Birth Work

When Grace Stepanova was still a student midwife, she generously volunteered to support my home birth as a doula. From our very first meeting, I knew I was in special hands. She took the time to meet with me beforehand, and I remember feeling like I was the only person in the world who mattered to her in that moment. Grace has a rare, selfless presence, and her calm, grounded energy made me feel deeply seen and supported.

At one point, I asked if she wanted to palpate my belly, and she responded with such sincerity. It was clear she felt honored to be included. Her touch was incredibly gentle, and the joy she expressed about my growing baby was both genuine and moving. She brought along her ten-month-old son, who was not wearing a diaper, and casually introduced me to elimination communication. It was a concept I had never encountered before, and one that we ended up embracing and loving after the birth of our daughter.

Later in my pregnancy, we learned that my baby was breech. While the doctors strongly recommended a scheduled cesarean section, Grace invited me to her home and gently offered bodywork to help ensure my baby had the space to turn. She approached everything with such care and never imposed her opinions. Instead, she offered thoughtful, open-ended questions like, “How would you feel about this option?” That kind of nonjudgmental support helped me feel empowered and informed, and ultimately contributed to my decision to pursue a vaginal breech birth at home.

To my delight, my midwife ended up hiring Grace as the midwifery assistant for my birth. When early labor began, Grace stayed in touch with helpful tips over the phone and by text. I was so relieved when my husband told me she was on her way. She arrived well before the midwife, who was resting after another birth, and the moment I heard Grace’s soft voice as she walked through the door, I felt a wave of comfort wash over me. During contractions, she placed her hand on me so gently that it brought immediate relief. Later, my husband told me that if he had five hundred dollars in his pocket that night, he would have handed it to her out of pure gratitude for all she did.

Thanks in part to Grace’s unwavering support, I had the beautiful vaginal breech home birth I hoped for. She even captured it on video and took a few candid, powerful photos of me laboring. These are images I will cherish forever. She stayed for several hours after the birth, ensuring we were all cared for and comfortable.

Grace is one of the most caring, intuitive, and knowledgeable birth workers I have ever met. She pours so much of her heart into her work and brings a beautiful blend of wisdom, patience, and genuine joy to every interaction. I cannot recommend her highly enough.

Amy O.

Grace is an excellent midwife. Combining a studious approach to physiological understanding with a deep faith in women and birth, she is prepared to support her clients wherever they are at in preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum. Grace is passionate about being with women, making you feel so deeply seen and felt in her presence. One of her greatest skills is her ability to listen deeply, both to her client's words and, in the throes of labor, to their bodies. Grace embodies the midwives directive to "bless with her hands," creating space to appreciate and experience the sacred nature of gestation and birth. If you are looking for someone both traditional and knowledgeable to support, encourage, and educate throughout the childbearing year, Grace is the midwife for you!

Lydia C.

Grace was an absolute pleasure to work with. Throughout my entire pre- and postnatal experience, she was always completely attentive, but beyond that, she showed incredible empathy, encouragement, and wisdom. She’s a super star mom herself, and became a friend by the time I delivered my son. She’s so easy to be around and made my whole family feel so comfortable and at ease. (My daughter even named one her toys Grace!) She’s easy to laugh and a shoulder to cry on when you need it. I specifically appreciated her knowledge about movement and prepping my body for birth. Even during my labor she helped to encourage the right movement patterns to help my son get into the correct position and it made all the difference. She shared helpful tips beyond what is expected of her all throughout my time with her. From the previously mentioned birth prep to my now favorite laboraide recipe and even healing tips for my son’s circumcision. Absolutely amazing, would recommend her to anyone!

Heather G.

We will be forever grateful to Grace. She came into our lives unexpectedly when our primary doula had a conflict, and though we were initially disappointed, it felt absolutely meant to be. Meeting us for the first time during my wife's labor, Grace's immediate ability to make us both feel cared for speaks volumes about her character.

My wife had a very long labor, lasting three and a half days. Grace's calm, kind nature was instrumental throughout this process. She provided exceptional, hands-on support for my wife's pain, showing us pressure points, positions, and massage techniques.

When the hospital staff put us under pressure, giving us an ultimatum (interventions or go home), Grace's expert knowledge was key here. She helped us weigh the pros and cons of each intervention and empowered us to hold firm against the pressure.

Grace helped us navigate that difficult decision with poise and confidence, ultimately helping us make the best choices under the circumstances. I strongly believe that without Grace, my wife would have likely needed a cesarean section. Her contribution to our experience was absolutely profound.

Trevor W.

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work alongside Grace when she accepted a position as a mentee with my birth doula practice. We first met when she attended a birth doula workshop I was helping to facilitate. Grace immediately stood out in the group because of her thoughtful questions and beautiful insight. I could see that she was diving into this work with an open heart and a passion for supporting birthing families.

It was an absolute pleasure getting to know Grace during the months we worked together. She was consistent and reliable. She communicated effectively and openly. She showed up to each meeting eager to learn and to provide support in whatever capacity was needed at the time. I was impressed by her high emotional intelligence. Grace was quick to offer helpful suggestions and resources when clients sought them, but appropriately sensed when it was best to simply hold space for them to communicate their needs or process their thoughts and experiences.

