About Us
Founded by Emily Christian-Michaels and Anna Sylvester, Boundless Birth has been supporting families since 2020. We are dedicated to helping you grow your family, and are happy to provide full-spectrum doula care as well as childbirth education.
Meet the Doulas
Emily Christian-Michaels
she/her founder, co-owner, birth, postpartum, childbirth education
Emily found love in the birth community after having her first son, Ellington. She learned first hand that pregnancy and birth does not always go as planned, but with the right education, support, and encouragement you can still have the beautiful birthing experience you wanted.
Shortly after having her first son in an unmedicated induction at 37 weeks with the Midwife Center at Mercy Hospital, Emily became a trained childbirth educator and birth doula. Within a month she supported a family in the delivery of their first child, and she hasn’t looked back!
Emily brings her expertise and a unique ability to confidently direct the tone of a room to her clients. She is an expert at managing both the physical and emotional roller coaster that is labor and delivery. She has supported beautiful births, empowering c-sections, and occasionally heartbreaking losses.
For Emily, pregnancy and birth are life-changing experiences, regardless of the type of birth you wish to have. The journey of self-discovery and determination it takes to grow a baby, prepare for a baby, and then birth that baby is incomparable to any other life experience. She believes that education and support are the keys to having a satisfying labor and delivery experience and is eager to help you along your own journey.
Emily lives in Bellevue with her three children (Ellington, Bowie, and Joni), her dog Harry, and cats Harper and Truman. Alongside her work as a doula and childbirth educator, she is a dog trainer and fitness enthusiast.
May Oliphant
she/Her co-owner, postpartum, behind-the-scenes powerhouse
Meet May Oliphant – co-owner of Boundless Birth
May Oliphant is the behind-the-scenes powerhouse at Boundless Birth Doulas, handling all administrative and organizational aspects of the business. From managing client communications and scheduling to coordinating services and keeping everything running smoothly, May ensures that each family’s experience with Boundless Birth is seamless and supported from start to finish.
With a sharp eye for detail and a heart for service, May plays a crucial role in making sure the doula team can focus fully on the care they provide.
In addition to her administrative work, May occasionally steps in to offer postpartum support—bringing her calm, grounded presence to families as they settle into life with a new baby.
May lives in Avonworth Heights with her husband Dan, three kiddos (15, 12 and 10), two dogs and two cats. When she’s not working or playing chauffeur for her 3 kiddos, you can find her running PGHWCS, a west coast swing dance community, or rocking out on the electric bass in the School of Rock adult band.
Aimee Bungard
she/her | birth, postpartum, sibling care, childbirth education
Aimee’s journey into birth work began unexpectedly when she went into spontaneous labor at 25 weeks with her first baby, Willow, leading to 82 days in the NICU. This experience taught her that birth can be unpredictable, but support and preparation can make a significant difference.
Realizing that no one should navigate this journey alone, Aimee began offering support informally during her subsequent pregnancies and losses. After losing a family member to postpartum depression, she felt a deep calling to help others through preparation and transitions into new parenthood.
In 2020, Aimee completed her birth doula training with DONA International and has since been dedicated to supporting the Pittsburgh birthing community.
Aimee lives in Clinton with her husband, three children, two Suessian mutts and one very sassy kitty. When she isn’t busy talking about mucus plugs and colostrum you can find her painting and drawing, weeding in her herb garden, hugging trees and eating the yard.
Alyson Thiel, CPD (Cornerstone), CLC
she/her | birth, postpartum, sibling care, childbirth education
Alyson became a birth doula in 2017 after attending the birth of a dear friend. She has since attended dozens of births and became a certified postpartum doula and lactation counselor. After being pregnant during the beginning of the pandemic and having her child in 2021, she became even more passionate about honoring the transition into parenthood and supporting pregnant people through the tender and often isolating moments of pregnancy and postpartum.
She loves being a doula because it gives her the opportunity to collaborate with birthing people and their families in envisioning their birth and parenthood, to uplift them in advocating for their reproductive and mental health, and to validate their feelings, instincts, and celebrations. Every person deserves a supportive companion through the transformative journey of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Every experience is worthy of respect and validation.
With decades of experience as an artist and art teacher, Alyson values the transformative power of creativity, storytelling, and art, and she loves integrating art into the work that she does with couples and children. She has a deep sensitivity to the emotional needs of others, and enjoys working with siblings of new babies to help nurture their natural curiosity of childbirth.
Outside birth work, Alyson is a paper flower artist and painter, sharing and showing her work in a variety of ways. A self-proclaimed “kitchen witch,” she enjoys making herbal tea and baked goods in her kitchen. Alyson loves playing outside with her son Miles, laughing and relaxing with her wife Siobhan, and traveling to see her friends around the country.
Elizabeth Romantine
she/her | birth, postpartum, childbirth education
As a mother of three beautiful boys, Elizabeth’s journey into birth work is deeply rooted in her own personal experiences. After navigating her first two births without the support of a doula, she came to understand the transformative power of informed, supportive care during childbirth. She wishes she had known then what she knows now about the incredible impact a doula can have.
For Elizabeth, birth is not just a medical event; it is a profoundly spiritual experience with the potential to be deeply empowering. She is passionate about supporting women as they make informed decisions about their birthing journey, no matter how that journey unfolds. Whether a client is planning a home birth, considering an epidural, or preparing for a cesarean, Elizabeth’s role is to ensure that they feel heard, respected, and supported every step of the way. She believes every birth is a sacred, transformative moment and feels honored to walk alongside families during this intimate and powerful life transition.
