantly at ease. She's truly a force of nature, and engages her students fully from beginning to end. Over the course of 5 weeks we learned so much, from how to handle labor through the postpartum period and what to expect in the weeks and months to come. I'm sure there are still obstacles ahead for us, but we feel like we're ready to handle them thanks to Leigh. read more

I don't think I can articulate how helpful the class was beyond what the other reviews already say. I came in knowing nothing about giving birth and was pretty scared, but now I'm looking forward to it and feel so prepared (even for the unexpected). Also, Leigh is funny and entertaining! Although there were many meaningful moments during class, there were also a lot of laughs. My husband and I were both so engaged through all 15 hours, I can't recommend it enough! read more

This is a thorough, thoughtfully planned class that will DEFINITELY prepare you for every step of the late pregnancy/labor/postpartum/breastfeeding process. My wife Suzette and I read and prepared a great deal before the class and STILL we learned so much from Leigh. She is a warm, caring, nurturing expert ... and an excellent teacher and communicator. We felt prepared and empowered as we had our baby and brought her home - and we can't wait to show her off to Leigh in the near future! Take this class - it's worth it!! read more

We learned so much from Leigh's classes that when our baby came early we were confident about the self-advocacy, coping and pain management skills that she taught us. Leigh's classes are inclusive, informative, funny, and honest. She focuses equally on the birth parent and partner so that both are equipped to understand childbirth emotionally, physically and psychologically. We felt very prepared for the labor and delivery and it's all due to Leigh's holistic classes. We are so grateful for Leigh's support in and out of class and cannot recommend her highly enough. read more

Having a baby is an experience utterly unlike any other, so it's easy to feel unprepared. Taking Leigh's class was so empowering and practically helpful. Because of this class we had the support of a mentor and a community, access to knowledge, and the reassurance of knowing that we would be able to go through this process and thrive. My wife, in particular, loved Leigh, the way she delivered the content, the information, and especially the community. Our WhatsApp class chat group has been such a help and encouragement. We are so happy to have taken this class with Leigh! It was worth every minute. read more

Leigh is a fantastic instructor! I absolutely loved her. Our classes were supposed to be in-person but due to covid, we moved online (Zoom). Leigh handled that transition extremely well, and I felt supported every step of the way. My husband and I took the five-week course with a handful of other couples. Each class had a theme - ex stages of labor, being at the hospital, etc. Leigh is extremely knowledgeable! She guided us through slideshows and talked us through every aspect of childbirth. With each class, my understanding of how I wanted my labor to go became clearer. My husband and I were able to articulate a birth plan that made sense for us, which we later shared with our midwives. Leigh also provided a ton of resources after every class, including pain coping strategies, positions for labor, breastfeeding tutorials, etc, which I used for reference again and again. I felt so much more ready for labor after taking her 5-week class. I would highly, highly recommend! read more

Leigh is just the best. If you're looking for a class to take during your pregnancy, please take my advice and register for hers. You'll be so glad you did -- she's informative and caring. read more

My husband and I just completed Leigh's class and were so happy we signed on. I will admit that we were a bit hesitant and picked the class based on a recommendation from a friend, length (5 weeks, not 8), topics covered (not all address newborn care, this does), and ... location. We were both secretly dreading class a bit despite knowing it was was a good thing for us. We learned so much and really enjoyed our time with Leigh and our fellow classmates (just 3 other couples). Leigh is intelligent and thoughtful but also fun. We laughed a lot... and my husband and I were both happy that she presented different approaches but focused (in our minds) on evidence-supported practices. Leigh demystified the birthing process (as much as one can) and we both feel so much calmer and better prepared to face the birth of our first baby. We had considered a Bradley class (at the 14th St Y) and a weekend intensive, and honestly, couldn't have been happier with our decision. We also really enjoyed the small group setting and getting to know the other parents, some of whom are (soon!) delivering at the same hospital as us. Our only regret was not also hiring her as our doula. Next time... read more

We really enjoyed taking these classes and learned a huge amount. Leigh is a natural teacher and this class is a great way to prepare for your baby. Also an excellent way to meet other soon-to-be parents from the surrounding area. read more

Leigh is an incredible teacher! She is very knowledgeable, passionate, energetic, and has a non-agenda approach to child birth. Very information based approach, and reassuring that your body is designed to do this! Me and my husband learned so much throughout the classes. She provided us with information about childbirth, symptoms, dealing with pain, hospital procedures, breastfeeding and childcare. All this relieves a lot of stress and anxiety. Every week, we were looking forward for the class, which is in a very intimate, casual and personal setting which is really nice. We were 4 couples total in the class. I highly recommend taking her class! You will be so glad you did. She is the best!!! read more