Grace exudes a calm, supportive, and loving presence. Her humble confidence and peaceful energy shine through as she engages with clients and fellow birth professionals. I am grateful for the time we spent working together and look forward to watching her thrive in her career as a birth professional and functional nutritionist. She is a gift to the families and communities she serves.

Shalin B.

Alongside our doula, Grace supported us as a trainee doula during our pregnancy and birth with our first child. Grace’s calm and supportive nature brought so much to our birth team. Grace went above and beyond to check-in with us regularly to ask how we were doing and provide resources pertinent to our situation, often utilizing her background in nutrition to provide additional nutritional support and advice prenatally. When the COVID-19 pandemic arose in the months preceding our birth and hospital policies tightened to exclude doulas from the birthing space, Grace was flexible in adapting her care and support to us during that time to fit the ever-changing situation, always putting our needs and preferences as the birthing person and partner first. Grace provided such tender care and support as we labored at home as long as possible, helping us to stay comfortable and arrive at the hospital at 10 cm dilated. We are so grateful for all of Grace’s support in helping us to achieve the positive and empowering birth we had envisioned!

Fiona C.

Grace is an other-worldly goddess who brought joy and healing to my birthing and postpartum experience. I didn’t think I’d feel comfortable having a student at my first birth, but when my husband and I met Grace, we felt drawn to her and quickly informed our midwife that we’d love to have her attend. She was not able to come, ultimately, but was kind enough to offer a closing of the bones ceremony for me to honor my first forty days as a new mama, bringing closure to a traumatic birth. The ceremony was absolutely lovely. It  was thoughtfully prepared and I am so grateful to her attention to detail, from coordinating with and involving my mother to inviting me to write and share my birth story to offering body work and drawing a healing rosemary bath. I am so thankful to have met her on my journey. She exudes a wise-woman energy, confidence, acceptance, and light that are so needed in our world. We have become friends for life, and I hope to have her with me during my next birth(s)!

Mallory F.

Grace was a blessing during my pregnancy with my baby girl. Her wealth of knowledge, patience, and attentive listening helped me feel confident and well cared for. She created a safe and supportive environment where my concerns were heard and respected. I would recommend Grace to anyone looking for professional, compassionate care during pregnancy and birth.

Gitana G.

My health story is a long one, but suffice to say, that for over a decade, I have been suffering from digestive issues, which have led to increasingly more and more food sensitivities. Most of my symptoms started to appear about six months after my daughter was born.

I have tested positive multiple times for h. Pylori, which causes stomach ulcers and pain. After many years of working with regular doctors and a whole slew of alternative health practitioners (including another functional medicine practitioner/nutritionist), I was fortunate enough to find Grace, and she has truly been a form of divine "grace" indeed.

I began working with Grace about two years ago. We first addressed the h. Pylori and then my overall health, both physically and mentally. Gut issues are closely tied to depression and lack of energy, both of which I suffered from for years.

Grace is just incredible in EVERY way. She began my healing process with a very in-depth question and answer format, and her ability to really listen is extraordinary. She then had me take a few tests (stool, food sensitivities, and eventually adrenals/hormones) to determine my exact gut/health issues. She is brilliant at analyzing test results and applying the information in a well thought out and comprehensive plan.

Her knowledge of how the digestive system works and its relationship to all the other systems of the body is incredible. I am constantly amazed at how quickly and precisely she can answer any of my questions, and if she's not 100 percent sure of the answer, she will spend hours of her own time researching every source imaginable to find a satisfactory answer.

Within six months of Grace's protocol, I began to feel incredibly different, especially my mood and energy level. WOW! It is a slow process to heal one's gut, especially if the issue has been around for years such as mine, but working with Grace gave me all the confidence I needed to stay committed and follow through on the various regimens and lifestyle changes.

The most extraordinary thing about working with Grace is that she is sincerely concerned about my well being. She is not just trying to help because it's her job or for financial reward, but because in the depth of her heart, she loves the individual she is working with and wants them to be pain-free, happy, and thriving in life. What better qualities to have in a healer than those.

My only regret is that I didn't know Grace while I was pregnant. Because of the hidden digestive issues during my pregnancy I was not able to digest my food properly and I am sure this contributed to my having pre-eclampsia. I delivered a healthy baby girl, but my own health began deteriorating within months of the birth.

Grace is a true healer, one who assesses the whole person with love, compassion, and knowledge. I am forever grateful for her healing magic.

Kia M.

When I first met Grace I was experiencing really bad postpartum anxiety, depression, and rage. Grace is such an amazing woman and I don't know how my daughter and I would have made it through without her help. She offered 24/7 support and guidance on so many things, from management of anxiety and depression to breathing and vagus nerve stimulation, to supplement recommendations that significantly improved my fatigue. Grace has a very keen sense of intuition and was able to identify a lot of underlying health problems that were contributing to some chronic health conditions that I'd struggled with. If there's one thing I wish I could tell everyone it's that you can recover your health. It takes time and discipline, and guidance from someone as amazing as Grace. She cares so much about her clients and she never gives up. Even if she doesn't have an answer she keeps persisting until she finds it. We love her!

