ELLIE LINDENMAYER, FOUNDER
When I became pregnant with my first child in 2013, I took a HypnoBirthing class, which sparked my passion for safer, more informed and empowered birthing. After the power of my two birthing experiences, I left my career as a high school teacher to pursue my passion for birth work and have since completed training with The HypnoBirthing Institute, DONA International, Gena Kirby Rebozo, Spinning Babies, Evidence-Based Birth, Academy of Lactation Practice and Policy, the Center for Pediatric Sleep Management, and Thoughtful Transitions.
I hold current certifications as a HypnoBirthing Practitioner, Birth Doula, Lactation Counselor, Sleep Consultant, and End of Life Doula.
I believe that proper education, preparation, and support can make all the difference and can lead to what I always wanted for myself: an empowering and joyful birthing experience. Each and every birth I attend– whether natural, epidural or Cesarean– humbles me. Time and time again, I am awestruck by the beauty of birth and so deeply proud of the courage, love, and perseverance of each and every mother.
Since 2014 I have attended over 100 births, taught HypnoBirthing® to hundreds of couples, expanded Joyful Birthing & Beyond to include a variety of online classes, and a team of wonderful birth doulas. In addition to managing Joyful Birthing & Beyond, I also work for Cleo, a Family Benefit Company as a Birth & Sleep Specialist and volunteer as a court advocate in support of domestic violence survivors.
MY CERTIFICATIONS
AS FEATURED IN
In January 2018 the Boston Voyager Magazine featured me as one of Boston’s most inspiring entrepreneurs. Check out the full article here: Boston Voyager Magazine.
Radio interview in 2019 where I talk all about Joyful Birthing: All Business Media Radio
Guest speaker on podcast Down to Birth in September 2022, “Creating Healthy, Independent Infant Sleep Habits”
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Joyful Birthing & Beyond was established in 2014 with the goal of educating, inspiring, and empowering women and their partners on their journey through pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood so they can have an optimal experience, as *they* define it.
At Joyful Birthing & Beyond we understand that this is your birth and baby, so only you can determine what is best. Our goal is to help our clients understand the many choices available to them so they can make informed, autonomous decisions for themselves, their birth, and their baby.
With compassion, respect, and without judgment, we will support your choices and help you seek a positive birthing and early parenting experience.
THE TEAM
I am blessed to have a team of remarkable women working alongside me to expand our offerings and support. All team members share the vision and passion for helping women and their partners achieve healthy, empowering pregnancies, births, and a successful transition into the joys and demands of parenthood.
JOY SMITH, BIRTH DOULA
Trained as a Birth Doula in 2003 by Penny Simkin, noted author and co-founder of DONA International, Joy brings a wealth of experience in birth work and has attended over 100 births. She has always had an interest in pregnancy and childbirth, but it wasn’t until birthing her own babies that the passion for helping others navigate their births was sparked. From 2004-2006 Joy completed her training in the art of homebirth through WomanCraft Midwifery School and gained further birth experience through her subsequent apprenticeship. Joy’s belief that emotional preparation is the key to a positive birth experience inspired her to become a Childbirth Mentor under the Birthing From Within philosophy so that she could compassionately guide parents on their unique birth journey. In 2014 Joy added to her birth work by becoming a Level II Reiki Practitioner and now enjoys bringing this gentle healing art form to pregnancy, birth and all who can benefit from physical and emotional healing. Joy is a mother to five amazing children, “Nani” to a sweet grandson, and a passionate homeschooler.
CHEYENNE BELL, BIRTH DOULA
Cheyenne is a DONA International certified birth doula. Her journey into the medical field began when she was a child and witnessed her mother give birth; this experience sparked an enduring passion for childbirth and began her commitment to supporting women through the sacred process of giving birth. She has found her calling as a doula. Cheyenne values the uniqueness of each birth and believes in providing tailored support. Her approach is marked by compassion, kindness, and a deep sense of faith in the beauty of childbirth. With Cheyenne by their side, mothers can trust in her unwavering belief in their strength and resilience, knowing she’ll provide the support they need to navigate this transformative experience with confidence and comfort.
As a black woman, Cheyenne possesses a profound understanding of the specific needs and challenges faced by women of color throughout their pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum journeys. Her lived experiences, combined with her comprehensive training in doula care, uniquely qualify Cheyenne to provide culturally competent support, advocacy, and empowerment to women of color. As a Doula, Cheyenne ensures that women of color receive the compassionate, respectful, and quality care they deserve during this transformative phase of life.
