Traditional Midwife & Systems Architect
Sauleiha Ifashikemi
Akangbe Ogun
Chieif Ọ̀lọ́yè Yèyé Aláwèyé
Àgbẹ̀bí (Traditional Midwife)
Founder & Owner of Alawoye Birth Center
Founder of Ile Alawoye Healers/Doulas
Full Spectrum Doula (CD. PCD)
Fourth-generation birth-worker dismantling maternal inequities. Bridging sacred Yorùbá maternal medicine with national healthcare transformation, sovereign birth centers, and ancestral preservation.
Systems Architect: Founder of JUST Birth & BBEI
“A healthy mom and healthy baby is the bare minimum. We demand an empowered, joyous mother whose humanity is celebrated.”
The Lineage
A Child Who Has Returned Home
Fourth-generation birth-worker from America (ADOS)
Hailing her craft from Òṣogbo, Ọ̀ṣun State, Nigeria.
Raised under the tutelage of her elders, Sauleiha was initiated into the care of women, infants, and the birthing threshold from an early age. Living by the ancestral principle never to withhold care from anyone in need, her calling eventually led her back to her roots in Nigeria.
Embraced by the elders as ‘a child who has returned home,’ she underwent sacred initiations, emerging as Ìyánífá Ifáṣikẹ́mi (Apètèbí Ifáṣikẹ́ Akangbe Ògún). She was subsequently installed as Ọ̀lọ́yè Yèyé Aláwèyé (‘She Who Bathes to Success’) and awarded a Traditional Honorary Doctorate—honoring her tireless service to cultural preservation, traditional midwifery, and the well-being of mothers and their babies both in Nigeria and the Diaspora.
The Inaugural Sanctuary in Òṣogbo
The Kore Way: Birth Center Model
Beyond board rooms and hospital institutions. Sauleiha brings a collaborative blueprint for maternal health in Nigeria and beyond
We are actively establishing our first center in Òṣogbo, Ọ̀ṣun State, Nigeria, creating a model that counters unnecessary medical intervention by uniting indigenous Àgbẹ̀bí wisdom with clinical safety.
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Integrated Clinical Care: On-site traditional herbal apothecaries and ancestral birth practices supported by modern diagnostic tools.
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Private Birthing Suites: Six spacious, private birthing suites—each complete with its own dedicated family waiting quarters for holistic comfort.
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Community-Centered & Accessible: Delivering high-quality, affordable care directly to the local community in Osun State.
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Global Educational Exchange: A training ground operated through the Repair and Reconnect Initiative, welcoming global birth workers, doulas, and medical personnel for cross-cultural training and maternal health dialogue.
Systemic Transformation
Track Record of Leadership
2025
Community Advocate Award Shafia Monroe Consulting
Honored by Mama Shafia as a Keynote Speaker during the SMC Doula Conference in September 2025 and received the Community Advocate Award
2023-2024
Providence MVP & Seattle Storm Honorary Coach & SHERO
Honored by Blkmamas Shero Award in 2023, the Providence MVP Award in early 2024 and selected as an Honorary Coach by the Seattle Storm in September 2024 for transformative maternal health leadership.
2022- Present
JUST Birth Network
Founded and operationalized at Providence Swedish—driving historic drops in cesarean sections among Black patients, training clinicians, and recognized by the Biden-Harris Administration.
2020- 2022
Black Birth Empowerment Initiative (BBEI)
Founded and operationalized at Providence Swedish—improving experiences of Black patients, doulas, and providers. BBEI gave birth to slew of programs focused on maternal health care and reproductive justices including the JUST Birth Network
2019- Present
Integrated Postpartum Doulas
Created the first culturally-responsive hospital-integrated postpartum doula service in the nation, maintaining uninterrupted bedside-to-home support.
Global
Ọlọ́mọ Ló L'ayé Non-Profit
A nonprofit aiming to unite all birthing professionals across medical and traditional spectrums to bridge divides, foster cross-cultural learning, and preserve traditional birthing practices through compassionate, respectful, and culturally competent knowledge exchange and awareness
Governance
Curricula & State Restructuring
Guided the equity-centered transition of PALS Doulas; implemented health equity curricula for DONA cohorts at Bastyr University; advised digital health platforms like eDoula.
Featured Across National Media
Traditional Midwifery & Healing Arts
Sacred Reproductive Services
Blended through the cosmological lens of an initiated priestess and the ancient hands of an Àgbẹ̀bí.
Womb Wellness, Conception & Loss Integration
Rooted in Ifá/Òrìṣà practices and the sacred lineage of the Àgbẹ̀bí, we offer comprehensive spiritual and physical care for families at every threshold of reproduction. Through womb clearing, bespoke herbal concoctions, ancestral diagnostic inquiry, and spiritual alignment, we prepare bodies and spirits to welcome babies earthside, while also offering restorative care and spiritual healing for those who have walked the sacred path of pregnancy or infant loss.
Full-Spectrum Agbebi Birth
Rooted in an ancestral, proactive approach, our Àgbẹ̀bí practice honors birth as both a physiological passage and a sacred spiritual transition. Because a childbearing mother exists between the physical and spirit worlds, we provide culturally rooted guidance to shield her from disruptive energies and keep her space sacred.
No two mothers are identical, and no two care plans are the same. We offer bespoke care that addresses the whole person—from dream interpretation, spiritual discernment, and ancestral veneration to targeted herbal therapies. Whether addressing early breast tenderness, fluid retention, or navigating clinical complications such as anemia and elevated blood pressure, our care bridges the material and the divine. We surround each family with comprehensive emotional, physical, herbal, and spiritual support from conception through the postpartum weeks.