Hi highly recommend Leigh's classes. My husband and I attended the five week session, and while I was worried it would be too much of a time commitment, I found it easier and more organic way to absorb the information. Because we went through a new topic that reinforced the previous week's discussion, I was better able to retain and remember the important stuff. A couple of other points, Leigh has a lot of positive energy, but is also down to earth and keeps it real. She normalizes the whole experience which helps you walk away with a lot more confidence, and gives time of practical advice on how to manage hospitals and yourself! It's also super nice that it's in her house, there is something about dragging yourself to a community center when your tired that is much less appealing to me than just going to someone's home and sharing snacks, stories and knowledge. I can't thank her enough. :) read more

Leigh's childbirth education class was the best decision we made pre-birth. Her class offers a wealth of information ranging from pain coping mechanisms to breastfeeding, and everything in between. Leigh leads the lectures in a safe and casual group setting, encouraging not only questions but the opportunity to build a new community with your classmates. The knowledge that my husband and I gained in Leigh's class gave us the support and confidence to go into the scary abyss that is labor with the feeling that everything is going to be ok. read more

Leigh has such a balanced and grounded perspective on the process of labor and childbirth. I left her class feeling empowered and prepared for my upcoming labor. This is coming from someone who has spent the past 7 month terrified at the thought of giving birth. I doubt I will find giving birth fun but at least I will have a much better idea of what's happening when it the time comes. My husband also found the course to be super helpful, and now feels like he has a vital role in the process as a opposed to just a nervous bystander. read more

We took Leigh's two weeknight class and it was fantastic! We weren't sure if we wanted to spend the money on a childbirth class but we are so glad we did. Leigh's class is super informative, fun, and really helps to prepare you for labor and the hospital experience and shows you ways to cope with anything that may come your way. She is really great at incorporating your husband as well and how he can support you during this process. The class is in her home with only a few other couples which makes it more intimate and fun. I cannot recommend Leigh's classes enough! I wish we could take her breastfeeding and infant care class as well but she is not offering it before my due date! read more

My husband and I took Leigh's childbirth class in April, and it couldn't have been better. With each class it felt like the anxiety levels in the room lowered palpably, and that was thanks to Leigh's combination of knowledge, experience and sense of humor. We loved that it was just a handful of couples -- who happened to all be cool, so that helped too -- and that we kept coming back over the course of the month. We covered end of pregnancy, all of the stages of labor and delivery and the early days of having a newborn. The whole concept of the class seemed to revolve around the idea that people have been having babies forever, and it's a completely normal, natural process. I highly recommend her class! read more

This class was EXCELLENT. Leigh's approach is evidence-based, not dogmatic, and addresses both the physical and emotional aspects of childbirth, all with a dose of levity and humor. My partner and I just finished the five-week course better informed, more connected to one another (amazing how just dedicating time and energy each week does this), and less terrified about the journey ahead. I particularly appreciated the audio and video clips shown as well as Leigh's pain-management strategy suggestions, both of which helped normalize birth and labor for me. Highly recommend this class. Also, while we chose not to hire a doula due to financial restraints, if we HAD chosen to use one, Leigh would have been our first choice hands down. read more

Leigh is hugely knowledgeable, engaging, warm, and grounding. My partner and I learned so much from her class. We took the 5 class course, and we were thrilled with the depth and breadth of topics covered. We would highly recommend her course to any expectant couples. read more

Leigh provided clear, reassuring, unbiased information about all aspects of childbirth in a special all-day workshop with three couples. She was incredibly accommodating about our difficult schedules and found a way to make it work for everyone. She is warm and welcoming and makes a very comfortable environment for asking all kinds of questions. She is very transparent about her beliefs and it's clear that she wants each person to have the best possible birth experience they can have, without making any assumptions about what that means for any individual. Like most doulas, Leigh has an informed critique of over-use of interventions in birth, but makes a point to explain when each type of intervention could be beneficial and how, rather than stigmatizing them en masse. I walked away feeling quite optimistic about my own ability to get through a natural labor and delivery, and grateful for the medical options/tools at our disposal should they be needed. Since our session was three couples, she included partners as, well, PARTNERS, throughout. They weren't relegated to the sidelines in any way. read more

My husband and I took Leigh's childbirth class and couldn't recommend it more! She was engaging, thoughtful, and above all knowledgeable about pregnancy, labor, delivery, and post-partum care for both baby and mom. Thank you Leigh!! read more

The best thing I can say about Leigh and her childbirth class is that it is NON-AGENDA-ED. With so many perspectives and opinions out there about the 'right' way to labor and breastfeed, Leigh was able to provide my husband and me with medical facts peppered with some solid anecdotal experiences to concretize the birthing experience. The small setting (no more than 5 couples per class) was ideal because we got individualized attention. Her constant mantra "you take labor as it comes" is absolutely the phrase I'll repeat ad naseum when push comes to shove (heh pun intended). Thank you mucho Leigh :) read more