Cheyenne is a VBAC-Endorsed Birth Doula and has completed training as a Postpartum Doula, Childbirth Educator and with Spinning Babies. She recently completed her Master of Science Degree in Health Information Management in 2023. Devoted to expanding her areas of expertise, Cheyenne is currently pursuing her certification to become a Lactation Counselor. Additionally, Cheyenne is a Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist, performs Traditional Haitian Belly Binding, and offers Traditional Haitian Vaginal Steaming.
JENNY PUTNAM, BIRTH DOULA
Jenny is a DONA-certified Birth Doula, VBAC Link-trained VBAC Doula, PAIL (Pregnancy and Infant Loss) Advocate, and a CAPPA-trained Childbirth Educator. Her passion for supporting birthing people goes back many years to the mid-1990s, when she acted as labor companion for a pair of close friends. The experience literally changed her life, and pursuing a career in birth support became a long-harbored dream. In 2017 she made the decision to put aside her long-standing career as a graphic designer, and train to become a birth doula. Since then she has had the privilege of supporting over 60 birthing people on their journey through pregnancy, labor, and birth. Her approach is client-focused and evidence-based, using a variety of resources and techniques to assist her clients in making informed decisions, and preparing for their ideal birth.
When she’s not supporting birthing clients, Jenny does book design for independent authors. She also enjoys kayaking the beautiful lakes and rivers near her home, knitting, exploring the history of New England, and gardening.
Jenny supports births in the greater Boston area and southern New Hampshire.
BONNIE ROVICS, BIRTH DOULA
Bonnie Rovics is a ProDoula Certified Birth Doula. She has training and certification as a Spinning Babies® Parent Educator, a woman’s empowerment coach, a Mongan Method HypnoBirthing® Educator, a Hypnosis Practitioner, and a Breech Release® practitioner. She has made her living for over 25 years as a licensed massage and shiatsu therapist specializing in women’s health and prenatal massage. She specializes in breech support, VBAC / TOLAC support, and offers virtual doula support for clients out of the immediate area and internationally.
Bonnie’s practice began focusing on perinatal wellness in 2002 when she was hired into a practice supporting IVF clients with a naturopathic doctor, chiropractor and acupuncturist in Brookline, MA. She went on from that to advance her studies in working with pregnancy massage and began attending births in 2010.
She has been continuing her doula and birth worker education with Spinning Babies®, and loves teaching the Spinning Babies® approach for comfort in pregnancy and ease in labor to all her doula clients and other local parents. Bonnie is also trained as a Spinning Babies Aware® bodywork practitioner and a Breech Release™
practitioner.
Bonnie is passionate about working with birthing people to help them tap into a healthy body and a healthy framework for birth. She brings joy, support, knowledge, and passion to the world of pregnancy and birth. She loves working with clients to help them learn advocacy, feel fully informed about their labor and birth, alleviate suffering and trauma in birth practice, and learn from past experiences.
MELISSA THORNE PELLETIER, BIRTH DOULA
Melissa is a Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula, Advanced VBAC Doula, Certified Lactation Counselor, and Spinning Babies® trained birth professional. She lives in Kingston, NH with her husband and their two children, and feels deeply honored to walk alongside families during the transformative journey of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
With a warm, grounded presence, Melissa offers emotional, physical, and nurturing care through birth, infant feeding, and beyond. She is currently collaborating with Anna Jaques Hospital and Exeter Hospital while working toward becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), further expanding her ability to guide families with expert infant feeding support.
Melissa believes that movement and body awareness—whether through gentle positioning, Spinning Babies® techniques, or simple comfort measures—can make birth feel more comfortable, affirming, and aligned with the body’s natural process, whether families choose unmedicated or medicated options. She loves helping families prepare in a way that promotes safety, calm, and confidence, creating space for a birth story that feels positive and meaningful.
Her own journey with infertility gave her a deep appreciation for the vulnerability and beauty of the perinatal season. That chapter inspired her to become a doula and continues to fuel her passion for ensuring families feel truly heard and cared for. She also finds fulfillment in learning and sharing evidence-based knowledge, equipping her clients with tools, education, and hands-on comfort so they can navigate birth and postpartum with greater assurance and peace.
Before becoming a doula, Melissa worked for nearly two decades as a dental hygienist, where she specialized in helping patients feel at ease and supported. She brings that same steady, compassionate energy to her doula practice, creating a safe and welcoming environment for every family she serves.