Our Team
Natalie Karasiewicz
Owner of A Brighter Birth Charleston
My doula journey started back in 2019 while I was living on the beautiful island of Hawai‘i. Honestly, that season of life changed everything for me. Being surrounded by such a rich and respectful birth culture opened my eyes to how deeply connected and sacred the experience of bringing life into the world can be. I began supporting families right in the middle of the COVID pandemic, which led me to really focus on childbirth education, especially when hospital restrictions left many families feeling isolated and overwhelmed.
Before all this, I was actually studying criminal justice! I’ve always had a heart for helping people and being an advocate, and that foundation has absolutely shaped the way I show up for the families I work with today.
I’m a proud mom of 6, thanks to a big, beautiful blended family with my husband. My first two births were your typical hospital inductions, but after going through my doula training and supporting other families, I approached my last birth in a completely new way. I hired a doula (best decision ever), and finally got to experience just how amazing our bodies truly are when they’re supported and trusted. That experience lit an even bigger fire in me to help others feel empowered in their journey too.
I trained with MaternityWise International and now get to work with them as their Initial Contact Administrator, Social Media Manager, and Student Doula Mentor. I love helping new doulas get started, walk beside them during their training, and cheer them on as they find their own footing in this work.
Bringing A Brighter Birth to Charleston has been such a gift. Inspired by the amazing community Melanie and Hunter built in RVA, I’ve made it my mission to grow that same sense of connection and support here in the Lowcountry. I love working alongside other birth professionals and women’s health providers to create a safe, welcoming space for all families during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and beyond.
Looking ahead, I’m so excited to continue building this community, supporting more families, and helping Charleston feel like an even brighter place to grow a family. info@abrighterbirthcharleston.com
Meet The Founders
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Founder of A Brighter Birth
I fell in love with Birth while having my own babies. 4 in 5 years to be exact. Each of their births were different, transformative and important. I learned a lot about myself through those experiences: 1) that I was stronger than I ever imagined; 2) that my body was full of magic; and 3) that my soul purpose in life was to support other people through this highly intense rite of passage. My intended career in fashion design and graphic arts flew out the window, and while raising my rapidly growing family, I trained to become a Certified Childbirth Educator, Lactation Counselor, and Certified Professional Birth Doula. My future began to unfold.
I started teaching A Brighter Birth CBE classes out of my living room in 2008, with my 3rd baby sprawled across my lap or strapped to my chest. I quickly found that beyond childbirth education, my students were hungry for trusted resources who spoke the same language around birth. Practitioners + businesses who were aligned with what they cared about: a safe birth but also a positive, individualized experience with their health and wellness. A personal and intimate take on care.
After my 4th was born in 2009, I decided to put my Doula Certification to work and started attending births. I also began collaborating with other Birth Doulas, business owners and care providers; true pioneers in and outside of Richmond’s abundant reproductive health network. The search was on for people that were giving the same kind of care and the same quality of experience to my students/clients as I was.
Since then, the Collective has more than tripled in members. I myself, have attended over 500 births, taught thousands of families their childbirth education classes and have counseled many, many new parents with feeding/newborn/postpartum challenges. I became the Executive Director of ToLABOR, an international Birth Doula training and certifying organization. I’ve also facilitated CenteringPregnancy prenatal appointments alongside Midwives and Obstetricians at VCU, and am currently the “Office Doula” for West End Midwifery at Henrico Doctors Hospital. All of these roles and trainings have further allowed me insight and understanding of empowered birth in home, birthing center and hospital settings.
As a mother to now 6 children, and the founder/owner of A Brighter Birth: a collective of now over 30 different practitioners, I understand what new and seasoned parents want and need in pregnancy, labor, birth and beyond. Meeting people where they are, respecting their individuality and finding what they truly need to feel safe and supported. ABB’s mission continues to strive for every person who comes through our doors to feel personally cared for and to LOVE their experience, be it through pregnancy, birth, parenting or wellness.
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Managing Partner
Hunter Moore is a ToLabor trained and Certified Professional Birth Doula, a Certified Lactation Counselor through the Healthy Children’s Project, the Collective Coordinator of A Brighter Birth Richmond, VA and an A Brighter Birth Childbirth educator. Hunter holds a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, with a focus in business, from Virginia Commonwealth University. Prior to birthwork she worked for years in fashion merchandising and retail management.
Hunter is a mother of two and it wasn’t until after the birth of her own daughter in 2015 that she realized how comprehensive birth education and genuine support from community could successfully impact the journey to parenthood. Hunter dove into birth work in 2016, desiring to become the in-person support that she recognized could have positively impacted her own experience. She finds so much joy feeling settled into her true calling of supporting parents and families through birth. Since 2016 Hunter has supported over 250 families in Richmond, VA as a birth doula and so many more through education and lactation support. After personal and professional experience navigating the journey she also holds a special place for supporting VBACs. Hunter believes everyone deserves to have access to information, questions answered with respect and to feel love and support through their birth and parenting journey.
Looking forward, Hunter is excited about the growth of A Brighter Birth and expanding this unique model of care into new areas! She is honored to utilize her knowledge in business and deep experience in birth-work to help establish effective ways for families to have easy access to the comprehensive and compassionate birth support and education they are looking for. Hunter is overjoyed to partner with Melanie and Natalie to bring A Brighter Birth to Charleston, SC!