Charity D.

I cannot even begin to fully describe how grateful I am to Grace for the ongoing care that she provided me through infertility, pregnancy, and into the postpartum. I had been trying to conceive for three years and started working with Grace to help me shift my health so that I could conceive. She ran a stool test and a comprehensive blood panel and gave helpful and realistic recommendations for dietary changes, lifestyle practices, and supplementation. She designed for me a well-catered protocol to follow that was very much specific to my situation, not a generic one. She would check in with me regularly and made me feel so cared for. Even as a paying client I felt really connected to her, she treats her clients like family. She put a lot of energy into learning more about what could be going on with my system. Through our time together I was able to conceive my son in December of 2023, after just a few months of following the protocol she had crafted. If she lived closer to me, I would have hired her to be my midwife. She did continue to support me from afar throughout my pregnancy.

Of all of the holistic care providers I have worked with in my life, Grace has been the one who has helped me make the most effective change and to see huge shifts in my health. She thinks of everything! And in a deeply holistic way. I recommend her to everyone!

Sarah T.

Working with Grace was truly life-changing. During one of the hardest seasons of my life, when I was struggling with complex autoimmune challenges, she provided not only deep knowledge but also a level of care that made me feel completely seen and heard. Her functional medicine approach is both holistic and intuitive; she guided me through everything from nutrition and supplements to interpreting conventional lab work in a way that went far beyond what I had ever received from a primary care doctor.

Grace’s nurturing presence gave me the patience and compassion to honor my own healing process. In a world that often focuses on quick fixes instead of true prevention, she empowered me to understand my body, integrate my challenges into daily life, and take charge of my long-term health. Her wisdom and heart are rare gifts, and I’m forever grateful for the support and transformation she brought into my journey. 

For anyone seeking lasting healing and guidance that reaches beyond the limits of conventional medicine, Grace is an extraordinary partner on the path to wellness.

Valentina O.

I’ve had the privilege of working with Grace at different times over the past three years. I was first introduced to her when she was part of another team of nutritionists. At the time, both of my young children and I were struggling with various health issues. I had already seen numerous providers over the previous four years, but none offered real results—only frustration and financial strain.

When I started working with Grace, I immediately knew she was different. Her care was genuine, and I felt truly seen and heard. My kids were not easy patients—one was an infant with feeding issues, and the other a preschooler resistant to supplements—but Grace went far beyond the typical “one-size-fits-all” supplement protocols. For my preschooler she suggested exploring myofunctional therapy, even going out of her way to connect me with providers in my area. Thanks to her guidance, my kids are now thriving. On top of that, during this time, I became pregnant the very first month of trying—another one of my goals!

After Grace left that practice to start her own, I reached out again six months postpartum to address some lingering gut issues. Having her own practice has allowed her to shine even more. I can tell she isn’t in this for the money—she truly wants to help her clients. Grace creates individualized protocols that integrate diet, lifestyle, and targeted supplements based on testing.

The biggest differences I’ve noticed working with her compared to other providers are:

• Her routine check-ins, which fit into my hectic schedule as a mom of four with a full-time job.

• Her ability to pivot and adjust protocols as symptoms improve and goals are met.

• Her genuine care for me as a person, always encouraging me to have a say in my treatment decisions.

I would absolutely recommend Grace to anyone looking for thoughtful, personalized support in achieving their health goals. She has made a lasting difference for both me and my family.

Deidre R.

Working with Grace was a pivotal point in my son’s life. He had been struggling with long lasting congestion that had escalated to sleep apnea and nightmares, which were making his life, and our lives as parents (and as a family), very challenging.

Grace and I had already been nurturing friendship and sisterhood through our paths as midwives, and she had been sharing nuggets of wisdom with me about digestion, gut health, and well-being for a long time. I knew she was the right person to go to when I realized something needed to shift dramatically for my son, Benjamin.

Grace not only has a brilliant mind but can identify the root of things thanks to her wealth of knowledge, intuition, and a true desire to support healing. She is very attentive to detail and has an ability to listen deeply and ask important questions that is unparalleled. She is also very careful in how she puts her protocols into place, always taking into consideration practical challenges, especially with regards to children (Ben was 10-11 years old at the time of treatment). Her care is thorough and generous in a sense that she is available and wants to really know how things are going, what’s working, what’s not, and how we can improve. She was always encouraging, even when we weren’t doing “everything right.” She’d always find something positive about what we were actually able to do and helped us to continually make small changes when and where we could.

By the end of his treatment, his congestion had resolved and he was back to sleeping full nights (and so were we)! Not only that, but his energy and natural curiosity returned, which made my mama heart swell with love for him and gratitude for Grace. I was very satisfied with the results we got. Thank you, dear Grace! You are a gift to the world and a true healer.

Maíra M.