Clinical & Spiritual Mentorship
Specialized Consultations
Private, dedicated guidance for individual clients, birth workers, doulas, and midwives navigating complex births, spiritual stagnation, vicarious trauma, or practitioner burnout.
Tuition & Lineage Study
In reverence to ancestral transmission, sacred instruction is offered without financial tuition. In place of monetary fees, students commit to required initiation rites, dedicated communal service, and rigorous traditional apprenticeship to attain full competency as lineage birth keepers.
The Sacred Threshold
The 40-Day Traditional Postpartum Healing
In traditional Yorùbá culture, the mother’s body is a doorway freshly opened. Sauleiha offers bespoke direct family restoration, as well as an intensive Practitioner Training Program for birth workers to master this ancient postpartum protocol.
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Sacred Washing: 40 consecutive days of medicinal water & herb preparation for both mom and baby.
Pelvic Binding & Stretching: Yoruba Traditional closing of the bones and organ realignment.
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Infant Agbebi Care: Gentle newborn stretching, massage, circumcision, and belly button herbal care.
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Traditional Broths: Restorative meals designed for deep blood building and lactation.
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Education: Teaching and supporting your family in postpartum care for new parents and baby
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Margaret T.: Bothel
Sauleiha was not just my doula - she really was my birth angel.
The moment we met I knew she was the right person.
She has an air of calm around her that just makes you feel secure and at ease.
As someone who can be very type A and get high strung, I knew she would make sure that I channeled the calm within me to birth a large baby without any pain medications. She skillfully involved my partner in active labor so that he was just not an outsider looking in. I had my playlist going, we had flameless LED candles going and the vibe was just right. I could not think of a better person aside from family to be there for me during such an emotional and intimate day for me. She goes above and beyond. She showed up right on time when I had a triggering moment with an attending during my labor ( for context she was the same attending four years prior who told me some distressing news during a prior birth). I immediately text Saulieha. Saulieha showed up and calmed me down and I was able to focus on the now and not let my past dictate my emotions. She is a gift. Black doulas are a scarcity and we know that Black doulas improve Black maternal health outcomes . She will forever be interwoven into my family's story. For this and much more I am so grateful for her.
C. Rogers: Phoenix
I have had the honor of having Sauleiha Akangbe as a traditional midwife. As I look at the strong, healthy children I have now and I am so grateful for the care and support we have received. She has a true love for walking mommas and babies through the journey of pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. I am sure because the way I was treated felt correct. I was guided safely and wisely. I received what I call all around care, of the mind body and spirit. I was encouraged to be intentional with everything I ate, drank, thought, said, and did. In my postpartum period I received care that helped my body heal and come back together quickly. I had little to no gap in my abdomen at my 6 week check and this is my fourth child back to back. My babies who have had post birth care are thriving and strong. Overall the care I received was clear and specific to my individual needs. I am forever grateful for all of the hard work Sauleiha put in for me and my children!
S. Awofolaji: Pennsylvania
I was honored to have Sauleiha support me on my very first journey into motherhood. The most full-circle, well rounded and wholesome service I could’ve asked for. She supported me in preparing my body for conception, she guided me through my entire pregnancy, assuring my safety and health were prioritized. It’s very scary being a black woman giving birth in America but I felt so safe having her in my corner to navigate through my experience and empower me to bring my son to earth well. I still get teary eyed when I look back on having the opportunity to give birth to my first child in the comfort of home, amidst various circumstances that could have led to chaos; Sauleiha provided comfort, confidence, and encouragement in the birth space. She knew exactly what to do and I trust her work completely. When it came to postpartum, she led the most amazing team of support that had me feeling beautifully strengthened. I can’t imagine working with anyone else now. Highly recommended midwife!
C. Noelck: Washington
"Sauleiha was fabulous. She supported my husband and I in the best way possible - giving directions & emotional guidance at critical moments in the birthing process. Our birth experience with Sauleiha by our side was exceptional"
Kim James: BDT Dona
"Hey, I heard you brought the HOUSE DOWN last night at the Birth Doula Skills Workshop. Sauleiha, your contributions to our workshops and our community are huge. Your sphere of influence reaches farther than you know. Thank you for being so willing to share your talents. I deeply appreciate you."
F. King: Seattle
" I was very glad that I hired a doula for my birth. My induced labor was long and difficult, with many unexpected issues. I don't know how I would have coped with my doulas help. She was also a huge support for my husband through the experience."
A. Tesfaye: Washington
"I had a long labor, and my parents were not with me when I gave birth a month ago. Have the first labor is stressful and difficult to cope with because no experience, don't no how to handle the pain during labor, and don't no what to do. This doula helped me a lot and was so special service. She brought me candle lights and air freshener to feel like that I was at home, and gave me advice what to do in each stage of labor and delivery. Her help was like my mom. I felt like my mom was on the side of me. She spent tow night with me with a great help. I have a friend who is pregnant. I told her about the service and she really wants to have a doula , and she is going to contact her (the doula who helped me). Thank you so much for your great work and I was lucky to have you."
A. Wasike: Arizona
My experience with Sauleiha Akangbe was phenomenal. Throughout the pregnancy she was resourceful and attentive to my needs. She gave me the necessary herbs that strengthened both the baby and I and took care of my health during pregnancy and postpartum. During early labor she took very good care of me, she gave me specific medicinal herbs at intervals during the day and encouraged me to do exercises that helped with positioning the baby well for labor. She also performed certain spiritual rituals that helped take care of both the baby and I during that time period. At birth, she handled everything smoothly, with grace, love and helped me have an easy and quick birth. She knew what she was doing, did not feel antsy at all so I felt very safe. After the baby was born she took care of her and gave me the herbs I need to help my body recover. I recommend any woman trying to have a wholesome birth under great spiritual and traditional practice to get with her.