As she continues to learn and grow in this calling, Elizabeth is committed to bringing empathy, understanding, and unwavering support to the incredible process of bringing new life into the world. Her mission is to help families approach birth with confidence, knowledge, and inner strength, creating a birth experience that honors each individual’s unique path and leaves them feeling powerful and celebrated.
Anna Sylvester, RN
she/they | birth, postpartum, sibling care, childbirth education
Anna discovered her passion for birth work in early 2017 after a chance sale of a spinning wheel to a local doula. Intrigued by the idea of supporting families through such a special time, she completed her DONA International birth doula training and attended her first birth soon after. Since then, she has assisted over 100 clients with a wide range of birth experiences, from hospital deliveries to home births.
Anna is captivated by the magic of a baby’s first moments and believes every laboring person deserves a dedicated care team. Her commitment to birth work is unwavering, and she is continually inspired by each unique experience.
In 2021, Anna pursued further education to become a Labor & Delivery nurse, graduating in December 2022. She now works at Jefferson Hospital as an RN in Labor, Delivery, and Postpartum and plans to become a Certified Nurse Midwife.
At home in Bethel Park with her fiancé Adam and their cat Jake, Anna balances her time between supporting clients, managing Boundless Birth’s administrative tasks, teaching childbirth and breastfeeding education, and enjoying her many hobbies. That collection of spinning wheels and looms has somehow expanded since that first sale.
Katelin Dwulit
she/her | birth, postpartum, childbirth education
As a compassionate and grounded presence, Katelin is dedicated to supporting birthing people and their families through one of life’s most powerful transitions. As a newly trained birth doula, Katelin brings fresh knowledge, a calm demeanor, and deep respect for each person’s unique birth journey. She believes that yo deserve a space where your choices are respected, your voice is valued, and your experience is honored.
Trained through Birthing From Within, Katelin offers physical, emotional, and informational support throughout pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum. Whether you’re planning a hospital delivery, birth center experience, or home birth, she is committed to helping you feel informed, confident, and cared for every step of the way.
When not attending births, you can find her around the garden, biking local trails, snowboarding in the winter and chasing her spicy toddler around!
Patty Bell
she/her | birth, postpartum, childbirth education
Patty is a certified Doula through Pittsburgh’s Masters of Maternity and owes her passion for birth work to her three children and their individual birth stories. Through birthing her second (Pippa) and third child (Ralphie) naturally at the midwife center, Patty realized the importance of experienced support and comfort of those present in her birth space. She believes the mind/body connection is a powerful tool for birth and
is fluent in hypnobirthing. It is her belief that a woman’s body was made for birth and every woman has the right and the power to birth in any way that they choose.
Her favorite aspect of birth work is genuinely caring for the client and their family during the vulnerable time of birth. It is always her hope to build a deep connection with her clients and their family and for them to feel seen, heard and safe. She also enjoys overnight postpartum care for infants as she was an infant room teacher for over twelve years.
Patty lives in Verona with her husband Cole, daughters Johanna and Pippa, her son Ralphie and her best friend Bugsy, a Yorkshire Terrier. Her other interests include reading and writing as she has a BA in English and Creative Writing from Point Park University. She loves camping, hiking, cooking, painting but overall enjoys going on adventures with her three children, even if that adventure means treasure hunting in the backyard.
Patty believes every birth is beautiful. She believes we all can craft our own reality, and especially during birth. She is eager to join you on your birth journey.
Alaina Durigon
she/her | birth, postpartum, childbirth education
Hi, I’m Alaina — a Christian, wife, mother, and passionate advocate for women’s health. As a birth doula and registered dietitian, I walk alongside women and families with faith, compassion, and evidence-based care through pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum journey.
My passion for supporting mothers began with a deep belief that birth is both a sacred and functional process — one that is best approached with knowledge, confidence, and grace. I completed my DONA International doula training and have dedicated my career to helping women feel empowered, informed, and supported through every stage of the perinatal experience.
As a dietitian, I specialize in optimizing nutrition during pregnancy, lactation, and postpartum to nurture both mom and baby. I believe that nourishing the body and spirit go hand-in-hand and that every family deserves care that honors their unique values and goals.
Whether you’re preparing for birth, seeking guidance on postpartum recovery, or looking to strengthen your nutrition during the perinatal period, I’m here to support you every step of the way.
Abby Perez
she/her | birth, postpartum, childbirth education
Hi, I’m Abby. I’m a trauma-informed birth doula who has supported approximately 150 births, and I walk alongside families through some of the most intimate and transformative moments of their lives.
I specialize in pregnancy after loss, offering steady, attuned support that honors both hope and fear without trying to rush or fix either. I believe birth is not just a physical experience, but an emotional and relational one, and I work closely with each family to understand what will help them feel most grounded, supported, and safe.
With a background in refugee and humanitarian work, I bring a deep respect for cultural, religious, and personal differences into my care. I am comfortable moving between religious and secular spaces and adapting to a wide range of family dynamics, traditions, and values. My goal is always to reflect what matters most to you and help you feel fully supported in your own experience.
In addition to labor support, I offer birth photography, capturing meaningful moments with care and intention so you have something tangible to return to after your birth.
Whether you are preparing for your first baby, navigating pregnancy after loss, or simply looking for a doula who can meet you where you are, I am here to support you with presence, clarity, and respect every step of the way.
We would love to schedule your free consultation
Get in touch!
See if Boundless Birth is the right fit for you